ok so i read @cherrly moana x lmk fic and i really liked it!!! but it gave me an idea on macaque's powers

so, you know how macaque is refered to as the Moon?? the moon shines on the sky every night, but how does it do that?

it reflects the light of the sun

now, macaque is shown to be able to absorb Wukong's powers by MK, apparently by just spending time with him

but its never quite the same.

the moon can reflect the light of the sun, but it will never be able to shine as bright as it. it only holds a glipse of the power it has.

(also. macaque is the only one shown to be able to use LBD's ice powers without being possesed. like yeah bai he and wukong could also do that but a) possession b) wukong is wukong, he can mostyl handle it and C) bai he was the main host. she might have been able to posses wukong but it's shown how her using her powers might have destroyed bai he if she wasnt careful. Not even the Mayor could use it and whatever was inside him was strong enought to possess The Great Sage. just something to add)

idk its just something i thought ramdonly byeee-

Kiss Me

Mark Sloan x Reader, best friends

A/N: There’s not enough Mark fluff on here and I love this man too much to not write anything. Hope you enjoyyy!

I absent mindedly watched the TV as Mark rested his head in my lap and I stroked his peppery hair. Mark and I had swiftly become best friends when he moved to Seattle and I was an attending in general surgery. Normally Callie joined us in our evenings after work but she had decided to go to Joe's instead for whatever reason. I smiled as I felt Mark chuckle underneath me at Jake Peralta doing something stupid. I looked down at him and my heart fluttered at his chiseled face. I was sitting on the couch while Mark stretched out across it but kept his head in my lap. I brushed my right hand across his forehead into his hair and ran my fingers through the soft strands. "You alright there watching me?" Mark said, tilting his head up to look at me. I rolled my eyes but smiled, "Im not watching you idiot." Mark chuckled and raised his eyebrows but returned to watching the show. I stopped running my hands through his hair, trying to focus on our favourite show but it was incredibly hard considering the sexiest, funniest and kindest man i know was lying next to me. Suddenly, the doorbell rang and Mark looked up at me, eyebrows furrowed, "You expecting anyone Y/N?" I shook my head, "No unless it's Callie." Mark instantly shook his head, "nah not her." I frowned in suspicion and Mark beamed. I patted his hair to get him to lift up so I could check who it was at the door and he obliged. I tiptoed to the door, looking through the peekhole. As soon as I saw snobby Gina from nextdoor standing there with her nose upturned and designer clothes I groaned quietly. I tiptoed back to Mark quietly, rolling my eyes. "Who is it?!" Mark whisper yelled, still lying on the sofa with his arms resting above his head, showing off his perfectly toned biceps. "Bloody Gina from next door, she's such a pain in the ass and always comes round to complain." I replied, rubbing my forehead with my hand as the doorbell continued to ring, now accompanied by knocking. Mark laughed and i quickly shushed him, making him chuckle. "I can answer the door if you want and say you're not home." He kindly offered but I shook my head, "No it won't work she'll know I'm here with you, we need to make her go away!" I whispered, looking around the room. Mark smirked cheekily, "We could pretend to have sex." My eyes widened and I thwacked his chest, whispering "Mark! Stop being so dirty!" He just grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at me. I groaned and looked to the door again where Gina was furiously knocking, yelling she knows Im in there. "I'll just answer it." Mark said, sitting up now. "Yeah and say goodbye to a relaxing evening!" I whisper yelled, frantically searching my brain for ideas. Mark was silent and when I finally looked at him he smirked that signature grin and I crossed my arms over my chest. "What?" "We can just pretend to be having sex- " Mark started but I interrupted him, "No I already said no to that idea idiot." He stood up and put a hand on each of my shoulders. "No we don't have to make noises Y/N, however much I'd like to hear you, we can just make it look like we are." Mark continued, watching smugly as my face heated up at his flirting. "What do you mean?" I asked, scolding myself for even considering the idea. "We just make me look like I'm having sex with you, ya know, mess up my hair etc." Mark grinned, his eyes scanning my face. I gave him a pointed look and he winked, making me huff in exasperation. "Fine, come here." I gave in, pulling Mark towards me. A cheeky smile played on Mark's lips as he leaned down a little to me, letting me ruffle his hair. "Okay done." I said, standing back and biting my lip. "Actually wait a second." I brought his head back down and reached my hands round to the back of his neck, pulling the hair softly. Mark sucked in a breath as I did and i smirked, shaking my head at the horny 15 year old man. "Okay now you're done." I said, trying not to look at his ruffled hair too long, wanting to run my hands through it. Mark stepped back from me, discarding his shirt to which my eyes bulged and scanned his torso, taking in the toned abs and v line and his upper body. "Enjoying yourself there Y/N?" He asked and I shook my head, stuttering, "what uh no." Mark chuckled at my flustered response and went to undo his belt and trousers. "Woah woah woah." I said, stopping him from going any further. "She doesn't need to see you naked Sloan." Mark lopsidedly smirked, making my heart beat quicker, desperately trying to focus on his face. "If you say so ma'am." He ran from one side of the room to the other, before dropping to the ground and doing 5 pushups. I watched my best friend ashamedly, admiring the flexing muscles across his back and chest. Mark jumped back up and winked at me, his face looking hotter and a little sweaty. He walked to the door and I hid in the hallway, watching him open it up to Gina. "Oh hi." She said, obviously checking him out as she scanned him head to toe. Mark grinned at her cheekly, showing off flirtily. He acted a little out of breath as he smoothly replied, "Hey." I rolled my eyes at his smug look despite my heart beating rapidly in my chest. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Gina asked, a horrible smile on her face. "Just a little." Mark replied, winking as he leant against the doorframe. The devious woman in front of him practically melted and tucked her bleached hair behind her ear. "I was just wondering if I could please talk to Y/N?" She asked sickenly sweet. I waited for Mark's response as he smirked at her. "No can do love, we're a bit preoccupied." Gina frowned and clasped her bag, "I'll come back later then." Mark shook his beautifully gorgeous face and leaned down to whisper something to her. I strained my ears to hear and flushed when I heard his reply. "I'm afraid we're gonna be busy all night." Gina at once flushed but smiled flirtily back, "Okay, I'll see you around then." Mark nodded and closed the door as she started back to her apartment. He turned back to face me and grinned, watching me scoot from the top of the cabinet by the stairs. He walked over to me and let me place my hands on his bare warm shoulders as I jumped down, securing his own hands on my waist. "Thanks Mark, you're a literal life saver." He chuckled and let go of me as I smiled up at him. "Anything for you Y/N." I blushed and quickly walked to the open kitchen. "Put your shirt back on Sloan." I said teasingly as he went back to the couch. I filled the kettle and was just turning round when I felt Mark's hands on my waist. I moved to face him and watched as he intently looked at me, a small smirk spreading across his face while I frowned. He had me pinned up by the edge of the counter and I flicked my gaze to his lips and back to his warm eyes. "m..mark?" I asked as he continued to scan my face and I could feel myself getting flustered. He started to move closer and I panicked, coughing and making him lean back. He himself flushed this time but kept his grip on my waist, "Oh I just wanted to ask for a coffee please." I nodded and watched wide eyed as Mark hesitated before leaving the kitchen. My mind raced as I got some mugs out the cupboard, was he about to kiss me? Was I about to kiss him? Did I want to kiss Mark? I was too busy staring at the kettle waiting for it to boil that I didn't notice Mark walking back into the kitchen behind me. I yelled out in surprise as an arm turned me all of a sudden before I was quietened by a pair of soft lips being pressed against mine. I widened my eyes in shock as my best friend kissed me, his hand cupping my cheek and then pulled away, blush on his face as he looked at me. I stammered in surprise and Mark widened his eyes, sensing my shock. "Oh my god I'm sorry Y/N, I just couldn't stop myself, I've wanted to kiss you for so long and I even bribed Callie to give us the evening alone. Im so sorry Ive ruined everything." Mark stepped back but I quickly stopped him, placing a hand on his arm. He never got flustered and to see him suddenly so vulnerable cleared my thoughts. "Mark." He looked up at me with hurt eyes and I snaked one hand to cup his jaw while the other went to the nape of his neck. I leaned in but stopped an inch away. "Kiss me." I breathed out, looking at his pink lips. He at once crashed his lips into mine, putting one hand on my waist and the other cupping my cheek. We kissed for what felt like forever but was only a minute until I pulled his hair at the back of his neck softly and he groaned into my mouth, making me smirk and pull away. I rested my forehead againt his chest, eyes closed before I looked up into his eyes. "So, you bribed Torres?" Mark groaned and let his head fall, a small grin on his face. "You're never gonna let me live this down are you?" He asked and I beamed, leaning in and whispering "never" before capturing his lips with mine again. 

Stay?

Pairing: Mammon x reader (gender neutral)

Fandom: Obey Me

Genre: Fluff? I think?

Word count: 2.4k

Warning (s): Spoilers from chapters 19 ahead!

Note: I haven't been writing for ages and I'm warming up to it. This is literally my first OM fic and ngl I'm pretty nervous to post this. This fic is (heavily) inspired by chapter 19 because it got me sobbing 😔

--

Emotions.

He wasn't unfamiliar to them. In fact, he had experienced them all - ranging from the fear of Lucifer's punishments, to the happiness he felt everytime he uses his beloved credit card, which he had named as Goldie. How about love? He wasn't unfamiliar with it either, but Mammon couldn't care less to pursue it. He was happy enough with his own company and his credit card.

All is fine in the life of The Avatar of Greed. Well, that was until you came along.

Words couldn't describe how utterly annoyed he was when Lucifer ordered him to babysit a student from the human world that day. A powerless, weak human who was randomly picked for the exchange program at RAD.. How dare the ravenette ordered THE Mammon, who is known as one of the seven rulers of Devildom, the second strongest demon among his siblings and The Avatar of Greed himself, to care for a pathetic human like you.

As if having to babysit a human exchange student wasn't bad enough, he had to deal with your personality. Everything about your personality clashes with his and both of you were always found headbutting againts each other. It's not that the other brothers were complaining though. Watching the priceless expression Mammon had on his face when you talked back to him was quite entertaining. Your snarky and sarcastic remarks towards him were the icing on the cake.

He remembers the way you glared at him on your first encounter in the assembly hall. That dirty look you gave him was enough to get him on his nerves, but then again, he couldn't really blame you for it. You were still stuck in confusion with the whole exchange program when he literally just barged in and yelled at you.

If he was fire, you would be ice. If he was oil, then you're water. Mammon was infamous for being a loudmouth - the moronic demon who didn't think things twice before acting on it. He was nothing but a troublemaker and the source of entertainment for his other brothers.

You, on the other hand, was a quiet and level headed person who wouldn't want anything to do with an overly outgoing demon like him. You had always held a calm and collective composure around the others and would prefer burying yourself with books rather than being an accomplice of Mammon's stupid schemes. 

Judging from the fact that the two of you were the complete opposites of each other, there was no way you could get along - let alone fall in love with each other. Or at least that was what Mammon had thought of everyday, especially after making a pact with you.

Why would he like you anyway? You're just a weak human with no powers whatsoever. He's far more superior to be compared to you. As if that wasn't enough to convince himself that you're not someone that he would have a crush on, you're too uptight and boring. Hell, you even reminded him of Lucifer sometimes.

There's no way he would like you. Not even in the slightest.

However, if that was really the case, why does his face gets warm everytime he sees your genuine smile? Why does he feel uneasy whenever any of his brothers gets too close to you? Why was he so caught up with the way your eyes sparkled when you were looking at the stars from the planetarium? 

The adorable, stern look on your face when you were trying to focus on something? That was something that he would want to remember for the rest of his life without him even willing to admit it.

Mammon couldn't shake off the memory of how worried he was when you were almost killed by Leviathan after that small TSL pop quiz competition. When he was tending to your injured wrist, he tried to be as gentle as he could. Even though he wasn't good enough with bandages, he tried his best to handle your injury.

There was also another time when you were almost killed by Lucifer for trying to protect Beelzebub and Luke. The second when you passed out, Mammon was more than worried for you. He stood by your side as your unconscious figure was safely tucked into Beel's bed, waiting for you to wake up. His heart was racing too fast out of worry but of course he wouldn't admit that. 

He got too worried to the point where he had to step out and head off to somewhere else just to take a breather and calm himself down. Little did he know, the second he stepped out was the time when you finally woke up with an unexpected question to leave your lips; "Where's Mammon?"

Despite how different the two of you were, both of you do work well with each other. You would always be the one who would try to keep or help him out of trouble, while he would pull you out from your shell to join his troublemaking schemes - like that one time when he forced you to eat Beel's custard, only resulting with the kitchen getting destroyed. The crazy thing is? You didn't even refuse to join him that night, despite knowing damn well that you'll get yourself into trouble for eating the custard.

There was another time when you found him hanging from his side as a punishment from Lucifer. He was left alone and crying, causing a strong pang of worry and sympathy to strike in your chest. Your heart almost broke at how miserable he looked at that moment, which then led you to your next crazy thing; releasing him by yourself. 

You knew that Lucifer would be really mad at you if you're caught releasing Mammon but you couldn't care less at that point. You hated the way Mammon was left to suffer on his own when everyone else was resting in the comfort of their bed. You would feel guilty if you did nothing to save him from his punishment this time.

Maybe both you and Mammon have grown attached to each other without even actually realizing it. Neither two of you would outrightly admit this, but being around each other gave the sense of joy and comfort. After all, you were the only one who didn't bully him as much as his brothers would, despite having constant arguments. Mammon felt more appreciated when he's around you and he likes that.

"Let's go this way!" You exclaimed as soon as Mammon told you to run away with him from Leviathan. You were walking at the hallways when the demon had stopped you and told you to hang out with him earlier. That was until the third brother interrupted your little moment with Mammon. As usual, he was in trouble with Levi for not paying back the money he borrowed. Typical Mammon, you thought.

Despite the situation both of you were currently in, Mammon couldn't help but to notice the wide grin on your face as you began picking up your pace to run from his third brother. The almost playful tone in your voice as you lead him towards the other direction to escape from Levi doesn't go unnoticed as well. You were definitely different from the way you used to be when you first got here.

Your attempt in escaping Leviathan has brought the two of you to hiding in Mammon's car trunk that was kept in his bedroom. Why was it there? You had no idea, but at least it was a good hiding place. It was a little cramped in there, yes, but now that you think of it, that was one of the last chances for the two of you to be physically really close with each other. 

It was your last week at Devildom and the thought of leaving ripped your heart into million pieces. Of course the demon brothers could easily visit you at the human world whenever they wish, but would it feel the same? 

The distance between you and Mammon will drastically increase once you leave Devildom. Would the distance affect what you had with him? Will the both of you eventually drift away as a result of not being around each other much anymore when time passes? 

"Damn he almost caught us. We're still not safe yet. Levi's a persistent bastard and if we stay here, he'll find us. How about we head outside." Mammon said as soon as the two of you climbed out of his car trunk, shaking you off from the trail of questions in your head. Before you even know it, he was already leading you out from his room to hide from the otaku.

Standing at the balcony of RAD, both you and Mammon were exhausted from all the running. The demon was wheezing and panted before proceeding to speak. "Alright, we should be far enough away that we're safe now.." There was a wash of relief through his senses as he straightened up to regain his composure. You, on the other hand, were already distracted by the beautiful view from the balcony.

The sky of The Devildom was never bright, resembling the night sky of the human world. Stars were sparkling magneficently, illuminating the almost tenebrous view. Colourful lights from the other buildings completed the scenery, making everything look more gorgeous than it already was.

You returned your attention towards Mammon as soon as he started laughing, before joining in as well. Who would've thought that running away together like this was fun? While you were laughing, the silver haired demon slowly stopped his laughter to silently admire the cheery look on your face. You looked so happy, with light blush covering your cheeks - oblivious of the way he was currently looking at you.

Damn he was smitten, and this time, he wasn't even trying to deny himself.

"Hey, Levi was totally watchin' from up on the second floor as we ran outta the house. Man, did you see the look he had on his face?" He said before laughing again. You were already dying of laughter at this moment.

"That was hilarious!" You exclaimed, pausing to wipe off a stray tear from your right eye for laughing too hard. It took some time for the laughter to reduce and once both of you were no longer laughing, Mammon looked at you.

Your eyes came in contact with each other and there was something in his eyes this time, that had caught you slightly off guard. His gaze on you has softened, as well as the smile that he had on his face. You weren't sure if Mammon even noticed himself doing it, considering how much of a 'tsundere' the demon could be most of the times.

"Y'know what? I've gotta say, I really have a lot of fun when I'm with you. When we're together, it's like I'm always smilin', always laughin'." You stood there as you listened, your heart pounding in your chest. You couldn't hold back the smile that was threatening to show up on your now slightly reddened face.

His words pulled out an unusual feeling from the depths of your heart and it wasn't unpleasant at all. It was a feeling that you had never noticed it being there before. It almost felt like your heart was doing acrobatics and you couldn't even stop it.

"Listen, why doncha just stay here from now on? Who needs the human world? Don't go back there." Oh how you wish you could stay here in The Devildom, with Mammon by your side. If only it was possible, you wouldn't even hesitate to stay. The look on your face turned apologetic, your smile slightly transitioned into a sad one. 

He saw the way your face changed and wasn't hesitant to continue his words. "I want you right here in The Devildom. I want you here with ME, all the time." You noticed how his voice softened at the end of his sentence. He wanted you and you could barely process the fact that he was actually saying this to you.

THE Mammon who prides himself as The Avatar of Greed, the one who hated you so much when you first got here, is telling you that he wanted you to stay and be with him all the time?

You knew that you were awfully silent than usual at the moment but honestly, was there even anything left for you to say? Your tongue was tied as your mind scrabbles for any reasonable response for him. Was it even possible to come up with anything at this point?

While you were trying to think of a response, Mammon leaned in closer towards your direction. Your eyes slightly widened at his sudden action, especially after seeing the unusually serious look on his face. His face was only a few inches away from yours and you would be lying to say that you weren't struggling to hold yourself together.

Maybe all this time, just like him, the only thing you had ever done was just denying your feelings towards the demon. You lied to yourself - telling yourself that you don't want him, when you actually do. Hell, you wanted Mammon more than anything right now. Your gaze flickered over his soft lips, the temptation to kiss him was growing stronger and stronger as time passes by.

Risking it all, you finally made a move on him and closed the distance between the two of you. Your kiss was short yet sweet, while at the same time you were anxious for the outcome of your action. Would Mammon hate you for kissing him? Will things change for the worse after this kiss? Have you done a big mistake?  

The silver haired demon was caught completely off guard with the kiss, his eyes widening while his tan cheeks hinted a shade of red. He looked at you with disbelief, his mind trying to process what just happened. It took him a couple of good seconds to finally give you a response.

"What're you thinking', doin' that outta nowhere.. Though, uh, on second thought, I'm gonna need you to do that again. Once isn't NEARLY enough!"

Your lips stretched into a wider smile as soon as you heard his response, with him gently wrapping his arms around your waist to bring you closer. "Come here.." His soft voice melted your heart, as you brought your arms to hang loosely around his neck. With your forehead resting againts his, your lips were almost touching when Leviathan's voice interrupted the scene.

"Found you!"

Floral Reminiscence

„You’ve just woken up from months of bedrest,” 

Exasperation colors Nea’s voice as they come to a stop, both breathing heavily after running so far. Mana wheezes for breath, hands braced on his knees. Nea narrows his eyes and warps a hand around his brother’s wrist. “Don’t you think you should take it easy?”

“You’re such a worrywart,” Mana grins and stands, wiping the sweat on his brow away with his sleeve. “I’ve spent enough time confided to my bed. I missed running around with you like this.”

“Yeah,” Nea drops his wrist with a frown, deeming the pulse beneath his hands steady enough for now and flicks Mana on the forehead with his fingers. “and that’s why you should take it slow. I don’t want you to end up sick again.”

Mana rubs the spot on his forehead and pouts. “But it’s fun!” He whines.

“It’s dangerous,” Nea scowls, reaching up to lay his hand onto his forehead before reaching out to do the same to Mana’s. The skin beneath his hand is damp with sweat, a bit warmer than what he’s comfortable with but not scorching hot to cause alarm.

“Alright, alright,” Mana takes Nea’s wrist into his hand, pulling it back down and takes his hands into his own. His fingers curl around Nea’s knuckles and he squeezes them. “I won’t run off again, I promise.”

“You better not,” Nea hisses, glowering but he squeezes back without hesitation. “You gave me a heart attack, running off like that.”

“Sorry,” Mana leans forward to bump their heads together, foreheads pressing againt each others, with a sheepish smile. “I got carried away.”

“I can see that,” Nea muses, glancing around to see nothing but a swath of gold and grass. He squints and thinks he can see a familiar leafless tree in the distance and pulls back. “Mother won’t be happy if she finds out we ran so far. You know she doesn’t want us out of Cornelia’s line of sight.”

“She’ll be more than happy if we bring some flowers back to her.”

“Is that what’s all this about?” Nea slaps a hand to his forehead and groans like he’s in pain. “You could have said that instead of running off in the middle of our conversation, you know.” He pulls his hand away, shaking his head. “What’s wrong with singing her a song?”

“We always do that on her birthday.” Mana huffs out, rocking back and forth on his feet. “I wanted to do something different this year. Who says we can’t do both? She’s looked after me the whole year.”

“Fine,” Nea sighs. “Let’s look for some flowers but if we don’t find any in the next two hours we’ll go back.”

Mana grins and nods. Despite Nea’s reluctance, he rolls his sleeves back and climbs onto the nearest tree to have a better view. The gusts of wind have made his unruly hair a bouncy mess and he shoves it back away from his face.

He’s always been soft-heartened. Combined with his ambitious nature, Mana is sure if they won’t find any in the next two hours, Nea would walk him back only to sneak away to get some. Even if he’d have to crawl through the wheat fields for hours on end.

The thought brings a smile to his face. 

“There’s something red over there,” Nea shouts, pointing in the other direction, one hand shielding his eyes from the glaring sun. He begins to climb back down. “I don’t see anything else.” 

They trudge through the fields, glancing around.

“There,” Mana perks up at the flash of red peeking through the wheats. On a closer look, there’s a bunch of them hidden from view because of the wheats coming up to their upper legs. He brushes them aside. “Which ones do you think she’d like the most?”

“Why are you asking me?” Nea raises a brow. “Just pick some and get it done with. We haven’t gotten all day.”

“She likes the songs you pick out, so I’m sure she’d like the flowers you pick.” 

He’s curious about the choice. To him, the flowers all look kind of pretty. The yellow one he sees is nice to look at or the small blue ones barely visible through the grass. They smell good too and he knows if he has to choose, he’ll end up picking them all or taking too long.

“The red ones,” Nea says and carefully breaks of the stem. He breathes in their scent and smiles. “I like these ones the best. They’re pretty.”

Mana sniffs at the flower Nea extends to him and sneezes. The smell is sweet, reminding him faintly of lemons and vanilla, but not heavy on his nose. Petals soft to touch, he nods.

“They are,” He agrees, picking out a bunch of them, adding a patch of greenery to make the bouquet thicker. “She’ll love them.”

“C’mon,” Nea holds out a hand. “Let’s go back before she notices we ran off.”

Mana takes the hand, interlocking their fingers as he swings it back and forth, humming a tune as Nea picks at the shirt sticking to his skin with distaste, tugging him along with a fond sigh, eyes soft and warm as he shakes his head at his brother’s antics.

Katerina is waiting for them, leaning against Cornelia and basking in the shadows she throws to block the blazing heat of the afternoon sun. Any hint of stern disappointment melts out of her eyes when they bounce up to her with the flowers in hand.

“Oh my,” She gasps, taking the flowers with a smile. “What a surprise!”

“Nea picked them out for you.” Mana throws himself at her, hands fisting her dress as he snuggles into her arms, face pressed against her stomach.

“It was Mana’s idea to get some.”

“They’re lovely,” She says, brushing back hair out of Mana’s face. “Thank you.” And presses a kiss to his forehead.

“You’re welcome.” They chorused.

“But don’t wander so far again without asking first.” She chides. “No matter the reason. You know I worry.”

“Sorry.”

“How about some tea, now?” She ushers them towards the residence. “You must be thirsty after spending hours running around.”

“I’ll drink the whole teapot.” Nea deadpans as he turns to Mana. “You’ll have to drink out of the water hose in the backyard.”

Mana laughs, lunging forward to wrap his arms around Nea’s neck. Nea startles, choking at the unexpected weight slamming onto his back and stumbles. He doesn’t fall, but it’s a near thing.

“Mana,” He groans, tugging at the arms around his neck with a grumble. “Get off.”

“No,” Mana whines, nuzzling into Nea’s neck. “Carry me, I’m tired.”

“I told you not to overstrain yourself!”

“Don’t be mean.” Mana mumbles as Nea’s hands hoist him up so he’s carrying him on his back. Nea grunts at the effort, rolling his eyes.

“I’m not.” He says sullenly, wrinkling his nose. “It’s gross carrying you when we’re soaked with sweat. My shirt’s sticking to my back and you’re making it worse.”

“This is nice,” Mana fights back a yawn, hearing Katerina chuckle. “You’re comfortable and warm. I missed this a lot during the last year.” He confesses, feeling Nea stiffening under his hold. “You’d make a good pillow.” He pats Nea’s hair, eyes growing heavier.

“Hey, don’t go nodding of just yet,” Nea protests in annoyance, blowing a stray piece of hair out of his eyes. “You’ll need a bath and you should eat something before going to bed—”

“But we’ll do that together, right?” 

He’s missed this more than anything. Nea hadn’t been allowed to sleep in the same bed since he’s fallen sick in fear of catching whatever had made him sick in the first place. His time on at Mana’s bedside had been cut short, Katerina taking his place to soothe his ruffled feathers at being denied access to his brother’s bedroom. He’s missed Nea, with his lullabies and smiles, sitting next to his bed and holding his hand until he fell asleep. 

He doesn’t want to be separated from him for so long ever again.

Tightening his hold around Nea’s neck, he doesn’t care if he’s being clingy. 

“Of course,” Nea says it like it’s a given and Mana is stupid for even thinking otherwise. A promise and reassurance in his voice Mana takes strength in. “Just like everything else…who do you think will make sure you don’t fall face first into your food? I’ll be right by your side—"

With a gasp Mana jerks awake. Lying on his back, shivers wracking his body all over, he tries to calm his racing heart. The ache of loss sinks into his bones, heavy and heartrending familiar and his throat closes up. A sob chokes him and the image in his mind vanishes, a pot of spilled ink washing away the watercolor painting he wants to cling to. Something hot spills over his cheeks and he stares unseeing at the ceiling, hands fisted into his sheets. His chest rises and falls rapidly with each breath until he calms, the panic fading slowly.

“…Nea…”

The name is bittersweet on his tongue. Full of longing and grief. A dead name lost to the shadow of history stained with blood.

He doesn’t know how long he lies in the dark, unwilling to leave with the raw wounds torn open and the phantom sensation of warmth in his arms, staring at nothing while waiting for his tears to dry. Soon he becomes restless, shifting on his pillow, uncomfortable in his skin. The blanket is stifling and he tears it off, legs swinging over the bed to touch the floor.

He doesn’t want to stay in bed any longer. Mana buries his face into his hands. The dream had shaken him despite it not being a nightmare. Rising to his feet, he paddles out the door. No use staying in his bedroom when sleep won’t come to him for the next few hours.

The thought of spending a minute longer in the room makes him sick.

.・。.・゜✭・・✫・゜・。

She walks through the halls, following the echo of the piano, on bare feet. Dress bouncing with her steps, blanket dragging along on the floor, she comes to a stop in front of a familiar room. She glances around the wall, peeking into the room to see a man hunched over the keys, hands dancing to create the melody responsible for rousing her from her slumber.

He doesn’t notice her presence.

“Millenie.” 

The piano comes to an abrupt stop with a sharp cry of the keys.

Road paddles into the room. “Bad dream?” She eyes the tear tracks on his cheeks with a frown.

“No,” The Earl replies in a steady voice, staring at his lap. “I don’t think it was. Quite the opposite.” 

She takes a seat next to him on the bench, pulling up her legs and cuddling into her blanket. The Earl doesn’t react as she leans onto him, the back of her head resting against his upper arm. She glances from his face to the piano, taking note of the vase standing in the center.

“They’re pretty,” She comments as the Earl’s head snaps up. She gestures to the vase and he seems to brighten. Though his smile reaches his eyes, there’s a sadness lurking beneath the surface. 

“Ah,” He scratches at the back of his neck. “I’d thought they’d brighten up the room. They’re quite lovely, don’t you think?”

She hums in agreement. “Who are they for?” 

“It’s bad manners to ask question you already know the answer to.” He turns to look down at her head, watching her. She mirrors his smile before closing her eyes. A hand comes out to stroke her hair and she leans into the touch with a sigh.

He’s right of course. She knows exactly for who these flowers are and what they resemble. It’s the reason she’s determined to stay here to keep the Earl company even if she isn’t the company he wants.

She cannot deny for all the pain they must bring, the bouquet of red poppies sitting in the vase light up the room of the Ark with their beauty and color in a way she cannot remember seeing in years.

HICCSTRID ONE SHOT: NIGHTMARES

So today is a very very special day!! Indeed, it's the birthday of my bestie @foreverandalwayshttyd , and I wanted to write you a little something sweetie ♡ I really hope you will like it, even though it will never be as good as I wish it could since you deserve the very best! Love you lot, you make me the happiest and I'm beyond grateful to have you! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYY GIRLIE!!! I WISH YOU A YEAR FULL OF HAPPINESS, UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES AND LOVE <3

Now, as for the context, it's taking place in rtte, after season 3 episode 5 :) I'm so sorry for all the mistakes I've made (hopefully not too much!!) Enjoy :D

☆☆☆☆☆

Astrid couldn't stop turning around in her bed, and her hut had never seemed so nerve-wracking and scary. There was sweat dripping on her forehead and her temples. It seemed to her that the bedroom was burning and that she couldn't do anything to make it stop, to put an end to this agonizing heat.

Her heart was racing, as if he was threatening to get out of her rib cage at any moment. Her headache and her arms shaking did not help to realise her overwhelming urge to find a normal breathing again and a less blurred view. She just could't focus on anything else than herself on the brink of death.

She was about to cry, and she hated that. Indeed, she couldn't cry just because of a nightmare! She was a strong and fierce girl, undoubtedly fearless! She was Astrid Hofferson for Thor's sake!

Well, even if she was repeating to herself this anchored thought of her, her shivers wouldn't stop, just like her heart pounding. It looked so true, she could feel the huge pain of the Scourge of Odin all over again, and it was simply so exhausting.

Suddenly, she heard someone knocking on her door boldly.

_ "Astrid, you forgot your knives on the table of the central pavilion. I ... I wanted to give them back to you... Can I come in?"

She immediately recognized the familiar nasally voice of Hiccup that she liked more than she would admit, always shy about her increasing feelings for him that were quite scaring her about how deep they were, and the last thing that she wanted was him seeing her being a total mess.

Since he didn't get any reply, he soon started to worry and decided to knock again, the want to make sure that she was okay devouring him.

But still, no reply at all.

_ "Astrid? Astrid! Are you okay?" he said, his voice full of concern for the girl that, only a week ago, caused him the fear of his life, but also the same girl that was always the main character of his craziest dreams (that may or may not include a passionate and all so desired kiss), since... well... since as long as he could remember.

_ "Yes, don't... don't worry Hiccup, I will take them tomorrow. But thanks."

She felt so guilty about not opening her front door to her... best friend? That was what he was to her, right? Or maybe more? No, what was she thinking about! And even if she had developed feelings for him, which is clearly not the case, would it be mutual?

She didn't know anymore... Another thing she wants to figure out, since there were so many different feelings rushing in her heart at the same time whenever his cute face full of freckles was in front of her. And his bright emerald eyes, those that looks at her like nobody else do, and that definitely were her weakness. She could litteraly get lost into them.

She thought for so long that he was just her best friend and nothing more than the guy who share with her the taste for adventure, the guy that completely changed her opinion about dragons and war, the guy the most awkward yet cute she ever met, the guy the most caring and protective and faithful to his convictions, and attractive...

By Odin! Did she just admit to herself that she found him attractive? Her?? And meaned every word she said, if not more???

She was so not the type of girl paying attention and importance about looks, but she had to admit that Hiccup was no longer a pretty boy with a sweet smile. No, he was so much more than that.

She just didn't want to put words on it, so afraid that it might reveal her obvious feelings for him, her uncontrollable want to be with him, to make him understand how much he means to her, how much she couldn't picture herself waking up without seeing his usual grin with his adorable crooked teeths, or his excitement about a new exploration that obviously imply rescuing dragons (and she wouldn't want it any other way).

How much she couldn't imagine doing any mission without him, get some sleep without saying him goodnight, eating if she was not sitting on her usual chair because then she would have to deal with the twins stealing her food or worse, having Snotlout teasing her about how she can't live without him.

How much she cherishes every single thing that makes him him.

She didn't know how long she had been lost in her thoughts, but she was unquestionably really shocked to hear him again, testifying that he was still here and that he won't give up. Why she's not even surprised? He's definitely stubborn when he wants to, and she also deeply love that part of him. As most as she find his determination heartwarming, her flushed cheeks and her dilated pupils clearly don't want to confront his gaze, not now!

_ "Astrid, I don't want to appear intrusive or anything, but I feel like you was trying to avoid me today... Did I do something wrong? If it's the case, I'm so sorry! You know I'm here for you and that you can tell me anything and... yeah I really hope you're okay after everything you've been through this past few months. I... I miss spending time with you..."

That was it. She couldn't take it anymore. She let hot tears rolling down along her blushing cheeks, trying her best to choke her sobs. She felt so weak, so vulnerable, so fragile at this very moment.

And him, he was so nice to her, so receptive at any move she make, at any tone of voice she use. He was always there for her, exactly like he said, making sure she feels alright, happy and surrounded, offering her all the support she could wish for and even more than that.

And her? What did she do? What did she do to deserve this amount of goodwill and kindness and this unstinting support ? Was she really losing her self-confidence?

She obviously didn't wanted to be an emotional wreck. She had to believe that those horrible nightmares will come to an end with all her might!

Thus, she wiped her tears with determination and decided that the bravest thing that she could do right now was to open the door to him. After all, if there is someone in this world that won't judge anyone, it's him for sure.

_ "Hi Hiccup! Don't you worry, you didn't do anything wrong, like at all! Hum... Well... it's not you that have to apologize... I mean, I don't know where I would be without you... you litteraly saved my life and I can't think of a way to thank you enough, to repay you... I am so sorry, I didn't wanted to hurt you!!!"

And with that confession out of her chest, quiet sobs returned in spite of herself.

Instinctively, he pulled her against his chest, wrapped his arms around her waist and cradled her delicately while drawing gentle circles in the small of her back.

She immediately relaxed and put her head in the crook of his neck, taking the time to breathe his woody scent, which reminds her so much of the forge and all the hours of work he spends inside. Everything became more peaceful and bearable. It was as if this place in the hollow of his arms was meant for her. It felt like home. The precise place where she can be herself, and she was definitely overwhelmed by love right now.

She opened her eyes and dared maintaining his gaze but what she found was no longer determination. It was without a doubt hesitation.

_ "What is it? Are you feeling uncomfortable about this?"

_ "What? No! No, no, no, no, no! It's just... argh!"

_ "It's just what?", she replied, squeezing his hand in order to encourage him to continue.

_ "Forget it, it's not that important anyway", he answered, trying to avoid her gaze.

_ "What happened to you?"

_ "What are you saying?"

_ "We promised to always tell each other the truth!"

_ "Are you telling me that I'm lying to you?! Seriously Astrid?!"

_ "Up to you to convince me otherwise!"

_ "Is it the lack of sleep that makes you say things like that?"

_ "WHAT?? Say that again to see!!!"

_ "I'm just saying that I'm not hiding anything from you Astrid! But what about you, huh? You haven't told me anything lately!"

_ "Okay, well, what do you want to know?!"

_ "I don't know! How are you feeling, why are you avoiding me, how do you manage to make me feel so insecure about our friendship..."

_ "Our friendship? You question our bond?!"

_ "NO! OF COURSE NOT! It's still not my fault if everything you do makes me doubt!"

_ "I don't follow you... doubts about what??"

_ "About us!! I... urgh! I just... I just... let me show you"

Without another word, he crushed his lips againt her own, and both of their hearts skipped a beat. He said he wanted to show her, that's what he will do. He cupped both of her cheeks, leaned a little more and tilted his head a little for having a better angle to take control.

Her lips were so soft, so perfect, so addictive! He felt like he was in heaven. He took the time to memorize every new sensation, every little sigh and moan, exploring every inch of her divine lips who had become in a quarter of a second his favorite place of all time, as if they were meant to be pressed against him own.

Paying attention of any possible sign of reluctance, he definitely felt more alive than ever when she answered fervently, wrapping her arms against his neck, which send shivers along his spine and made him groan of pleasure.

She even intensified the kiss, brushing her lips against his own languorously while mobilizing an infinite tenderness at each new meeting, full of anticipation.

They kissed with passion until they were forced to part to catch their breath, which they did grudgingly.

He scanned her face and found an Astrid grinning from ear to ear, with cheeks flushed red and pupils blacker than ever. As for him, his blissful smile and the soft tingling on his lips were the proof that he only wanted one thing: repeat this delightful moment as many times as she would allow him.

_ "This sounds kinda familiar" she said, her eyes sparkling and focused on his reaction.

_ "I think I'm definitely more comfortable when I directly show you what I mean. Note that this time I didn't throw you on a branch" he admitted with a teasing smile.

_ "I think so too, and I appreciate it, really", she confirmed, letting out a chuckle that made his heart melt instantly. He wished he could hear her laugh on repeat.

_ "I'm so sorry Astrid, I feel so dumb to have waited this long! I was so scared about losing you, I- I..."

_ "Shhh.. that was amazing! You are amazing Hiccup, and if there is someone who must apologize, it's really me! Wanting to repress my feelings was propably the worst idea I ever have! The only thing holding me back was the fear of ruining our friendship, and I would never have forgiven myself if that had happened! But I definitely want to be more for you" she confessed, eyes filled with hope.

_ "And I definitely want you to be your boyfriend, you insomniac", which earned him a light punch in the shoulder, but it was all worth it because what followed made him feel high, as if he was able to touch the sky, and this time, Toothless wasn't there to make fun of him (but he'll catch up eventually).

Stand By Each Other

I remember once, back when I was maybe 12, we had an english teacher, a nice black woman with a welcoming vibe and a passion for teaching (she was one of my favorites cuz she was actually nice to me)(also because english was the only subject I was actually good at). She taught us so much and was so kind when we needed help, but there was this one boy in class who didn't really like her, because he didn't like the subject (he wasn't good at english). He was also, coincidentally, the bully of the school and decided one day to say something about her.

Now, I don't remember what he said, but I do remember how it made me feel in that moment, because the second the words came out of his mouth, the whole class started going off on him, even his groupies/friends, calling him racist and other slurs I didn't think a bundge of 6th graders would know, but even I was like WTF!

I looked at her, scared that he might have hurt her, but she just smiled at the rest of the class. She looked proud, not upset, though he did get introuble later.

I had this conversation with a few friends of mine last year regarding rasicm, or more so, racism in America.

Because to us (or to atleast this small group of a bunche of teens and adulesents) racism regarding anyone anymore, especailly in the 21th cetury 2019 (which is when this convo happened) is just so dumn. Even before 2019 I never really got it.

I'm not saying racism isn't a thing here, in the South Caribbean, ABC islands, racism (like most if not all countries) is apart of our history, the dark part that some people don't like to discuss because it's upsetting, but we need to because we have to remember where we came from and make sure such bullshit doesn't happen again.

Of course, you're gonna find the occasional jackass who wants to open his mouth for no reason (I know I have), but you better believe the moment someone says something so fucking ingnorant regarding the race of another person, you're not gonna fucking get away with it. Not with us atleast.

We all agreed afterwords that racism here, especially open racism, was weird, because we're so diverse in culture, race and religion, that it's kind of unthinkable (but not impossible).

And you know, that got me thinking, isn't America a land of diverse cultures, races and religions too?

I don't know. Maybe that's just me? But I always found going againts someone or saying something hurtful and ignorant towards someone else simply because they're of a different race or color, was so freaking stupid, and the fact that some people got away with it? Is even more so. It always made me angry when something like that would happen, but also kidna hopeless. I thought nothing was ever gonna change.

So when I heard about George Floyd, and I was furious, but immediatly just gave up because I thought they were just gonna push this one aside, again...

But then!

I heard about the protests, the riots, how people were speaking out. I saw news feeds and stories and videos my sister would show me of protestersnon the streets, speaking out against police brutality and the unfairness in the justice system. My first word to her was "I'm so fucking proud".

It was like a shock wave after that.

I heard about the Black Lives Matter movements in the Netherlands, people here started protesting against the decisions the goverment was making that was hurting us and the island, people started speaking out against injustice caused by those who were trying to cover it up.

It was amazing and something I never thought I'd see, but always knew would happen.

People, who have had enough, are fighting against tyrany and standing up for those who couldn't/can't for themselves.

Do we still have a long way to go?

Ofcourse, these things don't just get fixed over night, but now we know (I think we've always known) that we're not alone, there will always be someone standing beside you, ready to go into the great unknown to help however they can.

---

George Floyd, Elijah McClain, Breonna Taylor and so many others who's lives have been lost, your names will never be forgotten, your deaths will not be in vain.

Know their names: Black people killed by the police in the US https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2020/know-their-names/index.html

(Sorry, I don't know how to add a link that isn't Youtube and Tumblr yet)