#fluffyjulyday18

However creased and water-stained, it was precious.

I couldn't resist drawing the photo to go along with my most recent drabble <3 (Flat color version without effects below the cut)

Please don't repost my art; like or reblog instead.

Day 18 for @fluffyjuly, not as much fluff as planned but sort of fluff if you squint?

Taste of sin, set around Set The Originals 2x07, Klaus managed to get Kol back from Esther's hands and unexpected-impossible help waking him.

---

There was a positive to his deal with Arcadius, this new monster he was; his new powers made getting into the head of others even easier, which in this occasion was needed.

Elijah ignored the eyes on him, Klaus, desperate to believe he was there and yet suspicious of him. Not that Elijah blamed him, their family had developed a habit of coming back from the dead to be a problem.

First Esther in Mystic Falls, now Esther again alongside Finn and admittedly Elijah himself, he had arrived in New Orleans weeks ago and instead going to his family, grieving the loss of a baby, he had stalked them and fed on the worst of the city.

He would still be doing that if he hadn’t made the mistake of looking for prey in a bar Finn was in, in his new stolen body, getting knocked out by pain without any warning and waking up in chains on a new face by familiar coying words wasn’t pleasant.

It was almost amusing however since this time he could see what was under the manipulative words of love and care.

Mother really was the centre and cause all their problems as a family and if not for the sudden discovery of his new existence weakness to witches Elijah would have sent her to hell and Arcadius. 

Alas he had learnt his lesson and would be avoiding both her and Finn in the future, all powerful witches really.

Esther’s guilt, hurt and sin screamed loudly on the surface of her mind and him mentioning them; Freya, Dahlia, had gotten a reaction but Elijah had no wish to have his lips sewn together to prevent him using the right words, again,  and he had no doubt Finn would simply return him to her if his older brother caught him.

Esther had to die, and Finn had to be dealt with in another way, Elijah had given himself to Arcadius to protect his siblings, ELijah couldn’t fail any of them in his second chance even if one had set himself against the others.

Elijah just had to become creative but before Elijah could start planning to deal with either of them, he had a younger brother to help.

Trapped in his mind by Esther after he refused to easily give into her wants. Elijah was proud of his siblings and the fact Kol and Klaus had come together to protect and be there for each other, didn’t sooth his worry aboutRebekah who was absent but it was more of an improvement from his brothers, the one who refused to admit to caring or needing help and the one that fled from the for freedom countless time.

Elijah took a breath, ignored the sensation of some of his skin charring again after too long without a feed, smoothing the shift in his hand to spot them changing to claws as he reached for Kol’s sleeping face, gently brushing his from his closed eyes before her pushed himself into his brother’s mind.

He wasn’t surprised to find himself in what appeared to be a witches’ workroom and it took Elijah a moment to recognise it as their mothers and aunt Ayana’s from their childhood.

Before he could even start to look for his brother a noise caught his attention and he knelt, ignoring dust and dirt staining his pants. Tidiness had ceased to be a concern to him since he had returned to the living, given either his new appetite or habit of retuning to a charred corpse if he ignore that made it impossible to stay as immaculate as he once preferred.

“Kol.” he called gently as he found a pair of feet sticking out from a collection of pots under a work bench.

Feet far too small for his 6 foot tall adult little brother, so he was surprised when a child popped out at the sound of his voice, big eyes and long straight hair.

Kol’s hair had always been the straightest out of all of them, it made it harder for Elijah to braid but also meant it was less prone to tangling compared to the rest of his little siblings.

“‘Lijah?” Kol squeaked.

“Yes, Klaus sent me to wake-” Elijah choked when before he could finish the boy threw himself at him, already crouching and unprepared, the added weight sent him backwards. 

It was nostalgic, his childhood had been filled with wrestling and tackling before that they had been changed afterwards everything took a more violent edge, blood staining every part of their lives, playfulness lost to rage and the true want to hurt.

He stared at the roof of the hut, stunned for a moment before he noticed the noises muffled in his chest was the laughter of his mischievous brother but sobs.

“Kol?” he asked carefully, moving a hand to turn the child’s face to meet his. Wet brown eyes met his with a whimper that made Elijah's heart ache.

“You died, you're gone, ‘Lijah you-” Kol cried, words almost completely lost to the tears.

“No, I'm right here.” he tried to reassure his hand moving automatically, one to settle on the back of his brother’s head while the other moved to rub up and down his back.

“Na-uh” Kol sniffed sitting on his lap as Elijah pushed himself up, his brother was tiny with the sudden age difference and after centuries of getting used to his lanky little brother being taller than him. “I saw.”

Elijah winced, he tried not to think about what happened after his death, about how his sibling reacted, it was bad enough he had to deal with the reminder of the state of his body they shouldn’t have had to see that.

“You're asleep,” he explained, the fact Kol remembered meant he likely remembered everything else and only appeared this age due to Esther’s interference. “Mother cast a spell to keep you like this.” 

Elijah swallowed back anger and hunger at the idea that she, the woman who brought them into the world and raised them, made his stubborn willful little brother retreat in age in his own head because at this age Kol was protected and safe.

Something he apparently didn't feel at his own age now.

 “You must wake up,” Elijah insisted, thankful that within his brother's mind he was fully human shaped and there was no way the hunger would cause any shift in him, the idea of his hands changing while he was holding his brother with them sickened him. “you're worrying Niklaus.” 

That part of him should never touch his siblings, Elijah hoped to keep as much of the monster he was now from them for as long as possible.

“I don't want to,” Kol shook his head stubbornly. “not yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because you'll be gone again” Kol told him before curling into his chest tightening his hold-hug around Elijah’s neck “and it's my fault.” was spoken quietly into his chest

“Never,” Elijah hissed, only half because of the small arms cutting off his airway, his death was his own fault not Kol, Elijah went to Mystic falls to protect his brother, the way he would have done for any of them. “it was never your fault.”

Elijah preferred his own death than the alternative; getting news of Kol’s death, living with the knowledge he failed another brother.

“You still won't be there.” Kol repeated, pouting, tiny hands digging into Elijah’s skin.

“I will, I promise.” he swore,taking the hand from the back of Kol’s head to set over his heart

Kol pulled back to stare up at him unconvinced.

“I give you my word and I will never break it remember.”

“You just find loopholes.” Kol sniffed giving Elijah a sharp look, it just looked adorable.

“No loopholes this time,” Elijah smiled, moving the hand on Kol’s back to replace the other and leaning forward to rest his forehead against his brother’s “wake up and I'll be there.”

Kol took a breath.

And Elijah opened his eyes to the bedroom in the compound, having just enough time to resteady himself before Kol gasped, sitting up in the bed suddenly and Klaus threw himself between them, attempting to shove Elijah away.

Elijah kept his place, as Klaus blocked his view of Kol for a moment, keeping a flicker of concern to himself as it took all his strength to manage it when he knew that the shove wasn’t Klaus’ full strength.

He knew there was a large chance that his new existence was weaker than his old, and Klaus since unlocking his other half was stronger but not so noticeable, he would have to keep that from Klaus.

Too often they fought and Klaus would use that if he was aware of then new strength difference, and that wasn’t even dealing with any changes Elijah’s death had made, he was meant to be stronger and yet he failed and died to a teenage hunter.

“Kol!” Klaus called moving closer, no doubt to hold him both for Kol’s comfort and his own, and help him adjust after whatever their mother had done to him.

“Elijah-” Kol’s voice was soft in a way Elijah rarely heard, grief still heavy and audible after months, “I saw Elijah”

“I told you I'd be here.” Elijah said, leaning past Klaus to see Kol.

Kol’s eyes widened and he shoved Klaus out the way to reach for Elijah, fingers freezing before they met the hoodie Elijah wore.

“Are you sure you’re not a dream?” Kol asked, hope, fear and longing loud in the words.

“I am very real little brother.” he chuckled

Elijah was far more prepared this time when Kol launched himself at him, however Kol’s size meant Elijah still ended up tripping backwards and falling flat on the floor but it was laughter spilling from Kol as he stared at the ceiling.

[aged up characters, established relationship]

-

Akira opened his eyes and blinked slowly. He was still groggy but he was certain he saw the distinct figure of an angel. With beautiful golden hair and shining blue eyes, the ethereal being looked otherworldly in the morning light. Perfection.

The angel turned towards him and smiled the single most gorgeous smile he'd ever seen. Akira felt like his heart was being squeezed mercilessly. He could hardly stand it. The most beautiful being on the whole planet.

"Morning, Akki-kun."

Such a sweet sound. The voice of an angel to match the face. Akira laid his arm across his own eyes and muttered, "Are you sure you're not a dream?"

"Hah?" Taiga grunted with an upward inflection. He picked up the empty pillow next to the other man, hit him gently, then said, "Of course I'm not. Now stop being silly and get up before breakfast gets cold."

"I can't." Akira replied. He pulled the pillow away from his face and pouted.

"Why not?" Taiga asked.

"I haven't gotten a kiss yet," Akira replied matter-of-factly.

"Wouldn't you say you're being a little unreasonable?" Taiga sighed with a shake of his head.

Akira pulled the covers up so they were just below his eyes. He didn't say a word. Simply blinked and waited.

"Fiiiiine." Taiga gave in as he always did. He bent down and placed a chaste kiss in the middle of the dark-haired man's forehead.

Akira pulled the blanket away from his own face and muttered, "Not there."

Taiga kissed the tip of his nose next.

"Not there, either." Akira whined.

Taiga kissed his warm cheek. This one lingered for just an extra second before he turned and kissed the other side.

Akira blinked at him when he stood upright once again. He pouted and muttered, "You're deliberately avoiding the right spot, aren't you?"

A grin spread across Taiga's face and he ignored the question. He put his hands on his hips then declared, "There's no time for this. You need to eat breakfast and get ready for our morning jog."

"But my kiiiiiiss," Akira whined.

"Will be well-earned once we get back," Taiga finished the thought for him.

Akira paused and eyed him. That cheeky grin. That beautiful face. He already knew he'd give into this man but he planned to hold out as long as possible. Akira pulled the covers back up over his mouth and mumbled, "When we get back? You promise?"

Taiga tilted his head, causing his bangs to fall away from his face when he asked, "Do you really need me to promise?"

"Uh huh. Or I won't get up." Akira mumbled. He was a hundred percent serious.

"Fine, fine." Taiga submitted. The smirk upon his face was nothing if not boastful when he declared, "It's a promise. You'll get that kiss you want... as long as you can keep pace with me."

"That won't be a problem, Taiga-san! My legs are way longer than yours!" Akira chirped and tossed the covers aside. Now motivated beyond belief, he jumped out of bed and scurried towards the kitchen.

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ────

Are you sure you're not a dream...?"

Gale chuckles and pushes his back against Laurent. "Someone's flirty today."

"I'm serious..." Laurent pushes some of Gale's hair out of the way and kisses the back of the neck, which makes him squirm with a laugh. "After leaving the forest, I... thought I'd never see you again. But here you are..."

"Here I am." Gale turns around with a smile and traces a finger down Laurent's hip. "You're stuck with me, now."

Laurent wraps his arms around Gale and pulls him close, stopping just short of kissing him. "My dream come true."

─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

[Laurent got exiled from the village they grew up in, and it took Gale five years to find him again in Dalmasca. But it was all worth it.]

Through the loss of one lair after another by flood, collapse, invasion, Splinter had gone to many lengths to preserve this—one photo from their childhood, courtesy of a battered instant camera little Leonardo had found.

However creased and water-stained, it was precious: Raphael’s eyes aglow from the flash, Donatello squinting mid-laugh and Michelangelo impishly sticking out his tongue. Leonardo was regrettably absent, having insisted on taking the picture himself, but Splinter remembered his smile too as he peered at his brothers through the viewfinder.

Fandom: Genshin Impact

Rating: General Audiences

Category: M/M

Pairing: Chongyun/Bennett

Word Count: 631

Tags: Established Relationship, Old Couple, Head Bleeding, Nostalgia, Concussion, Stuck in a Cave

Written for @fluffyjuly : Prompt day 18

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