kooru ☾ she/her

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Neinheart rubbed his mitted hands against one another before sheltering his red-tinted nose with them; although his fingers still stung from the cold, the lower portion of his face would feel relief for now.

Hawkeye smiled softly and lowered his chin deeper into his scarf. He watched as Neinheart walked around the grand fir tree, examining the branches closely and occasionally running his hand along the needles, contemplating the amount of shed. Hawkeye couldn't help the toothy grin growing across his lips— he always found the tactician’s intent expression to be endearing.

“Hard to say,” Neinheart muttered under his breath, aiming his focus to an adjacent tree of similar build. He took several steps back and looked straight up, scrutinizing the posture of each tree. Every few seconds, another tiny snowflake would settle on the lens of his monocle.

Hawkeye craned his neck as well. Most people didn't realize, but he had an eye for perfection that seemed to be sharper than Neinheart’s.

Hawkeye first tilted his head one way, then the other, as snowflakes reflected in his round, gray eyes like stars. He eventually determined which tree held itself straightest at the top, and extended his hand.

“That one, don't ‘ya think?”

Neinheart shot him a startled glance before following his gesture. “Hmm… I believe so,” he replied in a pleasant tone. “Let's hurry along. I never managed to get used to this weather.”

Hawkeye nodded and hoisted a weathered, steel ax over his shoulder. As he began to chip away at the tree’s base, Neinheart retreated a distance away to huddle between the cart mimianas. Their earthy scent left much to be desired, but one seeking shelter from the biting breeze couldn't be picky. A mimiana swiveled its neck towards Neinheart, giving him a respectful sniff. He nonchalantly reached to touch its snout, holding his breath in anticipation of a friendly chuff, which expelled a cloud of mist into his face. He squinted his eyes for a moment and resumed watching Hawkeye.

Hawkeye’s forehead shone with sweat despite the temperature, and he was almost tempted to shed a layer or two. Before each swing was a sharp inhale to be lost in each movement. But with the lightning sprite’s blessing, his essentially superhuman strength made quick work of the massive trunk.

Neinheart blinked. Logically, he had no reason to be surprised at the short amount of time it would take for the towering tree to fall, but the strength of such a knight was an impressive feat to witness nevertheless.

“Watch yourself,” Hawkeye instinctively called out as the tree snapped and shivered, slowly leaning to the side. He placed a hand on his hip and watched as the fir brushed against its neighboring tree, crashing onto the lightly powdered ground with a heavy thud. The branches took several moments to settle from dragging across each other.

Neinheart stepped around the cart and clicked his tongue twice. The mimianas lurched forward with low groans, straining slightly before the cart gained momentum. While they approached, Hawkeye diligently maneuvered the tree's trunk over his arm, although he couldn't quite manage to lift it over his shoulder. Neinheart noted the limit of Hawkeye's strength as the chief knight’s face twisted somewhat from exertion while he tried to maintain a confident expression.

“We should have brought help like I had suggested,” Neinheart said, awkwardly taking place next to Hawkeye and grabbing hold of the tree. He could tell that he wasn't helping at all, but it made him feel better to do something instead of watching.

“Aye,” Hawkeye agreed breathlessly. “I should have listened. You never steer me wrong.”

“Although, it was kind of you to send them home for this year’s first snow. I realize it's a rare phenomena for many.”

As the pair dragged the fir, leaving a trail of needles, the mimianas turned the cart in a circle before stopping, allowing easy entry for what would be the garden’s Maplemas tree. With a strenuous hiss, Hawkeye lifted the base of the fir onto the edge of the cart and lifted himself up next to it, before pulling the length of the trunk as far back as he could. About a third of the tree hung off the cart, slightly dipping against the ground. Meanwhile, Neinheart fetched the few coils of rope stored on the mimiana’s harnesses.

“That'll do it,” Hawkeye chirped, breaths raspy and misty as Neinheart handed him the ropes. “I have it from here; go sit up front and try to keep warm ‘kay? I'll be there in a jiffy and we'll head back.”

Neinheart’s knees buckled somewhat as he violently shivered, although he remained in place as Hawkeye began tying the ropes to anchors on the floorboards, working to secure the tree.

“Thank you for accompanying me out here,” Neinheart said after a while, shifting his weight uncomfortably. “Although I'm fine with logistics, executing these types of things are… not my strong suit.”

Hawkeye glanced at Neinheart with a gentle expression. “Well, it makes me happy when you rely on me,” he replied while tying the final knot, his eyes crinkling somewhat as his smile widened. Neinheart looked away, praying the cold would keep the heat on his cheeks unnoticeable.

“Anyway,” Hawkeye continued as he patted a branch of the tree, “I'm all done here. Ready to go home? I think we ought to get you in front of a fire. I can make some tea for you, too.”

Neinheart chuckled as Hawkeye dropped to the ground beside him; they began walking to the perch. “Don't trouble yourself. I make my tea in a very specific way.”

Hawkeye grinned, his expression playful. “I know. I think you'd be surprised by how closely I pay attention when you make it.” In a swift movement, Hawkeye gripped Neinheart's hand, holding his thumb tightly against Neinheart's knuckles, steadying him as he climbed.

Although Neinheart's eyes widened in surprise at first, he offered Hawkeye a small smile after he settled on the perch seat. “I'm not helpless, you know.”

Hawkeye laughed and shuffled next to him. “You're one of the least helpless people I know. Remember? I just like it when you rely on me… hey, your face is so red! You should have brought something to cover it.”

Embarrassed, Neinheart quickly cupped his hands over his face and exhaled warm breaths. “Ah- well, yes— an oversight on my part, admittedly. You needn't worry, though.”

Hawkeye sighed and tugged at one end of his navy blue scarf until it fell from his neck. Turning to Neinheart, he threw the scarf over his neck and began to loop it around, adjusting the fabric to cover as much of his lower face as possible. Neinheart stared at Hawkeye’s focused expression, opting to allow this gesture without any complaints.

“There you go,” Hawkeye murmured, satisfied, before grabbing the reins and clicking his tongue to get the mimiana’s moving. The tip of the fir dragged against the ground softly, leaving a trail in the freshly fallen snow, which remained lightly sprinkling from the sky.

Wordlessly, Neinheart shifted closer against Hawkeye, seeking comfort in the warmth of his side. Hawkeye glanced at him from the corner of his eye before another smile crept onto his lips.

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𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

☾. 𝐜𝐲𝐠𝐧𝐮𝐬 — the heiress to one of seoul's largest enterprises, shinsoo corp. majoring in international business to prepare for her birthright position at her family's company, cygnus has all the qualities of a great business woman. don't let her dreamy expression or airy personality fool you — she's as sharp and strategic as the best in the field.

☾. 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 — an academic prodigy hailing from a small, rural town. he's secured himself as cygnus's right hand, and pursues a degree in accounting to develop a wide skillset that will be useful to cygnus when she takes over shinsoo corp. rather shrewd.

☾. 𝐦𝐢𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 — he's by no means a natural at anything, but his strong sense of justice, tenacity, and work ethic makes him excel in the field he's passionate for— criminal justice. he does administrative work at the local police department for part-time work, determined to have his own detective office one day.

☾. 𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭 — he has the intellect and physical ability to pursue anything he wants, but for a boy who was maliciously orphaned at a young age by the gross negligence of the company his parents worked for, and without reparations from an unfair legal system, a law degree seemed like the only option. cygnus jokes that eckhart can take out all of her competition when he becomes a prosecutor. at least, he's pretty sure that she's joking.

☾. 𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐤𝐞𝐲𝐞 — an upper class runaway from busan; his family owns a successful international trading firm. cygnus, recognizing him as the heir to one of her family's business partners, bent the rules to let him attend shinsoo high without his proper credentials, but he rekindled contact with his family in time to apply for college. although surprisingly observant with a great memory, his work ethic for subjects that didn't interest him wasn't going to win any scholarships. his affinity for various sports won him a full ride, and luckily so, since he refused to rely on his family's money. he majors in oceanography and hopes to dedicate his life to advocating for the ocean and it's inhabitants.

☾. 𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚 — irena is the first of her family to attend college, originally growing up in a humble village on the country side. honoring her family's appreciation for nature, she studies environmental science and hopes to make an impact by working to nurture a cohabitual relationship between nature and humans.

☾. 𝐨𝐳 — oz comes from a long lineage of doctoral graduates in the stem field. she's content to continue the tradition, although her goal includes her peculiar penchant for food— majoring in chemistry and becoming a food chemist. her parents were a little puzzled at first, but it's a scientific career path that pays well, so they're supportive all the way nevertheless.

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𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

☾. irena is passionately supportive of oz's goals, and encourages her to explore healthy and eco-conscious methods to apply to her studies.

☾. after running away and ending up at seoul, cygnus allowed hawkeye to live in an unused office at shinsoo high school for a week or two until oz invited him to stay with her family. with a family of seven, one extra addition was barely noticeable. oz's family sends letters and gifts addressed to both of them when college starts.

☾. despite arguing like brothers most of the time, mihile and eckhart will hang out to watch crime related documentaries together and analyze the procedures.

☾. mihile, eckhart, hawkeye and irena will play super smash bros on the "family" nintendo switch. oz, irena, neinheart and cygnus play animal crossing: horizons together, but neinheart insists that he be in charge of terraforming. neinheart also believes that tom nook is extorting them by overcharging for renovation services, knowing they can't refuse since nook is the only person in the area who can offer such a service.

☾. cygnus and neinheart will spend a few hours in the evening once a week to review the household's budget and discuss any maintenance needed or items to buy.

☾. cygnus and irena maintain the house's intricate garden with a lush and tastefully overgrown aesthetic in mind. hawkeye doesn't know much about keeping plants, but he's eager to offer a helping hand to the girls.

☾. mihile is a clean freak. everyone will individually see him donning an apron, rubber gloves, and a strip of white fabric keeping his hair out of his face while wiping down an already sparkly clean surface at least five times a day.

☾. does eckhart ever sleep? if you leave your room in the early a.m. hours, there's a high probability that eckhart is quietly moving about or tapping away at his laptop on the kitchen island. neinheart will also make an ungodly amount of trips to make tea late at night. they stare at each other briefly with an air of respect each time.

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➻ 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 (𝐖𝐈𝐏)

headcanon

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vash

☾. vash will cuddle you in every method virtually possible, most of the time adapting to whatever position you're already in. are you sitting up on a flat surface? he's on his stomach, laying between your legs and wrapping his arms around your waist as his head rests in your lap. laying down? most of the time, he wiggles against you to be the little spoon, but will be the big spoon every once in a while. in a chair? is there room beside you? if so, he'll lean against your side and drape an arm over your shoulder. no room? he picks you up, sits down, and places you in his lap. vash will always find a way to be attached to you.

☾. just out of politeness, he'll sheepishly laugh and ask if he's invading your space. he prays to whatever is out there for you to reply that he's not, and when you affirm that he's not, he gets a burst of energy and squeezes you tightly in elation. if you say that he is, in fact, too much in your space, he immediately separates and apologizes. although he tries to hide it, his disappointment is apparent as he childishly sulks for a minute before his mood improves again.

☾. while you're cuddling, he loves nothing more than to hear you talk about anything and everything. he encourages you to talk about your day, dreams for your future, and anything else that comes to mind. he moves his thumb in circles over your skin as he stares lovingly, a light smile gracing his lips. you pause every so often at his dreamy expression to make sure he's still listening, and he always is.

☾. you run your fingers through his fluffy, blond hair as he tightens his hold around your waist. you note how the fingers of his prosthetic arm feel cold through your shirt, and inversely, his real fingers feel warm against your other side. his eyes are closed, and his chest heaves with each breath; you wonder if he fell asleep. the plant patterns on his face vaguely glow in the light at his comfort, and you can't help but softly touch them with your finger tips. vash's eyes slowly half open, and you retract your hand quickly. he smiles. "hey... do you think they're weird?" you blink, considering the question. "huh? your markings? i don't know, i think they're pretty." his smile widens and he exhales, touched by your answer. "not as pretty as you, though," he replies.

wolfwood

☾. despite all his complaining about how his arm is falling asleep, wolfwood's favorite cuddle position is laying in bed on his back with you curled against his chest, nestled in the crook of his arm.

☾. he secretly loves your before-bed zoomies, when you have the sudden burst of energy to pester him. a thin grin spreads across his lips as he provokes you into initiating a wrestling match, which he entertains for several moments, before showing you just how strong nicholas the punisher was. "that's not fair," you would whine as he rubs his rough, scruffy facial hair against your cheek. "yeah, well. life isn't fair, sweetheart," he replies.

☾. wolfwood wasn't often the type for late night conversations. he finds himself dozing off as you talk about whatever you're talking about; it's not for a lack of appreciation, but moreso a deep comfort from laying with you that hypnotizes him, lulls him into sleep. as a guttural snore cuts through your words, you jostle wolfwood awake, offended. "you fell asleep while i was talking," you scold. wolfwood will endlessly insist that he did not, in fact, fall asleep.

☾. one night, after you had told wolfwood that you were staying the night at a friend's, you decided to come home anyway. you slipped into the bedroom, feeling your way to your side of the bed, only to promptly fall against metal. you groaned as the collision echoed throughout the room. "nicholas!! you were cuddling with your cross?!" wolfwood groggily raises his head up as you sandwich yourself between the headboard and cross, pushing against the latter with all your might. it didn't even budge. "it's hard to sleep without you," he mutters, grabbing the cross and effortlessly swinging it over the edge of the bed to gently place on the floor. your frustration melted away the second he turned back over and pulled you against him.

knives

☾. more often than not, you'll have to be the one to initiate cuddling with knives as he lays up in bed reading, or at the very least, ask him to cuddle you. he loves you dearly, but he forgets that physical affection is a thing that exists. when prompted to cuddle, he'll reflect for a moment to analyze whether he's been giving you enough affection lately or not. "i'm sorry. i need to initiate these things more," he says, wrapping his arm along your side and holding your chin. you smile and and run your thumb over his frown. "don't worry so much," you reply.

☾. he loves to envelop you entirely; he places his hand firmly against the back of your head as you nestle in the crook of his neck, and his other arm presses your body tightly against his. his leg rests over yours, and your hands are against his chest. sometimes, he plants a kiss against your hair. you feel safe as his larger form curls around you, and he feels at peace in your presence.

☾. knives admittedly isn't the best at relationships or knowing exactly what will make you feel happy. he often asks for feedback, what he could do better, or if there's anything new he could try. although, he hates that he has to ask these things in order to understand— knives isn't used to concepts that don't come naturally to him, and he wants to be the best he can for you right away. no matter how much you reassure him, you can tell he feels inadequate as a significant other anyway.

☾. he scowls, although not in anger, but more like intense focus. his lips part to say something, but close for several moments, and open again. "thank you..." he begins, considering his words very carefully. "thank you for being so patient with me. i know i'm— i'm... different. and still learning. thank you for letting me be with you." his face softens as his sentence finishes, and he looks at you. you smile and hold his face in your hands; the fact that knives feels safe enough to express such vulnerability warms you to your core. "nai. i don't want anything in the world other than to be with you. you make me so happy, and you treat me so well, okay? i hope you'll always remember that." he bows his head, leaning into your hold, eventually melting against you in an embrace.

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☾. like/reblog if you enjoyed the story !