#as you can tell i have drawn furry/fluffy animals before

[chaotic-super]

The Vampire Woman - Chapter 25

AO3 Link

“Lena, I’m nervous,” Kara mumbles, her body completely engulfed in a blanket as she’s sprawled across the couch. Only the very tip of her nose is visible and that’s only so she can breathe.

Lena crouches beside her and gently presses a cool fingertip to the exposed skin. “Boop.”

It gets the reaction Lena was hoping for as a long, drawn-out whine is emitted from beneath the fluffy blanket before it’s thrown away. “Lena, don’t boop me. You’re meant to be the big bad vampire in this scenario.”

Lena pouts, something most definitely not befitting of a big bad vampire. “Hey, I thought we agreed to keep that kind of talk in the bedroom!”

“I’m on my back and I have a blanket. It counts. Besides, you booped me, Lena.”

Lena’s lips stretch into a toothy grin. “I can’t help it. You’re just so boopable, it would have been rude of me not to.”

“Do you know what else would be boopable?”

“If you say anything that even remotely refers to a fluffy, four-legged creature, I’m not going to be very happy.”

Kara shrugs, pink lips captured between her teeth as she tries to hide her smile. “We could adopt a three-legged puppy. That would be even cuter anyway.”

“No.”

“But—”

“Absolutely not.” Lena holds firm, her arms crossing over her chest. “As cute as you’d look with a puppy or a kitten or some kind of furry animal, at some point, you’ll be back at work full time and I’ll be at the office during daylight hours, so we won’t be here for it. It wouldn’t be fair to it.”

Kara frowns, the corners of her mouth jutting down harshly. “But you’re the CEO. Couldn’t Jess look after it when you’re in the lab?”

“Kara…” Lena looks at her pleadingly.

“Fine.” Kara looks down at her lap despondently, fidgeting fingers playing with the edge of the blanket.

Lena sighs inwardly, annoyed that she’s already giving in. “We’ll look at our situation again in a few months and see where we’re at. If our lifestyle is compatible with a pet, we might be able to reconsider.”

As though the frown had never been there to begin with, a grin takes over Kara’s face. “Yes! We’re going to get the cutest little puppy ever!”

“I said maybe.”

Completely ignoring her, Kara keeps smiling, her fists pumping in the air. “We’re going to have a puppy. Can we get a big dog?”

“No, and I never said anything with certainty, Kara.” Lena tries to argue, but Kara’s not paying her any mind.

“This is so exciting! I can’t wait to meet our little fur baby. I couldn’t have one in my old apartment so this is great!”

Lena lifts Kara’s legs and sits down before setting them in her lap, her fingernails scraping against the bare skin of her legs softly. “I should have known there’s a reason you didn’t have a pet before.”

Kara nods sadly. “Yeah, I tried to talk my landlord around but he wasn’t budging. I actually tried to sneak in a cat I found abandoned in a dumpster, but that only lasted a week before one of my neighbours ratted me out. My landlord told me I had a week to get rid of him or else he’d start the eviction process so I had to get my friend Lucy to take him.”

“What was his name?”

“I called him Sprinkles but Lucy renamed him Percy. She’s a lawyer and said she couldn’t look her colleagues in the eyes and tell them she couldn’t do overtime because she had to feed her cat, Sprinkles.”

Covering her mouth with her hand, the ravenette struggles to hold back her laughter as she imagines a snarling, stone-faced lawyer with a bitchy attitude announcing she’s going home to her a cat called Sprinkles. “That’s…smart of her.”

The frown reappears. “No, it’s not. Sprinkles is his name at heart. I still call him that even though Lucy says he doesn’t respond to it. I think he knows it’s his real name deep down.”

“Kara, do you think you got a little too attached to Percy.”

She shakes her head in a dramatic, overexaggerated manner. “No, I didn’t get too attached to Sprinkles. I was just slightly attached, the same way anyone is to their pets.”

“Ok, sure.” Lena holds her hands up and smiles when Kara shakes her leg at her, upset she’s lost the soft scratches. She returns her hands to Kara’s legs. “So, what were you saying earlier about being nervous?”

“Oh no.” Kara drops her head into her hands and Lena’s eyes widen in shock. “You were doing so well at distracting me. Now I’m nervous again.”

Lena winces, she’s not sure exactly how she just messed up but the sad little pout on Kara’s face says she definitely did.

Looking at her face and the openness with which she’s displaying her emotions, completely free and unreserved, does something for Lena. It makes her feel like the luckiest woman on the planet and also majorly confused. How has she managed to get to this point in her life with someone? How has she somehow managed to have this person in her life in this way after what she did when they first met?

Thinking back to where they started, with Lena attacking her in a state of manic starvation, it’s a true wonder they’re at this point in which they are lounging on the couch together beneath a blanket, arguing about getting a puppy.

The difference in Kara’s demeanour is like night and day. The way she’s open and honest, not at all afraid of her, it’s freeing to Lena in a way she could never have imagined. There’s always been a hint of fear from the people around her. She’s always been able to sense it, that underlying tone in the room when the person she’s talking to knows she’s someone that has the power to kill them in a matter of seconds if she so desires. She’s seen it in the people around her many a time, including the people she trusts with her life and knows trust her with theirs. It’s not something that she ever thought would truly go away.

Jess is the one person she always thought trusted her the most, even if there have been moments when the woman has lingered for just a second too long or she’s tensed when Lena has moved too fast after a particularly heated argument with a board member. Rationally, she trusts Lena, but a part of her never truly accepts her, even if she wants to.

Kara doesn’t have that problem. Maybe it’s because she’s part vampire now too, or perhaps they’ve trauma bonded in a really odd way. Lena finds that she doesn’t care what it is. She’s just so immensely grateful that she has someone that loves her for who she is and doesn’t hold a part of herself back in fear.

When they first met, Kara always held her head a little too high, afraid but too proud to show her true colours. She kept her chin up and dared Lena with every passing second to try something because she would fight back. The Kara lying partially on top of her now, leaning into her touch and slouched low enough that she’s got a double chin waving hello to her, Lena can hardly believe this is the same woman.

“Lena?”

“Hmm?” Green eyes meet blue and Lena snaps out of her train of thought. “Yeah?”

“I asked what time Sam is coming over.”

“Oh.” Lena takes a quick look at her watch, annoyed when she has to swipe away yet another notification on it because it can’t register her heartbeat. She gets why having an electronic watch is helpful but she’s tired of being reminded that she doesn’t have a pumping heart. She always carries her phone with her anyway. She doesn’t need her texts to pop up on her wrist. “Um, not for another couple of hours yet.”

Kara eyes her strangely as she pulls the stupid watch off her wrist. “What’s wrong? Why are you acting weird?”

Lena shakes her head. “It’s nothing.”

“If something is bothering you, it’s not nothing.” Kara pushes herself up out of her relaxed slouch, tension beginning to form on her shoulders as her worry builds.

“No, no. It’s nothing like that. Nothing is bothering me. I was thinking about how we’ve ended up here together, sharing an apartment and chilling on the couch together after how we met and the struggles we faced. It’s been unexpected, but it’s something I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

“Me neither, even if Alex does make fun of me for dating you after we technically moved in together. She says we’re like U-Haul lesbians that somehow got going before the stopwatch was even started. I tried telling her we still have separate rooms, but that didn’t help our case much.” Kara relaxes back into the cushions. There’s no annoyance in her voice to match her words though, simply an amused lilt that Lena can’t get enough of.

Lena pulls Kara closer, pulling her up so she can lean in and press her lips to Kara’s. With her legs already over her lap, this essentially makes Kara sit in her lap and Lena’s not upset about that. “Did you mention that you barely stay in your room now?”

“And give her more ammunition? Absolutely not.”

Lena snorts softly before pressing her nose into the crook of Kara’s neck. “Ok. Anyway, are you sure you’re ok with Ruby staying in your room for the night?”

“Of course,” Kara answers. “It’s going to be weird having Sam and Ruby here but I don’t mind that.”

“What do you mean?” Lena’s eyebrows scrunch cutely and Kara presses her lips to the space between them. “You said you were ok with them coming over.”

Kara sighs, resting her forehead against Lena’s, her heated skin fighting off the cold of Lena’s and giving her the phantom feeling of having warm blood once more. “I am ok with them coming over. It just makes me nervous because I don’t know what to expect, I guess. The last time Sam and I were in the same room, I wasn’t doing too hot.”

“I hadn’t thought about that.” Lena frowns. “I can postpone them coming over if you need more time.”

“No, I don’t need you to do that. Plus, Sam and Ruby are ready to come over. They’ve carved time out of their day to do so, and I don’t want to put them out like that.”

Lena holds her a little tighter, pulling her even closer. “I don’t think they’ll mind.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“How about you get Alex to come over? I bet she’ll be happy to come over.” Lena offers. “She gets off work right around now, right?”

Kara’s eyes brighten and her lips quirk up. “That’s a good idea, Ms Luthor.”

“Oh, is it, Ms Danvers?”

“Yes. Yes it is.” Kara pushes forward into another kiss, capturing Lena’s lips between her own. She breaks apart with a dazzling smile before she extracts herself from Lena’s lap, giggling as Lena lazily tries to keep her where she is. “I’m going to go and call her.”

Lena watches her leave with a pep in her step and sincerely hopes Kara gets what she needs from Sam’s visit. The guilt of not having the answers she needs readily bubbles deep inside her blood, but having Sam come and answer those questions should help ease that, if only by a little. Given the fact that she’s largely responsible for the fact that Kara is part vampire, it’s only fitting that she gets her those answers, no matter what she has to do to make that happen. This is just the first step of many, but it’s a first step in the right direction all the same.

-

Kara pulls the door open and drags a tired-looking Alex into the apartment. “Hey, did you have a good shift?”

“It was ok, just busy.” Alex leans in for a hug, holding Kara to her chest for a few long seconds, something Kara has noticed her doing much more often since everything that happened. Since she almost died.

“Thanks for coming over but if you’re too tired, you can go home instead. I won’t be upset.” Kara holds onto Alex for a moment longer.

Alex shakes her head as they lean back. “I’ll be fine. I want to be here, especially since you’re nervous.”

“Alex, I’m pretty much always nervous. If you came every time I got anxious, we’d be living together.” Kara ushers her inside before closing the door behind her. “Come on in. Sam and Ruby will be here soon.”

They move to the living room, where Lena has set herself up across the couch where Kara was lying not too long before. Alex takes a seat in one of the chairs, the one that gives her the best view of the room so she’ll be able to see everything that happens, preparing for the worst even while hoping for the best.

“I’m going to grab some drinks. Do either of you want anything?”

Both Alex and Lena turn down the offer so Kara goes to grab herself one whilst leaving the pair of them in the living room.

Alex sinks into the chair, her elbow rests on the arm of the chair and her head is held in her hand. The exhaustion of the day is catching up with her and the little time she has before she has to be back on guard is fading quickly. She has to take the few minutes she has while she can.

Her eyes close and she lets herself sink back into the chair's cushions. Lena watches her from the corner of her eye, surprised that even Alex is letting her guard down around her. It does make sense that she’s not completely on edge around her anymore since she’s been around a lot because Kara lives here now. Still, she wasn’t aware that she’s now trusted enough that a human is willing to sleep around her without anyone else in the room. That’s pleasantly unexpected.

Not wanting to disturb the obviously exhausted woman, Lena wiggles to get comfy in her own spot, stretching her back out until it pops a few times.

“That’s gross.”

“I’m hundreds of years old, sue me.” Lena bites back, minus the bite.

Alex goes quiet as her brain whirrs with barely there comprehension.  “What’s that like?”

“What?”

Alex shifts, her eyes opening as her curiosity wins over her fatigue. “What’s it like being so old?”

“Tiring, honestly. I feel as old as I am most of the time.”

Alex hums in acknowledgement. “Have you ever wanted to die?”

Lena puffs out a laugh. “You don’t pull your punches, do you? Yes, I’ve wanted to die. I’ve wanted nothing more than just to live a normal human life, just like I was supposed to before I got bitten all those years ago.”

“Do you still want to die?”

“There’s a difference between wanting to die and wanting your life to end when it’s meant to. I don’t want to die right now. I want to die once my purpose has been fulfilled.”

Alex tilts her head curiously. “What do you think your purpose is?”

“I’ve spent years trying to figure that out. If I knew, I’d probably have ended myself already.”

“You can do that?”

“Theoretically? Yes. Mentally? I’m not sure.”

Alex swallows harshly, crossing one leg over the other and fighting past the discomfort this kind of conversation brings. “Why not?”

“I can be brave in some ways and cowardly in others.” Lena answers simply, the confidence in her voice making it evident to Alex that she’s thought about this many times before. “That’s what makes me a person. I’m not all strength, and I’m not all weakness. I just am. It took me a long time to come to understand that and a lot longer to come to terms with it.”

Alex leans forward in the chair, her hands clasping in her lap as she lowers her voice, afraid that Kara will overhear. “I wasn’t sure about you and Kara when she first told me you guys were seeing each other, and sometimes, I’m still not. I can see that you want what’s best for her though and that she has some pretty strong feelings for you, Lena. That’s why I’m willing to overlook the obscene age gap. If it wasn’t for the fact that you’re hot, look young and are exceptionally smart…”

Lena finds herself pinned with a glare when Alex spots her smirk at the compliments.

“Shut up, I have eyes. You are hot, but that doesn’t mean I will be completely off your back until I’ve completely sussed you out. You can’t dig on the sis without me watching your every move. Got it?”

Lena mock salutes at her. “Aye aye, captain.”

“Good.”

The sound of nearing footsteps has them both looking over to see Kara coming back with three drinks in hand and both frown in confusion. Lena sits up, swinging her feet over the edge of the couch. “Hey, we said we didn’t want drinks.”

Kara brushes them off easily, placing the drinks down before awkwardly standing next to the coffee table as she sips out of one of the glasses. “Oh, I know. I can hear Sam and Ruby on their way up, so I’m just waiting for them to arrive.”

Lena tucks her hair behind her ear as she double-checks mindlessly. Sure enough, she can hear two sets of footsteps heading along the hall but only one heartbeat. That’s their guests.

“You sit down, darling. I’ll get the door.” Lena gets up and gently guides Kara to the couch with a soft hand on the small of her back.

Kara sits down but her eyes track Lena’s movements as she moves to the door to let Sam and Ruby in. She doesn’t bother using her hearing to listen out for them this time. She won’t admit it, but she lost her handle on it a little while activating it as she was getting the drinks and it was quite painful. She could do with a little break from trying that again for a little while.

Sam walks in first, all long legs and silky brunette hair that Kara is instantly jealous of. She doesn’t remember her from Lena’s lab when they were working on figuring out what was wrong with her because she was in such bad shape but she’s heard a lot of good things from Lena so she’s happy to have her here.

Alex, on the other hand, does remember her and while she’s wary of her, she never seemed to be much of a threat when they first met, albeit briefly. She showed up to help Kara and Lena. That’s points in her book.

Sam wanders in slowly, turning back once she’s partway down the hallway to ensure Ruby is still with her before wandering into the living room. “Hey, how are you guys doing?”

“Hey,” Kara answers, doing her best to fight her instincts telling her she should jump up to her feet and greet her properly because this is a casual meet-up. She can’t treat this like an interview, as much as it would calm her nerves to put her reporter persona in place and let the comfort of the routine take over. “We’re good. How are you?”

Alex sends a careless two-fingered wave in Sam’s direction, not all that bothered about this meeting. That is until she sees Ruby step out from behind her mother and sit down in the other chair, rubbing her eyes tiredly.  

She sits up straighter, her expression softening. She’s always had a soft spot for kids, even teenagers that couldn’t care less about her existence.

“We’re good. Aren’t we, Rubes?” Sam runs a tender hand through Ruby’s long, dark hair.

“Uh-huh.” Ruby mumbles, her eyes already closing.

“I think someone’s a little tired.” Lena smiles. “She can sleep in Kara’s room if she wants to.”

Ruby doesn’t need any more prompting than that, already walking off down the hall on her way to what was the guest room before it was Kara’s. She has no qualms about going in there now that it’s no longer just a place she sometimes stays when her mom is too deep into starvation to have her at home safely.

Alex can’t help the tiny smile that crosses her face as Ruby stumbles down the hall and out of sight. “So, Sam. We met briefly before but I never got to introduce myself. I’m Alex and this is my sister, Kara.”

Sam raises her eyebrows at Alex as she sees the hand that is held out in offering to her. It’s not often that someone is so brave as to offer their hand to a vampire. Interesting. She takes it, careful not to be too firm as she does so.

Alex points to the drinks on the table. “Kara got drinks. One was for Ruby but I guess it is kind of late for her so it’s best that she's gone to bed.”

“Oh please, she’s a teenager. She will probably get in bed and then scroll on her phone for an hour until she falls asleep with it in her hand. Thank you for the drinks though. That was very thoughtful of you, Kara.”

“No problem,” Kara mutters and gestures for Lena to come and sit beside her.

Lena takes the other side of the couch and it prompts Sam to take the chair Ruby just vacated, having only been sat for maybe a minute at the most.

“I have to say, Kara. It’s good to see you looking well. You weren’t exactly in a good way when I saw you last.” Sam eyes her closely. “How have you been?”

Kara nods slowly, puffing out a heavy breath. “It’s been rough at times; I’ll be the first to admit. However, I’ve been getting better. I’m sorry you had to see me like that. That mustn’t have been a pleasant experience for you.”

“No, but I was happy to help, and I’m still happy to help with whatever you need of me now.” Sam turns to Lena. “I know you wouldn’t have me come over and bring Ruby over at a time like this if it wasn’t for something important to you or an emergency, so which is it?”

Kara coughs awkwardly. “It’s actually something important to me. Lena has been kind enough to help me gather information, and she thought you might be able to provide me with some specific information.”

“I’ll help with whatever I can,” Sam replies earnestly. “I sort of figured that this would be an ongoing thing, and so I’ve planned to work from here tomorrow if I have to, so there’s no rush for me to head out before it gets light.”

Lena beams at her. “Really?”

“Yeah, I figured that the best case scenario is that I don’t need to rush and that just means that Kara can rest for a while before we dive into whatever it is you guys want to dive into. It’s pretty late and no sane person wants to have an important conversation this late at night.” Sam shrugs. “So, which is it?”

Alex is on her feet before Kara can try and claim she’s not tired. “We’ll take a couple of hours to rest and then recoup. Lena, do you want to fill Sam in on whatever it is you losers want to know?”

“How do I say yes without agreeing I’m a loser?”

“You can’t. We’ll leave you to it.” Alex drags Kara up off the couch. “See you in a couple of hours.”

Sam and Lena share an amused look as the Danvers sisters tiredly trudge their way out of sight and Sam speaks only once they make it into Lena’s room. “You’ve certainly managed to introduce some characters into your life.”

“Yeah, they’re something special. You were right, Sam. I do have feelings for Kara and I’ve been learning to embrace that. We’ve been seeing each other for a few weeks now and I wanted to tell you that in person so I could say thank you for pushing me.”

“So you admitted it to her?”

“Not exactly, but that’s a long story for another time. All I’ll say is that we got a push from an unexpected person.”

Sam’s mouth drops open and she shakes her head. “No, absolutely not. You’re not leaving me with that. You have to tell me who it was. You can’t dangle information in front of me like that, it’s just rude.”

Lena rolls her eyes. “Cat Grant.”

“You’re kidding.” Sam gasps.

“Nope, that’s Kara’s boss. Anyway. We’re now together and as of yet, very happy.”

“That’s the best news I’ve heard from you in decades. I’m so unbearably happy for you, Lena. It’s almost strange to think about. You’re the most closed-off person I’ve ever met, yet here you are being vulnerable enough to have an actual relationship.”

Lena huffs a little but lets Sam have her fun. “I know, I know. I’m usually the stone cold bitch everyone avoids. I can’t help it. She’s made me reevaluate a lot of things in my life, and so have you. What you said about being grateful for the love we have, even if it’s temporary, that meant a lot to me. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome. I’m glad you’re starting to see things like a rational adult.”

“Hey! I was being genuine!”

Sam smirks at her. “That’s what makes it so much stranger. You’re hardly ever genuine. It’s a good look on you though. You should stick with it.”

“I’m planning on it.”

“Anyway, why am I here?”

Lena’s sure that if her blood still pumped, her heart would be beating out of her chest. She’s unsure how Sam will react to this because this isn’t something vampires often discuss, if ever. She’s met more than a few vampires in her time, and yet she knows next to nothing about any of them because it’s just not talked about often, at least in her experience.

Sam squints, watching her closely with the same rapt attention a cat watches its owner as it fills its food bowl. “Why are you acting nervous? I don’t like it. It’s putting me on edge.”

“I can’t help it. I am a little nervous because I’m in unfamiliar territory here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Well, I guess I better start at the beginning. Now that Kara is a hybrid and is part vampire, she has a boatload of questions. Questions I don’t have the answer to because I’ve found myself ignorant to the inner workings of something I’ve had centuries to research and yet failed to do.”

Sam grabs a drink off the coffee table and takes a sip. “You talk like you’re planning out a heartbreaking monologue.”

“Thanks. I was just about to say that I don’t know as much about vampires as I should, especially considering I am one and have been for hundreds of years.”

Sam snorts as she takes in the apprehensive look across Lena’s face, amused by this new nervous side of her. “That’s it?”

Lena nods, the tension in her neck and shoulders visible from across the room.

“Lena. The vast majority of the vampires I’ve met don’t have a clue about what they are or the inner workings of it all. That comes with it being so well hidden. You don’t have to be embarrassed about not knowing.”

“I’m actually more embarrassed about my lack of curiosity.” Lena runs an awkward hand through her silky hair. “Kara has barely broken into her vampire side, and yet she has a whole notebook full of information she’s been gathering about it. I’ve never come close to any of that and it’s embarrassing that not only have I not looked into it myself, but also not to have those answers ready for Kara, someone that has been dragged into this life by my actions, even if the intent was never there.”

Sam nods slowly, taking everything in with each bob of her head. “So you want vampire information?”

“Basically.” Lena sighs. “I want to give Kara the answers she desires.

A worried look crosses Sam’s face. “Is that wise? Giving that kind of information to someone that works for Cat Grant could be detrimental to us.”

“Kara knows the importance of us keeping our existence a secret and that secret protects her too now. She’s not about to write an exposé on us. I can assure you of that. This is all just about us trying to answer some of our questions. You’re someone that we know is well travelled and also immensely intelligent, so you seemed to be a good place to start.”

Sam takes a moment to think and Lena’s certain that each second that passes without a response is a second that lasts longer than some of the years she’s lived through.

“Alright. I’ll tell you what you want to know. Do you have this notebook so I can start trying to remember some of this stuff? I have a feeling that Kara is the kind of woman to ask me super deep and confusing questions that are going to hurt my brain.”

“That’s exactly the kind of questions she’s going to ask.” Lena laughs. “You’ve signed yourself up to get fully interviewed and she’s going to be scraping around in your skull with a spoon to get every last drop of knowledge out of there.”

Sam flops back into the chair dramatically. “Uh. Suddenly I think there’s somewhere I need to be.”

“Like hell there is. Stay, we’ve got a lot of questions. Since Kara’s not here, maybe I’ll start working on my own curiosity while we wait.”

“Go ahead.”

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#supercorp #supergirl #lena luthor #kara x lena #kara danvers #fanfic #cw supergirl #supercorp endgame #supercorp fanfic #kara zor el #vampire lena luthor #vampire!lena #vampire au #chaoticsuper

[tormiichu]

CW: there is a picture of a spider, so if creepy crawlies disturb you, i'm very sorry 😔😔

Ok so

I'm currently drawing Black Butler characters as animals (honestly, just trying to see if I can use my old furry art skills to draw something that isn't human lol)

Me and @sketchyprincey have this rp au where reapers, demons, and angels can all turn into animals, so I'm gonna be drawing some of his designs too! We made them originally on ponytown when I first joined the black butler fandom back in early 2023, but I wanna try to draw them too.

So far we have:

Grelle: one of these floofy cats. Can you tell that I loved cheshire cat grelle in the OVA.

Othello: idk what these are called but this was my friend's idea for othello's animal form :D I find it so funny that othello is so much smaller than the undertaker until they turn into their animal forms...

Ronald: he's a golden retriever ♡ ronald is just a baby ok. He's Grelle's golden retriever friend ok

William: you can't tell me that doesn't look like him. Like....that MIGHT be William T Spears. I'm just saying, I haven't seen William T Spears and this owl in the same room together before. 🤔

Undertaker: I took the silver fox comment that othello made to heart ok. Like I said with othello's animal form, it's so funny that undertaker is so much taller than othello until he poofs into a fox. Also, when foxes gecker, it sounds like laughing, which is fitting! :)

Sebastian: he's a raven :D purely cuz it was hinted a lot in the anime. I like the idea of Sebastian having black feathery wings. (also this means sebastian eats worms. Have fun with that information.)

Claude: a fluffy spider :333 I hate spiders, but I love claude, so I tried to find the cutiest patootiest spider that I could find. He's a fluffy butler with more than enough legs.

Ash and Angela: I've recently started to really like Ash as a character 💀 so I figured I should add these two sillies. I wasn't sure whether I'd make them into doves or swans. I searched up meanings of both, and I think doves suits them better, but here's a pic of our options! Plz let me know what you think suits them better. ^_^

Also, on the topic of these two...I just remembered that this scene is a thing...

I think this leans towards doves more than swans since they look so small in that nest lmao🕊🕊

(I don't think I've ever successfully drawn a bird before, so wish me luck on like 4 of these drawings HWCWHWFHW)

#kuroshitsuji #black butler #grelle sutcliff #othello black butler #ronald knox #william t spears #undertaker black butler #ash landers #angela blanc #Sebastian michaelis #claude faustus #id really like to hear people's thoughts on this #im currently drawing grelle and othello #im gonna draw ronald and undertaker next probably!

[ruinsofevil]

these were because i did a 'if the lore stream is not scuffed in any way possible (camera, mic breaks, accidental deaths, etc) i'll doodle animals of your request' and sky and elliot asked for an elephant and a leopard :D

#i really like how the leopard fur turned out #as you can tell i have drawn furry/fluffy animals before #haha i drew tails and blaze quite a bit back in like july/august #(tails and blaze from sega) #avisiias sketches #avisiias draws

[mochiable]

— how you met nct dream.

anon request: hello! i don’t know if you take this type of request but i would love a scenario on how you meet nct dream ot7 if it’s possible, thank you!

warning: one swear word

wc: 1.5k

₊˚✧┆𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞

you had been watching that cute boy on the badminton court playing with his friends ever since you had started working in the gym and you couldn't help but become more and more interested in him with each passing day. the noises he made when he hit the shuttlecock, the whimpers that came from his pink fluffy lips when he missed the expected shot and the way he frowned and puckered his mouth when his partner missed were some of your favourite things about going to work. yet you had never been able to strike up a conversation. never until this day, when his friends decided to take a break and go watch the football match, while he preferred to stay and practice a bit more.

"you're good," you complimented him once you approached him and threw him a bottle of water, which he managed to catch on the fly. "thank you," he replied flashing you a shy smile, causing his cheekbones to bulge. "where did you learn all that?" you asked sitting down on the bench at the side of the court. he turned to look at you nervously, setting the bottle down once he had taken a sip. "my father... well... he taught me, i guess," he replied, averting his gaze to anywhere on the court except your eyes. "and what do you like best about it?" you questioned him, watching the feather he was playing with bounce on the ground. "ahhh, i... i like badminton, i mean... i like it a lot, like... the... the... the rackets are really nice," he replied trying to find the right words, looking even more tender than ever and causing a smile to form on your lips. but just then his friends arrived, so you stood up and approached him. "nice to meet you, mark," you bowed your head and he copied you, failing to hide the blush on his cheeks.

₊˚✧┆𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗝𝗨𝗡

you snorted once more when the card of the hotel you were staying at wouldn't open the door. you had just taken a dip in the pool and were starting to get cold from wearing only a t-shirt over your swimsuit. you had already used every curse word the dictionary had and still the door wouldn't open. until suddenly you heard a click and it did, so you hurriedly tried to enter. however, something a little softer than the door blocked your way, making you bump into it or, rather, into someone.

“can i help you with something?” the boy smiled kindly as two others a little taller than him appeared from behind. you frowned, looking at the number painted on the door and then looking at the number written on your card. it was then that you realised your mistake, “shit! sorry, sorry. i've got the wrong room,” you apologised, trying to hide your embarrassment and nervousness. “is your room next door?” he asked leaning the side of his body against the door frame, to which you nodded, “i hope to see you again then,” he spoke, as the other two boys who hadn't moved yet tried to hide their laughter. you smiled still a little self-consciously and turned around with the intention of getting out of there. “nice outfit, by the way.”

₊˚✧┆𝗝𝗘𝗡𝗢

you were taking the dog for a walk in the park as you usually did, but this day was a bit different. you let the dog loose, trusting him completely, although you regretted it after a second when you saw how he ran away from you, starting to chase a boy riding his bike. you ran after him, calling his name and wishing you were born with more stamina, because your lungs weren’t strong enough for that. the boy slowed down when he noticed the animal running after him, who didn't think twice before jumping on top of him and knocking him off his bike, licking his face while getting petted. when you managed to get to where they were, you apologised repeatedly, getting several "don't worry" from the boy, smiling with amusement at your furry friend.

“i hope your dog doesn't attack me again,” he laughed softly, hopping on his bike and riding off, reassuring you that there would definitely be a next time.

₊˚✧┆𝗛𝗔𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡

in the summer you worked in a flower shop, you didn't get paid much but it was enough to pay for your studies. that day, your boss sent you to the most famous dance company in your city to deliver a bouquet with yellow sunflowers, something strange you had to admit.

leaving the lift you bumped into a handsome guy who apologized for not having noticed and almost destroying those beautiful flowers. as an apology he offered to guide you to your destination and you, a bit shy, accepted shyly. you could notice the look of confusion when you pointed out where you should deliver the sunflowers and, when you entered the room, he didn't hesitate to speak.

“so the flowers are for me, you’re the one sending them?” he approached them to smell their soft, fresh scent and then looked at you with a twinkle in his eye. you shook your head slightly, watching an amused pout form on his handsome face, “how bad, i would’ve wished to receive such a gift from someone so pretty.”

₊˚✧┆𝗝𝗔𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡

Songpa Naru Park was perhaps your favourite place to spend the afternoon when you didn't have too much to do. coming here, watching the almond blossoms swaying in the wind, listening to the swallows singing and watching families having a good time were your favourite images. you couldn't miss the photographs, you were nobody without your camera and your snapshots.

at that moment, watching the black and white ducks arguing over which part of the lake belonged to each of them, you felt a flash in your right profile, which made you startle and your camera, which was in your lap, rush to the ground. however, a big hand prevented that horrible disaster.

“forgive me,” the stranger apologised, “i didn't mean to,” he showed you his perfect white teeth as he returned the camera to your lap. “did you take a picture of me?” you asked looking in his direction, remembering that bright light. he looked at you with regret and put his hand to the back of his neck, scratching it nervously, “sorry about that too.” you gave him a tight-lipped smile and lifted your shoulders, “don't worry, it's all right,” you replied turning your gaze back to the lake, “it’s beautiful, isn't it?” you asked, watching him out of the corner of your eye. “yes, very pretty,” he replied, looking at your picture on his camera, which brought another smile to your face, a bigger one this time.

₊˚✧┆𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗟𝗘

you were definitely lost. maybe if you hadn't listened to your brother, you would now be at the restaurant where your parents were waiting for you. but obviously, he didn't want to use the gps as he had "memorised the way". and this is when he forced you to roll down the car window and ask some stranger for help.

“excuse me, could you tell me where Las Torres restaurant is?” you asked a handsome guy, wearing a loose summer brown shirt. he smiled at you and asked for your phone so he could write it down for you, which you readily agreed to. “here you go. i’ve drawn you the official route, but also a small detour that will get you there faster,” he explained, handing you back the phone through the window. after thanking him and saying goodbye, he gave you a smile with a wink, which caused a slight blush to appear on your cheeks. you soon learned the reason for this gesture. he hadn't asked for your mobile phone just to guide you, but to write down his number as well.

₊˚✧┆𝗝𝗜𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗚

you were having dinner with a friend at one of your favourite restaurants, celebrating the end of the school year and another year of your friendship. however, you weren't paying full attention to your friend, as you were busier watching the boy who hadn't stopped looking at you all night and who, when you looked back at him, looked away, blushing slightly. halfway through dinner you could notice his friend saying something in his ear, looking in your direction, and how the boy's eyes widened while he began to shake his head. but suddenly, the other boy stood up and, ignoring his friend's prayers, approached you with a mischievous smile on his face.

“good evening,” he greeted, interrupting your conversation and resting his hands on the table, “you've caught my friend's eye, but he's too shy and cowardly to come and ask for your number himself, so i’m here to make his dreams come true,” he addressed you with confidence and amusement, pointing to the sweet boy who was now covering his face with the tablecloth. you finally decided to write down your number on the napkin and your heart skipped a beat as the boy smiled shyly at you after receiving the piece of paper with your number written on it.

©️  MOCHIABLE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

requests are open!

main masterlist | nct masterlist

a/n: this is my very first multiple scenario and i have to admit i’m very nervous about it. i’d really appreciate it if you could provide me with some feedback and tell what do you think of it! hope you liked it, love you<3

#nct #nct dream #nct fluff #nct dream fluff #nct scenarios #nct dream scenarios #nct reactions #nct dream reactions #nct mark #nct mark fluff #nct renjun #nct renjun fluff #nct jeno #nct jeno fluff #nct haechan #nct haechan fluff #nct jaemin #nct jaemin fluff #nct chenle #nct chenle fluff #nct jisung #nct jisung fluff

[cozy-the-overlord]

Running with the Wolves

Summary:  After the events of Infinity War ripped her life to pieces, Queen In-Unga forges forward as sole ruler of Jotunheim, finding solace in the two orphaned wolf puppies she finds outside her sleigh.

AU in which Loki didn’t die at the beginning of Infinity War-- he accompanied Thor to Nidavellir, then to Wakanda, and died in the Snap alongside the Avengers.

Based on Frostbite by @maiden-of-asgard​

Word Count:  12,192

Pairing: Loki x Reader/Loki x In-Unga

Read it on Ao3

A/N: So let’s flashback to last summer. I had three obsessions: Avengers Endgame, A Song of Ice and Fire (which I was reading for the first time), and Frostbite by Maiden of Asgard. Those obsessions merged into a story that’s been swirling in my head ever since. I never thought I'd actually write it-- back then, I still wasn't fully comfortable with writing my own fanfiction, let alone writing fanfiction of someone else's fanfiction. But when Moa announced that she was going to be turning Frostbite into a physical book and would be accepting fan submissions, my dumbass brain went "i CaN dO tHaT."

This is the most I've struggled with writing a story ever. I've never written from the perspective of a character that wasn't my own, and I found that to much more difficult than I anticipated. Combine that with how the story I was trying to tell spanned over an overwhelming five years, my constant stress that I was ruining Moa’s characters, and the fact that I kept finding myself in "this-made-more-sense-in-my-head" territory and I started getting pretty frustrated. I had expected to be done by the end of June; when at the beginning of July I was only barely halfway finished, I kind of threw in the towel and said "forget it." I took a week off from writing to clear my head, and after a pep talk from my sister (thanks, JJ!) I decided I had to complete it. So here it is! Am I completely happy with the final product? No, but seeing as I never thought there'd be a final product, I'm proud of myself nonetheless.

One last note (this a/n is obnoxious, I’m sorry): Moa, I did intend for this story to be a part of your Frostbite book, but I totally understand if you don't want to deal with it. It is disgustingly long, and I know that you said that the book is already huge. I won't be offended if you don't put it in-- I don't want to create more trouble for you.

Thanks for reading!

It was freezing.

That was saying something. Freezing was an adjective In-Unga had learned not to use lightly. Living on Jotunheim came with the acceptance that you would be existing in extreme sub-zero temperatures year round, warmth being an elusive gem found only in the recesses of furry coats or underneath thick blankets. In the years she had spent in the realm of the Frost Giants, In-Unga felt that she had come quite accustomed to the cold. It was something she was rather proud of—when Captain Rodgers had visited with Thor a few years back, he had joked that she must have taken some kind of super soldier serum herself in order to handle it so well. She had responded, beaming, that as long as she had Loki, she didn’t need anything else to keep her warm.

She had never really considered the truth to that statement.

Njal, her burly head guard, pulled his mount alongside hers. “The temperature is dropping, my queen,” he said. “Perhaps you would be more comfortable in your sleigh—”

“No.” She hoped her voice sounded stronger than she felt. “I appreciate your concern, but I am perfectly fine as I am.” Just for good measure, she added a queenly nod.

Njal seemed unconvinced, but he bowed his head just the same. “As you say, my queen.”

In-Unga exhaled, trying to ignore the white cloud that enveloped her when she did so. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could stay out here. She couldn’t see the skin of her hands under her mittens, but she was certain they were blue. Her face, as well. In fact, at the moment she probably looked more Jotun than Midgardian.

But she was determined to continue riding. Loki had always made a point of it, in the early days when his main concern was showcasing his strength. Now that he was gone, she needed to be strong for him, and for her people.

Those that were left.

Her eyes burned in warning, and so In-Unga shook her head and went back to thinking about how horribly freezing it was. The cold hurt less.

Býleistr had questioned her decision to tour the kingdom so late in the year. The weather would be awful, he said. Her people would understand if she waited until spring. In-Unga had argued that waiting brought its own danger: ignoring the far-away regions during such a tumultuous time would foster restlessness, and the last thing they needed on top of everything that had happened was a civil war.

What she couldn’t put into words was how she needed to get out. There were too many missing faces in Utgard, gaping holes in the tapestry of family she had woven around herself. The throne room was empty even when it was full. She couldn’t focus on mealtime conversations because her gaze kept drifting to the vacant seats where her Forest Twins should be sitting. Her bedroom had become a tomb.

She had to leave, before she drowned in the silence.

Shouts at the back of the party startled In-Unga out of her pity spiral. Members of her guard rushed down the line of sleighs, weapons drawn. Those that remained by her side closed in a tight wall around her.

“What’s happening?” she called to Njal. “Are we under attack?” That’s just what we need now. The forested wilderness that surrounded them provided cover to any would-be assailants. Here, they were sitting ducks.

The wind picked up again, ice cutting straight through her many layers, and this time In-Unga found she couldn’t control her shivering. Frozen sitting ducks.

Soon enough, the cries died down, and her guards came riding back.

“All is well, your majesty. It was only a vargr.”

In-Unga thought of Mánagarmr and shivered again. “A wolf?” she asked. “Is anyone injured?”

“No, my queen.” In-Unga didn’t know the name of the guard that spoke. He was a new member of her defense, one of the many who got an unexpected promotion when their superiors turned to dust. “It jumped out at the last sleigh and startled many, but it was small, and taken down rather easily.”

The mortal queen of Jotunheim frowned. “Why would a wolf attack a party this large?” she asked.

“I cannot say, my queen.”

“Your majesty,” Njal spoke. “Shall I give the order to continue?”

In-Unga shook her head. This didn’t make any sense. “No,” she said. “I want to see this wolf.”

It shouldn’t have surprised her that a giant’s version of a small wolf was bigger than a Clydesdale. The majestic animal now lay lifeless in the snow, the pure white of its fur sullied only by the crimson stain spreading from the spear in its neck. The soldier who brought it down was only too pleased to relay the story to his queen.

“It came tearing out of the woods like a beast from Hel,” he cried, waving his hands for dramatic effect, “Snarling and hissing and baring its teeth. Most of us were caught off guard, but I’ve always been quick with a spear, and so when it turned to me, I was ready for it—”

In-Unga nodded, only half listening. She scanned the treeline from which the wolf had appeared. It made no sense to her—what would cause the creature to attack unprovoked? Right now, with the trees casting crooked silhouettes and the wind whistling in her ears, it seemed like an omen.

But of what? She wondered uselessly. What else could go wrong?

A clump of snow caught her eye. For a moment, she couldn’t understand why—it looked no different than any other clump she had come across in her life. Completely ordinary, but… there was something…

Warmth.

It was warmer than the rest.

The realization shocked her a little. Sensing changes in temperature from afar had been one of the skills Loki had taught her (unsurprisingly, given his affinity for snakes), but she had thought she lost it, along with all her other magical abilities, when she lost her husband.

Better make a note of that.

“There’s something over there,” she said, pointing. “In the snow. Something alive.” She made her way off the road, her guards scrambling to maintain their positions around her.

Damn, it was cold. In-Unga knelt in the ice, biting back curses as the snow soaked through to her knees. Getting back on her mount was looking more and more impossible.

The clump whimpered.

She let out a small gasp when the fluffy puppy head popped out of the snow, blinking ice out of its eyes. It shook the glistening snow from its fur with a tiny whine. A petulant growl followed, and a second pup appeared, pushing its way in front of the first and baring its teeth.

“Oh!” In-Unga reached out cautiously, the cold already forgotten. The growling puppy yipped and she pulled her hand back. The other merely yawned.

Behind her, Njal cleared his throat. “My queen, perhaps you should back away. They are feral—”

“That was their mother,” In-Unga interrupted, looking back at the bleeding body on the side of the path. “She must have felt they were threatened by the caravan and attacked. And we killed her.” Although, even that seemed unlikely.  In-Unga eyed the wolf-killer where he stood over the body of his prey, animatedly retelling the story of his deed to a growing crowd. It was easy to picture him wandering off the trail and provoking the frightened mother. Her gaze darkened.

Njal shifted uncomfortably. “It is unfortunate, my queen, but at this point there’s nothing to be done. We should continue before the weather takes a turn for the worse.”

“We can’t just leave them to starve!” she cried. She reached out again. The growling puppy flinched but didn’t back away. Its sibling craned its neck to sniff her mitten, sneezing when it breathed in a noseful of fuzz. Puppies in the dead of winter. That’s got to mean something. “Look at them! They won’t survive without their mother.”

“I can give them a quick end, your Majesty, if it would ease your worries,” one of her guards spoke up. “It would be merciful—”

“No.” Her guards stiffened at the ice in her voice. The first puppy nuzzled into her hand, rubbing against her like a cat and letting out a contented sigh when she scratched the fur on its neck. The other slunk forward guardedly, curiosity seemingly cracking its tough guy exterior. To her surprise neither resisted when she scooped them into her arms.

“I’ll have no more killing today,” In-Unga said as she stood. “I’ll care for them myself.”

Huld seemed absolutely horrified when the mortal queen plopped the little balls of fur on the floor of the sleigh.

“My queen, they’re wild animals!” she cried.

In-Unga laughed as the first puppy attempted to burrow back into her coat pocket. “Yeah. Real wild.” Its head popped up at the sound of her voice, and for the first time, In-Unga noticed its eyes: one brown and one blue. “Why, you’re a little David Bowie wolf, aren’t you?” she cooed, scratching its pointed ear. The puppy licked her wrist happily.

Her maid wasn’t quite as pleased. “My queen!” she exclaimed, backing away as the other pup growled. “What do you plan to do with them?”

“Keep them, I suppose. Raise them as pets.” She left the Bowie wolf to rein in his brother. They were both so small—when she held them in her arms they could easily be mistaken for Earth dogs. In-Unga found herself recalling her first sleigh ride in Jotunheim, with Greip and Gjálp and Snowball the Not-Melrakki, how shocked the twins had been at the concept of Midgardians owning pets.

How many years ago was that? Five? Feels like a lifetime.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, hoping Huld was too preoccupied with their new companions to smell her grief.

“Do we have anything for them to eat?” she asked with forced brightness. “Seal milk, or something?” Huld frowned, but obediently prepared a bowl of milk.

“They’re going to grow to be monsters,” she warned. “My queen, you saw Mánagarmr—”

“That’s right, I did,” In-Unga interrupted as her puppies began lapping up the dish. “And let me tell you, these guys are nothing like him.” The tough pup looked up with an offended growl. Laughing, she reached out to pet him. “Although this one thinks he is.”

The maid’s look of concern only deepened.

In-Unga sighed. “Don’t worry, Huld. Their mother wasn’t even that big. They won’t grow up to be Mánagarmr.” She cringed as she thought of the blood-splattered wolf lying in the snow. These puppies were so small, they had to have been born within the last month, after the Snap. Their poor mother survived the event that massacred half of every living being in the universe so she could give birth to her children, only to be stabbed to death by some hotshot with a stick. It was too cruel for words.

His hunger satisfied, the Bowie wolf paddled over to where In-Unga sat cross-legged on the floor and plopped down in her lap, grinning up at her with his multi-colored eyes.

“Awww!” In-Unga stroked his fur as he snuggled against her coat. “Huld, look at this! Isn’t he precious?”

Huld gave some non-descript reply, but In-Unga didn’t hear her. The second puppy was sniffing her boot, chewing on the sole with pearly teeth. “Come here, little guy.” He whined as she pulled him into her lap with his brother but didn’t try to escape. Quickly, they were both snoring.

In-Unga cradled them as the caravan trudged on, completely oblivious to the cold.

Her wolf pups quickly became the highlight of her entourage. At first In-Unga kept to leaving them with Huld while she met with the nobles on their various stops, hoping to spare them from the information overload of court, but they howled something terrible whenever she was out of sight, crying and chasing after her and giving poor Huld nightmares. Ultimately, the queen had two leashes fashioned out of leather, which they wore reluctantly in exchange for accompanying her everywhere she went. It certainly was a sight to behold—she had already looked rather ridiculous before, this tiny mortal woman encompassed by giants, and now here there were these two little fluffballs constantly nipping at her heels— but perhaps it just added to her effect.

They grew quickly. Within a week it seemed they had doubled in size, which In-Unga only realized when she nearly pulled a muscle trying to scoop them both up as she had done when she first found them. Their appetite grew with them. She was seriously concerned for a while that the caravan would run out of things with which to feed them until Njal pointed out one night that they were born hunters.

“Let them loose while we travel, my queen,” he said. “They’ll find food.”

In-Unga frowned. “You think they would come back?” she asked.

Her guard’s gaze traveled to Bowie, sprawled out on her lap fast asleep, his brother hunched protectively over her feet. “I don’t think you have to worry, your Majesty.”

She started taking them off the leash in the morning. At first, they’d only trot alongside her mount, too anxious to leave her side, but soon they were venturing off the trail for pockets of time, reappearing later with some bloodied creature dangling from their mouths. Birds, rodents, small animals—nothing was safe. Her little fur-babies were stone cold killers. She would’ve been lying if she said it wasn’t unnerving to see the little puppies she cuddled up with at night licking blood off their faces, but honestly their prowess was impressive. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head when Brynjarr returned one day dragging some furry mammal twice as big as him.

Unlike his brother, Brynjarr had remained nameless for a large part of the journey. He had been bestowed with nicknames of all sorts—Hunter, Tough Guy, Mommy’s Little Fighter—but it wasn’t until they reached Márfjall that he got a proper name.

“That’s a warrior,” Hrossþjófr said to her while watching the two wrestle on the beach. “He needs a warrior’s name.”

In-Unga had been dreading this final stop, dreading having to walk down these hallways alone when the very walls of the castle screamed for Loki. She had resolved be strong, but just seeing Hross as they alighted, withered and wilted without Griep by his side, had been nearly enough to cause her to fall apart.

The wolves kept her together. Their childlike fascination with the crimson sands was almost enough to distract her from the other memories swirling around in the dark bay. In her few moments of free time, she’d take them down to the shore and laugh as they’d go tearing up the surf, Brynjarr barking menacingly at the ocean when the waves crashed too close to his feet, Bowie rolling around in the sand until his white coat was stained pink. Hross joined her often with his children, likely as desperate for a diversion as she was. They didn’t talk about the event. It was easier just to focus on the wolves.

Hross was endlessly impressed with their obedience. “How do you get them to do that?” he asked when they stopped what they were doing and came running at In-Unga’s whistle.

She shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said as she attempted to dust off Bowie’s coat before he plopped down on top of her. Even though the two wolves were nearly at the height of her hips, Bowie still seemed to think he was a lap cat. “They just always do.”

Dagný shrieked and buried her face into her father’s chest when the wolves came too close, but her brother leaned forward, his eyes like saucers as he reached for Brynjarr with chubby hands.

“Woof,” he cried. “Woof.”

Hross pulled him away. “Dali, we don’t want to bother the vargr, now—"

“It’s okay,” In-Unga said. “Bryn, sit down so Dali can pet you.”

Brynjarr sank into the sand obediently. Dali gasped in delight as he ran his fingers through the wolf’s thick mane.

“Woof!” he cried again, happily. Hross and In-Unga laughed.

From her lap, Bowie whined for attention. She reached to scratch behind his ears.

“So devoted,” Hross mused. “I’ll have to add it to your song. ‘In-Unga, charmer of wolves.’”

The party arrived back at Utgard just as the winter freeze was beginning to thaw. There was an audible gasp from the crowd gathered when she exited her sleigh flanked by the two animals, but Býleistr only raised an eyebrow.

“There were rumors, but I supposed no one really believed them,” he told her as they walked in.

She smiled. “But you did?”

“Of course,” he said. “If there’s anyone on this planet stupid enough to mistake a vargr for a pet, it’s you.”

“I missed you too, Bý.”

Býleistr and the rest of her advisors tried to catch her up on all the business she had missed over dinner, but the very presence of her wolves was quick to derail any serious conversation.

“They’re so well behaved,” marveled a forest giant In-Unga probably should’ve known the name of. “How does one inspire such loyalty, your Majesty?”

In-Unga forced an artificial laugh. “They only stick around because they know I feed them.”

The wolves laid down at her feet, eyeing the meat on the table. She reached down to scratch Bowie’s back. She doubted the giant had meant anything by her question, but the way everyone was looking at Bowie and Brynjarr was reminding her of the way everyone had looked at her when she first arrived in Jotunheim with Loki, and it was stirring up emotions in her chest that she wasn’t prepared to deal with.

She thought of the golden collar she had worn for so many years, a sign of ownership that had turned into a display of loyalty. She had despised it at first, but by the end she had been proud to wear that collar.

Lokakona. Loki’s woman.

It was in a box under her bed, along with the knife he had given her after the Rann Steinar debacle and the wooden Yggdrasil pendent Griep had given her before her first trip to Asgard. In the days following the destruction of the stones, as the heavy truth that this was a nightmare she wasn’t going to wake up from sank in, In-Unga had collected everything that broke her to look at and stuffed them where she wouldn’t see them anymore.

It hadn’t helped much.

The nights were the worst. It was stupid, because she had lived alone for years before Jotunheim, but now the concept of sleeping by herself made her sick to her stomach. When everything had first happened, In-Unga had refused to even touch the bed. It was too big, too cold, too empty to even attempt sleep in it. She piled furs and blankets on top of the couch and laid there all night, haunted by missing faces and broken memories and outstretched hands that were just beyond her reach. By morning, she’d be curled up so tightly into herself that it hurt to sit straight during the day.

At first, it was just temporary. Wasn’t that what Agent Romanov said, when she finally got into contact with her? They’d find a way to reverse it. Once they were able to locate Tony Stark, they’d find a way. It would be okay. She’d just have to rule in Loki’s stead for a little bit, just like she had before. Keep his realm together for him until he came back. But a month later, she got another call. This time, Romanov’s voice held none of the steadfast determination that In-Unga had been clinging to so desperately. They were gone. The infinity stones, and the people too. It was over. They failed. She was so sorry.

Vaguely, In-Unga remembered asking if she could talk to her brother-in-law, the silence that followed as Romanov went looking for him, her apologetic tone when Thor refused to come to the phone. The next thing she knew she was in the courtyard, heavy snow pummeling her body as Býleistr dragged her back inside with an arm around her waist.

“Are you completely out of your mind?” he snapped. “You’ll freeze to death out there!”

She held up her hand, hazily noting that her skin looked an even darker blue than his.

It was soon after that In-Unga decided to tour the kingdom. The voice inside her head scolded her for the decision even as she attempted to provide political rationale. She was running away. Pushing her problems further down the road in a childish attempt to avoid the unavoidable. Loki would be disappointed in you.

But how could she rule a planet when she couldn’t even bring herself to sleep in her own bed?

So she had left for a few months, for better or worse, and now she was back. After dinner her wolves, obviously exhausted from the long journey, trotted into her old room without issue. Bowie plopped down on the floor and was asleep in seconds. Brynjarr, ever distrustful, made his cautious way around the room, sniffing at odds and ends and barking at items that seemed too suspicious. In-Unga stood in the doorway, watching. It was almost enough of a distraction. Almost. The room was untouched since the last time she had entered, so much so that it still reeked of Loki. The feeling was so strong that for a moment she didn’t trust herself to move.

She entered slowly, drinking in the memories. Loki’s desk, where she’d lean on top of him and read his paperwork over his shoulder, currently piled up with documents he was never going to review. The table across from empty fireplace, where on rare occasions they could have their meals when the only company they felt like entertaining was each other’s. The rug next to the fireplace, where they always seemed to end up after such occasions.

And there was the bed. Brynjarr rushed ahead of her as she made her way to the bedroom, seemingly intent on confirming its safety before allowing her access. In-Unga found herself laughing despite the ache in her chest.

“Does it meet your standards, Bryn?” she asked as he slipped under the bed and out again, sniffing every corner and examining every fur. Eventually, he laid down at the foot of the bed, satisfied.

In-Unga sat down next to him, stroking his ears as he rested his big head on her thighs. This was the last place she had seen Loki. Here, in this room, on this bed. They had been woken up in the middle of the night by a messenger at the door. Groaning, he had dragged himself out of bed to answer it, only to return shortly after considerably more alert.

“What’s wrong?” she asked sleepily as he dressed. “Where you going?”

“Thor’s made a mess of things on Asgard,” he replied, pulling his tunic over his head. “He needs my help.”

“What?” The gravity of his tone woke her up quickly. “Wait, you’re leaving now? What happened?”

He leaned forward to kiss her. “It’s probably nothing. My brother is known to blow things out of proportion. I should be back within a few days.”

“Loki—”

He muffled her with another kiss. “Don’t worry, dröttning,” he whispered against her lips. “It will be fine. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she whispered back. “Stay safe.”

And then he was gone.

For months, In-Unga wondered if there was something she should’ve done. Pulled him back into bed, forbidden him from walking through that door? “Stay here with me. Thor can handle it himself.” Would it have even changed anything? Loki had told her about Thanos—not a lot, but enough to understand that his influence stretched across galaxies. Would he still have collected the stones, regardless of whether she managed to keep Loki with her? She didn’t know which alternative was worse: the idea that there was something she could’ve done but didn’t, or the thought that she was so useless that Loki and the others were fated to die regardless of her actions.

Brynjarr whined, sitting up taller so he could lick the tears off her cheeks. She buried her face in his fluffy neck.

“I miss him, Bryn,” she sobbed. “I miss him so much.”

He followed her into bed that night. It was a bit surprising—Brynjarr normally wasn’t one for bedtime cuddles, that was Bowie’s thing—but not all together unwelcome. In-Unga was a little more concerned about the bed—on all fours her wolves were now taller than her, and significantly heavier. But it seemed to hold together alright, minus a few creaks, and honestly, the comforting weight of Bryn’s head on her stomach was worth a damaged bedframe if it came down to it. Slowly, she drifted off to the sound of his breathing.

Court was sparse these days.

In-Unga had become so accustomed to the looming hallway being packed with faces that seeing it half-empty kindled even more anxiety in her chest. The faces that were there seemed anxious as well—although In-Unga was rather certain their apprehension came more from the massive wolves at her feet than the vacancies in the room. Bowie and Brynjarr were still for the most part, but they were always ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.

Everything was threatening to them. If someone addressed her with a less than respectful tone, if someone tried too come to near to the throne, they were on their feet, teeth bared and growling. In-Unga found it hard to take them seriously. Bowie was a big sweetie who liked belly rubs and snuggling next to the fire, and whenever Bryn growled, she could only picture the tiny little fluff ball she found in the snow trying to be intimidating. But they certainly succeeded in unnerving the court, a little too much perhaps.

“Maybe I should have them wait outside next time,” she wondered aloud to Býleistr after a civilian who had come to petition the queen had been so frightened he was unable to string together a coherent sentence.

“No, most certainly not,” he countered. “They give you an extra sense of authority. The Queen already controls the Casket, now the vargrs bow to her command—it’s a powerful statement, and Jotuns respect power.”

“I suppose,” she said, thoughtfully. “But I don’t want to feel like I’m ruling through fear.”

Býleistr scoffed. “If your subjects don’t fear you to some extent, then you’re doing something wrong. Besides,” he added, “they should be fearful of your wolves.”

He was probably right. In-Unga trusted Njal and his men with her life, but she knew that if there was any sign of danger it would be the wolves who acted first. Bryn and Bowie accompanied her everywhere, flanking her like a set of furry bodyguards. It was especially odd given how large they had grown—they had long been towering over her, and now were approaching Býleistr’s height. Thankfully, Utgard had high ceilings.

With time, the palace became more accustomed to their presence. In-Unga liked to think that seeing her so at ease with them had begun to rub off on her subjects. If she ever had free time during the day, she’d take the two outside to run around and play in the snow. It wasn’t nearly as spacious as the beaches at Márfjall, but they had enough room to wrestle and cavort around. A crowd usually gathered when she played fetch with an old stick of wood she had picked up while still on the road, watching cautiously with wide eyes. She felt rather like a zookeeper putting on a show in an exhibit.

And if you look here, boys and girls, we have an overgrown doggo in his natural habitat.

It had also become a well-known fact that Bowie and Brynjarr slept in In-Unga’s bed with her. She wasn’t quite sure how this had become a well-known fact—perhaps those in charge of washing her bedding had taken note of the clumps of white fur tangled in the blankets—but Huld told her that this fact was seen as quite impressive to the other servants.

“It’s brave,” she said. “To leave yourself vulnerable to such beasts every night.”

In-Unga laughed humorlessly from where she sat hunched over at the desk. It had been a rough day. “At least they’re impressed. I’m pretty sure Loki’s glaring daggers down at me for letting animals sleep in his bed.” She had meant to make a joke, but there was a familiar lump building in her throat that she couldn’t quite swallow.

Hesitantly, Huld reached out to touch her forearm. “He’d love them,” she said. “He loved anything that made you happy.”

Maybe that was so. But In-Unga was still pretty certain that he’d be pissed—if not for the constantly shedding vargrs taking over his bedroom, then definitely for the stupid ideas that they spawned.

“Alright,” In-Unga said, drawing a line in the air from her chest to the ground. “Lie down.”

The two wolves sunk into the snow obediently, though not without confusion. They clearly expected playtime when she brought them outside, as did the growing crowd of faces at the palace gate. She sighed. This was one time where she’d rather not have an audience, but she didn’t feel right having them dispersed.

“Have I mentioned that this is a terrible idea?” Býleistr drawled from behind her.

“You have, as a matter of fact,” she replied, rubbing Bowie’s neck. He sighed contently, multicolored eyes slipping closed. “I’m still not listening to you.”

“It was worth a try.”

It was Hross who had put the idea in her head, when he had come to visit a month or two ago. Even after he returned to Márfjall, she couldn’t stop imagining what it might be like to ride one of her wolves like a horse.

“Just picture it!” he had said excitedly. “Queen In-Unga, riding into battle alone atop a vargr, casket in hand—”

Býleistr had interrupted to inquire under what circumstances would the kingdom become so inept as to send their mortal queen into battle alone, but In-Unga was sold.

Although, looking at it now, mounting didn’t seem as simple as Hross had made it out to be.

“Okay,” she murmured to Bowie as she made her way around his body. “I’m going to get on your back, buddy. Don’t freak out.” She grabbed a clump of fur on his back—even with him laying down, she had to reach a bit—and tried to pull herself up.

Key word being tried.

“No—what are you doing?” she cried as Bowie stood up with her still hanging off his side. “Bowie, sit down!”

The wolf yawned.

“Oh my,” Býleistr was doing his best to sound disinterested, but she could hear the suppressed laugher hiding under his voice. “Do you need a push?”

“Shut up.” She leveraged herself against the wolf, trying to wriggle her way to a sitting position. Bowie suddenly decided to obey her earlier command and plopped his bottom on the ground, the movement throwing her off enough to tumble into the snow.

“Oof!”

Bowie grinned at her.

Býleistr’s laugh rang out across the ice.

“I take it back,” he said. “That was well worth it. Now, have you had enough of this nonsense, my Queen, or might we go back inside?”

In-Unga was already back on her feet. “Do whatever you want, Býleistr. I’m not finished yet.”

This time, she went to Brynjarr. He was still lying down, despite all the ruckus.

“Okay,” she murmured, scratching his ear. “Take 2.”

Bowie whined. In-Unga turned around to see him lying down with his head between his paws, eyes wide and repentant. “Oh, hush!” she said, rolling her eyes. “You had your chance.”

Pulling herself on to Brynjarr’s back was surprisingly easy, likely because he actually listened to her when she told him to stay still. It took her a minute to get situated and comfortable, seated in a position where she didn’t feel like she was immediately going to slip off. She wondered if she should have a saddle made. But she felt like that would be too complicated—they’d have to get measurements from the wolves since no such saddle had ever been made before (to her knowledge, at least), all the while working on the assumption that Bryn and Bowie would even wear such a contraption.

Besides, she told herself, Daenerys Targaryen rides her dragons bareback without problem, right?

Yes. That was definitely the type of logic she needed to live her life by.

In-Unga clutched his fur as tightly as she could. “Okay, Bryn,” she said, tapping his neck. “Up!”

The wolf rose to his feet in one fluid, graceful motion that nearly sent her sprawling again. Oh boy. She tightened the grip of her legs around his sides. If I die today, blame George R.R. Martin.

She was high. Extremely high. Geez, she had to be at least ten feet in the air! Since when had her babies gotten this big?

Býleistr cleared his throat. “So,” he said, looking up at her (Býleistr had to look up at her!), “Are you just going to sit up there all day or do you plan on doing something? Because if not I would like to remind you that—”

“Hold your horses, Bý.”

He blinked. “Excuse me?”

In-Unga ignored him. She leaned forward to flatten herself against Brynjarr’s back. “Okay buddy,” she whispered, tapping his shoulder. “Whenever you’re ready.”

He started off slowly, a fact for which she was exceedingly thankful. He crept ahead almost as if he was tiptoeing, so soft that she barely felt his feet on the ground, a far cry from the clodding she was used to with the wooly rhinos. He wandered around in a circle, continually looking back to check if she was still there.

“Good boy.”

They continued riding in a circle for a while. It wasn’t anything grand, and it was certainly a far cry from Hrossþjófr’s vision of her galloping into battle, but there was still something thrilling about being atop such a powerful creature. In-Unga didn’t have any delusions about being in control—she knew damn well the moment Brynjarr decided he had had enough he’d plop down in the snow and she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it—but the illusion of control was enough to make her feel unbelievably powerful.

“Look at me, Býleistr!” she called. “Aren’t you impressed?”

“Exceedingly,” he said dryly. “Are you finished? Remember, we do have things to accomplish today.”

In-Unga frowned. Býleistr was right, of course—she was the Queen of Jotunheim, she couldn’t just spend the entire day playing with her wolves. But on the flip side, she was the Queen of Jotunheim—if she wanted to spend the entire day playing with her wolves, who could stop her?

Just as she was beginning to favor postponing her next few meetings on account of essential wolf training, Bowie rose to his feet.

She sighed. “Bowie, what did I tell you—” The wolf wasn’t listening. He knelt close to the ground, muscles tense as he eyed something in the distance. Brynjarr turned around abruptly, In-Unga grabbing at his mane to maintain her balance. He too tensed, staring unblinkingly into the snow.

She squinted into the distance. At first, she couldn’t spot anything out of the ordinary, but the tiniest movement of white fur soon gave it away. A kanína. They were smaller, rodent-like creatures that lived all over the place, not unlike the rabbits she knew from Earth. Their meat was extremely tough, practically inedible to giants and mortals alike, but her wolves loved to hunt them.

Uh oh.

“I think I’m going to get down now,” she said, patting Brynjarr’s neck. “You can chance down that furball once I’m on the ground. Lie down.” Bryn didn’t move. Oh dear.

She tried again, more authoritatively. “Brynjarr, lie down! Brynjarr—” She cut herself off with a very unqueenly shriek as the kanína bolted, the wolves bolting after it.

All In-Unga could do was hold on for dear life. The wind smacked her face as they picked up speed, whistling so loudly in her ears that she could only barely hear Býleistr shouting her name. The landscape flashed by in a blur of color.

Holy shit holy shit holy shit!

“Bryn!” she screamed. “Bryn, stop!”

It was like riding a giant rocking horse running at the speed of light. Straightening up was out of the question, so she flattened herself against Brynjarr’s body and tried to sway with his movements. To the left, she could barely make out Bowie running alongside them, leaping so far that it looked like he was flying above the snow.

Just breath. Focus on breathing. Don’t think about how much it’ll hurt if you fall. Just focus on breathing.

Although… it wasn’t that bad. The longer she held on, feeling the vibration of their paws travel up her spine, the more her panic began to fade. She pushed up a little, risking a glance over her shoulder at the distant dot that was Býleistr. Shit. They were going fast.

Exhilaration flooded her body. This is what Hross had been talking about!

In-Unga, Charmer of Wolves

For a moment, she felt like a superhero.

When she hooted, the wolves howled with her. The kanína was still running in front of them, scrambling to stay ahead, but its time was up: Bowie pounced and had the poor rodent dangling in his mouth in a second, snapping its neck like it was nothing. They slowed down, Bowie stopping completely to grin at her with his prize. Look at me, Mom! Aren’t you proud of me?

In-Unga laughed. “Good boy.”

Trotting back to Býleistr was slightly less thrill-inducing now that she could actually see where they were going without getting pelted in the face with wind. In-Unga made a mental note to have a pair of goggles made for any future wolf-runs.

“So what do you think?” she asked, grinning down at her brother-in-law.

Býleistr gaped at her. He shook his head. “I don’t know why I still haven’t learned to just expect this madness from you.”

She snickered.

After that, wolf rides became a part of In-Unga’s daily routine. Every afternoon she’d climb onto Bryn’s back and take off into the snow for about an hour, flying across the countryside with only her wolves for company. That last detail drove Býleistr mad.

“You are the single most important individual on this planet,” he snapped at her one day. “And, if you’ll excuse my saying so, likely the most vulnerable as well. You need to take a guard with you.”

“I can take care of myself, Bý,” she replied nonchalantly from where she sat with Bowie in front of the fireplace. “You should understand that as much as anyone. Besides, the wolves will take care of me.” Bowie looked up with a grin, thumping his tail against the stone floor in enthusiastic agreement. Býleistr rolled his eyes.

“And when you go flying off their back while they’re running at full speed? How will they protect you then?” He shook his head. “I’d doubt they’d even notice you were missing.”

“That will never happen,” she said stubbornly. “I’d never fall off, and they’d never leave me behind.”

It was easy to sound fearless while bathed in the warmth of the fire, but there were moments where In-Unga was a little less sure of herself (although she’d stab herself before admitting such to the prince). The landscape around Utgard was high and rocky, and although her furry companions were sure footed, she often found herself swallowing her heart as they scampered up craggy ledges.

Still, every hair-raising experience she survived increased her confidence in her abilities as a wolf-back rider and encouraged her to go farther. She taught Brynjarr to understand her commands just by the way she shifted her weight on his back. Luckily, he picked it up easily— trying to yell instructions with the wind blasting in her face got old very quickly.

Bowie took a little while longer, but they got there eventually. He wasn’t as much of a fan of having In-Unga on his back, but he also wasn’t a fan of being left out, and weeks of watching his brother get all the attention for carrying the queen wore him down. Soon enough, she could ride him as well as Bryn.

They tended to keep to the rocks on their journeys. Running through the caves would have been a lot easier, as well as less windy, but the caverns that Loki had carried her through when she first arrived on Jotunheim were haunted by ghosts of memories In-Unga couldn’t bring herself to face. Instead, she stuck to sights less sacred: mountainous cliffs and jutting rocks that Bryn and Bowie loved to race each other around, places so far off the beaten path that there was no chance of stray flashbacks popping up to punch her in the gut.

Sometimes, on the way back from the palace, she’d ride through town. It was a risk, of course, but then again when was anything not? She always wanted to laugh at the crowd that gathered whenever she came through, at the way her people’s eyes would bulge at seeing the giant wolves plodding down the road completely unphased. They would whisper amongst themselves, just as they did that first time she came to the marketplace with Griep, but the words were slightly different.

In-Unga. Vargdröttning.

Usually, she made a point of stopping at some small vendor and purchasing something— a dagger, a blanket, a piece of jewelry— the item didn’t really matter to her. She just liked interacting with her people, asking them about their families, checking up on their wellbeing. With everything that had gone wrong in the past few years, she felt that was the least she could do. That too was reminiscent her trip with Griep. So much had changed since then, and yet still so much was the same. Back then, the Jotuns hadn’t known what to make of a mortal wandering through life on Utgard as if she belonged there. In-Unga got the feeling that they still weren’t sure what to make of her now, but they treated her with respect and grace and that was all she could ever hope for.

Some of the changes hurt. The absence of her Forest Twins was an ache she carried with her everywhere she went. In-Unga had never really realized how deeply she depended on them both until they were gone. Now, without them, she missed them everywhere. At the table during meals. In the throne room when she held court. Just walking through the halls—it was such a silly, stupid thing, but she felt naked making her way through the palace alone even now, a couple years after she lost them.

Most times during her afternoon ride, she’d dismount at the top of some mountain and let Bowie and Brynjarr hunt for a bit. She’d find a rock to sit on, sheltered from the wind, and make a list of all the things she wanted to tell them. How she had been trying to teach Huld to play gin rummy, but Bowie ate half the deck. How Hross had written that Dagný had finally said her first word: daddy. How Býleistr was all pissed off because Bryn had somehow gotten into his greenhouse while In-Unga had let them out to hunt and knocked over some important plants from Alfheim.

Griep would have gotten a kick out of that last one: in the months before everything went wrong, Gjálp had been spending a suspicious amount of time in Býleistr’s greenhouse, something her sister and In-Unga had been relentlessly teasing her about. You know, payback for all the teasing she had doled out over the years. She had been getting pretty annoyed about it.

“I don’t know what the two of you have gotten in your heads,” she had scowled. “Prince Býleistr was simply showing off his imported aster flowers. They only bloom for a short period of time—”

“Riiight,” In-Unga said, smirking. “That’s definitely what he’s been showing you.”

Gjálp sputtered, scandalized, while Griep exploded into a fit of very uncharacteristic giggles.

On her rock in the middle of the snow, In-Unga giggled too. It was nice, having these quick little moments where she could almost trick herself into thinking that everything was fine. They were fleeting though. By the time her wolves returned to her, a few minutes later, she was sobbing uncontrollably.

She missed them so much.

But with everything that had changed in the past few years, everything that had been uprooted and ripped to shreds, at least there remained one constant in her life.

Periods still sucked Hel.

Regardless, In-Unga always tried to carry on with her day as usual. She was the queen, after all—she couldn’t be seen as weak. So, she’d hold court like everything was normal, sit up straight on the throne and pretend she didn’t feel like someone was wringing out her insides like wet laundry. If the giants around her noticed the stench of blood (which of course they did), they knew better than to bring it up.

But today had just been too much. Meetings heaped on top of meetings, every new face bearing a different demand or a different complaint, every new conversation only exacerbating the ache in her head and the knots in her stomach. By noon, she called it a day.

In bed, burrowed into her nest of blankets, In-Unga existed in the frustrating in-between: too tired to be fully awake, but too uncomfortable to drift off to sleep. She buried her face in her pillow and cursed the blizzard outside. It seems periods always worsened with the cold.

From the doorframe, Bowie whined. Brynjarr had easily accepted the reality that there would be no afternoon run today, instead electing to pass out at the foot of the bed, but his brother did not give up so easily. If In-Unga hadn’t felt so awful, she would’ve laughed at him—the doorway to her bedroom was far too narrow for the giant wolf. He was just barely managing to squeeze through.

He whined again.

She groaned. “Can’t play with you right now, buddy.”

Rolling over, she nestled deeper under the covers, seeking protection against the biting cold. It was a useless attempt. She never seemed to be able to get warm anymore.

Bowie padded over to her bedside, his claws drumming on the floor making him sound like some sort of depressed tap dancer. He snuffled at her hair.

“Go away, Bowie,” she muttered when he pressed his clammy nose to her forehead. She pushed his giant head away halfheartedly. “Lie down with Bryn.”

Suddenly, the whole bed dipped, and the giant wolf was attempting to snuggle his way into to her blankets.

“Bow—” she tried to push him away again, with even less effort than before. “You’re too big!” But with a final push, he nuzzled under her blankets next to her, grinning widely and smacking her face with a mouthful of doggy breath. In-Unga winced.

“Such an attention hog,” she groaned, even as she reached to scratch the fur under his chin. “You don’t even care that I’m trying to rest, do you?” He snuggled closer, sighing in contentment when In-Unga shifted so that she was resting her head on his fluffy neck rather than her pillow.

“Yes, you’re a good boy. I’m sorry. I’m just having a bad day.” She heaved a sigh of her own. “Do you know what my small council said to me, first thing when I sat down?”

He cocked his head. In-Unga took that as a sign to continue.

“They think I should get married. Remarried.” She swallowed bitterly. “They said it would help ‘maintain my legitimacy as queen.’ As if I’m not already fucking legitimate!” She smacked the mattress with her palm, glaring at her wolf. “Do you know the shit I went through to get to this point?”

Bowie whined.

“Right, of course you don’t,” she apologized. “You weren’t born yet. But take my word for it, it was a lot.”

On the floor, Brynjarr shifted in his sleep. In-Unga continued.

“And then there’s the whole subject of heirs. ‘Your Majesty, since you failed to have a child to King Loki before he died, you have no one to advance your lineage’—yes I’m well aware of that!” she shouted at the ceiling, blinking the steaming tears from her eyes. “I’m reminded of that fact every damn day of my life! I don’t need you to tell me!”

Her nose was running. She wiped it angrily with the heel of her hand. They had been trying to have a baby, her and Loki. After years of pushing it off, waiting for things to stabilize, they had finally felt ready. Loki had told her not to be frustrated if she didn’t get pregnant right away.

“Our biologies are fundamentally different. It may take some time.” They had been in bed, tangled up in each other under the cover of darkness. In-Unga could still feel his breath in her hair when he leaned down to kiss her head. “Don’t worry, dröttning. We’re in no rush.”

He had gotten called away a few months later, her womb still empty.

“They had a whole list of men they thought would be suitable,” she muttered to Bowie, blocking out memories that hurt too much to touch. “They had organized it all and everything. I felt like the Bachelorette. Totally ridiculous! And they had the audacity to look at me like I was the crazy one!”

The way they had stared at her, when she categorically refused to even consider their proposition. “But my queen, don’t you want to have children?”

Yes. Yes she did. She wanted to have children whose ebony hair matched their father’s, who carried both his intelligence and his mischievous streak within them. She wanted to see her husband’s eyes light up when they learned a new magic trick, wanted to laugh at the regal King of Jotunheim crawling around the room on his hands and knees with his toddler giggling on his back. She wanted to cradle her baby and smile at its sleeping face in awe, wondering at the perfect mix of her and the man she loved so much, a mix that could exist with no one else.

Yes, she wanted to have children. Loki’s children.

In-Unga ran her fingers through Bowie’s fur. “He’s not coming back,” she whispered. “I know that. I’ve made my peace with it. But I can’t pretend that it’s okay. I can’t just… replace him.”

Bowie licked her cheek with a tongue the size of her entire face. In-Unga sputtered, snorting. “Ugh… thanks buddy.” He nodded, moving to rest his head on her stomach so she could scratch his ears. She stroked his long fur absentmindedly. The wolves were the closest thing to children she was ever going to have. She was at peace with that too. Her advisors may not understand, but they didn’t have to. She had done so much for her kingdom. They could give her this.

And so time marched on. Winter turned to spring, spring to summer, then back to winter again, over and over as if nothing had ever happened.

It was a quiet night in her quarters when things changed.

In-Unga was skimming over a document by the fire, having abandoned the desk in favor of the furry rug, a warm blanket, and her wolf-pillows. Bryn’s eyes were fluttering. Bowie was already fast asleep, sighing contently. Behind them, Huld softly cleaned up the remnants of the late dinner she had eaten alone in her room. Save for the crackling of the flames, the room was silent.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to focus on the lines of script. The flickering light was almost hypnotic—In-Unga leaned against Bowie’s back to rest her eyes for a moment and found herself unable to sit back up.

She yawned. Probably time to call it a night. Still, she felt so nice here—her bed would be large and cold, and she’d have to get up and walk all the way to the next room to even get there…

In-Unga was just beginning to doze off completely when the high-pitched beep nearly scared her out of her skin.

The wolves were on their feet immediately, knocking her out of her reverie and barking so loudly the room shook. The beeping continued, shrill and ear-piercing, and In-Unga cursed under her breath as she pulled herself up.

I live in a damn circus.

Huld was standing at the table, hands over her ears and red eyes trained on the corner of the room. “Your majesty!” she cried. “It’s the thing!”

In-Unga followed her gaze to the telephone-like communicator Tony Stark had created for them, back when everything was nice and happy and Thor had convinced everyone it was a good idea for Jotunheim to have some method of contact with the Avengers. For the first time in five years, it was flashing red.

She made her way across the room in a fog. The last time it rang… that call had broken her. Broken everything. Told her that the hopeless mess her life had turned into would be here to stay, and that she would have to clean it up alone. In-Unga hadn’t touched the device since. What could Earth’s Mightiest Heroes possibly have to say to her now?

Still, it couldn’t be worse than last time, could it?

In-Unga hushed the wolves, who fell silent at her command, and picked up the receiver.

“Hello?”

Agent Romanov’s sharp voice said her Midgardian name. “How have you been?”

“Alright, I guess, considering everything,” she answered cautiously. Somehow, she doubted that after half a decade the assassin had just decided to phone for a social call. “Is everything okay?”

She was right. “We’re working on something,” Agent Romanov said. “We’re not positive how everything’s going to turn out, but at the moment, things are looking good. I thought you should know, just in case things get crazy.”

In-Unga frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“The Snap,” she said. She inhaled softly. “We think we can bring everyone back.”

In-Unga’s heart stopped.

For a moment, she just stood there, barely comprehending her words.

We can bring everyone back.

Romanov said her name again. “Are you still there?”

“Yeah,” she said shakily. “Are—are you serious? You going—how is that even possible? You said before—without the stones—”

“I know,” the assassin said. “We still need them. But Stark’s come up with something that would allow us to retrieve them before they were destroyed. We’ve planned out where they are across the timeline, the easiest times and places for us to access them—”

“Wait.” In-Unga’s head was spinning. “Retrieve them before they were destroyed?” She had to be misunderstanding. Surely Romanov wasn’t suggesting what it sounded like she was suggesting. “How is that possible? Unless you have a—”

“Time machine?” There was a wry smile to Romanov’s voice. “Yeah, that’s about right.”

“What?”

“It’s a long story, but like I said, Stark’s come up with something,” she continued. “I know it sounds insane, but we’ve proven it works—we ran a test with Barton, and Lang basically did it unintentionally for five years—”

“Lang?” In-Unga asked weakly.

“You don’t know him. But my point is it’s possible.”

It’s possible.

“Time travel,” she said. “That’s what’s happening? I haven’t gone crazy, you’re actually telling me you can time travel?”

“Well, you did marry the guy who attacked New York, so I can’t say you’re not crazy,” Romanov said. In-Unga was so overwhelmed that the poor attempt at humor didn’t even bother her. “But yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you.”

They’re going to bring them back. In-Unga was shaking. Loki, Griep, Gjálp… they’re going to bring them back!

“When is this happening? How is this going to happen? Is there something I can do?” The questions tumbled out faster than she had time to think.

“We’re going out tomorrow. Technically speaking, everything will only take a few minutes, so we should have the stones by then.”

In-Unga gasped. “That soon?”

“Yeah. We’re not sure exactly how they’ll work once we have them, but Thanos was able to wipe out half the universe just by snapping his fingers, so we’re guessing it’s not that difficult.”

“So, everyone could be back tomorrow!” The shock was beginning to wear off, replaced by a surge of pure elation. The wolves, sensing her excitement, began barking again. “Hey, shut up! Both of you!”

Romanov laughed. “I didn’t know you had dogs.”

“It’s a fairly new development.” So new that Loki and the Twins never got to meet them. Her eyes were stinging. “Tomorrow?”

“Hopefully, yes,” In-Unga had never known Romonov to sound so excited. “That’s why I wanted to get into contact with you. We’re not sure how this will work, what kind of widespread effects it can might cause. I thought you deserved a heads up.”

She nodded. “Thank you. Will you let me know when you get back with the stones?”

“Sure thing.”

“Well…” In-Unga wondered if she was dreaming, if she was going to wake up and curse her stupid brain for letting her hope for a moment. But this was real. This was happening. “Good luck!” she said into the receiver, pulse thrumming.

She could hear the smile in Romanov’s voice. “Thanks. I’ll get back to you tomorrow.”

In-Unga set the receiver down in a daze. When she turned, both her wolves and her maid were staring at her with eyes so wide it was practically comical.

“Huld,” she said quietly. “Get Býleistr in here, would you?”

She spent the next day huddled next to the communicator, anxiously tapping her feet on the stone floor.

Býleistr had been willing to hold court in her place today, but he had been less inclined to share her eager optimism.

“The past has already been written, In-Unga,” he said softly. “That’s not something anyone can change.”

“But there’s a chance they might,” she cried. She pushed the hair out of her face. “A chance. That’s more than we’ve had for the last five years!”

“Getting your hopes up will only cause yourself more pain when they fail. You’ll be grieving all over again—"

“I never stopped grieving,” she whispered. Her eyes were damp again as she looked back up at Býleistr. He sighed.

“I hope it works,” he said. “I do. It’s just—” he cut himself off, shaking his head and abruptly standing up to leave. “Goodnight, your Majesty.”

Behind her, the wolves paced back and forth, whining softly as they picked up on her nervous energy. In-Unga couldn’t tear her eyes away from the phone. Had they left yet? Was everything going to plan? She let out a worried breath. If only there was something she could do. Something besides just sitting here and feeling useless.

By the afternoon Romanov still had not called and In-Unga had completely chewed through her bottom lip. She should have heard something by now. She was certain of it. Hadn’t Romanov said that it was only supposed to take a few minutes?

Huld brought her lunch at around noon. In-Unga left it on the table untouched. She wasn’t hungry. In fact, she felt like she was going to be sick.

Bowie was scratching at the floor. The sound of his nails dragging across the stone put her even more on edge than she was already, but he ignored her when she told him to stop. In the corner, Byrnjarr growled softly.

Her room was warmer than usual. She found herself shrugging off the blanket she usually kept draped across her shoulders in her quarters and letting it fall to the floor. Out of nowhere, she felt confused. Nothing was the way it was supposed to be. Everything was happening at once. It was overwhelming—so overwhelming. She couldn’t think— wait.

These aren’t my feelings.

In-Unga shot up so quickly she knocked her chair over. Bowie and Bryn were on their feet in less than a second, bouncing around and barking at the top of their lungs. With shaking hands, she reached for her neck, for what had become nothing more than an old scar these past five years. At the brush of her fingertips, sparks shot through her skin.

Her gasp melted into messy sobs. “Loki.”

Outside, people were shouting, voices blending together into an amorphous blob of noise. Someone pounded at her door.

“Your Majesty!” Njal shouted. “Your Majesty, something is happening—”

They’re back. They’re all back…

In-Unga barged through her door without a word to her guards, dashing down the hallways at lightning speed with Brynjarr and Bowie trotting at her heels. There were people everywhere—servants, nobles, people gasping, people embracing, people running through the halls like maniacs like her—In-Unga ignored all of them. She flung herself down the stairs with her wolves still behind her.

The room she was rushing to hadn’t been touched in five years. She had felt stupid, giving that order, but having someone else move in was admitting that they were gone forever, and she couldn’t do that.

But it didn’t matter anymore.

In-Unga was completely out of breath by the time she flung open the door. The woman standing in the middle of room looked up as she pressed her fingers to her temple, red eyes furrowed in a frown.

“In-Unga,” she asked. “What is—”

Gjálp didn’t have time to finish before In-Unga crashed into her in a bear hug, bawling.

She sputtered. “In-Unga—”

“You’re back!” In-Unga sobbed. “You’re back! You’re back!”

Gjálp returned the embrace tentatively. “What is happening? What—Norns!” She stiffened, yanking In-Unga backwards. The mortal queen turned to find that Bryn and Bowie had followed her into the room and were now looming over the couch with all the intimidation of a pair of overexcited Labradors.

“Oh no, it’s fine—” In-Unga hiccupped, finding words astonishingly difficult to control in the moment. “Mine. They’re mine. Don’t worry! Uh—lie down!” Thankfully, they obeyed without an issue, their tales flying around like propellers. “See?” She gulped, turning back to Gjálp. She gripped her wrist, just to remind herself that this was real, and she wasn’t dreaming.

“You’re back,” she whispered again, hoarsely.

“You keep saying that,” Gjálp said, still frowning suspiciously at the wolves. “What happened? Where am I back from?”

In-Unga let out a wet laugh. “You were gone. He got the stones and took out everyone—half of everyone, half of everyone everywhere,” she laughed again, because it suddenly sounded funny saying out loud with Gjálp staring down at her like she had lost her mind. Maybe she had. It didn’t matter anymore.

“Your Majesty.”

They both jumped at the unfamiliar voice behind them. In-Unga turned to find herself face to face with a man—a human man, with a goatee and red cloak, standing in the middle of a ring of fire. In a second, the wolves had flanked her, teeth bared and growling.

Shit, I guess I have lost my mind.

Gjálp was the first to find her voice. “Who—what—how did you get in here?”

The man ignored her. “Your Majesty,” he said, facing In-Unga. “I am Dr. Stephen Strange of New York.”

The name vaguely stirred something in her memory. “You died in the Snap,” she said. “You were with Mr. Stark.”

Dr. Strange nodded. “The effects of the Snap may have been reversed, but this isn’t over yet.”  He fixed her with a solemn stare. “Your husband needs your help.”

Somehow, she had known he was going to say that. A wave of resolution washed over her. Standing straight, she wiped her cheeks. “What do you need me to do?”

The smoke was stifling. Strange had said it was a war zone, but In-Unga hadn’t expected for even the upstate sky to be blackened with debris. She had been to this compound before, years ago with Thor and Loki. It had felt a bit like stepping into the future, with the manicured lawns and the crisp white doors that whooshed as the slid open automatically. It had been nothing like the scorched wasteland flaring before her. The smoke was so thick she could barely make out the looming warships hovering over the skyline.

The dark warriors lined the horizon, a mass of limbs extending far beyond her range of sight. In-Unga squared her shoulders as she road through the portal. She could see him, standing in the middle of all this destruction, the golden light of the portals casting shadows on his purple skin. For so long, he had been faceless to her, the untouchable enemy who she had never seen but whose name she fell asleep cursing every night. And yet here he was in the flesh, living, breathing, vulnerable.

Thanos.

Brynjarr howled. From her perch atop his back, In-Unga felt the vibration in every part of her body. Bowie joined in, his usually mournful cries dark and full of promise. The sound mixed with the battle cries from portals down the line, words chanted in languages she didn’t speak, but in sentiment she understood perfectly.

You took everything. Now we’re taking it back.

The Jotuns behind her understood too. With deep voices, they answered the cries with chants of their own, shouts crescendoing with every individual rushing through the portal. Utgard had been in such chaos that she hadn’t expected anyone to rally to her call, but vengeance was a powerful motivator. She had stood on the balcony and told her people that the one responsible for their suffering was out there, still struggling to once again rip their loved ones from their arms, and just like that, her armies mobilized.

Now here she was, Queen In-Unga of Jotunheim, facing down the enemy atop a howling vargr, her soldiers armed and ready behind her. She felt strangely calm.

I’m bringing Loki home.

He was here somewhere. Even if Strange hadn’t told her how he had been resurrected on the plains of Wakanda with the other fallen warriors, she would have known. She felt his steely resolve as he prepared for battle, let it swirl and mix with hers across the battlefield.

This is it.

When Thor shouted, she screamed with him. And then they were all running. The appeal of two nine-foot-tall wolves in combat was quickly apparent: her babies tore through alien fighters like rare steaks. Brynjarr didn’t even need to be directed; he seemed to know exactly where to go, when to duck, when to tackle. Bowie cleared a way through the chaos, trampling everyone in his path.

They zig-zagged across the battleground, In-Unga pressed tightly into Bryn’s fur to avoid shooting darts of light and projectiles flying through the air every which way, no clue who was shooting them. A roar consumed the land, built from rallying cries and death shrieks, guns shooting and bones cracking, and in the midst of all this pandemonium, she found him.

Loki threw his blades with a catlike grace, completely surrounded and yet completely in control, as if he had never left.

“Bryn!” she steered him left, and he understood instantly. Snarling, the wolves rushed the scene. Loki whipped around in shock, In-Unga barely registering his fleeting moment of confusion as she felt the thud of alien bodies crushed on the ground. When Loki called out her name she found she could barely breathe.

“Down!” she choked at Brynjarr. She slid off his back to unsteady legs and managed to hold back her tears until she threw her arms around her husband.

The battle faded away. She sobbed on his shoulder, drinking in the scent she thought she’d never experience again, relishing the way he gripped her so tightly she felt as though she might break. She clutched at him too, afraid that if she let go he’d disintegrate through her fingers. He whispered her name against her hair, that soft baritone she thought she’d never hear ever again, and she held him even closer.

He was the one to pull away first, cupping her cheek in his palm as he wiped her teardrops with his palm. His green eyes held her in their stare.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

In­-Unga exhaled, the tiniest laugh. Less than an hour ago he had been dead, and he was worried about her?

“Yeah,” she murmured. It was a tiny breath under the rage of battle, but somehow, she knew he heard. “I am now.”

…

“Come on, you scaredy-cat, it’s fine,” In-Unga laughed from atop Bowie on the beach at Márfjall.

“I’m not scared, just concerned.” Loki stood on the ground besides Brynjarr, the two sizing each other up suspiciously. For the most part, her husband and her wolves had been getting along well—at least, well enough. Bowie was still bitter that his place in In-Unga’s bed had been taken from him, and Bryn was untrusting by nature, but it was getting better. Loki still didn’t understand how creatures that showed such savagery on the battlefield could be so cuddly at home.

“Look, if I can do it without a problem, you certainly can manage.” Bowie whined as he shifted his weight between his feet, anxious to sprint down the red sand. She rubbed his neck and fixed Loki with a pointed stare.

He shook his head, smiling uneasily. “You’ve had five years of practice, love.”

“Yeah, which I never would’ve got if I hadn’t gotten on first.” She turned back to the small group watching behind them. “Give me some help here!”

Griep frowned, holding Dagný in her arms. “I don’t know, In-Unga. I don’t think vargrs are meant to carry people.”

“I thought you liked animals—”

“It’s a giant vargr—”

“Now, my precious ice-heart” Hross said, intertwining his fingers with hers. “In-Unga has proved time and time again that there are those more than capable of riding a wolf. Both myself and Prince Býleistr can attest to that.”

Býleistr chuckled. “She fell off the first time she tried.”

“No, no!” In-Unga whipped back to Loki. “That was on Bowie, because Bowie likes to be difficult.  Brynjarr has never given me a problem, which is why you’re going to try riding him.” Bowie gave an offended snort.

“I still can’t believe you can tell them apart,” Gjálp said. “They look exactly the same, smell exactly the same—”

“I told you, Bowie is the one with two different colored eyes!”

“But when you can’t see their eyes—”

Dali pulled at Hrossþjófr’s free arm. “Wanna ride wolf!”

“Oh, for Pete’s sake!” In-Unga groaned. “Loki, get on the damn wolf before I give your spot to a toddler.”

Loki huffed indignantly, but he pulled himself over Bryn’s back and into a sitting position. “Happy, wife?”

“Ecstatic,” she tried to maintain her stern, but the sight of him balancing haphazardly on the back of her wolf made it hard not to grin like an idiot. “Now, tell him to get up.”

“Get up, wolf,” he said emotionlessly.

Brynjarr looked at her in exasperation. Are you kidding me with this guy?

In-Unga sighed. “Tell him nicely.”

He through his hands in the air. “It’s a wolf!”

“Loki…”

“Fine.” He looked back down at Bryn. “Get up wolf, please.”

Behind them, Hross was cackling uncontrollably. In-Unga rolled her eyes. “I think that’s the best he’s gonna do Bryn,” she said. “Come on, up, up!”

Brynjarr grunted, but still hopped to his feet far more quickly than usual. Loki gasped as he struggled to right his balance. She pressed her hand to her mouth to muffle her giggles.

Loki scowled. “I hear you snickering over there. This is why I didn’t want to do this.”

“What do you mean?” she asked innocently. “You’re doing great, sweetie!”

He glared.

Oh, if looks could kill.

“Now what?” he asked sourly.

She leaned forward, clicking her tongue. “Now, you hold on, and try to keep up.”

“What—” Loki was cut off with a cry as the two wolves took off down the rusty beach. In-Unga laughed as they rode alongside each other, Loki clinging desperately to Bryn’s fur. His startled expression morphed into something more sinister when he noticed her amusement.

“I’m going to get you for this!” he yelled over the wind.

She grinned. “You better!”

In-Unga wouldn’t have it any other way.

#running with the wolves #loki x reader #loki x in-unga #frostbite fic #maiden of asgard #loki fanfic

[fallingin-like]

november 22

fox sleep by @annawrites [requested by @allforthebee]

see which other fics i’m reviewing this month! / my review request post!

this is an amazing fic that features shapeshifter!neil who arrives at the foxhole coven in the form of a fox. it is such a sweet, playful, and comforting fic with a wonderful tinge of magic, i cannot recommend this fic enough. 

shapeshifter fics are always among my favourite, so i cannot explain exactly how excited i was when i first saw this posted. this was 10k words of softness, but at the same time it felt entertaining and i didn’t want it to end. i love the world that you created, it feels like it really does exist.

some of the parts i especially enjoyed:

”it’s like a gong being struck inside andrew’s head, and it hurts right down to his fingertips” there is something so andrew about having the wards tied to to himself in a way that it physically pains him when they’re breached. that he allows himself to endure this pain to protect the ones he cares about. i wonder, is this how all wards are? or just how andrew’s are

”trust-such a foolish, fickle thing; and yet.” ooh i love this sentence. andrew is so reluctant to let people in, it’s so wonderful to see that andrew has allowed himself to trust some of the foxes and it really shows the bond that has formed between him and the other foxes

”the morning is sharp and cold, a blade buried under snow” oh, what beautiful imagery

”nothing should have been able to break through so easily” this makes me so excited! i love powerful characters, although i know that this means that andrew will immediately be that much more wary and suspicious of neil

”andrew grinds his teeth. he must have done it a lot in his sleep last night because pain shoots through his jaw at the renewed pressure” lol this is really relatable

if there’s anything i love more than shapeshifter fics, it’s shapeshifter fics where the shapeshifter is injured… sounds mean but i just love angst!!

”his energy is a carefully rationed good; he’s stopped wasting it on arguing with a stubborn bunch of bleeding hearts who don’t listen to him anyway.” although i know that andrew is, for the most part, fond of the foxes, there’s something so heartbreaking about this. i don’t know exactly what andrew’s backstory is in this au, but i assume it’s similar to in the books, where andrew learns at a young age to not speak his opinion because it doesn’t change things

”sunlight warms his back through the window as he pokes the wards in his mind one by one, plucking at them like strings and listening to their familiar hum” ahh magic is so so cool, i’m always super interested in how it works. do you think that renee experiences her wards in a similar way? i always find myself leaning towards the idea that andrew experiences the world, and as a part of that, magic, in a way that so unique to only himself and that’s why he has so much control over his emotions, actions, and powers

”he doesn’t miss his jacket until he’s back outside and the biting wind sticks its icy fingers under his shirt.” ugh i am such a big fan of your descriptions

”the lapping stops. the fox’s head swivels over and his eyes unerringly find andrew’s across the room” woah i got shivers reading this!!

”the fox hastily retreats into his blanket nest-andrew can see his jacket poking out of the mess and tamps down a brief flash of irritation” i love nesting!! i wonder what neil was thinking when he added it to his pile, was he drawn to the scent of andrew?

”andrew remembers the burned patch on his face, now hidden under healing salve, and puts the lighter away. for now” !!! this is good

”then he reaches out to tap the box twice for yes, somehow succeeding in making the movement look sarcastic” neil josten i love you

”he looks a little bit chastened, but andrew catches him scratching at a scab again the minute abby’s back is turned” this is a great example of how flawlessly you are able to show neil’s personality even though he’s a fox. this reminds me of when wymack was like ‘make sure you have your phone with you and on all the time’ and neil was like ‘okay coach’ and immediately turned it off (was that canon? i think it was but not sure when it happened)

”everyone turns to the fox, who is busy sneaking persimmon slices from renee’s bowl while renee graciously pretends not to notice. his face immediately morphs into a picture of innocence, which matt takes as agreement” this is adorable! neil is so sneaky, but in a cute way. reminds me of a kid version of himself, although he definitely acts this way in the series as well, taking advantage of how fond the foxes are of him (and because of that, how blind they are to how dark and capable he actually is). when neil’s a fox version of himself, is his mind the same as when he’s a human? or is he more… fox-like?

the chickens!!!hen solo? amelia egghart? genius

SCRABBLE THIS IS THE BEST IDEA IN THE WORLD

neil is really showing off his personality here, with the ‘ouch’ and ‘nunya’ (that one made me laugh)

”the words sublimate in front of his mouth, from sound straight to steam. andrew can almost see the scrabble grid in the air” woah, what an amazing couple of sentences

hmm “how long he’s been in his fox form” and “the risks of staying in any one form for too long” hints at the idea that shapeshifters can shift into multiple animal forms? is there a limit? is it based on skill? how many animals can neil shift into?

”it is less them settling into a routine than the routine settling over them, like snow piling up overnight. one morning, andrew wakes up and finds himself neck-deep in it” what in the world, this is so so good

”andrew can’t tell if neil and jean are friends or enemies or a bit of both, but they squabble over everything-the best napping spot in the common room, the juiciest bites at dinner, the shiniest cat toys, the plumpest berries” i love this little insight on what things are like. we don’t see a lot of interaction between neil and jean in the series

andrew carrying around fruit for neil is super cute!

oo i like how you handle neil’s response to not shifting. “neil huffs and pushes a few letter tiles around aimlessly” and “he yawns demonstratively and curls up in his nest” yeah that’s neil

andrew in an ugly sweater knitted by bee that is super warm is the most adorable thing ever

THE BOOZY HOT CHOCOLATE SCENE IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITES. IT FEELS SOFT AND KIND OF BLURRY ALONG THE EDGES. ANDREW TRUSTS NEIL ENOUGH TO BE DRUNK AROUND HIM AND I LOVE THAT. thank you for listening to my psa.

wait okay so the edges of the newspaper start to smoke, what is the extent of andrew’s powers?

ohymgoodness i didn’t know there was something that could be as cute as andrew giving neil a bath!!

the scene with andrew showing neil the newspaper is so good. how you describe neil breaks my heart, and i love the mention of andrew feeling neil’s scars

”he seems asleep every time andrew checks on him, but somehow he still follows the progress of the lights across the room, ending up squashed in a corner with the last ruddy-golden wisp of it before it disappears altogether” this is a wonderful detail and i love that you included it

NEIL SHIFTING BACK INTO HUMAN FORM AND ANDREW FREAKING OUT AND THEN NEIL GOING BACK TO A FOX oh. it’s good. again and again. i love the way that you treat it.

i bet the thing that neil missed the most about not being in human form was being able to talk. he probably only survived as a fox because then he couldn’t insult people

”and neil promptly conks out mid-sentence on the couch with his feet in andrew’s lap” ahh this is so cute

”was anyone going to tell me that he’s this handsome or was i just supposed to find that out myself” OH MY GOODNESS YOU REALLY DID THAT

ANDREW AS A FURRY UHHHH

the porcupines!!

okay so dan has a dog, renee has an owl (love that idea, so serene, all-knowing, but ready to strike and attack at a moment’s notice), seth has a rottweiler, aaron has a ferret (that is hilarious to me, HAH), bee has a cat. are there any others that i missed/weren’t mentioned? how did you come up with these matches and do you have backstories behind how they came together?

this fic was so so wonderful to read. as a really conflict-averse person, i loved the sense of comfort i had while i read this, i knew that they were all safe and protected and i felt so warm and cozy. i loved your characterization and the way that you were able to show neil’s personality so well in his fox form. this fic was fluffy, funny, and contained such beautiful descriptions and sentences. i know that when i read a fic that’s written from you, it will be good, and this one was no different. it was so easy to read and i loved witnessing the bond form between andrew and neil. i enjoyed this so so much. thank you for writing it!!

#fox sleep #aftg fic review #raelle writes

[everything-lobotomy-corporation]

Lobotomy Corp Pets

Angela permits the Sephirah to have office pets but things get out of hand quickly.

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

“I think it looks classy in the corner of my office.” Tiphereth sighed sweetly, gesturing to the large fish tank teeming with colorful fish. The little boy was through the moon, excited to have a pet in his office. “Thank you, Angela. I didn’t mean to impose-” “It’s simply fish.” She responded, almost robotically, “I don’t see them impeding your work very much.” “I actually think this will improve my work!” He nearly squealed, watching the bright technicolor creatures swim around. Angela raised a brow and a devious smirk formed. “Really?” “Yeah, It will make the day bearable. Who doesn’t want a friend or a couple of friends to help you through each day?” The Ai smiled, tapping her chin and running through the logistics of her new forming plan in her heard. “Tell me... do you think it would help the other Sephirah as well?”

----

The rule was enacted seemingly out of nowhere. Suddenly, the sefirot were allowed office pets. This email out of nowhere was interesting and it didn’t take long for the changes to be implemented.  Angela began in the Control Department, walking the halls and noting the employees and their tasks. She made her way to Malkuth’s office, opening the door without so much as a knock to see the Sephirah hard at work with some paperwork. The cockatiel on her desk danced happily, holding a pen in its mouth. Malkuth took the pen, thanking the little bird for it’s help. “Hello, Malkuth,” Angela finally greeted. Both the girl and the bird looked up, the bird mimicking the sound of the first trumpet upon seeing an intruder. “Oh, Good Morning Angela... Picnic, can you get mommy the white out?” It whistled, kicking off the desk into flight and going over to a little disorganized junk drawer in the corner. It picked up and flung around items as it searched and Angela just watched him eerily. “Your pet is not only for companionship but also has a practical use.” “Y-Yeah, Picnic is a very sweet bird.” “Good to see that it’s helping you work... Do you know if any other Sefirot have gotten into the spirit of things?” “I know Netzach got something and the information department has been abuzz all morning about whatever Yesod has.” “abuzz?” Malkuth nodded, digging through her papers as the cockatiel returned with a bottle of white out. “Yes, Something has them all talking and gossiping.”

--

It wasn’t a far walk to the information department and on the way, snickers and giggles could be heard. Angela entered without knocking and wasn’t phased at all at the sight. Yesod was at his standing desk and at his side was .... a naked cat. “It appears your mammal has lost it’s hair somewhere.” She commented, making the Sefirot roll his eyes. The cat jumped into his desk and he quickly pet the affectionate thing. “ Qetesh is a Donskoy. She doesn’t have any hair. It’s more efficient.” “It looks gross.” He sighed at her remark, having heard something similar all morning from his team. “She doesn’t have hairballs, at least.” “I suppose that is a plus.” “Why is everyone so interested in Qetesh? Netzach and Hod have absolutely abysmal choices.” He complained. “Cats are clean, functional, and they are independent mostly.” “What do Netzach and Hod have?” “Frogs.” “...Excuse me?” “Just go to the Security department. They should both be there.”

----

There was a hastily drawn sign that read Frog Room hanging on the door of Netzach’s office. From inside he heard gigglings and snorts from Hod and Angela determined that knocking was the best idea this time. Hod immediately asked her to enter and Angela was not prepared for what she was about to see. Inside was Netzach and Hod of course and a couple employees from both departments. There were hundreds of frogs hopping loose all over the room, jumping on people and climing on everything.Netzach had one on his head and Hod was cuddling about 5 of them like babies. “...Do I want to know what's going on here?”  “Fun.” Netzach said simply. “We got a shitload of frogs.” “I can....see that.” She said, being slightly distracted as a happy little frog jumped onto her foot. She looked down at it before kicking it off, launching it to Netzach  and hitting him in the face with a loud slap. He didn’t seem to mind, picking up the little guy. “She’s not the cuddly type, Archibald. You stay here with me.” “Please tell me you did not name them all.” “Oh!” Hod started, poking the head of the frogs she was holding. “Of course we did! This one is Pep, this one is chicken nugget, we call this little guy Squeedly Spooch-” “Don’t forget Durndle.” Netzach butt in, leaving Angela almost in shock. She had no intention of sticking around and hearing all the names.

---

Angela stopped by to say hello to the Tiphereth fish tank before making her way to the Welfare Department. The sound of arguing drew her to the hallway that connected the Welfare and Disciplinary departments. The yelling sounded all too familiar.  When she saw Chesed leaning against the wall, holding a puppy in his arms and across from him was Gebura with a leash on ..... “Gebura, is that a Wolverine?” Angela asked, almost exhausted. Both Sefirot turned to look at their boss but Gebura rolled her eyes. “Hello Angela.” Chesed started. “I was just taking Eirene for a little walk. Just to get my precious fluffy sheltie a lay of the land-” “If you’re going to address me do not coddle your dog while doing it.” Angela warned, unamused by the blue haired sephirah cuddling the animal. He ignored her, continuing to hug his precious puppy.  “Gebura’s Wolverine is very aggressive.” “He’s on a fucking leash. What more do you want from me!?” “It bites every employee it walks by-” Chesed was interrupted when the little furry creature snapped its jaws at him. “Get your little monster away from me.” “Maahes is MY little monster!” “I care much less about this now.” Angela said dryly, walking off and not bothering to weigh in on either side.

----

Hokma was frazzled, looking under every desk in the department when Angela arrived. She looked at him curiously but he didn’t seem to notice. “Milly! Milly sweetie where are you?” “You lost your pet?” “Oh, Angela, thank goodness.” He stood quickly, dusting himself off and trying to seem less disheveled. “Milly is missing. She’s a miniature pig.” “Where is the last place you saw her?” “She was just running around. Oh, Milly where have you gone.” “Well, when you find her let me know. I’ll go see what pet Binah has decided to keep.” “Yes. Yes. Of course, Angela.” She had already started walking off, trying not to look back at the sound of Hokma panicking. She made her way into the dark halls of the Extraction department. There were discouraging roars and rumbles coming deep from the area and Angela continued stoically through the hall. It wasn’t long before she came upon Binah’s throne. None of her employees were anywhere to be seen. Behind her stood the large black mass, growling at Angela’s approach. “Binah.” “Angela.... to what do I owe this visit?” “Is that the Mountain of Smiling Bodies?” “I call him Mose, for short.” Binah said casually. “He’s cute when you get past the smell.” The creature burped, a bright pink color shooting out from its mouth and landing at Angela’s feet. The collar read ‘Milly’ and Angela just had to sigh. “....He got hungry-” “Put him back.” “There is no rule that says I have to.” “There’s about to be, this was all a mistake.” Angela turned heel, walking out of the room and massaging her forehead. Binah sighed, petting the sticky mess who let out a little grunt in reponse. “....I’ll still call you Mose, buddy.”

#lobotomy corporation #lobotomy corp #imagine #imagines #pets #Binah #Chesed #Hokma #Netzah #Netzach #Hod #Malkuth #Angela #tiphereth #Gebura #Yesod

[smilingformoney]

America’s Most Eligible 3 Diamond Scene: Boardwalk with Adam

You: Miami Boardwalk Market, here we come! Adam: After you. With a few subtle glances at the preoccupied cast and crew, you and Adam quietly slink off down the beach.

You and Adam take a short stroll down the beach until you reach the boardwalk! The store are full of items ranging from expensive to kooky and absurd. Slowly, you shuffle your way to the crowded sidewalk to peer into the shops. You: This market’s got some pretty nice stuff. And it’s all half-off! Adam: It’s a little… crowded, don’t you think? You: That’s because this is the real world and not a closed set. Give it a few minutes, you’ll adjust. Adam: I guess I’ve been on the show for so long I’m starting to get spoiled. Who knew personal space was so hard to come by? You: If I’d have known four rounds of AME could help me forget the inconveniences of normal life, I’d have signed up for another season. Adam: Be careful what you wish for. The last year and a half of my life has been nonstop reality TV drama. They don’t mention that in the fine print. You: We’ll have our lives back before we know it. Just think…

You: In the real world… -We could do this every weekend.

You: A farmer’s market… a yard sale… maybe even a fair… Adam: How about every other weekend? You: Deal. But I think you’re gonna like it more than you let on. Adam: I’ll never tell.

-It’ll be all animals, all the time.

Adam: Now, that I can get behind. I’ve been missing my furry friends. You: Maybe we’ll even pop by a rescue shelter and play with the puppies. Adam: They say the easiest way to a vet’s heart is through the pitter-patter of little paws.

You share a laugh and make your way further down the boardwalk. As the crowd thickens, Adam takes your hand in his. You: Worried you’ll get lost? Adam: Even if I did, I’d find my way back to you. You: Easy there, tiger. You might want to slow your roll. Once we’re married, I’m gonna expect even more sweet nothings. Adam: Why do I have a feeling being married to you is gonna be like taking on a second, full-time job? You: Hey, I never said it was gonna be easy. It’s long hours and no days off but it’s got great benefits, and the boss is a hottie. Adam: Then I guess I’ll be putting in some overtime. You continue your walk, pointing out interesting things as you go. Adam: Alright. Let’s see if you can guess what I’m looking at. Adam: It’s white and comfortable. You: Easy…

You: It’s… -A cloud!

You point out the fluffy monsters above you. Adam: Actually, I was thinking about the picnic chairs. You: In my defence, I’d rather sit on the cloud.

-A picnic chair.

You point out the gaggle of people sitting and enjoying their lunch. Adam: Spot on. You: Like I said, easy peasy.

-No action

You scan the area… but come up blank! Adam: Not as easy as you thought, huh? You: You got lucky this time.

You: Now, let’s see if you can guess this.

… -Think of Adam!

He takes in the scene around you before glancing over and studying your face. Adam: Hmm… Adam: I give up. What is it? You: The Love of my life and my future husband, Dr. Adam McIntyre. Adam: And you call me cheesy.

-Think of ordering lunch!

He takes in the scene around you before glancing over and studying your face. Adam: Hmm… Adam: I’d know that look anywhere. It’s a classic sign that hangry Jamie isn’t too far away. You: Hey, I can’t be held responsible for what I do when I’m underfed.

As you pass a boutique, you notice Adam’s attention is drawn inside through the storefront window. You: Something catch your eye? Adam: You’ll see… Come on! The two of you file into the store and walk up to the woman behind the counter. Adam: Excuse me, miss. I’m here to pick up a reserved order. Saleswoman: Let me go grab it for you. She disappears into the storeroom for a moment, before returning with a silver box and handing it over to Adam. Adam: I have a confession… I may have called ahead. You: How’d you know I’d come with you? Adam: I didn’t, but I had to take a chance to get you this. Gently, he removes the box’s lid to reveal…

-Something Blue!

You: I love it… but why a pen? Adam: It’s for signing our marriage license. Adam sets the box down on the counter and turns to face you, gazing deep into your eyes. Adam: We’ve both been on AME long enough to know that reality TV is anything but real. But you and I, our relationship… That’s forever. Adam: This pen marks the beginning of our real life together, and it’s my promise that, no matter how we started, I’ll always be real with you. +50 You: I had no idea how much I cared about a ‘something blue’ until right now. Thank you!

Adam pockets the pen and thanks the saleswoman before the two of you head back to the beach, strolling hand in hand until you’ve gone as far as you dare… You: I guess this means it’s time to turn back… Adam: I think we can take our time. You: Good, because there’s one more thing I want to do.

You: … -Kiss Adam!

You rake your fingers through Adam’s hair and guide his mouth to meet yours. You kiss him softly at first, then fall into a frenzied rhythm, each of your kisses more fiery than the last. He parts your lips with his tongue, and your passion builds as you feel his body pressed against yours. You: Adam… You kiss him deeply, the warmth of his kiss sending shivers down your spine. His hands roam your back, then lower… You lose yourself in his touch until your lungs ache for air, and you pull away, breathless. Adam: Is that what you had in mind? You: Exactly that. You rest your head on his chest and listen as his heart returns to its regular pace, feeling completely relaxed.

-Dance with Adam!

You place Adam’s hands at the small of your back and pull him close, falling into a gentle sway. At your feet, the tide rolls in and covers your ankles before retreating. You: I thought we could use a little practice before our first dance. Adam: Worried I might have two left feet? You: Even if you did, I’d still love you. He spins you out, and reaches for you, dipping you low… right into an oncoming wave! You: Ah! Adam: Oops. He helps you to your feet, and you brush away the wet sand, feeling completely relaxed.

You: This has been a perfect day. Adam: Tell me about it… Now it’s back to reality. You: Or whatever’s left of it back on set. Adam offers you his hand, and you take it, lacing your fingers in his. Hand in hand, the two of you make your way back the relay race, kicking up sand the entire way.

#playchoices #choices stories you play #choices ame #choices america's most eligible #america's most eligible

[questionofdarkness]

some things I noticed during the latest chapter (aka you all knew this was coming because 199 was made for me!)

So, why did this take me so long? Well, obviously, there weren’t only a handful notable panels for me this time! Also I was really busy and I wanted to do this on my PC so that I don’t have to split it up in multiple parts again. So… chapter 199, huh? What a great time to be alive for all my fellow birb boy stans out there! Though I must say, I am a tiny bit disappointed in one aspect: I don’t think they brought across Toko boy’s character as well as they could in this chapter. Where were all the angsty one liners? Where was the edginess? There was a lot of hood Hawks and more amazing pictures than I ever imagined, but… yeah, it just didn’t feel as much like my boy as I hoped it would. Nevertheless, I am obviously really excited that we get to see so much of him - I’ve been waiting for some insight in the Hawk’s internship since it was first confirmed that Toky also had taken one and all the fanons that became canon! But let’s start from the beginning, shall we?

Starting off strong with a beautiful Hawks! Amazing! 10/10!

My poor boy, look at his little legs! 

Wheeze wheeze indeed! Again, confirmation that Tokoyami really wasn’t in the best phyical shape (compared to the other 1A members that is!). I really like how they subtlety show us development in characters like the bird boy through panels like this one. Also don’t you think these two sidekicks look like half a Tokoyami each? Like, we have the “beak” and the black clothes. That means the whole group is actually more like a 1.5 bird, right?

Tokoyami, starting to stand up for himself! That’s the good stuff!

I think we all lost our shit at this panel, right? I mean. Holy fuck! I think horikoshi just goes to the bnha tag on tumblr when he runs out of ideas and goes like “Yeah, that’s stupid, let’s put that in!”. Also Hawks giving no single shit is my aesthetic. 

What kind of response is that???? Also Toky is so fucking done I’m crying 

(Did anyone else notice the braclets? Do they serve a purpose? I don’t think so. Oh boy. Also the choker. I was kinda hoping he had painted nails as well, but I guess we can’t get everything straight away, right?)

So first of all - yes, yes he does! 

Secondly “birdman”? Man? Really? You wanna call this 5′2 goth teenie a man?

Fierce! 

Poor boy, I feel you though.

I love how this is phrased. “He decided to take me again”. Because to my understanding, the students have to seek out their employers themselves - they don’t get offers like they did during the week long internship. That means Tokoyami was the one to contact Hawks and ask him to take him under his wings again (pun intended). Although he said he had learned nothing last time! Although he went into the internship with the mindset, that Hawks was just interested in his connection to class 1A. 

So Tokoyami conciously sought him out to prove him and himself how much more he had in him than Hawks had realized! And I love this aspect of my boy, because it has never been shown before. He always was trying his best, but he never really displayed such a direct, stubborn will to prove himself. Again, I love how subtly Horikoshi lets side characters grow. It’s one of the things I love most about bnha.

TENEBROUS ABYSS BODY!

No but seriously, look at his eyes, look at that determination! How can people not love this boy? Also at least we get an edgy “nay” here, so good job!

Recognition!

Look at them smirk, I fucking love Hawks!

You know what I really like about this panel? Normally, when Tokoyami uses his Black Ankh, you don’t really see his eyes but mainly those of dark shadow. But here it’s the opposite. For me, that again represent his growth - he isn’t hiding behind Dark’s strength anymore! That goes along really well with the overall message of this chapter. Gotta love hero aca for it’s story telling.

And the next second he looks like a tiny precious bird again. His beak is so round! Ugh, i wanna hug him so much right now!

And again, everyone looses their collective shit.

one whole bird!

But i’ve literally seen fanarts exactly like this before this chapter came out! What the fuck, Horikoshi??

I do not like the implication that Hawks might not have asked for Toky’y permission and just picked him up though. But then again I guess we just weren’t shown. I can’t wait for this to get animated!!

Also “We’ve become one with the wind!” is also a respectable Tokoyami line.

“!” “?”

Hawk’s using Tokoyami’s real name while everyone else calls him Tsukuyomi is also great. I wonder if he has done that before or if this is the first time. But I also wonder what it might imply. Maybe it shows that he doesn’t see him as but a trainee, or maybe that he can’t really recognize him as a hero yet. I’d say I hope to see more of their relationship in the future, but to be honest, I doubt it.

I can’t wrap my mind around the way my boy is drawn here! On one hand I love it - look how fluffy his feathers seem! - but it’s also a tad strange. But again, fierce Toky speaking his mind!

Mentoring!

Also look at how tiny Tokoyami is!!! God I love this boy!

Why does it make me laugh every time when Hawks talks about them being birds?

Hawks looks so damn cool here! 

But aren’t we gonna talk about how Toky clings to the mast? I mean good decision, but I still find it funny. Hawks is all dramatic, staring into the distance, and Toky’s like “yeah I really appreciate the advise and all but if I fall I will die!”

Still dramatically raking off his cape!

Also same, it sounds fucking awesome!

Momo, could you please stop being so gorgeous? Also please change your costume, it’s winter and this is very impractical to begin with! But still, I will always love that they actually give my girl some fat rolls!

Still at it with taking off your cape? Also again: cape buddies!

And Tokoyami looks hot from this point of view as well. Does that make me a furry? Am I being a furry? 

Oh, and Toru gets some lines! Not gonna lie, kinda forgot she was there for a second.

The edgelords are back at it!

I absolutely love how they show that fighting isn’t only about punching stuff and strategy isn’t only observing. The manipulation factor is fascinating and I love how they give this trait to a side character like Kuroiro. He’s generally an interesting guy this far - I hope we’ll see more of him in future chapters.

They didn’t even try to add Toru to the picture! Poor Toru stands, hoping she’d get some more screen time during this arc…

Also I love how for once it isn’t Aoyama who’s being eccentric. 

And my boy still looks so fierce and those arms!

PHAHAHAHAHAH THIS IS BLOODY AMAZING I LOVE THIS PANEL SO MUCH OH MY GOD!

Cue to me crying in the background

(Same)

Ok but this panel is hilarious. I can’t even fully tell while but just… look at his pose!

I love seeing my boy improve (obviously) and it’s again a nice reminder of how much happens behind the scenes in this story.

Ambitious!

Also every Tokoyami/Aoyama shipper is probably crying right now as is Aoyama because his cape got ripped in half

Up up an away my boy!

More gorgeous Momo! Her eyes! Her hair! God I’m so gay!

Quod erat demonstrandum!

Also “Keep flying around freely” is a line I never dared to hope to hear in relation with my birb boy. This chapter is a dream come true.

I will never get tired of seeing Dark and Tokoyami interact. I wish we knew more about those two!

RRRRMMMBBBBBBB

Aoyama is so pissed look at him! My poor dude!

He just… plops out of the shadows. Yeah, how’s life going?

Ah, my girl, my beautiful girl! You sure do think of everything - one of my favorite traits of you. Also it’s nice that Hagakure gets some lines. She has really been neglected this chapter. Then again, I assume 200 will be about Momo’s fight with Kinoko (which I find really surprising - I was sure 200 was going to be Midorya centered! I’m not complaining though), so maybe Hagakure will get to show off against Manga? But then again, there’s also Kendou who I think will be a Momo opponent as well (seeing how the two got history and, as even mentioned last chapter, have a friendly rivalry). I sure am excited to see how this arc will develop, though I am still scared that this group of class A might have to loose in order to maintain a balance to make the final battle and therefore the clash of Izuku and Shinsou count. 

Looking foreward to next week and thank’s to everyone, who stuck around for this rant :D

#bnha #mha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #fumikage tokoyami #tokoyami fumikage #hawks #momo yaoyoroyu #yaoyoyoru momo #toru hagakure #tooru hagakure #hagakure tooru #hagakure toru #aoyama yuuga #yuuga aoyama #aoyama yuga #yuga aoyama #kuroiro shihai #shihai kuroiro #class 1b #chapter 199 #manga spoilers #spoilers #joint training arc #Things i noticed

[justeonelemoncoffee]

part of gifted!steven au 

(not really)

“so basically steven is a snow white.”

“steven is what?” the words, it makes andrew look up from laptop. so engrossed in the work, he didn’t noticed someone walks in. the office has been uncharacteristically quite since most of them had to go out to work. taking advantage of it, andrew enjoyed the rare moment, taking off headphone even. until it isn’t. 

a host member of the try guys, keith smirk at bewildered look on his face. before he know it, the others show up too.

“basically i’m not.” and steven. who followed them as camera crew in the early morning. it was take more time than andrew expected. steven was holding a paper cup, he comes to andrew straight, put the coffee down front of him. it was still warm. almost involuntarily, he raises the cup to his lips and murmured thank you, steven smile down at him. then sit against desk which is andrew’s as if he belong to there. he did that often, maybe too often. not that andrew minded though.

“you are. you’re the princess. you should be watch out apples. someone might poison you.” zack, the other try guys member stepped into the scene.

“yeah, since you’re filming worth it…” eugene who’s standing next to zack, agrees too. he takes out his cellphone and showed something to others. ned laughed out loud as keith cackles at the same time. apparently, it seems they all had fun at wildlife rescue center. andrew wonders what happened during the filming. he notices all of them looked tired. it probably was long shoot. helping animals aren’t easy work. especially if they are wildlife. among them, steven looks drawn, a little pale even. andrew is beginning to worry him.

“very funny. and why is a princess by the way?” apparently, steven dosen’t seem  to have fun as much as the others.

“because it’s away more fun than just call you a prince.” zach says, wearing shit-eating grin on his face. steven groaned, cross his arm and obviously pouts now. he retorted something back to them. although he didn’t seem to really upset with them, apart from camera, annoyed steven isn’t something you can see everyday. andrew couldn’t help but staring the view.

“call me princess again, i’m going to…”

“…sleep and wait for prince charming.” zack interrupts him, just for completes the sentence by himself. steven huffs, he shakes his head and stare them flatly like he’s a parent who can’t deal with the immature acts of his children. which is absurd and also hilarious, because he’s steven lim. most childish adult andrew ever met. and he works in buzzfeed.

“i hate you all. except andrew. because andrew is nice unlike you guys.”

steven says and nods solemnly. andrew can’t help allows to himself admit it’s a cute sight.

“you mean, because andrew is ‘the one’?”

“you know what? i’m done here.”

steven raises himself upright from andrew’s desk, glares at them. then without a word, he walks out through office door dramatically. considering his overeacting, almost playful expression, he isn’t really upset. andrew relaxes. he can’t remember when it started exactly, but steven’s well being is important to him somehow. before steven stumped off, muttering something under his breath. something like ‘troll guys.’ well, andrew thinks they deserve it.

when steven is out of sight, andrew turned back, raise his eyebrows to them. “snow white, huh?”

“i thought it better than ‘living catnip’ because it was called already.” keith shrugs, of course, there’s no sigh of dependance. actually it doesn’t need to be. to be honest, it happens all the time, ‘teasing steven’ to put it bluntly. although they never intended to mean to him or hurt him (if someone did, the freak is gonna be buried alive under the buzzed HQ. andrew would be the first one who grabs a shovel and starts digging ground. probably adam too, he’ll be the second.) people doing that just to see his reaction. includes andrew himself. in his defense, it wasn’t their fault. his reaction is too fun and adorable when being teased. steven knows that too. people tease him because they fond of him. even though doesn’t get the reason. in other worlds, as long as there’s no harm, steven didn’t mind the teases.

(okay, maybe he sulked once or twice) this time is no different. but andrew knows better than that. something bothers steven. and it bothers him.

maybe not for everybody, but it’s obvious to his eyes. andrew wonders if even steven realize his own feeling. for a remarkably smart person, also preternaturally keen to other’s emotion, steven doesn’t have a clue about himself. sometimes it looks like, he simply forgot that he has a feeling too. to him, it’s a very interesting process to watch. sympathy too. at least he’s an open book, so andrew can take care of him. it isn’t necessary job though. andrew knows that, he doesn’t need to watch over steven, or babysit him. no. no matter how many time steven acts like a child, he’s a respectable adult and he can do things properly when he has to.

it just, it feels wrong, to seeing steven is being hurt. he hates it. don’t even want to think about it. andrew just wants to make sure that troubles keep out of his way, make sure something won’t let hurt him. keep him safe. that’s what friends do. right? standing by side watching over each others back. although to andrew that’s not enough. steven no need to know about that. so he just waited until steven left the office.

“why steven became disney princess, suddenly? did something happened in there?” adrew asks, the try guys look each others, grin spreads on their faces. like they recalled good old memory. and what is that? it’s been only few hours. before andrew lost his patience, zach smirks at him and open his mouse finally. “something happened indeed. we almost dropped out the filming because steven has new stalkers.”

“he had what.” andrew knows his voice rises, but he don’t care about that. not now.

“relax, nothing serious, i mean, just animals.” ned adds quickly, holding his hands as if trying to calm him down like andrew is about two seconds from turn to some dangerous creature while zack just waves him off.

“yeah, animals like bunny and furries or some kind of deers. isn’t it typical? it is, you know, one of essential conditions for being princess.” he says in sarcastic tone. but andrew can sense affection in there.

“we tried to making friends with them. so we had to cleaning stalls and washing them, feeding food and helping them, something more to build to gain their trust.” eugene says while eating snack. must be hungry. he shoves a handful of chips into mouth. so zach has to tell instead of him. “they did. with only steven. and that wasn’t fair. he didn’t even help the cleaning!” he exclaimed, fake indignantly.

because he had to holding a camera. or boom mic. but andrew don’t say it out loud. hold it to himself. he don’t want to showing of his favoritism. no more than he’s shown it so far.

“if it wasn’t funcking adorable. i’d stop filming and came back to the office without him. we had to wait for hours.”

“maybe we should have to sing to them.” ned added, everyone laugh again.

even they say like that, it’s obvious they were enjoying the filming. finish his snack, eugene approached to him with camera. “let me show you, here.”

first one. the view starts from entrance of the center. then scene shifted to a forest, look like almost nature thing. andrew impressed. if he don’t see fences and some facilities across divided districts, he might believe it is. and there’s some animals too. camera zoom in on them. they’re scatters here and there on an area. some deers, rabbits. maybe it’s herbivorous zone. at first, the animals didn’t recognize someone watching them. it was a calm, peaceful scene. then suddenly the video footage was shaking a bit like the camera man was ambushed by something. angle down rapidly, almost falls to ground. fortunately the crew managed to catch the camera before hitting on ground. the angle back to normal with a sigh go relief, andrew knows the voice, at the same time his eyes catch sneakers and immediately notices who’s the sneakers’s owner. soon, the sneakers covered by mottled fluffy balls. andrew finds himself melts a bit at the scene. then he heard, ‘i knew it’ somewhat resignedly, steven mumbled in camera.

move on to next one, steven appears in middle of the footage, he sat down surrounded by small animals. a bunny on his lap, others perches on his legs.  steven was busy to petting them by turn. deeply concentrated on what he is doing, steven didn’t seem to notice camera at first. he occasionally nodded, lifted his head to only speak to someone who outside of the footage. probably center staff, andrew guesses. from the way steven’s hands moving over anlmals, it looks like he asking things about the animals around him. andrew don’t understand what they’re talked, but it rather affected steven considering his expression; sad, sympathy. worry, all emotions mixed on his face and it looks almost painful. but his touch for them is so gentle and tender. andrew tries not to feel jealous of. these grass eaters. don’t be stupid, illyckyj.  after steven did comfort them for a while, finally he tried to up. but a deer nudged him to sitting position again.

the try guys are right. it’s unfair. for he can’t see this in person.

“see? snow princess.” keith says. andrew don’t agree with that, he just says nothing. just stare at the camera. “it seems like, steven has them wrapped around his finger too, huh.” he don’t disagree either.

camera zoom in on, so he can see that steven speak something to her(or him. he don’t know.) with smiling fondly. when andrew thinks their face too close, as i on cue, they brush each others nose accidently. at moment steven looked dumbfound. then he burst out laugh. it sounds happy.

“you’re smiling.” ned says with teasing tone. like he knows that what’s going on there, inside of his head.

“no, i’m not.” andrew frowns instantly, realized that he’s not alone. but it’s too late.  even though it’s not exactly secret, still embarrassing to admit to them. even himself. he don’t used to this kind of thing. feeling. of course, he’s been experience of some relationships since teen, through casual to serious term in a way. he dated before, the last one is not too long ago. but it’s different. it’s feels different. andrew never been in here before. that’ why he can’t define his feeling for steven. because steven, for an open book, he’s still an enigma to andrew. and he even don’t know that he really wants to solve this or not. maybe both. what an irony. like steven himself. it’s frustrated him no end. maybe he’s just curious. or not. curiosity never make him fluttering like this.

“i know. this is my favorite too.” ned adds, ignoring his answer. then he smirks at andrew, like he knows what’s going on inside of his head. technically it’s not possible. andrew turns his eyes to other way.

“mine is this one.” thankfully eugene, stepped in appropriate timing. he picks cell phone up again, open video polder and touch the most recent one to play,

in this video. steven tried to sneak out from herbivores zone. he looked around in nervous, tiptoed over to the borderline of forests. but in the middle of escape, he was caught by a bunny, steven’s eyes widen. he stepped backward few steps but tripped over himself to avoid step on little ones, fell over on ground miserably. as if on cue. soon his almost entire body disappeared by the animals. steven yelled ‘i can’t move!’

this time, andrew huffs out little laugh.

the truth about andrew is, he’s always stuck in middle. and he hates it.

it’s mean not only literally but metaphorically too. well, he’s just born that way. the middle child of three brothers. perhaps it wouldn’t be so surprising if there was middle child crisis as expected. he was. no matter how he wants to deny about that.  he can feel that it’s still exist somewhere inside him. although not much, just tiny presence now. but it wasn’t from being neglected or left behind though.

his parents are most amazing person he could ever have. they love each other in all sincerity. they are really love him. love he and his brothers all fairly, there’s never a hint of favoritism. treat them with patience and understanding, always supported and encouraged them with open mind. in return, andrew love them wholeheartedly as his other brothers. andrew knows very well how lucky he is. people knows. he lived in small town. when he was younger, his friends often told him it made them feel jealous how perfect, wonderful family that he has. his family may not wealthy, but there was nothing real hardship either. they are humble but confident, on good term with neighbors. a loving and caring family. truly, his family are perfect. probably too perfect, too good for him.

so, it wasn’t really their fault that he had secret inferiority complex. and if they did, at least it’s not on purpose. more likely, it’s andrews problem.

 the brothers, although they worked well as a dream team, each performed better separately. they are each two years apart. alex, the oldest one, he’s such a perfection itself. the smartest in brothers, not only he’s fulfill his duty as eldest brother by taking care of his sibling, but also basically everyone around him. as an honer roll student, he always one step ahead of his peers. there’s nothing he can’t do. everything about his brother is perfect and elegant. perfect student, perfect friend, perfect veterinarian, perfect boyfriend, perfect brother and perfect son. he’s the proud one in family. someday even if his older brother throwing his hat in the ring, to running for president, andrew wouldn’t be surprise.

on the contrary max, the youngest, he’s a rascal and rebel. not to family or innocents, but against society, to irrational system, like convention and corruption things. the trouble maker in brothers. he’s bold, daring and brave. it’s not fake or immature thing. he’s a genuine one. some people might consider him a bad boy by his acts and wild looks but not really. seemingly he’s lone wolf. the truth is, he’s such a darling to everyone. it was impossible not to love this guy. he’s the charming one in family. as social butterfly by nature, the younger one loves party and people. his irresistible smile attracts people, especially to women since he born. ladies boy to ladies man now. also he’s a journalist too. he put his heart and soul into these works. andrew is sure that his baby brother gonna surprise the world.

as if that’s not enough, both of them belonged to the football team when in high school. the linebacker and the quarterback. and andrew? people might expected that he was in there too. maybe the center. but no. although he can play if he wants ( his brothers used to practice on the others. so yeah)  he was in drama club.

andrew is well, just andrew. it wasn’t mean that he was the ugly duckling. if anything, andrew had a good time in his own way. not exactly the popular one, but close to. he has a dry sense of humor that people thinks really funny. he looks cool, calm and collected but still friendly one. he had good grade, he has good friends, he was one of main players in dram club. he was good in many things. sometimes andrew thought that he just playing a role in real life. mostly original, but still mixing copy in a character. almost perfect as much as the older one. almost charming as much as younger one. but not enough to satisfied himself. he can’t impressed people like them. middle isn’t means center anyway.

like he said. his parents love them equally, never compared them to others. andrew compared himself to them. andrew knows he shouldn’t treat himself like that. but he couldn’t stop either.

sure, the family lives in harmony but that didn’t mean they are flawless. yes. he said the word perfect maybe too many times. ‘perfect’ as humanly possible. of course they have trouble too, they fight and sulk to each others as other people do that. over ridiculous things like toothpaste flavor to some serious issue. and apologize,  back to life as if nothing had ever happened. likewise, of course andrew knows they are just mortal as much as he is. but can’t help the noticing that they all way better than him. no one wouldn’t agree with him though. no one understand his feeling ether. that’s why he thought this is his problem.

when andrew was in college, he played several roles in several plays than high school. his professor told him he’s talented one. even though andrew couldn’t sure about that, but occasionally he found himself that how easily he into the roles. it was fun to become another person which he never gonna be in reality. it felt good. like drug, he was kind of addicted to it a bit. sometimes he felt that he’s breathing easier in roles than just himself. first time andrew realized that, he immediately felt guilty, like he betrayed his family. although he did his best to hide it. god. what’s wrong with him. he used to ask this to himself. but there was no answer. it’s like poverty midst plenty, surrounding people, somewhat he felt lonely. if it’s any consolation, at least his acting is good.

he might too busy to struggling with himself.(low key self-conscious, loneliness, self-induced pressure) andrew tends to catching up with things later. for example, his confused sexuality. actually it started at his sophomore year(his best guessing) didn’t nocticed until senior year. of college. he was a mess at that time. he’s in shock, not really ashamed of that but don’t know how to deal with. he already had enough shit.

or

“what do you mean, you have known this what, whole time?”

“i’m your mom andy, what do you expect from me? and stop looking at me like that.”

“like what?”

“like i ate your whole candy!”

“were you?”

or

“dad?”

“well, son. we couldn’t sure about that. just guess, you didn’t show any particular sign about that, but you know, we’re your parents. and you was in drama club anyway.”

“i hate this family.”

“no, you’re not.”

or

“so..you can have men and women both, huh? you hit the jackpot, bro!“

“you’re not helping.”

“if you want to join community, talk me anytime. i know some people who can help.”

“you just want to use me to date with them. you jerk.”

or

“if you want to meet someone, maybe i can introduce my friends or visitors.”

“thank you, but no thank you.”

“which do you prefer, cat person or dog person?”

“stop.”

huh.

he knows that his family not gonna judging him with that. it went well as expected. too well. jesus fucking christ, his parents have known before he realized. his brothers, they accepted it like he changed his hair color. so, no surprising. no shock. no bewilderment, no fussing. and andrew, he found himself a little disappointing about that. seriously what’s wrong with him, he asked himself again as many time did. it wasn’t make any sense. he got the best response as much as he could get, from people who he care most deeply about. and upset with that? what the hell.

but he couldn’t show it, as always.

after some wandering, andrew began to working for that company called buzzfeed. it was niki, his best friend suggestion. who already had been there. he met her senior year of college. they was in class for studying filmmaking (his major. theater was minor) they really clicked immediately. they have similar personalities and dispositions andrew is comfortable around her. he knows her, she knows him. niki understand him in that way no one did before. they talked about almost everything. also she realized his sexuality faster than him.

 it was surprisedly easy for him to adjusted to life in california. there’re so many people. so many food. and sun. the sunshine is so bright it got him almost blinding. floods into everywhere, you can’t hide nothing from that. for a quite while, he hadn’t notice that he changed mood. he’s been too busy to think about anything else but  adapt new life. it was refreshing. warming him up under the sun, he thought maybe it’s time to stop hiding. he should to living his own life. now he feels more independent, more freedom than before. it reminded him first college year, but better. he living on his money now. maybe that’w why. maybe for the first time in his life, he’s simply in the right place at the right time.

steven wasn’t.

“i think you’re the right person for this show.”

when steven approached him and said like that, it takes a moment for the words sink in. and andrew realized that steven is still there, sitting in next to him. so he has no a choice but turn his body steven’s way to facing him. if others did as steven did, he may get suspicious first.(fuck candid camera.) but he’s steven lim. it’s not like andrew knows him well. aside from his name, tall, thin asian, blond, awkward but smart guy. and that’s all. nothing above average except height. he’s no problem with that. what and don’t understand is, it seems everybody in buzzfeed loves steven a lot. without any special reason. nothing wrong with the love. but something in there, or something off in there. some people acts as if they’re possessed by whatever, how andrew can know what is it? just it feels little bit unnatural. but again, he really don’r know about steven lim. but andrew also knows that; he’s not kind of backstabbing person. as an actor, andrew is sure that steven is incapable of telling a lie. well, technically he can. just he’d be a terrible liar.

he can see steven tried to look casual, but obviously it’s not works when steven wiggling in his chair like a nervous child. moreover he fidgeting his hands constantly and he’s eyes, are looking everywhere in the office but him.

stop that. andrew feels an urge to snap at him, or hold his armchair to stop him

“are you sure? don’t get me wrong. but i never expect this.” not from you.

instead, he tries answered calmly. he’s already guilty of one thing to steven. don’t have a plan for make another sin. adam’s going to kill him. who talked to him about the show steven and him are planning. “why me? i mean, we barely know each other.” andrew asks, because it’s true.

steven nods, enthusiastically. “i’m sure. and you’re right. we don’t know each other. that’s why we need you. we compare food on food. but our difference, i think it gonna inject some life there.” steven nods again, not to andrew this time. like he wants to make sure at himself too. he knits his brows like he thinks hard something.   andrew realizes that he stopped the wiggling. so he is serious. “and i heard that you’re not picky.” steven adda, in seriousness. like it’s most important problem in there. and okay. andrew has to keep a straight face.

“and?” it’s come out softly more than he thinks he would be, almost encouragingly. it works.

“and i heard you love foods. i need someone who would be really, truly professional about this show. we gotta do a lot of things just for this. we don’t need expert. we need passion, sincerity and devotion to go on the this show. i am. but when i go too far, i need someone drag me down to ground.” he explains, sincerely, while steven talked to him, steven looking at him straight in his eyes. somehow andrew impresses.

“and you think of me?” amused too. it’s not like andrew isn’t tempt by that. andrew did filming with him once. steven’s good. the concept is appearing. and adam would be there too. it’s gonna be a good shot.

“yes. i’m sure that we’ll get along fine. i don’t know you well. but i know you’re good from my experience.”now he blushes. it’s pretty. and his desperate, hopeful expression says more than words. steven’s eyes are too dark andrew almost can’t find the iris. but it’s most transparent eyes that he ever seen. vulnerable even. andrew can see through his eyes.

“i’ll think about that.” andrew finds himself says like that. how can he say no to this?

“really? wow, thank you, wow. i know it’s not easy decision. but you won’t be disappointed when you join the team!” steven beams at him. then he jumps to his feet like he’s so excited that he can’t sit still. god, how old he is, twelve? and he don’t know where is it come from but, suddenly it feels like,

“it’ll be worth it.” steven says softly.

exactly.

then steven is gone. as suddenly as he appears. andrew’s mind lost for while; mulling over the suggestion. andrew don’t know well about steven, but he seems nice and passionate. also a bit perfectionist like andrew himself. he can feel that. and even he don’t know about steven. he knows adam. adam is caution man in every respect, he’s nice to everyone, but open his heart to others is whole another story. and andrew knows that adam really, really fond of steven. after all, they are very close. he can trust adam. but andrew knows he already made his mind before this consideration. then andrew realizes, he has never been apologize to steven. about last time incident.  maybe steven forgets it already, given that he acting around d him. but still, andrew should to apologize to him regardless of the show.  that was unfair to steven. next time he see steven, he’d to do. andrew remind himself.

and you know what? it turns out, steven is right.

.

#bfwi #bfwi fic #standrew #its barely related to concept #my english is terrible #but i'm doing it anyway #warning for endless edit

[narisjournal-blog]

A Lot To Learn (Part 3): When I Was New

A LOT TO LEARN MASTERLIST

Chuck x Reader Fobwatch AU Word Count: 2,187

Chuck has a secret that even he doesn’t know. But you do. And you are sworn to protect him and keep his secret safe inside a fobwatch necklace you keep with you at all times.

You and Chuck decide to get some fresh air. The animals seem drawn to Chuck for some reason, and he is faced with a situation that makes him wonder once more just exactly you might not be telling him. 

Warnings: Sickeningly fluffy fluff (there are ducks). 

Please give me feedback!

Your fingers mindlessly traced the grooves and patterns in the locket that hung at your chest. You relished the feeling of the wind gently tousling your hair and the crisp autumn air biting your skin.

‘I trust you,’ Chuck had said. 'I know you’ll keep this secret safe.’

Your words had stammered and crumbled. Your lip had trembled.

'But what if I can’t? What…what if I screw this up? What if it all goes wrong?’

He had taken you in his arms and stroked your hair.

'We can talk through your contingencies. But you’ve got this. I believe in you,’ he had purred softly as you shook.

'But…’ you had stuttered. 'But Chuck… I… you’re the one I always turn to. I don’t think I can do this without you.’

'You won’t be without me,’ he had smiled at you, pulling back to look into your eyes. 'I’ll be right here.’

The softness and love you had seen in those big blue eyes in that moment had calmed you.

If he trusted you, then you had to believe he was right. He knew the inner workings of your heart better than you did, and he was handing you this fob watch with complete faith. He was handing you his very heart.

You sighed and looked over at the man who was literally your world. He came out of his front door waving his wallet to signify that he had found it.

You leaned against the wall of his house, jacket pulled tight but squinting in the sunlight. You wondered if it was coincidence how the light seemed to fall on him, as though it was drawn to him on some level even the universe itself didn’t understand.

Chuck smiled, though he too squinted against the light. He had this excited energy about him as he fumbled about locking the door.

It was clear he hadn’t left the house for a while.

He came and stood before you, inhaling the fresh air deeply before his eyes fixed on you.

'You look deep in thought. What’s got that mind whirring?’ He asked.

You smiled. 'Nothin’. Just thinking about… you.’

He hesitated. 'Me?’ He said, pointing to his chest. He frowned at you. 'I’m really not that interesting.’

You laughed and pushed yourself to stand. You held out your hand to him.

'Come on. Let’s go.’

He took your hand, sliding his fingers into yours.

You both chatted idly as you walked, not really sure where you were going.

You couldn’t help but watch him as he spoke; there was an air of innocence about him. Something pure and unburdened. He was like a new man since yesterday.

The seizures were brutal and no fun for anybody. But they seemed to clear his head and lift some great weight off his shoulders; for a few days, at least.

You had thought about getting him medication. There were plenty of anti-convulsants used for epilepsy that would reduce the seizures. But Chuck wasn’t any normal human and you had no idea how anything stronger than ibuprofen would affect him.

The visions were important. As much as it hurt to watch him go through it all, it was necessary.

You turned your attention back to what he was saying. He gesticulated as he spoke, perhaps forgetting he was still holding your hand as he pulled at your arm.

You giggled, giving a teasing tug back.

'Sorry,’ he smiled. 'I get overexcited sometimes.’

'One of the many reasons I love you, Chuck.’

You had ended up in the park and spotted a vacant bench nearby. You pointed to it.

'Shall we?’

Chuck nodded and you led him over and both sat.

This was nice. You sat in silence for a little while, your head resting against his shoulder. You relished these days. The burden felt so much lighter, and you barely even noticed the ticking clock that hung at your neck.

You were pulled from your thoughts by the sound of quacking as several ducks had gathered at Chuck’s feet.

He laughed. 'I haven’t got anything for ya, fellas. Sorry.’ He leaned forward, watching them.

'That’s adorable,’ you said.

As chuck moved, you noticed there was also a grey squirrel sat on the back of the bench behind him.

He was like a damn Disney princess, you thought.

As he sat back, the squirrel scurried onto his shoulder and perched there for a minute.

Chuck froze at first, not sure what it was.

'It’s just a squirrel,’ you reassured him. He relaxed and smiled, looking round at the creature on his shoulder.

'What… what is it with the animals this morning?’

You cleared your throat. 'Afternoon,’ you mumbled.

He shook his head. 'Whatever.’

The squirrel darted down Chuck’s chest and sat on his knee.

'I haven’t got anything for you, either,’ he laughed. He gingerly stroked a finger across the little guy’s furry head. The smile that now took over his face and crinkled his eyes was pure joy.

He looked up at you.

'Alright, Snow White. Looks like you’ve made a friend,’ you laughed.

'Hold on,’ he said, feeling about in his jacket pockets. The squirrel sniffed at his pocket as he reached in.

'Huh!’ He said, pulling out a handful of monkey nuts.

The squirrel took one gratefully and scurried back up onto Chuck’s shoulder to start breaking into it.

'Why do you have monkey nuts in your pocket, Chuck?’

He scrunched his face up, thinking.

'I don’t… I don’t know. I don’t remember… where did I even get them from?’

You laughed as he broke the others open and threw them to the ducks at his feet.

'Another reason I love you. You’re a mystery even to yourself.’

He smirked. 'Yeah? What about you?’ He said, turning to look at you.

'Me?’

'You’re pretty mysterious.’

'Am I?’

'Yeah. Like…’ he huffed, trying to find his words. 'Like, how you always seem to appear when I need you. Even at 3 am. I don’t call you. I never need to. You just know.’

You sighed. Yeah, that was pretty mysterious, you thought.

'I just know you.’

Chuck shook his head, his forehead creased.

'But how? Why? I mean… it’s like you drop everything. For me. Like…’ he sighed. 'like I’m the most important thing in the world. In… in your world.’

You hesitated, wondering how you could explain this.

'You are,’ you said quietly.

You looked up at him just as he also looked up. Your eyes met.

Chuck brought his hand to your cheek. It was surprisingly warm.

'I love you, Chuck. Always will. Whatever you need, I’m always right here. You know that.’

'I do.’

His eyes scanned your face, taking you in.

You realised this was another of those moments where the humanity in him was likely to take over. But this time, it was him who pulled away with a sigh.

A goose honked loudly by your feet and you laughed.

'You got any more hidden snacks for your rowdy fans?’ You said, nodding to the birds in question.

He pulled away from you and felt around in his jeans pockets this time.

He looked surprised when he pulled out a small bag of sunflower seeds, laughing incredulously.

'Would ya look at that,’ he remarked. He looked at you as if you would have the answer.

You shrugged. 'You’re a prophet. Maybe you foresaw it.’

He tipped some seeds into his hand and bent down for the ducks and geese to get it. Completely natural, like it was something he did every day.

He turned back to look at you.

'My head’s been completely fucked lately. I don’t remember half the stuff I do. You’re the only thing keeping me together. You know that right?’

'That’s exactly what I’m here for.’

He turned his attention back to the birds. One of the smaller ducks seemed to have a twig or something sticking through its wing.

'Hey little guy,’ he said softly. He scattered the rest of the seed on the floor and when the injured duck shuffled forward to peck at it, Chuck slowly reached out to examine the wing.

The duck flapped a little, but calmed down almost instantly. Something about Chuck’s energy seemed to put him at ease.

'Let me see, buddy,’ Chuck cooed, slipping off the bench and kneeling down.

He gently slid his hand around the duck, it’s fragile form cupped in his hand.

You watched in awe, your hand clutched to your chest. It was incredible to watch the amount of love that poured out of the man, even when he had no idea who he was.

Pushing feathers aside, he was able to see where the twig had torn through. There was a little blood. He winced as he slowly pulled it out, as though it was from his own arm.

The bird tried to flap and struggle a little, but Chuck held him firmly.

Once the twig was out he tried to examine the wound, but the duck was flapping a Lot now in panic. Chuck frowned up at you, real concern in his face.

You knew that face. It was a face that said 'I wish I could make it better. I wish I could ease his pain.’

You didn’t even really think.

You brought your hand down your chest to clutch once more at the necklace. Your other hand found its way onto Chuck’s back.

You felt the surge through you, and this time, Chuck noticed the faint glow that sparked from his hand where it held the duck.

The duck’s flapping calmed and he began quacking again. Chuck let go, and the duck stretched out his now fully healed wings and shuffled back into the crowd to finish of the seed that remained.

Chuck looked down at his hands in wonder. He looked up at you, eyes bright and wide as you quickly removed your hand from him.

'Am I… what the hell just happened? You saw that, right?’

You bit your lip and nodded.

'You know something about this, don’t you?’

Oh, fuck, you thought.

'I…’

He joined you on the bench again, perching on the edge and turned to face you. He slid his hand onto your knee.

He looked between you and the duck, shaking his head in disbelief, before fully fixing his eyes on you.

'God does answer prayers, you know,’ you finally responded.

Chuck’s forehead crinkled. 'But I didn’t … I wasn’t …’ he stuttered.

'Prayers aren’t always words, Chuck.’ Your heart was pounding in your chest.

'But… why listen to me? Why… this? Why now?’

'He chose you. You are a prophet, right? That means you have a… connection with him.’

You inhaled and closed your eyes. 'Your heart is so compassionate. You were deeply moved by the innocent little creature that was hurt. You wanted to help.’

You felt a tear roll down your cheek and you opened your eyes to see his glistening blue eyes fixed on you.

'That, right there, is the heart of God.’

That, right there, you thought, showed you that he really was still here; even though he didn’t know it. Even though God himself had no idea.

It had been a rough few years. You had found yourself so lonely, even with Chuck right by your side.

There had been days he had barely even been a pale reflection of the man you knew him to be and it ached in your heart.

So moments like this, when his heart was so clear, were sacred to you. It showed you there was still hope, and you could get him back.

Just not yet.

His eyes shone as he listened to you. Finally he spoke, after studying your face for a while.

'You have a really strong faith, don’t you?’

You nodded and smiled.

'I feel like… I feel like there might be something you’re not telling me…?’ He said softly.

You looked up into his bright blue eyes.

'Do you trust me?’

He put his hand on your cheek again.

'With my life.’ The sincerity in his eyes warmed you to the core.

You nodded once. 'Then I promise you, if there’s something you need to know - you will. You just concentrate on being you.’

He held you for a few minutes, searching your eyes. It felt like he was looking straight into your soul, and the connection you felt was like electricity buzzing through your veins.

'Ok,’ was all he said. And then he relaxed.

Chuck spotted an ice cream truck across the park.

'You want one?’ He asked, pointing to it and fishing his wallet out of his pocket.

'Yeah,’ you smiled. 'I’d love one.’

'I’m gonna get you the biggest cone with all the sprinkles and sauce and the flake and everything,’ he beamed, that same childlike innocence emanating from him.

'You don’t have to-’ you started, laughing.

Chuck interrupted. 'I insist. I want to say thank you for helping me out. For… for always being here for me.’

'Ok. Only if you get one too.’

*** Tags:

Everything list: @quixoticcat @afanofmanystuffs @trashforwinchesters @yourewelcomeforbeingmyfriend @featheredluci @natasha-cole @greenappleeyes

Rob/chuck list: @tas898 @destielschild @girl-next-door-writes @nekodresden85 @winchestergirl-13 @a-banana-for-your-thoughts @jelly-beans-and-gstrings

@dont-hate-relate-pls

If you want to be added to a tag list, let me know!

#chuck shurley x reader #chuck x reader #chuck shurley #chuck x you #chuck shurley x you #supernatural #supernatural fanfiction

[wildernessuntothemselves]

It Will Come Back

Third drabble from the song drabble game. You can read the first one here, the second one here and here is the BTS request list and the Girl Group request list. Song: It Will Come Back by Hozier Don’t give it a hand, offer it a soul Honey, make this easy. Leave it to the land, this is what it knows Honey, that’s how it sleeps. Don’t let me in with no intention to keep me Jesus Christ, don’t be kind to me. Honey don’t feed me I will come back. Word Count: 3k I don’t know what a drabble is apparently :’D Genre: fluffy fucking fluff and a hint of smut Author’s Note: I’m drunk so I don’t know if this is shit or not lmao sorry

Yoongi almost jumps right out of his skin when he's woken up from his barely two-hour-long sleep by something yapping and licking at his face. In his haste to get away from the thing, his legs get tangled up in the sheets and he falls to the ground, knocking his head against the nightstand. "Fuck!" He just manages to shout before a small, furry demon leaps down from the bed right into his lap. Startled, Yoongi stumbles back and hits his head against the nightstand again. He cradles his head in his hands and falls to the ground, which makes the little creature even more persistent in his pursuit of him.Through the blurriness of the pain, he squints his eyes to try to make out the exact nature of the beast he was dealing with. Brown in color, small in size, fluffy fur, and a toy form...

Yoongi pounds on the door of his next door neighbor with all his might, feeling like he might actually knock it down. Well, if he was Jungkook that is. A panicked voice stutters from behind the door, "Who is it? If you're looking for trouble then I think you should know that I have a baseball bat that I'm not afraid to use." The clearly terrified girl squeaks out then adds later as an afterthought, "I h-have also called the police." "I have your thing-- animal." Yoongi grits out, clearly irritated with the dog and his owner. She seems to have recognized his voice because the door is swung open right away. "Mr. Min, w-why do you have my dog?" She says all wide eyed and blushing. He shouldn't have come here. He should've just kicked the dog out of his house and let it fend for itself. Even if that meant it would get lost and his neighbor would cry over it. See if he cares. "I should be the one asking you why I woke up to find that ridiculous excuse for a dog slobbering all over my face." "I'm so sorry." She gasps, quickly taking the dog off his hands. If he was any other person, she would've already chewed his ears off for daring to insult her dog. But with him, she just took it and apologized to boot. "He must have slipped out the house and found an open window at your place and jumped in. He's a jumper you know." She lamely jokes, little snorts appearing in between her chuckles, but her laughter soon dies down at Yoongi's unamused expression. "I'm sorry." She says in a small voice, holding her head down. "Whatever, just make sure it never happens again," Yoongi says coldly and the girl bites her lips and dares to sneak a glance up at him before he can turn his back to her. "You're injured!" She gasps, noticing the drop of blood peeking out from under his bangs, and without thinking it over, she reaches forward and brushes them back fully exposing the wound. "Oh my god, oh my god! You're really hurt!" Yoongi winces as her voice rises in pitch until it resembles a bird's call rather than a young woman's. "It's nothing I'll take care of it." He says dismissively and turns to leave. She hurries forward and steps in his path, "No, I'm the one who caused this. Let me drive you to the hospital." "Don't be overdramatic. I said I'll take care of it." He bites, but she still doesn't let him go, holding onto his hand and looking up at him with big, pleading eyes. "Then let me do it, please." She sees a hint of hesitation in his eyes so she says again with more conviction, "Please."

Yoongi is aware of her puppy crush on him. He'd be blind not to, but she's wasting her time. Sure, she's attractive, and he certainly wouldn't mind hitting that, but that's precisely why he shouldn't. He'd be in it for a quick fuck but she obviously wants more. She isn't the type of girl who can just sleep with someone and then move on. She is too sweet and innocent for her own good. "I think it would be better if you don't put any bandages on it and leave it to dry. You need to clean it and disinfectant it the same way I've shown you twice a day, but if you can't do it, I'd be more than happy to help." She was done with his wound a long while ago, but she still kept touching him, fluttering around him and pretending to inspect and perform some minor touchups to the wound but Yoongi knew it was bullshit. When she couldn't do that anymore, she started messing with his bangs, pretending to try to pin them back so they wouldn't contaminate the wound, and that's precisely when Yoongi realized he'd been letting her. The smell of her flowery perfume had permeated into the deepest parts of his mind and cast its spell on him, ordering him to follow the smell to the space between her breasts that he just knew to be the origin of the smell, cradled by the wide neckline of her princessy sundress that he was certain she wore with no intention to arouse the desires of dirty men like him. And yet, here he was, a single thread of will power away from burying his nose into her chest. Pushing her hands away, he gets up and walks towards the door. "It's fine. I can do it myself." "Yoongi!" She follows after him again and touches his shoulder, and he whirls around to face her and snaps, "What?" She quickly drops her head to the floor and mumbles, "Mr. Min, It would really be better if you push your hair back for a while, and don't get water on the wound." Fuck, he really wanted to jump on her and fuck her right there and then. He'd teach her a lesson for teasing him with her doe eyes and her pouting lips. God, how he wants to fuck the innocence out of her until the only thing she can think of is his cock. He really needs to get out of here. Yoongi doesn't spare her even a grunt as a way of reply, leaving the poor girl not knowing whether to clutch the door to keep from falling or clutch her heart to keep it from bursting.

Despite the cold facade he'd shown her, it took only one day for his feet to lead him back to her house under the pretense of botching up his wound upkeep process. He went back for her, for the way she looked at him like he was the most wonderful man in the world, for her innocently sexy dresses and for that damned intoxicating perfume. She really should stop letting him in. He became convinced that she was a witch and that perfume was her love potion. That is the only explanation for the way he seemingly found himself in front of her door out of his body's own accord. Long after his wound has healed, he still found his way into her house, too tempted by the fact that she always let him in. He kept telling himself that he shouldn't, that he was bad news for a girl like her, and yet he found himself coming up with any flimsy reason he could to excuse his frequent visits. From baiting her dog to come into his home and then yelling to her about it, to complaining about a nonexistent noise coming from her house when in reality he was the one who was always blasting music, to the god-forsaken banal excuse of needing to borrow some sugar. Fucking sugar. He never even uses sugar. He drinks his coffee black and his tea unsweetened. He got to know her much better during that blissful time. She works in an office but she dreams of saving up enough money to go back to college and study art and philosophy. She has an overpowering sweet tooth and her fridge and pantry are overrun with all kinds of cake, chocolate and ice cream, but she has a single drawer where she hides all her salty snacks in like a guilty pleasure. Her library is full of books that once fooled him into thinking she's a bookworm but that image was banished from his mind when she bashfully admitted one afternoon that she never actually finished any of those books. She would start reading one but then get distracted by another one and abandon it only for the same thing to happen to the new one too. And day by day, he found himself impossibly more smitten with her. Her sweet smile was the highlight of his day and he swooned every time she looked his way. And before he knew it he was head over heels in love with her. Those days went by so blissfully and seeing him always made her so happy that he started getting it into his stupid head that maybe he could actually let his guard down and allow himself to be with her. That is until the moment he'd almost thrown her over his lap and spanked her for daring to bite her lip in his presence. He stopped going to her after that, despite her constant asking about what happened and the permanent glint of tears in her eyes that drowned his sorry heart every time he saw it. God help him but he was a man bewitched.

Holy fucking father in heaven! Was the world ending? That's the only explanation for the celestial-scale ruckus in his mind that could have only come from the trumpets signaling the end of times! He tries to open his eyes but immediately shuts them against the light of the sun that seems to have decided to come down from the heavens to take a stroll through the earth's atmosphere. "Sorry" A voice squeaks out then there's a flurry of movement around him and the light goes away. He hears a quiet thud on the floor in front of him then a soft hand removes his arm from over his eyes. His gaze immediately falls on those maddening doe eyes of the girl kneeling in front of him then, as if drawn by a magnetic force, they travel down over her pink lips to the swell of her breasts shown by the uncharacteristically plunging neckline. He groans. Does she not realize the pull she has on him? Does she not know of the sickness of men's minds? Is she deliberately trying to drive him crazy? Because it's working. He feels her hands on him again and he curls up deeper into himself. Why can't she just go away? But she doesn't go away, instead she shoves him back with surprising strength until he's on his back then she straddles him before he can recover from the shock and turn around again. "Get off," Yoongi warns, voice raspy from the weight of her hips on his own. God, he's going to break. "No." "Listen to me or you'll regret it, baby girl." She shivers at the pet name, "Why? Because if I don't, if maybe I start moving my hips like this," She enunciated her words with little tentative grinds against his crotch, "You won't be able to hold back anymore and you'll fuck me until the only thing I can think of is your cock?" Yoongi was in a state of shock at her words and actions. He puts his hands around her waist in a belated attempt to stop her movements that were making him so hard, but he finds that his hands would rather help her instead. "How..." "You're very honest when you're drunk." Fuck him. His memory comes back to him in bits and pieces. A picture of him discreetly pining after his sweet neighbor from his window. Him throwing on the nearest shirt and pants to escape to a bar and try to get the image of himself sitting on the couch beside her out of his mind, the image of letting her hold onto his arm and cuddle up to him as he sees her on another one of her infernal horror movie marathons, clutching onto her toy dog for dear life. He'd do a much better job than that ridiculous dog. The next picture is of him dancing with some woman in the bar, them making out, her asking him where he lives, him suddenly bombarded by the look of absolute heartbreak his oblivious siren regards him with whenever she sees him bring another woman home, and somehow she always sees. Him running out of the bar and hailing a cab home. Him beating down on her door, shouting for her to stop messing with his mind. Her opening her door, looking alarmed and entirely too fuckable in her large t-shirt that almost entirely hid the shorts under it, but of course, she would wear shorts, his innocent girl. No, fuck, not his girl. He cringes hard as he remembers the monolog he launched on about how everything she does makes him hard and how badly he wants to fuck her until she weeps and apologizes for the countless times she made him jack off like a hormonal teenager to relieve himself of her. "You want me, Yoongi. You can't deny it anymore." Her words are brave but her voice isn't, and neither is her movement as she lifts her hands and removes the dress she's wearing. When did she change into that anyway? He was sure it was to seduce him, so is the makeup on the normally barefaced girl. Dark makeup, he notes. She must have taken the looks of the girls he normally brings home too much to heart. The bra and underwear she was wearing underneath her dress were another thing entirely. Pink lacy things with a strip of pink material covered in glitter running around the lower part of the bra and the upper part of the panties. Fuck it. He pulls her down and crashes his lips to hers, immediately tasting an explosion of strawberries. Any illusion of bravery she put on immediately leaves her body along with her strength and she becomes putty in his hands. He turns her around on the couch so that she's the one under and he's hovering above her. The distance between their bodies doesn't exist for long as his hips soon find their place between her legs, and he grinds on her harder than before.

His hand moves to the strap of her bra and he pulls it back a little then releases it, causing it to snap against her shoulder and her to moan out even louder than she already was. God, she looks like a princess but she sounds like a pornstar. He never even knew girls like her existed. He was going to lose his mind.

He contemplates taking off her bra and seeing her breasts in their full glory but the innocent sexiness of her little lingerie fits her so well that he eventually decides to leave it on, and touch her over the lacy material instead. Turns out, that only adds to the pleasure for her. The combination of his fingers and the lace rubbing against her nipples sending her senses into overdrive.

He's a bit taken aback by how little she's touching him. He wouldn't have pegged her for a selfish lover considering how generous and loving she is with everything else. No matter, she's his princess and he'll wait on her hand and foot. He couldn't wait anymore. His hand travels down to her pussy and gives her an experimental stroke over her panties. Her reaction is almost violent as she mewls and lies witless in his arms, which only fuels his madness further and before he knows it, he's prodding at her entrance, dying to feel how tight she is. Too tight. He jumps away when he feels resistance against his fingers and a sob escaping her. "You're a virgin?!" He meant for it to sound bewildered but it must have come across as condescending to her because the lust escapes her eyes and she wraps her arms around herself. "Yes. I know you don't like that. You like your women experienced and bold. I've seen them, but I can get better." She looks at him with fragile hope and he feels like throwing up. "No! You're fucking perfect. Look at you! Don't ever say that again." Again his tone betrays him and he sounds angry without meaning too. But he is angry! Angry that she'd ever doubt how much he wants her. She has him losing sleep over her for fuck's sake. She struggles to unwrap her arms from around herself, too timid to lose the imaginary protection, and moves closer to him, hands resting awkwardly on his chest. "If you really think so, then fuck me." "But you're a virgin!" "So what? Everyone is a virgin once." She childishly counters, taking her hands off of him and putting them in their original spot around herself. This time it's Yoongi's hands that cup her cheeks, "I know. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you being a virgin. I just don't want you to lose it to a burn out like me." She forgets about her anger in a second and rushes to comfort him like she always does, "Now, you don't say that. You're a wonderful man with a wonderful heart and I'd love for my first time to be with you." "Baby..." He begins to chastise her again but stops when he sees the familiar wet glint of her eyes, and an idea pops into his mind out of nowhere. "How about we postpone it a little bit. Say after a few dates?" In a fraction of a second her head shoots up and in another fraction a dazzling smile lights up her entire face, leaving no trace of any previous sadness. "Y-you'll go out with me?" He curses himself. Why the fuck did he have to suggest something so stupid? He's smarter than this. This could only end one way: with her wizening up to who he really was and dropping him, and him dying a swift death from acute loss of his sunshine. But it was too late to take it back, he could never say no to that smile. "Yes."

Author’s Note: Thank you all for the lovely feedback. I’ve gotten a lot of messages asking about a continuation for this but unfortunately, this is only a one-parter and there will be no further addition to this. 

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