I hear ya, pumpkin.

Christmas Bells

Book: Open Heart

Pairing: Bryce x F!MC (Casey Valentine)

Summary: Casey and Bryce wake up in the former’s childhood bedroom on the day before Christmas.

Word Count: 1k

Rating: T; fluff

Note: Participating in @choicesdecember2022’s prompt Christmas lights (Day 19) and @choicesficwriterscreations’ Holiday Event.

Lights flicker in the darkness, warm yellow and red hues disturbing the peacefulness of the early morning hour, eliciting a groan from Casey.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she hopelessly hopes that it’s just a fragment of her imagination, a memory that is tricking her. But when she still can see the lights through her closed eyelids, the blinking like an insistent and unwelcome buzzing of a mosquito in the summertime, she turns to the other side, careful to not wake up Bryce when she buries her face in his chest.

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x F!MC (Casey Valentine)

Summary: Casey and Bryce wear matching Halloween costumes every year. This time however, things are different.

Word Count: 7.0k

Rating: T (language)

Notes: Not sure what possessed me to write an angsty yet also fluffy High School AU fic, but here we are. Also of note: Aidan, Casey’s brother, is one year older than her. Submitting this to @choicesmonthlychallenge’s Picktober for (mainly) Spooktober (Halloween, Bats), Falltober (Leaves) and Springtober (Ice Cream).

A single leaf is still hanging in the tree in front of the dirty window, fluttering in the wind above its colorful friends, wanting to reach out but not ready to leave the warmth of the tree just yet. It’s simply stuck, the world spinning all around it while longing and need fight against each other.

After how the last few days went, Casey – strange as it might be – can relate. Having spent them in a safe cocoon whenever possible – tucked away from the rest of the world, cuddled in a warm blanket while watching movies –, the cold reality seems harsh and difficult to navigate.

falling asleep to your partner's heartbeat

I will admit this got away from me

What if it doesn’t work?

It's the only thought that refuses to leave her, preferring to worm its way deeper into her psyche instead. The other scions… their bodies hadn't been separated for nearly as long, had been cared for and looked after. How could he have been so sure it would all turn out? What if they were too late and she would never see him again? The thought feels manifested, the way it pierces through her chest.

Each footstep pounds against the earth as she runs towards the tower. There was only one way to know for sure. She had no choice but to face the inevitable head on. What's one more heartbreak to endure?

When the tower doors light up and slide open, its as if she's back to the day he left. Everything looks the same as she remembers, except for the soft glow from a pillar of blue light. She steps forward, and sighs in relief when it is G'raha, in some sort of stasis. The barrier lowers in the presence of the spirit vessel, which promptly sends its essence into the waiting body before her.

He does not wake, makes no sound, but his chest rises and falls in a slow but steady rhythm. It would be her only solace for the duration of the trip back as she hugs his body to her own, Chocobo racing towards Mor Dhona. Krile, exhausted but relieved to see them return, ushers her into the infirmary where Eisha has nothing left to do but wait.

"Go, get some rest. Should he wake tonight, I assure you will be the first to know." She doesn't dare argue with her, but she knows she will get no rest with the anxiety plaguing her.

So she stays away until the last of the healers retire before climbing into  his bed. It was barely large enough to house one person comfortably -- much less two -- but she doesn't care. She fits easily beside him, head on his chest. Thuh-thump, thuh-thump, thuh-thump. She listens to each heartbeat, steady still and growing stronger. It was comforting in a way she hadn't expected; after-all he could remain unconscious for all she knew but she would not dwell on that any longer. He was here, he was alive. She repeats the words like a mantra, a phrase on each inhale and exhale.

Sleep finds her easily, and she dreams only of him.

--

His eyes flash open and he swallows down a gasp at the rush of memories - the conflicting feelings; this mind remembers the crystal leaching the life force from him, but this body had no such memory. An adjustment would be an understatement - he felt alien in his own skin. He struggles to make sense of his surroundings, the room only dimly lit by a few candles. Its quiet, likely late in the night. He manages to force his gaze away from the ceiling, and that's when the weight at his side makes itself known.

She's fallen asleep curled next to him, head on his chest, though she sports a worried expression even now. It takes more effort than he's used to, but he reaches his other hand out to brush the hair out of her face.

In an instant, she's awake. She blinks twice, unsure if what she's seeing is truly real, "G'raha? Are you…"

He cups her face, "I told you all would be fine, Eisha. I wouldn't dream of giving up that easily." Giving you up would be impossible.

She buries her face into his chest, arms wrapped tightly around him, only letting go when he embraces her, cuddling into her more comfortably. He runs his hands through her hair absentmindedly, feeling her relax into each touch. She has always drawn out this incredible feeling within him, like returning home after a long day. He supposes that is almost exactly what this is, returning to the Source. Returning to her, his home.

So it is love, then, that feeling.

Bryce & Olivia

The very talented and lovely @/artbyainna (Instagram) brought one of my favorite Bryce fics to life: Sea Lions, Tiger Sharks, and Penguins, oh, my! and I couldn't be happier with it. Look at these babies being all fluffy and in love at the aquarium. 😍😍😍😍

Kokoleka Wela (Hot chocolate)

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist] [Keiki Lahela]

Characters: Bryce (teenager) and Keiki Lahela (child) Book: Open Heart (prequel) Rating: General: all the fluff, winter/holiday Word Count: ~700

Synopsis: Hot cocoa is a winter must even in Hawaii. Bryce helps Keiki enjoy the perfect cup of cocoa.

Prompts: Sibling Appreciation: @choicesmonthlychallenge ; hot chocolate: @choicesdecemberchallenge2021

"More?"

"More!" She nodded. The enthusiastic five-year-old rested her chin on the counter, carefully watching the rich chocolate syrup fall into the mugs. "Almost... Okay! That's probably good."

Bryce suppressed his chuckle at her calculating expression. He added one last drizzle to each of their mugs. "What's next?"

"Marshmallows!"

word count: ~800

a/n: i’ll just repeat this intro every time but basically whenever i’m sad i pick a song from my bag playlist to drive into the ground and write a fic/ficlet based on it and some may call it projection, others may call it therapy, and some may call writing fics based on songs corny but alas, here i am back again, a second a/n at the end bc i didn’t want this one to be too long lMFAO this song is 7am by mariah the scientist and also tagging @raleighcarrera @anotherbeingsworld @zigtheeortega <3

♔ ♔ ♔

Griffin sat at the edge of his bed with his hands clasped and his head hung low. 

Nothing really could’ve prepared him for this feeling. His eyes were stinging and his hands were shaking, despite his attempt of wringing them tightly enough so that they could just stop moving, and every part of his body wanted to go back to her and take everything he said back so he could just stop hurting in the moment, but he knew what he did was for the best.

It didn’t make him feel any better, though.

@positiveseed

A/N: Thanks for hosting the @choicesdecemberchallenge, @choicesbyjade and @cora-nova! This is for day 8 and the prompt is presents. (@client-327 inspired this with this piece of art. Also, thanks @client-327 and @brightpinkpeppercorn for the analysis of RoD coffee orders. Very verrry helpful, thank you so so much.)  

Pairing: Colt x MC, RoD

Length: ~3900 words 

Rating: PG-13 (Swearing. Kissing.)

Summary: Ellie has always wanted to see the snow. She just didn’t know she had to live through so much snark to get there.

Full body version under the cut (for reasons).