#I'm feeling emotional over an apple pie

[drarrily-we-row-along]

Apple Pie

Harry was baking when Draco got home.

An apple pie, if Draco had to guess, judging by the smell wafting through the house. He took a slow breath before squaring his shoulders and heading toward the kitchen where his boyfriend was baking. It didn't seem like something that should set Draco's fight or flight responses off but it very much was.

Harry only baked pies when he was upset. And it wasn't that he was afraid of Harry; he wasn't, it was just that he hated how hard that amount of stress was, hated that they couldn't just have a proper fight anymore. Hated that he felt like it was all his fault.

"Hey," he said lightly, settling himself at the island and watching Harry as he tidied.

"Hey," Harry replied, voice equally light, but there was an undercurrent of something else there, something that Draco could feel buzzing in his veins.

He paused, parsing out the words, trying to figure out what to say. Maybe if he could just assure him-

"Don't," Harry said, voice sounding stretched tight, like something was ready to shatter inside of him. "Just leave it alone."

"Harry-" he started.

A vase on the shelf wobbled dangerously for a moment before Harry exhaled and unclenched his fists, "Seriously, Draco," he said. "I need some time."

"Right," he said softly, trying not to escalate either of their emotions, "okay," he said, nodding and heading toward their bedroom and deciding to take a shower.

He spent his time in the shower reminding himself that this was how this always went, ever since the curse. Harry's magic was always heightened when he was upset, Harry always drove him away so that he could calm his body down first so his magic didn't lash out unpredictably and wreck their home, they always got to talk it through later. He forced himself to slow down, to do a hair mask and a face mask, light a candle, and moisturize his skin. He'd finished all of his normal self-care routines and then braided his hair before putting on a pair of sweatpants and one of Harry's jumpers.

When he emerged from the bathroom, Harry was sitting in the chair in their room, elbows rested on his knees, fingers clasped. He wasn't looking at Draco but Draco knew that he was fully aware of his presence.

“Hey,” Draco said, keeping his voice level and calm.

“Sorry,” Harry whispered. “I wanted to be okay by the time you got back but I just...” he shook his head and sighed heavily, looking up at Draco and pinning him with the intensity of his gaze, “Are you alright?”

"Fine," he said lightly, no reason for Harry to know that he'd almost died in the field today.

Harry all but growled at him, "don't lie to me," he said and Draco could feel the way his magic was twitching around Draco, trying to reach out and check him but Harry was visibly restraining himself.

With a sigh, he held out his arms, "I am fine," he muttered a bit petulantly. "Go on then," he said and Harry's magic covered him, touching him everywhere seeking out his bones and organs, checking him for any damage. After a moment his magic retreated a bit but he could still feel it lingering on his skin.

"You had a lot of injuries," Harry said, jaw ticking.

"I'm fine," he repeated.

He looked down and took a deep breath, "Ron told me you were in Mungos," he said, and he really must have done a good job regulating given the way his voice barely trembled.

Draco sat on the floor in front of Harry, sliding closer so that he could catch his eyes, "I am fine," he said softly looking up at him.

Harry's fingers reached out and brushed over his jaw, "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," he confessed. "Draco, I'm-" he broke off, looking at his hands where his fingers were clenched together, "I'm afraid that I'd burn the world to the ground if something happened."

He reached out and took both of Harry's hands in his, clasping them between his, "I'm okay," he repeated.

"This time," Harry said softly.

He didn't know what to say. "I know my job is hard-"

"No you don't," he said, his voice just a little sharp. "You have no idea what it's like to sit here everyday, waiting and hoping that nothing bad happens to you. You have no idea what it's like to have my magic constantly rushing under my skin wanting to help you-"

"I've told Weasley a thousand times not to fucking send you a patronus for every little injury-"

"It wasn't a little injury!" Harry snapped and a light bulb blew in the bathroom.

He shook his head, "I hear that but there's nothing you can do anyway-"

"That's the point!" Harry shouted and something shattered in the kitchen. "There's nothing that I can ever do. I just sit home and bake fucking pies while you go out and throw yourself in front of everything that will kill you."

"That's rich coming from you," Draco said. "The entire reason your magic is like this is because of the curse you had to throw yourself in front-"

"To protect you!"

"I didn't ask you to protect me!" Draco exclaimed. "How long are you going to keep punishing me for something that you chose?"

"Punishing you?" Harry asked, reeling back like Draco had slapped him, "How is wanting to keep you safe punishing you?"

Draco shook his head, tears filling his eyes, "I don't want to give up my life. Every time something happens," he said, "every time I get hurt, I feel afraid of how you're going to react."

"Draco, I wouldn't hurt you-"

"Not because I'm worried about you hurting me," he said, because that was true. "Because it tears you up and I keep waiting for you to ask me to quit. And I don't want to. Harry-"

"I'm sorry," he said, "shit." He put his head in his hands, "Shit."

"I love you," Draco said, because he did, more than anything. "I love you."

"I know," he said, catching the hand that Draco had pressed to his cheek and turning his face to kiss his palm. "I'm a lot," he said. "This curse is a lot. This is too much-"

"You're not too much for me," Draco inserted quickly because he wanted Harry to understand, "but it feels like I'm too much for you. And I hate the way I make you feel. I hate that we just keep going in this cycle of you getting worried, blowing shit up in our house, then feeling guilty and apologizing."

"Sorry-"

"Stop," he said. "Salazar, Harry!, stop apologizing It should be okay for you to feel worried. Why are we always trying to cap it?"

"Because my magic destroys things," he said like Draco had lost the plot.

"And?" Draco asked. "So what? We can fix it. Let's just," he shook his head, "please," he said. "Please, can we just have a fight. Or can you just let yourself feel your fucking feelings and we'll repair anything that's broken. Because I hate feeling like I'm constantly breaking you."

"What if it hurts you?"

"It won't," Draco said, "because you would never."

"There's a lot in there," he said softly. "A lot of things that I've worked really hard at not experiencing in their fullness."

He nodded, "I know, love. Just," he shrugged, "let it out."

Harry stared at him, "What if I'm too much?" he whispered.

Draco brushed his thumb over his cheek, "impossible."

"Outside?" Harry asked. "Maybe in the back garden? If we put up some shield charms?"

"Yeah," Draco said, leaning up to press a soft kiss to Harry's lips, "yes."

"I don't actually want to fight with you," Harry said, "but it might be nice to let myself feel," he added like a confession. He looked at Draco, "I don't actually want you to quit, I just-"

"Hate feeling helpless," Draco said softly for him.

Harry nodded.

"Come on," he said, standing and pulling Harry to his feet, tugging him outside.

For a long moment, Harry just stood there, letting Draco put up stronger wards and shields to protect the perimeter of their property. As he watched, Harry closed his eyes, his toes burying themselves in the grass and dirt. Draco watched, waiting, and nothing happened.

Until it did.

He'd been expecting things to shatter, rocks to break, their flower garden to get torn up. Instead, the sky itself turned dark and it opened up and started to pour.

Rain drenched everything in seconds. Everything except Draco.

He looked at Harry, watched the tears streaming down his face mixing with the rain. Then Harry started to talk, "I am so afraid," he said over the pounding of the rain. "So afraid that I'm going to lose you, you have no idea. And it just," he shook his head, "the grief and fear weigh so heavily on my heart, all the time." Thunder cracked overhead, lightning striking the ground. "And I can't do anything. I want to be able to help, to be able to protect you, and it eats me up inside that I can't."

The rain turned to partial hail but Draco remained completely dry, even as Harry's clothes started to cling to his body in all of the wet.

"And I'm so frustrated about being trapped in our house. Frustrated that they haven't found the counter-curse. Frustrated that I can't help you or anyone else. But especially you." he said, still not looking at Draco, his eyes still closed as the storm raged on.

Draco waited, he just waited, wanting to give Harry all of the space that he needed to say whatever he wanted to say.

"I feel like I just keep failing you, over and over," he sobbed. "I promised, in our vows," he continued, "I promised to protect and cherish you and it's a promise that I break every fucking day."

"Harry," Draco said, moving toward him and stepping into the rain and ice that was still pelting his beloved. "Harry, look at me," he murmured and the other man opened his eyes.

"How can you even stand to look at me?" he asked, voice raw as the wind whipped around them.

"You haven't failed me," he said. And Harry started to shake his head but he continued, "You haven't," he insisted. "Because you can't. You protect my heart, you protect our home, you layer me with protective spells every single day before I leave; don't think I don't feel them settling over me like a mantle."

"I-"

"I love you. I want you," he added. "I want this life, with you. We promised each other the rest of our lives and I want all of yours. I want you to feel your feelings; to be afraid, or angry, or frustrated, or anything else. I want you to be you. Completely and totally you." He shook his head, leaning in and kissing him hard, "Circe, I've missed you these past two months."

"I haven't gone anywhere," Harry said, brushing the long wet strands of hair that had fallen out of his braid off Draco's face.

He nodded, "But you've been such a shell of yourself, so timid and," he shrugged helplessly, "not you."

"Draco," he breathed, tears falling all the harder, even as the rain started to ease slightly.

"Please stop hiding from me," he begged.

Harry tucked his face in Draco's neck and he cupped the back of his head, threading his fingers through Harry's curls.

"I want all of you," he said softly. "All of the anger, the hurt, the frustration. Give me all of you."

"Okay," Harry whispered, the rain slowing around them to a light drizzle. "Okay."

He wrapped Harry tighter in his arms, squeezing him as the rain stopped and the sun poked back out. "There," he said softly, "feel better?"

Harry nodded, pulling Draco closer, holding him tighter than he had since the curse happened.

"There you are," Draco murmured, holding him tighter in return, "Fuck," he whispered as their bodies seemed to come back intune with one another. "There you are," he repeated.

"Don't leave," Harry whispered, voice cracking.

"Hey," he said, "hey. I'm not leaving, love. I'm not going anywhere. Why would I-"

"My brain knows that," Harry said, "but my heart just-" he broke off. "I'm afraid."

"Listen to me," Draco said, pressing a kiss to his temple, "I'm not leaving. I love you. And I am always happy to tell you."

"It's stupid," Harry whispered.

He shook his head, "Nothing you're feeling is stupid. It's okay to be afraid, it's okay to need reassurance. We're going through something really hard, I'm happy to reassure you."

"Thanks."

He hummed, "do you think you're ready to go back inside, maybe put some dry clothes on and watch a movie?" he offered. "I was told to take two days of medical leave, so we can have a couple of days with just us?" he hedged.

Harry pulled back so that he could look him in the eyes, "I'd like that."

"Me too."

He sighed and scuffed his foot on the ground, "Thanks for letting my feelings be really big."

"I'm always happy to let you take up space," Draco promised. "Always."

And even once they found the counter-curse six months later, they found that they both were better at communicating their emotions and expressing their needs with less trepidation.

They were both surprised to find that the curse had actually been a blessing in disguise.

--------------------

Read more of my fics here.

#drarry #auror draco #auror partners #injured on a case #but he's fine #we have big feelings in this one #protective harry #love #husbands #soft #communication is important #working at relationships #100 drarry drabbles in 100 days

[cookies-and-music]

Ghost. - part 4: Attention.

I suggest listening to Every Breath you Take by The Police reading this. It doesn't just go with the chapter, it's also an amazing tune.

Part 1 here - part 5 here.

PAIRING: TVA!LokixOC

RATING: ALL

SUMMARY: Loki meets sombody at the TVA he once knew. Unfortunately she doesn't seem to remember him.

TVA, 2021.

"So basically, this is not a very clever character; the problem is that he's terribly fast. He jumps from one point of the timeline to another, and somehow… he wants to be found, I feel it, I just don't understand why," Lydia grabbed the fork and put a piece of apple pie in her mouth as she told Loki about her latest case.

There was something missing in the Lydia in front of Loki, but he couldn't figure out what it was, and it was driving him crazy.

This Lydia, despite sharing meals and sometimes a desk with him, didn't look at him the way she used to.

The Lydia he knew always had very strong expressions, a sharp tongue, a quick wit. While this Lydia was calm, often smiling at him sweetly, and always focused on her work. It was on her job that she poured all her energies and attentions.

Loki was beginning to not stand it anymore.

The Lydia he had in front of him was a colleague, engaged in finding the bad guy of the moment. For the Lydia he knew, he was the bad guy of the moment. All her energies were on him.

It was driving him crazy.

"In short, there must be a motive. He arrives, kills someone, and leaves," Lydia made some movements with her fork in the air, "it's stupid. He knows that this way, he creates a NEXUS event, and that we come for him, it's like he's shooting a huge firework, His actions... they make no sense."

"They don't have to"

Midgard, 2012.

On the rooftop of their hideout, the evening wind was stronger, and it slapped her face.

The stars weren't clearly visible due to the light pollution from nearby cities, but Lydia had to admit that they were much more visible than they were in New York.

"What are you doing out here?" Loki approached her from behind, but she didn't turn around.

"Don't you know that even prisoners are entitled to an hour of fresh air?"

"Is that what you consider yourself, Miss Princhett? A prisoner?" he joined her.

"And I'm not, am I?" she retorted.

"I don't see chains on your hands or feet," Loki raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing her figure.

"And I suppose I should thank you for that," she smiled sarcastically.

Loki scoffed, turning his gaze to the panorama.

"What are you doing out here, anyway?"

"I'm admiring the stars," Lydia joined her hands behind her back, "and waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

She smiled. "Tell me, Loki of Asgard. Are the stars just as beautiful from your immense golden palace?"

"Oh, Asgard's sky is much, much brighter," Loki looked up "clear and full of constellations, except when Thor causes turbulence."

She smiled faintly. "Yes, I've heard stories about your brother."

"He's not my brother," he turned to her.

She nodded. "I'm adopted too. Having two moms, that wasn't much of a surprise," she smiled at him.

"But you never found out you're a blue giant. A monster from a story to scare children."

Lydia could feel Loki starting to grow nervous. That was him: he started from something small, mulled it over until it was loaded with emotions and turned it into a giant, then he couldn't contain it anymore, and it burst out, like a huge explosion.

"No, I didn't," Lydia took a deep breath. "It must have been very painful for you."

Loki turned to her.

The quiet was interrupted by a whistle, followed by a loud bang that culminated in a light in the sky, coming by the nearest city.

"What are those?"

"Fireworks," Lydia smiled slightly without looking away from the sky.

"And what are they for?" Loki furrowed his brows.

"For nothing, they're just beautiful," she shrugged.

Loki turned to her again. "They don't make sense."

Lydia returned his gaze. "They don't have to," she shrugged before going back staring at the sky, while Loki stared at her.

TVA, 2021.

"They don't have to," Loki muttered under his breath. Barely audible.

Lydia swallowed the entire piece of cake. "What did you say?"

He shook his head, looking at the girl with brown hair and a mouth covered in powdered sugar. "Nothing, I was thinking about something."

"No, no, wait. You said they don't have to."

He looked at her, furrowing his brows, and could see every gear in her mind spinning at high speed.

"The killing is a diversion! A distraction… it keeps our attention while the accomplice does something else."

Loki saw how her eyes beamed with light.

Lydia stabbed the fork into what remained of the cake. "Damn, Loki, you're a genius!" She got up from the table and grabbed the jacket from behind the chair. "See you later, I've got work to do."

Loki watched her rush towards the exit.

"I'll tell you how it ends!" She shouted before disappearing behind the café doors.

Loki waved his hand at the chaos Lydia had left behind before shifting his gaze towards the café windows.

He looked at his own reflection in the window and an idea came up his mind.

At the TVA, there were no starry skies, and certainly no fireworks, but luckly for him, Loki was a god. And a god's abilities know no limits.

Guys, thanks a lot for the support you've shown me, again feel free to leave a heart, a comment or to reblog, this really helps a lot. Part 5 will be posted around Thursday 02/15!

#fanfic #loki series #loki #loki laufeyson #loki x reader #loki x oc #loki season 2 #loki x reader images #loki x you #loki x y/n #tva!loki #tva!lokixreader #tva!lokixoc #tom hiddleston

[thirdtidemouse]

my (official and real) sketchbook playlist!! descriptions underneath! i have put the songs in a specific order and tried to make sure all the songs fit their vibe too outside (or disregarding) lyrics. also the types of music i think theyd enjoy lol.

1.. don't believe - vashti bunyan

oh, don't believe that love brings happiness gone tomorrow, here today love involves so much unhappiness don't believe what they say

lets kick it off with some folksy bittersweet 🤟this is both kaisa and johanna separately, before they meet. and their mirrored loneliness

2. apple pie - the scary jokes

i'll always be too shy to say what's on my mind i'm fantasizing all the time

the scary jokes are on this playlist. kaisa music. magic shygirl type of stuff

3. walking all day - graham coxon

walking all day with my mind on fire tryin' to get talkin' to you

this one's johanna vibes. ohh the days she'd spend walking round town, visiting the library, daydreaming about running into her and pretending it was an accident. she can't sit still, always restless, a teenager again

4. beautiful brain - mabel ye

i think you're beautiful i think you've got a beautiful brain i think you're beautiful i check up on it every day and while we sit just four feet across separated by a wall that is both white and moss i feel distance from you i feel closer to you

real ones know this came up in sketchbook week.. watch the music video for this!! (its sketchbook af)

5. super crush - tiger trap

i've got a supercrush on you because i think about you night and day

i'm not explaining this

6. the too much song - lemon demon

you're too much or am i not enough? you're (too much) and i feel this way much too much the longer that i wait the more you are much to my dismay

kaisa's perspective..

7. pink smoke - the scary jokes

you walk through walls set off the smoke alarms i feel your arms wrapping around me your aura almost drowns me pink smoke gets stuck in my throat when i say your name my heart goes up in flames

aaah johanna is crushing on a being of magic!

8. trees and flowers - strawberry switchblade

and i hate the buildings and the way they tower over me can't you see? i get so frightened no-one else seems frightened

strawberry switchblade is such kaisa music! goth & sweet! this song is definitely her but i think johanna's general anxieties about the city & the wilderness really show up in this song. they connect over these anxieties

9. i wanna be the moon - the scary jokes

it's scary to see you falling for me i wish that i could be i wanna be, i wanna be the moon i can't make you cry from way up in the sky and that's the reason why i wanna be, i wanna be the moon

kaisa's perspective. she doesn't like to get too close to people

10. it must be love - madness

i never thought i'd miss you half as much as i do

cmaaan johanna would love madness. london gerl. also one of the actual best love songs ever written ever

11. i have the moon - lush

you have to fly around the world all day to keep the sun upon your face i'd like to come and comfort you but i'd be blinded by the blue you have the sun, i have the moon

another sketchbook week song OOPS... literally sun/moon couple.

12. m'lover - kishi bashi

i wanna do what lovers do with you i wanna walk the edge of the earth with you

ripped STRAIGHT off the hilda soundtrack shamelessly. lovely magical sound. this plays when they're going on a very long expedition together

13. soho square - kirsty maccoll

one day you'll be waiting there no empty bench in soho square and we'll dance around like we don't care and i'll be much too old to cry and you'll kiss me quick in case i die before my birthday one day you'll be waiting there come summertime in soho square and i'll be painting stars up in the sky before i get too old to cry before my birthday

one of kaisa's first crushes was kirsty maccoll i'll say it. this song is so emotional the strings her vooiice!! this is a city love song. this is johanna leaving trolberg within the hc that they were childhood friends.

14. let's do everything for the first time forever - of montreal

may we dance again so i can pretend we're dancing for the first time? because when we danced for the first time i was so nervous!

it's been so long for both of them they're like teenagers again.. every time they talk its like talking to a school crush. embarrassing af. we both are out of practice with romance. let's do it together!!

15. black magic - little mix

take a sip of my secret potion i'll make you fall in love for a spell that can't be broken one drop should be enough

hehehehe!!!

16. my girlfriend is a witch - october country

spells fill the air i think i hear footsteps on my stair coming near her thoughts are telling me that she's here

quintessential hilda fandom song. how could i not?

17. she's got a new spell - billy bragg

one minute she says, she's gone to get the cat in next thing i know, she's mumbling in latin she cut the stars out of the sky and baked them in a pie, that's how i know she stole the scene and the scenery the script and the machinery, that's how i know that she's got a new spell

another witch's lover's song.. all that magic in one household can't be good.

18. lovers rock - tv girl

are you sick of me? would you like to be?

this song is just so chilled and lovely like a quiet night in. but captures the nerves and uncertainty of dating as well

19. riches and wonders - the mountain goats

we write letters to each other, invent secrets to confess to i learn foreign and exotic terms of endearment by which to address you we feed fresh fruit to one another we stay up all night and i am healthy, i am whole, but i have poor impulse control and i want to go home but i am home we are strong, we are faithful we are guardians of a rare thing we are filled with riches and wonders our love keeps the things it finds

domesticity and true love at its greatest. i love tmg!!

20. settin' the woods on fire - hank williams

you're my gal and i'm your feller dress up in your frock of yeller i'll look swell, but you'll look sweller! tonight we're settin' the woods on fire

off some country records johanna would 'co-own' with woodman. so fun. this gets put on in the pearson household when they have a family evening in

21. acolyte - slaughter beach, dog

annie, i want you to marry me we'll wait a few years i don't mean to frighten you i just want to be clear. man, it cuts like a dull knife when you're young and you're told 'makes sense when you're older,' darling, let's get old

not much to say on this one. i luv this song :-)

22. all i want is you - barry louis polisar

if you were a river in the mountains tall the rumble of your water would be my call if you were the winter i know i'd be the snow just as long as you were with me when the cold winds blow

juno soundtrack to finish it off :-) the core of sketchbook to me is joy & comfort & nature & magic

i hope u guys enjoyed this! lmk what you think of these interpretations! show me some lyrics you think about!

#hilda the series #hilda netflix #sketchbook #johanna #kaisa #sketchbook ship #playlists

[italoniponic]

Beautiful Simple Things | Neige Le Blanche

Synopsis: You never imagined you were going to be married to someone like Neige. An actor, a singer, a celebrity, inspiration for everyone around him. He might as well be a prince that came out of a fairytale. And yet, you were such a simple normal person. But Neige sees you as so much more than that.

Neige Le Blance x gender neutral reader / established relationship / married / fluff / slight angst / full on comfort / 2,1k words / use of "you" pronouns / Masterlist

Beautiful Simple Things

Neige has been an actor since he was very little. He debuted in large and small plays, made films and series, commercials, campaigns and much more. 

He went on to release seven music albums over the course of his time at the Royal Sword Academy through the first few years after graduation. He had so many trophies that he stopped counting the total a long time ago. 

He gave donations to various charities, among them a small and humble children’s home that today was officially called by the name of Orphanage Enchanted Deer, taking care of children and young people of all kinds and conditions. Victories, acts of generosity, productions, contact with fans — all good things he did. 

But there was one thing Neige felt selfish about: staying by your side. 

Not “selfish” in the completely bad sense of the word. Neige just enjoyed those quiet moments away from the outside world with you, in the cottage you had bought after your wedding. It wasn’t a castle but it was dignified and pleasant to live in.

Still close to the city, the two of you could handle your work normally. Although, you’ve noticed lately that Neige was turning down a lot of big jobs and focusing on smaller things like commercials and campaigns — in general, from old friends at RSA that he loved and appreciated.

Despite all the pomp and circumstance that people made about the name “Le Blanche”, Neige wanted a calm and peaceful life more and more. Being close to the countryside, he often went down to the local village — when you were busy with work and he was free — to master his techniques with manual labor and learn new things.

You thought it was cute how old people loved your husband — just like most living things. Neige always came back with a stack of handmade gifts, joking that it was good for strengthening and exercising his muscles.

Life was quiet. Simple.

But the best days, for sure, were when the two of you were free from chores and simply spent time together on the living room couch, leaning against each other and sharing a humble picnic indoors. At that moment, you were with your head lying on Neige’s lap and wondering how you were so lucky to find him.

If someone had told you a long time ago that you were going to marry Neige Le Blanche — the fairest star of them all — you would have thought that this person was joking or instigating a silly illusion. 

After all, what were you in comparison? Just a normal person. Animals didn’t run to you just because you breathe. People didn’t fall in love just with your smile.

Sometimes, in those crackling moments of doubt, you wondered if Neige wasn’t crazy or weird for having laid eyes on you. He was almost unreal, out of a crazy fantasy tale. 

“Is there a problem, apple pie?”

And also great at reading your emotions. Neige seemed quite naive in his youth and, even in adult life, he gradually continued to understand and deal with the hardships of the world. But, living next to someone for such a time, one could get to know exactly what was happening to this person. The sound of your cute nickname made you fluster for a brief moment.

You stared at him. His eyes were round, colored in a beautiful chocolate brown tone, sweet and understanding. Your heart was getting heavy for guarding your darkest feelings when he looked at you like this, brighter than light itself.

“Do you think I'm pretty?”

“Huh?,” Neige tilted his head to the side, confused. “What do you mean?”

It wasn't exactly what you wanted to ask and he seemed to comprehend that too. Staying in silence, Neige extended to you a cup of hot beverage that was on the table — wonderful and always welcomed — and patiently waited for you to say what was actually bothering you. There was no pressure or anything. 

He never needed to force you to speak up to pluck your agonies, the weeds from your heart.

Otherwise, his presence was already enough for you to know that things would be said at the right time — but it would also be nice if you said it as soon as possible because he really wanted to help, even if it was a small and insignificant problem. At least, just to know what it was. 

You owed this to the patience that Neige skillfully exercised by helping raise his seven dwarf friends and taking care of horses. They might look like different types — because they were — but when a horse or a friend suddenly gets stubborn, stress comes the same way. 

But instead of getting too angry or scolding any of them, Neige would always take a deep breath and work things out in his own way. It was one of the things you admire about him.

“Do you think I’m good enough for you?,” you finally said.

“Isn't it a little late to ask that? We don’t even have ten years of marriage yet,” Neige laughed softly.

“I knew it was ridiculous…”

“O-oh! No, please! Continue,” he assured. The small kiss he gave on your forehead came out as a silent apology. “What's making you so worried about this?”

“It's just that you're... well, you. And I’m just an ordinary person. It’s as if a commoner had married a prince out of those children’s tales. A perfect gentleman, animal magnet and loved by all. It’s so… different. We are so different. I can at least name ten people who do’'t like me just in the place where I work.”

“And I feel pity for every single one of them that they don’t understand how amazing you are.”

Neige’s skill with words was always enviable. Maybe it was the romance movies he worked on or the love songs he wrote, but no one would be able to say something like that normally.

He had that passionate puppy-love look when he faced you. Such a warm smile capable of melting white snow. You sat down on the couch and held his hands, once so pale and delicate and at the moment, showing little signs of callousness from the work he was doing. On the ring finger of his left hand, the golden glow of a wedding ring captured your gaze and you focused on it. 

“Would you hate me if I said that I’ve been thinking about this for so long? In our difference of levels? How are we from different worlds?,” you asked.

“Of course not, silly. Why would I hate you?” 

One of Neige’s hands came loose to hold the side of your face. His touch was gentle and comforting.

“I know it’s undeniable that we came from different paths but... does that really mean that we, as people, are different? The same overwhelming feeling you feel, I feel it too.”

“Why would you feel that way?,” you couldn’t help your disbelief. Neige ended up chuckling.

“Why is that?,” he pretended to think, touching his chin with his index finger. “Is it because you are always by my side when I need it? Is it because you have the most beautiful smile in the world? Maybe it’s because you make me feel safe? Or is it because I was finally able to discover more sides of myself after meeting you?”

That last inquiry took you by surprise, and Neige realized it in time. He let you think about what those questions meant. 

“Happy” wasn't necessarily the right word. Neige was a cheerful person, very optimistic. Even in adversity, he would take a deep breath and smile to push away his worries. But that didn’t mean it stopped stalking him in the darkness, like scary shapes in a dense forest. Neige swallowed every piece of poisoned apple, not allowing others to be contaminated like him.

All because Neige didn’t want to worry the people who helped him. In his sweetest kindness, he hid an inexplicable strength that made him endure bad times. You used to joke that if life gave Neige lemons, he would make lemonade and a lemon meringue to go with it.

Now at least he had someone to share it with. You would order a piece of meringue and divide the lemonade between your two glasses, making Neige come up with the idea of grabbing apples to add a little more flavor — it was better than simply accepting only lemons, he supposed.

Neige could share his own pain, doubts and insecurities with you. You wouldn’t look at him weird for not acting “like his usual self”. You wouldn’t think of him a saint, glorious beyond reason, nor feed his vanity about how such a good person he is. You never judged him. Never expected him to continue smiling nevertheless. 

You would just have Neige in your arms and that was enough. He still could be true as he ever was, showing things only you would know and no one else. All because he believed in your love with all his power.

“When you talk like that, it seems now like I’m those princes who save the princess at the end of the story,” you looked down, a small smile forming on your face but too shy to actually show it.

“What if you’re just you?,” Neige put his arm around you, bringing the two of you closer until you looked at him again. His chocolate eyes were even sweeter up close. “For me, it will always be enough.” 

“Even though I’m so simple?”

“There is beauty in the little things. While there are people who seek an epic romance, there are those who want a fairytale and there are those who are happy with a normal, ordinary love.”

Neige planted a small kiss on your forehead.

“As for me... I wanted, want and always will want you. No matter how, I just want us to end our story with an ‘I love you’.” 

When Neige fell in love with you, he understood what it was like to be selfish. 

He wanted your love, everything you could give him, the little and the greatest. You would always be the first in his heart and he would reign in your castle. Did you love him as much as he loved you? Neige knew you did. Every little look, every smile, every word was an oath of love.

When you go with the stars that grace the sky in which the Sun dies at dusk, Neige wouldn’t be able to love anyone else in the same way. He would live well only to make your memory happy. But he wouldn’t surrender your crown to anyone else. His kiss would always be yours.

But Neige felt bad for being selfish. Otherwise, he would insist that you continue your life with happy and comfortable moments. The only thing he asked for the Heavens was that his love could be one of the many forces that would keep you going. Because Neige loved you so much and the more he felt, he understood something more about the world.

Some fairytales can be difficult to realize. Some realities are hard to bear. However, he had someone to accompany him on the long road of life — who knows, on a horseback? — and there was nothing for him to fear.

“I love you. No matter how many times these doubts come to you, I will be here to always remind you how much I love you,” Neige smiled.

“You’re too good to be true…,” you grumbled, resting your forehead on his own. “...and if you say it’s because of me, I'll be forced to shut you up.”

“I don't think you will be able to, we don’t have tape.”

You laughed. Your sweet husband didn’t know you had gone shopping earlier along with groceries and brought a new one — and of course, he didn’t seem to understand your words. 

“Well, I have a better replacement…”

Your lips drew closer and before you closed your eyes, you could see a different glow in Neige’s eyes while he copied your action. He looked happy. Maybe he had, yes, understood what you were planning. Maybe he was just glad that your good mood had returned. Or maybe he really loved the small, simple things you did.

A true love kiss doesn’t have to be dramatic like in a movie. Sometimes, it could start out weird and modest, becoming something more. But it was really something between you two. Something that only you could understand and call “yours”.

Special Notes: Neige would call his s/o “apple pie”, pass it on

#twisted wonderland #neige le blanche #neige leblanche #neige x reader #neige le blanche x reader #neige leblanche x reader #twst x reader #gender neutral reader #twst imagines #twst scenarios #fluff #comfort #cherry's writing #cherry's mumbling about twst #finally i wrote a fic for my snowy boy~ the cutest of them all

[anika-ann]

Cookies and Spark(le)s - sneak peek

aka small prequel to Love on the Brain is in making 😇

Pairing: Steve Rogers x reader (Agent Jones) WC: 450 Warnings: fluff, gun violence mention

He was just slipping into the sleeves on his hoodie, catching a glimpse of Rollins patting Agent Finnegan on his back as they were leaving, when he heard your voice, instantly attracting his attention despite the slightly awkward note to it.  

“Captain Rogers? Can I have a second?”

A brief smile passing over your lips made the corners of his own rise higher on instinct. Your hair was messy, some sticking to your forehead, some flying around as you had had to just pull a hoodie over your head, your stance speaking of both determination and hesitance.

“Sure,” he said, gaze involuntary flickering to the Tupperware box in your hands. “How can I help you, Agent Jones?”

A flicker of surprise caught on your face as if you hadn’t thought he’d remembered your name – a pleasant surprise, Steve hoped. He hardly ever forgot names and faces, a blessing and a curse of his eidetic memory; but he had a feeling that even without his gift, he wouldn’t forgot yours. You stood out – subtly, but firmly, at least to Steve; and it had little to do with the fact he had covered you and probably saved your life on your first mission together just a few days ago.

“I, uhm… I know you probably get this all the time, because… well, because you save someone’s life all the time, but. I wanted to thank you,” you explained, a mixture of emotions difficult to decipher sinking into your voice, embarrassment at the forefront as if you already questioned your decisions.

And you should – there was no reason to thank him further. You expressed your gratitude before, thanking him with shock right at the site of the shooting and then again on the plane when he made rounds, checking on all the agents. You owed him nothing.

But he had to admit you were being rather… cute, looking up at him like that, sure and unsure at the same time, clearly hesitant about how to handle the situation and desperately trying to get a read on his reaction.

So, Steve took a deep breath, gaze flickering all over your face and minding to sound sincere – as he was – when he spoke again.

“You already have,” he pointed out gently.

“I know. But. It’s my life and just saying thank you doesn’t really seem like enough for something of that magnitude so. Here. A bit more of a thank you,” you said, standing your ground as you held out the box. Your smile grew, a little playful note in your voice as you shrugged. “You strike me like more of an apple pie kind of a man, but I don’t think anyone ever gets offended with cookies.”

Busted. You clearly weren’t a former FBI profiler for nothing. His hands twitched as he almost reached for the box, slightly embarrassed himself now.

“That’s really not necessary, Agent Jones.”

...

🍪🍪🍪

I hope I sweetened your day 💕

Sorry I've been AWOL... it won't get much better 🥺 But I'm trying.

#steve rogers #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers imagine #steve rogers x you #Captain america x reader #captain america x you #captain america imagine #sneek peak #love on the brain #cookies and sparkles #cookies and sparkles sneek peak #anika ann

[twilightarcade]

the ULTIMATE list of questions

dont wanna get a doc rn so here - first 100 or so

Do whatever you want with them I don't own questions. If there's duplicates yell at me because I'm writing them as they come to mind

How do they hold a mug?

If pokemon existed, what would he their favorite?

Whats their favorite ice cream flavor?

Whats their LEAST favorite thing about themselves?

If they were to get a pet, what would they get?

Whats their favorite kind of light (in terms of lamps, chandeliers, etc)

how formal is their dressing style?

what's their favorite kind of phone?

What's their favorite kind of flooring?

What are their thoughts on bugs?

How do they feel about plant overgrowth?

What's their favorite kind of paper?

How committed are they?

If they were an animal, what would they be?

Whats their favorite part of a computer?

Do they have any siblings? If so how has their relationship with their sibling changed over time?

What's their favorite kind of leaf

Do they prefer dogs or cats?

What's their favorite kind of sandwich?

Whats their favorite special character on a keyboard?

Whats their favorite emoji?

Whats their favorite kind of keyboard?

Whats their favorite part of a computer?

Whats their favorite color?

what color heart emoji do they use?

What kind of typing quirks do they have?

Whats their favorite Lego brick?

What kind of childhood shows did they watch?

Whats their favorite drink?

Whats their favorite kind of noodle/pasta?

what would be their theme song?

What do they think about stuffed animals?

How do they feel about going to space themselves?

Whats their favorite kind of train?

How easily does making friends come to them?

Do they kill spiders?

Whats their favorite kind of ladder?

What kind of video games would they play?

Do they wear hats, and what kinds would they wear?

What color tie would they wear?

Whats their preferred hairstyle?

Whats their favorite kind of crystal?

What kind of natural disaster would they least like to be in?

What do they do to warm up on a cold winter day? Besides turning up the heat

Whats their favorite coloring utensil?

How do they sit on a couch?

do they prefer pens or pencils?

how do they feel about their physical presentation?

Under what circumstances would they kill someone?

Whats their favorite kind of cloud?

How much academic knowledge do they have?

Can they cook?

Whats their favorite amusement park ride?

Whats their favorite kind of flower?

Whats their preferred art form?

Whats their favorite letter?

How often do they go to large outings?

Do they prefer to be inside or outside?

Do they prefer butterflies or moths?

What do they think about bees?

What shade of grey are they?

How good are they with remembering important dates?

How organized are they?

do they prefer baths or showers?

What's their favorite smell?

What kind of car would they get/do they have?

How do they feel about revenge?

Whats their favorite kind of jewelry?

Do they prefer cake or pie?

what's their favorite kind of door?

Do they prefer suits or dresses?

What's their favorite planet?

Do they prefer black or white?

Why are they?

How well do they take care of their appearance?

How open are they with their emotions?

Do they prefer the heat or the cold?

What's their favorite kind of pizza?

What kind of writing utensil would they be?

What's their favorite fair food?

Whats their favorite kind of chair?

Whats their favorite vegetable?

Whats their favorite meat?

Do they prefer helium balloons or plain air balloons?

Whats their love language?

Whats their favorite kind of apple?

Whats their favorite repeating pattern?

What do they think about gum?

Whats their optimal sock length?

What do they think about reptiles?

Whats their favorite skittles?

How many pockets do they have at any given time?

Whats their favorite kind of folding chair?

#thoughtstag #that was a really bad tag choice but whatever I'll change it later #wordstag #Still being thrown into a doc eventually... #some of them are actually like. Character questions that someone would ask. But also if you think about it all of them are valid character #questions because regardless you're thinking about the character a bit

[deanwinchesterswitch]

The Girlfriend Who Remade Christmas

Part Two: See What the Time's Done

Square: Heartbreak ~ @spnchristmasbingo

Song: Where Are You Christmas? ~ Faith Hill

Pairing: Dean x Nicole {Nico/Nic} OFC

Summary: Nicole formulates a plan to help Dean find joy in Christmas again.

Warnings: More angst than fluff, canon divergence

Word Count: 1,134

Beta: @princessmisery666

Credit: @talesmaniac89 made the gorgeous title card and divider

Series Master Post

Nic reaches the old storage room she had commandeered to turn into a studio and darkroom. Slamming the door, she locks it behind her. The brothers know she prefers to have some time to herself after they argue, but she’s not taking any chances on either of them walking in to try to appease her.

Pacing around the room, she rearranges supplies, shuffles through papers, and picks up small knick-knacks, only to immediately put them back in place. Grabbing a pillow from the overstuffed chair opposite her desk, she screams into it, trying to expel the frustration and sadness swirling inside her. It doesn’t help.

She plops into her desk chair, jabs the power button on her laptop, then scrolls through her playlists. Music has always helped to calm her, one of the things that she and Dean have in common. Hitting shuffle on her Christmas playlist, she leans back in the chair, clicking her tongue and irritatedly tapping her nails on the desk’s surface, waiting for the cheerful melodies to ease the tension as her thoughts settle back on Dean.

This is the first year they won’t spend the holiday hunting monsters or holed up in some crappy motel. The boys have never had what others considered a traditional Christmas. Still, she knows that beneath his battle-hardened shell, Dean sometimes dreams of having something more conventional and ordinary. A holiday spent listening to cheesy Christmas music, over-the-top decorations, exchanging gifts, more food than they can eat at one meal, and his family and friends nearby, sharing the warmth and love of the season—the ‘apple pie life’ as he likes to call it.

For Dean and her, the bunker is a home, a place that is safe and familiar. The closest they will probably ever get to that apple pie existence. So the prospect of decorating, baking, and enjoying what others considered normal Christmas activities for the first time with him had filled her with giddy excitement. 

She thought Sam would be the tough nut to crack and to get on board, but aside from the tree debate, he seemed to support her plans. Dean’s response to her initial foray is bewildering. He’d acted enthusiastic when she regaled the group that night with her vision, even offered suggestions. It breaks her heart to see his apparent disdain for it all now, and she regrets responding to his anger in kind. There’s something driving it; she just needs to figure out what it is. 

Nic closes her eyes, replaying their conversation in her head, focusing on his body language and facial expressions. Sorrow …his eyes had been mournful and dark before he blinked it away while she spoke about the beauty and spirit of the season.

The upbeat anthem shifts into a slow emotional ballad, and between breathy vibrato and belted lines, the artist sings about searching for a lost Christmas. The song is from one of her favorite movies. The one she’d been watching earlier and why it was in the forefront of her mind, prompting her to call Dean a bad banana. The image of his adorably confused face sparks a small giggle. 

Restarting the song, she pushes away from the desk, slowly swiveling in the seat, mulling over the possibilities of what triggered Dean’s sudden opposition and hidden grief.

My world is changing; I'm rearranging

Those two simple lines punch through her musings and tears well in her eyes. Dean’s life has changed drastically over the past months, and he’s probably feeling lost. Unsure of where he fits into the world now. Yes, there are still monsters and evil to fight in the world, but those cases have been few and far between and are cakewalks compared to fighting cosmic beings hellbent on the destruction of the world.

Obtaining something that he had only ever dreamed of, talked about as if it were a fairytale because he never believed that he would ever have it, is, in truth, probably terrifying. After spending the majority of his life in fight or flight mode, Dean now finds himself in transition. He’s probably wondering how long it will take before he screws it up, waiting for it to become tainted because he didn’t truly earn it, a constant fear running through his mind that he will wake up and it will all have vanished. She berates herself for not seeing his struggle sooner, especially since she’s been having similar feelings, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

She’s been busy with her growing business, tucked away in her workroom for hours on end, completing orders so they can be shipped in time for the holiday—neglecting Dean. Thinking back over the past few weeks, she can envision the shift in his demeanor. Usually, Dean has a hard time hiding his feelings from her, but the change had been subtle, and her distracted mind had missed it while it was happening.

Swiping away the tears on her cheeks, she plants her feet, chair jerking to a stop mid-rotation as her eyes land on her old Polaroid camera. Photography is a secondary hobby, and the wooden shelving unit Dean built for her is home to several vintage cameras still in working order. To her, photography is a form of art that creatively captures the world around you, preserving those moments in time from a viewpoint others might not see.

With a gasp, she jumps from the seat. “That’s it!” Rummaging through the closet, she pulls out a box of old maps and travel journals, remnants from a life long ago. The items in the box document her grandfather’s travels around the world. She had barely managed to save them from being thrown out by one of her foster parents. They are the only items she has of her former life. 

She had spent hours of her childhood reading about his epic adventures and studying the maps, learning how to read them and navigate the world at large. That skill had served her well over the years. While quite familiar with the highways and byways of the country, having traversed them way more than most, the Winchesters had still come to rely heavily on her knowledge. Nicole’s unique skillset of rapidly calculating distances and recalling little-known routes had shaved off many miles and given them back precious time when it was needed most.

Laying out the maps on her large workspace, she grabs her tablet, phone, and a fresh notebook. Dean needs to see the world through a different lens, a view not mired in blood and heartache. She will plan an adventure for the two of them, a road trip that will remind him of the beauty and the good he sacrificed the last 40+ years of his life for—remake the holiday into a Winchester-style Christmas.

Next

Love Me Some Pie tag list:

@akshi8278 // @asgoodasdancingqueen // @calaofnoldor // @compresshischest09 // @deanwanddamons // @flamencodiva // @idreamofplaid // @jerkbitchidjitassbutt // @justrealizedimmascifygurl // @michellethetvaddict // @mvdeanw // @shawnie74 // @siospins2 // @thinkinghardhardlythinking // @thoughts-and-funnies // @waynes-multiverse // @wayward-and-worn // @waywardbaby // @weepingwillowphoenix

#spnchristmasbingo #heartbreak #tgwrc: part two #122422

[missacidburn928s-heathenhideaway]

It's hard for me to say, I'm jealous of the way, you're happy without me... (Prologue)

Hunterverse AU

Sy, Walter, Curtis (Lumberjack & the 2 bears) x POC Reader "Havoc/TG"

Ex Dean x Reader

Platonic Sam x Reader

Numerous SPN Characters

Summary:

It’s been quite some time since you last laid eyes on the Winchesters. So naturally they just so happen to stumble into your bar looking for some help on a case. Dean notices that as much as some things have stayed the same regarding you, others have certainly changed. Like your relationship status with not one but three men.

Warnings:

Angst and Fluff and Smut, Jealousy, Hunterverse AU, Polyamory, Humor, Fluff and Humor, Inappropriate Humor, Angst and Romance, Fluff and Angst, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Additional Tags to Be Added

Divider @firefly-graphics Banner @cafekitsune Happy Reading!

Life on the road as a female hunter can be fun. Filled with nights of passion between two or more people just trying to escape their lives for just a little while; but it is also extremely lonely. And for a soul like yours, loneliness, though necessary with the life you’ve led, is painful. Being with someone, even for a couple hours, connecting on some level, be it physical, emotional or both, just making them feel great, is what keeps you grounded and sane. Balanced for just a little while. Short lived but always worth it. Well that was until you met the Winchesters.

You had been working a simple salt and burn in a tiny little town in the middle of Tennessee. A ghost seemed to be causing trouble at the last standing bar in town. Killing the owner and a waitress just two days prior to your arrival. You had already done the whole Fed thing earlier in the day, getting the case breakdown from the local PD and checking out the bodies in the morgue. You needed to talk to the locals and find out a bit of information before really diving deep into research. You decided to forgo the FBI attire and go in something a little more comfortable, that’ll get the locals talking. 

You rifled through your duffle bag and found your favorite pair of jeans. They’re dark gray, high waisted, with a torn left knee from getting caught on a low hanging branch while running through the woods on a Werewolf case a while back, and they hug your curves perfectly. Grabbing a simple white crop top that displays just the right amount of your assets, you complete the look with your favorite red and black flannel and dirty old brown combat boots. Taking a look in the bathroom mirror you decide to throw on a touch of mascara and a burgundy tinted lip balm for a pop of color. “Spectacles, knife, wallet and keys.” You repeat your mental checklist before you leave anywhere. “I think I’m good to go work my charm and maybe bring back someone to play with too.” You laugh at yourself for the overt cheesiness. 

It was while you were prying info out of the sexy little bartender Zoe that John Winchester happened upon you. He let you finish your questioning and then persuaded you over to his table where his two boys sat. A gangly teenager and a cocky pretty boy were there in wait. “These are my boys. Sam and Dean. It seems we’re hunting the same thing. Mind if we join up? A young lady such as yourself shouldn't be hunting alone.”

“It’ll certainly help if I don't have to dig up bones all by myself. Just don't slow me down.” You slyly agree.

That first meeting was a year before Sammy left for Stanford and you never went back to hunting alone. In fact, you became Dean’s outlet for the emotional turmoil brought on by trying to keep the peace within his family. 

You were his bright spot for a long time. Even through John's sacrificial death and his own trip through hell. But when Sammy got locked in the cage, well the Dean you knew and loved disappeared into himself. Determined to keep his promise to Sam, he went off to have an apple pie life with Lisa. Leaving you to lick your wounds and forge a new path for yourself, once again alone. It’s not like you were ever official or anything. You both had flings in different towns with different people. Slept with a woman or two together even. So really you couldn't blame him for how he was handling his grief.

That’s when you decided it was time to go home, heart wounded, but ready to be healed. Your father runs and owns a hunter bar called Total Party Kill, TPK for short. He decided to open it when you left at 18 to spread your wings and hunt on her own. He may be retired from the active part of the hunter's life but he still looks out for everyone and helps where he is needed. 

Who would have thought that while mending your broken heart and slinging beer to rowdy Hunters would be when you met Sy, Walter and Curtis. Three rough around the edges (total softies when it comes to you) men that you get to call your own. Over the years they have more than proved themselves to you, earning your love and devotion. Something about the four of you together just works. If you aren't hunting as a group, you go in pairs, minimum. They can’t stand to leave you alone. There is always someone with you. TPK is your home base and no matter how far you go, you always come back home. You choose hunts as a group and are always willing to help out a hunter in need.  

You share the duties around the bar that your dad has a hard time doing when you’re home. There are no favorites other than you being all of theirs. You’re a fully functioning Quad and at this point in your life you wouldn't have it any other way.

It seems as though Chuck has some plans for his favorite punching bag of a Winchester and they just so happen to involve you. What’s life without a little drama right?

#poc reader #dean winchester x reader #dean winchester smut #captain sy x reader #captain syverson smut #walter marshall x reader #walter marshall smut #curtis everett x reader #curtis everett smut

[talekinesis]

Apple Pie

Hazbin Hotel Fic

Very much a vent/ projection of my own issues lol, I related to Charlie a little too hard

there will be comfort at the end, I don't want to be too mean to this fictional character

CW: trauma and abandonment issues

Summary: Charlie is alone for the first time in a while, and she sits with her thoughts

"I'll see you tomorrow, Vaggie, I love you!"

Charlie felt her smile start to fade as she watched her girlfriend leave. She was heading back to Carmilla's for an overnight training session, meaning Charlie would be alone for the night. She gripped the handle of the door, watching Vaggie leave until she was no longer visible. Her chest felt tight, and she felt she could hardly breathe, watching her partner leave her.

She took a breath, and closed her eyes, trying to calm the fuck down.

Husk and Angel were out, Alastor was God-knows-where, and Niffty went out with Cherri (after Angel made her promise to watch over the maid.)

The only person left was Lucifer, but Charlie hardly counted him. He may have been there, but he wasn't there. He was getting better, sure, but Charlie found it hard to just magically unwork and forgive the years of abandonment she'd felt growing up.

She sighed and shut the door, turning on her heel to head to the kitchen. She rummaged through the fridge looking for anything to distract herself from her thoughts. She didn't know why she was so deep in her emotions about her father that night, he hadn't even come out of his room- oh. That's why.

Growing up, Charlie had always felt abandoned by her father, even though she knew he was just in the other room. Even though he was physically close, he had always been emotionally distant. And to her, that felt like abandonment.

She sighed and shut the fridge, having gotten a slice of apple pie. She never liked to talk about her issues to other people, thinking they weren't 'bad enough' to be considered trauma. She thought she was overreacting, since her father had physically been there in the same building.

Charlie turned to leave the kitchen and let out a shriek as she saw Husk standing there, nearly dropping her plate. "Oh fuck-... Husk," she let out a nervous laugh, "How long- When did you get back, I thought you and Angel were having a date night."

The bartender studied her face for a moment before folding his wings in to squeeze past her to get to the fridge. "Angel drank himself stupid, so I brought him back and put him to bed." He grabbed a drink from the fridge, cracking it open. "You need to talk."

Charlie sighed. "No, I'm alright, Husk, but thanks for showing concern-"

"I wasn't asking. I can tell that you need to." He took a drink, looking at her.

The princess let out a big sigh and sat down at the table. "It's my dad- Or well... I guess I should say it's me? He never.. actually did anything wrong, but I still can't help but hold so much resentment toward him..."

Husk sat down across from her and set his drink to the side. He needed to be sober for this conversation. "Go on."

She looked up at him before her gaze returned to her plate. "Ever since I was a little girl, I've always felt abandoned by him..? But he was always in the other room, so he didn't.. really abandon me. But I have very few memories of ever doing anything with him. I was always with my mom.... I mean she literally abandoned me later, but that's a parental issue for a different day." She huffed out a small laugh.

Charlie moved her plate aside and laid her head down on the table. "But he never did anything wrong so I feel like I'm not allowed to feel this way about him. Like im not allowed to have abandonment issues. He never yelled at me, cursed at me, never hit me.. He just stayed in his room and ignored me..."

Husk nodded, listening to her, giving her his full attention.

She continued quietly, "I've never told anyone this but.. Sometimes.. I wish he actually had done something.. So I'd have a valid reason to feel like this... But that's just.. That feels like attention seeking."

Husk sighed and placed a hand on her head. "Charlie.. Your feelings already are valid. Wishing for worse trauma is actually a sign of trauma. You're not looking for attention or sympathy, you're looking for validation. Right? You don't feel like you're allowed to be upset over this.. But you are. In a way, he did abandon you. It doesn't matter that he was just down the hall, he still wasn't there with you, was he?"

She shook her head, looking up at him. "No.. He was always in his room working on his ducks.. And sometimes when I'd try to be the one to reach out and make a connection, he'd tell me he was busy. But I still wanted to be with him, so a lot of time I just sat on the floor quietly while he worked.. But he still felt so far away... But I know he loves me, and I know in a way he's trying his best.. So I feel like I can't really hate him or be mad at him.. I'm just... ugh, it's so... confusing."

The bartender nodded, listening. "Have you talked to him about this?" He asked.

"No.. I don't want to make him feel bad.. Besides, he thinks he's making progress by occasionally saying 'I love you,' in passing, I don't want to start anything... I just want him to be the one to reach out, I want him to be the one to start conversation.. My whole life, I've been the one taking that responsibility.. And I'm scared that if I stop then our relationship will fade... And I just got it back.."

Husk offered a smile. "I don't think it would. Do you want to know what I think, or do you just want me to listen?"

She sat up more. "I'd like to hear you out."

He nodded. "I think your father feels guilty for not having spent that time with you, but he doesn't know how to reach out. He barely parented a child, and now he doesn't know how to connect with his adult daughter. So he does what's familiar, and retreats to his room. I doubt he ever meant to hurt you, but Charlie," he took her hand, "That doesn't mean you weren't still hurt. Your pain is valid."

She looked back down at the table and nodded. That made sense. "If he doesn't know how to reach out.. That means I still have to be the one to make the connection, doesn't it... I'm just tired of being the one who puts in all the effort just to be ignored and brushed off."

Husk nodded again. He grabbed his drink and stood with a groan, his knees cracking as he did so. "Well.. Maybe you won't have to for long." He patted her back and left the kitchen.

"Wait, where are you-" She turned to face him, only to be met with her father entering the kitchen.

"Heeey, Char-Char! I made an apple pie yesterday, just thought I'd come down to-"

"Oh, shit, I took a slice, I'm sorry-"

He whipped around with a smile, "No no, I was gonna offer it to you anyway, I just uh.. I didn't know if it was any good or not. How is it?" He asked, sitting down across from her.

She hesitated, and took a bite. She looked back up at him, returning the smile.

"It's good."

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel charlie #hazbin charlie #hazbin fics #hazbin fanfic #hazbin hotel fanfiction

[fateinthestars]

Time for another thoughts/review/rambling post? I rather think it is.

Before we get too near to Winter, how about I cover the other Autumn set? Specifically: 'An Autumn of Longing: Wishes' and 'An Autumn of Longing: Punishments'

Spoilers under cut

Cassiophilia is a right jerk isn't she? Yes overall her shenanigans bring MC and their beloved closer together but it's the way she conducts herself throughout everything. It's nice to see the Zodiac Gods all coming together in the prologue though.

An Autumn of Longing: Wishes

Leon: Memories of an Orange Sky

Oh my word this is just so sweet from Leon. He really does care.

Leon the arrogant jerk and Leon the actual person are actually pretty different. Like Scorpio he tends to hide things a lot and you need to be close enough to see it...

... although that said, not all of Leon's arrogant jerkiness is a front. It is just that he genuinely cares deeply for MC.

This might be one of my favourite Leon moments actually.

Teorus: Pink With Affection

Oh yikes, yup should have expected him to fly off the handle before anything had even happened.

As to the rest of it, ouch poor Teo. He really does care incredibly deeply for MC.

Huedhaut: Brimming with Colourful Emotions

Oh Hue, MC, always so in sync but still not entirely realising it. Hue's reaction though to me probably seems the most genuine. I mean Cassiophilia's actions are interfering with things on Earth.

It's interesting how it seems to tend to be Teorus and Ichthys who come update MC when they're worried about Huedhaut though.

Karno: As Maple Leaves Fade

Urgh so this is what you get when you try to be considerate and actually want to share in your beloved's interests is it? Karno you are way too nice. You should have been angrier at Cassiophilia for this. An Aunt indeed.

Although that said: Leon? What was so urgent you needed to talk to Karno right that second after he'd already once had to intervene to help MC? If you hadn't have called him over, she might not have had a chance to say anything and start this in the first place. (I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering Karno's promise of infinity story).

An Autumn of Longing: Punishments

Scorpio: Lonely Shades of Cool

Ouch. Poor Scorpio. I actually want to hug him after this. Not even noticing what was going on because...

*peels Scorpio a whole basket worth of rabbit apples*

Dui: Two Reds

No cherry pie was worth this, Dui. Whilst this is one of the ones that doesn't affect the world around them, I feel like this might actually be the most spiteful one of the lot.

Need to take the bad with the good? I think Dui probably already knew that! And I'm getting frustrated at how many of Dui's special stories seem to contain MC in actual peril (at least that didn't happen here)

Ichthys: A Rainbow of Wants

This may be an odd comment but I find this one rather similar to Hue's story in that both him and MC are holding thoughts back.

Sheesh though, Ikky? You feeling a bit insecure sweetie? I don't think you've got anything to worry about when MC is talking with Zyglavis of all people! Especially when due to your own shenanigans she's apparently only ever seen the angry side of him.

Zyglavis: The Truth in Black & White

I'm not gonna lie, I adore how Zyglavis treats Cassiophilia when she catches up to them after the party. Zig just has such a wonderful way of making his words cut hard.

Oh Zig 😟 You were being so kind and thoughtful and yet one mistake has you back to your old ways.

In this one I do actually wonder whether the end result would have been worse without Cassiophilia's interfering, although it might be her fault that any doubt existed in the first place.

Okay then, attempted ranking time I guess:

Huedhaut

Leon

Zyglavis

Scorpio

Dui

Karno

Teorus

Ichthys

I think these all have many positive points though. The top four I could quite easily have put in any order. Dui's probably stable in fifth because of how mean-spirited it seems compared to the others.

Then the three in the last three spots just have slight reaction issues (not necessarily always from them) and could also probably be in any order.

#star crossed myth #scm #star crossed myth spoilers #Star crossed myth review/character rambling #scm ramble

[missacidburn928]

Psst...

I got a sneaky peek of Chapter 4 of It's hard for me to say, I'm jealous of the way, you're happy without me. Just click keep reading and enjoy.

If you were gonna be stuck in this house recovering all day the least you could be was comfortable. That’s how you found yourself, curled up on Sy’s lap on the couch, an open pizza box and half full bottles of beer littering the coffee table. Addams Family Values playing softly on the TV mounted on the wall as Sam, ever the nosy best friend, bombards you with questions, trying to fill in the gaps of your time apart. 

Dean, is choosing to hold court on the love seat, as he works through the emotions and thoughts that keep creeping in since he found you knocked out. He finds himself leaning in and listening intently as Sam asks questions about your time apart, more specifically, about how your quad came to be.

“Nothing crazy happened. It was a natural progression of them wearing me down.” You chuckled.

“I’ll agree it was nothing crazy but you're missing one important fact. There was a catalyst that made us get our shit together and actively pursue you.” Sy informs the room.

“What night are you talking about?” You look up at him and ask.

“I guess you would remember that night differently. You were working some shit out. We were just lucky enough to witness it.” He responds.

“Elaborate. Please.” 

“With pleasure, Sugar.” He kisses your forehead. “Alcohol induced music therapy.” You quirk a brow at him. “Just you, a guitar and closing activities. Only patrons left in the building we’re us three misfits. We’d been watching you and flirting all night, per usual.”

He turns to Sam. “At this point we’d been playing this game for three months. But that night, the vulnerability we saw and felt had us all in agreement that we were going to bring some light back into her life. She could choose one, two or all of us. No matter the placement we all would be part of her life for as long as she would have us.”

“We made our intentions known that night.” Walter speaks up from behind the couch.

“Took her a whole nother month of us showing up whenever we weren't out on a case for her to believe us and finally agree to a date with each of us.” Curtis adds.

“Then she said she needed a group date just to see if we were serious about not caring if she was with all of us.” Sy bounces you on his lap.

“And what a date that was.” You laugh.

“What happened?” Dean asks.

“They took me to an adult arcade, where I proceeded to drink my weight in fruity cocktails and kick their ass at first person shooters.”

“Yeah but I had ya at skeeball. Got the giant panda upstairs to prove it.” Curtis teases.

“Sounds like a good time.” Sam intones.

“It was until some drunk idiot tried to get handsy with her.” Walt admits. “I’ve never seen a grown man cry like that since.” 

“Or make that sound.” Sy shivers.

“What?” You shrug. “He tried to grab the goods. So I let him know what it feels like to be a woman.”

“Squeeze and twist?” Sam asks.

“You know it.” You waggle your brows at him.

He just shudders. “Brutal.”

Dean's curiosity gets the best of him. “That song you sang…”

You could sense what he was trying to ask. “It was about you and how I felt after you left me behind for Lisa and a grasp at an apple pie life that didn't include your past.”

He averts his eyes from your penetrating gaze. Fidgeting with the highball in his hand.

You get off of Sy’s lap and make your way over to the wall, housing your worn in acoustic, ghosting your fingers along the wood. “Do you want to hear it?”

He looks up, shock riddling his features. “What?”

“It really is a good song. Helped me release some of my pain. Maybe it can help you too.” You lift the guitar off the hook. “Provide some answers. Give you more questions. I don’t know. But I think you should at least hear it once.”

“What do you have to lose?” Curtis imparts. “You may even gain something.”

You give him a pointed look, clearly your Lumberjack is up to no good. What that could be, you have an inkling, but you’re not going down that train of thought just yet.

Dean throws back the rest of his whiskey. “Okay.” He nods his head. “Yeah. I wanna hear it. Call it my atonement.”

#hunterverseau #poc reader #captain sy x reader #walter marshall x reader #curtis everett x reader #dean winchester x reader #sneak peek

[edgyandoverzealous]

my partner is always on my mind music edition pt 1.

With absolutely no context or alternatively with all the context @moltenatlas I forgor this was in my drafts. So here you go, I hope you're doing well, I love you! <33

• "if I showed up with a plane ticket and a shiny diamond ring with your name on it would you want to run away too? cause all I really want is you" - 5sos She looks so Perfect. Self-explanatory. Except my partner hates jewelry so it would be a fancy knife as we've previously discussed as a ring equivalent.

• The usage of the pet name "Lemondrop", which I have been too shy to use quite yet because I'm lame. in Fresh by Artist vs Poet. Also the guitar in that song feels them coded. As does the band name Artist vs Poet.

• The entirety of Figure you Out by Violà because once I have an established relationship I apparently learn how to flirt and do so accordingly to the singular person for shits, giggles, and profit? That's a lie I don't know how to flirt or reciprocate everything is unintentionally and awkward and I beat myself up about it later. Ie: bookstore date incident, kill me, the gloves incident, kill me again. -///-

• "When you aren't around I sink into the ground I try to pretend I'm closer to you never understanding, you're always on my mind I cannot help it." Death by Melanie Martinez. Listen I do not care that song is a love song to me and those lines hit so hard and it's so comforting?? It's how I feel about them.

• Light shower by Melanie Martinez. Yup all of it. This one needs so much context but do I have the energy to do so, eh? I'll try. In Melanie Martinez lore consuming another person is an act of love. Ie: "eat me up like apple pie" in highschool sweethearts. It's seen as the two becoming one. An act of true devotion and a love so deep it consumes you. Okay all clear? So this particular song, from my personal interpretation, is about someone who makes you feel clean despite your traumas and someone who you'd like to be with until your last days but also makes you feel a little overwhelmed by your emotions sometimes. Ie: I was so excited when they confessed to me and we started dating that it low-key felt like I was having some kind of panic attack or about to pass out /srs I have a poem written about it I was just so happy and excited I felt heavy and lightheaded. They confessed with a wax sealed love letter sweeter than honey, cookies and other trinkets, and then immediately asked me out. I am a small simple man, okay, and they make me feel so important.

• The whole "Could you hold me through the night? Put your lips all over my salty face when I start cryin'. Could you be my first time? Eat me up like apple pie, make me not wanna die. Love me rough and let me fly. Get me up, yeah, get me high. Tie me down, don't leave my side. Don't be a waste of my time." Segment of Highschool sweethearts by Melanie Martinez. Kinda self-explanatory I mean. Some of it might be 👀 or even maybe 🚩? So for my anxiety's sake I'll clarify that my happiness/emotions are not their responsibility to regulate or any of that yikes shenanigans, I know that in its entirety and have no intention of making it their responsibility. In this context I just think it's neat to have something/someone worth living for added to the list of why I shouldn't kick the bucket prematurely. They make me feel like I have a future worth looking forward to. Sorry for the lack of context otherwise but this one is pretty self-explanatory so... :P Also my sister brought this to my attention initially but also she's right in this case.

• Saferwaters by Chevelle. About escaping traumas to a safer place or surroundings. They are my safer place. End of discussion.

• Soldier, Poet, King by The Oh Hellos. Self explanatory. That song is them. Every time I hear it, I think of them because it very much feels like a tall tale being told, my love tells tall tales. Also a poet and the soldier to my king. Iykyk.

• We'll Never Have Sex by Leith Ross. Ironic because earlier in this post you will see figure you out by Violà. Here's the thing I'm demi and on the grayscale of asexuality,still trying to figure out if this is related to what I've recently discovered as repeated traumas. With Rizz??Pretty sure it's not. Like with 85% certainty. So I'll just elaborate with it's nice to feel wanted and loved for who I am and treated gently/returning that treatment as well. Cool cool.

• "Perfection is so quick to bore, you are more beautiful by far, our flaws are who we really are." I hear a Symphony by Cody Fry. Something about loving the entirety of a person, 'flaws' and all. Which is how I feel about them and hopefully it's mutual?

• Sparks by Coldplay. Specifically the lines "I promise you this, I'll always look out for you, yeah that's what I'll do." And also "my heart is yours, it's you that I hold on to that's what I do." And also "I won't let you down." Self explanatory.

• 104 degrees by Slaughter Beach, Dog. In the "I want to settle down with you and can list countless small things about you and what you do and don't like because you are oh so very important to me" way.

#they're my favorite #i love them entirely #im an overzealous simp and it shows #pt 1 #because I have more #but a man must have some secrets #and also #im eepy #good night:)

[roboticchibitan]

A Cottage Witch and her Dragon 17

(You can find the rest of this story on AO3 here)

Granny's birthday was coming up. She would be a full [REDACTED] years old on Saturday. Serenity vibrated with excitement waiting for the special day. Dragon didn't quite grasp the concept of birthdays, but he was excited that everyone else was excited.

"Serenity, dear," Granny said, sitting at Serenity's table over a cup of tea., "My daughter and grandchildren are having a separate party for me, but Sunday afternoon I am going to have a little get together with the neighbors. You'll come, won't you?"

"Of course!" Serenity exclaimed. "What on earth makes you think I wouldn't be there in a heartbeat?"

Granny smiled softly. "I know you would. I just wanted to give you a formal invitation."

"I appreciate that, Granny. Should I bring anything?"

"Oh, could you bring your apple pie?" Granny shot a pretend glare at Dragon. "Without the salt this time."

Serenity laughed. "I promise to double check the ingredients I put into the pie."

Dragon let out a little snicker from his spot on the table.

"Brat," Granny spat the word, but there was a smile in her eyes.

Dragon looked at her with enormous, mournful eyes, as if to say "You scold Dragon? You scold Dragon like the grandchild? Jail for Granny! Jail for Granny for One Thousand Years!"

"I know you're pulling my leg, you brat. I can feel your emotions, remember?"

Dragon's expression immediately changed to one of humor and he snickered again. He sent Serenity and Granny a rather garbled feeling of satisfaction from causing mischief. He had been doing thatthis lately, becoming more expressive and manipulating thehis expressions and emotions he was giving off to tease, or beg for things, or just cause trouble in general. Unfortunately for him, he was but a baby and Granny and Serenity had no trouble seeing through his nonsense. Nevertheless, it was amusing to watch.

"You know," said Serenity thoughtfully, "I hope I look as good as you do when I'm [REDACTED] years old."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll look better, dear, what with all those magic herbal teas you make. You could make one that helps skin stay smooth and young. You'd make a fortune."

"Granny, I'm pretty sure tea doesn't work that way."

"Well, you could make lotions, then! Calendula is good for skin. Plenty of herbs are good for skin."

"I sell magical teas, not miracle cures or cosmetic products, Granny."

"Alright, alright. I'll keep my business ideas to myself. Let's have one more cup of tea, then I have to go home and clean my house!"

"Aren't you going to borrow the Roberts's living room for your party?"

"No dear, I borrowed their living room on the winter solstice for you. I couldn't intrude just for little old me. Besides, my table has a leaf in the center. I do have a whole gaggle of grandchildren, you know. I can fit quite a few people into quite a small space."

"Alright, well, if you want help cleaning, feel free to give a yell."

"Thank you, dear. That's very kind of you. Oh, could I borrow your kettle, though? The magic one?"

"Of course! Do you need to borrow a teapot too?"

"No, my daughter got me a nice china set for the winter solstice. I haven't used it yet. It was so nice that I tucked it away for special occasions. I'm quite excited to use it!"

Serenity didn't believe in owning things she didn't use (yarn stash notwithstanding). She was of the opinion that the nice dishes deserved to be used, and if you had nice dishes, you deserved to use them. Even if it was only for Wednesday night spaghetti. But she understood the urge to save nice things for special occasions, to keep them "nice."

"It sounds lovely, Granny. Do you need any other help preparing? Any cooking or setting up? I can help you manage the table leaf!"

"Oh, yes, would you come over Saturday night and help me with the table? It's just so heavy, this old lady can't move it by herself easily."

"Sure!"

"Well, my tea is just about gone. I suppose I'll have to... clean my house," Granny sighed dramatically.

Serenity smiled. "I have some clothes to darn, unfortunately. You sure you wouldn't like to trade?"

Granny grimaced. "Heavens, no! I'll darn your socks for you all you want, but once we move onto other clothes it's a no go from me, girlie."

"Well, it was worth a shot. You go clean. I'll... do my darning..." Serenity grimaced.

"Yes, I'll do that," said Granny, looking equally unenthused.

Granny got up to go, and Serenity let out a dramatic sigh and went to dig out her mending pile. She had finished her gift for Granny, a pair of socks enchanted to stay warm, a week ago. Unlike most fiber artists, Serenity tended to give herself just the right amount of time to finish gifts. It was a skill she had cultivated as a young person, and that work had paid off.

The last few days before Granny's [REDACTED] birthday party passed by. Serenity came the night before to help Granny wrangle her ancient and stubborn table into the proper size for company. Sunday afternoon saw the baking of the requested apple pie (with a taste test of the sugar, just in case). Finally, evening arrived and it was time to head over to Granny's.

"Hello, Serenity!" Mrs. Roberts greeted her at the door. "Come inside and sit down!"

The neighbors knew each other well enough to answer the door at each other's homes at this point, they were a close knit group. Mrs Roberts even occasionally let Lucy answer the Roberts's door, much to the young girl's delight. She considered it a high honor to be allowed the very grownup duty of answering the door.

"Happy [REDACTED] birthday, Granny!" Serenity exclaimed as she entered the cottage, holding an apple pie in one hand and waving a package wrapped in bright paper in Granny's general direction with the other. She had splurged a little bit to get the nice paper for it, just for fun. Dragon trotted through the door right behind her, squawking his own well wishes as he did.

"Oh, Serenity! Dragon! Welcome! I've just put your kettle on for some tea! This is the tea set I told you about!"

Granny excitedly waved to a tea set she had sitting on a silver tray next to the kettle on the counter. It was white, with a sprig of deep burgundy, pink, and yellow roses nestled in a bed of leaves. Serenity recognized it as a classic teapot of a popular brand. It really was beautiful. Beside it sat four matching cups, as well as Lucy's favorite teacup, a bright pink cup with teal roses, and Serenity's favorite of Granny's teacups, which was glazed with a deep blue that she found particularly pleasing.

"Oh, Granny, it's beautiful!"

Serenity placed her gift on the small pile of gifts on the table, then sat down between Lucy and Mr Roberts. Liz and Mrs Roberts sat opposite them.

"Good evening, Serenity," Mr Roberts said boisterously. He was a very friendly and kind man, even if he and Serenity weren't very close.

"Good evening, Mr Roberts!"

"Serenity! Serenity!" Lucy tugged on the sleeve of her dress urgently.

"Yes, Lucy?"

"Today, Mr Roberts said I'm like the granddaughter he never had!" Lucy exclaimed proudly.

"How kind of him!" Serenity replied.

"It's true!" Mr Roberts said cheerfully. "Our daughter didn't want to have kids. Me and Mrs Roberts are fine with that, but it's nice to have a young one around. Keeps things lively."

"Lucy is very fun to have around," Serenity agreed, smiling at her young neighbor. Turning back to Mr Roberts, she asked, "Did you bring your fiddle today?"

"No, I wasn't sure it was a day for it. But we're right across the street. Wouldn't take me long to fetch it."

"You are always welcome to play fiddle over here," Granny said cheerfully. "There's not quite as much room for dancing as there is in your living room, but you play so well."

"I can play the odd classical piece, too," Mr Roberts said. "I just never found that to be as much fun."

"He's being modest," Mrs Roberts interjected. "He played in a classical quartet when we were young. I thought he was so dashing pulling that bow across those strings. But he's right, a fine fiddle tune is more fun to clap or move your feet along to. Everyone can become part of the music with a good fiddle tune."

"I like when Mr Roberts plays," Lucy said, putting special emphasis on the 'like.' "It's fun to dance when he plays!"

"It is, isn't it?" Serenity agreed. "Dragon likes it too!"

Dragon, who had hopped up on the table and was sitting at one end, nodded emphatically, then turned in a little circle, as if to show off his dance moves.

"Well, then I suppose I'll just have to go grab my fiddle later," Mr Roberts said.

"First, let's have some tea and some snacks," Granny suggested. "In the icebox I have little tea sandwiches and some banana bread. Bananas are cheap this week, so I made two loaves."

"Granny, your banana bread is so good that two loaves won't be enough," Serenity told her.

"Well then I'll have to break out the emergency package of cookies," Granny said cheerfully. "They aren't the best, but they are shelf stable so I keep a box around."

Granny poured the tea while Serenity got up to retrieve the sandwiches and banana bread from the icebox and then started passing them out to the assembled guests.

Everyone made small talk about the tea set and the snacks and the goings-on of the neighborhood. Mrs Roberts mentioned that the bookstore cat had escaped the other day, and the entire Valley Commons market square had gone into chaos trying to catch him and coax him back into his rightful domain. Dragon considered the bookstore cat his second worst mortal enemy after the owner of a Harringfield Antique Book Co, which was another, much more expensive, much less friendly bookstore across town. He listened to the story about the bookstore cat's escape with an offended huff.

"Granny," Serenity said during a lull in conversation. "You're [REDACTED] years old. Do you have any advice for us youngin's?"

Granny looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I've certainly learned quite a lot about life, living for so many years. I think the greatest lesson I've learned, though, is just... love people to the fullest. Even the people you barely know. You never know who will become your new best friend. Your next love. Or your adopted granddaughter." She glanced at Serenity and smiled softly. "There's a lot of things that make the world go round, but I'd have to say a great deal of it is based in love. Love for others. Love for humanity. An inventor invents for the love of creating. A peace activist works because of their love for their fellow man. Society moves forward because of the actions people take out of love. So when you find something you love, don't let it go."

Mr and Mrs Roberts both nodded along to Granny's words. They weren't anywhere near [REDACTED] years old, but they had still lived their own long and fulfilling lives.

"It doesn't have to be romantic love, or familial love, either," Mrs Roberts added. "Sometimes you just love someone. Or something. Sometimes even late in life we find whole new worlds of things to love. If you have a passion for your work, that's a type of love. If you want to see good things come into your neighborhood for the sake of everybody who lives there, that's another kind of love. Really, any love that doesn't hurt anyone else, encourage that in yourself. It really does make life better."

"It does," Granny nodded solemnly.

There was a moment of hushed silence, and then Lucy piped up.

"I love everyone here!"

This spawned a ripple of chuckles.

"We love you too," Mrs Roberts said. "We'll miss you when you go off to school next year! We'll miss having you around during the day! But you'll have lots of fun and make new friends your own age. You'll find even more friends to love!"

Here, Dragon hopped down from the table and came around to Granny, who sat at the opposite end. He nuzzled his head against her hand, then put his head on her knee and sighed happily, sending her his own feelings of love.

"I love you too, you little rascal!" Granny said, smiling down at him softly. "You're understanding so much these days! You've gotten so big!"

Dragon puffed his shoulders up proudly, then nuzzled Granny's hand once more, before leaving to hop back up on his end of the table where his half eaten slice of banana bread lay.

"Now, why don't we have pie. And then, if Mr Roberts doesn't mind, we'll have some music!"

"That sounds like an excellent idea!" Mr Roberts said cheerfully. "You cut the pie while I go and grab the ol' fiddle. Then we can sing happy birthday to you when I get back."

Granny sighed. "It's been [REDACTED] years of the embarrassment of being the only one not singing, once a year. Can't we skip it?"

"Not a chance, Granny," Serenity teased. "After [REDACTED] years, you might die of shock if we don't keep to the routine."

Granny gave her a wry look. "Alright, have it your way."

Mr Roberts departed to fetch his fiddle while Serenity cut the pie for Granny, insisting that it was Granny's [REDACTED] birthday, so she mustn't do it herself.

Mr Roberts made it back from across the street unscathed, and proceeded to play "happy birthday" to an exasperated Granny while everyone else sang along. They shared the pie, along with lighthearted laughter and stories about things Granny had done recently.

After the pie, Mr Roberts broke out the fiddle again, and Lucy and Dragon got to dance together to their heart's content. At one point, Dragon stood on his hind legs and held Lucy's hand, hopping here and there in the way that little kids dance when they are excited and want to be included. Serenity took a turn dancing with Lucy, and then she picked Dragon up and danced in a circle with him, too. Granny smiled brightly as she clapped along to the lively music. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening spent with good friends.

At the end of the night, Granny bid her friends goodbye. Serenity was the last one to leave, staying behind to help clean up a little before she went home.

"It was a lovely night," Serenity said, smiling.

"It really was."

"Don't think I didn't notice that spell you put on your age," Serenity told the older witch. "That's an impressive piece of magic! When did you do it?"

"Oh, I couldn't tell you if I wanted, honestly. I got so darn tired of people not understanding the witch aging cycle that I got fed up and cast it on myself so people wouldn't make such a fuss about how old I was. It got to be embarrassing, you know. It must have been, oh, twenty years ago, at least."

"Could you tell me how old you really are if you wanted to?"

"Would you want to know?"

"No, I suppose if you didn't want anyone to know, then I wouldn't want to pry."

"That's my girl."

"I better head home. Goodnight, Granny. Happy birthday!"

"Thank you, Serenity. Goodnight."

#a cottage witch and her dragon #serenity and dragon #my writing #original fiction #my art #things I made

[zarvasace]

A nanowrimo server I'm in does cute little end-of-nano post-a-line games to share a few things we wrote. I really like how mine turned out for HCoPA, so thought I'd share! (totally not procrastinating.) The ones I participated in were called "rainbows," "find the word," "first lines," and "playlist." These are all just selected quotes from the fic I wrote over November, which you can find here if you're so inclined.

Rainbows

(Red, Green, and Blue are character names, of course, so I did the other colors of the rainbow!)

Orange: Vio had no expression as he looked over his own numbers, peeling an orange with his fingers. "I did much worse with that."

Yellow: Their round table, one of many mismatched ones in the large dining room, had two new chairs pulled up with two new people Vio didn't recognize—a tall girl with her hair just slightly askew, and someone with a ponytail and a fashionable yellow tie.

Indigo: Shadow hummed to himself as he double-checked his addition. The red for five, the indigo for six, and the phonecian red for a whopping twenty. This was going to blow through the money he had, but... it was going to be so worth it, too.

Purple: Vio stood on stage, now, dressed in the first of the outfits Green had picked out for him—his usual trousers tucked into his tall adventuring boots, along with a shirt the perfect shade of purple, tailored to fit him across the chest better, but with absolutely massive sleeves, layers of lace that hid pockets for spell components.

Find the Word

Reference to the sun/sky/moon/stars:

"I like it when this happens," Shadow said, quieter than he meant to. "When what happens?" Shadow laughed once. "This. I don't know." "Which part?" Vio pressed, the faintest smile in his voice. "Being under a blanket? Being outside when it's cold? Seeing the stars? Not being with the others? Cuddling?" "I don't know," Shadow whined, squishing his chin into Vio's hair. It smelled like flowers from the strong soap everyone had started using to fade the dye faster. Vio's hair was a nice shade of lavender at the moment. "All of it."

Emotion word:

"You found him!" Red said, looking up as soon as they walked in. "That was quick. Oh, no. Blue, that's your guilty face. What did you do?" "I'm not guilty!" Blue snapped, defensive. "I don't feel any guilt." "But you still did something." Green hung up his coat. "All right, what was it?" Blue crossed his arms and sighed. "Broke Hector's nose. Punched him in the stomach. Got knocked over. Got detention and an essay."

Food or drink:

Red tapped the wooden spoon in his hand against the wooden cutting board like a gavel. "This supplementary meeting of the Hyrule College of Practical Arts Unofficial Baking Society is now in session. Purpose: make apple pie. Because I burned it. Again." He held up a fist and closed his eyes dramatically.

Piece of clothing:

"I thought you didn't like the cold." "I don't," Blue all but snapped back. He tucked his ears into his hat. "Why do you think I'm wearing three scarves?" Each was a different shade of blue. He was predictable, so what?

Plant or animal:

He continued moving pansies from the box beside him into the ground. The flowers had been outside, but it was cold, and these pansies weren't doing very well out there. They were so small and delicate. It was odd to think that they were alive, and could perhaps respond to stimuli around them. Vio found himself hoping they'd get better.

First Lines

(chosen more-or-less at random!)

"I have to admit," Master Gerard said, staring at the four boys in front of him over steepled, ink-stained fingers, "this is a strange situation."

"So," Red said, a notebook and pen in his hands. He sat at Vio's desk, kicking his feet against the bar under the chair. "You really didn't eat anything interesting when you were out causing problems?"

"Time for creepy dark magic ritual in the basement number two," Blue muttered, holding a lantern in one hand and a stuffed bag in another. "How did we get into this mess?"

Contrary to popular belief, Red actually did like combat. Well, sort of. He liked this kind of combat, where nobody was actually at risk of anything worse than a few bruises or maybe a broken arm. He liked seeing his brothers shine, and they didn't do that better anywhere else.

Swinging a hammer wasn't about the weight. Sure, you had to pick the right weight, but the end goal was about momentum, and more than that, it was about control. Momentum couldn't be achieved without control.

Playlist

The chapter I chose was 12, which is the one where they do magic to get Shadow, if you remember. That is this one here. I chose the song Tonight by The 69 Eyes, which has a very different genre than I expected myself to use. I chose this song because it's intense, like the chapter is, but with some hopeful lyrics.

Honorable mention for this chapter was The Dark Side by Muse. It's dramatic, talks about darkness, and I think Shadow would like Muse in general. Vibes, you know?

For the whole fic, I chose the song Hakugin by Eve, since the song just feels like nostalgia. Also, snow.

Honorable mention for the whole story goes to Comedy by Gen Hoshini, which is, in fact, the first ending song for Spy x Family, which is where I found it. The music video is adorable, though, and the whole message of the song is just domestic love, which is 100% the vibe of this fic. :)

#my writing #i speak from the coffin #you can ignore this it's just me yelling #hcopa #four swords #sort of? #it's just my fic

[hylianengineer]

Fic rec friday

Welcome back to fic rec friday! This one includes three whole fandoms because I finally dug myself out of the rabbithole that is my PJO bookmarks.

1. I Thought Animals Hated You? by prettyboydotexe (Percy Jackson)

“I’m not hurt, I’m fine,” he gently swatted Will’s hands away. “Look,” he untied the fabric, revealing the tiny, half shriveled face of a little creature tucked between his elbow and his chest.

It's Solangelo with a baby bat, it's so cute I'm gonna cry, what's not to love?

2. the apple to my pie by Rosyredlipstick (Percy Jackson)

They weren't always a 24-hour pie diner. There were few factors that had led to this present 24-hour fact, events that had been placed in motion and happened that were now long over, but the aftermath remained. And the aftermath made these three facts - Nico di Angelo now owns a 24\7 pie diner on the corner of Main and Keystone. Nico di Angelo has several loyal employees who help run said pie diner. And one unloyal. (Leo always swears he's going to defect and franchise a Denny's across the street which - disgusting) And the last - Will Solace is a midnight customer, and this might all be because of him.

It's fluffy, it's funny, it's romantic, and I am such a sucker for restaurant AUs - don't ask me why, I have no clue.

3. Get Some Rest by EtherealSpaceJelly (Star Trek The Original Series)

When you get back from an unexpectedly long and taxing away mission, uninjured but completely exhausted, Jim and Spock put you to bed. There is no use of Y/N. Gender-neutral pronouns are used, and there is no physical description of you. There are some romantic undertones, but it can easily be read as platonic, too. This is very fluffy and self-indulgent lol.

Star Trek TOS reader-insert (ambiguously romantic or platonic) with gratuitous fluff anyone? It's fucking adorable.

4. Vess 'Verse by jadrea (M*A*S*H)

A nameless newcomer arrives at MASH 4077 and is tight-lipped about their origins. Set around Season 3.

A series of fics, everything from fluff and humor to heavy angst and hurt/comfort, centered around a nonbinary war correspondent and dedicated rule-breaker who finds their way to the 4077 by breaking several laws. You know, as you do.

5. Last Request by destiny919 (Batman)

"Any last words, Replacement?" Red Hood casually crouches down in front of him. "Or how about a last request? I'm feeling generous. I'll do you one last favor before I clip those little wings. Whatever you want. Sky's the limit." There's only one thing he's ever really wanted from Jason Todd.

A Titan's Tower AU with tons of emotional whump and also some hugging. It's heartbreaking and sweet and if you check out the related works, there's also a really great sequel in which there is more hugging and some fluff.

#fic rec friday #fic rec #hylian rambles

[moonomiz]

FOOD/WORKOUT LOG 10/20/23

10/20/23 Log

Pre workout:

V8 energy

Breakfast

protein smoothie:

chocolate protein powder

pb fit powder

frozen strawberries

vanilla extract

Lunch

salmon salad bowl:

salmon

kale

cubed potatos

apple cider

Dinner

pizza

bread sticks

Snacks

one of those tiny pre packaged pie things

more pizza…

lots of pretzels

mini m&m’s

Thoughts: Day started out strong but I got emotional and decided to eat out my feelings by the end of it. I know I should’ve dealt with it better. I’ve been struggling recently with overeating… I didn’t do it much today but I have been recently(which is also part of why I’ve been reluctant to post these logs…). I’m not sure how to stop overeating but I really want to i’m tired of feeling sick. Every day I eat myself sick then feel guilty about it. Even if I don’t overeat with a meal, i’ll end up doing it through snacking. If you have any suggestions please help a girl out lol, but I am going to try to be more in tune with my body and how i'm feeling when it comes to food.

Workout(3 sets of 10 unless stated otherwise)

5 min warmup walk & stretching

Bench press (60 lbs including bar)

Swimmers (5 lbs)

Bent over rows(individual arms- 15 lbs)

Thoughts: I planned on doing a hot girl walk with this but the weather turned to crap lol. Overall good mini upper body day though it felt very productive

#workout log #food log #coquette girl #aesthetic #pink pilates princess #coquette #gaslight gatekeep girlboss #girly aesthetic #it girl #moodboard #self love #lana del ray aesthetic #pink coquette #flora coquerel #coqueta #recovery #food