#I remember going to the creek when the walking trail was still there and catching the fish in old plastic bottles people would
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I remember seeing different fishes as I grew up
#when I was very young in Mexico they took me to these waterfalls and I remember the silver lines of the tiny fishes and I was so so#scared#I thought the wanted to eat me#when I first started kindergarten in the us they showed me some fish trying to calm me down#it didn’t work but they were so pretty-I didn’t know what the people were saying#I remember going to the creek when the walking trail was still there and catching the fish in old plastic bottles people would#toss into the field#we did this so many times and I always had a horrible feeling it was going to be the last#one time we brought the fish back-my sister and me poured them into the pool#eventually even frogs showed up#my first time at an aquarium was spectacular#everything was dark and blue#my family owned so many fishes throughout my life but the only fish I remember are#the black moor goldfish
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The following ficlet was written by @metztlilua based on this photoset.
FiKi, Gen.
You might also be able to read this story on AO3.
If you’ve enjoyed this story, please leave a comment either in replies or on AO3. :)
Family
---
Fili walks around with his boots muddy and his pants wet from the woods, and the remainders of the rain dribbling, his jacket clings to his skin and his backpack weighs him down as he puffs an struggles to get his feet moving, they've been walking for about two and a half hours with only one break, and the rain has been pouring down for the last hour just finally stopping, and he feels like the least fortunate soul in the entire world
Well
The least fortunate aside from his little brother kili, who looks even more tired than he does, he has mud trailing all the way up his ~uncovered~ legs and to the middle of his shorts because he feel down when the rain started, he has scratches and rock burn marks on his right arm/ hand and leg where he tried to catch himself and he's dragging the SNEAKERS he decided to wear on the pavement, to be more specific, his sneakers made out of fabric and plastic instead of the waterproof material and leather that their uncles and his own boots are made of, so his feet are probably as wet as the rest of him, and his socks who were once white are now brown and soggy with mud
-Can you get him to stop? I think I'm going to pass out- he whispers to Fili, leaning against him and sliding his dirty forearm on his face. The blonde feels his breath hitch for a small second when kili licks the last drops of rains of his lips but he brushes it off, chuckling and nodding in agreement, he doesn't think he can keep up for much longer himself
-I'll do my best but maybe you should drop some of the things you collected, Kee. That way it would be easier - kili sticks his tongue out and shakes his head no, his feet make squish noises when he walks and Fili gets mixed feelings; remembering kilis rain boots when he was a toddler and the noises he's heard coming from his room or the bathroom ever since Kili got big enough to have interest in sex
-Uh. Uncle...- Thorin groans, already smelling the request from his nephews; they weren't too far away from their camper and stopping now would cause them to get behind on their schedule and hit traffic on the way back
-no, Fili- he smiles - we can't stop
-this is child abuse!- kili grumbles, huffing away a strand of hair that falls on his face and Thorin laughs at his nephews as they manage to reposition their heavy backpacks on their backs
-on what grounds would that be abuse, kili Durin? - Fili gets a lump on his throat every time someone uses Kili's full name because he has the same one.
Thorin keeps walking, not facing them but answering all of the whines coming from them
"we've been walking forever"
-it's been two hours, Kili
"we haven't eaten yet"
-had you woken up a little earlier, maybe we could have eaten, Fili
"my shoes are wet"
-I told you to bring boots- Fili laughs out loud at Kili's annoyed grunt
"my backpack is heavy"
-Throw your souvenirs away then
Kili refuses shaking his head again "mmm-mmm, they're for making ornaments for mum" the blonde turns to look at Kilis concentrated face; sometimes he forgets, with all the NOT INNOCENT glances he catches himself throwing at him; that Kili is still somewhat innocent and pure and collects rocks to hang on the Christmas three as ornaments
"it's still raining" Fili mumbles, always taken aback by Kilis sudden expression of pure childlike behavior
-it's drizzling at best and you kids could use a shower
They keep complaining louder and louder, staring compliantly at each other as they make their way into the creek a few miles before the car and finally their uncle snaps
-will you two stop?! I'll go bring the car and come back to get you but I don't wanna hear this anymore
____
Fili pushes away the vague feeling that Thorin will leave them behind and never come back because that's ridiculous and he just sighs, sitting next to His brother on a rock by the river
-show me what you collected? - the blonde asks trying to maintain him active and reacting because he knows he'll try to fall asleep otherwise and kili smiles softly, he opens his backpack and shoves it his way, suddenly set on the idea that he absolutely NEEDS to go in the river and wash his socks and shirt because he doesn't love the mud getting hard and prickly against his skin
The eldest Durin watches carefully, pretending to riffle thru the many pebbles Kili has tied in some sort of ornament shape while the youngest strips off of his layers and places them away from the water; the elastic band of his boxers peaks up the hem of his shorts as he stretches
When DID he get a happy trail?
-I'm not sure we have time for that, Kee- Fili pries, his cheeks start to feel warm and an unsettling feeling creeps into his stomach when he realizes what he's thinking, where his eyes are pointed
Kili mumbles incoherently, sitting down getting lost on washing away the dirtiness of his socks
-Fee! Come here! Look at this
-I'd rather not- Fili confesses, feeling the same confusion he had before, remembering ten year old Kili showing him the fireflies he catched on a jar, not knowing when exactly he started seeing the brunette in a different way; when he started noticing the way his long locks frame his face and the way he laughs freely makes butterflies fly on his stomach; and somehow even when Kili is just sitting calmly not looking back at him, Fili feels the pull of OBLIGATION gnawing at him and forcing him to go sit next to Kili, he can never say no to him.
The younger Durin looks up at Fili, grinning and handing him a rusty key from the river
-I found it here!- something screams to be careful and not let kili cut himself and get tetanus but he takes the stupid key and inspects it, it’s some sort of charm, clearly made as a token to bring back home, in it there’s something written he’s pretty sure his brother didn’t bother inspecting
FAMILY
It rips a giggle out of him, a distressed, hopeless one that lets him know destiny is watching, and will not forgive Filis brewing feelings, even if he he does try to keep them at bay tho if he is completely honest, it gets harder and harder as Kili keeps growing up, the sound of his voice getting deeper, his body getting slimmer and the flirtatious smiles he throws around left and right have Fili feeling dizzy and guilty to a point he can’t stand hanging around Kili alone for a long time.
Kili sighs in contempt, ripping his older brother form his spiral as he leans in closer to Kili, using his right leg as support to take the key from him and sending shock waves thru the older one
-hey! I found it!- Fili gives it up pretty quickly, hoping to end the innocent yet burning contact that makes his jeans tighter, he scoots further away from Kili, sweat beads forming at the back of his head
Where is Thorin?
Kili looks closely at the key, finally taking his time to inspect it and probably wondering where it came from, the sun starts to set, making Fili mildly worried for their uncle who still hasn’t shown up but more importantly the fact he’s alone with his half naked brother
Who massages his own upper back, throwing his head back and rolling his eyes to the back of his head, his mouth hangs slightly open
-Hell be back soon, Fee - once again Kili cuts into his anxious spiral, there’s a tone of annoyance to his voice that he knows comes from Filis distracted state, Kili doesn’t like one sided conversations, who would? but what can he do other than worry and tune out the sound of actual groaning noises coming from his little brother that send pictures of Kili with his leg spread out all pretty on the bed for him, as Fili sinks into his heath, bitting marks into his long neck and collar bones, the brunette moans…
-Fili…
-yeah, kee?
-are you mad at me?- kili’s never been one to meddle around tricky subjects, he fidgets with the key as Fili shakes his head no, a warm smile back into his face to try and comfort him -did I do something wrong?
-no! Kili I’m not mad
this is the other reason why he tries to avoid these times with his little brother; the distancing from about four years now must be difficult for kili and the blonde hates to be the reason why he feels this way, but as much as he tries to hold back and push away all the feelings that are NOT supposed to be happening, he can’t do it, and he can’t act on them either.Hell, he knows if he acted upon them Kili would not correspond to his feelings so the best way to go about it it’s distance.
-you have done nothing wrong, Kili. You’re perfect
The moon is all the way up into the air now, hitting Kili’s frame and the worried, almost upset expression in his face
-but there’s something that it’s happening to you, isn’t there?
Fili nods before he can even process the fact he probably should lie and now he has to make something up, or maybe he’s in the clear and Kili won’t pry for the answer
He doesn’t
-can I do something about it?- of course is that question instead of anything else, of course it’s still the moon up into the sky, the stars shining above them, sitting so closely to each other and the sound of water streaming gently down on a summer night, unsupervised and so very CLOSE but so unreachable
-no, not really- he fixes his gaze down onto the ground, in between his boots he sees something shiny where Kili has been kicking the dirt around in the river; it’s another one of those key things, he grabs it carefully, and places it in his hand, fidgeting with it as well, he runs his finger tip thru the words, trying to make out what they say
-I’m sorry…I’m here if you need me- he hugs him by the side, distracting him completely from his original task and it makes Fili want to cry with exasperation
Of course Kili is there
He is always there
He looks down, fighting back the tears and finally making up what the words say
COURAGE
AH, fuck it
-I know, Kee
He places a hand on his neck, rubbing his thumb on his cheek, his heart races a million miles and hour, his brain telling him to back out at Kili’s puzzled face; his heart drives him forward, inching slowly to his brothers lips, he feels his eyes closing and then
Nothing
A buzz comes from Kili’s phone in his backpack and they both jump; Kili’s eyes are wide and he swallows hard; they both sit there for a second before Kili finally reacts and runs up to his backpack, splashing water all over
-Fuck, uncle Thorin is here- he mumbles putting his clothes back on hurriedly, as if Thorin was hearing them, they hear a horn on the distance. Fili jumps up Bringing his brother’s socks and shoes and hands them to Kili
they both run wildly and dumbly thru the clearing; sharing giggles and small laughs, before finally making it to the camper, their backpacks don’t feel heavy anymore and Thorin looks at Kilis feet, horrified
-just about WHAT where you two doing??
Kili laughs; turning around to share a complaint look with the blonde and there’s a small hint of hope in Filis heart as they sit in the back of the car, Kili looks at him one last time
-swap with me
-huh?
-your key, I want it
Fili hands it over
He can’t ever say no to his brother
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Heartsick: Chapter 3
Don’t have anything clever to say for this so... just have another chapter!
Day 3: Caretaker
Dedicated to: PidgeonPostal
Rating: T
Words: 1.8K
Summary: It's been five months since James recovered his true heart, Clover gained a metal one and Qrow's became more attuned to the woods than ever before. Five months since Tyrian's poison was eradicated from the soil. Five months... since Clover, Qrow and James agreed on a group partnership (and that was honestly the best part).
Like the tree tops reaching for the sky, it seemed like there was nowhere for the three of them to go but up.
So why, then, did Clover feel like he was being cut down at his roots? [Witch AU]
Ao3 Link: In Which Discussions are Had
~
It was hard to explain, exactly, how it had been to be without a heart.
In a way, it was similar to how the metal half of his body felt. Sometimes, James’ brain tricked him, made him think flesh was there instead of nuts and bolts. Sometimes his right hand felt warm and alive and more there than ever before – then, in a flash, it was gone. He’d get similar phantoms with his emotions, a skipped heartbeat when fear struck before it faded, a minute pull at his chest that seemed akin to sorrow, a faint quirk of his lips when joy skittered by. Then nothing. Nothing but a deep, dark void of emptiness that swallowed him whole.
But though he could not feel anything did not mean he didn’t still understand it outside of himself. It just meant when his team faltered out of fear, anger, hesitation, he was always there to pick up the slack. In fact, it was almost strange to say being without the distractions of his own feelings also made him more attuned to the subtlety of others. He knew when a soldier would waver. When a commander wouldn’t follow through.
(Knew, a bit too well, how he was breaking Clover’s heart a little more every day.)
He was pacified to find that regaining his heart had not quite dimmed that particular talent.
Because while he couldn’t pinpoint the reasons behind it, there was a tension building up inside of Qrow that had started this morning and only gotten worse. But if anyone were looking, all they’d see was he was a mite quieter than usual and, when concentrating over his runes, he’d taken to biting the edge of his lip. Nothing to worry about.
James was worried.
When Qrow finally pulled from his work long enough for a break, he took the chance. Rising from his garden, James crossed over to where the lankier man had nestled himself between the rolling roots of an oak tree like a burrowing vole, casual as he offered, “Care for a walk? I need to stretch out my limbs a bit and wouldn’t object to some company.”
“Yeah, sure.” Qrow cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders before accepting a hand up. He spun Harbinger until it was in its more compact dagger form, sheathing it at his belt.
They found their way to their favorite path, a winding, hidden trail on the eastern side that eventually led to a creek that flowed between the lowest point of the forest. With the recent rainfalls, it would be higher than usual, perfect conditions to spot some red-bellied newts and spotted frogs. It was exactly what they found themselves looking for now, crouched down by the edge of the flowing water, seeing who would get lucky first.
Unsure how to go about this, James tried to crack a joke, “Remember when you bet Clover to catch a newt and he actually went jumping in? And you almost fainted when he came out covered in all those leeches?”
“You almost fainted.” Qrow smiled. But it was a fleeting thing, gone behind a pensive frown once more.
James was great at many things – an expert tactician being at the top of that list. He could easily weave an army through obstacles when subtlety and care was needed. However, he’d be the first to admit such things did not cross over to people. In that, his only recourse was to be straightforward.
With little else at his disposal, he just came out and asked: “Qrow, is everything alright?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” He replied, defensive as always.
“You’ve been…” He searched the sky, as if the entwining branches and gray clouds above could provide him the words. “Off this entire morning.”
For a moment, as Qrow’s shoulders hitched up further around his ears, he was sure he would continue to argue.
Then, all at once, they dropped, a heavy sigh splitting from his lips. “Tai called again last night and told me something I don’t really know what to do with yet.” His frown deepened. “And I’m not sure if telling you or Clover what it is will exasperate things.”
James mulled that over, trying to figure out what Qrow wasn’t saying. “So it has to do with us?”
“Sort of. More so with Clover, specifically.”
His back straightened, tight and taunt. “What about Clover?”
Qrow eyed him a moment, before raking a hand through his hair, frustration clear. “Agh, see this is why I didn’t want to tell you!” He jerked to his feet, stomping his way back to the trail.
Fuck. “Qrow wait!” James scrambled after him, catching onto his arm before he could get too far. “I’m sorry, it wasn’t my intention to upset you.” He rubbed soothing circles into Qrow’s pale skin, just below where his sleeve ended. “I’m just not great at handling gut reactions still, especially when it pertains to either of you.”
A snarky grumble, “Not exactly filling me with confidence here.”
“Qrow, if there has been anything I have learned, it’s that trying to hide from your emotions is not… the wisest of decisions. Just because I worry does not immediately mean it is bad.” He reached out, cupping the other’s jaw in his hand. Gentle like the first but colder. “So trust me, please?”
A series of expressions played across that pretty, angular face, confliction matched in his eyes. But like before, eventually Qrow let it all go with a heavy sigh, and said, “Tai read Clover’s soul. He said… there’s something spiteful in him.”
James halted.
That… was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard.
But after a few moments, when Qrow didn’t pull away and laugh over his grand joke but instead only grew more troubled, he reconsidered.
Tai’s readings were not foolproof but they always had some measure of truth to them. The challenge came in defining what, precisely, that truth was.
He didn’t, for one second, believe it was aimed at himself. Clover had followed him all the way from Atlas, would have followed him probably to the ends of the earth, to give him his heart back. No expectations and no compensation required. Would no doubt have drifted back in the background if James had required it of him, because his only intent had ever been to make him happy. It was a love deep and wide as the ocean and one he’d vowed to care for after turning away from it for so long.
Qrow, new as he was, didn’t seem a likely target either. Afterall, it had been Clover who had broached the topic, back in those early days. And while James’ feelings had been clearly acknowledged, Clover had not shied away from telling his own. How Qrow had sparked an unexpected flame in him that he wished not to douse – and if the arrangement made them all happy, then wasn’t it worth it to try?
So, that left only one person.
“It must be within himself.” James concluded with a laden heart.
Qrow groaned quietly. “I was afraid you were going to agree with me.”
“Don’t make it sound like it’s the worst thing I’ve ever done.”
“Just saying Jimmy, you coulda done it a lot sooner.”
Yes. Yes, he could have. But it was not time to dwell on the past. Not when the future looked so bright for once.
“I believe the solution here is obvious.” James decided with finality. “We need to talk to him.”
Qrow blinked twice. “Are you serious? James Ironwood wants to have a serious conversation about feelings?”
He tried not to frown. He wasn’t that heartless, was he?
Well… not anymore, right?
“Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean that.” His partner corrected quickly, grimacing. “I make terrible jokes when I’m stressed. Just ignore me.”
He supposed he could have a little fun with it, at least. “Hmm what was that?” He turned away, starting back to down the trail, not quite fighting the smile at the corner of his mouth. “Strange. The crows sure are unusually loud today.”
“Oh ha, ha!”
“Ah and one even seems to be laughing, but how could I, the Heartless King, ever truly understand such humor?” He rose a hand to his forehead like a distraught damsel from the tragic Atlesian plays he’d once attended. “O woe is me!”
Ridiculous as it was, it at least brought a real laugh out of Qrow as he jogged to catch up.
~
They pitched ideas the entire way back. There were so many uncertainties, it was important to cover all blind spots. Though James would agree that of the three of them, Clover was the most emotionally in-tuned, it did not imply that their partner even realized anything was wrong. Or if he had, that he’d properly pinpointed the cause. Most importantly, just because they’d come to the same conclusion, did not mean they could presume they were right.
Delicate and seeking, they decided. Let Clover do the talking, give him the room he needed to open up and hopefully make him feel safe enough to do so.
And if he wasn’t ready, then they’d wait until he was.
It was the least James owed him.
Plan settled, they entered the house, determined and resolved.
It blew out faster than a tire over a spike trap when they spotted Clover. He was curled up in front of the fire, buried underneath no less than two blankets. A book was by his head, clearly forgotten, but there were no soft snores to indicate he was asleep either.
All clear signs of a bad day. They’d come infrequently with the new heart, unexplained lows that hit at random. A maladjustment to a piece of him that was no longer human.
On the worst of them, they usually found him like this; something about curling up in front of the fireplace reminding him of home. Not Atlas, specifically, but before even then, when he was a kid, red nosed from playing in the snow, drying off as he sipped cocoa and read through picture books.
James looked to Qrow, a quiet conversation passing between them.
It was Qrow who moved first, coming around Clover’s feet and peering down at his face. “Hey Cloves. Need some company?”
An arm rose in askance. “Please.”
James left them to it for the moment, ducking out long enough to battle it out with the pantry for the right ingredients. He returned with a tray full of mugs, steaming with hot chocolate and colorful marshmallows floating at the top. Left them to the side of the blanket pile with the knowledge they may just go cold, before he settled against Clover’s back, winding an arm around his waist.
On the other side, Qrow was letting Clover use his chest as a pillow, fingers combing through his hair idly. He looked at James, mouthing, ‘Tomorrow.’
James nodded in silent agreement.
Tomorrow was another day after all.
#james ironwood#qrow branwen#clover ebi#luckyironqrowweek2022#IronCharms#rwby#fanfiction#Chase Firekitten's Tale
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Creekside
by Miranda Gershoni
Translucent green pours up and through. Teasing from my desk, the glow of the bottleneck. I’m back to seven, the walk home from school when mama took us down a different street. We roamed through shadowed trees, looking. Fossils, glass, bones, twigs for the fire. Leaves browned and feet grew and the creek sang still. Our new ritual, scouring the earth after school, treasure hungry.
Mama showed us what we couldn’t see. Raccoon skulls, pre-war milk bottles, an extra breath in the day. I was always catching up, trailing behind myself. My mind revved and tangled. Then we walked gingerly through trees. Looking for treasures below, it slowed me.
These days there is no time for slow. But past the cries of fading debts I hear you in the water near. Trapped in the flat hue of dirt, a scarlet brown filtering the sun. I reach down and pry it out. The remains of a beer bottom, soft and crooked glass patiently wed to its industrial stamp. Tiny bumps curve the edge in obedient rhythm—a Braille of better days, a half mandala that lives to tell the end.
The oyster shell sits as always. Demurring above papers, the numbers leaking out, it sits. Gold rapture waiting to be asked. Painted before your hands were dust, its shape makes mine different now. Holding it emits something new, a fresh duty somewhere far. Back then I could sink, before when flesh could be trusted. In my palm now the shell is cold. Will I ever thaw below it again? A thousand miles east from our creek, mine rushes on. Each print leaves the anatomy of place, history bleeding before me. I know she couldn’t stay here. The gold was part of it. Making new what none of us saw. The drip of stars welled in her, cavernous hunger bowed in stillness.
Molecules packed, no page left white.
So many times we’d just go. Get in the car and move till we got there. Chest dense with bass. Clanging riffs and raspy voices. Content to sit in the safety of surprise, we flew above the road like boys on bikes. From my window now they ride on, witches like us in middle school skin. On the brown glass I see it—seven two. The year your body drifted in. Always your numbers, everywhere. Saying hi from the water.
Mama tell me how. I walk with the leaves. I sit with the water. I listen to the restless finch. I look with the eyes you made, taught me to see with. What flickers on and where? How is the hard one. But you knew that.
The boys just came back around. I remember when we looped like that. Through side streets and alley gardens, grab some basil on the way. Us like paint in the hot air. Lifting from wheels down the hill, rising higher to meet the sun. Those tiny white flowers spinning out on even more impossibly delicate stems. We ride to the tip, laughing. Our sidewalks never ended.
What you knew I can see only now. Why you needed to scream. Peel and bite into avocados. Howl with James Brown in the car. Walk each street and round every corner. Take my hands and dance the floorboards in. Eat many colors. Add sesame seeds and sprouts. Try it with raspberries on your fingers. Write what’s true and burn it. Let the fire take your tears. Bring us to see the smoke. Let us be your fire. Let me be your body now. And you, my spirit. I feel you in the wind. Say it again. Tell me one more time.
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#3 - Your Constitutional Right to Suck at Math (in Jesus Name Amen)
Charleston Boulevard (for mystical reasons no one can now explain) is shown on maps as Highway 159.
Before it is Highway 159, it is a wagon-rutted trail that runs straight through the Joshua-tree haunted nightmares of California-bound pioneers.
Before the pioneers, it eavesdrops on the untarnished dreams of El Dorado-bound Conquistadores.
Before that, it is a wide path scoured free of vegetation by thousands of feet that follow it from the monsoon season abundance of the Pahranagat lowlands to the sheltered windy-season caves now known as Lost Creek Canyon.
Nobody loses the creek. The creek gets lost. It generally finds its way back.
Pahranagat means place of many waters.
In English, the word is springs or wetlands.
In Spanish, the word is las vegas.
Las Vegas only has two seasons: monsoon and windy. It is ringed by sere, nigh-impassable mountains and topped with a sky so habitually clear and blue that Las Vegans have no real word for rain. It never rains. During monsoon season, it weathers.
As in, “I hear thunder. Are we having weather?”
The answer to that is usually, “No, that was just the Thunderbirds breaking mach.”
An alarming number of visitors take that same path (Remember the path? It's called Charleston Boulevard) from the neon-saturated valley floor up to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. They are usually hungover, out of money, crazed and wild-eyed from the siren damnation jingly jangly come-hither clamor of a casino, her voice still hissing shrill and tinny in their ears as they stumble into hallucination-pink jeeps and ride them into the astringent clarity of La Madre. The Mother Mountain.
La Mama, if she knows you well enough.
And if they make it that far, they meet Jack. Jack is only a smidge smaller than the mountain.
Jack says, “These mountains were formed about sixty-five million years ago when the Pacific and North American tectonic plates collided, pushing the ancient sandstone seafloors up on this side.”
Point east.
“And the even older limestone layers up on that side.”
Point west.
“The Las Vegas Valley was once part of a vast, shallow inland sea. It wasn’t big. It wasn’t large. It was vast. I have no idea why, but this is a rule. You can check your brochures.”
Group chuckling ensues.
“Does anyone know where you can see the last remnant of that vast sea?”
“Salt Lake!” Respond the Maeas, who are a largish family of Polynesian descent. The Maeas have lingered in Lost Creek Canyon and are just catching up to the tour group, which has trudged the rocky bottom of the Wash around White Rock, where the terrain, quite suddenly, changes from prickly pear to scrubby pine.
Jack hears pride in the cheerful response. Utah natives. Utahns love that question.
“Right now, we are about five thousand feet above sea level. You may find seashells and ancient creatures embedded in the exposed rock as we walk. Driving out from the city, did anyone notice the hills that look like they’d been carved up with big knives? What do you think is going on there?
This response is always slower, and inevitably male. “Mining?” Asks College Cowboy XL.
“Right! These hills are made up of the raw material used to make gypsum board sheetrock for building.” Here, he stands with his feet well apart. His left foot is on a pale, truck-sized boulder that looks exactly like a petrified sand dune. His right foot is on the pine-needle duff of the scrubby conifer forest that grows on the limestone slopes. “My right foot is on an ancient coral reef. Billions of tiny sea creatures died and left their small bodies to build up these limestone mountains over millions of years.”
There is a disturbance in the Force. It is caused by a tan but puffy sort of white woman, mid-thirties, scowling and hushing her three mid-size boy children. Other than that, she has no identifying marks of a stereotypical nature.
“You can’t know that,” she says.
“Researchers have analyzed--,” Jack starts, but she plows right over him like the big pink jeep that deposited her at the trailhead.
“Do you honestly believe that? That these gigantic mountains could be made out of teeny tiny microscopic skeletons? How can you believe that? Like, billions of years.”
“Well, they weren’t micro…”
“God made the world in six days. At least that makes sense.” she states. “I did not bring my children on a nature walk to have you force your theories on them.”
“Theories” is given the same intonation that her midsize boys might give to “cooties”.
Jack abandons the Colossus of Rhodes pose, makes himself smaller, and speaks in a quieter voice than the one he uses for tour guiding. “We respect your beliefs, Ma’am. Part of the nature hike is the geology of White Rock and Keystone Thrust, and an explanation of how this hidden forest got it’s distinctive…”
“God made it that way because he wanted to," she says.
"Forty thousand." Petra speaks, and for a moment, everyone looks around, wondering where the voice has come from. Then she speaks again, and they find her wedged among taller people, who ebb and flow around her until she parts them like a Red Sea of cargo shorts and polo shirts. “Forty thousand feet,” she says.
The woman turns to Petra, using only her upper body in order to demonstrate that the interruption does not merit the effort of moving her hips. The woman is purple in the face. Jack notes that she has not, apparently, brought the water bottles as recommended by the brochure, signage, interpretive center volunteers, cashier, orientation lecture and ticket stub. He fears that she’ll dehydrate herself and keel over from complications of indignation.
He takes off his pack and rummages around for the half dozen extras he always brings for visitors who do not believe in deserts.
Petra is speaking again, low and calm and confident. “With an average size of three centimeters, over the course of the sixty million years of reef formation, they could achieve a height of around forty-thousand feet. Of course, taking compression into account, and from what we know about the depth limits of coral reef formation studying the great barrier reef, it depends on…”
“But these mountains are, what?” College Cowboy Medium (Athletic Fit) says to Jack, “Eight, nine-thousand feet tall?”
Jack pulls out four store-bought liters of water and is handing the first to the biggest of the midsize boys when his mother whips her torso back around and barks, “Get away from him!”
Jack jumps back. The rest of the tour group shuffles about the nearby landscape, looking for physically comfortable places to sit and be emotionally uncomfortable. This involves poking sticks into all the boulder-shadows and blind spots. Because resting rattlesnakes are really chill about being poked with sticks and will understand that this means that you are no danger to them and they should refrain from defending themselves.
Jack holds up a water bottle. “Just noticed you’d finished all your water already,” he says.
Diplomatically.
Because the woman has dragged three children into the desert without water. Or hats. Or sunscreen, as near as Jack can tell.
“What are you?” She growls.
“Uhm,” he says, not clear on the parameters of her question.
“Where are you from?”
The Maeas, arrayed on low rocks among the scrubby pines, peel oranges to pass around.
“Uhm,” he repeats. “Winnemucca?”
“You need to learn how we act in America!”
The Maeas, still peeling oranges, briefly derail the main stage entertainment with laughter. They aren’t peals of laughter. That would be too much. But they are unexpectedly melodious snorts of laughter.
(The Family Maea is largish in both senses. There are nine of them. Many of them mass even more than Jack. So their laughter has resonance in the natural amphitheater at bottom of the Wash.)
College Cowboy XL contributes. “Winnemucca’s in Northern Nevada,” he tells the woman. “There’s a big Basque community up there, and over in Elko, right?”
For some reason, this last question is directed at Petra.
The Midsize boys shrink back from where they have been hovering, obviously longing to take the cool water bottles Jack carefully sets out on the path for them, but unsure about accepting anything from a tall, aquiline, sun-darkened man who comes from something that sounds like Something-mecca, a big mosque community in The North.
“Oh,” says Mother Midsize, “Of course. An Islamic.”
“I’m not,” he begins, then stops, then starts again. “Technically, that would be Muslim for people and---”
“Do your employers know you go around witnessing for Muslim to paying customers? I should have the right to take my boys out for a family activity without having my beliefs assaulted, or have your kind of thinking shoved in my face. And this is government land. You are working for America now, mister, and it doesn’t put up with this bullcrap! There’s nothing I can do about what you get up to on your own time, but you are supposed to represent America, and I--,” brief pause to draw breath and untangle her catchphrases, “-- have the right to practice my religion.”
The three final words are accompanied by three corresponding transfers of weight from right foot to left foot and back to right again in order to demonstrate that the practice of religion merits the effort of moving her hips.
Jack has been hauling dense objects up mountainsides for a long time. He casts about that experience for some kind of reasonable response.
You’re on your own, pal, experience says, backing away with its hands held up in surrender.
Having bullied the world into a shape she recognizes, Mother Midsize looks around at the rest of the tour group, clearly expectant of majority moral support.
Grandmother Maea disengages herself from the shaded sandstone slab to offer an armload of oranges to the Midsize boys. She smiles at their mom and says, “Bless your heart, Sister.” Then she walks back to the shade.
And because Mrs. Midsize gives ten dollars and a box of old clothes to the Guam mission offering once a year, and also because her worldview does not allow for any overlap of those weirdo Mormons and generous Polynesian matriarchs, the woman lets her sons take the oranges. Which are probably from Florida, anyway.
But not, you know, Miami.
At that moment, a cottontail streaks across the stony bottom of the wash, right through the gathered humans, and disappears behind some creosote bushes. That would be enough to get a hubbub of distraction going, but just a moment later, it is followed by a coyote. The coyote is honey-blond. It materializes from a matching rock face on the sandstone side of the tectonic divide. To Jack, it seems to hang in midair for a few seconds, turn, wink, and land lightly on three legs at the end of a graceful arc in the dusty pinecone rubble where the rabbit has gone into the bushes.
The coyote is gone just as fast.
Now there is laughter and excitement and a lot of people checking to see if they’ve pressed the camera buttons on their phones fast enough. The boys occupy their mom by stuffing whole oranges into their mouths and rushing into the bushes after the coyote.
Jack smiles.
College Cowboy XL kind of shuffles backward and sideways to whisper over his shoulder at Jack. “Did that coyote seem to, I don’t know, Michael Jordan or something? In midair?” He asks.
“Yeah,” Jack answers. “They all do that. It’s a coyote thing.”
Then he focuses on Petra, who is the only other person left near him after the live-action Warner Brothers cartoon. She holds a plastic bag, the kind researchers use to collect fur, tissue and scat samples. This one holds orange peels that the Midsize boys have left on the ground. She hands it to Jack.
He shrugs his great shoulders. “Every day, I drag them up the hill and try to give them the wonder of Creation, but…” He leaves it hanging on purpose. There really isn’t anything intelligent to put after the “but”.
Up close, he sees that she is older than he originally thought, not a teenager, but a grown woman. Jack is absolutely clear on that part. Grown. Woman. Maybe late twenties.
Petra takes a deep, calming breath in a neat bit of sympathetic magic that makes him lose the tension in his shoulders. She nods her understanding. He suddenly loses the ability to speak, think, or look her in the eye.
Well, looking her in the eye was always going to be a problem. Jack is approximately fifteen inches taller than she is.
Her eyes are celery green fading to amber brown with coppery flecks and a teal blue ring.
He turns back to the relative safety of a one-woman evangelical jihad and a bunch of snake-poking sightseers.
“Okay!” He addresses the crowd. “That was fun! It’s getting late, though. Does everyone still want to see the secret springs before I take you back to the pink jeep picnic?”
“Yeah!” Chorus the Midsize boys.
The Maeas, who are just drying off after having anointed themselves in the holy water that trickles from the upper walls of Lost Creek Canyon, agree.
#godforsaken hellhole#chapter 3#jack and petra#La Madre Mountain#One-woman evangelical jihad and a bunch of snake-poking sightseers#Las Vegas
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Can I request for a fluffy friends to lovers fic with Venti and a human gn reader? They’re good friends (but the reader doesn’t know his real identity) and when reader brings up their desire to see a wind wisp in real life Venti decides to surprise them by transforming into his true form and paying them a visit. The reader finds this mysterious little wind wisp at their doorstep and gets excited, takes care of it, and while feeding it apple slices starts talking about how their good friend Venti would love to see them - but oh, he’s less of a friend and more of a crush who I’ve loved for a long time… wait, where did the wisp go? Wait, Venti?! When did you get here?!
featuring: venti x gn!reader
warnings: none
published: june 30, 2021
form: imagine
a/n: thank you for sending this in—i need more venti requests, he’s my baby <3
you could tell that the drink was beginning to hit you hard when you felt your muscles go slack. it was your fourth pint of the night, and although you thought that you could hold your drink fairly well, you could never hold a candle to your bard friend’s seemingly bottomless appetite for wine. venti was on his seventh--or was it eighth?--mug of cider for the night, and was still fairly unfazed, if you consider his usual bumbling amiability to be his default. after a long day of working and whatever it was that venti did in the daytime, you two had decided to meet up at the angel’s share that evening for a drinking night between friends, and to catch up on life and whatever else goes on in the city of mondstadt.
the night had begun with a mug per person, as you and venti caught up with each other. due to your duties at home, and his rather inconstant job as a traveling musician, it was oftentimes difficult for you and the bard to stay in touch--responsibilities always seemed to get in the way. so, naturally, you took advantage of every opportunity you could get to see venti, one-on-one, and simply talk. after knowing him for quite a while, he really was a delight to talk to, always full of witty riddles and forever knowing the right thing to say at the right time. venti really was quite remarkable.
he also had the unique talent of contagious alcoholism; after having spent an hour or so drinking and chatting with him, you unwittingly started drinking more than your usual limit, absolutely carried away with whatever small conversation venti had you engaged with at the moment. the conversation had somehow strayed into the topic of myths and legends of mondstadt. venti was speaking of some strange conspiracies surrounding the origin of the anemo hypostasis up in the mountains, and as the alcohol began to break down your proper judgement, you began to go on and on about how you, as a child, dreamed of seeing an elusive wind wisp.
you had heard stories about the boy revolutionary, armed with his bow and his words, accompanied by a little white wind wisp, leading mondstadt’s journey to freedom. the story had enchanted you when you were young, and clearly you still had not given up hope of meeting a similar wind wisp. perhaps it would bring you the same joy and power to change your life for the better, just like it did for the hero of old mondstadt.
venti listened to your reminiscing closely, looking at you with a quizzical look of interest. your intoxicated state made it so that you didn’t notice the look on his face as if he was plotting something, but, to be fair, venti’s poker face was notable for its impregnability. the night ended with him having to walk you home, propping your arm over his shoulders so that you wouldn’t trip and fall on the cobblestone streets. the last thing you remembered was him tucking you into bed, and singing you one of his funny little songs.
the next morning, you woke with a pounding headache and the bright noon sun peeking through your shutters. archons, was it so late already? you pulled yourself out of bed, trying not to stumble, distracted by the pounding in your head. you had a long list of things to do today that you had to complete, and you severely regretted drinking so much and so late with that damned bard last night (though you could never really hate him--he was too adorable).
slipping on whatever clothing closest to your bed and sluggishly following through with your daily morning routine, you got ready to head out the door to water the carrots and potatoes in your backyard. as you pulled open the door, prepared to step out and face the piercing daylight, you caught yourself as you almost stepped on the little figure at your doorstep. lying there on its side, was a wind wisp. yes, just like the ones you had read about all your childhood and you had mused about endlessly last night. it had its little eyes shut, sleeping probably, its delicate little form curled up on the step.
you were bewildered, partially at the coincidence of it all, but mostly by the rarity of what had occurred before your eyes. a wind wisp, something most people never even saw once in their lifetimes, suddenly showing up right at your doorstep after you had talked about your desire to meet one just the night before. crouching down, you scooped up its little body in your hands. the little thing began to wake, hands rubbing its eyes sleepily, as it made a chirping noise. it was ridiculously adorable.
“hey there, little guy”, you cooed. “what are you doing here?”
as it began to regain consciousness, the wisp floated up off your hands, small gusts of air emitting from its form, and it flew up to nuzzle against your face. it felt like a warm breeze brushing against your cheek, and you heard it chirping in your ear.
you giggled. “well aren’t you the cutest little thing!” you raised your hand to pet it, and it made a little gurgling noise, leaning into your touch. something about its mannerisms felt so familiar, almost like something you had known in a past life perhaps, but you couldn’t put a finger on it. its presence was just endlessly comforting, even though you had only known it for a few minutes.
reaching into your pantry, you pulled out some apples you had picked the day before, and cut it into small slices. the wisp watched you eagerly as you went about your business, like it could understand everything you did. holding up a thin slice to the wisp, a little hole in its void of a face opened up and enveloped the slice whole. a little shocked but certainly entertained, you gave it an approving head pat.
as the day went on, the little wisp continued to follow you throughout mondstadt as you ran your errands. you went outside, behind your house, to take care of the crops you were growing. as you watered your plants, the little wisp helped you disperse the water more efficiently, blowing a gentle wind from your watering can so that you didn’t have to walk as far to water the faraway plants. you go to pick some apples and sunsettias nearby, and the little fellow would fly up to the hard-to-reach fruits and throw himself against them to knock them loose from the branches, right where you could catch them. you worried a little bit whether he was hurting himself by doing so, but he appeared to be pleased just to assist you, and he certainly was not ashamed to take a few bites from the fruits of your shared labor at the end of the day.
considering how efficiently your errands were completed today, of course all thanks to the helper you acquired that morning, you thought it would be nice to use the time you had in the late afternoon to take the wisp out for a picnic dinner at windrise to show your appreciation. gathering some of the fruit the both of you had collected, and some sandwiches you made, you placed it all in a little wicker basket and set off for the great tree with your companion upon your shoulder.
upon arriving, you laid down a gingham blanket in the shade of the great tree of windrise, just a moments away from the ancient statue of barbatos. you felt like a child again, remembering the summers of carefree exploration, tunneling through the thickets in the forest, or catching frogs by the creek, or tumbling down the hills by the sea. and now, a wisp joined you, taking you back to the memories of those years, when life was much simpler.
you couldn’t help but to think of venti, the bard, the friend, who had brought you such comfort through difficult times, whose music, like the warm touch of the wisp, reminded you of home and the beauty that life could bring. your companion was now feasting comedically fast on the food you had brought along, swallowing up fruits whole, and chewing for several moments before helping itself to another. you chuckled and gave it a pat. “greedy little fellow, aren’t you?” you couldnt help but to think venti would have loved to meet the wind wisp, considering his love for nature and all sorts of fauna, and considering the small resemblance between himself and the creature.
“stick around for a bit and i might introduce you to my friend, the bard”, you told it, not really caring that it probably couldn’t understand you. “im actually not sure that we are friends, to be honest. these days we rarely see each other but...” you trailed off, distracted by the sound of the breeze through the branches. the wisp stopped eating and watched you intently. “well”, you began. “i sometimes find myself wishing him and i were more than friends. maybe not lovers, not right away but... i just know that dearly. i cannot be sure that he feels the same, but that is of no matter.” you pat the wisp’s little head again. “if i can make him happy, even just as friends, that is enough for me.”
out of nowhere, a strong wind blew past you, knocking over your wicker basket and sending it flying several feet away. agitated, you scrambled up to chase after it, finally grasping it before it could fly too far. you were perplexed—where in the world could such a strong wind have come from? the sky was clear, and there were no clouds obstructing the setting sun. how odd, you thought to yourself.
you turned around to bring the basket back to your sitting spot, but to your surprise, the wisp was gone. no, in its place was now your bard friend, venti, sitting there on the blanket like he had been there all along. how in the world did he get here without you noticing, and where in the world did the wisp go off to? you hurried over to venti, questioning, “since when did you get here?”
the bard smirked, and fiddled with his lyre that you just noticed he had brought along with him. he had that look on his face again, the one he wore whenever he had some sort of plot in mind. “whatever do you mean, [y/n]?”, he replied amusedly. “i’ve been here all along.”
#genshin impact#genshin headcanons#genshin impact x reader#genshin imagines#genshin impact fanfiction#genshin x reader#venti#venti x reader#venti headcanons#venti imagines#venti fanfic#venti x y/n#venti x you#fluff#venti fluff
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My Other Half. - Bokuto Kōtarō
warnings: smut, soft, passionate love making, fluff, angst?, best friends to lovers, maaaybe overstim?, praise, fem!reader, cunnilingus (a fancy word for pussy eating). just bokuto going all out to make you feel good.
Summary: Two childhood friends reunite after years of being separated to find old memories and new feelings of love.
Author’s Note: this is my first ever like fluffy piece. all my other work I feel has just been raunchy and I wanted to show yall my soft side. enjoy! <3
Bokuto Kotoro. A name you knew well. A name you knew since you were both kids playing in dirt together, running around and screaming without a care in the world. Two peas in a pod; like Peter Pan and Tinker Bell. It was a sad day when he moved away. Your only friend packed up and left for Tokyo, tears in his eyes as he sat in the backseat of his parents’ car. He waved goodbye through the glass window as the car drove away, a trail of his tears seeming to follow the car as it went. That was the last time you saw him.
When you turned twenty one, your birthday present was a small house in Japan. Some place rural and quiet to do your writing, a small creek flowing in your back yard. You packed up and left home, kissing your mother and father goodbye as you walked out the door. Maybe you’ll run into Bokuto? Hell, he probably won’t even recognize you. It’s been years after all.
You still hoped some how some way fate would bring you together again. You missed him like crazy. His laugh, his stupid jokes. That sparkle in his eyes when he saw you at school. The bear hugs he used to give when you scraped your knee playing with him at the park. It was crazy to assume he’d be waiting for you in Tokyo as if you were the only girl he’d ever meet or care to talk to.
He’s grown now, just about a year older than you. He could have a significant other by now. Your heart ached at the thought. Even though it was selfish to call dibs on a childhood crush who hasn’t seen you in over 10 years, you still hoped; prayed that he was waiting for you or at least remembered you.
When you arrive in your new home and settle in you decide to take the town. Surely you can make some friends, maybe even meet a guy while you’re out? You don’t bother to get all gussied up, walking outside your front door and walking to the nearest bar you can drink your inhibitions away in. The bar you found was small and smelled a bit like sweaty athletes and sake.
The atmosphere was lively despite the off putting smell, everyone was laughing and chatting aloud. The sounds of glasses clinking in celebration and jovial cheering filled the space. You smile softly at the sight of everyone having a great time and find a spot in a nice booth by the window.
The guys behind you must be where the sweaty smell was coming from, their clammering laughter pounding at your head. You try ignoring it until you hear a different yet familiar voice; boisterous and proud like a boy you once knew.
“Yo, Akaashi! Pass the ketchup man, I’m hungry!” He whined childishly, same as always. You turn around swiftly to see if the face matched the voice. Surely enough there he was sitting there, tall as a tree even when sitting in his seat.
God he got so handsome, his face definitely grew into his looks. Bokuto wasn’t a little boy anymore for sure. You stammer, looking between Bokuto and his messy haired friend sitting next to him and a few others. You go to say something only for your own anxiety to stop you, your heart fluttering in your chest in a new way you haven’t felt before.
Finally Bokuto’s eyes meet yours and you both sit there for a while just staring, as if each of you couldn’t believe you were seeing each other again after all this time in forever. Bokuto’s face crept into a smile; a familiar smile that melted your heart.
“Y/n-chan? Tell me you’re joking! I can’t believe it’s you!” Bokuto shouts over everyone’s conversation, leaping from his seat and running towards your booth. You’re still stuck there turned around looking like an owl gawking at the table behind you to realize what’s going on.
Bokuto practically lifts you from your seat and wraps you in one of his famous bear hugs, the ones that made you cry into his chest. As tradition called, you start sobbing into his shirt. Your arms wrap around his neck and pull him in tight almost to tell him not to let you go ever again.
“Hey hey hey.. why are you crying? Shit you’re gonna make me cry. Stop it.” Bokuto says into your shoulder, rubbing soothing circles into your back with his big hand.
“I-I’m sorry I just.. it’s been so long.” You admit, sniffling as he pulled away to wipe your face. You can’t help but get emotional at the sight of him.
“Geez, Y/N if you missed me just say that.” Bokuto teased, erupting into furious laughter at your flustered face.
“Oh shut up Bokuto!” You squeak, punching him in his side like the old days. Your usual banter made you two look at each other and laugh as if you two were the only ones in the bar, his friends staring at the the two of you as if you were insane.
“Uh Bokuto.. who is this woman?” The messy haired friend asked, looking about the most confused out of everyone.
“Huh? Oh! Sorry guys. This is Y/N Y/L/N. Other than Akaashi, she’s one my closest friends. Our moms were close so we were raised kinda like siblings.” Bokuto explained, nudging you to say hello.
You wave and introduce yourself, the everyone ooing and ahhing at you. Not to toot your horn but you were gorgeous. Even Bokuto couldn’t take his eyes off you.
He was thinking of how well you grew up, so stunning and so you. Bokuto remembers the little scar you had just above your eyebrow from tripping over and rock and smiles when he sees it, almost wanting to reach out and poke it like when he did when he was 10. He wonders if you remember that day.
You were playing pretend by the trees in the park, you were good and he was evil. You were chasing him and you tripped and fell, causing the evil doer act to shed away to make sure you were alright. You both made up a crazy story about your scar to your mother; which she never believed. Good times.
The rest of the night was spent catching up and talking like he wasn’t even with others originally. Everyone else eventually had gone home, Akaashi the last to go. He waved goodbye to you and Bokuto and drove home, you and Bokuto still sitting at the bar basking in each other’s company.
“Wow! So your parents got you a place here so you can work? Nice. And you live nearby too. So I can come and visit you and- sorry I’m rambling.” Bokuto says sheepishly, running his hands along the nape of his neck. You giggle, taking a sip of your drink.
“No no, you’re fine Bokuto. Of course you can visit. My house is your house.” You smile, Bokuto’s cheeks heating up as he blushed. You check the time and notice it was far too late and stand from your seat.
“It’s late, Kō, we should call it a night.” You say, grabbing your things. Bokuto smiles and stands up with a stretch of his limbs; relishing in his old nickname.
“Come on. I’ll walk you home.”
You two talk and talk all the way home, years of catching up to do feeling long over due. When you get to your home you almost feel sad that you’re about to depart from each other. It felt like you weren’t going to see him again. Bokuto pulls you into a hug, spinning you around a little. He laughs when you squeal and yell at him to put you down.
“Hey. I’ll come by tomorrow night so we can watch movies.” He declares, standing you on your feet.
“Hah. How do you know I won’t have plans, hm?” You teased, poking Bokuto’s forehead. It was a lot easier when you were younger since he was shorter than you back then. Boy sprouted like a palm tree.
“You just moved here. Besides. You know I’m your favorite.” Bokuto smirks, taking your hand and spinning you. You giggle and punch his shoulder lightly.
“As if, Kō. See ya tomorrow.”
A month goes by swiftly. Bokuto had been over to your house more often than you thought he’d be. You loved the time you spent together just goofing off and being big kids.
Your schedules worked perfectly together, his volleyball is usually done by the evening and your work is over just after him. Bokuto would pick you up from work with fast food waiting in the car for you both to eat together. Today was no different, the smell of fries greeting your hungry nose as you climb inside his car.
“Yo! How was your day, nerd?” Bokuto asks, fisting his fries into his mouth as you dig for yours.
“It was okay. I’m starving though.” You say, stuffing your face with your food.
You both sit in the car and eat for a while, Bokuto’s phone breaking your shared silence. You look down at where it rested in the cup holder and read the caller id. It was a girl. Bokuto answers the phone, sounding as if he didn’t want her to call him right at this moment.
“I’ll call you back. Bye.” He said, hanging up his phone and sitting it back in the cup holder. You couldn’t help but feel a little jealous, your heart sinking as your head makes up several sceanarios about who she was, what she meant to him.
You eat in silence, answering Bokuto’s yammering with no ambition. Bokuto’s so dumb he doesn’t even notice the difference in attitude as the call wasn’t as scandalous as you seemed. It was just some girl who was trying to get with Akaashi but was too afraid to say anything herself so she had asked Bokuto to set them up.
“My place or yours today?” He asked, sing songy and happy.
“Mine.” You say monotonously. Bokuto looks over at you and sees you’re not even facing him, your face stuck to the window as he drove off.
“Hey, what’s wrong? I smell?” Bokuto said, playfully smelling his armpits. You shake your head and insist it’s nothing and that you’ll get over it. But it wasn’t nothing, and you were pretty certain you weren’t going to get over it. Was that his girlfriend? Some random hook up looking for another round? It made you sick to your stomach thinking about it. You got out of the car when Bokuto parked, walking to your front door to unlock it as Bokuto followed behind you.
“I pick the movie out this time. I’ll be damned if you pick another chick flick out.” Bokuto says plopping on your couch and turning on the tv, making himself at home.
You sigh and walk into your room to change into something more comfortable, rolling your eyes as you hear Kōtarō yell about the movie starting. You walk out in shorts and a tank top since it was pretty hot inside and sit next to him, folding your arms.
Bokuto’s eating his snacks and talking through the whole movie since he’s seen it before. He always picks a movie he’s seen before so he can tell you the whole plot, forgetting that you could just watch the movie for that. You half laugh and sigh at all his mannerisms, your guard completely blocking him out from getting any closer to you.
“Is something wrong, Y/N? Seriously you’re being a little stand offish.” Bokuto says, a serious tone taking place. You scoffed, rolling your eyes to hide that you’re obviously upset by something.
“Nothing.” You snide.
“Don’t ‘nothing’ me. Somethin’s wrong. Don’t make me start guessing.” Bokuto says. You sigh.
“It’s so stupid.” You admit.
“How you feel isn’t stupid. Tell me what’s up.” He persisted, pausing the movie.
“I just- well.. I-How do I say this? I’m.. jealous?” You finally admit. Bokuto raises an eyebrow.
“Jealous? About what?”
“Well. I saw a girl call you and I-I just assumed it was your girlfriend so..”
“Wait what? I don’t have a girlfriend. And besides why would you care?” Bokuto further questions, his face nearing yours with a perplexed look on his face. You flush, turning your face away from his.
“I-I don’t know I just-“
“You’re in love with me, aren’t you Y/N?” Bokuto smirks, turning your head to face him with your chin. You blink up at him, embarrassed and flustered.
“I-um-I...” You stutter. You loved the idiot sitting next to you with all your heart. But to say it was a different story.
“Because I love you too. So say it back.” Bokuto declares. You freeze for a moment, almost unsure you heard what you just heard.
“R-Really?”
“I love you, Y/N. The moment I saw you again felt like...fate. It was like everything made sense again. I never realized how much tou meant to me until I left that day. You’re my other half.” He says to you so sweetly, his words stirring up emotions inside you that were aching to be let out. Your eyes sting as you choke back tears, clutching onto Bokuto’s hands.
“Kōtarō... I-I love you too. All those years felt so empty without you. And God I just wanted to kiss you that day at the bar and I-“
Bokuto stops you midsentence to pull his face into yours and kiss you hard, your heads bumping into each other a bit from the sudden movement. Passion flowed through the kiss, your mouths exploring each others for the very first time. You sigh, wrapping your arms around his neck as you go to straddle him.
Bokuto welcomes you onto his lap with ready hands, palms feeling every curve and divot of your body. Your need for each other grew with each kiss, mindlessly grinding against each other to feel closer. Every touch of his big hands made you feel alive, setting your body on fire. Bokuto starts to whine softly, his pants growing a tad bit tight at all the raw kissing. He pulled away, lips swollen and breathing uneven.
“I want you so badly. Can I-“ Bokuto goes to ask for consent, his nervousness making him struggle to find the words he’s looking for.
You shut him up with another kiss, already knowing what he wants to say as he lifts you up and carries you away. Starting in the kitchen he sits you on the counter as he takes off your top, your bare breasts popping out when the garment flies over your head and onto the floor. He’s never seen such gorgeous breasts before, he swore. Seeing you this way only made him long for you more, standing there dumb founded at the sight of your chest.
“W-Wow.” Bokuto gasps, taking both your breasts into his hands and oogling at them with love in his eyes. “So perfect.”
He takes one into his warm mouth, your body arching at the feeling and letting out a small whine. Music to his ears.
“Kō..” you sigh, closing your eyes as he suckled on your nipples.
His tongue slid over each hardened bud and looked up at you, studying your body language to learn it well. Without a word he slides off your shorts and pick you up again, hoisting you away to your bedroom after asking where it is.
Frantic kisses and breathless moans trail down the hall with a reach of the doorknob. You’re laid carefully onto the bed, Bokuto crawling on top of you without daring to pull his lips from yours just yet.
He could kiss you for hours. He could die right now and be completely content all because of this moment. Bokuto takes his hands and slides them down to the waist band of your panties, tugging them down to reveal your dripping core.
Bokuto teased his fingers along your slick folds, savoring the feeling of your wetness on his skin.
You let out the sweetest sounds he’s ever heard, urging him to draw more music from your lips. He crawls downwards towards your pussy, laying on his stomach and pulling your hips forward.
You gasp at the sudden feeling of his tongue parting your folds, mewling as you arch your back. His tongue worked its magic on you, sliding up to your clit to pay special attention to it. Breathless calls of his name fill the air, your hands grabbing fist fulls of the sheets as he fucked you with his tongue.
Your eyes roll back with every swipe of his tongue, relishing in the toe curling pleasure he gave you. That familiar knot started forming in the pit of your stomach, your moans increasing in volume as you near your orgasm. Bokuto must have sensed this and wrapped his plush lips around your throbbing clit, prodding his fingers at your weeping hole to fill you.
“Kō! I-I’m gonna cum!” You whine, your hands finding home in his hair and tugging lightly. Bokuto responded with a groan against your clit and a hook in his fingers, causing you to boil over without hesitation. Your thighs shake around his head, one hand covering your mouth to spare your neighbors the noise. Bokuto comes back up to kiss you, your slick coating his lips and chin. You taste your sweetness and kiss him with tongue, both of you sighing into each other.
“Wanna... be inside you.” Bokuto says breathlessly into the kiss, his dick aching to be let out of his pants.
You pull away and unbutton his jeans, Bokuto kicking them off onto the floor and pulling down his boxers. Your pussy throbbed at the sight of his dick, its sheer size enough to make you salivate. The way it swung a little when he took off his boxers, the prominent veins running along the shaft, its head blushing and leaking with precum. Bokuto had a gorgeous dick. You almost wanted to put it in your mouth but the heat of the moment called for a different hole to be filled.
Bokuto prods himself at your entrance and slowly slides inside you, inhaling sharply at the contact. You gasp at the dull stretch, feeling so full as you mewl uncontrollably. His hips roll slowly, thrusting deep inside your gummy walls as he rested his forehead onto yours. Your legs wrap around his waist, nails digging into the skin of his back as he picked up the pace.
“You feel so good, baby.” He spoke, kissing you gently to soothe you. You can feel him so deeply it almost brought a tear to your eye, his plunging movements sending your mind into a stupor.
He mummbled sweet praise against your neck, kissing the soft skin as he took you. A part of him wanted to go harder; really ruin that sweet face of yours and turn you into a lewd mess, but you mean more than that to him. This moment is nothing but pure love between two people who have known each other all their lives. You shriek as his hips start slamming into yours, back arching off the bed as your nipples pebbled against his chest.
“I-I love you, Bokuto.” You whine. Your eyes flash white, your vision becoming foggy as the mind boggling pleasure ripples through your body. You chant his name like a mantra, Bokuto mumbling how much he loves you as his hips do more of the talking. You feel him throb inside you, it becoming obvious he’s holding back so you can cum first. He’s rubbing circles into your clit as he pins your legs above your head. It all became so much so fast, your mewls spewing from your lips no longer caring who hears what.
“Let go for me, baby. C’mon..” He hums, nibbling on your neck. You scream, your tight cunny clenching down on his length as you cum for a second time that night. Bokuto rides out your orgasm, watching your body shake and shiver at the feeling of him sliding in and out of your weeping hole.
Bokuto doesn’t have time to think of where to cum, your walks sucking him in so well he loses all sense of control. He cums hot inside you, your pussy milking him for everything he had as he pants into your neck. You both stay in position for a while, looking at each other with love sick eyes. Bokuto rests himself on top of you, still nuzzled inside you as his cum leaks onto the sheets. You’re both out of breath, sitting in the high you both came to as you rub lazy circles into his back.
Nothing but pure love circulated the air as you rest together in bed, naked and vulnerable. You don’t say anything but soft I love yous to each other, gentle kisses on each others lips as you fell asleep in each other’s arms.
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Winnie the Pooh Rendition: Tommy and Tubbo go Mining and Nearly Capture a Tyrant
In the depths of Pogtopia, inside the pristinely decorated ravine, there was a singular patch of dirt Wilbur had gotten from an Enderman and placed underground. This singular grass block was his thinking spot. Whenever he was Feeling Things he always went to his thinking spot, to mull them over, and make sure all of the thoughts were quite thoroughly thought about.
Wilbur knew that this was an entirely reasonable thing to do, despite Technoblade’s claim that he was “simply sulking,” and “needed to go outside and touch some Real grass.”
“Nobody can help me,” Wilbur said to himself out loud, as he picked some grass and folded it over to see if he could make a whistle out of it. As it turns out, he could not.
“I am simply Miserable and Sad.”
He discarded the blades of grass, “Pathetic. Nothing means anything.”
After tossing the grass to the side there was a crash from around the corner, and Tommy came out with Tubbo trailing behind him.
“Hallo Wilbur!” said Tubbo and Tommy.
“Hallo Tubbo, hallo Tommy,” Wilbur replied, as gloomily as he could muster.
Tommy crossed his arms at Wilbur who was sitting on his grass block, “What has happened today?”
“Oh nothing in particular,” Wilbur said bitingly, “only there is a Tyrant in L’Manburg.”
“A Tyrant?” Tubbo said and he crossed his arms as well so he and Tommy were matching.
“Yes, just that, a Tyrant,” Wilbur responded.
Tubbo did not think that cleared anything up, but he figured Wilbur was not in a very explaining mood, so he kept his questions about Tyrants to himself.
Tommy however, was already scheming. “Well have a good day Wilbur!” he said.
“Is it?” Wilbur responded.
“A good day?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, it will be,” Tommy said. This would have been a concerning response to Wilbur, but he simply didn’t have the energy, and so Tommy and Tubbo were allowed to hurry out of Pogtopia completely unhindered.
Once they were outside and Tommy was confidently walking away from Pogtopia, Tubbo hurried to catch up to him. “What’s the plan?”
“Well, you see, there is one thing that we haven’t tried yet.”
“And what’s that,” Tubbo asked, always open to any untried ideas.
“You’re on my side, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Well then,” Tommy pulled out his pickaxe, “I’ve already started building a huge hole, you see, and I’m going to make it because I think it will intimidate everyone. And then I’m going to use the resources from that to make a huge tower, and then that will also intimidate everyone.”
Tubbo squinted trying to remember the word Wilbur had used, “Even Tyrants?”
“Yes,” said Tommy confidently, “especially them. In fact this huge hole will attract Tyrants. We shall make it a very Cunning Trap.”
“Have you ever seen a Tyrant before Tommy?”
“Yes I have,” said Tommy, wondering what exactly a Tyrant was like, “actually I have seen many of them. That’s why I know that this Cunning Trap would work so well.”
“Where is the hole?” Tubbo asked.
“Reasonable question, reasonable question. It is right outside of L’Manburg, which should be perfect for trapping Tyrants.”
“But Tommy,” Tubbo said, “Why would a Tyrant get trapped in a hole?”
Tommy and Tubbo sat down for a second on a few logs to think it out.
Tommy’s first idea was that they put some diamond blocks at the bottom of the hole so that any Tyrants passing by would be tricked into falling inside, and then they could-
“Who’s diamonds would we use?” Tubbo asked, already feeling the ender chest in his inventory getting lighter.
Tommy also was thinking of his ender chest and said very quickly, “Well, never mind that idea then.”
Then Tommy suggested that they could put a sign by the hole that said, GET IN THE HOLE, because then the Tyrant would be so intimidated by the Huge Tower and Huge Hole and they would simply get inside out of intimidation.
“Would you get in a Huge Hole because a sign told you Tommy?” Tubbo asked reasonably.
“Well no,” said Tommy, “But you see, I am not easily intimidated. But you see, it’s going to go straight to bedrock, and Tyrants are notorious for being easily frightened, so I am sure they will simply get in the hole when they are told by a sign.”
This was a reasonable enough explanation to satisfy Tubbo, and so with the plan in mind, and shovels in hand, they headed over to L’Manburg.
Digging the hole took them a whole six hours, which was longer than Tommy had spent doing anything in quite a while. The entire time he and Tubbo chatted about how they had been doing, since Tubbo was gone so often with important spy affairs, as well as how Wilbur had been doing. Tommy informed Tubbo, as they got closer to bedrock and he got more tired, of how Wilbur recommended not digging holes, as it would make you out of breath, and how it often made one sore, and generally upset later on in life.
But despite the exhaustion of digging such a huge hole, the two of them finally finished, wrote the sign in all capital letters, and headed back to Pogtopia together.
“Well, goodnight Tubbo,” Tommy said, “I will meet you at L’Manburg at six o’clock tomorrow morning, and then we can see how many Tyrants we’ve caught in our trap.”
“Six o’clock, Tommy. And have you got any string?”
Tommy checked his pockets, “No, I haven’t killed any spiders today. Why?”
“To help lead the Tyrant home.”
“Oh,” said Tommy, “Well I think that Tyrants are really more for trapping and then keeping them trapped, so you can look at them sometimes. They’re not really for bringing inside.”
“Oh,” said Tubbo, once again thoroughly confused. “Are they dangerous?”
Tommy scowled, thinking about what Wilbur had said, “Not at all! Goodnight Tubbo!”
“Oh. Well goodnight then Tommy!”
Tommy woke up the next morning with his brain full of the word Tyrants. He could not for the life of him shake the question that Tubbo had posed last night about whether or not they were dangerous. Were they large? Did they have teeth? Maybe they could climb out of holes, like spiders could, and then he could get bitten, or eaten.
Most importantly, were they only for looking at, or were they for keeping?
And even more importantly, were they easily intimidated by huge holes?
As he walked out of his small dirt room into the hallway, he caught sight of a tall dark figure in the corner of his room. His heart pounding, and praying that Tyrants are not vengeful, he pulled out a torch and held it up to the figure. It was his old red balloon.
“On second thought, I believe that it would be best for Tubbo and I to walk to L’Manburg together. After all, Tubbo is very bad at directions, and needs someone like me to help direct him there. I always know where I am, so I can help him.”
When he walked outside his door, Tubbo was already there.
“Hallo, Tommy,” Tubbo said, “I thought that it would be better for us to walk together.”
“Yes of course,” said Tommy, “I am better at not getting lost.”
So they headed back to L’Manburg, as stealthily as they could, creeping over twigs and branches, and hopping across stones in creeks.
At first, Tommy was hesitant to go up to the edge of the huge hole, as it looked quite eerie in between the oak trees in the sunlight of the early morning. But then he remembered that he was with Tubbo, and he couldn’t let anyone think that he was easily intimidated. Intimidation was for everyone else, but it was certainly not for Tommy.
So instead, thinking confidently that he would get to see a Tyrant for the first time ever, Tommy crept up to the edge of the huge hole, and peered down inside.
“Oh,” said Tommy, feeling both relieved and disappointed at the same time, “I have been very foolish again, haven’t I?”
“No,” said Tubbo, looking into their empty hole, “You’ve done a good job.”
“Well what can we do for Wilbur? There is a Tyrant in L’Manburg and he is Moping about it.”
They sat down again on a couple of logs to ponder their options. This time, Tubbo was the first one to have an idea.
“I have a sort of idea,” Tubbo said, “though I don’t suppose it is a good one.”
“I don’t suppose it is either.”
“Hey!” Tubbo said, and they both laughed, feeling better already. “Well I was thinking that we could use my silk touch pickaxe and give Wilbur some more grass blocks to sit on.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea,” said Tommy. He thought a little bit about whether there was anything that he could give to Wilbur. He thought to himself and thought, and rubbed his forehead quite hard. He thought about his little dirt house, and his three furnaces, and his oak doors. Then he remembered waking up that morning and being frightened by the balloon in his window.
“I know what I can bring him!”
“Then let’s meet him there,” said Tubbo.
“At twelve o’clock?”
“Twelve o’clock.”
Tommy collected the balloon from his dirt hut and immediately headed back to Pogtopia with it, going maybe a little too fast for his own good. He just knew that Wilbur would be happy to have a bright red balloon inside of Pogtopia, it was so dark and damp down there. And grass blocks would also help him to feel more like he was outside.
Tubbo and Tommy approached Wilbur slowly, as he was still lying on his grass block Thinking about Things. “Hallo Wilbur!” Tommy said. Willbur sat up to look at them.
“Hello Tommy, is it somebody’s birthday?” he asked, looking at the balloon.
“No, we’ve just come to give you something that might make it easier to not Think about Things anymore.” He handed Wilbur the balloon. “You see, it is a good red balloon.”
“Oh,” said Wilbur, “that’s my favorite color of balloon actually.” He stood up, “In fact, I think this balloon would go very well with my Pogtopia interior design.”
“I got you something too Wilbur,” Tubbo said, and handed Wilbur a stack of grass blocks. When Wilbur saw the grass blocks, he said, “This is perfect for my thinking place! Now maybe Technoblade won’t say I need to go and touch Real grass anymore!”
“Well, I think you should probably still go and touch other grass-”
But Wilbur didn’t hear them, as he was placing grass blocks over and over all over Pogtopia, with his red balloon trailing along behind him.
#tommyinnit#tubbo#dream smp#dreamsmp#fanfiction#eslyea#wilbur soot#l'manburg#winnie the pooh au#oops i didnt mean to post this yet#queue bugged
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Which is your favourite flower, Kaz?
Summary: Two years after the ending of Crooked Kingdom, Kaz and Inej enjoy a well-deserved moment of peace and happiness in Kaz's farm, surrounded by the beauty of nature. They reflect on their past and the healing they've done, as well as on their feelings for each other.
Pairing: Kaz x Inej
Basically, this is just pure FLUFF!!!
INEJ
Inej had always loved looking at the sky. When her mind was still young and naïve, she used to imagine herself walking between the clouds on a white sparkly tightrope, leaving behind her a silver trail decorating the silent sky. She used to dream of her spirit hanging in the air and her soul flying free in the blue infinity of the firmament, with a smile printed on her face and the lightness that is conferred only by liberty sculpted in her heart.
When her mind was trying to survive the horrors that Fate had destined to her, Inej still looked at the sky. Ketterdam’s sky was grey, opaque with the steam of the cities and almost threatening in his abyssal vastness. It wasn’t arid though. It was very much alive, reached day and night by the laughs of the tourists wandering through the narrow streets of the Barrel, by the drunken songs of the men wasting themselves in the taverns and the joyful or frustrated shouts of the ones playing in the gambling halls. But the sky was also the inevitable witness of the desperate pleas of people being defrauded or robbed, of the painful cries of some poor souls abandoned by the Saints and doomed to a fate of violence and sorrows, of the desperate sobs of girls violated in the brothels.
Read it on AO3 here!
The sky had never been reached by the Wraith’s voice though. She liked to contemplate it in silence, sitting on Ghezen’s thumb and savoring all the memories of when the clouds looked softer. She had actually hanged in the air and flied as the most elegant and gracious of the birds, but her stage had been roofs and chimneys, not clouds. Her curtain had been a grey and opaque sky, not a bright and azure one. Still, she had defeated gravity, even if not how she had dreamt as a child.
Now that her mind had known pain and had wandered even through the world’s darkest meanders, Inej still loved looking at the sky. She liked to remember both the acrobatics she had performed on the rope, admired by her proud family, and the brave stunts she had succeeded in as the Wraith, with Ketterdam’sky as her sole witness. She liked to admire the blue intense sky towering on the True Sea and the azure one inundating with light and hope Kaz’s farm.
It was early June and the clouds looked softer than ever. The sun burnt high in the clear azure sky and his shiny rays softly tinged the boundless meadows gold.
Inej let her eyes part from the sky and wander around the immense verdant meadows surrounding her, which stretched as far as eye can see and finally got lost between the vague trembling lines of the horizon, in a pyrotechnic explosion of colours. She admired the flowery fields and the carpet of grass she was sitting on, embroidered with the golden light of the daffodils, the white purity of the daisies, the gentle pink of the roses, the purple of the wild geranium – her mother’s favourite flower- and the strong blue of the irises, which reminded her of the unforgiving waves colliding with her Wraith. On the distance she could see the orchards tinging the landscape pink: she recognized the light-pink petals of cherries, the darker pink and orange flowers of the peaches and then the white and pinkish heart-shaped flowers of the apricots, slowly falling to the ground and leaving place to the orange velvety drupes.
The fresh floral perfume was inebriating and the delicate scent of grass, soft and faintly damp under her touch, graced her nostrils and intoxicated her thoughts. A soft symphony of birds singing reigned in the colourful heaven and lulled her, accompanied by the gentle tune of a light pleasant breeze, the soft murmurings of the creek beyond the orchards and the melody of... of feets approaching her.
“You have picked some flowers.” Inej turned around and watched Kaz nodding to the wooden basket full of flowers, while slowly sitting beside her. This Kaz’s voice, Kaz Rietveld's voice, was not as raspy as Kaz Brekker’s one. He wasn’t even using the cane, which he had come to find unnecessary for walking on the soft grass. This Kaz, her Kaz, had longer hair on the sides and brown highlights, result of almost three weeks spent in the sun. He had even tanned a bit and gotten freckles all over his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose, and the corners of his mouth seemed to be turned up in a smile more often than not. He was wearing simple black breeches and a loose white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. No coat, no hat. No gloves. His eyes, however, were the same colour of bitter coffee as always.
“Wylan helped me earlier.” Inej observed Kaz eyeing the flowers with a troubled expression and then slowly lifting his head to look at her. “I've never given you flowers.”
KAZ
“You have picked some flowers”. Inej turned around and Kaz swore he had felt his heart stopping. The sun rays caressed her chocolate skin and framed her beautiful face. Oil black lashes fanned over her cheeks and a light breeze ruffled her silky dark hair. Her obsidian eyes resembled the darkest of the abysses and Kaz craved to forget himself and die in his pitch-dark immensity. Her vivid eyes sparkled as the brightest and most vibrant of stars and Kaz ached to live eternally and enshrine that light in a golden casket.
To Kaz, she didn’t look real, not for him. To Kaz, she looked holier that any of the Saints she devotedly believed in, so stunning that he thought he might just break down and cry if he looked at her any longer. Enveloped by the rainbow of flowers and trees, she looked like a picture painted by Purity itself, with the colourful palette of kindness and hope and the silver brush of strength and determination.
Kaz couldn’t thank any God enough that she was real. He jealously cherished every moment in which his eyes were graced with the sight of her elegant figure and kind smile, as he had never seen her before, as he would never see her again. He had learned to welcome and appreciate even the feeling of his breath catching and mouth drying whenever he looked at her, whenever he was a boy again, sure that there was magic in this world.
To Kaz, looking at Inej felt like dying. It felt like he couldn’t hope nor ask to breathe the same air of a heart so kind, a soul so hopeful, a mind so strong. It felt like being lost in the vastness of the universe, like navigating the tumultuous waves of the True sea, overwhelmed by feelings he never knew his hearth could fell, stunned by a fate he didn’t believe he deserved. It felt like being consumed by her, for her.
To Kaz, looking at Inej felt like living. It felt like he could hope to walk this land as a better man, like he had managed to pull himself together into some semblance of a man for her. It felt like having been hurt and then healed, like the sorrows and ghost of his past wouldn’t persecute him for evermore, like life was worth living. It felt like being whole, like the void in his soul had been filled by her, for her.
To Kaz, looking at Inej felt like looking at the sun, like being warmed and burned, overwhelmed by a powerful oxymoron of emotions, a powerful oxymoron of life and death. To Kaz, Inej looked like the sun. To Kaz, Inej looked brighter than the sun.
“Wylan helped me earlier.” Kaz looked at the wooden basket full of flowers and a sudden realization striked him : flowers, he had never gifted her with flowers. He had given her a knife, sure, but he had done it for his own personal purposes, for turning her into his Wraith. Now they had been staying in Johannus Rietveld's farm for almost three weeks, literally surrounded by flowers, and he had never given her any. Would she have wanted him to? Would she have liked a gift that would have reminded her of her happy childhood, and not of the violence she had been forced to face? Would she have liked a gift that he would have given her had they met in another life, had they been Inej Ghafa and Kaz Rietveld, instead of the Wraith and the Bastard of the Barrel?
He shifted his eyes back to hers and murmured weakly, “I’ve never given you flowers.” Inej looked taken aback for a moment, eyes wide and lips slightly parted, before quickly recomposing herself and setting her face into a stoic, indecipherable expression. She looked straight into his eyes, pursed lips and brow furrowed, and Kaz knew he was inevitably about to enhance the list of his unforgivable sins. “Kaz”, her voice came out unbearably severe and disappointed and Kaz knew he would have gladly chosen death if it’d mean he would never be the one to bring that tone in her angelic voice again. But then her lips twitched almost imperceptibly, like she was trying with all her might to hold back Kaz’s final death sentence, and her eyes gleamed with… amusement?
A laugh, she was trying to hold back a laugh. How Inej managed to turn Dirtyhands, the brain which had broken into the Ice Court and destroyed one of Ketterdam’s most powerful man, into a lovestruck fool was downright beyond him. “Inej”, he sighed defeated and her whole face lighted up with delight, before she carefreely threw her head back and released the most infectious and crystalline of laughs. Now Kaz was sure he was going to die, mercilessly killed by the most beatific sound which had ever reached his ears, undeniably annihilated by the same laugh he craved for all-day long and graced his dreams every night, by the truest and most profound essence of her.
Her eyes sparkled with sheer love and a warm, affectionate smile enlightened her features: “Kaz, you gave me my Wraith, you found my parents for me, you restored my freedom when I thought there were no hope or salvation left for me”, she cooed fondly and tenderly, “do you honestly believe I would be upset because you never gave me flowers?”. Kaz felt his lips immediately turning up in a sincere smile and, not trusting himself with words, slowly shifted his hand and brushed his knuckles against hers, asking the permission she immediately granted, sliding her smaller hand into his callous one and entwining their fingers. It was always like this between them, a game of continuous asking and giving permissions, of constant gaining and offering trust, a game he genuinely believed they were slowly yet effectively winning.
“Do you want to know what my father used to tell me when I was little?” Inej asked softly, while lovingly drawing little circles with her thumb on Kaz’s bare hand.
“Another Suli wise proverb?” he smirked.
“No, Kaz”, she playfully rolled her eyes, “not another of our useful proverbs. He used to tell me that there would have been many boys to bring me flowers, but that only one would have known my favourite flower, or song or sweet. And that even if he’d have been too poor to give me any, he wouldn’t have mattered, because that boy, and him only, had earnt my heart.”
Kaz’s heart leaped with joy: he knew. He had never given her flowers, but he knew her favourite one, he knew. “Dahlia. Your favourite flower is the Dahlia, the red one. You told me when we saw one in the flower stall in Goedmedbridge, remember? We were following those Dime Lions. You said you liked it because it appeared elegant and graceful, but that the red colour made it look also somewhat powerful and strong.”, he blurted out with the excitement of a child. ”And your favourite sweet are those chocolate biscuits Nina made you try when you visited her in Ravka last summer. The ones she had cooked modifying Matthias's Fjerdian recipe.”
“And my favourite song?”
Hearing Inej’s trembling, touched voice snapped Kaz out of his frantic enthusiasm, his grin softening into a lovely crooked smile and devotion gleaming in his eyes. “You don’t have one. You can’t choose between all the lullabies your mother singed to get you to sleep.”
INEJ
Inej didn’t answer. She tightened her hold on Kaz’s hand, but didn’t answer. She fought the urge to cry – if from happiness or gratitude or emotion she couldn’t say-, but didn’t answer. She looked into his strong tea brown eyes as if he was a miracle of her Saints, but didn’t answer. She couldn’t, for the life of her, find her voice, because this boy, this man, had earned her heart.
She had fallen for Dirtyhands under the grey sky of Ketterdam, the man who had freed her from a cage of horrors and humiliations and had given her, if not happiness or safety, a new perspective, a new possibility at life. She had fallen for the man who, as first thing, had refused to call her with that grotesque, demeaning name Tante Heleen had given her, but had asked for her real name, for how she wished to be called. She had fallen for the Bastard of the Barrel, the man who had taught her how to fight and defend herself, how to become powerful and even dangerous, how to make others respect her. She had fallen for the man who had never wanted to own her or annihilate her identity. She had fallen for the man who, even if hadn’t promised her that, had always protected her, whatever the cost.
Then she had slowly came to know Kaz Rietveld and had fallen hard for him too. She had fallen for the boy who looked sincerely ashamed after being scolded by Mr. Fahey, for the boy who fought everyday against his demons and was willing to defeath them to be with her. She had fallen for the boy who smiled light-heartedly and laughed freely, for the boy whose eyes glowed in the sun and gleamed with a nervous yet warm devotion while braiding her hair.
She had fallen for the man who wanted her and wished to dedicate himself to her, without gloves, without armour. She had fallen for the naive, sweet boy Kaz had once been and for the man revenge and greed had shaped, a crow mercilessly remindful or who had wronged him, but also of who had been kind and fair. She had fallen for who he was becoming, a man who had known pain and hatred, but was willing to open the rusty gate of his hearth to love and friendship.
She had fallen for Kaz Brekker, the man who had returned her the liberty which had been violently snatched from her and had found her beloved parents. The man who had encouraged her ambitions and supported her constantly in her fight against the slavers.
She had fallen for Kaz Brekker. She loved Kaz Brekker, and he had earned her heart. He possessed her heart.
“I can braid your hair, if you’d like. I… I could add the flowers.” Hadn’t she just been thinking he owned her heart?
Her voice still failed her, so she resolved to nod. She watched Kaz shifting a bit to sit behind her and heard his breathing deepening. After a few instants, Inej welcomed the cherished feeling of Kaz’s long fingers caressing her inky hair with a gentleness that didn’t surprise her anymore. She felt him dividing the hair into three even parts, before crossing the left section over the middle one and then doing the same with the right section. As always, he worked in silence, section after section, strand after strand, breath by breath, brick by brick. The first times he had braided her hair, Inej had felt Kaz's fingers trembling and his breathing fastening, so she had started to ask him what was on his mind, to distract him, or she would tell him stories from her childhood, to soothe him.
Now, his fingers didn't tremble anymore and he was rather succesful in controlling his breathing, but Inej still whished to hear his concentrated voice. She still wanted to explore the gears of his psyche, to navigate the thunderous stream of his thoughts, to know the forbidden ruminations of his complex mind. “Wha”, she coughed, clearing his throat, “What are you thinking right now, Kaz?”
“I thought you'd never ask.”, he chuckled, and Inej could perfectly figure his mischievous grin.
“Kaz.”
“Darling Inej, treasure of my heart, I'm thinking about how it's taking me forever to braid all this hair. I swear I'll cut it, one day or another.”
“You wouldn't dare!”, she cried out in mock outrage, repressing a laugh.
“Would you slit my throat with Sankta Alina while I sleep, if I cut it?”
“You have to ask?”
“Then no, I wouldn't dare.”, Kaz answered with an exaggeratedly fearful tone that really didn't suit him.
They kept silent for a moment, pursing their lips, before giving in and bursting out laughing until tears rolled down their cheeks with amusement. “I never knew Dityhands was so easily scared", Inej sputtered out between laughs, “he is such a chicken, isn't he?”.
“Stop making me laugh Inej", he sniggered, “or I'll get confused and will have to start the braid from the beginning. I'm doing a delicate operation here while you just sit and laugh, you know?”
“Sorry, sorry", she wiped a tear from her left eye, “but you still have to tell me what you are thinking about.”
They slowly calmed down, quieting their breathing and setting into a comforting silence. Inej, however, had felt Kaz’s fingers slightly tensing up and when his hand shifted to take a geranium into the basket -after having secured the braid-, she asked again. “Kaz, tell me please.”
He took a deep breath. His fingers trembled. “I’m thinking if this is how it would have been. If we hadn’t become Dirtyhands and the Wraith, that is.”
Inej’s heart gave a painful squeeze. “Kaz”, she started soothingly, “we-.
“Would you want us to be only Kaz Rietveld and Inej Ghafa, sitting on the grass and enjoying the sun, while I braid your hair? Would you want me to be able to touch you as every man touches his girlfriend? Would you- ”
“No, Kaz, I wouldn’t.”, she brusquely interrupted him, “I wouldn’t.”. She swiftly turned around, took both his hands in hers without giving much thought to caution and permissions, and looked straight into his eyes with the determination of who allows for no replication. “I wouldn’t, Kaz. I wouldn’t because, if we hadn’t become Dirtyhands and the Wraith, we would have never met. And even if we had met, we wouldn’t have been who we are today, and believe me when I say I’d never change who we are, for anything in the world. It’s not Kaz Rietveld the one I’m in love with, you know. I’m in love with him, with Dirtyhands, with the Bastard of the Barrel.” Inej swore he’d never looked that dumbfounded, but she wasn’t quite finished. “I’m in love with Kaz Brekker. I’m in love with you, Kaz. As you’re in love with the Wraith, with Captain Ghafa, with Inej. Aren’t you, Kaz?”, and this time she didn’t even try to hold back the tears.
“Inej”, he murmured with a devotion who made her feel holier than the Saints she believed in, “Inej”, he repeated, while slowly untangling his right hand from hers and lifting it to her cheeks. With the gentlest touch, he captured her tears with his fingertips and delicately wiped them away, one by one. “Inej”, and if she could have bottled the sound of her name being so tenderly whispered by his lips and gotten drunk on it every night, she would have. ”Inej”, he delicately cupped her right cheek, while his other hand went to softly rest on her neck. “Inej”, he got closer to her and Inej thought her heart might just jump out of her chest, “Inej”, and he slowly lowered his head, lips hovering over her cheek. “Inej”, and his crimson lips brushed the tip of her nose, his hands slightly tremulous. “Inej", and his warm lips captured a tear rolling down her left cheek, and then another and another. “Inej", and his soft lips grazed her forehead, while she lifted her trembly hands and delicately yet eagerly rested them on his wrists. “Inej", and she had barely a moment to register the lonely tear falling from his left eye, before she finally felt the cherished pressure of his moist lips against hers, both familiar and new all at once. And a rainbow of colours and emotions exploded behind her closed eyelids.
In this moment, when Kaz's lips were pressed against hers, Inej knew that she'd never be the same again, that she'd never forget the taste of him, that she’d never give anything for granted, that she'd never stop fighting for what is good and just in this twisted world. In this moment, while she could feel the faintest brushes of tongues and the most sheer connection of hearts and souls, Inej found herself floating away, knowing nothing but Kaz, his smell, his breath, his hands on her skin, his hearth throbbing madly in his chest. In this moment, when he finally met her where she had been waiting for him, Inej thanked all her Saints and treasured the arduous path that, after years of battles and sufferings and anguish, had allowed them to live this precious instant, this precious everything.
When they finally pulled away, hearts gone mad with joy and euphoria, Inej looked into Kaz's blissful eyes and gave him a watery smile: “Which is your favourite flower, Kaz?”
A/N: Hey guys, thank you so much for reading!!! What do you think Kaz's favourite flower would be?? Tell me in the comments!
#kanej#kanej fluff#kanej fic#kanej fanfic#*cries in kanej*#kaz brekker#inej ghafa#kaz × inej#kaz#inej#six of crows#soc#crooked kingdom#post crooked kingdom#shadow and bone#shadow and bone netflix#freddie carter#amita suman#grishaverse#fluff#love#romance
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Concentric [24]
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Words: 25.5k 🤡
Genres: fantasy!AU, angst, fluff, enemies to lovers, eventual smut
Warnings: angst, mentions of violence, blood, trauma, guilt
Summary: You had been ready for the end of the semester. You had been ready to spend time away from your best friend, Jimin, and finally move on from the feelings you harbored. Yet, after your friend was forced to reveal a secret, you found yourself in a new world that was chock full of magic, war, and wonder. So, here you were, basically thrown into your own fantasy novel, with your best friend on one side, and six male warriors on the other.
A/N: pls accept this long update as apology for making y’all wait 6 months 😭 also brace yourselves cuz whew this one is a doozy. ENGOY! 💙
The forest was a blur of green and brown in the Saeni’s eyes. Their feet pounded against the ground in controlled yet rushed footfalls. The air was filled with sounds of rustling leaves and creaking trees. Bird calls and trickling water. Ragged breaths and suppressed groans.
Wincing at his burning thighs, Tae slowed his pace ever so slightly to allow Jungkook to have the lead. The blue-eyed Saeni glanced to the side and took in the blood on his brother’s back. The crimson flower was getting bigger. Red flowed from the maknae’s back, trailed down his leg, and stained the earth behind him in small marks. Yet, Jungkook continued to press on.
Just as Tae went to open his mouth to try to reason with his brother again, to try to get Jungkook to stop and stay put while he went on and looked for Jimin and Y/N, a putrid smell floated over with the breeze.
The distinct smell of death and decay.
“Hyung,” Jungkook whispered in a raspy voice as he came to a stop and turned in the direction of the stench.
“I know, I know,” Tae said back quietly while also slowing down.
Both male’s chests heaved rapidly and their bodies felt heavy and sluggish from exhaustion. Tae rolled his shoulder and retrieved an arrow from his quiver before silently notching it. Then, they began to creep through the trees and shrubbery with soft steps. Neither of them could hear anyone or anything besides the forest… but they still went slowly.
Once the putrid smell was strong enough to make his eyes water, Jungkook grit his teeth and reached over his shoulder to unsheathe one of his short blades.
The metal flashed in the sunlight and Jungkook held it firmly, but Tae placed a hand on his arm and warned, “Don’t do anything stupid. You’re in no shape to charge in full force.”
Jungkook shook his head. “If it’s for her… for her and hyung… I can do it.”
Tae fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Shut up. We go in slow and see what we’re dealing with. Got it?”
The other male huffed, but after a few seconds he nodded.
About a minute later, when the smell almost made them want to gag, the two Saeni brushed through a collection of leaves and thin branches. And then they saw them. The bodies.
A quick count revealed there were thirteen in total. All dead. Some were riddled with arrows, others with stab wounds and slash marks. One of them was even speared to a tree.
But what made Tae and Jungkook freeze was that they recognized some of them.
Three of them, to be exact.
The female speared to the tree trunk, the male with an arrow impaled through his throat, and the male slumped against the base of a tree.
Jungkook released a shaky, uneven breath and whispered, “Hyung, they were the ones… the ones selected to go with-”
“Chim and Mingi. I know,” Tae answered in a quiet voice as his body started to tremble with both fatigue and fear.
As the burgundy head released a weak “fuck fuck fuck!” and stumbled to the side to brace himself on a low-hanging branch, Tae lowered his bow and stepped forward to silently walk through the gruesome scene. He inspected the other bodies strewn across the forest floor. All draikensu. No sign of Chim, Y/N, or Mingi. Exhaling, he went to walk back to Jungkook, but a disturbance on the ground caught his attention. Crouching down, the blue-eyed Saeni lightly trailed his fingertips over the overturned dead leaves and lifted his gaze slightly.
The same disturbance continued into the trees, leading away from the bodies.
A dull, thumping sound broke Tae’s attention and the noise made him quickly turn his head to the side. The Saeni saw Jungkook pull his arm back from the tree he was leaning against and pound his fist into the trunk again.
“What happened to them? Where are they? Where are they!?” The younger male squeezed his peridot eyes shut and ground his fist into the rough bark.
“Kook? Hey, calm down!” Tae shot to his feet and ran to his brother. Before the younger male could punch the tree a third time, Tae grabbed his wrist. “Jungkook! I checked the bodies. They’re not here… they’re not here.”
Jungkook whipped around to face his brother and pulled his arm free. “Then where are they?”
Tae had no answer. The male just opened his mouth and almost instantly closed it again.
“Hyung, where are they!?”
“I DON’T KNOW!” The older male shouted back in a stressed tone, his crimson-stained feather earring swaying erratically from the outburst. “I don’t know, okay? But I saw some tracks leading away from here, so I’m going to keep going. You should stay here an-”
“I’m not fucking staying here.” Jungkook’s jaw ticked and he returned his short sword to its sheath with a grimace. “Let’s go.”
You tightly gripped the buckle on Jimin’s armor as you both limped forward over the stones and vegetation scattered on the creek bank. You were supporting each other as you took slow, heavy steps, and Jimin was clutching the strap of your quiver just as desperately as you were holding on to him. Neither of you were willing to let go of the other. It was almost like you both needed the physical reassurance that the other person was truly there and breathing.
That you both were.
Water splashed around your ankles and onto your legs as you both stumbled into the creek. The water was so cold it made you sharply inhale through your teeth and pause your explanation of why you’d left the field and how you’d arrived at the rift. Before you could return to your story, the stone you had begun to step on tilted dangerously to the side under the water and almost made you twist your ankle.
“Ah! Stupid fucking rock,” you muttered under your breath while defiantly kicking at the stone with your heel, causing water to spray into the air.
Jimin tugged on your quiver strap to get you moving again while asking if you were okay.
“Yeah yeah, I’m fine. I’m just…” You let out a lethargic sigh and looked up at the sky. “I’m really over today.”
Water sloshed over the sand, pebbles, and weeds on the bank as you both reached the other side of the creek and exited the stream. Resisting the urge to just drop your ass down on the sun-warmed rocks and never move again, you squeezed Jimin’s buckle and begrudgingly heaved yourself up and over a large tree root. As you looked down to see where you were stepping, you saw the wooden tendril was speckled with droplets of red. It was just a mere piece of the dotted trail you were forced to follow as you left the rift’s location, and although it was your umpteenth time catching sight of it, it still made your chest tighten painfully. You tore your gaze away from the blood, not wanting to think about who’s it was. Or how he was no longer with you.
You sniffed, cleared your throat, and raised your eyes in front of you. Through the sunlight filtering in between the leaves, you recognized a dark lump wedged between two rocks.
Remembering you were supposed to be sharing how you had found Jimin, you pointed your chin at the body of the wolf. “Anyway, I heard the howls an-”
“Jungkook, you need to slow down!”
Your body flinched at the sudden sound breaking the peaceful chirping and buzzing of the forest then stilled with one foot left raised in the air.
“Jungkook?” You whispered in disbelief and placed your foot down gently while Jimin asked, “Was that… Tae?”
Jungkook…? And… Tae…?
Apprehensive hope surged in your heart at the thought of the two Saeni being near, but… why would they be out here? Why weren’t they at the field? Or were you simply so tired that you’d imagined the voice? You slowly blinked then turned your head to look at Jimin in confusion. Your gaze met his brown eyes but he looked just as unsure as you felt.
Neither of you moved. You barely breathed. With your heart beating wildly in your chest, you waited to hear the voice again.
One… two… three seconds passed…
But you heard nothing besides the trickling of water, shifting of leaves, singing of birds and bugs, and light, anxious breathing coming from yourself and the half-Saeni next to you.
It was probably just the wind and my mind making shit up. There’s no way Kookie and TaeTae are actually here.
But…
Jimin heard it too.
Tentatively, you lifted your free hand and wrapped your fingers around the hilt of the dagger at your side as the wind picked up and blew strays wisps of hair in your face.
“For Exia’s sake, you’re going to pass out!”
Your eyes widened at the voice and you involuntarily tightened your grip on the dagger. At the same time, Jimin sharply inhaled and lifted his head in the direction it had come from, making his sweaty apricot hair shift over his forehead.
He nodded once to himself. “That-holy fuck-that’s definitely Tae.”
You had also verified the owner of the voice that time and before you knew it, you were hoarsely screaming the Saeni’s name into the dense trees. Jimin joined in moments later, your scratchy voices mixing and resounding into the air together. After your screams faded into dry coughs, you and Jimin gulped air back into your lungs while you let go of the dagger and adjusted your hold on the half-Saeni’s buckle. Then, you both surged forward. As fast as your wobbly legs could manage, you and your best friend limp-ran past the remainder of the blood trail, the dead wolf, and a couple of scattered, stray arrows to where the earth began to incline.
As you stepped over a large rock on the ground and started to climb out of the gully, the familiar deep voice shouted back in surprise, “Chim!? Little scorja!?”
Tae’s voice made you close your eyes for a second; you were just so happy to hear him, to know that he was alive. A tiny, relieved smile tugged at the corner of your lips and after sucking in a breath, you quickly yelled back that you were coming. Your voice echoed into the expanse of the forest as you grabbed on to thin tree trunk with your free hand. Using the tree to pull yourself up a few more steps, a hiss escaped past your lips in between your ragged inhales due to how much your thighs were burning and shaking. You were honestly shocked they were even still working, but you kept telling yourself you were minutes or possibly even seconds away from seeing Tae and Jungkook. You would be damned if your legs gave out before then. Likewise, Jimin was mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like “I think I can, I think I can” over and over again to keep himself motivated and moving through his own pain.
Less than a minute later, you were nearing the top of the gully. Impatience swelled inside you, and you somehow forced your aching body to move just a little faster and pulled Jimin with you. Though in your haste, you slipped on a clump of loose dirt and fell forward to your knee with a sharp curse.
“Come on. Come on.” Jimin reached over to grip your arm and heaved you back up with a subdued groan in his throat.
The two of you staggered the rest of the way up until the ground finally leveled out. Breathing heavily, you both paused and sagged against each other in exhaustion. But only a couple heartbeats later, you were tugging on each other to move again. Leaves and twigs crunched under your feet, thin branches whacked against your legs and hips, and the low shrubbery violently shook in your wake as you hurried through the trees.
While you shivered in the cool shade cast by the leaves and branches high above your head, you darted your eyes around to desperately search for signs of the Saeni. Your gaze flickered over the endless tree trunks, moss-covered boulders, thorny vines…
And then you saw it through the blur of leaves. The smallest splash of pinkish burgundy among the greens and browns of the forest.
Jungkook.
You whispered his name gently, feeling your eyes begin to sting as you fully made out his figure. In your peripherals, you saw Jimin look at you then follow your line of sight.
He let out a soft, breathy laugh and released his hold on your quiver strap. “Go on. I’ll catch up.”
Tearing your gaze away from the Saeni in the distance, you glanced at your best friend to see him smiling at you. The half-Saeni kept his warm brown eyes on you but tilted his head toward his younger brother, silently telling you to go on ahead. You pressed your lips together and peeked back at the burgundy-haired Saeni before returning your attention to Jimin. You stared at him for a split-second then nodded, your stiff hand falling away from his buckle.
After lightly squeezing Jimin’s arm, you turned back to Jungkook and took a step forward.
Then another.
And another.
And another and another and another until you were nearly running. You barely registered the throbbing pain in your legs. All you cared about was reaching him.
“JEON JUNGKOOK!” You screamed with a big, dumb smile on your face.
Immediately, his burgundy head was facing your direction and it almost looked like a shudder ran through his body. Not even a second later, though, he was sprinting toward you.
Somewhere to the right, you heard Tae’s deep voice call out. “Little scorja? Where is…? Chim? Chim! Oh, thank goddess.”
You didn’t even look to the side to see where your blue-eyed friend was. You were entirely too focused on who was in front of you. Who was almost to you.
Closer. Closer. Closer.
So close that when he ran through a ray of sunlight, you could see the gold flecks in his eyes flash brightly. You also noticed the dried blood coating his skin and armor but it didn’t faze you. You too were stained with crimson. It was just a nasty aftereffect of fighting for your life and taking others.
Lengthening your stride to avoid tripping over a bundle of roots in your path, you felt the stinging in your eyes turn into a waterier sensation as your tears threatened to spill over.
Closer. Closer. You got closer closer closer…
And then you collided with each other, the thudding impact nearly forcing you to lose your breath. The male stumbled back from your momentum and you both teetered on the uneven ground before he firmly planted his feet and wrapped his strong arms around you.
As you closed your eyes and leaned into him, a small voice in your head said it was strange how Jungkook had stumbled back. You’d launched yourself at him countless of times yet he’d never done that before. It was unusual, but you mentally told the small voice to fuck off. He’d just fought in a damn battle, for Exia’s sake. He was probably exhausted just like you were.
“Y/N, f-fuck. Fuck. I was so worried,” he murmured in your ear while holding you as close as possible. Like he though you would slip through his hands and disappear if he didn’t. “Y-You weren’t on the cliff anymore… you… you weren’t there. I thought you-goddess-I thought you died.”
The end of his sentence came out choked and he shakily breathed in. Your heart panged at the grief filling his voice, and a single tear slipped down your cheek and cut through the dirt and dust on your face. Once the lone tear met the crease of your lips and you tasted its salt, several more tears followed suit. As they trailed down your skin, his fingers moved up your spine until they found the back of your neck and lightly grazed over your mark.
“I’m sorry-I didn’t mean-Jimin needed help.”
Chuckling lowly at your stammering, Jungkook slightly pulled back to cup your face in his hands. While holding your gaze, he traced his thumb over your cheek to wipe away your tears before they could drip off your chin. Your lips parted slowly and you looked into those bright peridot eyes, finally feeling safe for the first time since the sun had peeked over the horizon. Finally feeling like you could let your guard down. Finally feeling like you could breathe easily. With a content sigh, you unwound your hands from Jungkook’s neck and went to gently hold his wrists.
But right as you touched his forearms, his legs suddenly buckled and he collapsed to a knee. With your face still caught in his hands, you involuntarily followed him by bending at the waist and your eyes widened in confusion. Lowering his head, Jungkook released a pained moan while you heard Tae and Jimin call out in concern. Worried, you opened your mouth to ask what was wrong, but it was then that you finally registered how pale his skin was. How colorless it looked compared to the deep red spattered across it.
Wha-?
Jungkook raised his peridot eyes to yours and gave you a strained smile while his grip on your face weakened. “I’m fine, sweetheart. Just a… a little tired, but I’m the best, remem-…rememb-” His words were cut off as his eyes rolled back into his head and he limply crumpled to the ground with a solid, dull thump.
A series of curses rose into the air from the other males while you frantically said Jungkook’s name and dropped to your knees. He was on his side, limbs loosely splayed out. Your breathing got faster as you placed one of your hands on his shoulder and the other near his hip. Tenderly but firmly, you shook Jungkook to get him to open his eyes. To move. To say something. To do anything. But nothing happened. He was utterly silent and still except for the smallest rise and fall of his chest. You swore, shifted your gaze to his face, and was wondering what the fuck you should do when realized one of your hands felt strangely warm… and wet. Body going rigid, you slowly drew your eyes down to your hand resting on Jungkook’s hip… and then you lifted it. Your palm and fingers were smeared with red. Blood. Fresh blood. And it was coming from Jungkook. Flinching at the sight, you felt your stomach drop and body go cold as full-fledged panic instantly rushed through your veins. Yet you couldn’t do anything but stare at the blood for a few seconds, completely frozen and scared. You watched as the crimson liquid gradually ran down your wrist in small, thin rivulets, and your hands began to tremble. Everything else in the world faded to some distant, fuzzy background. You couldn’t see anything but red. Couldn’t hear anything but your own pounding heartbeat. Couldn’t smell anything but the now familiar reek of iron. No trace of peridot or burgundy or florals mixed with hard steel. It almost felt like you weren’t even in your own body anymore. You were just in a suspended state of bloody shock and disbelief. It lasted for one… two… three… four seconds and then you were slammed back into reality. After gasping and pushing the unconscious male onto his back, you leaned over him to grab his ghastly face in your hands, causing his cheek to be painted with even more red.
“Jungkook? Jungkook!? Hey hey hey, come on. Come on, wake up.” Distress and fear laced your words. “You gotta wake up Kookie.”
“Shit, I told him not to push himself so hard!” You heard Tae’s frustrated voice carry over with the wind and it sounded closer than before.
Pressing your lips together to hold in a sob, your throat grew tight and your vision went blurry as tears started to drip onto Jungkook’s face. The droplets rolled off his cheeks and you shook your head while a whimper came from your lips.
Letting go of his face, you fisted your hands on top of his chest. “You need to hear what I wanted to say earlier. You said I could tell you later, right?”
But he still didn’t move. He didn’t even stir.
You couldn’t hold back anymore. After a single shuddering inhale, cries began to wrack your body and you collapsed forward until your forehead weakly laid against Jungkook’s armored chest.
Not even a second later, you heard Tae skid to a stop beside you and then felt him tugging at your arm. “Stab wound on his back. On his back. On his back.”
His words seeped into your brain and it threw your already overwhelmed mind into a daze. Your eyes grew unfocused and you blinked as you let the Saeni pull you away. Then you started replaying those words over and over again like a broken reel. Stab wound. Stab wound. Stab wound. On his back. Stab wound on his back.
“Fucking Exia! Why didn’t you stop when I told you to!?” The blue-eyed male shouted at Jungkook before rolling his unconscious brother back to his side and applying pressure to the wound.
You squeezed your eyes shut for a moment, forcing more tears to quickly stream down your cheeks, then crawled a few feet so you could gently lift Jungkook’s head into your lap.
After brushing his hair out of his face and tucking it behind his long ear, you quietly said, “You… You said I could tell you later.” You traced the edge of his ear to the tip as your voice cracked. “Well, it’s later so you gotta wake up, okay? You need to wake up so I can tell you.”
No response.
Your muscles tensed and your bottom lip quivered, but your body suddenly felt hot and your cheeks burned. “Don’t be a coconut-headed asshat and go back on your word! Wake up so I can tell you, dammit!”
Tell you that I love you. That I’m in love with you.
Please.
The snap of a breaking twig made you shoot your head up and you saw Jimin hurrying over with a handful of big leaves. He dropped to the ground between you and Tae and wordlessly shoved the leaves at the blue-eyed Saeni. After grabbing them with one hand, Tae hastily shoved them under his other palm that was pressing against Jungkook’s wound.
He was using them to help control the bleeding.
The apricot head then turned to you and abruptly requested that you give him Jungkook’s dagger. Too caught up in your mind-numbing hysteria and not understanding why he needed a blade right then, you slowly looked from your best friend to the ruby gemstone glittering at your hip in bewilderment.
“Dagger. Dagger now, Y/N!”
His sharp tone cut through the fog in your brain and you sniffled while shifting your hand over the dagger. Your fingers briefly hesitated; knowing how important the weapon was to Jungkook, you didn’t like the idea of someone using it without his permission. Even if it was his brother. But Jimin was also aware of the dagger’s history and you knew he wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t absolutely necessary, so you curled your fingers around the hilt and pulled the blade from its scabbard. Flipping it in your hand, you held it out to Jimin, who snatched it from your grasp and leaned over his legs. As blood continued to leak out around the leaves and Tae’s fingers, the half-Saeni yanked the hem of his pants out of one of his boots and maneuvered the blade underneath. Then, a ripping sound came from the fabric. A few more seconds and rips later, Jimin was holding a decently-sized chunk of the durable fabric and was giving the blade back to you. Quietly, you took it from him while steadying Jungkook’s head in your lap with your other hand. As you tightly squeezed the hilt, Jimin nudged Tae and told him to move aside. Somehow, they managed to smoothly transfer jobs and Jimin was now using the patch of fabric to try to staunch the bleeding as Tae stood up unsteadily. The male’s now blood-covered hands hung at his sides while his blood-soaked feather earring swayed in the breeze.
His blue eyes solemnly gazed down at Jungkook’s face before they suddenly sharpened with resolve. “I’m going back for help. Don’t let him die.” Then, after taking a deep breath and a final look at his brother, he pivoted on his heel and ran into the trees.
His soft footsteps swiftly melted into the symphony of the forest, and you prayed that he would come back quickly. Returning your attention to Jungkook, you gripped the dagger in your hand until your knuckles strained against your skin while hoping the familiarity of the action would bring you some sort of comfort. It made you think of glittering peridot eyes and cocky smirks. Nervous stammering and provoking comments. You tried to hold onto those memories as firmly as you could. Both the good and the bad ones. Memories filled with tender touches and shy words. Memories made of angry glares and heated emotions. Memories of him. Memories with him. But as you listened to Jimin try to coax Jungkook back to consciousness, you looked down at the unresponsive male and could only think of how you were on the verge of losing him.
Losing the person you loved.
While your breath stuttered as you tried to inhale deeply, you brushed your thumb up and down Jungkook’s strong jaw and silently pleaded with him to open his eyes.
Wake up… wake up… please please please, wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Please wake up.
Your eyes shot open and your body flinched as you recoiled from the painful dream. But the attempt to get away was stopped short as you realized you were laying down and had nowhere to go. Then it hit you that it was completely dark. Head spinning and breathing rate rapidly increasing, you squinted into the blackness. It took you a few seconds for your eyes to come into focus, and you let out a relieved exhale when you registered the familiar room. Slowly unfurling your curled-up body, you pushed yourself into a sitting position on the bed and gazed out the window. The faint glow of the moon and distant tree lanterns came in through the open spaces where the branches were woven together, and a gentle yet warm breeze was floating into the room. But despite the warm air, you still had to hug yourself as you shivered from the dream.
No, not a dream. You reminded yourself and squeezed your arms around yourself more tightly. It actually happened.
It had been nearly two weeks since that day, or Draikiltho – The Dark Morning – as it was now being called. Two weeks since Amarok and the rift. Two weeks since Mingi sacrificed himself. Two weeks since you last saw Jungkook.
The dream was your memory of that day, and as much as you didn’t want to remember it… your brain began to recall what had happened next.
“You’re not allowed to die until I’ve made you watch all of ‘Ablatar,’ Spongebob, and Game of Thrones, you idiot,” you faintly whispered to the unconscious male while pressing down hard against the wound on his back.
Red stained your palms and wrists, and continued to slowly seep out around your hands and the patch of fabric beneath them. Jungkook was still breathing… but it seemed like his inhales were gradually getting weaker and further apart. Biting your lip, you looked over to Jimin, who now had his brother’s head in his lap and was running his hand through the male’s burgundy locks.
“It’s going to be fine, Kook. Tae will be back soon and he’s bringing help.” Brown eyes lifted to meet yours and he tried to smile reassuringly. “He’ll be back soon. It’s gonna be fine. Totally fine.”
A broken laugh that sounded more like a weak sob came from your lips. “Don’t make it sound like that damn meme.”
“It’s… It’s gonna be fine.” His eyes went back down to Jungkook’s face. “It’s gonna be fine.”
You pulled your knees up toward your chest and took long, deep breaths as the memory continued to play in your head.
You weren’t sure how long you had both been sitting there in uneasy silence. You were too focused, too worried, too scared to really have any insight into how much time was passing. It could have been five minutes, thirty minutes, over an hour since Tae had left. You had no idea.
Despite your arms trembling from applying constant pressure and your body shivering from the cool shade, you continued to press down against Jungkook’s back. Your tears had finally stopped some time ago, but you didn’t dare wipe at the dried tracks they had left on your cheeks. You were terrified that if you shifted even the barest amount, if you let up just the slightest amount of pressure on the wound, then Jungkook would be gone.
“Y/N, you’re shaking like crazy. Let me take over,” Jimin offered in a soft voice but you shook your head.
You were about to reply that you didn’t want to risk switching positions again when you heard a faint rhythmic sound rise up through the rustling leaves and creaking trees. It steadily grew louder and you stiffened while Jimin carefully lifted Jungkook’s head so he could stand. Out of the corner of your eye, you watched the half-Saeni limp forward a few steps until he was beside you.
“I hate to ask this, but I think I’m gonna need Kook’s dagger again.”
Slowly taking in a breath to try to ease your mind, you nodded. The sound was so close now that you could make out that they were footfalls. Someone or many someones were coming your way. Jimin muttered a curse and braced a hand on his knee to bend down and reach for the blade at your waist.
Please don’t be more trouble. You closed your eyes. Please be you, Tae.
The apricot head had just closed his fingers around the hilt when your prayer was answered.
The familiar grey-haired, blue-eyed Saeni burst through the dense thicket followed by three other Saeni you didn’t know.
Tae’s eyes widened in utter relief when he saw you. “Thank goddess,” he gasped out before collapsing to his knees and harshly sucking air into his lungs.
While Tae leaned over to support his body on his hands, the other Saeni kept moving forward. Blinking, you noticed one of them was carrying two long, thick branches and there was something that looked like cloth hanging between them.
They were next to you in the next second, and you did your best to keep up with the sudden barrage of movement and sound. The Saeni with the branches and cloth, which you realized was a makeshift stretcher now that it was up close, went to the side and laid the stretcher flat on the ground. The second roughly told Jimin to step aside while the third crouched beside you. The Saeni looked at you expectantly, but when you didn’t do anything, he nudged you with his arm. You didn’t move. You looked down at Jungkook’s pale face and shook your head. You were still too scared to move away. Even though the small part of your mind that was still coherent and not overwhelmed knew that you should, you couldn’t bring yourself to do it.
I can’t. I can’t just leave him. They’re going to take him away. I know they need to. I know they have to. But I… I…
You felt a light hand on your shoulder interrupt your mental discourse and your best friend quietly said your name. Pressing your lips together while you silently took in Jungkook’s face, you thought of his peridot eyes and crooked smiles. A gentle ache filled your heart. After hanging your head for a moment, you then scooted over an inch or so to let the Saeni know they could take over. In a flash, his hands replaced yours and you held your breath as the other two Saeni situated themselves at Jungkook’s head and feet, counted to three, picked him up, and transferred him onto the stretcher.
You didn’t want to leave him. You didn’t want him to leave you.
The Saeni lifted the stretcher.
I wouldn’t be able to keep up with them. I would just slow them down.
The Saeni that had nudged you looked your way and gave you a sharp nod but your eyes never left Jungkook’s figure.
He needs to get help as soon as possible. That’s what’s important.
The Saeni at the head of the stretcher barked out an order to move out.
I’m sorry I didn’t tell you last night. I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry. Please stay alive. I need you.
A final brief glimmer of pinkish burgundy hair through the leaves and shadows…
I love you.
Then they were gone.
Jimin’s hand tightened on your shoulder and you clenched your own blood-coated hands into fists where they rested against your thighs. Breathing heavily, you tried to reign in your swarm of emotions but you felt like your heart was made of cracked glass that was ready to shatter at any moment.
“Oh, you’re going to shatter?” It was too easy for your mind to imagine Jungkook’s teasing voice and arrogant chuckle. “Is it too much for the little human to handle?”
Narrowing your eyes, you deeply inhaled through your nose then slapped a mental Band-Aid over the cracks. No… no, asshat, it’s fucking not.
Reaching up to cover Jimin’s hand on your shoulder, you let your eyes linger on where you had last seen Jungkook for only a few more seconds.
I’ll see you soon.
Then you shifted your gaze to Tae, who was struggling to catch his breath as he braced himself against the earth. Patting Jimin’s hand, you let out a long puff of air and pushed yourself up to your feet with a groan.
Hooking arms with Jimin, you both stumbled over the rocks, roots, and low shrubs until you made it Tae.
The male flicked his blue eyes up as you unsteadily approached. “The fighting is over… but no magic users… could come. Too many… injured… at the field… and many of them… are drained.”
Weakly smiling at the male, you ignored your shaking legs to bend down and offer him your hand. “Thank you for getting help TaeTae.”
Jimin did the same and you both helped the spent Saeni stand.
“He’s… He’s going to okay, right?” Tae asked in a small voice as his chest continued to heave rapidly.
Your teeth tugged on your bottom lip. His words made another fracture appear on your fragile heart and paralyzing worry started to seep into your mind again…
“Come on sweetheart, I thought you were tougher than that.”
Steeling yourself, you slapped yet another mental Band-Aid over the new crack before sniffing and raising your chin to look Tae in the eyes. “Kook’s a big boy, right? If anyone can survive getting stabbed, running around like crazy, and losing a shit-ton of blood, it’s that annoying, stubborn asshat.”
The boys stared at you in shock for a minute, thrown off by your sudden change in attitude, until Tae broke out in his signature boxy grin. The sight made you smile again, this time more brightly, and the corner of Jimin’s mouth pulled up too. The three of you looked at each other, grins slowly growing and growing and growing. And then you were all laughing. It was absurd and crazy and you didn’t even know why or how you were actually laughing, but there you were. The three of you wrapped your arms around each other as your sore bodies shook and your eyes got teary. You laughed until your stomach muscles hurt even more than they already did and kept laughing until your giggles transformed into hiccups and cries. You buried your head into Jimin’s chest and he muffled his sobs against your hair while Tae clung on to your arm and wept on his brother’s shoulder. Eventually, you all quieted down but you stayed in each other’s arms.
As you were sniveling and clearing your throats, Tae suddenly looked around the area then furrowed his brows and tilted his head. “I didn’t have time to ask earlier but where’s… where’s Mingi?”
You clutched at the bedsheets and pressed your lips together, telling yourself not to cry. After slowly counting to ten in your head, you looked over at the small table in the corner of the room. Even without sunlight, the ruby gemstone of Jungkook’s dagger seemed to shine brightly in your eyes from where it rested on the table. Your hand twitched, aching to hold the weapon, but you just sighed heavily instead and reached up to touched the silver feather and chain at your neck.
The sun was beginning to lower behind the treetops when the three of you finally made it back to camp a few hours later. It had been a slow, painful journey, and your nerves had only increased with every sluggish step you took. Your legs were cramping, your stomach was churning, and your eyelids wouldn’t stop drooping but you couldn’t let yourself rest. You needed to find Jungkook and the rest of the kiela.
Jungkook first. You told yourself while limping through the trees, Saeni, and campfires with Tae and Jimin. Make sure Jungkook is okay then go find the others.
You weren’t exactly sure where the medical area was set up but it wasn’t hard to pinpoint the direction it was in. The agonized screams and cries echoing through the forest sadly made it easy to know where to go.
You let out a tired exhale and lifted your eyes from the ground to take in the gloomy atmosphere of the camp. All around you, Saeni were in different states. Some were frantic and crying, some were staring blankly into the trees, and others were talking in hushed voices.
I wonder which one I’ll be like in thirty minutes. You thought while carefully stepping around a small scattering of white wildflowers in your path.
The wails and sobs had gotten louder, and you glanced sideways at the boys. They met your gaze and gave you weary nods, but in the process of doing so, Tae stubbed his toe on something hidden beneath the foliage and tripped. He nearly face-planted but Jimin was fast to grab his brother’s arm and steady him. The blue-eyed Saeni grumbled in annoyance before a small pout flashed across his face, which made you release an amused puff of air. As Jimin made sure Tae was alright, a fast, dark blur out of the corner of your eye suddenly caught your attention. Your brows furrowed and although you assumed it was just a bird of some sort, you turned your head to see what it was. That was when the blur raced past you and tackled Jimin and Tae in a hug. Sucking in air through your teeth, you watched as someone enveloped both the boys in their arms and your hand unthinkingly went to the dagger at your waist. You curled your fingers around the hilt without hesitation, ready to pull the blade free from its sheath, when you realized the person had simple silver hoops in his ears, dark, raven-black hair, and broad shoulders.
A smidge of tension left your weak body and your fingers fell away from the dagger as you lightly called out the male’s name in astonishment, “Jin?”
“Get in here little scorja.” The eldest of the kiela peered over Jimin’s apricot head with a smile and reached his hand out toward you.
“You scared the shit out of me,” you murmured and your body relaxed further as your brain fully registered there was no actual threat.
“At least you didn’t get slammed into without warning,” Tae tried to pointedly gripe but his voice came out muffled from being smushed against Jimin and Jin’s bodies.
“Sorry,” the raven-haired male said, but his face didn’t show any remorse. “I just got so excited when I saw you, I couldn’t stop myself.”
Rolling your eyes, you took a tiny step forward then yelped as Jin’s hand wrapped itself around your wrist and forcibly yanked you into the hug.
“You were taking too long,” he whispered as the boys shifted to accommodate you.
Sagging into the warmth of the hug, you clutched at whatever buckle or strap your unsteady fingers could find. The four of you slowly swayed back and forth with the gentle breeze, just holding each other. Blowing out a long breath, you rested your head against Tae’s back and closed your eyes. But instead of a calming darkness, you stiffened when a crimson-covered face with peridot orbs and burgundy hair appeared behind your eyelids.
“Wait. Wait.” You suddenly pushed yourself away from the embrace and your heartrate began to beat fast once again. “Jungkook. Jin, have you seen Jungkook? Do you know if he’s… um, if he’s…?” Your heart jumped into your throat and your voice got small as the unfinished question trailed off into silence.
You were too scared to finish forming the words. Too scared to hear the response you were dreading but also so desperate to know what happened.
As Jin’s dark eyes widened at your pleading tone, Jimin stepped back and searched his brother’s face for an answer while Tae quietly slipped his hand into yours. Grateful for something to hold onto, you gripped his hand like a lifeline as you waited.
Jin’s face then softened and he rested his hand on your shoulder to look straight into your eyes for a moment before moving his gaze over to his brothers as well. “He’s going to be okay.”
Your heart skipped a beat and you faintly gasped.
“What did you say?” Your best friend asked in a demanding yet bewildered tone.
“He’s going to be okay.” Jin gave you all a reassuring nod. “Jungkook’s going to live.”
He’s going to be okay. He’s going to live. I get to see him again. You slumped, the tension in your body disappearing, and you placed your palm over your racing heart. I get to see him again.
At the same time, you felt Tae give your hand a squeeze as he bowed his head and sighed. Jimin let out a shaky laugh and looked up at the sky through the leaves while muttering under his breath.
“I was just with him, actually. He’s sleeping and in a stable condition but he’ll be healing naturally, without magic.”
You listened intently as Jin explained there were simply too many Saeni with more serious and pressing injuries. The magic users couldn’t spare to use their energy to heal Jungkook completely, so they had only used a small amount to get him stabilized and sleeping. Then they had bandaged him up and were now letting him rest. The medical personnel were going to watch over him and change his bandages as his body healed itself but he probably wouldn’t be up and moving for at least a few days.
Feeling your heartbeat finally slowing down to a more normal pace, you moved your hand so your fingertips could lightly graze the ruby on the hilt of Jungkook’s dagger. “Can I see him? Please?”
Jin’s shoulders dropped and he shook his head. “I wish you could. I really, really do, but they’re only allowing in one member from a patient’s kiela at a time unless the wound is fatal.” He made an aggravated noise while removing his hand from your shoulder. “And although we view you as family, you’re not officially recognized as part of our kiela.”
“Oh…”
You looked down at your feet. I can’t see him?
“Why did they even make that rule?” The blue-eyed Saeni next to you complained, which drew your eyes back up. “It’s stupid.”
Jimin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Even Illai agrees with that.”
“Huh?” Jin leaned forward to peer at his brother’s face in curiosity. “You can still hear the mother goddess?”
“Ah, yeah. She told me that she isn’t able to…”
You tuned out their conversation, too caught up in the thought that you couldn’t see him. You couldn’t see him. You couldn’t see him. Fuck, you couldn’t see him. You trusted Jin, of course, but you still wanted, no needed to see him.
What if he gets an infection? What if he never wakes up? What if-
Two firm pumped to your hand pulled you from your thoughts and you looked over to see blue eyes worriedly gazing at you.
“…you’d think them sharing a bond would be enough reason to bend the rules,” Jimin said with an irritated expression.
“You’d think.” The raven-haired male released a dry, condescending laugh before glancing your way and clearing his throat. “Maybe we can explain the situation once things are calmer.”
With a level voice, he then promised you that Jungkook was fine and no longer in danger. In response, your head jerked down in a small nod but you didn’t say anything else.
“Alright, well for now let’s get some rest. You all look like you really fucking need it.” The eldest Saeni gestured for you all to follow him as he swiveled on his heel. “Joon’s in a meeting with General Son but Hobi and Yoongi should still be at the fire we claimed a couple hours ago.”
“They’re all okay?” Tae asked almost timidly while stepping over a fallen log with stiff movements.
“Yoongi is passed out from using so much energy but he’ll be fine after a lot of sleep. Hobi almost died but Yoongi was able to save him, hence why he’s so exhausted. Joon is okay too, besides taking a knife to his thigh.”
They’re safe. Maybe not in perfect condition, but the whole kiela is safe.
Jin looked back over his shoulder. “By the way, what happened to Mingi? Did he go meet someone when you got back to camp or…?”
You, Tae, and Jimin all paused and uneasily looked at each other until you softly said that Mingi didn’t make it. You tried to ignore the heaviness in your heart by turning to look at the setting sun through the trees. The burning orange peeking through the leaves was beautiful but it didn’t do anything to ease the dull pang in your chest, so you returned your gaze to the forest before you. Meanwhile, Jin hadn’t said anything in response but you could see that his body went rigid and his hand was closed into a tight fist.
About ten more minutes passed of quietly weaving through the forest and the scattered fires. The sounds from the medical area could still be heard but they were starting to fade into the symphonic sounds of the birds, bugs, and leaves. The Saeni were the same, though. A haunting mix of mourning wails, empty gazes, and low whispers. You involuntarily flinched when a particularly violent sob screamed into your ears, yet you forced yourself to keep your eyes on Jin’s back. You didn’t want to see the face of the male who made the tormented noise.
I just spent the day experiencing so much death but somehow, it’s the aftermath that unsettles me the most.
You rubbed your temples then dragged your fingers down your face.
I guess sometimes death is more painful for the ones left alive.
The memory of hazel eyes flashed in your mind but you hastily blinked it away while ducking below a branch.
The sky was getting darker and darker; only a thin stretch of orange sunlight was still visible on the horizon. Within a few minutes, the forest quickly became a blend of cool darkness and pockets of warm, flickering light.
Although he was only a few steps ahead of you, Jin peeked back to make sure you were all still with him before he turned left behind a thick tree. You, Jimin, and Tae followed and you had to contain a moan as you suddenly felt the soothing heat of a fire.
“This is us,” Jin said with a gesture to the small area illuminated by the flames.
The fire snapped and crackled as Jin crouched down and poked the embers with a stick, and through the flames you could see the silhouettes of two people against the base of a tree. A bloody and bruised Hobi had his back to the tree trunk with his legs stretched out in front of him. In one hand, he absentmindedly twirled a small blade in his fingers while his other hand rested on the torso of the male curled up on his thighs. Yoongi was facing away from you but you guessed the magic user was deep asleep from the slow rise and fall of his shoulder.
At your arrival, Hobi’s eyes lifted from where they had been looking down at the other male and his face lit up. A dimpled smile appeared and he cheerfully waved with his blade.
His body isn’t shiny like it usually is. You noted with a tilt of your head as you and the boys staggered around the fire.
As you moved closer and squinted through the flickering light you realized it was because most of the sheathes strapped across his body were empty. You also saw there was a large gash in his armor at his side and while the area was stained red, the skin itself was unmarred. The sight made you recall Jin’s words of how Hobi had almost died and the thought made you frown.
The male must have misunderstood your expression through because he looked down at Yoongi then back up apologetically. “Sorry, I can’t get up for a hug.”
“You’ll owe me one later, hyung!” Tae warned with a grin as he ungracefully sat down.
Meanwhile, you raised your hands. “No, no don’t worry about it, I’m just glad you’re okay.”
Hobi’s light brown eyes softened. “You too, little scorja. You too.” The Saeni then transferred his gaze to the apricot head beside you. “You did good Chim. I’m proud of you.”
The kiela’s spy proceeded to shut his eyes and angle his head back to rest it against the tree trunk. He resumed flipping his blade and his thumb began to gently move up and down Yoongi’s abdomen. You didn’t miss the gesture but all you did was send the two Saeni an earnest smile.
Shuffling closer to the fire’s warmth, you then plopped down to the earth with a tight wince. Your feet cried with relief and the feeling of utter fatigue settled over your body. You tiredly began massaging your spasming leg muscles as Jimin awkwardly made his way to the ground beside you. After glancing at your best friend and releasing a drawn-out exhale, you realized you didn’t know what to do now. Your mind had been on high alert for so long it was like it couldn’t not be wary of every miniscule sight and sound. You just couldn’t let yourself fully relax. The battle was over, you knew that… but you were still scared a sudden attack would erupt out of the vast darkness of the forest.
Am I-are we really safe? You squeezed your thighs.
In the end, you just sat there and stared at the luminous embers of the fire as they ate away at the wood. Your eyes bore into the mesmerizing red-orange glow until your eyes stung and watered. Then, a sniffling sound moved your attention to your best friend and you saw him harshly wiping at his cheek with his palms.
Blinking quickly to counter the dry, stinging pain in your eyes, you quietly asked if he was crying.
“Oh, it’s, uh, ‘cuz of the smoke.” The apricot head let out an exaggerated cough and waved his hand in front of his face.
You lightly bumped his shoulder with yours. “It’s okay, you know. To cry.”
“…I know.”
After a couple of minutes, Jimin lowered his hands and placed them on the ground behind him. Wordlessly, he caught your gaze then nodded at his legs. You pursed your lips, subtly shook your head, and adjusted your body so your forearm could rest against your knee. Jimin merely shrugged at your choice and was about to change positions when Tae made a whining noise, drowsily crawled over, and subsequently trapped the half-Saeni’s legs underneath his silver-grey head. The corner of your mouth went up as you watched Jimin squint down at the male for a few moments before letting out a stuffy snort and beginning to pat Tae’s head.
“Hey…” Hobi lightly said and you turned your head toward the spy to see his brow was furrowed. “Where’s Mingi?”
Body stiffening, you braced yourself to answer the painful question yet again but Jin gently called Hobi’s name from across the fire then sadly shook his head.
Hobi’s light brown eyes widened and he halted his movements with the knife. “Oh.”
The male sharply cursed in a whisper as you somberly looked back into the burning embers.
“Uh, Chim,” Jin hurriedly spoke up, “tell us how you closed the rift.”
Pulling your legs up toward your chest, you rested your forehead against your knees. Everyone had begun sharing their experiences from the hellish day one by one. It wasn’t pleasant hearing about what they had each gone through, and it only got worse when Jungkook was brought up. A shudder ran through your body as you remembered listening to Jin describe how he and Joon had ran into an injured and panicking Jungkook on the field. The eldest Saeni in the kiela had said he’d never seen the youngest so distraught and out of it before.
You breathed out through your nose and shut your eyes. You sometimes wondered what would have happened if you hadn’t left your position on the cliff to search for Jimin. Would Jungkook have come out of the battle unscathed? Would your best friend have been able to defeat Amarok and close the rift? Would Mingi still be alive?
You lightly banged your head on your knee twice then the vivid memory continued playing.
A branch collapsed in the fire, sending a handful of sparks into the air, as Hobi depicted the matchup between him and Yoongi versus a draikensu magic user.
“We went up against the one with purple magic,” the male shifted uncomfortably before resuming his gentle caresses on top of Yoongi’s mint-blue head.
Oh, that one. You remembered the magic user who had seemed to stare directly at you while you were on the cliff.
Hobi’s jaw clenched in the firelight as he described her magic, and you were stunned by how wicked her abilities sounded. You had reasoned she was strong from what you had seen on the cliff, but it was insane hearing how Hobi and Yoongi had struggled against her. Your brows even lifted in surprise when Hobi detailed how he had gone to deliver the final blow but was instead struck by the draikensu’s magic. A grimace appeared on the male’s face and his hand went to his side like he could feel a ghost of the pain he’d endured.
“I remember looking at hyung for a split second before I colla-”
“Fucking Exia, I thought that meeting would never fucking end.”
Immediately, all your heads swiveled over to the new yet familiar voice, and you saw Joon frozen-mid step. The leader of the kiela was staring at you, Jimin, and Tae, and he slowly brought his hand up to cover his open mouth.
“You’re okay… you’re actually oka-wait…” His yellow eyes flitted around the fire. “Where’s-”
“Medical area but he’s going to be alright,” Jin interrupted the leader with an easy smile.
At the news, Joon trailed his gaze over the group and blinked as if he was in a daze. “We all… made it?”
“Not everyone,” Tae whispered so faintly it could barely be heard over the crackling flames.
Joon’s yellow eyes narrowed then went big in realization.
You hugged yourself more securely for a minute, seeking brief comfort for the ache in your chest. Any relief you found would be temporary, though. You knew this and accepted it. There was nothing you could do to stop the memory of hazel eyes from weighing heavily on your heart, so you just let the emotions course through you.
When the dull pain finally faded, you lifted your head from your knees and opened your eyes. The morning sun was beginning to peek through the thin branches of the window and illuminate the bedroom. The pale light reminded you of Joon’s bright eyes.
You listened as the leader of the kiela explained how the surviving draikensu had been detained and were being closely watched at a separate camp nearby. They would be interviewed over the upcoming days then the king would decide what would be done with them. Originally, you would have hoped for them all to burn in hell, but the situation turned out to be more complicated than that. While some draikensu still believed in Uzjuk’s mission of chaos and death even after the god’s disappearance, there seemed to be others who had been acting against their will. Those draikensu had unknowingly fallen under Uzjuk’s influence and had become mere puppets for the god to use as he pleased.
You had no idea how the king would come to a decision for such a fucked-up situation, but you were just glad you didn’t have to worry about such things.
Cheers to not being politically important. You mentally raised an imaginary shot glass and saluted yourself.
“I also received a message from King Bang.” Joon momentarily rubbed his forehead and sighed before continuing. “He sent an order for our kiela to return to the palace.”
Jin blew out an annoyed raspberry and poked at the fire with his stick again. “Well, we can all head out in a few days once Kook is up and moving again.”
“We were told to return without delay except for Yoongi hyung who will stay to help the wounded.” The yellow-eyed Saeni lifted his tired gaze to watch the smoke whirl around in the air. “Jungkook will have to stay as well since he physically cannot go at the moment.”
You scoffed, but in the next second your jaw dropped in surprise when none of the Saeni let out similar reactions. Not even Jimin said anything against it. Your best friend just opened his mouth, hesitated, then finally conceded by hanging his head.
“You’re kidding, right?” You asked in disbelief which caused Joon to wear an apologetic expression, and you let out a cynical laugh in response. “Sweet Neptune, they can wait a few days… we just fought, for fuck’s sake!”
And Jungkook is here… I don’t want to leave him.
Hobi sleepily flipped his blade in the air then caught it. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that little scorja.”
“The king calls, you go,” Tae mumbled but his tone revealed that he obviously didn’t like the idea very much.
“Well, he’s not my damn king.”
You crossed your arms defiantly, but a small movement made you glance to the side and you saw your best friend’s shoulders weakly shaking with quiet laughter.
“How did I know you would say something like that?” he whispered to himself.
You glared at the half-Saeni before huffing and tilting your head toward the unconscious magic user on Hobi’s lap. “I can just stay here with Yoongi.”
“Ah.” Joon awkwardly coughed. “The king requested your presence as well.”
‘Requested’ my ass. You rolled your eyes while stretching out your legs and arms. More like demanded my presence for just one damn meeting.
“Stupid,” you mumbled before letting your body relax and flopping back down onto the bed.
That one, singular meeting had been exhausting. You had to explain what you’d seen, heard, and done down to the smallest detail. You were asked to repeat yourself numerous times and describe scenes you didn’t wish to recall. Then, you had to answer question after question, mostly about Amarok, Uzjuk, and the rift. It seemed like the process went on for hours. Once you’d expelled everything in your brain, you had been dismissed and were no longer “requested” to attend any meetings. The boys weren’t as lucky, though. They were being called into meetings every day since returning to the palace, which quite honestly sucked. For both them and you. You’d grown so used to being surrounded by the kiela night and day, and it was fairly jarring to suddenly be alone. It felt wrong not having them around. Simply put, you didn’t like it. On Earth, you might’ve delt with this by hunkering down on the couch and binge-watching Netflix to fill the hole, but that wasn’t exactly an option in this world. The lack of internet meant all you could do was just keep yourself as busy as possible.
The first thing you did was take up practicing with the BTS trainees every morning. Training was familiar. It was routine. Over the past couple of months, your days always began with training and you didn’t want to change that. It was also nice to see Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, and Heuning Kai again. They had all grown taller and stronger since you last saw them… but you managed to kick each of their asses every time you sparred. They never complained or sulked at the result, they were just eager and excited to train with “the disciple of the Jeon Jungkook.” The name made you snort but spending your mornings with the younger boys helped ease the loneliness you were feeling.
After exerting yourself at training, you would usually have lunch with Jiae if she was free. When she had nothing scheduled, she would wait at the edge of the training grounds with Chungha silently watching over her. Once you were finished, the lilac-haired Saeni would march over, hook her arm through yours despite your sweaty body, and drag you to the kitchen regardless of your desire to shower before eating. After arriving at the kitchen, one of the palace chefs would kindly instruct you both to sit down then inspect your appearances for a moment before grunting and starting to cook. A short wait later, edible heaven would be placed before you on a plate. Yours would always have more carbohydrates and protein than the princess’, and your sore, tired body would eagerly welcome it. As you and Jiae ate, you would talk about the boys and how annoying it was to not see them much. You also spoke of the differences between your worlds, and what you and Jimin were doing before coming to Illain. There was another topic you had been wanting to bring up. Something you wanted to apologize for. But every time you went to finally say it, you would hesitate, glance at Chungha sitting to the side, and snap your mouth closed. The guard hadn’t changed the way she interacted with you, but… how could you bring up Mingi in front of her?
You couldn’t find the courage to breach that topic just yet.
You’d also started to explore the palace grounds by yourself. There was so much you had missed out on when you first came to the palace, and you figured now was the best time to see it all. Unfortunately, you weren’t allowed to venture into the nearby village or its market due to “security reasons,” but there was still a lot within the expansive palace grounds to discover. You would blindly walk down the countless paths, hoping one of them would lead you to something captivating. So far, you’d found several courtyards with glittering streams and tiny waterfalls weaving through them, as well as a few gardens with flowers bursting with fragrance and excited little bugs buzzing around in the air. On the third day, deep in the trees, you found a collection of stalls holding some sort of unknown creature. You had been and still were curious as to what was kept inside, but the shrill hissing and reverberating growling coming from within the stalls ultimately made you keep your distance. It sounded like something that shouldn’t be fucked with, meaning you weren’t about to go poking your head in like some ditsy horror movie character. As you had warily backed away from the stalls, you saw devices similar to saddles on the walls, so you thought they might be some sort of overly aggressive horse. Whether they were only horses or not, you weren’t about to find out yourself and you reasoned you could just ask one of the kiela members if your curiosity continued.
Your favorite discovery, though, was a tiny clearing you stumbled upon while walking off the main path earlier in the week. You had been following a bubbling stream through the forest and found it ran into a small, secluded pond before spilling over in a narrow cascade and disappearing into the trees. There was a single weeping willow tree at the edge of the clear pool of water and coiled around its trunk was a vine covered in vibrant orange flowers. The area was peaceful and quiet and made you feel at ease. Somehow, you didn’t really mind being alone while you were there. It was a comfortable solitude, and you often napped curled up beneath the thin swaying branches of the weeping willow.
That was how you had been spending your days: training, eating, exploring, and relaxing. Whenever one of the boys was free from the meetings, they would join you while they could. Hobi was getting leaf messages from Yoongi about every other day, and they would usually include a small update on Jungkook’s condition. The kiela’s spy was always sure to stop by and share the news with you when he had time to spare. The two of you would talk for a while about the absent Saeni, and it commonly ended with either one or both of you showing burning cheeks and embarrassed smiles. In the mornings, Jin and Tae would sometimes join you for training. At first, it had only been your dear blue-eyed friend, but once word came that the head instructor did not survive Draikiltho, Jin began showing up too. The eldest kiela member turned out to be a great mentor, and you wondered why he never helped train you. It would’ve been a nice change of pace to be smacked with a joke rather than a glare in the wee hours of the morning on some days. With Joon, you would have pleasant conversations about what things you found around the palace grounds and he would give you suggestions of places to check out. He even promised to take you to his favorite vendor and weapon seller in the market when clearance to leave the grounds was finally given. You barely saw Jimin, but the brief moments you spent with him were remarkably normal. You would have your passionate rants about some random topic and your best friend would listen and chuckle before saying something to get you worked up even more.
The one thing you hadn’t done was tell anyone about the place you’d found with the pond and willow tree. Not even Jimin or Tae knew about it. You weren’t entirely sure why, but you kind of wanted to keep that small, calming place to yourself.
Maybe I’ll go there again today. I just have training and-SHIT! Your eyes bugged out when you noticed how much sunlight was now peeking in through the branches and you threw the covers off your body. I’m gonna be late!
An amused grin broke out on your face as you chewed on an apple slice and watched Jiae mist an orange peel in your best friend’s face. Jimin reeled back, sputtering in surprise, before trying to grab the princess. Jiae nimbly danced away from Jimin’s hands while giggling, making the half-Saeni playfully narrow his eyes.
The lilac-haired Saeni just waggled her fingers, causing Jimin to turn back to you with a sigh of defeat. “Anyways, as I was saying before I was attacked, we decided to wait until after the ceremony to make sure things are settled down.”
“It’s so weird that she’s just chilling in your head,” you quipped and went to cut off another slice from the fruit in your hand but the knife froze as you realized you had yet to greet the goddess. “Shit, um, good morning Illai!”
Jimin rubbed his temples as he listened to the voice nobody else could hear then swept his hand through his hair and grumbled out, “She says good morning to you too and she hopes you trained well today.”
“Geez, it’s even weirder that she’s watching us like a damn movie,” you whispered to yourself before flashing a quick thumbs up. “Thank you Illai, hope you have a swell day doing whatever it is you’re doing!”
Well, watching whatever it is Slim Jim is doing.
Then a thought dawned on you and your eyes flashed mischievously while you leaned closer to Jimin. “Wait, so does she watch when you and Jiae are fuc-”
“Y/NNN!” Jimin lunged forward and covered your mouth before mumbling, “It’s already uncomfortable, please don’t make it worse. And Illai please stop talking.”
You snickered and looked to the side to meet Jiae’s gaze out of curiosity, but the lilac-haired princess just shrugged.
Okay, damn girl. Maybe she’s into voyeurism.
Raising your apple and knife into the air in surrender, you waited for Jimin to move his hand, but he just blatantly ignored you while exclaiming that the atmosphere had suddenly become so quiet and peaceful. After pursing your lips for a moment, you licked the boy’s palm which caused him to pull away with a disgusted gasp. Rolling your eyes at his dramatics, you then asked when said ceremony would be.
Two nights ago, you’d spoken to Joon for a bit and he mentioned the king was planning a ceremony to honor those who’d fought and lost their lives at Draikiltho. At the time, there was no set date for the event, but you figured that must have changed.
Jimin didn’t respond to your question right away. Instead, he shared a knowing look with Jiae before beginning to smirk at you. One of your brows lifted as you scrutinized the suspicious action.
“It’ll be in a week… the same day the med facility from the field will arrive at the palace.”
Excitement pulsed through your veins and your heart pounded in anticipation as you made your way through the palace hallways with light steps and fidgeting fingers. It was quite early in the morning, but there was an unusual amount of Saeni bustling about.
You skirted to the side to avoid being run over by a very stressed-looking male and breathily laughed to yourself. It may be a magical world, but I guess they can’t escape hectic last-minute preparations either.
After a week that had lagged on and on, it was finally the day you’d been eagerly waiting for. The day you and the boys would be reunited with Jungkook and Yoongi. Although you had no clue as to when they would be arriving, a frenzy of emotions had relentlessly crashed over you throughout the entire night. The result was a fitful night’s sleep full of tossing and turning, but you somehow didn’t feel tired. Whatever weariness you would normally feel from little to no sleep was overwhelmed by the intensity of your excitation. It even made you to ignore the rare opportunity you had to sleep in since training was cancelled for the ceremony. You simply had too many thoughts to lay still in bed, and too many feelings to sit around and do nothing. So, when your internal clock had alerted you it was the usual time to get up for training, you had swiftly flipped the covers off your body to allow a surge of cool air to sharpen your senses. Your mind was wired, body itching to do something, and you had hastily racked your brain for what that something would be. Ultimately, since the training grounds were closed, you had decided eating a big breakfast was the best option.
Continuing your journey to the kitchen, you tapped your fingertips against the ruby hilt of the dagger strapped to your side.
He’s coming back today. You looked down at the blade and changed your tapping to more of a gentle pat. You only need to put up with me for a little longer.
“Little scorja!” A distant, muffled voice gasped out.
Your head lifted, and you saw Tae walking toward you while smiling around a pastry that was shoved against his lips.
“TaeTae!” You exclaimed brightly as he crammed the rest of the pastry in his mouth and skipped over.
The blue-eyed male slid to a stop beside you and gave you a light nudge accompanied by a wink. “Well, someone’s looking quite happy this morning.”
“I’m about to eat, you know how that gets me going.” You affectionately knocked your shoulder into his while reaching down to hold his hand.
He giggled and sent a sly smile your way. “I’m sure you’re just famished after last night if those red and puffy eyes are anything to go by.”
“Ah yes,” you replied dreamily while rolling your red and puffy eyes, “that’s just what every girl wants to hear in the morning.”
You weren’t entirely sure what being famished had to do with sleep deprivation but you decided it wasn’t important enough to wallow on, so you switched topics by asking what time he thought they would be arriving.
“Who?”
You gently flicked the male’s chest while rolling your eyes. “Uh, who else? Kook and Mr. Sparkle Hands.”
Slowly, Tae’s boxy grin vanished and was replaced with a look of confusion while he cocked his head to the side. “Wait, you have you not seen him?”
“Who?” You echoed the male with furrowed brows.
The Saeni nervously cleared his throat, the playfulness in his eyes evaporating into unease. “They arrived a few hours ago… Kook hasn’t gone to see you?”
You stilled, quietly absorbing the news, before withdrawing your hand from Tae’s so you could grab onto your own arm. “Oh… um, no. He hasn’t.”
The male frowned but was fast to shake his head and give you a reassuring grin. “Maybe he fell asleep! He did seem really tired at the meeting earlier.”
“Yeah… maybe.” You pressed your lips together and looked at the floor.
The bright, elated feeling in your chest began to wilt into something heavy and stinging, but before it could completely wither away, you made your brain call a timeout. Okay. Okay. Okay. He’s here… he’s been here for a few hours. And he hasn’t come to see me, but let’s not think too much into it. Tae’s right. He could be tired, still recovering, wanting to get his energy back up… Though it’s not like it takes much to do a quick check-in. Wait. He probably doesn’t even know what room I’m in… but he could’ve just asked one of the bo-
“Want me to take you to his room?” Tae’s soft voice interrupted your rambling, conflicted thoughts.
You lifted your head at the idea and parted your lips, a “yes” dancing on the edge of your tongue. Yet you couldn’t bring yourself to say it. You couldn’t remove the splinter of disappointment that was now lodged in your chest. Jungkook didn’t want to see you right now. If he did, he would have found you. The thought pushed the splinter deeper into your heart and you winced. Shaking your head at both the tiny, piercing pain and your friend, you told Tae that he was probably right and that you wouldn’t want to disturb Jungkook if he was resting.
“I… Are you sure?” The blue-eyed male tugged on his feather earring as his brows drew close together, but you didn’t say anything else. “Want to spar for a bit then? I know the training grounds are closed today, but we’re used to doing it in the forest anyway, right? Or! Or I can walk you to the garden where Yoongi hyung and Hobi hyung are!”
Sliding your hand down your arm to hold your wrist, you kept yourself from reaching for the glinting blade at your side. “Thanks TaeTae, but I’m sure Yoongi and Hobi want some alone time… and I’m actually pretty sore from training yesterday, so…” You were lying and you knew that he knew it. You could visibly see the worry plastered on the Saeni’s face, but you forced a tight smile and told him you were going to head back to your room to lay down. “It’s going to be crazy later, so I think I’m just gonna relax before getting ready for the ceremony.”
Tae’s eyes scanned your face, uncertainty consuming his features, until he gently exhaled and said he would walk you to your room.
You could easily tell Tae wanted to say something else, but he surprisingly held himself back and kept quiet. When you made it to your door, the Saeni pulled you into a hug to squish you close for several seconds. He left a light kiss to your cheek then stepped away. With a pointed look that silently told you to get him if you needed anything, the male swiveled around and strode away. You watched his receding figure until he disappeared around the corner then blew out a long puff of air and went inside your room. After the door weaved itself back together behind you, you squeezed your eyes shut and leaned against the branches. You felt somewhat empty, the hurricane of excitement from earlier now dull and washed out. A knot was also gradually forming in your stomach, the unpleasant and tight feeling reminding you that you never did make it to the kitchen and likely wouldn’t for the rest of the day. Not that you thought it would matter much. You’d lost your appetite anyway.
Pulling the fabric behind your back, you blindly formed a bow over your spine. You secured the knot while internally praying the result wasn’t too lopsided. You were never particularly good at making bows look nice and pretty. It was usually Jimin’s job to laugh at your poor attempts until he took pity and provided help. Unfortunately, the apricot head was nowhere in sight.
No Slim Jim… and no coconut-headed asshat either. You sighed and smoothed your hand over the light, gossamer-like fabric draped on your body.
The dress was long, loosely falling to your ankles, with asymmetrical bell sleeves that stopped just below your elbows. The garment was courtesy of Jiae, who had it delivered a couple days ago alongside a note specifying she had had it made for you since you didn’t have any of Illain’s custom mourning clothing. Of course, your human ass had seen “mourning” and expected black or some other dark color, but it turned out to be quite the opposite. The fabric was a pale yellow and green that was so light and soft it was reminiscent of morning sunlight peeking through tree leaves. The material was sheer but not entirely see-through, giving the dress an almost milky translucence. The neckline stopped at your collarbones, allowing your silver necklace to be displayed. You would have been feeling graceful if not for the worn boots that were laced over your feet. They roughed up the entire look, but you merely shrugged before tugging them on. They were the only footwear you had since you didn’t know what had happened to your sneakers after you’d switched shoes during your first visit to the palace.
At least they’re comfy and won’t make me suffer. You gently knocked one boot against the other.
“Unlike some people,” you mumbled as you plopped down on your bed.
You still hadn’t seen Jungkook, or rather, Jungkook still hadn’t come to see you. You had been holed up in your room since the morning, not wanting to leave in case he showed up but… he never did.
Blowing out a raspberry, you hung your head and allowed yourself exactly ten seconds of moping before slapping your hands against your thighs and standing back up. Stepping over to the table in the corner, you picked up Jungkook’s dagger and its sheath.
Thankfully the brown leather will match the boots. You slipped the belt around your waist just below the bow at your back.
Just as you were threading the strap through the buckle, a short rap came from your door. Your fingers froze while your head darted up and your breath got caught in your throat. Hastily crossing the room, you tightly gripped the leather in your hands as your heart swelled with hope. But as the door’s branches untwisted, you came face to face with a lilac-haired princess instead of your boyfriend. Your chest twinged but you swallowed down the disappointment to smile at the female.
“Hey Jiae-whoa.” You openly gawked at her dress because it was seriously fancy.
Like yours, it was a pale yellow and green, but it was more elaborate and detailed with embellishments, sparkling jewels, and an airy cape that covered her otherwise bare shoulders.
“Ah… yeah…” She followed your gaze to her dress and pulled at the fabric of her cape with a tiny roll of her eyes. “It’s excessive, I know, but it’s what comes with being a princess.”
“Sure, it’s excessive, but you look good as hell.” You nodded approvingly as you moved to finish buckling the dagger to your body. “Slim Jim’s nose is gonna bleed… if it hasn’t already, that is.”
The female’s nose scrunched. “His nose… is going to… bleed?”
“It’s a good thing, I promise.” You smirked then casually leaned against the doorframe and crossed your ankles. “So, what brings you here? I would’ve thought you’d already be in the ceremony room.”
“I’m about to head there, but I wanted to see if you would like to walk down together?” Jiae asked with kind eyes and a hopeful smile.
You blinked in surprise. “You’re actually asking and not just dragging me there?”
“Hey! Don’t make it sounds like I kidnap you for our lunch dates!”
“I’m kidding. I’m kidding.” You laughed, pushed off the frame, and took a step forward so your door would weave itself back together. “Let’s go then.”
You forced yourself to not look down at the ruby gemstone on the dagger as you shoved your desire to have Jungkook be the one to pick you up and take you to the ceremony to the far recesses of your mind. You had been wishing for Jungkook to show up all day. You had been waiting for him. But no more. You still desperately wanted to see him, hold him, kiss him… but you refused to sit around and twiddle your thumbs for another minute.
The princess beamed at you then hooked her arm through yours to begin leading you down the hallway. A few doors down, Chungha was watching you both approach with her usual serious expression. She was also wearing pale yellow and green, but in contrast to you and Jiae’s delicate and nearly sheer fabric, her outfit was thick and armored. As she started to walk beside Jiae, you pressed your lips together and gave the female guard a polite nod which she returned. Meeting Chungha’s eyes made your guilt flare up again, though, so you quickly averted your gaze and swallowed hard. Taking a shaky, deep breath, you rolled your shoulders to try to rid yourself of the tension while the three of you strolled toward the ceremony room. Minutes and corridors passed by, but none of you spoke. The event you were going to wasn’t exactly something to giggle excitedly about. Instead, the only sounds came from you and Chungha’s boots thumping against the wooden floor and Jiae’s low humming. Eventually, you found yourself in the midst of other Saeni also heading to the ceremony, and you merged into their yellow and green stream that was filled with hushed murmurs.
A short while later, you were finally entering the room hosting the ceremony. The space was like the throne room you had seen the first time you entered the palace, with spaced out trees serving as the walls and swaying leaves creating an open-air roof. The difference was this room was bigger and more spacious. Plus, there was a huge, blazing fire in the middle of the room that was sending swirling tufts of white smoke through the leaves. All around you, there was an abundance of light. Not only was the fire burning brightly, but the sun shone through the gaps between the tree trunks and full leaves, and there were also multitudes of lanterns hanging from the branches that casted a soft glow throughout the room. Altogether, it created a stunning blend of shifting lights and shadows. The room was crowded too. So many Saeni, all wearing pale yellow and green, were already packed into the space and were milling about.
A small tug on your arm made your feet come to a stop, and then Jiae was speaking into your ear about how she needed to go find her father. Before moving away, she also said she believed the boys should be toward the far side of the room if you wanted to look for them. You half-smiled in understanding and she tenderly touched your shoulder before pulling away and following Chungha into the sea of Saeni.
You stood still for a minute, just taking in the atmosphere surrounding you. Breathing deeply, you tilted your head back and stared at the treetops gently moving back and forth.
Alright. You blew out a long exhale and releveled your gaze. Let’s go find the boys.
Suddenly, your palms grew sweaty at the prospect of seeing Jungkook. You were nervous, antsy, and worried about how you would interact. Would things be normal? Would they be different? Were you completely overthinking it all? A small part of you was even tempted to hide and avoid the encounter. But you also wanted to see Yoongi. And you really did want to see Jungkook, you were just a little jittery. Chastising yourself, you told your brain to pull up its big girl panties and get itself together.
The other side of the room. You recalled Jiae’s words and went on your tippy toes to try to see over the crowed for any glimpse of the kiela, but you couldn’t make out much. It was like being at the very back of the pit during a concert and having several people shift into your line of sight. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, really, but it still made you want to grit your teeth in frustration. With a huff, you brought your heels back to the floor and plunged into the throng of Saeni. Blindly, you began to work your way towards the opposite end of the very large room. While shouldering your way through the crowd as politely as you could, you kept trying to get a peek of the kiela members, but you weren’t having any luck.
You were craning your neck and standing on your toes for yet another mostly obscured scan of the room when someone bumped into your side. It wasn’t a hard hit by any means, but the angle of the contact made you stumble. You internally sighed, knowing you were either about to fall on your ass or into an unsuspecting Saeni, when hands miraculously grasped your shoulders and kept you upright. Steadying your feet and letting out a relieved breath, you looked over to thank your savior, but the words got stuck when you recognized the Saeni. You’d interacted with him only once before, and you didn’t know if you could really count exchanging punches and kicks as an interaction, but you still remembered the male’s face and how his originally shy smile had turned serious.
Narrowing your gaze at the Saeni, you cleared your throat and lifted your chin. “You.”
The male, whose name was Yoo Yong-something, stared at you then flashed you that damn shy smile. “Um, do I know you?”
“You kicked my ass at the sparring matches. The ones with Jeon Jungkook officiating. I’d like a rematch.”
Recognition finally flickered in the male’s eyes and he let go of your shoulders. “Ah! That’s why you look familiar. Sorry I didn’t remember you at first, my mind was kind of overwhelmed with the Jeon Jungkook being there that day. He’s a freaking legend.”
Yeah, a legendary pain in the ass. You rolled your eyes at the return of the asshat’s ridiculous fanclub as Saeni continued to shift and move all around you.
“But sure, we can have a rematch if you want.” The male crossed his arms over his chest and studied you briefly. “Though the outcome will be the same as last time.”
You only hummed thoughtfully and gave him a once-over in response, but the sound contained such a sharp edge that the male blinked in surprise. You smirked at his reaction then morphed your lips into a genuine grin. “Thanks for catching me by the way.”
Before he could say anything else, you pivoted on your heel and began to move away while calling over your shoulder, “Well, I’ll see you around soon then. I’m looking forward to our rematch!”
You dove back into the crowd and continued your search for the “legend” and the other boys. To your right, the fire was snapping loudly. Above you, the lanterns swayed, and the leaves rustled soothingly. All around you, conversations at respectful volumes floated into the air. And up ahead, after somehow breaking into a less populated area of the room, was what appeared to be a refreshment table. It was lined with small snacks on tiered plates and tall silver pitchers were next to stemmed glasses. The sight of food made your stomach grumble, and you were reminded that you hadn’t eaten anything all day. After a moment of contemplation, you decided it was worthwhile to give the spread a quick inspection. You approached the table and scanned its contents but unfortunately none of the dainty finger foods or fancily decorated desserts called out “Eat me! Eat me!”
Dammit. Is a singular mini corn dog too much to ask for?
While you pouted and wished for some simple fried comfort food, a Saeni passed you to snatch up one of the silver pitchers at the end of the table. You watched, mouth suddenly going dry, as they poured a clear liquid into a glass, downed the drink in three big gulps and a hiccup, then poured another glassful before shuffling away.
Water is better than nothing, I guess. Smacking your lips together, you moved down the table, selected a glass, then picked up a pitcher.
“I wouldn’t recommend the viitulx unless you want to numb yourself to reality.” A voice filled with warning came from across the table.
Your actions halted and you lifted your head to see a merlot-haired Saeni regarding you with soft eyes.
“Yugyeom!”
“Hi there, Y/N.” The male’s lips twitched at the corners before he put his hand over yours to gently guide the pitcher back to the table. “It’s one of the strongest alcohols in Illain. Believe me when I say it will put you on your ass.”
You frowned at the pitcher and its clear contents. “I thought it was water.”
Yugyeom withdrew his hand and said you wouldn’t be finding any water at the ceremony. Tilting your head, you tried to piece together why there wouldn’t be any water, but he didn’t elaborate so you ultimately just accepted the information. As you pushed the pitcher back to where you’d found it, Yugyeom trekked around the table to your side and held his arm out toward you. You blankly stared at his arm for several seconds until he thrust it toward you a little more. Finally, you got that he was wanting to do that forearm grasp greeting thing you’d seen the boys do before. Making a noise of realization, you belatedly slapped your hand against the male’s forearm while he suppressed an amused chuckle and told you how nice it was to see you again.
“You, too. I’m really glad you’re okay Yugyeom.” You looked at him sincerely and noticed the violet in his hair stood out more vibrantly against the color of the mourning clothes.
“I heard that Kook was injured…” The easy-going expression on the male’s face faltered for a moment before he let out a soft laugh. “But I’m sure he healed up fast, right? Nothing can keep that bastard down for long.”
All you did was slowly move your head in agreement, feeling somewhat awkward since you actually didn’t know how Jungkook had healed besides what Yoongi had written in his messages.
“You know, I’m actually surprised he isn’t with you.” The Saeni stepped back and his eyes dropped to your waist. “Especially since you have that damn dagger of his strapped to your side.”
Resisting the urge to tap the handle of the weapon, you instead toyed with the frabric of your dress. “I, ah, just haven’t had the chance to return it to him yet.”
I mean, that is the truth.
“Heh, have you two been that busy?” Yugyeom chortled to himself then looked at you curiously. “Tell me, did he finally choke you properly?”
Now that made you choke on your own spit, which in turn made you cough and gasp for air. “You-You think I haven’t given him back his dagger ‘cuz we’ve been too busy canoodling!?”
“Well, I’m not wrong, am I?”
“As a matter of fact, you are. I, um…” Your voice trailed off and you gripped at the fabric under your hands. “I actually haven’t seen him since that day. Since Draikiltho.”
“Didn’t he arrive at the palace this morning?”
You flashed him your best finger gun alongside a self-deprecating laugh. “That’s a bingo.”
As Yugyeom’s brows knit together, a Saeni with swollen eyes quietly excused himself past you to reach for the viitulx. You slid out of the Saeni’s way and turned back to Yugyeom, who was studying you. The male silently looked at you for a couple heartbeats, sort of making you feel fidgety, before randomly saying there were some people he wanted to introduce you to.
“We can ask if they’ve seen Kook or the other members of your kiela too.”
A warmth rapidly spread across your chest. Your kiela. The thought had the corners of your lips turning up, and Yugyeom must have seen it since his own eyes softened.
“Okay then.” You motioned for him to move while trying to calm your happy heart. “Lead the way.”
He took your wrist in his hand and pulled you back into the dense crowd. A couple minutes later, you were standing beside Yugyeom with a group of six males before you.
“Everyone, I’d like you to meet Y/N,” Yugyeom called out to the males to get their attention then gestured toward them as he spoke to you. “Y/N, this my kiela.”
Surprised, you jostled him with your arm. “Hey, I didn’t know you had a kiela.”
“Who you got there Yugyeom?” A male with long, icy blue hair asked with narrowed eyes but an intrigued tone.
Another Saeni with olive-colored orbs that were glinting teasingly slug his arm over the blue-haired male’s shoulders. “Wow, is it finally the day he has us meet a girlfriend? I’m not going to lie, though, it’s kind of a bad event to do it at.”
“Shit, do we need to act over-protective?” A bleach-blonde head started to panic but then he caught sight of your face and looked at you funnily.
“No way.” The male with short pink hair denied as his gaze stopped on the dagger at your side. “She seems too badass to be with him.”
The last two males didn’t say anything, just trailed both their deep red eyes over you in a way that made you feel like you were being thoroughly inspected.
“Um, hi? I’m Y/N, nice to meet you all.” You habitually raised your hand to wave but cursed and hastily placed your thumb over your chest and drew it down.
“Well, that was weird,” the pink-haired one muttered with an openly judgmental look.
“The rude one there is BamBam,” Yugyeom informed you, causing BamBam to send you a wink accompanied by a finger salute.
“My name is Mark.” The olive-eyed male used his free arm to perform the greeting gesture.
The rest of the group introduced themselves one by one. Youngjae and Jinyoung were the males with red eyes, and it was Jackson with the bleach-blonde hair. Finally, the icy-haired male stepped forward and dragged his thumb down in his chest and said his name was Jaebeom. Politely smiling, you shifted your gaze over each male while mentally matching them with their names.
Beside you, Yugeyeom cracked his knuckles. “Alright, now that that’s out of the way, have any of you see-”
“Ughhhh, I just can’t believe she doesn’t recognize us!” Jackson suddenly wailed, interrupting the merlot-haired Saeni.
You peered at the now sullen male. “I’m sorry? Am I supposed to…?”
“Yes!”
At a complete loss, you glanced at Yugyeom but he mirrored your look of confusion.
“Jackson, Youngjae, and I have briefly encountered you before,” Jinyoung offered helpfully… but it still didn’t ring any bells.
That must be why the three of them were looking at me oddly.
You squinted at the three males to try to place where you had supposedly met them before, but you kept drawing blanks, so you could only wince apologetically. “Fuck, I’m sorry, I really don’t remember.”
Jackson gasped and looked downright offended while Youngjae sighed and added, “You were with Namjoon’s kiela. We stopped you right outside the palace grounds a few months ago.”
A hazy memory came to mind. A small group of Saeni had indeed stopped you and the boys. One of them had blonde hair and Hobi said something about training with him in the past. You couldn’t remember the faces or names, but if it was a blonde then you figured it must have been Jackson.
Sheepishly, you told them that was all you recalled.
“Aha! You do remember me!”
Jinyoung slapped Jackson on the back. “Congratulations. She remembers your hair.”
“And probably only because you were the one who spoke,” Youngjae quipped dryly.
“Whatever. It counts.”
Their banter made you stifle a laugh. It reminded you of your boys and their crazy antics, yet you didn’t linger on the thought for long, instead refocusing on Yugyeom’s kiela because there was one thing you were wondering about.
“Why weren’t you with Yugyeom at the field?” You asked to none of the males in particular.
BamBam let out an annoyed exhale. “You could say we weren’t invited.”
“Er, sort of,” Jaebeom said shyly before explaining they had been told to stay back to protect the palace and village in case any draikensu showed up. Yugyeom, though, had been ordered to go with the troops because of his speed and endurance.
“Our Yugyeom is perfect for being a messenger boy.” BamBam strolled up to said male and tickled his fingers under Yugyeom’s jaw, making the Saeni squirm away in agitation.
“So, Y/N…” Mark abruptly yet coyly said, making you hum questioningly. “How’d you start dating our sprout?”
You blanched. They actually think we’re dating!?
Luckily, Yugyeom pushed BamBam away and saved you from having to clarify your mutually platonic relationship yourself.
“Oh my goddess, we are not dating! I met her right before Draikiltho, and she’s actually with Jungkook, so please don’t say that again or he will try to kill me.”
Understanding dawned on the males’ faces and some of them even had the audacity to look at you aghast, as if they couldn’t believe it. You just raised a brow, daring them to say something about you or your boyfriend.
Jackson whistled and jerked his chin toward you. “So that’s Jungkook’s dagger then? I knew I had seen it somewhere before.”
“Yeah yeah, it is,” Yugyeom answered for you in a dismissive tone. “Anyway, have any of you seen that bastard? Y/N hasn’t seen him since the field, and I would like to be the one to kickstart their beautiful reunion.”
“You haven’t seen him at all?” Jinyoung asked.
Grimacing, you told the males that Jungkook had been injured at Draikiltho so he hadn’t returned to the palace with you. Then, even though he had finally arrived at the palace this morning, you still hadn’t seen him once.
BamBam suddenly snorted, drawing your attention, and he gazed at you pitifully. “You got deciduoued.”
The other males whipped their heads in BamBam’s direction to send him warning glares. A couple of them even whispered at him to shut up.
Meanwhile, you just blinked at him and cocked your head to the side. “I got Dewey Decimal what now?”
“Deciduoued.” The pink-hiared male ignored his kiela and gave you an incredulous look when you continued to blink at him. “As is deciduous? Like the trees that shed their leaves? How have you never heard of this?” He scoffed at you in astonishment while you frowned at his attitude.
Considering I am from another world and don’t have an extensive list of horticulture terms in my chickpea brain, it’s pretty fucking reasonable I haven’t heard of this.
You were about to tell the male off when the meaning of the word registered and caused you to stiffen.
Shedding leaves? Don’t tell me this is… Saeni slang for ghosting? Is Jungkook… ghosting me?
At the same time you bit your lip at the possibility, Jaebeom strode over and smacked BamBam upside the head while Yugyeom elbowed him in the gut.
BamBam promptly whined and rubbed his side, and Yugyeom turned to you and told you to disregard the male. “He’s just an asshole sometimes.”
You released hollow chuckle and were about to reply that you could deal with BamBam. He wasn’t the only asshole you knew, after all. Yet before you could say so, a loud chime-like sound flooded the the air. You perked up as a hush fell around the room in the chime’s wake. The Saeni started to move, and you could just barely make out them leaving a wide circle open around the fire. Then, little by little, everyone’s attention turned toward the side of the room you had been trying to get to. Following suit, you also looked over. Through the heads and shoulders, you could see King Bang standing on a platform of sorts with Jiae at his side.
The king, outfitted in yellow and green armor, took a step forward. “Three weeks ago, there was a morning that was not kissed by light. Rather, it was a morning tainted by blood and death. Many lives… too many lives… were lost that morning. We are here to honor those lives.
“Tonight, we pray to our mother goddess, Illai, to tenderly watch over the Saeni from that morning. Tonight, we thank Exia for giving those Saeni the courage to fight and the will to protect who and what they love.
“Every Saeni who has met the mother goddess because of Draikiltho will be named. Those that wish to honor them may do so.” The king extended his hand toward the fire roaring in the center of the room before lowering it. “There will also be fires outside if you prefer a more private setting.”
The king then called for one, cohesive prayer to begin the ceremony. While he and Jiae bowed their heads, all the other Saeni shifted to face the fire. Yugyeom gently guided you to do the same with his fingers. You held your breath, waiting for what would come next. The entire room seemed to go stagnant. None of the Saeni moved. The breeze died down, the leaves went motionless, the lanterns stopped swaying. All was still except for the snapping flames licking at the warm air.
Then…
“To our Saeni, who lived and fought bravely and are now resting with the mother goddess!” The king’s voice loudly resonated throughout the space and drove the world back into motion.
The Saeni echoed his words with passionate shouts, many of them even throwing their heads back to scream it into the sky that was visible through the tree branches. Once the remnants of their voices were carried away by the wind, the Saeni lowered their heads and began to murmur under their breath. Inhaling deeply through your nose, you closed your eyes and repeated the king’s words as a whisper while feeling your chest pinch with emotion.
You stayed that way for some time, just emitting as much gratitude as you could, before Jiae’s light voice soothed over the room. “We will begin the individual prayers in a few minutes.”
Slowly, the Saeni lifted their heads and started to move. A large portion of the crowd dispersed, spilling out between the gaps of the tree trunks and toward what you assumed were the fires outside. Craning your neck and shifting your weight from side to side, you once again tried to spot the boys through the crisscrossing bodies.
“Yugyeom?” You heard BamBam approach and you glanced over while trying to keep your footing against all the moving Saeni.
“Yeah?” the merlot-haired Saeni replied with wary eyes and blocked his throat with his hand.
“You said you were looking for Jungkook?”
Yugyeom apprehensively dropped his hand. “Yes…?”
“To the right of the dais by maybe seventeen steps.” With that, BamBam met your gaze, gave you a small nod, and wandered back to his other members.
As the males started razzing him, your head swiveled to the right of where the king and Jiae were still standing and began to search. Filtering through the faces and modge-podge rainbow of hair colors, your eyes carefully scanned the area… and saw a glimpse of apricot-orange next to mint-blue.
In the next second, you could see the entire kiela. None of them were wearing armor and it was almost shocking to see them sans weapons, but it was them without a doubt. A small gasp came from your lips and your heart thudded and skipped when you locked onto Jungkook’s profile. Maybe you were only imagining it, but you could feel your nape tingling and growing warm too. Scouring your eyes over his figure, you exhaled a relieved sigh that he no longer looked hurt. He was back to standing in that infuriatingly cocky yet intimidating way of his. You wished you could see his stupidly cute smile and his bright, glittering eyes, but the angle didn’t allow you to see his face very well. You did, however, that his jaw was clenched in what seemed like a scowl.
I’ve been on the receiving end of his glare enough times to know when he isn’t pleased… but why is he upset?
You watched as his hands formed fists and he walked away from his brothers to disappear into the crowd, making Yoongi throw his hands into the air in frustration. Without thinking, your foot lifted off the floor and your body readied itself to go after Jungkook, but you paused. You didn’t know where he went and had no idea where he was going. Not to mention, the other boys were right there.
Kookie’s made me wait this long to see him, so now he can wait until I’m finished seeing the other boys. You decided somewhat pettily.
“Let me know if you need me to kick his ass later.”
You tore your gaze from the kiela to side-eye Yugyeom skeptically.
“What!?” His jaw dropped in shock as if he’d been betrayed. “I could totally kick his ass!”
“Mhmm. That sparring session I witnessed says otherwise,” you deadpanned.
The Saeni grumbled then dismally told you to get going before the ceremony started back up. After thanking the male for his help, you cracked a smile when he made you promise to organize a hangout between both kielas. Peeking over Yugyeom’s shoulder, you waved to the rest of his kiela and let out a small laugh at how Jackson was shaking his fists at you in encouragement. Then, you turned around, gave the ruby gemstone on Jungkook’s dagger a light tap, and started making your way over to the boys.
You squeezed through Saeni, bumped into a handful more, and tripped over a few stray feet, but you finally found yourself closing in on the kiela. You were weaving between several more Saeni when you saw Tae’s face light up and he began pushing his way through the crowd while lightly calling your name. He moved fast, getting to you in no time to excitedly sweep you into a hug. Rocking you back and forth and not caring if he knocked into other Saeni as he did so, the male gushed about how beautiful you looked. Humming in content, you leaned back and squished his cheeks between your palms. You giggled at his smooshed face as the ends of his grey hair tickled your fingers despite his trademark headband still resting above his forehead. Wordlessly, Tae reached up to grab one of your hands and tugged you through the Saeni to the kiela. When you were a few yards out from his brothers, you pulled yourself from Tae’s grasp and rushed over to Yoongi, who was trying to act nonchalant and like he wasn’t totally watching your approach out of the corner of his eye. Hurrying over and waving at the other boys as they happily greeted you, you threw your arms around Yoongi. The male’s petal pink eyes widened in surprise and he even tried to raise his hands to ward off your sudden attack, but there was no real intent behind the movement as you easily enveloped him.
“I missed you, Mr. Sparkle Hands.”
“Well, I didn’t miss you,” he said grouchily but then wrapped his own arms tightly around you. After a couple seconds of peaceful silence, he whispered in your ear, “You’re going to need to talk to him. He’s being a fucking idiot.”
You sighed into his shoulder, not needing to ask who he was talking about.
“I will later,” you whispered back, “Once the ceremony is over, I’ll find him.”
Yoongi grunted in acknowledgement and rubbed your back twice before separating from you to let Jimin hug you from the side. As the apricot head heavily draped himself over you and dropped one of his arms to poke at your ribs, you breathed out comfortably and surveyed the kiela. It was still jarring not seeing them with their weapons or armor, but they were all here and they were safe. Instead of being prepared to fight and wreck anyone who stood in their way, they were empty-handed and dressed in casual shirts and loose-fitting pants that were tucked into their boots. It was a different but nice change to see.
Blocking Jimin’s next poke without looking, you hooked your elbow around his and grinned at everyone. “The gang’s all here… Mostly.”
“Idiot.” You heard Yoongi mumble while your best friend muttered something about running out of Spongebob references one day.
Simultaneously, Namjoon winced at the reminder of Jungkook’s absence while the other members tried to hide their grimaces. You knew exactly how they felt. It didn’t feel right without the youngest member of the kiela. It made your fingers twitch and your senses more alert. Tempted your eyes to scan your surroundings for enemies. Tricked your mind into thinking it was the night after the battle when you were emotionally and physically drained but so scared and on edge that you couldn’t rest. Fighting back a shiver, you ran your hands down your dress. It was obviously doing no good for you or the boys to dwell on the lack of the asshat’s presence, especially when it was his choice to not be here, so you decided to forcefully change the topic.
You jabbed your elbow into your best friend’s ribs. “So, did your nose bleed when you saw Jiae?”
The half-Saeni wheezed, though you weren’t sure whether it was from your hit or question. Jimin deliberately looked away as you waited for an answer, causing Tae to snicker and his blue eyes to flash naughtily. This made Jimin dart his head toward his brother and subtly shake his head.
The blue-eyed male payed no mind to the plead, instead turning to you cheerfully and declaring, “His nose didn’t bleed but something else sure made its presence known!”
Something else?
…
…
.. OH.
You gaped at the now blushing apricot head before saying his name in the most “scandalized” tone you could muster. While your willpower barely kept your laughter at bay, the announcement rippled through the kiela with varying degrees of reactions.
“I don’t want any more sprouts!” Jin cried out, earning a few looks from bystanders, and Namjoon simply pinched the bridge of his nose. The eldest of the kiela then pointed at Jimin’s crotch with a fearful expression. “I don’t care that Yoongi makes us that potion, make sure you keep that thing in your pants. Kookie alone is enough to deal with.”
Knees growing weak, you had to smack a hand over your mouth to muffle your cackle while Yoongi looked unimpressed and Hobi just coughed into his fist and casually shifted a couple inches away from the group. A whine rose into the air and Jimin begged for you all to stop with flushed ears. Lucky for him, he was saved from more teasing by the same chime sound from before softly ringing throughout the room, causing you and all the Saeni to quickly quiet down and redirect your attention to the dais.
After a few moments, King Bang’s voice once again took over the room. “Every Saeni who was lost to Draikiltho will be remembered and revered until the day our trees are uprooted from the earth and our sun goes into a permanent slumber… but because of their courage, that day will not arrive in this liftetime! We will cry their names to the setting sun! We will sing of their valor to the treetops! We will make them feel our recognition even as they rest with the mother goddess!”
The king took a moment to calm his voice and you leaned forward on your toes.
“All who were present that day were vital to our prevail over darkness. But there were a select few who’s daring actions and selfless spirits directly influenced our victory and allowed us all to continue feeling the sun’s warmth. Let us honor them first.”
A plume of sparks went up in your peripherals right as King Bang raised his chin.
“Kim ‘Suho’ Junmyeon!”
Your body jerked, muscles involuntarily spasming at the name. You scarcely registered that Jiae was stepping down from the dais and that Chungha was following as the princess strode to the fire. Hardly noticed that the kiela was also moving. Your vision was only filled with the recollection of a twisting blade and eyes becoming dull and glossy.
“Little scorja?”
Blinking, you refocused on the room and saw Namjoon looking back at you, waiting. The rest of the kiela were already heading toward the fire, but the yellow-eyed male stood still and sadly smiled in a way that said he understood and was there with you.
Then he lifted his hand out to you. “It’s okay. Come on.”
Exhaling, you took his hand and Namjoon began to lead you through the crowd. Once you finally broke through the circle of Saeni surrounding the fire, the male let go of your hand as you both joined his brothers in front of the flames. Sweltering heat thrummed out from the burning wood in constant waves, making your skin feel like it would surely be scorched if you went any closer. Peering side to side, you saw Jiae and Chungha standing before the fire as well as several other Saeni you didn’t know. Many of them were in the same guard uniform as Chungha too. Tilting your head, you followed the dense smoke whirling above you and listened to the leaves tremble in the breeze.
“To Suho, who lived and fought bravely and is now resting with the mother goddess!”
Sucking in air through your teeth, you shouted the words back alongside everyone else in your small, separated circle around the fire. Lowering your gaze to the sizzling embers, you rubbed your thumb over the ruby gemstone at your side and remembered the guard.
In a soft voice, you spoke, “I know Namjoon said that sometimes there’s nothing we can do, but I’m still sorry for not being able to save you. Thank you for fighting with us, and I hope you’ve been able to rest peacefully.”
A minute later, the group honoring the guard broke apart and you all returned to the crowd. Despite the warm air flowing through the open walls, you felt a chill go through you as you followed the boys and left the roaring fire behind.
King Bang then called two other names in succession, and while you didn’t recognize them, Jimin went to the fire with guilt and regret in his light brown eyes for each one. You reasoned they must have been Saeni who had escorted him to the rift. Your assumption was proven correct when the next name called included ‘Stem.’
You didn’t hesitate this time. Immediately, you joined Jimin and pushed through the fire with him. Standing beside your best friend, you repeated the commemorating phrase with a yell. The memory of the male’s life bleeding out as a consequence of your fingers made you flinch, but you steadied yourself and told Stem that you finished the favor he had asked of you. You had helped and saved your friend, and you had only been able to do so because of him.
“Thank you for helping me.”
Two more names came after you went back to the kiela, and you watched as Jimin honored them both. Your best friend returned with stiff limbs and languid breaths. You reached for him, ready to offer whatever comfort you could provide…
But then the name came that was like a jagged stake to your heart.
“Song Mingi.”
All your movements froze, the ache you had grown familiar with blooming once more in your chest, before you squeezed your eyes tightly shut and slowly counted to three. Opening your eyes, you then marched toward the fire with the entire kiela on your heels. A glance sideways confirmed Jiae and Chungha were both at the fire again, but you moved your gaze off them quickly. You still couldn’t bear to look at Chungha. Especially not right now. As Tae and Jimin settled on either side of you, you noticed a group of males gathered on the other side of the fire as well. Half of them were blocked from view by the dancing flames, but for some reason, your eyes locked onto those you could see and wouldn’t look away. The males held on to each other, grief overtaking their faces in the glowing, flickering light. Their eyes welling up with tears and lips quivering.
“To Mingi, who lived and fought bravely and is now resting with the mother goddess!”
Without pause, you repeated the king’s words and they erupted from your throat in a scream. It was a wild sound full of remorse but also respect and gratitude. It blended with the Saeni’s shouts and the smoke to soar past the leaves and into the sky. The aching in your chest panged as everyone’s voices scattered in the wind and your fingers automatically shifted, searching out Jungkook’s dagger. Breathing out with tensed muscles when your fingertips touched the warming gemstone, you continued watching the group across the fire. Strangely, you didn’t feel compelled to whisper to the hazel-eyed Saeni even as you could faintly hear the kiela doing so. Illai had said Mingi would only know peace now, and you didn’t want to bother him with more of your dreary apologies. Instead, an idea began to form in your mind as you stared at the unknown group of males and how they were sniffling and struggling to keep themselves together.
I don’t know who they are or who they were to you, Mingi, but you are obviously very important to them… so I’m willing to bet they are just as important to you.
The prayer for Mingi ended, yet you didn’t go back with the boys. Rather, you hurried around the blazing fire and toward the group of males. You trailed after them, trying to catch up without making a scene as the king announced the next Saeni to honor. Some of the males had their heads down and were stumbling, but they moved fast, and it took you nearly a minute to reach them.
“Um, excuse me?” You tentatively stretched your arm out to the closest one but wavered just before you touched their back.
Although you didn’t make physical contact with the male, he must have sensed your proximity because he abruptly stopped. This in turn made the others in the group come to halt one by one, and then they all turned around.
You faltered slightly at their broken expressions but stammered out, “M-Mingi saved my life. He sacrificed himself to save my life. I’m still here only because of him and-”
The tallest Saeni in the middle of the pack suddenly sobbed into his hand. His whole body shuddered, and his red eyes grew glassy before he placed the palm of his free hand over his forehead to hide his face. He took a shaky step backwards, then spun around and hastily raced away. In a heartbeat, most of the other males went after him. All except for two. The shorter male left had strawberry-red hair, and the other was a dirty blonde with one side shaved.
What did I just do? You moved to cover your mouth, shocked by the insensitivity of your own words.
“I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I just thought you deserved to know.”
You poured all the sincerity you could into your apology, feeling so ashamed of yourself. You approached them thinking Mingi would appreciate you checking in on them… but here you were making them hurt and cry even more.
“Thank you,” the strawberry head replied somberly but there was no anger lacing his tone. “We’re all taking it hard, but Yunho… Yunho is taking it the worst.”
The male shifted, misery etched on his features, and the blonde male clenched his jaw and glared at the floor while yells rose into the air behind you.
“If you… if you ever want to talk or know more about what happened…”
I want to be there for you. For Mingi. And this is the only way I can think of doing that right now.
The shorter male sharply inhaled, and his companion was quick to place a steadying hand on his back.
Sniffling loudly, the strawberry-haired Saeni raised a knuckle and bit down on it which made his eyes clearer. “I think that might be good for us, just…”
“Not right now,” you finished for him gently, acknowledging the shit timing.
The male sent you a sad, miniscule smile, and you told them your name and to find you whenever they were ready.
“Thank you, Y/N.” The strawberry head lowered his head slightly as the other male guided him to pivot his feet.
Then they left, and all the sudden it felt like the wind was knocked out you. Your arms went around your middle and your breathing picked up and went uneven as your shoulders heaved. When your throat started to constrict, you briskly pushed through the Saeni to get back to the boys.
Just as your lungs were becoming too tight, the kiela came in sight.
Jin perked up at your arrival. “We were wondering where you we-oh shit.” The male’s dark eyes bugged out at your distraught appearance.
“Y/N?” Jimin hurried to your side and pulled you against his chest.
You were also smothered from behind and the worried noises you heard told you it was none other than Tae sandwiching you. Your head turned to the side, and you saw Hobi’s gaze narrow and flit around as his hands traveled over his front. The white-haired Saeni looked down confused before he sighed and leaned over to whisper in Yoongi’s ear. Whatever he said made the magic user’s face twist. Consequently, Yoongi called Namjoon and Jin over as Jimin and Tae continued trying to calm you down. You felt a little better being held by both of your closest friends, but the entire situation was becoming too much. The memories, the guilt, the hurt, the disappointment. They had been building and building and you felt like they were about to spray out like an over shaken soda bottle any second.
You breathed deeply, trying to screw the cap on over your emotions more securely, when Namjoon trotted over and instructed you to follow him. Both Jimin and Tae unwrapped themselves from you and while the latter switched to holding your hand, your best friend told you to grab onto the back of his shirt. The apricot head began to trail after his leader and other kiela members, safely towing you and Tae through the crowd until you exited the room between the tree trunks. You nearly stumbled at the sudden openness and gasped at how it instantly helped you breathe easier, but the spaciousness also allowed your tears to well up and begin rolling down your cheeks.
Pouting, Tae came close and wiped them away with his sleeves while you clutched at Jimin’s shirt.
I want Kookie.
Tae studied you as he dried your tears. “Does anyone see Kook?” he asked his brothers, as if he could read your mind.
The kiela did a quick three-sixty, looking around the Saei, trees, and visible fires, but nobody spotted the burgundy head. With a tired groan, Yoongi stalked over and nudged Jimin and Tae out of the way so that he could place his hands on your shoulders. The magic user swiftly turned you around and began to steer you through the trees from behind. He guided you down the first path you came across, past countless occupied fires, and under the shade and sunlight until he found an empty fire to his liking. Leading you off the path to where it was warm and out of the smoke, Yoongi pushed down so you were forced to sit. In the next second, Tae situated himself beside you. He stayed silent, just being there for you as you leaned into him and slowly settled down now that you were away from the commotion. Meanwhile, once they were satisfied you were going to be okay, the boys made a loose circle around the fire and started to honor more Saeni.
Several prayers went by and you kept hearing quiet whispering by your head, so you mumbled, “You should go and honor those you need to TaeTae.”
“Don’t you worry about me, little scorja.” His voice contained a smile and he shifted to lightly poke your cheek. “I can honor them all just fine from right here.”
After some time, you got a grip on yourself and the boys finished their prayers. The Saeni rested on the ground and you all listened to the forest and nearby fires. It was an orchestra of buzzing, creaking, snapping, and distant shouting. The symphony went on and on, never ending, until the busy silence was interrupted by someone saying your name in surprise. Jerking your gaze to the path, you saw five young Saeni waving at you.
While you were shocked at the unexpected appearance of your training buddies, Jin grinned and gestured for them to come sit.
“Are you sure?” Soobin asked in an awestruck but unsure tone. “We wouldn’t want to overstep.”
“Just get your asses over here baby BTS Saeni,” Tae called to them.
Shyly, they made their way to the fire and sat down next to each other, as if they were scared to spread out and take up too much room. Jin just laughed and asked how they were doing while Tae purposefully matched over to squat directly in the middle of their safety nest. The younger Saeni jumped at the intrusion but began to relax as Tae and Jin brought the others into the conversation.
“You all remember them, right?” The eldest member of the kiela crossed his arms and scrutinized his brothers. “Little scorja’s friends from the sparring match?”
As Hobi defended his memory, Soobin scooted over to you and flicked your knee to get your attention. “Hey, I saw Jungkook sitting by himself. Is everything okay?”
Despite your pulse spiking at the mention of the male, you whispered back that you didn’t know if everything was okay. You peered down at Jungkook’s dagger, it’s presence on your body light yet undeniable, before focusing back on the chocolate-haired Saeni and asking if he could point you in the direction he had seen the male. Once verifying the general route from his index finger, you thanked Soobin and gently rustled his hair, making the young male complain and yank his head away with a grumpy expression. Suppressing a snort, you stood as all the other males were distracted by their conversations. Observant as ever, though, Yoongi managed to catch the movement but he merely rolled his eyes and faintly shooed you away with his hand while never looking away from the speaking Taehyun.
Besides the delicate shaking of the shrubbery, you quietly made your way back to the path. You shivered in the absence of the warm fire, but you rubbed your arms up and down and set off in the direction Soobin had pointed in. Following the path, you wandered past a few careening Saeni that were slurring and babbling as well as numerous fires with bodies gathered all around the flames. Although Soobin said Jungkook was alone, you still paused long enough to make sure he wasn’t at any of the fires before moving along the path. Plunging further into the trees, the shade was cool on your skin and the breeze left goosebumps where it blew against your open arms and collarbones. You continued to meander down the winding path. You listened to the bugs click and the birds chirp… but for the last minute, all the fires you walked by were deserted and dying out. Any prayers you could hear were distant echoes. There was no one around and you started doubting you were going to find Jungkook. Clenching your hands into fists in frustration, you told yourself just a little further. Just a little more and then you would turn back.
What if he’s at the next fire and I turn back now?
What if he’s just ahead?
What if he’s right around this curve?
Then you saw a fire through the trees that was burning more brightly than any you’d passed in several minutes. Holding your breath, you approached the glowing area with quiet footfalls. Hope surged in your heart, making the muscle pound in your chest, while the shadows and rays of sunlight shifted with the swaying trees.
And through the leaves and branches you saw him.
He was in front of the flames with his back to you and one forearm resting against his propped-up knee. His body was partially covered by the low foliage, but burgundy consumed your vision. It was him. For a moment, you didn’t make any movements. For a moment, you simply looked at him. For a moment, you let your body fill with the ache how much you had missed him. As you took him in, you noticed his fist was against his hip and the hand was constantly tightening and relaxing. It was right where his dagger was usually strapped to his side. Without thinking, your fingers went straight to the sheath at your waist and undid the buckle before your feet moved on their own accord. Almost as soon as your boots were off the path, Jungkook was twisting around at the sound of crunching leaves. Your stomach fluttered as you finally saw his aggravatingly handsome face and the way his peridot eyes brightened at the sight of you.
Neither of you said anything as you walked through the vegetation, but you smiled knowingly and extended the dagger and sheath in your hand out toward him, fully expecting him to flush cutely and rub the back of his neck before reclaiming the weapon and tugging you down onto his lap.
What you didn’t expect was for his eyes to darken angrily and for him to turn to face the crackling fire.
You smile faltered, as did your steps, so you stopped and stared at Jungkook’s back with your arm still outstretched.
“It’s yours. I gave it to you,” Jungkook lowly said and you recoiled at how detached he sounded.
Your arm dropped to your side. Jungkook’s muscles tensed, but his mouth didn’t open again.
Why won’t he look at me? Why does he sound like that?
The breeze picked up, rustling the forest, and you slightly tremored along with the leaves. You felt yourself growing hot with both confusion and frustration, but in the end, you tightly gripped the dagger and marched over to the male.
This isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with asshat Kook. I can handle this. It’ll be okay.
Wordlessly, you sat down next to him and placed the blade on the ground between your bodies. Schooling your face into a normal expression, you folded your hands over your lap but there was nothing you could do to fully hide the shaking of your body. You were startled by his words and actions, especially because you didn’t know why he was being like that, but you ignored it the best you could and glanced at Jungkook whose gaze bore into the blazing embers.
Sighing and spreading your skirt while you crossed your legs to sit more comfortably, you picked up a tiny twig and tossed it into the flames. “So, uh, how’s your back?”
“It’s fine,” he replied bluntly and free of any emotions.
Your brow twitched as you watched the twig warp and blacken. “You know you scared the shit out me then.”
“Yeah well, so did you.” Jungkook’s voice was abruptly soft, so much so that you almost didn’t hear him over the sounds of the forest and the snapping flames.
You looked at the burgundy head again as the already meager conversation came to a standstill. His face was shrouded in both shadows and glowing light… and his expression was completely empty and void. You could see the fire reflecting his hardened gaze, but his green orbs were dim. There was no teasing glint or cocky confidence illuminating them. It made your heart hurt. Why the hell was it like this? What had happened? What should you say?
While playing with the hem of your dress, you swallowed and gingerly spoke up again, “I… I think I’m gonna go back to Earth soon.”
It was something you had been debating over the recent weeks. No matter how much you loved this world, you still had a life back there. You had a family, who currently had no idea where you were or if you were even alive. You had bills and school and obligations and so many things you would have to take care of before you coul-
Jungkook let out a rough scoff but just continued glaring into the fire.
You looked at him with wide eyes. “That’s it?”
That’s his only reaction? A laugh?
“I’m not sure what you’re wanting from me.”
You flinched, a new splinter of pain digging into your chest to cut past your ribcage and gouge into your heart.
Your gaze lowered to your trembling hands. I want you to ask me to stay… Biting your lip, you raised your head to plead with Jungkook’s profile.
But his peridot eyes never shifted over to you and it was suddenly difficult for you to form words.
You grasped at your dress in a poor attempt to stabilize yourself. “I, um-okay.” Your voice was tight. “I’ll leave you alone then since you don’t want me around.”
He didn’t negate you.
Standing up on unsteady legs, you willed yourself not to react as you brushed the earth from your bottom and left the fire.
Don’t react. Stay calm. Don’t react. Stay calm. Don’t react. Don’t react. Don’t react.
But once you got back on the path, your pace became faster and faster and faster until you were hurrying away as fast as you could while your mind fell into disarray.
He doesn’t want me. He doesn’t want me. He doesn’t want me. Did his feelings change? Were they ever real in the first place? Was I just some sort of sick challenge for him?
A stray pebble ricocheted into the forest after being kicked by your foot.
It hurts.
Your hand pressed down over your heart in an attempt to relieve some of the pain.
It hurts so much more than it ever did with Jimin. Your upper body curled in on itself. Why does it hurt so much?
You hardly registered where you were going or what you were walking past. You had no clear destination in mind, you just knew you needed to get away.
But how could you get away from your own heartache?
You couldn’t wrap your head around it. You and Jungkook had been physically apart for weeks, you both had practically hated each other at first even, but this… this moment was the furthest you had ever felt from him. Even when you would be at his throat and vice versa, he would still interact with you. He would talk to you and glare at you and…
Fuck…
It felt like your body was concurrently freezing cold and burning hot, and there was a deep, throbbing pang resonating across your chest. It coiled up into your airway, making you struggle to breathe. It crawled up into your eyes, making them blur and go in and out of focus. Leaves and twigs were suddenly crunching loudly under your boots and you realized you had strayed off the path with your bleary vision. You hiccupped and just kept going. Occasionally tripping over roots and the uneven ground, you plunged deeper in the forest. A small stream eventually appeared by your side and you listened to the lull of flowing water as you followed its bends. The sun was beginning to dip below the tree line, casting a golden light on the world and causing the shadows to grow longer and darker. Your vision slowly cleared, and you sniffled while forcefully wiping at your cheeks. Then the forest opened, and you paused. You knew exactly where you were.
Good job guys. You tenderly patted your legs before walking around the small pond with heavy steps. The light of the setting sun bounced off the pond’s rippling surface, and you admired the beauty of it out of the corner of your eye as you made your way to the willow tree. Gently brushing past the thin, scratchy branches with your hands, you collapsed beneath the tree’s canopy. Your eyes traveled over the pretty floral vine twisting around the trunk before shifting to watch the tree’s elegant limbs move back and forth in the wind. The familiarity of the scene dulled some of the hurt, but you couldn’t help the broken laugh that spilled from your lips.
Weeping willow… how fitting right now.
Beyond the leaves and branches, you could see the darkening blue sky become mixed with a vivid array of colors around the setting sun. You tried to appreciate it, but… it only reminded you of a rainy night on a cliff. The night when Jungkook…
No. Stop. Fuck, I can’t sit here and wallow on memories. I should go back to the boys. Or maybe find Yugyeom and take him up on his offer. No… if anyone is kicking that asshat’s ass it’s me.
The impulse to fight briefly flared in your veins but it died out just as quickly.
I don’t want to kick his ass. I just… want him to…
You harshly pinched yourself, making you hiss through your teeth.
The thin branches lurched in the wind, the water flowed and gurgled, and the sunlight gleamed through the forest, reminding you of golden flecks in perido-
You pinched yourself again and whimpered.
I’ll just keep thinking about him if I’m alone.
What you desperately needed was a comforting distraction, and you knew exactly who could provide that. It might be a little awkward since they were Jungkook’s brothers, but Jimin was your best friend and the other boys were like family now. They would take care of you.
With your decision made, you soaked up the calm ambiance for one final minute before picking yourself up and trudging back to the tree line. Your feet moved more sluggishly; your energy sapped. As your boots practically dragged, you wondered what Yoongi was going to say when he saw you.
I hope he isn’t disappointed. I don’t know if I can handle more of that today.
You sighed and stepped around a sapling to reenter the thick forest. I just want TaeTae cuddles and some of that viitulx. And food. Maybe Jin will be willing to ma-
The loud crack of a branch snapping came from up ahead. You flinched and went on alert as you scanned your surroundings. Inhaling quietly, you reached over your shoulder but froze as you remembered you didn’t have your bow and quiver. You cursed and prayed it was just a branch falling to the ground or an animal on a casual evening stroll. That prayer was instantly revoked as you noticed a figure stumbling through the trees as they followed the stream.
Shit. You panicked, frantically looking around for something to use as a weapon when you finally came to your senses. You weren’t at the field. You weren’t in danger. It wasn’t a draikensu.
Fucking hell, it’s probably just some lost drunk.
Your shoulders slumped and you breathed deeply to try to calm your racing heart. You looked back to the person, contemplating if you should approach them or not when your body stiffened.
Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me…
It was fucking Jeon Jungkook.
The burgundy head was looking down and shuffling through the forest with both his hands up to his head. One of them held his dagger and pressed the weapon against his temple. You gaped at the male, watching his mouth move as if he was mumbling to himself. He was straight ahead of you and coming closer with every passing second but he hadn’t noticed you yet.
It felt as if you were caught in a headlight. You couldn’t bring yourself to move and weren’t sure what you should do.
Jungkook continued nearing and he got close enough that you could hear him groan, “I’m such a fucking idiot. Why did I do that?” He tugged at his hair and lifted his head to look up at the blackening sky… but froze as his gaze locked on to you standing there.
“Y/N?” he whispered, so heartachingly soft, but you ducked your head to avoid his peridot eyes.
You thought maybe you could hide him if you pretended he wasn’t there.
You squeezed your hands into fists and took slow, measured breaths.
“Y/N…” he said your name again, this time closer and more choked up.
Yet, you still didn’t move. Neither to walk away or to look up at him.
You heard him come even closer. He was so near that you could find traces of his scent in the air, but you continued to stay still.
“I fucked up. I hurt you… again.”
You could sense his body right in front of you. Feel his warmth. See his boots almost touching the toes of yours. You didn’t move your head, but you lifted your eyes a bit. You could see his hand gripping the dagger at his side while his other went to reach for you before hesitating and dropping back down.
“I… At first, I was embarrassed,” the male said quietly, “Embarrassed that I got injured when I said nothing would happen, which is so stupid, but I was worried you would think less of me.”
You forced yourself to breathe slowly.
“And then I was healing, and I was so anxious to get back to you, to hold you, to be with you… but then I started thinking of how you only came to Illain for hyung and how you might leave me now that everything was over.”
Your chest tightened and you noticed Jungkook’s hand that was holding the dagger was starting to tremble. Against your better judgement, you steeled yourself and raised your head.
Jungkook’s face was highlighted by the glow of the setting sun, the golden light enveloping him like a halo… but his peridot eyes were burning with panic and shame. His breathing was ragged and his eyebrows were drawn close together. His entire demeanor was meek and small and so unlike him that you almost took a step back.
As you finally looked at him, Jungkook lips pressed together while he made a noise in his throat, and he momentarily flicked his gaze up to the treetops before exhaling heavily. “Every time I thought of you leaving, I could barely breathe. It hurt… it hurt so much and I fucking hated it.” Jungkook’s voice was getting increasingly weak and his eyes glistened with as they lowered to focus on your neck. “But there’s no way I could ask you to leave your entire life on Earth behind, so I thought it might hurt less if I pushed you away before you could just… vanish from my life.” The corner of his mouth twitched into a melancholic ghost of a smile. “Then you said you were going back to Earth and the exact thing I was terrified of was suddenly happening. Next thing I know, I was watching you walk away…”
Your hammering heart was barraged by a swarm of confused and conflicted feelings, and you could only stare at the male while you tried to process through them all.
The leaves rustled all around you, and Jungkook shook his head firmly as his peridot eyes suddenly brightened with determination and he looked straight at you. “I shouldn’t… I know I shouldn’t… but I’m going to be selfish. I have to be. I love you too much to just let you walk away. So please… please stay. Stay in Illain. Stay with me.”
A single sentence blew through your crazed, jumbled emotions like a rifle shot.
I love you too much to just let you walk away.
A rush of heat traveled through your body and your breath hitched. “You love me?”
You heard a gentle thud then Jungkook was cupping your face with both his hands. “I love you. I am in love with you, Y/N. Please stay.”
Your entire body tingled, your face grew warm, and you silently regarded the male for several seconds. The way the tips of his long ears were burning, the way you could feel his body shaking, the way his lips lightly parted as he nervously waited your response.
Slowly, you reached up to encircle one of his wrists in your hand. “Remember how I wanted to tell you something before the battle, but you said to wait?”
He hummed, anxious hope swimming in his eyes.
Tenderly brushing your thumb against his skin, you deeply inhaled then whispered, “I love you Jeon Jungkook.”
The trees shook, the stream burbled, and Jungkook’s hold on your face became stronger so he could pull you in closer.
“Really?” he asked in a small whisper as his eyes searched yours.
You smiled and gave him a tiny nod, making Jungkook immediately wound his arms around you to bury his face in the crook of your neck. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m an idiot for thinking I should try to protect my heart-”
“More of an asshat, actually.” You declared, still smiling as warmth swirled through you.
The male pulled back to glare at you, but it contained a playful heat. “Well, my idiotic heart is entirely yours. Break it, stab it, do whatever you desire with it.”
Shifting forward, you placed a gentle kiss on his chest right over his heart. “I desire to love it.”
“So, you’ll stay?”
You leaned back into him and gripped at his shirt while breathing in that intoxicating scent of his. Humming in content, you whispered you would stay… but that you did also need to go to Earth for a bit to settle some things before permanently moving to a different world.
The ending of your answer made the male whine loudly in your ear and sag most of his weight on you.
Staggering a step, you rolled your eyes and patted Jungkook’s back. “You’re a big boy, you can handle it.”
The Saeni chuckled against your neck before straightening and sending you a cocky smirk. “You know what I bet you can’t handle?”
“If you’re about to say your dick, I’m changing my mi-”
“My love!” he blurted out a little too quickly, a blush spreading across his cheeks. “You can’t handle my love for you.”
You raised at brow at the flushing male that was now pointedly averting his eyes, not believing for one second that “his love” was what he originally intended to say.
While you fondly looked at the male, Jungkook began shifting his gaze from behind you to your face to behind you repeatedly until he asked how you were there. “Did hyung tell you about it?”
Your brows furrowed. You had no idea what he was talking about. “Tell me about what?”
“The pond and… the willow tree.”
You pursed your lips, still not understanding his initial question. “No? I found this place last week while wandering around. It makes me feel safe and calm when I sit under the willo-wait. Why are you here? Did you follow me?... Why are you smiling like that?”
The burgundy-haired Saeni was grinning happily, as if he knew something you didn’t. “Do you remember when Tae hyung did your morning training because I said I had to check on something?”
You tilted your head to the side. How could you forget that morning? It was the day you learned about Tae’s draeva.
“I had to come here.”
“Why? So you could jack off in extremely secluded privacy?”
“I-… no.” The Saeni gave you an exasperated look which soon transformed into an enamored smile and he shifted to lightly touch the mark on your nape, making you shiver lightly. “The willow tree is my draeva.”
You jaw dropped. “Your… draeva…”
Laughing, Jungkook grasped your hand and he excitedly tugged you out of the tree line and back toward the pond and willow tree. “I’ll show you my handprint!” Stunned by the sudden knowledge, you let him pull you along as he pleased. Not that you wouldn’t have gone anyway. “Also, I guess you could say it’s our draeva now…”
You gaped at the area, in disbelief that you had inadvertently found Jungkook’s draeva. The stream continued to flow leisurely. The pond was shimmering with the fading sun and rising moonlight. The willow tree was standing tall and its thin branches were gently swaying. You were so distracted that you ran into Jungkook’s firm back. Letting out a surprised noise, you hastily grabbed his waist so you wouldn’t fall. Huffing, you went to complain to the male for stopping so suddenly, but you noticed he was fixated on the willow tree. Specifically, he was staring at the orange flowers wrapped around its trunk.
“Scorja,” he murmured.
“Hmm?”
“No, the flowers,” he said in wonder, “There are scorja flowers on my draeva, our draeva.”
He swiveled to face you, and you only got a glimpse of the lustful delight on his features before he yanked you close and pressed his lips against yours.
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#concentric#bts#bts fic#bts fantasy#bts fantasy au#bts angst#bts fluff#bts e2l#jungkook angst#jimin angst#jeon jungkook#jeon jungkook x reader#jungkook x you#jungkook x y/n#jungkook x reader#bts jungkook x reader#jjk x reader#jjk x you#bts jungkook#jungkook#bts x reader#ot7 x reader#bts ot7#jimin#namjoon#seokjin#taehyung#yoongi#hoseok
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Make It Back
I wasn’t gonna post this, honestly. Was gonna keep it to myself, possibly forever, but I decided against that. Have some angst with a happy ending on this lovely Halloween!
Pairing: Poe Dameron x Fem!Reader
Warnings: Mentions of death, Mentions of hallucinations, canon-typical injuries
Summary: When you don’t return from a mission, Poe breaks down. What he doesn’t remember is that you’ll do anything you can to make it back to him.
Ringing.
All Poe can hear is ringing. That and one sentence on repeat.
"I'm sorry, Poe, she didn't make it back."
He's in his room now but the last thing he remembers before that is being in the hangar and a member of your squadron saying that to him. How did he get here? What… what did he mean you didn't make it back? You always came back…
His door slides open with a schick and Finn steps through, regarding him as if Poe is a wounded animal and it's enough for Poe to know. This isn't a cruel joke or a dream, you're really gone. Tears well and spill over and Poe screams, Finn rushing to his side and pulling the man into his chest. Poe rages and cries and Finn holds him all the while.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to ask you to marry him. He was supposed to live the rest of his life with you, maybe even have kids one day. He was supposed to get to grow old with you.
It's not fair.
----
You come to with a lurch, your body screaming out with pain. Your nostrils are filled with smoke and ash, forcing coughs from your lungs that don’t help with pain. You try desperately to remember how you got here, what was going on, but it takes a few moments for your brain to catch up and fill you in.
You were flying a mission with your squadron when the First Order had attacked. You had given the order for your team to get out of there and they had all made the jump to lightspeed when your ship had gotten hit. Looking around, you realized you must have managed to make it to the planet that had been nearby before going down. You were just in your seat, so you had to have been ejected from your ship. Based on the smoke to your left, you would guess the rest of it would be that way. With a shaky breath, you start to take stock of your injuries.
There’s shrapnel buried in your left shoulder, you’re fairly certain a couple of your ribs are at the very least cracked, but otherwise it’s just bruises and scrapes. You got out very lucky. With shaky hands, you pull your helmet off and cut yourself free from your harness, stumbling up onto your feet and looking around.
The planet you’re on is forested and you’ve landed next to a creek. The smoke you can see from what you assume is the wreckage of your ship doesn’t seem to be too far off in the distance so you decide to make the trek to it. If you’re lucky, the emergency supplies will still be intact and you’ll be able to call for help. Pausing long enough to gather up the parachute since it could be helpful later, you then make your way through the woods.
It’s a long trek, the underbrush hindering your progress, and when you finally get to the clearing your wrecked ship is in, you’re stumbling from the pain. You survey your ship and immediately know there’s no way it’s getting back in the air. One of the wings is ripped clean off and the hull is battered to hell. Thankfully, the ship is only smouldering and no longer on fire, so you’re able to make your way to the cockpit. Rooting around, you manage to locate the emergency kit and with a lot of effort, you haul it out of the ship. As soon as it hits the ground, you sink down next to it and begin going through it.
The first thing you pull out is the medkit. Removing the supplies you need and setting them out in front of you, you take a steadying breath before reaching up, wrapping your fingers around the piece of metal in your shoulder, and pulling it out. You can’t stop the scream that bursts from your chest, throwing the metal away from you as soon as it is out. With shaky hands, you grab a bacta shot and bury the needle into your upper arm, pushing down on the plunger and letting the medicine work through you. Even using the shot instead of the patches, it takes several long minutes before the wound begins to close up. By the time it closes most of the way, you’re woozy from the blood loss and pain. Black creeps along the edges of your vision and it takes everything in you to stave it off. You force yourself to work through it, placing a bacta patch over what’s left of the wound and wrapping it. Once that’s taken care of, you search through the rest of the kit to find the distress beacon and activate it. All that you can do now is wait.
You make yourself a make-shift shelter with items from the emergency kit, under the remaining vestiges of daylight. You slowly start to feel better as the bacta works its way through your system and by the time you finish setting up camp, you’re able to breathe without pain. Your shoulder is still tender, so you make a sling using a section from the parachute. Crawling into your improvised tent, you settle down to wait.
It takes 4 days before someone lands on the planet, having been alerted by your distress beacon. You’re thankful to discover it’s a crew of rebel sympathizers and they take you in readily, offering to drop you at the nearest inhabited planet. You accept and they drop you off on Corellia. It takes you another 5 days to find a safe ship to take you to the Resistance base and when you finally step foot on the tarmac on Ajan Kloss, you nearly cry in relief. Your first and only thought is to find Poe, wanting the safety of his arms after such a harrowing experience but you barely make it a few feet before you’re being hauled around and into someone’s arms.
“Red?! You’re alive?!” It’s Rey and her shoulders shake as she sobs against you. Absolutely bewildered, you cautiously put your arms around her.
“Y-Yeah? Am I not supposed to be?” You try to joke with her but your comment just makes her cry harder and you panic. “I was joking, oh stars. I’m sorry. Please stop crying?”
“We- Your squadron said you didn’t make it. We thought…” Rey trails off, pulling away to look at you. Your heart sinks as realization hits you. Of course they thought you were dead. You didn’t return with your squadron and it had been a week and a half now since that mission.
“Oh, Rey. I’m so sorry for doing that to you guys… There was an ambush and my ship went down. I got back as soon as I could…” You explained and she nodded, pulling you in for another hug.
“I’m just glad you’re alive.” You lean against her for a few moments before you suddenly suck in a sharp breath, yanking yourself back from her and looking at her in panic.
“Poe? Where is he? He thinks… fuck, Rey, where is he?!” Rey’s eyes widen as well and she grabs your hand, pulling you along behind her as the two of you race through the base. She leads you to his quarters but stops you before you go in.
“Just.. he hasn’t taken it well. Finn’s in there with him. We’ve been having to stay with him in shifts… So just, be ready for that.” She warns you and you nod, feeling a lump rise in your throat at her words. She opens the door and steps in, you following behind her and you survey the scene before you.
Finn is sitting in the chair at Poe’s desk, looking over a datapad but when he looks up and sees the two of you enter, he stands so quickly that the chair clatters over. He breathes your name, almost as if he’s afraid to say it out loud and crosses the room to crush you into a hug. You accept it but the entire time, your eyes scan over the room as you search for Poe. When you finally catch sight of him, you feel tears well up and spill over.
He’s curled up on the bed, making himself as small as possible with his back to the wall. His eyes are barely open and he’s just staring straight ahead. He’s grown a beard and his curls are disheveled and you’re guessing he hasn’t showered in sometime. But what really breaks your heart is the fact that he’s clutching on to one of your jackets. He’s got it held tight to his chest and every few moments you see his nostrils flare and you realize he’s breathing in your scent. Finn pulls away when he feels you shaking and you look between him and Rey with a heartbroken expression. Finn’s hand comes up to squeeze your shoulder and Rey takes your hand in hers again, squeezing your fingers. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, you wipe your face and slowly walk up to Poe and kneel in front of him. His eyes don’t even focus on you, he just keeps staring ahead.
“Poe? Baby, I’m here.” You whisper to him and he finally focuses in on you, but you don’t get the reaction you were expecting. Poe laughs, a bitter sound that echoes in the room.
“Oh, this is just great. Finn, buddy, she’s back! Not that you can see her, but she’s here again.” Horror slips through you as you realize he thinks you’re not real. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?! It’s bad enough that you’re- that you’re-”
A choked sob leaves him and without even thinking you move to console him. You slip a hand into his curls, cupping the back of his head and bringing his forehead to rest against yours. His eyes go wide at the gesture, his mouth falling open and tears starting to slip from his eyes.
“Poe Dameron, I did not just fight to get back to you for you to think I’m not real. I’m here, baby. I’m real.” You tell him, your free hand going to one of his. He fights you at first, but you manage to get one of his hands free and place it against your chest so he can feel your heartbeat. At this, a sob does leave him and he launches himself at you. It sends you both to the ground, Poe wrapping himself around you as you both cry. You’re sure his hands will leave bruises from how hard he’s holding onto you but you are likely going to do the same to him. You're not sure how long the two of you lay there, sobbing together, but Finn and Rey eventually sneak from the room and leave the two of you together. When Poe finally calms enough to speak, his tone is still broken.
"I thought-" He gasps, shuddering against you and burying deeper into you, "I thought- "
"Shhh, Poe. I know. I'm so sorry, baby. But I'm here. I made it back to you. I'll always make it back to you."
Later, you'll help each other clean up and will spend the night wrapped in each other's arms. But for now, you'll lay here and hold him, reassuring him that you did indeed make it back to him.
#poe dameron x reader#poe dameron imagine#poe dameron fanfiction#poe dameron fic#angst#hurt#aha#don't hate me for this lol
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Book Two, Chapter Four - Olive
CW: Strong Language, Sexual References, Graphic Violence, Fantasy Bigotry, Smoking, Alcohol Use, Light Body Horror
I REMEMBER HAVING SPOKEN WITH YOU ABOUT THE LIGHT, SUNSTONE. AND NOW, IN ADDITION, YOU COME FORTH WITH A FEAR OF THE DARK? I BELIEVE WE BOTH KNOW THAT THIS WILL JUST NOT DO.
It’s another morning and it’s another brisk walk through the woods in pursuit of a sensibly gathered breakfast. They’re having a bit of fish again from the creek nearby their latest camp, but one can tolerate only so much fish before longing for at least a little fruit or veg, even when one is an Owl. In her case one could suppose she might appreciate a nice field mouse or even a small bird, something that isn’t just fish to liven up her meals; unfortunately for the lot of them, their best hunter is Olive and she’s currently stuck using a hatchet, a knife, and whatever know-how she has to jury-rig traps with Cherry’s help.
So, in truth all that her morning stroll is going to be is checking traps already set as she has no real chance to go on a proper hunt. A normal sized owl can fly silently, hunt and prey upon the small game of the forest. Unfortunately, she’s a bit larger than that and her feathery arms are meant for lifting pickaxes, not the wind.
As she makes her way through, there’s an unfortunate lack of small game. Not a single trap around this way has been tripped, and with most of them being entirely hidden and unbaited there’s no telling if they just didn’t go off or if nothing dared to get close enough to trigger them. This, in conjunction with a suddenly oppressing silence in the woods drops a weight on Olive’s shoulders. Standing beside a small tree, she adjusts her helmet and looks up into the branches, scanning the warm-hued canopy, first on the left side of the trail— where she was standing currently— and then the right.
Not a single bird or squirrel to be seen or heard. Her wide eyes narrow as her head swivels back, glancing behind her. Again, still nothing in the trees. A dead spot. A bad sign, a dangerous sign. Get out of there, and get out of there now. There’s nothing good in a place like this.
Escape is priority one. Doesn’t matter what it might be, but getting away from it is important. Her head twists back to settle forward again as she picks up the empty and untriggered traps. No point in leaving them there; originally she had been picking them up and putting them in her various jumpsuit pockets for the sake of seeing if anything was wrong with them back at camp, but now there’s no point to leave them at all— they’re not going to catch anything in this dead air.
It’s not that there’s anything intrinsically wrong with the air, of course, or Olive would’ve noticed. However, when there’s always the danger of a Monster lurking around the corner or the ground opening up to reveal some kind of strange magical phenomena, seeing a perfectly good stretch of woodland without anything to show for it except for trees is ominous. That’s Adventurer 101: don’t trust silent places. Life is a natural thing with a thick hum to it even on the quietest days, especially in places rife with small game and lots of plants, such as the Eternal Autumn. A place like this being so quiet is a sign of something, and as Olive presses her back against a nearby tree, stepping off of the natural trail, she has to figure out just what that something is in order to get away from it.
It’s time to make use of further adventurer practice; in her mind she retraces the trail she followed to get here. She has to follow it back as best she can, if she can. It’s the only ground confirmed to be safe so far, and though one might consider that to be a tad overboard, she recalls it plainly as one of the first pieces of advice she received on the job. When heading through somewhere that could, for all you know, be a big magical death trap, the only safe ground is that which you’ve already tread. And even that’s only really a seventy-five percent chance. There could be something waiting for you to move back; for one single, tiny screw up. If they don’t take the first person in the group’s walking, they take the last; if you’re alone, you’re both of those people.
Olive takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Her legs don’t want to move, but she has to. She has to get back to the others. Safety in numbers, as always. It was a stupid idea to go out alone to get food, even if everyone was still asleep when she started.
It had to be a daylight problem. That’s just another reason her legs don’t want to move, the daylight. Monsters in the night are typical, easily understood and easily handled compared to something that lurks in the daylight. To hunt in sunlight, there’s a level of finesse necessary. There are far fewer competitive predators in the day, thus more food, but it’s all so much more difficult to obtain. Anything that succeeds at it scares Olive far more than something like a Skitterbear. A Skitterbear runs off at the sight of flames. Nothing hunts in the daylight in a way that can be foiled with little more than a torch and some loud noises except for animals, but the birds aren’t going to disappear from the forest canopy because of a single bear, or even a Skitterbear and a small colony of Skitterbats.
She takes her first, hesitant step back onto the trail with no small amount of fear. All Olive can hear is the beating of her own heart, the soft whistle of her own breath through her beak, and the dragging of her talons against dirt, soft wood, and leaves. Behind every tree is a Monster. There are no safe angles here anymore, no guaranteed escapes or perfect cover. It has to be a Monster.
If it were just something making animals sick, she’d see the carcasses of anything stupid enough to come in. Besides, if it’s bad enough to make animals sick anyway it would be doing a number on her and her pals too, and aside from the preexisting rock issue she’s not feeling too sick. Anxious, maybe a little nauseous, sure, but not sick. It has to be a Monster, not some animal.
She walks steadily down the trail, head twisting and turning in either direction to look anywhere she can, scanning for even the slightest hint of movement. A small advantage to her unseen Monster— every falling leaf shimmering and casting shadows in the daylight catches her attention. Random, but just vigorous enough in movement to catch her eyes, she realizes this is the perfect environment for a daylight ambush predator. Whatever she’s looking for probably isn’t the sort of thing to come running and screaming through the woods after its prey. It’s patient, probably camouflaged. If she’s especially unlucky, which her life so far has been rather happy to confirm to her, it’s some kind of Devil with a specialized hunting process.
Names and diagrams run in her mind, each one getting crossed off as she factors in the place, time of day, and method. She hasn’t actually encountered most of the Devils that her old bosses used to talk about, but they gave vivid enough descriptions that she believes she can eyeball one if given the chance. All things considered Olive would really like to never have to, but these things happen, and for some reason they really enjoy happening to her in particular.
Something draws her back out of her thoughts. It’s hardly noticeable, barely worth mentioning and she would probably get berated for bringing it up to any adventuring group if she were a part of one, but there are fewer falling leaves now that she’s made some headway back toward camp. Her hatchet weighs heavy at her hip as she factors the skew of leaf-fall into her considerations. It’s such a small detail she’d get called a worrywort or worse. After all, it’s supposedly random. An issue with that is that it operates on the assumption that what she had already seen was the normal sort of leaf-fall, and that this is just less than usual. What if it’s the other way around? The leaves she saw falling earlier were in fact falling more than usual and now she’s seeing what’s supposedly normal? She would have been facing her terror the entire time and never noticed, and now she’s facing away from it.
Her head immediately spins to gaze a full 180 behind her, searching the treetops. It had to be in the treetops, right? If it’s making more leaves fall there has to be something shaking the branches in some way, something she didn’t notice while looking for the birds. However, despite this, there’s nothing in the branches, no mysterious shape shaking the trees. It’s just trees, trees as far as the eye can see.
Maybe it shakes the trees, somehow? How would it shake the leaves and make them fall? It certainly isn’t stepping hard enough on the ground to do that or she would feel it too, and if she can’t see it in the tree branches then it has to be shaking or brushing up there somehow. It has to be.
Or it could just be her being inordinately paranoid after the encounter with the Skitterbear last night. Her head snaps forward, facing the trail back once more. Maybe she’s just overthinking it again and the truth is that she’s not encountering some manner of horrible Monster in the middle of the woods, alone. She almost considers that that might be the truth when something finally catches her eye again.
On the left side of the trail is a tree, and though it’s by no means short, it’s a good amount smaller than those surrounding. She had been standing beside it when she was looking up into the canopy earlier to see if she could find anything to spruce up her breakfast. There’s a small problem; it was already on the left when she was walking the opposite direction, and is still currently on her left though she’s walking back. All things considered, it should be on her right hand side.
She glances toward its original position. Nothing’s there, not at the moment. It looks more natural now that there’s no tree there than it had actually looked with the tree there in the first place, but that’s something one can only feel now that she’s actually seen it sans the tree. Upon turning her attention back to the tree in question, she jumps back a good half foot or so, aided largely by the energy fear bestows upon all. The tree has moved.
Leaves fall gently in the space around it, shaken from the branches above. Yet she heard no noise, not a single sound. Her hearing’s good, but evidently not good enough to hear a whole tree move, even if it only moved about a foot or so. A tree moving just an inch is terrifying, a tree moving an entire foot, silently, is outright mortifying.
She retreats across the trail to nestle herself behind a tree opposite, eyes trained on the tree the whole while. It hasn’t moved while she’s looking at it and it isn’t going to start moving for a bit, she realizes. This is a different kind of problem, though. One could reasonably escape a predatory Monster of some kind when it’s something more typical, like some group of Scabs with a bunch of makeshift knives. With a bit of legwork and some know-how she could escape the little Monsters to get back to her group, and they’d probably be left alone as a group of five Humanoids around a fire.
This is a Trunt. It’s not the most dangerous creature in the world in a straight fight, but it doesn’t get into straight fights. It’s essentially a tree with well-hidden maw, a predatory streak, and a taste for flesh. Its branches can function like arms if opportunity arises, as well. So, any birds or squirrels stupid enough to get close are getting eaten. In truth, Olive had entirely expected them to be some kind of running joke in the local adventuring community because compared to most Monsters, the phrase “man-eating tree” is practically comedy in and of itself. There are Dragons out there wiping out entire settlements, but some people are getting eaten by trees.
It’s a lot less funny to be face to face with one. She’s only really able to keep an eye on it because of her already absurd eyesight, no small amount of paranoia, and knowing there’s something out here. She’s just thankful she’s the one out here and not Judith or Cherry, folks who’d not only not realize there may be something out there, but wouldn’t have even the faintest idea of how to handle themselves in the situation. Olive knows how to deal with the problem, the issue here is that her body doesn’t want to execute. She’s freezing up. It’s the Dragon all over again.
Face to face with a Monster and all she has to do is act. Her hatchet is in her hand now but it’s hard to push herself to try. If she doesn’t deal with it, they’ll lose track of it when she runs back to the others. From there it’s just a matter of time before it eats one of them in their sleep, if not her. This is the one shot. If she doesn’t handle it now, she can’t guarantee she’ll be able to catch it later on or even convince the others to believe her that something’s coming for them. She knows they think she’s crazy. Of course they do. Everyone thinks she’s just an overanxious and paranoid mess with a hatchet and some cool feathers.
Now that she’s keeping her gaze focused on the thing, there are finer details that make it clearer it’s not just another tree. There’s a very, very fine place in the trunk where it looks like it opens as one might expect a mouth to. The parts where it interlocks to look like a normal tree are so delicately intricate that one wouldn’t notice the aberration in the bark’s pattern at all. The roots, too, look just a little too perfect, meant for moving and easy digging rather than being fully stationary, though it appears to be able to do so for a long time. If the rumors and tavern jokes are true, then the damn things can survive off of just waiting and popping the occasional bird or squirrel for years alongside the actual nutrients in the soil while biding their time for a big kill.
The roots are usually the subject of debate in late night alcohol-fueled arguments about the logistics of killer trees. Plenty would-be witnesses swear by the danger that one could face at the end of a tree root, and that if possible it’s best to avoid both them and the branches. No confirmed weakness beyond “hack it to pieces” or “burn it down,” and as far as she can tell it’s a tree that acts like an animal, not an animal acting like a tree, so there’s no real brain to deal with. It’s a magical thing, a terrible, magical thing.
It hasn’t moved since she laid eyes on it. Its modus operandi can be inferred; hide until it seems like it isn’t being seen, then stalk its prey until the opportune moment arises. Without preparation, nobody really knows how to fight off a tree. She needs a plan. Plans mitigate anxiety like they mitigate potential harm, and the better the plan is the more it mitigates on both fronts.
It’s a patient creature. Olive has time to come up with something, provided she doesn’t take actual ages to think. She has to do this here, and sometimes soon. Not necessarily now, as she’s certain it’d be happy to sit there for years while she stares at it, waiting for her to pass out from exhaustion or simply keel over from some other problem, but soon. Olive tucks her head back behind the tree, hiding herself.
Across the path, the Trunt waits for a minute to pass before its roots gently slip out and then on top of the dirt. It slowly, carefully makes its way across the trail and over to the tree it had seen the Owl hide behind. No creaks or groans escape the wood with each movement, perfectly designed to stalk. Not a sound leaving it is any louder than the ambient wind through the trees or leaves rustling from such gentle, airy touches.
The branches reach out as feelers, gingerly rubbing at the branches of the trees around it as it continues, carried upon the tendrils below, its root system. Each tentacle-like extension of its being draws the whole closer, and in preparation for the kill the maw begins to open. Finally, it begins to make a noise. Gurgling, bubbling, sizzling. Inside of the main body, finally exposed to open air, the bottom of the inner cavity is already filled with the acidic bile it digests its prey with. Against the cool autumnal air it is near boiling hot, steaming just slightly. There are no worries about it giving away its position; it’s already too late.
The blade of Olive’s hatchet sings through the air, cutting both the putrid sound of the Trunt’s digestive juices and the silence of the forest as it hacks into the thinner wood that makes up the hinging portion of the Trunt’s maw. No weakness like a man or animal has, perhaps, but everything has structural weaknesses. In this case, where the wood’s thinnest.
She had come around the other side of the tree, standing upon its roots to avoid crunching any leaves under her claws. She had hugged the trunk, coming around with her feathers muffling most sound made by the movements. Now, right behind it, she’s hacking at it with both hands on her hatchet, taking hunks of wood out with each sweeping swing.
It does not scream, but it does continue to create the bile, and soon it’s flailing its roots and branches in a desperate bid to stop Olive. Olive, however, does scream. She screams with fear and exhilaration, screeching with a new and terrible form of horror. Fear is a paralyzer and a driver; every flex of her muscles underneath her feathers, every swinging chop and splintering of wood is fueled not by rage or bravery, but pure and unfettered terror.
Each swing is followed by another, then another, until she is slammed in the chest by a solid blow from one of its writhing branches, sending her across the trail and into another tree. However, always the stickler for workplace safety, her hard hat takes the brunt of the blow and her thick feathers help to disperse most of the force of both the original blow and the aftermath. She’s standing again in a second, wild-eyed, gripping the hatchet for dear life and screaming again as she tosses herself forward and enters the fray once more.
Roots below fling themselves up to snatch at her legs, but she’s already a step ahead, jumping over them and slamming hatchet-first into the Trunt again. Though the talons on her feet are dull, they’re still thick and pointed enough that she’s able to kick them in, tearing at the base of the Trunt and steadying herself as she swings her blade with both arms, driving it with her whole body as tears soak into the feathers on her face.
“STOP IT!” She wails. “STOP MOVIN’! STOP! STOP!” Her voice is shrill and painful in her throat. The hatchet handle is heavy in her hands, and the Trunt continues to gurgle and flail until, after several more hacking swings and pleading battle-screams, the roots and branches cease moving. They slowly but surely freeze up, taking on postures and positions much more tree-like soon enough, and the top half crashes down in front of her.
It nestles neatly into the soft earth through sheer force, splashing Olive’s torso with the bile. This sends her hopping back, nearly tripping as her claws come unstuck from the wood she had so effortfully gouged them into. She makes a small gagging sound before scraping the bile off with the edge of her hatchet, tossing it into the dirt and leaves where it began to slowly digest the underbrush instead of her jumpsuit, though the smell sticks even afterward.
No wonder nothing was falling into the traps, this damn thing and any pals it might have was eating them all. Killing this one, as dreadful as it was, was the right decision, she thinks. The others will probably leave them be, if there are any. That’s the thing about Devils, about Monsters, when compared to animals. For animals this might take a generation or two. Unfortunately, she knows that these are smart enough to learn from just one mistake, and it doesn’t even need to be themselves making it. That’s good, at least in this case.
It largely means that plan won't work a second time. The only other person in the group she can trust to be able to catch them might be Azariah, what with the amazing hearing and smell and all, but he’s too far along to be of much help in this case.
Shaking herself off, she cuts off a few of the shorter branches to take back with her as firewood and tiredly treks back to camp.
==============================================================
“Firewood this early?” Leon raises a brow. “So long as you’re willing to carry it when we move again.”
“Well, I went out there lookin’ for somethin’ to spice up breakfast. None of the traps had anythin’ in ‘em.” Olive sighs, dumping the hunks of wood into a pile nearby their central fire, though far enough away that they aren’t about to burst into flame, and then she sits down and rubs at her face. Her jumpsuit, in addition to the dark splotch in its blue tones right smack dab in the middle of her chest, is littered with small wood chips.
Another voice joins in, chuckling gently between the plucks of mandolin strings. “You look like you done went and got in a fistfight with a tree. You should probably go get cleaned up and check yourself for splinters.”
“And ticks, Azariah.” Cherry holds up a finger, his other hand jammed up past the wrist inside one of their fish traps. “She should definitely check for ticks.”
Judith, who’s standing nearby Leon, crosses her arms. “Shut up, all of you. What happened? You look like shit, Olive.”
“You’d probably just laugh at me or somethin’,” replies Olive. “Found a Trunt. Killed it.”
The group’s laughter stops. Everyone nearby is silent for a second or so, before the following:
Leon speaks up with an uncertain and half-snickering tone, asking, “Trunts are real?”
Cherry tilts his head to the side. “Oh, yeah. Of course they are, but they look just like trees, right?”
“Trees that eat runaway miners,” corrects Azariah. “Great way to scare the workin’ man.”
Judith rubs her face with her hand. “I believe you.”
“What?” Olive stands again. “You believe me?”
A heavy sigh later and Judith is taking one of Olive’s hands awkward, her face scrunching up with some small amount of frustration. “You smell like the inside of a garbage disposal and you have no reason to lie to us right now. We believe you, now let’s go wash up before you attract a bear or something with that stench. You can help me, I need to wash up and I’m still getting used to the whole one handed thing.” The end of this sentence is punctuated with a glare at Cherry, which goes unnoticed as he’s busy with the traps Olive brought back.
“A load off my mind, then. I thought y’all were gonna think I’m crazy.”
Leon chuckles. “You are, Olive. There’s not one of us here who isn’t.”
Judith scoffs. “Except me. Olive, let’s go.”
Chapter End.
==============================================================
[[ Table of Contents ]]
Blondie & The Smokestone March is
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Futures past pt3 / On AO3
Nie Huaisang meets a potential new friend, all thanks to Lan Xichen
The Cloud Recesses were impossibly boring and extraordinarily fun at the same time, Nie Huaisang decided roughly a week into his stay there.
The boring part was the lectures, of course. He frequently fell asleep during those, drawing the ire of Lan Qiren… and apparently asking that the old man speak in a more lively manner was not the right reaction to being caught like that. Nie Huaisang had already been punished to copy Gusu Lan’s rules a few times in just those first few days. It didn’t bother him too much. If anything, he counted that as part of the fun. Back at home being punished meant running around the courtyard a hundred times, or carrying heavy buckets, or some awful boring thing like this.
Copying rules, by contrast, wasn’t so bad, especially after the first few times. Once Nie Huaisang knew them well enough, he stopped paying attention to the words and was free to focus entirely on his calligraphy skills. After a year of this, he was sure he’d have the best handwriting in the world, which he felt was more important than whatever Lan Qiren actually intended to teach him.
Other fun things to do included fishing (technically forbidden), catching birds (forbidden), exploring the back hills (forbidden), and chatting with other bored people outside of class (tolerated, though Nie Huaisang’s loud laughter was forbidden). Nie Huaisang had already found several places he couldn’t wait to paint, as soon as he found a way to escape punishment for a day. The light just wasn’t good enough for it when he went into the back hills too late, so that was a concern, but he was sure he’d manage sooner or later. He just needed to figure out how to fall asleep inconspicuously, and that would solve most of his problems.
During the middle of his second week, Nie Huaisang finally managed to go through a full day without getting scolded at all. It was, in all honesty, not thanks to anything he had personally done. But Jin Zixun had been particularly unbearable that day, attracting all the attention of the substitute teacher, who’d had to replace Lan Qiren at the last moment because sect business had needed urgent care. So Jin Zixun had been the one punished, and he’d made such a huge deal of it that very little teaching had happened after that, meaning that Nie Huaisang hadn’t had a chance to get in trouble as well.
When the bell rang to signal the end of the lectures for the day, Nie Huaisang ran (forbidden) to the little house he shared with the other Nie and hurriedly grabbed all his painting equipment, eager to make good use of the lovely light they had that day. He then made his way toward the back hills, only to hear his name called out just as he was about to leave the last set of buildings behind him.
He turned around, saw Lan Xichen walking his way, and almost cursed. So much for his much desired painting session.
“Were you going somewhere, Nie gongzi?” Lan Xichen asked. Noticing the painting equipment, he smiled indulgently. “Oh, I see. The light is truly lovely for it today. Are you going to the Plenitude Creek?”
“I don’t know if it has a name,” Nie Huaisang replied. “But there’s a nice little clearing when you follow the river long enough, and from there there’s a lovely view of the mountains.”
Lan Xichen nodded. “I think I see the place you mean, and it is quite nice as well. But if you would allow me, I really think you might enjoy the Plenitude Creek. It is hard to find when you don’t know where it is though, so I could guide you there. It’s not far at all, and I believe you might enjoy it as a subject.”
It was very tempting to refuse, if only because Nie Huaisang already had a plan, and he wasn’t sure at all when he’d get another chance to do as he pleased. At the same time, his future self had insisted on the need to be on good terms with Lan Xichen, hadn’t he? And everyone said that Lan Xichen was a very skilled artist already in spite of his youth, so he would know how to spot a nice scenery.
“If Lan gongzi has time to waste on me, I’ll gladly take this offer,” Nie Huaisang said. “Please lead the way.”
Lan Xichen did just that, careful to match his pace to Nie Huaisang’s, just like he had during that tour of the Cloud Recesses a while ago. It really was considerate of him, and Nie Huaisang appreciated it more than he should have. He was used to trailing behind others because he just couldn’t make the effort of walking fast enough, so having his speed taken into account for once was nice. On the down side, it felt quite awkward to be side by side like this in silence. It was probably fine for Lan Xichen, because Gusu Lan preferred the quiet, but Nie Huaisang didn’t like to be around others and not chat. Silence was only for birdwatching, or when he focused on something for once.
“I’m surprised you’re not scolding me for this,” Nie Huaisang said after a while, only to immediately want to slap himself. It was such a stupid thing to say, only made worse when he opened his mouth to add: “Your uncle gave us all that homework to do, I probably shouldn’t be thinking of painting. Da-ge would surely be scolding me. Poor da-ge, he lost the didi lottery, and you won it.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t think that at all,” Lan Xichen objected.
“Oh, he does. He told me as much. I almost forgot my sabre at home when preparing to come here, you see, and he got angry, and he said Wangji would never be such an embarrassment, and how I need to grow up already and all that. But the way I see it, it’s not my fault. I think your brother stole all the accomplishments there were to be had in my age group, so of course I was left with nothing at all.”
“Now you’re unfair to yourself,” Lan Xichen scolded, his voice oddly detached all of a sudden. “I’m sure… I’m quite sure Nie gongzi is skilled at many things, and just needs the chance to show it off.”
Surprised to hear something that very nearly sounded like a compliment, Nie Huaisang pondered a moment on that as they followed along the path.
“No, I don’t think I have any skill at all,” he decided at last.
Lan Xichen frowned, and motioned for Nie Huaisang to leave the path with him.
“The other day, you said your father used to compliment your ear for music,” Lan Xichen noted. “And you paint, don’t you?”
“Oh, very poorly. It’s just something I do because it’s fun. If you were to see it…”
“I would like to.”
Off the path, the ground was rougher, with roots everywhere. Nie Huaisang told himself that he tripped for that reason alone, and not at all because the request surprised him so much. Lan Xichen caught him before he could really fall, but that just made it worse, and Nie Huaisang quickly pulled away, puzzled by that sudden goodwill. Lan Xichen had never taken notice of him before, or only to nod along when Nie Mingjue scolded his unruly little brother in his presence, so why the change?
“Did da-ge ask you to keep an eye on me?” Nie Huaisang bluntly asked. “Is this… are you just going to lecture me, or to take me somewhere to meditate instead of paint?”
His brother used to do both, when he was younger. He would agree to take Nie Huaisang out to admire a landscape, then turn their outing into a cultivation lesson, or make him meditate in a place that was supposed to be particularly rich in energy. Over time Nie Huaisang had learned to run the opposite direction if his brother offered to go for a walk, and apparently he might need to do the same with Lan Xichen.
“Of course he asked me to look after you,” Lan Xichen said, looking puzzled. “He is your brother and I am his friend. But I really just want to show you a place I think you’d enjoy to…”
“That’s what da-ge would say too,” Nie Huaisang retorted, deeply annoyed now. “Thanks, but no thanks. Have your own fun meditating, Lan gongzi, but I have better things to do!”
Nie Huaisang bolted away, running as fast as he could in what he vaguely believed was the direction from which they had come from. He thought he heard Lan Xichen calling his name after the initial surprise had passed, but the older boy made no effort to run after him. Possibly because it would have been undignified for someone as elegant as Lan Xichen to run, and also because it might have been against one of those rules that Nie Huaisang still couldn’t be bothered to remember. Nie Huaisang, meanwhile, was only concerned about getting away from this heinous trap.
He ran until he found the path again. Then, fearful that he’d be too easy to find if he returned to the Cloud Recesses or followed the path deeper into the mountain, he decided to keep running into the woods on the other side of that path, and find a quiet spot where to wait. If Lan Xichen was anything like Nie Mingjue, it might take him a shichen or more to accept that Nie Huaisang wouldn’t be so easily manipulated into behaving.
Worried about being pursued and forced to study, Nie Huaisang kept glancing behind as he ran. That was how he only noticed too late that he’d stumbled into a clearing, one in which there was already a person present.
To be precise, he discovered this other person due to running into them at full speed, causing both of them to fall on the ground. Nie Huaisang initially counted himself lucky, since he’d fallen on top of the stranger, but that sentiment didn’t last long when he was roughly pushed aside, knocking the breath out of him.
“Can’t you watch where you’re going?” the other person snapped as he sat up. “Look at that, I’ve got grass stains now!”
It was a boy roughly Nie Huaisang’s own age, dressed all in white… or in robes that were originally white, anyway. A Lan disciple then, but not a member of the Lan clan: the ribbon on his forehead wasn’t embroidered, marking him as an outer disciple.
“Sorry, I was trying to escape,” Nie Huaisang said, sitting up as well and rubbing his back. “If you want, you can blame me for the robes, just as long as you don’t tell Lan Xichen you saw me if he comes here.”
The Lan disciple squinted at him unhappily.
“What did you do to Lan gongzi?”
“Nothing! He was the one trying to trick me, so of course I had to escape!”
The Lan disciple squinted harder, unconvinced.
“Lan gongzi is too boring to even think of tricking anyone, you must have misunderstood.”
Nie Huaisang gasped, delighted that finally someone else also realised Lan Xichen was so very boring. Delight, though, soon gave way to guilt and a little bit of shame.
Whatever defects Lan Xichen had, his personality was honest and straightforward. If he had wanted to lecture Nie Huaisang, he would have said so, just as he wouldn’t have lied if he thought he knew a place where meditation would be more effective. Someone like him just didn't have the imagination needed for trickery. Which meant that Lan Xichen had probably really just meant to show him a nice scenery to paint. Which, in turn, meant that Nie Huaisang had just behaved in an impossibly rude manner toward the person he was supposed to befriend if he wanted to save his brother.
"You're not going to tell anyone?" the Lan boy asked, his face contorted with terror. "I shouldn't have said that about Lan gongzi, please don't…"
"Don't worry, I think he's boring too," Nie Huaisang distractedly retorted, waving his hand. "But damn, even someone with as little personality as him might take offence… ah, what a bother."
The Lan disciple squinted at him.
"Who are you exactly, to speak like that of Lan gongzi?"
Nie Huaisang winced. There was a rule against rudeness, he vaguely remembered, and maybe also one against disrespecting one's host.
"I'm Nie Huaisang. And you are?"
The Lan boy frowned, then paled and bowed deeply before Nie Huaisang.
"This humble one apologises for not recognising Nie gongzi. This humble one begs for forgiveness, and…"
"Please don't bow," Nie Huaisang complained. "It's not necessary. And don't worry, I'm not important, so nobody ever recognises me. Listen, just don't tell anyone I was running, and I won't tell anyone that you…" he hesitated, and waved his hand toward the other boy. "That you have an actual personality, unlike everyone here. Actually, I think it’s nice!”
The Lan disciple winced, and remained bowed until Nie Huaisang grabbed him by the elbows and forced him to stand straight again.
“There, no need to be so formal! What’s your name, by the way?”
The other boy hesitated a moment longer than was truly polite, and glared down at his feet when he finally answered.
“I’m Su She. I am a disciple of Gusu Lan and… and I should report both of us for punishment for being rude about Lan gongzi.”
“But you won’t do that, right?” Nie Huaisang begged. “Please, you’re the first Gusu Lan person I’ve met that sounds even a little cool, please don’t ruin it?”
Su She hesitated, which Nie Huaisang took as an excellent sign. So far, he’d never seen any Gusu Lan disciple even consider breaking their precious rules. Then again, they usually always moved in groups, meaning they couldn’t be properly negotiated with.
“I suppose I can let it slide for this time,” Su She pondered. “And you really won’t tell that I was… not perfectly polite either, right? I’m doing my best, but apparently I have a bad temperament.”
“I think you’re just fine,” Nie Huaisang replied, feeling very generous now that he was certain not to be punished. “But why are you here anyway?” he asked, before noticing a book of sword forms carefully laid on the ground which they’d very nearly fallen on earlier, as well as a training sword, the sort that wouldn’t even cut through congee. “Oh, were you practising?”
It was an odd place for it, Nie Huaisang thought, because Gusu Lan had a few perfectly fine training grounds, where seniors were usually hanging out and could provide help and advice to improve one’s posture. But maybe those same seniors were the reason why Su She didn’t want to practice on the training grounds. If his personality was judged unpleasant, or if his skill was deemed insufficient… Nie Huaisang understood that too well, having the same problem. Even on those occasional moments when he’d considered training for real, he’d ended up discouraged when he’d felt everyone judging him for his low level.
“I prefer to be on my own,” Su She announced, before quickly adding: “Not that… not that Nie gongzi is bothering me of course. You can stay if you want.”
The offer sounded so forced that Nie Huaisang snorted. “I might stay,” he said, mostly to tease, and Su She looked as if he’d bitten into a lemon. “Oh, don’t worry, even if you were the worst swordsman in the world I wouldn’t judge. No matter your level, I’m worse than you.”
“I’m not that bad,” Su She proudly retorted, bending down to pick up his sword. “Just because I’m not as good as those who were born in the sect… but I didn’t start cultivating until four years ago, and my parents are… well, I’d never picked up a sword until they tried to get me into a sect, that’s the only reason I’m a little behind.”
Nie Huaisang nodded. “Those born in sects or from a rogue cultivator have a bit of an advantage.”
“A lot, you mean!” Su She snapped, before taking a deep breath and making himself smile. “But that just means I have to work harder to catch up, and of course I’m grateful that I was allowed to join at all.” He glanced at the manual on the ground, then at Nie Huaisang. “Are you really going to watch me? I… I don’t do as well when someone watches me.”
“I’m just going to sit here,” Nie Huaisang replied after some consideration. “I promise not to look too much. But if I go back right now, then I might stumble upon Lan gongzi, and I’ll have to apologize, and… I just don’t feel like doing that right now.”
To show how little he would be watching, Nie Huaisang sat against a tree so that he’d have to look over his shoulder to see the clearing. Su She glared at him for a while, unhappy with this arrangement, but in the end he gave in and resumed practicing.
At first, Nie Huaisang really tried to respect the other boy’s shyness. He looked just anywhere but toward Su She, wondering how angry Lan Xichen might be (not much, he’d need a personality for that), whether this place might inspire him to paint (not particularly, there wasn’t anything striking to it) or if he might see some birds (he wouldn’t, Su She was scaring them away). All too soon, Nie Huaisang became bored, and decided to check just how bad his new friend was, anyway.
Turning around to look, Nie Huaisang was surprised to discover that Su She was, in fact, very decent with a sword. His posture was good enough that even Nie Mingjue wouldn’t have found much to criticise, he had good balance, his movements were measured and elegant while still demonstrating strength. For someone not born in a sect, Su She was pretty good. Even if he had been born among cultivators, his level would have been more than decent. Nie Huaisang had expected so much worse, and ended up watching the other boy until he was finished with his set of exercises
Su She frowned deeply when he realised he’d been watched, and sheathed his sword with an angry movement.
“I know I’m not good enough yet,” he grumbled. “I’m trying.”
“I think you’re doing very well,” Nie Huaisang said.
“Not as good as Lan gongzi and Lan er-gongzi, though.”
Nie Huaisang snorted and shrugged. “Well, you’ve got to be realistic. They’re on equal footing with adults, those two. I’ve seen Lan gongzi spar with my brother and they often come to a draw, and da-ge is a damn monster.”
Su She’s frown only deepened.
“Someday, I’ll be that good. Better, even. I’m going to catch up and I’ll show everyone!” Su She proclaimed.
Having no ambition whatsoever, save maybe to collect as many pretty things as possible and try to make sure his brother didn’t die too soon, Nie Huaisang found this need to prove oneself a little odd. Still, it seemed to be important for Su She, and Nie Huaisang had decided he liked this weird Lan disciple.
“I’m sure you’ll show them, yeah,” he cheerfully agreed. “If you’re already as good as this with a sword, it’s just a matter of time. How do you do with other subjects? Music and archery?”
Su She grimaced, and bent down to pick up his manual, avoiding Nie Huaisang's eyes when he stood up again and checked the book hadn't been dirtied.
“I got into Gusu Lan because my music skills were judged passable enough,” he muttered. “But that’s all I had for myself. And there’s only so much time in a day, and the sword is more important, everyone says so, and… I don’t have time to practice archery outside of classes, so my skill remains very poor. There’s just a lot to learn, I can’t work on everything at once!”
“It’s really too much to ask,” Nie Huaisang agreed, as if he hadn’t given up on trying years ago. “I’m curious to hear you play the guqin now, though. Saying someone is ‘passable enough’ in the Cloud Recesses, that’s saying they have out of this world talent by anyone else’s standards.”
“You’re mocking me!”
“I’m not! Oh, do you know any fun pieces? I mostly only hear such boring things…”
“Melodies for the guqin are meant to be slow and reflective,” Su She dryly informed him. “But… I play the dizi too, and there are less… formal pieces of music for that. My younger siblings liked it, anyway, and they're too young to care about real music.”
“Great! Then you’re going to play for me!” Nie Huaisang decided, grinning so triumphantly he didn’t notice the other boy’s grimace. “Oh, but it’s getting late, I should head back… I really don’t want to be late for dinner. If I have to copy the stupid rules another time, my wrist will fall off. Let's walk together?”
Su She rolled his eyes, but didn’t make any comment, even though Nie Huaisang was sure that another less interesting Lan disciple would have scolded him for not showing proper respect to the rules.
He was so glad the two of them had met. Surely, this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, and one far more interesting than the one he was supposed to pursue with Lan Xichen.
#xisang#nie huaisang#lan xichen#su she#mo dao zu shi#mdzs#jau writes#double time travel#lan xichen is just going to love this new development :)
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Lost traveler
1/?
Loki x female!reader
Word count: 1590
Tag list: @gaitwae @lucywrites02 @hard-to-be-the-bard @birdgirl90 @laramoonworld
Summary: A mysterious traveler visits Asgard and thanks to an accident has to stay for longer than she expected. Bonds are created but also shattered along the way.
A/N: reader has elemental powers, something like avatar the last airbender.
Being a traveler had its pros and cons. Pros: you learn a lot about different realms and make a lot of friends along the way. Cons: you don't have a home, all the friends you make you either never see again or they don't remember you when you visit their planet, and you are alone. 100% of your time. None of the people or creatures you meet want to travel with you. You don't make a big deal out of it, you never did. You liked your privacy and alone time. Even if it hurts you sometimes.
You had your amulet though. A black stone in golden bracelet. Thanks to it you can create portals to travel. Sometimes it felt like the bracelet was pulsing with its own life. It was like a dear companion to you. You haven't taken it off in years, it became part of you. Sometimes it warmed your skin when you went to open a portal. That's how it was usually telling you where the best worlds to visit are. You were always excited when you felt the warmth under your bracelet. It meant it wanted to show you a beautiful part of galaxy you haven't been to yet.
Like now. You were making your way through foggy swamp, looking for a rare plant to study. As you jumped over fallen tree you felt your amulet warming your forearm.
"In a minute buddy, I really need this flower," you said a little too fast. You really needed that plant, but exploring a new world after weeks spent here was just too tempting.
However the stone was stubborn. The warmth escalated into burning. "Argh! Alright, I get it! I'm going, see?" your hand started to draw circles and symbols on the ground in front of you. Your other hand pulled the darkness from your stone, making it light yellow temporarily. The darkness with blue highlits seeped into the ground and teared the air before you, creating a small crevice.
Like an opened window it showed forrest. Nothing too unusual. Some oak trees, grass, wild flower here and there. 'What are you up to my friend?' you thought to yourself as you walked through the crevice. It immediately closed after ypu passed, leaving you alone in a new world.
First rule when you come into new place: find water. Fairly easy. Sound of water was near, a creek maybe? After you filled your bottle you started walking north, looking for any hills or mountains to climb onto and get better view of this realm.
Suddenly a storm like sound broke through the peaceful silence. You looked towards the sky to find clear blue. No dark grey clouds. So why was it roaring as if a thunder was starting? And there was the sound again, from the same spot as before.
You pulled your black leather hood over your head and slowly started to approach the thundering place.
"Thor! Can you stop doing that for at least 5 minutes?!" a voice came from your right.
"And why should I?" came a strong voice from in front of you.
"Because I'm trying to think, which is thanks to you nearly impossible!"
"Unlike you, dear brother, I have mighty powers that need to be controlled. How better than testing how far I can go?"
"That doesn't even make sense."
So brothers. And one of them is lightning thrower. Maybe the one named Thor.
"I don't have enough nerves for this," the Not Thor started to walk further right, away from lightning thrower.
It seemed wiser to aproach the calmer one. You already had the honor to meet a lightning thrower before, never again. Even though this other man could be even more dangerous than his brother. Decisions decisions. One could get you killed, the other even worse.
Eventually your legs started to take you to your right, after the calm one.
The man sat himself on a rock in front of a clear lake. He had black hairygreen and black clothes which looked to be made of leather with golden plates on forearms. He had his back turned to you, approaching him from behind would be stupid. You slowly walked around him, keeping yourself in trees' shadow.
You purposfully stepped on a dry branch to attract his attention. And fair enough, his head shot to you, dagger in hand, danger in eyes. You held your hands up to show you weren't armed and stepped into the light. "Hello," you greeted.
"Who are you?" he asked rather harshly. You're used to people being affraid of you, the cloak made you look scary, especially with a hood on.
"I'm a traveler," you answered simply.
He eyed you suspiciously, hand holding a dagger was slowly lowering. "And what's your name little traveler?"
Just as you wanted to answer a jolt of pain striked you into your shoulder, electricity engulfed you and the last thing you saw was the mysterious man in green and black leather rushing to catch your falling body.
~~~
Mornings in Asgard are usually quiet and calm. This one however was far from it. Loki's older brother Thor finally got into age when he can produce and control lightnings. Well, he tries to. That's what woke young sorcerer. Thor breaking a pillar near his window on accident.
"Love, would you be so kind and take your brother far from anything he can destroy? You're skilled with your gifts, I'm more than sure you will teach him how to control his own," the queen of Asgard asked the still half asleep trickster at breakfast table to which he nodded without even thinking.
And that's how he got stuck with him for the whole day. Alone. They already walked through forrest near Glittertind mountain and currently were trying to find the perfect place for Thor to train.
They were getting deeper into The Great Oak Woods when Thor thought it would be great fun to destroy a tree or two.
Loki was looking at map of Asgard in his head, trying to look for the nearest quarry. The mental gymnastics he had to do to concentrate in such noise was olympic worthy.
"Thor!" his brother turned to him. "Can you stop doing that for at least 5 minutes?!"
Thor's fingers begin to sparkle, teasing Loki. "And why should I?"
Loki pinged the bridge of his nose. "Because I'm trying to think, which is thanks to you nearly impossible!"
"Unlike you, dear brother, I have mighty powers that need to be controlled. How better than testing how far I can go?" he smirked confidently, sparks were now flying uncontrollably from his hands.
"That doesn't even make sense," Loki shook his head and begun walking away from him. "I don't have enough nerves for this."
He found himself a nice rock near his favourite lake. Birds around were chirping in their nests, sparkly fish with colourful fins were chasing each other in the crystal clear lake. Loki could finally relax.
Until he heard a wooden crack coming from his side.
On an instinct he drew daggers and turned towards a danger. Which turned out to be a girl. Bout in Loki's age. Knee high black boots covered by drying mud, dark green trousers and brown leather jacket hidden under black cloak which covered her hair as well. Sparkly curious eyes bore into his as she held up her hands in surrender.
He was more than sure he has never seen her before. She's a stranger.
"Hello," her melodic voice greeted.
"Who are you?" that wasn't probably the nicest thing to say to a newbie but Loki was trained to never trust a stranger.
"I'm a traveler," he expected a name, this answer sparked curiosity inside of him. She sparked a curiosity inside of him.
"And what's your name little traveler?" he started to lower his daggers, she didn't seem like a threat.
She opened her mouth but her face got twisted by pain as lightning struck her side. He quickly rushed, catching her before her head could collide with a rock.
"There, who needs training? One clear shot at first try!" a familiar booming voice came from Loki's left.
"You oaf, you nearly killed her!" Loki yelled at him.
"Her? I simply struck a moose."
Loki gathered her body into his arms and showed her face to his brother. "Does this look like a moose?"
Thor looked down at her, visibly paling. His hand started scratching the back of his head nervously. "Damn. Who is she? Did you know her?"
Loki shook his head and started to walk towards palace. "She said she's a traveler. Look at her clothes. No one on Asgard wears such fashion. Not to say a girl from Asgard would ever wear this," he gestured to her cloak which looked like a snake skin rather than an ordinary leather.
"Where are you taking her?" Thor trailed behind him.
"To fields, she'll make an excelent scarecrow," sarcasm was dripping from every word he said.
The older prince chuckled. "You and your jokes... What will we do with her when healers take care of her?"
"We? I'm not going to do anything with her, but YOU are going to apologize."
None of the princes noticed the white cracks looking like lightning bolts on the traveler's amulet.
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Fire Lily | Pt. 13
warnings: some angst?
summary: y/n is surprised to run into a person from her past.
a/n: AGH I’m so so sorry this chapter took so much time and isn’t very long :/ I really struggled with motivation and inspiration this past week with my classes picking up again. But! I am back! This chapter takes place during “Sokka’s Master.” Hope you guys enjoy!
reminder: my taglist is OPEN! send me a message or ask to be added :)
Fire Lily Masterlist
Y/N had barely managed to fall asleep when she felt someone jostle her shoulder.
“Y/N, get up,” Katara said gently. Y/N groaned, rolling over uncomfortable on the lumpy ground.
“Y/N,” Katara repeated. “You need to see this.”
Y/N yawned, slowly coming to sit up, blinking slowly. She absentmindedly lit a fire in her palm to illuminate the space.
“No, we don’t need fire. Come on.”
Y/N reluctantly stood, letting the fire in her hands flicker out. Katara led Y/N out of the tree-covered area they had camped into a clearing on a hill, where Sokka, Aang, and Toph were waiting.
“What exactly am I looking at?” Y/N mumbled. What time was it? Two in the morning?
“Just look up,” Katara giggled. Y/N obeyed and raised her head to see the bright streaks painting the sky.
“Oh,” Y/N breathed, watching the spots of light soar across her vision. Y/N felt the tension leave her shoulders as she watched the sky. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah,” Aang agreed, reaching his arms out to invite them all to throw their arms around each other. Y/N moved closer and felt Katara’s arm settle across her shoulders, but she never took her eyes away from the sky.
Y/N had never seen a meteor shower before. It was better than she had imagined—the stars were so bright here, not like Ba Sing Se. The night sky went on forever, meteors leaving trails of brightness across the comforting deep blanket of darkness the sky provided.
Tiny stars blinked down at her, and Y/N felt the warmth growing in her stomach. It made her think of the tea shop, if only for a moment.
Something about staring up at the sky made her feel small, but it wasn’t an unwelcome feeling. There were so many small people in the world, and even though she was traveling with the Avatar, even though she was on the run, and even though her life had been upended, she could be one of those small people, if only for a moment.
“Um, guys,” Sokka pointed up at the sky. “That one looks a bit close.”
“Oh, really? Which one?” Toph panned sarcastically. Y/N suddenly remembered that Toph couldn’t see the meteor shower. The girl was sitting on the ground with her arms crossed a few feet away. “You’ve seen nothing once, you’ve seen it a million times.”
“You’ve never not seen anything like this,” Sokka said. The ground seemed to shake for a moment, and Y/N watched as the meteor dipped out of view behind some trees. The ground seemed to shake, a loud crash echoing.
“Oh,” Toph started, standing. “You’re right, Sokka.”
Y/N followed the others through the trees, seeing the meteor, a ball of flame that was already beginning to catch the surrounding grass.
“The fire is going to destroy that town!” Katara shouted. Y/N could see the rooftops in the distance. Katara was right, and before Y/N could come up with any sort of response, they were rushing into action.
Katara was already heading to a nearby creek, bending the water towards the flames while Aang and Toph lifted large chunks of earth from the ground.
“What can I do?” Sokka asked. Y/N could tell how much he wanted to be helpful.
“Umm…” Aang replied, continuing to create a trench, “watch Momo?”
Sokka turned to Y/N. “Aren’t you going to help?”
“I barely know how to make fire, Sokka,” Y/N replied, sighing as they watched their friends go to work. “I haven’t figured out how to stop it. Plus,” Y/N smiled, “this is space fire.”
“Pretty sure it’s just regular fire,” Sokka grumbled, but Y/N saw the corners of his mouth upturn slightly. It was better than nothing.
---
Sokka was a shopaholic, Y/N decided. He’d been in a sour mood since the night before, when he was left to babysit Momo. But Katara had offered to let him look around in a weaponry store, and suddenly he was acting like a giddy little kid.
Y/N wandered around on her own in the shop. She could hear Sokka’s giggles from across the store. She looked around at the distinctly Fire Nation items—swords with red accents in the hilt, armor pieces made of dark, gleaming metal. It was much different from the craftsmanship of Jet’s swords. These were made with aesthetic in mind, with the time to add the red embellishments and tassels and inscriptions.
Jet’s swords were finely made, but they weren’t things to marvel at. They were made to work, work well, and nothing more. The blades were getting dull—she’d have to figure out how to sharpen them later. Y/N ran a finger along the inscription of a dagger on the wall—Honor and country—and started when someone coughed behind her.
Y/N whipped around, hands poised on the swords at her waist. Behind her stood a boy, with dark hair and a little bit of stubble on his jaw. He looked oddly familiar, and then the realization hit.
“Jain!” Y/N cried. She didn’t move her hands from her swords. He was dressed in a dark red tunic and black pants, his hair in a bun on top of his head.
“So, it is you.” Jain gave Y/N a once-over, his dark eyes taking in the blades and the Fire Nation clothes. “I wondered where you went off to.”
“What are you doing here, Jain?” Y/N couldn’t decide whether or not to be angry. She wasn’t sure if Jain was an enemy or not.
“Just visiting my homeland,” Jain drawled, as if it was obvious. Y/N supposed it was. Jain glanced around, assuring no one was near.
“Look,” he sighed, “I can’t here, but if you want to talk, I can meet you later.”
“What?” Y/N gaped. She still couldn’t process the fact that Jain was here. In front of her. Right now. More handsome than she remembered, though she’d never admit it. He wasn’t a string bean anymore.
“I can catch you up on what’s happening back home,” Jain offered. “I can take a message back for you, if you want.”
“Okay.” Y/N didn’t hesitate to answer. Jain would know about her parents. Maybe Bihun was back. Y/N hadn’t heard anything about her colony since she had left.
“I can meet you in the marketplace this afternoon,” Jain said, already turning away. Y/N diverted her eyes back to the dagger in front of her. Honor and country.
“Alright,” Y/N agreed, listening to Jain’s footsteps fade.
---
“You what?!” Katara cried. “Y/N, we can’t trust Fire Nation.”
“Why are you just telling us now?” Aang added in agreement.
“I knew Sokka wouldn’t like it,” Y/N admitted. She had been relieved when she learned that Sokka would be away to train under a master, and not just because she was happy for him. He wouldn’t have let her go meet with Jain. Or worse; he’d insist on coming along.
“Well, we don’t like it either,” Toph piped in. “Why do you need to go talk to this guy anyway?”
“He was a friend of my brother’s,” Y/N explained. She could remember Jain from Bihun’s first years at school. He was one of the few friends that Y/N’s parents allowed to visit the house. “He lives in the colony. He can tell me what’s happening at my home.”
“I don’t know…” Katara trailed off, her eyes sharp.
“He can tell me about my parents, Katara,” Y/N pleaded. “I… I don’t know what happened to them after I left.”
Katara thought for a moment, but Aang spoke for her.
“Okay,” he said. “If it’s important to you, it’s important to us. But if you aren’t back by sundown, we’ll come to look for you.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Y/N surged forward, pulling Aang into a hug. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”
“I still don’t like it,” Katara said, and Toph nodded, “but we’re here for you. Be safe.”
“I will,” Y/N promised. She didn’t think Jain would hurt her, but the words kept ringing through her head. Honor and country. Would they outweigh his care for her? She thought of Zuko.
Y/N tried to remember that she had no reason to hide while she walked through the marketplace, keeping an eye out for Jain. He was taller than she remembered, and definitely looked older. She wondered if that was how old Bihun would look, if he were here.
She spotted Jain by a food stand and did her best to approach casually. Jain turned around and faced her, two bags of fire flakes in his hands.
“Why are you walking like that?” Jain gave her an odd look, an eyebrow raised. Y/N immediately straightened her posture, her cheeks warming. So much for being casual.
“Come on,” Jain beckoned after a moment, leading Y/N around a street corner. He handed her one of the bags of fire flakes, using his now free hand to fumble with the doorknob on the nearest home.
Y/N’s eyes widened. “I hope you’re not breaking in.”
“No, I—” Jain jimmied the handle some more, and it finally turned, the door opening. “There we go.”
Y/N followed Jain inside, her nerves building. It was a nice enough place. Small. Flammable, if it came down to that. Y/N hoped it wouldn’t.
“Whose house is this?” Y/N asked, looking around at the many potted plants that filled the room.
“My aunt’s,” Jain replied, stuffing a handful of fire flakes in his mouth. He noticed Y/N looking at the greenery. “I know, she has a ton of plants. She’s a little crazy.”
“I think they’re nice,” Y/N frowned, gently touching the leaf of a small, white-flowering plant by the window. She still hadn’t taken a bite from her fire flakes. “Why did you buy me these?”
“Hospitality,” Jain answered simply, like it wasn’t weird. Y/N was fairly sure it was weird. They were in the Fire Nation, and the Fire Nation would be anything but hospitable if they knew she were here, with the Avatar, no less. “Don’t tell me you’ve never had them.”
“I have,” Y/N scoffed. She took small handful of flakes and popped them into her mouth. Damn, they were spicy. She tried to stifle her reaction, taking a seat across from him at the table. “What are you doing here?”
“Like I said, visiting the homeland.” Jain took a seat at the small wooden table in the center of the room. “My aunt is gone to the capital for a few weeks, so she said I should come here to ‘experience the true national culture.’” Jain made air quotes with his hands. “I think she just wanted a plant sitter.”
Y/N nodded, looking down at her hands that were still wrapped around the back of fire flakes.
“What are you, doing here, Y/N? I thought…”
Y/N wasn’t sure she wanted to know what he had thought. He probably thought she was dead or imprisoned like her brother.
“I went to Ba Sing Se,” Y/N explained. “And I met friends. We’re traveling together.”
It wasn’t a total lie. Really, it wasn’t a lie at all, Y/N rationalized. Just an omission of some details. Jain had a look on his face that said he knew that wasn’t the whole story.
“Do…” Y/N trailed off, unsure of how to continue. “Does everyone know? About me?”
“You nearly burned down your parents’ house and singed the eyebrows off of two soldiers, Y/N.” Jain chomped down another handful of fire flakes.
“Oh.” Yes, she had done that. Of course everyone knew.
“Not much has changed since you left,” Jain reassured. “Well, it did at first. A lot of soldiers came through at first, looking for you. The village is doing well enough.”
“What about my parents?”
Jain’s expression darkened. “The Fire Nation believes that your parents committed a crime by hiding you from them. Your… father is looking for you.” Jain shimmied uncomfortably at the word ‘father,’ and Y/N felt her stomach churn.
“Are they okay?” They had to be okay. That was the whole point of her leaving. If they weren’t okay… it was all for nothing.
“Yeah, for now. There are soldiers stationed at your house, in case you try to return. But your parents are safe. Your father was too close to the Earth King before Ba Sing Se fell, and he’s still got powerful allies in the smaller cities that are left. They won’t touch them until they know where you are. Some people are dead set on finding you, Y/N.”
“And you aren’t going to turn me in?”
“Of course not, Y/N.” Jain’s expression seemed hurt. “Bihun is my best friend, and he’d want me to help you. And you haven’t done anything wrong.”
Y/N wanted to correct him. I’m helping the Avatar to defeat your nation. We’re planning to invade your capital as we speak. She tried to hold back the question at the tip of her tongue. “Have you heard anything about my brother?”
Jain frowned and shook his head. “I’ve actually managed to do some asking around, but I haven’t found anything. I’m sorry, Y/N.”
Y/N stared at the table as her eyes stung.
“I miss him, too.” Jain put his hand out, resting it on the table in front of her. “He’d be happy for you, you know. That you made it out of that house. I know you’ve struggled,” Jain eyed the scars on her hands from her months of traveling and fighting that hadn’t been there before, “but he’d be happy. And I’m not going to stop trying to find him.”
“Neither will I.” A warm tear traveled its way down Y/N’s face. “Will you check in on my parents for me, when you can?”
“Yes, anything,” Jain offered a smile. “I can bring back a message for them?”
Y/N shook her head. “I think it’s best they don’t hear from me until it’s all over.”
Jain nodded understandingly. “Y/N, I want you to know that my allegiance is to my family first. Bihun is like a brother to me, so you’re my family too. If you ever need anything, you can ask.”
“Thank you, Jain.” Y/N glanced out the window, the sun beginning to dip in the sky. “I should go.”
“Alright,” Jain said, standing. Y/N stood with him, leaving her fire flakes on the table. She’d pass on those. Before she could convince herself not to, Y/N pulled Jain in for a hug, letting out a shaky breath when he wrapped his arms around her. “Take care of yourself, Y/N,” Jain whispered softly.
“I will,” Y/N promised again. “You too.”
---
“How did it go?” Katara asked as soon as Y/N came into view of their camp outside of town.
“Good.” She noticed Sokka pouting on the ground. “How was Sokka’s training?”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this!” Sokka cried indignantly. “It’s not safe to be talking to the Fire Nation!”
“She’s obviously fine,” Toph groaned. “And no one followed her here. And we all look like Fire Nation anyway!”
“Hmph,” Sokka grumbled.
“What did he tell you?” Aang asked curiously. Y/N recounted what Jain had told her, about her parents. About her father. When she was done, Katara smiled.
“I’m glad you went to talk to him, Y/N. It’s great that your parents are safe.”
“Yeah,” Aang agreed. “And after we defeat the Fire Lord, you’ll be able to go back home. I promise.”
Fire Lily Masterlist
taglist: @kaylove12, @akariblue, @wolfiemichele, @aquatickanye, @sunflowerr-mami, @nadiblue. @la3divine, @sarsky, @aangsupremacy, @good-ones-are-taken
#atla fanfic#eventual zuko x reader#zuko x reader#zuko x y/n#atla#avatar: tla#avatar fanfic#atla x reader#Katara being the mom friend#sokka is sokka
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Depth Over Distance - Part Eleven [Rudy x Reader]
[A/N: Welcome back. Short chapter to get me back into it. Sorry I was away so long, I needed to find myself again. Took longer than expected but that’s life. Its not always sunshine and roses, sometimes its cloudy skies and roots that trip you up. As long as you have the courage to carry on and the hope that tomorrow will be better, then you’re already doing more than you did yesterday. Be calm, be kind, be safe...Mossy x]
You woke up slowly, without opening your eyes, and listened to the rhythmic sound of Rudy’s breathing beside you. You were laying somewhere soft - the couch maybe - and the air was warm and smelled of burning cedar and cologne. You felt your chest tighten and the urgent need to inhale, to circulate oxygen to your limbs, to stretch. You started with your toes, feet, then your legs, and inhaled deeply into a yawn as you moved your arms out from under a blanket.
“Hey” You heard Rudy’s voice, low and gravelly, itching with concern. You felt his hand float around your hair, softly brushing the top of your head. The corner of your mouth twitched as you started to open your eyes, the soft glow of the fire casting shadows around the room, Rudy’s wild hair and broad shoulders silhouetted in front of you.
“Hey, Y/N, slow down” A firm hand pressed into your shoulder as you tried to sit forward. Gently coaxing you back, he brought a glass of water to your lips and helped you sip until you had cleared the dry lump in your throat. Licking your lips, you felt the words form in your mouth.
“I’m still mad at you”
Rudy laughed, deep and sharp, his head dropping between his shoulder blades, before his gaze found yours. You saw candles reflected in his eyes which were wet with tears, his brow furrowed and his mouth tight. The afternoon sun shone through the window and you could hear the light patter of rain on the roof.
“You gotta stop scaring me like that” He said quietly, his hand still brushing your hair lightly away from your face.
“You gotta start telling the truth” You rebutted without missing a beat. “The whole truth” you added when his face eluded to a forthcoming retort.
He pursed his lips and nodded in resignation once before leaning forward and standing up, walking past you into the kitchen.
You moved your head around slowly, stretching your neck and wincing whenever your forehead pulled at the cut. The fire was crackling gently and the embers danced around and up into the chimney, sparking and caressing the darkness. You relaxed into the couch again, thinking back to the conversation you had had with Rudy before you collapsed. The fog set in again, the dark nagging in the pit of your stomach. You heard his words repeating in your head like a broken record; its not mine, its not mine, its not mine. Your stomach turned; you were going to be sick.
You stood as quickly as you could, tossing the blanket to the side, and scrambled towards the bathroom clutching your stomach. You barely made it to the doorway before you began to retch into the sink. Rudy called your name once from the kitchen before you heard him outside the bathroom. You kicked the door shut and held it closed with your leg, gripping either side of the sink with sweaty palms.
“Go away” you called between gasps, spitting saliva into the sink. You grabbed the jug of water from below the sink once you were sure the wave had passed and rinsed the basin out. It took a few moments before you could look at yourself in the mirror and wipe your mouth clean, you were so tired.
A gentle knock at the door reminded you Rudy was outside. You swallowed once more before taking a deep breath and turning the handle, pulling the door slowly open. Rudy took a step back and let you walk out, waiting patiently for you to gather yourself.
“I’m fine. Sorry” You said quietly, unmoving. He swallowed once and looked at the bathroom, then back to you.
“I think we need to go back to the hospital.” He was more telling than asking.
“I’m fine. Its just....its been a lot.” You motioned around you at the last 72 hours in general. “I just need...some time to recover.”
“Y/N...” He started, but you put your hands up in protest.
“Rudy. Listen to me for once, I’m not dying. I’ve had a concussion before. I know what to expect.”
He pursed his lips and set his jaw, looking over your head and taking a breath before looking back at you.
“You feeling up for a walk then? I think we could both use the air.”
You nodded slowly and let your breath out before motioning towards the bedroom where your clothes still laid in a pile on the floor. Slipping your wool socks on and pulling a sweater gingerly over your head, you felt yourself let out a small laugh at how bizarre this whole week had been since Rudy showed up. You didn’t know if your life would ever be the same. In some ways you hoped it wouldn’t be, but you needed some sense of normality back.
When you stepped out onto the porch to slip your boots on you noticed that there was a fresh stack of firewood piled in the box under the window, and the axe was stuck into the flesh of the chopping block. You inhaled deeply, revelling at the smell of the wet earth and the steam rising from the mossy ground below you and the fresh cut cedar. Behind you Rudy clicked the door closed and zipped up his vest, his muscular arms covered by a tight base layer.
“Creek?” He asked quietly, you nodded and followed him down the stairs towards the trail that lined the creek bed and wound towards a break in the forest.
You both remained silent for a few moments before the moisture in the air lifted something from your chest and tickled your throat. You coughed once, your eyes pinching shut from the throbbing pain in your head at the onset of pressure. Rudys hand found yours and squeezed it tightly.
“So” You said after clearing your throat. “Are you gonna tell me the whole story now or do I have to wait another 3 days and get in another accident?”
You smiled as you said it, coyly, but Rudy struggled to do anything but cringe.
“What story, exactly?”
“At the party, your welcome home party, when we were standing in the parking lot by the fence. I asked you to tell me about Anna, and you said very distinctly ‘she’s just my manager, that’s it’. And I told you we would talk about it another time, and that you were a terrible liar.”
Rudy scoffed in recognition and smiled quietly, looking at the tree cover. “I remember”
“Well, now is that time.”
His strong shoulders stiffened a little and he walked with more vigour than he had before. You struggled to keep pace with him, catching your toe on roots and debris every few steps and swinging your arms to quicken yourself.
“I wasn’t happy. I’ll premise all of this by saying that.” He started, his voice tight. “I was working, I had a steady income, I was doing exactly what I set out to do....but” he shook his head lightly, his hair swaying in your peripherals. “...it didn’t matter because no matter how much I worked or how hard I partied or how much money I made, I had a void I couldn’t fill.”
You looked over at him and noticed that his pace was quickening again, now you were half jogging to stay beside him.
“I was lonely and nobody noticed, or cared.” He paused, his face flushed. “Anna did.”
You stayed quiet, observing his face, trying to keep your breathing from becoming panting, but you were starting to get dizzy.
“She was a temporary distraction. A way to pass the time. It sounds awful, but...shit, sorry” He put his arm out to slow you and calmed down from the aggressive speed he was ambling down the path. “Sorry.”
You shook your head and caught your breath, holding on to his arm as a wave of dizziness passed. When you nodded and started walking again he matched your pace, slightly behind you.
“Anyways, yeah. I knew it wasn’t serious, I was in it for the wrong reasons. We kept everything quiet, just went on a few dates and made them look like meetings....it was fun for 5 minutes. When I started to notice she was taking it seriously I backed off. Or tried to. It was messy and she started to threaten me, said she would tell everyone that I took advantage of her and that it was non-consensual, which of course was total bullshit but she was smart and she knew how to talk to people and she wouldn’t have had any problem ruining my career, my life. So I left.”
You took stock of what he had said and waited a few moments before speaking. The creek was loud beside you now, the water smooth over twigs and rocks, bubbling in the back-eddy’s, crashing over the shoreline. You heard a bird overhead and listened to the sound of thunder off in the distance. The sky was grey but the storm would pass around you, you knew these skies well.
“Rudy I am so, so sorry.” Your voice cracked as you spoke, turning to fully face him. “This is....”
“...a mess” He finished for you, nodding and looking around, his arms crossed and his muscles causing the fabric to stretch. You wanted to hug him, hit her, and burn the whole damn city of LA to the ground for the shit storm he found himself in.
“What did she say to your dad?”
“She lied, naturally. Tried to tell them that the kid was mine and that she would take me to court if I didn’t pay child support.” His face was reddening and his jawline flexed. You felt dizzy again, but focussed on deep breathing. “She’s trying to refuse a paternity test.”
Your gut twisted and you reached out to touch Rudy's arm, but he flinched and turned away. Confused, you withdrew your arm and waited.
"Sorry." He muttered, pinching his eyes shut and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Im sorry. Come here"
He pulled you into a hug and rested his chin on top of your head.
"I just don't feel good about any of this. I dragged you into my shit and look what happened."
"Don't do that" you started, trying to pull away. The scent of Rudy mixed with the smell of the trees and wet earth was heady and intoxicating. He squeezed you tighter.
"Its the truth. I thought I could run away from this and I can't. It followed me here, to you. And i'm sorry for that."
"Im not." You said finally, pushing back far enough so you could see his face. “I’m not at all. I’m happy you came home.” The word ‘home’ sat heavily between you, littering the air with connotation. “You shouldn’t have to go through this alone.”
He frowned, unwillingly to accept your offer of companionship, still stuck in the deeply rooted feeling he had hurt you.
“Look at me” You said sternly, your voice sharp. He looked briefly, then looked away, so you lifted your hand to his face and forced his gaze back to you. “You’re not going through this alone. I notice, I care, and...I mean assuming you’re not going to get in your truck and leave me here to become bear bait....Im not letting you go through this by yourself. I will...I don’t know...politely ask her to pound sand and eat a dick if you need me to....or-”
“HA” He barked a laugh suddenly before grabbing your hand from his cheek and bringing it to his chest. “You’re ridiculous. But thank you.” He said genuinely. “Seriously.”
You stood in a contented silence for a few moments before he spoke again.
“Lets head back. I want to have a fire tonight.” He smiled, grabbing your hand.
“I saw.” You cooed before squeezing his hand back, falling in beside him.
The air was cooling and the sun was low, setting below the tree line. The air felt cleaner, clearer, easier to breathe. You walked in silence, both of you equally enjoying the peace that you found in the old growth forest. The soft packed earth below your feet like a wet sponge, the trees strongly shading you from the moisture packed clouds above. Something settled in you, set in your chest, calmed you. You felt happy.
_____________________________________
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#nakedmossywrites#depth over distance#reader x rudy#rudy pankow#jj x reader#obx imagine#obx fanfiction#jj maybank#alaska
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