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#would be able to start accompanying people on poetry walks
overwatch-xoxo · 1 year
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So ima simp for Zenyatta so bad- and I’ve been craving a certain side of him. The -ahem- yandere side of him. You don’t have to write a fic, but head cannons or a lil drabble on how you think he would be as a yandere would be much appreciated.
Nonnie, you are so valid! Receiving this ask got me really excited to write for this blog again, so I've been working hard on this. I've never (intentionally) written yandere before, so I hope I was able to do this idea justice for you. Enjoy!~
tw: emotional manipulation, stalking, possessiveness, obsession
it starts small. you catch zenyatta’s gaze lingering in your direction for an extra moment, just long enough that you notice, but brief enough that you dismiss it. perhaps it was all in your head. 
suspicion turns to butterflies as his interest in you becomes more pronounced. when he speaks to you, it’s in a gentle, even tone. he makes time to spend with you, often accompanying you for walks in gardens. he recites poetry and philosophical musings, and you can get lost in his lilting verse.
while zenyatta’s voice is soothing, his words are complex and often leave you feeling more dazed than comforted. you get the feeling he knows he’s talking circles around you. when you ask clarifying questions, he laughs, his chuckles light as blossoms on the air.
although zenyatta has a reputation for keeping a cool and effortlessly calm exterior, he struggles to keep himself that way around you. the prana, the life force energy that flows through his body and makes him alive, becomes overwhelmingly frenetic in your presence. he might shake or stutter. this feeling is especially exacerbated by even small inklings of jealousy or anxiety within him.
when it comes to himself, zenyatta also values inner peace and calm, devotion, honesty. he quickly finds that your presence interrupts that balance he has worked so hard to maintain. even when you are not around, his mind swirls with visions of you - your voice, your hair, your scent. 
above all, he seeks balance, and he knows one thing for certain: your very existence throws him off-kilter, for better or for worse. sometimes he feels devastatingly hopeless at the idea of you leaving him for something different, more suited to your lifestyle, and he’ll soothe himself with healing energies. and sometimes he buzzes so vibrantly with joy that you are in his life at all, and he’ll bring himself back to the plane of reality with discord and malaise. he occasionally excuses himself to center his feelings in this way. but as you grow closer and he falls deeper into his obsessive love, leaving your side only serves to worsen this imbalance.
when he finally confesses his feelings to you, his words spill out frenetically, as if he couldn’t keep this chaotic love inside his body for a moment longer. 
“I once followed the Iris, thinking it would be my salvation, the only path to enlightenment for my people. I now realize the error in my ways. I should have always been devoted to you.”
one day, in zenyatta’s personal meditation room, you come across a worn leather journal with your name lovingly embossed into the cover in omnic script. Intrigued, you thumb through it. every page spills with written word about you - thoughts, musings, meditations, poetry, even records of little things you said to him that had been mundane, benign. glancing at his tidy shelves, it dawns on you that this is only the most recent volume of several. the earliest journals date back to before you even remember being introduced.
at night, he spoons you protectively, pressing every inch of his body to yours, reciting ancient spiritual poetry until you are lulled to sleep. not needing to rest himself, he keeps watch over you until dawn, wondering the whole time how he is fortunate enough to have you. sometimes you wake with the taste of metal on your tongue, and the thought of his hands in your mouth shivers in your mind.
“i wish to surround myself with nothing but you. I meditate on the image of crawling inside you, of taking up all the space within you until I know you are mine, and I am yours.”
he is remarkably protective of you, and although his face shows little expression, when he is enraged, a ferocious glint appears in his eye. when you talk to another person, anyone he sees as a romantic or physical threat, he touches you gently on the small of your back, barely concealing his trembling.
it isn’t long before his protective impulses get the better of him, and he insists on being with you at all times like a bodyguard. sometimes his obsessive needs grow so strong that he might forbid you from leaving his room at the temple, where he can keep an eye on you and know you’re safe.
“i want to know you like I know myself. i will devote every moment i am granted to wrapping myself in your soul, in everything you are, until you have permeated every iota of my being so thoroughly, I can no longer tell where you end and I begin.”
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belladonnix · 1 year
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I attended an open mic to perform my poetry last night. I was terrified. Completely shitting myself. But I did it! I read 4 poems in front of a room full of people.
One thing you have to know about the pub where I performed is it's particularly rowdy. Even during performances the cacophony of chatter can overwhelm the room. But when I spoke, apart from my voice and the man who graciously offered me an acoustic accompaniment, all was silent. Everyone was still, their eyes fixed only on me.
The power I felt, being able to command the emotions of a whole room into silence, I've never felt so sure of myself before. After each poem concluded the bar erupted in applause and cheer and when I was done with my performance multiple people stopped me as I was walking away to tell me their favourite and what had touched them. One man even asked if I would consider performing in a church and my vicar friend said we could talk about such an opportunity, that my poetry made him feel as though I was talking about his own life. It's almost absurdly unbelievable. I had to ask my boyfriend multiple times after we got home if it all really happened or if I was hallucinating it.
My heart is so incredibly full. The fact I've touched my dream, grazed the effervescence of it fills me with strength. This is what I was made to do. I was thrown into this world with a bleeding heart and now I finally know what to do with it.
I'm thinking of starting new socials for my poetry. Of course I'll continue to post it here because this is where I've shared my work before, but none of the poems I performed last night are posted here - in fact the stuff I post here is mainly rough drafts and poetic thoughts. If you're interested in my actual poetry I'll include my new socials in my pinned post and will post full pieces here. Thank you for your support.
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mingoyeob-archive · 2 years
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rhyme and rhythm (m) | myg - teaser
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pairing ⇾ min yoongi x reader
genre(s) ⇾ smut, hint of angst, slam poetry au, harlem renassiance
ratings/warning ⇾ 18+ | nsfw content, oral (female receiving), fingering, unprotected sex
teaser word count ⇾ 350
summary ⇾ the year is 1921; you stroll into a bar and you see him. the best part about it is, he’s the first one to truly see you too.
authors note ⇾ i have come out of my brief writing slump! pls let me know if you guys like this and if i should continue otherwise it will stay in the wips folder along with the countless others lol 😅
it’s late september when your paths first cross.
the first winds of fall are just starting to blow through town as you walk down the loud streets of harlem new york, shuddering from the chill. the sound of your favorite pair of heels sound against the concrete pavement.
click click click click
occasionally your head looks back, eyes raking your surroundings for any sign of your mother, who’d have a fit if she caught you out here past curfew. the thought has your hands squeezing even tighter arounds your arms, as if trying to protect yourself from the punishment you most certainly would receive if she found out.
ahead of you, you finally catch sight of a small neon arrow blinking red and blue, mounted against the brick wall atop a flight of stairs that seemingly points to nowhere. a relieved sigh escapes you and you silently cheer to yourself.
oh thank the lord i found it!
your heel clicks pick up speed as you scuttle towards the steps, hand grabbing onto the railing as you descend. the only light in the stairwell is provided by the blinking sign now above your head, barely illuminating enough for you to be able to see your feet and simply casting shadows across your face. you reach the all black door at the bottom with a sigh and tentatively, you knock.
the door swings open and instantly a puff of smoke wafts out enveloping your senses and making you cough. a tall man with broad suspender covered shoulders and a striped boater hat greets you. his face is stone cold and he fixes you with a stare as if expecting something. your breath catches and you hesitate, gaze straying back behind you from once you came and briefly you consider turning around and heading home. you’d be back before sunrise and you’d pretend you never came, your mother wouldn’t even know.
but, still in front of you, the doorman clears his throat and your head snaps back. you’ve made your decision before you even think about it, words finally managing to claw their way out of your throat, “oh, are you late too?!”
his eyes are unwavering, staring down at you as he leans cockily against the doorframe. for a second you think you’ve gotten the password wrong, you could’ve sworn that was exactly how sylvie had repeated it to you. but then suddenly his blush red lips break out into a smile, eyes crinkling. “you’re never too late for the most beautiful moment in life!”
the man's arm gestures inside the speakeasy in welcome and his back straightens as he steps to the side. you let out the breath you didn’t even know you were holding as you finally enter, squeaking out a small thank you as you squeeze past him. you notice the nametag pinned to his chest, seokjin, it reads.
immediately it’s like the smell of smoke is ten times stronger, only now it's accompanied by the heady scent of alcohol and the loud eclectic sounds of jazz. around you people are moving in every corner - some dancing, some making out and some drinking themselves into a stupor. the space is filled with round wooden tables and danky metal chairs. booths line the walls and stools surround the small bar up against the far corner, next to the stage, and its packed with people shouting for a drink. above it, another flashing neon sits, this one bigger and has the words ‘house of cards’ scrawled across it in the sultriest cursive writing. it’s like you’ve entered another world.
when the second person bumps into you, you realize that it would be best if you move, feet taking you across to the place that seemed like the only natural option. “a gin rickey...please” you say. the end of your sentence is a mumble and by the way the man behind the bar raises his eyebrows at you, you already know he can tell you’re not as confident as you’re trying to seem.
“why, you got some manners on you, don’t you toots?” his tone is mocking but you can see in his eyes that there’s no ill will behind it. you just gulp and your eyes nervously flick back and forth between him and the rest of the joint, watching as a few men set up something on the stage. he just laughs at your lack of response, drink already made in that short span of time before he slides it over to you. some of the alcohol splashes over the side. “only cause you said please.”
your hand grasps around the circular glass, lips pursing in an effort to refrain yourself from saying thank you as you leave him with a tilt of the head, he just smiles and sends you a wink. you wait till your back is turned before you take a sip of your drink, not wanting him to see the cringe on your face as soon as the liquid hits your tongue, burning all the way down to your stomach.
finding a seat wasn’t difficult since most people were up dancing to the music being pushed out by the jazz band that sounded so crazy different but amazing all the same. it has your foot tapping to the beat under the table as you sit and watch the partners on the dancefloor move and jive along. a couple of guys come up to you now and then but you turn them down with an apology and a look of guilt, much more content to just sit and think to yourself.
you take an hour to finally finish your drink and when the beat starts to slow and the lights flick off as people suddenly start moving to their seats, you think the place is probably wrapping up for the night. but before you can high tail it back home, a spotlight shoots out down onto the stage, illuminating the microphone that stands alone in the middle. the jazz band has dwindled off by now, only the rhythmic sound of the bass playing, plucked strings creating a steady beat and your eyebrows furrow in confusion. the man at the table next to you must notice the lost look in your eyes and he leans over, “it’s poetry night, doll face.” he whispers.
your mouth forms a silent oh as you finally realize what’s going on, eyes straying from the stranger back towards the stage as you settle in your seat. the bassman continues to play for a couple more seconds before a man steps out into the spotlight. he's dressed from head to toe in black; a black buret tilted on his head, black turtleneck and jeans tight on his figure, and heavy black leather boots tied tight on his feet. it’s no wonder you didn’t see him standing off to the side, the man practically blended into the dark room.
there’s a stark contrast between the way his black attire is offset by the paleness of his skin as your eyes rake over his form and once they get to his face they fix on it. his features are simultaneously round and sharp, cheeks full but jawline still easily discernible, and his eyes are feline-like. they captivate you.
you see him sigh into the mic and you lean forward in anticipation,
“those precarious leaves seemed just like us
because it felt ready to crumble at the slightest touch
all I did was watch, like the autumn wind
the expressions and voice that had turned cold
i can see our relationship wilting
relationship that is empty like the autumn sky
the subtle difference from the way it was before
this night that seems especially quiet
the one leaf that is left hanging on the branch
it’s breaking, i can see the end, the drying up of the dead leaf
the silence in the heart that’s accepted it-”
the entire room is hanging onto his every word, including you who listens with bated breath so as not to miss a single word spill from his lips. despite his bored expression as he speaks into the mic with his eyes closed, you can hear the feeling he pours into each syllable as if pulling it straight from somewhere deep inside his chest. you are completely enamoured with him with his honey like voice, low and sultry but still raw with emotion that gives it a slight scratchy sound. you wish you could bottle it and listen to it forever.
“-just like all leaves eventually fall
just like everything that seemed eternal eventually fall apart
you’re my fifth season
even though i try to see you, i can’t.
see, you’re still green to me
feelings, without being gathered back, end up hanging
regrets, like laundry, end up being hung in pieces
only crimson memories are rationed out on my dirty self
even without shaking my branch, they keep falling
yes. my love, in order to rise, falls
even when we’re close, my eyes are becoming blind, becoming distant
being discarded like this
in the memories, i become young again.”
the room sits still, as he finishes and no one makes a sound. his eyes open as he steps away from the mic and as soon as he does, the room begins a symphony of snaps, customary of proper poetry etiquette. still his face doesn’t waver and remains unfazed as his gaze sweeps the room. when dark irises find yours, your breath catches. they linger for only a second, but it feels like eternity as the two of you connect eyes. the way his stare bores into yours makes you almost feel naked and briefly you wonder if he can even see you from your place in the dark crowd.
when his attention moves elsewhere you don’t ponder it for much longer as he doesn’t spare you another glance before he walks off the stage. immediately you feel like you can breathe again and you’re reminded of exactly where you are, the loud music and electric atmosphere starting back up again as if it had never stopped. you sigh and glance down at your empty glass, debating if you want another one but decide that one was enough for the night. when your mind strays back to the idea of home you’re abruptly reminded of the fact that you’re not supposed to be here and you worry that you might’ve been here longer than you intended.
you look to the man next to you from earlier, “excuse me sir, do you have the time?” you say in a rush. he pulls the lit cigar from his mouth and lets out a puff a smoke as he looks down at his watch, “yeah its uhhh- about 2 am?” he says with a shrug.
the information has your eyes widening in panic and you can’t get up from your chair fast enough, shooting the man a hasty thank you as you frantically push in your chair. you try not to stumble when you begin to rush out the place, heels making the task difficult. but you manage to find your way to the exit, squeezing past the broad shoulders of the doorman without sparing the room behind you glance. perhaps if you had taken a second to turn around, catch one last glimpse of the place, you would’ve caught the glint of sharp feline eyes trailing after you with interest and a hint of curiosity.
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script-nef · 3 years
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So why won’t you realise it '^' | Gojou Satoru
Category: fluff
1.9k words; Movie date [2/6]
Spoilers of Howl’s Moving Castle!! Beware!!
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“Eh, Shouko! What do you mean you can’t make it?”
“I mean, another person is about to come in and they need me to heal them. By the time I’m done the movie will be finished.” Shouko’s voice over the phone is laced with annoyance and sadness coupled with lethargy. You don’t know how she pulls off such a unique combination of emotions but she somehow accomplishes it every time. “And I was looking forward to it…”
This would have been the first time you had a break with her since the trip to France. And while she enjoyed it a lot, the same couldn’t be said for the two males. Which was weird since Gojou is infatuated with sweets and Ken-chan agreed to come. So it was kind of weird when there was a tense atmosphere between them. You know your brother and Gojou are nearly polar opposites, but their animosity wasn’t usually that strong. 
They brushed it off as nothing when you asked if something was wrong, which was sort of dubious since you could kind of see the black cloud looming over the both of them, but you let it go. If it was something important, they would be able to handle it themselves or report it to you. You couldn’t sense any cursed spirits nearby so you guessed that they were just in a bad mood for some reason.
Still, you had a wonderful time and found some new snacks that everyone enjoyed. So a day well spent, all in all. 
And Ken-chan told you to tell him if Gojou ever offers overseas trips or anything similar, so he must have enjoyed it. Maybe you can ask Gojou to take all of you to Denmark one day.
“Ah… my dear Howl. Life and curses separate us again.” Her voice is full of sadness now, no doubt mourning over her chance of watching her favourite character on a huge screen with surround sound disappearing. 
“It’s okay! I’ll bring you the figurine and we can watch it again here in about… uh…”
“Ten years?” She sounds like she’s about to drop dead.
“Uh… yes… But maybe five years? Hopefully? You know, I shouldn’t watch it without you. I’ll come back to school.” 
“No, no. Watch the movie. At least you’ll get to see it. Ah, they’re coming now so I have to go.”
“Ah, okay. Bye, Shouko! Stay positive!”
A non-committal sigh accompanies a small “Bye” before the call clicks off. A frown takes over your face at the lost opportunity for her. She was looking forward to this for a long time and you leapt at the chance for another girls’ day out. Being able to watch a childhood favourite is an added bonus. But now you’re standing in the movie theatre, the ticket desk just across the room and an extra on your hand. 
It’s a shame because it cost quite a lot. Shouko is definitely going to mope about this when you get back and maybe start smoking again. She always has a pack on her even if she said she quit, and smokes one if she’s stressed or angry. You should call someone and make sure somebody takes it away from her.
You should probably hold onto the ticket and give it back. Or maybe that would make it worse for her, serving as a reminder of this day. Conflict rages inside your head. There’s a high possibility of either decision breaking her heart. Again. A buzz from your phone saves you the trouble of deciding.
Shouko: I sent someone as my replacement. 
A tap on the shoulder makes you turn as you type in a reply and you come face to face with a black jacket. Gojou’s head pops down.
“Hey there. I think you called for a replacement!” He seems to be in a ridiculously good mood, even more so than usual. Maybe his students successfully finished another mission. Which is great. It also means more paperwork for you. Which is not so great.
“How did you com—ah. Teleportation.”
“Ding ding ding! Correct!” He's been using the skill more frequently lately, popping in and out of places like one of those Whac-A-Mole games. . It gives you heart attacks all the time and you’re sure he gets a kick out of it. You saw how his smiles widen when you flinch or react. Thankfully it’s when you’re alone so other people never see you jump what feels like a metre into the air.
“Do you want popcorn?” He breaks you out of your thoughts. “I think they have the new caramel flavour. Apparently it’s way too sweet.” So perfect for Gojou. Even though he’s asking if you want it, there’s a spring in his step which definitely means he’s getting some. Probably the biggest option they have.
And you’re proven right because he comes back with two huge buckets which look impossible to finish. When you try to object, he cuts off with “I’ve eaten three buckets before. Alone.” With the smile he’s giving you, it really doesn’t sound like he’s joking. You try to take one to lighten the load but he says it’s alright. 
He signals the way to the theatre rooms with his head, walking beside you as you find your way.
“So what’s the movie?” Your head snaps to him in confusion.
“You don’t know?” A shake and a shrug. “It’s Howl’s Moving Castle. This was Shouko’s idea since she loves it and this year is Studio Ghibli’s 40 year anniversary. The cinema is having an exclusive showing of their movies this month. Only one session per movie, for some reason. Surely they would make more money if they played it over multiple days, but. I dunno. Executives make weird decisions.” A light scoff from him to tell he knows exactly what that’s like. His hatred for the higher-ups runs deep. You don’t push it.
“So she wanted to come but got held back at the last minute?”
“Yeah. Ah, here are our seats.”
You’re placed in the very middle of the room and you both make yourselves comfortable. Shouko went all out for this movie, upgrading the seats and making it a recliner. Your poor back, abused after sitting in chairs and hunched over computers for so long, practically melts into the plush cushion. It’s so comfortable that you might fall asleep in it if it isn’t Howl that’s about to start. 
Feet dangling in the air, you look over to Gojou to see him on his phone. It looks like he’s in a chatroom and you catch the words ‘Shouko’ and ‘favour’ before looking away. You didn’t mean to peek, but it’s not like you can consciously not read something. It was in your line of sight and you averted your eyes as soon as you realised what you were reading. Your brother brought you up better than to pry into other people’s businesses, even if it’s really, really tempting.
“Phones need to be placed on silent, you know.” The ads are coming on the screen. He smiles at you, slipping it into his pocket.
“Just talking to Shouko. She says she hasn’t even started properly.”
Disappointment fills you. Gojou is a good friend to watch this with but you hoped Shouko would somehow miraculously finish in time. She would be devastated.
“I’ll have to make this up to her when we get back. Give her the figurine and keep her hap—ah! I forgot! Gojou, I was supposed to ask someone to take her ciga—” He cuts you off with a light pat on your hand.  
“Don’t worry, I did it already. All of them are safe out of her reach and I gave her packets of hot chocolate instead. When we get back, she’ll have drunk at least half of them and be in a good mood.” What a Gojou-like replacement. He smiles like a child wanting pats on the head for a job well done. You just barely catch yourself from moving. 
Gojou gets a rep for being aloof and neglectful, but he does take care of the people he holds dear to him. His friends, members of the school, his students. You hope you’re included in the list. 
Actually, the more you think about it, the more you realise he’s different from initial perceptions. You learn more and more about him as time goes on, in the most delightful sense. He’s somewhat like an onion, new characteristics being revealed every time a layer is peeled. A snicker escapes at the thought of Gojou dressed up like an onion, just waddling around. He shoots you a questioning head tilt which you wave off.
In the years that you’ve known him, he made himself into a trustworthy friend. One full of laughs and ridiculousness. Maybe it’s his childishness that puts you at ease, but he’s incredibly comfortable and easy to relax around. Thoughts trail and the words fly out of your mouth before you even think.
“You know, I think you would make a wonderful boyfriend.”
He freezes completely, like somebody’s zapped him in place. You stare at him, wondering what’s wrong, but the lights dim and by the time he gathers coherence, your concentration is on the opening sequence.
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“Ah, that was so good! Ugh, I love Howl. Isn’t he so cool?” You skip out of the room, remembering to take the figurines provided at the exit, with Gojou trailing behind you. “You know how she asks him to wait for her in the past? The first thing he says to her in the movie is ‘I’ve been looking everywhere for you.’ He searched for her the entire time! This is modern poetry. This.” 
“Do you think Howl would be a good boyfriend?” The question stops you. It’s different than usual for some reason, the voice asking the question and the intensity of it. He’s still his aloof self, all smiles and grins, but there’s something you can’t quite place that’s wrong. It’s unnerving, but you diligently answer his question.
“Um, I mean, yeah? Look at how cute he is with Sophie. See?” The figurine is a frozen shot of Howl and Sophie dancing in the rain with an umbrella that’s not being useful at all. They’re both incredibly detailed, so much so that you can see their clothes and skin drenching wet. Wow, this is actually a phenomenal job. Shouko will be so happy. It makes your heart lighter knowing that at least something might light up her day. 
“Why is he cool?” Gojou seems to be invested in Howl. It confuses you since he just watched the movie with you and he saw how awesome Howl is. 
“Hm, well for one he can do magic.” He opens his mouth but you shush him with a finger to his lips. “Yeah, I know, what we have is kind of like magic too. But theirs is just… different. He just makes it seem kind of elegant. And he overcame his fear just for Sophie. Remember the scene with Sulliman and in the cluttered bedroom? He still found the strength to protect her even though he was so scared before. It’s admirable. I guess I like strong guys.”
“Hmm~” His tone is contemplative. “You know I’m stronger than him, right?”
A question mark forms over your head. He’s being really weird today. “Yeah? You’re the strongest in the universe, silly. What’s up with you?” Gojou just chuckles and ruffles your head.
“Nothing, nothing. Just making sure you know.” He slings his arm around your shoulder, the intensity gone and the light spring in his step back. “Who else do you think is strong?”
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sonybees · 3 years
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random harry potter characters headcanons because i am bored
includes: fred, george, harry, ron, hermione, ginny, luna, seamus, dean, neville, padma, parvati, cedric, angelina, alicia, katie, cho, draco, adrian, blaise, and pansy.
warnings: slight modern!au, swearing, food mention
these are all headcanons i made on the spot so i’m sorry if they suck. i’m just really bored. it is also all over the place. a lot of these are collabs between some characters. i hope you enjoy though!
(by the way, the little dashes are just dividers)
rest under the cut!
fred would dance around his room at 3 am to literally any song.
jazz, classical, rock, metal, pop he does not give a fuck.
he woke up george once by jumping on his bed and playing all star on his electric guitar.
probably a song writer
uses “life is short” as an excuse to act on his bad decisions
dancing in the rain is one of his favorite things to do
sleeps at 3 am or pm, you decide.
hopeless romantic
good old fashioned lover boy by queen is his song
has a soft spot for hufflepuffs
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george loves birds and bugs. completely unrelated to the last one but it’s true.
saw an injured bird outside his room when he was 5.
he cried and immediately took it in.
also cries when someone kills a bug.
thinks the bug’s family would be angry and disappointed in him.
enjoys painting random objects in his room
loves being called pet names
something like dear, honey, or hubby would make his heart burst
loves using them for his significant other as well
hopeless romantic part 2
has a soft spot for ravenclaws
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harry is a night owl and he likes reading comic books.
he likes listening to rock music. i said what i said.
prefers being alone
likes quiet places and probably has a hideout
usually doesn’t understand poetry until he reads it like 20 times
has a soft spot for ravenclaws
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ron adores ducks.
tears up when he sees them and always used to beg molly to keep them.
still tears up to this day.
not a big fan of seagulls though
he’s scared of them
but eagles are cool
likes country and rock music
also takes an interest in photography
the breakfast club is his favorite movie
has a soft spot for hufflepuffs
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hermione loves listening to taylor swift.
reads to her songs always.
ravenclaws save her a special seat in their common room because a lot of them grew quite fond of her
a taste tester for hufflepuffs who go to katie’s lessons you’ll understand this later
she actually enjoys dressing up as well even if there wasn’t an event
has a soft spot for ravenclaws
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ginny accompanies dean while he draws.
she just likes looking at other people do what they love so it’s not only dean.
she sometimes zones out looking at hermione read a book, always taking note of the facial expressions and guessing what she just read,
catching harry push his glasses up or cleaning them,
also is with luna every time she paints.
luna has a few artworks with ginny as her muse.
gin likes the simple things in life.
loves board games
sometimes a little too competitive
struts down the hallways with her significant other
she’d never admit it but she loves 10 things i hate about you
has a soft spot for slytherins
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luna almost always goes with neville to the gardens.
she helps him with whatever he needs and sometimes draws a few stuff.
she’s a photographer too so she loves waking up early in the morning and taking photos.
amazing at braiding hair
and making flower crowns
likes reading royal fantasy books
watches 10 things i hate about you with ginny
has a soft spot for slytherins
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seamus also hangs out with luna sometimes,
talking to each other about whatever.
he thinks she’s interesting and would make great conversations.
she does.
he also took some painting lessons from her
meditates
loves pumpkin juice
likes the movie my girl
has cried more than he will ever admit
has a soft spot for slytherins
-
dean has a wall in the boys dorm room where he puts up all his drawings.
the guys love it and always just stares at all of them in awe.
they’re all so amazing
is usually the first to notice when someone is sick
takes care of them immediately
loves sweaters
knows how to speak in latin
has a soft spot for hufflepuffs
-
neville goes to hagrid way more often than anyone thought.
he learned how to take care of the creatures, make some awesome tea,
he also sometimes helps hagrid clean his own house.
helps others in herbology
likes green tea
loves overalls
has a soft spot for ravenclaws
-
padma holds a record of the fastest writer at hogwarts
yeah, she’s amazing at it
ended up publishing her own fantasy book starting at hogwarts
sold out faster than expected
she is also a singer
amazing singer
movie marathons are her thing
prefers crime shows/movies
soft spot for gryffindors
-
parvati is very very very protective over her sister
does archery and is amazing at it
a very chill person until you mess with her loved ones
loves sixteen candles
adores puppies
watches big bang theory
soft spot for slytherins
-
cedric plays the piano.
the ravenclaw common room is where the only piano is at hogwarts so he goes there quite often.
everyone loves hearing him play.
other students gather around with their instruments and sing along as well.
wears glasses for reading
netflix type of guy
probably a theatre kid
has a soft spot for gryffindors
-
angelina also took piano lessons from cedric.
she just asked him one day where he learned it and he said his father taught him and he could tell that she wanted to learn.
so, he offered to teach her.
she was a natural at it and the lessons are always fun, even for the ravenclaws
angelina is also a tutor at hogwarts.
it all started with george and fred and she realized that she actually quite enjoyed it.
all her students love her
has a soft spot for ravenclaws
-
alicia is always the group leader in every group work she’s ever done.
she’s also usually the main organizer for any event at hogwarts.
she’s usually there with the help of angelina and katie.
they all work very well together
has a soft spot for slytherins
-
katie has a passion for cooking.
she’s friends with a lot of hufflepuffs and she meets a lot of them by the kitchens.
in there, they watch her cook amazing dishes and baked goods.
she was able to teach a few others how to as well.
the house elves love her.
has a soft spot for hufflepuffs
-
cho has an interest in fashion designing.
mcgonagall found her making a dress once in an empty hallway with some cool music playing.
minnie was amazed.
she was also able to start a fashion club at hogwarts.
luna, katie, dean and a few other were apart of this club as well.
likes pudding as much as luna does
has a soft spot for gryffindors
-
draco plays the violin.
pretty unexpected to his friends because he never really told anyone til goyle walked in on him playing in his dorm room.
he is actually very good at it.
combs his hair too often
the type to take too long at the water fountain
finishes his water bottle after like less than two hours of getting it
acts ‘ominous’ to the point where it’s funny
soft spot? for ravenclaws
-
adrian teaches young students how to play quidditch
his favorite color’s green for nature
actually loves reading and writing poetry
“most respectful”
has a soft spot for gryffindors
-
blaise seems very intimidating but is actually very sweet
shouts at quidditch games (much to everyones surprise)
loves the rain
likes dark academia movies
it’s basically his whole aesthetic
holds a record for most botts beans that fit in the mouth (without puking)
has a soft spot for hufflepuffs
-
pansy has a whole drawer of jewelry as she should honestly
actually soft for cats but it’s not like she’ll ever tell anyone
loves playing with other’s hair
massages her friend’s backs
they do the same for her
a goddess at card games
is actually a gymnast
has a soft spot for ravenclaws
-
bonuses: george and fred’s favorite movie to watch together is bill and ted’s excellent adventure
all the gryffindors have a movie night at least once a week and others from different houses join along as well
hermione, ginny, luna, parvati, padma, angelina, alicia, katie, and cho have girl nights
the same with the guys though it was quite awkward at first due to draco being there but they eventually warmed up to each other (after like 4 months)
no one really knows how draco and the slytherins even got there but yk
they never tell anyone that they’re comfortable with each other now though
tags: @quadrupledeckertaco @audreysmusings @georgeweasley19 @krasivayadarling @crookedhag
and others who i think would enjoy this: @lunalovecroft @whizboyhalo @darthwheezely @sirlorelai @puntuations @cherryweasleys @amourtentiaa @whatthefuckimbisexual @gredmforge (you don’t have to read if you don’t like!)
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themadauthorshatter · 3 years
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... I just love OTPs, I can't help it.
OTP HEADCANONS: 2020 Edition
These will include the series of Red Queen, Dorothy Must Die, SGE, The Folk of The Air, and Nightmare Before Christmas(I'll throw in the Skellington kids, too, because I love them💙)
MAJOR TW FOR ALL THE EVENTS THAT OCCURED IN 2020, AND THAT INCLUDES QUARANTINE.
RED QUEEN:
At the news of a Pandemic, Mare and Cal are equally confused and scared, but at least they're not on the battlefield.
They hold up in Paradise Valley until the quarantine is lifted.
It starts off fine with them doing puzzles, hiking, and doing some exercises to pass the time. Then 3 weeks pass and both are bored; Mare's bored enough to drink coffee onto of the fridge and Cal's sitting in a chair upside down because fuck court etiquette, he's so bored.
Cal contemplates luring wolves with dinner scraps again.
They had a mini argument that meant nothing because Cal's hair got long and he wanted Mare to cut it, she but only offered to shave his stubble, not cut his hair.
They both get a lot of sleep, and have a lot of nightmares, which they comfort each other from.
They also really enjoy the silence.
Cal gets into poetry and Mare paints. Both are surprised at how good the other is at their new hobbies.
They talk. A lot. It begins awkwardly and ends with the two in each other's arms.
Cal becomes more of a punner, and Mare loves and hates it.
There's tall of getting a dog, but there's one problem: Paradise Valley doesn't have any shelters, and they'll be arrested or forced ro turn back hime, regardless of rank.
Mare grows taller... by 2 inches. She almost killed Cal for how much he laughed.
When they're allowed to go out, Mare often forgets to bring her mask.
Cal's good at remembering their masks.
Mare REFUSES to leave when she hears about the murder hornets.
Cal gets repellent to calm her down.
They also recover some Old Era TV Shows.
ENDLESS quotes from The Office, Friends, and many more shows.
Cal visits Maven's grave more. Mare comes with every now and then, but usually lets him go alone.
They don't usually argue, but those arguments never last.
They tried a bit of ability training, and greed that they should be careful when Mare summoned a bolt of lightning from the sky and Cal almost set fire to everything around them.
They read a lot, too, but Cal reads more than Mare because she falls asleep, usually on him.
DOROTHY MUST DIE:
Nox had no clue what a Pandemic was, or what the big deal was about going outside and not being near people, until Amy explained it.
First day of online school crashed and burned because Nox had NO IDEA what he was doing, which led to Amy 'accompanying' him in classes.
Amy puts her college plans on hold for a little while.
Nox is more emotional and neither of them know how to handle it.
They have more nightmares, since there's nothing to keep their minds busy, but Amy is more reserved about it. Nox prefers to write about what he dreams, anyway.
Nox stays up, from all the nightmares, but Amy sits with him to keep him company.
When Amy heard about the murder hornets, Nox held up a fly swatter and opened all the windows.
Amy does fine, but Nox dies from boredom, when they're done with school. And I don't mean he just sits and groans, he lies face down on the couch as Amy tries to get him up.
They spend A LOT of time in Nox's apartment, and it's literally spotless because Nox is THAT bored.
They binge a lot of TV shows, and Nox falls in love with shows like Peaky Blinders.
They tried watching Game of Thrones. It didn't go well; negative past experiences.
Nox figured out the plot twist to The Umbrella Academy WAY before Amy did.
They watched Heathers and Amy asked Nox what he'd do if she was dealing with trash friends and guys who don't take 'no' for an answer. The look on his face when he asked who it was reminded Amy of who he was before meeting her.
Nox finds YouTube and discovers the guy that makes knives out of anything and makes it his mission to copy each and every video, come Hell or high water.
Amy walked in on him doing this and genuinely wondered if he was okay, and asked if she could help him.
They also binged musicals. Nox isn't a huge music person, but he still loves them; Kansas has its own magic that he finds intriguing.
Amy once found Nox crouching ontop of the fridge while drinking a mug of coffee.
Madison stopped by and dropped off some rhinestones, lash glue, and a tool to apply the stones. Amy spent a lot of time putting the stones on her face while Nox watched, with Madison and Dustin also watching via Facetime, sitting backwards in a chair and wondering what her plan was, even making very Julien Solomita-esque comments, mixed with very 'I used to be a fighter and a spy' comments that made Amy, Madison, and Dustin laugh. Some if those comments:
"I know Glamora told you to lighten up, but I don't she'd expect this."
"If those were real diamonds, you wouldn't need any armor or a weapon. Just headbutt them, and you're good."
"Don't be upset, but it's the beginning of summer, so I don't think winter's coming any time soon."
"Whichever chandelier you made out with, I will find them, damn it."
After a little while, Amy asked if Nox wanted a rhinestone face. He agreed, but only as long as she took out all the red stones. He could handle pink, but no red.
It took them an hour to get the stones off.
Their hair gets long and they agree to cut each other's hair. Nox cuts her hair chin length and Amy tries to be as style his hair. They don't look the best, but they at least look good.
They absolutely watch Unus Annus, and start quoting that.
When they get the news they can go out wearing a mask, Nox got confused and got 3 different masks: a masquerade mask, a normal face mask, and a gas mask, which he wears all the time to annoy Amy.
They do stay in shape as much as possible, but there is evidence that they could have been more active, with their muscles shrinking and both having lost a little weight.
Nox NEVER drops his guard, and quarantine didn't help.
They tried dying their hair, but it didn't work as well as they'd hoped.
SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL:
Tedros worries about Agatha and everyone else, but Agatha keeps him in check.
Crime drops big time, so that's a plus for Tedros and Agatha.
They have more time to breathe, with everyone being inside and avoiding each other.
Tedros hates the quiet at first, but Agatha helps him adjust.
They spend a lot of time wandering the castle and answering whatever call there is, if any.
The SGE is out for a little while, so they don't hear too much from there.
Tedros, without normal king business to distract him, has more nightmares and starts losing sleep because he doesn't want to dream about what's happened to him and his friends.
Agatha has nightmares, too, but she's better at hiding it.
They do talk about it and agree to be more open with what's going on in their heads.
They also agree that they'll help each other through these times.
Tedros helps Agatha with swordplay and Agatha both gets him into reading more and tries to help him with his magic.
Whenever there's something they need outside, Agatha gets it because she's not that afraid of getting sick; she grew up eating frog and lizard soup.
Tedros worries about her, but doesn't really stop her because she's taller, and having fun trying to stop Agatha once she's committed to doing something.
Tedros finds a new hobby: origami.
Agatha doesn't join in, per se, she more watches because she's never seen Tedros be so patient with something.
They play around with each other's hair, as it grows longer. Agatha ties Tedros's hair back and Tedros braids her hair.
They write to Sophie or anyone else, like people who have some sort of report of a crime or complaint duch as infertile soil, so their penmanship improves.
Tedros grows a bit of a stubble and, after some prickly kiss attacks, Agatha threatens to shave it off herself, if he doesn't. It's all in good fun, but she sort of did mean it because his face and cheeks were really scratchy.
Tedros REFUSES to let Agatha go out alone, even when she's masked up.
When they go out, Tedros always carries a sword.
Picnics in the woods.
Star gazing at night.
Agatha starts wearing pants, as an experiment, and her "dresser"/dress designer is APPALLED.
There are times they argue, but they stay together and communicate because relationship goals.
THE CRUEL PRINCE:
At the news of a Pandemic/plague, Cardan ordered all the human servants to get as healthy as they could so they'd be able to go outside. He would accompany them, but they could not let Jude go out.
She's not happy, when she finds out
Cardan asks if she can avoid going to the human world, so she doesn't get sick.
She goes anyway and returns unscathed.
Cardan considers glamoring the human servants to keeep Jude healthy, but Jude almost pincushions him for it.
Anxious? Worried? Psh! Don't be silly. Cardan becomes somethimg if a paranoid maniac because he's scared of Jude getting sick and dying because he's Fae and she's Mortal, so she's more susceptible to illnesses and he doesn't know wnoufh about mortals to get her healthy agaun were she to get sick, but there's nothing wroung with him, really.
Whenever they're not ruling, Jude practices her swordplay while Cardan reads, major plus being that he reads full series to not worry about Jude so much.
Jude helps Cardan with sword fighting, using wooden practice swords not metal, and Cardan helps her try to get into reading, reading to her as she rests her head on his chest when she doesn't want to read read.
Cardan discovers manga and graphic novels and is too confused for Jude NOT to laugh; "He's in armor made if IRON. How is he able to fly!?" "I've seen a lot people different people, and none of them have made this face." "... So is Spiderman THIS one or THIS one?"
Sword practice usually ends with Cardan on the ground exhausted while Jude simply stands and chuckles for him to get up.
Cardan doesn't get beat smd scarred, he gets poked and minorly bruised, which he was not ready for because of how he was treated by Balekin.
One day, while Cardan was reading some Sherlock Holmes, Jude slipped hoop bracelets on and tied ribbons to his tail, at least as many as she could before she got caught; she only realized as such when his tail started flicking out of her reach and curling around her wrist, and saw Cardan grinning at her.
They do visit Taryn and Vivi still, but Cardan only wears a mask to remind Jude, who does not forget ever.
Cardan thinks about his 'friendship' Nicasia, Locke, and Valerian and semi-realizes that Valerian and Locke may have been using him while Nicasia was at least a little genuine.
They talk about Locke and equally wish that they had helped Taryn in killing Locke. If not, then they wish that they at least watched. They agreed that if time travel was real, Jude could help Trayn kill Locke and Cardan could watch, as long as he helped dispose of the body.
They laughed at that a couple minutes later.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS(Featuring the Skellington kids(I'd say Skull Kids, but I feel like Skull Kid(s) was taken)):
Jack knows what a Pandemic is; he lived through one while he was alive.
Sally knew it would happen because she knows one happens about every two hundred years/whenever a year ends in 20.
The triplets know what a plague is, but have never seen one actually happen.
When they explored the human world at night and noticed there were absolutely no humans in sight, Luna reminded her brothers that the humans were told to stay inside to prevent any spreading.
Jacob takes the opportunity to MAKE SURE people actually stay inside.
Pro: he got Instagram famous. Con: Jack and Sally were not happy at all with how reckless he was.
Let's say, for the sake of the story, Halloween had to be cancelled worldwide because regulation and a need for things to get better.
Upon hearing the news of Halloween getting cancelled, Jack was very salty about it; "Why cancel Halloween, if the 4th of July was still allowed to be celebrated?"
All of Halloween Town was very upset; the living are so fragile, it ruins the fun of scaring them.
The Mayor was in deep, DEEP distress, but Jack made it up to him, and the rest of the town, by saying next year's Halloween would be ine no one would ever forget, and it's not because he's 'borrowing' a holiday again, it's because they'll all have a year of scaring shenanigans built up inside them all that will make up for what was missed.
Everyone rejoiced and Jack, once he got back inside his house with his wife and children, sighed and mentally kicked himself for saying no one would forget next year's Halloween; there was one Halloween in particular he sure as hell isn't forgetting any time soon.
Daemon's carving more intricate pumpkins and plans on giving the humans mini-scares so they keep quarantining, hiding a 'surprise' for any entitled Karens he finds.
Luna is the most obedient of the triplets by staying in Halloween Town and instead studying what she calls a 'counter-plague' so there's no need for a Pandemic; she refuses to call it a vaccine because that would imply sje wants to help the humans that shot down and could have killed her dad. She still has a bone to pick.
Jack doesn't spiral out like in the movie, he has Sally to help and the triplets to keep his mind busy.
While Jacob and Daemon keep the humans from leaving their houses, Luna researches the current events and learns of murder hornets that are large, sting like all hell, and cause death to anyone unfortunate enough to get stung.
Jack gets very intrigued and they collect as many as they can and keep them in a jar, but take one out to study it.
They were not impressed; murder hornets? Jack has seen worse.
Since there wasn't a Halloween, Jack decided to walk through the streets, seeing as how Daemon and Jacob already did a lot of the scaring for him(thise little shits). He had to admit, it was nice to walk in the night and only hear the animal sounds and not screams.
Luna did not find a 'counter-plague,' even with Sally's help, but she did discover some poisons she could use against her brothers. Sally made her promise not to do so.
On the Halloween night where nothing happened, Jack took his family out to a picnic/star gazing session. Genuinely one of his favorite Halloweens to date.
HENRY STICKMIM COLLECTION:
Henry and Ellie knew it was going to happen and were more than surprised to also see Charles planning ahead by making a list for what they needed, even admitting he'd been following the news and rumors and stocking up on ADD medicine so he wouldn't have to go out to get them.
The other soldiers weren't worried until they were told to go home and take a break for a little bit.
Triple Threat wasn't really effected until day 24.
On day 1, they just hung out and were relatively calm, working online, doing workouts to stay fit, and just being as normal as possible.
On day 24, all three are more than a little bored. Henry's bored enough to andwer calls from telemarketers and prank them, Ellie's contemplating bleaching her hair with peroxide, and Charles is playing with fidget toys he's bough and collected over the years, though he's doing it more because he's a little stressed than bored.
Henry and Ellie are surprised to this this, but Charles admits he used to bite his nails a lot, but stopped after a LONG while.
Speaking of names, Ellie paints hers and the boys', though while Henry paints his in clear coat, Charles paints one hand black and the other in red, mint, and glittery pink on one nail because try stopping him.
It makes Ellie laugh and pisses off Henry so much.
Ellie gets calls from her family saying they want her to come home, or closer to home, because they're worried and she instead blocks their numbers.
They watch a lot of horror movies as a reason to stay inside.
When they get bored of American horror and try Japanese, Asian, and more western horror movies.
Instant regret.
They watched the movie Audition and Henry looked at a very unimpressed Charles, who said the antagonist was being sloppy, and hid all the kitchen knives, saws, and sharp and blunt objects, including tools(must've remembered Human Piece).
He stopped after a week of Charles being himself and literally shaking at Hannibal Lecter as they watched the Silence of The Lambs series.
All three open up more about their lives. It's ugly, there's yelling, conflicting life philosophies, and even some insults thrown. Henry admits that gotten screwed over by the law enough times while fending for himself to have as little faith in it as possible, Ellie admits she ran away from home and would rather die than go back because of how tight of a leash they kept her on, and Charles admits that while he has thought about quitting on the government and turning to a life of crime, he never did because that would have been to easy of a choice. Training for the military was and still is hard as hell, which Henry and Ellie can tell because Charles can physically do more than them(if they ran a mile, Henry and Ellie would be exhausted and Charles wouldn't even be out of breath), but he's never given up on it because he knew his parents would skin him, if they were still alive.
There were tears at the end, and the team all needing to be alone for a little bit, but they were back together and agreed to be a little more open with each other, since they were a team now.
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scfttwice · 3 years
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JINA'S SHIPS : TWICE
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mina
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[ miji, sometimes also known as 2na #3 ]
- jina is super soft for mina
- in contrast to nayeon, mina brings out jina's gentler side
- jina's voice sometimes automatically softens too when she's talking to mina
- plays 'minecraft' together whenever they can
- they've tamed and adopted at least 16 wolves together
- jina gets protective over mina in the game
- “die, creeper! stay away from my mitang!”
- plays other games together too
- absolute rivals in 'kart rider' and 'animal crossing'
- “my island is better than yours” “in your dreams”
- loves visiting each other's islands though
- and hanging out together in the game
- and when they're playing 'among us'? their trust for each other just goes out the window
- also builds lego sets together, sometimes with jeongyeon too
- jina loses her patience really quickly though, so mina has to calm her down
- “i can't find the piece i need! *slams instruction manual on table*” “it's okay, we can do this together”
- jina sometimes speaks in english with mina, to help mina improve her english and keep in touch with her american roots
- when mina is talking but no one can hear her? jina's got her back
- “guys, shut up!! mina has something to say!!”
- jina has tried dancing ballet before, under mina's guidance
- she was quick to realize it wasn't for her and gave up
- another pair who adore sharing physical affection
- when it comes to mina, jina especially loves back-hugging her
- jina definitely bought mina a penguin skin in 'minecraft'
- and mina gave jina her own tim
- a medium-sized one to hug and a small keyring one that jina hangs on her bag
- makes bead bracelets together
- for the other members, and for each other
dahyun
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[ dahji, sometimes also known as dubji and dubna ]
- the duality duo
- one minute they're crackheads together
- the next they're sitting together in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company
- jina acts the silliest when she's with dahyun
- around dahyun, jina often doesn't feel the need to hold herself back
​- funny faces, exaggerated reactions, dahyun is able to bring it all out of jina
- whether being loud and playful or sentimental and nostalgic, jina is just her complete self with dahyun
- although dahyun always keeps to herself, jina is one of the members she feels most comfortable opening up to
- jina constantly reminds dahyun that she can come to her for anything, after all
- plays piano together
- though a lot of times jina prefers to listen while only dahyun plays
- jina claps loudly and demands an encore when dahyun finishes a song
- dahyun gets shy every time
- likes to go walk in parks together
- aesthetic pictures!!!
- and deep late night talks
- jina is the one who often sneaks into dahyun's room at 1 am to talk
- jina's go-to stargazing buddy
- honestly just love enjoying the simpler things in life together
- learns mandarin together (tzuyu often teaches them)
- jina thinks it's really cute that dahyun tries her best to be multilingual
- dahyun says it's because she wants to be like jina
- jina loves bringing buddy over to the dorms for a visit
- so dahyun can play with him
- he's the only big dog dahyun isn't scared of
- when the girls are going out together, it's often jina who convinces dahyun to join them
- and sometimes, when dahyun really doesn't feel like going, jina would stay behind too, to accompany her
chaeyoung
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[ jichae, sometimes also known as jichaeng and jiyoung ]
- art lovers
- jina is far from being an artist, but she loves drawing with chaeyoung
- jina would watch chaeyoung whenever she chooses to sketch in their free time
- and would sometimes try to join in
- chaeyoung often lets jina use her own creativity and artistic style, but she would pitch in pointers if jina asks
- chaeyoung likes doodling on jina's hands and arms, giving her temporary tattoos
- it used to scare fans, making them think jina started getting tattoos too, but after finding out the truth they've grown used to finding random scribbles on jina
- jina helped choose some of chaeyoung's tattoo designs
- a couple were designed by jina herself (with improvements by chaeyoung)
- wants to get matching tattoos together once jina stops being a scaredy cat
- chaeyoung loves reading jina's poetry
- or any random deep thoughts jina thinks of and writes down
- jina had one of chaeyoung's drawings as her phone lock screen for a while
- chaeyoung sometimes does jina's nails for her
- baby beast sisters
- the tiger cub and the wolf pup
- jina literally bites chaeyoung to show affection
- also likes to play-fight/wrestle
- fans say they resemble the cliché lesbian couple
- where chae is the badass grunge type while jina is the soft girly girl
- they love exchanging fashion advice though
- often borrowing each other's clothes to play dress-up
- swaps song recommendations too
- they have somewhat contrasting tastes in music but they still love listening to each other's personal preferences
- loves sharing earphones/airpods
- takes turns choosing the song they're listening to together
- they both have a playlist each of songs the other recommended
tzuyu
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[ tzuna, sometimes also known as puppy love duo ]
- basically soulmates
- joined jype on the same day
- were each other's first friends there
- since jina knows basic mandarin, she was able to communicate with tzuyu fairly well
- jina made tzuyu feel more comfortable and helped her adjust to south korea
- have been inseparable ever since
- are called "puppy love duo" because they both love love love dogs
- tzuyu appears to physically melt for jina
- and because they're both the puppies of the group
- and also because they are a popular ship that's seen to have an innocent kind of love for each other, hence the phrase puppy love
- savage maknae? cold? intimidating? nah, not with jina
- even the tiniest hug from jina is enough to make tzuyu smile from ear to ear
- jina often coerces tzuyu to speak more if she's being too quiet
- with jina around tzuyu is never excluded from the conversation, she makes sure of that
- goes to dog cafés together
- buddy is best friends with butter
- butter and kaya are basically their children
- thinking of adopting another dog and raising it in the dorms, together
- can be very playful with each other
- exchanges teases and jokes, and likes to mess around together
- but jina also understands when tzuyu wants to stay quiet for a while
- tzuyu, like sana, is jina's baby
- jina is constantly worrying over tzuyu
- whether she's eaten, if she's too tired, etc.
- jina would sacrifice everything she had in a heartbeat if it's for tzuyu
- always wanting to take care of her
- tzuyu isn't into pda much
- but behind closed doors there's lots of cuddling
- and occasional cheek kisses (mostly tzuyu on the receiving end)
- they honestly just become the most affectionate puppies with each other
- jina is one of the people who call tzuyu 'tzumong', sometimes 'tzumongie' or 'tzumongeu'
- tzuyu calls jina 'nae mong' (my puppy) affectionately, but only when it's just the two of them
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part i.
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Whumptober 2021
Prompt #5: Broken nose
“Aramis, the Musketeer?”
“Yes?”
Aramis, on his way to the garrison with Porthos, turned around to see who was addressing him - and his head snapped back when a fist landed square in his face. He heard and felt a nasty crack. His vision burst into stars. He stumbled backwards, clutching his nose. Blood gushed through his fingers.
Somewhere, in the haze of pain, Porthos was yelling.
“Oi! What in the Queen’s name-“
A scuffle ensued. Aramis more heard than saw it - he was perilously close to fainting from shock and pain. Next to him, fists hit flesh, cloth tore and yelps and gasps from a voice that wasn’t Porthos’ told him that his friend had the upper hand on whoever had attacked him. When his vision cleared, it was already over: hunched over in the middle of the street, Aramis stood dripping blood into the dirt, circled by aghast Parisians, with Porthos standing over an unconscious man.
The big Musketeer snorted angrily, fists still clenched, shoulders squared. Then he turned to Aramis, his fierce expression melting into worry.
“Y’alright, Aramis?”
“Yeah,” Aramis croaked nasally, gingerly fingering his nose. To his dismay, it felt crooked and hurt like hell. “Or no, that is. He broke my nose.”
“Are you serious?”
Porthos stepped closer and put his hand under Aramis’ chin, carefully tilting his head back to inspect the damage. Aramis sniffed, immediately regretting it. Pain stabbed up his nose, and his mouth filled with a copper taste so thick, it made him nauseous.
“Hell’s bells,” Porthos muttered. “It is broken.”
Aramis blinked tears from his eyes.
“That bad?” he asked nervously.
“It’s kind of bent to one side.” Porthos looked at him with a curious expression, as if he was looking at an interesting insect he’d never seen before. “And it’s swelling up really fast.”
“Wonderful.”
Aramis moaned and spit a mouthful of blood into the street. Around them, a few people were still standing and staring, whispering, while the rest of onlookers had gone back to their business. This was Paris. Street brawls happened and were of little interest unless someone died.
“What are ye starin’ at?!” Porthos waved a big hand. “Move! There’s nothin’ to see here!”
While their audience dispersed, Aramis had fished a handkerchief out of his pocket and tried to staunch the blood. His beard was sticky with it, the front of his leather doublet splattered. Porthos, meanwhile, walked over to the unconscious attacker and shoved him with the tip of his boot. The man moaned a little, starting to come around.
“I s’ppose you know this man?”
Aramis squinted at the tall and overweight figure dressed in the practical but fashionable clothes of the Parisian middle class. The reddish beard and the golden signet ring on one of his hands left no doubt.
“Yes,” he said uncomfortably. “Yes, I know him.”
Porthos lowered his head to glower at Aramis. “And?”
Bleeding into his handkerchief, Aramis looked away. “I know his wife, too.”
Porthos threw his head back in exasperation. His accompanying eye roll was so pronounced, Aramis could practically hear it.
“Unbelievable,” Porthos muttered. And then, louder: “You’re unbelievable! One day, yer gonna get yourself killed! Haven’t you learned anything?!”
Embarrassed and fighting a headache, Aramis said nothing. Michèle was a sweet girl. Milky breasts, black curls, amber eyes and with a love for poetry and soldiers. Why did God put such beautiful, smart women in front of him when he didn’t want Aramis to be with them?
“Well, maybe this will teach you,” Porthos added darkly. “‘M not sure a lot of Paris women have a taste for a man with a smashed potato for a nose.”
Apprehensively, Aramis palpated his injured face. It didn’t feel like his anymore, his skin stretching as the swelling escalated, the tip of his nose off-center, his moustache caked in coagulating blood. Even if Aramis claimed he wasn’t vain, he knew it wasn’t the truth. He’d accepted his prettiness as a convenient gift from God, and he liked what he saw in the mirror when he trimmed his beard or adjusted his hat. It was an advantage he would not like to lose. Frankly, it scared him.
On the ground, Michèle’s husband groaned and began to make an effort at sitting up. One of his eyes was blackening.
“We should get outta here,” Porthos warned.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
XXX
They arrived at the garrison right after morning muster. The regiment had largely dispersed, turning to their daily duties. A few stragglers were still in the yard, casting curious glances when Porthos and Aramis passed through the arch. Against Aramis’ hopes, Captain Treville was among them. Face turning thunderous, he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
“Let me guess,” he said, taking in Aramis’ appearance. “It’s a little early for gambling, and Porthos looks unharmed, so it cannot have been a bar brawl. Since it’s morning, and it’s you,” - he pointed at Aramis and sniffed - “with the nosebleed and smelling of perfume, I’ll assume you ran into an admirer? As in: head first?”
His eyes were blazing and Aramis could swear he saw a wisp of the Captain’s thinning hair turn white.
“He got ‘im pretty bad, Cap’n,” Porthos came to Aramis’ defense. “Bashed ‘is nose right in.”
Some of the fury drained from Treville’s face.
“Let me see,” he said, eyebrows knitting to a frown.
Aramis took his hand with the balled-up handkerchief away from his face and revealed the whole extent of the damage.
Treville’s eyebrows rose.
“By God, it is broken.”
Aramis whimpered miserably.
“But you’re lucky, son,” Treville added. “A visitor arrived last night. Just in time to help you out, it seems.”
“Who?” Porthos asked.
“Go see for yourselves,” Treville said. “She’s in the infirmary.”
XXX
When they entered the garrison’s small infirmary, a woman was busy sorting through the medicine cabinet. She was wearing a coarse brown nun’s habit and turned around when she heard them, hazel eyes shining brightly out of a freckled, middle-aged face.
“Sister Marie!” Porthos’ joyful bellow turned into laughter. He crossed the room in four strides and enveloped the petite woman in a hug.
“What are you doing here?”
“Returning some of Athos’ books and bringing some medicines Aramis requested,” she answered cheerfully. Spotting Aramis, she added: “And it seems our Lord knew just when to send me.”
“You are, indeed, a gift sent from Heaven,” Aramis said, relieved. He’d been fearing he would have to attempt to set his nose himself.
“What happened?”
Sister Marie, pragmatic as ever, took Aramis by the shoulders and led him to a chair close to a window where the light was better.
Porthos scoffed. “I don’t think you want to know, Sister.”
The nun looked back and forth between the two Musketeers, her intelligent eyes boring into them. All of a sudden, Aramis felt very stupid.
“You don’t want to know,” he said guiltily.
She cocked her head. “Then I won’t ask. But this,” she pointed at Aramis’ nose,”needs to be set before the swelling gets any worse.”
“Do you think you can fix it?” Aramis asked with new hope.
Sister Marie gently probed his injured face, feeling for the break, and Aramis bit his lip while his eyes began to water again.
“Yes,” she finally stated. “Feels like a clean break. But we have to do it now and you must follow my instructions. Diligently.”
Aramis nodded. Of course he would if she saved him from looking like a monstrosity for the rest of his life. He hadn’t looked in a proper mirror yet, but on the way here, he’d seen his reflection in a window, and it was horrendous.
Sister Marie looked around the infirmary.
“We need cold water, a bowl, a towel, some wool and horsetail tincture. And my comfrey poultice from the cabinet. Thank the Lord I brought a large jar!“
Porthos nodded and fetched what was needed. Often enough, he’d helped Aramis take care of wounded comrades, and he knew his way around the infirmary. If Aramis hadn‘t been so anxious, dreading what was to come, he‘d be proud of him now.
Everything laid out within reach, Sister Marie pushed a bowl into Aramis‘ lap.
“Here,“ she said matter-of-factly. “Hold this. No need to ruin the floorboards, and it’ll keep your hands out of your face.”
Aramis grimaced.
“Are you ready?”
Taking a deep breath through his mouth, Aramis steeled himself. This would not be pretty.
“Yes. Do it.”
Porthos stepped behind him, holding his shoulders. Without hesitation, sister Marie clasped Aramis’ nose between her fingers and gave it a quick, hard wrench. Aramis, eyes widening in shock, felt the bone snap back into place. The pain was monumental. The middle of his face seemed to explode. Briefly, his vision blackened, and he bent low over the bowl in his hands, blood dripping into it, waiting to either throw up or pass out.
“Oh God..” he moaned.
Tears streamed down his cheeks, and waves of nausea washed over him. He felt a cold cloth on his forehead and then at the back of his neck.
“Deep breaths through your mouth, Aramis,” he heard Sister Marie say. “Deep and slow..”
A hand - Porthos’ or hers - was rubbing circles across his back. It helped. Or maybe the pain simply lessened as he sat there and breathed.
Finally, he was able to lift his head and let Sister Marie inspect her work.
“Is it straight?” he asked, trepidation and the swelling making his voice sound strange.
Sister Marie smiled triumphantly.
“Good as new! Once the swelling goes down, that is. And you’ll have to be very careful!”
Porthos slapped Aramis’ shoulder - gently..
“You lucky bastard!
Aramis sighed in relief.
He still had a few unpleasant minutes to suffer through: Sister Marie stuffed both his nostrils with wool dipped into horsetail tincture, and Aramis didn’t know what was worse - the stink or the pain. Afterwards, she had him sit in his chair for an eternity, carefully cooling his swollen face with cold cloths. When his nose at least stopped swelling and the bleeding had stopped, she moved him to one of the beds and applied a thick layer of comfrey poultice to the bridge of his nose that dried out into a hard, itchy crust.
“It’ll peel off, and we will have to reapply it once or twice a day, depending on how good you are at lying still.”
Porthos frowned at her.
“He’ll have to stay in bed?”
“For a few days, yes. I want the bone to start growing back together before you move around again,” the nun explained, giving Aramis an encouraging pat on the leg. “And you’ll have to be extremely careful afterwards. No musketeering for you for a few weeks, I’m afraid.”
Aramis didn’t care. In bed, his head aching and his nose feeling twice its normal size, he was tired and grateful. He knew he was in for a lecture from Treville, and once Athos found out- Aramis swallowed. Athos was going to kill him. And he’d be the target of endless teasing from d’Artagnan.
None of that mattered now. Thanks to Sister Marie, he would not have to live with a disfigured face, although he knew he would probably deserve it. He’d learned his lesson this time. The next time a married woman - any woman - turned her head to smile at him, he would look the other way.
“I can’t thank you enough,” he said to Sister Marie, meaning it with all his heart. “You are a godsend!”
The nun nodded, rolling her eyes in playful reprimand.
“And you are a sinner, Aramis of the King’s Musketeers.” She chuckled. “But it seems even God is a little in love with your handsome face.”
(You can also read and comment on this story on AO3:)
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Prince Park Jinyoung~ Royal!AU
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WARNINGS:  Fluff, Jinyoung Being A Gentleman. (I’m probably forgetting something)
A/N: Fair warning, I did not proof read this, but I will at a later date. How is everyone doing? This is the fourth headcanon for the Royal/Prince!AU, I hope you enjoy it!
Prince Jinyoung is very intelligent, sophisticated, and courteous.
A true gentleman, while most people of nobility or royalty wouldn’t even think about opening a door for their female servants, Jinyoung does it with a smile.
His parents were wonderful, they were proud of the man they had raised.
If the King wasn’t available, Jinyoung would accompany the Queen when she went on strolls through the park.
The Queen and King had a private tutor for him, but unlike Mark’s parents, they did not shelter him.
He was still allowed to go outside and play with the kids, as long as a guard was nearby.
He had a liking for art and theatre, and he loved going to the shows that were put on every 2 weeks.  
He was a hopeless romantic, so of course he loved plays involving romance more than the others.
He loved literature with a passion.
In his quarters, he had a tall bookcase full of books he had read multiple times.
The genre of books he had were made up of history, romance, mystery, poetry, and adventure.
The books were passed down to him by his parents, and because there wasn’t a book shop in town, he never had any new books.
One day, two siblings moved into an abandoned shop and renovated the entire place, opening a book shop to the public.
When the Prince had heard about the new book shop, he was thrilled, he immediately left the palace and went into town. 
His mind raced with thoughts about what genres he would find, how many books would be there, and how many he would be able to carry.
 As he slowly opened the shop door and walked carefully inside, he silently gasped at the amount of books there were. Jinyoung walked along the bookcases and took in the earthy aromas around him, he trailed his hand along the shelf as he started to feel at peace. 
He turned the corner and noticed a figure putting books away on a wooden ladder, the ladder had wheels and was attached to the bookcase so you could move while standing on it. 
You were too preoccupied to hear Jinyoung enter the store but thank god he was there, as you were about to place the last book on the shelf, the step you were on snapped and you fell backwards. Jinyoung swiftly caught you before you hit the floor, once you got back onto your feet you turned to thank who you thought was your brother. 
“Thanks, I shou-” 
You stopped and widened your eyes as you realized it wasn’t your brother; it was the Prince. You immediately bowed and started apologizing, he waved his hand and chuckled, “There is no need for any of that, are you okay?” Jinyoung asked softly, before you could reply your brother walked in. 
“What was that noise??” He asked, standing just out of sight from Jinyoung. “The ladder broke while I was putting books on the shelves, but I’m okay! I was caught before I hit the floor...” “By who-” Your brother takes a few steps forward before cutting his sentence off with shock, he then bows to Jinyoung, “Prince Jinyoung, it’s an honor.” 
“Thank you, but you don’t have to bow to me, I am just a customer,” Jinyoung smiled, he noticed the book you were holding before you fell was on the ground. He bends down to pick it up and hands it to you, you let out a shy thanks and placed it on your desk. 
“You said you were a customer? Is there anything specific you were looking for?” you inquired, your brother started replacing the ladder step as you helped Jinyoung. 
“Yes, I have only read the books on my shelves and I’m in search for something new, but I’m not sure what.” Jinyoung started as he looked around at all the books, “There are so many books in here, I’m not even sure where to start.” You nod with a smile, finding the way his eyes lit up enchanting, he looked so content with being here. 
“Okay, what’s your favorite type of book to read?” 
“Romance, and mystery.” 
You motioned for him to follow you as you headed for two bookcases, he eagerly followed you and listened as you explained which books were which.
“So, this section right here is romance,” you told him, pointing to the large bookcase before turning around. “And this section is mystery.” 
Jinyoung smiled brightly at you, “Thank you!” “No problem. Let me know if there is anything you need, and feel free to look at any book you want to.” Jinyoung browsed the store for hours, before finally coming up to you, “Only one book?” you curiously ask, he chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, there is plenty more I’d like to read but I’d like to read one book at a time.” 
Jinyoung reached for his coin purse on his side but you stopped him, “You don’t have to, consider this a gift and a thank you for catching me,” you insist. 
Jinyoung shakes his head, “That’s very kind of you, however I respectfully decline it,” he then places a few gold coins in your hand, which is a very considerable amount for a book that only costs silver coins. “I know this is more than I’m supposed to give you but consider this a payment in advance for the next time I’m here.” Jinyoung explained. 
You both say your goodbyes and he starts to head for the door, turning at the last second just to get one more look at you.  
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ahatintimepieces · 4 years
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The Start of New Moons
Soooooo I really wanted to write something for @fedoraspooky‘s weresnoodle au especially after reading the rp with @lovelycoris so here’s Lukas’ first night transforming into a weresnoodle hungry for souls! Beware painful transformation scenes and a fox does not make it out of this alive but there’s not a too graphic depiction of it but fair warning all the same! Please enjoy!
Lukas ran a hand through his reddish-brown curls, scratching absentmindedly at his scalp, as he tried to focus on the textbook in front of him. Usually, studies or a good story were enough to distract anxious thoughts but today was different. His heart occasionally skipped a beat, causing his chest to tighten uncomfortably, and he found himself sighing frequently due to forgetting to breathe. His teeth, particularly his canines, ached from what he assumed was clenching his jaw too much.
Scratching at his chest, he closed the textbook with a sigh and pushed to his feet. He stretched out his arms, favoring the still tender spot on his right bicep. A quick glance out the library window told him it was late in the day. Remembering that Vanessa had retired to her room early for a nap, he figured he best go check on her and see if she was ready for dinner.
Though he often had a difficult time eating when nerves overwhelmed him—evident by his forgetting to eat lunch earlier that afternoon—he found he was famished and yearned for some protein. Eager to join his love and eat, he walked briskly through the manor, heading to her bedroom.
“Princess?” He tapped on the door that was opened a crack. The door squeaked open and he hesitated before peering in. He found her room was empty but noted the electric blue forget-me-not she had tucked into a vase on her desk. Smiling, he calmly backed out of the doorway. He shut the door and decided to stop by his room to grab his surprise before heading down to dinner.
In his room, his suitcase was half-filled at the far corner by the bookshelf. He had started packing few days ago, hoping to return to Lucidia to spend some time with his father and brother. But Vanessa had insisted he stay for the weekend in Subcon, after a woeful reprimanding from her mother.
It had been his fault, really. Lukas had convinced Vanessa to sneak out into the village with him and took her to a flower field. Her mother had found out and Lukas could hear the yelling from his room. As soon as he had been able, he hurried to Vanessa’s side, finding her trembling with the tips of her fingers blue. Upon seeing him, she had immediately clasped her freezing hands around his right bicep and the ice burned through his shirt and into his skin. He had to grit his teeth to avoid wincing, but when he saw her features, he found it easier to forget about the pain in his arm. Tears had streamed from her eyes, coalescing into snowflakes that floated down to their feet. She had begged him with a cracking voice to stay, reminding him that he had suggested the excursion in the first place and that she was so miserable without him. He had agreed to stay, desperate to help his beloved feel safe and sound.
Regardless, he hadn’t unpacked his suitcase, as if stalling would magically open up a chance for him to return home. He loved Vanessa, but he missed his family with an ache.
Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he crossed over to the bookshelf and removed a book of poetry he had purchased from the village. He opened to the page with a collection of forget-me-nots he had pressed for Vanessa.
The sunlight streaming in through the window blazed orange as dusk began to stretch across the sky.
While Vanessa didn’t usually read poetry, he had thought the collection of love poems might cheer her heart and make her think of him, whenever she read them.
His heart lurched in his chest as a wave of anxiety washed over him. He frowned, scratching at his shirt as he tried to figure out what was making him feel so unsettled. Shades of pink and purple painted the twilight.
Closing the book gently, he took a step forward, intending to start for the kitchen, but the restlessness itched from his core and through his entire body. Dread overwhelmed him and he found his hands were quaking. Placing the poetry book down on his bed, he stared, bewildered, at his shaking hands. What—?
Nightfall covered the land and Lukas’ spine snapped as pain blazed in his chest.
He yelped, bringing his hands to his chest and hunching over. His stomach felt as hot as molten steel and his insides felt like they were melting. Horrid pops and cracks resounded as bones shifted under his skin. Dropping forward, Lukas gripped at the carpet, yelling as his clothes shrunk and pressed painfully at his flesh.
Tufts of purple fur bled from his hands like shadows. His reddish-brown locks in his eyes shifted into a similar shade as his chest expanded. The rip of his shirt and pants accompanied the tumultuous tear of muscles as his back lengthened and his legs stretched. Fingers melted together and claws slid against the carpet. His legs melted painfully together, and he stretched out his neck as his jaw split and reassembled into a glowing maw, his canines shifting toward the front of his mouth.
Lukas let out an inhuman scream, squeezing his eyes shut to block out the pain.
“Lukas?” Vanessa’s clear voice called.
The door slammed open and the beast open his eyes, which glowed as golden as the harvest moon. He only felt two things.
Pain. And hunger.
The creature let out a low growl, pushing a step back with drawn claws. Golden liquid dripped from his hanging jaw as he eyed the woman’s bright, enticing soul. A quick sniff told him the soul would be cool but soothing enough to ebb the pain of the shifting shadows that made up his body. Drool poured from his maw and he hunched into a hunting position.
“Lukas?” The woman’s eyes darted to the tattered clothes surrounding him and fearful tears welled up in her eyes, her features contorting into despair and horror.
The creature hissed, tail wiggling as he readied to pounce. Since she was distracted, it would be easy to snap the soul from her body and swallow the enticing supper. He was so hungry.
An ache in his chest urged him to stop. The creature paused as the woman started hyperventilating. Suddenly, the creature felt a wave of sorrow and guilt larger than his hunger. He whined, pawing unhelpfully at the carpet.
“What did you do?” Vanessa screeched, her hands becoming swallowed in the same pale blue that matched her soul.
The creature flinched back, tail thumping anxiously as he felt a phantom ache on his arm that he didn’t understand. He looked towards the window, locating the escape route. With one last hungry glance at her soul and one last pulse of shame, the creature crashed through the window.
Being as the bedroom had been on the second floor, the creature dropped down clumsily into the rose bushes below. Thorns cut into his fur and he whined. But hunger pushed him forward and his claws tore at the earth as his tail snaked behind him. He crossed the bridge as the warm summer night grew considerably colder.
There was a village in front of him. A plethora of souls could be sensed, and his mouth watered. But… no… something stopped him with a drum of an anxious heart. The beast pawed at his face and growled before turning towards the forest.
Yes. Good. Animals to hunt.
Not people. Anything but a person.
The creature practically flew into the woods, growling as the air began to frost. The creature, uncomfortable, hissed and flames licked at the corners of his glowing mouth. Warmth filled his core and he moved on, quickly locating the soul of fox already fleeing from the cold. Licking his flaming jaws, the shadowy beast took off after the fox and swiftly caught up to it.
Clamping burning jaws around the fox’s neck, the shadow beast sucked up its soul in one bite. The soul merged with the beast’s consuming shadows, curbing his itching appetite. Then, the creature finished off the fox in easy bites. While he crunched his meal, he barely registered the thickening frost in the air.
Bark of the trees cracked as ice formed in tree rings. The frozen grass chipped under the beast’s weight. Storm clouds formed overhead.
The creature, satisfied with his meal and suddenly feeling the weight of exhaustion on his eyelids, let out a noisy yawn, stretching out his back before coiling up. The beast fell into a deep sleep as snowflakes started to fall.
The beast slept until the sun began to rise. Discomfort itched through his body and he stretched out his tail, uncoiling as he felt himself shrink. Growling, he rolled onto his stomach, clasping at grass as claws receded into human hands. Awful sounds of bones popping back into place disrupted the silence of the forest. Lukas tensed as his tail divided back into legs. When the transformation finished, he let out a worn sigh, aching all over.
His mind was fuzzy and his mouth felt dry. Wanting nothing more than to lay there, he would have until something icy brushed his hand.
“Nnngh?” Lukas jerked up, his back popping painfully. Holding himself up on trembling arms, he winced as bright white snow assaulted his vision.
“Snow?” He wondered; his tongue thick in his mouth. In summer? Wait. Why was he in the forest?
And where were his clothes?
He yelped, turning around and staring at his bare legs. Panic gripped his chest as the ice encroached upon the patch of grass he had been laying on. He tried to scramble to his feet, but his legs felt as steady as a house of cards. Dropping back down onto the ice, he shivered.
“Calm down,” Lukas muttered to himself, forcing steady breaths. He could figure this out. The last thing he remembered was grabbing the poetry book he wanted to give to Vanessa. He remembered he was heading to the kitchen and then—
Oh. Oh no.
It was difficult to discern exactly what had happened, but he remembered changing and hurting and then he remembered Vanessa coming in. Vanessa. The snow must have been hers.
He willed himself onto shaking and now shivering legs. Taking a cautious step forward, he managed to keep himself upright despite how his weak legs threatened to buckle. He stumbled through the forest, leaning onto frozen trees and grabbing frozen bushes as he went. Every movement aggravated his sore bones and the closer he got to the manor, the colder the air got.
Nearing the edge of the forest, he looked down at himself, flushing. Snapping a nearby cluster of branches from a bush, he awkwardly held it over his waist for cover. Once he left the forest, the frozen land before him caused his heart to drop to his stomach.
“No,” he gasped, his warm breath milky white. “No, this can’t be.”
The stone bridge to the manor had crumbled, with large boulders encased in the river of ice below. Massive shards of ice surrounded the manor, closing it off from the world.
Lukas shook his head, his breathing becoming more and more panicked as he recalled the fear in Vanessa’s eyes when he had almost—the thought made him feel sick.
Nausea twisted his stomach and he felt something rise. He raised a fist to his mouth, coughing. A thick wad of acid and ashes entered his mouth and he hacked up a bundle of singed orange fur. He spat the wad out of his mouth, groaning at the stray hairs on his tongue.
Ugh! What was—?
The memory of his teeth around a fox’s neck flashed to the forefront of his mind and he paled.
He had really—He had really turned into a monster.  
He gave one remorseful look at the manor before turning to the village, swallowing thickly.
Vanessa’s magic had always been fueled by her emotions. The frost scars on his shivering body were consequences of it. But… he usually was the one who comforted her and helped her tame the ice. He had never been the source of her fear. And now, there was so much ice because of how he had frightened her.
Concerned for the villagers, he trudged carefully across the ice. The pads of his already-tired feet ached with each step and being naked in a frozen village was less than ideal but despite his chattering teeth, he was somehow okay.
When he got close enough to the road, he ducked behind a bush and snuck behind objects as he adjusted the placement of the frozen bush in his hands, looking for anyone also confused by or investigating the ice. But the village was coated in an eerie silence.
“Excuse me?” Lukas called, getting more and more worried. Finally, he spotted someone in the street, arm outstretched. The person’s back was to Lukas. Lukas ducked closer, realizing he was by the bookstore. He hid modestly behind an ice-encased fence.
After all, it wouldn’t do for a prince to appear indecent!
“Hello? My sincerest apologies, but I—hello?” Lukas’ heartbeat quickened when the person remained unmoving.
Modesty be darned, Lukas hurried forward.
“Sir—” he reached out a hand but paused when he realized a layer of blue ice coated the person before him. Lukas darted around the frozen statue and found himself looking at Tucker, who had been waving at one of the village children—also frozen—with a book in their hands.
The petrified scene before him nearly tore his heart in two. No. No. He whipped his head around, his bangs tumbling into his eyes. He brushed back his hair and noted a couple more statues.
Had everyone been frozen?
Why was he okay?
A tightness squeezed his chest as a lump formed in his throat. He shivered in the cold and he realized whatever kept him from becoming an ice statue himself would probably not last much longer.
Since he couldn’t get into the manor, he would have to scavenge for clothes and—he added with a rumbling stomach—food. He glanced at Tucker. Having spent long hours discussing literature or studies with the shopkeeper, Lukas determined Tucker wouldn’t mind him borrowing some clothes.
It took a couple yanks, but Lukas finally managed to pry open the frozen door to the bookstore and he slipped inside, relieved to be out of the cold. He quickly found Tucker’s bedroom and got dressed in a simple tunic and pair of pants. Lukas found Tucker’s old cloak, no doubt from his days as a traveler. Lukas paused, rubbing a trembling thumb over the cloak as he remembered the tales of the world Tucker had often shared with him.
“Forgive me, Tucker,” he whispered, his voice cracking.
He tied the cloak around himself and set to work. He felt awful for essentially raiding Tucker’s shop, even grabbing a book about curses and a book by an author he had been eying for awhile and adding them to the pack he had filled with food and a handful of coins. Promising he would compensate Tucker if a few miracles occurred, he snagged a few more articles of clothing and even some parchment and a quill with a small vial of ink.
“Apologies,” he offered sheepishly to Tucker’s frozen statue as he left the bookstore with a hefty pack on his aching back. The sky above him darkened with storm clouds and he glanced back at the manor, where the clouds seemed to be thick with snow. Lukas bit his lip and yelped at the sharp pain that accompanied it.
Lifting a wary hand to his mouth, he tapped his canines, which had sharpened considerably since the last time he had checked. He frowned, his heart pounding.
Vanessa—Vanessa should be okay in the manor. The ice wouldn’t freeze her. And while he ached to go and make sure she was okay, the memory of how she had looked at him in his monstrous form gave him pause. He couldn’t face her now, not when he was so confused and… well… scared himself.
With a new wave of ice magic threatening to further bury the village in snow, Lukas fled.
He fled the frozen villagers and his princess, promising he would return as soon as he figured out what had happened to him and how to fix it. He anxiously scratched at his neck as Subcon disappeared behind him.
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tsbikersau · 3 years
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Christmas Special
Hi folks! this one is a bit different from the other ones. I feel like you deserve a heads up as to what you’re about to read: the first half is crack-like, if not crack in the best way possible (it was really fun to write and i hope it will be as fun to read). The second half is much, much softer (and shippier), so please, do get through the not-so-serious bit!
This is in the canon world but you may take it as a “what if” or just a parralell universe, or something that can happen in the future. This is NOT connected to what’s happening next in the main storyline at this point.
For everyone who celebrates Christmas, have fun celebrating, don’t eat too much and if you do, don’t feel bad about it, it’s Christmas, if not now then when?
For anyone who doesn’t but still gets to have a break, really do take at least a full one day off to relax and reload batteries. It won’t hurt if you give yourself just that one day, I promise.
For everyone reading, I hope you’ll like it!
Oh, and it’s a slight swearing warning for this one!
Word count: 1810
Craaaaaaash
Okay, that was more than enough, Logan thought as he stood up with enough force to shake the desk if he happened to hit it – which, fortunately for all the papers that were scattered on it, he did not – and walked to the door only to open it equally as abruptly.
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
He knew that there were people doing things in his garage, of course he did, there always were people doing things in his garage while on the clock, after all, it was their job which they were getting paid for. What they didn’t get paid for was destroying the living shit out of the whole working space.
Logan didn’t know what to focus on first. Patton was standing over a pile of spare parts that was probably the source of the loud noise, Logan deduced, as Patton was looking extremely guilty upon seeing his boss in the door, and started smiling apologetically.
Looking a bit further away, Remus was cackling because whatever he was trying to help Patton built just came undone and for some reason he found that hilarious – Logan grew concerned at the sound of said cackling, to the point of wondering if the noise that finally alarmed him wasn’t by change the man itself.
At the other corned there was Virgil crouching on a table, with his phone in his hand. Why did he have to be up there to record whatever was happening, Logan had no idea, and frankly, he was so used to the oddities of his fellow mechanics that he might have as well let this one slide.
As soon as he noticed that the phone is not directed at the pair opposite to him but slightly to the side, his eyes followed suit and he saw Roman on a stool, trying to put a star on top of a tree that was way too big for the small space it got crammed into (when did he even manage to bring this thing to the garage?), the racer just barely keeping his balance. So the question why Virgil was even recording got answered.
“What the HELL is going on here”, Logan finally found his voice and yes, that was the question that was the most important. He threw a look that clearly transferred the message of ‘clean this up’ at Patton and the pile, which finally made the man move, maybe a bit too quickly because he stumbled on one of the parts and had to be caught by Remus in order not to fall and slice his face open, to which Virgil’s instinct turned on the “action mode”, and he was right beside the pair in no more than two seconds.
The fact that he, too, in his haze stumbled on his own feet didn’t go unnoticed, but he caught himself without help and was soon asking Patton if he was alright.
Seeing all of that unfold in just a few seconds, Logan started moving from the doorway to stand beside Roman in case he was the next one to stumble. He didn’t think about that too much, acting on instinct for once in his life.
Lo and behold, Roman got startled when he glanced over to check if everyone’s still alive and saw Logan right there, causing him to wobble on the unsteady stool and fall right into Logan’s arms.
The impact came unexpectedly and made them both tumble to the ground after a quick second when both of them thought Logan would be able to keep them upright (which he certainly could have, he just wasn’t ready for the momentum to be this strong).
(Roman would be very impressed and very flustered, so while a part of him was wailing because of the embarrassing situation and the fact that his ego got bruises too, a small part of him was glad that at least he wasn’t blushing like crazy staring up at the nerd from his arms).
They both got up from the ground, groaning, accompanied by the very same inhumane cackle from before, to which Roman answered with a middle finger as soon as he finished dusting himself off.
“Can somebody, please, explain to me what is happening?” Logan asked once again, scanning the room once more as well, noticing more Christmas decorations on the walls and stopping to give each of the men in the room a few seconds of his unfiltered stern look.
“Christmas is coming!”, came the answer from Patton, though he soon regretted bringing the attention to himself as Logan focused his eyes on him. “So… We thought… We could decorate a bit?”. He moved his hand to adjust his collar and glasses, realising that it might not have been the greatest idea.
“In the garage?”. Logan raised his brow, voice steady.
A nod.
“With all of the materials scattered everywhere?”
Another nod, more unsure. The rest of their little group starting to grow concerned of how calmly Logan was taking it.
He just took a deep breath and sighed, pinching his nose.
“Just clean this mess up”, he motioned to whatever was meant to be done from all those metal that still laid on the floor, “and you can focus on that tree since it’s already there”, he added, knowing that if they had a star, they must have had other decorations as well.
Patton squealed and jumped to give Logan a quick hug before he could really change his mind.
Virgil was smiling slightly as he bent down to start cleaning up, seeing as Patton got immediately pulled to the tree, forgetting of the first request Logan made. He didn’t really mind that.
“Thanks, Lo”, he heard right next to him, looking at the racer for a second before asking him to not let Patton try and get the highest branches and leaving for his office once more, this time hoping for no such disruptions.
***
It was after a few hours, when Logan had heard them say goodbye and the space behind his door grow more and more quiet with each bout of time when he finally finished all that his position required him to do. He was finally free to close up and rest.
He stretched before standing up, fingers rubbing at his eye under his glasses as he made sure everything was turned off and got ready to leave. Long hours in front of the computer were never the softest on his eyes, but it was nothing he couldn’t manage.
The main lights in the garage were off, but the strings of Christmas lights his mechanics used to line the walls were strong enough to cast everything in a moderately strong glow, while also making the place look quite cosy.
He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the tree, somehow organised in its disarray.
“Oh, you’re still here?”, a voice said suddenly, startling Logan a bit before the figure of the star racer came into view. “You shouldn’t work so late”.
“There is nothing I can do about that”, he answered simply, watching the other walk towards him before stopping at his side, turned so that he could look in the same direction.
Roman hummed a short sound before changing the subject. “The lights really set the mood, huh? Wonderous how just a few strings of colourful lights make everything look so different.”
Logan didn’t say anything to that, letting himself drink in the quiet and peace of the place that’s usually full of chatter and different machine sounds, from the roar of the engines to the clattering of accidentally dropped tools.
He let himself close his eyes just for a second, fully enveloped in the pleasant surroundings, forgetting about Roman being there in the first place. This was his safe heaven, owned by him, giving him the means to support himself and to be himself with the company of his own choosing.
He was brought back to the reality when he heard a small laugh from the side, immediately frowning at the conclusion that it must be directed at him, but when he looked at his companion his eyes were cast upon the ceiling, confusing him for a second.
“Roman”, he spoke up, tone level, when he followed his fellow’s line of sight. “Did you put mistletoe in my garage?”.
This question made Roman laugh out loud, the sound tinted with surprise and humour.
“I didn’t! I would have remembered if I did, Mr. Big Boss”. Roman looked at him, smiling, and that’s when the situation fully set in and Logan’s heart started to beat a little faster.
The fairly lights and the dimness of the rest of the garage, just how close they were, the smile shining all the way to Roman’s eyes that moved away from Logan , leaving him staring at Roman’s profile – there was something that made the whole situation feel like a dream.
The silence, though, was getting prolonged. Not tense, not asking for one of them to break it, but prolonged.
“I do think traditions should be celebrated, but I don’t demand it”, Roman said after a while, casual, keeping his voice vague enough so that his words may be easily converted into a topic for conversation rather than hinting at the sole action.
Somehow, that was the thing that made Logan feel the warmth of the season even more, or maybe it was just the warmth of Roman as a person? He was sure there was no other who could make their consent clear without any pressure on the other person to act on it in any way, and to do it in such gentle and clear way without being explicit…
Well, Logan was always partial to poetry.
And there is was, a kiss on the cheek, nothing more than the slightest brush of lips, to fulfil the tradition Logan would never predict he’d want to fulfil.
"Thank you" Logan said quietly after moving back just a tad, lingering close for a short second longer, looking at Roman's face with consideration before moving back to stand in their previous position, side by side, looking at the decorated interior. He wasn’t entirely sure how Roman would interpret that gratitude, but it didn’t matter at the time.
As soon as he moved, Roman's eyes glanced at him, the smallest bit of the smile he was desperately trying to hold back showing through, making Logan smile the slightest bit as well.
Roman stepped to the side, closing the distance once again, making their hands brush but not making any moves to do anything else. It was nice, Logan more felt than thought. The contact was relaxed and unobtrusive, open but not demanding. They both felt like this was enough, at least for now.
It was quite an eventful day and that peaceful moment was its ideal conclusion.
-----------------
Masterpost
Tag list: @mxxangel @mariita-2006 @compactdiscdraws
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Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 19
Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼
Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi
This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.
Chapter Index
Chapter 19 - Confuse
When he left, the crowd was gone. The corridor was empty. The old custodian didn’t even turn on the ceiling light to save electricity. Only the wall lamp glowed a dull yellow. Lin Yan’s face drained of all colour. He suddenly felt like he was in a horror movie. He was the lead actor stumbling along the wall in a terrifying corridor.
The professor's story made him feel incredibly afraid. Behind him was a ghost, a murderer who put people to death in a cruel and bloody way. He didn't even dare to look behind him. He was afraid that when he turned around, a ghost covered in bloodstains would be there, grinning sinisterly at him through a veil of long hair, saying: It's your turn.
Lin Yan's breathing became heavier and heavier. When he couldn't resist the urge to run away, he was suddenly pushed harshly against the wall. His body was wrenched around. Lin Yan raised his head and squeezed his eyes shut.
"Stay away from me." Lin Yan said flatly: ". . . I don't want to die like this."
He bit his lip and pushed at Xiao Yu, but the ghost entangled himself around him and sucked at his neck fiercely. Lin Yan turned his head and stubbornly refused to look at him. He felt that he should be scared, but he couldn't even understand the feeling in his heart. It was unpleasant. It took Lin Yan a minute before he realized that the emotion he was feeling was disappointment.
He was disappointed with the ghost.
". . . Lin Yan" Xiao Yu seemed to be anxious too. He gently rocked Lin Yan's body. His hands slid off his shoulders, and stopped on Lin Yan's small and slender wrist. Pressing his fingers onto his pulse point. feeling his racing heart, he clasped Lin Yan's hands, intertwining their fingers.
The cold hands felt like they were made of fine porcelain, and his fingers were devoid of warmth.
"How could you be so cruel? Even if they entered your tomb with bad intentions, all you had to do was scare them away. You let a woman kill her husband and slit her own throat. How could you do that?!" Lin Yan yanked his hand out of Xiao Yu's. Everything he wanted to say seemed to be stuck in his throat; all he could think about was the ghost. He had protected this man during the events in the temple, and he rested on his chest obediently in the car. When he was onstage, he comforted him when he saw him having bad stage fright. Lin Yan thought he must be out of his mind, otherwise how could he feel so wronged by the shamelessness of this ghost?
The ghost was so strong that Lin Yan couldn't get away no matter how hard he struggled. Xiao Yu pressed into him, his cold body holding him against the wall. Lin Yan helplessly bowed his head, but Xiao Yu dragged his chin to the side and pushed his lips delicately onto his.
"I owe it to you for disturbing your tomb." Lin Yan said wearily: "Get it over with. Just leave my body in one piece."
Xiao Yu's voice took on a bit of urgency as he said in a hushed voice: ". . . I don't want to hurt you." After speaking, he seemed to be unable to think of anything else to say. He stepped back a few steps and caught Lin Yan's hand. On his palm, he stroked: "They deserve to die."
Lin Yan withdrew his hand. He shook his head and stepped back, turning around and stumbling along the corridor and started running. After he got a few metres away, he couldn't help looking back. The ghost was still standing in the same place, the hem of the blood suit fluttering from the gust he made when he rushed away. He looked at him with a sad and lonely glance.
Suddenly, Lin Yan couldn't move anymore, and he felt a pang in his heart. Like he said, this ghost had never hurt him. While, on the other hand, they, in the name of research, had destroyed this ghost's resting place and all the objects he had loved during his lifetime. The last memories he had from before his death were all put into a museum. Since then, he had become a lonely soul wandering around the world, sitting at the door of the ruined temple like a wild spirit in the western mountains in rainy weather, waiting centuries for someone to take him away.
Shouldn't ghosts be the bumps in the night that kill without mercy? Lin Yan knew that it was just his anger speaking at this point, but he couldn't control it. He thought maybe Xiao Yu could have been a good person. Lin Yan thought, maybe he was just lonely and resentful for too long.
. . . Lin Yan's own thoughts surprise him. Was. . . was he making excuses for the ghost?
It was a mess. It was all so messed up.
Lin Yan stood there for a while, and walked back slowly. The ghost seemed to be stunned. He waited until Lin Yan stood in front of him before he hesitantly stretched out his hand and pulled him into his arms. He quietly muttered: "Lin Yan. . ." He seemed to think over his words carefully, but the ghost was already determined to follow him, so he slowly said: "Don't go."
Xiao Yu hugged his waist tightly, rubbing his forehead lightly against the nook of his neck like a big docile cat that ran back to his master to beg for forgiveness after eating his dried fish. Lin Yan couldn't shake him off. The two of them lingered in the dark corridor for a while. He opened his eyes angrily, and yelled at the ghost with all his might: "Why can't I get rid of you?!"
Lin Yan tucked Xiao Yu's hair behind his ear, revealing a handsome face. The ghost dropped his eyes and didn't dare look at him. Lin Yan looked at him and laughed despite his frustration. He said softly with a sideways glance, "Why do you have to follow me?"
". . . Do you like me?"
Xiao Yu's expression relaxed, but his hands squeezed around his tighter. He quickly glanced up at Lin Yan, his eyes shining with expectation.
Lin Yan ran his finger through Xiao Yu’s hair and straightened it down, resting them on his back. In the past, scholarly poetry, calligraphy, music, horseback riding and archery were all available. Because of that, the muscles on his back were very firm. Lin Yan was taken aback. He hid his surprise and sighed: "I deserve all of this. I picked up a ghost after a good archeological internship."
Lin Yan took Xiao Yu's shoulders and looked at him earnestly: "Xiao Yu, you can stay if you want. I'll tell you if you do anything that hurts me. You can't touch any of my friends or anyone around me otherwise I'll go back to the monk and send you away."
A soft kiss fell onto his cheek, and Lin Yan smiled. He knew that for Xiao Yu, this reaction was akin to a promise. After getting used to how stubbornly intimate this ghost was, this kiss made him feel at ease. The power in the corridor was unstable, and the dark yellow wall lamp kept flickering. On any normal day, he would definitely want to get out of this horror movie scene as soon as possible. Today, he didn't feel any fear. What could be more terrifying than being held by a murderer? Lin Yan played with the long hair in his hands and said helplessly: "I don't want to talk about a ghost's morality. Let's go home. You can take a bath and change your clothes. You're shaving years off my life every time you appear and scare the crap out of me."
On the way home, Lin Yan recalled the PSP guy’s shit-eating expression. He whistled happily while listening to his CD, occasionally glancing over at the passenger seat. Xiao Yu was resting on the dark green seat cushion. Lin Yan couldn't help but secretly smile. Since Weiwei had broken up with him half a year ago, no one had been there to accompany him home. While waiting for the red light, Lin Yan raised his hand and brush aside the messy hair covering Xiao Yu's face. The ghost woke up in a daze. His eyes opened and looked over at Lin Yan. Seeing that there was nothing wrong, he closed them again and went back to sleep.
Actually. . . he was almost like a Tibetan mastiff or something like that. Lin Yan's heart beat with happiness. If he were a dog, if Lin Yan was able to take care of him, there shouldn't be any problems with him staying at his apartment. Either way, he still had more than two months left, enough for him to take his time investigating the situation. But it that didn't work. . . the monk would have to send him away.
Lin Yan's expression froze, and his heart twitched. He didn't even want to think about what would happen then.
Later, Lin Yan regretted it. He discovered that in addition to reading, writing, painting a counterfeit fan and being a scary ghost, Lin Yan found other characteristics that left him dumbfounded. When I arrived home at nine o’clock that evening, the small red voicemail light on his phone was flashing. Lin Yan picked it up and listened. The first message was from the little Daoist, saying that he had arrived home safely. The second one was Yin Zhou, saying that he hadn't found anything while searching through the database, but his relatives traveled to Lingyin Temple and bought a very effective amulet for Lin Yan to use if he needed it.
Lin Yan hesitated as he held the receiver and left a voicemail for Yin Zhou: "The lecture gave me some new information. I'm waiting for more news to meet up for an interview with someone."
"About the amulet. . . I don't need it for the time being." Turning his head with a guilty conscience, a silhouette could be vaguely seen in the dark living room. Xiao Yu was leaning on the sofa and waiting for him.
Lin Yan hung up the phone, and dragged Xiao Yu to the bathroom. After wiping down the bathtub and filling it with hot water, Lin Yan pulled the shower curtain aside and said, "I'll bring you new clothes after. Yours are soaked in blood. There's no way to clean them. I'll just throw them out and you can wear mine."
"Call me if the water gets cold."
Xiao Yu didn't move. Lin Yan wanted to go outside, but he started following him after just a few steps.
Lin Yan looked back with wide eyes: "You really can't go an hour without following me? Can't I wait for you outside? I won't run away, don't worry."
Xiao Yu glanced at the bathtub, naturally raised his arms and stretched them outwards.
Lin Yan didn't understand what that meant. He recalled the scenes of a TV drama he had seen, and tentatively asked: "You. . . you're not waiting for a maid to help you, are you?"
Xiao Yu actually nodded. Ten thousand grass mud horses stomped across Lin Yan's heart. He couldn't help shouting: "I don't have one in my house! I'm an adult so I just do it myself!"
"Hey, don't get ahead of yourself!"
Lin Yan tore into the ghost in his bathroom, and Xiao Yu looked at him with an unchanging, stoic look, waiting expectantly.
After several failed attempts to persuade him, Lin Yan angrily took off the traditional dress he had worn for the whole night, threw it on the chair, and harshly pressed his finger into Xiao Yu's forehead: "Give me a minute, let me go change my clothes and I'll be back to help the oh-so-great Young Master Xiao get changed and bathe."
Ten minutes later, Lin Yan slipped on his flip flops and reappeared in the bathroom. The ghost was still standing in the same spot. The blood-stained shirt was eerie in the light. There was no shadow under his feet, and the ghost had his head bowed with paint-black hair covering most of his face. If this were two weeks earlier, Lin Yan would have run out in fear, but now. . . Lin Yan sighed. He draped a towel over his shoulder and untied Xiao Yu's belt.
Lin Yan instinctively turned his face away when the blood-caked clothes fell to the ground and didn't dare peek over. All that was in his mind was the horrific image of dead people's intestines, and the rotting abdomen showed dense white bones, red new flesh, black rotting flesh. . . Xiao Yu lifted Lin Yan's chin with his fingers and forced him to turn his head. Lin Yan took a deep breath, gritted his teeth and fixed his gaze on Xiao Yu.
Unexpectedly, there were no bloody holes or exposed bones like he imagined. Instead, there was a beautiful body in front of Lin Yan. There were broad shoulders and a narrow waist, tight and strong muscles, and messy long hair hanging down to his waist. Lin Yan blushed. Ever since the last time this ghost had teased him to the point of needing to masturbate over it, he had reluctantly accepted the fact that he had feelings for men, and the image in front of him was absolutely vivid. Being in his twenties, coupled with the fact that he hadn't gotten any action in over half a year, Lin Yan couldn't help but internally moan, internally lusting over the thought of doing things with this man.
The bathtub had filled with hot water, and the whole room was covered with milky white mist. Lin Yan tested the temperature of the water, staring at the wall behind Xiao Yu's shoulders, and whispered, "It's okay, you can get in." After speaking, his face blushed again, and he gestured at Xiao Yu: "You can. . . take your pants off yourself."
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Alex Recommends: July Books
I hope you’ve all enjoyed a little more freedom over the last couple of weeks. Who knows how long this relaxation of lockdown rules will last but I, for one, am determined to make the most of the summer!
Mark and I are currently at the start of our hectic summer darting all over the country seeing people we love. He is now finally back in rehearsals for a production of Made In Dagenham, which opens in Stafford in October (fingers crossed!), so we’re fitting our summer in around that. 
Last weekend, we spent some time with some of my favourite people in Norfolk, strolling along the beach at Wells-next-the-Sea, walking dogs and exploring little villages. We were pretty lucky with the weather too. It wasn’t glorious sunshine but the rain held off and we could spend most of the time outside, which was lovely. 
I am trying to secure myself a more permanent, stable job because we would really like to buy a house together soon. We’ve seen some lovely, not completely extortionate, places online recently and I know I wouldn’t have to earn a huge amount for us to be able to afford them. Therefore, I am simply looking for a job that I know I would enjoy that pays a non-exploitative regular salary. You’d think that wouldn’t be too difficult to find but you’d be surprised! However, I am hopeful right now and I can only hope (yet again) that this drive to go for my dreams continues. 
I’ve read a lot of books this month. If you follow my blog regularly enough, you’ll have noticed that I posted a lot of reviews in July. I plan to do the same in August, despite my frequent travelling, so look out for my thoughts on some more recent releases. I have five more amazing July releases to share with you here. This was an incredible reading month for me and I can’t rave about these five books enough. I laughed, I cried, I gasped, I fell in love, I found comfort, I felt transported, I felt grounded -what more could you want?!
Hope you’re having a lovely summer so far and I know you’ll find something here to accompany you!
-Love, Alex x
FICTION: The Black Dress by Deborah Moggach.
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When Pru finds herself alone at the age of almost 70, she is at a bit of a loss as to what to do. She misses the life she had with her husband and craves the love of a good man again. After noticing a little black dress in the window of a charity shop, she thinks it will be perfect for an upcoming funeral. Only she realises mid-way through the ceremony that this isn’t the funeral she was supposed to attend. Yet no one is questioning her identity and in fact, everyone is very welcoming of her. So, she sees no problem in going to another one because well, why not? This is a wonderful story about healing and forgiveness. There were some big twists littered throughout the narrative that I certainly didn’t see coming as well as plenty of humour. The end of the book lands us in very recent history and I think it’s the first time I’ve read such a realistic account of the UK in lockdown. Ultimately, The Black Dress is a celebration of finding love in later life, letting go of the past and the undeniable passion that can be found in long-term friendships.
NON-FICTION: The Comfort Book by Matt Haig.
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Over the years, Matt Haig wrote himself notes that contained random thoughts and stories he came across, in order to inspire hope in his future self. These notes were intended to get him through the darkest times. As we tentatively emerge from the devastation of a global pandemic, Matt has published these notes and given them to us. This book is about finding comfort in the simple things in life and using the joy and hope that this gives us to reconnect with the world and each other. It comprises of a combination of Matt’s personal experiences, philosophy, poetry and history to celebrate the wonders of humanity. It includes stories from people who I hadn’t heard of but who have done amazing things. I really appreciated reading and being inspired by their achievements and yet it also made me feel that it’s ok to just be a good person and live my life well. The Comfort Book is an absolute must read if you’re looking for something to lift you up when it really feels like hope has completely gone.
MIDDLE-GRADE: The House On The Edge by Alex Cotter.
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Faith and her brother Noah live with their mother in The Lookout, a house balancing precariously on the edge of a cliff with centuries of history behind it. Their father has disappeared but Faith is sure that he’ll be back soon. Noah has become obsessed with ‘sea ghosts’ in the basement but Faith knows that they don’t exist. However, there is a large crack in the cliff, which seems to be getting bigger every day and then Noah disappears too. This is a wonderful middle-grade mystery about exploring and honouring family history. Faith is a very likeable, mature character with plenty of fire and determination to get to the bottom of things. She finds friendship in the most unlikely places too and despite the story being tinged with tragedy, there is so much heart and hope in it too.
ROMANCE: The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller.
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Every summer since she was a child, Elle and her family have visited The Paper Palace in the glorious setting of Cape Cod. Although she is a happily married mother of three in her fifties, last night Elle had sex with her oldest friend Jonas wihle their spouses were just the other side of the wall. Now, Elle needs to decide which path the rest of her life will take. This might be the best example of how to write a love triangle I’ve ever read. The characters are very real, flawed humans and I fully believed in them as real people. There is some truly stunning, immersive descriptions of Cape Cod that truly take you there. I could see the cabin reflections shimmering on the water, the sounds of the birds and raccoons in the forest, the smells of barbecues and the warmth of the sun on my skin. It’s also incredibly clever how The Paper Palace’s physical fragility yet resilience reflects Elle and Jonas’ relationship perfectly. It’s a heartbreaking, gritty read as we travel back through Elle’s life and witness abuse, crimes and grief but it’s a fantastic, intoxicating read that sweeps you up and holds you inside this devastating love story.
THRILLER: That Night by Gillian McAllister.
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While enjoying a holiday together in Verona, siblings Joe and Cathy Plant each get a phone call from their younger sister Frannie. Frannie has accidentally hit a man with the hire car and she needs help. On arriving at the scene of the crime, it’s immediately apparent that the man is dead and that the body must be buried. The Plant siblings have always been close but just how far will they each go to protect their deadly secret? This is a very tense plot and it runs a very good pace. The premise in itself is quite unique and I was constantly waiting for the truth to catch up to them yet they kept seemingly managing to swerve it. It’s about the fierce loyalty between siblings with a very satisfying ending that was simply delicious.
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nad-zeta · 4 years
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Hello! I sent a match-up rq for IkeVamp as anon by accident. I am a 5'4 INFJ girl. I like to read books and write poetry. Some people describe me as a chameleon since I fit in with everyone but that's because as an empath I easily understand people. I tend to have panic attacks a lot. I am also very bubbly and friendly. I have a habit of overworking and not taking care of myself when I am focused on work. I easily blush and get very flustered with the simplest act of affection. Thanks! Tag me
Hehe, thank you so much for the request dear❤☺! Hehe soz for making ya wait sooooo long! 😱😳I hope you enjoy this, love and I hope you have the best day! ❤🌻☺
So I match you with.................. Comte 
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It's no secret that for Comte it was love at first sight. This man has lived a looooong time, so the second his golden eyes glazed over you, as you were looking at one of Leonardo's paintings he knew. His heart started hammering in his chest, and a quiet voice whispered that you were the one. 
He shook his head, thinking the thought preposterous, he had stopped believing in soulmates a long time ago. He turned to leave when suddenly you gave his sleaves a gentle tug. He turned around, and the second those golden eyes locked with yours, his heart had been won. You smiled a bright smile as you handed him the dropped pocket watch. 
For the first time in this man's life, his heart was beating out of his chest, and his mind was blank. He felt like a silly teenager at the way he was rendered speechless, the second your hands touched. And he swore at that moment it was like a blot of electricity that had gone through him, sending a spark down his spine. 
He quickly gained his composure and smiled his all so charming smile as he thanked you. He had to shake his head from the silly little thoughts of soulmates and the ones. He had lived long enough to know not to get too attached. That, vampires, did not have the luxury of getting the destined soulmate and that he was fated to live out his eternal life alone. 
Sending another charming smile your way, he bid you farewell and made his way home, back the way he had come, a few days before. 
The charming smile and warm golden eyes of the mysterious man had stayed with you as you continued to explore the museum. You wondered around soon finding yourself before a large door, and curiosity must have killed the cat cause you found yourself gently pushing the door open, to explore further.
You suddenly found yourself in a completely new place. Gone were the white walls and tile floors of the museum. You were now surrounded by old fashioned wooden floors and wallpapered walls. You continued on with your explorations, walking in on a dinner attended by a variety of different characters. Before you could apologize and excuse yourself a familiar face caught your attention. Comte stared up at you in awe, just how on earth was it possible that you were now standing before him once more. He strode to your side, gently taking you hand in his to invite you to join them for dinner and the rest was history. 
You quickly befriended everyone in the mansion with your bubbly friendly personality. Cause you were a bit of a chameleon, you found yourself effortlessly blending in and adapting to life in the late 19th century. TBH all the residence adored you and saw you as a bit of a mother figure, being able to relate to and understand them. 
The one person who had taken the biggest liking to you, was the lord of the mansion himself. He loved that you got along so well with the residents of the mansion. He enjoyed that light airy feel you had that surrounding you and made a point of it to invite you to the garden for tea and snacks every day. He loved your bubbly personality, and the two of you would chat for hours on end about everything and anything. 
Comte had to laugh at the way you had adopted the role of mansion mom. Often when the residents would get up to mischief *cough Arthur cough* they would run to your side to avoid daddy Comte's wrath. You had Comte wrapped around your little finger, whether you knew it or not. If Arthur had taken a prank too far, he could be found hiding behind you, to avoid a Comte scolding session.
Comte realized rather quickly that you would get so involved in your work that you would simply forget to care for yourself. Often he would find you passed out in the library from exhaustion. He would usually let out a small sigh followed by the most tender smile, as he makes his way to your side to drape his jacket over you shoulders, before carefully picking you up and taking you back to your room. "Ma Cherie, you mustn't push yourself so hard," he gently whispers as he dusts a small kiss on your forehead as he tucks you into bed.
When you walk up later that night, you will wake up surrounded by the warmth of Comte's jacket and the sight of Comte sleeping on the edge of your bed. You can't help but smile as you run you finger through his golden locks.
Within seconds golden eyes flutter open to meet yours as he gives you with a lazy smile. "Ah your awake, you must be hungry, come, my dear let's go and get you some food." He then gently takes your hand in his and leads you to the kitchen to make you something to eat. You can't help but laugh as one would think that having lived as long as this man, he would be able to cook. Nope! Sabastian ran into the kitchen, panicked at the scent of smoke coming from the kitchen. He burst through the kitchen doors to find a small fire and both you in stitches laughing at Comte's lack of culinary skills to even make toast. Sabastian simply shakes his head with a slight chuckle at his lord and instructs both of you to wait in the dining room, while he whips up some food for the two of you.
Comte will be sure to visit you regularly to make sure you are taking care of yourself. He will legit whisk you away every lunchtime and take you out for lunch at a new cafe. If he sees you have been neglecting your sleep, he will invite you to his room and then lead you to his sofa. You will curiously eye the man as he gently guides your head to rest on his lap, as he starts to pull his finger through your hair with the softest of smiles, "you honestly make me worry, Ma Cherie, please rest for a little while." Sleep instantly finds you as he soothingly reads to you as he plays with you hair. 
This man will be by your side in a split second whenever you have a panic attack. He will wrap you up in is stong arms, as he soothingly traces small circles on you back, while telling you to focus on the sound of his heartbeat. He will help you get you breathing under control all while whispering the sweetest most encouraging word in your ears. "I am here Ma Cherie, I will always be here for you." Once you have finally got you breathing under control, he with tenderly caress you face as he wipes away all the fallen tears. It breaks his heart to see you so distressed. He will gently pick you up and take you to his room where he will spend the rest of the day cuddling with you. 
This man loves to tease you! Loves how flustered you get at any signs of affection. He will legit surprise you with little acts of affections like small lil kisses or hugs just to see the blush spread across your face. 
Often, the two of you are spending time together. Sometimes you are simply just in the same room, each busy with their own tasks. After finding you, Comte can't bear the thought of being parted from you, so he will spend as much time as possible by your side. Sometimes this boi gets lonely while working alone in his office, so he will bring his work with him to your room and just plop himself down beside you reading on your bed and continue working. He will most definitely occasionally kiss you hand or cheek, as the two of you continue with your own task snuggled side by side. Sometimes the man wonders how he ever survived without you in his life, as you bring so much light and love into his life that he has never known. 
Loves the fact that you are such a bubbly friendly chameleon, cause his job requires him to make many appearances at different balls and banquets, and as the love of his life, he is always more than thrilled when you accompany him. The room is always dazzled by the two of you cuties. Each of you charming the crowd in your own special way, to build up and foster new business connection. The two of you honestly suit each other perfectly. 
If you are feeling tired from all the socializing, Comte will quickly pick up on your silent cues and lead you to the dancefloor and spend the rest of the night with you in his arms, twirling you around. Otherwise, the two of you will enjoy the quiet of each other company out on the balcony as you watch the night sky.
This man will melt whenever you pull him away from his work to take a cuddle break. He is legit the happiest man in the whole world whenever you guide his head to rest on your lap, as you read your newest poem to him, all while pulling your fingers through his soft golden locks. I hope you are ready to be doted on and spoilt rotten cause this man loves to shower you in endless amounts of love and affection. It just so happens that his love language is both physical touch and giving gifts. So you best be sure every time you go shopping with Comte the two of you will return home with arms filled with parcels and packages.
Comte thanks his lucky stars every day for finally meeting his soul mate, the love of his life and the missing piece to his puzzle. And as such will spend every day of your eternal lives together, cherishing and loving you! 
Other potential matches……………… Napoleon 
I hope you enjoy this, dear! And I hope you have a super good day! ☺🌻❤🦋
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succubusphan · 4 years
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Everything I Wanted
Summary: Dan dreams and dreams of what his life could have been if he had gotten everything he ever wanted - the what ifs that pale in comparisson to what he had now.
Based on the Billie Eilish song.
Rating: G
Word count: 4.9k
Tags: Mild Angst, fluff, established relationship, lots of love and support, My best attempt at being poetic with quite a bit of help. Mild references to homophobia.
A/n: This fic was written for @thoughtathought for winning the charity auction for Dan’s Birthday. Thank you so much for your donation and for being extra amazing! And thank you to @schnaf  for being my support and grammar beta and @icequeenjules26 for adding to the grammar and poetry aspect of the fic. Thank you both for your opinions and unthank you to both of you for roasting me (I’ll see you in hell.)
This is an accompanying piece to If I Ain’t Got You but can be read as a stand alone.
Read on ao3
Rain fell mercilessly upon the streets of Wokingham. Dan sighed and brushed a wet strand of hair out of his face - he hated this fucking weather. His hair was already ruined, but there was no way around it. He pulled his jacket tighter around his body and made his way to school. 
 Dan walked down the hallway of The Forest School confidently. For once in his life he was on time to meet his friends before the first lesson of the day. Some of the people standing off to the side waved at him as he made his way to their usual meeting point. He waved back with a smile even though he didn’t know them. He didn’t mind. It was normal for less popular students to look up to the more popular ones and want their attention in whatever form they could get; he honestly felt a bit bad for them. Luckily for Dan, he had fit into his group right from the start.
 He found them outside the library, as usual. Not because they used it, though. “We’re too cool for that,” Thatcher had said, so the group never went inside. In fact, Dan didn’t know what the inside even looked like. 
 He leaned against the wall, trying to look cool. “Hey, what’s up?”
 “Nice hair, Howell,” Thatcher said. 
 The rest of them laughed - as they usually did - but Dan didn’t mind, they were his friends after all. 
 Thatcher didn’t drop it, though. “You look like a drowned rat.”
 “Thank you, Thatcher! When I want to look like a wanker I’ll ask you for hair advice,” Dan elbowed him. 
 The group laughed even louder and that made Dan’s heart soar a bit; he enjoyed making people laugh like that.
 “Oi, at least I do well with the birds!” Thatcher laughed, wrapping one arm around Dan’s shoulders. “Are you going to call Lara back? She keeps asking.”
 “Uh, yeah. I- ” Dan tried not to let his smile falter. “I will, when it’s time… you know, you gotta let them wait so they want it more.” He winked and his friend roared with laughter again. This time he felt empty. He wasn’t going to call Lara, but he didn’t want to admit that. They accepted him as they knew him, a straight boy who did kind of well at school and was funny; a cool guy. They didn’t need to know that it wasn’t the truth - nobody did. 
 “Damn right! Smart move, Dan. Come on, let’s visit our little friend over there.” Thatcher pointed to a scrawny looking boy. 
 Dan didn’t speak to him, but he knew him. They sat together in math class. If Dan closed his eyes, he could see that shining black hair and those piercing blue eyes just as clear he saw them in front of him now… his rosy lips and long pale fingers tracing over Dan’s skin.
 He shut his eyes, dreading it already. He wanted to leave, he wanted to disappear off the face of the earth, but of course, he had no such luck. Thatcher grabbed his arm and pulled him along. Bullying was a mandatory group activity. 
 “What’s up, Gaylord? What’s it like being lord of the gays?” Thatcher spat. 
 Dan tried his best to seem invisible, to fall behind the rest; he didn’t want any part in this. 
 The guy, Richie was his name, rolled his eyes at them. “What’s it like being Lord of the ignorants? Will you need me to tutor you again, Thatcher? Will you start begging me to -”
 Thatcher’s fist cut him off. It wasn’t a real punch, Dan knew. Thatcher could do a lot more damage if he wanted to, but he seemed conflicted. 
“You have no right to speak to us like that. If you do it again, you will regret it.”
 Richie sighed in defeat. He suddenly looked much older. Dan felt like crying, but he didn’t - he couldn’t. Richie stared into his eyes with unshed tears; as if he knew. He knew that Dan was just like him, but he was also a coward. Someone who would rather be with the bullies instead of being their victim. 
 It was true, but he was their victim too, just in a different way. Richie wiped some blood from his lip and looked at it as if it was a foreign object, then back at Dan. ‘Aren’t you going to do anything?’ his eyes pleaded, but Dan just lowered his head.
 He felt as if the world was crashing down on him like a breaking wave, drowning him, suffocating him in the process, so he did what he usually did when nothing felt right: he ran. He turned around and exited through the back door. He could no longer keep the tears from falling; he was such a piece of garbage. He ran until his lungs felt like they were about to explode. Oh, he was going to be in so much shit for bailing, he was going to be found out, he was - 
 He reached the corner of the street and tried to set foot down on the pavement but he found no support so he fell and fell and fell, into a never-ending dark pit, swallowing him whole.
 Dan jolted awake, his heart pumping in his chest, he was covered in sweat and could feel tear tracks on his cheeks. He sluggishly wiped them off with the back of his hand and tried to calm himself with a breathing exercise. He looked to the right where  Phil laid at his side, undisturbed, and smiled.
 The sunlight coming in through the window formed something like a halo around him. Dan’s smile deepened as he examined Phil’s face - the face of the man that had been his companion for eleven years now. He saw their entire story on Phil’s face, in the signs of ageing he loved so much. The stray grey hair, the smile lines, they spoke of so many adventures, arguments, laughs and love; they reminded Dan of their history together, their history as partners, as best friends. 
 Phil pouted in his sleep and Dan’s heart swelled in his chest. He was so in love with him, even to this day. There was no other way to describe Phil than as his soulmate. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the remnants of the nightmare gradually fading from his memory. 
 Dan shuffled closer to Phil and placed his head on his shoulder, softly running his nose against Phil’s neck and breathing in his scent. He smelled like home. 
 Phil started to stir, unconsciously pulling Dan closer to his chest with a hum. Dan kissed Phil’s neck, causing him to finally crack one eye open and look at him questioningly. Dan just kept running his fingers through his chest hair, absentmindedly tracing little patterns without a notice. 
 Phil smiled and closed his eyes again, scrunching his face at the sunrays blinding him. “Mmm?”
 “Good morning,” Dan whispered. 
 “Morning.” He placed a kiss atop Dan’s head. “Why are you awake so early?”
 “Mmm. A dream.” He pulled at Phil’s chest hair a bit too hard, making him wince. “Or more like a nightmare… Bullies.”
 Phil frowned and held him a little tighter. “Dan, you know they can’t get you anymore.”
 “I know.” He sighed.
 “Wanna tell me about it?”
 “I guess it was how things could have gone if I’d been able to pass as straight as a teenager. That was everything I wanted, to just fit in.” 
 Phil hummed in acknowledgement. “Did they still bully you?”
 “No, I wouldn’t say they did, but they did something worse.”
 Phil stayed silent, giving Dan the time to process what he wanted to say. 
 “I was weak. They pressured me into being like them. They bullied my friend, Richie. In the dream, he wasn’t my friend, but he was gay and he knew I was too. He looked at me when Thatcher punched him.” Dan’s voice quivered; he suddenly felt like crying again. He allowed himself a moment to breathe. “He was pleading with his eyes, asking me for help and I did nothing.”
 Phil ran his hand up and down Dan’s arm comfortingly. “You wouldn’t have been like them, Dan. You know that, I know you do.”
 “How do you know? How can you be so sure?” Dan lifted his head and looked into Phil’s eyes.
 Smiling, Phil laced their fingers together. “Dan, I know you. We’ve been together for over ten years. I know you better than you know yourself.”
 Of course, Dan settled back down without replying. He wanted to deny that. He knew that Phil was right, but part of him always told him that he was not as great as people seemed to think, that he was just a great pretender. 
 But Phil pulled him away from that thought process right away. “Why do you think you had that dream?”
 The sunlight shined through the room, reflecting off of their sparkly nicknacks. Colourful circles danced on the far wall, vibrant shapes and patterns that created the illusion of a magical world. Dan kept running his fingers through Phil’s chest hair and followed the lights with his eyes. 
 “I guess writing about my childhood brought some memories back, and some doubts too,” he finally said. He hadn’t actually thought about it. His mind had been a bit more prone to … distress since he dived into his past and his mental health. 
 “Yeah, that would do it.”
 “Yeah,” Dan smiled softly, closing his eyes and placing a kiss on Phil’s chest. 
 “So it’s not because you think you actually would have been like that,” Phil pushed.
 “No, it’s not,” Dan said, his voice barely above a whisper. 
 Phil cupped his cheek and guided his chin up, pressing a kiss to his lips, his jaw, his dimples, his eyelids. Dan sighed and allowed himself to be loved, to feel happy and supported. Nobody could take this away from him. He was safe now.
 --
 The hail smashed against the window of his 35th floor office, Dan looked out into the London sky with a heavy sigh. He had managed to push through university somehow, graduate at the top of his class and become a Senior Partner by 30. 
 He loved his career, he really did: the competitive aspect of it, the debate, and helping people. Sometimes he could even go as far as to say that he was happy, but most days he felt merely content. 
 Everyone had praised him for having so much drive and ambition, which was, in great part, the reason for his success, but sometimes he didn’t want any of it. 
 He had achieved what most people would want in life: A career, success, money, a loving boyfriend; but when he got home, when he crossed that door, he wanted to leave it all behind. He didn’t want to be a lawyer or discuss laws, or his cases, of the state of the world. He only wanted to be Dan; just Dan.
 He got on his Porsche and not five minutes later he was parked in front of his beautiful home. Then, he pushed the alarm button, locking it for the night and with the twist of a key, he was inside. 
 He removed his shoes by the door with a sigh and the noise of the TV coming from the lounge made him smile so he followed it. Richard sat on their sofa with his legs close to the side, gently moving his glass of wine in circles, letting the air mix with its contents. Dan walked up to him with a smile and cupped his cheek as he kissed his lips tenderly. “Hi,” he whispered against his boyfriend’s lips.
 “Hi,” Richard said immediately, letting his eyes return to the TV. “Why don’t you get changed? Dinner will be ready soon.”
 “Thank you, do you want to play Mario Kart while we eat?”
 Richard scoffed without even looking at him. “Dan, you know I do not like that sort of childish game and neither should you. You are a lawyer, and 30 years old at that. It’s time to grow up.”
 Dan’s smile vanished, he swallowed thick and his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. “Right.”
 Richard heard it in his voice before Dan could say anything, he stretched his hand towards Dan and Dan held his out as well. Richard laced their fingers and pulled him onto the sofa. “I love you, Dan. I just think it’s time to let all those childish things go. We’re adults.” He ran his fingers on Dan’s chin gently. “And you, my love, need a shave.”
 Dan frowned; he felt so lost. He wanted to run. He was fed up with all the constrictions, the responsibilities, the eternal office hours and society’s demands on how he should behave. He just wanted to be happy, even for a little while. Why wasn’t that allowed? Why didn’t he have the right to play videogames and wear stupid pyjamas and have fun? He let out a heavy sigh. He felt so drained all of a sudden; if he’d had any energy, he would’ve cried, but he put on a little smile instead. “Could you shave me?” He asked. 
 Richard smiled widely. “Of course, love. Go change and meet me in the bathroom.”
 Dan smiled a little wider and went into their bedroom. It was their little thing, Richard liked to take care of Dan and Dan took care of him too. Maybe he was right, maybe Dan needed to stop wasting time. 
 Dan grabbed his pizza themed pyjamas, but then he shook his head, choosing to put on his Armani pair instead. Then, he grabbed all of his dorky pyjamas and video games and went into the kitchen; he stood beside the rubbish bin for a minute, finally shoving them in before he could regret his decision. The anime would be next, but that was a task for another day.
 He let Richard shave him, lost in thought with his head resting back on the chair. “Do you ever think about switching careers?”
 Richard raised an eyebrow at him and continued slowly dragging the razor on his chin.“No, of course not. Why?”
 “Sometimes I think this is killing my soul, like I’m slowly wasting away.”
 Richard stilled his hands. “Don’t be silly! And what would you do?” He asked with a smile before continuing.
 “I don’t know. I used to act; I’ve always loved theatre and comedy… something related to art, I guess.”
 Richard clucked his tongue and rolled his eyes with an amused smile. “Of course,” he kissed Dan’s head. “Tell you what, if you still want to do that when we retire, I will support you. What do you think?”
 Dan sank in his chair feeling even more empty than before. “Yeah, you’re right.” In a way, he was always acting to be the version of him that everyone expected.
 He stayed up until 4 that night, watching stand up comedy specials and dreaming of a better life that would never come. Maybe achieving your dreams was not all that people made it out to be. He wished he would have allowed himself to make mistakes, but now it was too late. He should have dropped out when he got the chance. Now he was trapped.
 Trapped was the first word clearly standing out in the jumbled mess that was Dan’s thoughts when he woke up.  He opened his eyes and tried to focus on his surroundings. He felt paralyzed, unable to move a single muscle, and a dull feeling of panic enveloped him like a heavy blanket, suffocating him; it rested on his chest like a boulder and made it hard to breathe. ‘Is this sleep paralysis?’. He blinked repeatedly, trying to make sense of the situation, until his eyes finally found what he sluggishly identified as source of his predicament: A very cuddly, sleeping Phil. 
 He was draped over Dan almost completely, his arms tightly wrapped around him and one of his legs tangled in Dan’s.
 Dan tried to move his feet, but that only caused him pins and needles. Disrupted by the movement, Phil wrapped his leg over his and hooked his foot behind his knee.
 Unable to contain himself, Dan snorted. Even in his sleep, Phil wanted to stake his claim on him. Dan sighed - he really loved that silly goose. Unbeknownst to most, Phil was also a cover hogger, which often left Dan feeling cold and vengeful. 
 Taking advantage of Phil’s state, he did the only thing he could think of: he rolled them back onto Phil’s side of the bed and smiled. Now it was his turn to wrap himself around Phil tightly and enjoy the warmth, but he used the covers to shelter them both from the chilly morning air. 
 The first rays of sun peeked above the horizon and Dan couldn’t help but feel incredibly grateful that he had pursued his career with Phil at his side - Phil, his partner in crime, his number one supporter, his companion through life. They had been a great duo for so many years, allowing them to grow as a pair but also as individuals in a secure environment. Now they got to stand beside each other in support and pride. 
 Phil hummed in his sleep as Dan caressed his arms softly, feeling the texture of the hairs there. It felt rough but comforting, like the pavement under the palm after a fall, reminding him he was still alive - overall, it felt real. It reminded him that even though his life felt like a dream, like a fairy-tale someone had written about his life, that was not what it was. It was his reality, no matter how unbelievable it seemed. 
 He sighed. This is what he wanted now. Cuddles in bed with his boyfriend, a career in a field he truly enjoyed, he truly felt himself in, and respect from the people in his life. He had it all, and he was well aware that without Phil’s love, support and encouragement he never would have made it. “Thank you,” he whispered into the quiet of the room, the words building up in his throat and breaking free entirely without his consent.
 “Mm?” Phil mumbled, not opening his eyes, obviously still in his dreamland.
 “Nothing, go back to sleep.” Dan smiled.
 “K. Make me breakfast.” Phil requested, clearly still asleep. “Don’t - let the unicorn eat Norman.”
“Ok, I won’t,” Dan said, dropping a kiss to his chest and settling back to sleep with a sigh. 
 --
 A fine snowfall accompanied his trip through familiar streets, but even the delicate, white flakes did little to turn the scenery more pleasing. They couldn’t cover the piles of old snow at the side of the road, the dirt making them look like a brown slush that just served to make Dan’s inner child very sad. 
 He still remembered when his dad filled his room with artificial snow for his birthday and they had an amazing time playing in it; their laughter had woken up his mom and baby brother who had joined their games. Everything had been perfectly white, but no such luck today.
 Returning to the family home for christmas was always an emotional ordeal and this time was no different. 
 He sighed happily, wiping off the taxi window with his finger to be able to see out. He couldn’t wait to see them all. Once the car reached its destination, he paid the driver and dragged his suitcase out of the trunk. Before he could make it to the door, his dad stepped out, smiling widely and ready to take his suitcase - not without giving him a hug first, though.
 “Hello, son. How was the trip?” his dad asked, already dragging the suitcase to the door.
 Dan shoved his hands in his pockets to shield them from the cold and smiled. “It was good, thank you. Where’s Mum?”
 “In the kitchen with grandma. Adrian went for a run in the woods with Colin.”
 Dan shook his head fondly. “Same as usual then. Popsy? Watching the TV?”
 His Dad laughed. “Yes, I’m afraid.” 
 They made their way inside and shut the door behind them. Robert took the suitcase upstairs while Dan shook his granddad’s hand and went to the kitchen to greet the rest of the family and receive some hugs. He had been craving them more than ever lately. 
 “Oh, Daniel, it’s so good to see you. Come here,” his grandma said, opening her arms for a hug. 
 Dan hugged her tightly. “Hi, I missed you so much.” He never wanted to let go. It was silly, but he felt emotional at being able to see his family again after six months. 
 “That’s easy enough to solve, come visit more often!” his mum said, her arms stretched for an embrace already. 
 Dan hugged her and placed his chin atop her head. “Hi, mummy. How are you?” 
 “Quite well, my dear, but we were looking for someone to help us with the cookies!” she said, stepping away and rubbing his arm. 
 Dan sighed and rolled his eyes with an amused smile. “Ok, but I want real butter.”
 “Ok, she laughed. “It’s in the fridge, let it soften on the counter.” 
 Dan nodded and started to work on the recipe he had been taught so many years ago. At this point it was more a matter of muscle memory than thinking, so he relaxed into his baker role. 
 His grandma placed a hand on his arm trying to get his attention. “Daniel, how is this semester going? Did you get the extension you wanted on that paper?” 
 “No.” He smiled tightly. “Everything is going well. I need to improve some grades but I think I can manage to keep my score.” 
 His mum scoffed. “Of course you can, you always do.” 
 “Certainly, that’s why we never worry about you. How is that boyfriend of yours doing?” 
 “Thank you, grandma.” He kissed her temple. “He is doing well, he is working on his thesis so he will be spending the holidays on campus.” 
 The conversation slowly dissolved but they continued to work in an enjoyable silence. 
 Once the tray was in the oven, Dan finally decided to go back to his old room and flopped onto the bed. He huffed and sat back up, reaching for his suitcase and getting his laptop out. 
 He settled against the headboard and pulled up the latest video from his favourite youtuber, amazingphil. Phil was so gorgeous and fun and smart. Sometimes Dan wondered what would’ve happened if he had actually replied to him on twitter. Sending that dm had been risky enough, so he had dropped it immediately. Besides, he’d had a boyfriend at the time. There had been no reason to go looking for someone else; it wasn’t like Dan to do something like that.
 Dan pouted, ‘Would we have gotten along? What if we would’ve actually become boyfriends?’ He snorted. That was ridiculous. It’s not like someone famous like Phil was going to be interested in Dan, and he had to go to Uni anyway. Once he arrived at campus and settled in, he felt less lonely. It was at university that he opened his heart again and met his current boyfriend. He pressed his lips into a line thinking about the horrible breakup with the previous one. Dan didn’t even like to mention him by name so everyone called him “Voldemort.”
 ’Would Phil have cheated on me? Would have he broken my heart?’ 
 Dan left his computer on the bed beside him and laid down, looking around at the rainbow decorations, some put up by him, some added by his mum after he left. The pictures of them at Pride as a family were his favourites, he was tempted to bring them back to campus with him.
 He was already dreading going back. Oh, how he wished he would’ve stayed a happy child forever, but the older he got the more his loving family expected of him. He was the first child, pampered to no end, every opportunity at his fingertips, and they expected nothing but the best from him. They told him that often enough. 
 They didn’t demand it of him, they just expected it, out of love and support for him. In his family’s eyes, there was nothing wrong that Dan could do, and failing uni was one of those things. So many times during high school he had secretly pulled all nighters to keep his grades up, but now, at university, it was completely different. He felt like he was constantly trying to catch up but he never did. 
 Every single aspect of his life was crumbling, his grades, his health, his relationship and… his mental health. He didn’t have a reason to be sad, he knew that. So many kids wished they had what he’d had all his life, but he was still struggling. He was caving under the pressure, it was pathetic. 
 His boyfriend was going to break up with him, he could feel it coming. His family had been so disappointed when his highschool boyfriend dumped him right before Christmas, they had had to return his presents and all. And now, they had a family vacation coming shortly but it seemed like Dan couldn’t hold a man - or find the right one - he didn’t know anymore.
 His phone dinged, he checked the notification wearily. It was his boyfriend. “This is not working, Dan. I think we need to talk.”
 There it was. Of course, he waited until Dan was away to do this. Dan felt like he was hyperventilating and for a moment he thought that he was going to faint but instead, he started sobbing. Everything looked hazy but he could make out the water coming in from all the windows and doors flooding his room the more he cried. He was drowning in his own sorrows. He stood in an attempt to escape, but before he could even call for help, he found himself in a lake, kicking, trying to swim towards the surface, but he could never reach it. His lungs hurt more and more with every passing second. 
 “Dan? Dan!” a comforting voice called him, he swam to it. A ray of light broke through the water. 
 “Dan, wake up,” the voice whispered.
 Phil brushed his lips against Dan’s face. Dan was crying in his sleep so Phil shushed him and tried to chase the tears away, leaving a trail of kisses as he whispered: “As long as I’m here no one can hurt you.”
 Dan stirred awake and held onto him, continuing to sob so desperately it scared even himself. Sadness rested on his chest like a body of water, like he was trapped at the sombre bottom of the ocean, slowly but steadily getting crushed by the pressure. 
 “What’s wrong?” 
 Dan shook his head and kept on weeping, clutching at Phil for dear life, as if he was the anchor that kept himself from floating away, from sinking even further down into the darkness.
 “Dan, talk to me. Please, you’re worrying me.”
 “Sorry,” Dan tried to let out between his sobs. He struggled to get a grip of himself, to calm himself down, but it still took him a few minutes. 
 “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Phil pressed their foreheads together. 
 Dan swallowed, but nodded. “I had another dream.” He settled onto Phil’s chest, both for comfort and to avoid the piercing stare that only served to rile him up further. 
 “A nightmare.”
 “Mhm. I was home for christmas and everything was perfect.” 
 “That doesn’t sound too bad, what happened?” 
 “They loved me, and accepted me and they thought I was the smartest guy ever.” 
 Phil hummed but let him continue. 
 “In the end, the pressure became too much. Even the fact that they accepted my boyfriend turned into something else they could judge me on.” He sighed and finally met Phil’s eyes. “And the worst part was that I never messaged you back on twitter. We never met. I kept bouncing from one unhappy relationship to another.”
 Phil raised his eyebrows at him but said nothing. 
 “So this boyfriend started to break up with me over text -” 
 This time, Phil interrupted him. “Ouch.” 
 Dan smiled softly. “Yeah, so I started crying and my room flooded. Water kept coming in from everywhere and then it turned into a lake, so I tried to swim but I couldn’t. I was about to drown, but then you called me and I followed your voice. It was like a ray of sunshine flickering through the water.”
 Phil grinned and tightened his hold on Dan. “I knew you loved me. So, what does it mean?” 
 “I think it relates to the other dreams - or nightmares. In each of them I get things I wanted throughout my life so I end up in a very different place than I am right now.” 
 “Would that be so bad?” Phil asked him. 
 “Yes. Everything is as it should be. If I could go back in time, I would do it all over again. There is no life I would rather have than what we have right now.” 
 “I love you so much,” Phil said and kissed him oh so sweetly, their lips barely touching, just letting them rest on his with the weight of a feather. 
 “Love you,” Dan mumbled into the kiss. And he did, he really did. As long as he had Phil’s love and support, he had everything he wanted. 
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Text
Lost And Found
Grim and Max, finally, come to Swynlake. 
Benedict Grimsby was awoken in the middle of the night by the piercing ring of his telephone. Normally, he would have let whatever telemarketer it was leave their shoddy voicemail about how his national insurance number had been released and go back to sleep. 
But then the phone rang again. He let out a huff which then prompted Max to reply with a low woof from the other end of the bed. (That had been a war unfought. As soon as Max had stopped trying to scratch down Eric’s door and come to whine in Benedict’s room the invitation onto the bed had been a reluctant, Fine! But only for tonight.) 
A hand reached across the sheets toward the harsh source of light sitting on the bedside table. He squinted at the phone screen when he had managed to pull it free of the charger. The area code was unfamiliar. Swynlake? Who would be calling him from there? 
Benedict would have not bothered usually but it was the middle of the night and perhaps there was a bit of bitterness he wanted to get out for them having woken him up. “Hello?” 
“Hello, sir, we’re sorry to call you at this hour. Are you Benedict Grimsby?” 
“Yes.”
“We are calling about an Eric Andersen who was admitted here at the Swynlake General Hospital earlier tonight. It took us awhile to get his medical files forwarded to us, but you’re listed as his next of kin.” 
He sat up slowly, pressing the phone closer against his ear. “I’m sorry, who’s there?”
“Eric Andersen?” There was the sound of papers shuffling before the woman spoke again. “White male. Born January 7th, 2001.” 
“That can’t be right.” 
“What?”
“I said that can’t be right,” he told her a little more forcefully. “Eric Andersen has been missing for over a year and a half. I don’t know who you have in your hospital, but it can't be him.” 
“Well, I don’t know what else to tell you, sir. He was brought in by a Henry Charming who identified him.” 
He could hardly believe what he was hearing. Two years ago he would have simply trudged down to whatever hospital, knowing full well that those two boys (but mainly Eric, since the Charming boy had always seemed to have more sense to him) had gotten themselves into trouble. But now, it just couldn’t be possible. Eric was dead. Not officially, but there had been no other survivors. Everyone had told him that there had been no chance. They were too far out for anyone, even an Olympic athlete in the best shape of their life, to have swam back to safety. He was gone. 
If Eric had survived he would have called. He would have come back at some point— if not for Grim than for his dog. 
“Sir?” the woman’s voice called him back from his thoughts. “Uh, Mr. Grimsby?”
“I’m here.” 
“Right.” A beat. “Just in case this is your Eric Andersen, he’s in stable condition now. If you would like to see him, you can.” 
“Could I speak to him?” 
“He’s actually still under the anesthetic from surgery, but we can always call you back when he wakes up.”
“How long will that be?”
“There’s really no telling. Everyone responds to it differently and given the extent of his injuries it may be a while. A few hours at minimum.” 
“Alright. Thank you.” 
“Of course, sir.” He started to pull the phone away but she spoke again. “I’ll see you when you get here. Drive safe.”  
The drive from Plymouth to Swynlake was supposed to have taken around 3 hours. For Benedict Grimsby, in the early hours of the morning when hardly anyone else was on the road and going well over the speed limit, it took him around 2 and a quarter. 
There had been no time for him to think clearly about this whole ordeal— something that being the guardian of that wretched boy had taught him oh too well. He had packed a back blindly, hooked the harness around Max, and shoved them both into the car. 
When he arrived at the hospital he didn’t know what to do with Max. He couldn’t very well leave him in the car. It may have been early morning before the sun had risen but it was still summer. So he took him on his harness into the building. 
Luckily Henry Charming was there, accompanied by two girls that Grim did not recognize and didn’t care to at the moment. He put Max in their care and turned to find a nurse gesturing for him. 
“Mr. Grimsby?” she asked as he approached, voice familiar. It took him a moment to place it.
“The nurse from the phone?” he countered and she smiled, nodding.
“Yes. I’m glad you’re here. Eric’s finally awake.” She turned to motion down the hall. “Would you like to go and see him now?” 
The walk to the room had been all too short. He’d spent the whole drive there trying to convince himself to not get his hopes up. Benedict was a practical person. All Grimsby’s were. 
But the Andersen’s had not been. 
His friendship with Aiden had been forged out of a strong grip and obnoxious stubbornness to win Benedict over. It hadn’t been a miracle or an act of fate or some such nonsense people like to spin poetry around. They had been friends because Aiden had willed it into the world and Benedict had no choice but to grow fond of him. 
Isla was not, by blood, an Andersen. When he had first met her she had been a Harrington. There was a steadiness to her that Aiden sorely lacked. Where he was made up of impulses and moved where he wanted, she had always been a pillar. She knew what she wanted and how she was going to go about getting it. And Aiden had followed her, all the way to the end. 
That had left Eric, a product of both parts, with Grimsby. 
Their will had been a shock to him. The lawyer had told him if he didn’t want to take responsibility then someone else would surely take the child. The Andersen’s had all passed, Aiden’s brother having gone long before him, but Isla still had family. He had contemplated the decision for a few days. It had been the practical thing to do, just as it would be to allow Eric to grow up among his family. 
He did not know why he accepted custody. Perhaps because it had been his friends’ last wish and the knowledge that they had entrusted the life of their son to him. 
There had always been doubt in the back of his mind that he was ill fit for the job. Every bruise and broken bone Eric had come back with had been allusions to this. What made it fact was when he had not come back at all.
A grand total of three Andersen’s had died on his watch. Now, one had returned and hadn’t even had the decency to call for the score to be settled.
In the time it took to get from the lobby to the hospital room he had not been able to really believe that he would find Eric inside. 
But then the door opened and there he was, looking up from where he had been staring out the window. That ridiculous grin bloomed across his face, elbows moving clumsily against the cushions to help him sit up. 
“Grim! You’re here!” 
Benedict turned his attention to the nurse who was already making her way out of the room. The door shut behind him with a resonating click. He took slow and measured steps over to the bed. 
“Look, I know you’re probably seething— and you’ve every right to be angry. I wanted to tell you. Every day! Every day I thought to myself, I need to call Grim, I need to tell him but I couldn’t.” Eric shook his head, the dark curls on his head bouncing. “How did you know I was here?”
Benedict didn’t answer, simply turned to focus on the leg that was wrapped up in bandages and sitting on a stack of pillows. 
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Eric waved a hand at it. “They’re making a bigger fuss of it than necessary.” 
His eyes traveled up to the various tubes attached to Eric’s arms. There were the usual suspects, an IV and medication. But the one for blood told him that the boy was lying, even if he didn’t realize it. 
Whatever had happened to him had been serious. 
And to think, he never would have known had Eric not been brought to a hospital. 
A whole calendar year had passed and then some, and Eric had not bothered to say anything.
“Grim?” Benedict blinked, eyes meeting Eric’s. He looked uneasy. An unusual emotion to find on the boy who was always so sure, so confident, so stubborn. “I know it’s bad. I know. But— say something? Even if it’s only anger.” 
It was true that Benedict felt anger but there was so much more there, too. Relief, hurt, happiness, utter devastation. He did not know which one to lean on first, which one could possibly hold control over all the others in order to choose the words in which to react. They were all so loud, so demanding, he could barely think with ease. 
A hand rose and reached forward to touch Eric’s shoulder. It was solid. The corner’s of Eric’s mouth quirked upward and he brought his hand up to lay on top. It had always been so easy for him. He had constantly taken Benedict’s hand or thrown his arms around the man in a hug. It was always something, that constant line of unspoken communication that he was there. 
Its absence had been staggering. 
Its sudden return felt worse somehow. Like a mended bone needing to be broken again in order to heal correctly this time over. 
All this time Benedict had been in mourning, trying to deal with the grief of the boy he thought to be dead. It had been killing him, slowly but surely. That reassuring touch seemed to be the reminder that the both of them were still alive. 
His grip on Eric’s shoulder tightened, no doubt painfully so, and he leaned forward to capture the boy in a hug. It was only then that he felt Eric’s hesitation, how it took him several seconds to bring his arms up and around to return it. But once they were there and met with no resistance, he seemed to relax, clutching on just as tightly. 
“I’m sorry, Grim.” His voice was quiet now, thick with emotion. 
He pulled away, hands coming up to clutch either side of Eric’s face just to look at him. Alive. Breathing. Not dead, lost in the sea like everyone had said he was. His eyes were glassy and skin pale, but it was still the Eric he remembered.
Grim shook his head in disbelief, laughing until it tapered into a sob and he had to hug Eric to him all over again. “You really delight in these sadistic strains on my blood pressure, don’t you?” 
Eric laughed then too, the sound of it watery and surprised. “Are you mad?” 
“Oh, I think what I’m feeling goes far beyond the scope of the English language. Enjoy it now because in several days when I get over you not being dead, I will have plenty of anger left.” With a sigh he pulled away. “What happened?” 
“It’s a long story.” 
“You say that as if you’ve never used that excuse before.” 
And so Eric told him everything. From top to bottom. About the wreck, getting saved, coming to Swynlake, getting a job, going to uni, telling Henry, avoiding Philip, Tom, and John like the plague, and getting attacked by a creature earlier that night. 
“Or should I say yesterday?” Eric glanced over to the window where the sky’s dark inky blue had lightened. The sun had not come up just yet, but it was only a matter of minutes. 
Grim didn’t say anything for a long time, having to mull all that information over in his mind. Again, there was too much emotion to deal with. He couldn’t remember a time he had felt so much and so many all in the span of a few hours. 
“Grim?” He looked up to find Eric squinting at him. “Did I lose you somewhere?” 
He shook his head. “No.” 
“Then why do you look like that?”
“Like what?”
“I dunno— like you’re the one sitting in the hospital bed with a leg that’s just been used for a chew toy.” 
Grim let out a breath through his nose. With one last look at Eric he sat up, getting ready to stand. “Thank you for telling me. It seems you’ve made quite a new life for yourself here.” 
Eric watched, confused, as Grim stood. “Are you leaving?”
“Yes.” 
“But— you just got here.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” 
“Then why’re you going? I don’t understand.”
“Eric, had the hospital not called me tonight, would you have?”
Eric’s eyes drifted away from him then, falling on his hands that were fiddling with the blanket. “I don’t know.”
Grim nodded because he did. 
“But—! You’re here now! Can’t you stay?” 
“Why?” 
“What’d’ya mean why?” Eric scoffed. “Because I want you to.” 
“You didn’t want me here before.”
“Oh my god.” He rolled his eyes, arms lifting and falling heavily against the mattress. “Is that what you think? That I ran away from you?” 
“No. But you seem to be doing just fine here all on your own.” 
“I’m not! I wasn’t! I would’ve cracked a long time ago if it weren’t for other people. My boss, for one. My friends, too. I wouldn’t’ve gotten where I did if it weren’t for all of them.” Eric shook his head, one corner of his mouth raised up in a half smile. It disappeared after a moment when his eyes turned back on Grim. “And you. I wouldn’t be anywhere if it weren't for you.” 
“That’s not true.” 
“‘Course it is. What? You think 10 year old me could have done it all on his own?” Eric snorted. “Don’t be stupid.” 
“Eric—”
“I’m sorry. That was rude, I know. Shouldn’t have said it.” He sniffled, swiping the sleeve of his hospital gown under his nose and making Grim cringe. “I know you’re the one who gets to be angry here and that I’ve no right to it since I hurt you but— but you can’t just go around saying that.” 
Grim blinked. 
He had seen Eric upset before. Several times over and in many different ways. Frustrated over his school work. Humiliated over something that had happened at training that had gotten him yelled at. Heart broken. Grieving. Name it, he had seen it— or he thought he had. But he had never seen this. 
“After I didn’t say anything those first few months I knew that when I did tell you I had to have done something. Otherwise it would have just been like every other time I called you to come get me out of something. I wanted—” Instead of finishing his sentence a shuttery breath left him and that alone stretched the moment into eternity. 
Finally Grim found enough courage to ask, “What did you want?” 
Eric turned to look up at him, jaw working itself for a moment until he finally relented. “I wanted to be someone that you could finally be proud of. Not just some idiot kid who ruined your life when my parents made you take me.” 
Grim understood then that all those other times, all those little moments when he thought he had failed Eric, this past year and a half he had thought there was nothing worse he could have done then allowed him to walk right to his own death— it’s absolutely nothing compared to the sound of those words. 
“Oh, Eric. They didn’t make me do anything. It was my choice and I’ve never regretted it, or you, for a moment.” He stepped closer to the bed again. “And I’ve always been proud of who you are.” 
Eric stared at him, searching. “Really? Even— even though I barely graduated from secondary?”
“Yes.”
“Even after I broke your client’s fancy vase that one time?”
“Yes.”
“Even after I brought home that pig?”
“I do hope you’re not referring to Max.”
“And—” Eric hesitated but eventually continued. “And even though I didn’t tell you I was okay?” 
“Of course I am. I may not be happy about it and I may want to wring your neck for what you put me through this past year. And you may have gone about your pursuit for the truth in a very— unorthodox way, but, if what you’ve told me is true and you have accomplished all of this here, then, yes. Yes, I’m proud of you. I always have been.” 
A familiar grin blossomed over Eric’s face that transformed it into something like the sunrise about to take place outside. It was so earnest and bright Grim could not help but smile in return. “Ah, Grim, I always tell people you’re a big softie, and no one ever believes me.” 
“Good. I’d rather like to keep it that way.”
“So— this mean you’re staying?” 
“If you want me to.”
“Always.” Eric reached out to clasp Grim’s forearm. He turned his head, a shoulder lifting. “And I mean, if you’re not going to disown me over this then there’s really nothing worse I can do, is there?” 
“Don’t test it.”
“Believe me, Grim, I don’t think I could even if I wanted to.” He tugged on Grim’s arm until he was seated back in his chair. “You’re going to love this place! Don’t worry, it’ll be great.” 
Grim nodded. Odd how easy it was to slip back into their respective roles. How Eric made even the most complex of situations such as this one sound so simple. For now, Grim supposed he could believe him. “I’m sure it will.” 
A pause. 
“Hey Grim? Did you bring Max?” 
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