#Prompt 28

[incorrectmarvelquotesss]

— flufftober (day 18) —

Warnings: fluff, slight angst

Prompt: Soothing Touch

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

@flufftober || flufftober masterlist

A/N: These are still sitting in my drafts! I will get them out pretty soon. Enjoy!

Bucky’s touch was warm and light, but no one else knew that.

His first reaction to meeting the whole team was to take a large step back and then another, flinching, when Clint tried to shake his hand. Bucky merely shook his head and gave him a polite smile instead. Everyone else nodded in greeting at him, seemingly coming to a silent agreement.

No one was going to come close to him if he didn’t want them to. It was a simple unspoken rule that the team had agreed upon and followed through the next few months. The team kept their distance, including Steve. Even though he was Bucky’s best friend, Bucky still had a tough time letting him get close.

All of this went down the rabbit hole when he met you.

Instant regret had started to fill him when he stepped into that bookstore and noticed that it was not empty. Instead a large crowd of people surrounded the seating area, kids scattered on the floor while listening to the story you were reading. If, maybe, he had looked up at the bright neon sign hung on the display, he would have known about the story time that was being hosted.

He swallowed down the urge to run out and started making his way through the crowds to the back of the store. Later, once the crowd had dissipated and the children had left, you found him sitting in the armchair stationed in the corner of the store, engrossed in the first book of Lord of the Rings. Not wanting to disturb him just then, you went about minding your own business.

Then, when the clock struck nine, you trailed back to the corner and saw that he was almost finished the book. You bit down your sigh and cleared your throat. The conversation flowed easily after the first few words. Bucky found himself going back to the store and soon he was helping you put the books on the shelves.

Fingers grazed each other, his skin sparking with every little touch. His hand would dart away, only for him to soon feel like he was missing something. Something vitally important to him. If he thought about it for too long, he would catch himself staring at you, as if you were the answer. And so his hand would carefully move back to yours, letting your fingers caress every now and then.

Warm and light touches.

“Y/N,” he would tell Steve when he got back at half past one in the late nights or at three in the early mornings. Steve would merely shake his head with a little smile and sigh, pat his shoulder.

When he walked past Bucky, he would whispered, “Tell her soon.”

Bucky would tell you soon. Sooner than he would mean too, but, for now, he let your touch soothe his nerves.

#flufftober 2023 #day 18 #prompt 28 #mcu #marvel cinematic universe #bucky barnes x reader #late submission #marvel #mcu x reader #mcu x y/n #marvel mcu #mcu x you #bucky barnes x y/n #avenger x reader #bucky barnes x you #james buchanan barnes #bucky barnes #james barnes x reader #james barnes x y/n #james barnes x you #james bucky barnes #james barnes #x reader #x y/n #x you #james bucky buchanan barnes #james buchanan bucky barnes

[beth--b]

I should have stayed home

Six months post Vecna’s defeat things were going pretty well for Steve.

He and Robin had both managed to get jobs at a bakery that had opened in town, Robin was taking a gap year after all the insanity that had been their lives before heading to college.

Eddie and Max had both recovered well from their injuries, Max would need glasses and Eddie had some pretty gnarly scars (as did Steve) but they were both doing well.

Steve had discovered that thinking of other boys as ‘pretty’ was not something that everyone did, and after a few long conversations with Robin, he had come to the conclusion that he was into both girls and guys.

The fact that he found Eddie very attractive certainly helped move things along for him.

The party had stayed close having regular catch ups by way of dinners or movie nights. The Byers and El had moved back to Hawkins with Hopper, Hopper had wasted no time in popping the question to Joyce and they had tied the knot a few months ago. They both said they’d waited long enough and who knew what the future would bring so why wait.

This brought Steve to the present day.

Read it here on ao3

He had been planning on asking Eddie out for weeks now and was planning on meeting him at the bakery when his shift ended.

The problem was Steve had woken up with a headache that was quickly becoming a migraine.

To try and make things easier on himself he decided to forego his contacts (who knew that so much head trauma could cause permanent damage?) and wore his glasses instead.

Not the way he’d wanted to look when he officially asked Eddie out. They’d been dancing around each other for weeks, months really, flirting and getting far too close for friendship but neither of them had actually asked the other out.

Nothing he could do about it though, so with glasses in place he popped a few painkillers and left for work.

—---------------

The day was dragging.

Robin wasn’t working with him today, he had needed to deal with multiple rude customers and his headache was only getting worse.

The painkillers had hardly touched the sides of the headache when it had first begun and now that it was a full blown migraine, he was a hair's breadth from laying down on the floor and calling it a day.

He only had another hour before Eddie would be there and they could go somewhere and Steve could ask him out. Officially. He was not going to let a headache stop him. It had taken him so long to get to this point and now he didn’t want to wait anymore.

So that meant he would grin and bear it.

Turning on his best customer service smile, that may or may not have looked more like a grimace at this point, he greeted the next customer that came into the store.

He bent down to get the cake out of the cabinet that the lady had chosen only to be hit with a wave of dizziness as he straightened back up. He managed not to drop the cake, blindly placing it on the counter, only to stumble back himself. Next thing he knew he was looking at the ceiling.

The customer, a middle aged woman who Steve vaguely recognised as working at Hawkins Middle hurried around to him and checked him over.

“Are you alright dear?” she asked, supporting him as he slowly sat up. The world was still spinning and he closed his eyes as he helped guide his head between his knees. “Easy does it. Is there someone else here I can call?”

Steve just shook his head, taking a few deep breaths until he felt he could sit up.

“Sorry ma’am just stood up too fast and got a bit dizzy. I’m so sorry about that! Is your cake alright?”

The woman helped him up and shushed him, telling him everything was fine and to take care of himself. She paid for her cake and once she was sure he was steady on her feet she left the store, but only after Steve reassured her he was fine and someone would be there soon to take over for him.

Thankfully it was quiet the rest of his shift, only half an hour left.

He wanted nothing more than to see Eddie, but his head was killing him and now on top of the migraine he had an egg on the back of his head from where he had hit the floor.

He was determined not to give in though.

Moments later the metal head himself came through the door.

“Stevie! Fancy finding you here?”

Steve couldn’t help but wince at the volume of Eddie’s voice, ducking his head to try and hide it as he came around the counter to greet the older man.

“Hey Eds! Just waiting on my replacement and we can get out of here,” Steve said, giving Eddie a quick hug. If he leaned in a little longer that he meant to, well nobody else was there to see.

Steve went back behind the counter, bagging up a couple of pastries for Eddie and himself to have later and gave them to Eddie.

“Mind taking those out to your van?” Steve asked, passing the bags over.

“Of course! What’s the plan? Are we taking our own cars and meeting somewhere or what?”

Not feeling fit to drive, but not wanting to tell Eddie either, Steve just shrugged and tried to act like he was deciding on the spot. “Maybe we take your van and come back for my car later?”

Not seeming too worried Eddie just smiled and nodded, turning to walk back outside to wait for Steve. “Alright, I’ll be waiting.”

With Eddie out of sight Steve lay his head on the counter and tried to breathe through the pain.

He didn’t even hear his replacement come in until they tapped him on the shoulder.

“You good Steve? You look kinda pale,” the kid asked. Tom, or Tim…Steve couldn’t remember just then.

“Mm fine. Here you go,” Steve took his apron off and almost threw it at the kid before making his way back around the counter and outside.

He made it to Eddie’s van just as another wave of dizziness took hold. Grabbing the door handle to keep himself upright he leaned heavily into the van door as he almost tipped over.

Just as he was about to give in and slide down onto the pavement Eddie was there, holding him up and guiding him into the car.

“Holy fuck Steve what’s wrong? You gonna pass out?”

Shaking and feeling sick Steve just shook his head as much as he could without making the pain in his head worse.

“No-no don’t think so. Sorry. Migraine. This isn’t how things were meant to go today. Maybe I should have stayed home. Just wanted things to be perfect for you,” Steve muttered as Eddie rubbed his back.

“Why didn’t you? If you’re not feeling well you could have just told me.”

Steve was almost in tears at this point. Everything was going so wrong.

“Wanted it t’be spec’al. Wan’ed to ask you out. Fucked it up now,” Steve slurred, too far gone from the pain to filter what he was even saying.

Eddie just wrapped his arms around Steve as much as their position in the van allowed and gently massaged Steve’s neck and head. The younger boys closed his eyes and felt some of the tension he was carrying begin to release.

“Oh sweetheart, you didn’t fuck anything up. Life happens. We can have a do-over another day. For now how about I take you home and we can go lay down and get you feeling better?”

“Ok,” Steve whispered, pressing into Eddie’s side.

“Good, let’s get you home and then when you’re feeling up to it, we can go on a proper date, sound good?”

“So good Eds. So good.”

“That’s settled then, let’s get you home.” Eddie pulled away and buckled Steve’s seatbelt for him. Before he started the engine though he pressed a quick kiss to Steve’s forehead.

“Wha’ was tha’ for?” Steve asked, opening his eyes

“Kissing it better for you,” Eddie replied, face turning bright red as he did.

“Oh! Thank you,” Steve felt his own face heat up in response but smiled nonetheless.

Maybe things hadn’t gone quite as he had planned but somehow it seemed they had worked out anyway.

#stranger things #my fics #steve harrington #eddie munson #sicktember #prompt 28 #steddie #getting together #steve x eddie #fanfiction #fanfic #stranger things fanfiction #sicktember 2023

[writing-promptsss]

Prompt #28

"I will go take a shower-"

"Can I go to the bathroom real quick?"

"Why do you always have to go to the bathroom when I want to take a shower?"

"Well, I'm sorry that I cannot control when my bladder will have the urge to empty itself."

#writers #writers on tumblr #writers of tumblr #writing prompt #writing prompts #writeblr #writing inspiration #writing #writerscommunity #writersociety #writerscorner #writer things #writeblr community #story prompt #story prompts #story inspo #story ideas #story inspiration #prompt #prompts #dialogue prompt #creative writing #creative writing prompt #creative writing inspo #creative writing ideas #original prompt #daily prompt #dailyprompt #daily writing prompt #prompt 28

[kybercrystals94]

To Fight Alongside Heroes

By KyberCrystals94

Read here on Ao3!

Whumptober 2023 | Day 28 | Prompt 28: Sacrifice

Rating: G

Words: 593

Summary: Fives sits with Echo while he grieves lost brothers.

Fives wakes up in the middle of his sleep cycle to the sound of the barrack’s door sliding open and closed. He glances at his chrono. There isn’t a shift change for another two hours. He leans over the side of his bed to look down at Echo’s lower bunk. Empty.

Worried, Fives kicks off his blankets, drops to the floor, and makes his way out of the barracks as quietly as his sleep addled brain will allow.

Fives can’t help but marvel at how quickly the destruction of the battle has been cleaned up. There are still major repairs that need to be done to the outside of the city; however, the halls, which only a few hours earlier were stained in the blood of their brothers, are back to their pristine, sterile white. Like nothing even happened, like lives weren’t lost. Swept away like a bad mark on a record.

If it had been natborns killed on their home planet…

Thinking like that doesn’t help or change anything, so Fives pushes it to the back of his mind, putting his focus on finding his batch mate. Echo doesn’t usually go off on his own, and certainly not in the middle of the night when he doesn’t have a shift of some sort. So, Fives wanders on hastened steps, checking down each hall he passes.

He ends up at their old training room, the door’s lock unactivated. He goes inside.

Echo sits on one of the benches along the far wall. He is leaning forward, elbows propped on his knees, hands knotted together in tight fists, head bowed. Fives sits down next to him but doesn’t say anything. Echo doesn’t move, absolutely still. Fives sits back against the wall, eyes taking in the familiar room shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the safety lamps dimly illuminating the floor.

After several long minutes, when Echo still hasn’t moved or acknowledged him, Fives asks, “Are you alright?”

Echo’s head turns slightly. “I should be.”

“On who’s orders?” Fives leans forward, mirroring Echo, so that they are shoulder to shoulder. He nudges him. “Is it about Ninety-Nine?”

“It’s about all of it,” Echo growls. “It’s about every sacrifice we make for the Republic. I know what I said to Rex and Cody, but…it’s not fair. And I know that life isn’t fair, and never will be — but I’m tired of watching our brothers being used as cannon fodder.”

Fives reaches over and tugs on Echo’s wrist until Echo gives him his hand. Fives grips it painfully tight. “You can’t think like that, Echo. Our brothers deserve to be remembered for the heroes they were, for the lives they saved. Ninety-Nine died exactly where he wanted to be…on the front lines serving with his brothers. And we were there for it, Echo, we got to fight alongside him.”

Echo grips back. “I know,” he whispers.

“He’d be proud of us,” Fives goes on, “becoming ARCs. Domino Squad too. After they got over the shock, that is.”

A ghost of a smile trembles on Echo’s lips. “You didn’t seem surprised today, when they told us about our promotions.”

“I’ve always known we’d make ARCs someday,” Fives says.

“You could’ve let me in on the secret.”

Fives chuckles. “And ruin the surprise? I wouldn’t deprive you of that.”

“I miss them, Fives.” Echo’s voice breaks on the syllable of Fives’ name.

Fives wraps an arm around Echo’s shoulders, holding tight. “I know. I miss them too.”

And that’s when Echo finally begins to cry.

END

Tag List: @isthereanechoinhere96 @followthepurrgil @amorfista @mooncommlink

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#Whumptober 2023 #Day 28 #Prompt 28 #Sacrifice #Star Wars #The Clone Wars #Star Wars The Clone Wars #echo needs a hug #soft fives #clone trooper echo #clone trooper fives #arc trooper echo #arc trooper fives #ninety-nine mentioned #The Clone Wars Season 3 Episode 2: ARC Troopers #Grieving #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #fanfiction #fics by kyber

[cadrenebula]

Prompt #28: Blunt

Lothaire never once sighed in frustration or annoyance as Bran taught him to fight. Even when they had started him off with the very basics of making sure the old Aurifore practice weapons wouldn't break upon first use. After all they hadn't been tended to in many years now. Not since Lancefer had moved onto real weapons. He had mended what he was able with the practice swords.

Actually he was glad not to be working with real metal weapons. Not yet at least. Some part of him was still haunted by his kidnapping. Yet he also knew that learning would help him avoid a second such incident.

Plus he needed to work on building up the proper muscles for wielding a real weapon. Something he definitely lacked with having so little training outside of some very basics. Stabbing someone with the pointy end didn't couldn't. Anyone could do that.

No, the only time he really did any complaining was later after practices when he was sore and tired. Even then the complaining was very minimal. The bruises from the blunt practice weapons were all in places his mother couldn't see. Well hidden by his clothes. And he didn't dare complain where she might hear.

It was fortunate that Bran had been so willing to come home with him. To help keep him safe. He might have worried himself sick with all the paranoia without help. There was no way he'd ever trust his mother not to try having him kidnapped again.

He wouldn't complain much because he didn't feel he could. Not when he was still in danger even with Bran's protection. There was no telling what his mother might try next in order to try and lure Lancefer into a trap.

#FFxivWrite2023 #FFxivWrite #Prompt 28 #Prompt Blunt #Lothaire Aurifore #House Aurifore #Lance's Brother

[multifandom-disaster]

Prompt #28

Who was the person that decided that super villains can't be afraid. I'm a very capable villain myself but if you were to ask me to disagree my mother opinion I would kindly decline.

#prompt #prompt 28 #writing ideas #writing prompts #hero x vigilante #villains #not a quote #writer

[perfectpaperbluebirds]

Sicktember #28

Prompt: “I should have stayed home.”

Fandom/OCs: MCU (Sick Steve Rogers)

Words: 860

Sicknario inspo: "You ARE sick" from this post and this post.

Author’s comments/background: Read the label on this one I guess. Sick miserable Steve as requested with caregiver Bucky. Short and sweet as always. Nothing much to see here. 

CW: Emeto, v*mit. Not overly long or explicit, but definitely there. 

~~~***~~~

Steve was lying facedown on a bunk in the Quinjet when the rest of the team (except for Bruce, who was working on de-Hulking) entered, talking in low voices. Natasha went to him immediately, looking worriedly at the blood coating one side of his uniform as she shook his shoulder. He turned toward her, his face drawn and pale.

"Steve, are you okay? Did you call for a medevac?"

Steve shook his head. "I'm not dying. There's no emergency."

"Then why the hell did you pull out? We almost had them!" Tony shouted. "You almost cost us the fight!"

Steve winced. "I was a liability out there. I was barely functioning. I'm not… I'm not well at all…."

"Wait, was that spear that hit you poisoned or something?" Clint asked anxiously, joining Natasha at his side, probing the area to find the source of the blood, but Steve moved away, shaking his head.

"Think I'm coming down with something," he mumbled. "It started a while ago, even before we left. And I think my side is already healed. It's just the old blood now."

Natasha pressed a hand against his forehead, none-too gently, but pulled it back almost immediately. "Whew, you ARE sick! Jesus, I almost got a first degree burn from your skin."

"I thought you couldn't get sick!" Tony chimed in.

"So did I," Steve groaned. "I have no idea what's happening."

"Well we're not gonna figure it out in the middle of the jungle. Let's just get out of here. We can deal with it when we get home," Clint said. 

"Roger that," Tony said, going to the controls. "Soon as we find our big green friend."

"Are you sure you'll make it, Steve?" Natasha asked. "You look awful."

"I feel it, too," he agreed. "But I don't think I'm dying just yet. I can hold out a while longer."

~~~

Many hours later, Steve was again lying facedown, this time in bed in his suite in Avengers Tower. He heard JARVIS unlock his door and swing it open to admit Bucky, who had just returned from his own mission. Neither spoke at first as Bucky took in the bloody clothes on the floor and the supersoldier huddled on the bed under a mound of blankets. 

"How's it going, Stevie?" Bucky finally asked, sounding overly casual as he pulled up a chair to the side of the bed. 

"Not so great, Buck. I feel absolutely awful."

"It must be really bad if you're admitting it, especially to me. Did something happen to you on the mission or is it just that you're sick?"

"Nothing happened on the mission, but I might as well not have gone. I wasn't feeling great before we left and it only got worse. That's how I got stabbed--I was totally out of it and my reflexes were shot. The team handled it. But going didn't do me any favors. I should have stayed home."

Bucky leaned forward to press the back of his hand to Steve's cheek. "Classic Stevie with a raging fever, just like the old days," Bucky sighed. "At least you're not a 90 pound shrimp anymore. What did–?"

"Oh God," Steve interjected with a guttural groan. "Bucky…."

"Oh shit!" Bucky said, leaping up when he saw Steve's expression. "I've got it, hang on…."

He dashed to the bathroom and snagged the garbage basket then rushed back to Steve's side, holding the pail to his face just in time to catch the rush of sick that came spewing out of the younger man. The explosion was short-lived and, thanks to Bucky’s quick action, overall mess-free. It left both of them panting, though. Poor Steve fell back into the pillow with another groan, this time self-pitying and exuding abject misery while Bucky made his way back to the bathroom, holding the bin at arm’s length. 

“Whew, you ARE sick,” Bucky said, trying to take on a lighthearted tone as he washed out the can in the shower.  

“Nat sat the same thing,” Steve replied with, Bucky thought, a hint of a smile. 

“You’re the only person I’ve ever known who throws up from a high fever. Unless there’s something else going on that you’re not telling me,” Bucky said, glancing at the bloody clothes again as he reentered the main room. 

“No. Just the fever. I’d really hoped the serum had taken that lovely symptom away, but no such luck. It’s like adding insult to injury. And Medical says they don’t have anything I can take for it, either, as usual. I’ll just have to ride it out apparently.”

“And they have no idea why you’re sick? I thought that couldn’t happen to you anymore.”

“So did I. Another thing I thought I left back in the 1940’s. No, they have no idea. They just drew a bunch of blood to run tests, but none of them sounded hopeful that they'll find anything. Lucky me.”

“Lucky you,” Bucky chuckled, sitting back down at his friend’s side. “But you’ll make it through this just like every other sickness you’ve ever had. And I’ll be right here with you the whole time, just like always.”

“Really, Buck?” Steve said, a hopeful, innocent look crossing his face as he lifted his head slightly to look over.

“Really, Stevie. Cross my heart.”

The pair shared a tiny smile before Bucky helped Steve lie back down, covering him warmly.

#cw emeto #sicktember 2023 #skt 2023 #m.c.u. #sick ste/ve rog/ers #prompt 28

[promptsbytaurie]

prompt #28

“I am the height of class and sophistication.”

#prompt 28 #writing prompt #dialogue prompt

[nought-shall-go-ill]

(For @jilytoberfest’s Prompt 28: “Tell me a story”)

It’s nearly the 28th where I am, but I realise that’s probably not the case for most of you. Sorry!

“Tell me a story,” Harry muttered, so softly that only Mary could hear. The throng of Christmas customers in The Leaky Cauldron half suffocated the sound. “Of them. Tell me a story about them.”

Mary took a deep breath. What could she possibly say? Where could she possibly start? This boy had seen horrors she could scarce imagine. He was put on a pedestal in their world for ridding it of its worst enemy. And yet… he still chose comfort in the arms of his family.

Even if those arms were mere stories built on imperfect memories.

“What would you like to know?” she asked.

What was appropriate to say? He was only nineteen, only a child really.

“Everything…” He took a gulp of butterbeer, looking so much older than James ever got to be. “But I’ll settle for something nice.”

“Something nice?”

“Yeah.”

But that would be doing them a disservice. Lily and James Potter were never nice, nothing even close to nice. In the early days, they were vicious, as awful to each other as two teenagers could be. Cruel and vindictive and spiteful.

But then they were magnificent. Awe-inspiring. Ethereal. As bright as Venus in a clear sky.

Somehow everyone knew the moment she’d led him to that dance floor that they’d walk each other down the aisle. Somehow everyone knew that that baby would be as loved as it was ever possible to be. And somehow, when they passed, everyone knew they’d be cruelly taunted by the Potters and their love for the rest of their lives.

Sirius. Remus. Peter. Mary. The ones left had all searched desperately for a little bit of Lily and James in their own ravenous ways.

How could one ever sum up all that in a way that was nice?

“She used to doodle his name in her Potions book,” Mary replied finally, only half recollecting the fact.

Harry smiled, looking a lot more like her when he did.

“Yeah?” he chuckled.

“Yeah, with little snitches. Strange woman! Practically covered the thing.”

He laughed, a big hearty laugh that Mary suspected carried something he wasn’t willing to share.

“I suppose that’s not exactly a nice thing, though, right?”

Because hadn’t it been obsessive? Childlike? A sign of Lily’s desperate yearning in those moments when the embers had started but the fire hadn’t quite yet roared.

But would there ever truly be words to describe the love that followed?

“No. No, it is. It’s very nice!”

Mary guessed nice was subjective. But for her, it would always be too insignificant of a word to describe Lily and James Potter.

#jilytober 2022 #jilytober #prompt 28 #jily fic #this started out cute I have no idea how we got here #why is it so angsty? #anyway enjoy #never just “nice” #jilytober2022 #I’m not entirely sure what is the correct tag…

[midcinmancave]

Story Prompt:  “I may not get another chance to say this.”

Summary:  The Princess’s midnight escapades turn frightening. Complete Story Source

Fictober Submission #16 Fandom:  Midnight Cinderella Featuring:  Robert Branche, The Princess Warnings:  None Rating/Genre:  General Audience, Slight Thriller, Mostly Comedy Writer:  Robert Branche's Admin

#Fictober23 #Midnight Cinderella #fanfiction #28 #Robert Branche #MidCin #Kingdom of Wysteria #KOW Writer Project #イケメン王宮 #Prompt 28

[kay-elle-cee]

Jilytober prompt 28: "Tell me a story."

Thank you for the prompts, @jilytoberfest!

The mourners have made the journey back to Potter Manor for the funeral reception. Sirius was the first to leave, having thrown himself into the preparations to occupy his time and keep him from feeling.

The mourners have left the graveside, but Lily and James remain, solemnly staring at the mounds of earth charmed with ever-blooming flowers of the deepest purples and brightest whites. Their hands are clasped tight, neither wanting let go after the darkness and sickness and devastation of the last few weeks. As much as Lily's heart breaks for James, she selfishly allows a moment for it to break for herself as well. After the death of her own parents in seventh year, Fleamont and Euphemia had treated her as their own. She had gladly accepted their love, and it brightened the dark hole left behind by her own parents' death.

Which made this darkness seem so much more unbearable. There would be no more light like theirs.

Turning to James, she searches his face for a hint of his thoughts. She'd been through this before, she can guide him through this pain.

Lily brings their entwined hands to her lips and places a small kiss on the back of his, her other hand resting soundly on her growing belly. This motion seems to jolt him from somewhere in his mind and he turns towards her, fixing her with his tired, red-rimmed eyes.

"What do you want to do?" Her voice is soft, nearly a whisper, even though there's no one around but them.

James shakes his head and she sees the tears threaten to spill again. She pulls him close and wraps her arms around him, as he's done for her so many times, and guides his head to rest on her shoulder. "We'll stay as long as you want," she assures him softly.

She feels the dampness spread on her shoulder, makes soothing patterns on his back as the occasional hiccup interrupts his anguish. Soon, he's standing up, taking his glasses off to wipe the tears from his eyes and focus on a point in the distance.

"I've realized something these last few days, going through the house." His voice is raw and strained, as if trying to hold back another flood of emotions. "There are so many memories in this house. So many memories with them"—his voice breaks—"that only I know." He clears his throat. "There's no one else who knows. No one else to reminisce with about all the trips we took before I went to Hogwarts, or the time when I was five and a niffler found its way into the house and mum spent weeks trying to track it down." He laughs a little at the memory, but the smile doesn't reach his eyes.

Lily runs a hand down his arm, encouraging him to finish.

"It's only me." James pauses and looks down at his shoes, his face crumbling. "And when I'm gone, they're gone for good."

Lily's heart shatters in that moment, watching her husband mourn the eventual loss of the memory of his parents. She feels helpless—though estranged from Petunia, there's still that shared connection exists. The idea that someone else out there knows them, remembers all the memories. James' utter isolation in mourning is a thought that never occurred to her.

She steps in front of him and grabs both of his hands, stepping as close as her bump will allow. "Tell me a story." Her voice comes out half-plea, half-command.

"What?"

"Tell me a story. Tell me all the stories." She kisses his hands again and feels the tears in her eyes gather as she looks at how completely broken he looks. Her desperation to help increases. "I know it'll never be the same as being there, but let me know the memories too. Talk about them. To me, to Sirius"—she looks down at the bump between them, and back up. "Tell them to me, and we'll tell them to Harry, too." She drops his hands and cups his face, gently pulling it towards her for a kiss.

"Your parents won't die with you. I promise, James."

Another sob wracks through him and they pull each other tighter, still alone together at the graveside.

Other Jilytober drabbles here.

#kelsey writes #jily #jilytober #jilytober2022 #drabbles #ficlets #31 prompts #prompt 28 #listen #as an only child married to an only child #this hurt me SO MUCH to write #thanks to mr kelsey for bringing this harrowing thought to me one day

[lire-casander]

#28 gifts as an apology

gifts as an apology original prompt list here

“I’m not sure this is the way, Dad,” TK mutters as he frowns at the small wrapped package sitting on the table in front of him. “I can’t bribe Carlos into forgiving me.”

“It’s not bribery,” his father points out, pushing the package forward with one finger. “It’s an apology gift.”

“I get why apologizing, in this case, isn’t enough,” TK tells his father. He steps away from the table and runs a hand through his hair, messing it. He huffs in frustration. “I don’t think Carlos is going to forgive me if I show up with a gift.”

“You’ve messed up,” his father reminds him. “You need to make it up to Carlos somehow. Giving him something he longs for is an efficient way of doing that.”

“I know Carlos,” TK insists. “Giving him some kitchen apparel as an apology for what I’ve done is not going to cut it.”

“Then what’s going to do the trick?” His father sighs. “What’s going to make this all better? Because Carlos will be mad.”

“Maybe not so much?” TK says, sounding a bit unsure.

“Why will Carlos be mad?” Mateo pipes in, entering the kitchen space and opening the fridge to grab a bottle of water. “Sorry, didn’t mean to eavesdrop but walls are really thin here.”

“I have messed up big time,” TK says, still eyeing the wrapped package. “I’ve accepted a shift next Tuesday evening.”

“Okay,” Mateo says slowly. “What’s the problem? Carlos already knows you have to cover for Pearce sometimes, and that you usually take double shifts.”

“It’s next Tuesday,” TK insists, emphasizing the last two words.

It takes a few seconds for the idea to sink in, but when it does Mateo looks back at him with his eyes wide open in disbelief. “You didn’t.”

“I kinda did.”

“TK!” Mateo chides him. “Next Tuesday, really? There wasn’t any other day to double-shift, was there? Carlos is going to kill you.”

“I know!” TK exclaims. “And Dad says I should give Carlos an apology gift, but I’m not sure that’s going to work.”

“An apology gift is just the beginning,” Mateo tells him. “Cap is right. You need that gift. But you also need some real and serious grovel for having to reschedule your rehearsal dinner again. How many times has that happened? Twice?”

“Three times,” TK’s father pipes in. TK shoots him a glare. “And every single time it’s been because of work.”

“Carlos understands,” TK sighs. “He also has a very demanding job as well.”

“But you already rescheduled the dinner three times before because of impossible shifts while Carlos has juggled his shifts to make it in time. I remember he was mad last time because his father had also switched shifts to attend the dinner,” Mateo points out.

TK groans and leans forward, hiding his face in the crook of his arms on the table. He’s really fucked with this, he knows that, but he doesn’t know how to make it up to Carlos. He looks up at the package, which contains a very expensive kitchen robot, and sighs again.

Maybe this gift could be the first step of a very long groveling path.

#lire's 40 to the 40s #prompt 28 #prompt 28: gifts as an apology #tarlos #tk strand/carlos reyes #carlos reyes/tk strand #911ls #911 ls #911 lone star

[chocoblep]

#28: Bread

She had gone into Bentbranch for a few necessities. One of them was fresh bread from the baker who lived there, and though said Baker had offered to teach Shieke how to make a basic loaf of bread, that had not yet come to pass. That said, she knew the baker would never lose her business so long as she lived here, because her breads and pastries were unbelievably good.

As she walked into the little shop, the scent of fresh baked goods enveloped her like a warm embrace, and she practically floated over to the counter to look at what was up for sale for the day. As she was perusing, she caught a bit of the conversation that was happening at the other end of the counter.

There wasn’t any harassment, per se, but the man was flirting up a storm with her and by the sound of things, he wasn’t being obvious enough for her to realize it. Shieke smirked, stepping up next to the man.

“He’s attracted to you,” Shieke said blandly. “Do you have rye today?”

Both Elezen looked at Shieke with wide eyes, and the baker was the first to recover, moving to grab a loaf of rye for Shieke.

“If you like what he has to offer you and you are free to pursue it, you should take him up on it. Otherwise, let him know he’s wasting his time.” She moved to pay for the bread, and then gathered her purchases in her arms and turned. She just barely caught the woman staring at her in awe before she looked to the man’s affronted expression and smirked. “Oh, please. Flirtation is not her language, you would have been here all day, my friend.”

As she walked out of the shop, she heard the baker say, “I wouldn’t mind if you were here all day,” to the man, and her smirk softened into a genuine smile.

#FFxivWrite2023 #FFxivWrite #Story #Shieke Hyskaris #Prompt 28 #Blunt

[my-lovely-writing]

As the red curtains parted, bright lights shined down at the stage, striking at all the right angles to make Superhero's cape shimmer into different colors of the rainbow with their every step. Small hidden fireworks burst across the stage. Superhero expertly dances through.

From the balcony, Hero's lip twitched as the audience oohed and awed. They had better, Hero thought. The old coot worked really hard for that, which means we worked really hard for that.

#writing #writing prompt #prompt #hero #superhero #performance #prompt 28

[whataclusterpuck]

The Whispers in the Depths

(Adam Henrique & Derek Grant, Haunted, 10k)

"Now you hear us…"

"Not voluntarily," he spat, for all the good it did. He was hearing, he was listening, and he was running out of arguments.

Strangely, that didn't bring a response. Only the crash of the surf. He swallowed back a shiver, trying to keep himself grounded here, knowing he should just turn and walk away.

Even the idea of it felt impossible.

What is this?

There were water creatures that did that… sirens, he thought? Mythology had never interested him, but he was wishing he'd paid more attention now. He didn't think the story had been that they drew in their prey by insulting them.

Also they weren't real. But neither, supposedly, were cursed chunks of glass at a fucking Newport Beach marina, so.

...So this sure didn't get done by Halloween. 😞 But the moodboard stabbed me directly in all my feels about these two, and "I'm gonna write a little something for it" kinda turned into "oops I think this is the 'they're soulmates your honor' fic I've been wanting to do for them all summer"?

@soft4hardthings

#hockeys&halloween #late to the party #prompt 28 #things got out of hand #hockey rpf #adam henrique #derek grant

[cadrenebula]

Prompt #28: Vainglory

Valen stared down at the small gathering of bandits below in the short distance from his hiding place. Patiently waiting with Lily perched on his shoulder. Thankfully his bird friend was silent, not that she’d stick out in the middle of the woods. Not from a distance anyways. It was only up closer that the doman magpie would stand out in the Shroud woods.

Waiting sucked but Valen knew better than to be over confident in this matter. Skilled shot or not, taking on this many was foolish. He just needed one good shot to take out the one below that was boasting to his allies. But to take him while amongst the group was far too dicey. One of the downsides to bounty hunting. The waiting when the prey wasn’t in a prime situation. 

Valen took a small seed from his pocket to offer to Lily while they sat here and waited.

#FFxivWrite2022 #FFxivWrite #Prompt 28 #Prompt Vainglory #About Valentin #Melodious Wings #Short but it's something #Just too drained this week #Work and worry over friends in FL #A bit of pain from something pinched #So short an sweet it is