#rock creek nature trail | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

soapyblubbles · 2 months

Text

*.•° 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 °•.*

pairings: poly!marauders x nymph!reader

summary: james introduces you to his two friends

warnings: implied “sharing.” do with that what you will.

a/n: who was gonna tell me that i actually have to check my inbox to know if i have asks 🙊 anyways this is set before pieces of me !! this is dedicated to the anon who asked me about nymph!reader back in august 😭

You tug roughly on James’ arm, mindlessly cooing as you pull him deeper into the cave.

He doesn’t understand anything that you’re saying, but still he nods along enthusiastically, intently focused on each syllable that leaves your mouth. You had been surprised when he showed up earlier than usual, especially when you realized he had brought others along with him.

The two trail behind uncertainly, their rising alarm resting sour on your tongue.

The long-haired one made you especially wary.

He doesn’t show any outward signs of being nervous but you sense emotions better than most. His wild energy puts you on edge. His aura is bitter, like the unripe fruit that dangles from the trees that tower over you when you journey into the forest. There’s also a hint of sweetness reminiscent of the nectar that the bees sometimes bring you.

If the long-haired one is the fruit then the tall one is the branches, balancing out his companions' wild nature with his never ending patience. That’s not to say he doesn’t have any chaos of his own. You can feel it writhing underneath his skin, especially when he shifts around every now and again, rubbing the back of his neck in discomfort. Though you think that it might be because of how he’s forced to hunch over every now and again, the tips of his hair brushing against the jagged ceiling whenever the floor of the cave gets too uneven.

The taste of honey dew makes your mouth water, along with a richness similar to the dark colored treats James brings you every once in a while.

“Are we almost there?” James’ hushes them and a frown forms on both their faces. You peer at them with interest.

“James.” The tall one scolds, his throat raspy with sleep. “Don’t ignore us.”

He rolls his eyes, “Yes, yes, we’re almost there. Merlin, all you have to do is wait a few more bloody minutes.”

“Well excuse me if I decide to ask a couple questions when you drag me in the middle of the forbidden forest at this hour.” The tall one hisses back, looking far more lively than he had moments before.

You tug on James’ sleeve, straightening up as his attention instantly falls back to you. “Yes, love?”

You gesture to the cave, turning back to stick your tongue out at the two behind you. Although they're infinitely confused, there’s no doubting the fact that you’ve piqued their interest.

“Bloody brat.” The two mutter in unison.

James ignores them, trying his best to listen to your incomprehensible, but excited mutterings.

“Found the poor thing bathing in a creek when I was roaming around as Prongs.” James sighs, clutching his wand tightly as he walks the familiar path.

They stop just as you reach the entrance to what looks like a house, gazing around in awe as the glass bottles and mason jars start to come to life, fireflies moving around in them restlessly. The unnatural glow coming from the small pond by the back alcove couldn’t be from anything but magic. You lead them further into the room, pointing to the small collection of rocks and other random items, sorted in a chaotic manner.

“Wow.” The shorter one whispers breathlessly.

You push James on your makeshift bed, made up of moss and hay. You sidle up to his side with a contented hum. “Brought her some stuff when I could. But for now I figured I’d share her with m’best mates.”

They both pause at that.

“What?”

“Trust me, the poor thing can barely even understand us.” He assures his tall friend.

Seeing how unconvinced they still were, he sighs and turns to you. You perk up at his attention, letting the small stones you were messing with fall to the floor as you give him a bright smile.

“You’re just a dumb little nymph aren’t you?” He coos down at you. You nod along eagerly, eyes shining with adoration as he mocks you.

“Such a dumb girl, who’s my dumb girl, huh?” His voice was not unlike the voice one would use when speaking to a puppy and you just smiled along, practically bouncing in place at his upbeat tone. You latch onto his arm, fiddling with the fabric on his jacket.

James sighs at your actions, pulling you closer into him, your teeth making a soft ‘click’ every time you bite down on the material.

Sirius gives Remus a heavy look, the long haired boy looking doubtful when Remus walks over, hunching over you. His slender finger trails up and down your calf. “Such a pretty girl.”

You must’ve understood what he said because no sooner did those words leave his mouth, did your legs wrap around his waist, pulling him forward harshly.

With a speed that surprised even him, his arms shot out to either side of your head, letting out a loud groan as a few small rocks dug into his palms, just barely managing to stop himself from crushing you.

You let out a series of loud clicking and chirping noises, unaware of how improper your actions were. He lets out a huff, rising to his knees as you continue to babble nonsensically. “You don’t do that. You understand? Tha’s not nice and someone could’a gotten hurt.” His tone is firm and you squirm in place, peering up at him with wide eyes.

James had never spoken that way to you before.

Bashfully, you turn away from him, hiding your face in the crook of James’ neck. “Hey mate, don’t be rude to my best girl. Just cause I’m sharing ‘er doesn’t mean you need to be a prick to the poor thing.” He grumbles, petting your head softly.

Remus just sighs, shaking his head at you two before calling out, “Are y’just gonna stand there all evenin’?”

Sirius, who was still wandering around the cave, shook his head, as if coming out of a daze. “Sorry mate, s’just cool in here.” He moves to sit down, but freezes when your head snaps to him. You bare your teeth, hissing with furrowed brows as you eye the way he’s just a little too close to James.

James lets out a booming laugh as Sirius’ features morph into a scowl.

Remus slaps James’ arm. “Be nice.”

#hunnie posts ➷#hunnie writes ☀︎#poly!marauders x reader #poly marauders #james potter x reader #james potter blurb #remus lupin x reader #remus lupin blurb #sirius black x reader #sirius black blurb #james potter #remus lupin #sirius black #nymph!reader #pieces of me au

671 notes · View notes

moonstruckme · 9 months

Text

Camping

summary: the wilderness favors James over you, but it does have some redeeming qualities

cw: mentions of blood, minor injury

James Potter x fem!reader ♡ 1.6k words

Camping hadn’t sounded like such a bad idea last weekend, when James had suggested it. You aren’t a naturally outdoorsy person, but you loved the idea of getting him all to yourself for a couple of days, and what could be more romantic than frolicking through the forest together, the soft light of a campfire, and sleeping under the stars?

Frolicking, you think sardonically, slapping your cheek in yet another attempt to nail the mosquito that has been trailing you for the past hour, slowly sucking you dry. You could not possibly have been more naive in your imaginings of what camping would entail. Your legs hurt, your supposedly practical shoes are starting to chafe on your ankles, and you’re unsure if the back of your neck is itching from bug bites (completely undeterred by the bug spray you’d applied at the car, by the way) or your ceaseless sweating. You feel tired, and sticky, and sore.

“Oh, look!” James calls from a few paces ahead of you. “There’s a river up here.”

You try not to resent him in times like this, but there’s something seriously unjust about how easily your boyfriend has taken to the wilderness. You suppose it simply boils down to one fact: James loves the world, and it loves him right back. A light sheen of sweat has him glistening in the sunlight, his muscled legs effortlessly navigating the landscape, and the breeze has tousled his curls just so as to make hair stylists worldwide mad with envy. He even seems to be getting a tan, whereas you’re strapped into what he calls your “sexy hat”—a beige, floppy thing with vents and a chin fastening—to avoid a sunburn.

You push ahead on shaky legs until you’re beside James, looking at what appears to you to be more of a creek, or a stream maybe, than a river.

“Nice,” you say, smiling with all the enthusiasm you can muster. “Wanna go for a swim?”

“Uh, absolutely,” James says, and you suspect he was only waiting for you to ask so it’d be your idea. He sets off for the water, discarding his backpack a few feet away and all but diving in. You follow more warily, not loving the idea of a fish or some other mysterious river dweller brushing up against you, but the prospect of cool, flowing water washing the dirt and sweat from your legs has you stepping out of your shoes and wading in.

James grasps your hands to keep you from stumbling as you approach him in the middle of the stream. The water here comes up almost to the hems of your shorts, and you’re considering tossing your clothes to the shore if it means you can experience this icy relief all over your body.

“This is fun, yeah?” James grins, and your heart contracts guiltily as you realize you may not have been as covert with your dissatisfaction as you’d thought. It’s not James’ fault the outdoors doesn’t treat you as kindly as it seems to treat him, and you have no intention of ruining what should be a perfect trip for him.

“Yeah, it is.” You return his smile, bracing your hands on his shoulders and standing on tiptoe to kiss him.

He returns your efforts with gusto, pressing his mouth to yours so ardently you have to take a tiny step back to keep your balance, and a sharp pain goes through your heel.

You gasp, almost biting James’ lip as you rear back.

“What?” he asks, instantly concerned, and you grip his shoulders tightly, hopping around awkwardly on one foot.

“I don’t know.” Your foot stings, the water ripping at it even as you do your best to keep it motionless. “I think I stepped on something.”

James curses. “You aren’t wearing water shoes?”

“I don’t own water shoes,” you cry.

“Okay, sorry,” he says, both of you speaking more sharply than you’d prefer. “Alright, let’s get out.” He picks you up with strong arms under your knees and shoulders, and you can easily blame it on the pain if you swoon a bit as he carries you to the rocky shore, setting you down gingerly.

You curl your wounded foot close to you, a puddle of watery red already forming on the rock beneath you. There’s a piece of glass stuck in the skin of your heel, soft and already slightly wrinkled from the water, and it’s panic more than hurt that has invisible fingers closing in a suffocating grip around your throat.

“You’re okay,” James says, watching you with his own barely-leashed panic swimming in his eyes. “Can I have a look?”

You nod, letting him take your ankle cautiously and bring your tender foot onto his lap. You make a small sound of protest at the blood you’re getting on his shorts, but he shushes you, gripping the protruding piece of glass between his fingernails.

“I’m gonna take it out, okay? Then we can clean it.” He looks at you for approval, and all you can do is nod again before he’s removed the intruder from your heel and your blood is flowing even faster. You hiss at the pain and in mourning for the stain that will certainly never come out of James’ poor shorts. “Aw, I’m sorry, angel,” James coos, grabbing antiseptic spray you had no idea he’d brought from his backpack. He makes short work of cleaning and covering your wound, and even kisses your gross, river-scented foot when he’s done, though the comically small band-aid covering the cut really puts things into perspective for you.

You’re doing your best to rally the gung-ho attitude you’ll need to get through the rest of this trip when James says, “I know it’s early, but you probably won’t be able to walk much on that for a little while. Want to go ahead and set up camp at that clearing we passed earlier?” and frankly, the idea of this ordeal being over with for the night is too good to pass up.

“Sure,” you say, trying to feign some reluctance, and he kisses you on the forehead before hauling you up.

You’re grateful for James’ selfless character (and his sturdy frame) as he lets you lean some of your weight on him, in addition to the not-insignificant weight of his backpack, while you limp the fifteen minutes to the clearing. He takes the tent from his pack as soon as he’s set everything down, unrolling it and placing the first stake at a corner.

“Here,” you crawl over, taking the mallet from him. “I can do that.”

James gives you a look like you’ve sprouted a second head. “No,” he says, taking the mallet back from you and starting to hammer in the stake himself, “you’re hurt.”

You can’t help it; you laugh. “Jamie, a cut in my foot hardly keeps me from using my arms.”

He only shakes his head at you. “You just rest, sweetheart. I’ve got it.”

You consider protesting further, but he seems serious, and eventually you simply shrug, scooting into a patch of shade to watch him work. If your boyfriend wants to do all the hard work, far be it for you to prevent him.

And as the evening goes on, James actually does insist on doing everything for you. He sets up the tent, builds the fire, heats your dinner, and even fashions a little cushion for you to sit on out of a spare blanket. You argue that you’re not all of a sudden made of glass when he won’t let you roast your own marshmallow, but James won’t hear it, and soon you’re lying on the cool ground, using your blanket cushion to pillow your head and looking at the stars.

“We can start back to the car as soon as we wake up tomorrow,” James says over the chirping of crickets and croaking of frogs, his head just a few inches from yours. “I’m sure you want to be in your own bed.”

“What?” You push up onto your elbow, looking down at him in disbelief. “No, I’ll be okay to walk tomorrow.” You’re fairly sure you were okay to walk today. “Don’t cut the trip short on my account.”

James only looks at you glumly. “Sweetheart, you weren’t having any fun today. You were miserable, and then you got hurt.” His brows scrunch like even the memory is agonizing for him. “I don’t want to make it worse by having you walk on it all day tomorrow.”

You’re officially the worst girlfriend in the world. James had been looking forward to this all week, and as soon as you’d gotten here, you’d made no secret of how little you were enjoying yourself. “James, I’ll be fine,” you promise. “I was being a wimp today, and now I know what to do to make it easier for myself.” More bug spray, to start with. You sigh, laying your head on his shoulder. “I didn’t mean to spoil your good time. Let me try again tomorrow, okay?”

“You’re sure?” You can’t see James’ face, but there’s no mistaking the hope in his voice.

“Positive. You’re so sweet for offering to go home, though.” You tilt your head up until your lips find his, the kiss short and sweet. “Thank you.”

“Don’t want my girl to have a bad time,” James says, sitting up and pulling you with him so he can kiss you more fully. He casts a forlorn look at your foot. “My poor, injured girl.”

You grin, bringing your unscathed leg around to straddle his lap. “Not so injured I can’t do anything,” you remind him.

James’ eyebrows rise, his lips slowly curving upward. “Oh, yeah?” he croons, pulling you closer by your waist. “I mean, if you’re sure, sweetheart. But the sexy hat is going to have to stay on."

#james potter #james potter x reader #james potter fanfiction #james potter fanfic #james potter fic #james potter x fem!reader #james potter fluff #james potter oneshot #james potter scenario #james potter drabble #james potter imagine #james potter x you #james potter blurb #james potter x y/n #marauders era #the marauders #hp marauders #marauders

329 notes · View notes

lambiewrites · 7 months

Text

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Camping w/ Saw Characters

Characters included: John Kramer, Amanda Young, Mark Hoffman, Lawrence Gordon, Adam Stanheight. Plus, me and Y/N (because I said so)

Warnings: none, except mentions of smoking, getting hurt?? Idk

Notes: Reader is gender neutral and everything is platonic. Even our relationships with each character (unless otherwise stated in other fics I may write)

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

John Kramer: I personally feel like John really enjoys the outdoors and seeing as though we see him chilling on a park bench, sketching his traps 24/7, I feel like he’d really enjoy it. Loves the peacefulness except when everyone (Amanda and Mark) are fighting. Definitely fishing at 7am. Struggling because he may or may not have to sleep on the ground. We definitely bought peepaw as many blankets and sleeping bags as possible. He gets cold so easily, bless his heart. Wants to enjoy the hiking trails but, can’t because he’s either in his wheelchair at this point or it’s just a struggle for him in general. (Mad at me because I complained about my knee the entire time even though I’m perfectly fine.) definitely giving Y/N a lesson on the outdoors.

Lawerence Gordon: Didn’t really want to come but he was sorta forced to. Definitely the group’s medic. Lecturing everyone on where they should and shouldn’t step. Pissed because Adam keeps smoking even in the non smoking areas like the woods where there’s been really bad wildfires. Adam does not care though. Dr.Gordon helped pitch everyone’s tent and tried to tell me and Y/N how we could easily pitch our tents but we didn’t listen. He actively carries the first aid kit literally everywhere. This man also had to pull me out of the fishing creek because I slipped on some rocks and nearly fell in. (He and Adam are sharing a tent shhhh ❤️)

Amanda Young: A little less than thrilled to be here. It’s cold and wet. Plus she had better things to do. Constantly at John’s side making sure he’s not too cold and that he’s enjoying himself. Pitched her own tent and probably is sleeping in it by herself unless Y/N wants to share it. Stays up all night worrying about peepaw and maybe other campers (or bears) Definitely one to tell the darkest, scariest, goriest story at the campfire. Is she fighting with Mark the entire time? Oh yeah probably. Is she yelling at me the entire time? Yes. Is Y/N telling her about their nature knowledge (if that’s your hyperfixations) Yes. Amanda definitely wants to go home but she’s sticking it out for peepaw.

Mark Hoffman: (My favorite camping headcannon to write lmao) Complaining about pitching the tents because no one else can apparently. Honestly would rather die than be out here but, he’s making the most of it. Yes, we do have his ass grilling, why wouldn’t we? It’s his job now. Did we make him make the fire? We did actually. Watched me fall off the rocks and into the creek and did not care. Thought it was funny, wished I had drown. Y/N is the only one who he isn’t mad at (congratulations!). Yet. Secretly enjoys the camping but won’t say anything about it. Probably sleeping in a tent by himself. (Maybe Y/N is sharing it with him?) I have decided that this man physically cannot stand me and that’s okay.

Adam Stanheight: This man has been chain smoking since we got here. Obviously taking as many pictures as he physically can. OF EVERYTHING!!! Tried to help Lawerence set up the tent but got bored. Almost started a forest fire but felt instantly bad. Definitely got a lecture from it. Sits at the fire and makes s’mores. Watched me burn myself trying to roast marshmallows and laughed at me (I deserved it, trust me). Loves the outdoors actually and he’s thrilled to be there. Like a little squirrel running around with his camera ❤️😭✌🏻 Y/N is forcing him to take cute little selfies of them with trees and mountains. We’re hanging up the Polaroids all over the place. We’re gonna look so aesthetic, trust me xoxo

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Notes: This was quickly made and probably shitty but, just bare with me lol this is my first one and I love it. I think it’s funny. A lot of this was pulled from my actual camping trip at the beginning of the month. I hope y’all enjoyed and feel free to request stuff! I love you guys!

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

#saw #saw franchise #saw memes #saw headcannons #kayla’s headcannons #saw community #john kramer #lawrence gordon #adam stanheight #mark hoffman #amanda young #y/n #x reader #jigsaw apprentices #jigsawintern #camping #ask #request

114 notes · View notes

scriveyner · 2 years

Text

always summer #22

always summer #22: 69 | bungou stray dogs |👿🐯 | #kinktober 🔞| ~1900 words

They had been hiking for the better part of the afternoon, through dense, shaded forest and up a gently sloping mountain trail. Akutagawa hadn’t seen any hikers since they set out in the early morning, leaving Dazai on one of the old wooden benches, Chuuya’s hat over his eyes. Supposedly they were hiking one of the trails as well, but as Dazai had seemed less than enthused with the activity he wouldn’t be surprised to see the car gone whenever they returned to the trailhead.

Continue on ao3 or:

It was nice, to be out in nature. He could hear the animals moving about around them—a wild deer had crossed the trail ahead of them, it froze when it noticed the intruders, and then was gone with a flick of its white tail, vanishing into the trees.

“There goes lunch,” Akutagawa said dryly, and Atsushi elbowed him.

Akutagawa had been remarkably amenable to this whole endeavor, which came as a surprise—mostly to himself. He knew Atsushi hadn’t pegged him as someone who would enjoy being outside as long as they had been, but he’d been by Atsushi’s side most of the days now, so much so that the paleness of his skin had warmed from the constant exposure to the sun.

There was a small, shallow creek that crossed the trail, with large flat stones meant to make the crossing easier. Atsushi still managed to wipe out on them and land in the shallow water, much to Akutagawa’s great amusement. Instead of deigning to follow Atsushi’s lead, Rashomon easily lifted him over the creek, and he stood, dry, on the other bank as Atsushi splashed through the ankle-high water.

Eventually, they reached a natural overlook that was marked with a pile of stones; it hadn’t been on Atsushi’s map and probably wasn’t that safe, but they sat on the rocks and looked out over the rolling hills, the ancient remnants of once-majestic mountains. Akutagawa leaned against Atsushi’s shoulder, the most contact he was willing to offer at the moment, still sweaty and gross from the climb.

“It feels like we’re the only two people in the world up here,” Atsushi said, shadowing his eyes from the sun.

Akutagawa threaded his fingers through Atsushi’s, and Atsushi looked over at him and smiled when Akutagawa leaned for a kiss. “Sometimes,” Akutagawa said, “I wish we were.”

Atsushi clearly didn’t know quite how to take that, so he ducked his head and looked away, blushing furiously and still holding Akutagawa’s hand—so he tugged Atsushi back and kissed him again.

Sometimes, when he looked at it from the outside, it still made not a single lick of sense to him that he would be here right now, walking under the midday sun, side by side with his most hated enemy. Akutagawa watched Atsushi as they walked, and he was taking in the sights and sounds of the forest around them, smile broad and open on his face—and Akutagawa was smitten all over again.

God, he was smitten. Hadn’t he come on this trip determined to pretend there was nothing left between them?

Atsushi’s face buried in the covers beside him, dropping off to sleep as he spoke; “good, ‘cause I love you too much…”

Akutagawa flushed and immediately turned his head slightly and stopped walked walking to cough.

Atsushi’s reaction was immediate, he half-turned on the trail, just a little bit ahead of Akutagawa. “Are you alright?” he asked, as Akutagawa uncapped his water to take a drink. “Has this been too much? We can head back at any time.”

“I am fine, weretiger,” Akutagawa said, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. He looked up to see Atsushi looking around, clearly eying the landscape. The trees were large and old but the space between them was wider at this point in the trail, and there wasn’t that much by way of vegetation and underbrush—in fact, there were several small clearings dotted around where the sun broke through the canopy above.

Atsushi nodded his head, shifting his backpack on his back, and stepping off the trail. “Come on, we’re gonna take another break. I’m hungry anyway, aren’t you?”

“Isn’t going off the trail the number one thing we’re not supposed to do, ever, co-signed by at least four signs we passed?” Akutagawa asked.

Atsushi waved his hand in the air. “Look, you can see the trail from over here. We can spread out the blanket in my back and eat lunch and you can rest up before we start to head back.”

“We don’t need to head back; I am fine going further.” Akutagawa still didn’t step off the path, at least until he identified the largest old tree and using Rashomon impaled a branch high into its trunk in a most unnatural manner so they could find the trail again.

“You didn’t trust me?”

“Of course not. You will fall asleep in the sun after we eat and by the time you wake up, we will be disoriented and not able to find the path again.”

Atsushi stuck out his tongue as Akutagawa joined him in the clearing, full of lush wild grass that had been tamped down already by something large. Atsushi spread out their quilt and immediately dropped into a sitting position on it, backpack in his lap as he began to pull out the sandwiches he’d packed for lunch. Akutagawa sat on the soft blanket as well, picked up a sandwich from the pile, and began to eat.

He actually managed two of the sandwiches and was considering a third when Atsushi puppy-dog-eyed him out of it. “You are lucky I like you,” Akutagawa sniffed, and Atsushi beamed at him, devouring the sandwich like all the others before rolling onto his back in the sunlight and spreading his arms out, stretching big.

“And, out,” Akutagawa commanded, waving his hand—Atsushi lifted a particular finger in his direction, and he smiled, amused. “No sun-fueled power nap for the overgrown house pet? Color me amazed.”

“You know,” Atsushi said, folding his arms under his head, “you don’t have to be so sarcastic all the time, right? No one’s going to hold it against you to be genuine about things now and again.”

Akutagawa was silent for a long time, staring at Atsushi, whose eyes remained closed against the sunlight. “I am genuine about one thing,” he said, finally, and Atsushi shaded his eyes so he could look over at Akutagawa, sitting on his knees on the blanket. “I’m genuine in how I feel about you. The rest,” he said with a sad, wry smile, “is unfortunately just my shitty personality that you will have to deal with if you choose to continue with this relationship.”

Atsushi sat up on his elbows for a second, before transitioning to all the way upright. “Don’t say things like that,” he said. “Why wouldn’t I want to continue with this relationship? Being around you is fun, easy, and comfortable.”

“Three things that would baffle literally everyone who knows me,” Akutagawa said. “You do recall I cut off your leg?”

“Don’t forget all the times you stabbed me,” Atsushi started counting off on his fingers every instance of bodily trauma he’d endured at Akutagawa’s hands until Akutagawa had to stop him. “If you’re not going to get rid of me over a little thing like that, I really don’t think you have to worry about your personality that much.”

Akutagawa pushed him over and Atsushi flopped onto his back again, surprised—but he stilled when Akutagawa laid out next to him, their heads nearly touching. “I’ve never been in love before,” Akutagawa said, finally, and Atsushi’s hand found his and squeezed it tight. “So, I figure I’m pretty shit at that, too.”

“Well, neither have I, so we can be shitting about it together,” Atsushi said with confidence, and Akutagawa bonked his head softly against Atsushi’s, and they both laughed.

Atsushi did doze off, just as Akutagawa had predicted. He eventually extracted himself to step away from the blanket, far enough away to take a leak and not have to worry about their belongings, and when he returned Atsushi was muzzy but starting to wake from his nap. Akutagawa, teasingly, leaned in for a kiss to wake his sleeping weretiger.

When Atsushi shifted, his shorts revealed that he’d gone hard, erection visibly straining through his underwear, and Akutagawa pushed him in the shoulder. “It’s far too late in the day for morning wood!”

Atsushi lifted his hips, shifting his weight, and was about to put his hand down his shorts to deal with it when Akutagawa caught his wrist. Atsushi huffed and dropped back to the quilt, as Akutagawa threw his leg over Atsushi’s chest and sat up on his knees, looking imperiously over his shoulder. “I wanted dessert anyway.”

“Did you?” Atsushi helped regardless, getting his shorts down enough that Akutagawa could extract him from his underwear easily enough. “If I had known that I would have let you go to town earlier—hng.”

Akutagawa’s mouth always shut him up, and, after a moment of creative shuffling, he stretched himself over Atsushi better. He was more focused on the dick in front of him and in his mouth than how he was arranged, at least until Atsushi started pulling his own shorts down. “What are you doing?” Akutagawa asked, the head of Atsushi’s cock slipping from his lips, leaving sticky strands spiderwebbing between them.

“Maybe I want dessert too,” Atsushi said, one eye closing as Akutagawa’s dick smacked into his face. Akutagawa snorted as Atsushi licked him, then shuddered once and returned to his task at hand.

The air was full of nothing but the soft noises they were both making, licking and mouthing and sighing and little grunts and groans of pleasure. Akutagawa squeezed the base of Atsushi’s cock when he felt his muscles start to clench and Atsushi groaned, Akutagawa’s dick slipping from his mouth. “Was close,” he complained, and Akutagawa licked him up one side and down the other and that silenced him as effectively as anything.

Atsushi’s mouth was pretty damn good on its own, an oven that swallowed him down, and he grabbed at Akutagawa’s hips, dragging him down and swallowing Akutagawa’s cock to the root. Shudders ran through him, and Akutagawa gasped, Atsushi’s throat working around him, and he couldn’t hold back the tidal wave of his orgasm; it very nearly swept him under.

He tried to focus on Atsushi’s dick, but the aftershocks were still rocking through him, his dick dragging across Atsushi’s cheek leaving streaks of white while he coughed and swallowed, still lying flat on his back. Akutagawa refused to choke himself out, but he stroked Atsushi hard, mouth wrapped around the tip, and when he finally encouraged the climax out of Atsushi, he was able to catch most of it in his mouth.

“Fuck,” Atsushi said and laughed breathlessly. Akutagawa rolled off him, onto his back, dick flopping against his skin—and he covered his eyes with his arm. “Fuck, that was better than I was expecting.”

“Weretiger,” Akutagawa said raggedly, “do you even have a fucking gag reflex?”

“Hm? No, I don’t think so.” Atsushi sat up and wiped his mouth. “Didn’t Dazai-san already mention that?”

“I thought he was joking.” A pause. “How does he know—?”

“You’ve seen me eat.”

Akutagawa had to concede the point. He exhaled and laughed, and Atsushi nudged him with a knee, and they both kept laughing under the warm summer sun.

#bungou stray dogs #kinktober #sskk #shin soukoku #lemony fresh

390 notes · View notes

foxbirdy · 1 year

Note

can you talk a bit about what you do as conservation work? i’ve seen a couple of your posts float around (the seasonal worker comic and the one about the remote island) and have looked into conservation stuff a bit myself and it all looks super cool!! i was just looking for a bit of a more personable take that what job sites describe

Of course! :) A lot of the work I've done has been in either trail maintenance, habitat restoration, or biological fieldwork, with a little bit of outdoor recreation stuff mixed in. Pretty much all of those things (barring the outdoor rec) have been in partnership with or working directly for government agencies (DNR, USFS, BLM, NPS, USFWS, etc.)

Trail work is very trades oriented - you are using tools (generally handtools - especially if you are working in designated wilderness, which prohibits any kind of mechanization) and your body to build effective infrastructure that will last a good, long time. Project work covers a huge range - brushing trail, digging tread, building structures, fence repair, rock work/wall building, etc. Often you have to work with natural materials on the project site, because hauling in lumber or stone is not feasible. It's hands-on & technical work, and it needs a lot of creativity! Your end goal is that no one knows you were there at all, because your work blends seamlessly into the landscape. A lot of people who hike or mountain bike don't realize how much effort and complexity it takes to maintain a trail! It's a very secret service, & I think there's something really beautiful in that. It's dirty, hard work, and you'll very likely go long periods without access to service or utilities (lots of treating/filtering your own water, camp-cooking your meals, showering in the creek, and sleeping on the ground).

The habitat restoration I've done has generally involved the removal of invasive plants & the planting/seeding of natives. This is also pretty intense physical work! You might have to get certified/trained in working with herbicides, which are sometimes a necessary tool in fighting invasive plants. Hack-splash or drill-fill are the most commonly used herbicide techniques in restoration, because broadcast dispersion is considered a last resort. That involves individually treating each invasive plant with herbicide, using minimal amounts and concentrations to limit the effect on the surrounding ecosystem. The two biggest restoration projects I've worked on are the re-planting of disturbed alpine meadows (50K plants in about six weeks) and the removal of invasive coconut monocultures from native rainforest (hacking down palms with a machete, and spraying/injecting the cut stump with a small amount of herbicide to prevent it from coming back).

My biological fieldwork has been mostly marine-oriented - I've done a lot of work with seabirds, as well as coral reef survey & tagging sharks, mantas, tuna, and dolphins. My seabird work involved monitoring nesting colonies (counting babies, tracking growth) with some tagging, banding, and sample collection as well. The seabirds I worked most with were several different booby species, Greater Frigatebirds, Red & White-tailed Tropicbirds, noddies (both black and brown), & terns (white & sooty). Most of the marine tagging I did was using handline fishing techniques, and required me to have a lot familiarity with/certifications for boat operation & seamanship. Biological fieldwork has definitely been lower labor-intensive than trail work or restoration, but still requires a lot of hiking & hauling gear around remote (& sometimes treacherous) terrain! You will also have really intimate exposure to animal bodies and death, and will probably (definitely) get pooped on/thrown up on/bled on at some point.

A big common theme throughout these kinds of jobs is the ability to work in small groups, in isolated places, for long periods at a time. I hope this was the kind of information you were looking for in terms of what the actual work is! Feel free to reach out/message me if this didn't actually answer your questions <3

#sorry this got so long!#beckett.txt #asks #conservation #conservation work #anonymous #id is in alt text!#beckett.jpg #faq #dirtbag tag

119 notes · View notes

captaincryolicious · 2 years

Text

Five minutes

➳ Heizou x gn!reader

➳ Oneshot ; 1.3k

➳ Fluff ; No warnings

The always so motivated detective suddenly insists on taking a break, and maybe it's simply because he wants to spend some time with you. [15.07.2022]

Zep's Note ; Mood: falling in love with Heizou even more

content under the cut | masterlist

You nearly got a cramp in your fingers from how much the detective made you write down that evening. Note after note was scribbled down on the parchment, the black ink keeping track of all his findings. You weren't expecting to write down that much, but it appeared that Shikanoin Heizou had a keen eye for finding clues and there seemed to be no end to his findings.

It was evening, the setting sun casting long shadows over the underbrush of the woods you ventured into, known as Chinju Forest. The two of you ended up under the darkening canopy of lush trees, following a trail of footsteps that had a possibility of belonging to the suspect of the case Heizou was currently on.

"Y/N, the trail consists of quite deeply imprinted footsteps," the prodigy detective commented from his crouched-down position, his fingertips grazing the outline of the footprint. "That means the suspect was sprinting Northward. It's hard to tell how recent they are, though."

You let out a hum, and your pen once again met with the parchment to take notes. Footprints directed North, most likely running, hard to tell how old they are, you wrote down.

It was a mystery how Shikanoin Heizou managed to find clues here. When you glanced around, you merely saw trees in the darkest shades of green, surrounded by rocks that varied in size. There was a small creek meandering alongside the sandy path that traversed the woods, and dull blue flowers littered the forest floor.

Even when you tried your very best to look past the disguise of nature, you failed to notice anything out of the ordinary. Heizou, however, had a keen eye, and it seemed to come to him effortlessly.

It made you wonder why the detective was so adamant on keeping you around to help him. In your opinion, you weren't helpful at all, only good for taking notes and following him around. But when you told him that, he simply disregarded your comment, replying with you are the only right hand I need. The subject never came up again. Back then it had flustered you a bit, but now you found yourself questioning why he didn't long for someone who could actually aid him in his work. Of course you didn't mind. You got to spend time with Heizou and you definitely weren't going to complain about that.

"Oh, great," the cherry-haired male let out after following the trail for a bit. Judging from his tone, something had displeased him.

"What is it, Heizou?" you questioned, taking a curious peek over his shoulder. Not much to your surprise, you saw nothing.

Yet, you hit the nail on the head with that finding, for that was exactly what was bothering the detective.

"The trail stopped," he stated, pointing at the forest floor that didn't have anything standing out about it. "Which means the possible culprit either climbed up a tree to outsmart us or went into the stream to hide his footsteps. It's a dead track."

The male intently studied the nearest tree, his fingers gently ghosting over the bark. He had once explained to you how studying trees could help him find clues, and it was honestly a method you would never come up with. You greatly respected him as a detective.

In the meantime, the sun had set beyond the horizon, wrapping the forest in a darkness that could have been taken as eerie, if it wasn't for an interesting phenomenon to occur all around you. By the time you noticed, your breath momentarily halted and you couldn't help but forget about your task at hand for a second. Heizou's quiet muttering went unnoticed by you as you gazed around in awe.

The midnight darkness brought forth something that was so beautiful, leaving you spellbound. The wind set the trees to whisper quietly, their stance mysterious and fairytale-like under the blanket of darkened sapphire. The creek's restless surface glinstered in the moonlight from above, and fireflies darted around friskily. Everything seemed to glitter, as if the forest around you was enchanted – maybe it was, who knew? But what really took your breath away were the countless flowers that bloomed all around you. The flowers, that had been dull before, now emitted a light that shone in a blue so brilliant it almost blinded you. They were everywhere, embellishing the forest's underbrush with their magnificent spell of beauty.

You gasped in utter awe. When did the forest suddenly grow so beautiful, and how did you miss it before it suddenly struck you? Heizou let out a soft chuckle at your current state, taking the clipboard out of your hands and setting it down onto a rock.

"Chinju Forest is quite magical at night, huh?" he commented, his green eyes reflecting the flowers's glow as he gazed around, his expression as awestruck as yours.

"It is," you agreed, a bit dazed. "Is this... okay?"

You gestured towards the abandoned clipboard. You were here for a reason, after all, and maybe getting distracted was a bad idea. To your surprise, the detective offered you an easy smile.

"Yeah, it's too dark to find clues anyway, even for me."

That probably wasn't true. He was Shikanoin Heizou, the prodigy detective who could find clues and solve entire cases under the hardest circumstances. Surely, the darkness of midnight wasn't enough to prevent him from doing his work, right? As talented as he was, you really doubted his comment.

One look in his green eyes confirmed your suspicions. It was as if he realized you saw right through him, and he looked away with a huff.

"Okay, guilty as charged. I can continue if I want but come on, this forest is too beautiful to ignore, isn't it?"

You wondered, was it really okay to abandon your search just like that? There was a culprit to catch, and you probably shouldn't allow them to get ahead of you even more.

"Five minutes," Heizou bargained, eyeing you intently. "Taking breaks is healthy. It makes my results a lot better, believe me."

Oh, you couldn't say no to his green eyes.

Right, was this really the detective begging his sidekick to take a break? Usually he was motivated to finish his research swiftly, not stopping before he had the answers he needed. There was something else, you saw through him once more. But what?

"Heizou, you never take breaks," you pointed out.

"Y/N," he groaned. You weren't sure because of the darkness that rested over the woods, but was that a blush painting his cheeks? His voice was a bit strained when he added, "I just want to explore the forest with you for a bit. Look at how much you are enjoying it all. I don't want to miss this opportunity. There, I said it."

The detective let out a huff, and you had to stifle a laugh. You were flustered – he wanted to explore the forest with you because he saw you enjoying it? – but at the same time you found it endearing how troubled he seemed while admitting it. Usually, Heizou was pretty blunt. This was a whole different side of him and you got to see it more and more these days. Surely, that had to mean something, right?

"Okay, five minutes," you teased lightly.

"Five minutes," he promised, reaching out to boldly take your hand in his. "Let's go."

Your clipboard was left behind, and for much longer than five minutes it remained there idly. You simply forgot about it at all, as you were surrounded by the sheen of radiant flowers draped over the mossy forest floor that set Heizou's eyes to shimmer so beautifully.

#genshin impact #genshin impact imagines #genshin impact scenarios #genshin impact fanfiction #genshin impact imagine #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact heizou #shikanoin heizou #genshin impact shikanoin heizou #shikanoin heizou x reader #heizou x reader #heizou imagine #heizou imagines #shikanoin heizou imagine #heizou x you #heizou x y/n

856 notes · View notes

green-algae · 1 year

Photo

4/16/23. Dry creek bed

#Nature #Nature Log #Places #Virginia #Northern Virginia #Spring #Forest #Trees #Trail #River #Creek #creek bed #rocks #sand

10 notes · View notes

asa-writes · 1 year

Note

okay so first of all i ADORE your content so much and i wanted to ask if you could write a oneshot for sigurd x reader mayhaps? basically the reader goes skinnydipping in a lake in the woods and sigurd accidentally finds her and eventually joins her and the atmosphere is like magical and stuff- maybe with some cute smut if you’re comfortable with that 🫶🏻

Thank you so much!! Of course, here's the oneshot. I hope it's not too magical for you but this was the first thing that came to my mind...

"The Hunt"

Pairing: Sigurd x F!Reader

18+ Minors DNI!

Word count: 1,1K

Warnings: Smut heheh, light fluff, magic, unprotected sex, magical prn with plot

Sigurd pushed through the dense foliage, his bow in one hand and a quiver full of specially-fletched arrows on his back. He followed the trail of broken twigs, bent grass, and mud puddles left behind by the doe up until he reached the small creek. He scanned the muddy banks for hoofprints, but the tracks disappeared into the shallow water. Taking off his shoes and socks, Sigurd stepped into the cold water, careful not to make too much noise.

As the faint sound of rippling waves echoed up from behind a gigantic boulder that blocked his view of the lake and its secret inhabitant, Sigurd instinctively reached for an arrow and notched it upon his bow. His body tensed as he focused on what lay beyond that massive rock, yet nothing prepared him for the sheer beauty he beheld in that moment. A faint melody floated towards him, so gentle and ethereal that it seemed to come from another realm entirely. He could almost feel himself being transported away by its sweet embrace.

As Sigurd's body tensed, he almost followed the impulse to shoot in the direction of the sound. Then, there you were - a young woman standing waist deep in the lake, illuminated by a thousand stars that were entwined in an embrace with the sun. You both were gazing up into its colours spreading like wildfire across the sky in awe, as a cool evening breeze whispered through your ears. Unveiled and unashamed, you moved towards him in graceful strides, swimming throughtout the lake's surface like a creature from another realm of existence. To Sigurd's eyes it seemed as if your movements held some magical power that enchanted his innermost desires.

Mesmerized by your beauty and dancing gracefully in what seemed like perfect harmony with nature around both of you, Sigurd couldn't help but stare; he felt awed by this beautiful scene playing out before him.

You stood in place, the lake around you a kaleidoscope of light reflecting off the millions of shimmering droplets; your well-formed body slowly rising and falling with the calm ripples of the water before him. Glittering eyes beckoning him to come closer, you spoke with an ethereal voice that seeped into his mind like a dream. "Come forth, Sigurd Snake-in-the-eye", you said in that soft familiar yet distant cadence, "Don't be scared, join me". He smiled at your invitation, mesmerized by the beauty of this surreal moment.

He felt his loins stir as he tried to resist the siren call of your presence. "Who... or what... are you?" he struggled to ask, drawn in by your unearthly beauty. "Why do you know my name? And why are you here?"

You simply chuckled softly at his questions and waved them away with a flick of your hand. "I am no one of consequence," you spoke gently, flashing him an ethereal smile. "I have come only to cleanse myself."

Sigurd cast a wary glance around the forest. Was this all too good to be true, or had the universe conspired in his favor? The doe that had led him here seemed to have a purpose - perhaps the will of the gods themselves. With trepidation and curiosity warring within him, Sigurd took a step forward towards you and began to disrobe himself, watching all the while for any sign of danger. Perhaps this was all meant to be. Maybe fate was steering him towards his destiny.

As Sigurd undressed, your eyes shone like a field of stars on a moonless night. It was as if you had been waiting for him, expecting him to join you all along. You moved closer to him, the water lapping against your rounded thighs, and gave him a coy smile.

Sigurd felt a shiver run down his spine as your soft hand touched his bare chest. Your touch was like nothing he had ever experienced before - it was gentle and comforting yet electrifying at the same time. He could feel his heart rate quicken as you led him deeper into the water.

The cool liquid enveloped Sigurd's body, sending a jolt of arousal coursing through his veins. As you swam together in the lake, it was as if time had slowed down; every moment was filled with an intense feeling of euphoria.

Your lips found his in a passionate kiss, your tongue as sweet as honey. He felt your hands wander over his body, exploring every inch of him with a hunger that matched his own.

They moved together in the water, their bodies entwined, a blur of flesh and lust. You touched him more tenderly than any other woman had, so he decided to do so as well, caressing your cold throat, chest, breasts and shivering thighs.

"Tell me, temptress," he breathed out, feeling your perfect hands gently tugging on his braids, "May I take you? May I touch you? May... may I hold you in my arms?"

You smiled up at him with a look of pure desire. "Yes, Sigurd," you whispered. "Take me. Touch me. Hold me in your arms."

Sigurd needed no further encouragement. He moved his hands over your body, exploring every curve and contour, as he kissed you deeply. He felt your softness against him, your cunt's warmth enveloping him, and he felt himself losing control.

As your bodies moved together in the water, Sigurd knew that this was where he was meant to be and gripped you by your hips, pulling you down until he bottomed out and spilled his seed deep in your hot, fluttering cunt. This was the purpose that the gods had intended for him - to take you. He was lost in the moment, in the feel of your skin against his, in the sound of your moans as you rode your own high out on him, bouncing delightfully on his long, hard member.

He held you in his arms as you moved together, your breaths mingling in the cool night air. It was as if you were two halves of the same whole - two celestial beings brought together by destiny. And Sigurd knew, without a doubt, that this moment would be etched into his memory forever.

As you finished and laid back into the meadow, he pressed a hasty kiss on your forehead and quickly went back to the lake, washing himself and turning around to grab his clothes.

He almost jumped out of the water in surprise, noticing a figure in the distance. It was the doe. It bowed its majestic head and left him naked in the water, galopping away.

#asas fanfictions #fanfiction #oneshot #drabble #sigurd #sigurd lothbrok #sigurd snake in the eye #sigurd smut #sigurd oneshot #vikings smut #vikings oneshot #vikings fanfiction #asa answers

77 notes · View notes

ghostoffuturespast · 2 months

Text

22 March 2024 - Friday Field Notes

Rabbitbrush (top), Spring Mountain Parsley (bottom left), Fringed Sage (bottom right)

The Spring Equinox was earlier this week and while the calendars might say it's spring, some days it doesn't necessarily feel like it. The prairie is beautiful, but it's a harsh place to live sometimes. There is limited water and the climate alternates frequently between extremes. So even though the calendars say spring, the prairie is slow to wake up. The patient sort, the prairie knows to wait.

Most people might think it's too early to start even thinking about gardening, but that depends on the types of plants you're planting. Many domesticated garden varieties of plants and agricultural crops have been selectively breed to reduce seed dormancy for human benefit. The seeds from domesticated plants germinate more readily and more consistently than their wild cousins. Which makes them easier to grow, harvest, and eat, but because of that they require a lot more babying and care. Wild plants are much tougher.

Seeds are living organisms, the offspring of plants, and they contain everything a seedling needs so it can germinate and grow. Wild seeds are incredibly patient, they will wait months, sometimes years, before they will even consider growing. Some have armor so thick that it has to be chipped away at by rocks and ice, freeze and thaw cycles, before water and air can even get to the seed. Others contain acids and hormones that have to be used up between specific temperature ranges before they'll even think about sprouting. While others, not fully developed, are knocked off the fronds and petals of their parents, children that brave the elements and just prefer to wait and see. Wild seeds do not rely on a calendar, because they know and can feel when it is truly spring. When it is safe for them to finally venture out into the world and grow.

I have no idea if this Rocky Mountain Bee Plant that I planted will grow this season. It's suggested to do fall plantings so it'll overwinter. It has a very thick and tough seed coat. I'm hoping the abrading I did and the snow might help it along a little. If not, it'll be a surprise for next year.

A couple of Pronghorn lads enjoying the trail.

CW: dead animal, road kill below cut

This Beaver was hit by a car trying to cross the road. Underneath the road there is a storm drain that connects a retention pond and feeds into the creek at the site that I work at. The storm drain is grated off, to help improve the flow of water and to make sure detritus doesn't get stuck in the channel, which increases the chances of flooding. Because this Beaver was trying to follow the water and because the drain was grated off, they had no choice but to cross the heavily trafficked road. It's unfortunate that urban infrastructure often does not consider the needs of all living things. Grating off that storm drain means no wildlife can use it as safe passage.

I salvaged the tail from this Beaver for educational purposes for work, the rest them was too far gone to keep, so my coworker and I moved them off the road and onto the shoulder a safe distance away from any cars.

Most likely this Beaver will first become food for scavengers, Coyotes and Corvids, before it starts to decompose. Insects will lay their eggs on its rotting flesh so their larvae will have something to eat, perhaps the fur will become a part of someones nest, and then the bones will bleach. Crumble to dust and return to the soil to feed the billions of microorganisms beneath. It will help the plants grow. Maybe some day, it might even help another Beaver live.

It's sad this Beaver died, but in nature nothing is wasted and nothing is forgotten. Life and death are so inextricably linked and one does not exist without the other.

And heck, maybe that Beaver tail I kept might inspire a future engineer. Help them build a better and more compassionate storm drain.

#nature #friday field notes #little ghost on the prairie #plants #seed dormancy #spring season #short grass prairie #rabbit brush #spring mountain parsley #fringed sage #pronghorn #beaver #cw: dead animal

13 notes · View notes

sleekervae · 8 months

Text

Past Lives [1.9]

Masterlist

A/N: Happy almost Friday, babies! And Happy Last Day of Summer but summer's still sticking around for now so. Also, I'm gonna start a tag list for this story so if you want to be added, just shoot me a message!

Warnings: tiny bit of angst, emotions, cardio

@richardslady121

Salt mingled in the cool morning breeze, drifting through the forest carrying the scent of the waters from the west. The relaxing psithurism soothed and excited Austin's mind, drawing unending waves of energy despite the early hour. As the crisp air swept over his face, he glanced around in awe at the path before them as if the babble of the creek to their right spoke amusing tales to the canopy of new green above. Lingering snow in the pockets of shadows patched the browns of the far off mountain peaks with bright white, allowing the fresh rock and new greenery to peak out. He paused on the path, leaning back ten degrees to view the scene through the lens of his camera. He twisted the focus ring to compensate for the wide landscape and clicked.

"Did you get a good shot?" Jade asked, voice as quiet and gentle as the rustling leaves over their heads. She didn't want to spook him in his element.

She stood behind him, puffing softly under her breath because she didn't want to let on that she didn't do as much cardio as she should've. When Austin had asked if she wanted to come hiking, she was skeptical at first. But it was a good excuse to spend time together, get out into nature a little more and what not. She peaked over his shoulder as he let her preview the photo of the landscape.

"I think so," he glanced at her, watching her study the picture with considerate interest, "What do you think?"

She smiled at him, "Beautiful,"

He couldn't help but flicker over her appearance; liking how she glowed in February sun. He could pick off the fatigue peaking through her expression, her brows knitted together as she focused on the picture, on trying to master the terrain around her. How despite how tired he could tell she was, she was determined to conquer the lake hike with him.

"What?" Jade chuckled, her puffing dwindling down now, "I got some dirt on my face?"

Austin shook his head, an amused smile gracing his face, "Just thinking..."

"Yeah?" she caught a sight of his dimples as he averted his gaze, "What about?"

"How you clearly don't hike enough," he teased back.

She rolled her eyes with a heavy exhale, adjusting the waistband of her shorts, "Am I that obvious?"

"You're doing great," he assured her, "A couple more miles,"

"He woke up and chose violence today," she muttered under her breath. Austin laughed as she spoke, "What else you gonna' take pics of?"

He shrugged, "Whatever I find interesting,"

Austin fiddled with the settings of his camera, allowing Jade to go on and maybe get a little head start. Though his legs were longer, he did this way more, he would overtake her in no time. The wind rippled through her ponytail, soft tendrils of light caressed her olive skin. His heart slammed against his chest, he felt the urge to seize the moment. He lifted his camera to his eye and clicked quickly. The camera captured the full body shot of Jade on the trail. He zoomed in, trying to steady the excitement vibrating through his grip. His finger pulled the setting to take multiple shots, then pressed down on the shutter button. Rapid clicks sounded from the camera capturing the scene. He glanced at the result.

The colour was devastatingly breath taking. Austin couldn't bare to take his focus away. It was like staring into the brook: pale shades of river stone grey touched by flawless cerulean skies formed the backdrop for flecks of liquid amber and touches of new leaf green. As he clicked through the pictures, her dark lashes fell shut, the colours of her eyes deepen richly with every millisecond. The last few pictures were of her eyes completely closed, face luxuriously serene with pale pink lips barely parted.

Jade watched him from her spot, having heard the clicks go off in the distance. She decided not to call him out on it -- not yet, anyway. A small smile curled at her lips as she called out to him.

"You comin', Attenborough?" she startled him fro his reverie, "There's still another couple of miles! Or whatever that means!"

Austin shoved his camera back into his bag, "Yeah, yeah, I'm right behind you -- Little Miss Bossy,"

She smirked back, "I prefer Little Miss Naughty. You sure Callum didn't want to come?"

"Said he had a thing..."

Sure enough, Austin caught up to her but Jade did her best to keep up on the incline. Austin took shots along the way, focusing on the light playing in the trees, bouncing off the of streams, trying not to worm his way back to Jade too often. Oh sure, he had plenty of nature oriented pictures, with just as many as Jade to match the quota.

Soon enough -- and much to Jade's relief -- they reached the crest of the hike; before them the crystalline lake laid out.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph..." she huffed, exhaustion momentarily faded as she gazed at the tranquil beauty of the lake. She felt a sense of awe and humility, realizing the insignificance of her worries against the vastness of nature. She and Austin exchanged awestruck glances, fatigue momentarily forgotten in the face of such natural splendor.

She was glad she'd come along.

As she began to unpack her backpack, Austin forced himself to take a few superficial and thoughtless photos of the area, capturing its natural, still-life beauty.

"So?" he turned to her as he capped the camera lens, "Did I do good?"

Jade offered an unsure expression as she glanced between him, the lake, and the trail they emerged from. Her lips curled up as she continued to pull out part of their picnic.

"On the view or trying to kill me?" she chuckled.

"How about both?" he replied cockily.

Jade tossed a cold cut sandwich at him, he just caught it against his chest, "Sit down, I'm hungry,"

They sat on a dry log of driftwood, sandwiches, crackers and dried fruit between them. The aching burn in Jade's body dissipated soon enough and she could fully enjoy the moment, take in the scenery, relish in the silence, she and Austin just existed in a space that was privy to themselves.

She could recognize her codependency for Austin, she felt guilty because she was hurtling towards something she didn't feel she was ready for, nor did she feel she could give him fully what he needed from her. She got into this originally because she wanted to have some fun, blow off steam, reclaim her power. And maybe even experience what could have been in another universe.

They sat beside each other, the air was comfortably quiet, warm as they rested. Austin closed his eyes and listened to the gentle lapping of the water against the shore, a rhythm that matched the beating of her own heart. He knew if he looked at her, if he opened his mouth he might say something he shouldn't. Nevertheless, his left hand was sat next to hers on the driftwood, centimetres away from one another. He marvelled at her dark locks; seven months ago her hair was hanging just past her chin, a ponytail would've been impossible. Now it was just down to her shoulders. So much had happened in those seven months and still it felt like time between them was passing too quickly.

This was the intimacy they had always craved, so much silence intertwined with so much power, unspoken words climbing and clawing from her gut. Jade's heart sobbed. Too much. She loved him too much. And he wasn’t ready for that. It was way easier to hide her feelings behind excuses, fussing... silence. She was lying to herself, the silence was unbearable.

"Can I ask you something kinda weird?" she spoke suddenly.

Austin nodded, "I don't think much is off limits with us," he replied, "Shoot,"

"When I was on my... dare I call it a date -- what were you doing that night?" she asked, "Before I called you?"

Austin took a glance at her from his peripherals, the act of his chest rising and falling suddenly feeling heavy, "I was going through the script James had sent me. I have a table read in a couple weeks,"

"For the sci-fi movie?"

"Mmhm,"

She turned her gaze to him, visually tracing the line of his profile, "Suppose you have to keep that to yourself for a while?"

He raised a brow, "You're curious?"

"I'm always curious, and I wanna' support you," she nodded, "I like all your projects,"

He stifled a laugh, "All of them?"

She hesitated, "Okay -- I mean... 'Yoga Hosers' was kinda' weird," she shrugged, "But you make a cute fuckboy," she cringed the moment she'd said it. God, get yourself together, girl, "God -- wait, that sounds so stupid,"

Much to her relief though, Austin laughed, "It's okay. I had fun on that set -- despite the fact I died via bratwurst," he mused, turning his head to meet her gaze.

"Yeah, they lost me way before that," she admitted, fixated on the underlying sparkle in his dark eyes.

When he looked at her like that — and he did a lot — she felt like she was his whole universe. It was the look he would give to a significant other. She saw it whenever he talked about his mom. Jade always figured she was just doing some wishful thinking when he gave her that look.

"I think my favourite song is 'Roman Holiday'," he said suddenly, " -- From your discography,"

She visibly shuddered, no, there's no fucking way.

Nevertheless, she strived to keep her composure. Jade turned her eyes to the lake.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because it's beautiful, and you sound incredible," he shrugged, "And young love, foolishness and self reflection tend to go hand-in-hand... in-hand,"

She simpered quietly, "Did you know the term 'Roman Holiday' refers to when someone is happy that someone else is suffering?" she asked.

"I didn't, thought it was just a movie," he replied.

"In Roman times, obviously it referred to the bread and circuses era. There was so much death and barbarity but the spectators showed up time and time again to witness somebody get slashed to death. In today's standard, it refers to pleasure or advantage gained from the discomfort or suffering of others. I read a lot about it," she chuckled at the end.

"Were you the happy one or the suffering one?" he asked.

"Both," she sighed, "I don't know, I've been reflecting on my place in the world and what I've created. I'm gonna' thirty before I know it, and I don't know if I'm fighting for relevancy anymore so much that I'm fighting for my own peace of mind, now," she laughed again, nervously this time, "Sorry, that's a lot,"

"No, no, it's okay," Austin assured her, "If it means anything, I'm still dealing with all of that. I was scared for so long that I would turn thirty and fall into obscurity, not know myself as an adult. It was even scarier when I came back from Australia, I had such a skewed sense of who I was. It's why I'm always looking for things to keep me grounded,"

"And what's keeping you grounded these days?" she asked.

He paused momentarily, mulling it over, "This is one; just being in nature. Good music, talking to my dad maybe twice or three times a week. Cooking is a big one, I need to improve on that,"

Jade chuckled, "You're a good cook, Austin," she assured him.

"Not as good as you," he pointed out.

She tossed some hair behind her shoulder, "Well, it's an acquired skill," she mused, "Anything else?"

He sighed quietly, looking down at her, "I'm reading a lot more, helps to take me out of a heavy headspace. And I'm trying new hobbies,"

"Like what?"

"Pottery,"

She raised her eyebrows, "Really? When did you start doing pottery?" she asked.

"A couple weeks ago. I wanted to wait until I got better to show you," he admitted shyly.

"Like I'm a clay critic. I'm biased; I think everything you do is cool," she replied.

"I know," he nodded, smiling, "But I like impressing you,"

"You already do,"

"How?" his lips curled further, his expression curious.

Jade could feel her cheeks heating up, she broke away from his gaze, smiling bashfully, "How do you impress me?"

"Yeah,"

"Is this some sort of ego trip for you, or...?"

His laugh was music to her ears, "I just wanna' know what the coolest rockstar on the planet likes about me, is all," he replied.

Her smile faltered a little, "I liked you long before I was a rockstar, Austin, come on," she admitted, mulling over her next confession as her heart thudded heavily in her chest, "... I wrote you a song, actually. Before -- like... ten years ago,"

"Really?" he shifted his position on the log, looking down at her, "Did you... release it?"

"I did,"

"Which one?"

"... it was about swimming pools," was all she said, averting her eyes between his own and the dirt and rocks below their feet. Fear rippled through her like an icy chill, nevertheless she was anxious to see if he would get the hint. Austin wracked his brain, flipping through her song titles, lyrics, the little metaphors he'd read into and loved so much. And then it hit, the tidal wave realization, the memory washed over him, awe-struck and feeling utterly foolish.

"Roman Holiday?"

Her soft nod was his answer. What were the odds?

What were the odds of their whole relationship?

Jade wasn't sure if she should speak, if he should speak; what was she even supposed to say at this moment? But she never answered his question before.

"I've always been so impressed with your low key sense of humour, your natural charm paired with your clumsiness, how gentle you are even though you tower over almost everybody. And even back there -- you're clearly better at hiking but you slowed down to walk with me," she gave a shaky sigh, "And ten years ago, when we were younger and stupider, I wanted to do crazy shit like -- break into city property. Or smoke weed on the roof. And you indulged my bullshit, but you also reigned me in when I needed to be. I never listened to a lot of people, but I always listened you. I always wonder if my life could've turned out differently if I had kept you,"

The more he thought about it, the more it began to make sense. The clues and hints had always been staring him in the face, glistening through his ears whenever he listened to the song. Only then Austin clued in to just how highly she thought about him, how much she needed him. He wanted to go back through her first album to see if he could pick up any more clues.

Much to her chagrin, Jade thought she had made another mess.

"How come you never said anything?" he asked tentatively.

She scoffed, "What was I supposed to say, Austin? You fell in love with somebody else, it wasn't my place. Evidently it was my place to fuck up someone else's relationship --"

"Hey, don't do that," he urged, "Jade, you don't have to keep that burden on yourself,"

“I know, but I can't help it. And I deserved everything I got. I know my head is fucked up, and I talk too much and I do stupid things. I say dumb things and most times they don’t make sense and I shoot myself in the foot —”

“Don’t berate yourself like this," he cut her off swiftly, "You’re a sensitive young woman. Kind and smart and very private about your emotions, but you're so passionate. Of course I can’t understand what you've been through, but I want to,” he reached to cup her cheek with the palm of his hand, “I think I’ll learn to ask you how you feel. I can ask you more often, if you want me to. And I’ll keep nagging until you elaborate,” he laughed at that, even though her cheek felt wet, “How do you feel right now, Jade?”

She shook her head, debating whether to retreat into or away from him. Her mind was on high alert as it battled it out for what she wanted versus what was the right thing to do. Her words came out shaking, “I feel like myself,” she paused, " -- first time in two years... I owe that to you,"

Austin bit his lip at that. He had managed to show her even though he had desperately tried not to, when he thought he shouldn't. He feared his love for her intensifying lest she didn't reciprocate. But she was always thinking about him, his body, heart, writing about him then and now. She wanted to keep this relationship.

“What would you do if I asked you on a date?” he asked, terrified. It was worth a shot. If it went wrong, she would leave and both of them would nurse their broken hearts separately. But if it went right? It was a leap of faith.

She was stunned, at first unsure if she'd misheard him. Jade finally met his gaze again, “Do you... you wanna date me? Actually?” she asked, wide Bambi eyes shining in marvel, "Not just for sex, like actual go out on dates, be together, do couple shit -- like grocery shopping?"

All he did was nod.

As his silence prolonged, she took some space, old insecurities gnawing at her from within. Jade buried her face between her hands, a muffled groan escaping her. She never thought she would be here, still incredulous that this was reality. The paradigm shift between her disaster date -- disaster life, more like -- and being here was the most intense whiplash she had ever experienced. She was terrified, but she was happy.

It felt as though a massive weight lifted from Austin's chest, though he was still nervous as she hadn't given him a response, “I don’t want you to think I’m pressuring you into stuff. We don’t have to do anything. I just need to have you close, in any way you’ll allow me,” he confessed, trying to reassure her.

Jade bit her lip and caught his hand in hers, looking for reassurance. She looked at her shoes, “You've had a lot more leeway with me than most people,” she popped her lips out of nerves, “I don’t know where this is going to lead us, specifically,” she took her time, toying with his fingers.

Austin brought their joined hands to his mouth, kissing the back of her palm, “I really like you. I really fucking care about you and I think you’re smart, beautiful, passionate and dedicated — all traits that I admire and respect and that I could fall for easily,” he explained, leaning his forehead against hers, “I just need to know where I’m standing with you,”

She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. His cologne and simply his skin always smelled so good. She remembered hiding her face in the crook of his neck during their last rendezvous. How he’d held her there, close, his hand cradling the back of her head. Domestic and blissful.

“I’m attracted to you. Mentally. Physically too. I've always been. I— I don’t know if you're ever going to love me, or if this would be suitable for both of us” she led his hand behind her back, around her waist, “Honestly, I uhm... I'm freaked out,”

“Mh. What is it that scares you?” he traced the shape of her spine under his finger.

“I’m needy. I'm impulsive, and I can't -- I won't be able to deal if you get hurt because of me,” she explained, breathing with difficulty.

He cupped her cheek, "You couldn't," he assured her, "You couldn't hurt me even if you tried,"

“And if this doesn’t work?” she doubted, tentative, “What if I’m too clingy, too needy, or we get too busy for each other?” her words faded, old insecurities, old trauma re-emerging to the surface.

His thumb rubbed against her cheek, “That’s when trust comes into play, Jade. You need to trust yourself, and trust me too,” his mouth came to hers, “Can you do that for me?”

She tried to chase his lips but he retracted, "Austin --"

"I don't want a no-strings thing anymore," he admitted, "And if that's too much for you to handle, then I understand,"

"It's not. I don’t want a one time thing with you,” she murmured, chasing his lips as he started leaning back, “I should've said something. Last time I was at your house, I should've,” she reminded him.

"I wish I had," he concluded, “I would have done stuff we weren’t ready for. That maybe even now we’re not ready for. I don't ever want you to feel like you're a burden or you're too much,” he slipped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him, “I don't know if I can promise that nothing's going to happen, or that either of us might not hurt, but I trust you. You're worth the try,”

Jade took a deep breath, fearing she may begin to cry as her throat ached. Austin had told her over and over how special she was, how she deserved love and forgiveness and kindness, it had only set in now she had started to believe him. He wouldn't have gone to all this effort if he wasn't serious. He took her up a mountain, for crying out loud.

“Can I kiss you?” she asked meekly, finally meeting his eyes.

He nodded with a smile.

He kissed her slowly, deliberately, cupping her cheeks and stopping with his nose pressed to hers, “Are you okay?”

She nodded her head, giving him Eskimo kisses in the process, “Yes,” she whispered.

"Yes?"

"Yes," she decided, "Yeah, I'll... I'll trust you. I want to try this,"

Austin nodded, despite her clear joy he could see the reservation, the fear peaking out. She was nervous, and he didn't blame her. She had been through hell and he empathized with her. It might speak poorly of him, but he was feeling a little selfish. He would show her, teach her that she could have something good, even if she felt she wasn't worth it. He would take good care of her.

"Really?"

"Really," she smiled, genuinely smiled, her dimples poked into her cheeks and her eyes regained their sparkle. She smiled that way just for him, and he felt his heart may burst in his chest.

"Okay," he kissed the small patch of skin behind her ear, holding her to his chest. Jade tucked her head under his chin, anticipation tingling at her fingers. Austin wanted her to trust him, trust herself, allow herself to be happy. And she knew she needed that just as much. She glanced around at the the landscape, the zero-point horizon, the rustling silence of the trees, the still lake and the tranquility. He managed to make everything feel good and she didn’t even know why.

It must be the Leo energy, she wondered. Perfectionist.

By the time they'd arrived back in the city, the sun was beginning to set. Pastel pinks were beginning to stain across the skies. Despite the ride back home, the ac blasting and the wind whipping through the open windows, Jade was still hot. Hot, sore -- and incredibly dirty. She took two steps into Austin's house before she kicked off her shoes, pushing fronds of loose hairs from her face as she's started for the backyard.

Austin hadn't noticed at first, his first instinct was the stick his head in the fridge for something to eat. Of course, his ears perked up when he heard his backdoor open. One bite of an apple in, he followed her, curious as she stood at the edge of his pool -- still in her hiking clothes.

"What're you doing?" he asked, voice muffled through his chew.

Jade glanced at him over her shoulder, smiling coyly, "Cooling down,"

And with that, she threw herself into the water.

Water splattered across the tile surface, rippling heavy as the refreshing cool enveloped her burning body. And it felt fucking fantastic.

Austin laughed from the doorway, striding over to the edge of the pool. He crouched down as she emerged, folding her arms on the tile as she stared up at him with starry eyes.

"Hi,"

"You cooled down?"

Adoration flooded her gaze, her lips curled into a satisfied smirk as she spoke, "Only from the hike,"

He cocked a brow, "Oh, is that all?"

"Mhm," she nodded, "I have an idea for our first date,"

"Do you?" his lips curled at her offer.

Jade bit your lip, trying to hold back a shy smile. Focus, "You joining me in the pool?"

Another bite from his apple; Austin averted his gaze from her to the pool's surface, and back again. His decision was a no brainer.

After all, it sounded like a fun first date...

#austin butler #austin x reader #austin butler fanfiction #austin butler imagine #austin butler fanfic #jade theodore #original story #original female character #elvis presley #elvis movie #elvis 2022 #imagine blog #film blog

12 notes · View notes