#lee lost his flip flop

[lee-pace-yourself]

HA HA! LEE LOST HIS FLIP FLOP! ;)

Dear GOD his laugh. I've listened to it 20 times so far.........

#lee pace #lee lost his flip flop #his laugh omg #eargasm #ice bucket challenge #leeepfrog

[beardedmrbean]

Oh btw it was zoomer Huey that pointed out the BP hypocrisy. Also yeah about the entitlement black Americans have towards black Panther

>That was created by 2 Jewish men as well, which if the current system is running that means they're white too, (handy when it's not flip flopping every other day, someone puts a horn in a game they're an oppressed minority. )

I shit you not I saw a black socialist YouTuber saying he was surprised that white guys could write stories about a black man protecting his home from invaders

Are you saying you surprised that T’Challa fought to protect his home by invaders even though he was created, written, and overview by

SONS

OF

DAVID?!

It not like half of the holidays Kirby and Lee grew up and celebrated their entires lives were based off how many times invaders tried to wipeout their people but failed

But here the thing about that racist person

It hurts writers like ME

I want more black mecha pilots, I want more black stories tbh told.

But I DONT want them to be solely defined by their races and act racist as fuck

Fuck I hate modern black writers, they are the childhood bullies that now call their victims coons when they get pointed out

It not like half of the holidays Kirby and Lee grew up and celebrated their entires lives were based off how many times invaders tried to wipeout their people but failed

That bit about Louis Armstrong and his Lithuanian Jewish neighbors who he was surprised to see were still treated badly by other "white™ people" I don't blame him for not getting the whole Jewish thing, people still don't as you've seen lately.

I want more black mecha pilots, I want more black stories tbh told. But I DONT want them to be solely defined by their races and act racist as fuck Fuck I hate modern black writers, they are the childhood bullies that now call their victims coons when they get pointed out

That's one of the nice thing about scifi just make everyone not human, but that doesn't work for what you want I know.

Could go and watch "Our Gang" see how Buckwheat does his thing.

Jefferson's were great hell Cosby show was good, bill kinda killed that being wholesome the same way we lost 7th heaven except stephen collins didn't fight it.

I loved Sanford and Son as a kid, we wouldn't get something like that now, not because of white racists but because everyone seems to be dead set on making everyone a stereotypical representation of their race/skin colour.

You, just write your stories though don't bother with the haters.

One of the good things about making Dumbledore gay after the fact is nobody could try and dissect his behaviour to say X is gay culture.

I also don't think the Rowling thought about him being gay till after the fact anyhow, but in the end for the one character it doesn't really matter.

Only thing that changed when the announcement was made other than the jokes was that ok he was gay, had no baring on his character at all.

So write your stories and whomever is black they can be black just write them however you feel.

I think South Park is great for all that since we get Token Black, and he's treated exactly the same as all the other kids by all the other kids.

They rip on him.

#zoomer huey anon

[himebushou]

HI – I am finally watching Shaman King 2021!

The 2001 anime consumed my head and my heart (many a Maths lesson was spent discussing what had happened in Last Night’s Episode), so I’m happy to be diving in at last!

I’m grouping my rambles for convenience.  Here are some squiggly thoughts on Episodes 1-9!

Episode 1

Ep 1 of Shaman King and I'm getting emotional – the way Anna and Yoh go up against Hao in the opening sent a chill down my spine!  And wow, they didn't waste any time establishing the twin connection, huh?

There's definitely a lot packed into Episode 1, which means that it goes super fast but hey, that's fine!

It will take me a while to get used to the voices because I love and adore the 4 Kids dub – but I'm watching this subbed and having fun so far!

Episode 2

AMIDAMARU IS ADORABLE.

SHAMAN KING is one massive eco message and I loooove iiiiiit!  Having Ren spend all that time staring up at the stars rambling on about air pollution… you tell ’em!

Episode 3

Phew, the bit in the Lee Pyron episode where he starts crying... that takes me back…  (Though I think they missed a trick here by sticking with ‘Lee Pyron’ in the dub; ‘Lee Pai-Long’ made a lot more sense to me, back in the day.)

Anna literally slapping sense into everyone, including Jun fhdjdn

AND WATCHING HER USE THE BEADS GAVE ME CHILLS YAHHH!!

Episode 4

Episode 4 is my favourite so far – the introduction of Tokageroh!  There was a proper laugh-out-loud moment as well as plenty of action... though I have to ask how in the world baby!Mosuke was making swords, lol.  Him and what resources?  The knife from his father? Gosh.

Tokageroh’s backstory was delivered pretty quickly… I also appreciated Ren in this episode.

I wish that the English dub had stuck with 4Kids’ term ‘sacred hang’ – that had so much flavour.  Ryu talking about a ‘happy place’ doesn’t really have the same pizazz.

However!  Amidamaru referring to Yoh as ‘Lord Yoh’?  Amazing.  Splendid.  Beautiful.  I believe it was ‘Master Yoh’ back in the 2001 days.

Episode 5

SCREAMS

THIS

THIS IS MY FAVOURITE ONE

First of all, starting off with Ryu was cute!  Though I don’t understand how Anna summoned Mosuke to fix Harusame considering that he's dead dead (having passed on at all), but hey, I think we'll have to let it slide…

SILVA IS HERE!  I had to skip back and watch most of the episode in English because hi, DAN GREEN, HI.  He was so great and I just felt so happy hearing his voice again after all this time~ it helps that Silva is an AMAZING character and so much fun!

I cracked when Yoh lobbed Amidamaru like a baseball and tfjfj the bit where Amidamaru's spirit nearly ascends is so good –

I actually squealed when Over Soul started playing, sheesh.  Oh well.  It wasn’t too late, so I’m sure my neighbours were fine.

And man, Ren is such a lil creep at this point... The Tao family give off serious Zoldyck vibes, tbh.

(Shaman King 2021 is still super fast and I think it’s okay for people who’ve got 2001 or the manga as a baseline, but if I were completely new to the IP, I would be LOST.)

Episode 6

Horohoro is so cute.

That’s pretty much all I have to say!

Episode 7

Faust the VIII is a FREAK what the hell!

At this point, I’m flip-flopping between the sub and the dub based on whether it’s a Silva screen or not dndjkd but Faust sharing a seiyuu with Saurtobi Sasuke (from Sengoku BASARA!!) is making that complicated!

THIS EP IS FULL OF TWISTS AND TURNS

YOH LOSING

REN COMING TO THE RESCUE WITH "I DRINK THREE GLASSES OF MILK A DAY"?

SILVA'S COOL SPEECHES

AMIDAMARU INSPIRING YOH AND ANNA GETTING JELLY –

Also, the soundtrack is perfeeect for Shaman King I loooove it

Episode 8

Manta comes from money?? I don’t remember all of that stuff with his family from 2001 at ALL.

Also, the funny thought of Ryu going to America to train as a sushi chef like... surely it would be more prudent to stay in Japan?  lol

I'm pretty sure Amidamaru uses "de gozaru" when he speaks, which is super cute

This episode introduces Tamao!  I think she might be a little younger than Yoh and Anna (11?). Ponchi and Conchi were absolutely vile which was definitely, definitely left out of the dub.

I feel like we could have had more of Yoh's struggle in Yomi Cave, for sure, but that’s 2021's breakneck pacing again!  Also, I really have to question the tournament format considering that something like 10 days have passed since Yoh's loss to Faust – there wasn’t any mention of how long the qualifiers would last.  I love tournaments in anime, but they MUST be well structured!!  Or I get mad!!

Bason is adorable...... Also, I completely forgot that Ren disdains the Tao family?  What a dweeby child.  I love him.

How is it that Tamao has an Over Soul but Yoh didn't even know what it was called nfjfjd Just HOW slack was Yoh in his training??

Episode 9

YOH'S REMATCH AGAINST REEEN

THE HORSES ARE COOL

I love how much this episode focused on Yoh saying things like, “I'm not going to force myself" djdj I wish he was the shounen protag whose example I'd followed… Yoh says such important things about not working to death that many of his peers could listen to!  And me too sigh sighs

Once again, the timeline is whack – the preliminaries are over but Ren’s only had two battles?  Huh??

#shaman king #shaman king 2021 #NORTHERN LIGHTS INTENSIFIES...

[mark-of-chrysus]

#5

Daniel strutted down the corridors like he owned the place. He was a man on a mission. A hunter. His pray? The cryptid dressed in cheetah print prowling around James Lee's old school ready to melt out of the shadows and mow his ass like grass.

His ghost detector beeped twice when he turned it left.

"Huh?"

Daniel pulled down his anti-bullshit protection glasses. He was all geared up in pink hello kitty pajamas, ready to fight against the cheetah-print abomination and thus end the urban legend's grip on the common people. That and he really wanted to kick Gun's ass while being literally half his size just for shits and giggles.

He needed a change of mood after he had begun the loop strapped to a table and bald while being interrogated by Jinyeong. When the doctor had asked about his deepest darkest secret he had looked him dead in the face and uttered ominously "I'm supposed to get a senior discount when I go shopping" before promptly passing out. It was technically true, though, by the look on the man's face, he probably thought something had gone wrong with the serum. With how he had been ranting about squirrels even before he got the serum Jinyeong might actually assume he had lost his mind.

Brushing away all other thoughts Daniel reached into his backpack and pulled out a thick book the size of his head with "How to catch a cryptid" written in bold red letters on the cover. He flipped it open at a page he had marked with a cute squirrel sticky note that had unfortunately gotten crumpled in his backpack and began reading aloud.

"To catch a cheetah print abomination in the wild you must first know what it is. A cheetah print abomination is the Mothman's cousin and shares with this its distinctive mating cry and other negligible physical traits such as height comparable to Slenderman and an outward appearance that makes people tremble at the sight of it." Daniel hummed as if he had been given great knowledge and flipped the page, continuing to read aloud.

"The cheetah print abomination is easily spotted by its abysmal fashion sense and atypical behavior, such as being turned on by physical combat and physical injuries caused during fights (for reference check page 67, paragraph 9 "What to do in the event of a wild Jonngun attack, tips and escape methods by prof. Daniel "the Taller" Park)."

Daniel ignored the sound of creaking floorboards and continued reading before he suddenly stopped and let out an exclamation of glee.

"Oh look, they even have a photo!"

He raised his book in the air and put the grainy picture of a black baby cow parallel to the man staring at him. He made a big show of analyzing the picture and let out appropriate sounds of understanding and awe while comparing it to the live specimen. Finally, Gun had enough of the perceived mockery and ripped the book out of the boy's hands, took one look at the page Danny was currently reading and at the picture, and promptly tossed it out of an open window.

"No wait, that was my only copy!" He bemoaned while looking at the darkness behind the window dejectedly. "You know you're going to have to pay me back for that, right?'

The man's expression twisted into a sneer and he reached for the boy, intent on getting rid of this disrespectful bug. His attempt was promptly met with a wet shoe to the chin and then another when he tried to kick the little gremlin away. He looked disgustedly at the little puddle forming beneath the second shoe before looking up at the boy.

"It's holy water." Daniel shrugged pulling out a pair of flip-flops which he used in place of his thrown sneakers, "Need to be prepared, you know."

A laugh bubbled up in Gun's throat at the sheer absurdity of the situation. He was getting mocked by a child in hello kitty pajamas who thought he was a cryptid and had turned his holy water-soaked sneakers into projectiles against him. He stared down at the still-smoking cigarette in between his fingers and pondered upon his life choices for a few awkward minutes while the gremlin stared at him with a mix between curiosity and wariness like he was some sort of weird creature he had just encountered.

"I need something stronger than this." He announced, snuffing the cigarette beneath his shoe and turning around.

As he walked out of the school he heard the genuine voice of the little hello kitty-clad menace echoing down the halls.

"You know, smoking and drinking can be really bad not only for your health but also for your interpersonal relationships!"

Gun walked faster.

#time loop #lookism manhwa #webtoon lookism #lookism #daniel park #park jonggun

[starshipsofstarlord]

The Eyes Are Lined

Summary: whilst on the last days of set of filming the show where he plays Tommy Lee, Sebastian is greeted with a surprise guest in his trailer, and he is certainly not going to be one to complain whence he’s gets a treat as sweet as you

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x reader

Warnings: 18+, smut, mentions of phone sex, oral sex (male + female receiving), unprotected sex, penetrative sex, p in v, degradation, spanking, daddy kink, teasing, fingering, pet names

Word Count: 4133

Masterlist Link

It fell from his lips as a relieved sigh, it had felt like forever since he had last seen you, and as he took in your form coiled in a baggy sweatshirt of his and hopefully nothing more, he was fast to close and lock the door behind himself. His tongue darted out to swipe the upon the underbite of his lip as he stepped slowly forwards in his adjourned flip flops, the wide shorts hanging off his legs. For this role he had very much diversified his appearance; lost weight, changed his hair, worn temporary tattoos - yet from the prowess that resonated through your eyes, nothing in the way of your attraction had changed.

“Sebba.” You greeted him with a wide smile, dismissing your phone that had been in your hand to the side of the couch, and crawling off the seat that you had taken up residence in. Instantly, your arms wrapped around his sleek torso, taking in the aroma of his deodorant that obliterated the senses through your nostrils. He pulled your face up with the grip of his heavy palm against your courteous cheek, as his breath fanned against the platter of your forehead.

“You’re here early, shooting doesn’t finish for another three days.” He stated, the grin that was tugging at his features clearly showing that he was anything but disappointed by your unspoken arrival. Tucking your arms to land around his waist like a belt that was enclosing him against you, you happily sighed, stroking your nose against the expanse of his bare chest that was beholden before you through the open curtains of his plain black hoodie. For a moment your eyes flickered down to the fake piercings that were strung like light fixtures from his nipples, watching as the silver metal beamed in contrast to the bulb that was fixed into the ceiling.

“I wanted to surprise you, it feels like forever since we were that close.” Was your confessing admission, as you pressed a warm kiss upon his revealed flesh, causing him to hum in acknowledgement of the amorous act. “Though I’m happy that god awful shadow is gone from your chin, if you want hair there then I suggest that you grow your beard back out.” You stroked your thumb over the crescent of his chin, running the pad through the indent as he inwardly cocked his brow, stiffening his jaw at your straight opinion.

“What’d you think of everything else? Be honest now darling.” He clicked his tongue, staring down at you with his smokily framed eyes, as you coiled back into your shoulders so that you could get a better overall viewpoint of him, as your hands descended to cupping the inward joints of his elbows. You balanced your weight on both of your feet, juggling between them to remain sturdy as you felt the mood in the trailer punctually shift, as though you were crossing through the mysterious channel that inhabited the Bermuda Triangle.

“Hmmm, well I’m rocking for the eyeliner, it really makes your eyes stand out more than they already do. And you know I’ve always been an absolute sucker for the longer hair, but I’m a sucker for you in general.” At that suggestive statement, you casted a sultry wink at him, hoping that he caught onto the act rather than thinking you had something entrapped in the perimeter of your eye. It was not dust that had clogged upon your pupil, instead it were lust, gripping onto the very image of him. It had been months, long ones at that since the pair of you had seen each other.

All the intimacy that your relationship confined in its long distance was dealt with over the phone, never once did the space that his work divulged the two of you apart make you feel lonely, he tried his utmost to ensure that you were comfortable even with miles for what seemed like an eternity separating you. The cellular contact that immersed your spare time furloughed for both late night calls that brought an innocent lovesick smile to resort upon the spectating image of your face that was reflected through the front camera of your phone, and sexual conducts that travelled across the countries that you were both in to bring you closer and alternatively higher together, in a blissful reunion that swamped your head with hyperactive hormones that followed after your mutual orgasms.

“Naughty.” He condoned you for your filthy innuendo, his hand cascading down the artwork of your body, and moving behind you, so that his fingertips were dancing upon the crown of your exempt ass cheek. “Guess all that time away has gotten you desperate for me, huh? Do you want to some sucking up to me? I’ve had a pretty hard day, and it would help me relieve a bunch of the stress that depends on these last few days. Not to mention I am so pent up from not seeing you all this time, it was practically torture honey bee, I’m not even sure how I survived.”

Dragging his head down to meet with your own, you pressed luscious and. Extended pecks onto his thin lips,having missed them covering every inch o your skin with the love that swelled in his chest and other places for you. “I don’t even know if you’ll last that long Bas, its been a certain while of you solely using your hand.” A giggle reaped from your throat as your hearing absorbed the gasp that slithered out of his mouth; he playfully pushed down upon the line of your shoulders, only enhancing your amusement by doing so. “So pushy.”

“That is right, and I will only get rougher with you the longer that it takes you to get down on your knees for me, so I would think logically. After all, after I completely wrap on this show, I’m going to have all the spare one in the world to put you in your little place and stop you from being a disobedient little brat.” It was a promise, he was threatening you in the most sexual way possible, and you’d be lying if you were to say that some aroused nectar hadn’t gathered in the passage that divided your highs down the middle. You gulped, intimacy written in every speck of your irises as you lowered yourself to be poised on your thighs, your face near the tent forming at his crotch.

The material of his shorts gathered with creases as his cock grew beneath the baggy subject that defined his legs that much more. A hand ravelled through your locks as you found yourself darting your tongue out to caress his legs, moving your muscle upwards as your hands teased the waistband of the barrier that prevented you from seeing all of him. “How much have you missed me baby, let daddy know.” Lightly, he begs to roll his hips forwards, pressing his erection teasingly against your face, and you were loving every second of it. His balls were pressing against your chin on every mimic forwards, and as you tried to speak, your voice was a tiny bit muffled by them.

“So much Sebby, I hated being apart from you.” You thought that would be a good enough answer, but as his fingers threaded further through your hair, a quiet yelp ejected from your throat as he strayed you head to be leant upwards so that you were gazing into his domineering eyes. That was when you realised that you must have made a mistake, but no matter what it was, it was much too late to take it back. Sexual fear paved through your gaze as you poured, wanting nothing to get back to your journey of duty which was to suck his cock, however, you could not continue if Sebastian had other things, such as whatever you had done so wrongly plaguing his mind.

“Bitch no cause why did you pronounce my name wrong? It begins with your favourite letter; a D, remember? And now I’m not even sure that you deserve my D. Right now I am not your Sebastian, what am I little girl?” He growled down at you, his toes rigidly curling in the open toed shoes that he were sporting, his hand remaining tangled in your hair.

“Daddy.” You tried not to sob out of dismissal, and instead expedited for apologising to refrain from angering him any further. “I’m so sorry daddy, I’ll do anything. Anything to make it up to you, please, I’ll never make that mistake again.” Unless it was not in this scenario of course, the pebbles of your tears brought a vivid richness and innocence upon your face, as though you were pooling diamonds out of the windows of your explicit soul. And I’m return, you were met with the gift of Seb shoving his shorts to be draped over his feet, his cock playing the curve of a sail as it stiffened more so at the air that hit it.

“Are you wearing anything underneath that sweatshirt baby?” He enquired as his right hand held his length in hand, enclosing his fist around the warm flesh that was beading with visible emotion at the tip. It was as though a pearl was balancing on the sector of his slit, teasing you as you dryly licked your lips, wanting nothing more than to ingest that into your body. To answer his question, your hands toyed with the bottom of his clothing article, pulling it up so that he could see your bare abdomen, of which was dressed in nothing more than your flawless skin.

“No daddy, I’m not. Am I in more trouble for that?” You worried that you were, all that you had wanted to do was surprise him, and you felt yourself grow a little giddy as he slowly shook his head, and pull back the coat of his foreskin to flash off as much of his cock as possible. He was teasing you to the slyest of his abilities, he wanted to subject you into doing something against your better judgement, and you remained strong, no matter how much you wanted to coil your lips around the head of his member and take him as far as the hollow of your throat would naturally allow.

“No baby, imma let you off the hook for that because I haven’t seen you in so long and I know that pretty little cunt has missed me probably more than the rest of you, but don’t test me again angel, or on the plane home you’re gonna have to sit on a bag of ice.” A part of you wanted to smirk, to coyly piss him off to see if that perseverance were to be true, however if you knew Sebastian, and you knew him more than well, you wouldn’t put anything past him nor his motives. “Go on, I can see you practically drooling to take me in your mouth. Don’t tease or I’ll fuck your face; be a good girl would ya.”

You weren’t going to waste anymore time, for all that you aware, any one of the set assistants could take him away from you, and that possibility only fuelled your instincts further as you hovered your head away from his hand, that was now patting and gently playing with your locks instead of using them as a leash, and flickered your tongue out to swipe that sample of precum and swallow it without hesitation. Before your mind could comprehend it, your body had already taken the next steps forwards and started to swallow down his member, your lashes fluttering closed as you hummed, sending a rhythm through Sebastian’s body of which made him cuss.

He was looking through half lidded eyes, almost shutting them, though stopping from doing so when he noticed your hand creep down the smooth skin of your thigh, and pry at your own folds. He was going to reprimand you for being so confident that you weren’t going to get caught doing something that was so ludicrous, but he decided that he were to allow you to continue for a moment. If he made a scene after revelling in his own pleasure, then you would be more compliant with whichever punishment that he nailed you down with. The tips of your digits quivered around your lips, before sinking within your walls and the rest of your palm cupped your pussy.

It made more sense now you were moaning against him, for not only the taste of him that hung heavily on your tongue, but from the slip of power that you thought you had over him, even if it be cloaked in secrecy. As he thought more of that, he found himself starting to fume with an underlining of rage, his fists stiffened at his sides as he exhaled through a combination of the sensations rippling beneath his skin. It was a combination of brewing disappointment and foreseen arousal; his veins burned with both, turning his blood warm and drumming his brain with one thing - it were his birthright to make you submit before him.

And though you were positioned in front of him, cast to your knees as you worked on his hard cock with your heavenly mouth, your mind had slithered away from the laws that you were supposed to obey as you fingered yourself against and without his jurisdiction. To retain from speaking out just yet Seb put the pressure of his front teeth down upon his bottom lip, as he tuned his ears on the sounds of your mouth i taking his cock and slathering it with the natural lubricant of your saliva, and if he paid enough attention, the sound of your nimble fingers darting in and out of your entrance was echoed through the slick that was provided from your hormonal body, that coated your fingers and glistened underneath the lighting.

As he felt a spark approaching through the intermissions of his pleasured body, he found it to be best to direct you away, and exhibit distance despite having forgone with that flow for the time space that you hadn’t seen each other in. And thus he gently stepped back, allowing his cock to fall past your lips and a string of spit to be the only thing connecting you to it. It was an instinct for you to whine as you watched him take his cock back into his hand, giving himself a couple of easing tugs to cool himself down from his ruined orgasm.

And that was when all prevailed in realisation for you, that he continued to ogle at you from above as your index and middle fingers on your right hand remained inside of your cunt, and as your mind sparked some sense back into it, you instantly removed them despite the emptiness that attained within that area. Your eyes remained wide as you watched with caution as Seb took it upon himself to take a seat on the sofa that was below the blind strung window of his trailer, his hand temptingly patting his thick thighs as a means to convince you to move closer.

“Get up here you deviant minx.” It was not a sweet gesture that he were offering you, no, instead you were getting punished despite evading such a fate earlier on. Pushing yourself up from your knees, you went to lay yourself against him homely lap, however as you went to do so, he tugged at the sweatshirt that compiled a flush of heat against your addictive body, pulling it up a few inches to send you the message. Once you had completely removed the appeared and were dressed to the eye in nothing more than your naked flesh, that was when Sebastian allowed you to continue laying your stomach across his legs, as your own legs and breasts were draped either side of them.

His rough fingertips caressed the muscles of your back, making them twitch from rugged anticipation. They descended lower as he dug his knee into your ribs, enjoying the way that your breath hitched. “You know the rules angel, you don’t touch without permission, and yet you did. Do you have anything to say for yourself before I bruise this beautiful ass red and blue?” The worst thing was you could imagine how your cheeks would look all bruised up from the harsh strokes from his commanding hands; it had happened before and each and every time you’d tell yourself that it’d never happen again, that you’d avoid such intimate brutality because you’d behave.

But you both knew better than to trust those empty promises that wailed from your desperate throat as you were subjected to a pain that made your mind hazy and your throat parched. “No daddy, just that I’m sorry.” A yelp quickly followed after as he collided his hand down upon the fat of your behind, your entire body jolting as you shakily inhaled, knowing that in a few minutes that you’d get used to the pain and find it less surprising. The first strike was always the worst, and as another clapped down, followed by more and more, tears reigned the paving of your face as they spilt down your cheeks.

Your apology was simply a waver in the air, it did nothing other than tell him something that he’d heard a million times by this point. And when nothing added to the soreness of your bosom, you swore that you were in heaven, it continued to sting though as relief washed over your aura, and your lashes flickered through the fallen tears, slowly drying from the sobbing that they had commenced. “You took that well, okay.” Seb breathed, beginning to softly stroke your ass which made you whimper from the feather light pressure that digressed against the impact he had prohibited you to dwindle in. “I’m gonna reward you, think you can turn over baby?”

He slipped out from beneath you, allowing you to remain on your stomach for the moment until you had finally came up with your decision. You wriggled a little, stretching your toes as you hummed in reply and switched, despite the searing conundrum that resorted favour over your backside, onto the polar of your position, only to find your lover of whom was in control crawling towards you, the rings around his eyes looking sinful as he stared at your naked body as though you were his prey. His hands began to reel up your legs, coercing you into squirming against the cushioning that was managing to keep you at the same physical level as him, though the same couldn’t be said for the mental premise that rendered in interference of your relationship.

Hot air brushed upon your mound as he pressed a kiss to the hill that lead to the lake that was fawning at his close proximity, waves crashing and glistening to appeal to his ocean eyes. “Daddy, can you please do something?” A grunt differed from his throat as he inhaled the sea salt that subordinated his nose to the all natural scent, all before he nipped at the inside of your thigh before delving his face between the tightened proximity, sealing his mouth around your sensitive bud as he mumbled moans against your reactive flesh, earning himself a deeper invasion as you rutted your hips up to his face.

Sebastian Stan was a man of many talents; he could clearly mimic anyone that a script needed him to, but the one thing that he was truly magical at was using his mouth. It was a skill set that made you mercilessly comply to him, it was his superpower, which was indeed ironic considering that he played a hero in one of the world’s biggest franchises known to cinema. He raised his hands to grasp at your own as he trailed them into his strongly pigmented hair, giving you permission to ravel your hands through his straight hair, and feel the smooth sheen against the judge of your skin. You liked it, as you knew that you would.

Using his tongue, he pried at your entrance, sinking it within you as he began to shake his unruly head, extracting small screams from your throat as you became victim to his plentiful evidence of love. Your chest raised out in the air as your eyes rolled back, and a tweak pulled at your clit once more, and looking down, it revealed that it were your beloved tugging at the button with his teeth, as he gouged your reaction. When you reached your orgasm, he dived head first back into your emptying cavern, cleansing all that he had subdued from your body via his amazingly versed and performed sentiment.

“Taste so fucking good baby.” To prove his point, he clambered above you, slipping his lips against your own as he swabbed your tongue with his own, sharing your own juices so that you could feel them balance on your taste buds. His hand ran down your body as he pinched your hardened nipples, earning himself a withered and high pitched sigh from your mouth as he pulled away from the kiss. “Think you for another one in you angel? Daddy wants to fuck this sweet pussy, you okay with that?” A dazed nod gave him permission, though he grasped your jaw with his strong hand as he ensured that you stared back at him. “I need to hear you.”

“Yes, want your cock in me daddy. Always do.” A content smile used your mouth as it’s efficient puppet as he held onto his cock, and teased it around your folds, wetting his foreskin and other areas to make it more pleasurable for the both of you when he went to push in. And when he did, you felt like you had died and gone to heaven, it made you wonder how you ever survived going months without his touch, in any which way. Your hands held onto his hips as you steadied his weight, silently giving him the okay to start moving, and he did, he sunk within your cavernous walls, only to pull back and repeat the action. “Seb.” You breathed the shortened version of his name, the hot air leaving your mouth hitting his shoulder as he panted beside your face, his nose dragging up your cheek as you ran your hand down, cupping his balls and stroking them with the tender contact of your thumb.

For once under these circumstances, he did not shun you for saying his true name, instead he was too busy with the maddening rush that flew through his body as he fornicated with you. His pace increased, provoking the sound of flesh slapping upon flesh in the air as your thighs and hips clashed, amongst other parts. “Fuck sugar, ya close?” He asked you hurriedly, his forehead scrunching up as he felt immense pleasure as your cunt clenched around him, using his leverage to play with your clit once more. You ravenously nodded your head, dragging your nails over his body as you tried to jut your body up against his, chasing the approaching high which ultimately had you slumping against the cushions as he continued to pummel your body with his delivering thrusts.

“Shit.” He almost shouted, a soothing buzz ongoing in his body as he released his seed within you, you being able to feel every drop even after he pulled out and rolled to lay beside you, tugging you to be laying on his chest, neither of you caring for the cum that was escaping from your entrance that also happened to be the exit. “Why you laughing at me angel face?” Sebastian queried as he heard your cheeky sounds of amusement, a grin ruining the formation of his rocker disguise.

“You’re eyeliner’s all smudged.” You laughed, running the pad of your thumb beneath his eye and in the crows feet that dipped below, blending it further into his skin and giving it a grey hue to its ebony gradient. “You still look hot though.” You shrugged, nestling your head deeper into his chest, finally relieved that you and Sebastian were in the same place at the same time again.

#sebastian stan smut #sebastian stan x you smut #sebastian stan fanfiction #sebastian stan x y/n #sebastian stan x reader smut #sebastian stan x you #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan x female reader #sebastian stan imagines #sebastian stan imagine #sebastian stan fic #sebastian stan fluff #sebastian stan oneshot #bucky barnes smut #heavy bucky barnes smut #imagines #imagine #xreader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #marvel x reader #mcu smut #mcu cast smut

[devoidwrites]

LAST FIRST KISS • Lee Felix

Summary: Felix was your best friend’s twin brother, and the two of you would flirt back and forth. Which one of you will admit your feelings for each other first?

Words: 1.9K

Genre: non idol au, college au, fluff

Pairing: Lee Felix x Reader

Warnings: none.

“Girl, what would you do? Would you wanna stay if I were to say?”

-

“Mr. Moon has lost his mind if he thinks i’m going to kiss Yang Jeongin on stage in front of hundreds of people.”

You snickered at your best friend. “Oh come on Maya he’s not that bad.”

“That’s the problem!” She whined. “He’s so hot. How am I supposed to hold my composure when he’s the Romeo to my Juliet?”

She had been freaking out about this play for weeks. At first their director said he was cutting out the kiss scene, but he changed his mind. That lead to you having to listen to her ramble about Jeongin for days on end.

“You enjoy the couple of seconds you get to kiss him?” You suggested. You stepped into her kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water. “Literally every girl on campus would kill for your spot.”

“Better make sure your food isn’t poisoned.” A voice chimed in. Felix waltzed into the kitchen with a grin on his lips. “Who knows what those girls would do to get your spot.”

“I hate both of you.” Maya muttered before opening the fridge. You glanced at one another with a knowing smirk on your lips. As her best friend, and her twin brother that was obviously a lie.

“If you’re that against it Y/n and I can take over for you.” He suggested. He quickly got on his knees and turned to you with an over dramatic expression. “O- Juliet my dear. Will you run away with me and we’ll spend the rest of our lives together?”

You were quick to jump in. You grabbed his hand. “Oh Romeo. Of course I will. We’ll spend the rest of our days together.”

Your performance was clearly inaccurate since the two of you were not majors in theatrical arts. However, it made Maya laugh. So, a job well done.

“Good thing you two are majoring in different subjects.” She chastised.

It was a fair point. You were far better at remembering bone fractures and sicknesses than reciting a poem. It didn’t bother you a bit. You preferred becoming a doctor over an actress anyways.

“Maybe, but Felix will always be the Romeo to my Juliet.” You teased, giving a smile towards the brunet. He placed a hand over his heart longingly.

“This is why we always go to your place.” Maya groaned in annoyance. “I’m tired of seeing you guys flirt all the time.”

“Would you rather us date instead?” Of course, Felix’s remark was teasing, but you couldn’t help the way your stomach flipped at the idea of actually dating him.

He was charming, caring, and beyond attractive. He was a package deal, and anyone would be lucky to even get a chance with him. You stayed to the side and didn’t bother with it. He was your best friends brother. You didn’t want to cross any unspoken boundaries.

So, you played it off with a scoff. “In your dreams Chef Boyardee.”

“What? Is a chef not good enough for you?” He stepped closer as if he was daring you. He was always playful, and you hated yet loved it. You wanted nothing more than to kiss that stupid smile off his face, but you had to play it cool.

“I don’t know. Maybe you should show me what you’ve got.”

“Really-“

“Bye.” Maya grabbed your hand and pulled you out of the kitchen. You heard Felix laughing on your way up the stairs and into her room.

You flopped down onto her bed, spreading out while she took comfort in her desk chair. She placed the chips on her desk, opening her computer for only she knows what.

She let out a sigh. “I wish you and Felix would get together already.”

That got your attention. You sat up, giving her a wild look. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t try and play dumb with me. I can see past all of that harmless flirting.”

“Please, I’ve known Felix for years-“

“And i’ve known both of you for longer. He’s my twin. He can’t hide something like that from me even if he wanted to. And you? I can read you like an open book. My only question is; why haven’t you asked him out yet?”

“He’s your brother.” You reminded her. “Plus I never got the vibe that he likes me back.”

It was her turn to look at you as if you were insane. “Are you serious? All of that flirting and you have the audacity to think he doesn’t have feelings for you?”

“He flirts with everyone?” You told her, although it came out more of a question.

“The only other person he flirts with is Changbin, and that’s just because it embarrasses him. With you it’s different. I can tell he’s waiting for the chance to jump on you.”

“Is this you trying to set me up with your brother?”

“If it means that I don’t have to listen to your horrific flirting anymore then yes. That’s exactly what i’m doing.”

-

You let out a sigh as you peeled Maya’s arm from around you. You had no idea what time it was, but it had to of been near midnight since you started the moving a little after ten o’clock.

Like usual, Maya passed out an hour into the movie, leaving you awake on your own. Pulling the blanket off of you, you stood up to go downstairs and raid their kitchen.

You tried to be quiet going down the stairs, but seeing the kitchen light was already on, you figured Felix was awake too. Your suspicions were confirmed when you saw him standing over a mixing bowl.

It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve caught him down here at midnight, making whatever he could think to make. Judging by the flour and the chocolate chips on the counter, it looked like he was making cookies.

You stepped into the kitchen as he placed the sheet into the over. “Whatcha making?”

He jumped slightly, but then turned to you with a smile. “ My specialty.”

“Didn’t realize you had one of those.” You teased. It was clearly a lie. His specialty was cookie. They were perfect. With just enough chocolate chips and a soft gooey inside they tasted like heaven.

He gave you a playful glare. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me y/n l/n.”

“We’ve been friends for five years. I know enough.”

He set hit whisk to the side, turning to fully face you. “You think so?”

“I know your favorite color is yellow. You used to have a problem with your freckles, which is bullshit by the way- they’re beautiful.” You counted off your fingers. “You took a band course on high school-“

“We don’t talk about that.”

Snickering, you continued. “You’re terrified of anything slightly scary. Your favorite kind of movies are comedies. You love playing league. When you can’t sleep you stay up late at night baking-“

“Okay. okay.” He held a hand up, stopping you from rambling on. “Are you sure your aren’t just stalking me?”

“You wish.” You rolled your eyes in a playful manor. “Unfortunately for me, in the last six years of knowing Maya i’ve gotten to know you too.”

“Would you like to get to know me even more?” There it was again. The flirting that drove you absolutely mad. The sly grin on his lips made your heart race.

“Don’t say something you don’t mean Felix.”

He took a step closer to you, tilting his head slightly. “Who says I don’t mean it?”

You couldn’t help the scoff that slipped past your lips. “You’re always flirting with me.”

“Maybe i’m doing it in hopes you’ll actually catch on.” He gave you a pointed look. With furrowed eyebrows, you tried to understand what he was talking about.

“What-“

“God, how could you be so smart, but so dense.” A smile made its way to his lips. “You can name every single bone in the body, but you can’t see that I have feelings for you?”

“That’s not funny.” You shook your head. You thought he was only playing, but the look on his face told you he was serious.

“I’m not laughing. Y/n, I’ve liked you ever since I first laid eyes on you.”

It hit you like a train wreck. He didn’t flirt with you right when you met. He didn’t start until after you broke up with Kim Seungmin. From that point it just kept on, even after you’ve dated Choi Jongho and Choi Soobin.

He had been honest with his feelings this whole time. You were the one that was too stupid to realize it. “Are you the ones that scared my exes off?”

“In my defense, they asked me to stop hanging out with you and i told them that was up to you and not me.” He shrugged.

You gave him an incredulous look. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t want to make things awkward between us and Maya if it didn’t turn out how i thought.” He took another step closer. This time he placed a hand on your cheek. “She may or may not have told me you liked me back.”

You couldn’t be mad at her for that right? She was trying to help the both of you out. You’ve had a crush on Felix for almost eleven months, but he’s felt like this for four years.

“So what do you think Y/n? Will you let me be your last first kiss?”

The words itself shocked you. Last first kiss. That meant he wanted to spend forever with you. Can’t say you didn’t feel eased at the idea.

“Not feeling bold anymore?” He teased you. “What happened to the y/n that would tease me back?”

“She’s currently trying to figure everything out.”

“Let me help you then.”

He leaned forward, pressing his lips to yours. His lips were soft as you had expected, but it was so much better than the dreams you had about him. It was so much more caring. So much more real.

You kissed him back almost instantly. Bringing your arms up, you wrapped them around his neck to pull him closer. His slipped around your waist, gripping your hips as your lips continued to press together.

You pulled away from him, staring up at him with wide eyes. He chuckled. “Did that help any?”

You almost wanted to pinch yourself. To make sure you weren’t dreaming. A smile found its way to your lips. “I don’t know. Maybe you should try to convince me again.”

“hm, alright.”

Your lips pressed against his once more. This time the kiss was more passionate, and a lot more heated. He picked you up and placed you on the counter, letting you wrap your legs around him to pull him even closer.

His hands tickled your sides, making you squirm slightly. You couldn’t help the laugh that slipped past your lips, but you didn’t pull apart until-

ding!

The sound of the oven going off made the two of you spring apart. Felix pulled out of your grasp to go check on the cookies. Hopefully they weren’t burnt. You could really go for one about now.

“You almost made me burn my cookies!”

“You’re the one that started flirting with me first!”

#lee felix #felix #lee felix x reader #felix x reader #skz #stray kids #skz x reader #stray kids x reader #self insert #kpop #kpop imagine #stray kids imagine #stray kids one shot #lee felix imagine #lee felix one shot #felix imagine #felix one shot #devoidwrites #kpop images based off one direction songs #au #fluff #crack

[giggles-and-tiggles]

Let Me Work!

You guys are really passionate about people sending me prompts, huh? XD I really appreciate it! Thanks for complimenting my work! It really means a lot to me. I was happy to make this fic! We all need some lee and ler Peter in our lives, right?

PLATONIC Peter x Reader

Summary: When Peter needs to work on an assignment that's worth almost half of his overall grade, you feel bored and the need to play. You try to take his attention off of the work, but it backfires when the tables quickly turn.

Word Count: 1,250

~~*~~

You excitedly ran through the doors of the Avengers compound. Today was the day Peter promised you that you would spend the whole day together. Peter was your best friend and you never really got to hang out with him because of missions, and hero work. But today was going to be different. You and Peter were going to have a ball together. You made your way up to Peter's only to see him slumped over his desk with papers and books scattered all around him. He had one hand in his hair, while to other hand was messily scribbling down some words in a book.

"Wha - What are you doing?" You said, sadness taking over your voice.

Peter looked up at you with a sorry expression. "I'm so sorry, Y/N. I know we were supposed to hang out today, but something came up."

You made your way over to his desk and looked down at what he was doing. "C-Can't you just do the work later?"

"No can do, Y/N. This project is worth half of my grade and it's due tomorrow." Peter sighed.

You felt as if you could cry. You were looking forward to this day for weeks and now it can't happen. But you were still the kind of person to make the most out of a bad situation.

"Well, that's alright!" You said. "We can still hang out, I'll just sit on your bed and keep you company." You made your way behind Peter and took a seat on his bed.

"Y/N, I can't have any distractions." Peter stated.

"Okay, then. I won't talk." You said pulling out your phone and scrolling through social media. Peter turned around with a sigh and a smile and got right back to working.

The room was silent for a long while. With Peter flipping pages and writing things down, and you on his bed mindlessly pushing buttons and scrolling through random things, bored out of your mind. You let out a sigh and crawled closer to Peter's desk. You poked his back and he jerked violently.

"Y/N! Cut that out!" Peter demanded, but couldn't help the smile growing on his face.

"Pete, I'm bored!" You exclaimed.

"That's not my problem, Y/N/N!" Peter said, spinning around in his chair. "Go hang out with Mr. Stark!"

"He's in his lab with Dr. Banner."

"Go hang out with Steve."

"He went somewhere with Bucky and Sam."

"Wanda?"

"Wanda went somewhere with Pepper and Nat."

"THOR?"

"Thor... I don't know where Thor is."

Peter simply sighed.

"Everyone knew that we were supposed to be occupied today, so they went out to go do their own thing." You said.

Guilt soon took over Peter's facial expression. But he knew he had to get this project done.

"Y/N, as soon as I'm done with this, we can hang out together for the rest of the day. But this project is really important to me and I have to finish it today." Peter explained.

You looked at Peter with nothing but understanding. "Alright, Pete. No worries." You smiled. He smiled back and poked your side, before returning to his work. You giggled and fell back on the bed. You pulled out your phone again and decided to talk to some friends from school to pass the time.

An entire hour had passed and you were going crazy. How long was the project going to take? You arrived at Peter's room at around 8:42am and now it was 9:57am.

You sat up and poked Peter's side. He jerked violently and almost dropped his pencil. "Y/N dohon't!"

You smirked and poked both of his sides with both of your pointer fingers. You watched him jerk and flop around hilariously in his chair.

"Y/N stohohop!" He giggled, trying to grab at your hands. That's when you changed your poking into squeezing. Peter's laugh became louder and more frantic.

"What's the matter, Pete? A little too ticklish?" You teased.

"STOHOHOP Y/N!" I'm ahahalmost fihihihinished!" He laughed.

"Oh great!" You said making your tickling more sporadic and unpredictable. Peter clamped his arms down to his sides and laughed.

You shoved your hands into his armpits and he lost it. He threw his head back cackled.

"STAHAHAHAHAP IHIHIHIT! AHAHA PLEHEHEASE Y/N!" He begged, kicking his legs under his desk and trying to roll away in his chair.

"No, I don't think I will-" You were cut off by a sudden swift movement. Peter had spun around, hoped off his chair, grabbed your wrists, and pinned you down on the bed.

"You have your fun, Y/N?" He asked, towering over you.

"Mhm."

"Oh that's great, because now it's my turn." Peter said before digging his hands into your ribs.

"Peheheter w-AHAHAHAHAHAIT!" You squealed, pathetically trying to hit his hands.

Peter scribbled his hands all over your torso, seeing what spots made you react the worst and staying there for a while. All you could do was toss your head back and laugh.

"What's the matter, Y/N/N? A little too ticklish?" Peter teased.

"DOHOHOHON'T SAHAHAHAY THAHAHAHT, YOHOHOU JEHEHEHERK!" You squealed.

"Oh? But you said it to me first!"

Peter lifted up your shirt to reveal your tummy and blew a huge raspberry. Your laughter got loud and desperate. You starting hitting his head and grabbing at his hands, trying to get him to stop. But the more you hit him, the worse he made the raspberries tickle.

"NAHAHAO! NOHOHOHOHO MOHOHOHOHOHORE!" You screamed.

"More? Whatever you say, Y/N." Peter looked up at you with a wink.

You squealed and kicked when Peter started wiggling his fingers on your sides and blowing raspberries above your belly button.

"PLEHEHEHEASE PEHEHETER! IHIHIHIHI'M BEHEHEHEGGING YOHOHOU! STAHAHAHP!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have tickled me first, Y/N/N."

"IHIHIHI'M SOHOHOHOHOHORRY!"

Peter didn't listen to your desperate pleas, he just continued tickling the life out of you. You tried to roll off of the bed, but Peter always caught you and kept you in his grasp. You had nowhere to go.

Peter pinned one of your arms above your head and dug into your armpit. You squealed and tried to fight him off with your free hand, but of course it didn't work.

"PEHEHEHETER EIIHEHEHEHEHE! STAHAHAHAHAP PLEHEHEHEASE!"

"No, I don't think I will." Peter said with a smirk.

"YOHOHOHOHOU JEHEHEHERK!" You cried.

Peter placed his hands on your tummy and wiggled his fingers all around. You instantly dissolved into loud giggles.

"You're super ticklish, Y/N. It's so cute." Peter said, bringing his face closer to yours.

"Stohohohop!" You giggled, trying to pry his hands off of you. Peter picked up on the desperation in your voice and decided it was time to give you break.

"Ughh, fine." Peter finally let you go and you gasped for air.

You looked up at Peter and saw him getting dressed.

"What- what are you doing?" You asked.

"Getting ready. You still want to hang out, right?" Peter smiled.

You looked over at Peter's desk. "What about your project? Did you finish it?"

"Nah. But it's only a little bit of work left. I can do it when we come back."

A warm feeling rushed throughout your body. You really loved Peter, he was the greatest friend you could ever ask for. "Alright."

Peter took your hand and rushed out of the door. Your day was great. You couldn't imagine spending this beautiful day with anyone else.

~~*~~

#peter #peter parker #mcu #marvel #marvel universe #tickle #tickling #tickle fic #tickle community #marvel tickle #mcu tickle #mcu tickle fic #marvel tickle fic #peter x reader #x reader #x ticklish reader #peter x ticklish reader #peter parker tickle fic #giggles-and-tiggles #tickle blog #mcu tickle blog #mcu tickling #peter parker tickle #peter parker tickling

[intheticklecloset]

Dr. Stone Coffee Shots #21-30

A collection of the Dr. Stone sentence starters I’ve done, compiled for the sake of ease. These are all stand-alone stories. Some are Modern AU. All are SenGen.

~~~

21) Lee Gen, Ler Senku

“Senku—”

Senku muffled Gen’s protest with another kiss – one of neither of them knew how many at this point.

Gen tried pulling away, but the scientist just held him in closer. “Senku, stop—”

Senku grinned into this particular yelp, his hands around the mentalist’s ribs, holding him firmly in place even as the other man squirmed in his hold.

“Stop, plehehease…” Gen gasped when he felt something solid against his back. Nowhere to run now. He was well and truly trapped, and Senku just kept grinning, just kept tickling, just kept kissing. “Senku, plehehease—!”

“What?” Senku murmured, right up in his face, keeping up when Gen twisted his head, enjoying the flustered mess he was making out of him. “I thought you liked it when I tickled you and kissed you at the same time.”

“Shut up—” Gen squealed when the scientist curled his fingers into the back of his ribcage, forcing him to arch into his embrace even more. He was breathless already, and he hadn’t even really been tickled yet. “Senku, please, stop teheheasing me—”

“You like it.” Senku captured his lips with another kiss, a harder squeeze to his ribs.

Gen shrieked out a round of giggles, pushing uselessly against Senku’s shoulders. “I know, but—”

“But what?”

“Plehehehease, I can’t—”

“Can’t what?” Senku snatched up his wrists and pinned them above his head, keeping one finger trailing lazily up and down the mentalist’s side, his eyes fixed on the two-toned man before him, smiling at how red and flustered he was. “You always want me to do this and then get all shy when I finally do. Why is that?”

“J-Just…” Gen stammered, at a loss for words for once in his life. He both loved and hated the intensity of Senku’s eyes on him in moments like these. “Just pick one, already…”

Senku considered a moment, then shot his free hand up into Gen’s underarm beneath his coat and leaned forward to enjoy the startled laugh he pulled from him with yet another kiss. “Nah,” he murmured. “I don’t think you want me to choose~”

*

22) Lee Senku, Ler Gen

Gen had been hugging him for quite a while at this point.

Senku stood with his arms trapped at his sides, pinned there by Gen’s affection, and the mentalist’s head was nestled on his shoulder.

Neither of them were saying anything. Neither of them were moving.

“So…are you going to let me go? Ever?” Senku finally asked.

“Nope,” Gen replied easily, sounding content even as he taunted the scientist. “Never. Never letting go. You’re going to have to deal with it now.”

Senku let out a dramatic sigh, deciding to play along. What else was he going to do? So he deadpanned, “Oh, no. I’m trapped. Whatever will I do? All my work, all my plans – ruined by a hug.”

Gen struggled to contain his mirth. He bit down on his lip to keep himself in check while sneakily wiggling his fingers into the space between Senku’s arms and torso, digging into his upper ribs with just enough pressure to make the scientist gasp and dissolve into helpless giggles.

“No! Nohohohohohoho! Gehehehehehen, dohohohohon’t!” he pleaded, squirming in the mentalist’s hold but going nowhere fast. His friend only held him tighter, trapped him harder, forced him to stay still and take it. “Gehehehehehahahahahaha!”

“Aw, what’s the matter, Senku-chan? Don’t you like my hugs?” Gen teased easily, lifting his head just enough to begin kissing the scientist’s neck in tandem with the gentle rib tickling.

Unfortunately for Senku, his neck was extremely ticklish. He squealed, scrunching up his shoulders, giggles turning to laughter as he struggled in the mentalist’s surprisingly strong hold. “Nohohohohoho! Not my neheheheheheheck! Gen!”

Gen chuckled into another kiss, gradually making his way up to the scientist’s ear.

Senku was giggling so hard he could barely stand up at this point. The ticklish sensations shooting through his nervous system were distracting him from everything else, forcing him to focus on them, focus on this moment right now. The longer this went on, the more flustered he became. Eventually he could feel the heat of a blush on his cheeks, rapidly spreading to his neck and ears, which Gen was still assaulting with deathly ticklish kisses, fingers digging into his ribs with relentless precision.

“Stohohohohohohop, Gen! Plehehehehehease!” Senku begged through his hysterics, giving up the fight. It was all useless anyway; he was at the mentalist’s mercy now, and both of them knew it. “Plehehehehehease! I’m too tihihihihihicklish for thihihihihihis!”

“Too ticklish?” Gen giggled, placing a kiss on his cheek in the midst of it all. “What a cute idea, Senku-chan~”

*

23) Lee Senku, Ler Gen

“That was the worst pun I’ve ever heard, you idiot,” Senku grumbled, flipping the morning paper over to the comic strips, eyes aimlessly scanning the pictures there. “It is way too early for you to be making puns that awful.”

“Oh, come on, Senku,” Gen whined. “I’m proud of that one!”

“You really shouldn’t be.”

“You’re just not a morning person.” The mentalist reached across the table to try and drag his partner’s coffee mug away in order to see his cute, grumpy, before-8am face, but Senku promptly reached one hand around the paper to stop him.

“If you don’t want to die, I suggest you leave my caffeine alone.” The scientist squeezed Gen’s wrist before letting it go. “It was your idea to wake me up at this ungodly hour of the morning to get to the Renaissance faire early. The least you can do is let me have my coffee first.”

Gen sighed dramatically. “I suppose that’s fair. But quit hiding behind that paper! I know you’re not really reading it, and I want to see your cute face.”

“Not happening.” There was silence. A chair scraped across the floor. Gen grasped the top of the paper, gently pushing it down until Senku had no choice but to give him a withering look. The adoring eyes he met almost melted him right then, but he remained steadfast. “What now?”

“You’re cute when you’re grumpy in the mornings,” Gen murmured, pushing the paper aside to kiss him gently on the lips. “I love it.”

Senku scoffed, turning his head to the side indignantly, hating the blush that he knew was giving him away. “Don’t get used to it. I’m only doing this so you can stop bugging me about it until next year.”

Gen chuckled and – without any warning whatsoever – grabbed onto the scientist’s sides, leaning down to begin peppering his sensitive neck with kisses at the same time.

Senku let out an actual shriek before exploding with laughter, trying to stand up from his seat but constantly pushed right back down by the force of Gen’s tickling and kissing. All he could do was sit there and take it. He flailed his arms, trying to beat his partner with the morning paper. Gen was undeterred, and Senku quickly lost this particular battle of wits the more his worst spots were assaulted in tandem.

“OKAY, OKAHAHAHAHAHAY!! YOU WIHIHIHIHIHIN, YOU IHIHIHIHIDIOT!! STOP IT – GEHEHEHEHEN, STAHAHAHAHAHAP!!” Senku grabbed onto his wrists, tossing his head back with laughter, and Gen took the opportunity to capture his mouth with his, silencing his hysterics in spurts as the scientist struggled and shrieked and pleaded for mercy. “AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA PLEHEHEHEHEHEHEASE!! I GIVE UP – MMMPH!! – YOU WIHIHIHIHIHIN, I SAHAHAHAID!! GEN!! – MMMPH!! – GEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEN!!”

Gen gradually let up on his full-frontal assault but never actually stopped tickling, keeping his fingers lightly skittering over Senku’s sides, making the scientist smile despite himself, a few giggles still slipping out of him here and there. “Feeling better now, grumpy pants?”

“I hate you,” Senku mumbled, then squealed when Gen gave a sharp warning squeeze to his sides. “NO!! Okay, yes, fine – I’m all sunshine and rainbows. Just—” He shoved his partner away, blushing furiously as he reached for his mug. “Let me have my coffee first, you insane mentalist.”

“As you wish, Senku-chan~” Gen kissed his cheek. “Anything for my evil scientist~”

Senku groaned. “Seriously. Coffee first.”

*

24) Lee Senku, Ler Gen

“Ugh.” Senku flopped into Gen’s chest, throwing his arms around his neck. “I’m so tired.”

Gen felt a warmth blossom where Senku was resting on him. He smiled. “You should sleep. You deserve it.”

“I have too much to do still.”

“Then why complain?”

“Because you’re the only one I can complain to.”

That warmth became a blazing fire. Gen gently grasped his waist and tried to push him away. “Go to bed.”

Senku’s breath hitched. He let out a tiny huff into Gen’s shoulder, shooting his arms down to grab at the collar of his coat. “Stop.”

“Hmm?” Gen was confused at first, but then he noticed the positioning of his hands and gave Senku an endearing and mischievous smile. He squeezed again. “Come now, Senku. If you’re tired you should sleep. It’s science.”

“Dohohon’t lecture me about scihience.” Senku giggled softly into Gen’s shoulder, gripping his coat harder, refusing to move. “I’m the brahahains around here.”

“If you’d stop being so stubborn, I wouldn’t have to lecture you about science.” The mentalist glanced down, saw the beaming smile his partner was trying to hide in his shoulder, and the blazing fire became a smoldering furnace. He didn’t mean to squeeze Senku’s sides any harder, but he did, and when the scientist let out a yelp he decided it best to just keep going. “Senku-chan~ Go to beeeed~”

Senku’s cheeks and ears were turning a beautiful shade of rosy pink now. “Gehehehehehen…”

“Go to bed, or I’ll tickle you until you’re too exhausted to do anything else.”

“Ugh,” the scientist said again, finally lifting his head to look into Gen’s eyes. “You suck.”

Gen smirked. He curled his fingers inwards. Senku’s hands shot down to his wrists, laughter bursting out of him before he even realized it. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“Nohohohohohoho! Okay, okahahahahay, I’ll sleheheheheep!” Senku pleaded, squirming and twisting until he’d managed to turn around, only for Gen to pull him against his chest once more, placing soft kisses along his neck. “Ehehehehahahahaha! Gen!”

“Sorry, Senku-chan~” Gen chuckled, the furnace becoming a volcano the longer he heard his partner’s sweet, genuine, exceedingly rare laughter. “You had your chance to go quietly. Now I’m afraid I’m having too much fun to let you go~”

*

25) Lee Senku, Ler Gen

“So, wait…” Gen shook his head, confused. “You’re saying items never actually touch each other? Like, even if I’m pressed right up against a wall, I’m not actually touching it?”

Senku pointed at him excitedly. “Exactly! Not on the atomic level. No two items ever actually touch, even if they’re pressed so close together that it looks like they are.”

Gen blinked. His head hurt a little. “That’s crazy.”

“It’s science! See, it works like this…” And off Senku went on his tangent, gushing about the physics behind the reality. He may as well have been speaking another language for all Gen understood (which was very little) but the mentalist couldn’t help but smile, content to let his friend nerd out as he often did. He found it amusing and – if he was honest – rather endearing as well.

The more Senku went on, however, the more Gen wished he could find a polite way to stop his rambling. He didn’t want to shut him down entirely; just give him a subtle hint that he’d lost interest a few minutes ago.

An idea struck him suddenly, and he smirked, waiting until Senku’s back was turned before leaping at him and grabbing his sides, digging his fingers in ruthlessly. “So you’re saying I’m not touching you right now, then? That must mean you can’t feel this, right? Huh, Senku?”

“GEHEHEHEHEHEHEN!!” Senku shrieked with laughter, grabbing the mentalist’s wrists, trying to pry him off. He wanted to protest and explain the science behind why he could, in fact, feel this merciless tickle attack, but his friend was going right for his weakest spot, and it was making it impossible to say much of anything except, “STAHAHAHAHAHAHAP!! GEN – GEHEHEN, PLEHEHEHEHEASE!!”

Gen chuckled. “I don’t know, Senku. It sure feels like I’m touching you enough to make you laugh and squirm to me!”

*

26) Lee Gen, Ler Senku

Gen stared at Senku incredulously, feeling shaky from his nerves, barely able to stand beside him at this point. “What did you say?”

“I said, ‘I know,’” Senku replied, looking at him with an amused smile. He shrugged. “I’m no mentalist but even I can read the subtle cues that you enjoy it.”

“How…how?” It was all Gen could say, stammering the words out in a rather un-Gen-like way. He’d mustered up every ounce of courage he had to say the words out loud, and Senku knew? He just knew? What kind of crazy, telepathic mad scientist washe?

“Well, for starters, you’re always doing something to provoke me into doing it. I don’t think you meant to at first, but once I did it the first time I noticed an uptick in effort on your part. It really wasn’t that hard to figure out from there.”

Gen felt heat on his cheeks and ducked his head. “Wow. And here I thought I was being careful about it.”

“Why should you be?” Senku smirked. “It’s harmless fun and it’s a way to shut you up when I need to focus. Sounds like a win-win to me.”

“But…” Gen started, then shook his head. “Ah, never mind. I really shouldn’t be surprised. It’s you, after all.”

Senku gave him a sidelong glance, then took a step toward him. Gen instinctively took a step back, then another, and another as the scientist advanced.

“Do you need more proof that you weren’t being that subtle after all?”

He’d backed himself against the trunk of a tree. Eyes widening, Gen barely had time to feel flustered before Senku was skittering his fingers along his sides playfully. “W-Wait – wahahahahait, Senku—!”

“For instance, right now you’re just standing there and taking it. You squirm a little but never actually try to push me away. And your smile is incredibly genuine. I’ve seen a lot of smiles from you, but never one that looks this purely joyous.”

“Stohohohohop tahahahahalking,” Gen pleaded, giggling both from the sensations and how embarrassed he was. Senku was right up in his face, smirking with pride. “Sehehehenku, please – stop lohohohohooking at me like thahahahat!”

“Like what?” Senku walked his fingers up toward the mentalist’s underarms. “I just think you’re being incredibly cute right now, that’s all.”

“Shuhuhuhuhut up! I cahahahan’t – Senku!” Gen squealed when his friend finally started scribbling into the hollows, making him dissolve into helpless, elated cackles. He squirmed against the trunk of the tree but made no move to try and get around it.

Senku just kept smirking at him. “Well, what did you expect? I have to assume you wanted this. After all, you did just tell me you like being tickled~”

*

27) Lee Senku, Ler Gen

Senku was cute when he was trying to be intimidating, Gen thought. He folded his arms in front of himself calmly, smiling at the scientist as he rambled about the dangers of picking and eating the wrong kinds of plants – plants he thought Gen had been out collecting instead of what they actually needed. Gen had been doing no such thing, but Senku was so worked up and it was just so cute, he couldn’t resist letting him go on for a while longer.

“You need to be more careful,” Senku finally said with a frustrated sigh, frowning at the mentalist. “Are you even listening to me? I don’t want to lose you because you ate the wrong kind of berry—”

Gen held up a finger as though to say “hold on,” then – when Senku paused and waited expectantly – he moved said finger to the scientist’s side and simply held it there.

Senku was cute when he was trying to remain composed.

“Don’t,” he said simply, his voice even but with a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

Gen chuckled. “For your information, Senku-chan, I was not gathering the wrong kinds of plants all day. Check my work if you like; everything we need is here. Nothing is poisonous.”

Senku’s eyes dropped to the bag at Gen’s feet. He moved as though to reach for it, but that’s when Gen moved his finger, wiggling in into his side, and Senku broke into a huge smile and shot back upright again. Gen, in turn, stopped his playful attack.

“You’re not going to actually let me look, are you?” the scientist muttered.

“I will,” Gen replied, grinning wickedly. “If you can inspect it while laughing your guts out.”

Senku visibly reacted to that statement, eyes widening and an adorable pink blush painting his cheeks. He shivered. He glanced at the bag, then at Gen, then the bag again. He dove for it, but Gen was faster, and this time he latched both hands onto Senku’s sides and dug in harshly while the scientist tried to inspect his work for the day, shrieking with giggles as he did so.

In the end they both got what they wanted – Senku was satisfied that Gen hadn’t accidentally brought poison back to the village, and Gen was satisfied that he’d made his friend laugh so hard he didn’t care anymore.

*

28) Lee Gen, Ler Senku

“What the…?” Senku muttered, swiping through the images on his phone. He gave Gen an incredulous, annoyed look. “Did you seriously just take twenty selfies on my phone? You only stole it for five seconds; that isn’t possible!”

“Nothing’s impossible, dear,” Gen giggled, flopping back on the couch with a satisfied smirk. “But now you have twenty pictures of me to choose from for your phone’s background. You’re welcome~”

“I’m going to delete them.”

“No!” Gen shot upright, reaching for the phone again.

“Hey! It’s my phone, Gen!” Senku grumbled, quickly tossing it onto the neighboring armchair so it was safely out of his partner’s reach. Then he tackled him back onto the couch and dug his fingers into his underarms. “Quit being so dramatic.”

“AIEEE!!” Gen squealed, trying and failing to arch his back. Instead he tossed his head back and unleashed a tsunami of laughter, legs kicking frantically in the air behind his grinning boyfriend. “NOHOHOHOHO!! DON’T – NO FAHAHAHAHAHAHAIR!! SEHEHENKUUUU!!”

“What’s the matter? You obviously wanted attention. I’m just giving you want you want, dear.” Senku chuckled, leaning down to kiss him while still tickling, soaking up his laughter with his lips, making Gen flush a gorgeous shade of pink.

Gen twisted his head to the side, trying to free himself to cackle hysterically without hindrance. “STAHAHAHAHAHAP!! SENKU – AGH!!” The scientist had pressed his lips into the crook of his neck, kissing and biting gently, still tickling his underarms ruthlessly. “NOHOHOHOHO!! S-SENKU, I – AGH, PLEASE – N-NOHOHOHOHOHOT BOHOHOHOHOHOTH!!”

Senku snickered, continuing his double attack until Gen was a mess of weakening laughter and breathless whimpers, begging for mercy – though of what variety, neither of them could tell.

“This is what you get for taking selfies on my phone,” Senku growled into his ear, giving one last harsh tickle before moving on to more passionate kisses instead.

Gen groaned appreciatively. “Keep rewarding me like this and I’ll never stop, Senku-chan~”

*

29) Lee Gen, Ler Senku

“You’re so loud. I’m trying to think here,” Senku grumbled, eyes glued to the blueprints on the table in front of him.

Behind him, Gen whined dramatically and flopped himself against the scientist’s back, putting all of his weight on him, forcing him to become distracted long enough to listen at least for a moment. “You work so hard, Senku. Can’t you take a break? We can go for a walk in the woods. We can even gather materials if it makes you feel better.”

“Get off of me. I’m trying to work, mentalist.”

Gen sighed.

Annoyed, Senku reached behind him to grab Gen’s sides, digging in deep, immensely satisfied with the shriek of surprise that flew from his friend’s lips, followed by him finally staggering backward, away from him. Before the mentalist could get any ideas about retaliation, Senku whirled around, wrapped his arms around Gen’s waist in a hug, and continued to tickle him mercilessly.

“Ah! No! Sehehehehehehenku!” Gen squealed, bursting into giggles. He pounded on the scientist’s back desperately, trying to push himself away, but Senku could be surprisingly strong when he put his mind to it. “Plehehehehehehehease!”

“This is what you get for being so irritating,” Senku growled, but there was a playfulness to his voice now that hadn’t been there a few moments before. “You want me to take a break? Fine. I’ll tickle you until you’re begging me to leave you alone.”

“Okahahahahay, I’m sohohohohohorry! Please, Sehehehenku!” Gen grabbed onto Senku’s shoulders, unable to do much more at this point than submit and giggle hysterically into his neck. “Stohohohohohohop!”

Senku gradually let up on his tickle attack, but didn’t let him go even as he pulled away, keeping his hands on the mentalist’s waist. “Are you going to leave me alone now?” Gen pouted a little, but nodded. Senku squeezed his hips one more time, then finally released him. “Good. Just give me another hour, Gen. Then we can go for that walk, okay?”

The mentalist lit up. “Promise?”

“Ten billion percent.”

*

30) Lee Senku, Ler Gen

Senku hovered at the top of the ladder, staring at his partner with an uneasy feeling in his stomach. Normally at this hour they’d travel up together and cuddle as they drifted off to sleep, but after today…

Gen’s back was to him. He’d rolled over the instant he saw Senku’s face. Now the scientist felt waves of guilt crashing over him. He knew the mentalist only had his best interests in mind, and their argument earlier had really been his own fault for refusing to listen to reason, which – admittedly – was very unlike him.

With a sigh, Senku climbed up the rest of the way, traveled to where their bedrolls still lay beside each other in the observatory, and knelt down. “Gen…I’m sorry,” he said quietly, barely above a whisper.

Gen didn’t move.

“I know I should have listened. I know I work harder than I should. It’s just – no.” Senku shook his head. “I won’t make excuses. You’re right. I’m sorry.”

There was a long silence. Senku gradually settled into his bedroll, facing his partner’s back sadly. He felt awful. He wanted to cuddle like usual, but he knew that probably wasn’t a good idea—

“I forgive you,” Gen said at last, finally rolling over to face him. He offered a sad smile. “Can we just…cuddle like normal for now? I’m too tired to talk this out. Is it okay to save it for the morning?”

Senku was so relieved he couldn’t help but express it outwardly. He nodded. “Definitely. Come here.”

They scooted closer to each other, shifting their blankets to fall over one another, foreheads pressed together, arms across each other’s waists. After a moment, Gen pinched Senku’s side, making him giggle in surprise. He squirmed, but the mentalist only pulled him closer and kept pinching.

“I’m too tired to talk it out,” Gen murmured into his neck, kissing him there softly. “But I’m never too tired to teach you a lesson, Senku-chan~”

Senku felt happiness explode in his chest, making his giggling come out brighter and more childlike than before. He gripped Gen’s coat, mirth spilling from him in waves. “I suppohohose I d-deseheheherve it, don’t I?”

“Yes.” Gen squeezed his side harshly, pulling a bark of laughter from his scientist. “Yes, you do.”

#fanfiction #tickle drabbles #compilation #quick prompts #sentence starters #coffee shots #ishigami senku #asagiri gen #sengen #dr. stone #dr stone

[spookybias]

ᝰ en- as your nintendo-loving boyfriends ˎˊ˗

pairing: enhypen x gender neutral! reader. genre: fluff, humor. warning: brief mention of blowing up a window. word count: 704

© spookybias | all rights reserved. do not repost or plagiarize.

⌕ › lee heeseung : luigi's mansion

hesseung believes the first game in the franchise is superior. he'll tell you he only plays the other installments because he played the first and it would be "disrespectful" to tadashi sugiyama, the designer of the first game. he likes to play with the lights turned off and in complete silence to get the full spooky experience. heeseung can play for hours, but ends up chickening out the minute he sees king boo, as he's the essence that haunts heeseung's nightmares.

"i am clenching my arsecheeks in fear right now."

⌕ › park jay : the legend of zelda

do not interrupt him. he takes this game seriously. jay keeps a booklet where he writes down instructions to perform different moves with his sword. he also takes notes to remember where things are. jay likes to replay the legend of zelda: wind waker because he thinks it's the best. his favorite thing about the legend of zelda is the bokoblins. he believes they're misunderstood. they aren't natural creatures native to hyrule, they're spawns of evil forced to serve the demons. if you get in front of the screen while he's in the middle of a boss fight, he's throwing his socks at you for sure.

"zelda is hotter than you."

⌕ › sim jake : donkey kong country

mans flip flops around when playing donkey kong country. no one knows why one day he's awesome and the next day he's horrible, but his excuse is that he plays the game better on game consoles rather than handheld systems because his thumbs have more support and space to move around. jake believes in donkey kong supremacy, and says that donkey kong should be the mascot of nintendo instead of mario. his heart BREAKS when he loses diddy kong to an enemy.

"i'm stressed because i just lost my best friend to a pile of crabs."

⌕ › park sunghoon : balloon fight

this grandpa loves his NES games, but his absolute favorite is balloon fight because of how straightforward it is. he'll tell you he plays it for the "charming graphics", but really, he plays it because it's easier than anything else. despite it being one of the easiest games, though, sunghoon still smashes the buttons like a crazy man and has a terrible sense of direction. he also gets real pissed when he falls in the water, like throws the controller kind of pissed. sunghoon considers NES and SNES to be the peak of humanity.

"this is nothing like balloon fight. you people don't know the classics."

⌕ › kim sunoo : kirby

he likes to visualize himself as kirby, the soft, lovable and huggable friend bold enough to step up and defend his homies. sunoo can go on for hours about how cute the graphics and characters are. he adores the numerous power-ups, and his favorite is the spark ability from plugg since it's efficient to use in battles. sunoo's favorite game in the franchise is kirby64: the crystal shards because he enjoys playing the mini games with you.

"i'm kirby and you're waddle dee. we make a good match and a great team!"

⌕ › yang jungwon : animal crossing

jungwon prefers games that require minimal effort. he doesn't like it when his palms get sweaty or the nervousness that sets in during a boss fight. so he settles for animal crossing. he views his neighbors as real friends and treats them with the upmost kindness and respect. sometimes it feels like he puts his residents before you, spending his money on amiibo cards and figurines instead of on your dates. tom nook is still waiting for him to pay off his house payments since he abandons the game frequently. he takes it personal when residents momentarily forget his name.

"____, i need a hug. roscoe doesn't recognize me with bed head."

⌕ › nishimura riki : explosive jake

do you even know what explosive jake is? probably not. riki prefers underrated games and believes that a hidden gem can always be found in the "games with demos" section of the nintendo eshop. his favorite thing about explosive jake is that it's not that hard to figure out what you're supposed to do in order to complete each level. you mainly just have to blow things up and solve puzzles to get around. riki might get a little too involved in the game.

"why unlock the window when you can just blow it up like in the game-"

#wkcnet #enhypenwriters #enhypennetwork #lsn.works #kdiner #enhypen x reader #enhypen imagines #enhypen scenarios #enhypen fluff #enhypen crack #lee heeseung x reader #lee heeseung imagines #lee heeseung scenarios #park jay x reader #park jay imagines #park jay scenarios #sim jake x reader #sim jake imagines #sim jake scenarios #park sunghoon x reader #park sunghoon imagines #park sunghoon scenarios #kim sunoo x reader #kim sunoo imagines #kim sunoo scenarios #yang jungwon x reader #yang jungwon imagines #yang jungwon scenarios #nishimura riki x reader #nishimura riki imagines

[sundaysundaes]

Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light

Lee Taeyong X Reader, feat. Haechan | Fluff, Best Friends to Lovers, Angst | Supernatural AU | 18k

Summary: You can only remember summer. Of the love you could never receive. Of the lips you could never truly taste. Of the warmth you could never take. And of a boy with smiles so soft, being consumed by the fireflies’ lights (strongly based on a beautiful Japanese animated movie called Hotarubi no Mori e)

Dear Taeyong, 

I can only remember summer

Of the taste of the dry weather on our tongues

Of the songs the cicadas chanted behind our backs

Of the sunlight that bit through our skins

Of the summer dresses and cat masks we once had

I remember that twig of an oak tree between our hands 

Separating you and me, life and death

That warm goodbye from your usually quiet lips

The way you said, “Until we meet next summer.”

And how I always truly, desperately, believed in it

You are the beautiful reality in my sleep

The blissful dream in my wake

I will see you again next summer

I miss you

***

Dear my love,

I can only love summer

Of faith that bloomed between us

Of loving smiles that shone when I glanced away 

Of the longing distance we put between us

And the fireflies’ light that will soon consume me

I will wait for our late exchange of secret words

And next time, I will take your warm goodbye from your lips

“Until we meet on the next life, Taeyong,” you said

Yes, that’s true

Until we meet on the next life, my dear

Because of you, I have truly lived

Our summer will last for eternity

I love you

“Make sure you listen to your uncle, okay?” Your mother says in her motherly way just like how she usually does. “Do you have your handkerchief? Your ticket? A nice pair of shoes. Don’t zone out and miss your stop. You’re always clumsy like that.”

You straighten up with one bag slinging around your shoulder and another one hanging around your wrist. With a casual pair of flip-flops, a white sleeveless summer dress decorated with broderie details, and your lips curving upwards in a farewell smile, you respond, “Jeez, Mom. I’ve been going there every year. I’ll be fine. I’m taking off now, okay?”

Although your mother seems unsatisfied with your words, she lets her daughter kiss her cheek and waves her hand goodbye. As you take the first step out of your house, the sun quickly showers you with light that is hot enough to leave sunburn on your skin. The trip to the nearest bus stop will be nothing but exhausting, you’re sure of it. But it’s okay. It’s summer anyway. You always love summer.

The bus comes only a few minutes later after you arrived at the stop and dropped your heavy bags next to your feet. You take a seat on the right side of the bus, near the window. There are only three passengers on the vehicle aside from you—a man with a sweaty neck on the front row, and a mother cooling her half-sleepy child with her paper fan on the back seat. You smile a little to yourself. Everything seems normal, just like always.

You lay your head on the window, randomly staring at the trees and leaves getting blown by the wind, as the bus starts moving. Taking a deep breath, you close your eyes, letting your memories come close and your thoughts fly back to him.

The first time you met Taeyong was when you were six.

***

Thirteen years ago, you were nothing but a lively little kid with short-cropped hair and choppy bangs. During a hot summer day, you got lost in the forest of the Mountain God, which was said to be where spirits lived. After running around searching for an exit, you became so tired; you couldn’t move a muscle. You ended up sitting under the shadows of the swaying tree branches and felt a little ticklish from the green grass that spread widely underneath your feet. You hugged your knees to your chest, gave your best to act strong but failing pathetically with every try. When you started crying from fear and loneliness, he appeared before you.

“Hey, Shorty!” A male’s voice resonating through the air made you gasp sharply. “Why are you crying?”

There was a boy, standing just a few meters away, with half of his body hidden behind a tree. His posture seemed a bit rigid as if he was nervous or shy for suddenly reaching out to you. The boy was noticeably taller, with a voice that sounded deeper than any boy you’d ever met before. But judging by the way he dressed—at his denim trousers that ended a few inches above his ankles, combined with a casual short-sleeved button-down white shirt and a red tee underneath it, he was probably still around eighteen.

What caught your attention was the cat mask he wore on his face. It wasn’t unusual—you had seen your friends wearing it a few times during the summer festival. The white mask had ears, whiskers, and big round black eyes that were continuously staring back at you with no emotion. The mask covered his entire face, but you could still see his hair. His hairstyle was normal—a little bit messy from the wind, with his strands ended a few centimeters above his neckline, but the color was odd. It was silvery white, almost like an old man’s.

“It’s…” You gaped, not caring about any of that fact at the moment. “It’s a person! I’m saved!” You claimed happily, standing on your feet with so much speed, it almost gave you a head rush. With your hands spreading in front of you, you frantically ran towards the boy with joyful tears in your eyes. “I’M FINALLY SAVEEEEEED!”

But with a quick reaction, the boy moved away before you could embrace him and you ended up landing face-first on the ground, with a handful of grass finding their way to stick themselves into your mouth.

“S-sorry,” the boy said apologetically but he didn’t move any closer to help you up. “You’re a human child, right? If a human touches me, I’ll disappear.”

Previously annoyed, you looked up at him with knitted eyebrows. “If a human?” You blinked twice in confusion. Your eyelashes were still a bit wet from the tears that were no longer falling. “You’re not human?”

A momentary silence came by before he formed an answer. “I’m…” He hesitated. “Something that lives in this forest.”

“Huh?” You unconsciously tilted your head before realization hit you like a train and you clapped your hands in glee. “Then, you’re one of the Spirits?” Another silence, and this time, the boy decided not to reply, so you tried again. “But… What do you mean by ‘disappear’?”

He stayed mute, his body standing still as if time just stopped. You couldn’t see the expression he had behind the mask so you wouldn’t know how he reacted. You could only see the flat emotion the cat mask was giving you as he continuously stared at you. If you weren’t a playful little girl with a naturally born cheery attitude, you would’ve found it creepy.

But instead, you found it rather amusing.

You reached out your little hand toward him, climbing back to your feet and when he moved away from your touch, you began to try harder. Every time the boy tried to escape, you laughed a bit louder, tried a bit better, and before you knew it, you ended up chasing him between the trees.

You ran after him, reaching out for him, closer, closer, closer—

Thunk!

You groaned in pain, covering your bruised forehead with both palms as you kneeled on the ground. You couldn’t believe he just hit you on the head with a twig!

“Y-you’re really not human after all…” You whimpered, rubbing your ache away. “No human would hit a child like that!”

When you began to sob a little from the pain, the boy sighed. “To disappear means to be obliterated,” he explained, slowly taking his eyes off you to face the sky instead, “That’s the spell that the Mountain God placed upon me. If I get touched by a human, then that’s the end.”

You had stopped crying by the time his sentences sank into your head. His previous action was really necessary, then, if he was truly in that condition. If you had kept on chasing him and he’d failed to avoid you, he would’ve disappeared. Now that you thought of it, you realized you nearly killed him with your antics.

“I’m…” Still sitting on the ground, you folded your knees underneath you and bowed down, overwhelmed with guilt. “I’m sorry…”

With an unreadable expression, the boy approached you and gently offered the wooden twig. “Here, Shorty,” he said, “Grab the other end.” When you gazed up at him, he was facing away. His posture seemed to give out a vibe that he was a bit embarrassed but you weren’t exactly sure of it. “You’re lost, aren’t you? I'll lead you out of the forest.”

You were surprised at first, both from his kindness and his features, because from that position, you could see the side of his face. His jawlines were sharp and prominent. The skin of his cheek was just as pale as the rest of his body. He was so white; it was almost ghastly.

You beamed at him. “You’re so nice! Thank you!” Moving by reflex, you began to run toward his arms again. The boy was screaming from being caught off guard, and you almost got him before—

Thunk!

You were stopped by another hard hit on the head.

“I’ve told you not to—” The boy was breathing hard with his body leaning forward and his hands clamped around his knees to steady his weight. “Don’t touch me.”

You were practically rolling on the grass to mute the aching you felt on your temple. “S-sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”

The two of you walked next to each other with thirty centimeters long wooden twig between your hands. With every stride he took, you had to match it by doubling your steps. Your height difference was striking. It almost looked like you two were siblings—with him being the high school student older brother and you being his elementary school sister.

You were walking down some stone steps, tightening your grip around the twig to maintain your balance. There was a temple inside the forest, and that was the only way out. You usually followed that path to come back home but that day, you were having too much fun wandering around on your own that you forgot the way to find those tracks again.

There were abandoned Buddhist statues on the side of the stairs and the steps had some cracks on them even though they were made of stone. You could tell that the place would be too scary to walk alone when the night fell and the cicadas stopped singing. But right now, you couldn’t care much about it.

“It’s just like going on a date!” You chirped happily, jumping like the little girl that you were as you climbed down the steps. You hadn’t known how a date would feel like—after all, you were only six back then—but you had imagined it happening with a boy in your school, and this one fit your imagination well.

The boy had his free hand stuck inside his pocket. With a nonchalant voice, he replied, “Not a very romantic one, though.” And when you weren’t looking, he stole secret glances at you. Of course, with the mask still on, there wouldn’t be much of a difference, even if you had been looking.

“You aren’t afraid, are you?” he asked, and although you were surprised, you grinned at him.

“Of what?”

The boy seemed a bit hesitant before he answered, “Nevermind.”

You walked a few more steps until you finally arrived at the end of the stairs. The sun in the background was already setting, splashing orange tint to the previously blue sky. “If you go straight, you’ll hit the mountain path,” the boy said, standing under the simple wooden gate with no doors that indicated the entrance to the forest. And with his usual flat tone, he said, “Goodbye.”

“Are you always going to be here?” You questioned. “If I come back here, can we meet again?”

“This is the forest where the Mountain God and the Spirits live,” he answered matter of factly. “Set foot within and you’ll lose your way and be lost forever.” The wind was blowing, caressing his silvery-white hair and that made you stare in awe, memorizing how out of this world he seemed and wondering what kind of expression he displayed behind that mask. “You shouldn’t be here,” he finished. “That’s what the villagers say, right?”

That was true. It was, and you understood that, and yet, you just couldn’t wave this meeting away as if it never happened. Facing him a little bit better, you warmly smiled and introduced yourself. “I’d love to be your friend. Can you tell me your name?”

He didn’t say a word, just continued to stand in front of you with his cat mask staring back at your face. You waited… and waited… and even a second felt so long.

Those expressionless cat’s eyes kept staring back at you, making you feel somewhat woozy and embarrassed. It was as if you just asked something too personal. Perhaps he didn’t want you to know. Perhaps he didn’t want you to be attached to him. Perhaps he just wanted you to go away.

“U-umm…” Panicking, you took a step back, putting more distance between you. “Anyway, I’ll be back tomorrow with a thank-you present!” Just that, and I won’t come back if my presence bothers you so much. “B-bye!” You shouted, turning around on your heels and proceed to run from the tension that felt like cutting your skin open.

But then—

“It’s Taeyong.”

You stopped abruptly and turned around, but the boy was no longer in sight. His voice vanished without a trace, drowned by the wind.

But you heard it loud enough to put a permanent smile on your face that night.

Taeyong.

When you were walking by the fields that seemed more familiar, you were humming to yourself. It was until you heard your name being called that you stopped singing.

Your uncle was walking toward you with tattered breathing. Perhaps, he had been running around the village searching for you all day. “Uncle!” You greeted, grinning innocently as you ran toward his arms. “Uncle, I—”

“You stupid girl!” Your uncle landed a knock on your head before you could hug him and it was the third time you felt like your head was about to explode that day. “If you go into the forest on your own and get hurt, what are you going to do?!”

You finally began to realize that possibility and ended up crying as you ran to embrace him again. Your uncle let your tiny arms wind themselves around his waist and though he was still upset, he felt more relieved than anything. He patted your back and soon after you calmed down, you began to walk with your hands holding one another.

“Hey, Uncle.”

“Hmm?”

“Is it true that there are spirits living in that forest?”

“The Mountain God’s forest, huh? Who knows. That’s what they say,” he answered in an unusually serious demeanor. But when he started again, he had a tiny smile painted upon his lips. “When I was little, I wanted to meet the spirits so my friends and I often went into the forest. In the end, I never met any but I had the feeling I’d occasionally spot something from the corner of my eye. On summer nights, you could hear the sounds of the river coming from the forest. And now that I think about it, Hyori said she and her friends went and had fun at a summer festival in the forest. But there’s no way the villagers would’ve held a festival in the forest. So then, whose festival could it have been? It started this crazy story that they must’ve snuck into a festival for the spirits.”

The old man with a scruffy beard was laughing, his eyes glistening with the reminiscence of his childhood. “Man, that takes me back!” he exclaimed. “We were so stupid back when we were kids.” Then he laughed some more. You were only busy carving his story into your mind.

That night, you had trouble sleeping. The last words that Taeyong spoke to you were echoing in your head.

This is the forest where the Mountain God and the Spirits live. Set foot within and you’ll lose your way and be lost forever.

You understood that and yet…

***

“You came back,” Taeyong said, sitting at the end of the stone stairs where you parted ways the day before. He was wearing the same clothes, with the same cat mask on his face. “I didn’t think you’d really come back.”

You blinked your eyes, mouth slightly parted. The question ‘Was he waiting for me?’ ran through your mind. “You…”

The boy tilted his head, “Huh?”

“YOU WAITED FOR MEEEEE!” You screamed in excitement, running towards him in reflex with your arms reaching forward. The boy yelped in surprised then—

Thunk!

“You just don’t learn, do you?” Taeyong sighed, holding the same wooden twig he held on the previous day. Though the pain on the top of your head was throbbing, you chuckled, feeling your heart burst in warmth and joy.

“I was so happy, I just…” you giggled again. “Sorry.”

The boy leaped forward, approaching the spot where you were squatting down due to the pain. Taeyong pocketed both of his hands and threw his face to the side. “It’s a bit hot here. Shall we go somewhere cooler?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t worry,” he assured, climbing up the stairs even though he just hopped down from there. Perhaps he wanted to walk beside you? “I’ll walk you back again.”

Your lips broke into the biggest grin you had ever made in your six years of living. “Okay!”

You went inside the forest, walking next to one another with nothing but air between you. You wondered if Taeyong had decided to trust you now, or if he was just being polite. You offered him the vanilla ice cream you’d brought from your uncle’s shop and the two of you ate your ices in silence. But the thing was, the silence was never awkward. You knew by then that Taeyong wasn’t much of a talker, and you were already too happy for being able to spend your day not with just a new friend, but also your first Spirit friend. It felt surreal and exciting at the same time.

The deeper you went inside the forest, you found out that the trees were bigger, almost taking all of the blazing sunlight to themselves and left none for you and Taeyong to bask on. The wind felt soft on your skin, the scent of grass and blooming flowers filled the air.

Your smile never receded from view when you walked behind Taeyong. It was only when you noticed that something had been following you that you began to frown. “Hmm?” You were sure something was following you, but Taeyong was walking like everything was normal.

As you were about to dismiss the thought, a shadow crept along the ground, a layer of dark mist clouded your vision, then a voice, low but thunderous, spoke. “Taeyong.”

You froze, your fingers almost gripping at the end of Taeyong’s shirt. The shadow turned colossal, darker, and somehow, somehow, you could see it grinning eerily at you.

“Is that a human child?” the shadow asked in a reverberating voice. You could practically feel its eyes on your skin. “Can I eat her?”

You hastily moved to the side with your tiny steps, hiding behind Taeyong’s legs. The boy noticed your fear and he quickly set out a hand to let his opponent know that you were off-limit. “No,” he said, “She’s my friend.”

“Is that so?” The shadow’s voice reminded you of the sound of the dark grey clouds rumbling before the storm came to wash the earth. “Human child, please don’t touch Taeyong’s skin. If you do, I’ll eat you.”

You were so scared; you started to shiver all over. By the way you were clutching to his shirt, Taeyong realized that you were, indeed, only a vulnerable little girl, barely knew anything about the world and the secrets it held. “Hey—” But then he abruptly sneezed.

The Shadow suddenly shrieked in horror then there was a blast of smoke, making you jolt on your feet, tiny hairs standing up at your nape. When you managed to look between the mist with narrowed eyes, that shadowy figure turned into a cute little golden fox with nine furry tails and a pair of sparkling ruby eyes.

“Oh!” It was so tiny, you could probably hold it with both hands. “Is that a Spirit Fox?”

The Fox’s fur was standing up, perhaps it was startled by Taeyong’s sudden sneeze. It wasn’t even that loud—to be honest, Taeyong’s sneeze was much quieter than how your uncle used to do. To be frightened only because of that…

“Yeah, he’s another one of the Spirits. He transforms to scare people away, but he’s all bark and no bite,” Taeyong said, approaching the little golden fox that was hiding behind a tree with its body cowering to the ground. “Isn’t that right?” The boy bent down, grabbing the fox with both hands, and lifted it off the ground. “Haechannie?”

Puff!

There was another kind of explosion that clouded the forest with ash grey mist, and you coughed a couple of times before you gazed back to the Fox. It was no longer a fox—it was a person.

Taeyong was holding a boy’s waist with both hands just like how he did to the animal before and your jaw grew slack at the sight. The golden fox just turned into a human—a male, nonetheless—with golden hair and the same pair of ruby eyes that matched the blush that crept through his cheeks. His skin, you noticed, had a darker complexion but it complimented his looks so much as if he was kissed by the sun, smooth skin glistening under the light. He also had a pair of dog-like ears and a nice golden Foxtail that resembled his previous form. And although the color of his hair and eyes were striking, it didn’t startle you as much as the fact that the boy was naked.

You screamed, immediately turning around from the sight of the two boys facing each other with Taeyong’s hands still holding Haechan’s bare waist as if it was the most normal thing to do. You had your hands covering your face, feeling embarrassed since it was the first time you witnessed a naked boy’s body.

“It’s because you startled me,” Haechan whined, arms flailing as he blushed a bit deeper. “Now let go of me, Hyung.”

Taeyong sighed, taking his hands off the boy that appeared to be the same age as him—just a couple of years younger, maybe. He didn’t seem to be bothered by Haechan’s bare skin at all, though he looked tired of his antics. “Don’t bother her, okay? She’s a friend.” Taeyong pointed his head toward you squatting down on the ground with your back turned, face sinking into your palms. You could hear Taeyong telling him your name but Haechan snorted in response.

“I don’t care what her name is!” Haechan shouted, looking away from the other boy. “Why are you getting all chummy with her even though you just met!” The way he whined so childishly was the complete opposite of the way he talked in his monstrous shadow form earlier. “And she’s a human! What would you do if she touches you by accident?” With a prominent pout, Haechan added under his breath, “You’re such an idiot.”

With the cat mask staring flatly at him, Taeyong replied, “I can hear you, you know.”

“Ah, damn it!” Haechan groaned, giving the other boy a shove on his shoulder. “I won’t cry if you disappear, all right?! It will all be your fault! Taeyongie, you big idiot!” He quickly turned back into his animal form, nipped Taeyong’s finger with his pointy teeth, and climbed the tree with his little paws.

Taeyong yelped a little from the bite but more because of the shock instead of pain. “Haechannie!” he called, but the fox spirit never looked back, jumping from one branch to another until he disappeared behind the trees. The cat-masked boy huffed and walked back towards you. “He’s gone now,” Taeyong said, bending down a little to match your height. “I’m sorry if he scared you.”

You slowly sneaked a glance behind you, and it was true. Haechan was nowhere to be seen. It was then that you could finally grasp what just happened.

“It was so…” You clenched your tiny fists before you jumped and punched the air. “SO AWESOME! That was the first time I’ve seen a real spirit! Not quite like I imagined, and I wasn’t prepared to see a naked boy like that but wow, they really do exist!” And as you continued jumping happily on your feet, shouting, “Amazing! Amazing! So amazing!” Taeyong muttered, “So what did you think I was?” And without waiting for you to calm down, he walked again with his hands tucked neatly inside his pockets.

You eventually followed him with your usual lively grin. “Are you a no-face or something? Why are you wearing that mask?”

“No particular reason,” Taeyong answered, making you frown. Perhaps he hadn’t trusted you that much? “Never mind me. Tell me about yourself.”

Your eyes twinkled; your grin turned mischievous. “Are you curious?”

A pause, then, “That’s why I waited for you.”

You couldn’t suppress your laughter. He was waiting for you, after all.

So you told him about yourself, from the most important things to the littlest nonsenses that went through your mind. Taeyong listened to your words in silence, no comment, no reaction, not even giving the slightest hum. And since he was always wearing that cat mask on his face, there was no way of telling how he felt when he listened to your stories. Did he even pay any attention to you? Was he bored? Was it entertaining for him? Taeyong was a mystery you didn’t know how to solve.

The next day and the day after that, you went back to the forest again and again. You kept running and playing all around the mountain, just together with the boy who was probably, at least, twice your age. You managed to break through the walls he built around you, little by little. His quiet, reserved demeanor gradually turned into something warmer, though not as lively or chaotic as you were. He began to tell you his favorite spots in the forest; crafted little ships from long leaves so you could watch them float along the river streams; and grabbed your sun hat when it got blown away by the wind before they got caught between the branches of a willow tree. 

You even got Taeyong to play tag with you. You would run away from him, and he would chase after you with a twig on his hand so he didn’t have to touch you directly when he said, “Tag, you’re it!” Taeyong’s favorite trick was pretending to fall on the ground and waited for you to come back with a worried face. You always did, but Taeyong still wouldn’t be able to catch you even after you fell for his trap because you were always much faster.

These mundane things you shared were special to both you and him. And even though they would most likely dissipate from your memories as you grow older, at that time you felt infinite.

***

One day, you were humming to yourself as you were busy collecting little flowers from the field while Taeyong was lying down on the grass with his mask-covered face facing the clouds. The sun was hot but the wind was nice. At the end of the day, it was comforting.

With a handmade bouquet between your tiny palms, you rose to your feet and ran to Taeyong’s spot, only to found the boy resting there with one hand lying idly on his stomach. You kneeled next to his head, facing him upside down. “Taeyong…” you murmured to yourself, gazing at his cat mask. “Did he fall asleep?”

Slowly, out of curiosity, you reached out a hand. You hesitated, but it would be okay if you only touched his mask, wouldn’t it? Swallowing hard, you decided to take your chance.

How does he look underneath that mask?

You placed your tiny palms on each side of his mask, and slowly, carefully, lifted it off his face. Your heart was racing, as if you were doing something sinful your heart forbid you to. You pulled it higher, and higher, until you could see his face, and for that moment, the time seemed to stop.

Despite his height, Taeyong had a young baby face with long eyelashes brushing the top of his cheeks. His eyes were closed and he looked so blissful, like a baby falling asleep in his mother’s arms. His skin was soft, flawless, but pale—almost transparent as the sun shone its light upon it. His nose was cute. He had curvy, thin lips, with two tiny moles faintly painting his lower one. His jawlines were sharper than Haechan’s, making him look mature, and the more you observed his features, the more you thought that, oh, he was indeed a boy.

A beautiful, beautiful boy.

You thought that Taeyong was unfair to hide such beauty from the world; to only let the world witness malice while he kept such purity inside the forest. 

How young… How innocent…

Then Taeyong suddenly smirked and before you knew it, a pair of deep, dark brown eyes were staring back at you.

“Ah! SORRY!” You exclaimed, startled to the point that all your breath left your lungs at once. Panicking, you unintentionally slammed the mask down onto his face harder than you intended to.

Taeyong hissed in pain, holding his face over the mask, and turned to his side. “Attacking someone while they’re asleep like this,” he said, eventually moved up and sat down cross-legged on the grass. “You surely are a scary little lady.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—” You looked away, muttering quietly. “You were pretending to sleep anyway, weren’t you?”

Taeyong paused for a second before he propped his elbow on his thigh and laid his chin on his palm. Somehow, you felt like he was smiling behind that mask. “I looked normal, didn’t I?” he asked, a bit playfully. This time, it was you who just sat quietly and stared back at him without a word.

“Taeyong… Why are you wearing that mask?”

He straightened up, voice sounding unusually soft when he spoke. “If I don’t wear this mask, I don’t look like a spirit, do I?” Surely with that mask on, Taeyong seemed less human. After all, that mask was designed after the Cat Spirit that was retold from time to time. But why? Why did he have to go that far? Was he scared that people would mistake him for a human and grabbed him accidentally without purpose?

You just sat in silence. Somehow, your chest tightened, as if you were drowning little by little. It was heartbreaking to know that Taeyong seemed like he didn’t have a choice. Maybe he wanted to throw that mask away. Maybe he wanted to be human—or at least, look like one. Maybe he wanted to be connected. To truly be alive. But then that would mean he had to risk everything…

And knowing how even days had passed by, you hadn’t seen anyone getting along with him other than you, Taeyong had probably never set a foot outside the forest either.

Is that why he seems so…

Lonely?

“You’re weird,” you said and you ended the topic just like that. Because if Taeyong didn’t want to tell, then you wouldn’t want to force the words out of his mouth.

Taeyong only chuckled.

***

“Taeyong.”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t think…” You stared sadly at your feet as you climbed down the stone steps that lead you back to the entrance gate. “I don’t think I can go back here tomorrow.”

Taeyong didn’t utter a word. Like usual, he just walked in front of you with his hands in his pockets and his mask pressed tightly against his face.

“I’ve told you before, haven’t I?” You continued. “That I’m just staying at my uncle’s place for the summer? So, I have to go home tomorrow…”

Taeyong just hummed once, to let you know that he was listening but did not intend to form a reply. You brought your head down, feeling disappointed. But why were you disappointed? You never felt like this when you said goodbye to your other friends before.

Taeyong stopped dead on his tracks. “Will you…” he said, turning his body slightly to face you but not quite. “Will you be able to come again next year?”

You stood still, your lips trembled slightly as if you were about to explode into words. Before you knew it, you felt your eyes grew a bit teary but you blinked your tears away before they fell and with a huge smile on your face, you merrily replied, “Yeah!” You had never felt so relieved.

And that was how summer became something you always looked forward to.

***

Every year, you came back and Taeyong always waited for your promised summer. You would find him sitting near the gate, on the stone stairs with his white cat mask placed upon his face. The two of you usually just did the same routines, lying lazily on the field of grass, eating ice creams as you crossed the wooden bridge, or throwing pebbles while dipping your bare feet into the water of the lake that was as clear as the sky.

“So cold!” You were turning eight that year, shouting as you plunged your bare feet into the water. Taeyong only let out a flat comment, “You’re weird. Of course the water is cold.” And although he sounded bored, you could tell that he was probably smiling behind his mask. After all, he could have just stayed silent about it, and yet he said something just to pull a reaction from you. You adored that part of him where he acted like he was fine being alone when in reality, there was nothing he craved more than someone’s attention.

Sometimes, when you walked too close to each other, a Spirit would show up in some form to revive the forgotten space between you. A lady wearing a snow-like kimono with flaming red hair once grabbed the side of his cheek and said with a pair of agonizing eyes, “Please be careful, Taeyong. We don’t want to lose you.” 

A willow tree caressed his hair with its branch, pulling him by the neckline so he would distance himself away from you. The way its thick branch was shaped into a beast’s claw, clutching at Taeyong’s entire body was almost frightening, but there was only tenderness laced with concern when it spoke, “It’s dangerous, Taeyong. That’s a human child. If she touches you, you’ll disappear.”

“Thank you,” Taeyong always said, placing a reassuring hand on the tree’s claw. “I’m fine.” He sounded so sincere and absolute, leaving the Spirit Tree with no choice but to retract its claw from him.

“Please don’t touch him, human child,” the Spirit Tree said once again before it went back to its slumber. You could only answer, “Yes,” but to you, it was more than a promise. After all, you wouldn’t want Taeyong to disappear.

You couldn’t help but notice that other Spirits could touch him normally. You tried to put aside how your heart jerked with jealousy. You wouldn’t let your selfishness be the end of him.

Haechan was the one who showed up the most, appearing in his animal form to bite the end of your skirt and pulled you away from the other boy. He persistently yelled at you how your entire existence was a threat to him, making you realize that you were a weapon, designed by God to annihilate him and yet, Taeyong still waited for your visit every year. How could someone dare to take a risk like that? 

Were you really worth all the trouble?

***

Every year, you waited for the summer to come. And before you knew it, you were already a ten-year-old girl. You grew taller, but your hair was still cut short with choppy bangs. Though you grew older, it didn’t mean your childish personality was wiped away.

“Hey,” Taeyong called, searching for you who were hiding somewhere in your sky blue summer dress through the holes of his cat-mask. “It’s dangerous to wander alone in the forest! Where are you—”

“SURPRISEEEED!” You shouted, dangling upside down from a tree branch with your legs circling it. Taeyong yelped, taking a step back in surprise from your sudden appearance. You were enjoying the moment, but before you could laugh about it, the end of your dress couldn’t fight the gravity so it fell covering your face. Your white panties were shown clearly for Taeyong’s eyes to see. “OH NO!” You quickly attempted to pull your dress back up and eventually, shifted your weight so you ended up sitting on the branch.

“What are you doing exactly?” Taeyong asked, not because you looked dumb but because he was genuinely interested in knowing. He always seemed to find your existence somewhat amusing.

You chuckled lightly. “I wanted to see your startled face but…” You forgot he was wearing his mask all the time so that was ultimately pointless. Taeyong just stared back, waiting because you looked like you wanted to say more. “You know, Taeyong… Can you at least take your mask off when I’m around? Once in a while is okay, right?”

Taeyong let a second pass. “Well, it’s fine but…” He placed his fingers at the end of his mask and slowly began to lift it off his face. “Is there a particular reason why?”

You observed him with anticipation. “Well, not really, but—” A cracking sound could be heard as the branch wasn’t strong enough to handle your weight, and with a shriek, you found yourself falling.

Calling your name, Taeyong ran towards you in reflex, arms out and ready to catch you. In a split second, as you fought to defy gravity, you could see his hands desperately trying to save you. Aside from the fear of falling, all you could think about was—

No.

Please, don’t.

Don’t touch me.

If you touch me, you’ll—

You fell head first on small bushes that were soft and safe enough for you to land on. You had landed on the ground before Taeyong could reach you and although you felt like you probably twisted your shoulder a little, you were more than fine.

“That was close…” Taeyong breathed out, his hands still hanging stiffly in the air.

“Y-yeah…” You felt slightly lightheaded as adrenaline faded away from your veins. You were in haze, body reclining against the bushes, grateful to be able to come unscathed. 

“I’m sorry,” Taeyong murmured, but from not being able to be there on time to catch you or because he had retracted his hands back in reflex when he nearly touched your skin, you weren’t sure. “Are you okay?”

You exchanged stares, letting a few seconds pass by in silence before you finally let out a weak chuckle. “Thank goodness.” When Taeyong asked you what you meant, you softly added, “No matter what happened, Taeyong, don’t ever touch me, okay?”

His lips were tightly shut as he approached your spot, but the gesture he made with his hands seemed like he wanted to comfort you. Why would he want to comfort me, you thought but soon enough, you found the answer.

Because when you spoke again, your words are tainted with your tears.

“Did you hear me?” You forced yourself to smile but once the first tear broke, the rest of them were unstoppable. You cried again, and again, and again, until your whole body trembled, chest suffocating. You tried to laugh it off, shakily saying, “No matter what, okay?” but the more you tried to pretend that it didn’t faze you when you almost erased his entire existence over your negligence, you sobbed even harder.

You finally understood why the Spirits didn’t want you to be close to him. It wasn’t because they didn’t trust you. It was because Taeyong was just too kind. Even if it meant he would be wiped off the earth, he wouldn’t mind as long as you were safe. The way he had run toward you with his arms reaching out to you was a proof of that. The Spirits probably thought that Taeyong would be obliterated someday not because you touched him, but because he tried to save you when something like this happened again.

No. I can’t afford that.

No matter what, please don’t touch me.

You didn’t want him to see this side of you. You didn’t want him to know that in a human world, sometimes pain could be so unbearable that all you could do was just fall to your knees and wish that someday you could stop crying and stand up again. 

This ugly side of humanity… You didn’t want Taeyong to know…

But Taeyong never said a word.

***

The next summer and the summer after that, you continued to visit the forest to meet him.

“Taeyong! I’m here again this year!” You greeted, wearing your junior high school uniform with your skirt ending a few inches above your knees. Taeyong, dressed in the same way like he always did, was already there at the spot where he usually waited for you to arrive. “Ta-daa!” You twirled once for him, making your skirt flutter and your longer hair sway above your neckline. “I’ve become a seventh-grader now!”

As always, you couldn’t tell what kind of expression he had behind that mask, but Taeyong was indeed staring at you for a few seconds. “Somehow…” he began saying, “You’re starting to look like a girl.”

“I am a girl,” you replied, unconsciously pouting and Taeyong laughed a little in response. Even the way he laughed felt like summer to you—radiant and hot enough to light a spark of fire to your chest. Standing up, he stuck his hands inside his pockets, and climbed up the stairs. “Shall we go?”

“Yeah.” You smiled, then as you saw his figure, you began to realize. “Oh…”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing.” 

You just noticed that your ages were gradually getting closer. Unlike you, Taeyong didn’t age normally as any human would. Somehow, he aged much slower, maintaining his youth to stay perfectly the same from season to season. Your height was almost on the same par as Taeyong’s shoulders now. As the years went by, your appearance began to change, but Taeyong almost looked the same as the day you first met.

If this keeps on going… Maybe…

You stopped walking when you realized Taeyong wasn’t walking beside you anymore. You looked back, facing the sun that was setting behind the hill and the boy who stood with his face lifted to perceive the sky. There was a butterfly on Taeyong’s mask, just right on the cat’s nose and slowly, he began to take it off. Underneath the shadow of the mask, Taeyong was smiling, softly, gently, and he eventually brought his mask down to stare at the butterflies that flew through the branches of the trees.

He closed his eyes.

From where you were standing, Taeyong merely appeared like a silhouette but in your eyes, he was a painting worth being praised. A beautiful portrayal of a man who only knew bliss in his life with a pure smile that even God wouldn’t be able to resist its beauty.

It was probably the day when you realized the reason behind the ache in your chest.

Someday, I will be older than him, won’t I?

You didn’t know what would be more dreadful to face: Taeyong leaving you over an accidental touch, or you leaving Taeyong because of old age. After all, time is cruel. Time is responsible for the summers that come and go, for the leaves in autumn that shrivel, for the long and cold winters that made your teeth jittery. It’s amazing how you can fall asleep by listening to the sound of the rain and when you wake up, the sun is blazing once again and the roads are dry. It would be as if it never rained.

What if I become like that? You questioned yourself. What if for Taeyong, I’m just nothing more than a fleeting summer day?

With the two of you being bound by the chains of time, you knew that there would come a day where time would become your enemy.

You buried your thoughts deep inside your mind, and promised him, “I’ll come back here again tomorrow, okay?”

Taeyong opened his eyes, gazing back at you, and smiled that one breathtakingly beautiful smile. “Then I’ll be waiting as always.”

***

“Before our summer vacation started, a boy in my class asked me out,” you said, now fourteen, as you hugged your knees to your chest, making sure that your sky blue sleeveless summer dress was not showing the polkadot panties you wore underneath. “I didn’t know what to do.”

Taeyong didn’t respond, wasn’t sure how to. He just stared at you—blankly, by the look of his cat mask, and you curled your toes in the uncomfortable silence.

“Say something, will you?” you mumbled after a while, heat rushing to your cheeks.

“I don’t even know what that means.”

“Well, that—” You opened your mouth but then nothing came out. What did that mean exactly? ‘To go out’? “Well, I mean, I think he wants me to date him… or something,” you finished terribly.

Taeyong hummed, lying down on the grass and folding his hands underneath his head to use them as his pillow. The leaves of the trees above him were doing a great job in providing the shades he needed. “Date, huh?”

There was something annoying about how Taeyong behave so nonchalantly like this, as if you were conversing about what you had for breakfast. But you noticed that it was weird of you to feel that way. Did you even have the right to be upset?

“What do you suppose they do?” Taeyong suddenly asked, snapping you out of your reverie.

“They?”

“People who are dating,” he explained further, his hands now moving to lay on his sides. “What do you think they do?”

You thought about it, looking up at the pillowy white clouds and feeling the wind that caressed your strands. “I don’t know,” you answered, throwing yourself to the grass again, next to Taeyong but remembering to put a safe distance between you. “Maybe go somewhere together, hold hands and stuff?”

Taeyong fell into another silence.

You couldn’t help but let your eyes linger on the small gap between your pinky finger and his. You almost moved your hand closer, just a little bit, but then he lifted his arm and you nearly yelped in shock.

Taeyong took off his mask and placed it over his chest. His hand was now nowhere close to your smaller one. He had his eyes closed and from where you were lying on his side, you could see how long his eyelashes were, how they fluttered against his cheeks. Taeyong still looked so young, like a pure little boy with no idea how to sin, and perhaps that was because he never stepped a foot outside the forest. You envied his naivety but you also questioned how he truly felt for living a life monotonously like that. Even though he had Haechan and the rest of his Spirit friends here, was it really better for him to have no contact with humans?

Because sometimes… Taeyong looked so lonely.

The boy parted his lips. “Do you think they would kiss?”

If you had been drinking, you would’ve sprayed all of it on Taeyong’s face. “What?!”

“Those couples,” Taeyong elucidated, as if you were asking because you didn’t understand, when in reality you were just utterly embarrassed by it. “Do you think they kiss a lot?”

“What—” You almost bit your tongue. “Who even told you this stuff?! I thought you were supposed to live inside the forest!”

“I do, but it doesn’t mean I’m raised like Tarzan, you know.”

He even knows Tarzan! You wanted to scream. “Let me guess, Haechan?”

“Yeah.”

That perverted little fox! Of course he told him this stuff! 

“Yeah, well, I think they do,” you sighed, lying down on the grass again with another huff. “I remember having this conversation with a friend. See, she has a boyfriend, and she told me that they were kissing the other day. I, just like now, didn’t know what to say.”

“You never kissed anyone before?”

Your face was aflame and it had nothing to do with the sun. “N-no…” Of course not! If I had done it, then—

“Why not?” Taeyong asked, staring at you with genuine curiosity. You promptly looked away, ignoring the question.

Because then you’d disappear, you idiot. But how could you tell Taeyong that? You didn't even know why you wanted to kiss him. When exactly did you start wanting it? When did you start looking at him differently?

“I just…” You absentmindedly played with the tip of the grass underneath your fingers. “…haven’t found the right person yet.” Actually, I have, but if I touch him, he’ll disappear so… “And there’s a difference, you know, between kissing someone because they’re attractive and kissing someone because, umm, w-words can no longer express the intense feelings you have for them.” You clear your throat, feeling a bit nauseous all of a sudden. “Even if I did go out with him, I can’t just kiss him because he’s cute. It’s not right.”

Taeyong’s eyes were following the clouds, which were somehow changing shapes from one to another. “A kiss, huh…” he mumbled, reaching out a hand toward the sky and spread his fingers widely as if he was about to seize the sun. “I wonder if humans are as warm as this.”

“As the sun?” You asked, laughing quietly. “I certainly hope not. That’d be scary.”

Taeyong only smiled, slowly averting his eyes to lock them with yours. But you’re already burning as bright though…

“What?” You asked when you saw him looking at you without saying anything. “Did Haechan draw something on my face again? I swear to God, it’s like I can’t even let my guard down for one sec—”

“Don’t kiss him,” Taeyong suddenly said, abruptly cutting the rest of your sentence short and leaving you gaping, loss for words. When silence came to fill the space, he tried to break through the tension. “I mean…” He scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Well, it’s your choice, but…”

Your heart warmed. “But…?”

Taeyong’s tongue laid heavy in his mouth and he quickly put his cat mask back on. “We’re too far inside the forest. We should be getting back now before it’s too late,” he sternly said, sitting up. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the gate.” And he stood up, placed his hands inside his pockets as always, and walked away without even waiting for you to get up.

You followed with a blissful smile breaking on your face.

“I won’t,” you said, loud enough for him to hear. “If you don’t want me to kiss him, I won’t.” Taeyong never said anything back.

But you noticed the way the tip of his ears went red.

***

Taeyong called your name. His voice, like always, sounded a little bit muffled from the mask. “Hey, I’m back. Too bad, I can’t find the—”

The sight of you in your favorite peach summer dress, sleeping soundly on the grass as if nothing could attack you at that moment, made him grow speechless. You had one arm lying down on your stomach, your lips were slightly parted  as you fell deep into slumber, and Taeyong could see your chest heaving up and down slowly every time you breathed.

“Goodness,” he muttered, sighing. “This is a forest, you know? Moreover, it’s the forest where Spirits live. What would you do if they attack you?” Not that Taeyong actually thought that would happen—except for Haechan. That devilish fox could be pretty childish when he got jealous. Taeyong wouldn’t be surprised if he found him biting the edge of your dress again.

But, of course, you didn’t hear him. You had always been a heavy sleeper, even a clap of thunder could barely wake you up.

Taeyong huffed once more before he sat down next to you, taking a glance at the beauty marks on your face, at your bangs that had grown longer since your first visit two months ago, and at the lovely shape of your mouth. The way your lips seemed so soft and rosy, sparked curiosity and something within him that he couldn’t properly name, as he didn’t quite understand the feeling just yet.

Pressing one palm to the grass to prop his weight, Taeyong took off his mask. His silvery-white hair fell covering his hooded eyes but the soft wind blew it away. He leaned over, almost hovering above you by the time he laid his other palm on the other side of your head. Releasing a shaky breath, he brought his face down to yours.

I’m… Towards you, I’ve been…

Close. So close. Taeyong could even count your eyelashes if he wanted. You were breathing softly, warm air flowing from your slightly parted lips. Taeyong wanted to seal them with his own.

“Taeyong?”

Taeyong blinked, freezing on the spot. You were awake, staring at him with your eyes still slightly red from sleep. “Taeyong, what are you doing…?”

Taeyong only stared at you, eyes to eyes with such close proximity. He could tell how nervous you were, no matter how hard you tried to keep your face composed.

“I couldn’t find the flower you wanted,” he said, with a voice so calm as if he was speaking in a safe distance. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s…” You swallowed, still locking your gaze together although your heart was screaming like a beating drum. “It’s all right…”

Taeyong spent another two seconds being in that position before he finally pulled away, just to press his mask to your face. You let out an ‘oof’ sound of surprise but you didn’t take it off. You just laid there, completely still, with his mask covering your face. It smelled just like him—the dry air of summer, with a hidden scent of fresh green grass and sunray.

“Your face’s red,” Taeyong said. “Go back to sleep.”

You wondered whether the sun managed to bite through your skin and warm your face like this. But how would that explain your racing heartbeat?

“Okay…” you murmured and the sounds of birds chirping suddenly became louder as you both fell mute, unsure of what to say.

Not far from there, a golden fox scrunched his nose in annoyance. With a small puff of smoke, Haechan returned to his human form.

“Is he an idiot?” Haechan growled in his human voice, sneaking around behind the bushes with no clothes on like usual. “What would he have done if she didn’t wake up? Did he want to die?! I should’ve knocked some sense into his head! Stupid Taeyongie!” But despite the venom in his words, Haechan could only look away and do nothing. After all…

Taeyong had looked so happy.

There was only this little smile displayed on his lips, yet somehow he looked more alive than Haechan had ever seen him before. It was the first time Haechan ever witnessed that kind of expression on him.

Haechan gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. “That idiot,” he said again, grumbling but instead of running back and throwing a fist at the other man, Haechan kept walking away and bit his lower lip until it grew white. Stop looking that happy. You know how this would end, don’t you? She can’t give you the happy ending you want. 

Don’t start something that will only hurt you, Hyung…

***

On the last day of your eighth summer together, you bought Taeyong a scarf. When he asked the reason why, you simply explained with, “My uncle said the winter will be freezing this year, so be sure to wear it, okay?”

“I don’t get cold, though.”

“Just wear it.”

Taeyong hummed, taking a detailed look at the maroon knitted scarf in his hands. The cuts that appeared on your fingers when you tried to knit it three months earlier had disappeared, and just by seeing him holding it already made you feel like it worth every effort you’d given.

“Oh, and here.” You took a small music player from your summer dress’s pocket. It had earphones and batteries that would definitely last for at least a month if it was only used once a while. “I’ll give you this.”

“You’re giving me a lot of things today,” Taeyong commented. “And what’s this?”

“An mp3 player,” you said as you sat next to him on the stone stairs. “Here, I’ll show you how it works. First, you press here to turn it on, then you pick the song from the playlist.” You demonstrated every word and Taeyong stared intently at the mp3 screen from the holes of his mask. “I already put some songs in it. I’m not sure what kind of music you like, so I kind of put every genre I could find. You can skip it by pressing here if you hate the song.”

“How can I hate it when I can’t even hear it?” he innocently asked and you laughed.

“That’s why they invented these earphones, silly,” you giggled, and without waiting for his permission, you plugged in one earphone to his ear while you pressed the other one to your own. You moved a bit closer toward him and Taeyong fidgeted a bit from the distance. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you,” you said and you wondered since when did it begin to hurt you so much when you said those words? “But be very still, okay?”

“Oh, it’s playing.” Taeyong was astonished when the song started playing in his ear. It was a piece from Beethoven, a sound of violin combined with piano and cello. You explained everything to him, from the instruments, to the harmony, to the genius composers in the music industry. It was all new to him. “And what’s that sound?”

“That’s the sound of timpani,” you explained and when you glanced to the side, you realized how close you were to him. One wrong move and you could hurt him. You needed to be extra careful. It was probably best to move away, Haechan would’ve certainly told you so but just for one more second…

Let me be this close to you for one more second before I go…

“Wait, don’t change the song,” Taeyong said, snatching you away from your thoughts. Your finger stopped moving around the playlist. “I want to hear this one to the end.”

You grew quiet. There were over a hundred songs you had put into the music player and out of all of them, Taeyong had to choose this song. This one song that took you an entire night contemplating whether you should put it inside the device or not.

“This is the sound of a violin, right?” Taeyong asked, looking serious because of his mask but you dared to think that he was smiling underneath it. “It’s nice. It’s not as rich as the other piece that had timpani in it, but… It’s beautiful. I like this one.”

You stood up abruptly, your earphone detaching itself from your ear. “I—I have to go. It’s getting late.”

“Huh?” Taeyong was a bit startled. “Oh. Yeah…”

You stepped forward, not looking back at him or waved him goodbye like usual. Instead, you rushed forward with your head hanging low.

To think that he would like your song.

To think that he would say that your violin playing was nice.

To think that he would prefer your song better than any other ones there.

“Hey,” Taeyong called, and you froze before you slowly peered back at him. If he could see the blush on your cheeks and ask about it, you would lie and say that the lights were playing tricks on him.

“Thanks for these,” Taeyong said and the boy had taken off his mask. With that warm smile that almost matched the warmth of the sun drowning behind him, he waved his hand goodbye. “Until we meet next summer.”

***

“Why doesn’t he wear clothes?” You exasperatedly asked one day, in the middle of a blazing summer. It was your ninth summer together. You were fifteen-years-old, and Taeyong… Well, you never actually knew what his real age was but he still looked like he was around eighteen as always.

“Who, Haechan?” Taeyong asked, and the little golden fox lounging on his lap perked his ears at the question. Taeyong smiled a little and you, once again, whispered gratitude toward whatever it was that made him take off his mask that day. The boy placed his palm on the Fox’s head and stroke its fur. Haechan purred and leaned into the touch, his tails swaying happily behind him. “Haechan doesn’t like human clothes. He said they’re uncomfortable.”

“Well, I’m uncomfortable seeing a grown man walking around naked and clinging to you like a possessive girlfriend—” Your sentence shortly ended with a shriek when a cloud of smoke exploded around you and you knew perfectly well what caused it.

“I’m not his girlfriend, you ugly monkey, but Taeyong-Hyung is mine!” Haechan, already standing in all of his naked glorious human form, shouted as he hugged him from behind, having one arm around Taeyong’s neck, and his chin being annoyingly close to the other boy’s shoulder. “And I’m not clingy because I want to. He’s just warmer than any other Spirits here and I happen to like warmth.”

“It’s summer.” You squinted your eyes menacingly, sounding remarkably irritated but still trying your best to hide the flustered look on your face because no matter annoying Haechan was, he was still a fully naked boy. “It’s like forty degrees out here, how much hotter do you want?”

Haechan actually had the knack to ignore you with a “Hmph!” while puffing out his cheeks and nuzzled his head against Taeyong’s palm. “You don’t find me annoying, do you, Taeyongie?”

Taeyong smiled and patted his head. “I’m already used to you being like this.” Haechan’s golden tail wagged excitedly in delight. “But you should put some clothes on, Haechannie. You’re making her feel uneasy.”

“I don’t care about that monkey girl!”

“What did you say, you stupid fox?!���

Both you and Haechan gritted your teeth, facing one on one in a glaring battle before your head nearly burst from being unable to contain the shame. Haechan was so naked, you couldn’t handle staring at him for a second longer than that. Haechan was cackling proudly for achieving victory.

“That’s not nice,” Taeyong scolded and Haechan only huffed, curling on the ground and laying his head on Taeyong’s lap.

“Of course,” Haechan grumbled quietly, plump lips turning into a pout. “Why should I be nice to a girl who can make you disappear anytime she wants? That’s ridiculous.”

You froze, heart dropping to your stomach, before you hugged your knees to your chest and half-buried your face in them. Taeyong was glancing at you for a second before he brought his eyes back to the boy on his lap and pinched Haechan’s nose.

“Hey, ouch!” Haechan batted his hand away, snarling. “What the hell was that for?!”

Taeyong didn’t utter a word but there was something… Some kind of tension that made Haechan pout angrily and mutter harshly in your direction. “Well, I’m sorry, okay?” Haechan heaved the loudest sigh. His ears went down dejectedly as he laid on his side. Taeyong’s hand had stopped long from stroking his golden hair. “I know you don’t mean any harm to Taeyong-hyung, but… I mean, I… I…”

You waited in silence as Haechan tried to form his words. He looked rather cute, trying desperately to draw the right sentence to apologize when he would pretty much prefer dying instead of doing so. Eventually, Haechan sat up, pointing rudely at you with his finger, and shouted, “All right, fine! You’re allowed to stay with my Taeyongie for now, but if you pull some kind of trick like trying to kiss him in his sleep again, I won’t forgive you, OKAY?!”

Both you and Taeyong jolted, hearts thumping loudly behind your ribcages.

He was watching?! But wait, Taeyong thought, he said she was trying to kiss me. So he wasn’t watching me when I tried to kiss her. But when did she…

Taeyong turned his head toward you at the same time you were averting your gaze from Haechan’s to his. Both of you blushed and immediately brought your eyes away.

“I—I should go.” You abruptly stood up, your knees wobbling under your weight. This is so embarrassing, I could die! “I’ll c-come back tomorrow, okay?”

“Huh?” Taeyong was not being himself, losing his composure. “Yeah, s-sure. I’ll—”

But you had already walked away from your spot, mentally slapping yourself in the face because oh God, no, now he knows. What should I do? How can I face him now?

“What’s up with that girl?” Haechan asked, raising an eyebrow as he draped his bare arms all over Taeyong’s body again. “I know she’s weird, but that was too weird, right?”

“Haechannie.”

Taeyong’s voice startled him a bit. “Y-yeah?”

“When you said…” Taeyong swallowed, the thought of him trying to kiss you in your sleep started to overwhelm him once more. Did she really do the same thing to me? When? “What you said before… Was it true? Did she really try to kiss me?”

It was saddening for him that Taeyong was paying more attention to you than to him again. Ever since you came into his life, all Taeyong could ever talk about was you. You were the reason behind his smiles, when it was used to be Haechan who brought warmth to Taeyong’s cold demeanor. “Well,” Haechan sighed in defeat. “To tell you the truth…”

With a dandelion flower tucked between his fox teeth, Haechan ran with all of his power to where Taeyong was. He moved his four legs as fast as he could, his golden tail swinging behind him. Being a small fox had its perks. He could easily jump from one tree to another, he could slip through narrow spaces, and Taeyong once said that he had soft fur that was nice to touch. Haechan truly adored that boy so as a token of his gratitude; he wanted to give him a dandelion flower—one that Taeyong loved the most.

Taeyongie! Taeyongie! I want to meet him! I want to give this to him!

So he ran faster, and faster, looking for him until Haechan saw his figure sitting next to a tree with his spine pressed against the thick trunk. From where he was, Haechan could only see his back.

Ah, there he is! Taeyongie!

He ran faster, crossing the field of grass to get to that spot, but only to find Taeyong sleeping with his bangs covering his eyes and his mask tossed to his side. Then there was you—the girl who always hung around him—kneeling in front of him with… 

Haechan blinked. What kind of expression is that?

Your eyes were soft, your lips parted forming Taeyong’s name, and even from where Haechan was hiding behind the tree, he could tell that you were nervous. There was something different with the way you looked. Haechan usually saw you as an annoying, little clumsy girl who posed nothing but a threat to his dearest friend. But that day, he noticed how feminine you really were.

Has she… Haechan unconsciously thought, his heart racing a little. Has she always been that pretty?

“Please don’t wake up,” you whispered, your cheeks heating up. Then you leaned forward, pressing your palm to the grass next to his waist to prop your weight.

Wait! Haechan shouted in his head but he couldn’t will himself to move. Wait, what do you think you’re doing—

Then you closed your eyes and filled the spaces between you. Haechan wasn’t breathing at that moment. He couldn’t even think.

You were kissing Taeyong.

That girl! Haechan yelled in anger. If Taeyong disappears, I am going to kill—

“Hmm?” Taeyong’s voice came through his hearing. “Oh sorry, seems like I fell asleep. You came back already, huh?”

“Yeah,” you replied, smiling at him before you stood up. “I was just going to drop this for you and leave since I thought you were sleeping.” 

Haechan crawled a bit closer to take a look at what you were referring to. It was a handful of dandelion flowers—just like what he wanted to give him—with a white paper card laid upon them. 

The paper! Haechan realized. Of course! She was using that when she kissed him!

You took the small paper card and laughed. “I was going to write something like ‘Make a wish for me’ or something but you already woke up.”

When Haechan looked back at Taeyong, the boy was staring at you in the same way you’d looked at him before. Those soft, gentle eyes. That adoring gaze. That longing stare.

Taeyong stood up, taking the dandelions off his lap and offered them back to you. “Why don’t we make a wish together?” he asked, smiling so tenderly that even you got startled for a moment.

“Okay!” you chirped merrily and you walked next to each other as you blew the dandelions one by one.

“What did you wish for?”

“World peace,” you answered with a grin. “You?”

Taeyong sneaked a glance toward the small gap that separated your hands from one another. “An ice cream,” he said, smiling back. 

You tittered, oblivious about the actual thing he desired the most. “You’re so weird.”

Haechan watched from afar, hiding behind the shades of the tree before he eventually transformed into his human form, laid his back against the trunk and blew his own dandelion flower away. The seeds were swaying together with the wind, leaving him alone as Taeyong’s chatter began to wash away from his ears.

“Idiot,” Haechan muttered. “Stop being so obvious. You’re even making me embarrassed.”

“Haechannie?” Taeyong’s soft voice woke him from his reverie. Noticing how the boy hadn’t spoken for a while, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Haechan glared at him, shouting. “Nothing’s wrong! Just go die, you idiot!” Then he morphed back to his animal form, bit him in the nose and scurried off.

Taeyong hissed in pain, rubbing his nose. “Why is everybody leaving so suddenly today?” he sighed before throwing himself back to the ground, lying on the grass with the sun showering him with its light.

Ah, I want to see her again already.

***

Seasons changed and what was once warm air caressing your strands, had turned into soft snow prickling against your skin and coating your spine with shivers. You began to realize that the world became a little dull as you grew older. You stared at the glassy window in front of you with lifeless eyes, close enough to make the glass hazy with your warm breath. The school’s bell rang, indicating that your next class was about to begin but you kept standing still in the hallway, just staring at the cloudy weather.

A boy called your name—Mark Lee, you remembered well, from his big doe eyes and his messy raven hair. “Shouldn’t you be heading to the lab? Everyone already left.”

“Huh?” You blinked, still somewhat dazed until you noticed that Mark was already carrying his textbook, ready to move to the biology lab. “Ah, right!” You sputtered, turning on your heels to run toward your classroom but Mark caught you by the wrist.

“Here,” he said, giving you the note and the textbook you wanted to grab. “We’re going to be late, so I’ve brought your stuff with me. Let’s go.”

And if your thoughts weren’t so distraught, you would’ve noticed how Mark had been paying more attention to you than anybody else for the past few weeks.

But that was the problem. You had been having trouble focusing these days. Everything just seemed to pass by like a blur. During your next class, you didn’t pay any attention at all. It wasn’t like you were busy chatting or drawing random doodles on your note. You were just staring blankly at your textbook. Your eyes were half-lidded, your thoughts scattering all over the places.

At home, you hardly finished your dinner. Your mother scolded you as she thought her daughter was snacking before they shared sukiyaki at the dining table. You could only pout before you took your leave. You didn’t tell your mother that you had hardly eaten anything all day.

When the lights were off and you were settling down under your blanket in bed, you couldn’t sleep. You kept staring at your ceiling, part of your soul going somewhere else. Somewhere where it was warmer, brighter, with a stupid-looking cat mask in sight.

You eventually closed your eyes with the thought of gentle brown eyes staring at you behind silvery white strands.

Six more months left until I can see you again.

***

“Good morning.”

You exhaled from your mouth, creating visible puffs of air in the chilly weather. Your coat and scarf were clinging tightly to your body and yet you still felt cold. You never enjoyed the winter season. Or, any other seasons, for that matter.

“I said, good morning.”

You blinked. Your brain finally could process that someone had been calling you since a moment ago. “Oh,” you said, smiling politely. “Good morning, Mark.”

“Dozing off already?” Mark said, fixing the strap of his bag that was about to fall off his shoulder. “Isn’t it still too early for that?”

You could only laugh but even the sound of it felt empty to your ears.

“There’s frozen ice underneath your feet,” he warned, his voice sounded a bit muffled. Half of his face was covered with his checkered navy blue scarf. “Be careful.”

You stopped walking and noticed that you were indeed standing on asphalt-covered with black ice. It made a soft creaking sound when you tried to walk on it. It was too slippery.

“You’ll slip. It’s dangerous.” Mark took out his hand from the pocket of his brown duffle coat. “Come here,” he called, offering his hand. There were clouds of breath when he spoke.

Appalled, but only for a second, you then smiled gratefully. “Thank you.” You took his hand, but Mark was the one who held it tighter. He was warm and the texture of his palm was rough. You never knew that a boy’s hand could feel like this.

You were no longer walking on the frozen ice but Mark never let go of your hand. He just continued walking in front of you, dragging you gently by the hand. “It’s cold today, isn’t it?” he said and you wondered whether you should reply to a rhetorical question like that. You ended up saying nothing.

“Haven’t you been a little out of it lately?” Mark asked after the small awkward silence. “Actually, you’ve always been that way, but…” 

His grip around your hand wasn’t exactly too tight or too loose, and it somehow felt nice so you were confused. Why weren’t you affected by it? Why didn’t you feel anything at all? Some other students who were passing you were staring, and both you and Mark would probably need to get ready to clarify dating rumors the second you arrived at class but you felt nothing. Nothing at all, except…

Mark’s mouth was moving but you couldn’t hear him over the loudness of your thoughts.

I want to see Taeyong.

I want to touch him.

I want to feel his hand on mine.

I miss him.

But you still had six months left before summer came.

It didn’t use to be a problem. But at that particular moment, as Mark began to lace his fingers more comfortably around yours, you thought that it hurt. Not seeing Taeyong was more than painful.

It was suffocating.

***

“Is that your new uniform?” Taeyong asked, leaning his shoulder to the tree near the stone stairs where you usually met. That was his first line after nine months of separation. 

You timidly smiled, nodding with your fingers interlacing behind your back. You were wearing a white and dark blue uniform, indicating that you had become a high school student that year. You wore a hairpin to clip your bangs from falling over your face. Taeyong didn’t comment on it but he noticed how your hair had grown longer, and how he loved it now as much as he’d loved it then.

“Time really flies, doesn’t it?” Taeyong marveled, as you climbed up the stone stairs, walking to a deeper part of the forest. “You’re already in high school, huh?”

The cicadas were singing loud behind your backs. They always sang the loudest when it was hot. “Yup.”

You sat on the carpet of green grass near the pond. Pink lotuses were growing, blooming underneath the sun. Taeyong sat cross-legged, and you sat next to him with your legs folded carefully to guard your skirt against blowing because of the wind.

“You don’t come running at me anymore these days,” Taeyong chuckled “You were so clingy when you were a kid.”

“Of course not.” You scoffed. “I’ve learned my lesson after all the beatings you did.”

Taeyong stayed in silence so you eventually looked away and diverted your gaze toward the sky. “I’m really looking forward to it,” you said. “In three years, when I graduate, I plan on looking for a job here. Then, I can be with you more. In winter, in autumn, in spring… We’ll always be together.” Your voice became softer, just like the sheepish smile you displayed on your face. “Always, okay?”

Taeyong glanced back at you through the holes of his mask. You seemed so optimistic and bright; it was almost painful.

Because what were you doing exactly? You both knew this wouldn’t last. You weren’t supposed to be together. There was no way for you to be together without you hurting each other in the end.

It was just… Impossible…

When Taeyong called your name, his voice had lost its cheeriness. “Let me tell you about myself.”

You blinked. “Eh?”

“I’m not a spirit,” Taeyong said, sitting up better on the ground. “But I’m also no longer human. It seems like I was once a human, but when I was a baby, I was abandoned in this forest.”

Taeyong could no longer recall the memory back when he was a baby, being left all alone in a wooden basket in the middle of a haunted forest. “I’d only just been abandoned, so I cried helplessly, as if to call back the parents who left me.”

But Taeyong’s tone was no longer painted with agony. You wondered how many years had truly passed since the day he was abandoned for him to feel nothing when he spoke about it.

“They said I didn’t stop crying for a long time,” Taeyong said, and you noticed that he must have been talking about the Spirits. “It was until they placed this cat mask on my face that I began to laugh. I should’ve died then, but the Mountain God appeared and cast a spell that allowed me to continue living so that I never move on.”

Taeyong never once looked at you when he retold his story. “I’m like a ghost,” he said, and finally turned his mask-covered face toward you. “So, it’s okay if you forget about me.” You couldn’t find anything to say. Your mind was busy processing all the information you'd just received. “A body that’s maintained by magic is very weak,” Taeyong continued nonetheless as he stared at his own palm. “If it touches a real human body, the spell will break and the body will disappear. It’s such a fragile thing…” There was an obvious pain in his voice now. “Just how long can you—”

“Something that disappears when touched,” you immediately said, not wanting to hear the question escaping his lips. “It’s just like snow, isn’t it?”

This time, it was Taeyong who went speechless.

“You know, Taeyong…” You embraced your knees to your chest, staring at the pond. The light cast its reflection on your face, which to Taeyong only added more sparks to your beauty. “I thought of you during winter. And fall… And spring… I thought of you all the time, so...” You locked their gazes together as you smiled. “Don’t forget about me, okay? Don’t forget. Time might separate us one day, but still, until then, let’s stay together.”

Taeyong never once discussed it again. He decided that you were worth it. He would allow himself to be selfish. Whether he would disappear from your touch, or whether you would pass away on your deathbed even when he was still in his twenties, no one could ever know. But if he could spend that time with you, no matter how short it would be, no matter how much it would hurt, he would endure the pain. If it meant that he would stay together with you, he would crush his own happy ending. Because you had decided to let yours go.

And there was no way he would let you go down that road on your own.

***

“A spirit festival?” You asked, as you sat next to each other near the lake with your feet dipped into the water. Now eighteen, you felt closer to him more than ever. You secretly wondered if someone saw you walking together side-by-side, would they think of you as a couple?

“No, a summer festival held by the spirits,” Taeyong corrected.

“There’s not much of a difference.”

“The nuance is completely different.”

“Nuance?”

“When you were little, I thought you might get scared so I didn’t invite you. But tonight,” Taeyong stopped to showcase his grin. “Can you sneak out of your house? I’ve wanted to go with you for a long time…”

As if you could decline that tempting offer. “I—I want to go!” You exclaimed, jumping up to both of your feet.

“Then meet me at eight at our usual place.”

“But when you think about it,” you muttered, hand propping your chin as you ran through your mind. “A festival filled with Spirits sounds a little unnerving. On top of that, it’s at night.”

Taeyong took off his mask and you could see the sincerity behind his brown eyes. “Don’t worry,” he said, smiling handsomely. “On the outside, it’s not very different from a human festival. It’s supposed to mimic human festivals after all.” And at that time, his smile turned a bit sheepish. “And I will protect you, so…”

You felt like something just lit a fire behind your chest. “W-when you say things like that,” you said, eyes glancing away from embarrassment, “it makes me want to jump at you.” You wanted it to be a joke. You both knew that there was no way you would touch him underneath your conscience.

“Then do it,” Taeyong, in all of his seriousness, said, “I’m serious.”

You could only look at him with conflicted feelings.

***

The summer festival that was held by the Spirits inside the forest was indeed similar to the ones in the living world. Lanterns were lit up, surrounding the place with orange-colored lights that seemed normal enough for your eyes. But when you took a closer look, the fireballs behind the paper lantern were actually dancing. Spirits were everywhere around the place and this time, they didn’t look like ghosts or monsters. They were all disguised as humans, even wearing yukatas and wooden sandals but with masks over their faces—just like Taeyong. Not every Spirit managed to do well with their disguises, though. You could still spot some children with pig noses and cat tails, and you could see Haechan’s fluffy golden tails and matching fox’s ears on his head as he waved a hand and ran toward Taeyong with all of his strength.

Taeyong was wearing a dark grey yukata with his usual cat mask placed on his face, and the Fox boy jumped into his arms, winding his long limbs so naturally around his neck.

“Taeyongie!” Haechan chirped as he nuzzled his nose against Taeyong’s neck, despite them being full-grown men. The other boy pushed him away with one palm.

“Y-you’re wearing clothes,” you stammered, gaping at the sight that Haechan wasn’t actually naked at that moment. Instead, the boy was wearing a white yukata with golden obi around his waist. It matched his blond hair and golden ears perfectly.

Haechan groaned, “Oh man, don’t tell me that monkey girl is here with you to—” The rest of his words died on his tongue the second he checked your appearance. No longer wearing your summer dress, that night you were wrapped in a sky blue kimono with falling cherry blossoms painted around it. You had a salmon-colored obi around your waist, curving your body perfectly and you had your bangs clipped to the side, showing more of your face for them to admire. 

“Hmm?” you asked, tilting your head slightly when you noticed that Haechan was staring without saying a word. “What is it?”

“You…” Haechan gulped before he took a step back and pointed a finger at you. Taeyong could blatantly see the blush on his face but you never paid attention to anyone besides Taeyong. “You’re so ugly, you almost made me puke!” Haechan screamed.

“Excuse me?!” You shouted back and Taeyong laughed when Haechan turned into his animal form, sending a small kick to her face—it wasn’t as painful as it was surprising—before he ran away like a scared little rodent.

“Why are you laughing?” You pouted, rubbing your slightly bruised cheek from Haechan’s attack. “God, he must have hated me so much. What’s his problem? And is he leaving his clothes just like this?!”

Taeyong couldn’t understand why you were so oblivious of Haechan’s feelings. But if it meant he could stare at your adorable confused face longer then he wouldn’t say a word to explain.

“Hey,” Taeyong called, bringing out a thin white scarf from his sleeves. “Tie this around your wrist. You’ll get lost if you don’t.” You obeyed right away, even humming happily as you did it. Taeyong tied the other end around his wrist as well. With that, you were connected to each other.

“It’s just like going on a date,” you said, giggling. Taeyong had brought his mask to the side of his head, so most of his face was shown when he smiled beautifully.

“It is a date,” he said, successfully sending your heart thrumming wildly against your ribcages. When you weren’t as flushed, you mirrored his little smile, wishing for your heart to beat at a slower pace so you could focus more on his beautiful features instead. Taeyong was so close and so handsome; it felt almost surreal for you to witness. “Shall we go?”

You shortly nodded and let him lead the way, a thin white scarf bridging the small gap between you. It’s funny how you weren’t exactly holding hands, but it felt just the same way. Your heart was racing, your thoughts were filled with him, and your never-ending smile, brighter than all the lanterns combined, was the proof of the joy you shared with him.

It was perfect. He was perfect.

There were fireworks, music, and dances. Everything looked so fun. Taeyong bought you cotton candy, but when you tried to take a bite, it flew towards the sky, morphing into clouds between the shining stars. Every time you laughed, Taeyong was grateful to be able to witness the beauty of it. It was so easy for your happiness to be his.

You walked around, checking some food stalls from one place to another, with him trying to match his steps with yours without you knowing. You wanted to buy a mask as well, perhaps one that looked similar to Taeyong’s. When a mask finally caught your interest—a tanned person’s face with his eyes crossed, you touched it to try it on but it turned out that it was an actual Spirit’s face, not a mask. Flustered, you had no choice but to run away, shouting “I’M SO SORRY!” and forcing Taeyong to follow you with chuckles reverberating from his chest.

Taeyong laughed more frequently that night than he had been the entire summer and you loved it. You loved the way he laughed without care. It was like firewood in the cold, darkest night—warming, bright, and beautiful.

“Ah, I had so much fun!” You cheered, still laughing slightly as you walked away from the festival. It was getting late and knowing how your uncle must have been worried for your well-being, Taeyong took you home. “Everyone really went all out with their disguises, didn’t they?” Your voice echoed through the night. “It was like a mimicking competition. You weren’t kidding when you said it’s supposed to imitate human’s festival.” No wonder his uncle’s friend Hyori had managed to sneak inside back then. “Is it like this every year?”

“Yeah, every time summer comes around…” But Taeyong’s voice suddenly lost its liveliness. And as you walked further away from the festival, the forest became dark once more, with only the moon and the stars illuminating your faces.

When Taeyong called your name, it was a mix of a longing sigh and a hushed whisper. Little frogs and insects were making sounds in the background and you could hear your steps matching his as you stepped on the grass, near your usual private pond. “I can no longer wait for summer to come around,” he softly murmured.

You turned your head toward him, glancing at the face of the boy you’d spent your entire summer with. Taeyong was wearing his mask again, and you wished he didn’t. You wanted to see his expression when he said those words.

“When I’m away from you,” Taeyong confessed, “even though I can’t be around the crowds, I want to go see you. Even though I knew it would’ve killed me, I was ready to step a foot outside this forest and run to you. Nine months are too long for me to wait for you.”

You almost reached out a hand to touch his, but you stopped before you got your wish. Instead, you sank your fingernails to your palm, hard enough to tear your skin apart so you could focus on the pain on your skin instead of the one in your chest.

Why does he have to be so close and yet so far away?

Then Taeyong suddenly stopped walking, lifting one hand to take off his mask and pressed it to your face. Before you could understand what was happening, Taeyong bent his head down and kissed the other side of the mask, right where your lips would be if there were no barriers between you. The thin mask was the only thing separating your lips from touching one another.

You froze, seeing Taeyong’s close-up face from the holes of the mask. As you’d guessed, Taeyong had long eyelashes. And he was so beautiful, so gentle, so young but with the expression of a man who spent hundreds of years in silence, yearning for other people’s touch.

Taeyong wasn’t really kissing you and yet, you still couldn’t breathe.

He pulled away after a few seconds had passed; smiling at you in the way it was almost breaking you apart but not quite.

Why does this feel like a goodbye?

“That mask,” he said, gazing straight at you. His smile never faltered from his lips, which only broke your heart even more. “You can have it.” And with him taking another step forward, you began to walk side by side again without uttering any other words.

He probably won’t come back to the place where we usually meet next summer. You pondered, hiding your face behind his mask. This is definitely our last…

“Hey, wait for me!” Two children passed by, running with their little feet and roaring into the night. The first boy managed to get a few steps ahead and his little sister was trying to catch up to him but she fumbled and slipped on her feet.

“Careful!” Taeyong shouted in reflex and reached out a hand to help her. With a hold around her wrist, he managed to prevent her from falling. The little girl smiled, showcasing her teeth and thanked him before she ran away chasing her brother again.

“Be careful, you guys!” You said and the two children waved their hands at you. You chuckled to yourself. I wonder if I was like that when I was a—

Taeyong’s sudden call of your name made you jolt. You hastily turned around, hoping to see him smile from the holes of the mask you had on your face, but instead what you saw was something more.

It was your nightmare.

Taeyong had his hand—the one he used to touch the little girl—stretched out in the air, staring at it with parted lips and wide eyes as his fingertips started to glow and slowly disappearing into thin air like fireflies vanishing in the night.

“Ta…” Your throat, your chest, it felt like fire was consuming every inch of you. “Taeyong..?”

You couldn’t believe what was happening. You wished you were dreaming. You prayed for it to be a dream. But Taeyong was really there, disappearing little by little in front of you and you couldn’t do it. You couldn’t live without him in your life. How could just one touch of a hand do something like this?

“That girl was a human?!” You panicked, head throbbing loudly but the pain didn’t even come close to the aching you felt in your heart. What should I do? What should I do now?! I can’t lose him—I don’t want to lose him—

Taeyong!

The glow started to spread to his wrist, passing his elbow, to his chest and you wanted to scream stop! Don’t take him away from me! Please, stop! But Taeyong was smiling, so widely and beautifully and this time there was no trace of loneliness or secrets he tried to keep to himself like his usual smile. This time, he really did smile with all of his heart.

“Come here!” He called your name between his smiles, throwing his arms out for you to jump into. “I can finally touch you now.”

And you didn’t let a second to waste. You pushed the mask away from your face, facing him with a smile because that was what he deserved and then you hugged him, embraced him tightly with all of your strength, and you never wanted to let go. Taeyong looked so happy so you held your tears to yourself, no matter how much they burned behind your eyelids, and when Taeyong lifted your face and pressed a kiss to your lips, you curled your fingers on the back of his yukata.

Taeyong was so warm. And soft. And…

Gone.

You fell to your knees with his yukata held tightly against your chest. Your shoulders shuddered. Your chest felt like a thousand ice blades striking you at the same time. The clothing still smelled like him and yet, Taeyong was nowhere to be seen. He was consumed by the fireflies’ light and now there was no trace of him left.

I love you, you heard him said just a split second before he vanished. Faintly. Lovingly. Awaking every memory of the summers you’d spent together. That twig of oak bridging the distance between you. Those flowers you picked from the fields for him. That time when he ran to save you from falling. How lonely he’d looked from time to time. And how lonely you were when he wasn’t around. When Taeyong wasn’t there to spread happiness to your life.

And now he’s gone…

“Me too,” you sobbed as you held onto the piece of fabric he left from his final moment as if you were hanging on a thread that separated life from death. “I love you too.”

I love you so much, Taeyong.

And you let yourself cry, just this once, just for tonight. You would cry your heart out, screaming his name, telling him how much you loved him, just for this time only. Taeyong was the source of your happiness. Not even his death should change that.

When there were no more tears to cry, you got back to your feet and the first step felt so heavy. It was easier to just be drowned in silence, never have to get up again, never have to see the light of day now that his light had been taken away. But Taeyong wouldn’t wish for that to happen. He wanted you to be happy, with or without him.

So you picked his mask off the ground and embraced it tightly to your chest. There were murmurs of the Spirits around you, thanking you for being with Taeyong until the last moment of his life. They said Taeyong could only truly smile when he was with you.

Haechan appeared in front of you, wearing his previous white yukata with golden obi around his waist. His fox’s ears were down and his tails were no longer wagging behind him like always. His eyes were red and puffy, though he wasn’t crying.

“Taeyong-hyung wanted nothing more but to feel a touch of a human,” he said when you’d lost your voice to speak. “Being hugged by you before he vanished like that… I guess he wouldn’t have preferred anything else.”

You weakly smiled and reached up to stroke Haechan’s hair. The Fox boy seemed somewhat startled but didn’t move away. “He must have been happy,” you said, smiling with tears brimming in your eyes, “to have someone like you paying so much attention to him.”

Haechan brought his head down and you could hear soft sobs as he began to break down once again. He was biting his lip until it grew white, just to muffle his whimpers. You told him that it was all right for him to cry as hard as he could. After all, it was only normal. The pain of being left by someone you love… Taeyong must have understood it well.

I probably won’t be able to look forward to summer for a long time.

My chest will hurt. 

My tears will be overflowing. 

But this warmth in my hands and these summer memories will live forever in my heart. 

I wouldn’t ask for anything more.

You smiled, kissing the temple of the mask and whispered, “Until we meet on the next life, Taeyong.”

***

It takes bravery to show up at the gate of the forest in your sleeveless white summer dress and you can feel your knees trembling underneath your weight but your resolve doesn’t dissipate. It’s been one year since Taeyong has vanished without a trace. Your heart still bleeds, but your tears are dry. And although it kills you to know that Taeyong is no longer there, waiting on the stone stairs like usual, you keep your smile intact, taking a seat close enough to the spot where Taeyong used to sit waiting for you.

“I’m here this year too, Taeyong,” you whispers, one hand being placed on the stone steps as if it was out for him to touch. “How are you?”

A soft wind blows, caressing your now longer hair and swiping warmth to your cheek. Lonely. You feel so alone. The cicadas are singing loudly as always but they don’t sound the same without the sound of Taeyong’s soft chuckles. You can no longer share stories with him, can no longer try to close the forbidden gap between you little by little. There’s nobody you can show your uniform to.

Don’t cry, you will yourself, hugging your knees tightly to your chest. Don’t cry. Taeyong wouldn’t want you to cry. You said you could do this, remember?

But it still hurts.

So you quickly open your bag and retract his cat mask from it. Placing it upon your face, you bask in what’s left of Taeyong’s scent as you close your eyes. This way, even if you end up crying, no one will see. If Taeyong is still here, or if he somehow stares down from heaven, he won’t be able to see you breaking apart.

“If you want to cry, just cry,” a boy suddenly sits down next to you, your shoulders brushing one another. “Idiot.”

You look to your side, feeling your breath stutter a little. “Haechan-ah…”

The Fox boy turns his head to face you as well but unlike Taeyong who greeted you with a gentle smile, Haechan was scowling. He has an apparent frown on his handsome human face, but although he is glaring, his nine tails betray him as they wag in elation behind him. “What are you staring at?” he says and flicks you on the forehead. It doesn’t hurt since he’s only grazing the mask, but it does make you move your gaze away.

Haechan still looks as young as always. His golden hair is still shining reflecting the sunlight, his ruby eyes are shimmering, and his sun-kissed skin still glows beautifully.

“You’re wearing clothes,” you comment, noticing the casual white shirt and the blue jeans he has on his body. He’s not wearing anything to protect his feet though.

“Of course, as if I would give you the reason to ogle at my perfect body,” Haechan spits back harshly and you don’t answer anything back. Eventually, it creates tension between you so he runs a hand through his hair and mutters, “Well, I mean… Taeyong told me it made you uncomfortable, so…” You still stay mute but for an entirely different reason.

“Thanks,” you finally say, your voice sounds a bit muffled because of the mask.

Haechan feels his face growing hot and he grits his teeth to wash it away. “You’re being gross, stop it,” he raves and yet his tail sways faster behind him as his ears perk up in joy. You can finally understand why Taeyong was fond of him. Despite his snarky attitude, Haechan is shy and he’s never honest when it comes to showing his feelings, but his body often betrays him. He has his own charm.

So you laugh—softly, quietly, unfamiliar to your own ears, but it’s a start. “I’m sorry.”

Haechan huffs and fixes his red eyes to the sky. The clouds are moving, changing shapes and he secretly wonders what would Taeyong say at times like this. “I thought you wouldn’t come this summer,” he murmurs.

“I thought I wouldn’t too,” you admit. “But I realized in the end, even though he’s gone, it doesn’t mean he can’t still live in my memory. I think when someone dies; it doesn’t really mean that they’re gone. The difference is that we can’t physically see them anymore, so as time goes by, we begin to forget. And once we forgot about them, then I guess that’s when someone truly dies.” You take off your mask, turn it around on your palm and stare at the cat’s two-round, lifeless eyes. “I can’t see Taeyong anymore but I won’t let him disappear from my thoughts. He’s now living in my memory and I will keep it that way. He’s already a part of me now—of who I have become.” Your lips curve up as you rub your thumb along the cat’s whiskers. “I’m sorry for saying such weird things. I must have bored you by now.”

But unbeknownst to you, Haechan is staring at you with admiration in his eyes. He never knew you had such a complex personality. 

Even though she’s a human. Even though she’s just a human.

“You know, for Spirits like us,” Haechan says, “Humans have always been nothing better than something to eat. It’s not worth having a relationship with them. You can’t befriend someone who will pass away in a blink of an eye. Spirits like us can live for hundreds of years. And you, people like you, can barely even reach a hundred. Becoming attached to something so fragile will only hurt us, that’s why we try to never look at humans as someone to be friends with. Just like humans in general, we’re afraid of getting hurt.”

Your eyebrows are knitted together, can barely understand why is Haechan telling you these things.

“I saw Taeyong-Hyung when he was with you,” Haechan utters, and this time he smiles at the memory of his friend. He looks much younger like this. “He was happy. Perhaps happier than I’d ever seen him. That’s probably why I decided not to eat you.”

“You wanted to eat me?”

“A few times, yeah.”

“Even though you were so startled when Taeyong suddenly sneezed and almost ran for your life like a little scaredy-cat?”

“That’s—” Haechan blushes madly. “That’s different!”

You place a hand over your mouth, covering your small laughter. “Okay, okay,” you said and Haechan feels a tweak in his heart again. Humans are such fragile beings, he wonders, maybe that’s the reason why I want to protect her so badly?

He quickly shakes the thought away, blushing even deeper. Get a grip on yourself, you idiot!

“Well, Haechannie.” You stand up from the spot you’ve been sitting on, smoothening down your dress. “I’m supposed to head over to my uncle’s house now. I don’t want to make him worry.”

“Oh…” Haechan blinks, standing up as well. “Right, of course.”

You’re appalled at how taller he is now. Even when you’re standing up straight, you can only reach a little above his shoulder line. “Are you still growing?”

“Huh?” Haechan takes a look at himself. “Oh. Yeah, maybe.” And you want to comment on that but you’re distracted by the look of Haechan’s fox ears going down. “Are you…” he looks away, somewhat hiding his lips behind the back of his hand. His cheeks are burning redder by the second. “Are you going to come back here tomorrow?”

The wind is probably playing tricks to your ears, that’s why you’re hearing some weird stuff right now. “What?”

“Ah, damn it!” He groans, his blush now expanding to the tip of his ears. “I said, are you going to come back here tomorrow or not, you stupid monkey girl! Don’t make me say this thing twice, it’s freaking embarrassing!”

It takes another two seconds for you to process before you burst out laughing. He’s so childish; it’s somewhat adorable. “If you want me to, I will,” you reply, wiping small tears away from your eyes.

Although Haechan’s ears perk up instantly at your answer, he keeps muttering rudely, “Well, don’t expect me to wait here for you or anything, okay? Today is special but I won’t do it tomorrow.”

“Huh?” You nearly break out into laughter again. “You were waiting for me today?”

By this point, Haechan’s practically combusted into flames. “SHUT UP, YOU MONKEY GIRL!” In a split second, he transforms into his animal form, creating musky grey mist all around you, and he bites your nose before he scurries away. His golden tail still wags happily behind him as he runs off.

Rubbing your nose from the itching pain, you grin with your teeth shown and waves your hand goodbye. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Haechannie!”

“It’s Donghyuck!” His voice can be heard but he’s nowhere to be seen. “My real name is Donghyuck. You better memorize that!”

Donghyuck… Somehow, you could feel your heart warming in the way it hasn’t been for a year long. “Then, I’ll see you tomorrow, Donghyuck…”

Your summer is changing. The feeling is different though something hasn’t quite changed. You still miss Taeyong, terribly so. There will probably no way you can stop missing him. After all, they said first love lasts forever, right?

But I’m doing fine, Taeyong. There are still many things for me to do so I will move on, little by little. No matter how long it would take for me to be able to remember your name without hurting; to remember your smile without regretting not being able to kiss your lips longer; or to remember the days we spent together and not crying over them—I will heal. 

Time will no longer be our enemy. It will be the one to erase my pain.

I will heal.

***

Dear Taeyong,

I miss you.

I miss you a lot.

I miss you to the point of shedding my tears.

But I will not wish for you to come back.

After all you never truly left me, did you?

I remember everything.

I still remember everything.

Even if ten years have passed, even if twenty, even if a thousand years have gone by, as long as I’m still alive, I promise you until my dying breath that I will remember you.

You are still the beautiful reality in my sleep.

The blissful dream in my wake.

I am still here, in the place where we usually meet.

I am not waiting for you—I know you wouldn’t want that.

But I am here because of you. Because you remind me of summer. Of joy. Of faith. Of love. Of a bittersweet goodbye. 

Everything about you brings smiles to my face, even if our first embrace ended without time waiting for me to keep your warmth. Even if our kiss never left an aftertaste on my lips. 

It’s all right. It’s enough. 

No matter where you are now, Taeyong… Be happy.

I will meet you again in our next life.

Maybe by then, we can set our promise not by words, but by our fingers lacing together. 

And maybe by then, you can stroke my hair when I cry. 

And every time we part, I will let you take my farewell words from my lips. 

Take my breath, if you must. After all, they’re yours. Everything about me is yours.

I love you.

I love you so much.

I love you despite everything that separated us. Time, distance, age, even a single touch—Nothing can make me tired of loving you. I love you. I have never loved anyone else but you.

I am forever yours.

***

My Love,

I miss you too.

I miss you so much.

I miss you to the point of breaking apart.

And I’m glad you don’t wish for me to come back. 

I don’t think it would’ve done us any good.

I still remember you.

I will always remember you.

Even if I no longer have a body, even if not even my ashes remain, even if the fireflies decide to abandon me, I will remember you.

Listen to me, my dear.

Even if I had the chance to choose, I still wouldn’t change a thing. 

I’d prefer not to be able to touch you, to feel your warmth, or to taste your lips, 

rather than not be able to fall in love with you.

I’d rather be consumed with these feelings I have for you, 

rather than being burned by a passion that would be over after the summer end. 

This is all right. This is enough.

So no matter what happens next… Be happy.

For I do not wish for anything else.

I have no regrets. 

You have given me everything I’d asked for. 

You have given me more than I could ever imagine.

I have never desired anything until I met you. 

I am eternally grateful for our meeting. 

Even if we had to separate for nine months each year, I have enjoyed every little second that we spent, from sunrise to sunset even if it was only three months a year.

I will see you in our next life.

And by then, I will place a ring around the finger you lace with mine. 

And by then, I will kiss the tears away from your eyes.

And we will never part, but I will seal your lips with mine from saying those farewell words.

I love you too. I wouldn’t have understood love if it wasn’t for you. My whole life wouldn’t have meant something if it wasn’t for you.

Until we meet again, my love.

I am forever yours.

***

#nctsworldfwc #taeyong fluff #haechan fluff #nct imagines #nct scenarios #taeyong x reader #haechan x reader #taeyong imagines #haechan imagines #nct angst #nct fluff #nct fanfic #taeyong scenarios #haechan scenarios #nct timestamps #nct dream fluff #nct 127 fluff #nct 127 #nct dream #nct u #donghyuck fluff #mine #sundaysundaes #shamelessly recycling and rewriting one of my old works #because the story is just too beautiful i love this movie so much #i hope i managed to convey how beautiful it was in this fic but... idk man #i just really wish i didn't ruin it #especially with the scenes i added on my own #and there was no fox spirit in the movie BUT I CAN'T HELP IT GUYS I NEED FOX BOY!HYUCK IN MY LIFE #haechan is so tsundere in this fic lol

[tastyykpop]

Hiii Congrats on reaching the milestone💕💕love your blog btw!! Could you please do a Taeyong smut where he is kinda cold to her before but confesses after he becomes very jealous??

Hii ty so much u have no clue how much this means to me🥺

ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ, ɪᴅɪᴏᴛ

Pairings: tsundere!taeyong x reader

Genre: smut

Warnings: d/s themes, jealousy, possessiveness, marking, praising, a dash of spanking, fingering, hair pulling, unprotected sex

I finished this at 4am so it's not edited 💔

"Lee Taeyong!!" You chased the dark haired boy down the side walk, never turning to look back as his name was called, "Wait for me please!"

He scoffed. Luckily you couldn't hear him. "What an annoying brat." Taeyong continued on, still ignoring you and your protests of him walking away.

Running as fast as you could to catch up was easier said then done. You held boba and your food from a nearby fast food restaurant in one hand, Taeyongs in another with your purse flopping against you. You wouldn't be in this situation if Taeyong scare you into holding his food for you, threatening you with a cold stare.

Yes, you and Taeyong are friends. It's odd because of how cold and almost rude he is with you, but you're somehow friends, at least you think you are. Some people say he's got a soft spot for you but you're not too sure anymore. One day hes calling you an idiot for not taking care of yourself and the next hes rolling his eyes at you and telling you to fuck off. Coming to the conclusion that maybe he only thinks of you as a friend, you started pushing him away recently and hung out with another friend of yours. Too bad because you may have had feelings for Taeyong too. Something about him made you want to stick around even though most of the time he didn't want you around.

"Goddammit Taeyong...wait up!"

As annoying as it was to be running with food and drinks in both hands, the most annoying part had to be the purse. It was big, heavy, and swayed with every step, bumping into your left arm ever millisecond. Why couldn't you just man up to Taeyong before?

"Bastard."

"Did you say something?"

"Huh- what!? When did you-" you tilted your head upwards to meet Taeyongs arched brow and impatient face. How did you not realize you caught up?

You pushed his food and drink into his chest and grumbled, "Here." And without waiting for Taeyong, you readjusted your purse and walked to your house with expectations that he would follow.

Taeyong frowned yet tailed you like a lost puppy.. He didn't have any plans catching up to you or telling you to wait for him and just admired you from behind. He liked the way your hair bounced over your shoulders with every step, the way your hips swayed as you walked. He even liked how long the skirt made your legs look even though you were tiny compared to him. Taeyong liked you without a doubt, but he wouldnt actually tell you that.

"Are you coming?" You opened the door to your house. Taeyong didn't answer, only pushing you out of the way and beelining it to the table where he placed his food and drink. "I'll take that as a yes..." you sigh.

Placing your food gently on the table, you sat across from the male who eyed you up and down but with no expression crossing his face.

"Y/n." Taeyongs stern voice startled you as you almost choked on a boba pearl. "Whats on your neck?"

"My neck?" Softly, you touched the side of your neck before realizing what he meant. Yesterday, that friend of yours that you've started hanging out with asked you to hang out. And little did you know, hanging out didn't mean just watching movies or joking around. It soon turned to small touches, then kissing, then making out. Before you knew it, he was kissing and sucking your neck, creating the purple mark that now painted your skin. "Oh...it's nothing. Just a bruise."

"What are you stupid? Your telling me you just happened to bruise your neck? Dumbass."

"Then why did you ask if you already know?" You mumbled.

As you took the biggest bite from your burger, Taeyong had to speak up again, "I hate it."

"Its a good thing it's not on you then isn't it."

"I think you would look better covered in my marks." His voice never faltered and you were sure he was joking. Taeyongs always been straight forward with you, but this seemed like a joke, it had to be a joke. Your mind was playing tricks on you and this is what you wanted to hear. It can't be real.

"You're kidding right...?"

"Completely serious."

"So you're...jealous?"

"Stop asking so many questions." He said coldly, shutting you up quickly, but the smirk on your face still lingered.

"I just think it's funny that a small mark on my neck could make someone as cold as you are, jealous." You say, confidence flowing out of you out of nowhere and this time, Taeyong went quiet. "Its cute."

"Cute? You know what's cute is me bending you over this table and fucking the life out of you so you only remember my name and who owns that cute ass."

Heat rose to your cheeks and the tips of your ears, and maybe Taeyong could tell but youre sure your face was starting to show a hint of red, "Now I know you're just bluffing."

Taeyong rolled his eyes, "Come here and shut that mouth, I'll show you I'm not." It had to be the way his voice growled that made you suddenly get out of your seat and stand before the man. It's easy for you to be flustered but it's also easy for you to obey someone that shows more dominance and Taeyong- well he was just overflowing with it.

"We're gonna have a little fun, yeah?" He smiled devishly, "You trust me right?"

"Y-yeah, I m-mean we are f-friends."

Suddenly, your body was bent over the table and your wrists were bound by Taeyongs hand. If you wanted to escape, Taeyong wouldn't let allow it, so you were locked in place.

God, the way this position impacted Taeyong to the point where he just wanted to fuck you all day and night. With your skirt barely hiding your pretty pink panties, he could easily get off by himself at the sight. He didn't need to do that though, he had you after all.

"Did he touch you?" You hear him say, voice low and frightening, enough to paralyze you from moving and speaking. But to his dismay you didn't answer. Moreover, hesitated to answer because of the tone he used. "I asked you a question." He growled, "Did. He. Touch. You."

A soothing hand ran up the sides of you skin, it was cold, almost like a vampires touch compared to your warm skin. "Y-yes."

Taeyong stopped, "Where?"

"Why does it matter?" You say, finding your confidence again though that won't last since your bent over the table with your ass in Taeyongs face.

"I dont want you to remember his touch, only mine. So I'll touch any place he touched." He continued touching where he could reach, the hand binding your wrists let up and rested on your ass as if about to spank you. "Now answer me."

You grumbled and arched your back as a way to tell Taeyong to shut up and fuck you. The pain of something not filling you up was unbearable, you even thought about slipping your fingers inside dripping cunt for relief. "Stop asking me questions and fuck me please."

"God you're so annoying." He spoke. "Im not going to fuck you until you tell me. It shouldnt be that hard since you're so confident." Taeyong pulled you up by your hair and forced you on his lap where your back was pressed against his chest. You couldnt look him in the face, too afraid that you'd break into a blabbering mess.

"H-he touched m-me," you grab Taeyongs hand with hesitation and placed it on your panties that covered your leaking hole, "here."

Almost positive Taeyong could feel your juices soaking through your panties, you pulled your hand away letting his own linger where you needed him most.

"What did he do when he touched you here?" His middle finger went along the slit of your cunt, dragging up and down gently.

"N-nothing."

He crooked his head before pushing your panties to the side and dipping two fingers in, "He didn't do this?" As you body arched into him, he was able to go deeper and finger you slow enough that you were sure it was teasing. And the pain of wanting to be filled up slowly disappeared but not enough.

"N-no, he d-didnt." As he began picking up speed, you cursed a threw your head back. You cried for more, struggling to stay still in his lap and his fingers worked magically inside you.

Taeyong loved every second of this. To finally see you melt in his arms literally when you could so easily turn him down for this. And he'd like to think he was the only one who could make you feel this way. Make you whimper and whine and call out to him for more. He was the only one for you.

"Please T-Taeyong, i want you to f-fuck me so bad," with a third finger slipping inside you, you moaned uncontrollably at the pace. Though you weren't stuffed like you would be with his dick, it was obvious Taeyong knew how to work his fingers to make you act this way. "Please, please, please..."

"Where else did he touch you?" He ignored your please.

It irked you how he didn't bat an eyelash at your desperate self. If you had your confidence again, you would have taken his dick out and sat on it without a question, even so you knew Taeyong wouldn't allow it just yet. He wanted you to fall apart before he even started.

"Mmm Taeyong-" you moaned with content as his fingers curved against your walls, "H-He touched m-my ch-chest."

Taeyong bit the inside of his cheek trying to hide the smirk that formed, "Guess ill just do the same." His free hand worked its way to your mounds where he proceeded to grope you and brush over your sensitive buds. The combination of his fingers inside you and his hands fondling your boobs was sure to bring your to an orgasm soon.

"Youre so beautiful." Taeyong mumbles into your ear, "so fucking perfect."

As carefully as can be, his fingers pulled out of you as a string of your slick connected to his three fingers.

So delicious, Taeyong thought, everything about you was so delicious.

You were flipped around so you faced Taeyong. This time, you didn't look away from him or hide your face from him. Instead, you maintained eye contact with the pretty boy below you before you suddenly pulled him into a desperate and needy kiss.

His heart beat faster than before. His ears burning as his face was flushed. You kissed him. You, the girl that he's been crushing on for years finally kissed him. It only took his jealousy to make this all happen.

"You don't understand how much I love you," he unbuckled his belt, "I cherish every minute and every second I spend with you," soon his pants were unbuttoned, "I can't stand seeing you with someone else," He slipped his dick inside of you with ease, a moan falling from both of you, "Even if you don't love me back, I still fucking do."

You couldnt find words to speak. Your mind was running but not thinking. If you spoke, you weren't sure if it'd be babbling or moaning because of how hard Taeyong fucked up into you. "I-i lo-" No, you couldnt say it back, not while being fucked into a whole new galaxy.

Taeyong on the other hand, was anxious yet pounded into you, enough to bring tears to your eyes. He wanted you to speak, he wanted to hear those three words come out of your mouth, but all he got was your adorable moans and sighs. Yet he wasn't complaining, they sounded lovely apart from the skin against skin. He's just overthinking.

"Youre doing so well, baby." His voice slowly fading, you were so lost in the feeling that anything Taeyong said, went out the other ear.

"F-feels so g-good. Want m-more..." Your greedy hands tugged at Taeyongs locks, but you weren't the only one being touchy. Taeyong was also kneading the plush skin of your ass, giving small taps before digging his nails in, making you whimper.

"Youre so needy baby, huh? So cute and needy for me." He slapped your ass playfully. The smirk on his face was evident that he loved every second of this.

"F-fuck yes, i-im so needy f-for you." You cry, "Youre t-the only one who c-can make me f-feel t-this good."

Of course he is. And Taeyong couldn't be any happier hearing that from you. It gave him energy to fuck harder while now holding your hips still like you were his personal toy. You struggled with keeping the hold on his hair. Your light tugs now harsh pulls but Taeyong didn't mind, in fact he liked how his head was forced to look at your beautiful face.

"Pretty girl." He leaned over the slightest bit and sucked on your necks sweet skin as you tried bouncing on his cock along with him thrusting up. "How much do you love this cock?" He questioned against your neck.

"S-so so much, Taeyong!" Your hips stutter and you know youre close but refuse to faulter, "Y-you h-have the best c-cock."

Taeyong moved back from your neck and grabbed your chin, "Are you ever going to let that guy touch you like that again after this?" You shook your head quickly. "Good girl."

"Im g-gonna cum." You say and without a single thought or word, your body shook as pleasure washed before you. Still, though Taeyong was on the edge of cumming himself, he kept the quick pace from before. But you were so sensitive from the orgasm, and even started screaming Taeyongs name. It wasn't pain, but pleasure, very sensitive pleasure that could easily make you cum a second time.

Seconds before you were about to feel another wave, Taeyong shot his seed deep into you, thrusting slowly as he came down from his high.

"D-did you mean what you said?" Taeyong breathes heavily and raises his brow in question, "About you loving me."

"Duh. I love you, idiot. I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean it." He rolled his eyes. That's the Taeyong you knew. "And what about you? Are you gonna say something or leave me hanging."

"I l-love you t-too." You say quickly. "I mean it."

Taeyong smiles a real smile before patting your head like a puppy and lifting you off his dick, "Lets get you cleaned up, baby, then we can talk about planning a date."

"A date??"

"Mhm," he smirked, "but not after a round two."

#nct #nct smut #nct scenarios #lee taeyong #taeyong #taeyong nct #lee taeyong nct #lee taeyong smut #nct taeyong smut #nct 127 taeyong #nct 127 #nct 127 smut #ask #anon

[someone1348]

This is for my lovely best friend who was kind enough to write me a fic! Here's yours! @sleepy--anon i hope you enjoy!

People in this: Ler!Sapnap, Lee!Quackity

(Karlnapity romance so if you dont like that dont read it!)

Tw: like the smallest bit of angst (jealousy) pretty much! Thats it though it's soft! For the most part! And mild cursing!

Plot: While Karl is out on a "business trip" (time travel stuff) he leaves his other two husband's alone and well lets just say it was an eventful evening to say the least

With all that being said enjoyyyy :]

___________~☆°♡°☆°♡°☆~______________

Jealousy

Tickle fights and Tickling in general was almost an everyday occurrence in the Karlnapity household. It pretty much was second nature to the three.

With that comes ler moods and lee moods poping up left and right. Typically between the three Sapnap was ler the most, followed by Quackity with Karl most of the time being lee, nothing bad of course, they loved the dynamic of everything from this specific thing to how their relationship worked. They were happy and that's all that mattered.

The days went on as they normally do.

"EE! SAHahap! StahAhap!" Karl would twist around from Sap's evil fingers pushing at the boy's hands, giggling freely as quackity watched smiling a bit as his two husband's went on to do what they do.

It was always like this for the most part. While he was getting a snack,

"No pLEase!! Hehe" Karl's beautiful laugh could be heard from the other room.

While cuddling, sap would run his fingers over the time traveler's stomach sending sweet giggles to flow out of their husband's mouth.

Even in the store one time Sapnap poked at Karl's sides. Of course Quackity would join in sometimes to tickle his favorite lee (leaning) fiancé, but he was jealous, beyond jealous.

Seeing this everyday not only built up on his lee moods but he just wanted to be involved, not just in tickles but in the relationship. He wants cuddles and attention and affection from the two people he loves most.

And yeah with the lee moods he has bad but it's not the same. He wants his husband's and so help me thats what he was gonna get. He was a man on a mission.

'Let's goooo!!' He thought in his head as he started the day.

Karl had left last night, the bed was alot colder now. He turned to see Sap curled up onto his side his mouth slightly a-jar with his hair flowing perfectly on top of his face.

He sighed happily lightly pushing some of the hair out of his face. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this happy and in love.

'I'm gonna make him breakfast' He thought getting up carefully as to not wake him and got started on cooking up his favorites.

Not even 20 minutes later the firey boy poked his head into the kitchen

"Waffles?"

"Mhm"

"Mmmm yay! Thank you babe!"

Quackity smiled "Anytime"

After the two finished the scilence became loud.

"What do you wanna do?" Quackity asked rocking a bit back and fouth on his heels trying not to make the scilence anymore awkward.

"I got work to do so you entertain yourself, I'll be quick"

Quackity nodded "okay! Good luck!"

"Thanks" Sap said shooting him a smile leaving back to their shared room to do the said work.

The beanie boy sighed flopping down onto the couch. He flipped on a random channel and texted Karl.

'Hey Baby!! I hope your trip is going good,we miss you and can't wait to see you tomorrow!<3'

(10:35)

He held the phone close to his chest letting out another sigh. He knew in his heart that Sapnap was gonna be busy all day so instead of sulking he told him he was going for a walk.

He went walking around, coming back, making more food, playing video games. All while sap typed away at the keyboard.

It wasn't helping at all it only increased the feeling of wanting to be with his Sapnap, his fiancé, he wanted attention and love dammit!

The smaller boy marched up to their room.

"SAPNAP!!!"

the bandana wearing man shook and snaped up to look at his clearly ticked off tiny lover.

"WOAH! what!?! Yes?!" He said furrowing his eyebrows.

"Are you done yet?"

The other slowly blinked "uhhhh,," he looked back at his work "nope not yet"

"Too bad! You are now finished because i say so!" He crossed his arm's

"Ha! Yeah thats cute hun but im busy, i gotta get this done, im sorry, I'll be there soon"

Quackity scoffed "whatever" he left as sapnap sighed

'He's never like this, maybe i should stop and check on him' Sapnap thought closing his laptop quietly sneaking up on his amazing fiancé on the couch.

"HIYA!" he tackled him to the couch holding him close.

"WA!- SHIT!" he fell over with him now in a cuddly trap, smiling widely giggling a bit.

"What's wrong Quacky babe" Sap said concerningly putting his head to his adorable smol husband's shoulder.

"I wanted to hang out together,,, i want to be involved, i want attention and affection and love sapnap and i haven't gotten anyyy in a long time" Quackity spilled out as sap processed everything.

'Looking back i see where he's coming from, it's been alot of Karl-'

"Don't get me wrong i love karl and i love giving him attention and affection and everything and i love watching you two be that way with each other i just i guess i felt a bit left out"

Sapnap nodded,

"Im Sorwy baps, forgive me?" He used his small voice making quackity cringe a bit jokingly.

"Give me attention and we will see what happens" He smirked

"Hmmmm" He anticipated his moves and ideas watching quackity's eyes that were pointed right to his hands

'So that's what he wants' he smirked wider lightly running his fingers slowly up and down his sides.

The other on top of him tensed "s-sap"

"Yea babe?" He said as if he wasn't tracing the man's sides with tickly anticipation.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Giving you attention, isn't that what you wanted?" He smiled at him as Quackity sank into Sapnap's embrace leaning his head on the pillow behind them, Sapnap's head still on his shoulder.

Sap lowly giggled quickly stittering his hands his stomach then back to his sides watching him lift up and squeak.

"You're such a dick" Qauckalee said in a joking matter making Sapnap's smirk deepen.

"Oh im a dick?!" He digged into his stomach watching as quackity squealed digged his heels to the end of the couch.

"NAHAHAHAHA! SAHAHAPNAHAP!"

"Thats my name love~" sap moved closer towards his bellybutton.

"AYEHE NOT THERE!"

"Yes there! The giggle button has been unpressed for wayy to long, i need it to make up for the lost times Quackity"

"NOOHONONONO- AH! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA GEHHEHEHE! GOHOHO-EEP!"

Sapnap giggled with him taking in every werid noise and laugh that the touch starved lee had made.

Seeing it was clear he wasn't used to it he slowed down moving back to his sides lightly to get his breathing steady again.

"Easy tiger, i got you" he reassured him getting his breathing together

"Im gonna getcha'!" Sapnap said moving up towards his ribs scribbling along up and down and In-between.

The smaller's back arched as his giggles mixed into light laughter.

"AyEehehe naha-Ha! Tickles!! It tickles!!" The man rang out trying to squirm out of his fiancé's tickle trap.

"Thats the point Quacker's im hungryyyy i need your giggles to surviveee" he lightly blew a raspberry onto his neck, the other scrunching up

"Nomnomnom" he made fake eating sounds, playing pretend before blowing another raspberry into his neck.

Sapnap giggled and stopped holding him close rubbing circles into the top of his hand

"Come here bubba" He lifted Quackity up letting him wrap around him while he got a blanket.

Sitting back down he put the blanket overtop of them throwing on the Disney movie Coco for some well deserved aftercare and fiancé time, Playing with his hair Sapnap smiled down at his man kissing the top of his head.

"We gotta get you a haircut buddy its so long" he teased as quackity laughed

"I'll get a haircut the day you shave" the tired one teased back both laughing together enjoying the moment, the beanie boy slowly falling asleep on his chest.

"Goodnight handsome" he placed another kiss to the top of his head.

*Ding!*

Quackity's phone went off, Sapnap looked, it was Karl.

'Hi bubby!! It's going lmao, i miss you both so much too! I'll be home soon i promise! And when i do get home It's cuddle time! Hehe I'll talk to you soon quack baby! Tell sap i said hi and that i love him too! *mwah!*'

(8:17)

Sapnap smiled and put the phone back down to the side of him, smiling at the boy in his arms.

'Homework can wait'

_________________________________________

I absolutely LOVED writing this! I love Karlnapity! I hope you all enjoyedd! :]

#ler!sapnap #lee!quackity #k writes tk things #dream smp tickle #dreamsmp tickle fic #mcyt tickle #mcyt tickle fic #karlnapity tickle fic #karlnapity

[1dclicheficfest]

The time has come, my dears! We’ve compiled, organized and sorted your submissions and we’re ready to share them! We’ve had so much fun reading your clichés and we hope it’ll give you a good laugh.

Important disclaimer because it has to be said: we do not endorse any of the clichés submitted and these are not meant to spark Discourse™ . This is all in good fun, to spark your imagination and perhaps inspire some prompts!

Before we get to the fun part, don’t forget that prompt submissions open on February 1st and will run until March 28th. The full schedule can be found here.

And now, without further ado, here are your brilliant clichés.

HARRY

Green eyes

Huge eyes

Dimples

Always smirking

“The flirt”

Jobs: Works in a flower shop/Used to be a baker/Frat boy/LA socialite/Mermaid

“Quirky”

Clumsy/balance issues

Health nut/Workout junkie/Eats a lot of avocado and kale/loves yoga/gross green health smoothies

Very slow speech

Paints his nails

Beautiful long luscious curly hair

Long legs/large hands

Tall/large/big

Nudity/loves walking around starkers

Obsessed with being pregnant/babies

Kind to everyone

Bites his lip a lot

Tells terrible jokes/loves puns

Naive and oblivious

Clothing: Pearl necklace, Chelsea boots/gold boots/boots in general/Gucci everything/Flared, high-waisted trousers/’red and black sheer floral shirt with black skinny jeans’

Always unbuttons his shirt to show off tattoos

Baby seal laugh

Bad at driving

Hipster/takes artsy photos

Acting out for attention/Petty jealousy for no reason or because of a misunderstanding or when anyone comes near Louis

Bad dancer that gives it his all/makes awkward shapes with his limbs when trying to dance

Cat mom/Wine aunt

Resting bitch face

Rides a motorcycle

LIAM

Little clueless

Insecure

Louis is constantly messing with him

Roommates with Louis

Puppy/a lost puppy/puppy in human form/puppy eyes/puppy who doesn’t know how hot and strong he is/loves puppies

Manly muscle man/buff af/loves working out/sweet himbo beefcake

Bullied in the past

Giant heart/incredibly kind/soft/super loyal

Worry-wart/mother hen of the band/gets nervous when things don’t go to plan

Voice of reason/the responsible one/Daddy Direction/level-headed/most serious of the five/keeps the others grounded

Doesn’t know how to let loose and have fun

Lacking in experience/innocent about sex things

Oblivious to his feelings/other people’s feelings for him

Jobs: Firefighter/boxer/athlete

Super soft for Zayn

Protective

“Wants to cry as soon as Louis opens his mouth and doesn’t know if it’s because he’s scared, because it’s too funny, or because he just can’t handle any of it.”

Fear of spoons

Timid/

“being very shy/awkward in the beginning and then getting more confident because of Louis”

Snake habitat turn around!

Can’t spell

His turtle losing a foot

“Smelly pasta house”

Loves batman

Being alpha in ABOs

Unruly curly hair then trimmed to a crisp buzz

LOUIS

Blue eyes: ocean blue/blue as the sky on a sunny winter day/twinkle eyes

Arse and/or tummy as a defining feature

Sassy/sass master/feisty/snarky/cheeky/witty/playful/funny/sarcastic/joker

Flamboyant

Heart of gold/”Louis IS the sun”

“Does not suffer fools gladly (that’s your job you fooking loosah)”/hot-headed to pick fights only in defense of those he loves

Protective/Mama bear/loyal/Daddy of the group

Small/Dainty stature emphasized

Runs fingers through his fringe/hair always styled

Jobs: Footie player, teacher, drama teacher, actor, plays in a band

Loves music and writes songs

Plays footie (even if it’s not his job)

LOUD

Can’t cook/chicken wrapped in parma/”Can’t cook to save his life and if he does the kitchen ends up in flames”

Soft with Harry

School: Studying drama, being the bad boy, pop!punk Louis

Bratty/petty/snappy

Smoking

Zayn’s partner in crime

Rooms with Liam

Calls everyone ‘love’/uses too many terms of endearment

Yorkshire accent emphasized/always talks about Doncaster

Clothing: Vans or Adidas shoes/Toms/trackies/braces/red jeans/dressing in comfortable clothes only/no socks/scarf

Very good with kids/loves kids/family-oriented/looking after siblings/having a huge family

Eats junk food only

“The gay who cannot drive”

NIALL

Drinks a lot/Drinks everyone under the table because he’s Irish/Guinness lover/fun drunk/Will sing Gaelic folk songs when drunk/big social drinker-always making friends via alcohol/will kiss anyone when drunk

Food: Eats all the food/doesn’t season his food/loves Nando’s/”100% will take the last slice of pizza and not feel bad about it”/can and will eat you out of house and home/actually eats and cooks healthy but everyone thinks the opposite

Irish/Irish and proud/Wey Hey lads!/leprechaun Niall

Carefree/nothing bothers him

Romantic: falls fast and hard

Captain Niall!/Captain of the ship(s)

Music: guitar always present/Goes into the zone when he has an instrument in his hands - nothing will distract or get through to him/The Eagles fanboy/Damien Rice fanboy

Funny/always laughing/joking around/head back cackle of a laugh

Single/hooks up with a ton of people but no serious relationships/sleeps around/Serial Ladies man/Friends with benefits with multiple people at once/

Turns up the charm 100% and never half-asses it/”Scrunches his hair in thought and knows he looks cute doing so (like girls that purposefully bite their lip)”

Friends with literally everyone/has a thousand surface-level friends that think they’re close to him but keeps all at arm’s length/the greatest friend but also pickiest about who he becomes friends with

Clothing: Constantly shirtless/shorts over trousers/flip-flops as house shoes/gold chain/coin necklace/hoop earring/”golf dad that tucks in his shirts and unironically wears polos”

Obsessed with golf and football/practices his putt in the hallway with an empty loo roll

A bro

Secretly insightful/Tactless but gives essential advice as a result

Secretive/keeps his shit quiet/Definitely the guy with the most secrets

The blond one

Hairy chest

Worst poker face

Finger guns/peace signs

Blushes when he’s excited

Adores Shawn and Lewis

Cares a lot about what others think

Says no judgment but really judges a lot/judges you based on music taste

Rings in at 0 on the gaydar but could surprise you/the only het one

Tries to avoid conflict by remaining ‘on the fence’ and not picking a side

Always the roommate

Face mask selfies

Emotions rotate between sad, sexy, and fun - combination vary

Never a villain

Close with Harry

“Violent masturbating in the next room”

Constant pet names for everyone/”Even has pet names for his devices (like his vacuum robot”

ZAYN

Super smart/nerd/wise/The Ravenclaw

Smokes a lot

Secretly very soft/gentle/biggest heart/”His confidence and aloofness hide a sensitive heart of gold”/Bad boy secretly soft

Heart-eyes at Liam/Soft with Liam/”Lee-yum”

Mysterious eyes

Best friends with Louis

Jobs: Artist, tattoo artist, English teacher who loves art, works in comic book store,

Shy/withdrawn/mysterious/brooding best friend/quiet/”Seems intimidating until you realize he’s just shy”/bad boy outside, soft boy inside/”not as cool as he seems but way sweeter”

The artistic one/tortured artist/art student/skater/also does graffiti/spray-paint

Marvel fan/comic book fan/superhero fan

Clothing: Wears his clothes like armor/leather jacket/”He’s the only one with good taste and he knows it”

Most ‘devil may care’ about his sexuality

Family-oriented/family man

Involved with his religion

Model figure/carved by gods/vain but not obnoxious about it

Catchprase is ‘sick’

Needs time alone to recharge

Changes his hair a lot/that one strand of hair that falls over his eyes

Thinks Malibu is called Malabami

“Eats candy underwear off of Harry’s crotch”

#1dclicheficfest #cliche results #resources #masterpost #character cliches

[babyflossy]

movie night | l.dh

pairing: haechan x reader

summary: ever since you and your childhood best friend, donghyuck, could leave the house, you had been having movie night every saturday night. as you two grew older, and closer in a way friends shouldn’t, your movie night morphed into something a litte more heated.

genre/warnings: fluffy smut, slight overstimulation?, don’t read if you’re uncomfortable! unedited

word count: 1.8k

it was saturday night and you were stood in front of haechan's house, your backpack slung over your shoulder. your insides were flipping with anticipation as you opened his front door, the sound of chatter from the tv spilling out. you kicked your shoes off by the door before moving further into the house.

"hi mr and mrs lee, how are you guys?" you smiled at the couple in the kitchen, noting the suitcases by the front with glee. haechan had informed you that his parents were going out of town for the whole weekend, meaning you and him had the house to yourselves until monday night. his mother looked up when you walked in, a bright smile appearing on her face.

"hello, y/n! we're great thank you, how're you today?" you nodded with a smile in reply, looking around for any sign of your boyfriend. "donghyuck's upstairs in his room, we've just said goodbye to him. did he tell you? we're visiting some friends for the weekend. will you two be okay alone tonight? don't go home too late."

"yeah, we'll be fine. i have a test on monday so i'll probably go home early tonight, anyway. have fun!"

"you too y/n!" haechan's dad shouted back, opening the front door and ushering his wife outside. you stood and waved until they had locked the door behind them, spinning around on your toes to find your boyfriend already behind you, devilish grin on his face.

you tackled him in a hug, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling his face down to meet yours in a kiss. his hands found home your waist, pulling you closer to him and making you sigh into his mouth. when you broke away, he wasted no time in wrapping his hand in yours and pulling you upstairs to his bedroom.

you threw your backpack down onto the floor near his desk, jumping unceremoniously onto his bed. with a giggle, his body followed yours, flopping down next to you and turning his face so it was merely inches from you. "should we get takeout later?"

"you're gonna need it," the hidden meaning under his words made your cheeks blaze, even after dating for so long. you shoved his shoulder with an indignant huff, the cheeky smile on his face stopping you from getting annoyed. without realising your eyes dropped to his lips once again, the smile dimming down as the air changed. neither of you moved for a moment, waiting for the other to make the first move.

in an instant, your lips were on his again, this time a desperate neediness fuelling you. his hands resumed their place on your waist, a tighter grip as he sat up against the headboard, pulling you up with him. you slung a leg over his lap, straddling him. the new angle gave you perfect access to the expanse of his neck, and you started to leave hot, open-mouthed kisses up to his ear and back down to his collarbone, pulling his t-shirt down when you wanted more space.

the hitch in his breathing fuelled your desire, sucking on the spot in the middle of his throat that always had him whining. tonight was no different and he let out a raspy moan that shot through you, straight to your core. the tingling firing through you made you subconsciously start to roll your hips, faltering when the angle hit your sweet spot perfectly. haechan threw his head back, hands falling from your waist to your hips, pushing you down and helping you move over him, mouth falling open in bliss.

the sight in front of you did nothing to cool your gradually heating body. haechan looked simply unholy like his, pupils blown out from lust, hair already sticking to his forehead with sweat, mouth open in a silent moan. you reattached your lips to his neck, taking his earlobe into your mouth and tugging slightly, rewarded by the strong roll of his hips into yours. momentarily, you lost yourself in the feeling of your jeans scratching deliciously over your clit, your mouth falling from your boyfriend's neck, head lolling backwards.

haechan swore, the view from underneath you almost too much for him to handle. one of his hands reached up underneath your sweater to roll one of your nipples between his cold fingertips. you moaned and he felt his cock twitch in his shorts. you were suddenly far too hot, and you let go of his chest to pull your sweatshirt over your head, revealing the black lace you knew he loved on you. a curse left his mouth again before it was sucking on your sweet spot, right below your ear.

your hips ground down onto him and haechan had to reach out to stop you, head falling into the crook of your neck. his words were muffled against your skin. "fuck, baby, i'll cum if you don't stop." the thought of him coming undone under you before you had even touched him properly turned you on impossibly more and you rolled your hips down with a new determination.

it didn't take long before his teeth were biting down on your shoulder, a load moan escaping his lips. you threaded your fingers into his hair and tugged, still grinding onto him, helping him through his high. he pushed you off his crotch, the overstimulation too much for him. he looked up at you, panting, messy hair, dark eyes and you swear you had never seen a sight more beautiful. "i can't believe i just came in my pants."

"we have all night, baby," you whispered in his ear with a giggle, loving the way his breathing haltered and his cock twitched in his boxers. the two of you had never gone more than once in one night, but you had all weekend, and you were planning to see how far you could push him.

you moved down so his thigh was between your legs, starting to move your hips again. haechan's hands found your hips again, setting a rhythm for you that didn't allow you to catch your breath as you moaned out. the friction was heavenly against your clit and you the whine you let out was nothing short of sinful. the sound alone had haechan hardening against your thigh, amazed that you getting off on his thigh, using his body to pleasure yourself, could turn him on so much. his thigh alone usually wouldn't be enough to tip you over the edge, but you were so worked up now that with a few more thrusts against him you were cumming. "fuck, fuck, fuck," you chanted, the pleasure making colours explode behind your eyelids.

"god, that was so hot, y/n," haechan's words were hot and needy in your ear and he hurried to undo the button of your jeans, helping you slide out of them on shaky legs. you felt it was unfair to be fully exposed in front of him yet him still in his clothes and you reached out to pull his shirt over his head, eyes lingering on the purple bruises you had left against his golden skin.

"you ready to go again?" your words were breathless, chest still heaving.

"give me a minute," he met your lips, teeth nibbling slightly on your bottom lip. you nodded against him and wrapped your hand under his jaw, tilting his head up so you could deepen the kiss.

you felt his hands start running up the length of your exposed thighs, gripping the soft skin harshly. a whine escaped you when one of his hands fell to the gap between your legs, brushing gently against your core, still sensitive from your previous orgasm.

haechan pulled you forwards, twisting you in his lap so your back was pressed against his chest, pulling your legs so they fell over his, anchored open. when his hand slipped under the waistline of your panties your head fell back onto his shoulder, melting into his touch.

you were so wet that his fingers slipped into your pussy without restraint, thumb moving to press circles against your clit. you let out a load moan, eyes screwing shut at the overwhelming feeling, your body still so tired. you arched into his touch when his fingers rubbed against a particularly sensitive spot inside you, turning your head to his neck, biting softly as the coil in your stomach tightened.

"fuck, baby, i'm gonna cum," you warned, suckling on his neck to give you something to do with your mouth.

"you gonna cum on my fingers? come on, princess, let go," his words ignited a shameful fire in you, his breath hot on your neck. his free hand came back up to your chest, tugging on one of your nipples and you were putty in his hands. the tightness in you dissipated and you came with a cry over his fingers.

haechan pushed you off him carefully, your back hitting his mattress, as he turned over to lay between your legs. "you need a sec?" he asked with a cocky grin and you narrowed your eyes at him shaking your head stubbornly.

the second he pushed into you, you regretted not taking a minute to calm down. he stretched you out so perfectly, his cock rubbing against your walls and making you dizzy. he groaned at the feeling, eyes falling shut as he collected himself. "fuck, you're so tight, so wet."

"not so cocky now, huh?" you could resist the teasing lilt to your voice, smiling lazily as he looked down at you, hair splayed out underneath you like a halo. you looked like an angel like this, white sheets contrasting against your skin, making you glow in the dim lighting. he tried to tell you how beautiful you looked, but the words died on his tongue when you clenched around him, a breathy whine escaping instead. "fuck, i'm not gonna last long."

"neither," he agreed, blinking slowly down at you. almost as soon as he started thrusting forwards into you, you felt the familiar tightening in your abdomen, gripping onto his shoulders to bring his lips back down to you.

he slipped a hand down in between your bodies, thumb finding your clit and setting an unforgiving pace, hips stuttering when your walls fluttered around him. it was too much for you, the ministrations of his finger pushing you over the edge almost instantly. "oh my god, donghyuck, i'm cumming."

something about the way you moaned his name, his real name, not the nickname you had given him in sixth grade, made emotion twist deep in his chest. the dizzying mix of pleasure and emotion was overwhelming, and he came with you, fucking the both of you through your highs.

haechan fell beside you, taking a few minutes for you two to regain your breath. he turned to face you, a loving smile on his face, and leaned forward to press his lips against yours, the kiss much sweeter than before. "takeout?"

"let's shower first."

#haechan imagines #haechan smut #nct imagines #nct smut #nct dream imagines #haechan x reader #nct x reader #donghyuck imagines #nct dream x reader #lee donghyuck #lee haechan #mark lee #jeno #jaemin #renjun #chenle #jisung #nct au #haechan au #nct fluff #haechan fluff

[du0tine]

    𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝒀𝑶𝑼: 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑻𝑬𝑨𝑺𝑬𝑹.

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 𝐈𝐃𝐊 | 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 + 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐒

𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑫, 𝑮𝑶𝑹𝑬 & 𝑺𝑬𝑳𝑭 𝑴𝑼𝑻𝑰𝑳𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵. 𝑴𝒀 𝑰𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑻𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵 𝑶𝑭 𝑺𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑾𝑨𝑳𝑲𝑬𝑹𝑺 𝑨𝑳𝑳 𝑾𝑯𝑰𝑳𝑬 𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑫𝑰𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺 𝑶𝑭 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑵𝑨𝑽𝑨𝑱𝑶. 𝑷𝑯𝒀𝑺𝑰𝑪𝑨𝑳 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑷𝑺𝒀𝑪𝑯𝑶𝑳𝑶𝑮𝑰𝑪𝑨𝑳 𝑯𝑶𝑹𝑹𝑶𝑹. 𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑳𝑼𝑪𝑰𝑵𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺.

𝑽𝑰𝑬𝑾𝑬𝑹 𝑫𝑰𝑺𝑪𝑹𝑬𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵 𝑰𝑺 𝑨𝑫𝑽𝑰𝑺𝑬𝑫.

𝐓𝐀𝐆 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓:

𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲!! 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲! 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭.

      𝟎𝟏: 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐃𝐔𝐒𝐓.

The sun was scorching, its blazing rays burning him up. Drenched in sweat, his dirty tan shirt clung to his skin creating a sensation of such moist discomfort he’d never known was possible.  Rummaging around for his water bottle he finds the silver canister surface boiling hot to touch, the contents inside completely dry. Groaning he throws the empty canister to the floor of his clean 1970’ Dodge Monaco. The desert was well, deserted the stretch of land was vast. Littered with tall, striking green cacti with the odd vulture circling above in search of animal carcasses to eat.

Even the predatory bird flying up high, with its bird eye view advantage couldn’t find a single thing to feast on. So how on earth could Taeil find a young women here of all places?

His thoughts were cut short when a loud bang was heard. Something had fallen atop the hood of his car. Tilting his sheriff’s hat upwards he instinctively grabs at his silver revolver, his hand gripped tightly around the wooden handle. His thumb placed atop the trigger but not pulling it down. He spots what’s caused the commotion and groans as he sees the black feathers of the vulture that had previously been circling above him cover the surface of his car. The bird itself was emaciated and lay dead, its dark blood slowly covering the hood of his car. 

“Fucking pity,” he murmurs to himself before stepping out. Nudging the bird with his gun at its lifeless body he pushes the bird aside, its body falling to the ground. The dust swallowing it alive, bits and particles of the grain covering the bird. 

Gazing up towards the sky he mentally groans to himself it had been officially 45 days since her disappearance. If anything she was a dead pile of stinking, rotting flesh or perhaps all the remained was the skeletal corpse of her frail bones. Her body ravaged upon by the desert’s harsh elements. It would have to be a miracle or some sort for her to be alive. For the desert itself reeked of death, stripped and bare not a single proper source of life to be seen. It wasn’t the animals that ate you, it was the desert itself. 

He was beginning to lose hope.

Pulling out his map he marks his current location with a red circle noting underneath that the place was bare, not a single human being to be seen. This stretch of land was one of the many he’d come across, empty with no sights of human activity to be found. Pulling out his radio he calls into town to further update and report his case. 

“Sheriff Moon?” Answers the voice on the other line. 

“Reporting to Deputy Lee this is Sheriff Moon,” He repeats wincing at the loud crackling of the radio as he wipes a bead of sweat away from his temple. 

“Any news?” Answered Deputy Lee Taeyong. 

“Pocaterra County is bare, not a single living thing in sight. Fuck — there was a vulture but even that poor fucker dropped dead atop my car,” He explains his eyes drifting back onto the hood of his car. The blood had already dried, staining the vehicles navy blue surface. Not to mention the rather large dent in the middle of it all, “Newbie? Be sure to schedule an appointment with the mechanic, the fucker dented my car.” 

“I’ll put your car up for inspection Sheriff Moon. Are you coming back into town today?” 

“My rations are finished, I’ll be back by midnight to restock.” 

“We’ll be waiting, get here safe. Over,” Replies Deputy Lee. 

“Over and out,” Answers Taeil as he shuts off his radio. Sitting back into his car, he feels suffocated by the heat and overall is exhausted. He couldn’t wait till this case was over. 

Switching on the engine to his car, the vehicle roars as it comes to life. Stepping on the gas he drives the hell out of that deserted plot of land. Reaching the long strip of highway rather quickly. It was going to be a very long drive back to town. Speeding down the highway, driving through the desert landscape the sun began to set. Painting a beautiful arrangement of oranges and reds across the horizon as the sun soon disappeared underneath the rolling hills and in its place came the moon. As the car’s headlights flickered on illuminating the road Taeil began to pick up speed, eager to reach the town as soon as possible. 

It wasn’t the night that scared him. It was something about being alone in the dark in the middle of nowhere that did. The hairs on his arms stood up straight as goosebumps began to litter his skin. Something didn’t feel right and he wanted to get the fuck out.

His foot placed firmly on the accelerator the car moved at an incredible speed. Moving from 80mph to 100mph soon reaching 120mph, everything whizzed past him. The scenery becoming a mere blur as he fell into a daze. The aura wasn’t right, it felt tight. Like something held him tightly within their hands, the air in his lungs becoming sparse as his breathing became hoarse. His mouth going agape, drool seeping out of the corner of his mouth as he wheezed. His eyes were empty, filled with absolutely no emotion. The knuckles on his hands turning white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly, the sound of the wind whipping against the car echoing through his mind. 

There was no stopping him. Not until he saw it. 

It shone like a bright, white orb. Gravitating in the distance and moving towards the vehicle with such velocity that when he stared at the figure from afar. He could’ve sworn it had perhaps been the moon, falling from the sky and rocketing towards him. 

The drool from his mouth began to travel down his neck dripping onto his shirt. Clear snot slipping out of nostrils as the waterworks began to drip from every orifice of his face. Salty tears poured down his cheeks as the white figure began to move closer and closer. 

Soon he saw a face, then a pale white body.

One that was like white porcelain it showed delicacy. It was one of incredible beauty and yet as he sped closer and closer towards the face he couldn’t snap out of the trance that he’d fallen into. His eyebrows scrunching in agony as he let out a harsh whine from his throat, one that turned into a high pitched scream when he saw the beautiful face turn into something much more menacing and familiar. Something deep within his mind clicked and it made him convinced that the face he was looking at was the true nature of something he knew so well.

The thing had jumped onto the hood of the car as it hovered above the windshield sitting up on its knees. The gaze it held was intense as it never looked away from Taeil. Bringing forth its hands towards its face, its elongated fingers tore into its face. Plunging its fingers into both eye sockets and pulling out its milky white eyeballs as crimson blood began to pour out of the empty cavity’s. Then it moved towards its nose tugging at the skin, ripping it off with such vigour that blood sprayed onto the windshield.

Finally, it moved towards its mouth. First contorting it into such a menacing smile. A sharp finger at each corner before tugging the flesh in opposite directions. Ripping the skin and muscle creating two flaps of skin that when let go it hung loosely at the sides of its jaw. Its sharp teeth and bloody gums smiling brightly at Taeil before opening widely and letting out an ear piercing scream that terrorized him to his core. 

It had been mimicking Taeil. It was Taeil.

Its empty facial orifices gawking at him as it howled in pain before flying into a rampage pulling at its hair ripping chunks of it out, as pieces of scalp went flying across the highway the wind blowing it away. Continuing to self mutilate itself the thing came to an abrupt stop. The once beautiful figure no longer visible as it sat there, the flying past it as the being held on tightly. Taeil hadn’t stopped speeding down the highway, he was too petrified to do so. He felt as if he’d been suffocated by an unknown force as his throat continued to feel enlarged. 

He continued to misact amidst this trance like a marionette being controlled. As he was suddenly pushed towards the windshield glass. His face pressed tightly against the glass as he kept screaming, his voice growing hoarse. His foot falling from the accelerator as the car began to skid across the concrete, his hands ripped from the steering wheel and forced behind his back as the disfigured being stared at him. 

As he stared at what once looked like himself.

It sat there momentarily observing Taeil before once more copying the young man. Bashing its head against the windshield, creating a spiders web of broken glass on the windshield. Pressing its face firmly against it as the glass sliced into its skin, it screamed and it screamed. It just wouldn’t stop, just like himself.

He didn’t know what he was looking at anymore, the being pressed up against the glass looked beyond recognizable. Much to his dismay the car had lost control losing track of the road and swerving onto the desert floor before flipping on its side. Once, twice the car flopped around before coming to an abrupt stop.

Completely upside down, Taeil had blacked out. 

#neowritingsnet #nct-writers #nctcreations #nctnetwrite #unfortunatus: inferno #nct #nct 127 #moon taeil #taeil x reader #moon taeil imagines #moon taeil x reader #taeil angst #[i forgot my other networks lol] #[not sure if I edited this but idc LOL]

[thebibliomancer]

Flames of the Dark Crystal liveblog pt 2

Flames of the Dark Crystal by J.M. Lee because skekSa is about to be mean and I don’t want her to be.

Last time on book: When all of her friends were eaten by a sea monster at the end of the last book, Naia was saved by Inexplicable Gurjin, a Gurjin you didn’t expect to be there. He’d been sent by their mutual momdra to go look for her. And together they look and find the missing party, about to be tortured by skekSa as bait to lure Naia.

Chapter 2

Naia and Gurjin rescue their friends from the clutches of skekSa but escape is complicated.

"How about you, Spriton? You’re quite the song teller, aren’t you? How about you do us all a favor and call Naia here so we can be done with this time-wasting farce.”

Noooo, don’t hurt the best boy!

... Or the second best boy. Or Onica and TavraTae for that matter.

Don’t hurt any of these precious gelflings!

TavraTae warns the Mariner that she should let the group go which just confuses skekSa. Because she never did learn what the deal with the Tavraspider was so she has no idea why Tae suddenly has a Vapran accent. Also: she hit Tae with a grenade.

Oh my god, is skekSa wondering if she exploded Tae so hard that it changed her accent?

Naia helpfully recaps the entire Tavra/spider/Tae situation in case someone picked up the last book first. Or if its been a while since Tides and they forgot.

In brief: the Skeksis sent out Tavra controlled by a spider as a mole in the hero group. The heroes found out and due to Kylan doing a dream-stitch, managed to flip flop the spider and Tavra’s minds so Tavra was a healthy spider and the spider was stuck in Tavra’s broken and dying body. Spider-Tavra accidentally learned to do the people-puppets thing but she and Amri did it a few times to use Tavra’s sword and flying skills. Then Tavra’s friend Tae got exploded into a coma by a grenade and Tavra puppeted her body to safeguard it.

It’s a whole thing. It’s a big complicated whole thing which Naia lampshades as she’s going over the situation in her thinking brain.

Tavra, who is pretending to be a Tae who walked off getting exploded by a grenade, tries to persuade/intimidate skekSa as I assume only Tavra can.

“You’re not as deadly as you think. Maybe you shouldn’t make enemies you can’t afford... You were a patron lord of the Sifa clan once. Why not throw your lot in with us, and reap the benefits when we overthrow the Emperor?”

“Don’t belittle me,” skekSa spat, quickly and hotly.

“Isn’t it worth considering?” Onica suggested. “You’ve seen what we can accomplish. You must have seen the Sifa light the fire about the Omerya, and the Vapra down below in Ha’rar, even as the Skeksis watched from the All-Maudra’s citadel. You know, deep in your heart, that we will succeed.”

Aw dang a universe where this worked would make for a fascinating fanfic. And like, maybe it could have worked. She doesn’t immediately dismiss Onica the way she did TavraTae. And it was clear in the last book that skekSa liked the Sifa a lot more than she did her fellow Skeksis.

The blood between her and the Castle is so bad that she considers it possible and likely that the Emperor would send assassins after her.

There’s no love lost there. But maybe she fears the Emperor too much to flip sides like that. Her plan A was to just abandon the entire continent and get way way way away from skekSo. Even when she was “forced” to side with the Castle, she still kinda wanted to find the Swimmer’s charts so she could abandon continent.

Maybe it could have worked but Gurjin takes advantage of the distraction to break the chandelier like he and Naia discussed last chapter and that kind of spoils the mood.

And makes skekSa FURIOUS.

Under the cover of darkness, Amri grabs the others and pulls them towards the door. Kylan is able to use his totally sweet bone firca to open the valve door.

Then the Gelflings flee down the winding passageways bakc towards the good ship Onica’s ship.

So they’ve reached the part of the plan where they run out of plan. Naia doesn’t know how to get the sea monster to open its mouth so they can escape.

Onica suggests getting to the ship. If they have to leave it, they can at least retrieve some weapons and supplies first.

The Gelflings pair up so that there’s a strong swimmer (Drenchen or Sifa) in every group.

Naia pairs up with Amri and stops halfway to the ship so he can take a breath.

“Surfacing so soon?” Amri teased. “I could’ve made it.”

“You just wanted me to kiss you again,” Naia remarked. The last time they’d been underwater together, she had done the breathing for both of them, though at the time, she hadn’t thought of it as kissing. Now that she said it out loud, though, her ears tingled.

Amri grinned with a lopsided smile, water lapping against his shoulders.

“Maybe.”

Hey.

I think. This is a romance moment.

I never thought the official romance would be Naia and Amri when I was reading the first book. Mostly because Amri didn’t exist yet.

They all get to the boat but Amri’s sensitive fingers feel a current in the water. He speculates, based on his cave experience, that it might be an exit.

Gurjin cautions against it because they won’t be able to take the ship through a gill or whatever and if its an underwater tunnel then only the gilled Drenchen will be able to take it.

But Amri jumps back into the water to go investigate and Naia and Gurjin follow.

What Amri sensed was a valve under the water, similar to the air duct esque one that let them get into the atrium room last chapter. Except underwater so who knows where it could lead.

And then the valve pops open, sucks in a bunch of water and Amri! And closes again.

Naia flips out and tries to kick the valve open. Gurjin tries to stop her because they have no idea where that thing goes and its already eaten Amri. But Naia can only think of Amri drowning somewhere and ignores Gurjin. She manages to get the valve open and gets sucked into it and ejected into a new chamber somewhere in the sea monster.

But hey, she finds Amri!

“I think I’m gonna throw up,” he wheezed between coughs.

“Really? No smooth lines like ‘I’m better now that you’re here’?” Naia asked, helping him to his feet. She tried not to show how relieved she was, though her instinct was to hold him tightly and never let him go ever again.

“I’m saving all my smooth lines for next time. You know, the second time I get sucked down a water tube inside a giant marine creature’s living body.”

Hah.

These kids are fun.

Naia ponders whether the valve opened because she’d asked it to, because she hit it, or because it just opens sometimes. But either way, she decided she should be nicer to this giant living creature that she was running around on the inside. She apologizes to the sea monster for kicking its insides.

Then the door to the chamber opens by itself.

A monster loomed on the other side of the doorway. Not skekSa, but a second Skeksis, tall and cloaked in red and gold, a single horn jutting from the top of his head. He held a scepter in one claw, studded with a ruby, a string of pearls and diamonds draped over his shoulders.

skekZok the Ritual Master looked down on them with a scowl so deep, it could have been their graves.

“Going somewhere?” he asked.

!!!

This book keeps cliffhanging me!

I want to read more but I’m typing this up at 3 AM and plunging on ahead isn’t an option.

Curse you, skekZok! You ruin everything!

#dark crystal #the dark crystal #liveblog #Flames of the Dark Crystal #Naia #Gurjin #skekSa #the Mariner #Kylan #Amri #Onica #Tavra #TavraTae #surprise special guest at the end of the chapter