#i think its a split banded owl

[woollyslug]

split-banded owl &  morpho sippin juice together 🍹

#i think its a split banded owl? but im not sure lmk if im wrong #butterfly #owl butterfly #morpho butterfly #my photos #Nymphalidae #Nymphalid Butterfly #lepidoptera #bugblr

[lexosaurus]

I Love You

My fic for day 5 of DP Side Hoes Week (yes I’m a day behind). 

Character: Jazz Theme: Hospital

This oneshot exists within my Everything Was White fic series [ao3]. You do NOT have to be following Everything Was White to understand this fic, this one exists as a prequel in the timeline and I give enough context in the text for anyone to be able to understand it. 

Okay, enjoy!

---

Jazz sat on the armchair, her gaze blank. Hazy. She hadn’t moved since she sat down some time ago. Time moved without reason, and she wasn’t sure how long it had been. Her back hurt and her lips were chapped, but she hardly noticed her discomfort.

The only thing that mattered was the person laying on the bed before her.

The person she hardly recognized.

Four weeks. That’s how long he had been missing from their lives, that’s how long the Guys in White had him. Twenty-eight days on the dot.

She could never forget his eyes as he was dragged out the door. They were wild, desperately staring down their parents who were both pinned down by government agents with guns trained to their heads. He screamed, struggling against his captures. 

But it wasn’t enough. 

Because in the end, he was thrown in the back of a white van. All while Jazz stood on the stairs doing nothing. 

She should have freed him. She could have helped. But she was too weak. 

Too weak.

Her eyes stung, and she wanted to cry. Break down. Sob. But she had already used up her stock of tears hours ago, when she finally saw him for the first time since he’d be transferred out of critical care.

He was frail, tiny. Nothing but skin and bones. His body was scarred, torn, encased in gauze and casts. Doctors fluttered about, talking in hushed tones as they analyzed her brother’s body. They tried not to show it, but Jazz knew they were baffled by him.

There was talk about his injuries. He hadn’t woken up yet, at least not completely, but Jazz was already told of the more...drastic injuries.

The Y scar on his chest.

The paralysis.

The starvation.

No one knew what the permanent effects were going to be. No one knew how he was going to fair once he woke up. But there was one thing they all knew for certain, a truth that none of the Fentons had said out loud yet: 

Danny was not going to be the same anymore.

She crumbled, allowing her head to fall into her hands. Apparently, she still had more tears to give. A sob tore its way from her throat, pulling with it a wave of emotions that Jazz had just spent the last few hours desperately trying to repress.

She was tired. So, so tired. And yet, this nightmare refused to end.

“Danny, I—I’m so sorry.” Jazz’s voice was raw. The naked truth was hanging right there in front of her, the consequences of her complete failure. 

She should have been there for him during the ghost fight. The one between him and Skulker that ultimately led to his revelation right there high in the skies in front of the entire town. She could have helped him.

She should have known the Guys in White would then come surround their house and take him.

She should have tried harder to find him and break him out of the government compound. They tried so hard, but they couldn’t find the stupid building.

She should have practiced her questions better in court. Maybe then the jury would have decided sooner. She could have gotten him released before he was hurt so bad.

“I’m sorry.”

He didn’t respond.

“I love you so much, Danny. I’m so sorry.”

He didn’t respond.

---

“You alright there, son?” Jack asked. He tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

It didn’t seem to matter. Jazz doubted Danny even heard their father’s question. She was honestly questioning if he even realized they were in the room.

His eyes wandered around the room as if he were still trying to take in the walls of the hospital. He woke up four days ago, and yet every day had been the same blank wandering gaze. 

Jazz hoped it was just the pain medication the hospital was giving him. She desperately clung onto the belief that her brother would snap out of it one day and would come home and he would be back to normal.

Back to how he was before.

“Your mother and I are going to meet with the surgeon.” Jack put an arm around Maddie, pulling her into his side. 

Her face was white, streaked with red as if she’d been crying recently, and the bags under her eyes had never been so pronounced. But Jazz couldn’t blame her. After all, she probably looked more or less the same.

“Stay with Danny, alright? We’ll come grab you after.”

“Sure, Dad,” Jazz said, putting on a smile she hoped was comforting.

Her mother muttered something that Jazz didn’t catch, and then both parents were gone. 

And Jazz was alone. With Danny.

Again.

She turned back to face him. The doctors had said that he’d sustained significant brain damage, and they weren’t sure yet how much communication he would be able to do. He was too drugged up still, too out of it. 

He couldn’t speak, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t understand her.

Or maybe that was her hopeful side talking again. She shouldn’t get her hopes up. She would only be hurt in the end.

“Hey, Danny,” Jazz tried. Her voice was thin. Dry. She tried to wet her lips and spoke again. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but I hope you’re comfortable. If you were wondering, you broke your spine. I mean, I’m sure you already knew that but—” Her voice cracked. “—you know. That’s why you, um, might be uncomfortable right now. It’s the brace.”

He didn’t respond. He didn’t even look at her.

Just continued staring at the ceiling.

Jazz wondered if anything was going through his mind. If he had any questions. She would if she were Danny. 

She tried to imagine the sort of things he would say. His voice, crackling through the throes of puberty, as he poked fun at her in that annoying way only a brother could accomplish. She tried to envision a world where he could still do that.

And she tried not to think about the fact that there was a good chance that she’d never hear his voice again.

“Your SCI was incomplete, you know. So there’s still a chance…” Jazz shook her head. 

There she was getting hopeful again. 

“Everyone really missed you, Danny. I—I really missed you.”

He blinked slowly. In her imagination, Jazz heard him say “I missed you too.”

“I love you.”

He didn’t respond.

---

“What band are we in the mood for today?” Jazz asked, scrolling through her playlist.

Danny was starting to come to. He seemed to be able to hold eye contact, albeit not for very long, and his minute facial expressions showed at least some understanding of what was happening around him.

Although, he still hadn’t spoken yet.

Jazz glanced brightly down at him. Now that she knew he was conscious of her presence, she couldn’t afford to show up at the hospital in sweats with her tear-stained face anymore. She had to be there for him. She had to be strong.

Maybe she had been too weak to help him before. Maybe back then, she had failed him.

But she would be damned if she wasn’t strong enough to help him now.

“What do you think? MCR? Blink-182?” she asked. “I got these band names from Sam, by the way. So if she lied to me about what music you listen to now, don’t blame me.”

Danny just stared at her with his owl-ish expression.

“Here, if you want, you can choose.” Jazz held her phone screen out in front of him, watching as his eyebrows scrunched up ever so slightly as he gazed up at the screen.

Jazz felt her smile falter for a split second before she pulled her phone away and straightened herself up on her chair.

She had to be strong.

“It’s okay, I’ll just choose one.” She tapped the screen and set her phone down. 

The sound of over-compressed guitars filled the tiny bluetooth speaker on the windowsill, and Jazz beamed down at Danny, waiting for that tiny flicker of recognition to hit his face.

And, to her delight, some of the fog in his eyes momentarily lifted. He looked over to Jazz as if he were seeing her for the first time, the shock and disbelief seeping through the blank slate that was his expression.

Jazz was hardly able to keep the glee out of her voice. “You like it?”

His eyes flickered between Jazz and the bluetooth speaker. Back and forth again before settling back on the ceiling.

“Well, I’ll have to thank Sam for the recommendation later! She can’t wait to see you, you know. The doctors are only allowing family in your room right now, but maybe next week if you’re feeling up to it, Sam and Tucker can stop by. I don’t want to make any promises right now, but you never know.”

Danny’s eyes slowly traveled around the ceiling.

“Are you thirsty?” Jazz asked. “Hungry? Well, you’re probably not hungry. Doctors have been monitoring your nutrient intake a lot. I’m glad, too, because you have some color in your face again.”

His eyes shut, and a content smile twitched on his face.

Jazz couldn’t remember the last time he’d looked so peaceful.

“I love you, Danny.”

He didn’t respond. 

---

Danny was home now. That should have been a good thing. 

It should have been.

And it was. In so many ways, it was wonderful having him home again.

But in so many other ways, it wasn’t.

Jazz had been under some illusion that once he made it home, things would go back to normal. Sure, he would be in a wheelchair until his PT started, and he might not be able to turn into a ghost for a few weeks either, but her brother would be home. 

Except, Danny never came home. Physically, he did. But mentally he was still trapped somewhere far away.

He was talking now at least. He’d started talking the week before he’d left the hospital. He wasn’t able to speak in full sentences, at least not without pausing, and he wasn’t able to really understand long sentences either, but this was a start.

Jazz wanted to hope that things would get better, but hope was a dangerous drug.

After all, even though he’d started speaking again, he still refused to talk about what happened to him. Anytime Jazz would try to bring the conversation up, he’d clam up and close off for the rest of the day.

And that hurt. It hurt so bad. She so desperately wanted to be there and support him, to help him talk through the trauma he’d experienced, but he just didn’t want to.

But that was okay. It had to be okay. She had to be strong.

She stood in front of his door, pausing only to compose herself before knocking.

He didn’t acknowledge her knock, but Jazz wasn’t expecting him too. He was trying to isolate himself, and Jazz wasn’t going to let him.

She’d already failed him once. 

“Good morning, Danny!” Jazz bursted into the room, her voice chipper despite the fact that she hadn’t slept last night.

She doubted that Danny did either.

Danny was lying on top of his comforter, already dressed. Their mom must have gotten him situated before shutting herself down in the lab.

Their parents seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

“Come on, get up. I come bearing an activity!”

“Too early,” Danny grumbled.

Jazz ignored him, sauntering into the room brandishing a large, easy piece jigsaw puzzle she’d just ran out to buy that morning.

It was hard to find one for kids that wasn’t either a princess castle or a race car scene. Fortunately, the store had one on sale that had colorful, cartoon baby ghosts covering the image.

“Either you get up, or I drag you up. Either way, you’re doing this puzzle with me.”

“Puzzle?” Danny asked.

Jazz tried not to stare as he struggled upright, only swooping in to set his pillows upright behind him. “Yeah, puzzle.”

She set the box down in front of him, pulling off the lid and revealing the large pieces in front of him.

“That’s...so Boring.”

“Well, the doctors still want you avoiding screens for a little while longer. I figured this was better than staring at the wall.”

Danny eyed the box, his face impassive. 

“Here, wait.” She went out into the hallway, grabbing a large piece of cardboard from the wall. “I brought something to make the puzzle on. Figured it would be easier than the mattress.”

“Okay.” He picked up one of the pieces, inspecting it slowly as if he couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

“So…” Jazz plopped herself down on the mattress next to Danny and put the cardboard over their laps. “What do you think we should do first?”

Danny gazed blankly down, his eyes trailing between the cardboard and the puzzle piece in his hand. He blinked, and then put the puzzle piece down on the cardboard.

“Okay, we can start with that one!” Jazz chirped.

“No…” Danny ran his hand through his hair. “No that’s not...need to sort.”

“Oh?” Jazz grabbed another piece from the box. “So what should I do with this one then?”

Danny gazed quizzically over at Jazz, grabbing the piece to inspect it. “Edge,” he finally said, setting the piece down on the opposite side of the board from the first piece.

“So we’re sorting the edge pieces from the regular pieces?” 

Danny hummed, grabbing another piece from the box.

“Sounds like a good plan!”

They worked together in near silence after that, Jazz only stopping every so often when she could feel Danny’s attention slipping to ask him to help her sort a piece. It was almost cute how determined he was to complete the task correctly. It almost reminded Jazz of the quiet determination that would slip onto his features in the moments just before he transformed into Phantom. 

Solving the puzzle was a whole different beast. If Jazz were honest, she wasn’t sure if they would have been able to finish in one sitting. Danny still tired far too rapidly throughout the day, and he still slept for more hours than he was awake.

But finally Danny snapped the last piece into place, completing their simple blob ghost picture.

“Nice job!” Jazz put her hand up for a high five.

Danny blinked, slowly processing the motion, before his brain caught up and he gave a little smirk, a tiny eye roll, but met Jazz’s hand all the same.

She put the cardboard with the now completed puzzle on the floor before sitting back against the fluffy pillows. Breathing out, she allowed herself to sink back into the cushions for just a moment.

She was so tired. 

Her brain swirled, and she wanted to sink deeper into the darkness. But she couldn’t. She wasn’t allowed to.

“Are you asleep?” Danny asked.

“No.”

“Oh. Okay.”

A quiet trepidation settled over the pair. Jazz could feel the unspoken questions hanging in the air like forbidden fruit ripe for picking. But the apples were just out of reach, and she knew the branches wouldn’t sink lower until Danny was ready. 

But he had to come home first. He would never be ready to tell her what happened until he finally came back to them. And Jazz didn’t know how long that would take.

“I love you,” Jazz said.

Danny didn’t respond.

---

Thanks for reading!

#danny phantom #dp side hoes week 2021 #everything was white #no beta!! #my writing #phicc #i'll probs go back like next week and actually edit this oneshot #but not rn during the event week

[ohayohimawari]

And it was Love at First Brawl

A drabble written for Day 7 of @kakaobiweek Violet | Music | Fantasy

This is another humorous piece appropriate for teen-and-up readers and set in a modern AU.

This drabble is heavily inspired by my good friend @azuzeldraws incredible art series, Metal Konoha, and I dedicate this chapter to her. Thank you, Zu, for letting us use your amazing work to promote this event!

And it was Love at First Brawl

It was one of those Friday nights when Kakashi left the restaurant with a stomach full of his favorite supper and an empty soul after dining alone.

Though the day neared its end, Konoha’s club district was just beginning to wake. The streets were full of jaywalkers, inexperienced parallel-parkers, and the night owl versions of early birds lined up in boisterous queues waiting for the bars to open.

Kakashi felt entirely out of place and maybe almost too old for this scene while he dutifully waited at the corner for the pedestrian crossing light to signal his turn. He stepped into the crosswalk once it was safe, and he saw a man on the opposite side, jogging towards the intersection to cross before the light changed.

Kakashi stopped in his tracks in the middle of the street, entirely entranced.

He watched the individual blades of the other man’s black, unruly hair as they bounced with each step. He wore a t-shirt that fitted him like he was born to wear it and a healthy glow on every inch of exposed skin. His sparkling eyes met Kakashi’s as he trotted past him on the street and offered a greeting through a roguish grin. “Hey.”

And that was all it took.

Being a classic lit teacher, he had a multitude of words at his disposal. That man was vivacity personified, and Kakashi turned on his heel, following him with his eyes. The dark-haired man ran right up to the door of the seediest bar on the street and gleefully skipped up the stairs. He exchanged laughter and a handshake with the bouncer and disappeared inside.

The pedestrian light flashed red, alerting Kakashi that he still stood in the middle of the street. His feet moved of their own accord, and a moment later, his brain agreed with their plan. He retraced his steps, abandoning his intention to go home, knowing he would abandon much more than that for a chance to meet the stranger that charmed him.

As driven as he was, Kakashi hesitated for a moment outside of the club, assessing it. The sidewalk in front of it was littered with empty bottles and cigarette butts, and two people appeared to be doing something he didn’t want to interrupt in the shadows of the alley next to it. Then, he assessed himself.

He was dressed more casually than usual, out for a date with nobody but him, wearing a t-shirt that featured a band called ROOT. He had no idea who they were, or why they used all capital letters, but his students chose it from the trendy store Boiling Subject as a gift for him, and it was comfortable after wearing a tie all day. Deciding that his attire was appropriate for the venue, Kakashi walked up the stairs that led to the door, where he was stopped by the same menacing bouncer that laughed only moments before.

“You sure you wanna do this?” The man growled through scarred lips.

“Pretty sure,” Kakashi replied, though his confidence wavered.

“We don’t want any trouble.” The man’s muscles bulged in a show of strength as he folded his arms across his chest.

“I don’t want to bring any,” Kakashi replied, honestly.

“Let him in, Ibiki.” A pony-tailed bartender wearing a high-cut shirt that showed more cleavage than fabric chastised the bouncer.

“Whatever you say, Anko,” Ibiki moved aside to allow Kakashi into the bar.

As foreboding as the exchange was, it caught the attention of the handsome dark-haired stranger who stood at the bar. Bolstered, Kakashi stood in the space next to him.

“What can I getcha, hon?” Anko tossed a stained cardboard coaster onto the bar in front of him.

“A beer,” Kakashi ordered as if he’d never been to a pub before, too nervous to recall his favorite drink.

Anko retrieved a bottle from the cooler behind her while Kakashi withdrew a few bills from his wallet. Then, he wrapped his hand around the bottle of Lone Ninja Star she offered after opening it with her teeth.

Kakashi ignored how unhygienic it was to take a sip from the bottle as he did it, glancing around the bar, looking everywhere but at the man that led him there. It was half-full of patrons in various stages of sobriety and had a stage all set up and waiting for a band to perform. When he finished noting where all the emergency exits were, the most incredible thing happened.

“Cheers,” Mr. Vivacity said, bringing their beer bottles together in a toast.

“Cheers,” Kakashi replied, then pulled a long swig from the bottle, savoring the moment that the man of his dreams had spoken first.

“So, uh,” the dark-haired man glanced down at Kakashi’s shirt, and a chuckle bubbled out of him, “you like this band too?” He tilted his head in the direction of the stage.

“Um, yeah," Kakashi stammered, "I mean, yes. Yes, I do."

"Cool," Mr. Vivacity replied with a smile that made Kakashi's knees buckle. "Which of their CDs is your favorite?"

Kakashi's quick mind kicked into gear on the spot. If the band had multiple releases, then the safest answer would be, "I think their first one."

"Really?" The dark-haired man appeared pleasantly surprised. "So, you're an old-school fan, huh?"

“Yep, I guess I am,” Kakashi laughed a little awkwardly and brought his beer back to his lips.

“I think my favorite track on that one is, Kill Me With Your Kekkei Genkai,” Mr. Vivacity nodded, thinking aloud, and Kakashi felt his eyes bulge, worried that he might not be able to keep up the facade. But then he was spared when the other man suddenly changed the subject. “By the way, my name is—”

“Crybaby Tobi, you finally made it!” A man with slicked blonde hair and wearing a shirt with religious cult symbols literally crashed into their conversation, spilling his beer on Kakashi’s shirt.

The unwelcome interruption glanced at him. “My bad,” he drawled unapologetically, looking down at the soiled shirt. Then, his eyes shot up to meet Kakashi’s.

“WHOA! You’ve got balls, man!”

“Thank you,” Kakashi decided to take it as a compliment, turning towards the bar to grab a few napkins. He blotted at his shirt when Anko shouted to him that there was a hot air dryer in the men’s room, and, as much as Kakashi didn’t want to walk away from Mr. Crybaby before he could learn his real name, he didn’t want to stand there like an idiot in a wet ROOT t-shirt.

By the time he exited the bathroom, a makeshift merchandise table had appeared near it, so he bee-lined to it to learn more about the band to contribute to a conversation about them. At least, now he knew the band’s name was ANBU, and he wondered what was up with bands using all capital letters.

He had barely begun to browse the tracklist on the back of one of the CDs when the purple-haired, facial-pierced woman at the table asked, “You gonna buy that?”

Something about her tone made Kakashi feel obligated to pull out his wallet, and he handed over a twenty-dollar bill.

“I don’t have change for that,” she deadpanned, bored, and sarcastic.

Suddenly, the bar erupted with shouting, so Kakashi quickly grabbed a second CD to even out the exchange and hurried back to the bar and Mr. Vivacity, or Crybaby, or whoever he was.

Then, his heart sank when he saw that the other man wasn’t there anymore.

Kakashi stood in front of the stage feeling like the biggest fish out of water when the club’s sound system screamed into life with the ear-splitting sound of feedback through the amps. Kakashi covered his ears and spun around in time to catch the band taking their positions onstage.

The singer set down a six-pack next to his mic and yanked one can of beer free from it. He held it sideways in his hand, pulled out a kunai, and stabbed it in the middle before bringing the punctured hole to his mouth.

“Tenzō! Tenzō! Tenzō!” The crowd chanted while he shotgunned the beer and cheered when he crushed the empty can against his head. He grabbed the microphone in front of him when his large, almond eyes made bigger by copious amounts of black eyeliner landed on Kakashi.

“What the fu —” He roared, launching himself off the stage, tackling Kakashi to the ground.

Even though he was a classic lit teacher, Kakashi held his own for a long time in a fight against a bar full of punks until he took one bottle to the head too many and woke up in the alley next to the bar.

“Hey,” Kakashi winced as he turned his head to see who spoke to him, already recognizing that voice and feeling a little happier than concussed. “You okay?”

“I think so,” Kakashi muttered, “thanks, Mr. Crybaby.”

“It’s Obito,” the other man laughed, “and you’re welcome, Mr. Metalhead.”

“I didn’t fool you for a second, did I?” Kakashi licked at his fattened, split bottom lip, hoping he looked like he deserved sympathy. “I’m Kakashi, by the way.”

Obito snickered and pressed a bag of ice against Kakashi’s head. “I figured you didn’t quite know what you walked into, wearing a ROOT t-shirt to an ANBU gig.”

“What was that all about?”

“Tenzō used to be the drummer for that band, but he had a big blow-up with their manager, Danzō, so he quit and formed his own band. There’s a lot of bad blood there.”

Kakashi looked down, embarrassed, not knowing what to say and feeling like a total idiot.

“Why did you come to the bar?” Obito asked quietly.

Kakashi sighed through his nose. If he learned anything that night, it was that honesty probably came with less violence. “You.”

“Me?” Obito asked, even more timidly.

“Yeah,” Kakashi glanced up at him. “You passed me on the street, and, I… I just had to meet you,” he felt a little like a weirdo admitting it out loud, but he was past the point of stopping now. “I dunno, I, I just had a feeling, and I didn’t want to let you slip away.”

“Me too,” Obito confided, lowering the bag of ice, and Kakashi peered at him through the eye that wasn’t swollen shut. “I was just about to run back out when you showed up at the door. I uh, I’m the sound guy here,” he tilted his head towards the bar, “and I was running late; otherwise, I would’ve stopped right there in the crosswalk. But when I saw the band was running late, I was about to go after you,” he ended with a shy smirk.

“You’re the sound guy?” Kakashi’s brain was turning to mush and it had nothing to do with how many blows he took to the face.

“Yeah, I, uh,” Obito brought the ice back up to Kakashi’s head, “I messed with their levels hoping the feedback would distract Tenzō long enough for you to get out of his line of sight, but,” he grimaced.

“You wanna go for a drink with me?” Kakashi mumbled, knowing he couldn’t embarrass himself anymore that night.

Obito chuckled at him and held up his hand. “How many fingers do you see?”

Kakashi focused on the fingers in front of his face. “Three?”

Obito laughed louder and stood up, “Wrong.” He helped Kakashi to his feet, “Looks like Konoha ER is our first date.”

#kakaobiweek2021 #kakaobi #kakashi #obito #day 7 #hima writes

[themidnightfarmer]

Babes in Mimeland || Nora & Jared

Timing: This past week sometime.

Location: The common.

Tagging: @fearfordinner​

Description: 

Triggers: Mimes?

Jared wasn’t completely comfortable to be away from the farm that day, but he’d given his word, and he wasn’t going to go back on it. Surely everything would be fine for an hour or two while he did this. So there he stood, in a t-shirt that implored passing customers to support the performers behind him. He was holding flyers and smiling as wide as he could whilst flagging down passers-by to take them. A mime he’d started to consider a friend had mimed that he should come and help them out that day, the mime in question part of an air-band as a side hustle for working at Yours, mime, and ours (where Jared was a frequent customer). “Don’t forget to support your local mime performers! They’re good at what they do and they have mouths to feed at home whilst working on their passions!”

A music box was an odd reward Nora decided twisting the box around in her hands. The eyeball, a necklace that she’d taken to wearing frequently, was a much more satisfactory prize. Nora was about to flip open the prize she’d come to winterfest to claim when her eye was caught by the mime band. Oh great! They were performing. Music box forgotten and shoved into her pocket, Nora trudged through the crowd to admire the artists at work. There were no hard feelings on her part that her last encounter with a mime had left her rainbow colored for a week. There were hard feelings to deal with on her part with the idea that her favorite mime had died right in front of her. Ideas that she refused to acknowledge. A shout about helping mimes made her ears perk up. Nora snatched a flyer from a giant, glancing over it. “I want to help.” She announced. “The mimes are great.” 

Most people passing Jared by were trying their very best to ignore him, he watched many fliers find their way into the trash. It was a little disheartening but overall expected, you didn’t have shirts like the one he was wearing unless there was some serious stigma going on. His head tilted down and a more genuine smile bloomed on his face as someone actively approached to take a flier. “They are! One of my friends is in the band, they’re honestly great at what they do and everything helps, people in town aren’t so forgiving for being different…” he trailed off before he could add just how strange he found that considering the variety of species that you could find in all corners. Jared blinked away the thought and returned to focus on the person showing interest. “So-” He was cut off by an obnoxious laugh off to the left towards the gingerbread house. He couldn’t quite hear what was said but the way the group of people mock mimed along with the band rubbed him the wrong way. His face soured. 

Friends? With a mime? Was that legal? Wouldn’t that be like being friends with mythical legends who are way cooler than you? Like the real babadook or maybe the boogyman? Even goatman. They were all famous figures Nora admired but wouldn’t know how to befriend if they were before her. It was a sudden moment of awe as her blank gaze passed between the giant and the band. If she helped could she be friends too? Nora dug in her pocket and pulled out her beaten up old wallet. She was ready to pay a large sum of money before laughter met her ears and she could see a group of adults, probably in their late to mid thirties, making fun of the mimes. A different way to help crossed her mind as she watched them enter the gingerbread house. “What if we scared them?” Nora asked, her monotone making it sound like a serious and reasonable suggestion. “Make a point that people can’t keep mocking mimes because they are quiet.” 

He’d forgotten what he’d planned on saying next to the other when she piped up with an idea. Jared looked after the group as they laughed and joked at the expense of his mime friends before heading into the gingerbread house. He nodded slowly before deciding it was a perfect idea, no amount of money fixed hurt feelings, but a little bit of revenge might. “Yeah, yeah that’s a good idea. People are always doing stuff like that.” Jared frowned and tucked the fliers into his back pocket, ready to so what it took to have those meanies regret their choices. “Let’s do it.” he said only pausing a split second before moving towards the gingerbread house (that had already closed its door on the group, trapping them) to ask “What’s your name anyway? Since you’re leading the charge, what’s the name of the commander? I’m Jared.” he offered preemptively.

Commander? Nora liked being called a commander. She could see it now, a field of dead bodies around her as she stood tall, proud on a rock, wearing a military jacket. There’d be some life in the people somewhere, and they would be full of fear. Life changing fear. The kind of fear that made for a meal instead of just a snack. She’d paint that picture later. “Nora.” Nora answered, her affect betraying nothing of the mental spiral she’d just followed. “Are you good at scaring people?” Nora hadn’t noticed the door close behind the other group. She pushed through the crowd and to the door, pushing it open and holding it for the giant - er - Jared. She wondered if he’d hit his head on the door frame. This Jared, friend of mime, was about to see things. She hoped he’d enjoy them as a fellow lover of mimes. 

“I’m not sure, Usually it’s by accident, but I could try and make something work.” He wondered briefly if he could get away with using his glamour to help spook the group, without his partner in crime noticing. It would be far easier to do some scarring in the name of the mimes if he could make himself look like he had stripes like some sort of angry chameleon. Jared ducked in the door that was held open for him, and it pulled shut behind him. The inside was dark, the windows were as they tended to be on small gingerbread house kits that you could buy at the store, the windows were painted on in icing rather than cut out. It was pitch black aside from the gaps around the edges where the icing hadn’t fully sealed the walls in place. The group were in the next room of the house whispering now that it was dark as humans tended to do, as if the dark was suppressing any noise. Using the quiet he mimicked one of his kids' cries as loud as he could just to start them off. The angry call of a bies sounded from his lungs abruptly and clearly for a singular second before cutting off to return to silence again.

The noise that came out of the giant’s mouth was absolutely brilliant. Loud. Jarring. Inhuman. No animal Nora could recognize. She gave one slight nod of approval. Maybe this stork, now nicknamed for being a giant bird and not just a giant, accidentally scared people more often than naught. Reaching inside herself, Nora lit the string of her magic. Her fingertip traced across the gingerbread walls as she walked. Icing started to coat her finger but she ignored it. Instead she concentrated on making the screeching noise of steel on steel. She’d seen it cause the hairs on people’s neck to rise. She hoped her cover of dragging her finger would be enough to fool new friend Jared. She’d claim it was a party trick or something. Damn, she really hated frosting. 

Jared extended his glamour past his usual skin cover to also alter his clothes just that little bit, the mime shirt was a little too telling after all. Instead he added stripes subtly in the darkness, only really put in place for his own peace of mind rather than for any impact. He hoped it was too dark for anyone to notice, so that he didn’t have to explain to Nora either. The noise she was making sent a chill up his spine as well for a half a second before he settled into it, it was easier knowing where it was coming from...sort of. He had no idea how she was doing it, but he was certain it was Nora doing it at the very least, no other way a gingerbread house could make that noise. The group were muttering to each other, clearly unsettled as they headed into the next room trying to find the backdoor to escape. Jared spotted a runner rug down the hallway, so he stooped to tug on it and send the last straggling person flying into the rest, holding back a snicker as they toppled like bowling pins.

Was the stork looking a little stripy or was it the shadows of the gingerbread house? It wasn’t very well lit. Probably because it was made out of ginger and not wood. Nora found herself wishing she bore the strips of those they came to protect. An illusion manifested itself across small patches of her clothes; black and white alliance patches. The group they’d followed in were becoming less of a snack and more of a meal. Nora took a deep inhalation in, enjoying the rewards of Jared’s carpet tug. They piled to the ground obviously scared of what was going to happen. “Where’s the exit?” One shouted. “I-I don’t know, I don’t see any. How can this place be this big?” Panic made their voice high pitched and frantic as they shouted over Nora’s noise. She let the noise fall, leaving them and their prey in a sudden silence. “Boo.” Her monotone was briefly followed by an illusion monster appearing behind them. Black and white stripes mime meets masked monster with a giant maw and sharp rows of teeth. It gurgled towards the fallen group. Slowly. Leaving a trail of stripes behind it as it went.

Jared was unaware that it was Nora that had created the mime monster, he himself had seen the mimes do some incredible stuff so he wasn’t put off at all. It was a mask of only a slight surprise, thinking that they might have stopped performing to aid in this situation for themselves. This is why when a striped goo seemed to seep in the cracks of the gingerbread house (to form into another more ‘traditional’ looking mime on the ceiling) he didn’t even flinch. This mime turned it’s head like it was an owl to look down at the monster curiously for a split second before scuttling down the wall towards the now scrambling pile of humans. Jared flattened himself against the wall of the gingerbread house and increased his glamor in the moment to look more like the mime that had appeared on the ceiling, although not able to move his head like it had. He didn’t have quite the same energy, but he tried his best. The group screamed and swore and scrambled past Nora and Jared being chased by both Nora's creation as well as the mime who had come to see what was happening, only to be delighted with its findings.

This scene was beautiful. Perfect. Picturesque. The gaggle of bullies trying to run away. The mime manifesting. The illusion chasing, gurgling, gnashing its giant teeth. Nora was almost satisfied with the scene and the meal but it was missing something. A soundtrack maybe? Oh. She had the music box. Maybe that would add some ambiance to the whole shindig. It took a minute to windup the old box. It popped open displaying a couple wrapped in each other's arms dancing an eternal waltz. The music began, gentle, haunting, almost mournfully and her eyes fixated on the waltzing couple. She was met with an absolute need to waltz. Carefully she placed down the music box and held her hand out to Jared’s, the silent question to dance. A question that only had one answer as everyone around them started waltzing together. The gaggle were screaming in terror now, practically drowning out the beautiful music. “Why are we dancing?” Why can’t we stop dancing?” “Why am I dancing with a mime?” 

The screaming had drowned out the ticking of the small music box winding up, so when the tune started Jared almost didn’t notice his body was moving towards music. Taking Nora’s hand they began to dance through no action of free will. The screaming did not die down, it seems the music was taking their movement alone, their voices would remain their own. Spinning around the room he was sort of delighted to have noticed that one of the group of humans had paired with a mime, who had turned its head all the way around again to watch the scene unfold in full rather than focus on it’s partner. “What kind of music box is that?” Jared asked Nora, his voice only faltering when her platform boots came down on his toes, yelling over the screams and panic of the humans with as wide a smile on his face as he could muster. Acting as is if the extra noise was only part of the song. He suspected magic, but he didn’t want to outright ask. 

“I do-” Nora had never been good at dancing, and despite the dance being magically pre-choreographed for them, that didn’t go away. “Oh sorry.” She mumbled. “I don’t know anything about the box.” Nora nodded at the mime as they twirled past the beautiful friend. “It was the reward I got for getting second place.” First place shouldn’t have won. Her art was masterful. Oh well. Beggars couldn’t be winners. But apparently second place could be dancers. “I wonder how long it lasts.” 

The screams and music could be heard by passing townsfolk for a while and they all ignored it, as was usual in white crest.

#P: Chatzy #C: Nora #fearfordinner

[is-that-another-soulmate-au]

Zukka Soulmate AU part 10

@mypureessence

@chaoticidiott

@ari-shipping-stuff

@knightedbot

@idkhowbutimgayer

@swampy-beans

@angrylittleintrovert

"Okay... so what are we doing here... exactly? I thought you guys needed to.. uh train and stuff?" Lily said as she walked behind Sokka

"Thats what I've been trying to tell them! But does anyone listen to Sokka? No!" Sokka was fuming

"I... uh.. I listen to you" Zuko offeres

"Oh yeah! You think that just because we happen to maybe possibly be soulmates that I'll forgive you for everything! Just like that! I mean come on you-"

"Shhh! You have to be quiet or you'll scare them off!" Aang interrupted the pair

Sokka turned to glare at Zuko "this discussion isn't over"

Lily walked to Aang "hey, thats a flute isn't it? I play the pan flute"

"Really? Did you bring it with you? Here sit sit!!"

"What I- woah!" She was pulled down and just reserved to sit cross legged "I didnt bring it but I'm sure Tarren can bend me up one, he made me my other ones and fixed them up all the time"

"Huh? Oh pan flute right" Tarren gave a small sigh before breaking off a piece of rock from the small Boulder he was leaning on and shapped it into a flute "have at it buzzy" Tarren said while handing it to Lily and placing a small kiss on her head.

Kurt gave a pout from the boulder Tarren came from only to be met by a forehead kiss of his own which made him turn beet red and fluster.

"Thanks hun, uh... okay, so I know how to play but what are we doing?" Lily gave a shy grin

Aang smirked "juuuust watch" he played a quick not and an animal popped up singing the note.

Lily's eyes lit up with joy "oh! Oh my gods! There used to be a small group of these behind my family's house! Oh! Watch this" She then played three notes at one time which made three jump and sing the notes before going back in "oh! Oh! This is fun! You chose the best spot Aang!"

"Heh... thanks"

"Okay! Thats enough playing flute practice! We have a mission you guys!" Sokka opened a map "we need to keep. Moving."

"Hey, Sokka, loosen up okay? We have all of Aangs bending teachers with us right here, whats wrong with a little relaxation?" Katara reasoned

Sokka fumed and glared at Zuko "fine, so long as I have a moment to talk to mister blue band over here!"

"I thought you... liked it.." Zuko reached up to the necklace and undid it "you... you tied it there..."

"I know I tied it there but now the more I look at it the angrier I get so just!" Sokka paused and let out a breath "wear it where you had it before please?"

Zuko stiffened and then choked out a "yeah... uh, yeah. Of course"

"My turn for a vacation!" Katara called out before running to the map. "Hey! This place looks nice!"

"Oh yeah! The springs! Its a really nice place, you'll love it!"

And cut to a sign falling. "Must have... changed ownership in the last hundred years?" He gave a nervous laugh.

Walking into the bar Aang managed to run into the guy who's smoothie they just watch get made. Turned out to be a researcher. However Lily seemed on edge "I swear to you Tarren! I. Saw. Him. I dont know if it was actually him or just someone who looked like him but it..."

"Who? Who did you see?" Kurt pipd up while standing beside his mates

"One of the men who attacked my parents, but it couldn't have been him, Tarren and Fin killed all three of them that night." Lily gave a small sigh "im probably just stressed is all, Im sure it was just the desert getting to me"

"At the Library!!" The trio turned to find that they were now about to travel the desert to find the lost library of... wan shi who now? Jee and Iroh decided to stay behind and sit this one out, these drinks aren't going to drink themselves you know.

Flying on the bison was still a little frightening but with Kurt and Tarren clinging to her for dear life Lily felt like a mother hen, they were both such powerful benders and yet they clung to her for safety.

Sokka on the otherhand steered as clear of Zuko as he could. Katare took note of that and turned to him "why are you being such an ass?"

"What? What do you mean? I'm not being an ass to Zuko?"

"I never said you were being an ass to Zuko I just said you were being an ass"

Sokka sighed "okay, fine, Im just... I still don't want to believe its true okay? I mean... it can't be right? Me? A souther watertribesman and him a fire prince? Its crazy talk right?"

"Souls don't care about titles or nations Sokka"

"I know I know-"

"And thats not all that's making you act this way is it?"

Sokka gave her a hard stare "look, I just want to spend my vacation time peacefully... okay?"

Katara gave upon convincing him to talk and just sighed "whatever, it'll come out eventually"

"There it is!" Toph called out and everyone but Lily turned to look at it.

Lily face palmed as Toph Sasser everyone "seriously... how do you keep forgetting that about her?"

"Beats me, theyre all pretty dense, even your two are dense" Lily and Toph laughed and Lily gave both of her boys noogies

"Yeah, but thats how I like them. Cute, powerful, and dumb as a bag of rocks" she teased

"Hey!" The pair said in unison

"Whats that over there!" Sokka shouted.

They soon landed right by a pillar and found it to be part of the library. "Wow, its underground huh? And its in perfect condition?"

"Yep!"

"Youre brilliant Toph"

"I know"

"No really.. youre amazing" Lily looked at Toph with a grin "and Im certain you'll get the hang of sand in no time"

"Come on Lily! Are you coming or not?" Sokka called out.

Lily went with Katara Sokka Aang and Kurt to find some clues about the firenation. While Zuko and Tarren stayed with Toph to guard the library and Appa.

Landing in the library Lily was at a loss for words, perhaps she could find some in the many pages of these books. No time for that though wan shi tong has found them and the researcher has some massive guts to just jump out and talk to the owl.

"Something worth your time?" Lily asked

"Yes, anything to add to my collection"

"Would a book in Braille be of use to you?" She offered one of the braille learning books she brought

"Braille? What is that?"

"Oh! Its a recent invention... a good friend of mine made it so that his blind friend could read, it can be done by anyone with paper and this tool" she pulled out the braille press "I have two of these with me so this is yours if you'd like it."

"I haven't heard of this yet, perhaps my little helpers aren't as attentive as they claim to be"

"No! No, I'm sure they're very attentive... this hasn't taken off quite yet, its been in the process for about a decade now but... well... most people don't care for it, say its too difficult to teach a blind kid to read bumps"

"Many people are nit very wise... regardless, you are free to browse the library... for now"

And with that they split up to find something. Anything. Kurt and Lily went one way while the others went another.

"So.. uh, Lily, since you guys know I'm your soulmate now. Do you think that uh.. I could..."

"You could what?" Lily gave a raised brow and a tilt in her hips.

"Uh... nothing! It was stupid anyways" kurt rubbed his neck anxiously

"Kurt just spit it out! Whatever you wanted to say just say it." Lily demanded

"Okay okay! I was just wondering if maybe I could get... some.. affection? Like uh, hugs and kisses and stuff..." kurt shifted awkwardly on his feet.

Lily softened her expression and giggled "oh Kurt, of course you can, we figured you didn't want any affection, you just need to ask is all"

"How about.. uh... now?"

"Now? Like.. right now?" Lily flushed "bold... I like it" she laughed "come here cub"

"Cub!? I what is it with you guys and short play nicknam- mm!" And just like that he shut up. Lily had him pinned with her leaning down to give him a kiss

"You talk too much, now lets keep looking arou-"

"Kurt?"

Kurt and Lily's eyes both went wide at the sound of that voice. That voice that they both apparently knew. It was him. He was here and he was alive.

But how?

#avatar the last airbender #avatar: the last airbender #prince zuko #zuko #atla zuko #atla sokka #sokka #atla oc #zukka #earthbender oc #earthbender #firebender oc #firebender #nonbender #wan shi tong #i will die on my endless soulmate au hill #soulmate alternate universe #soulmates #soulmate #RayMakesSoulmates

[viterbofangirl]

PLAYLIST SHUFFLE TAG!

Thanks to the ever-lovely @pityen81 for tagging me! *blows kisses*

Rules: you can usually tell a lot about a person by the type of music they listen to! put your favorite playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 songs, then tag 10 people. no skipping!

Okie dokie! *cracks knuckles* My playlists are all strictly fandom and/or shipping compiled, so I just hit shuffle on my MP3 player that has a hodgepodge collection of whatever I’m listening to at the moment. Following are the shuffled songs that came up and why I like/downloaded/loaded them!

1) Silent Night - Damien Rice

I actually have the “O” album, but I got tired of having to sit through “Eskimo” to get to the two awesome hidden tracks after it, so I ripped the song and split off “Silent Night” and “All Dressed Up” so I could listen to them separately.

2) I’m the One - Ke$ha

I have a few of her fun songs too, but this is the one that really made me sit up and take note of her as an artist. I love bluegrass and twangy country (but hate country singers) so this was instant love.

3) Kings and Queens - 30 Seconds to Mars

Ooh, good song! Most of my songs are related to at least one fandom, and this one screams “Hogwarts Founders” to me.

4) Lady Percy - King Charles

SO. MUCH. FUN. This song is an absolute joyous bop and if I first heard it in a Doctor Who River Song/Eleventh Doctor fanvid, well, it more than stands on its own merits as well!

5) Smoke - Natalie Imbruglia

UNNNGH SOOOO GOOD. I think this is my favorite Natalie Imbruglia song, especially since I found I preferred the original acoustic version of “Torn” by Annetenna/Ednaswap (which is 1000% an Isabella-from-Shakespeare’s-M4M song!)

6) The Crow, the Owl, and the Dove - Nightwish

This song just... gets me. As in, this song IS me, is a description of me.

7) Red - Tyler Ward

Another song I found as a River Song/11th Doc tribute, but recently has been co-opted by my Sailor Venus/Kunzite ship.

8) Beep! - Pussycat Dolls

PCD are one of those guilty pleasure bands, and I make no apology. This song is a particularly hilarious “New Girl” music video in my head where every time a *beep* happens, the camera cuts to a shot of Schmidt stuffing money in the douchebag jar.

9) Your Ex-Lover is Dead - Stars

Found this song in a Venus/Kunzite playlist. Is so emotionally-distant and laconically sad. Like, sad, but not emotionally involved about it. Life went on, and it’s such an interesting exploration.”I’m not sorry I met you, I’m not sorry it’s over, I’m not sorry there’s nothing so say...” Just... WOW.

10) Salt - Eivor Palsdottir

I FOUND THIS BEAUTIFUL SIREN ON TUMBLR WATCHING HER KEEN OUT TROLLABUNDIN IN FRONT OF A SELKIE STATUE WITH THE WIND AND WAVES ACCOMPANYING HER IN THE BACKGROUND AND I WAS AN UTTER GONER. She hits my Florence + the Machine buttons of ‘vaguely witchy woman howling half-folk music/half-incantations into a microphone” vibe.

For those who wish to be tagged, I am tagging: @themoonstarwarrior, @cloverywands, @fallynleaf, @threadsketchier, @akamarykate, @kalcat, @shaelit, @dannosteve223, @silvermoon424, @squirrelasinthewoodlandanimal, and any of my lovely mutuals who’d like to participate! Please @ me so I can see your answers! ^_^

#asks #music #the daily adventures of viterbofangirl

[creativerogues]

So, How We Gonna Resurrect This Bard?

The door busts open, swinging on its hinges, the metal handles slamming against the wall of the church as those that stand within turn to face the disturbance.

There, astride two steeds crafted from dark and shadow, sit a raggedy young wild-man, still covered in a layer of fresh wet soil and his veins still burning a cursed purple-green as the poisons of a green dragons breath continued to spread...

And atop the other phantasmal steed sits a tortle with blistered skin and watery eyes. He spoke through wheezing breath, his voice amplified as purple-blue sparks of arcane energy shoot and fizzle from his throat.

"We seek aid. Priest... Holy Man... Anyone...!" The Tortle spoke through coughs and splutters.

The steeds soon dissipated as the dismounted... And you almost didn't notice the haggard aaracokra man with withered feathers standing with a decayed body in his hands...

The three walked in, tired and desperate, and take a stand within the church at its entrance, blocking your leave.

"Please." The wild-man spoke for the first time, his voice rough and strained, his breathing heavy...

"He's been dead for four days, maybe five." The wild-man spoke again as he looked down at the body, the decay obvious and the stench almost burning to the nostrils, but none of the three seemed to care nor notice...

"We can pay." The old tortle spoke as a desperate attempt to sway your thoughts and give the group favor...

"We'll find a way to pay..." The wild-man spoke under a whisper, the Bird-Man carrying the corpse remaining silent, simply looking around the room.

The one of the holymen walks over, and despite the situation, knows these are not men of money, power or status.

"I'm sorry for your loss, my brethren-" The Priest uttered until he was interrupted by the Bird-Man.

"We don't want you pity." He spoke with a strain, his withered feathers hanging from the wings between his shoulders...

The Aaracokra looked up, taking his eyes off the corpse of his Friend. He'd taken so much time trying to stay alive that he almost forgot about the Friend that fell along the way.

He spoke again, his eyes barely containing a rage that could've burned hotter than the poison still in his lungs...

"You will f*cking fix him..."

So, here's the dealio. I wanted to do some World-building and DM Prep for my Players next session, which I've entitled "The Fixer-Upper" because I love to title each session and the Players are still in the process of fixing the colossal f**k-up that they caused...

And with the Players hopefully resurrecting Foot, and dispelling the magic that's held Whinny the Rogue, I thought that since the last call to action to create some Thieves worked so well, a call to action again might yield some fun results!

So what's the request?

Well, if the Players want to resurrect their Tabaxi Bard Friend, they're going to need someone that can do that: A Cleric, a Paladin, a Necromancer even?

So, I thought I'd ask the Community once again to create their own NPCs for my Campaign, since I loved the Characters made last time and I'd love to see more!

But to give you all a head start in Character Creation, let's tell you what I have on the lands of Valdor, the place the Party is currently adventuring through.

Valdor is the Country that lies east of Carthisia, over the Himmelblas Mountain Range that almost splits the Continent in two.

Individuals native to Valdor (known as Valdorians) have dusky brown skin and dark brown or black hair, having dark brown eyes.

Valdorians number many in the Silver Charge Mercenary Company of the Himmelblas Mountain Range, but far less than the numbers of Minotaurs, Goliaths and Orcs that live within the mountains on the west of Valdor's Borders.

Valdor is known for it’s many Mercenary Companies: The Shadow Hand, The Readied Blades, Brothers of the Mask, and The Slayers’ Band to name just a few.

Knights of the Knife, Gentleman of the Shade, Berespan’s Bravos, The Long Knives. They're the more of the famous Sell-sword Mercenary Companies.

The Three Biggest Mercenary Companies in Valdor are:

The Crackbone Company: A Company of ~20 Members, mainly Half-Orcs and Mountains Dwarves from Unter & Vuul to the north-west of Valdor, with Goliaths, Minotaurs and some Humans...

The Skull-Smoked-Frogs: A Company of 17 Members. Lead by a Female Tabaxi by the name of Owl on the Stone Shore. Her lieutenants are a Green Grung by the name of Osakwe, and a Kenku by the name of Dog Sneeze (’Sneeze’ for short).

Seven in Scarlet: A Company of just seven members, known for wearing only scarlet red clothing. Some say that the majority of these Members are in fact former Red Dagger Assassins who became disloyal to the Emperor of the Desert Kingdom of Rassurmurait to the South.

And that's pretty much it.

The only real "locations" to speak of are a Volcano to the far, far south that used to be a Red Dragon's Lair centuries ago, and the City of Bluemite, which used to be a small city run by a Free Noble House before said Red Dragon burned the town down to ash.

So, this is my written permission (within reason!), given to you, to create a Town, City, Location or whatever you need to suit the "Bard resurrecting" Character's Backstory. 

Maybe they lived near the Volcano, maybe they're not even from Valdor! Who knows!?

But, just like last time, I'll give a template to help everyone get started, but think about why this Character, whoever they are, would want to help the Party, and would they resurrect the Bard for nothing, for a favour, in the name of a God...?

Anyways, here's the Template to get y'all started:

Name: Race: Class: Subclass: Appearance: Personality: History: Motivation: Something Cool:

And remember, not all spells that can resurrect someone are specifically for Clerics. You're Character could be a Necromancer, a Paladin, a Cleric serving a Good God or even an Evil God.

Transmuters, Bards, Sorcerers: A lot of people can Raise Dead...

But anyhow, GO FORTH, create NPCs in Valdor and who knows, maybe the Party will gain some new allies (or enemies) in their Quest to defeat the Verdant Death that is Greshan himself...

#dnd #DnD 5e #creativerogues #campaign ideas #d&d campaign

[insfiringyou]

BTS - Jin Proposes

Contains: Fluff. Graduating university. Career Talk. Discussion of both sets of parents meeting. Surprise proposal. 

Although this can be enjoyed on its own, this is part of our headcanon storyline and we imagine the reader here as Min-seo, our headcanon girlfriend for Jin. This is set around one and a half years into their relationship. There is also a brief mention of Suga and Jeong-sun who have split up a few months before this fic takes place. 

Find out more about our headcanon universe, ongoing storyline and original characters here. & To read each member & their girlfriend’s headcanon universe fics in order, follow the links here:

RM   /   Jin  /   Suga  /   J-Hope   /   Jimin   /   V   /   Jungkook & our full masterlist can be found here

Content below cut

You had to shake your head a little to dislodge the copper coloured leaf which found itself in your hair as you left the high-ceiling-ed building and stood atop the stone steps. The social sciences building was the oldest on campus and the current view, from the steps, offered a breathtaking view of the university-owned park which stood at the end of the pedestrianised street. Canopies of scarlet and amber lined the edges of what remained of the grass and flower beds; the slight breeze aiding the leaves which had not yet fallen to join their friends on the ground. You couldn’t help but pause for a moment to appreciate the wide, open space in front of you, almost forgetting how heavy the carrier bag in your hand was and the way it dug into your fingers as you took in the sight. You wondered whether you would have much need to visit this part of the city again now you had graduated. The thought of not walking through the park most days on your way to class made you feel a little sad. 

The thought soon dispersed and was replaced with a warm smile as you noticed a figure make his way through the arched iron gates across the road. Jin was dressed for the crisp autumn weather in a pale turtleneck sweater and a pair of cornflower-coloured jeans; his round spectacles and brown loafers completing the look. He didn’t look an inch out of place among the new influx of students as they weaved in and out of the park gates, darting from building to building in order to make it to class on time and nobody paid him any attention as he crossed the pedestrian crossing and climbed the stone steps. 

“Did you get everything you needed?” He smiled as he reached your side. Your chest grew warm in response at seeing him; it always did, no matter how short your time apart was. You noticed him glance down at the carrier bag which was currently digging long grooves into your fingers; filled with books, folders and ring-bound essays you had freed from your locker earlier in the afternoon. 

“Yeah…” You held it out to show him as you walked down the steps in unison and stopped at the curb to allow a bike to ride past.

“I’ve booked the table for seven o’clock…is that alright?” Jin asked, slipping the carrier from your hand easily as his warm fingers found yours. You nodded, crossing the street. Going out to dinner had been his idea to celebrate your final day on campus. His parents had been disappointed to find you were only able to purchase four tickets for your graduation ceremony the previous week and you had already invited your older sister along with your parents and Jin. You knew that they had also wanted to be there, alongside your boyfriend in the front row, and this was their way of making it up to you. 

“Are your parents already in Seoul?” You asked. They had been due to fly in from a holiday abroad at some point today.

He nodded. “They wanted to be at the restaurant early to decorate the table.” 

You couldn’t help but grin at his indiscretion. “Mine have framed the picture already.” You rolled your eyes slightly as you passed under the iron gate marking the entrance to the park. The photograph of you in your cap and gown had adorned the living room mantle in your parent’s house for the last two days and they wouldn’t stop showing their friends. You knew they were just proud of you, but it was becoming embarrassing. 

“So when are you going to start your Master’s?” Golden leaves crunched under your shoes as you walked side by side. You knew from the tone in his voice he was being playful, but the comment inadvertently filled your chest with dread. You had been hearing similar questions for the past week from almost everyone you ran into: whether you were going to continue your studies or search for a graduate job straight away. While your current part-time retail position was not the best paid or challenging in the world, you liked your colleagues and the hours suited you and, if you were honest with yourself, you didn’t feel quite ready to move on yet. 

You blushed. “I’ve only just graduated. I haven’t even thought about that yet.”

Jin protested dramatically. “But I really liked your ceremony…I was looking forward to another one.” 

This made you grin despite yourself as you remembered seeing him in the audience as you walked up on stage to shake the Vice Chairman’s hand. “Then why were you crying?”

“I just had something in my eye.” He said with a smile. You knew he didn’t mind you knowing; it had been an emotional day for you too. You felt his hand tighten around yours, squeezing it lovingly. “Shall we go this way?” He nodded towards a narrow gravel pathway which curved around a bed of royal blue Chinese bellflowers. 

“Yeah.” You murmured indifferently, following his lead and vaguely noticing the change as the soft crunching sounds under your Converse made way to the champ-champ sound of small stones. 

Jin turned to you. “I liked your gown.”

You shrugged with a smile. “It was just rented.” You didn’t mention that you had worked overtime every day for an entire week to afford it. Your mom and dad had offered to pay but you protested; it was your ceremony and it felt only right that your first action as a graduate should be to pay for it yourself. 

“You looked like you were going to Hogwarts.” Jin chuckled, clearly thinking of the way the black gown had skimmed your ankles and flowed behind you as you walked up the steps and onto the wooden stage. Unlike him, it was your only time on stage in your life, unless you counted your part as Mary in the Nativity during kindergarten. You smiled in reply and, after a few moments of walking, Jin vocalised the fear you had felt since that day last week. “Are you nervous?” He asked softly. 

You hesitated before answering, although you knew what he meant. “There’s not many graduate jobs in Seoul for a Sociology major…”

“You’ll find something.” The easy confidence in his voice was convincing and you couldn’t help but believe that he was right. You slowed down as you noticed the gravel walkway, running between two fenced flower beds, had been cordoned off up ahead with a pink and white ribbon which stretched from one iron post to the other. The tie was at chest height and Jin, letting go of your hand, easily ducked under it before turning to you. He met your nervous glance as he slid his glasses up the bridge of his nose. 

“I don’t think we’re supposed to go in there…” You looked both ways anxiously, checking to see if anyone had noticed.

“It’ll be fine.” He held his hand out under the tie, waiting for you. “Now you’re a graduate, you can do what you want!” His wide, toothy smile made his eyes crinkle sweetly at the corners, making your chest flutter. 

“Not if we get stopped by the park-police.” You smirked, still a little timid as you joined him on the other side of the barrier. Although you couldn’t work out what the ribbon was for, the thought of breaking some kind of public rule was sort of exciting. 

Jin bent down to pick up a stray twig on the gravel. “You could always stupefy them with this!” He brandished it with enthusiasm, bouncing along your side. You couldn’t help but notice how energetic he was for a chilly autumn afternoon. You yourself had been unable to sleep for half the night, the strange prospect of it being your last day in the dormitory you had lived in for three years playing on your mind. 

“I haven’t actually seen Harry Potter…” You murmur. 

“It’s about a boy who’s a wizard.” He pauses. “And an owl.”

“I know.”

He turned to look at you, his expressions and movements a little fidgety and jumpy. You wondered if he was nervous about the dinner and seeing your parents again. He always seemed effortlessly confident and charming around them; the perfect gentleman, but you had to wonder whether deep down he had his own anxieties about them. “I thought you hadn’t seen it?” He asked. 

You shrug easily, teasing. “I don’t live under a rock.” He smiled in reply as you stroked his knuckle softly with the pad of your thumb. You walked another few moments in near-silence; the only sound being the soft crushing sounds of your soles against sand-coloured gravel and the slow, rhythmic exhalations of your breathing. You wondered whether he was busy tomorrow and if he would mind if you asked to stay the night. His apartment was closer to the restaurant and you didn’t really want to spend another night with your parents making you talk to your extended family on the phone to explain what you were going to do with your 2:1 degree. Jin hadn’t mentioned any plans beyond the sit-down meal at the restaurant, but you had seen how hectic his schedule was recently with the new album coming out a couple of months ago. That reminded you…

 “How’s Yoongi?” You asked. While Jin’s band-mate was unarguably a man of few words, he always made the effort to talk to you when you were at events together and his presence often had the ability to make you feel at ease. You had been both shocked and strangely saddened to hear of his breakup and even more surprised to discover that most of his friends had not even known he had been dating. You remembered vividly the way Yoongi had looked at the woman in question during the yacht party almost a year before and the way she cooly met his gaze; their familiarity and ease with one another both intimate and wistful. You had known they were lovers almost from the second you saw them inhabit the same space. 

Jin paused. “Getting there.”

You looked at him, trying to read his expression. “And Jeong-sun?” 

You were curious about the older woman who had been both kind and helpful towards you, the night on the yacht.

“I don’t really know.” You saw the honesty in his face. “I don’t have her number.”

You thought this through for a moment before sighing softly. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before…I thought you all knew.” 

“If I was a better friend, I might have realised sooner.” He sounded sad and you squeezed his hand gently. 

“Well, you’re here for him now.” You said gently. He was silent in return and, you sensed, deep in thought. You changed the subject, noticing for the first time that you hadn’t seen another person besides Jin in over twenty minutes. “I wonder why it’s cordoned off?”

He immediately perked up. “Maybe they found a body.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, despite his macabre suggestion. “It wouldn’t be pink…” You shook your head, thinking. “Maybe it’s someone’s birthday.”

“Maybe…” He murmured, voice wandering off before changing the topic. “Are you going to frame your degree?”

You shrugged. “It might take months to arrive.”

“What about the thing you were holding?”

“The scroll? It was just a prop…they had to hand me something, it would have looked silly otherwise.”

Jin smiled, putting his hand gently on your waist. “This way…” He led you casually down another branch in the path. The gravel made made for soft, spongy grass as you weaved your way down the narrow bend. Violet and mauve sprigs of Sweet Alyssum surrounded you on both sides; scenting the air as you walked. “You’re parents will meet us outside the restaurant.” He explained. 

You felt your chest drop a little. “I hope they get along.” Although you had both met each other’s parents on many occasions, this was the first time the two families would meet each other. 

“How could they not?” He smiled reassuring. “Your mom’s just like you…my parents will love her.”

You sighed. “But you know my dad will show them his weird birthmark!”

“The one that looks like the Republic of China?” He grinned. 

“Only if you squint really hard.” You rolled your eyes. “It’s his favourite party trick.”

Jin’s hand found your shoulder, palming it gently as you turned another bend. “I’m sure they won’t mind.”

You highly doubted it but pushed the thought to the back of your mind as you became more aware of the silence around you. “Are you sure there’s an exit this way?” You looked around at the sea of purple. 

“I’m sure.” He said easily as the path veered off to the right and the flower beds made way for a wide expanse of lawn. You peered up ahead at the little whitewashed bandstand which stood in a clearing at the end of the path. You recognised it at once; it was where the university had hosted their welcome event in your first year, with little tents and stands set up around the wooden structure in the empty patch of grass. You could see more pink and white ribbons, like the ones you had seen blocking off the path, wrapped around the octagonal banister. A white streamer hung from the beamed roof, but you were unable to see what it said from this angle. 

“Oh look, someone’s brought banners.” You exclaimed, sensing you had been right about the birthday. 

“Let’s see…” Jin smiled, letting go of your hand as you rushed ahead to circle the platform. He watched as you found the open side and walked the few steps which led to the eight-sided stretch of decking to read the cream-coloured banner. You stopped as you read the neat script, mouth tugging upwards in an open mouthed smile. 

WILL YOU MARRY ME? 

How sweet, you thought, wondering if the lucky girl had already passed the sign or not and if the groom-to-be was also a student. The park was university-owned after all. You turned around to show Jin; he had been a little way behind you when you rushed over to the bandstand, but stopped in your tracks as his eyes met yours. He was bending down at the bottom of the steps, resting on one knee. 

“Did you fall?” You asked as you stepped towards him. Your lips were parted as you reached the edge of the platform and stopped. Your cheeks suddenly felt hot and your stomach somersaulted as you looked down at him. You were beginning to understand, but a part of you didn’t quite believe it…didn’t register that this was all for you. 

“So will you?” He asked. His brown eyes were wide and expectant. You opened your mouth to speak but found no words came out. You found yourself thinking of the first time you met, almost two years before when he had entered the department store you worked at, looking to buy a formal suit for an award ceremony. The memory was comforting as well as amusing; recently the group had entire flocks of designers to dress them for shows in suits which cost more than your entire yearly paycheck but on that day he had gotten down on one knee in front of you as you reached the tape measure around his neck. No matter how many times you did this, it always made you nervous and you felt your hands shake a little as you pulled the cord tighter, trying to read the measurement. He lightened the tension by making a joke. “What?” You had asked, with a grin, not quite hearing him over the thudding in your ears. He repeated: “I said, I’m sorry…I left the ring in my other jacket.” You felt your heart skip a beat in your chest. You hadn’t thought about that first meeting in a long time; there were so many memories with Jin since, but now, you remembered as though it were yesterday. 

You realised you had been stunned into silent for almost half a minute, starring at your boyfriend, unable to speak. You found yourself worrying that he would take this the wrong way; that you were rejecting his proposal, and grew increasingly frustrated with your own, stunned body. His expression remained soft as his eyes met yours. 

 “I’ll take really good care of you.” He added; eyes wider than ever. There was a second of understanding; of processing the earnest meaning of his words, before you felt the air being sucked out of your lungs as your chest and stomach lurched. The sensation was simultaneously both the most painful and wonderful thing you had ever experienced and you were aware that you had started to sob before you even felt the hot, salty flood of tears stain your cheeks. Your eyes closed shut against the sting as you clasped your hand to your mouth, desperately wanting to shout yes, yes, yes as loud as you could over and over again, but only able to cry audibly. 

You felt Jin’s arms around you, cradling your shoulders and torso against his wide shoulders, holding you to him. One hand cupped your damp cheek as you blindly pressed the other against the soft, warm wool of his sweater and you nodded against his palm, your entire body trembling as you accepted his offer; having never been so sure of anything in your entire life than you were now. His mouth was against you a moment later, kissing your lips, nose, cheeks… You kissed him back frantically, your lips trailing over his skin restlessly as you continued to sob. All around, the park was silent, giving you your privacy as you clung ever closer to each other.

***

Thanks for reading & stay tuned for more headcanon fics coming soon. 

To read each member & their girlfriend’s headcanon universe fics in order, follow the links here: RM   /   Jin   /   Suga   /   J-Hope   /   Jimin   /   V   /   Jungkook

Please check out our full masterlist here for many more fics, scenarios, lists etc.

Buy admins a coffee

#bts #bts scenarios #bts fluff #jin #bts jin scenario #bts jin #kim seokjin #jin fluff #bts fanfic #bts fan fiction #bts imagination #bts reactions #bts fan fic #jin fanfiction #jin x reader #bts x reader #bts girlfriends #jin girlfriend #jin x oc #bts x oc #bts smut #bts cute #k-pop #bts scenario #jin scenarios #bangtan sonyeondan #bangtan #fluff #fan fiction #bring the soul

[commandtower-solring-go]

The problems of Overwatch’s Role-Lock

Overwatch’s solution to its team imbalances present a deeper problem to the game, one underlined by player psychology and Blizzard’s push against human nature. Role-lock, heralded as the be-all solution to imbalanced teams forces players to choose either DPS, Tank or Healer, the game’s three core categories of character and enter separate ques. No game can launch unless there is 2 of each, and so high demand roles lead to higher wait times. 

On paper, this makes a lot of sense. It helps resolve the problem of the oppressive GOATS strategy (3 Tanks, 3 Healers), which dominated competitive Overwatch for many years. It helps prevent games where every player on a single team chose DPS. Or worse yet, when a team has no, or only a single healer. It has since helped to lift the load off of any one player and done much to end ‘carrying’ simply because everyone else was too stubborn to switch.

For a long time Role-Lock was heralded as the solution to many of the problems inherent to Overwatch since its inception by fans. But since its inception, Role-Lock has only gone against the ways that players play. Mark Rosewater wrote in his 20 years 20 lesson talk, article and podcast series on the importance of incorporating player psychology into your games. In fact, its his first lesson “Fighting against human nature is a losing battle”. This represents the problems of Role-Lock. Which, in this new light, reflects deeper problems with Overwatch as a whole. Put simply, Overwatch is torn between its competitive and casual sides. 

Competitive Overwatch, particularly that of the Overwatch League (OWL) is fundamentally different to that of its casual cousin (or in-game competitive Overwatch). Sold as a team-based shooter, the capacity for a team to work together casually is next to none. Anyone who has played with a friend of theirs who they can talk to can attest to this, as even with only 2 people playing together, the game is dramatically tilted in their favour. I have flashbacks to late nights where I’ve been thrown into games against a 6-Stack (6 players on one team) only to face, in real time, the horrible death that is born of acute coordination. The capacity to coordinate with a team takes Overwatch to another level. However, in so much as it is ‘intended play’, it is rarely ‘common play’. Loading into a game of Quick Play is a frustrating mess of uncoordinated teams and certain death. 

To this end, the kind of characters chosen by players changes accordingly. GOATS, as mentioned before, dominated the OWL, but was almost unheard of in casual play. Coordination is at its core, as its unique combination of AoE healing, speed and Dive-esque attacks require a level of coordination rare to find anywhere outside of the OWL, let alone in quickplay. However, due to its massive presence, and the slow decline of the popularity of OWL as a result, many of the Tanks and Healer’s popular to the strategy where nerfed (systematically reduced in power level) while DPS characters were buffed in order to make them more viable. 

But GOATS wasn’t popular in quick play. Because coordination was next to unheard of, the option to rely on your other teammates to win was declining. Sure, it was optimal, but it wasn’t always fun. What was more fun was big swingy attacks and killing lots of enemies. After all, this was the heart of other FPS games. “Get on the payload” was a common turn of phrase in a world where DPS players often ran away to ‘farm kills’. The frustration was there for none-DPS players who cared about winning, but so often they were matched with players, or teams full of players only interested in farming kills. Overtime, trying to coordinate became less and less fun. 

To this end, Role Lock was the saving grace for both sides of the equation. OWL lost GOATS and Quick Play forced players to care about something other than DPS. But there were other problems.

First, Blizzard nerfed nearly all of its Tanks and Healers in an attempt to kill GOATS, but never buffed them again. Some were reworked to be more fair, but others were strictly worse than they had been before and were never turned to their former glory (RIP Brig). This further incentivised players who had previously wanted to play Tank/Healer to jump ship if, for no other reason, than to feel like they had an impact on the game.

Second, there is a greater diversity of DPS characters than both Tank and Healer combined. As such, even if you were to choose a character at random, its more than likely you’ll choose a DPS character. For the simply sake of variety in a game limited to a number of linear game modes with only a handful of maps, players want to enjoy many heroes, rather than mastering a few. 

Third, the game allows players to switch heroes mid game. Every hero can counter another, and as such, there is a certain flow to switching it up to suit the needs of the situation. 

Fourth, the ideal of role-lock is that more wait time in order to play one kind of hero will act as a natural incentive for players to choose another queue. However, this isn’t the case. DPS has wait times often 100 times longer than Healer. Even practical intensives like loot boxes and in game currency aren’t enough. 

The problems are, unfortunately, inherent to what the game is. Team based shooters have always been a bit niche while that can be a problem to the game’s bottom line, it always allows what fandom it does foster to care. Overwatch, being as big as it is, has always been fighting with the nature of its fans. There never used to be so many DPS heroes. They were split into Attack and Defense. But no one played them as such. There were always reminders to play a balanced team, but no one ever did. There has always been a disparity between creating a competitive friendly game and a casual friendly game. Role-Lock fixes none of these. its a band-aid of a rotting wound. 

Deep down I don’t think these problems can be fixed without making Overwatch a fundamentally different game. I say this because it would be impossible to fix the disparity between DPS and Tank/Healer variety without either reworking a lot of heroes, banning existing ones, or introducing a lot more heroes. The first and last takes time and the second will result in a lot of rage. The problem of not unnerfing heroes can’t be fixed without banning heroes. The problem of role-lock and switching heroes can’t both exist. 

I loved Overwatch when it first came out, and I’ve been playing it regularly since. To an extent, I can’t tell if the problems of the game are as bad as they are, or if it is just becoming a different game. I can see the potential for it, but I can also see why its never been realised. Nevertheless, I am hopeful things change for the better. I mentioned previously Mark Rosewatch’s 20 lessons, lessons he learnt in his 20 years working on a single game. I think that as developers there is a lot to learn there because many of them are recognition of easy mistakes. But before I finish, i would like to frame my words within the context of Lesson #19 - “Your audience is good at recognising problems and bad at solving them”. I am no games designer, and I have no idea what its like to deal with the problems of Overwatch. But nevertheless, being so exposed to the output of the game, these are the problems I recognise.

#overwatch #longpost #long post #owl #thoughts #Please excuse me spelling and syntax #This is a first draft

[uniqueimagines]

New Girl In Town

Paring: Sweet Pea x Reader

Requested: No, just trying to start writing

Description: You just moved away from home taking a leap and moving to Riverdale. After your first day at work you go for a walk bumping into a new and attractive stranger.

Warnings: None 

Word count: 1,876

______________________________________________________________

Your parents had been split up since you were around eight or nine years old Having a very rough and distant relationship with your father,mainly due to his mild alcohol and emotional issues, you lived with your mom from the time they split up until the beginning of the year before you turned twenty. You had an amazing relationship with your mom but had finally decided it was time to get out on your own. Having managed to find a job that would give you at least 40 hours a week and paid you enough to realistically survive off of your take home pay as long as you were good with your money. The job however was worlds away from home. Flying with just a suitcase and backpack of the things you couldn't live without to your new life in the small town of Riverdale. You had managed to find a small one bedroom apartment near the railroad tracks that wasn't too expensive and was only a mile or so from your new job a Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe.

Arriving in town in mid January, about a week before you are to start work, you have enough time to adjust to your new surroundings, get settled into your apartment and just relax for a few days. The last night before your first day of work you had managed to get the hang of the walk to the diner, got the little bit of furniture and necessities for your apartment that you didn't already have, and you were just now finishing off unpacking your things. Gently placing the hanger containing the last of the clothing from your suitcase into the closet finally finished off your unpacking and allowed you to place the empty suitcase on the top shelf of the closet out of the way. While you are way more of a night owl that you care to admit the week was catching up to you and as the clock on the bedside table read 9:30 you decided to call it a night and get a long and well rested night of sleep before your first day of work. Quickly changing into spandex shorts and a long black t-shirt you crawled under the soft covers of your bed quickly falling asleep.

*Beep Beep Beep*

The sound of your alarm startles you awake. After rolling out of bed, showering you blow dry your hair and put it up in a ponytail before curling it. Never being one to put on too much makeup you quickly put on your thin winged cat eye eyeliner, mascara, and a soft pink lipstick nearly the same shade as your lips. You quickly throw on black ripped skinny jeans and a distressed black v-neck band t shirt knowing you will be changing into uniform as soon as you arrived at work.

Pulling up in your old black jeep you had bought used just a week before you park in front of the diner getting out and locking the car. You had arrived at 7:40 even though you didn't start until 8. After changing you stashed your backpack in the break room and began to work. The day went by fairly quickly and easily nothing too exciting happening. Getting off at 4:30 you take home a burger and fries quickly eating them and deciding to take a walk around town. Pulling on an old jacket over your outfit from the morning you left the apartment with nothing else but your phone, keys, and thoughts. After about 45 minutes of walking its pitch black and you decide to turn back and head for home.

The wind setting in and sending a deep chill down your spine you begin to quicken your pace as you round a corner you run smack into someone knocking you straight to the floor. “Oh my god I’m so sorry!” you say shakily as you catch your breath and begin to stand. The tall handsome dark haired man holds his hand out to you to help you up. As you take his hand you wince a little having gravel bits in your hand from landing on it in the fall. “You okay, princess?” the dark haired boy smiles lightly helping you stand still having ahold of your hand. As he looks down on you a small smirk pulls at his lips causing a crimson blush to come to your pale cheeks and you pull your hand away letting it fall to your side. “I’m fine thank you…” your words come out much quieter than intended but loud enough for him to hear. Still feeling embarrassed you begin again but a bit louder and more confident, “Again sorry for bumping into you I wasn't watching where I was going I was getting cold and it's dark and I just wanted to get home and,” you begin to look down losing your confidence as you ramble.

Before you could continue your embarrassing rambling the boy laughs lightly and interrupts, “Do you want a ride home? I'm just parked around the corner and then maybe I could help you clean up that cut.” You look up and see he is gesturing to your hand as a few drops of blood are trickling down your fingers and rocks remain in your palm. “Are you sure? I really can make it home fine.” you state unsure if you should really accept the ride but inside hoping he says yes considering how insanely cute this tall mystery boy was and the fact that your hand was throbbing. He merely nods and leads you around the corner and to his bike. You are fairly observant and through the week you had spent in town and your first day working you had already learned about the serpents gang and their snake symbol. The fact that a large number of them rod bikes and he had a tattoo of a snake on the side of his neck made the arrival to his bike very little of a surprise to you. It also made him more attractive, you quickly stopped having a sudden realization that made you hesitate to jump onto the bike.

“I don't even know your name yet, I think I need at least that much info before jumping on the back of a strangers bike,” you bite your lip looking up at him. He merely smirks and grabs the helmet handing it to you as he says, “Sweet Pea, and you are?” you take the helmet, being careful not to get blood on it, and smirk as you reply, “Y/N, nice to meet you.” you quickly slide the helmet on and buckle it. Without another word Sweet Pea hops on and you do the same sliding behind him. You wrap your arms around his body carefully holding your hands trying not to hurt it more or get blood on him. You use your hands to guide the boy to your apartment with ease arriving in a few minutes.

When inside Sweet Pea can't help but look around a bit surprised by the interior. “It seems a bit….. Bare,” he calls standing in the living room as you go the bathroom to grab the first aid kit. Being a naturally clumsy person you had a decently large med kit looking down at the rocks in your palm you decide it's better to clean it here, “yeah I just moved in a week ago, hey mind coming in here to help? No need to get blood on my couch.” you laugh lightly. He walks in slowly still looking around as he walks though your room to get to the restroom where you are sitting on the counter beside the sink. You had already pulled out a pair of tweezers, bactine, and some gauze bandaging and tape to wrap the wound. “Get hurt often?” he questions with a raised brow looking at the large medkit on the other side of the sink to you closer to him. “Let's just say i'm a touch clumsy,” you laugh lightly looking him up and down as he walks to you from the doorway of your bathroom.

He stands gently taking your hand into his pulling the few rocks from your palm before grabbing the batine. You don't notice the few drops of blood falling into your sink or even the pain of the rocks being pulled from your hand as you are too busy spacing off as you stare at the handsome man cleaning your hand. “Y/N?..... Princess?” he finally gets your attention and you blush and look down to find your hand already cleaned and wrapped. “Thank you so much…” you bite your lip still not looking up as you speak. Sweet Pea keeps one hand holding yours and uses two fingers from his other hand to grab your chin and tilt your head to look up at him. Before either of you could think too hard about it he leans in pressing his lips softly to yours. Your eyes flutter shut leaning into the kiss pressing your uninjured hand against his chest. He moves his hand to your hip pulling you a bit closer until you are on the edge of the counter and pressed as close to his body as he deepens the kiss gently sliding his tongue over your lip asking for entrance.

Before you get a chance to part your lips he pulls away to the sound of his phone ringing in his pocket. Letting out a small groan he pulls his phone from his pocket and glances down at it you doing the same seeing a snake emoji after the initials FP. He quickly answers it, “Hello?....” he kisses your cheek before stepping into the bedroom. You watch him pace a bit nervously and after a minute he hangs up rejoining you. He steps between our knees as you remain sitting on the counter unsure of what to say to him. He was basically a complete stranger.

Before you could get too deep in thought he pulled your attention up by sliding his calloused hand onto your cheek and giving you a small peck on the lips,“ I gotta go I have some business to deal with…” He gives you a small smile hoping he hasn't just ruined his chances. “Promise you aren't just running off with some other girl?” You laugh lightly half joking as you bite your lip. “I've only got eyes for the new girl in town, nobody can compare.” he smirks at your nervous demeanor and leans in kissing you once more deeply. “I promise I want to continue and if you are free I would love to take you out on a real date on Saturday night?” he asks handing you his phone with a new contact open for you to enter your number. He had already entered “Princess” into the name slot. You smile happily and enter your number. After locking his phone you reach around him sliding it into his back pocket letting your hand linger for a moment on his back and leaning up for one last deep kiss. He pulls back after a moment and gives you a small smile, “I'll text you later, Princess.

Masterlist

#riverdale #riverdale imagine #riverdale fandom #imagine #sweetpea #sweet pea imagine #sweet pea x reader #southside serpents #serpents #jughead jones #cheryl bombshell #cheryl blossom #toni topaz #fangs fogarty #riverdale masterlist #dilton doiley #dilton doiley x reader #toni x reader #toni imagine #bulldogs #fangs imagine #fangs x reader #fangs forgarty x reader #archie andrews

[hdnprplflwrs]

she held the world (and i’m just living in it): the hogwarts express

Read on ao3.

Based on this prompt lmao I did say that I might make a fic out of it ;-))))))

__________

Steam below in Adrien’s eyes, causing him to cough. People were shouting, things were screeching, wings were flapping, and thuds of suitcases could be heard amidst the general excitement and nervousness floating around Hogwarts Express. The trolley carrying his new leather trunk, labeled with a gold-stamped Gabriel emblem on the front. His cat, Plagg, was a notorious escape artist and it was clear with the amount of yowls and new holes in his wicker basket that he wanted out. He could feel Nathalie’s eyes boring into the back of his head as he stumbled towards an open door, pushing his heavy trolley a few inches more before he gave up and focused on lifting Plagg through the door and into a blessedly empty compartment.

He could barely lift the large wicker basket, what with the black cat being his usual annoying self and trying to claw his way out. Plagg jumped in the carrier, causing Adrien's hand to lose its grip on the corner of the basket—

A pair of hands — or rather, two pairs of hands — alleviated the weight of the basket some and caught the cumbersome thing before it could fall and allow Plagg a chance of escape. Adrien’s saviors helped him push the basket into the compartment with a shout of “One! Two! Three!” and met him with wide grins when they finally managed to get "the blasted thing," as one of them called it, into the compartment.

“Thanks,” Adrien smiled in the carefully doctored way that his father taught him, only for it to dissipate and a much more genuine one to take its place when he got a chance to look at the two people who helped him.

“‘Course,” the first one grinned, a tall, tanned boy with close-cropped hair. Brown eyes looked at him curiously from a pair of black glasses that looked a lot like the Muggle swimwear goggles Adrien’s father would sometimes make him wear in a swimsuit photoshoot. His companion giggled, a small girl with bluish-black hair pulled into two pigtails and captivating bluebell eyes.

“We’d better get’chor trunk,” she said, her blue eyes roving over Adrien’s face before she settled down at one end of his trunk, the boy at the other end. Adrien took the handle, guiding them to the floor of the train. Together, all three lifted it onto the train and into the corner of the compartment.

He was surprised that the both of them could lift it, considering that all of his belongings were in there, and a lot of the things his father provided were not cheap, nor light. He wondered what his companions would think of the amount of expensive parchment in his trunk. He wouldn't be surprised if he found a solid gold wizards' chess set.

The rest of Adrien’s parcels were lifted onto the train with ease. The tall boy held out his hand to Adrien and was about to say something when two trolleys appeared out of the smoke and shadows of other people, followed by two families.

The first trolley clearly was the girl's, as the trunk it held had been patched over with different fabric swatches in all colors, patterns, and sizes. A box sat atop it, holding her cat if the loopy cursive and cat motifs were anything to go off of. A large man, in stature and size, pushed it towards them, a smaller woman the size of the girl on his arm. The mother and father, Adrien presumed. They looked a lot different than his parents when his parents were together. They looked like they enjoyed each other's company.

“Nino! Marinette!” The pair looked up at the sound of their names being called. Adrien didn’t know what else to do but stand awkwardly as the two looked at each other before huge grins split their faces and they took off to join their families.

The boy -- his name was Nino -- rushed over and hugged his father and mother and then a little brother, laughing at something the father said. His trunk was covered in stickers ranging from large posters of both Muggle and wizarding bands (some of the people in them didn't move, so Adrien supposed those were Muggle bands) to smaller stickers of cars and ones Adrien realized the brother must have stuck on. A tawny owl sat atop the trunk, preening its glossy feathers. Adrien's father wanted to get him an owl, but Adrien wanted a cat instead. He liked cats.

Now, he was starting to think an owl probably would've been better.

Adrien looked around for Nathalie, but she’d probably left already, as usual. She never stuck around for long, always needing to do something for Gabriel Agreste. It was odd, like she trusted him to take care of himself but that usually meant that he had to figure what his father wanted out for himself, and that usually meant being alone. He sighed and hoisted himself into the compartment, resigning himself to a lonely train ride to Hogwarts as the whistle blew.

He had barely tucked himself into a corner of the compartment, trying not to listen to the loud chatter of other students around him, when two familiar trunks pushed their way into the compartment, followed by a familiar owl, a familiar cat box, several more parcels, and two laughing kids waving goodbye. It was the raven-haired girl and the tall boy — Marinette and Nino, was it?

The train began moving as they continued screaming out th window goodbyes to their parents and....Christmaster?

Odd nickname, if it was that.

Adrien had arrived at the station in a neatly pressed button-down shirt and pants, but it was clear that such formalities weren't necessary. The boy -- Nino, Nino, Nino -- was wearing ratty jeans and a large T-shirt that Adrien vaguely recalled had a mix of letters on the front. ACBC? ECDC? ACDC? He wasn't sure. The girl, however, was wearing a jean jacket and a paint-splattered white dress. The paint seemed intentional, which Adrien thought was very cool.

Once the train pulled out of the station, the tall boy tugged the smaller girl back to her seat as it seemed she didn’t want to stop waving in until they were totally out of sight. He had to pry her fingers from the window, making exaggerating grunting noises that the girl laughed wildly at. Once her last finger was free, Nino successfully shut the window and pushed her -- Marinette -- into the compartment, seemingly forgetting that they hadn't put away their trunks yet.

Marinette sprawled at his feet, laughing as Nino climbed over her and into the compartment, right across from Adrien. “Sorry about ditching you, dude, but our parents insisted on a picture by the train,” Nino explained, holding out his hand. “Nino, by the way. Lahiffe. And this mess—“ he prodded the giggling girl with his toe, “is Marinette Dupain-in-my-ass-Cheng. And you are?”

“Adrien,” he replied, shaking Nino’s hand. “Adrien Agreste.”

“Nice to meet you, Adrien Agreste,” Marinette smiled at him from the floor and held out a hand to him and Adrien could’ve sworn his heart skipped a beat.

He shook her hand, but she had a different idea as her grip on his tightened and she pulled herself off of the floor, dusting off her skirt and taking a seat next to Nino on the cushy bench. Nino sniggered.

“What?” Adrien frowned at him, but Nino just shook his grin off his face. His mirth was soon replaced with a nervously excited energy that was, strangely, contagious.

“You ready for Hogwarts, Adrien Agreste?” Nino asked as he and Marinette procured their wands and rummaged around bags (for what, he wasn’t sure yet). Nino was positively wriggling with excitement as he held up his wand for Adrien to see. “Walnut, unicorn, twelve-and-three-quarters, pliant. I’m so excited. We’re going to be able to, like, create stuff outta thin air—” Nino snapped his fingers. “But I can’t wait for Quidditch. Man, I wanna be a Keeper.”

Adrien could only stare, wide-eyed, at Nino, who prattled on and on about anything about Hogwarts his mind could find. While Nino was going on about the secret passageways in the castle, he made eye contact with Marinette, who was miming him; Adrien nearly choked on the chocolate croissant that she had offered him from a box from her parents' bakery. She just grinned at him.

“You have a cat?" she asked, shoving a croissant into Nino's mouth, which stopped the monologue for a little bit. Adrien nodded. "Is he good with other cats? Because I bet Tikki's just waiting for a stretch after that long car ride."

"Plagg's….." Adrien grimaced. "He's not even good with humans. I don't know about other cats."

“Well, should we try?" Adrien just shrugged his shoulders, reaching for the clasps of the wicker basket. Plagg jumped out almost immediately, pouncing on Adrien's pocket. Adrien just chuckled and gave him his prize: a small slice of Camembert cheese.

He was vaguely aware of eyes on him. He looked up, only to find Marinette staring at him, an orange cat in her arms. "What?"

"You have a nice laugh," she said softly, an unfamiliar emotion in her eyes. It was a good emotion, though, if the heat erupting in Adrien's cheeks was any indication.

As it turned out, Tikki (Marinette's cat) and Plagg did get along quite well. They settled down in the space next to Adrien that had been previously covered with snacks off the trolley, all of which Adrien had bought to show appreciation for his newfound friends. At least, he hoped they'd have him.

They put on their robes just as the sky was beginning to darken. Adrien learned that Nino and Marinette had grown up together, which had just caused a lot of mischief in the Lahiffe and Dupain-Cheng households. Nino had a Muggle mother and “how she managed to keep her head on straight with us around, I have no idea.” They were quick to reveal any inside joke they came across, which quickly devovled into who could embarrass who first. Adrien couldn't recall a time where he's laughed this hard with a full belly. Conversation turned into rumours and gossip about Hogwarts and about the Battle of Hogwarts from nearly twenty years ago, to talking about the Houses. Neither Nino or Marinette knew which House they wanted to be Sorted into, and they had spent a good deal of the trip discussing each House and who had been in it.

Adrien wished he had the choice.

His father had been particularly adamant about Adrien becoming a Slytherin. Every Agreste had been Slytherin since, well, the first. Lo and behold, his cousin Felix had also been Sorted into Slytherin. Felix had also been chosen to be a prefect. It was like that for generations and generations, Head Boys, Prefects, et cetera. His father had hammered into him what was to be expected of him and from him once he stepped foot in Hogwarts.

He wasn’t even sure he wanted to be in Slytherin. He didn't like dungeons. He got enough of that at home, and he really didn't like home.

He could barely remember freezing on the boats and shuffling his way up to the castle with the other first years, he was so nervous. He might have bolted had Marinette not grasped his hand as they walked down the entrance hall, sending him a reassuring smile.

That alone sent a flood of warmth back into his system, and he sent her what he hoped was a grateful smile in return, but it probably looked like he had a toothache.

She was really pretty. She was like the princesses that the princes would save in the books he had in his room, but he suspected that she was also very different from those princesses. He suspected she could probably save herself.

She had a few different laughs: a loud, wild laugh, a small, giggly laugh, a laugh that that made her nose scrunch up cutely, and a few more, all of which he saw on the train and liked. A lot. He liked her smile a lot. She was a happy human being, and she made him feel happy too.

She made him feel a lot less lonely.

She didn’t let go of his hand as Professor Longbottom explained the Houses briefly in a small room off the side to the Great Hall. She didn’t let go as they marched under the huge, arching entryways, shuffled into what resembled a line and walked down the center of the Hall, stars twinkling above them mischievously amongst the floating ghosts and candles. The chatter of students quieted down, and only when they were silent did Adrien realize the whole school had been talking and bubbling amongst themselves.

She gave his hand a squeeze when he was among the first to be called up to the Sorting Hat. He glanced back at her, and her wide, beautiful blue eyes were comforting. He squeezed her hand in return and made his way up.

He sat on the stool, seeing hundreds of eyes bore into him as Professor Longbottom placed the hat on his head. He could see Felix sitting proudly amongst the Slytherins, a prefect’s badge glittering on his chest.

Hello, a snide voice spoke in his mind. Adrien nearly jumped out of his skin.

Jumpy, are we?, the voice spoke again amidst Adrien’s turmoil of thoughts. Hmmm. Another Agreste. Let’s see, quite a large heart, knowledgeable, quick on the feet. Longing to prove yourself — but not....hmm....

My father wants me in Slytherin, Adrien thought, albeit glumly.

But you don’t want to be, the hat mused. As you should, it won’t do you much good.....well then....”GRYFFINDOR!”

The row of gold and red under the lion hangings burst into raucous applause as Adrien numbly walked over to the nearest empty seat to back pats and hair ruffles. He grinned at the excitement of the people in his new House, but felt a growing sense of dread in his stomach. Marinette had been watching him take his seat and shot him a wide grin once they locked eyes that he couldn't help but mirror, but it did little to soothe his fears. He wished Marinette was right with him. He hoped she'd be Sorted into Gryffindor, too.

He glanced at the Slytherin table as the next person was Sorted into Hufflepuff. Felix was staring intently at him.

Slowly, he put his finger to his lips, as if he was telling Adrien he was going to keep it a secret from their family.

#hey look im posting my fics now #also gryffindor!adrien is a vibe #so is cute and blushy adrien #hogwarts #hoggy warty hogwarts #yall realize they don't have the school song anymore #whats up with that #gryffindor #ravenclaw #ravenclaw!marinette is bae #marinette #ladybug #miraculous ladybug #harry potter #some marauders vibes #im chilling #bro why haven't I done this before #this shits cool #adrienette #ladynoir #plagg is honestly such a mood #I just realized I didn't include hagrid which is a big sad tm but hopefully ill remember to add him later #cuz hagrid is a cinnamon roll #he deserves more credit #also supportive!felix #need more of that

[reallylonglies]

Taylor Swift - Demon Hunter: Part 1

It was when she had me in the headlock that I began to wonder if I might have struck a nerve.

Was it something I said?

I thought back through everything I had said to her that day.

“You look nice today.”

Wasn’t that.

“Have you done something different with your hair?” 

Pretty standard conversational fare, shouldn’t provoke this kind of reaction.

“Your boyfriend is a fire demon, and you need to exorcise him.”

I thought it might be that but then who can tell with teen girls, honestly? 

“Why are you mad?” I asked her, or at least tried to ask her. My voice was a little strained because her elbow was tightening on my throat and her hair was hanging over my face so that every time I inhaled I got a mouthful of it. 

“Why are you in my dressing room?” 

Oh, yeah. Maybe it wasn’t even the fire demon thing, maybe I was just intruding. Suddenly it all made sense. Mystery solved. Case closed. 

I made some strangled noises and tried to spit out a clump of blondeness but it wasn’t going to work. Country singers have big hair and now a good solid third of hers was clogging my airways. She was going to have to let me go if I was going to explain.

“You’re going to have to let me go for me to explain,” I whispered gently into her thoughts. It’s just mild telepathy, nothing fancy. I don’t have a nosebleed whenever I do it or anything.

She dropped me and shouted an expletive. It was uncouth, I was shocked and taken aback. You don’t hear that kind of language in the other realms.

“You can’t be shocked and taken aback, you’re the one who broke into my dressing room,” she shouted, her eyes had narrowed to thin slits of rage.

Perfect, I thought, we can use this.

“Use what? Who the hell are you?”

“See, this is why I don’t use the telepathy thing - once I get into the swing of it I start sharing thoughts I don’t want to and before long everyone knows where I’m going for lunch and there’s a queue for the burrito bar. It’s like inception. Suddenly everyone wants a burrito and I’m left at the back of the queue where the burritos are just wet tortillas filled with cold rice and the memory of beef.”

She kicked me in the face. She has really long limbs. 

“I will admit I should have explained myself better.”

“Yes.” 

She folded her arms and looked at me. There was an awkward silence before I realised it was now time to explain myself better.

“Have you ever heard of muses?” 

“Like the Greek myth?” 

“No, not the band. The Greek myth, you know, this is why my job has been hell since 1994… Oh, wait, you said myth didn’t you? That is the correct answer… That doesn’t happen often. Imagine if those muses were like the Greek myth except also they’re fire demons that possess men of influence and try to trick them into forming a global government of badness that will bring about the fall of mankind.”

“So not really like the muses at all then?” I liked her sarcasm, it was spunky, she’d need that in the hellscape. Demons love spunkiness.

“There are nine of them, plus assorted demons and servants. Can I move on to the good part?” 

“Is that the part where you leave my dressing room before I call the cops?” 

“No. It’s the part where I tell you that you, Taylor Alison Swift, are a Lightning Rod.” 

They never react the way that I want them to. It’s not like telling someone they’re a wizard and they get to go to wizard school. Tell someone that and suddenly you’re like their best friend in the world: it’s all fun and laughter and shopping for owls. Tell someone they’re a kind of magical exorcist and the fate of the world depends on them and suddenly you’re the bad guy. 

“Yeah, I’m calling security.” 

“Wait, wait, wait!”

She paused, her hand hovering over the phone. 

“Listen.” 

She did, I saw her eyes, once angry slashes of rage, grow wide. 

“What is that?” 

“That’s me. You can hear me.”

“No, it’s like music. Like a melody.”

“It’s the sound of me disturbing the dimensions by being here, you can hear it because you’re a Lightning Rod, Taylor,” I always feel weird about this bit, sometimes they can smell us, sometimes they can taste us on the air, but every once in a million years there’s one that can hear it. Every one of us, demons, sprites whatever, we have our own little tune. We know each other’s, but Lightning Rods don’t have them because they’re technically mortal. It’s like having someone who hates the internet scroll through your Instagram and tut. I think that’s what it’s like. I don’t show up in photos so Instagram’s not really my bag. Stupid demon laws. 

“What’s a lightning...thing?” she asked, her eyes a little misted as she concentrated on my tune. 

“It’s a kind of exorcist. The muses are drawn to you. You’re like catnip...Demon-nip if you will.”

Her gaze snapped back to me, fire in her eyes again.

“What does that mean, am I in danger?” she asked. She didn’t sound afraid, more angry, like this whole thing was just some big inconvenience to her.

“No danger,” I said, “If you let me train you.” 

“Ugh,” she sank into a chair, “Fine.”

********************************

New York, midnight. Rain falls. 

He cracks open his hotel room door and stumbles in. He doesn’t feel good. Who would, in his condition? 

“Hello John,” she whispers gently as the storm outside throws light across her face. She’s draped in a chair with it’s back to the corner of the room. The dress he left her in is gone, and she’s dressed all in black. A hood obscures most of her face. 

“I thought I just…” his drunken vision swirls to the hotel door. His memory takes him back on a stumbling journey through the lobby, out into the street, crying girl in a dress. 

“You left me to make my own way home, John,” she said. Her lips were blood red. 

“How did you…” he was on the 20th floor. The elevator had taken ten minutes. 

“I’m in good shape, John,” she looked at him, she was holding something silver and small. He wanted to look at her, and at the same time he wanted to close his eyes tight until she was gone.  

“What do you want?” with a sudden wave of discomfort he realised how much she was scaring him, this wide-eyed nineteen year old girl whose heart he’d been toying with. He looked around the room, she’d taken the mirror off of the wall above the mantlepiece, it was leaning against the fireplace. She’d scratched something into its surface. “What did you do with the mirror?”

“Do you remember when he came to you? He said he’d help you and you shook his hand, and you never saw him again.”

“What are you talking about?” he didn’t like her voice, it sounded different: powerful.

“And even though you never knew his name, you always remember that after that encounter everything started going right,” she stood up, her clothes were wet from the rain. She held out her hand, her nails sparkled. 

He didn’t want to touch her but something in him was compelled to reach out. 

Before he knew what was happening he was on his knees, her arm was tight around his throat and she was pressing something cold against his head. 

“Look up,” she said, wrenching his neck so his face was opposite the mirror. He did not expect what he saw. Two faces fought against each other on the surface of his skull. One moment he recognised his own deep set eyes, his square jaw. The next second, a different face, rounder, with odd, taught features seemed to pull against his skin and try to gain prominence. 

“Get out,” she said, but as he tried to get away from her she wrenched his body back into position, “Not you John.” 

She pressed the silver object harder into his skin, it hurt like hell. Something inside him was tearing. To his horror, the face in the mirror began to speak. 

“You can’t beat me Swift, they’ve all tried - even Aniston gave it her best shot, he likes having me here.”

“Sure,” she said, her grip tightening, “But how many of them knew your tune.”

She whistled. Two brief, one long, and then two more quick notes. Rising and descending in pitch like a small hill of sound. 

Something felt like it was splitting within him. Like his skin was pulling away from his whole body and falling backwards. In the mirror he watched as something horrifying emerged from his limp frame. She let him fall to the ground like a sack of rotten potatoes.  

“You’ve had your fun with him, asshole,” she said, and kicked the mirror hard. It shattered and burst into flames. 

He woke in a cold sweat. The mirror hung above the fireplace. 

A nightmare.

**************

“I just don’t think it’s fair to name-check him,” I said, reclining in an armchair. I liked her home studio. It was warm, my office in the Inbetween is cold and damp and the demon who sits next to me smells of actual brimstone. 

“Why?” she said, strumming her guitar pensively, “His demon, his song. Doesn’t the world get to know what he did?” 

“The demon or the man?”

“Both,” she stopped strumming and bowed her head, “Is it the muses that make them all assholes or do I have just awful taste.” 

“Look,” I said, putting on my most authoritative voice, “You’re the best in the business. You’re a talented exorcist. I hear back at the office they’re even making a pamphlet about you for us to give to the next generation of Rods. You’ll be an inspiration.”

“That is not an answer to my question,” she said, putting her guitar back into its stand and spinning around in her chair, “I’ve heard of guys battling their inner demons but I never knew I would be the one that had to do all the vanquishing. It’s exhausting.”

I always came to watch her record the songs. There was something exciting about watching the lights flicker and the room shake as she trapped a demon in a melody. She was the first aural Rod since the invention of recorded sound, this innovation was helping us keep some real pieces of work at bay in her pieces of work. 

As she hit that first line of the chorus I felt the ground quiver below me. Fabulous, a real spectacle. Something worth manifesting for. 

#taylor swift #taylor #lover2019 #reputation #urban fantasy #demon hunter #fan fiction

[cecilspeaks]

141 - Save Dark Owl Records

The prison of your own mind is undergoing budget cuts.

Welcome to Night Vale.

Today I’d like to open the show with a statement from a local business owner, Michelle Nguyen.

Michelle: An insidious presence has invaded our town. That presence is located in the Night Vale mall and is called the Burger Barn Gladtown Records Express. I’ve seen you shopping there, Night Vale, and I want you to know you’re all murderers with the figurative blood of independent record stores dripping from your hands. “No, no” you’ll say, “that isn’t figurative blood, it’s literal barbecue sauce from the Black Angus barbeque bacon burger and it’s delicious!” You’ll keep blathering on how about “Burger Barn Gladtown Records Express keeps thick juicy beef burgers layered in between your albums, so you can flip past them and impulse eat as you shop. It’s so convenient!” [angrily] Well you know what? Convenience is another words for laziness. When you come to my store, to Dark Owl Records, you have to earn your music! Our extensive underground section is kept literally underground, and you have to dig random holes in the dirt to find it. We don’t provide you with a shovel, you can’t even bring your own. You must use your fingers. Broken knuckles and fingernails peeled back to the quick are the sign of a true music lover. Sometimes, you won’t find music you think you like, but then you realize that the rhythmic grunts and scrapes of bloodied hands into rocky earth is itself music.

Anyway, come to my fundraiser tonight at Dark Owl Records. It’s a party, and parties are the worst, but I don’t have the money to pay my bills anymore and it’s your fault, so just show up and do the right thing, or I’ll go out of business. Ok, thanks!

Cecil: Thank you, Michelle. Our radio station is doing a remote broadcast live today at the Save Dark Owl fundraiser. We’ll do some interviews and there’ll be live bands, and it should be a lot of fun. Hope you see you down here, Night Vale! Come show your support for local small business.

But first, a word from our sponsor. Today’s program is brought to you by the Burger Barn Gladtown Records Express. The popular franchise mashup had its grand opening only three weeks ago and is already a booming success. From their regional frosty treats, like the cactus thorn malt, to their wide selection of best of complication albums. There’s something for everyone at Food Barn Gladtown Records Express. And by popular demand, there’s now extra fry sauce on everything, including the Bluetooth headphones. You don’t even have to ask for it. You have to ask if you don’t want fry sauce, and you have to give a good reason why not, like uh, a signed doctor’s note. Burger Barn Gladtown Records Express. Your community entertainment culture conglomerate.

And now, a public service announcement.

Deb: Hey old friends! Corporeal humans, cor-corporeal humans, former babies, future corpses, this is Deb, a sentient patch of haze, speaking for the department of motor vehicles. We know you haven’t heard from us in a while. But [blows raspberry] we haven’t heard from you either. Relationships are a, [clicks tongue] two-way street, so to speak. But [hiccups], I know there’s been some tension and things have gotten a little weird between us. No need to get into that right now. Or ever again, as far as we’re concerned. But if you wanna come over some time and just talk, just say hi or anything, then the department of motor vehicles will be opening our doors for one hour every weekday between 2 and 3. That’s all we have to give emotionally right now. Self..care. We would like to see you again though just to [emotionally] hear your voice. We hope you’ve been doing well. [hiccups] We’re a little drunk, and it’s late. Man, we just got done watching Carol for the third time in a week. [angrily] And you haven’t really been posting on social media lately, so we just wanna know what’s going on with you. [drinking noises] Again, no pressure, no strings attached, and if it gets crowded you could always take a number as usual. But the DMV wants you to know whether your number 19 or 99, you’re always number 1 to us! [snorts] [cries] We, we miss you. We miss you.

Cecil: Listeners, we’re here live at Dark Owl Records, and the fundraiser is getting off to a great start! People are buying shards of records they dug out of the ground, there’s a cake with thick black frosting and undulating tendrils. Mm, looks delicious! There’s an effigy of the Burger Barn Gladtown Records Express with a lot of long pins sticking out of it. And at the center of all the excitement is Dark Owl owner herself, Michelle Nguyen, and her girlfriend Maureen. What a treat! Hey you two, wanna say hello to all of Night Vale? Ah that’s weird. Uh, Michelle sent me a text right now while simultaneously staring unblinkingly into my eyes from three feet away. Uh, her text says: “We heard the spot you did for Burger Barn Gladtown Rec Ex and we are not speaking to you at this time. Please leave my party, Cecil.” Oh I get it, oh no, this is a, a simple misunderstanding, Michelle. See, in radio journalism, we have a moral responsibility to play ads and make lots of money. I see where you’re confused. Does that help clear things up? Aaand Maureen is pouring ice coffee all over my laptop. I’ll go find a towel, while you go to the weather.

[A Pale Sun Rises Over New York" by Scrawnyman, https://scrawnyman.bandcamp.com]

Michelle: Hey, this is Michelle. Cecil had to go away, but there was a hastily assumed agreement I would take over the show while he’s gone, so here I am, Michelle. Broadcasting live from my own party, which is better than mingling with people and being all social and stuff, right? Uh, no offense to anyone who’s here, but this is the first party I’ve ever agreed to attend and it was only out of desperation. I mean, all parties are born out of some form of desperation. Ugh, parties are the worst! I wish everyone would go home. No, no, don’t go home, it’s so nice that you’re here… I guess. But you know what else is nice? Being alone. Or mostly alone. That’s really what independent record stores stand for, you know? Individuality, independence, isolation. Don’t follow the herd, go home, be alone. It’s the best. 

Oh shoot, I was afraid something like this would happen. I mean, everything’s fine, there’s just a little situation out back. I’m gonna hand the mic over to Maureen while I deal with this.

Maureen: Um, hello? Hey, uh, this is Maureen. Don’t be scared or anything. A-actually be scared, but not about what I’m going to tell you. So what happened is some people were digging in the underground music section and the ground kind of split apart and now there’s a giant, like arthropod thing. Uh, it’s tearing people’s limbs off and whatever. Seems really mad and people are screaming, there’s like a lot of blood, blood is so stupid. But Michelle has it under control now. She’s kicked out everyone but the spider crustacean thing, because it was the only one who wasn’t being fake about its love of music. So yeah um, come on down to the store. Uh remember: we’re here to save Dark Owl! And even though the biggest section is the not for sale rack, there’s still a lot of great things to choose from. I know that some of the best things I’ve ever found have been here. Michelle, for one. Uh, don’t tell her I said that.

Also earlier today, I was crawling around inside the ventilation system, and I thought it would be really narrow and claustrophobic like air closed shafts usually are, but actually it kept growing wider and taller until I could stand up and walk around. I could even run if I wanted to. The ducts and passageways unfolded in front of me and I felt totally lost, but in a good way. I ran and ran and somewhere along the way I lost my flashlight and it didn’t matter. I could see with a sense other than vision, maybe it was taste. Ductways tasted like an everything bagel, and that guided my way. Then I could taste voices outside the vents. A voice I knew well was talking to a customer about a color limited edition single of “Love Will Tear Us Apart” on one side and “Love Will Keep Us Together” on the other. The record’s cover art depicted the eruption of Mount St Helens, but like a year before it actually happened, which makes it super valuable. I followed the taste of their voices, which was like green apples but the artificial candy flavor version, and I ended up in the obsolete media bunker behind the register, where I lay down on a pile of warm Sheena Easton singles and CD-roms filled with corrupted Limewire files. And that’s where I am now. Aand I’m gonna take a nap. Bye! [snoring]

Michelle: Hey Night Vale, I’m back. It’s all under control now. Sorry, I have kind of a contentious relationship with my neighbor Matt. He’s a 15-foot coconut crab that lives underneath the lot behind our store. We usually get along OK, but he really does not like parties, and I should have told him in advance, but I was busy and totally forgot, so my bad. Anyway, I let Matt eat the patrons who were wearing airpods and he was happy, so the party is still going strong. Most of the people are dead or have been kicked out, but I wanna make it clear that the party is still happening. So come on down to Dark Owl Records and save our store! Honestly, things are so much better now that everyone’s gone, so this is really the perfect time to show up. We have some special listening stations where you can browse all your favorite genres, like silence, post-silence, proto-silence, under-silence… I know you guys might not have heard of under-silence yet, but that’s like when the headphones are projecting what’s inside of you back into your own ears and you can hear your internal organs processing blood and fluids, and you’re filled with the awe of how all these seemingly archaic gooey parts can possibly work together to keep you alive and functioning, and you eventually pass out and/or vomit.

[sighs] I really don’t know what I’ll do if I have to leave this place. I’ve spent so much time here, I don’t even remember where my house is. One night after work, I walked down the street I thought it was on, but nothing looked familiar. And I kept walking for hours. I finally saw my house, but when I walked in, the door opened into the kitchen instead of the living room, and there was this family I’d never seen before eating dinner. There were four large serving bowls of mashed root vegetables on the table. The family didn’t notice me at all, they ate their mush and talked about their days. The mom was worried about the new boss at work, and the son forgot to go to his dentist appointment, and the daughter had a chemistry test that went okay. I didn’t want to freak them out, so I et myself out the back door and kept walking until it as morning. And in the cacophonous creak of dawn, I ended up back at Dark Owl just in time to open for the new day. And it didn’t matter, you know, that I couldn’t find my house because –

Wait, what’s this? An empty-eyed courier child just handed me an envelope. There’s a, there’s a check inside, and it’ a coupon for something called the “100 percent fish hot dog”, and a hand written note. It says, “Hello, my name is Jules, and I’m the franchise owner at the new Burger Barn Gladtown Records Express. Here is the rest of the money for your fundraising goal. When you become a franchise owner like me, you’ll think to yourself, ‘oh cool I’m an entrepreneur now, I’m going to be my own boss. I’m finally going to have agency in my life, you know?’ At least that’s what I thought when I filled out he online personality test that told me I had what it takes. I’m a type 23: outgoing but grounded. I’m detail-oriented but I can also see the big picture. I’m competitive, but I follow the rules. Classic type 23.” The note goes on. “But there are so many rules, Michelle. You have to conform when you’re in a franchise. And if you don’t, you’ll go under. Not merely monetarily, but to this place they refer to only as the cavern. If you end up there, you don’t ever come out again. Anyway, one rule is that we need at least one business competitor to remain open at all times. Until our lobbyists overturn the Sherman anti-trust act, we need Dark Owl Records to stay in business. So please take this money. I don’t wanna go to the cavern. Please, Michelle. Sincerely, Jules.”

OK, not sure how to deal with this right now if I’m honest. This person opened up a rival record franchise, and now they wanna give me money from their corporation to stay in business? I dunno. I need to go soul searching. I need to listen to some ambient room tone tracks used under famous movie scenes. I really like the one from the diner in “When Harry Met Sally”. Whatever, I guess. [steps, door closes]

[steps] Cecil: Night Vale, I’m so sorry I left you. I went to get a towel to clean up the spilled ice coffee, and there was this giant spider lobster thing, he-he cornered me and I couldn’t escape. He just kept talking and talking and god, he was boring! The worst person to run into at a party. I didn’t know how to get out of the conversation without being rude, uh I finally said I’d go grab us both a slice of cake and sidled out of there. I hope everything went OK while I was gone. Let’s see. Oh, there’s no one really left. The radio gear has been abandoned except a sleeping Maureen under my chair. There’s an inordinate amount of blood on the floor, and hey looks like the little cardboard thermometer that shows the fundraising goal has been fully colored in! Wow! We did it Night Vale! I guess that means there’s enough money to keep Dark Owl in business, at least through this month’s bills. That’s the thing about bills, they keep happening.

Well, whatever the future holds, the party was clearly a success. As was this ultra fun remote broadcast. So music lovers, kick back, put on your fry sauce-dosed headphones, listen to your newly purchased album shards, and put some vitamin E cream on those knuckles! Stay tuned next for the cla-cla-clack of CD cases being browsed, like a fluttery little heartbeat in the darkness.

Good night, Night Vale, Good night.

Today’s proverb: A good way to tell if an artistic idea is worthwhile is to remember that the most successful video game of all time is “a plumber steps on turtles”, so who knows?

#welcome to night vale #eisode 141 #save dark owl records #wtnv transcripts

[arrianna21]

~Caramel Eyes, Mocha Paws~ Chapter 1

They said you were a beast, a monster, but I can see the man within you. You two are a part of each other, two souls in one body. You protect me from the darkness and I bring forth the light.

Word Count: 7,882

Shutting off the lights to the coffee shop, you close the door before locking it, pulling on the handle to make sure it doesn’t budge. Closing up and being the last one to leave never bothered you, not even on a night like tonight, you actually enjoyed the quiet air that encompassed the area as people began to turn in for the evening. Checking to make sure you had your phone, purse, and other essential items, you turn around and walk down the nearly empty sidewalk, passing carved pumpkins and smiling scarecrows.

It was late Halloween night, almost near midnight according to your phone and most of the kids had already come through to collect all the free candy they could. Your manager had wanted to stay open a little longer than usual in case some tired parents or babysitters wanted to get some coffee to recharge before heading back out to follow their little trick-or-treaters who were on a scavenger hunting rampage.

A group of teenagers come towards you, a mixture of boys and girls who were probably going to some party if their fake bloody outfits and bright neon costumes were any indication. The girls squeal while the guys pretend to chase them around, plastic knives held up high as they all run by you.

Most of the shops were already closed, their windows dark and vacant of life as everyone ventured home for the evening. Though the town square was practically empty, minus one or two groups of people and a handful of drunk adults, you were at ease as you continued your walk home.

Reaching the corner, you turn down the dirt path, ignoring the cement route and instead opting for the forest. While dangerous in theory, you preferred the scenic route instead of the boring way for two reasons. One, it was a faster way to your house, the distance was only a 15-minute walk compared to the 30 that it took to go around and two, you would much rather have nature as your company than people. Since you constantly dealt with people all day, this gave you the chance to unwind and spend some time alone.

As orange and brown leaves crunch under your feet with your shadow following closely behind, illuminated by the light poles on either side of the trail, you enter the canopy of tall trees. Chirping crickets sing around you while the wind ruffles the near bare branches, the sounds combining into a comfortable ambience.

Eventually, the lights become sparse as you venture further into Mother Nature’s territory and you have to rely on the moon’s bright glow as it hovers above you in the sky. Despite the supposed creepy atmosphere, you continue walking normally, unfazed in the slightest while you keep to the worn path. You’re about halfway home, having been lost in your thoughts until you hear something skitter up a tree. The sound isn’t enough to startle you, merely breaking your train of thought in the process but with the noise comes a realization.

The crickets are silent. Not even the wind was blowing. In fact, the entirety of the woods seems to be at a standstill and your casual gait comes to a stop.

You’ve lived here your whole life and never have you felt unsafe within the forest. Then again, you don’t remember venturing out at night on Halloween. At least, not by yourself.

Taking a cautious step forward, the wind picks up suddenly, cold air howling as it whistles in between the branches. You shiver, but proceed forward when the breeze settles. An owl hoots nearby and you flinch.

Picking up the pace, you walk faster, for once not wanting to stick around the normally quaint woods. You grip your purse tighter, fingers digging into the shoulder strap. Something rustles the fallen leaves behind you, but you resist the urge to look back even though the hair at the base of your neck stands on end and you hear the sound getting louder.

It was coming closer.

You’re vulnerable being out in the open so you veer to the side, moving off the main trail and ducking within the tree line. Making sure your figure is somewhat hidden, you look back and find nothing. Whatever it was had vanished into thin air.

Deciding to play it safe, you remain where you are and continue forward, keeping an eye on the path as you walk. The calm wind returns to ruffle the plants, putting your mind at ease once more. After a certain point you have to use the light from your phone to see where you’re stepping, nearly tripping over tree stumps twice in the past few minutes. You’re so focused on what’s in front of you that you mindlessly continue going straight. A low hanging branch brushes your head and you remember to actually look up from the ground. When you only see clusters of trees in the direction of the supposed trail, horror floods your system.

You hadn’t been paying attention, too distracted by where you were stepping that you had completely forgotten the trail curves to the right. Mentally cursing your stupidity, you immediately head in the proper direction, hoping that you can correct your mistake by simply altering your path. If luck was on your side, then you should be able to find the dirt trail soon. A few minutes later, you see a faint glow ahead of you. It looked like one of the lamps and your pace quickens in excitement.

Although your joy is short-lived when you get closer and find the light gone. There was no lamp and no sign of the trail either, only the thicket of trees surrounding you. Turning around, the glow you had been following is now pulsating in another direction this time. Looking back to the way you originally saw it, you catch the orb for a split second before it disappears and pops up to your left.

You can’t remember which way you were going. Before panic fills your brain, you desperately check your phone and look for a compass that might be installed. You find it and click on the icon, waiting as it loads. Once it does, the dial appears on your screen and you breathe a sigh of relief. Knowing that your home was to the east, you watch the red needle spin as it tries to find north.

A minute passes and the compass is still rapidly spinning. When it doesn’t slow down after three minutes dread creeps into your system. You were officially lost. Opening your contacts, you look for your house number and call it, but a notification appears on your screen when you click.

No signal.

Closing the pop-up, you try again and get the same response. You groan, racking your brain with different options as you think of a new plan but nothing comes to mind. That is, until you see the golden light lurking behind a tree not far from where you are. You bite your lip, wondering if you should risk following the light or attempt to find your way out on your own. Rubbing your hand against your forehead, you put your phone away and carefully approach the floating light.

When the glowing thing notices you coming closer, it bobs rapidly before backing away, as if it wanted to lead you somewhere. It wouldn’t let you get close, the orb disappearing and reappearing after a certain point.

You’re not sure how long you end up walking, but eventually you see a break in the trees ahead. Sprinting ahead, you don’t wait for the light to guide you before you’re shoving thin branches aside, fulling expecting to see the trail you had previously lost.

To your dismay, it’s not the path, but rather a small clearing. Directly across from you was another forest, which was completely black. No, it wasn’t because it was nighttime, the trees and everything surrounding them were the literal color of ebony. Thick fog wrapped around the base of the trees, preventing you from seeing inside.

You hear a bubbling sound and you turn to find the light you had been chasing floating next to you. Its glow brightens and it floats in the direction of the trees, pausing as if waiting for you to follow. There was no way you were going in that forest.

Taking a step back, you watch the shimmering mist morph into an angry red, form shuddering in irritation. It flies towards you and you feel a burning sensation on your arm where the thing comes into contact with your skin.

Your feet begin to walk forward on their own and you pull away, trying to regain control of your body. Though you resist, you find yourself slowly losing control of your wits, the urge to give in increasingly stronger with each passing second. In an attempt to stop the light, you resort to hitting it with your purse but the bag merely goes through it. The thing didn’t even seem annoyed at your desperate efforts.

When you’re halfway across the clearing, you watch as a group of humanoids stomp out from the thicket. Two dozen or so figures emerge through the fog and it’s hard to tell exactly how many of them there are. The green humanoids weren’t tall, probably around three feet, but the big clubs and sharp spears made up for their lack of height.

One of the creatures towards the front had a horned helmet on its head and when it sees you approaching with the glowing mist, it utters something in a strange language. The shimmering thing that was currently engulfing your arm suddenly lets go, finally seeming to notice your unexpected welcome party. It gives a burbling cry, color returning to yellow, but more pale and sickly than before and it flits away, disappearing into the black forest, leaving you behind with the band of humanlike creatures.

With the glowing being now gone, the group returns its attention to you and you wonder how far you could run before they caught up. As the beings panted in anticipation, getting more and more antsy while they stood in place with weapons at the ready, you figured the odds weren’t good.

Carefully, you slip your hand into your purse and shuffle the items inside until your fingers close around a small bottle. You back away slowly, not wanting to make any sudden movements and give them a reason to attack. The one with the helmet sniffs the air a few times and begins coming towards you, mace clutched in its hand.

Your steps quicken as you try to keep your distance from it and it notices, giving an angry screech at your retreat. It closes the small gap separating you two and swings.

The stone mace hits your legs hard and you fall back with a grunt. Raising its weapon high in the air, it aims for your head and you hold your arm out, pulling the trigger of the bottle. Mist shoots out of the can as you spray the creature with pepper spray. Its reaction is immediate as it screeches in pain. Now blinded by the spice, it flails madly and scratches at its eyes while its comrades watch in confusion. The creature howls in agony before resorting to bashing at its face with its own weapon when the burning doesn’t cease.

Six of the creatures unfreeze and run towards you to which you also spray them down, internally grateful the spraying distance was far enough. Some get hit with the white mist and they also start shrieking in terror, either copying what their leader was doing by hitting themselves or dropping their weapons altogether and running away in a blind panic. One accidentally hits its companion as it flails, causing the other to get upset and fight back. With their leader incapacitated and their companions battling each other, the rest of the group can only stare in confusion as they watch the scene unfold though some decide to join the fight.

Scrambling to your feet, you prepare to run while they are distracted but you don’t see the two green creatures flanking you before one whacks you in the ribs with its club. Your body meets the earth once again but you end up losing your grip on the bottle and it rolls away. You reach to grab it but the other monster knocks it away and the spray gets lost in all the chaos. Kicking your leg, you hit the one by your feet and it stumbles while you try to get up.

A spear pierces the dirt by your head and you scream, crawling away from it. One of the creatures nearly falls on top of you while you skitter around the mass of bodies, avoiding stumbling feet and swinging weapons.

Something grabs your leg. Looking over your shoulder you see the creature with the spear dragging you closer, chipped nails digging into your pants. Its wart speckled face is filled with glee as it yanks you forward.

Another scream rips from your throat as you grab onto the blades of grass to keep from being pulled back. It doesn’t work as the green fibers are ripped from their roots and then you are flipped onto your back. The green humanoid continues to drag you towards the black mass of trees and just when you prepare yourself to meet your end, a roar shatters through the night.

Everyone freezes and turns their attention to the sound. From your position on the ground, you see a tall figure hidden within the tree line, coming from your side of the forest. Glowing red eyes peer through the branches and the creature shoves through, body easily breaking the branches that stick out in its path. In shock, you watch the giant werewolf step out into the open and stand at its full height on its hind legs. The lupine figure stood tall, glaring at the scene laid out before it.

Your wide eyes meet its bright ruby orbs and the werewolf’s eyes narrow. A bass-like rumbling growl vibrates from within its frame, the sound sending a tremor across the earth, escalating until you feel it shake in your bones. The brown werewolf throws its head back as it releases a howl before sprinting towards the mass of creatures, large gait closing the gap within seconds.

A few of the green humanoids prepare themselves, readying their weapons with some charging forward while the others take on a defensive position. The one creature holding onto your leg resumes dragging you across the space and into the decaying forest. Your other limb not clutched in its grasp kicks out though it doesn’t deter it from its mission as it merely snarls at you and you cringe.

You feel the heavy pounding footsteps as something runs into the pile of bodies, plowing through the creatures as if they were nothing more than flimsy cattail reeds. Suddenly, the werewolf is standing over your fallen form as it sinks its jaws into the smaller monster’s neck that has you in its clutches and there’s an audible crunch of bone. The large animal lifts its head and roars again, the tremors reverberating the ground which angers the short humanoids.

The remaining creatures give a cry of their own and rush the gigantic beast who swipes at the first wave, sharp claws slashing into short bodies, knocking them off to the side. It steps in front of you, keeping its body in between yours and the miniature creatures. While they’re all engaged in combat, you manage to get to your feet, keeping low to the ground as you run in the opposite direction.

Reaching the tree line that houses your safety, you hear a short yelp and though you tell yourself not to, you end up looking behind you anyway. While the wolf was currently holding its own, the small creatures were retaliating by attacking all at once. Though the brown-haired beast continues to bite and claw at them, it couldn’t deter them all and you watch as one green humanoid sinks its spear into the werewolf’s back, though the poor angle resulted in it only partially catching its hide. Another humanoid takes advantage of the beast’s distraction and bites into its hind leg. The wolf roars in anger, smashing the short being’s skull in with its fist.

Though the green humanoids numbers dwindled, a dozen of them were still standing and while you were sure the wolf could finish off the rest, you were afraid it might get overwhelmed at some point.

Instincts scream at you to run and yet you choose to ignore them, instead reaching a decision when three of the creatures latch onto the wolf’s body, screeching and sinking their nails into its torso.

Frantically, you scrounge around for a weapon since your pepper spray was hidden somewhere amongst the bodies before you opt for a relatively sharp looking tree branch. You send a silent apology to the tree before ripping the slender limb off and running back towards the fight with your makeshift weapon.

By the time you get close, the werewolf has managed to fling one green creature off and was attempting to get rid of the other two, but the others at its feet were making it difficult, effectively breaking its concentration with their own assaults. Thankfully, none of them were paying attention to your approach, giving you the chance to swing your branch and whacking one of the unsuspecting green creatures in the back.

It falls down but tries to get up to which you hit it again and this time it stays down. The other humanoid closest to you shrieks in retaliation for its fallen companion and grabs your branch. You hang onto it, keeping a grip on the bark as you engage in an awkward tug of war with the short monster. It yanks you forward and you stumble as a result, but remain steadfast in holding onto your weapon.

That is, until teeth are clamping around your ankle. You scream and ultimately let go of your branch as you look down to find the first creature you knocked over biting into your leg.

Before you can react, a large paw slams into the green body, crushing its spine in the process and you jerk back, glad when the jaw relaxes its hold on your foot. The werewolf seems to go into a frenzy as it quickly dispatches the remaining monsters, claws cutting into flesh and flinging blood everywhere as a result. One by one, each humanoid goes down until the rest end up fleeing into the forest, dragging their wounded and leaving the dead behind them. Only the one that stole your branch remains. Although it doesn’t get a chance to put up a fight as the beast bites its head and flings the small body into the black forest where it lands with a thud somewhere inside.

You watch as the werewolf surveys the now desolate area before tilting its head back and releasing a loud howl of victory. Flinching at the sound, you take that as your queue to leave, taking a step back, only to collapse when your ankle throbs dully. Not wanting to miss your opportunity, you resort to crawling, grunting lightly as you will your body to move faster though your tired limbs make it difficult.

Having finished its howl, the werewolf jerks its head towards you, bright red eyes focusing on your fallen form and your backwards crawl turns into a skitter as you retreat to the safety of the tree line. The beast follows after you, each step it takes sending a light shudder across the grass. Your back ends up against a tree, preventing you from continuing back and you fearfully watch the approaching beast.

When it’s standing above you, it bends down right in front of you, going down to all four legs, and you pant in trepidation at the close sight. The werewolf leans forward and you pant heavily, head digging against the bark as you try to keep away but it’s futile as it gets closer until you can hear the saliva sloshing around in its mouth. Its red eyes seem to glow in the darkness, head directly in front of you as it stares, maw nearly touching you as it begins to sniff you. Large bursts of air fan your face as the wolf pushes its snout into your hair, fur and breath tickling your cheek, trailing down to your neck.

You whimper and the sound surprises it, the brown colored beast stopping its inspection to instead watch you with golden eyes. You blink in confusion at the shift in eye color you just witnessed. Though it was odd, you did feel slightly more at ease now that its irises weren’t the color of blood. Despite the color change your body is still frozen, not wanting to move or even make a single sound. When you’re still again, it continues its prodding, snout bumping the underside of your jaw and the cold nose startles you. You can’t help the flinch that follows. The wolf doesn’t stop this time, merely sniffing your upper body while you remain pinned against the tree. Its hot breath warms your skin, but shivers still encompass your frame as fear stays coursing through your bloodstream.

As its head leans next to yours, you try to avoid making eye contact, not wanting to make any more sudden movements. The animal steps to the side, still keeping close to your curled body. You’re not sure what the wolf is doing, its maw was now at the back of your neck and you could still feel the quick puffs of breath.

Soon enough, you get your answer. Sharp teeth scrape against your neck and you nearly cry out in terror at the sensation, thinking you have finally met your end. Your scared thoughts are wrong however, as you feel yourself being lifted by the back of your shirt, body rising in the air.

You had no idea why it was picking you up and you can only dangle helplessly as the werewolf proceeds to walk forward with you dangling from its mouth like a piece of meat. To your surprise, you feel yourself lowered to the ground before you are placed on your feet. Cautiously, you turn around to find the wolf standing tall behind you, looming figure easily towering above you. It stares down at you and you do the same, the two of you seemingly locked in a trance.

The werewolf gives a huff and the gust of air hits you directly. When you don’t move it grunts and nods its head as if telling you to turn around to which you do. Facing back the other way, you feel its head give a gentle nudge against your back, though the force sends you stumbling forward and it bites your shirt to pull you upright with a snort. You’re hesitant, not wanting to move for multiple reasons, but you’d rather not anger the creature so you force yourself to take a step. Although, you don’t get more than two or three steps before your legs give out from underneath you. A whine sounds from above you and you feel a cold snout prodding your back. The werewolf crouches low, ruby eyes watching you inquisitively.

“I don’t think I can walk,” you tell it, though you weren’t sure why you felt the need to explain yourself.

It cocks its head to the side at your words. You reach down to pull up your pant leg, revealing the slow forming bruise on your ankle. Carefully poking it with your finger, you’re met with a harsh throb. While it wasn’t broken nor bleeding, thankfully, you knew it would be sore for a few days at least. The werewolf crouches down, wet nose barely coming into contact with your skin as it sniffs a couple of times. Its red tongue snakes out and begins licking your wound, the warm muscle coating your leg with its saliva in an attempt to comfort you. Once it has effectively finished its soothing gesture, the werewolf moves behind you.

Teeth tug at your shirt again and you are pulled up to stand. Wobbly legs barely support you, but you don’t get a chance to stabilize yourself before you’re picked up and engulfed in warm fur. The werewolf holds you tightly to its broad chest and starts walking. You don’t move, not even wanting to breathe, too afraid that you’ll hyperventilate, but the creature seems at ease as it steps through the forest with you cradled in its arms.

The woods are quiet except for the snapping of shrubbery that are crushed under the wolf’s powerful footsteps. Eventually you manage to calm down, stiff muscles easing little by little while you continue going to some unknown location. The dark trees seem to morph together, turning into one mass with multiple limbs, the scraggly branches being shoved aside while the beast moves passed. Between the strangely peaceful atmosphere and the wolf’s rhythmic movements, you feel yourself drifting though you refuse to close your eyes.

A crow caws and your body jerks in surprise, startling the wolf who chuffs lightly, its hackles rising. You see the black bird hopping on a branch a few trees in front of you and your companion notices your pointed gaze. When you pass the elm, the bird squawks once more and the wolf gives a short bark before the crow jumps down to another branch. It doesn’t make any more noise, merely watching with its beady eyes and you remain tense after the interaction.

There’s a soft rumbling that vibrates your body and you realize it’s coming from the wolf. The beast continues its rumbling purr, the feeling puts you at ease and you let your head lean against the werewolf’s shoulder. It brings you closer into its embrace, jaw resting above the top of your head.

After a few more minutes, you see light in the distance and thinning trees reveal your house nestled in the open. You blink in surprise, your guide stepping out from the woods until it’s standing in front of the tree line before setting you on your feet.

“How did you-?” your question unsurprisingly goes answered and you turn to find the werewolf staring down at you, amber eyes unblinking. It nudges you much gentler than before, pushing you towards your home. You walk forward, being mindful of your bruised ankle and the ground shakes as the beast follows close behind.

Nearing the front door, you see your mom standing on the porch. She hasn’t noticed you yet and you stop short, turning back to stare at the wolf standing over you.

“Thank you,” you whisper to the beast who grunts in affirmation, chocolate ears flicking ever so slightly. It felt ridiculous to thank a giant werewolf, but it did save your life and you felt it was owed some form of gratitude. “I really appreciate what you did for me.” The werewolf leans forward and its snout touches your forehead, hot air fanning your face when it huffs.

“Y/N, is that you?”

Hearing your mother’s voice, you spin around and watch as she runs down the stairs, peering frantically into the darkness. You don’t know how much she can see in the darkness, but you know it won’t be hard to miss the looming werewolf behind you.

“Yeah, mom, it’s just me!” You yell back, before turning to the wolf who was still standing there. “Umm, you might want to go now.”

It stares, not making any attempt to move.

“Go, before she sees you.”

“Y/N?” She was getting closer and you rush towards her, hoping to cut her off before she came around the side. From behind, you hear rustling and something popping but you’re not sure what it is since your mom turns the corner before you can look. You run into each other even though you try to stop, but she merely pulls you into a hug. “There you are. Were you with some…one?” Her eyes widen as she looks over your shoulder and you cringe.

“Mom, I can explain,” you try to reassure her as she steps around you to look at the wolf.

No, you couldn’t. You couldn’t explain the now four-legged animal sitting behind you, gold eyes watching the two of you nonchalantly. Your companion had somehow reduced its size, the massive beast shifting into that of a normal wolf though it was still a little tall. If one didn’t know better, it could easily be mistaken for a regular dog.

“Who’s your friend, honey?” Your mom asks, coming forward to look at the mocha-colored wolf who was staring pensively back at her.

Crossing your arms, you can only shrug. “He’s just a…dog I found in the forest when I was walking home. He was keeping me company on my walk home.” Why you went with the male pronoun was beyond you. You hadn’t been paying attention to its gender when it was busy killing those green humanoids.

She crouches down, staring at it carefully before holding her hand out to it, palm raised. You hesitate, desperately hoping it doesn’t try to take a bit out of your mom. Though it’s shown no aggressive behavior towards you this entire time, you weren’t sure if the same kindness would be applied to your mother. The wolf sniffs her open palm once and returns to staring. “What a lovely…dog. It’s a little big, isn’t it?”

You shrug again. “Maybe he’s eating good.” His diet probably consisted of lots of meat from various creatures, like little green beings who wielded spears and clubs at people.

“Maybe,” she replies, but you don’t miss the hesitation in her voice. Your mom stands and smiles at you. “Well, it was nice of him to walk you home but it’s getting late. We don’t want any spooky ghosts visiting tonight,” she jokes, tickling your sides with her fingers. “Come on, there’s some leftover caramel apples waiting for us inside.”

“Okay, I’ll be there soon. I’m just gonna say goodbye to--my friend I guess,” you finish lamely. Your mother smiles and nods before heading to the door where you hear it click soon after.

You look down and find the wolf still sitting, not having moved at all. “Good thinking.”

It gives a low bark of agreement before standing on all four limbs. At its full height, you could see it was significantly shorter than on two legs, though its head still reaches your torso and you gaze down while it stares up. “I really appreciate you helping me out. Take care of yourself.” Now you really felt ridiculous.

To your surprise, the wolf nods and pushes its head to your stomach, pressing lightly before turning around and walking towards the trees. You stand there, watching its retreating figure until the animal disappears into the woods.

                                   ~*~

Reference number 913W10. Your eyes scan the rows of old books going from one side, past the archway, to the other. Back and forth you went, trying to find the book you were looking for.

It’s like the librarians who had organized the archives section completely skipped 913. On the left was 912 and on the right was 914. You stood in the middle of the archway, wondering where 913 was if not in the middle, until you decide to look up.

There were two shelves right above the archway where the top part of the bookshelf was still connected. Glancing across both sides of the arched shelf, you realize that there’s no ladder or stool in sight. You pace across all the aisles in the large room but you’re unable to find anything that could be useful to you.

The library was going to be closing soon and you didn’t feel like walking down three flights of stairs just to find someone from the practically empty help desk. You sighed, stuffing the sticky note with the reference number back into your pocket before grabbing onto the old wood. There was no one else inside the archives so at least you won’t be caught scaling the walls like an awkward monkey.

You give a strained grunt, heaving yourself upwards as your fingers dig into the worn and chipped shelves, shoes occasionally slipping as you attempt to climb. This was definitely not the smartest idea you’ve conjured up, especially with your bruised ankle that was still a bit sore from your Halloween escapade, but at this point you didn’t have any other options coming to mind. When your arms reach the beginning of the arch, you push yourself up with your legs, stretching as far as you can with one hand until you can grab the bottom lip.

Another step and you are able to see the books at the very top. There was a small metal sign drilled into the lower ledge with a genre engraved in it. It read “Historical Myths” and you knew this was the spot. Your eyes scan the rows until you come across a leather blue book with the label 913W10. Finally.

Cautiously, you relax the tight grip your hand has on the wooden shelf and slowly reach for the book. You ease it from its space and turn it so you can see the cover.

Werewolves from Ancient Times to Present Century.

Your finger caresses the soft leather fondly. After your encounter in the woods with those creatures and that wolf three nights ago, you knew for a fact that you had come face to face with the supernatural. While you weren’t exactly sure what those green humanoids or that glowing orb were, you did have a few guesses. The most identifiable creature was the wolf, who could apparently shift from its two-legged form to that of four.

Doing a quick search on your local library’s database, you were surprised to find such an array of books about the supernatural available. No wonder the people in your town always acted superstitious. Just as you were about to start climbing back down you catch sight of another book.

Creatures of the Night: An Encyclopedia on the Scientific Aspects of Vampires, Werewolves, and More.

You bite your lip. Maybe you should look at the rest of the leather-bound texts before you leave. Holding onto your first chosen book, you scramble to find a place to put it, but the shelves were too narrow for it to lay flat. You look down towards the ground, the floor wasn’t too far away. Stretching your arm as far as it can go, you release the book, wincing slightly when you hear it hit the hardwood floor with a loud thump. That was the only way you were going to be able to get the books down without you having to try and balance them on your head or something to that extent.

With the shelf cleared of obstacles, you reach for the book that caught your interest, sliding the thick tome from its place before sending it to the floor as well where you hear it land with a booming thud. Hopefully the books were durable enough that they wouldn’t accidentally collapse into a pile of dust. Turning back to the rows of books, you begin skimming through the titles.

Ghouls of the Underworld. Pass.

Witches of Light and Darkness. Pass.

A Guide to Shape Shifters and Their Traits. Taking that one, you think to yourself as you toss it behind you. Thud.

Avoiding the Temptation of Demons. Pass.

Beyond the Skies: The Extraterrestrials Among Us. Pass.

Fables or Folklore: What’s in Your City? It sounded cheesy, but you figured why the hell not. Thud.

Supernatural Creatures Walking Among Us. Thud.

Noises in the Shadows: Banshees or Sirens? Pass.

Fantasy’s Notorious Monsters: Secrets of the Elements. Thud.

Everything else dealt with famous stories and different interpretations about them so you decide you have plenty already. A quick glance to the floor shows five books splayed across in a hapless manner, most of them wide open while only one, the very first one you had thrown, was closed shut. You could imagine the librarians and the fits they would have if they saw the current state of their books.

Facing the giant shelf once more, you see a glint of light coming from the far end you were dangling from. When you had readjusted yourself, the light from the fluorescent beams hanging above you had reflected off of a small black book lined with etchings that seemed to almost glimmer.

You can’t find a title on the bind and curiosity soon gets the best of you as you attempt to retrieve the strange paperback. It’s not on your side of the archway, but instead leaning right up against the divider on the other side. Straining to extend your body, you stretch your arm although you’re just barely out of reach. You lunge across while trying to keep a steady grip with your one hand and foot which aches in protest.

Two things happen simultaneously. Your fingers manage to snatch the desired book that had captured your attention. Unfortunately, the limbs that were supposed to keep you in place had grown tired from staying in such a difficult position and so your sweaty hand ends up slipping off the wood, sore leg giving in as well.

A shriek falls from your lips, following after your body as you watch the ceiling shrink under your wide gaze. Gravity is pulling you backwards and there’s nothing for you to grab onto so you’re left to merely flailing your arms and legs in fear. Bracing for impact, you prepare yourself for the merciless wooden planks that will definitely leave a mark.

The harsh collision never comes though as you slam into something that isn’t the floor. Not to say that it isn’t a solid landing because the air still leaves your lungs in a harsh whoosh as your head bangs into something else with a painful thump.

It’s quiet for a few seconds except for your rapid breathing and elevated heartrate. The book had somehow remained tightly clutched in your hand and you let it go where it falls to the floor.

Lifting your head, you attempt to sit up, but are unable to when you realize there are two arms securely wrapped your waist and you can feel the flex in the banded muscles as they rest on top of you. It is then that you hear the sound of someone breathing beneath you which you failed to notice as the blood was too busy rushing to your head.

“You know; a help desk is downstairs for a reason. It’s a thing people use when they need assistance in finding books. That also includes reaching for them.” A deep voice grunts from underneath you. Not good. Not only did this mean that you were currently crushing another person with your weight, but said person also didn’t sound too pleased with the situation.

A spew of curses spit from your brain as you internally panic. You’re stuck between apologizing profusely and defending your actions so your response morphs into a mixture of, “I’m so sorry, I thought I could get the books myself.” You go to scramble off of the person and this time the strong arms around your torso release you. Rolling onto the floor, you sit back on your knees to see who you were squishing while the stranger pushes himself upright with a grunt.

If you weren’t embarrassed before, then you are absolutely mortified now. Mocha-colored hair lay sticking up in various places, the guy’s hoodie having been knocked back by your momentum, with pink lips pressed into a thin line, but that’s not what causes you to go brain dead for a split second. No, it was the amber eyes that stare intensely at you, warm gold practically dripping with…an emotion you can’t quite place. Almost like a combination of fondness and amusement.

Yet, whatever you think you see soon fades into a cool chocolate, the stranger’s expression shifting from entertained to blasé, a dark brow quirking up an inch while you continue to stare. You blink rapidly, wondering if you were imagining the change in color and the man leans forward, the bright lights above you reflecting in his eyes as he snaps his fingers a few times. It must have just been the fluorescent bulbs making you see things is what your brain says but another part of you denies that speculation.

“Hey, you good? Honestly your head should be fine considering how I was the one to meet both the floor and you at the same time,” the guy scoffs, effectively breaking you from your inner thoughts. His hand lightly ruffles his hair back into a more suitable style before returning his hood to its original position.

“I’m sorry,” you apologize again, “I thought I was the only one up here. You didn’t get hurt or anything did you?” you shyly ask. He didn’t seem to have any cuts or bruises that were visible at least.

He shakes his head, “No, I’m fine,” is his smooth reply before he’s reaching for the book you had left beside him, the nameless one you so carelessly tried to take from the top shelf. The stranger opens it to the first page and reads the title aloud. “Werewolves Inside and Out. You a fan or something?” His question is filled with humor and you feel your face heat up.

“It’s more curiosity than anything,” you admit. “I just think they’re interesting and I want to know more about them.” You awkwardly scooch forward on your knees as you begin collecting the other fallen books, checking the damage as you do, but luckily even the ones that had landed in odd positions were okay. At least you won’t have to worry about paying any large fines for your recklessness.

“You act like werewolves are real or something.” The man notes, grabbing another one of the leather-bound books as he examines each cover thoughtfully.

They are, you think silently, but you won’t say it out loud knowing that you’ll just sound crazy. After your terrifying encounter just days ago, you definitely remembered what you had witnessed.

“You never know,” is the answer you finally give him. Both of you reach for the last book, but his hand touches it before you so your fingers end up resting on top of his.

Your hand becomes encased with warmth as your nerve endings flicker at the sensation. It wasn’t due to some magical connection, although you would never admit that a chill did shoot up your arm the moment you made physical contact, no, his hand was just abnormally hot. You jerk your head up in surprise, another apology fully prepared to leave your lips, but the words die in your mouth at the sight of swirling amber mixing with chocolate brown, the colors forming a shining caramel.

You can’t help but squint and lean closer, but the guy blinks and his irises are back to a normal hue of brown. Maybe your brain really was playing tricks on you. At this rate, you might start mistaking kids for those miniature green creatures. A loud thud startles you and you jump as the stranger puts the last book on your growing pile.

“Did you really hit your head that hard or do you always just stare at people?” he asks, bringing you out of your reverie and cutting off any questions you meant to ask while he shakes his bangs from his eyes, the strands splaying across his forehead.

“No. At least I don’t think so.” Your hand touches your head and it doesn’t feel tender as you lightly prod around. “It’s just you’re really hot.” Silence ensues as the guy remains with a dead stare, eyes blinking not even once.

“Uh huh.” The two syllables he utters causes the synapses in your brain to start working again as your words finally register.

Fantastic. As if you weren’t acting weird enough.

You slap a hand over your mouth in horror while you attempt to explain yourself. “I meant temperature wise. No-not that you aren’t good looking, ah, I mean.” You were really digging yourself a big hole at this point with your superior communication skills. Shaking your head to rid yourself of the word scramble, you close your eyes briefly and try again.

“Okay, that came out wrong. While I do think you are attractive I was speaking more literally, mainly about your body heat.” Cringing internally, you close your eyes briefly but open them again when you don’t receive an answer only to find a pair of converse shoes in front of you. Looking up leads you passed dark jeans and a black hoodie until you are once again staring at the guy who is now standing with your stack of books in his hands.

You didn’t even hear him move. That observation is followed by the realization that you were still half-sitting on the floor and you scramble to your feet where the man wordlessly passes the pile of books to you. Muttering a soft thanks, you see his lips part as if he wants to say something but is interrupted by the loud speaker crackling to life.

This is a reminder that the library will be closing in 10 minutes. Please be sure you have gathered all your things before you leave the building. Thank you. The intercom shuts off with a click and the room is silent once more.

“Thanks again for your help and I’m sorry for…falling on you.”

He waves you off with a flick of his hand, “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

“Right well, I’ll see you around I guess.” Your timid response is met by a blink and then a shrug.

“Probably. Have fun with your “research,”” his fingers bending and unbending in an air quote gesture, lips pulling into a smirk before he begins to walk in the opposite direction to go find whatever book or thing he originally came looking for in the first place you assume.

You turn around as well, heading to exit the archives when you hear, “Oh and wolf girl,” to which you spin around only to nearly run face first into a cotton hoodie, nose lightly grazing the soft fabric. The guy was so close to you that you could easily smell the scent of pine and cedar clinging to his clothes. Lifting your eyes, you find him watching you from beneath his dark hood and can barely see his eyes hidden within the curtain of his bangs.

“Try not to go exploring through the forests in the middle of the night. It’s not just fairy tales you should be afraid of, regular animals and people are more than enough.” And with that he leaves, turning the corner down some aisle as you are left standing in the middle of the archway, filled with plenty of curiosity and motivation.

A/N: Surprise, and Happy Halloween~ It was only a matter of time before I wrote a wolf!au because I love werewolves. Please let me know what you think, feedback is always appreciated! Also who do you think the member is? Comment or send me an ask because I would love to hear your responses. Kudos if you tell me why you think it’s that member. Thank you again for reading!

#bts scenarios #bts imagines #bts #wolf!BTS #wolf!au #fanfic #my writing #Caramel Eyes Mocha Paws

[lvllns]

forward, together

zevran and isseya in 50 sentences.

read on ao3.

******

1 — Air

Gasping against his collarbone, she shudders while her fingers grasp blindly at his back, trying in vain to find purchase on sweat slick skin; his breath against the side of her face is a ragged thing, brief before his teeth sink into the skin of her throat.

2 — Apples

The sharp twang of her bowstring snaps the silence as she looses an arrow, the red fruit that had been sitting atop his head pinned neatly to the tree at his back.

3 — Beginning

At her feet in a pool of his own blood lies her would be assassin and she laughs; when he climbs to his feet to dip into a bow she can’t help but think that she’s just created a world of trouble for herself.

4 — Bugs

“It's always fucking spiders,” growling as she spins, firing twice in rapid succession to catch the largest one in the abdomen; Zevran takes the opportunity to drag both daggers through its body.

5 — Coffee

“You only had one sip amora,” he looks amused as she fidgets on the couch in their bedroom, eyes wide and leg bouncing erratically; it takes four hours for her to calm down enough to speak without running her words together in one breath.

6 — Dark

He is not by her side when she wakes, the Deep Roads pressing in around her.

7 — Despair

One of them is going to die to save the world and it cannot be the future King of Ferelden so she heads to her room, blinking back tears; she does not know how she will tell him.

8 — Doors

She imagines the rest of the party members are grateful for something solid they can shut behind them when she takes Zevran by the hand and drags him up the stairs to their room.

9 — Drink

“Oh that is foul ma vhenan,” eyes watering she shoves the bottle back into his hands as his laughter fills the air; “You’re a filthy liar, that’s not your precious brandy at all.”

10 — Duty

She is preparing to die when Morrigan offers her a choice; leaving Alistair in his room with the witch makes something burn behind her ribs.

11 — Earth

No matter how much time has passed, when he inhales against the skin of her neck she always smells like pine trees and sap and something bright that makes his heart skip a few beats.

12 — End

She turns down his earring.

13 — Fall

Gentle hands wrap a scarf around his neck, tucking the ends together before she leans up to kiss his cheek; “I know you cannot handle the growing cold vhenan, stay warm.”

14 — Fire

He teaches her Wicked Grace while they should be keeping watch; she cheats almost immediately.

15 — Flexible

He presses against her, bending over her body with one of her legs hooked over his shoulder as one hand grips her wrists, pressing them into the bed above her head; later, with sweat just beginning to dry on their bodies, he lays atop her and she wraps her legs firmly around his back, hooking her ankles together while she drags fingers through her hair.

16 — Flying

Denerim is blanketed in shadow, a scream shattering the air as the Archdemon sweeps overhead and she swallows hard, they could very well die and she turns to say something, anything, to the assassin at her side but he silences her with a kiss.

17 — Food

One can only take Alistair’s cooking for so long; she bags a ram and Zevran acquires a variety of vegetables and spices and they roast everything over an open flame; it’s the most delicious thing any of them have eaten in weeks.

18 — Foot

“You remembered,” her voice is rough, eyes watering as she clutches the new footwraps in her hands, looking up to find him blushing; “Of course I did amora, of course I did.”

19 — Grave

Tamlen rests beneath a sapling.

20 — Green

“If you get a fancy new outfit, I want one too,” she had been so petulant when she spoke — chin tilted up and eyes narrowed — but he went out and found her a fucking cape that reminds her of aravels and halla and tall trees; it isn’t until later that she remembers the brief mention days ago of a Dalish vendor just outside the city.

21 — Head

She does not get on her knees for anyone except him.

22 — Hollow

There’s a distance between them now, something that cleans out the spot behind her ribs that he’d taken for himself, and she wonders if she should have just accepted the damn earring.

23 — Honor

The apartment in Antiva has become home to them, a place they return to after their travels are done pulling them away, so she sets up a small altar to Falon’din and leaves owl feathers and chunks of obsidian and she explains to Zevran what this means to her.

24 — Hope

Morrigan writes and they leave Rivain to head back to Soldier’s Peak; she is so close she can taste it.

25 — Light

With a yawn she rolls over, finding the space next to her empty; her brow furrows until she flips back over and finds Zevran looking out the window, watching the sunrise.

26 — Lost

She stumbles after Duncan, tripping over roots and rocks, her mind elsewhere as the Taint thunders through her veins.

27 — Metal

She takes his earring the second time.

28 — New

The gloves are beautiful, hand stitched and smelling of leather, and she has that sweet smile on her face when he pulls them on.

29 — Old

Her fingers brush the wrinkles at the corner of his eye, a fond smile on her face; he kisses the laughter lines around her mouth and thanks the Maker for the time they’ve been given.

30 — Peace

Denerim is celebrating the end of the Blight but she can only think about how nothing calm can last, something will ripple the waters eventually; Zevran takes her hand, lacing their fingers together and she allows herself to breathe, there is time to enjoy what they have been given.

31 — Poison

“You are utterly hopeless,” he’s teasing her and she shoves his shoulder, setting the glass flask down next to the deathroot; “It’s not my fault this is so complicated,” she whines as he snorts, wrapping his arms around her.

32 — Pretty

The braided leather around his left wrist is plain and worn but it still makes his breath hitch every time he looks at it.

33 — Rain

Soaking wet and shivering she bursts through the door of their apartment in Antiva, laughing when he yells about getting water on the floor from the other room.

34 — Regret

When they visit Alistair, the crown sits atop his head like it belongs there and she feels something that had been settled tightly around her heart ease.

35 — Roses

Bright red blooms wind up the walls of the buildings next to them but she hardly pays them any mind as they walk down the street hand in hand.

36 — Secret

Others cannot know what she has found, writing risks revealing the knowledge so she visits her Wardens in person; Zevran travels with her, always at her side, never seeing her go alone when he can follow.

37 — Snakes

Venomous is the best way she can think to describe the nobility, they posture and hiss and bite and she adds herself to Zevran’s offer of assassinating anyone Alistair might deem worthy.

38 — Snow

Ferelden greets them with a soft blanket when they return; they spend hours throwing snowballs at each other until their fingers are numb and their clothes are soaked.

39 — Solid

His chest against her back grounds her, gives her something to lean on while she chases away the remnants of a nightmare with thoughts of a brighter future.

40 — Spring

Years of training, of honing her talents and practicing until blood caused her fingers to slip from her bow, allows her to push off the ground with ease, leaping into the air as she releases an arrow at the genlock heading for Zevran.

41 — Stable

She tells him late one night — ma vhenan, my heart — and he’s never had the ground kicked out from beneath his feet so swiftly.

42 — Strange

Every morning he wakes to her curled up against him with her small hand holding his and every morning he has to remind himself that this is not a dream.

43 — Summer

The rain and the heat mix to create oppressive humidity that forces her to sprawl naked on their bed; he finds her later, when he comes home from the market, and she is sleeping so peacefully he almost regrets waking her with a kiss.

44 — Taboo

Armed elves always draw attention, especially very well armed elves and even more so when one is Dalish.

45 — Ugly

The scar splits her face, winding from the left side of her jaw across her cheek to the bridge of her nose, and even after years to heal and fade she cannot stop the wrinkle of her nose when she catches sight of it; later he will press his lips to it as he whispers the depths of his love against her skin.

46 — War

Templars and mages fight and they take care to use the chaos to keep themselves hidden and avoid any Inquisition scouts; she has not come this far only to be found on a slip up, not when she is so close to curing what blackens her veins.

47 — Water

He throws her into the lake just as he did so many years ago in Redcliffe and his heart swells when she breaks the surface with a smile on her face and a promise in her eyes.

48 — Welcome

Amaranthine is far, far behind her as she races off the ship and leaps into his arms.

49 — Winter

“I love you,” he says it so easily these days, so frequently, but it never fails to take her breath away and before she can react he’s pressing a kiss to her temple as he pulls the blanket tighter around them to ward off the chill.

50 — Wood

It’s such a nondescript box that she had thought nothing of it when she had seen it sitting on the table a few days ago, now however — now the box is everything, cracked open to reveal a thin silver band with a small bright green stone and he is on one knee in front of her and she cannot breathe and —

“Marry me amora?”

#dragon age #zevran arainai #f!warden #zevwarden #writing tag #c: isseya mahariel #zevran x isseya #bc the last thing i posted was sad hawke siblings take this! #i'm actually quite proud of this it was. an exercise for sure. and i plan on doing it again in the future. #hey let's hope tumblr doesn't fuck this up when i post it!!!

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #178

“for such a little thing, you sure are in your own way.”

What’s your favorite type of bird? Barn owls are actual deities. What was on the last sandwich you ate? Pb & j. What sort of music did you listen to when you were in high school? Same stuff I listen to now, although I had a mild screamo-ish phase. Have you ever gotten back together with an ex? No. How far away is the closest store to your house and what is it? Some cheap dollar store in the town, dunno names. What is your favorite Thai dish? Haven't tried any. When was the last time you made out with somebody? Over a month back. What month of the year was your mother born? August. Are there any candles in your bedroom, and what scent are they? No. What TV show(s) have you been watching currently? None. How many apps do you have on your phone? Six. My phone has so, so little storage ugh. Have you ever dated a smoker? If not, would you? No to both. Are there any movies you’ve seen so many times? Yeah, sure. Of course a lot as a kid, Finding Nemo and The Lion King 1 & 2 especially, then I've watched both Blair Witch Project movies a lot, Jim Carrey's How the Grinch Stole Christmas... How would you describe your sense of humor? Sarcastic. What’s your favorite type of bread? Pumpernickel. Do you share a middle name with any of your siblings? Yeah. Have there ever been any brushfires/wildfires in your area? Yeah. What did you have to eat for dinner last night? Nothing (Thanksgiving was lunch). Do you have separate emails for personal and business? No. Have you ever missed a flight? Yes. Do you know your significant other’s passwords? No, I have no reason to. Would you like to study abroad one day? No. Does someone have a crush on you but you don’t feel the same way? Idk. Who do you feel most beautiful around? Sara. /v\ What’s one makeup item you cannot live without? I could easily live without any. Is there one thing all of your ex’s had in common? All guys. Did you french kiss before you were 16? No. Imagine your spouse just died; would you get re-married? I don't know if I would. Like... I'd never stop loving her, so "moving on" to someone else just because she's no longer physically here would feel disloyal. What’s your favorite thing about life? New, fun experiences and creating strong bonds with people like you. Who pays for the first date? Idrc, but probably whoever proposed the date? Or split the bill? Have you ever had a friend that got a bf/gf, and then completely ignored you? Yeah. Do you play any computer games, if so, what ones? Not currently 'cuz my gaming laptop has to be fixed. :| When it is and I have my own income, I might return to WoW, but I'm not sure. I think the subscription is kinda high, and I have more important things to handle. What is the funniest movie you’ve ever seen? Idk why I find White Chicks so goddamn funny. What lyric means the most to you? Off the very top of my head, "A bloody war behind my eyes; I'll come all right on the other side" from "Free" by Mother Mother. Really makes me think of all I've been through but how I keep coming out stronger. Who is the smartest person you know? Girt. What’s the next movie you will see in theaters? Idk. Are you adopted? No. What band do you like that most people hate? You canNOT look me in the face and say you don't like at least one Nickelback song. I don't get the hate. Any new bands that you actually enjoy? Oh idk. What is your escape from reality? RPing. Do you have any self-inflicted scars on your arms? You can only just barely see them. Do you like “scene” hair? YEAH AND I ALWAYS FUCKING WANTED IT BUT I COULD NEVER POSE IT CORRECTLY 'CUZ MY HAIR WAS TOO THICK AND HEAVY. Have your parents ever been to jail? No. If your friend asked you to hold their drugs, would you? Definitely not. Does it scare you when a relationship moves too fast? Y E A H Would you ever consider hitchhiking? I don't know if I would even in a desperate situation... I don't trust people. Have you ever hitchhiked? No. Have you ever been to a music festival? No. What color car do you want to have? Burnt orange. Would you rather hike a mountain or explore a cave? Explore a cave!!! Would you rather wear a flower crown or veil? Probably a veil? Do you believe peace on earth is attainable? I honestly don't believe so. What type of tattoo do you want? s o  m a n y What is your favorite insect? Butterflies. Would you ever live in the desert? Nooooo. Fuck the heat. Is your town beautiful? I don't really live in one, but the closest town isn't. Which season do you want to get married in? Autumn. Are totem poles cool? YEAH! Favorite art forms? Conceptual photography. What kind of music do you enjoy? Plenty sorts of metal, rock, and alternative. Do you have any gay friends? Yeah. Where is your favorite place to go? The zoo, even though I have mixed feelings about them... Do you know your dad? Yeah. How often do you get on Facebook? At least once a day. Are you related to anyone who’s in prison? Don't think so?? What concerts are you attending in the near future? Y'ALL I MIGHT FUCKING SEE OZZY IN JANUARY. He and Megadeth are coming to Charlotte and the tickets aren't too bad. :') It's a loooong drive but Mom was like "hell yeah" when I told her and wants to buy tickets after she gets her tax return AH. Metallica is a possibility too, but Mom doesn't think she can afford it. If you were kicked out of your house, where would you go first? Dad's. What are you currently looking forward to? Sara's b-day, Christmas, hopefully getting my laptop fixed, aforementioned concerts, and school. What was the reason you got grounded for last? Idk, that was a long time ago. But most likely for "talking back" to Mom. The last two people you kissed, are they virgins? Yes; probably not. Is there a guy that knows everything or mostly everything about you? Yeah. Do you sleep on a certain side of the bed? A bit to the left. If you could have anything delivered to your doorstep each morning, what would it be? Um,,, money?????? What is one vacation destination that many people think is just fabulous but which you personally have no desire to visit (or revisit)? New York City. Heard from my sister it's a shithole with the craziest and rudest people known to Planet Earth. I'm not big on cities, anyway. Which animated character is your all-time favorite? Uhhhhhh... Dory, maybe? If you could own a home on the shore of any body of water in the world, which waterfront would you choose? I WANT THE PINK BEACHES OF THE BAHAMAS. But I'm scared of the Bermuda Triangle so will probably never see them. :'''''') What serves as the greatest motivation for you in your daily life? MY RECOVERY. If I got through what I have, I can't ever give up and roll back down that hill. I'm focusing to always improve. If you could have any round object in the world, what spherical item would you want? t h e  g a m e s p h e r e ,  l a d s If you were left alone for one hour with nothing more than a pen and a notepad, what would you be inclined to draw or write during those 60 minutes? Practice eyes or start a poem. If you could witness anything at all in super-slow motion, what would you want to see? Hmmm... OH, maybe a big cat's tongue licking meat. See how it actually shears tiny bits off. Cats' tongues are cool. What do you forget to do more often than anything else? Take my anxiety med at the right time. If you could teach everyone in the world one skill, what would it be? Compassion. You’ve been offered the chance to paint a billboard along a highway with any message you choose, as long as it’s only 10 words long. What is your message? Oh jeez, I'd have to think too hard on this. Who’s the last guy to give you roses? Tyler. Did your parents do drugs when they were younger? Not to my knowledge, and I doubt they would've. Do you have any relatives who live on a different continent than you? I don't believe so. What are your religious beliefs? Were you raised with those beliefs, or did you develop them on your own? I'm a theist, entailing I believe in a creator, but I know nothing about him/her/it. I personally picture them as a peaceful and sage deity that allows life to go on without it intervening anywhere, letting the world evolve on its own and see how we adapt to our unique settings and handle life. In the end, I believe we are either given some form of paradise or a type of damnation depending on how you wrote your story. I like to imagine the good go to their personal vision of "Heaven," and I wonder if the paranormal activity some experience in life are the acts of the damned, apparently confined to remain on Earth or something. Anyway, I wasn't raised with such beliefs; they were developed. I was brought up Catholic, then I turned to just simple Christianity as I didn't agree with a lot of Catholic ideas, and most recently I abruptly turned away from that in favor of theism. How did you and your significant other celebrate your last anniversary? We went out for breakfast. What has been your favorite house/apartment/etc you’ve ever lived in? My last house for location, as a house itself, my childhood one. What’s something in your house that currently needs to be cleaned? I need to vacuum my room. Do you still remember any of the dreams or nightmares you had as a child? Yup. What’s the most bizarre conspiracy theory you’ve ever heard of? The world is donut-shaped. Yeah. Do you have a good sense of direction? Not. At. All. Who was your first crush? Did you ever actually date them? Dylan, and no. What’s the weirdest, rudest, or most ridiculous thing a guest has ever done in your home? Who knows. Has anyone ever told you you’re manipulative? I don't think so. Do you know anyone who owns their own business? No. When was the last time you weren’t 100% sober? Uhhh maybe that movie night with Colleen and Chelsea. Is obtaining a college degree something that is important to you? Well, for my possible career future. Have you ever eaten at a vegan restaurant? No. Do you view substance abuse as a disease or a choice? I have... mixed feelings here. Starting something, that is indisputably a choice. Becoming addicted though, I'm not sure. Some people have addictive personalities so have a bigger inclination to become addicted, but isn't that just a personal trait/weakness you can fight?? I dunno. I know it's labelled as a disease by people way more informed than me though, so. What does the last text you sent say? Don't feel like checking. Does it bother you when people call you ‘ma'am’ or ‘sir?’ No. I live in the South, that's polite. Have you ever been obsessed with a television character? Does Dory count for movies? ha ha Do you ever wish you had powers of invisibility? Not really. What was the last thing that changed your life completely? Recovery. Do you have any step siblings? One. Have you ever been questioned by the police? No. In which state/country were you born? NC, U.S.A. Have you ever been to an amusement park out of state? Disney World. What do you normally drink when eating at a fast food restaurant? Coke or Mountain Dew. Have the police ever been looking for you? Not because I did something wrong; I've told the beach story a few times. If you chew gum, which kind is your favorite? I love the watermelon Hubba Bubba one asjfawoeu Have you ever kissed someone of the same sex? Yeah. What was the last liquid that you choked on? Water, just this morning when I was taking my meds ah. How many times did you wake up today before actually getting up? Well, I woke up once in the middle of the night like usual, then I woke up at like, 6-something and went back to sleep. Who did you celebrate your last birthday with? Mom, sises, Ash's husband and kids, and Dad stopped by. Was your last kiss initiated by you or the other person? I think it was kinda a simultaneous thing. We were saying bye. Do you buy a ton of things at the store at once or just for that day? Mom does the shopping, but it depends on how much time she has and what's at the house. When getting dressed do you put your pants or shirt on first? Pants. When you kiss a person where do your hands usually go? I actually don't know if it's a consistent thing for me??? I don't kiss anyone regularly so I don't recognize a pattern. What is one song you listen to that you’re sure not many people do? "False Flags," probs. Massive Attack is so neglected of the attention they deserve. Do you use a handrail on stairs if there is one? Yes, I'm scared of tripping. What was the last thing you saw that made you smile? Teddy came right up into my face wanting attention. What is your favorite drinking game? Never played any. Do you have any tattoos that you don’t like anymore? I think I've mentioned why I don't love my "ohana" one now. I'm getting it covered at some point. My "perfectly flawed" one is probably getting covered by a much bigger piece; I picked a bad location for it to want a sleeve. I'd just maybe redesign it, put if somewhere else. Do you have a shower curtain or door? Curtain. Who was the last person from your high school graduating class you saw? Probs Colleen? Who was the last non-relative you hung out with? Sara. Are you listening to anything right now? I'm way too obsessed with "Black Wedding" by In This Moment (feat. Rob Halford). Rob makes it, and the chorus is awesome. How many keys are on your keychain? One. Who was the last person you took a photograph with? Ryder, my nephew. Are you left handed? No. What were you most scared of when you were little? Losing my mom/being separated from her. Are you biracial? No. When was the last time you painted your nails? What color(s)? I couldn't even guess. Has a stranger ever offered to buy you a drink? Thank fuck no. Have you ever overflown a bathtub? Don't think so. What’s at the top of your to-do list in life? Stay positive, never stop aiming to improve. What was the last thing you shared? Well, Thanksgiving food. Where are you most ticklish? Feet. Do not- Which cartoon character do you want to keep as a pet? Uhhhh how 'bout an Espeon. I imagine them to be calm and silently affectionate like cats and very intelligent. Have you ever considered a career in music/acting? No. When was the last time you felt seriously embarrassed? Getting food yesterday. Per usual, let things die down, but I still ended up crammed in a corner, unable to go in any direction while someone was trying to get past me. I was headed for an anxiety attack and felt like a total nuisance. I'm pretty sure it showed in how I was whipping my head around, shuffling in various directions, clearly wanting the fuck out. Have you ever liked a song, looked up the lyrics to it, then hated it? No, lyrics can't ruin a song I like the sound of. What would be the icing on the cake for you this Christmas? A PS4, omg. I have to get my laptop fixed and a new camera, so I highly doubt I'm getting that or a tablet considering cost. I want to play the Spyro Reignited trilogy beyond words, like I refuse to even watch a let's play because I want to experience it all first-hand, but. Yeah, unlikely anytime soon. If you had the opportunity to live forever, would you take it? Noooooo. Do you like quesadillas? Only chicken and/or cheese ones. Did you like the show Invader Zim? I surprisingly never saw it. What’s the greatest/most influential song you’ve ever heard? "Life Won't Wait" by Ozzy always makes me wanna get off my ass and do something. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen in a grocery store? A HUGE BOX OF ANIMAL HEADS IN THE MIDDLE OF WAL-MART, BECKONING THE FURRIES INTO ITS DEPTHS. Have you ever bought yourself a present on Christmas? No. Well, I've used money I've been given on Christmas, if that counts. Have you ever been on a mechanical bull? No. Do you need a key card to get into the building you live in? No. Have you ever stepped in chewing gum? Yes. Name all the people you know that you’ve seen today. Just Mom.

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