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lilsuzn · 3 years

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MLQC Victor - Fluff abc headcanons

Fandom: Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice

Warnings: None. Fluffy flluff. The reader is gender neutral :)))

A = Admiration (what do they absolutely adore about you?)

The ambition.

The witt.

The open-mindedness.

The kindness.

The creativity and imagination.

The passion.

B = Body (what is their favorite part of your body?)

Smile. He loves it, because it’s a clear indication of your happiness.

Your eyes light up, cheeks become so adorably pink.

He has a different picture of your smile on a main screen and lock screen of every device he has. Even his work laptop.

C = Cuddling (how do they like to cuddle?)

Given his initial attitude you couldn’t believe how after your first time together Victor got cuddly out of the sudden.

He’s not clingy. He doesn’t do it at any given occasion, but when you are alone in the comfort of his home - he will want to cuddle and might even get a bit touchy-feely sometimes.

Spooning on the couch is his favorite. He can be a big or a small spoon. He doesn’t really have a prefered role. Victor just wants to be close and keep you warm.

Candles and slow music.

D = Dates (what does their ideal date with you look like?)

Perfect gentlemanly manners.

E = Emotions (how do they express emotion around you?)

His ideal date would be a cosy, romantic dinner at his place. Just the two of you. Everything will be served to you. And don’t even think about helping him wash the dishes afterwards.

He can be quite aloof in public.

If he bares himself to you - it’s only in private (if at all).

When the look in his eyes softness and the corners of his lips tug upwards - that’s when he pulls you close and lays kisses all over your face.

Doesn’t really know how to talk about his feelings. Won’t really try unless absolutely necessary.

Will take extremely good care of you if you need it. Sick? Tired? Grumpy? Sad? He would nag, but is ready to stop the earth and move the sun if it is to make you smile at him again.

He’s a hard worker and would rather die than to give up on keeping you happy. And by his side.

F = Family (do they want one? If they do, when?)

YES.

Whenever you are ready and if you want to have kids at all - he will be happy to provide.

Only thought of you carrying his child makes him all hot and bothered, but that’s obviously not all.

He just wants to have everything with you. Beautiful wedding, big house, children... maybe even a dog, if you into THOSE -.-

He sometimes imagines you both gray and old with your grandchildren. Making cookies in the kitchen or walking around the park.

He (very) secretly dreams about ending your love story the same way it ended in the Notebook (that he has officially never seen!). Embracing each other. Closing your eyes for the last time knowing that your children are safe and happy. That’s just who he is deep deep deep inside - a hopeless romantic.

G = Gifts (how do they feel about gift giving? What are their habits when it comes to this?)

Well, he doesn’t really believe that gifts are an indication of love. People give each other gifts all the time and for no apparent reason.

He cherishes every gift you give him, but if it was the only thing you did, he wouldn’t be too happy about it.

Same goes for him. He’s a man with money. He might not be able to give you ANYTHING you might want, but he can sure provide you with a lot.

And he will. He could never leave you wanting without a good reason. He sees it as his responsibility to gift his beloved one with everything a woman might want.

Every work trip - a bag full of ‘I’m sorry I left’ gifts. He just needs to prove it to you that he was thinking about you every second he was away and how else could he do it?

He also likes to present, well, himself with jewelry or clothes for you to wear. Something beaming like your smile? Something precious like you are for him?

He just can’t deny himself the pleasure of seeing you look so gorgeous in something he personally picked out.

H = Holding Hands (when/how do they like to hold hands?)

Oh, so you thought you would be able to NOT hold hands on every possible occasion? Cute.

Don’t feel like cuddling on the couch or in the bed? Okay, hands holding it is.

Feel like cuddling? Okay, but don’t let go of his hand.

Walking around the town together? You better believe he won’t let a chance to show off his wonderful woman slip. Yes, madam old lady walking by, yes mister homeless guy going down the trash container, yes madam sales lady and you, random guy on a bike - she’s my babe.

I = Injury (how would they act if you got hurt?)

If you injure yourself by being distracted while ie. cutting something with a knife or stirring something hot - he will get a bit upset with you.

But even though he will bumble discontentedly under his nose, he will take better care of you than you need. Hurt your right hand? He will feed you, write things down for you and whatever else he sees necessary. Hurt your foot? You’re being carried around and he will be mad if you try to walk on your own. “I know it’s nothing serious, but what if it gets worse when you always walk so carelessly?”

If somebody else hurt you? Well, he’s ready to kill with cold blood. Wouldn’t hesitate.

Stabs as a warning.

If you got seriously hurt he would probably close himself in the bathroom and cry for a while, but nobody but him will ever know.

J = Jokes (do they like to joke around with or prank you? how?)

He finds such acts very childish and would never prank you. He flinches with only a thought of the word.

If you attempt such a thing to him, he will get VERY UPSET.

K = Kisses (how do they like to kiss you?)

Full of love.

He doesn’t like to kiss just for the sake of it or for the expectation to kiss your partner.

If your lips meet it’s always in an emotion-filled kiss.

No matter if it's a featherlight, sugarsweet, lovingly sensual or burning hot kiss - it's always intense in it’s own way.

L = Love (how do they show you they love you?)

Acts of service - His mane operational system. He lives to please you. To treat you like a goddess you are for him. Acts like he’s taking notes of your preferences, dreams and dislikes. Only buys the coffee you like. Stops eating meat for you. Do you remember saying that you wanted that cute, sakura starbucks mug, but had no idea where to get it? He does. He ordered it for you already. Remember briefly mentioning that you would want to see Tokyo in winter? He already has a whole trip planned.

Gifts - well, I already covered it in G, but I’ll just add that he will surely be reluctant to buy you some seemingly useless stuff even if you ask for them.

Physical touch - once again, Victor isn’t really clingy or touchy feely. He has his moments, we all do, but usually he just likes to hold hands and that’s all he wants for outsiders to see. At home he gets a little more physical, but not too much. Some affectionate caressing and hugs. Kissing is not that often of an occurrence, but when it happens is usually preparation for devil's tango (which with him happens pretty often but that’s not the list for the details).

Quality time - See Q.

Words of affirmation - Well, he is a good critic. Too good. However it’s just because he wants you to push your limits to thrive. He will tell you that he’s proud of you, appreciates what you are doing for him/your relationship and other things that are usually task/success related, because that’s the only appreciation words he appreciates. Words are empty for him. He’s a lawyer, he knows how willingly people lie to get what they want and how hesitant they are to make some more effort when it comes to it. Will tell you that he loves you at least once a day, because he always adds it to his to do list. Won’t praise your beauty too much, but you can tell he likes what he sees when he likes it. If you wear red lipstick the man will basically drool, but will not say a word until he pushes you down on his bed… and the rest is history.

M = Memory (favorite memory together?)

Remember that third date I mentioned? The one his kissed you for the first time on?

It was a very nice date.

He took you for a walk around the rose garden. Bought you your favorite coffee to keep you warm during the breezy evening.

Didn’t let go of your hand for a moment.

You looked so pretty that night. Smiled so pretty. TALKED so pretty.He didn’t even realise when he stopped and leaned down. He could not have noticed when you closed the gap between you.

But the kiss was outwardly. That first one and every other you shared that night.

N = Nightmare (what is their worst fear?)

To disappoint you.

He sure is scared of losing you, hurting you and a few more, but seeing you disappointed by him…

To imagine such a thing is already hurtful for him.

O = Oddity (what is one quirk they have?)

Taking photos of you while you’re asleep.

He just can’t help it. You’re so beautiful. And cute.

Would never show them to anyone though. Not even you.

No… He couldn’t even confess to you about it. It’s just his little secret.

P = Pet Names (what do they like to call you?)

Is ‘dummy’ a pet name? Because… Dummy.

‘Baby’ might also happen if he's feeling playful or you did something cute.

If he’s in a good mood you can count on ‘my love’ or ‘my lovely’ - but never in public.

Q = Quality Time (how do they like to spend time with you?)

Can’t do without it.

As I said in D, Victor will both serve you and entertain you. Whatever you want to do - he’s okay with doing it with you.

He might not really pay any attention to some of your movies and work on his laptop instead, but he wouldn’t even dream about leaving you alone and doing it in his comfortable office instead.

He rearranged his home office so you would come over and you both work together more often and more happily. Now you sit across from each other and, heh, see H.

R = Rhythm (what song reminds you of them?)

Me? Myself?

Beyonce - Ego. OBVIOUSLY. Check it out if you don’t know it. (it’s a tiny, little bit suggestive, beware)

But in the more romantic mood…

The Neighbourhood - Sweater Weather

S = Secrets (how open are they with you?)

You need to put a lot of work for him to finally open up.

After that first time, however, if he finds your reaction pleasant, he will start testing the waters on his own from time to time.

THEN, if you won’t fail his many, many tests of course, he will open up for good.

No secrets. No hiding his feelings. He’s your book that is eager to be read.

T = Time (how long did it take you to get together?)

He doesn’t fall for anyone. Ever.

If he was to, I’d have to be a conscious decision. With a lot of thought put into it.

That’s what he was telling to himself his whole life, a least.

But then when he met you… it wasn’t a love at first sight, but it took approximately a fithteen minutes of group conversation for him to get all tingly on the inside.

He didn’t ask you out that day and he regretted it alot. The next time you run across each other on the street, he spears no time.

He kissed you on your third date. Neither of you voiced it, but the situation was very clear.

U = Upset (how do they act when you’re upset?)

He acts upset.

He’s angry and he either actively doesn't talk with you or throws passive aggressive comments around.

He doesn’t beat around the bush. He’s upset.

V = Vaunt (what are they proud of? Do they like to show you off?)

You're absolutely supreme in his eyes.

Beautiful, intelligent, talented.

He takes a lot of pride by introd you as his partner. Takes you everywhere he can as his plus one, so he can show you off to even more people.

Talks instead of you as he does that, but obviously you are more than okay with that.

W = Warrior (how do they feel about you fighting? Would they fight for you, beside you, etc?)

Do I even have to say it?

Because it’s obvious. Have you even ever heard about this guy?

He would kill and die for you.

Do anything to keep you by his side and happy. That’s just who he is - a fighter… for you.

X = X-Ray (how well are they able to read you?)

His talent to read people is one of the main things he owes his success to.

Even if you don’t show what’s inside your head in your face, he sure will find other ways to read you.

You can’t hide anything from him.

Y = Yes (how would they propose to you?)

As I said, he doesn’t show it off much, but it’s quite clear in his gestures towards you - he’s a hopeless romantic that is madly in love with you.

Christmas morning. Sipping on hot chocolates that Victor made for you. You open your presents.

As always, you end up ashamed of how little you spent on him, even though you couldn’t really afford more. He bought you so many things you’re not even sure you’ll be able to store it.

After going through a few bigger presents, you finally go down on the smaller ones.

One of them particularly tiny, causing an awwww to leave your lips.

You got a few rings from Victor before and even more pairs of earrings. It really didn’t seem suspicious, especially since you’ve been dating for only a few months then.

But after you open up the box and see it… you get a bit confused at first.

White and yellow gold molten together creating an uneven coloration of a band that bends and twists and splits like a branch that holds two gleaming diamonds like they were two blooming flowers. One white - bigger, other pink - smaller.

Their cut - unseen. Enhancing their flower-like look even farther.

At first you are consumed by inspecting every detail - the way the metal cups the stones to like a tree does flowers. Causing a petal ilusion to grow even more realistic… You don’t even notice when he goes down on one knee before you until he puts his hand on your thigh.

You look at him. Your eyes wide in shock.

He has never been a man of words and some might say that his proposal ‘speech’ wasn’t romantic… But for you it was more than just perfect.

“Marry me, (Y/N).”

Z = Zen (what makes them feel calm?)

Seeing you calm. Seeing you happy.

Knowing that you don’t have to worry about another day, because he’s been working hard his whole life to provide for you.

#mlqc victor #mlqc #mlqc li zeyan #mlqc fanfic #mr love victor #mr love queen's choice #mlqc fluff

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bokutosworld · 4 years

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tonight | akaashi k.

pairing: akaashi keiji x f!reader

wc: 1.9k words of fluff and love confessions. written in 3rd pov.

summary: a typical college au where akaashi finally confronts his hidden feelings for his roommate.

it wasn't unusual for akaashi to spend his weekends at the apartment. especially now that he was a college senior, he spent extra time on his studies and internship work. he recently signed up to be a junior editor for a known publishing company, and because of his natural knack for writing, his superior trusted him with more transcripts to review and edit.

usually, he would be holed up in his room, seated on his desk for hours as he read through pages and pages of words. whenever he was in the zone, he had a bad habit to forget eating or drinking water. and if it weren't for his roommate who was always generous enough to check up on him, bug him to take a break, and bring him deliciously-cooked food, he was sure that he would have passed out sooner.

however, tonight was different. final exams in university just ended and all the students apparently made plans to take the night off and head to the bars.

'hey, keiji, are you sure you don't want to come with us,' she plumps down to his bed, swinging her socks-covered feet over the floor. he swivels his chair to look at her and sees that she has dressed up for the evening. and for a minute, he swears that his breath was caught in his chest as takes in her appearance. after being so used to seeing her in hoodies, shirts, and sweatpants in the dorm, he was always struck with her beauty when he saw her prepped in outside clothes.

'i'd love to come with you, y/n,' she lights up at his answer, however, sensing that he was about to follow up his statement with a but, she lowers her head in defeat and raises her hands. 'no, don't say it. you're gonna turn me down again, aren't you?' at this, he smiles, 'i am swamped with deadlines for my internship and i want to finish it as soon as possible.'

she sighs and stands up, making her way to his desk and ruffles his hair. 'alright, just don't forget to eat dinner and text me if you need anything.' with a final nod from his end, she retreats to the living room where she picks up her bag and shouts a goodbye to akaashi. this is going to be another long and lonely night, he thought.

11:51 pm, at club evanescent

the girls were currently having the time of their life, dancing the night away to the tunes played by club's dj. admittedly, y/n has had one too many drinks of alcohol that she feels more confident to sway to the beat and laugh freely with her friends. from time to time, she feels her phone vibrate in her pocket, feeling giddy inside as she knows it's probably her cute roommate checking up on her.

back in the dorm, akaashi has just finished his mountain of work and was currently pacing around his bedroom as he waits for a reply from y/n. whenever she was enjoying a night out, she never failed to send him messages, updating him of her whereabouts, and sometimes even sending photos of whatever she found amusing at that time. he didn't know why, but he always appreciated these texts as it put him at ease. but now, she wasn't texting him, not one mail since she left the dorms and it was putting him on edge.

akaashi lays down on his bed, tossing and turning around for a few times as a voice nags him in his mind. why do you care? it's not like you're her boyfriend. this was an internal debate he's been having for the past year. often, he would rebut himself and say that he's just doing what every other nice and kind roommate would do. it's not like he has actual feelings or anything.

but somehow, somewhere in the constant visits to his room, lingering glances shared in the hallway, and unplanned all-nighters watching studio ghibli movies in the living room, a seed of emotion has been planted in both y/n and akaashi's hearts - only he was oblivious to it or so he forced himself to believe.

'y/n, i dare you to get a guy's number tonight,' her friends laughed in harmony around her, their eyes full of playfulness, teasing her as if she couldn't do it. she snickers, 'what? you think i'm gonna back out from this dare?' immediately, she scans the dimly-lit place, searching for someone who looks friendly enough not to reject her. she pauses and gasps when she thinks she spots a familiar face. her friends don't miss this and look over to where she was staring, 'what's got you looking like a deer caught in headlights? did you see akaashi here?' another fits of giggling erupts from them and she stands astonished.

her friend nini speaks up, 'you don't have to deny it. we know you like him.' in an instant, she is flustered, hands waving around in the air as if to fan the hotness in her cheeks, 'i don't know what you guys are saying.'

'please, y/n. we haven't missed the way you've been looking at your phone all night and grinning when you read his message,' another friend pipes up. 'honestly, we're surprised you guys haven't confessed to each other yet, after living together for so long.'

she thinks it was the alcohol. she blames it on the way she's let herself drink too many vodka on the rocks, because now she was trying to stop her tears from falling as she thinks of her crush on the said boy. her friends became frantic, surprised to see that she was a cryer when drunk. 'i don't know what to do. he's always so busy, and honestly, i admire keiji for being a hard worker but sometimes i wish he would rest and spend time with me, you know,' she was now bawling, almost screaming as she lets out her frustrations about him. her friends found it amusing, if they were being honest.

they all exchange a glance, knowing the fun night has come to an end and that they needed to get their friend home. as they waited for a cab to take to her apartment, she continues her outburst of emotions, 'you know, akaashi's a good cook.' she smiles as she clings to nini, telling her stories about him. 'one time, when i was sick, he made me a porridge, and it was so delicious, i felt my fever go down in an instant.' silly girl, nini thought, look how lovestruck you are.

on the taxi ride home, she calmed down and lay quietly in nini's lap. she was y/n's designated caretaker as they both lived in the same apartment complex. as nini stared idly at the window, she was stroking her friend's hair to bring her comfort. this gesture seemed to put a content smile to her face, but what shocked nini was what y/n muttered, 'that feels nice, keiji.' she couldn't wait to drop her home and tease him.

12:58 am, at the apartment complex

the incessant buzzing of the doorbell seemed to wake akaashi up from his nap. he looks at the time on his desk clock and sees it was almost one in the morning. the ringing continued as he made his way to the door, revealing a sleeping y/n leaning to her friend, who he recognizes as nini for support.

'what's up,' she greets. 'sorry, did we wake you up? your roommate here enjoyed herself too much and drank more than her limit.' akaashi makes a move to hold her by the waist as the two of them bring her to the couch. 'thank you for bringing her home safe. i was getting worried when she wasn't replying to my texts,' akaashi said as he bowed in gratitude to nini.

nini chuckles, 'if you were that worried, you should have just come with us, akaashi.' she reaches out to his shoulder, 'y/n would've liked to have you there.' he looks over her peaceful figure and lets out a subtle smile, 'i'd have liked it too.' and though he thinks he was being discrete with his feelings, nini notices this and takes it as her cue to leave. 'well, i should get going. good night, and good luck with your mutual feelings.'

akaashi hears this and was about to say something when the door shuts close. he tries to wake her up, hoping that she can at least change out of her clothes before dozing off for the night. he shakes her lightly, 'y/n, wake up. you'll have neck pains if you sleep here in the couch.' minutes pass by before she stirs awake, akaashi exhales and helps her sit up. he gives her a glass of warm water to help ease her hangover for tomorrow.

'can you walk to your bedroom,' he asks. still out of consciousness, she looks at him and blinks once, twice. without a word, she raises her arms up like a child and akaashi assists her in standing up. the walk to the room was quiet and he swears he can feels his heart beating at their closeness - with her arms wrapped around his torso, his on her waist as he tries to steady her. he sits her down on the bed and brings a change of clothes from her drawers. 'hey, change into your pajamas for me, will you? i don't want you sleeping uncomfortably.' thankfully, she nods and akaashi quickly makes a beeline to the bathroom to give her privacy and as well get her some mouthwash.

he returns to see her still sitting on the bed, slowly nodding off to sleep. he quickly catches her just before she falls face down on the floor, calling her name sweetly, 'ok, just one more thing before you sleep. can you quickly rinse with this mouthwash?' she nods and lifts her head to let akaashi give her the mouthwash. she rinses for a few minutes before spitting it back in the glass. like a good friend, he doesn't mind it and retreats to the bathroom to dispose it.

when he comes back, she was already lying down, her head resting in a weird position on the pillow. akaashi notices this, and proceeds to tuck her properly to bed. when he wraps the blanket around her, he lets himself adore her for a few minutes, staring at the way her eyelashes fall on her face and how her hair covers her forehead. unconsciously, his hands move to brush away some of the loose hair, moving to caress her cheeks, and he misses the way she opens her eyes and looks at him.

'your eyes are beautiful, akaashi,' she mumbles quietly that he almost misses it if it weren't for the fact that that they were a breath's away from each other. he was so lost in her gaze that it takes him by surprise when she says, 'i think i am in love with you.'

and in that moment, everything finally clicks to akaashi. he finally gets why he would feel warm inside whenever the both of them would cuddle on the couch, he finally gets why he would smile and laugh at the most mundane things that she would do, he finally gets why he would always look forward to her daily reminders for him not to overwork himself, and he finally gets why he felt worried and empty the whole time during this particular night.

he hopes she'd remember this when she wakes up tomorrow morning. but even if she didn't he wouldn't mind repeating it until his feelings were conveyed, 'i'm in love with you too.'

#haikyuu x reader #haikyuu scenarios #akaashi x reader #akaashi scenarios #haikyuucreations #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu one shot #haikyuu fluff #akaashi fluff #akaashi x you #hq x you #hq fics #haikyuu akaashi #hq akaashi x reader #so i got way too engrossed in the thought of college roommate akaashi #please the things i'd do to be roommates with him then kiss kiss fall in love with him #also honestly the title has no relation to the story omfg i had a hard time thinking okay SKKSKSK

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dialovers-translations · 3 years

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Diabolik Lovers GRAND EDITION for Switch ;; More, Blood ー Kou [After Story]

ー The scene starts outside by the lake

Kou: Oooi, Yui! This way!

Yui: Ah, yeah! I’ll be right there!

Kou: This lake is so pretty! The water is crystal clear!

*Splash*

Kou: Also, look! The sky is reflected on the water’s surface, dyeing it a beautiful blue color!

I can take a picture while we’re here, right?

*Snap*

Yui: ...Fufu.

Kou: Whaaat? Why are you laughing? Did I do something?

Yui: No, that’s not it. I didn’t mean it like that...

Seeing you have such a good time is making me happy as well.

Kou: Oh, that’s it? Of course I’m happy!

After all, there’s such a beautiful blue sky spread out right in front of me!

Yui: ( He’s right...I’m underneath such a pretty clear sky together with Kou-kun... )

( I feel blessed too. )

Kou: Say, Yui. Let’s look at the photos in the shade of the trees over there.

Our collection has grown quite a bit already.

Yui: Yeah!

ー They walk towards the shade

Kou: Let’s see...

Yui: Wah! So pretty...

Kou: These...If I recall correctly, we took them in the country we stayed at up till recently, right?

There’s not a single cloud in sight, it really just screams ‘the blue sky’!

Yui: Ah, this is a picture of the sunset.

We took it right as the sun was setting, so the blue and orange hues are mixing together, it really is beautiful.

Kou: You’re right.

I still like the blue sky the very best, but I’m quite fond of this sunset as well.

Yui: Really?

Kou: Yeah. It feels like the boundary between day and night, giving off a mystical vibe.

Yui: Mystical...

Kou: Ah. You just made fun of me a little, didn’t you?

Yui: I-I didn’t!

Kou: I wonder~? What you’re thinking always shows right away on your face, you know.

Yui: I swear I didn’t...! I was just wondering what exactly a ‘mystical’ vibe is like...

Kou: Whatever~

Yui: Geez...Hm?

Kou: Ah.

Yui: I-Is this...a photo of me!?

( I’m asleep...Which means... )

...You took this in secret?

Kou: Ahーah, I’m busted, huh?

Yui: Come on! Kou-kun! Taking pictures of me in secret is so mean!

Kou: Sorry, sorry~ But your sleeping face was just too cute, you know...

...Say? Forgive me? ...Nn.

*Smooch*

Yui: Nn...

...Guess I have no other choice.

Kou: Ehehe. Thank you!

Since you’ve forgiven me...Ey!

ー He lays his head on her lap

Kou: A lap pillow...You don’t mind, right?

Yui: ...It’s embarrassing.

Kou: Who cares? We’re the only two people here anyway. Right?

Yui: Y-Yeah...

Kou: Ah, but you make the cutest expressions when embarrassed, so can I take a picture?

Yui: N-No way!

Kou: Eeh~ That’s a shame.

Yui: ( Geez...Kou-kun... )

( But...Right now, he seems very precious like this... )

Kou: Ah, look at this picture.

Yui: Which one?

Kou: This one. I wanted to take a picture of the starry sky, but it wouldn’t show up very well...

I guess this old camera we got just doesn’t cut it?

Yui: You got this one from a cameraman you knew through your job, right?

Kou: Exactly. When he gave it to me, I never thought I would actually use it one day.

But right now, it has really proven its worth.

After all...There’s tons of skies inside this roll of film.

Yui: Yeah...You’re right.

ー Yui looks up at the sky

Yui: ( Ever since we left Kaminashi City... )

( We’ve been traveling around the world. )

( Visiting various places, experiencing different emotions (1)... )

( And every time we look up at the sky, Kou-kun will happily press the shutter of this camera. )

Kou: ...Why have you suddenly gone quiet?

Yui: No, it’s nothing.

Kou: Really? Okay then.

Being able to spend time together with you under the blue skies...

And resting my head in your lap like this really puts me in the best mood.

Yui: K-Kou-kun...

( Hearing him point it out again made me embarrassed. )

Kou: ...That just leavesーー There we go.

*Rustle*

Say, Yui. I’m a little thirsty...

Yui: Eh!? ...Ah, yeah...

W-Will this work...?

Kou: Yeah...Perfect.

I honestly never thought a day would come on which you willingly offer yourself like that.

Yui: That’s...I mean, right now I really have no reason to push you away...

Kou: ...!

...Geez...Don’t come complaining to me later after stirring me on like that.

Yui: Eh? Did I say something?

Kou: Not reallyー...!

*Rustle*

*Thud*

Yui: Kyah...!?

*Rustle*

Kou: ...Thanks for the meal~

ー Kou bites her

Kou: ...Nn...Nn...

...Nn...Haah...Your blood really is so delicious...

Yui: ...

( How strange... )

( I could have never imagined this when Kou-kun sucked my blood for the first time... )

( But right now...I think I want Kou-kun just as badly... )

( I feel at ease...Just by having him by my side )

Kou: ...Nn...Hah...You’re kind of out of it today.

Yui: Eh!?

Kou: Make sure to fix your attention on me (2)...Nn.

Yui: ...!? Ow...Kou-kun! You bit me on purpose just now, didn’t you!?

Kou: You’re at fault for spacing out. That proves you had something on your mind, right?

Yui: Well...

Kou: See, I got it right! ...I’ll make it so you can’t think of anything or anyone but me.

...Nn...Haah...Nn...

Yui: Ah...

Kou: ...Nn...You’re so cute...Yui...

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the town

Kou: Today was so much fun.

Yui: Y-Yeah...

( Personally I found it rather embarrassing though... )

Kou: Huh? Your face is red, you know? Could it be...You’re recalling what happened earlier?

Yui: ...!

Kou: Bull’s eye, huh? You really are so cute.

Yui: O-Oh come on! Stop teasing me...!

Kou: Fufu...

Yui: ( Uu...How embarrassing... )

Kou: Hey, Yui.

Yui: Y-Yes?

Kou: There’s actually one more request I’d like to make while you’re embarrassed anyway.

Yui: A request...?

Kou: Let’s hold hands.

Come on, you don’t mind, do you?

Yui: Ah...

Kou: There’s nobody who would recognize me here.

Yui: Yeah...You’re right.

Kou: Hooray!

Yui: ( Kou-kun seems happy...When he’s happy, so am I. )

Kou: ...Hm?

Hey, Yui! Look at the display over there!

Yui: Eh...?

Something on the public TV screen (3) caught your eyーー Ah!

( Kou-kun’s on TV...!? )

Kou: I wonder what they’re saying about me?

Yui: U...Uhm...

( I did learn this country’s language a little but...Hm... )

...The Japanese idol...Mukami Kou...has gone missing? ...I think.

Kou: Heeh...They’d actually report it all the way over here as well.

Yui: ( Right... )

( To Kou-kun’s fans, it must seem as if he has suddenly vanished off the surface of the earth... )

Kou: ...

Yui: ...

( I’m sure the people who liked him must be extremely sad... )

( ...I wonder if we did the right thing...? )

Uhm...Kou-kun?

Kou: ーー I don’t have any regrets.

Yui: Eh...?

Kou: I bet you were thinking if we did the right thing while looking at the screen, weren’t you?

Yui: Uu...

Kou: You’re such a fool.

Yui: A-A fool...?

Kou: You said that you’d prioritize me over anything and follow me.

I feel the same way.

I left everything behind too. ...Except for you, Yui.

Yui: Kou-kun...

Kou: Well, there’s of course times where I wonder how Ruki-kun and the others are faring...

However, I will no longer hesitate. As long as you are with me, I won’t have any regrets either.

So...Don’t worry.

...Okay?

Yui: Kou-kun...

You’re right. I don’t regret my decision either.

Kou: Mmh! Let’s head home then?

Yui: ...Yeah!

( Together with Kou-kun, we can overcome any hurdle )

( I strongly felt so the second we leaped into the air together. )

*TIMESKIP*

Kou: Are we done shopping now?

Yui: I think we got everything we needed, so it should be fi...Ah!

Kou: What’s wrong? You forgot something?

Yui: I forgot to buy pasta...

Kou: Ehー! But we actually got our hands on some clams! But we can’t make vongole bianco without pasta!

Yui: Sorry! I’ll quickly go back!

You wait here, okay?

Kou: You’ll be fine by yourself?

Yui: Yeah. It’s right there.

Kou: Okayー Come back soon, okay?

Yui: Mmh. I’ll get going then.

ー Yui runs off

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: Phew. I successfully bought the pasta.

( Thank god I remembered before we got home... )

( Kou-kun’s waiting for me, right? I better hurry ba...Hm? )

Did this store always look like this...?

( Re-opening...It got a complete overhaul and became a jewelry store. )

( They’ve got a bunch of cute accesories out on display... )

( Ah... )

( This ring is so pretty...! )

( The blue is almost likeーー )

???: Hmm~ So this is the kind of stuff you like?

Yui: Eh!?

Kou-kun!

Kou: Geez~ I came looking for you because I was worried you were taking such a long time.

Yui: Ah, my bad!

Kou: It’s fine, really. Something caught your eye, right?

However, I didn’t expect to find you glued to the display window of a jewelry store~

I guess you’re finally reaching that age (4) as well, huh~?

Yui: T-That’s not it...It just happened to catch my attention...

Kou: This ring?

Yui: Yeah...Look at this blue gemstone inserted in it...

I thought it looked a lot like the color of the sky we saw together yesterday.

Kou: Yeah, you do have a point. It’s a clear, beautiful cerulean hue.

Yui: Right? It’s super pretty, so I was captivated by it...

Kou: Hm...

Ah! Your birthday is coming up soon, isn’t it?

Shall I buy it for you?

Yui: Eh?

I-It’s fine!

Kou: Eh~? Why?

Yui: We...should be careful with our spendings for now.

( We decided to choose where we’d settle after visiting various places. )

( So right now, we are living off the money Kou-kun had saved up through his job. )

Kou: Are you sure? I’ve got plenty of savings, you know?

Yui: That might be the case but...

I mean, that ring is really expensive, right?

Kou: Hmm, it is but I’d say this is a normal price for a ring?

Yui: Still, right now we shouldn’t.

Kou: So you basically don’t want a present from me?

Yui: T-That’s not true...! I’d be happy with anything you’d give me. But...

I’m still in no position to receive such a wonderful ring...

How to put it, I want to have grown to the point of feeling worthy before you gift it to me...

Kou: Hmm...?

Well, I figured you’d say something like that though.

Yui: I’m sorry for stopping by here.

Well, let’s head home then.

Kou: Yeah...

...

But, I still...

*Snap*

Yui: Kou-kun, what are you doing? You might get yelled at for taking pictures!

Kou: Ehー? Really? But it’s so pretty, you want to preserve a memory of it, no?

This makes for a proper blue sky as well after all!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to their home

Yui: Dinner’s ready!

Kou: Uwaah, it smells incredible! The pasta you make really is the very best, Yui!

Yui: Fufu, you still haven’t tried it, right? You might be even more impressed once you have a taste!

Kou: Oh!? Someone’s brimming with confidence, huh?

Yui: Today’s dish turned out extremely well.

So I’m sure you’ll like it as well.

Kou: Really? Let’s hurry up and eat then! Thanks for the meal!

Yui: Thanks for the meal.

Kou: Nn...Nom, nom...Yeah, it’s good!

Yui: Really!?

Kou: Yeah! No wonder you were so confident in it!

Yui: The clams were being highly recommended at the market today after all.

This has to be the dish I’m the most proud of so far...!

Kou: The taste might be the best amongst all the plates you’ve made as well!

Yui: Fufu, I’m glad.

Kou: Well, I’ll happily dig into any dish you make though.

Mm~ All done!

Yui: Eh? You’re already done?

Kou: Yeah, so...Seconds, please!

Yui: Fufu. I made sure to prepare lots for you, so one second please.

Kou: Hooray! I can probably go for two more plates!

Yui: Hang on tight, okay?

Kou: Roger!

*TIMESKIP*

Kou: Thanks for the meal~

Yui: Thanks for the meal.

Kou: Ah, I’ll handle the clean-up.

Yui: You sure?

Kou: You made me such delicious vongole bianco after all.

Let me do this much, okay?

Yui: Thanks, Kou-kun. I’ll be counting on you then, okay?

Kou: Yeah, leave it to me! ...Ah, you know, Yui.

Yui: Hm?

Kou: You really did like the ring we spotted today, no?

Yui: Hmm, I did think it was lovely. It was such a beautiful blue color after all.

However, I...

Kou: Okay, okay, stop! I know. You don’t want it (5), right?

Yui: Yeah...I don’t want anything.

I mean, I’m already so happy just to be living together with you like this.

Kou: I feel the same way.

I really am glad you’re here with me.

Say, let’s continue living happily together from here on out, okay...?

Yui: Yeah...!

ー The scene shifts to the bedroom

Kou: M-neko-chan said there’s nothing she wants but...

I still want to do something for her...

...Besides, a ring holds a special meaning...

Okay, I’ve made up my mind...!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the living room

Yui: ( ...Hm, I just need to check the seasoning of the soup and then it’ll be ready, I suppose? )

Kou-kun! Dinner will be served soon!

...Huh? No response...

( Lately he’s been cooped up in our room quite often. )

( He never quite did that in the past, so I wonder what has gotten into him? )

ー The scene shifts to the bedroom

*Cling cling*

Kou: Geez, I never thought things would end up like this...

Ahー I can’t do it...!

*Cling*

Kou: It has improved a bit compared to my first attempts, but it’s still no good.

They said even a beginner should be able to pull it off, but this isn’t my cup of tea...

Ever since I was young, Ruki-kun has been telling me that I’m too careless of a worker...

*Cling*

Kou: But...I have to...bring this to a good end so...

Oh? It’s actually looking decent? Maybe I got the hang of it?

Okay then! Gotta keep going like this!

I told myself I wouldn’t give up, so better give it my all!

Besides, I’ll definitely finish it in time...!

*Cling*

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: ( ...Kou-kun’s late... )

( Lately he’s been leaving the house on a whim more often. )

( I wonder if he’s out again? )

( Whenever I ask, he just says he’s going on a walk or something like that... )

( I wonder if something happened...? )

ー Kou enters the room

Kou: I’m backー

Yui: Ah! Kou-kun...! Geez, I was worried because you just wouldn’t come home!

Kou: Ahー My bad? My stroll got a little prolonged, you could say?

Yui: Ah...Right.

( If something were up...he’d for sure talk to me about it...Right? )

I’ll make dinner now, so hang on, okay?

*TIMESKIP*

*Chop chop chop*

Kou: Heey, Yuiii~

Yui: What’s wrong?

Kou: I’m totally starved!

Food, quick!

Yui: Fufu, it’s almost ready so wait just a little longer?

Kou: ...Don’t wanna.

ー He sneaks up on her

*Rustle*

Yui: Wah...Wait, Kou-kun...!?

( He wrapped his arms around me from behind...!? )

It’s dangerous to do this while I’m cooking, you know?

Kou: But I’m home now...

Yet you won’t pay attention to me at all.

It’s boring.

Yui: Well...I’m making dinner right now, so it can’t be helped...

Kou: Then you don’t need to make food.

Yui: ( Says the person who was crying about being hungry just now... )

Kou: But, well...

Yui: ...Hm?

Kou: This kind of makes us seem like newlyweds, don’t you think?

Yui: Eh!?

ー Yui drops something

Kou: Ahaha! You’re way too shocked!

Yui: But...!

Kou: But it’s the truth, right?

Yui: Uu...

Kou: Then, let’s do something that fits the image of newlyweds!

Yui: Eeh? What will you do then...?

Kou: Hmー ...Taste-test the food?

Yui: ( Pretty sure he just wants to have a bite... )

Then...Can I ask you to taste the soup?

Kou: Leave it to me!

Yui: Uhm, I’m pretty sure the spoons are over there...

Kou: Wrong, right?

Yui: Eh? What am I getting wrong?

Kou: You’ll feed me, won’t you?

Yui: Eeh!? Really!?

Kou: We have to act like newlyweds, so that should be a given!

Come on, you hold the spoon.

Yui: ...We’re actually doing this?

Kou: Of course! Come on, aaaahn~

Yui: ( ...This is embarrassing...But... )

S-Say ‘aaahn’...

Kou: ...Nn...Mmh~ It’s good!

Yui: Really!? I’m glad!

Kou: Then it’s my turn next, right? Okay, open wide!

Yui: Eh? ...I’m fine...

Kou: Why are you being so modest? Come on, say ‘aaahn’!

Yui: A-Aahn...

Kou: Fufu~ Well done.

...How does it taste?

Yui: I-It’s good...I guess...?

( To be honest, the flavor was the last thing on my mind... )

Kou: Then are you done cooking now?

Yui: Yeah. Seasoning the soup was the last task on the list.

Kou: Okay! Let’s hurry up and eat!

Yui: Good idea. I’m hungry too.

ー They move to the table

Kou: I’m digging in!

Yui: Thanks for the meal.

Kou: Nom...Nn...You knowーー

...Whoops, I shouldn’t talk with food in my mouth, huh?

...Nn...You know, Yui!

Yui: What’s wrong? Was it not very good, perhaps...?

Kou: Ah, that’s not it...But aren’t you forgetting something?

Yui: Forgetting something?

( What could that be...? Did something happen? )

Kou: Hahー By the looks of it, you’ve completely forgotten.

Geez! Get a grip on yourself! Tomorrow’s your birthday, remember!?

Yui: Ah...Right.

Kou: We’ll go out to buy whatever you want to eat tomorrow, so don’t forget!

Yui: No way...It’s fine, really.

Kou: Don’t say that! We have to properly celebrate your birthday.

I’ll buy your favorite food and even prepare a cake!

Understood?

Yui: Y-Yeah...

Kou: ...You don’t seem very happy though? ...You don’t like me celebrating your birthday or something...?

Yui: Oh no! That’s not true! It’s just...I didn’t think you’d say that so, I...

Kou: Stop! I’ll listen to the rest tomorrow, so don’t say it just yet!

Yui: R-Right...

( My birthday...I never thought Kou-kun would celebrate for me. )

( I’m looking forward to tomorrow...! )

Kou: That being said, we gotta head out early in the morning tomorrow to do the shopping.

So you better hit the hay soon?

Yui: Eh?

Kou: I’ll clean up too, okay?

Come on, you should hurry and get ready for bed!

Off you go!

*Rustle*

Yui: Wah! Hold on, Kou-kun!?

( I wonder what has gotten into him...!? )

Kou: Goodnight!

Yui: Y-Yeah...Goodnight?

ー He pushes her out of the room

Kou: Phew...I guess the coast is clear now...?

*Flip*

Kou: ...

...Tomorrow...huh?

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to town

Yui: ( Kou-kun acted a little off yesterday... )

( But today he seems to be his usual self...I guess? )

Kou: Yui, give me your bags.

Yui: Eh?

Kou: It’s heavy because you bought a lot, right? I’ll carry them.

Yui: Ah...Thank you.

( Kou-kun’s so nice... )

Kou: Are you sure you bought everything you want to eat?

Yui: Yeah, this is plenty! I was able to buy it all so...thank you.

Kou: Really? There’s really no need to hold back though.

Yui: ( Kou-kun says that but...I bought quite a lot already, I think...? )

( I wonder if we’ll be able to finish everything... )

( I have to make sure we can preserve whatever leftovers we may have. )

( I suppose I could turn the fruits into a jam...? )

Hey, Kou-kun...

Wait...Huh...? Kou-kun...?

( He’s gone...Don’t tell me ,did we get separated because I spaced out...? )

( Oh no... )

For now, I’ll look around these parts...!

ー Yui starts running around

Yui: Haah...

( What now...? He’s not here either... )

Kou: Ah! M-neko-chan!

Yui: ...Kou-kun!!

Kou: Thank god! I was wondering where you had run off to!

Yui: I’m sorry. Seems like I blanked out for a bit.

Kou: I’m sorry too!

Yui: No way, you don’t have to apologize.

It’s because I got lost in thought...I’m to blame, I truly am sorry!

Kou: ...Fufu~ We’re so weird! We’re both apologizing, huh?

Yui: But, I...I was shocked when you were suddenly gone...

Kou: I started panicking when I realized you were gone too, you know?

Either way, I’m glad I found you. Let’s head home holding hands so we don’t get separated again.

Come on, give me your hand.

Yui: Yeah...!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the living room

*Cling*

Kou: Ta-dah! It’s time for the long-awaited cake!

Here you go. This is your slice.

Yui: Wah, thank you!

Kou: You really are a maiden at heart to choose strawberry shortcake~

Yui: ...What do you mean?

Kou: ...That it’s cute.

Yui: ...!

Kou: Geez~ You always start blushing right away...

You really are like a strawberry, you know? I’d love to eat you...is what I would say, but!

Right now, the real strawberries get priority.

I’ll give you mine!

Yui: Eh? ...But...Then you won’t have any.

Kou: I’m fine. You’re the star of today after all!

Yui: ...Fufu, thank you!

Kou: Fufu~ Ahー I guess I might as well sit next to you instead of across then.

*Rustle*

Kou: Pardon the intrusion~!

*Thud*

Yui: Well then...It’d be a shame to let the cake go to waste so let’s give it a taste?

*Cling*

Kou: Ah! Wait!

Yui: W-What’s wrong? You’re suddenly shouting...

Kou: You know, we have to do that! That!

It’s a birthday cake, so we should put a candle on top and have you blow it out!

Yui: Ah...I guess so?

Kou: Of course! That’s a given!

I’ll give it to you after I’ve put on the candle so hold on tight, okay?

*Rustle*

Kou: Hmー Here, all ready!

Yui: Thanks!

( I’m pretty sure I haven’t blown out a candle since I was a child... )

Kou: Well then...Will you blow it out soon?

Yui: Yeah! Okay...Here I go?

Pheew...

ー The lights go out

Yui: ( Wah! It’s pitch black! )

*Rustle*

Yui: ( Eh...? He grabbed my arm... )

Kou: Happy birthday, Yui.

Yui: Kyah...!?

Kou: Fufu! Mission complete!

ー The lights go back on

Yui: Geez...Everything went black all of a sudden, it spooked me.

Kou: I’m sorry, I wanted to surprise you.

Yui: ( Speaking of which, he said ‘mission complete’, but what does that mean...? )

Eh...?

( A ring...!? )

Kou-kun...This is...

Kou: Yeah. It’s my present to you.

Yui: ( It looks like the one we saw at the jewelry store the other day... )

( But the shape seems a little different... )

Kou: Hmm...I thought I did a pretty good job though.

Well, the fact that it’s a little oddly shaped is its charm, a selling point!

Yui: This, did you perhaps...?

Kou: ...Yeah, I made it myself. I’m no good at handiwork, so I couldn’t do a very good job though.

Yui: You made this ring for me...!?

Kou: Yeah, I sure did!

I actually wanted to give you something and went to go buy the one they were selling at the store.

However, it got sold right before me.

Then when I told the people at the store that I wanted the ring no matter what, they suggested I would make it myself.

That’s how I got them to teach me how to make a ring this whole time up till today.

Yui: Up until today...The whole time...

( Then all those times he was gone lately. )

( Or when he suddenly disappeared earlier as well... )

Kou: Also, look at this!

*Rustle*

Kou: This was my first attempt, but it barely even looks like a ring, huh?

...Look, it’s just an iron scrap, don’t you think?

I really gave it my everything.

Yui: Yeah...I can tell, don’t worry.

Kou: Also, I realized.

Yui: What did you realize?

Kou: That you probably wouldn’t have been happy, even if I got to gift you the ring which was up for sale.

Up until now, I always thought that it was natural to return the favor when a person gives you something.

...However, now I no longer feel that way.

Yui: ...

Kou: I don’t want anything in return.

Because I already know that something much better exists beyond that.

Yui: Kou-kun...

Kou: So, even if the appearance is a little shabby, this is the proof of my love for you!

Yui: Yeah...Kou-kun...I...

( Oh no...The tears are... )

Kou: ...Fufu, you’re so happy it’s making you cry?

Yui: Yeah...I’m overjoyed...! After all...You made this for me...!

Kou: Ah...

...Mmh. Thank you.

Yui: ( Kou-kun said the shape is a little strange but. )

( It’s such a lovely ring... )

( And above all, I’m happy knowing that Kou-kun made it himself. )

( I can tell just how much effort he put in... )

I’m happy...Kou-kun, thank you. Thank you so, so much...!

Kou: Ahー Come on, dry your tears?

Yui: But...Uu...

( I can’t...stop these tears... )

Kou: Well, I’m happy knowing you like it this much too though...

Oh, geez! Lift your face?

...Nn...

*Smooch*

Yui: ...!

Kou: ...Done crying?

Yui: ...Yes.

Kou: Your crying face is cute too though. ...Nn...

*Smooch*

Kou: ...Hey, scoot closer...

...Nn...Nn...

...Even your tears are sweet, huh? ...Nn...

Yui: ...Kou-kun...

Kou: ...Nn...Haah...

Yui...I love you...

...Thank you for being born into this world...Nn...

Yui: ( I love you too, Kou-kun... )

( Thank you, Kou-kun... )

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the outside

*Snap*

Kou: ...Yeah, we’re having lovely weather today as well.

Oi, Yui! This way!

Yui: Wait, Kou-kun!

You walk way too fast...

Kou: Sorry, sorry~ The sky just looked so pretty.

I couldn’t sit still.

Yui: I do understand how you feel...The sky is so clear after all.

But even so, leaving me behind is just mean!

Kou: Like I said, I’m sorry! ...So forgive me?

*Rustle rustle*

Yui: ( Wah...Kou-kun embraced me... )

Kou: Hm...In the light, you can really see the flaws.

Yui: ...Hm?

Kou: I’m talking about your ring. It didn’t quite catch my eye yesterday though.

But the shape is a little crooked, don’t you think?

Yui: It’s not.

Besides, I will never take this ring off again.

After all...This ring is the proof of your feelings.

I could search far and wide, I wouldn’t find a single ring in this whole world quite as lovely.

Kou: ...Really?

Yui: Yeah! For sure!

Kou: I see...

*Rustle*

Kou: Hm...

Yui: Kou-kun?

Kou: ...Right. Won’t you let me slip that ring on your finger one more time?

Yui: The ring?

Kou: Yeah.

Yui: Yesterday, I gave it to you in the dark after all.

*Rustle*

Kou: And there just so happens to be such a beautiful sky.

I want to put this ring on you.

...Underneath the blue skies I admired for years.

Yui: Kou-kun...

Kou: ...Can I?

Yui: Yeah.

Kou: ...Ever since I was born, I have seen a lot of things.

I went through a lot of pain, and experienced many hardships.

Yui: Yeah...

Kou: But, I met Ruki-kun and the others, as well as that man...

I learnt about a blue sky which isn’t confined by a circle or a square.

And...I found you.

Yui: Mmh...

Kou: I thought I had nothing left, but right now, I have you.

That is all I need. I don’t want anything else.

I swear on this misformed ring, underneath the sky...

I love you...Yui.

From here on out, for eternity...

...How about you?

Yui: ...Me too...I love you...!

Kou: Yeah...Thank you.

Let’s be together forever.

I love you, Yui...

*Smooch*

ーー THE END ーー

Translation notes

(1) Literally she says ‘to be emotionally moved by various things’ but that sounded rather stiff in English, so I translated it a little differently.

(2) Literally he asks her to ‘point her consciousness/awareness towards him’.

(3) I actually have no idea what these are called in English but they’re the large TV screens which may be attached to buildings or put out in public to display important events, etc. In Japan, these are super common in big cities but here in Belgium - for example - you rarely ever see them. ^^;;

(4) Kou uses the term 色づく or ‘iro-duku’ which is often used to refer to the ripening of fruits or the reddening of leaves during fall time. I assume in this case, he wants to imply that she is becoming more mature.

(5) The verb 要る or ‘iru’ literally means ‘to need’, but it is often used to reject something as well, in which case ‘want’ seems more fitting in English.

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #kou mukami #more blood #diabolik lovers translation #mbkouafterstory

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fangirl-everythang · 3 years

Text

Happy Fathers Day Part 2

Summary: 2/3 Y/n and Harry make up, kind of. He gets to be a part of their baby's life.

Warnings: Fluff, Kinda Cute

Word Count: 1443

I cannot believe my little miracle is so big now. You can obviously tell I'm pregnant now and the media hasn't been pleasant. The constant harassment, rumors, and to top it off they're already hating on my baby- who is still in utero.

Today is the five-month ultrasound, I've been contemplating on getting the gender, but I think I want to know so I can decorate the nursery in the new apartment or at least add to what I've done. So far it hasn't been bad. I stayed at a hotel for two weeks until I secured a decent place to raise this baby. Meanwhile, Harry keeps trying to contact me, but I ignore him. He cheated and that's that. I do miss him a lot though. It isn't the same and this sure as hell isn't how I imagined being pregnant.

Ding Dong

I make my way to the front door not bothering to look through the peephole. My smile fades when I look at the person standing in front of me. Should have looked through the peep. When I go to shut the door, he presses it open. Allowing him in to not cause a scene he gladly slides past me.

"What do you want?" I ask softly moving to pack my purse.

"I needed to see you," he speaks, his voice low and raspy. Looking at him for the first time in a while, he looks hurt. His eyes have bags, he looks like he hasn't slept in forever.

"Sit. Do you want something, water, tea?"

"Shouldn't I be doing that for you?" He smiles slightly sitting on the couch.

"I'm pregnant, not immobile" He frowns and looks down at my swollen stomach. These stupid hormones are making me feel bad for leaving him. His gaze remains constant on my stomach I as I watch his features carefully. "Do you want to? "

He looks up at me with a confused expression, "Do I want to what?"

Standing in front of him I grab his hands and gently caress them. Placing one on each side of my extended tummy, tears brim at his eyes. He rubs gently trying to feel the little human inside of me. Suddenly a sharp pain is felt, then again where Harry's hands are. He grins up at me.

"Hey there little one," he croaks, more kicks are felt when he speaks "Daddy's here." Between the physical and emotional pain, I want to cry. "Be nice to mummy, she's treating you well" he then begins to place light kisses on the surface of my stomach. "I love you both so much," he says as I wipe under my eye to remove any trace of the silent tears I let fall.

"I miss you y/n" he whispers standing up. He holds me close to his chest. "I fucked up and I won't ever hurt you like that again just please, come back to me. " he rasps.

"Harry, I told you-" my phone interrupts my sentence.

"Hello... yes this is she... oh hi Dr. Walters... that works perfectly I was running late anyway... okay see you at 3:30"

Harry just looks at me questioningly, "What's that about?"

"Ultrasound appointment," I say rubbing my bump.

"What time was it before?"

"8:15 am well and you know traffic and whatnot it would've taken some time" he chuckles at me "So you woke up at 5:30?"

"Well yeah, and I enrolled in Lamaze classes which start at 1, I had stuff to do. Plus, the nursery, and buying baby clo-" his lips gently touch mine. Shocked at first but soon giving into his touch, I wrap my hands around his neck. "I love you so much y/n" he mumbles against my lips.

"I love you too Harry" he smiles. I'm weak for him. I also want my- our child to have two parents involved. He loves children too much to tear his own away from him, but all is not forgiven. Looking at the clock I sigh. He laughs "Me too," He knows me too well.

Grabbing his hand and guiding him upstairs to my bedroom. Lying in bed, fuzzy socks and all, I pat the spot next to me. He pulls shirt over his head and tugs his pants off for a good 10 minutes before they gave in to the constant harassment. I told him to stop wearing skinny jeans. He carefully climbs into bed with me. It hurts to lay on my back, all the weight is shifted towards my spine. Harry notices my discomfort and faces me towards him on my side. "I haven't been able to sleep," he says kissing my temple. I nod silently admiring his beauty. I've missed him, looking at him, he truly is beautiful. I hope our baby looks more like him.

"Me either"

"Do you know what we're having?" I shake my head no. "I was going to find out today, " he touches my belly again, looking as if he wants to say something but his lips just press into a line. "Go with me."

"What?" he grins, placing his hand on my stomach with so much care.

"Go with me Harry, I want you to be there." He smiles at me showing me those dimples I've fallen for countless times. Placing my hand over his. "I'd love to."

I grab his hand and kiss the back of it. Turning so my back faces him, he carefully pulls me into him. My eyes feeling heavy and soon fade to black. "I promise I'm going to take care of you both."

/////

The empty feeling of the bed is what stirs me awake. Feeling around Harry's nowhere to be found, in arms reach at least. The sheets smell like him though, God I've missed this smell. If heaven had a sent it would be Harry in a bottle. Gotta pee. Fucking hell dude. Who put the bathroom 10 feet away? Sighing in relief when I got to the toilet I because my bladder was going to explode.

After washing my hands, I look at the clock, I could've slept for another 40 minutes. Oh well.

"Harry?" I call out padding through the silent hallway. I see the nursery door open and peek inside and see him staring of the maternity photos I put inside of .

"I feel like I've missed so much." He states as he grazes over some of the earlier ultrasounds.

"Not too much," I say rubbing his shoulder, "We can make up the next four months together." he gives me a small smile and brings me around to his front kissing the side of my neck. "Y/n?"

"Yeah Harry?"

"Can I stay here for a while, I want to help and be here for you and for them. I understand if you say no but I really wanna show you how sorry I am, and I just feel like yo-" I stop his blabbering by kissing him passionately. After a few moments, I pull away keeping our foreheads together. "You can stay for a while, Harry. We can work something out." I smile at him softly. He just nods in response.

////

"Y/n so glad to see you again! And you brought a guest." Dr. Walters says reaching out to shake Harry's hand.

"I'm Harry, the father."

"Well, it's mighty fine of you to join us today," he says putting gloves on.

"Here comes the cold," he warns me before placing the jelly on my abdomen. "Have you decided on wanting to know the gender?" he asks looking between Harry and I as he smears the jelly with the ultrasound probe.

"I want to know, no clue about him." I laugh Dr. Walters joins me.

" Well first let's see how we're doing," he says bringing the baby into view. "Alright dad, first time here so you hear the faster beat?" he asks Harry turning the volume up on the monitor. Harry nods in response, "That's your baby's heartbeat, and looks like they're in good shape." I smile as Harry leans down and grabs my hand. The black and white image on the screen is truly breathtaking.

"... and this is the head," Dr. Walters explains while pointing to help Harry find everything he identifies. Harry squeezes my hand gently as he admires our little miracle. "So, mom, we want to know right?"

"Yes!" Harry blurts out excitedly. "It's okay he calls me Daddy." which causes Dr. Walters to laugh. "Alright well let's see." He says pressing some buttons to change the view of my uterus.

"And it's a girl!"

A/n: Some of y'all are not going to like me and that is okay, good luck with part 3. LMAO funny story, I submitted this piece for my creative writing class my freshman year. The second-hand embarrassment I have LOL.

#harry #harry styles #harry smut #harryx reader #y/n #harry styles and y/n #harry styles one shot #harry styles imagine #writing #imagine #oneshot #smut #fanfiction #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles blurb

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rosy-wooyoung · 3 years

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[12:31]

🎄 Day 11 of the Christmas project🎄

pairing : san x fem!reader a/n: ngl i’m quite happy with this one. maybe bc it’s kinda personal? idk

You had just arrived at the cottage you inherited from your grandparents when they passed away, and, after driving for so long, you were happy to finally cut the engine. Months had passed since you last visited this small house filled with beautiful memories, and you had this strange feeling of happiness mixed with nostalgia overrunning in your body. The cottage was a small wooden house at the edge of the forest next to a lake, now frozen, the ground and the naked and lonely looking branches of the trees surrounding it covered in snow. You parked your car in the driveway and slightly shook your best friend's shoulder to wake him from his slumber. After a few minutes of constantly shaking him, San finally stirred up, softly rubbing his eyes as he looked around him.

"Are we already here?" he mumbled and you bitterly chuckled, unbuckling your seat belt and opened the door. "What do you mean already? You've been sleeping since we stopped at the gas station. It's been two hours dude," You poked his ribs before stepping out. San shook his head and got out of the car as well a few seconds later, letting out a sigh before helping you clear the trunk filled with things to get comfortable enough for the long weekend you had planned to stay together.

The end of the year was coming, so that meant a lot of things to do at work: closing cases, checking details before sending files to your boss, preparing some others for the new year, it was everything but calm when you entered your workspace each morning. Fortunately, you had worked quite hard during the week, so today before lunch, San and you took your leave of work and hurried to your car, getting ready for a few hours of driving to get to this beautiful place where you had just arrived.

"Gosh, I've missed this place so badly," you said as you looked around you, eyes roaming as you observed the trees and your surroundings. You started getting a bit emotional as you recalled the hazy yet wonderful memories you had collected while growing up until it was time for them to leave.

You remembered spending some of your Summer holidays here with your siblings when your parents grew "tired" of the three of you. They always claimed to need a break from being parents for at least a week, and so did you from them. When you were at your grandparents' house, more fun was allowed than when you were at home. It was an exciting feeling, and you were always looking forward to coming and visiting them at every opportunity you had. You never truly minded because you loved your grandparents and spending time with them. But for your younger siblings, it was a whole other story: they were constantly yelling about missing mom and dad, while you were just loving being there, catching up with your granddad

You had your little secrets with him, things that you hid from your family and your siblings. For example, you and your grandfather would secretly take two easels, always feeling that rush of adrenaline before escaping from the yells of your siblings to find a good spot to start painting for a major part of the day, hidden in the mountains hovering above the cottage. Each time, you came back from your getaway with a brand new piece of art, and a memory to cherish for the years to come. You entered the cottage, and a wave of nostalgia crashed onto you, a sense of comfort wrapping its arms around your shoulders. In the dark, you could still distinguish some of the pieces of art your granddad did when you were together. You opened the shutters and drew out the curtains your grandmother had sewed by herself, making the natural sunlight warm up the place. You then went behind the house and opened the electricity and water conducts while San took care of putting all the things your truck you carry inside the small house.

"It's a gorgeous little place that you hid from me," he teased, and you gently smiled, elbowing him in the ribs as you kept on putting everything in the right place. "It's my sweet escape," you replied as your best friend rested for a few seconds in the middle of the entrance, hands on his hips as he took in the decoration of the place.

When you had some rough times in your life - which happened more often as your grandparents fell sick one after the other -, you came to this little house in secret to unwind and spend some time alone, crying or just chilling. It was a bit like your secret garden, the spot that you had indeed kept hidden from everyone. Even your parents didn't know that you frequently visited here and spend some time in nature. That's why it wasn't as dusty and dirty as one can imagine an abandoned house to look like. Yes, it was a bit straggly, but to your defence, you haven't come to this place in weeks.

As the day went by, it was finally the afternoon, and it had started snowing as soon as you finished setting in the cottage house. You were quite tired from driving for a few hours, only being used to run a few errands for maximum 20 minutes, so you just wanted to chill and maybe take a nap on the burgundy, corduroy couch. San, on the other hand, since had slept a major part of the journey there, was just a human dynamo. Looking around, all smiley and excited as he watched the snow falling from the sky.

"Do you wanna do something outside? We could make a snowman, have a snowball fight or go for a walk?" he suggested as he let himself fall next to you on the couch, tickling your side with his left hand as the other remained against his chest. You stifled a giggle and squirmed, trying to escape from his touch. He stopped for a while, his eyes lingering on you as you were getting your breath back. "And what about going sledging? I just saw that there's a hill on the other side of the lake, we can go there," your best friend offered, but you shook your head with a pout. "San, I'm too tired for all of this," you whispered, and his eyes widened, taken aback that you declined his offer, again, "and where did you even find a sledge?" you added, not even knowing that your grandparents owned one. "There was two in the small storage unit, but don't try to change the subject. Why don't you want to go sledging?" he said while sitting up, laying a hand on your knee, shaking it a bit. "It's the best thing you could do when we have a type of weather like this!" he exclaimed while pointing outside, making you sigh and as you looked out the window. Yes, it was still snowing, and it looked quite consistent enough to sledge on it, but you could see some patches of blue sky appearing here and there, telling you that the good weather wasn't as far as you thought it was.

"Come on, Y/N, just for me," he said as he watched you stifling a yawn, happy that he managed to catch sight of a small nod in your actions. "Really? Let's go then!" he enthusiastically got up, not even waiting for you to run into the bedroom to get dressed. "The things I'd do for him," you whispered to yourself as you tiredly got up from the couch, making your way up the small stairs as well. Once you had slipped on your fleece-lined pants and warm coats, you made your way out the door, San trotting to the small storage unit behind the house to get the sledges. Those were made out of old wood, a thin rope attached to the tip of it. They looked quite old and dusty, but they would do the trick.

"So Y/N, since you're the expert of the region," San teased as he looked over, only to have you staring back at him with a fake bored look, "how can we reach this side of the lake?" he said as he pointed the side opposite the cottage, and you smiled. That is where you used to go painting with your grandfather. "Come on, follow me," you said as you confidently started walking, the memories colliding in your brain as you trusted your guts to get to this side of the lake. In the course of your walk, with San by your side, you told him some of your memories while pointing at different things.

"You see that tree over there?" you gestured to the naked weeping willow a bit further into the stroll, San nodding as his eyes followed your finger, "when it was getting either too hot or too noisy because of my siblings during Summer, I'd take a book and spend the entire afternoon reading underneath that tree," you explained with a soft smile on your face, remembering the great souvenirs as the leaves crunched under your moon boots as you stopped. "And my grandma had a whistle, and she would blow four times when dinner was ready, and I needed to come back," you told your friend, who had a sincere smile on his face. "This is adorable, it sounds like a Studio Ghibli plot," he said while taking your hand, making you walk slightly faster to pass the tree. San knew you well. He knew that if you spent too much time in front of this willow, you'd start getting emotional and probably cry, and that was the last thing he wanted to see.

You silently thanked him with a faint smile as you understood his sudden change of behaviour and you cleared your throat, keeping on telling him happier souvenirs as you finally arrived where San wanted to go. "I can't imagine how beautiful it must look here in Summer," he mumbled as he stared at the cottage on the other side of the lake. "It's even more incredible in fall," you said with a smile, "I came here mid-October and you're just surrounded by yellow and orange trees, you can really feel the fall vibes," you giggled with your friend, letting go of his hand, feeling suddenly nervous. You hadn't even noticed that San had kept your hand in his the entire time, and you were even hotter when you realised that he didn't even look bothered or shy of it.

You took a few pictures of each other going down the sledge, laughing and pushing each other around as the other took an unflattering photo of the other. The powder snow eased your falls every time you pushed the other too hard, sometimes shrieking as you could feel some snow slipping under your clothes and reach your skin. At some point, you were too tired to get up, so you stayed well muffled in your clothes, looking at the sky clearing above your heads. San was also in the snow, ignoring the freezing sensation of water against his neck and the goosebumps travelling his entire body. Instead of staring at the sky as you did, he seized the fact that you were too busy getting lost in your thoughts to stare at you. He loved seeing his best friend at peace like you currently were, it looked like all of your worries had vanished as soon as you pulled up by the house, the stressed Y/N getting replaced by the one that San imagined was the Y/N of your childhood.

The young man shifted in the snow, close enough for his hand to grab yours. As you felt pressure on your glove, you turned your head to the side, looking at him. He was already looking at you with a fond smile decorating his lips, and you raised your eyebrows, silently asking him why he was staring at you like that.

"I wish for this moment to never end," he spoke softly, the density of the snow under you two muffling his words, only for you to hear. "Me neither," you uttered, and San squeezed your hand as an answer, shooting you a wink before looking at the sky like you did just moments ago. He felt your gaze on him, and he started rolling towards you, miscalculating the number of rolls he had to do to come near you, resulting him almost crushing you as he was about to land on his back. You clutched your abdomen, anticipating his weight landing on you, but he swiftly moved around to land on his stomach, his mouth arriving millimetres away from yours.

None of you recoiled, getting lost in the other's eyes. Your breath had quickened up, something going noticed by San. He gulped but kept staring at you, your breaths forming one trail of steam above your heads, unhurriedly vanishing in the atmosphere. San pulled his thoughts and doubts to the side for an instant, his mouth colliding with yours in the gentlest way possible. Despite the dryness of his lips, the kiss released millions of butterflies in your stomach, sending warmth straight to your face. With your mittens slightly covered in snow, you cupped his face, and he groaned into the kiss, the cold against his face attempting to bring him back to reality.

But it wasn't enough to make you two stop kissing each other. You had both been secretly waiting for this for too long, and you didn't want to end the kiss right now. Making the most of it was the key point of the situation, and you let your lips linger on San's as if it was the last time before pulling away. The man gave you mere seconds to catch your breath before pulling you in another kiss, your hearts beating furiously against each other as your tongues danced together, head spinning and getting mushy due to all the emotions you were experiencing.

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tinkerd · 3 years

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Interview with Anne Both & David Litchfield first published on www.readingzone.com

A SHELTER FOR SADNESS TEMPLAR PUBLISHING JANUARY 2021

A SHELTER FOR SADNESS is a profound and moving picture book about how a young boy manages his feelings of sadness, not by ignoring them but in giving his sadness the space, care and thought that it needs. We asked author ANNE BOOTH to tell us what inspired the picture book, and illustrator DAVID LITCHFIELD about how he approached the illustrations: Q: What for you are the key ingredients for a great picture book? ANNE: For me, the words have to leave room for the pictures, the pictures have to capture the feeling of the words and extend the story, and both the words and the pictures have to be the best they can be for the demands of that book - be it a funny or a sad book or any other type. DAVID: Oof! that is a BIG question. I'm still trying to work that one out if I'm honest. For me what I personally love about picture books is that you can be transported to the furthest part of someone's imagination but still recognise yourself, and the world, in its pages. It's escapism but also empathy. It's crazy looking animals and creatures but they are experiencing some of the most human emotions of all. There are so many different ingredients that go into these books. But for me I think the ultimate goal is to tell a story that connects with children in the most imaginative way possible. Q: Can you tell us what you wanted to achieve in this book, about how we deal with sadness? ANNE: I hoped it would be good for both children and adults, and that it would help them cope with the type of sadness which stays with us and has to be coped with alongside everyday life. I wanted children to be told that they can build their sadness a shelter as early as possible, as I think that telling children to be 'resilient' (which is a good thing in itself) can sometimes be abusive - it can sometimes really be just saying 'don't tell us you are sad, even though as adults we are doing things which make you sad'. I think children have lots of things to be sad about - big and little things - and learning to build a shelter for their sadness can, paradoxically, help them have permission and space to be happy. DAVID: My hope for the book was to get children - and adults - to talk more about their emotions and how they are feeling. Don't just bundle them up inside. It's important to recognise how you are feeling, recognise that it's there and it exists. And talk it through with someone. A parent or a teacher, or just someone that you trust. The worst thing we can do as human beings is pretend that these feelings are not real and that we should just get over it. Q: Was there one thing that helped inspire the text? ANNE: Yes. I went to a talk at my church, and the speaker quoted this passage from Etty Hillesum; 'Give your sorrow all the space and shelter in yourself that is its due, for if everyone bears grief honestly and courageously, the sorrow that now fills the world will abate. But if you do instead reserve most of the space inside you for hatred and thoughts of revenge - from which new sorrows will be born for others - then sorrow will never cease in this world. And if you have given sorrow the space it demands, then you may truly say: life is beautiful and so rich.' (Esther 'Etty' Hillesum (15 Jan 1914 - 30 Nov 1943) I wrote our picture book text in response to Etty Hillesum's words, so I was trying to expand on her idea that we need to give shelter to our sorrow / sadness, as I thought she had such a wise and beautiful vision, which was, amazingly, born out of her immense suffering as a Dutch Jewish woman under the Nazis, and someone who would actually die in the Holocaust. It was written as my creative response to her words, so writing it actually helped me to think and pray about my own sadness, and I felt it would be a good picture book, to help people cope with sadness that just can't be fixed, but which we need not to overwhelm us or turn us to hate or bitterness. I loved the idea that if we give shelter to our sadness we can truly say that 'life is beautiful and so rich'. Q: Was it a difficult text to write, as it is so pared back? ANNE: I think that because it came after the talk, and hearing Etty Hillesum's beautiful words, and after meditating on, and praying in response, to them, I didn't actually want to use many words. I wasn't paring back anything as such, I was just trying to find my best response to her words, and the writing of it came all at once, but I think the writing wouldn't have come that way if I hadn't already experienced and thought a lot about sadness for years, and hadn't deeply connected with Etty Hillesum's words. Q: Why did you decide the main character would be a boy? ANNE: As I was writing from my own point of view, and in response to Etty Hillesum, I suppose I thought the narrator might be a girl, but I was open to any interpretation. I'm not sure if it was the publisher or David who decided the main character would be a boy, but I am very happy with that. I hope it speaks to boys and girls, men and women, and I think that there is actually something good about it being a boy, as from a very young age, little boys are told to 'man up' and are put under particular pressure not to cry or express sadness - all part of toxic masculinity - so hopefully this will play a part in countering that and telling boys and girls that there is nothing to be ashamed about being sad. DAVID: I'm not sure how this was decided. For some reason I just instinctively drew a boy when I was sketching the book out. I think that's a case of me very much seeing myself in the character as I was making the book. Perhaps an argument can be made that some boys need more help in facing their emotions than girls. But to be honest, I think I just instinctively recognised myself in that character and drew him as a boy. Q: David, what drew you to this text, why did you want to illustrate it? DAVID: As soon as I read Anne's manuscript I knew that I 100% wanted to be the illustrator. I received the project over two years ago and I couldn't start straight away due to other project commitments. I was so scared that Templar would not be able to wait for me. But I was so happy and relieved that they decided to wait until I had finished the other books I was working on. The text just really connected with me and it stirred up some very raw emotions in me. I also recognised that it would be unlike any book I had ever drawn before and the challenge of creating it was something that I really wanted to take on. Q: How did you decide how to depict Sadness? DAVID: There have been a few really fantastic books recently that depict sadness and other emotions as an actual character. Some of my favourites are 'When sadness Comes To Call' by Eva Eland, 'Me and My Fear' by Francesca Senna, and 'Ruby's Worry' by Tom Percival. All of these handle these sensitive subjects so beautifully and visualise what an emotion could look like in the real world. I see our book very much as a continuation of these series of books and the themes they follow. They were definitely a big influence on me when I was drawing the book. In terms of the look of our Sadness, I came up with a number of ideas in my sketchbook. One was a very ghostly, scary looking thing. The other was a teardrop and one was a cloud. But then I just thought about what a typical six or seven year old might draw if I asked them to visualise their sadness. All these confusing and conflicting emotions might come together and it felt like a really messy, scruffy scribble would fit the bill perfectly. Also, I remember trying to articulate how I felt when I was young and the words just wouldn't come out. So drawing a confusing, mess of emotions just felt right. It's also a really great character to draw. you really do feel like you are getting some emotions out of your system and onto the paper when you draw Sadness. Q: David, Can you tell us how you create your images and that special luminosity in your pages? DAVID: Everything starts in my sketchbook and I will plan the whole book out with lots of scruffy sketches. But once I start making the final artwork I usually begin by making lots of very messy watercolour washes, letting the different colours naturally mix into each other. I will also take photos of other textures such as the bark of a tree, or concrete or the sky. I will then scan all of this into my computer and experiment with overlaying each of them together until I find a look and feel that I like. These will then generally take the form of a background for a spread. The characters and buildings I will usually draw out in my sketchbook and then scan these into my computer also. Using Photoshop I will position these over the backgrounds and add other textures over them and just see what works. Basically, its a lot of experimenting and seeing what works with all these different types of media and textures. The luminosity is just an extension of what my art teachers have always taught me about shade and light. But I do like to play around with light and the atmosphere that can bring to an image. I think I really appreciated the drama of light from watching too many Steven Spielberg films growing up. Q: Do you have a favourite spread? ANNE: I love them all! I think the last page is so, so beautiful and gives me hope, but that is because of all the pages that came before, so I couldn't choose! I think David has done an amazing job - the book is so beautiful. DAVID: I like a lot of them. I love the penultimate page where the boy and sadness are walking through the blooming garden. I like the spread early on where Sadness is going through all of the different ways it is feeling and all the different actions it is taking. But I think my favourite image is the simple one of Sadness and the boy sitting together on the log. They are not saying or doing anything, they are just together and there for each other. That's one of my favourite illustrations I have ever drawn in fact. I love it. Q: Will you be creating any more picture books about emotions? What are you working on now? ANNE: I would love to write more picture books about emotions. I have an idea I am trying to find words for - it isn't coming as easily as A Shelter for Sadness but I hope it can work. I also have a little picture book story I am working on, and I am revising and rewriting a middle grade novel, and am waiting to be given edits for an adult novel and should be starting a second adult novel, so I have lots to be getting on with! DAVID: I hope so. I think I will always try and convey emotion in my books and hope that the reader can recognise their own emotions in these stories. Q: Where is your favourite place to work? ANNE: I work in bed (where I am typing this) and in a little writing hut my husband built me in our garden. I also write sitting on the sofa or at the table. When the pandemic is over, I am so looking forward to working in a coffee shop again! I do find it very helpful, when I have lots of work to do, to go away for a few days, to somewhere like Gladstone's Library in Wales, or beautiful retreats in England or France or Ireland I have been to. DAVID: My favourite place to work doesn't actually exist yet. I would love to create art in a cabin in the woods, surrounded by nature. Unfortunately I haven't found that place yet, but I have hope that I will one day soon. At the minute, due to lockdown, I'm drawing my books in the corner of my bedroom, which is not ideal as I'm quite messy and it's quite a small space. It can get a bit frustrating. But, every once in a while I can pretend that I'm in that cabin in the woods and everything feels right again. Q: Where are you most likely to be found when you're not at your desk? ANNE: Maybe out with my husband, walking our dog, or reading in bed, or sitting watching something lovely - I really appreciate good TV and films and I love watching them with other people. I love chatting with family and friends and visiting them. For a post-pandemic answer, I want to leave my desk and travel to see friends and family. DAVID: Mainly riding my bike with my two sons, or walking our dog Maggie, or listening to music very loudly on my headphones. Thank you Anne and David for joining us on ReadingZone!

See original post here: https://readingzone.com/index.php?zone=sz&page=interview&authorid=623a7c5192eb0909e0d251c44bae33c1

#illustration #a shelter for sadness #books for kids

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ill-skillsgard · 4 years

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The Gloaming Hour - Alex Hogh Andersen

Title: The Gloaming Hour

Characters: Alex Hogh Andersen x ambiguous fem

Warning: No real warnings. Just angst and feelings!

Note: In honour of @flowers-in-your-hayr birthday, I wrote a little imagine inspired by one of her wonderful moodboards! Thank you @maggiescarborough for organizing this fun event and asking me to take part <3

The concept of this piece isn’t based on the moodboard directly, rather an idea that popped into my head from the collection of images. Hope you like it! Kisses!

Excitement drained from Alex's face ounce by ounce, leaving his jovial smile deflated, his bright eyes a lifeless blue. As the curator flipped through his collection of portraits, scrutiny notched a wrinkle between his eyebrows that deepened with each turn of the page. Though a facetious mustache hid the curator's top lip, Alex recognized a grimace and the discontent infiltrating the air between them.

The older man closed the portfolio and sighed. He took off his glasses, polished the lenses on the lapel of his jacket and replaced them on his nose to better assess Alex's mood.

"Alexander..."

"Please, just Alex," the photographer insisted.

"Alex. It... It just—it breaks my heart to see your passion shrivelling."

Struck as though the curator had set his work on fire before him on the desk, Alex took a half-step back to prepare for harsher evaluations. "Shrivelling? I'd have to disagree."

"This isn't up to par with what you've brought to me in recent times. There's no trace of emotion. At least, nothing genuine. They're good photos, Alex, but they're stock photos at best. Destined for a watermark."

Alex gestured at the portfolio. "They're not the worst. I made do with what I had. There's only so many angles of Copenhagen I can give you before it looks postcard-ish. I took these at the height of the panic, while the entire world held its breath waiting for answers. I feel I reflect this in my work. Did you see the one of the little girl on the swing?"

The curator pushed the folder across the desk, a final swing of the axe. "I can't put these in the show, Alex. It's not my reputation I'm worried about, it's yours. I don't want to be the rope that ties your young career to the stake. My patrons wouldn't piss on these if they were on fire. Now, your winter series... If you brought me something like that, then I'd sing a different tune. Those were raw. Unfettered by trivial surface emotions. These are rather college-level, just-got-my-hands-on-my-first-DSLR quality. We've seen much better from you."

"What about the photo of the old woman?" Alex gave one last push.

"I'm looking for a coherent series. Something that tells an ongoing story. One diamond in a bed of zirconias just won't cut it, Alex," said the curator. "But we like you here. I want you to be part of the show."

Alex nodded in agreement. "So do I."

"You have five days to put together something that will wow me. I need to be awe-struck. Do you think inspiration will strike in that amount of time?"

"If I knew when inspiration planned a visit, I'd do nothing but schedule my time around it, trust me," Alex said.

"Five days, Alex, you have less than a week to put something stirring on my desk. I believe in you. Now, I must ask that we get a move on. I have another appointment."

Alex took his portfolio, tucked it under his arm, nodded at the curator and left the gallery. It wasn't until he stepped onto the street the numbness in his face gave way to the severe weight of rejection. He remembered walking into the studio but fifteen minutes prior, brimming with confidence, but that zeal had melted, leaving Alex dispirited and ready to give up his dreams. How could he capture a full series in a few short days? No great work of art had ever been executed in such a minimal amount of time. Alex sighed, lit a cigarette, and walked in no particular direction.

His camera hung around his neck as it nearly always did, but it only served to remind him of his shortcomings. When he passed over a canal of rushing water, Alex thought of ridding himself of the padded noose and chucking the device into the river below. Yet he clutched the camera's zoom lens, running his fingertips over the rubber grip for comfort.

Sequestered in grey daydreams, Alex's feet took him to the walking trails before his head caught up. He left the din of the city behind, and when he snapped from his ruminations, budding birch trees and new foliage surrounded him. Alex had walked the trails many times before, but that day a golden hue drenched the atmosphere and had him appreciating the landscape with eyes afresh. He wandered this way and that, losing himself in the thicket on purpose as he watched for rare birds above.

He came to the river's bend where an arcing walking bridge connected one side to the other. A woman was standing on the apex, looking out over the water with her back turned to Alex. She paid no attention to anything but the rapids below as the gentle wind carried pieces of her hair, abandoning the strands to float about her pate like a strange halo. From afar, Alex studied the slopes of her profile, but without his glasses, he couldn't make out the subtleties that made her eye-catching. The woman didn't notice him step onto the walking bridge.

The closer Alex came to the woman, the stronger his urge to photograph her became. He uncapped the camera lens, turned on the device and adjusted the settings to compliment the evening glow. From a distance, Alex relied on the power of the lens to bring her closer. He snapped some photos, then approached another four steps, fixed his frame, and captured a few more.

Alex cycled through the newest photos and noticed something about the woman's face he hadn't before: she was crying. Below her left cheek, a small stream glimmered, the setting sun illuminating a teardrop hanging off her jaw. This discovery made Alex's heart sink. He went a little closer, snapped another picture with his proximity taken into consideration, then studied the image. Her sadness tainted the entire frame, a beacon of black and grey on a gilded backdrop.

The woman turned just as Alex clicked the shutter again, and her melancholy transformed into indignation. She swiped at her incriminating tears in hopes the stranger wouldn't see them, but it was far too late. Alex already had evidence of her mournful spell.

"Excuse me! Just what do you think you're doing taking photos of me?" The woman yelled, approaching swiftly. "Did I give you permission to take my picture?"

The photographer took a step back, abandoning his camera near his chest to display open palms. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bother. You just looked so... I'm sorry. I'll delete them, I promise."

Redness swallowed the whites of her eyes. Now that she was within slapping distance of Alex's face, it was clear the woman had been suffering there on the bridge for a long while. Though all traces of her dreary expression fled, he got the sense something terrible had happened to her, and he had taken advantage of her private moment for his benefit.

"Why would you do that? Take pictures of people without them knowing?" She demanded to know.

"I'm a photographer. I swear, I'm not some creepy guy that goes around taking photos of women."

"Pfft," she hissed. "I bet you have loads of disgusting pictures on that thing because you're a man, and all men are absolutely disgusting!"

Taken aback by her accosting, Alex realized her hurt ran deep and fresh. Her tears dried up, leaving behind nothing but scorn and red, puffy cheeks. Whatever internal wound she bore still bled, and he apologized again in hopes the woman might forgive him.

"Honestly, I'm just a photographer. Not a weirdo. Here, I'll even show you what I have on my camera roll. It's nothing but portraits and pictures of trees, I swear on my life. I was just walking and saw you on the bridge, and you looked... Um."

Her anger lessened, curiosity taking its place at least in her eyes. "I looked what? What did I look like?"

Alex chewed his bottom lip and toed a plank of the walking bridge. She met his silence with another step forward.

"You looked so sad... And beautiful," whispered Alex.

She clicked her tongue, shaking her head as a sarcastic laugh punched the air. "You're so full of shit."

"I'm not lying!" Alex defended himself. "Look for yourself."

The photographer turned his camera around, but the woman stepped back. Alex sighed, waited for her to build up enough trust to approach him, and let her come to his side when she was sure he wouldn't lunge. She looked at the display and the photo he'd captured of her hanging her head, one lone teardrop on her face alight with the diminishing aura of day.

"Well... It's not terrible, I guess," she said.

"I'll still delete them," assured Alex

The woman shook her head. "You're a real photographer? Like a real, professional one?"

Alex fetched a business card from his pocket and passed it to her. She scanned the piece of cardstock and then his face.

"I've had my work displayed in art galleries if that helps."

"I guess it does."

A silence leavened the tension between them. The warbling water below clashed with bird calls above, and the sun slipped away, leaving them in deepening twilight. After five long minutes of quietude, the woman finally sighed.

"You don't have to delete them. They're good. You're obviously talented, and who am I to stifle your art?"

Surprised by her revelation, Alex chuckled nervously. "You sure? I don't have a problem getting rid of them."

"No," she shook her head. "You somehow made the shittiest day of my life look... Beautiful."

There was something about the woman's change of mind that told of understanding and kindness. Alex suddenly wanted to comfort her further. He slipped his camera behind him and spread his arms open. She flinched at this but realized what he meant to do.

"Would you like a hug? You look like you could use a good hug," offered Alex.

She bit the inside of her cheek as a bubble of a sob fought to escape her throat. Nodding while her eyes brimmed with another crop of tears, she stepped into his embrace and crushed her face into the collar of his denim coat. Surprised by the strength in which she clung to his torso, Alex matched it and held the girl tight until her tears dried up once more.

#alex hogh andersen imagine #alex hogh andersen fanfiction

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i-am-a-closet-fanfic-fiend · 4 years

Text

Sexiled (Part 19/23) ~ Steve Rogers x Reader ~ College!AU

A/N: Hello my lovelies! Happy Friday! Hope you’re all doing well and I hope you enjoy this!

Summary: You and Steve discuss the night before. You and Sarah bond over the ballet.

Characters/Pairings: Steve Rogers x Reader, Sarah Rogers,

Rating: K+

Warnings: Light angst, discussing death of spouse/parent, feels, fluffy Steve

Word Count: 1679

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist

You woke slowly, no alarms, no annoyed roommate, just steady breathing and a muted scuffing that you couldn’t place, coming from beside you.

“Good morning, sweetness.”

“Good morning. Umm, how did we get up here?”

The last thing you remembered was being curled up in Steve’s lap, stroking his hair and pressing the occasional kiss to whichever part of his face you were closest to.

“You walked. I did wonder if you were actually awake. Guess I got my answer,” he chuckled, continuing to sketch.

You propped your head in your hand so you could study him.

“You’re so beautiful,” you sighed, as you mentally traced his features. You couldn’t help but smile when his cheeks turned pink. Placing his sketchpad and pencil on the bedside table, he scooted down in the bed so he was mimicking your position.

“You are the most beautiful person I have ever met. Inside and out.”

You ducked your head, flustered by his sincerity. Steve reached out to brush your hair out of your face, lingering on your cheek pulling your gaze to him.

“Thank you for last night,” Steve murmured. “I wasn’t expecting to react like that.”

You pulled his hand away from your cheek so you could kiss his palm.

“Thank you for being open with me. How are you feeling?”

“Much better. It’s the first time I really talked about feeling that way. It helped a lot.”

“You know you can talk to me about stuff like that any time.”

“I don’t want to burden you,” he argued but you were already shaking your head.

“It’s not a burden. Your problems are not a burden. You are not a burden.”

His eyes widened at your words, and you knew you’d hit the nail on the head.

“Steve, listen to me. You are never a burden to me or to anyone else. Do you understand me?”

He nodded, slowly, still mulling it over.

“Yes. I’m not sure I believe you. But I’ll work on it.”

You smiled at his honesty. “That’s all I ask.”

“I love you,” he whispered, kissing your forehead.

“I love you too. I was right by the way,” you added with a satisfied smile.

“About what?”

“I do love you more today than yesterday.”

His answering smile was radiant. When he kissed you it was slow and deliberate and he poured every ounce of emotion into it.

“As do I,” he whispered when he pulled away. “As do I.”

You spent a little longer kissing and processing the night before. When you finally got yourselves ready for the day you found the downstairs was halfway to being a winter wonderland.

“Good morning, kids,” Sarah greeted from behind a box of Santas.

“Good morning. You’ve been busy.”

“I can never wait to put up the Christmas decorations,” she admitted, panting out a laugh as she tried to juggle a box and the lights.

“I’ll get it, Ma.”

Steve rushed to her side to help with the box, and that was how most of the day went. When it was time to call it quits before the ballet the place was completely decked out.

After a quick shower, you retreated into Sarah’s room to get ready together.

“You looked so beautiful on your wedding day,” you gushed when you noticed the wedding photos on her vanity as she carefully arranged your hair into an elegant twist. “I love your gown. It’s so classic.”

“Thank you. I still love that dress. I think if I were to get married again, I’d still pick it.”

“I hope I feel that way about my dress someday.”

“I’m sure you will.”

“Steve looks so much like his dad.”

“Yes, he does,” she sighed as she looked at the picture. “Sometimes when I come home and see Steve reading in this chair, I think it’s Joe for a just a minute.”

She sniffed as she pinned fabric flowers into your hair, just below your right ear.

“You look so beautiful, sweetheart,” she complimented, looking over your shoulder into the mirror as she tucked the tag into the back of your dress and smoothed the flutter sleeves.

You covered her hand with your own, squeezing.

“Thank you. And thank you again for this. It’s so amazing. I always dreamed of seeing the Nutcracker done professionally.”

“It’s my pleasure.” She leaned on the end of the bed to slip her shoes on. “I’m excited to share it with someone who loves it as much as I do. Joe and Steve have never quite shared my love of the ballet, but they always went along with me.”

She sat next to you on the vanity bench to put on her jewelry.

“Did you go often?”

“Usually just the Nutcracker. But Joe always made it special. He made sure that Steve and he were dressed in the best clothes. And he’d bring me a bouquet. Red roses and pink tulips. And we always took our holiday photo that night.”

“That so sweet.”

“This is the first year we’re going since Joe passed,” Sarah admitted quietly.

“Really?” you asked, choked up.

“Yes. Steve had been getting sicker. And by the time Dr. Erksine came along, it felt too hard to go back. So we just let the years pass.”

You tried to find the words to comfort her, but none came so you held her hand instead. She squeezed tightly, a silent thank you as she sniffed back a few tears.

“It was high time to bring the tradition back. And what better reason than to share it with someone so special to Steve.”

“I’m…” Flattered? Honored? You couldn’t find the right words.

“You don’t have to say anything. I think we understand each other very well.”

You stayed quiet together for a few more moments before she shook her head and stand up.

“Are you ready, sweetheart?”

“Absolutely.”

Steve was dressed in a gray suit and sitting in the armchair in the living room scrolling through his phone when you and Sarah came down, but he immediately hopped to his feet when he heard you on the stairs.

“You both look beautiful.”

“Thank you, son.”

“Ma, I have something for you.”

“What is it?”

He reached behind the armchair and retrieved a bouquet of tulips and roses. You had to bite back your aww and you could see Sarah fighting tears.

“I know that things are different now with dad being gone, but I thought since we were bringing back this tradition, I could carry on this part too. I want to make things special for you again.”

She reached out to cup his cheek and you had to look away to give them privacy.

“Oh, Steve.”

She hugged him, bringing his head down to her shoulder as she cradled the back of his head.

“You are a good man. Your dad would be so proud.”

The ride to the Metropolitan Opera House was quiet. A lot of emotions had been stirred up so far that evening, but when you finally arrived, the overwhelming one was excitement. You couldn’t take in the details around you quickly enough. You were certain you were missing amazing things. You felt Steve’s amused gaze as he led you by the hand, allowing you to devour the new environment.

Once you were seated, you continued your attempt to commit the architecture to memory – memories you knew would never do it justice.

When the lights dimmed, your breath caught in anticipation. Steve’s fingers found yours, grounding you, even as you were threatened to be carried away by the music. You were one of the first on your feet during the curtain call, clapping until your hands stung and your arms were sore.

“What did you think?” Sarah asked as you slowly filed out of the theater.

“It was breathtaking. Did you enjoy it?”

“Very much so. And what about you, Steven? Did you enjoy the evening?” Sarah asked, a teasing tone in her voice you didn’t quite understand.

“I did,” he assured her. “I believe I saw something truly beautiful tonight.”

“I’m sure you did.”

You watched the back and forth curiously, before Sarah turned her attention back to you, clearly changing the subject.

“Y/n, sweetheart, would you mind taking our picture?”

“Of course.”

You took her phone from her and lined up a shot of the two of them below the marquee and then several close ups.

“There you go. Let me know if you like them,” you told her, handing back the phone.

“Oh they’re perfect. Okay, now let’s get you two together. Come on. Get close.”

Steve’s ears turned pink with his mother’s fussing, but tugged you into his side nonetheless. You felt awkward in the first few, but when you looked up to see Steve’s warm gaze you couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face.

“There you go! More like that. Act like you like each other.”

That made you laugh.

She took a few more pictures before asking a passerby to take one of the three of you and finally hailing a cab back home. She kissed both you and Steve good night.

As you lay, curled up in his bed, you asked the question that you’d been wondering since witnessing Steve and Sarah’s exchange.

“Steve,” you whispered.

“Yeah, sweetness.”

“Did you not like the ballet?”

He chuckled; he knew where you were going with this.

“To be honest, I didn’t watch most of it.”

“What were-“

“I was too busy watching you,” he explained. “That’s what Ma was teasing me for.”

“Why were you watching me?” You asked, just barely able to make out his features in the darkness.

“Because you are so beautiful when you’re happy. You light up so brightly. How could you expect me to watch anything else?”

You wanted to scoff. Or laugh it off. But you knew he was utterly serious.

“I could watch you be happy forever, sweetness.”

“Nothing would make me happier than forever with you,” you whispered.

“Win/win then,” he chuckled, pulling you close and kissing your temple.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed.

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#Sexiled #Steve Rogers x Reader #Steve Rogers #College!AU #college!steve rogers #Part 19

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justcallmehermione · 4 years

Text

Another update...

Story: Small Bump Rating: M for some delicious smut Pairings: Linzin, Tokka, and Kataang

FF.net

AO3

Chapter 9: Under Pressure

Ring! Ring! Ring! The phone started trilling, waking Tenzin from a sound sleep. He looked to the window and saw the first morning rays starting to peak in through the curtain. He saw his beautiful wife starting to stir in the bed next to him.

“I’ll get it, stay resting,” he whispered to her as he slid out of bed and crept to the kitchenette area of their apartment. He grabbed the phone and without thinking whispered, “I’m sorry, but it is too early in the morning to be speaking on the phone. I’m still trying to sleep. Try calling back later today.” And he hung the phone up without waiting for a reply.

“Who was that?” Lin mumbled sleepily.

“No clue,” he replied while sliding back into bed, “I told them it was too early for phone calls and that they were very rude for calling so early and interrupting my amazing wife’s beauty rest.”

Lin laughed and snuggled close to the now prone Tenzin, “I’m sure you did, tough guy.”

Tenzin pulled Lin close to him and kissed her forehead, “Well I’m not wrong. Now let’s stay in bed a while longer. I can’t leave you two yet.”

Lin nuzzled closer, “I hope you never leave.” They both smiled and continued to rest until the sun was fully up.

…

“Well I’m off to visit Mom for lunch!” Lin called to Tenzin as he was in the bathroom finishing getting ready.

“Enjoy, love!” he replied.

Lin headed the few blocks to the RCPD headquarters where she agreed to meet her mother so they could get a bite to eat and catch up. The apartment wasn’t far from the police headquarters, but the cold breeze wafting through the city air made Lin regret the outdoor exercise. Winter may just be starting, but it was not shy at making its presence known. She tugged her coat tighter around her and dipped her mouth lower in her jacket to help cover more of her face from the cold sting.

As Lin rounded the final corner that would bring her to RCPD HQ, a newspaper stall caught her eye. She spotted a photo from her and Tenzin’s wedding on the front page of one of the papers sitting in a pile on the cart. Lin stepped closer and focused on that paper. Bold letters on the latest copy of The United Republic read: NEW AIRBENDER ON THE WAY with a subheading that said: Newlyweds Tenzin, Master Airbender, and Lin Beifong, RCPD detective are expecting their first born, the next member of the extinct Air Nomad race.

Lin snatched a copy of the paper and growled. The young man working the booth chided her and said she needed to pay for that now it was ruined. She tossed some Yuan on the counter and stomped away, seething. She couldn’t believe what she was reading. As far as she knew, only her closest friends and family members knew about the pregnancy, after all she was barely showing yet, despite the end of the first trimester approaching. Lin also could not believe the journalist’s choice of headline.

“New Airbender on the Way…” she murmured to herself, “I can’t believe they would be so bold to put that. I don’t even know if the baby is a boy or girl yet, and they’re already pegging the future of Aang’s race on him or her.” Tears started forming in her eyes again as all the pressure she’s felt on and off throughout the pregnancy started to resurface in her mind.

Lost in her thoughts, Lin didn’t realize that someone had approached her until she heard, “Now, now, little badgermole, I know you’ve been away on your honeymoon for some time now, but there’s no need for tears to show how much you’ve missed me.”

Lin turned to see her mother had left the building and found her standing dumbstruck on the sidewalk. “Mom,” she managed while gesturing to the newspaper in her hands, “Have you seen this?”

Toph took a step closer to her daughter and said, “Jeez, have you been hanging around Sokka more? You know I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

Lin sniffled, a small smile playing on her lips, “I know, I was just trying to joke to make myself feel a little better. It’s a newspaper and its headline is just, absolutely ridiculous!”

“They usually are, that’s why I never bother to peruse the periodicals,” Toph stated dryly.

Lin rolled her eyes, “Very funny, Mother. This one is about me, or rather my baby.” She absentmindedly brought one of her hands to rest on her slightly protruding abdomen. She continued, “They’re already claiming the baby will be an air bender and that Aang’s legacy and by extension the legacy of the Air Nomads rests entirely on me producing an airbender.” The tears started to reach her cheeks again.

Toph reached out and squeezed her daughter’s shoulder and tried to comfort her, “Well now that is completely unfair. The only one who should be planning this baby’s future is her award-winning, master bender of a grandmother, Toph Beifong.”

Lin chuckled a bit and said, “Mom, please. This is a really sore subject for me.”

“Okay, okay,” Toph conceded, “Let’s go get some meat and noodles and talk about this.”

…

“So, what does Tenzin have to say about all this?” Toph asked her daughter. They were now seated in one of their favorite restaurants, enjoying a delicious lunch of grilled meat and spicy noodles, their two favorite foods.

“I don’t know if he’s seen the headlines at all yet…” Lin began.

“Not about the newspaper, I mean about the baby. Has he said anything to make you think he would resent you or even the baby if she isn’t an airbender? Because if he has you know I’ll come over and---”

“Mother, please,” Lin interrupted, “No, on the contrary, Tenzin has shown that he will do nothing but love and cherish both me and the baby no matter what.”

“Bleck,” Toph stuck her tongue out, “Hearing about my daughter and her supportive husband is giving me the oogies.”

“Very funny, Mom. But I’m being serious here. Tenzin and I have already talked about this. We both just want a healthy baby. It’s gender nor it’s bending abilities will affect how much love we will show this baby,” Lin assured her mom, and herself with these words.

“Well then, you know how I feel about other people’s opinions. They can shove it up their--” Toph started to say, but was interrupted by the presence she now felt at the table. She turned her face to the newcomer and said, “Perfect timing, waiter. We would like the check, please.”

“I’m s-sorry, b-but I’m not your w-waiter,” a young man who looked visibly nervous replied to Toph. Lin’s eyes narrowed and stared at him. She couldn’t quite place the face, but she was almost positive she’s seen him somewhere before.

“Unless you’re here to report a crime or ask for an autograph, then I think you best be moving on, kid,” Toph told the young man firmly.

He took a deep breath before he began, “My n-name is Jeong and I’m a reporter for--”

“That’s enough. Like I said before, unless you want to report a crime, you need to leave my daughter and me alone while we’re trying to eat lunch,” Toph interrupted him.

“I’m so sorry,” Jeong cried out while bowing to the women, “It’s just, I’m trying to become a more well known reporter and getting the inside scoop on Ms. Beifong’s pregnancy would really help me.”

Lin stood up, “Sorry, Jeong, but if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I don’t want my life broadcast to anybody and everybody. My pregnancy is my business and no one else’s.”

Jeong persisted, “Yes, but you’re carrying the next Airbending Master! This is huge news and the public would be so pleased.”

Toph slammed Yuans on the table to pay for their lunch and said, “I’ve heard enough. Let’s go Lin!”

Lin stared daggers into Jeong and left him with one final statement, “Why don’t you take this story back to wherever it is you work: My child is going to be whoever he or she wants to be. Only the spirits know what gifts the baby will bring to this world and all you cheap gossips need to stop trying to label him or her too early.” She stalked after her mother and joined her in the car they drove to the restaurant.

“I can’t believe that vile weasel-snake!” Lin exclaimed and punctuated it with slamming the car door.

“Easy on the car door, badgermole. This is technically city property,” Toph chided.

Lin rolled her eyes and continued her lamentation, “He must have some really confident guardian spirit to approach us like that while we’re trying to enjoy a nice lunch.”

“I’m sorry, Lin.” Toph apologized.

“Oh, please, it’s not your fault he sauntered up to us and felt the need to try to pry into my personal business,” Lin replied.

“Well, isn’t it?” Toph probed, “I mean, you are the daughter of one of the greatest living Earthbenders, who helped save the world when she was just a kid.”

“Mother, please. This isn’t time for your ego to join the conversation.”

“I’m not trying to be my confident self, I’m being serious. If you had any other mother on the planet, then things would be so different for you--” Lin glanced over at her mom. She noticed her head was drooped more than normal. Lin reached over and grabbed her mother’s hand to give it a gentle squeeze.

“Mom, even if you weren’t famous, I’d still be married to one of only two living Airbenders. I’d be all over the media, regardless,” Lin said in comfort.

Toph turned her head slightly towards Lin, “You think even if I weren’t friends with the Avatar you and Tenzin would still be married?”

Lin took a deep breath as she blinked back tears not of stress and worry, but of a deeper, stronger emotion she felt. She replied, “I’m positive that no matter what lifetime we shared or what planet we lived on, his soul and mine would always find each other and never let the other go.”

…

“And now, here’s Zahra with the latest news from the lives of the socialites of Republic City,” the voice on the radio crackled. Lin was lying on the sofa half reading a book while Tenzin stood at the kitchenette in their tiny apartment, making them a delicious dinner.

“Want me to turn it off?” Tenzin inquired.

“No, you’re busy. I can get up to change it,” Lin replied as she started to make her way to the radio.

“Thanks, Li,” the now feminine voice on the radio replied, “In today’s news, we’d like to highlight Republic City’s cutest and most romantic couple, Tenzin, Master Airbender, son of the Avatar and Lin Beifong, daughter of Police Chief and Master of Earthbending, Toph Beifong.” Lin’s hand hesitated as she reached for the dial to change the station. She hated being in the spotlight, but she had some morbid curiosity that made her wait to listen to what they had to report.

“As many of you may know by now, Ms. Beifong and Master Tenzin wasted no time while on their honeymoon and have already announced they’re expecting their very first child after just two months of wedded bliss! One of our reporters, Jeong, was fortunate enough to run into Ms. Beifong and her mother while they were out to lunch, presumably after a lovely day out shopping, preparing for the new bundle of joy headed their way. Jeong was able to get a statement from Ms. Beifong and he’s here now to share what she said. Over to you, Jeong!”

Tenzin had finished cooking and plating their food and now had his full attention on the radio as well. Lin hadn’t mentioned running into any reporters today. His brows furrowed and he waited with baited breath to hear what this Jeong person had to say. “Thanks, Zahra! That’s right, I ran into two thirds of the Beifong family today. They were both enjoying a lunch of assorted meats and spicy noodles, which after speaking with an expert on rearing and raising healthy children, I now know is not the healthiest thing for a pregnant woman to feed her baby. The meat is rather fatty and greasy and the spiciness of the noodles could give her terrible heartburn. The expert recommended she eat more fruits and vegetables going forward to ensure the baby gets all the help he needs!”

Lin rolled her eyes, “Is that really all he has to say? He needs to give me so-called advice on what to eat?”

Tenzin shrugged, “Let’s just ignore him for now. Change the channel and let’s sit and eat.”

Jeong continued on the radio, “I would also like to add that Ms. Beifong seemed to care little about the baby’s Air Nomad heritage. She stated that she would not go out of her way to ensure the child is raised in the ways of the Air Nomads and instructed to become a Master Airbender like his father and grandfather.”

“But that can’t be!” Zahra interrupted.

“Afraid so,” Jeong continued, “Now, I’m no expert on Air Nomad culture, but last time I checked, there were only two airbenders alive today and I think--” zzt. The radio went silent.

Lin spun to look at Tenzin who had silently crossed the room and ended the slander and lies being broadcasted to a couple thousand people in and around the city.

“What did you do that for!” Lin exclaimed.

“I don’t believe what that man had to say was true. At least, I hope it’s not,” Tenzin said, staring at his wife’s face, searching for any hint of how she was feeling.

“Of course it’s not true! I didn’t say anything about ignoring any part of the baby’s heritage!” she countered.

“I figured as much,” Tenzin said as he stepped closer to his wife, reaching out to give her a hug.

“I just told him to mind his P’s & Q’s and to stop making assumptions about our baby!” Lin shouted at him as she began trembling. Tenzin’s arms enveloped Lin’s frame. He held her close for a few moments as she let the anger and stress flow through her body, the tremors a reflection of the power the emotions had over her.

“I believe you, Lin,” Tenzin said slightly pulling away from his wife so he could look down at her, “I love you and I know you love our baby. I’m sure that man is just trying to spice up his story to get more listeners.”

Lin sniffled, “I just can’t believe him! Him and all the other media eel-hounds. Making up all this information about our baby.”

Tenzin started gently rubbing Lin’s back as he continued to comfort her, “I’m not sorry that you’re carrying my child, but I am sorry that this has placed you center stage for everyone to make comments about you and try to give you unwarranted advice.”

Lin nodded, “I know. I’m not sorry we’re bringing new life into this world either. I just wish circumstances were a bit different.”

“Well, why don’t we sit and eat dinner and then plan the next leg of our honeymoon world tour?” Tenzin offered, leading Lin towards the small table that had the food he prepared laid out.

“Let’s get as far from Republic City’s gossipers as possible. Why don’t we go visit Kya at the South Pole?” Lin agreed.

“As you wish, my dear,” Tenzin said before they tucked into their dinner.

#linzin #atla #lok #fan fic #fan fiction #justcallmehermione

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emberfrostlovesloki · 4 years

Text

To Be Held Chapter 2 - Running Out

Here is chapter two!

Chapter warnings: Description of kidnapping. Mention of torture. Homophobic ideology. Description of sexual assault.

Spencer was on his side sleeping when his phone rang with a piercing shrill. He rolled onto his back, and he extended his long arm out to reach the phone on the bedside table. He didn’t even look at the name when he answered, “Reid here.” When he heard the voice of Garcia he sat up, suddenly awake. “Hey genius. Sorry for disturbing your beauty sleep, but I got your girl. “Give me a second.” Spencer said while turning on the lamp above his bed. The light hurt his eyes. He grabbed his notepad and a pen and sat down cross legged on the mattress. “I’m ready.” “Well, Venus Rising’s other name is Levi Hill. She’s an English lecturer at...” Before Penelope could get the rest of her sentence out Spencer filled in the last few words with, “Washington State University.” The computer whiz laughed and responded with, “Bingo. She teaches Queer theory, a class on Milton, and early British literature.” Spencer jotted down the information, and asked, “How long has she been teaching in Washington?” “Three years. It looks like she moved here from Ohio after getting her masters degree at Notre Dame. She’s twenty three, and before you ask, she doesn’t have a big social media presence, so I can’t find that much more about her.” Spencer replied to this tide of information with, “You did a great job Garcia. With this information we have a connection between Mr. Pyne at the university and Ms. Grost at Fantasy Girls.” Spencer was always impressed by Penelope, and sometimes he was scared of her too. “Anything for a fellow friend with a superior intellect.” Garcia said, then continued by saying, “I’ve sent Ms. Hill’s profile from Washington State over to you, along with her LinkedIn, and just for a bonus, her dissertation. One last thing you might want to know, pretty boy, she’s got office hours at 1:00 tomorrow, office number 212.” Spencer checked his email and found the attachments. “Thanks again.” Spencer said. Garcia replied happily, “No problem, now it’s my time for my beauty sleep.” The line dropped, and Spencer ran his hand through his hair. The clock read 5:00 A.M. ‘At least I have a few hours to read over this material’ Spencer mused. He grabbed his glasses off the table. Got up and started making some of the lousy instant coffee. It was going to be a long day.

The team entered the East precinct of the Seattle Police Department at 8:00 A.M. No one had really slept, which was usual in an active case. J.J. kindly handed Hotch, Gideon and Spencer a cup of coffee before pouring her own. As the coffee crew assembled around the milk and sugar. Gideon was adding a packet of sugar and stated, “This unsub feels very unstable to me, yet he’s methodical and calculated. It doesn’t make sense.” Hotch looked up from stirring the milk into his coffee and replied, “The unsub must be mission-oriented. We’re looking for someone that has a problem with religion or politics. He probably holds extreme beliefs.” The four members of the BAU moved into the room they had set up in and jumped into their assignments. Hotchner started by saying “I’m meeting Mr. and Mrs. Pyne at 10:00 A.M. today. Elle, will you come with me?” Elle nodded and said, “Of course.” Gideon then said, “I’m going down to the coroner's office to look at the death certificates of the victims, then I’ll go over to the forensic labs that ran the test on the orange fibers found at the scene. Spencer will join me. I might need your expertise at the lab.” “Actually I’m meeting a potential target that the unsub might have had contact with. Her name is Levi Hill. She’s a professor at Washington State, and an employee of Fantasy Girls.” The team looked at him, surprised that he had found a connection between the two victims. Spencer continued, “I was hoping J.J. would go with me. I’ll go to the coroner’s office with you, but Ms. Hill’s office hours are at 1:00 P.M. and I plan on being on time.” Gideon chuckled that Spencer hadn’t just said he couldn’t go with him to the lab. But Jason also knew that Spencer didn’t like conflict and avoided it when possible. He smiled at the genius while saying, “Sounds like a plan.” J.J. finished the conversation by saying, “I’ve set up a press conference at 5:00 P.M. today. The media is getting restless and it would be best if we give them, and the police a profile by then.” The team grouped up and into their assignments and headed out to the cars.

Mr. and Mrs. Pyne lived in a modest house on the edge of town. Hotchner and Elle were seated on a couch which faced another couch facing them, where the Pyne’s sat. Pictures were spread across the coffee table that showed Jefferson Pyne; the photos ranged from the smiling blond haired boy as a child to an adult version of the child standing outside of a dorm on the Washington State campus. “So, Mrs. Pyne, you said that Jefferson was doing well in school? Did you notice any changes in him in his sophomore year? Were there people who disliked your son?” Mrs. Pyne swallowed and wiped at a tear that fell down her face. Before she responded Mr. Pyne squeezed her hand reassuringly. She started by saying, “Jefferson excelled in school. He loved living in the dorms and meeting new people. During his freshman year he came out as gay.” Before Mrs. Pyne could continue, Hotchner interjected, “And how did you react to your son’s coming out?” Mr. Pyne smiled a little and said, “We try to be very open in this household. We told our son when he was younger that he could love anyone he wanted when he grew up.” After Mr. Pyne finished answering the question his wife continued by saying, “I was so proud of him the day he told me that he was gay, so, so proud.” Mrs. Pyne then bent over with a sob. She tried to hold back her tears, but they flowed down her cheeks. Mr. Pyne held her close to him and continued answering the questions with, “In Jefferson’s sophomore year he moved back home and commuted to school everyday. He wanted to live in an apartment, but we were having some financial troubles and it would be much cheaper. Mr. Pyne stood, allowing his wife to sit and gather her emotions. He gestured for Elle and Hotch to follow him. The trio walked up the stairs to the second story of the house. Mr. Pyne opened the second door on the left and said, “This room was Jefferson’s. We haven’t moved much in here except for some of the photos you saw downstairs. We’ll be downstairs, take all the time you need.” Mr. Pyne stepped out of the room and walked down the stairs, and went back in the direction of Mrs. Pyne.

The bedroom had a bed, desk and lamp. A pride flag adorned the wall next to a BYX banner. Hotch looked around the room and noticed the banner. “What fraternity is BYX? I haven’t heard of it before?” He looked to Elle. She was examining the book shelf that held a lot of college textbooks. She replied, “BYX stands for Brothers Under Christ. It’s a Christian fraternity that is known for their service to the community.” Elle didn’t know how much she believed in Christian fraternities or sororities, but she had a feeling about Jefferson. She told Hotch, “I don’t see anything suspicious about this kid. I suppose that he could be getting some backlash for coming out, but other than that, I don’t think he had enemies.” Hotch replied, “I agree. The parents don’t seem like likely suspects. Let’s go down and look at Jefferson’s laptop. If he was getting hate for being gay we might see it online.” The pair of agents stepped out of the room. Elle gingerly closed the door to Jefferson’s room and followed Aaron down the stairs into the living room.

The coroner’s office was very cold inside. Spencer folded his arms over his chest. Conserving the heat between his arms, shirt and maroon vest, and his body. After a minute an older man walked toward them. The man extended a hand toward Jason and said, “I’m doctor Stanley. I examined the bodies and wrote the cause of death” Gideon retracted his hand and said, “My name is Agent Gideon, and this is Dr. Reid.” Dr. Stanley took the time to look at Reid with unbelief. Stanley even rolled his eyes until Jason asked, “Do you have the files on Mr. Pyne and Ms. Grost ready for us?” The older doctor said, “Follow me.” He turned on his heel and walked quickly down a white tiled hallway. Spencer and Gideon followed behind him. Stanley unlocked a room that held a metal table and chairs. On the table lay two files. Stanley said, “Here are the files, if you have any questions you can page me.” With that being said the coroner walked away. Reid couldn’t help but sarcastically say, “What a professional man.” Gideon replied, “Agreed.” In the same tone as Spencer. The two men sat down, each grabbing a file off the table. After fifteen minutes of silently reading Spencer found something odd in the report on Ms. Grost. “Gideon, it says in the report that we got at headquarters that she had been raped. In Dr. Stanley’s report he only states that “‘the body was bruised in the primary sexual organs. If she was raped, why wouldn’t he have written that?” Gideon looked at the page that Spencer had handed him and replied, “Let’s find out,” while punching the button to Dr. Stanley’s pager.

Stanley walked reluctantly into the room with Spencer and Gideon. “Did you have a question?” the older man asked with condescension, looking at Spencer as he asked. Spencer looked back at the doctor unfazed and said, “I was wondering why in one report rape was explicitly stated, but in your analysis of the body you don’t?” Stanley cleared his throat and responded by saying, “The body hadn’t been penetrated by male genitalia. It was clear that an object was used. Under certain definitions that would not be considered rape.” Spencer looked a little sick at this information, and Gideon was angry. Jason stood, holding the page in his hand pushing it in front of the coroner. “You didn’t think it was important to tell us that the victim had been raped with an object instead of a dick.” Gideon breathed out harshly and turned to Spencer saying, “We have the information we need. Let’s go.” Jason’s tone calmed when he looked at Reid. Reid made him feel like a father again, and he couldn't let himself be mad around the younger agent. Spencer stood and neatly placed the folders on top of eachother on the table. As He and Gideon walked toward the door. Before Reid left the room he turned to Dr. Stanley and stated cooly, “I’ll be talking to your superior when this is over, about your apparent lack of empathy and understanding of medical terms dealing with trauma.” With that Spencer turned on his heel and left the cold room behind. As he and Gideon walked to the car Reid took a moment to close his eyes and feel the sun on his skin. The long night was getting to him.

In an unknown location a cabin surrounded by trees came to life with a shrill cry. Inside a man was tied to a wooden table. His legs and arms were bound in the shape of the cross. A figure dangled a cross above the body of the man who was tied down. “God told me that I should give you the chance to repent. You claim to be a man of God, preaching his word to those people who will burn in hell. It’s heretical!” The tormented man breathed laboredly, and coughed up some blood. The man stammered out shakely, “God states that he loves all people. Therefore I practice giving love to all people .” The man standing over the preacher laughed grimily and responded to his captive comment by saying, “God said that there would be false teachers in the end times, what a blessing I’ve found one. Now repent, or I’ll send you to the pit.” The preacher couldn’t say anymore, he was in so much pain that his mind couldn’t put words together anymore. Before the pastor passed out from the exhaustion of his position, he thought, ‘Lord save me. Lord.”

Gideon dropped Spencer off outside the main campus of Washington State University. Just as Spencer got to the student union he spotted J.J. standing outside the campus bookstore. When J.J. noticed him, she walked to him, and he asked, “How was it today in the station?” J.J. sighed at the memory and said, “The press had so many questions that are going to be answered in four hours if they were just patient. Instead I was forced to copy and paste the same response to fifteen different outlets.” Spencer had spotted the coffee shop above the bookstore and checked his watch, which read 12:25 P.M. “That does sound very boring. How would you feel about grabbing a coffee before going to office hours?” J.J. smiled at the idea and agreed. The two of them climbed the stairs. The date to the football game had made it clear that she and Spencer weren’t meant for eachother. But that didn’t invalidate their friendship. With coffees in hand the duo from the BAU found the English building and waited outside office 212. Spencer was leaning against the doorframe reading a basic philosophy book when he heard footsteps coming their way. He closed the book and stashed in his shoulder bag. The young women who walked toward her office didn’t look like what J.J. or Spencer had expected. “May I help you?” Professor Hill asked as she attempted to grab the keys to her office while holding a large box of blue exam books. Spencer pulled out his badge and said, “I’m Dr. Reid and this is agent Jareau. We’re from the Behavior Analysis Unit from the FBI. We have a few questions for you profesor Hill.” Ms. Hill looked surprised for a second, but she quickly replied with, “It’s nice to meet you Dr. Reid, and you agent Jareau. If you give me a second, we can go into my office. I’m happy to answer any questions you have.” Spencer quickly put his badge away and offered to hold the blue books. With the package out of her hands, Ms. Hill was able to grab her keys from her backpack and quickly unlocked the door to her office. She flipped on an office light and plugged in two lamps on each side of the desk, lastly she pulled a chair from one wall and placed it next to another chair at the desk. After she had finished all this she said, “Come in.” J.J. went in and took a seat, Spencer followed. He shut the door to the office with his foot, still holding the box of empty exam books. “I can take those now, thank you.” She took the box out of Spencer’s hands and placed it on an empty shelf of an overflowing bookcase. She sighed at the sight of the exams and then sat in the chair across from the agents, just as Spencer took his seat.

With notepad and pen at the ready Spencer began the interview with, “How long have you been living in Seattle Professor Hill?” Ms. Hill replied, “I’ve been living here for three years now. I was offered an adjunct position at the university during my final semester at Notre Dame.” Next, J.J. asked, “When did you start working at Fantasy Girls?” At this question Hill’s eyes briefly glanced over to her Master’s degree hanging on the wall before she looked at J.J. and said, “My second semester of teaching at this university made me realize that I wasn’t going to pay off my student loans as a professor. Even with financial aid and scholarships my debt after school was more than I could pay off in twenty years with my current position. In December I got an advancement in the University and I signed up to work at Fantasy Girls.” Spencer nodded his head at hearing about needing to pay off debt. Although he was fortunate that his parents had paid for his education, he knew people that were consumed with debt for the rest of their lives, it destroyed them. Spencer continued the conversation by inquiring, “Were you friends with Sydney Grost, or was she just a colleague?” Hill smiled at the question and said, “I remember my first night hosting; I had a client that was very insistent that I go back to his apartment with him. Well Sydney walked over to him and said, “‘If you keep harassing her, I’ll go over to your apartment and break every window I see with a brick.’” Sydney was very protective of all the girls. She and I worked a lot of jobs together and we’d always get coffee at the end of the night. Sit and talk about what we were doing tomorrow. She was great.” As Hill finished the answer she took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. It was clearly an attempt to stop herself from crying. Spencer looked away from the professor for a second too, not wanting to make her feel awkward. J.J. then asked kindly, “I know this is a sensitive question, but have you, Sydney, or any other women you work with gone back to a client’s apartment or house?” Ms. Hill ran her hand through her short hair. She took another breath and looked at J.J, and said, “The people I work with, they're like a family. We see each other at least three times a week. We see each other nude, or almost nude, and we complain about our lives. Whether or not some of the escorts have worked in that way I can’t say with certainty. We have to have some boundaries and that’s one of them.” She looked to J.J. to see if that was enough, “I’m sorry I have to ask this, but have you solicited sex after work?” J.J. did feel horrible having to ask a question like that. The blond agent knew that the work paid and therefore had to ask. Hill shook her head before answering, “No. I’ve never wanted to risk my position, not even for that much money.” J.J. nodded and jotted down the answer. Spencer placed his head on the side of his hand and tried to think of something he was forgetting. He thought for a moment, and then he it hit him, “‘social media.’” After realizing there was something strange about the professor’s media he quickly asked, “You don’t really have any social media. Is there someone you’re trying to avoid, or get away from?” Ms. Hill replied, “Being an escort isn’t really seen as a moral profession. If anyone found out what I do I’d lose my job, my friends in church and the opportunities I might have once I can move forward from here. The only person I’m trying to actively avoid is my father, but he lives in Florida, so I doubt he’s trying to find out where I am.” J.J. then said, “I think you’ve given us a lot of good information Professor Hill. I know you have class in twenty minutes. We’ll get out of your hair and let you get ready for that. Thank you so much for your time.” Ms. Hill smiled and wrote something down on a sticky note. As she handed the note to J.J. she said, “Here’s my cell number, email, and schedule for my other job. I hope you find the person who’s doing this, and stay safe.” When she finished saying this she stood and extended her hand to J.J. and Spencer. The FBI agents stood and Spencer opened the door for J.J. As the blond agent stepped out Spence pulled out his card and handed it to Hill and said, “If you see anything weird, or you feel unsafe, feel free to call me.” Ms. Hill smiled and said, “Thank you Dr. Reid.”

Gideon had picked up the results from the orange fibers. They had from a basic rope and could be bought at any hardware store in town. Although that lead had been disappointing Jason hoped that once Reid had a loot at the retort he would have more input on the evidence. As he was leaving the lab he got a call from Chief Best. “Gideon here.” The leader of the BAU listened for a moment before quickly picking up the forensic evidence and ran out of the lab. As he slid the seat of his car Jason replied to the police chief by saying, “I’ll let the team know, and I’m headed to the house right now.

The latest crime scene had new features that the others had not. Firstly, it was fresher than the other scenes. Secondly the victim had enemies in the community. James Reeve was a pastor and had been scrutinized by some of the other churches for teaching a doctrine of tolerance for some communities often marginalized by denominations of the Christian faith. As Morgan walked around the room he commented, “Reeve’s church is close to the Washington State Campus. It’s the central point to all of these cases.” Reid was confused by the new victim and said, “Why would the unsub take a college pastor? It doesn’t fit the profile. It’s likely the unsub is around the same age as Mr. Reeve. There seem to be a thousand directions this case could go.” Hotchern replied, “If the unsub is changing his targets every time he finds a new victim he could be trying to throw us off the trail. Or maybe he’s becoming more unstable. Afterall, this is the first time that he’s shown a sign of forced entry.” Gideon looked up from the door that had been forced open and said, “I’m certain that all of these victims are related in some way. The unsub is just getting bolder, braver with his abductions. I think that he’s making his final preparations for an important kill. We have to go back to the station and give a profile. Once the officers have it we need everyone looking for a person that meets the profile. We’re running out of time.”

#criminal minds #j.j #elle greenaway #aaron hotchner #jason gideon #spencer reid #dr. spencer reid #fanfiction

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yespolkadotkitty · 4 years

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Breathless, pt 7

Previous chapters here

The opulence of the perfumed gardens stunned and relaxed you. Well, as relaxed as it was possible to be with all the horrible things you had hanging over your head.

Conrad paid for the tickets and even bought you an ice cream - stracciatella, his favourite, vanilla with a cascade of tiny chocolate chips - to eat as you wandered around, hand in hand. You offered him licks of the cone and every so often he gave you this look from under his lashes, like he was remembering you sucking him off earlier in your little room.

The arousal made you edgy, but you tried to concentrate on the beautiful garden displays. Other tourists milled around, taking photos with selfie sticks. You leaned on Conrad in front of a stunning array of ixora, the needle-like petals red and vibrant.

“Excuse me?”

You tensed for a moment as Conrad turned to see an older woman in big sunglasses. “Can I help you?” he asked.

“You make such an adorable couple!” she gushed loudly. “Should I take your picture?”

You swallowed. “I, ah, don’t have a camera on me.”

The woman grinned at her friend. “I just bought this polaroid thingy off the internet! It’s instant, just like when I was younger! Humour me, will you?”

Her younger friend offered you and Conrad a long-suffering smile. “She’s very enthusiastic about her new toys.”

You glanced at Conrad and shrugged. Truth be told, your heart squeezed at the thought of a photo of him, something to keep with you on the many lonely nights that would follow after you two parted ways. “Is it okay?” you murmured.

“Sure.”

You relaxed into him as the woman lined up her camera. Her red lips were glamourous under the body of the camera for a moment, you allowed yourself to believe that you and James were here on holiday, nothing more pressing to do than look at flowers and eat ice cream cones. You felt him rest his chin on the top of your head and suddenly you felt almost unbearably sad, your eyes burning.

All too soon it was over. The camera flashed and you and Conrad watched as the polaroid printed. The woman waved it around by her fingertips to dry it, then presented it. “Here you go!”

You thanked her. The friend rolled her eyes good naturedly as the two strangers moved on, no doubt to take pictures of more tourists. Conrad took the photo from you and examined it.

“We look happy,” he observed.

You touched an edge to make sure it had dried, then tucked it in your pocket. “It’s nice to have something to remember Malaysia by,” you quipped, because you couldn’t say the words in your overflowing heart.

Together you stopped a little longer to admire a wall-climbing display of a famous national plant, the Pagoda flower, and then it was time to head back to the brothel, to meet yet another stranger who might have some answers about your brother.

****

There was no sign of Bill back at the brothel, and that relieved you. No doubt he’d not have been too pleased to see either you or Conrad, regardless of their dubious friendship. Was he still trapped in the locked room? You couldn’t bring yourself to care, right now.

Jin sat in her spot at what could very loosely be termed the reception area. She looked up when you walked in, and nodded, then said something to Conrad.

“Nurjahan is just eating. You’ll find her in the third room on the left,” he translated. He thanked her. Jin looked at you with those ageless eyes for a moment, and you wondered what her story was. But you had more pressing matters, and the answers lay with a woman down the hall, who sold her body to make ends meet.

You knocked on the door.

“Come,” called a female voice.

Conrad opened the door and you saw a young woman wearing her long dark hair twisted up in a bun. She looked perhaps twenty years old, and sat cross legged on a bamboo mat. She had a bowl of noodles in front of her and held, incongruously, a smartphone in her hand. She set it down as you entered the room.

“Nurjahan,” you began, “thank you for seeing us.”

“You want to know about the man called Ben?” she asked in perfect English, bidding you to sit. You and Conrad obeyed, lowering yourselves to the big bamboo mat. On the shelves around the three of you, bags of rice and bowls and other meal paraphernalia were stacked. Through an open window, birdsong and tinny music from a boombox warred.

Nurjahan’s phone vibrated but she ignored it.

“Yes please,” you said, forcing yourself to be calm. “He’s my brother.”

“He didn’t come and see me alone,” Nurjahan replied, idly stirring her bowl of half-finished noodles.

Conrad reached over and laced his fingers with yours, and just that little spark of contact made warm spiral inside you. He knew exactly what you needed, when you needed it.

“Go on,” you managed.

“He wasn’t alone. He had a girl with him. A westerner.”

You glanced over at Conrad. The lines of his face were set, no emotion betrayed. Questions rolled around in your mind.

“What did she look like?”

“Blonde hair, short. Very pretty.”

Nurjahan could have been describing Ben’s girlfriend, Trish. But… Trish was back home. Worried sick. It was Trish who’d raised the alarm to begin with. She’d sworn blind that Ben wouldn’t have gone without her. But had you spoken to her face to face? No. Only on the phone. Your stomach churned. What the fuck is happening?

“What….. Did they want?” you asked, a bitter taste in your mouth.

Nurjahan raised one elegant shoulder. “What does anyone who comes to a place like this want?”

“No, no-”

Conrad squeezed your fingers. “Can you think of anything either of them said, or did, that might be helpful to us? Or where they were going next?”

“They seemed like….. What is the term in English… thrillseekers. The girl spoke about a bungee jump, and your brother,” she directed the words at you, “seemed keen to go white water rafting.”

After Conrad asked a few more questions, which went nowhere, you numbly thanked Nurjahan for her time and closed the door, leaving her to finish eating in peace. Your head span and you were more confused than ever.

Conrad cupped your face in his hands, kissing you deeply. “It will be all right. I swear I will get to the bottom of this with you.”

Your heart sank. “I believe that you believe that, James. But I’ve no idea what I believe any more.”

Permanent taglist: @jessiejunebug @myoxisbroken @nonsensicalobsessions @lotus-eyedindiangoddess @vodka-and-some-sass @just-the-hiddles @hopelessromanticspoonie @villainousshakespeare @lovesmesomehiddles @brokenthelovely @polireader @alexakeyloveloki @wiczer @hopelessromanticspoonie @peacope @amarisyousei

#james conrad imagine #imagine tom hiddleston #fanfic #skull island fic

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heechulhamster · 5 years

Text

Magnum Opus - Baekhyun

BYUN BAEKYUN x Reader

Artist!AU, Angst, Fluff, Smut.

You were only in search for the man that would inspire you for your 10th painting, but he already found the subject of his masterpiece.

I know I said that I’d post this next week, but I just couldn’t stop myself from writing. My heart swells from the support and love that you give me, guys. Thank you so much!

5304 words.

____

It spoke of a silhouette of a man looking outside the window towards an episode of storm and undeniable gloom. He’s holding a flute of champagne like the classy man he poses to be. Yet like the scenery he ponders on, he’s nothing but a sad noise of isolation and and abandonment. JJY 11418, one of the paintings in your current exhibit. There were 8 others displayed on the finite space of the art gallery you’ve occupied for the past week. Nine was a small number for a collection of works to conduct an exhibition for, but nine is a huge number for the total of relationships..

JJY, or Jang Jaehyun was one of the nine men you’ve dated the past years - a part of your past, a random person in your wide array of memories, and now painting number nine. His was an image of aloofness and poignancy, exactly how he entered your life. Jaehyun was a broken boy in all aspects. A personification of the bad boy stereotype in the movies, bent, scarred, and emotionally distant. The relationship was mainly physical at first, until he opened up and relied on you. But at this point in your life, you weren’t up for the task to be a bearer of someone’s emotional dependency. It was only a matter of time for him to break you like how much of a ruin he is, so you had to sever all ties with him.

Your eyes wandered further to the other paintings subtly titled with other initials. How you immortalized someone you ought to forget and bury in the past by art. Or rather capitalize on old, toxic relationships. You got hurt, so it was right and just you could use those experiences, their stories, for a living, right?

“Who’s JJY?” You’re brought back to Earth by a random interruption behind you. Abruptly turning to see who it is, you see a man not much taller than you with his face void of harsh features.

“Hmmm… someone.” You answered thriftily.

“I conclude that JJY is an ex.” He said with a short laugh and his eyes disappeared when he smiled. Cute, you thought.

“I believe that the exhibit has been closed for..” You look at your watch. “15 minutes now, I’m just preparing to close.”

“I just finished closing mine, that’s why I dropped by. Been wanting to enter this exhibit for a while now.” He used his thumb to point on the exhibit adjacent to yours.

“Oh you’re the photographer?” You asked to which he nodded to. “Nice to finally meet you. I loved your portraits, your boyfriend?”

“No, I don’t exactly sway that way.” You chuckled a little on his words. “Kai is a friend, been interested to photograph dancers while they dance. You know, motion translates good on photos.”

“Tell Kai that he really looks good while dancing.”

“Sorry honey, my friend is taken.” Laughing at your implication. He reached out his hand in front of you, “Baekyun.” You took his hand and also introduced yourself.

“So, all of them are exes?” Baekhyun slowly took his steps as his head looked around the room. His olive green blazer and faded jeans with his copper toned hair contrasting greatly against the white room.

“Not exactly, one over there was an ex fuck buddy. But got enough story to paint.” You pointed towards a warm colored painting on the other side of the room, LDH.

“Wow, you’ve been around.” He laughed as he adjusted his round glasses and took another step towards another painting.

“Well, I can say I’m just in demand.” You joked.

“This one’s sad, this is literally just a guy on a desk and everything’s black and white. What was he like?” Baekhyun closely examined the piece KJS.

“Man, was he as boring as that painting. In all aspects! Conversation wise, he was of no depth. He was a business man, you know how plain and bland they are.” You explained.

“Even in bed?” Baekhyun looked back at you.

“More over in bed.”

“This KJS guy is really a waste of canvas.” He laughed a little and continued walking around with both his hands on his pockets. You have to admit, Baekhyun didn’t look a lot like your ideal type, tall and tan with masculine features. He is more of a flower boy appearance, like someone you’d meet on a sunny Sunday walk around the neighborhood and greet. Yet his aura exuded something more cunning and it got you curious. He really carried himself well.

“Do you accept commissions?” Baekhyun asked.

“Do you mean do I accept new relationships?” You jokingly answered before you looked back at him with his suggestive look. He earned a scoff from you, “Are you serious?”

“I find you interesting, and cute.” Baekhyun wiggled his eyebrows at you. You did a quick scan of your current appearance, you’re wearing a maxi skirt with an ethnic print and a black lace bralette. Your fashion sense sure was in luck today.

“Cute, what a word. Last time I’ve been called that was probably in high school.” You laughed.

“Okay, I think you’re hot. Besides, I would like to make a deal.” Baekhyun fully turned his body from facing the painting to yours and put his hands in his pockets.

“I just knew there’s gonna be a catch. What’s it?” You crossed your hands over your chest to feign intimidation.

“I might have seen the subject of my next series in you.” He reached out a hand and tucked a loose strand of your hair behind your ear, a gesture that made you blush like a teenager. “And who knows, maybe I could be painting number ten?”

With Baekhyun’s smirk, you just knew that it was too good of an offer to refrain to.

Baekhyun was an interesting person, to say the absolute least. He was colorful beyond being an artist, an extreme delight to talk to. All it took for you was two dates with him to be madly infatuated with him, and what he could be. How he spoke of everything with passion and with a pledge of enthusiastic fervor.

You vividly remember the first date, a textbook definition of a date in a cafe. It was an interesting place just near the art galleries. A space filled with vintage memorabilia and there was an actual vintage car inside. Baekhyun took the opportunity with you and his camera, presenting you photos of sides of yourself that you’ve never seen before. A new smile that suited your face so well, and you just know what made the difference. The cafe was interesting in itself yet with his ecstatic musings and stories of childhood, it made the place look gloomy and he was the sole light in the universe.

“What did you see in me?” You suddenly asked as you stirred your frappe and while he changed batteries of his camera.

“Uhm, beauty?” He playfully answered with the smile that made him look like a dachshund, a cute one that is.

“Shut the fuck up, Baek. Seriously. You told me you saw your next series or whatsoever in me. I need to know why.”

Baekhyun shifted in his seat and put down his Leica. “I’ve always wanted to feature artists in my work. You know, people tend to disregard the artistic process. The time it took and the emotions a person shed just to come up with the art that they’re so willing to buy and consume. I want the world to see that, the story behind. The art in the making of art.” You almost thought that he’s being to serious in his speech until he winked right after the last sentence.

“And you’re hot. You’re art yourself.” You just chuckled at his playfulness. Because honestly, even if you tried to reply, you’d only speak utter gibberish due to the blush that flooded your cheeks.

Baekhyun made you experience teenage love in the age of twenty six.

It wasn’t like your previous relationships the past few years where you just stuck together for companionship, or sex. It wasn’t a matter of just fulfilling the physical and emotional gaps you have in your life. Baekhyun wasn’t just a cork you try to mask your insecurities and loneliness with. He was someone who made you feel as if you really wanted to be there. You didn’t show up on dates just for the sake of courtesy - you were excited for it. You remember how with the past others you’ve dated, you just come as whoever you are. How you put close to no effort in dressing up, because they weren’t someone you need to impress. They asked you out in the first place. But with Baekhyun, you spend two hours in front of the mirror trying to pick a dress that would accentuate all your assets. It wasn’t because you need to impress him, it’s just because you want to look your best.

The second date, you both tried to go out your comfort zone and rented a karaoke booth. He told you that performance wasn’t his thing but he actually had good singing skills. So when he passed you the mic, you amply declined in embarrassment. Yet that boy really had good convincing, or annoying skills that he was able to coax the shame out of you and got you to sing Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and The Waves. A few drinks and songs later, both of you sang a duet and danced to Abba.

It was at that moment where you started to look at his eyes a bit differently. How his eyes were too warm for your liking, how it carried more messages than you could comprehend. You grew aware of how his thumb lightly played with your shoulder as his hand rested on it. Your bare thigh due to the shorts your wearing was attentive of how it connected with Baekhyun’s denim pants. It was as if your senses were at overdrive, and all it could take in was Baekhyun.

“You’re not hot.” You suddenly blurted out.

“Uhm, ouch. But thank you?” He put his hand over his chest to act as if he’s hurt.

“No, I mean. You’re not buff, not muscular. But there’s just something about you I find sexy. And I don’t know what it is.” You shook your head much to your chagrin.

“That’s better.” He quickly answered. You shot him a confused face while your elbow rested on the couch and your hand supported your face. Baekhyun straightened his seat in front of you. “If you’re just attracted to how I look, you could leave me if I gain weight. If you don’t know what you’re here for, you’re just going to keep on wanting to know. You’re stuck with me, missy.”

“I need to know, Byun. How am I going to paint my 10th if you’re going to keep me in a daze?” You pouted.

“Artist’s call.” That was all he answered before he chugged down another bottle of beer.

Baekhyun showed up in your exhibit late at night after his day job. He worked as a photojournalist for the local paper aside from his artistic ventures as a photographer. Keeps the stability of the dinner table, he says. To which you understand fully, a painting can earn you a couple of hundred dollars. A commissioned painting can cost to up a thousand, but how common of an occurrence was that? You yourself experienced needing to work a few temp jobs just to make ends meet.

“Can I ask you something?” Baekhyun whispered behind you, to which you responded a simple hum.

“Which hurt the hardest?” You looked back at him and saw nothing but mere curiosity in his face.

“Hmmm…” You started crossing the finite space of your exhibit, halting in front of a piece that was a burst of reds and oranges, a symphony of warm tones. It featured a two people hugging each other, but one had his back from the other as it seemed that his own figure melted. You sighed, the very first piece that you made in this collection - JTY.

“It really looks painful.” You felt a pair of arms wrap around you and you were enveloped in Baekhyun’s embrace and his scent. “Who is it?”

“My second boyfriend, just right before I graduated from High School. We lasted a while. Close to 2 years , I think. He wanted me to go to the same University as him, take a much more practical course. But I don’t want that. I can’t be just another lawyer like him, I can’t deal with the definitivity of it. How constricted their career is with their laws and everything. He broke up with me and told me I was being dumb. That being an artist would only lead to struggling. And he couldn’t stay with someone so irrational. He didn’t just break my heart, he made me doubt my dreams. Made me doubt if I could actually make it. But hey, here I am, right?” You chuckled a little after you ended your story.

All you felt was his breath fanning on your neck. The story didn’t even make you sad anymore, it was just a part of your past. And you’ve already proven your ex wrong. And you’re with someone way better.

“You’re here, and I trust that..” Baekhyun whispered and planted a chaste kiss on your neck. “To further places you’ll go.”

You turned your face to him, his arms on your waist hugged tighter as you closed the distance between your lips. Gently placing a kiss on his lips as if expressing how thankful you were that he was by your side.

Later that night, both of you ended at your apartment. Out of no reason, he reminded you that he was to commission a painting from you. Baekhyun brought his old film camera and a polaroid, and you remembered that he wanted to capture you as you work.

“What would you like me to paint?” You asked as you sat in front of your easel, paint and brushes already prepared on the side.

“What do you want to paint? Whatever.” He said as he prepared his film camera and set up a blinding set of lights.

“I thought this was commission? You need to give me ideas, sir.” You chuckled a little.

“Me.” He answered as he sat on the chair that was in reverse, then placing his elbows on the backrest. “But how you see me.”

“Shall I paint a puppy, then?” You joked, to which Baekhyun scoffed at.

“Nevermind. Just do a self portrait.” He decided, and you looked at him annoyingly. “I told you-”

“You told me that you don’t do self portraits because you don’t like how you see yourself. But I do like you. And I’d like a beautiful painting so just paint you. It’s a commission, no buts - okay?” He retaliated, and at this point you had no choice.

So you just put your hair up in a bun and started painting. You put one of your legs up on the chair, the way it helps you focus. You tried to not be distracted by the few clicks of camera that you hear, and not be conscious of how you’d look on the photos. But that wasn’t was distracting you all along. Baekhyun already removed the coat that he wore over his black button down shirt, which already had its first three buttons undone. And with the way he focused on his craft, he glistened hotter than the surface of the sun.

You tried your best to just proceed on your work. Choosing to portray yourself naked, only covered by a thin cloth, as a sign of freedom. The way you’re used to. As an expression of your despise for being bound and being told what to do. The way your ex told you what you should do, the way your parents asked you to take another course. The nakedness you showed was a sign of breaking free from all that held you back to who you wanted to be.

“You really want me to hang that on my living room?” Baekhyun suddenly asks behind you.

“You hang it where you want to hang, but I’ll paint what I feel to paint.” You answered without even looking at him as you refrained to be distracted.

“Do you even know that you bite your lips too hard when you focus?”

“I’m not aware of how I look like when I paint, Baek. That’s why I need to see how I look on those photos.”

He walked over in front of you and holds your hand, almost commanding you to stop your activity. “You could continue that some other time. For now, I have another thing in mind.” He said as he put down the canvass you’ve been working on from your easel.

He walked over to the stock of other canvass boards lying in your living room and unpacked one, eventually placing it on the easel.

“I’m to commission another, an abstract.” He said.

“I’m not a fan of abstract, Baek.”

“But that’s what I want. I’ll help you.” He proclaimed and you scrunched up your face in confusion. “Abstract paintings are more than a mess, you see. It portrays what the artist feels as of the moment. An emotion locked in time by a painting. I’ll help you by giving you something to feel.”

You almost choked in shock and confusion when he knelt in front of you. Hands slowly carressing your thighs down to the hem of the skirt you wore. Baekhyun looked at you as if asking for permission, to which you just nodded to. He lifted the hem of your skirt to reveal your legs, and eventually your underwear.

“Baekhyun, what?” You asked almost with just your breath.

“Just paint what you feel, darling. And I’ll make you feel good.” Baekhyun responded just right before he planted kisses on your inner thigh. Your hands quivered at the sensation he was bringing you. You felt his hands palming your heat, a part of you he’s already familiarized himself with the past month you’ve been dating.

Baekhyun continued planting wet kisses on your thighs until his hands started tugging on your underwear. You lifted from your chair a little bit to let him fully pull it down. For him to remove the barrier that’s been separating the two of you. It was when you felt his breath in the middle of your thighs that your mind blanked out.

“You better start painting, baby. I’m planning to take a while here.” Baekhyun declared then suddenly diving his face into your folds. The way his tongue flattened on your heat sent your mind to space. With his tongue’s movements and his arms wrapped around your thighs, constricting you to move, you just blanked out. You closed your eyes and threw your head back as you let him work his wonder into your body.

“The painting, baby. I’m gonna need you to tell me how you feel by that.” Baekhyun parted his lips from yours so you picked up the first shade of paint that came in contact with your hands, violet. He returned his lips on your folds, and eventually sucked on your clit. You were unable to function normally, and the canvass was just a mess of random smears of violet and blue.

He then started using his hands when you picked up another color. You were nearing your bliss when Baekhyun worked faster. Your hands on the canvass almost mimicked his movements, producing jagged zigzag lines of white over the cold colors. A few moments later and you felt your lower stomach contract. Your left hand putting down the paint and finding his hair, bunching it to make him feel how close you were. It didn’t even take another minute for you to reach your release.

Baekhyun distanced himself from you, looking at you with evidences of his actions and your pleasure still smeared on his face. He looked at the painting, “It’s beautiful, and it's mine.”

You laughed at the double meaning of his words. “It’s free, as a payment for your hard work.”

It was another day where you woke up in a place that’s not yours. Enveloped with an arms that held you as if he’d stop breathing if he lets go. Baekhyun sensed that you’re already awake and planted a kiss on the side of your face.

“Good morning, beautiful.” You just threw him a side eye on his cheesy words.

You just lied on his bed when he stood up, you didn’t want to move due to the way your body felt. Sore, tired, and stretched out, but wonderful and pleasured. You closed your eyes again as you felt the blankets peeled away from your body. You almost pulled it back in response but you’re shocked when you opened your eyes and saw a polaroid camera focused at you.

You didn’t know how to react. Because one, you’re naked as hell. And second, Baekhyun was generous enough to shower you with marks and bites last night.

“What the fuck Baek?” You threw a pillow at him. “That’s not going in your collection.”

He laughed at you as he fanned the photo that came out of the polaroid. “No worries, for a very special personal collection. Only my eyes can see.”

You both just cuddled afterwards, immersing yourself in the pleasure of silence and just holding each other close. You turned to him, admiring his youthful features.

“How did you get into photography?” You suddenly asked.

“It was my first love, actually.” You nodded in silence. “She was the first one to make me hold a camera. I fell in love with it, and she’s always been my subject. But I eventually fell in love with the art more than her. She felt it, and grew tired of being with me. She told me to find a new subject, one that’s better suited for me. One that I can produce my magnum opus with. One that feels perfect.” He stared at you as he spoke.

“One that can stick with me and my art forever.” Baekhyun grabbed your hand and planted a kiss on it.

Your breath hitched, on the mention of the word. Forever.

Were you willing to stick forever?

Or Baekhyun was just something that excited you now? And like all other men, would be boring to you afterwards. You always found yourself growing tired of a routine, and the same applied to people. When time comes that you’ve known them too well, when there’s no thrill anymore, you tend to slip away. You tend to lose interest.

Would it be different for Baekhyun? Will he keep you interested long enough for you to commit?

Another thing, commitment. One you’re scared of and one you suck at. Commitments were never your thing. That’s why you never indulged yourself on the steady pay of a day job. Routines sicked the hell out of you. You couldn’t bare to live a life so repeated and cyclical. You’re afraid to be tied down, bound, and be stopped from growing. You don’t want to be stuck in a same place, you loved adventure so much and you seeked it. Whether that new encounters involved new places or new people, as long as you’ll gain another story to tell that you’d then translate onto a canvas. Immortalizing a story into a piece of art that no one can change.

Are you willing to give up that freedom in an exchange of a stability with Baekhyun?

Later that night, you found yourself once again in front of your easel. WIth your feet up and your hair tied in a tight, messy bun. All too fixated on the story that flowed out from your mind, to your hands, and eventually on the painting that you worked on.

Your tenth painting.

It wasn’t too cinematic nor too definitive. It’s just a man with an army green coat, holding a camera that covers his face. His other hand held another that extends to the front of the painting, a hand that was supposed to be yours. The background almost looked like a galaxy, a symphony of blue and violet - a splitting image of the abstract painting that already lived in his bedroom.

It’s a summary of how you saw Baekhyun, how you felt with him, and how much you’re happy and hurt.

Hurt because you just can’t find the will to stay.

You’re a coward that’s afraid of imperfection. He wants someone who could stick forever. His perfect muse of his art. The subject of his masterpiece, the lady of his colorful life. But you can’t find the perfect girl in you, you don’t know if you could fulfill all his expectations. If you were enough to be the perfect girl. Your mouth filled with bitterness on the notion of the word perfect, a word so superficial and so abstract. Because who can even be ever perfect? Is there even a set standard on what perfect is?

But you just knew to yourself that you’re not that.

You couldn’t be perfect.

And you couldn’t be his.

You lifted your brush, and there it was. The painting that will never speak enough on how much you felt, how much you loved, and how much it hurt - BBH.

You stopped dropping by his exhibit even if it’s only opposite yours. You started ditching his calls, not wanting to be the one to break the thing between you two. Because you can’t break his heart and doing so would break yours. Maybe if you just put the two of you in the cold, he would eventually slip away too, that maybe Baekhyun would also just let it slide and let go.

But too much for a wishful thinking.

Baekhyun showed up on the last day of your exhibit, you were currently boxing all the unbought paintings and wrapping up those who found a home. He showed up with his dark jeans and black shirt. His hair ruffled but every strand still in perfect place. You knew with the look on his face that’s he’s here to clear things up.

“What’s wrong, (Y/N)?” He sat in front of you as you neatly taped a painting in its box.

“Nothing? It’s the last day of my exhibit. I just need to clear things up a bit.” You didn’t even look in his eyes, afraid that when you do so - you’ll only give in.

“I’m not talking about the damn exhibit, I’m talking about us.” His voice grew louder, tenser. You could already imagine how veins would show on his forehead and the tendons on his neck would grow tense.

“Us? What’s with us, Baek?” You tried to answer innocently.

“Exactly. What’s with us?” He reached out to your hand. Tugging it a bit harshly to get you to look at him. “You just fucking dropped me off, I don’t even remember doing anything wrong. So tell me what happened. Because obviously, the ball is in your court.”

You sighed, there was just no getting out of this. You stood up and placed the boxed painting among the others that was ready for pickup.

“I finished my tenth painting, and you finished your new series. So…” You tried to flash a smile.

“Yes, it’s done. So?” Baekhyun’s forehead creased in confusion.

“So our deal is done. Remember? You asked for a deal. And it’s done.” You had to turn your back away from him.

“What? So that’s all this was to you?” He grabbed your arm to make you turn around back to him. And when you met his eyes that spoke of agitation and various sentiments, you can’t help your eyes from welling up. You wanted to break down, regret the way you’ve acted the past weeks and just hug him.

“That’s all I am to you? Just another painting to hang on some rich guy’s wall? Another canvass you’d brand with my initials? So fuck, I’m just BBH, painting number ten to you?” He laughed in sarcasm.

“No, Baek. It’s just…” Your words got caught up in your throat. A little bit of too much and too little thoughts flooded your mind. You wanted to say a lot of things, how much he made you feel, how happy you were with him, and everything.

“What? Because, I love you. I fucking love you so much, (Y/N) You’re not just going to be another photo project I’m working on, because you live here.” Baekhyun’s index finger pointed on his chest, where his heart is, where he told you you lived in.

“I can’t be your perfect girl, Baekhyun! I’m not perfect. I don’t know if I’m enough to fill all your expectations. All that you want, because I’m just me, Baek. A girl that paints her exes into canvases to make ends meet. One who dated ten guys to get stories to paint, who’s been around just for the sake of the art I make.” You explained.

“I got addicted into the idea of dating people because it gives me inspiration and stories to paint. And with you, you just didn’t make me want to paint a single work. You’re the one I can’t explain in just one frame. I don’t think a thousand would be enough, too. I’m scared. I’m scared because this shit is new to me. I came to this agreement expecting to gain something and go to the next one but no, I craved something more. I craved to stay. And I don’t know how to deal with it. Because commitments is something I suck at, Baek.”

Baekhyun took two steps and closed the distance between you two. Both of his hands found the sides of your face, cupping it closer to him.

“I don’t need someone’s who’s perfect. I just need someone who stays.” He planted a chaste kiss on your lips. “Just stay, please.”

You just stared at him, you wanted to stay. You wanted to go and find out how it feels to be kept and stay at one place. The pleasure and comfort of finding a home in somebody’s arms. But could you?

“Please, stay.” Baekhun asked once more because he kissed you passionately in the middle of the room. The exact same room where he first approached you. The room that contained all the frames that told stories of each and every heartbreak, every part of your past. And now it contained the man who held your future, and he was holding you.

Baekhyun kept hold of his part of the gallery. Eventually filling it with a new series of photos, one that featured you. There you saw how you bit your lip as you focused on a painting. Each strand of your hair that went haywire from the messy bun on the top of your head. How you sat so unfeminine with your feet up on the chair. It was just so raw, and so you.

“I told you, it looks good.” He said as he planted a kiss on your shoulder. He let you be the first one to see the photos as he freshly hung it in the gallery.

“It only looks good because you’re a great photographer. You know my angles.” You said with a smile.

“No, it doesn’t just look good. It’s perfect. To me, you’re perfect.” His arms embraced around you again. “And this love I share with you is my masterpiece. An art that I’d continue working on.” And Baekhyun planted a kiss on your lips.

And it’s true, because the love you had for each other in your veins will be forever immortalized in the art that you bleed. An emotion captured in time, a moment that’s frozen, and a love that will never fade.

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asherlockstudy · 5 years

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I get that interview was HBO forced but it sounds insane when last season, he was saying Jaime needed to get away from her for good. I mean no nice post about Gwen after the last ep. I dont believe it was about not wanting to stir the hornet's nest if him and B didnt get together as he posted a huge loving one about Lena and that was a very controversial part of the plot. If hed know posted a gwen one saying"sorry JB didnt get a happy ending but here's me and Gwen in happier times" i dont get it

I think it’s very weird too…Imma analyze it. Not that I’m gonna reach any solid conclusion but I will just lay out all my thoughts.

Whatever the reason Nik doesn’t post or reply publicly to Gwen is, it has nothing to do with his personal preference for Braime or Jaime x Cersei. Even if we make the insane assumption that Nik appreciated that Jaime dumped Brienne to return to murderous Cersei and die with her without serving any purpose in the main plot (what lead actor of 8+ years would ever like being unimportant in the ending plot) and saw “pOeTRy” in it, it still doesn’t explain why he should prefer posting about Lena over Gwen. We would be naive to think he made a post about Lena and not Gwen because he prefers Cersei to Brienne. So, we still have no clear evidence of what Nik’s private thoughts and feelings are for his character after the ending.

Here’s what we have:

We have two interviews: one with HBO rofl and one with that journalist who collaborates with HBO and was an insider (I’m not gonna search his name) in which he stans Jaime’s choices, his love for Cersei and the tragic poetry in it all. Then we have him promoting the episodes and the documentary in his instagram and twitter, however he is entirely emotionally detached from his character and his fate. I would say he lowkey looks entertained in his weird af episode promo videos and secretly amused while filming the “thank you” video after the last episode where he says “Come on, it was great” and suggests a petition for an Arya (huh?) sequel.

We have two videos uploaded on yt with him: one is a video of a stalker in which Nik looks uncomfortable and passes the question to the random guy next to him who apparently happens to be a GOT fan, have an elaborate opinion on the last season, hate D&D and think they threw away Jaime’s beautiful character arc. What are the odds…The second is a skit in Jimmy Kimmel in which Nik drags his own character by making him stupid and clumsy, a sad little being because of his maiming and, most importantly, an unrepentant sister fucker. All of Jaime’s worst qualities displayed for laughs, plus that he’s actually a likeable but very stupid person. The skit ends with a dragon randomly burning him and his family alive and those credits

So, we have straightforward criticism towards D&D by Kimmel and NCW actually participates in it. This is what this skit means - that this level of writing, this kind of lame character and that ludicrous death is something that only Benioff and Weiss would like to produce. And, well, the Olsen sisters (although I think they’re cleverer than that).

So, we have two videos where NCW’s intentions are dubious AT BEST.

Then we have all the promos. When left to speak on his own, Nikolaj would say how the ending was beautiful and made sense and he once mentioned he sent a letter to thank them for this genius plot…Right. But then when asked or caught off guard (1:04):

youtube

Nobody tries to sugarcoat it, look at the title of the video: … NCW is ‘happy’. Then of course we have our Lady and Saviour Gwen who tries not to laugh as Nik struggles to find what to say and not just stand up and flee.

Also, this one. The best one:

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I could make a thousand gifs for this but just watch again the entire video:

0:07 - Gwen’s face when Nik says he thought the script was fantastic

1:13 - “N-no..NO!!!” when asked if he would change something in the ending and Gwen’s reaction to that. Then, our leader Gwen proceeds to mock him: “So, it’s an immaculate- It’s immaculate?” to which Nik impulsively replies: “NO!” and goes on “do you ever read a book and think you want to rewrite this?” which implies, that yes he would want to rewrite it but knows he can’t.

(3:03 - 3:06) - VERY IMPORTANT ONE. When Gwen wondered who was closer to predicting the actual ending, Nik says “I was, yeah” and OMG look at Gwen’s face. It’s very subtle but she’s trying to communicate with her eyes a “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT” to him without being seen by the interviewer. It’s kind of a wife done with her husband’s shit look tbh, that level of subtlety. And Nik answers back with his eyes in equal subtlety and it’s like he says a “What? I truly was right lol….”. To me, this seems to mean that Nik always knew or feared that D&D would eventually destroy all his work and was eventually proven right. Unless this all is about Dany being killed by Jon but I doubt at this point Nik and Gwen cared enough to go all cryptic and eye communicating for this. No, it was about them.

3:09 - Nik is surprised and then clearly amused at the information by the interviewer that Kit was the one who came closer with his prediction. He can’t hide his smile and says an ironic “good for him” while looking knowingly at Gwen who then says this must be a lie. This shows that it is known amongst the actors that most of them are disappointed and Kit was one of them. Both Nik and Gwen apparently knew Kit hated his ending too and would never expect this to be how the show would wrap up. BTW that writing and that backlash really got to Kit, I hope he recovers soon. But think about this, Kit went into rehab for stress and alcohol, Emilia was devastated and gave a somewhat concerning interview and Nik’s public behaviour regarding GOT is inconsistent and unpredictable. I am thus assuming the writing of the final season and the backlash fucked them up way more than they let on.

This interview is a gem but here’s the most important part, perhaps the core of what baffles us:

1:32 - After all the miserable no-nos poor Nik mumbles, Gwen tells Nik what we all think: “I think it’s just a question, you know? Maybe you want to answer it?”

Of course he’s in a total loss for words. Literally, he doesn’t make any sense. Some incoherent sounds come out of his mouth and that’s it. This can mean two things: either he truly thinks the ending is perfect or the ending made him such a mess that he can’t even process it verbally two years later.

Either Gwen is much braver and Nik is extemely paranoid or Nik actually has many more restrictions in what he is allowed to say. I believe Gwen wanted Nikolaj to be as open as her about it and she still tries to make him open up but he doesn’t. In all the promos without exception, Gwen looks as if she knows Nik is full of shit and secretly agrees with her. If Gwen knows that for a fact, then we can’t argue and it’s actually what makes sense anyway. Nikolaj agrees with Gwen but is not eager to discuss it openly yet, or ever. This could be because he is very professional or because he doesn’t want to get a bad name as a “backstabber” of his projects or it might be a situation of a more sensitive nature.

If those rumours that the S8 script was changed are true, then Nik and Lena might have had a serious breakdown with D&D and a negotiation might have taken place. For instance, Nik and Lena were really unnecessary in E6, Nik’s scene in E1 could have been eliminated as well and Lena does not appear in E3. Yes, they are big actors but paying them 1,2 million for every episode seems a tad excessive when Emilia and Kit are now famous too and have like 300% times more screentime. All this is wild speculation but maybe they stretched their appearance in the episodes as much as possible and gave them a good amount of money to agree on the butchering of their characters and their importance as former lead actors. I mean, especially Lena was downgraded to a secondary character in this season. Lena had to really fight to see her salary rise in the previous seasons. And now it’s a million for every episode? Wow. How many minutes was she staring out of the window in S8? Maybe they were silenced and payed a shitload of money to stop complaining and promote the show and praise the writing as what it was supposed to be. Maybe they payed them in order to promote Peter, Kit and Emilia for the Emmys instead, who knows. When so much money is involved, things can get frustrating in ways we don’t even fathom. This is wild and rough speculation but all I’m saying is there may be reasons Nik avoids talking freely about his character that we can’t know.

Besides, it’s not just a Gwen problem. It is not a Gwen problem. Gwen revealed she sent a “Jaime is a fuckboi” meme to Nik privately and he answered playfully as ever (but again as if he’s in denial). They posted a story together a couple of weeks ago. Nik did not just ignore Gwen’s instagram post. Daniel Portman posted the photo and tagged Nikolaj too. Nik ignored him as well. Bryan Cogman, who Nik and Gwen owe a lot to, commented under the photo in a very sweet and emotional way. Guess what, Nik ignored him too! It’s ridiculous to think Nikolaj has stopped communicating and caring about Gwen AND Daniel AND Bryan just because his character returned to Cersei. Furthermore, the fact that they all keep tagging him shows they don’t think their relationships with him have become tense.

That’s not it. It’s not about Gwen. The only way that Gwen is involved in all this is that she wants Nikolaj to open up so that he would give a little acknowledgement to her character and the relationship with Jaime because she feels very much for Brienne. I’m sad to say, however, that it seems to me that Nik did not take that blow more lightly than Gwen. In fact, his behaviour is more inconsistent and troubling whereas Gwen’s openness about it made her confront that sore subject more healthily after all. I start believing Nik was actually way more devastated than Gwen. At least Brienne remained a decent character, ever faithful to her ideals, ever innerly strong. Jaime was entirely trashed, let alone that he was supposed to be a main character. If Nik can’t even handle a photo that reminds him of his destroyed character arc, I wouldn’t be surprised. Maybe Gwen wants Nik to open up so much for his benefit as well - he keeps it bottled up and she might know first hand how that affects him.

Long story short, the reasons Nik doesn’t post anything about his feelings for Jaime’s character arc, his relationship with Brienne and his collaboration with Gwen probably are both professional, after begrudging deals and agreements and restrictions from HBO, and very personal, inner and private, as he’s still trying to cope with a disappointment that crushed down on him from what used to be his dream job and a role he hoped would be a (or the) peak of his career. I bet all these years Nik was hopeful Jaime would be extremely important and fully redeemed in the end but also extremely scared and anxious that the writers won’t give him what he hoped for and what made sense. Would I exaggerate if I said this should be the biggest professional disappointment he ever experienced, provided that he didn’t like the character’s ending?

From everything Gwen has said about him, I have surmised that Nik is very emotional and anxious but with a very blasé and superficially amiable attitude. He avoids expessing emotion in real life which is why he might be dissociating a lot lately. He tries to distance himself from that part of Jaime’s character that involved Bryan and Gwen because this is the part that he loved and lost. Honestly, I can’t think of any other logical reason he ignored Gwen, Dan and Bryan one after the other and never made a post about his own character specifically or his good times with Gwen. It’s obviously not that he suddenly hates all of them to the point of not even replying. Even if HBO restricts him on what he can say in interviews for a while, there is no other explanation for this other than that D&D’s genius writing fucked him up emotionally as much as Emilia and Kit and he does not want to deal with it even though Gwen probably thinks it would be for the best if he did.

Now after I wrote all this, imagine if Nikolaj actually doesn’t give a shit and is just happy going on with his life while I am here wasting time. But… I don’t think so. I will never not believe Nik didn’t love Jaime to pieces. He had big dreams for this role, I am sure of it.

#nikolaj coster waldau #jaime lannister #gwendoline christie #nik and gwen #jaime x brienne #braime #got negativity #more

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neshabeingchildish · 5 years

Text

Poly Wanna? Ch. 10

Even though this is a rated M story with characters in the 27-29 age range, I understand and respect that there are kiddos here and have no intention of writing flat out graphic adult material. I’ve used a lot of mature language, but have hopefully not gone too far in this chapter, which has numerous dreams and situations that I tried not to make too explicit. Be prepared for a few shockers, but hopefully, the M didn’t go into some other higher letter!

I stopped tagging as many people. I heard that the tags weren’t really working well anyway, so I just started over on these tags with the people that I know are reading and if anybody else is, they can find it on my page. @adorkable-blackgirl @chenoahchantel @woahjusttakeiteasy-man (I hate this because it’s way too mature content for your eyes and I feel like I have to say that, but also feel like if I didn’t tag you, that’d be effed up, because you’ve read and reviewed every chapter!) @up-the-tube Anywhooo, if any of the 4 of y’all, or I guess I should say if Lizzie and Niah want me to PROMPTLY remove you after this update, I understand completely and I am SO SORRY FOR THIS. I tried to handle it hella different ways. Nothing went right. I know them first two just put up with ANTYTHING from me. 😅

Laughing Fits and Lucid Dreams

The movie watching went well. They wound up turning on some horror movies and Charlotte practically clung to Jasper the entire time. He loved that. She was so fearless, but whenever a horror movie was on, she would be worked up and a little bit terrified. Jasper fell to sleep first, probably because the past couple of days he hadn’t slept well at all. He had been awake and worried, then the three were awake all night and before the sun even set, he was passed out and draped around Charlotte. She tried to get up a few times, but he clung to her and groaned whenever she attempted. Poor thing. “I was pretty positive that between Jasper’s lack of sleep, my pulling and tugging his emotions in various directions and Henry and I arguing in front of him that he was not only exhausted (which I think is why he had a panic attack), but he was also scared and even in his sleep, his abandonment or rejection issues were flared up. I sent Henry to get my travel box of crystals from my room and I was determined to intercede on Jasper’s behalf, so that he’d be able to sleep well.”

Charlotte selected a rainbow moonstone, herkimer diamond and opal aura to set out. Henry didn’t mind if Jasper remained in his bed, but he recommended that Charlotte stay too. “If he wakes up in bed with me, and you’re not here, I don’t know how he’ll react to that.”

“Like I could get away, anyway. This boy is squeezing me like a python.” Jasper snuggled in even closer to her and held more tightly.

Eventually, he did let go. He was asleep and Henry was out fighting crime, so Charlotte went back to the Man Cave to check up on him. Nobody told her she could, but being back in there had stirred something up in her. She went up there to sit at the control panel and see if she still “had it.” Spoiler alert, of course she did. No plot twist, though. She was surprised to see Henry return alone. Where the heck was Ray? Asleep? She shook her head.

“You just keep exploring on your own, huh?” Henry asked.

“Who’s gonna stop me?” She asked back. He laughed and transformed into his regular clothes. “I started some work while I’m here. Thought about running some stuff past Schwoz, but he’s probably asleep.”

“Like you should be. I mean, I see that you’re dressed for it.”

“Well, yeah, but I’m in the middle of something right now,” she said and pointed to the screen. He couldn’t tell what she was supposedly in the middle of, so he just let her have her way and went to get himself something from the auto snacker.

Henry and Charlotte eventually went back up the elevator and checked on Jasper. He was still completely out. She was in her night clothes while in the Man Cave, so she simply slipped back into Henry’s bed with Jasper and he quickly resumed holding her closely, tightly.

Jasper had this cuddle habit. He kinda groped you in his sleep. His hand cuffed her “gens” and his other arm was wrapped gently around her throat. It was a possessive hold that Henry remembered well. He went to get cleaned up and threw on a pair of boxers, stared at himself in the mirror for a while and wondered, was he ready to do this? Should he just grab some covers and take one of the several other beds in the house? Part of him knew that might be best for everybody. That part of him was thoughtful and considerate. It didn’t win. He climbed into his own bed and laid down next to Jasper, wrapped an arm around the two of them and felt Charlotte’s hand touch his, then intertwined their fingers. He didn’t know if that was conscious or not, but was scared that if he questioned it, even in a whisper, it would be too jarring and possibly make it weird. Jasper shifted a little and Henry took a deep breath, cuddled closer to him and let himself fall asleep.

Henry blew a bubble, then went up the tube. Charlotte was doing some interpretive dance in the living room, belly full with child, and music playing, accompanied by ethereal voices, in the background. There was a patch of grass beneath her bare feet, a real patch that he had made room for, for her. Jasper was nearby, playing the bongos with his hands and beatboxing. She wound up at his lap, he pushed the bongos aside and collected her into an embrace and kissed her. Henry backed away, giving them some space, or… maybe he was… getting smaller? He looked at the place, it was getting smaller, and eventually, it was no longer his house, but Jasper’s apartment. The grass was gone, the place was cozy and they were perfectly happy without him… And he realized that he’d shrunk so small that he vanished and everything went dark.

Henry awoke with a start and glanced next to him. Jasper was awake, but cuddling Charlotte, who was asleep. “You okay?” He wondered.

Henry nodded, “Bad dream.”

“Bad dream, or honest one? Char’s got the good dream crystals out,” he said and pointed a thumb. “I mean… they’re like in HD, Dude. I had amazing dreams. They didn’t all make sense, though. Mostly about… you…” He turned his gaze to Charlotte and rubbed her arms. “And of course, her. Thank God… What were you dreaming about?”

“You… The two of you… Just… like… I don’t know… You two have a connection. You’ve got this beautiful thing going on, and since I’ve been back in your lives, I’ve just kinda been making a mess of things. You’d probably be better just forgetting about me.”

“No doubt, but it’s a little late for that. You said that you love us… You’re going to have to tough out whatever that confession will mean for all of us.”

“Do you think that it does mean anything for all of us?” “I think that I woke up because I heard her say your name in her sleep. I think all three of us are experiencing a lot of feelings.”

“That’s because I stepped back into the picture. You and Charlotte could be on a patch of grass, expecting a baby, with her dancing a tribute to the moon goddess or something and you playing bongos and beatboxing, but instead, you’re sleeping in my bed, and none of us are getting any.”

“That was an oddly specific depiction, but add a cat and I’d say fairly accurate,” Jasper chuckled. Henry sighed. Jasper pointed to a slip of paper beneath the crystals. “I didn’t look to see what she wrote down, but whenever I ask her in the morning, I'll bet it'll be something about the three of us. Come here…" Henry came closer and Jasper shifted to allow Henry to cuddle up with Charlotte. He wanted this SO bad, but she hadn't really made him feel like it was okay. Then again, if she'd said his name in her sleep… Henry wrapped himself around her and moaned out a sigh. He was asleep again in no time.

“Hey, Hen!” Charlotte cheered, come on! You’ve gotta get in here!” He looked over to where she and Jasper were inside of a photo booth. “When was the last time that we took a photo?” She asked, with a beaming smile and radiant skin. He rushed to get into the photo and they took several. They put their faces together, made silly expressions, shared a few kisses.

Jasper cheered, “Win me something!” And Henry rushed to do so. He got him the biggest stuffed animal… though it was a sasquatch. “Yay! Bigfoot comes home with us!” Jasper celebrated as Henry handed him the huge plushy.

“You guys wanna get on the ferris wheel?” Henry wondered. They didn’t look excited about that. “I’ll make it worth it, for both of you…” He told them. Their interests were piqued and they went for it.

Whenever the ride first started, Henry’s hand began to move up Charlotte’s pretty little floral dress. She smiled and looked at Jasper who raised his eyebrows and licked his lips. Charlotte leaned back to slide her pelvis forward and Henry shifted to get on his knees. Jasper simply smiled and set his plushy aside, so that he didn’t miss anything. The next circle, it was his turn. But, Henry certainly couldn’t pull that off with him in his romper… Actually… Henry could! Jasper protested for a short moment that Henry might rip his “romphim,” but was silenced soon enough. As they got off of the ride, Charlotte took one of Henry’s hands and one of Jasper’s. “Let’s go home,” she said…

Charlotte woke up and looked at Henry, wrapped around her and shifted to see Jasper wrapped around him. She grabbed her paper from beneath her crystals and looked at it. “Please, allow us to see how it could be, if we got out of our own ways and did was what best for everybody. If we forgive, forget and move forward… I would like to see THAT dream…” She set it back down and went to the bathroom to pee, rub one out and refresh. Henry’s bathroom was even extravagant, though most of his things weren’t in there. Some necessities were in the cabinets and he had really good toilet paper and a very expensive looking bidet. She’d gotten one of those ones that you attach to the toilet whenever they lived together and kept upgrading it whenever she could over the years, but didn’t have a separate and sophisticated basin!

She came back to the two men cuddled up and wondered how Henry wound up in the middle and if that meant that Jasper didn’t want her next to him. She had several dreams throughout her sleep, that she could remember very vividly. That last one though… it made the most sense and was the clearest, so she figured maybe that was the dream that she was meant to see.

The previous one wasn’t even a current VERSION of her! She looked like she was in college! In fact, she remembered that night that she had dreamed about…

Charlotte was stressed out, gathering a bunch of books to turn back into the library, dressed as a complete nerd, barely able to stay on her feet, with huge goggles atop her head and a messy bun in her hair, with poofy tendrils traveling away from her. As soon as she dropped the books into the deposit, she took a deep breath. She made it! She could go celebrate tonight! She stepped into the place, hair done, and transformed for a few hours into a little vixen, still kinda awkward, but in a delicious little package that reminded Jasper of a golden candy wrapper. He stared at her and she made eye contact with him, then smiled shyly and turned away. She went to find a seat, so that she could size up the room - figure out where the exits were in case of emergency, figure out where her vantage point would be for getting in and out of the bathroom, where she would most likely be more visible, or preferably, most likely not to.. And two guys came up to the table, simultaneously. One, the one that she’d seen earlier had asked if she wanted to dance. The other, a tall blond, asked her if he could buy her a drink. The two men turned to look at each other, challengingly, but then they look each other up and down, rushed towards each other and immediately began kissing. She had found it. The perfect seat.

That wasn’t exactly how it had happened in real life. She had gone out, gotten hit on by about a dozen old men, and went home drunk and depressed, remembering that she had been dumped by her ex and in turn lost her other ex, and she did more drinking when she got home. The dream was a nice little reimagining.

She wondered what THEY were dreaming about, but shoved her way into the middle of them. They barely resisted her doing so and after she managed to squeeze in between them, both were facing her and laid hands or arms on her in some way or another. That was more like it. Who did they think they were, putting HER on the outside? But, now that she was in the middle with them groping and rested on her. Damn… she’d forgotten how sore she still was… and NOW, she was being poked at by TWO peckers. “Ugh. Good going, Charlotte,” she whispered to herself.

Jasper was on the dance floor, twerking. Charlotte, at the bar in a tailored suit and a hat dipped low over her eye. Feelgood walked into the place and several patrons paused to see if that was actually him, or if some person was simply going around dressed like him. He came up to the bar and immediately noticed the tiny stud checking him out. She told the bartender, “His drink’s on me,” then, she took a sip of hers, touching the liquid with her tongue, before her lips. He smiled at her and moved closer to thank her, but she put a single finger up to his lips to quiet him, even though she hadn’t glanced at him again since her initial power move. She was watching something, or rather, someone. He turned to see him, a sweaty, beautiful disaster. He understood completely why she didn’t want to be disturbed.

After a while, the woman beckoned the dancing man with the curve of a perfectly manicured finger, her pinky, glistening with a pink diamond. He came over and she gathered him to herself by the buttcheeks, slapped him across one and kissed him on the ear, “Got you a present, Babe.” She turned him to face Mr. Feelgood.

Jasper cheered, “I’m such a fan!”

Feelgood said, “I’ve only seen you for five minutes, and I’m a fan, now, as well.” Jasper blushed.

The woman pressed close to Feelgood, beckoned him down to her, like she’d just done Jasper and he had no choice but to lean closer to her, because she had just commanded it. What was he supposed to do? Deny her? Their faces were joined at the nose and she said, softly, “You’d better not hurt him, or I’ll hurt you. Thank you for your service,” and planted a slow and painful kiss on his lips. The rest of it was a blur of body parts, touching, kissing, the flash of her camera…

Jasper woke up grinding against Charlotte and quickly stopped himself. These dreams were becoming a problem! But, Charlotte was back next to him and facing Henry… Actually, she was laying against Henry’s chest and his fingers were tangled up in her curls. Jasper moved in closer to her and rested his head in her curls and cuffed her to himself, without taking her off of Henry’s chest, because he didn’t wanna disturb her. But, he was also painfully aware of what that last dream had done inside of his shorts. He should probably deal with that? Naw, it’d go away in a while if he ignored it. Whenever it went down, he went back to sleep.He had a filthy, raunchy dream about them.

It was mostly him speaking very aggressively to Henry and ordering him around, making an object of him and dominating him to serve he and Charlotte. To pleasure them at his command, and cleaning them up. But, with Charlotte, he was not only gentle, but docile, speaking to her as though she were a goddess that he was worshipping through these acts. She was divinity and Henry was a sacrifice. Something that he owned and was offering to her. And Henry was willing to be that to him, to her, for him, for them. But, she explained to him that Henry needed to be pleased and cleaned up to, and asked him nicely if he was willing to do that, for her. Of course, he was. And she collected both of them to her bosom and held their heads in her hands, stroking their hair.

The situation in his shorts woke him up. UGH! I knew I should have taken care of this! He got up and went into the bathroom and just decided to take a cold shower, since he needed to clean himself up, anyway. He’d read that cold showers curbed libido and apparently, all of his dreams would be lascivious cesspools tonight. His daydream in the shower though was anything but.

It was them going home together from an amusement park. Charlotte had honeycombs from the rooftop beehives that Henry put there specifically for her and she made them snacks of cheese, edible flowers, fruit, and those honeycombs. She gave the cat some homemade pate that she did herself. She played thunderstorm sounds accompanied by music, and lit candles all over. They talked for a while, laughing about nothing and everything, then kissed, then touched, then… Maybe his daydreams were tainted too. Maybe… this itch just needed to be scratched! Maybe… If they just did this, did it… Everything could just continue on and they didn’t have to think about it this hard anymore. Maybe, he was just hoping for a good excuse to climb back into that bed naked and just let or orchestrate something to happen! This cold shower was VERY uncomfortable and not the LEAST BIT helpful! He turned off the water and shivered as he dried off. Then realized/remembered that his shorts were in no condition to be put back on. He was going to get the towel and go get more, but whenever he was picking them up off of the floor, he heard the bathroom door open and he quickly turned and faced Henry, whose eyes went wide and directly to...well… the jewels. He turned away and covered his face, “Sorry, Dude. I’ll go use another bathroom,” Henry said.

“No, I was just about to go!” Jasper said and wrapped himself in a towel and rushed out, forgetting his shorts. Henry was going to tell him that he had, but when he picked them up, they were still… not wet, but clearly they’d been recently… altered. He chuckled to himself and flung them into his laundry hamper, disturbed that he had been tempted to give them a whiff.

Whenever he finished using the bathroom and washing his face, he went back to the bedroom and Jasper and Charlotte were gone. Jasper had either woke her up to leave, or had picked her up and carried her out. Henry didn’t want to bother them, but he did want Jasper to know that it was okay and he wasn’t going to do anything because of what he’d seen. He went to check in Charlotte’s room and heard the two of them giggling. The door was cracked, so he peeked in and saw Jasper, releasing his towel and getting in bed, on top of her. He left, but he knew that there was no way that he could go to sleep now. He went back into his room and collected her stones and set them and her paper outside of her bedroom before going back into his own and locking the door. He turned down his lights, opened a bottle of wine from the bedroom wine cooler in his closet, and decided to do a late night wine workout, a bit of wine, a bit of workout to blow off some of his energy, then meditate and finish the wine and then, he might go back to sleep and just hide out in here until those two left… He heard a knock on the door and rolled his eyes. They must’ve left something.

He opened the door and Char was in a thin little robe and Jasper was in a pair of boxers. “Yeah?”

“Sorry we took off. We had to handle something. Can we come back?” Charlotte asked.

“Not if you’re bringing those damn crystals. I didn’t get ANY sleep!” Henry complained, but he was really glad that they came back and got out of the way of the door to let them in. Jasper wouldn’t look at him, so he stepped in front of him to make him at least reflexively do so. Jasper and he were face to face and Charlotte laughed, “Now kiss!” She said, playfully. Jasper leaned his head back, but then gave Henry a quick smack on the lips and sidestepped him to go back to the bed. Henry licked his lips. They tasted like Char. He smiled and blushed and asked, “Does anybody want a bottle of inexpensive wine?”

“I’ll take one.”

“I’ll take a couple,” Jasper said. Henry handed Charlotte a bottle and handed Jasper one white, one red.

“Hey… if you two lived here, what kinda stuff would you like to add or take away to or from the house?” Henry asked.

They began talking at the same time and Henry, after years of this, even though it had been a while, managed to hear every single word that they both said. A patch of indoor grass for yoga and meditation, rooftop beekeeping, a colossal sasquatch plushie… “Hey, wait… I had a dream that I won you one of those! I thought I made that up in my head. Are there colossal sasquatch plushies somewhere?”

“You won ME one?” Jasper asked in excitement.

“Yeah! We went on the ferris wheel and I went down on both of you,” Henry said, laughing.

“Oh!” Jasper didn’t know how else to reply. “Just throwing it out there, I guess.”

“Well, it’s obviously Char’s fault, because she’s the one who brought in the sex dream crystals.”

“I brought in crystals for dream clarity and recall. Nobody told you to think of going down on people on a ferris wheel. Don’t put this on those crystals.”

“I’m putting it on you!” Henry said. “You wore a chocolate skin tight dress all day, and a silky short set to bed, especting somebody to have decent thoughts.”

“ESPECTING?” Jasper repeated, laughing. “How much wine have YOU had?”

“How much jizz did you have in your shorts when I found you naked in my bathroom?” Henry asked.

“WHOA!” Charlotte said and her eyes widened. “You didn’t tell me that Henry saw you naked! Is… that why you needed a late night fix?”

“I needed that before the Henry incident. I took a shower, I wasn’t wrapped in a towel, and he came in to use the bathroom. I promptly covered myself and left.”

“And came to get me for a quickie,” Charlotte said.

“Which I needed BEFORE the cold shower I’d just taken, that didn’t work.”

“Relax. I barely saw anything. All I saw was his butt bent over and like 2.5 seconds of dingle. Are you shaving now?”

“I try to keep things orderly,” Jasper said.

“Good job.”

“Show us your stuff,” Charlotte said to Henry.

“Do what now?” Yeah, huh?” Henry and Jasper replied.

“He saw our dick and we should see his,” Charlotte said.

“Our?” Henry said. “You… You gotta… I don’t remember seeing YOUR…”

She grabbed a handful of Jasper’s and confirmed, “This is OURS. Show us YOURS.”

“Ours is… awakened,” Jasper said quietly. She didn’t let go. Henry looked at Jasper, wondering if this was an honest request or demand. Jasper knew what his look meant. “I do believe that she means it,” he said.

Henry laughed and stood up, “Fine. Okay…” He pulled down his pajama bottoms and reached for his boxers, “I mean… it’s just private parts under these. No… not any…”

“SHOW US YOUR DICK!”

“OKAY!” Henry pulled his boxers down and Charlotte screamed and laughed. “Wow. You are a mean lady,” he said and pulled his shorts back up.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh. I just can’t believe you listened to me!” She laughed onto Jasper’s chest. Jasper hadn’t laughed. He’d looked right at it and it didn’t seem to be a laughing matter to him. “Nice landscaping. Is it flames?”

“It’s supposed to be a tulip,” Henry said, looking into his shorts. “I couldn’t do a daisy, but I’m definitely practicing.”

“It’s nice,” Jasper said, softly.

“Yeah, Jasper’s jumped at the sight of it!”

“You can’t drink anymore around Henry,” Jasper said and took her practically empty wine bottle. She gave him a threatening look, but he just kissed her on the nose and said, “So, I guess you’re not showing us anything?”

“You both know what it looks like,” she said.

“Henry doesn’t. I doubt that you had the same thing going on when you two were together.”

“You’re right, I didn’t,” she said and smiled. But didn’t make any move to show anybody anything. Instead, she said, “So, Hen. I have a Bermuda Triangle piercing…” he gasped. “I get a Brazilian wax, front to back, but leave a patch of hair at the mons pubis, and it’s trimmed like an arrow pointing down, and above the arrow is a little Adinkra power of love symbol tattoo. My stuff is too much for your eyes to handle. You can’t even handle the description.”

All he said was, “I don’t know what kinda tattoo you mean. I think you need to show me so I won’t be ignorant.”

“Google it,” she said and laughed.

“How hot is it, Jasp?”

“Super hot. I mean, all of her is, but it's like… unf.” Henry undressed and Jasper and Charlotte watched, speechless.

He got naked and said, “I’m going to bed like this. This is how I like to sleep and this is how I’m gonna sleep.”

Charlotte said, “Aight, I’m head out…” And she and Jasper cackled, but she didn’t head out.

Henry got up and asked, “Any more wine for anybody else?”

“You don’t think you’ve have enough, huh?” Jasper wondered. Henry came out with three bottles and passed them around. Charlotte set hers aside and Jasper opened his.

“I’m going to sleep, so that I can get up and see the sunrise in a few hours. You two have fun. Be safe,” she said.

“We’re not doing anything without you,” Henry said, opening the bottle. She fought a smile. “This is a… triad. So, sweet dreams,” he said and kissed her on the forehead… Like he wasn’t stark naked.

“You… too…” She said and laid down. He dimmed the lights a little more and Jasper climbed under the covers and removed his shorts, as well. But, he was gonna finish this bottle and go to sleep. He didn’t know if he was trying to watch the sunrise. But, he hoped to at least get some sleep. Henry locked the door back, just in case Ray, Schwoz, or worse, PIPER, came through the place. He’d have a hell of a time explaining any of this. He was just figuring out himself what he wanted and needed.

#Poly Wanna #Nesha HD Fics #henry danger #henry hart #charlotte page #jasper dunlop #hd ot3

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hearteyes-for-killmonger · 5 years

Text

In My Mind x 02

*Reuploading because I've edited these to flow a little bit better. Thank you for your patience!

We cannot abandon the rabbit hole.

It lives within us.

---

His rich and raspy voice echoes in your ears like the one that has been stuck there for days.

...Had been

Where had he gone and why? How? How is he here physically? It doesn’t make any sense. And somehow you're still physically or mentally tied to him!

Maybe your brain is sending signals to the wrong places. Are you still dreaming somehow? This ordeal doesn’t seem plausible. He’d found you like he said he would which means that he is just as real as you are. Flesh and blood.

“Keep me," you squint, wet hands dripping water to the floor.

“Keep you,” he confirms with no hesitation. “Can you do this with other people?”

It’s not an innocent question and although his expression gives nothing away, you feel a dark motive behind it.

“This has never happened before. I don’t know how it started or why, but I won’t abuse it.”

A brief chuckle escapes him. “I could convince you.”

You hadn’t seen his face before, always seeing what he saw through his eyes, but looking at him today, you were sure he could. If not by sensual tactics then by terrorism and violence. You can feel Glenda and Lia’s ears on your conversation although they face away, fingers moving through client hair… like yours should be.

The water is still running in the shampoo bowl and his eyes are on you. Brushing him off, you finish washing his locs silently with a squeeze and release motion, conditioning for softness and once under the dryer he pulls out his phone, tapping away with both thumbs.

You sit in your chair, stealing glimpses. Anyone looking at him would think of him as a normal guy, maybe a model or a personal trainer. Maybe a young professor or a medical student. It’s true, you really can’t know a person’s story just by looking at them. He doesn’t wear the trauma. He has a quiet arrogance but also the wisdom to conceal it. Then again.. like most complicated people, there are layers. Dignity. Insecurity rooted in loss. Tenacity. Fleeting environments with faster fleeting people. Empathy. The ability to see monstrous souls hidden within human shells.

His phone lowers to his lap and his eyes fall closed. Suddenly everything around you swirls down into calm and quiet as you watch him, graceful and beautiful and still. His black lashes over hooded eyes. The clear brown of his skin reaching down in high definition. His cupid’s bow over thick trapezoid lips. The bountiful coarse hairs that coat his jaw and upper lip. You’re in limbo, balancing hazily between reality and fiction.

He opens his eyes and the shop’s background noise turns up again to full volume as your body jolts itself fully awake. His smug smile tells you that he’s aware of what’s happened. You were dazed and it seems the proximity between you only deepens the psychic connection. He’s now openly testing the parameters of this newfound ability.

You glance at Lia and catch her as she turns away. How you’d explain all of this to her or anyone else you did not know. You couldn’t find the words.

Escaping outside, the air is hot, not comforting or refreshing, just hot!

“Damn this summer heat.”

You breathe in and out repeatedly, staring up at the clear blue sky until your hands stop trembling.

“How am I supposed to help him? This is a lot to process and I'm so confused. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with all this.. God. Show me what to do.”

You wait for a sign of some sort as a plane flys slowly overhead. All you see are cars driving by on the busy road straight ahead, past the half-empty lot as all manner of people walk in and out of the surrounding businesses. A latinx family with three kids crosses the parking lot to their car. None of that helps you.

Back inside, you pull Erik to start on retwisting his locks. Carefully palmrolling them with gel, you get them all laid and then you braid them all to the back and out of his face, per his request.

“Meet me at my place,” you mutter when you're done.

“Don’t keep me waiting,” he replies and then he’s gone.

It takes one pleading look to Lia for her to agree to braid your next customer. Four large goddess braids.

—

Your apartment is at the end of the hall and Erik’s tall, built frame is posted against the wall directly beside the door. He doesn’t bother with small talk and neither do you. Feeling his eyes, you fumble with your lock. He follows you inside and moves round the room, looking this way and that at this and that. He’s a curious guy. You don’t have many knick knacks, but your place is still colorful and cozy.

“Tell me somethin about you, Nia.” His wandering doesn’t cease.

“What do you want to know?” You follow him into your bedroom. There’s your bed, your window, your dresser and nightstand, a floor length mirror, and a random piece of wall art you bought to tie things together. It’s a good thing your place was clean.

He pulls open your closet, flipping through hangers and closes the door again.

“Where’s all the pictures, photo albums, stuffed animals from your childhood and shit like that? You seem the sentimental type to hang onto to it.”

“My albums and photos are on my phone. I do have a small velvet bear that I call Velvet. He’s at my dad’s house.”

“Where is your dad?”

“Atlanta.”

“With your mom?”

“Stepmom.”

“Where’s your other mom?”

“...We don’t know. She left shortly after I was born.”

“Who do you look like?”

“Uh.. my dad says I look a little like her and I see it a little bit based on the picture I have of her, but mostly I look like him.”

“Do you ever think of your mom?”

“Sometimes.. I used to think of her all the time when I was younger.”

“Are you happy?”

“Am I happy.. like in general?”

“With your life.”

“I guess.. I’m not complaining.”

He drops down on your bed looking to your pillow and then he adjusts himself down on his back getting comfortable.

“You gotta take your shoes off,” you say and when he doesn’t move you tug at his sneakers. Y-3’s. You decide against tossing them and drop them carefully to the floor instead. “Why can’t I hear you anymore?"

His eyes close and everything is silent. You turn away so not to look directly at him this time and it feels.. somewhat like it did when you were in his head. He’s present, but out of view.

“It was a test,” he blurts with lids still shut. “I slept, but I didn’t go into deep sleep or REM. REM is where we get our most vivid dreams so it makes sense that when I stopped deep sleeping, it stopped the dreams and it blocked you.”

“So basically you haven’t really been sleeping?”

Silence.

"You seem to know a lot about this so you should know better than I do how crucial deep sleep is to your brain functioning, self-repair, and immunity system. That's basic knowledge. You need a deep sleep, even if it gives you those dreams and me in your head.”

“You’re not the problem.”

That response is unexpected, but you ignore the flutter you feel from it for more pressing matters.

“You don’t want the dreams period, but it feels like you can’t stop them. How is it when you wake up?”

Silence again.

“Erik?”

He doesn’t stir.. and then he does.

“If you wanna know.. stick around,” he croaks slowly, half gone already. Then you know he’s completely out because that familiar pull is calling you to lay down. You fight it off, standing to buffer the temptation. A large glass of juice is in order.

For the next hour, you monitor him, watching as he falls deeper and deeper.

90 minutes in, the pull on you gets stronger. If you had ice water, you’d splash yourself, but you don’t want to move or miss a thing. His eyelids move rapidly and you know he’s passed a simple deep sleep. He mumbles something, but it sounds like a foreign language.

The journal. It was full of maps and symbols that looked like language and in the dream he was reading it... Whatever he's mumbling.. It must be linked to those symbols. His eyebrows furrow and the once peaceful expression is gone. His arm twitches, the muscles tensing and veins shifting. His hand balls into a tight fist and his leg moves. What kind of nightmare could he be reliving?

He jerks and thrashes and you wonder if you should wake him now, but then he stops. Sweat beads on his skin around his hairline and in a sheen on his face and neck. He looks afraid as he squeezes your blanket. It’s bad. You know it’s bad. You remember hearing that you shouldn’t shake someone awake who’s having a nightmare like this and you hope he wakes up soon. It takes a while, too long, but then he jolts awake bolting upright.

For the next few seconds, he just stares ahead, heaving and you remember how that feels. You fetch him a glass of water and bring it to his lips. You know his throat is tight because of what you’d experienced yourself. He's shaking. He has to get himself to realize where he is and that it was only a dream. A heavy tear rolls down his face followed by another and he squeezes his eyes shut, steeling himself.

Setting the glass on the nightstand, you break the boundary of personal space and hold him, staring over his shoulder to the art above your bed. He doesn’t lift his arms to close the embrace, but he doesn’t push you away either. He doesn't move, so you continue to hold him tightly for as long as he’ll allow.

You start to wonder if he’s cried himself back to sleep, but then his quiet voice rumbles in his chest.

“You gotta figure out.. how to help me..”

Taken aback, you don’t let go or loosen your hug, you listen. You wonder how you’re supposed to help him without a degree in psychology. How could you change his past? You couldn’t.

“And now that you’ve seen me like this...,” he clears his throat, “You know how important your role is..... SO NEVER LEAVE ME ALONE IN THAT AGAIN!”

You know his emotions are high, so you disregard the venom in his voice.

“Okay. If you dream, I’ll intervene. We’ll figure this out together.”

“How did you find me,” he asks with genuine interest but you’re just as curious to know the answer.

“I don’t know. You know this has never happened to me before. I only thought I was supposed to help you because that’s what this lady who prayed for me a couple days ago said."

"What lady? Let’s find her.”

He was right, maybe she had more wisdom or answers to bestow. Afterall, this was nothing short of a miracle. You call Glenda and by her clipped tone, you know someone pissed her off and to keep this brief.

“Glenda, it’s Nia. I need the name and contact of the woman you booked that prayed for me in the shop. You styled her after the blue fingerwaves. Church wristband, pretty, sweet face, professional-looking-”

“I don’t recall anything like that. I had to perm a lady, but she definitely wasn’t that.”

“What? You don’t remember a lady praying for me in the shop?”

Erik’s eyes narrow and Glenda’s tone switches to concerned.

“Nia, are you feeling okay? You’re really not acting like yourself and it’s starting to get a little scary.”

This is crazy, how does she not remember this woman?

“Well do you remember me styling a man today,” you test. She seems to remember Erik, just not the woman.

You hang up.

Other Chapters:

#erik killmonger #original #killmonger #erik stevens #erik killmonger fanfiction #erik killmonger imagines #erik stevens au #erik killmonger imagine #erik killmonger x reader #erik x reader #erik stevens x you #killmonger fanfiction

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