daph

read more on wattpad here

[ “cloaked heart” will take place in season 7, when everyone is cursed ]

It was a sunny, lovely day at Hyperion Heights. Zella walked towards her favorite coffee shop, saying hello to all the town people she saw everyday.

If there was something that Zella valued, was her routine. She came into the coffee shop where her best friend was already waiting for her, her blonde hair peeking through a booth.

“Good morning, Tilly” she smiled, sitting in front of the girl.

“Hi Zells!” she giggled, the familiar nickname making Arya giggle too.

“What are we craving today?”

“I can’t decide if I want pancakes or cake”

“Well, it’s your lucky day, because I can’t decide either. Let’s order both and share”

Tilly squealed happily, and called the waitress, Ruby, to order.

While they waited for their food, and talked about what they were going to do that day, someone else walked in the coffee shop.

“Hi, Tilly” he smiled, standing in front of the table.

“Rogers! How do you do?” the girl’s face lit up as he caught sight of the man.

He returned the happy expression, which faded away considerably, as he turned his gaze to Tilly’s companion.

“Zella”

“Detective Rogers” she replied, equally cold.

Zella wasn’t really sure why she and Rogers couldn’t seem to get along. He was always very protective of Tilly, and when she and Zella started getting closer, he made sure to keep an eye on her. Also, the fact that Zella was a street artist and he worked for the police, didn’t make things easier. But that’s how Zella and Tilly had met in the first place, by making a mural together. Zella had always admired Tilly’s graffitis, filled with rare drawings of clocks, rabbits, and all sorts of bizarre things. So when she actually met the artist, she was thrilled, and it was only a matter of time before they became great friends.

Zella had tried to be friendly with Rogers, but he seemed to always be studying her, waiting for her to crack and prove that she wasn’t worthy of Tilly’s friendship. The last straw was when Rogers gave Zella a fine for graffiting. It was clearly because of his personal agenda, since he had never punished Tilly. And ever since that day, she had stopped making an effort to try to gain the man’s trust.

Who did he think he was, anyway, constantly having a say in Tilly’s life?

“Do you want to join us?” asked Tilly, who even though was aware of her friends’ tension, always tried to get them together.

“Maybe some other time” he nodded, said goodbye, and left the coffee shop.

When he left, Zella groaned and rolled her eyes, lying her head on the table. Tilly made a face.

“I really wish you two would get along”

“And I really wish I was a famous millionaire, but we have to keep our dreams realistic” Zella answered, mockingly.

Ruby arrived with their food before Tilly could say something else, and just like that, the subject was dropped.

~•~

Zella stood smiling in front of a blank wall, with her paint and tools, pondering over the million possibilities opening up to her. Deciding what she would draw each day was always an adventure.

Still, even though Zella saw all the people she liked in her everyday life, she also came across the people she didn’t like so much. And so Victoria Belfrey appeared, standing next to her with a fake smile.

“Hello, Zella. I thought we had agreed you would stop painting these… things, on my property” She glared at the buckets of paint the girl was setting up.

“You agreed, I didn’t” Zella replied sharply.

“Very well. I guess you won’t mind if I talk to Detective Rogers about this again, then”

“Be my guest” Zella sneered, and Victoria left, her high heels clicking behind her. “Bitch” she muttered under her breath.

Zella tried to shake away the bad feeling Victoria always caused her, and got to work.

~•~

By dusk, Zella had already finished the mural, and she now sat on the street, admiring it with pride. She had painted different types of flowers, full of colors and shades. Finishing a piece gave her a satisfaction she didn’t get from anything else. She thought about how lifeless and hollow the wall looked before she filled it with vividness and color, as if it had actually bloomed. She sighed contentedly.

At some point, Tilly joined her, sitting next to her with wide eyes.

“Zells, this is amazing!” she exclaimed, observing her friend’s art with admiration and delight.

“It’s pretty great, right?”

“It’s one of my favorites you’ve ever made”

“You say that about every one, Tilly” Zella giggled.

The two friends sat there, wondering at the mural, when Rogers showed up. He, too, stared at what the friends were attentively looking at.

“Wow” he expressed. “This is beautiful, Tilly”

Zella rolled her eyes.

“It wasn’t me” the blonde girl chuckled. “This was all Zella”

Speechless, Rogers gazed at the woman, who looked at him defiantly.

“Oh” he simply said.

“Come on, Rogers. Give Zella a compliment!” Tilly insisted.

“I just said it is good”

“No, you said beautiful”

“Well, okay, it is beautiful. Good job, Zella” Rogers said quickly, as if talking fast would make the wind dissolve the words in the air.

“Does that mean you won’t give me a fine again?” Zella raised an eyebrow, and Rogers rolled his eyes.

“I’ll see you later, Tilly” he said, walking away.

Tilly waved at him, and she immediately turned to Zella, with a big grin and big eyes.

“You’ve got crazy face, what’s going on?” Zella teased.

“He found your art beautiful” she said, smirking.

“Only because he thought it was yours”

“No, he found your art beautiful”

read part one and two. read more on wattpad here

While everyone prepared to go find Pan, Esme prepared to remain with Henry at their camp, once again.

She didn't bother hiding her annoyance about being left out. The demon was already inside her, what could be worse than that? She felt more than okay, apart from the occasional ache creeping in her body.

As soon as Esme and Killian caught each other's gaze, they smiled, last night's events on both their minds. And just like that, a bright grin replaced the grimace on Esme's face.

"Why the long face, love?"

"I have to stay here, again, while you all go to defeat Pan. I feel useless"

Killian nodded, understanding Esme's bad mood.

"If it's any consolation, you're not missing anything. I'd rather stay here with you"

The woman's smile widened, heat rising to her cheeks, and she spent a second too long staring into Killian's blue eyes. He was looking at her so hard, she couldn't look away.

"I feel like I'm sitting at the kid's table at a party"

Killian laughed, and shook his head. But before he could say anything else, David called out they had to get going. Dedicating her one last smile, Killian joined the group, leaving Esme and Henry behind.

~•~

Esme was in the process of lighting a fire while Henry played with some rocks, when they heard something moving near the trees.

The noises continued, clearly informing there was someone there. Esme shot Henry a look as she walked quietly, indicating that he must stay there, while she went to figure out what the noise was.

Not finding anything, Esme was about to go back to Henry, when a body appeared quite close to hers.

"Hi, Esme"

She rolled her eyes, unimpressed by the appearance of the person that tormented her entire existence and her friends'.

"Pan. What are you doing here?"

She wasted no time in pinning Pan against a tree and pressing her sword against his throat. Still, all he did was smirk.

"I came to have a little chat"

She gritted her teeth, uninterested in anything he had to say.

"How are you carrying the situation inside of you, love?" Pan smirked.

"Fine. I'm fine"

"Oh, really? What are those pains you keep feeling, then?"

Esme furrowed her eyebrows, unconsciously lessening her grip on the sword. How did Peter Pan always manage to know everything? She placed the blade even harder against Pan's throat, enjoying how he struggled to breathe.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”

"Oh, but you do" he giggled, and with a swift movement, he managed to throw Esme's sword to the ground, and place her against the tree instead, his hand finding its way to her throat.

"I wanted to kill you. I really wanted to. I'm so glad to see you're doing the job for me"

He smiled, tightening his grip, and now it was Esme's turn to have a hard time breathing. Until he vanished, just as he had first appeared.

Esme stayed there for a minute, trying to catch her breath. Until now, she had not paid much attention to the pains she kept feeling, she had assumed it was normal, considering she had a demon in her. But now, she couldn't help feeling uneasy. What had Pan meant? Maybe she had been too quick to suggest using her body as a trap for a literal evil spirit. But it's not like she could do anything about it now.

She didn’t even consider mentioning it to the group: they would only worry and consider her incapacitated unable to do anything, and she refused to keep babysitting. She didn’t lie when she said she had great pride.

Having recomposed herself, Esme walked back to Henry, who was clumsily holding a sword, preparing for battle, and she thought it was adorable.

"What happened? Are you okay?" he asked.

"It was nothing, don't worry" she smiled, trying to hide her concern. "Now, we have to work on the way you hold a sword".

~•~

When everyone came back, Emma ran to hug Henry, the entire group glowing with happiness and cheerfulness.

"Mom?"

"We did it, Henry, we're going home"

Regina hugged Henry too, tears of joy filling her eyes.

Esme looked around, trying to find confirmation in the rest of her friend's faces. Snow and Charming held hands, proudly beaming. Then, Esme looked at Killian, who had been looking at her all along.

"We caught Pan's shadow, it should be enough to get us back" Killian informed Esme, and she could see the relief in his features.

Esme was so content, she couldn't help squealing and wrapping her arms around Killian's neck.

Surprised, but in a good way, Killian wasted no time in hugging her back, his arms firmly holding her waist, bringing her closer.

read part one here | read the story on wattpad here

The next day was frustrating for Esme. The group was planning a sneak attack on Pan, to find something that’ll help them leave the island, or, as Regina suggested, torture him until he gave in.

But since Pan still had some control of the demon inside Esme, and they didn’t know what he was capable of, everyone agreed it was better if she stayed back for now, watching over the camp with Henry. This didn’t thrill Esme at all, she hadn’t come to Neverland to babysit, she had come to fight, and she was damn good at it. The demon had nothing on her, because she didn’t love. And she wished everyone would understand that.

The only excitement Esme encountered that day was punching a Lost Boy on the face, when he tried to catch her off guard. So when the group came back, she was desperately expecting them to have found something worthwhile, and leave Neverland once for all. Instead, all that they brought back were faces of disappointment and a very stressed Regina. They hadn’t had any luck, in fact, they hadn’t even found Pan. He kept moving his camp with magic.

With the promise that they would try again tomorrow, everyone prepared to go to sleep. Esme had laid down, and was almost drifting off, when she heard a branch crack. She was on her feet in the blink of an eye, and walked around the space, searching for the intruder.

Her grip tightened around her sword once she saw a man sitting with his back turned. She pointed he weapon at him, when he turned around, and though surprised, smiled at her.

“Oh, Killian” she chuckled, embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see it was you”

He shook his head and patted the trunk next to the one he was sitting on, signaling her to sit next to him. She spotted his characteristic flask on his hand, and being as close as she was, she could smell the rum on him. She didn’t mind.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Esme asked.

“I can’t believe I’m trapped in Neverland once again, it’s keeping me awake” he sighed. “I came to look at the stars, clear my head”

He looked up to the sky, and Esme looked too. The stars twinkled and blinked, brightening up the dark sky. It was lovely, and it made Esme wonder when was the last time she had taken a moment to look at the stars. The more she looked, the more she felt her muscles relax, somehow being reminded that she was there, existing, under that glow.

“It’s a lovely night” Esme admired. “Do you have a favorite star? I figure every captain has one”

“Aye, indeed I have” Killian looked at her, smiling from ear to ear, delighted to answer a question about something he’s passionate about. He pointed at the sky, indicating what star he was talking about. “The constellation Cassiopeia. It has always been the first one I see when I look at the sky. It is brighter and wider than the Sun, I find that fascinating. Its stars are destined to explode as a supernova, and the remaining elements may someday be incorporated into new stars or planets. That’s why it’s my favorite. It shines brighter than the Sun just to die someday, and give place to new stars. It reminds me of being human, it makes me feel better about my own immortality”

Esme was speechless. She was speechless because the information got her thinking about death and space and all those inevitable things she didn’t like to think about. But she was also speechless because of the way Killian’s voice and words echoed in her head, his raspy voice being softened by the quiet of the night and the sweetness in his words. She felt honored, too, that she was the one Killian was sharing those thoughts to.

“That’s beautiful, Killian”

Esme wanted to say something else, she wanted to say how hard it must be for Killian to be back at a place he had been trapped in. She wanted to put into words all the things she was feeling, but it was impossible. Time passed by and she still couldn’t find the right words.

And because she couldn’t say anything else, she said:

“Back in my hometown, people used to say that if you pointed at Orion’s belt you would be single forever”

Killian laughed at the comment, still looking at her tenderly. At some point, he had stopped staring at the stars and turned his gaze to Esme.

“I’m certain that won’t happen to you, love” he raised an eyebrow and Esme turned her blushing face away.

“You know one of the things I like about you?” Hook suddenly said, making Esme’s heart skip a beat.

“What?”

“The fact that you’ve never called me a pirate. We’re all aware that I am one, but you never… say it” he gazed at her. “Also how you never call me Hook, just Killian. Perhaps you don’t notice it, but I do”

“Is that okay?”

“It’s more than okay. The name Hook carries a lot of weight. And sometimes just being Killian allows me to leave some of that behind”

“You can be whoever you want to be, Killian”

“I hope I can be more like the man you see, Esme”

After wishing each other a good night, Esme laid down, her mind filled with thoughts about what Killian had said. She realized he was right. Ever since Hook had come into the picture, their friends hadn’t been exactly charmed by him, he was working with Cora, after all. Nonetheless, Esme instantly knew there was more to Hook than what it seemed. There was pain, suffering, anguish. The fact that he was doing everything for revenge, and to avenge a lost loved one, proved he wasn’t an evil, empty villain. He had loved, he had been kind, and Esme couldn’t imagine all the misery he had to go through in order to become that vindictive and hopeless. Pan, for example, did bad things to benefit himself, and just because he could. Cora, too. Pretty much every villain Esme could think of. But Killian, Killian wasn’t a villain. She knew revenge wasn’t the answer, but everything he did, he did for love, after all.

And so Esme went to sleep, with a smile on her face, a fast beating heart, and an odd stinging in her chest, slowly spreading to her entire body.

~•~

part two | read the story on wattpad here

Originally, Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Regina, Gold, Hook and Esme had gone to Neverland to rescue Henry. Having finally succeeded, the group tried to decide what they were going to do now: they were stuck in the island, and there was a demon on the loose - a demon that fed on love, of all things.

“We need to trap the demon somewhere” Regina suggested.

After Pan had released the demon, the usually harmonious group came face to face with everyone’s darkest, and unloving sides. Eventually, they had to do something, before they ended up killing each other.

“Great, we still have Pandora's box so let’s trap it in there. Hand it over, Gold”

“Not so fast, Emma. The demon has grown considerably, it’s stronger than ever. I'm afraid a box, or anything of the sort, won’t do. You see, it has been feeding on love, so the only way to weaken it would be to put it in a vessel that can tolerate its power” Regina paused. “A human body”

Silence filled the cave. Everyone looked at each other, trying to come out with another plan. They couldn’t simply put one of them in danger, risking being eaten up by a demon. There had to be another way. Besides, who could it be?

“Well, we certainly aren’t the best people for this” Henry tried to joke.

“Let's put the demon in Hook” said David, glaring at the man. “It’s not like that pirate has much love in him, so what’s the difference?”

“I’m sorry, mate. I have my great love for Milah, and I’m not letting anyone take that away from me”

“What about Rumple? He doesn’t even love the woman he made a vow to” Regina raised an eyebrow and Rumpelstiltskin glared at her, preparing to talk back.

“It won't work” Esme raised her voice. “Rumple may not love Belle properly, but he loves his power, the dagger, being the Dark One. Even if it’s not love for a human, his love will end up being his undoing”

“Bloody hell. Does anyone have a better idea?”

“I do” Esme spoke again. “You’re going to trap the demon in me”

The statement clearly baffled everyone, all eyes fearfully fixed on Esme.

“What?”

“Unlike all of you, I've never felt love. I don't know what it’s like, how it feels. I've never loved nor been loved. Putting the demon in me is the safest option, hell, it may be the only we’ve got”

“But even if you don’t have love for people, don’t you, like Rumple, love other stuff?” Snow asked, trying to find something to save Esme, everyone having doubts about using their friend as a vessel for a deadly demon.

“I have my pride, yes, and I have my strength. But no, never love”

“It would be temporary” Emma remarked.

“Yes, you would only be keeping it under control until we find out a way to destroy it” Regina helped Emma, trying to make the situation a little bit more convincing to Esme, but they didn’t even need to try, she had already made up her mind.

“It's fine, honestly. It’ll be the same to me”

Regina and Emma looked at each other one last time, doubt coloring their faces. They smiled at Esme, a smile that showed how grateful they were, but also how scared. Esme smiled back at them, being pretty at ease herself. She didn’t have fear, because she had nothing to lose.

—-

After Regina and Emma successfully trapped the demon inside Esme, they left the Skull Rock, and made their way into the jungle.

Everyone kept asking Esme how she felt, and they were sure she was making light of it: but she genuinely didn’t feel anything at all. Sure, she felt the blow when a supernatural, evil demon was filling up her body, but after that, she was the same woman.

“Esme!” someone shouted from behind her, catching her attention.

“Killian” she stopped and smiled, waiting for him to get to her side.

“How are you feeling?”

“Seriously, you don’t have to keep asking me that, any of you. I feel exactly the same way as I always do”

“Alright, just checking” they chuckled.

Killian stared intently at her, as if trying to find any sign of the demon in the sweet features of the woman. He looked down, and then back at Esme, and she could sense he wanted to add something else.

“Look, I just wanted to say you were really brave, doing that for all of us. Not anyone would do something like that. And I'm sorry that you never felt love. I’m sure it won’t stay like that forever”

Esme wanted to roll her eyes at the mention of the L word, she couldn’t keep count of the times the heroes told her she would find true love eventually. She didn’t yearn for love, she was pretty sure she didn’t even need it. Never had and never would. And she was about to say all those things to Killian, but the way he smiled at her stopped her. He was smiling in a way that didn’t display any signs of pity or compassion. He looked hopeful, like he truly believed what he said. And for the first time, even if for a brief second, Esme believed too.

“Thank you, Killian”

“And let me know how you’re feeling, okay? I know you’re strong, but just in case, we still don’t know everything about this demon”

She nodded, and with a last smile and a friendly squeeze on her shoulder, Killian walked away. Esme couldn’t look away from his back, walking ahead of her. The feeling of his touch lingered in the air, and not even Neverland’s sultry wind managed to make it fade away. Suddenly, Talia felt a sharp pang on her chest. She was quick to unbutton her shirt to make sure she hadn’t accidentally grazed anything, especially something laced with Dreamsahde. But after looking thoroughly, she couldn’t find any visible mark on her chest at all.

~•~

[ 5: hey you, i missed you ] + [ 25: just the two of us? ]

the prompts

it was almost twelve am when you showed up at yukhei's door. you were cursing under your breath and begging him to open quickly.

once his face came into view, he barely caught sight of you before you were wrapping your arms around him. he laughed at that, holding your waist and pulling you as close as the gravity let him.

“hey you, i missed you”

“i'm so, so sorry” you repeated and he shushed you, his hand stroking your hair.

“it's fine, y/n, it's fine” your boyfriend stated loud and clear. for you to hear him, for your heart to hear him.

“am i late?” he shook his head, guiding you towards the couch and offering you some water.

“it's not midnight yet” he smiled brightly. no matter what situation, he never abandoned that beaming smile. you let out a sigh, trying to let your muscles to relax in his embrace.

“happy anniversary, yukhei”

“happy anniversary, my love”

“i'm really sorry i couldn't make it” he shook his head, leaving kisses on your cheeks that he hoped would be enough to wipe away the notable bruises. “i have some reservations at the restaurant you like. we can go and celebrate a bit. just the two of us?”

“aren't you tired?” he frowned. you kissed the pout out of him.

“it's okay” you grinned, but wincing when yukhei's fingers brushing your cheek.

you hated yourself for not being able to spend this day with yukhei. he didn't give any problems, saying he didn't mind ever since you got the news you would have to accompany your father to a big distribution order. but you still couldn't help the guilt in your stomach, your arms, your legs, your eyes. yukhei never made a big deal out of the way your family operated, he was so kind, so understanding. you weren't sure if you deserved that, if you deserved to put the best thing that had ever happened to you in danger.

[ 5: hey you, i missed you ] + [ 8: kiss me again and you'll see ] + [ 28: i guess i'm not experienced in any of this ]

the prompts

alliance ended up being the solution. it always has. throughout the years, the town would operate well with the mafias within it. nothing more than standar confrontations. but every now and then you would all be threatened by another external mafia, and this would leave no room for other option than combining forces.

that's why you married hendery, an enlistee from one of the groups specialized in contraband arms. your family focused more on the criminal area, and with a grand majority of the members either in jail or being fugitives, you couldn’t afford losing more people. the wong’s couldn’t either.

you honestly didn’t mind, it wasn’t the first time you had been the main character of a strategy. and it wouldn’t be the last. you never questioned that position, if it was to help your community, you would become the target as many times as necessary.

it was certainly ironic that it was hendery, though. and if you had had a proper wedding ceremony, it would have been a hit to make your vows about your first encounter being him putting a knife on your throat.

living with hendery was easier than you believed. it almost didn’t require much effort, you both complemented nicely. and even if you wouldn’t admit it out loud, invasions by other mafias scared you. specially with your usual spotlight. but you were glad there was more than one group looking after you now, and hendery’s was one of the most acclaimed regarding security.

“hey you, i missed you” you said from the couch, not averting your gaze from the tv.

hendery let out a chuckle, taking off his shoes and collapsing next to you.

that phrase had become a tradition. it would express relief whenever either of you got back after meeting your families or working. things were dangerous in the streets, and there was an unspoken agreement that both of you were afraid you wouldn’t come back home one day. but all the exhaustion and effort felt lighter when you heard those words.

“long day?”

“we caught one of them trying to break in, he’s in the dungeon now. we removed some gps from his clothes but” he exhaled, and stopped. you knew what he meant. there was no way to make sure you had done all that was possible to do.

“could you get ahold of vladimir?”

“not yet. but we’re trying, he’ll know what to do”

you didn’t reply. because there was no possible answer. you moved closer to him and he positioned his head on your lap, your fingers running through his sweaty hair.

“aren’t you tired?” he talked again after a while, when you thought he had fallen asleep.

“of?”

“of pretending. you’re your family’s go-to, it seems that you’re constantly put in danger”

“nothing’s ever happened to me”

“but as you see, you had to marry me. don’t you wish you could choose at least that aspect of your life?”

“it’s like my duty” you shrugged. “i don’t really think about it, i just do it”

“yeah, you’re right” he scrunched his noise. “i guess i'm not experienced in any of this”

you smiled, fixing some strands of his hair. he closed his eyes, and he appeared so peaceful like that. perhaps in another context, you would still choose to marry him.

“i’m fine like this” you muttered.

“with me?” you hummed in affirmation.

hendery stared at you, and you were suddenly too aware of his proximity. even more when he leaned in, your noses almost brushing, your bodies heats becoming one. everything exploded even more when your lips touched, when you carried on the conversation via kisses.

“me too” he whispered on your mouth afterwards, and you managed to giggle.

“really?”

“mhm. kiss me again and you’ll see”

[ 30: could we pretend that we’re in love? ] + [ 36: it’s just a kiss ] + [ 54: i can’t keep doing this ]

the prompts

“sorry, i can’t keep doing this” chenle hissed, turning away. making you and the rest of the actors sigh, one of them instructing to everyone to take a break.

you were supposed to go over the last scene of the school’s play, but that seemed impossible when your co-protagonist kept refusing to kiss you.

“chenle” you called him out loudly, he already down the stage and walking away from the theatre. “come back here, could we pretend that we’re in love? get this done? it’s really not that hard”

the boy turned a deaf ear to your words, disappearing into the dressing room that was actually the janitor’s storage closet. you exhaled, running towards his direction.

when you closed the door behind you, chenle was sitting on the floor, face hidden in his hands.

“chenle, are you okay?” you hesitated, not understanding what was happening no matter how hard you tried to read between the lines.

“i can’t do this”

“hey, you are the best actor in this whole play. there’s nothing you can’t do” you sat beside him, wavering fingers finding their way to his arm. he giggled, and there was some relief brought to you by the sound.

“it’s not that”

“then what’s wrong? it’s just a kiss”

“it’s not just a kiss” he whispered, raising his head. “i haven’t kissed anyone before” that last part came out even in a smaller voice, and you had to lean in to finish capturing the message.

“really? is this what it’s about?” you couldn’t help but smile. chenle was very pretty, but he looked even more adorable with his cheeks flushed.

“i’m scared of doing it wrong”

you thought about it for a minute. there was no way for him to do it wrong, it was only for a school show after all. it didn’t actually matter how much of a good kisser he was, and as long as people believed it, it would be fine.

nonetheless, you found yourself adding something else.

“do you want to practice?”

“what?” he said quickly, gaze averting from the floor and walls.

“i could” you paused. “kiss you, now. so your first one isn’t that exposed, you know? in front of everyone and that”

you felt heat in your own face, focusing on admiring your shoes for him not to notice. from the corner of your eye, you saw the boy smile.

“i’d like that, yeah” he cleared his voice.

you nodded, turning and giving the first step, the first approach. he mirrored your motions, directing his gaze from your eyes to your lips in seconds.

you both took your time to find the other’s touch, and when you did, you stayed like that. frozen, lips testing the waters. for your surprise, chenle was the first who moved. he opened his mouth slowly, only half an inch, but enough. you kissed back, softly.

no one had kissed you this sweetly. but it was exactly how you had always wished to be kissed. you wouldn’t know how to explain it, what he was doing that made it so unique. but you did know you didn’t want to stop kissing chenle anytime soon.

when you pulled away, you searched for his lips again. they were curled in a beautiful smile, and it was shy, and embarrassed, and perfect.

“thank you”

“thank you?” you repeated, chuckling. he shook his head.

“that was awkward. forget i said it” he bursted into laughter. and even if you could sense his shaky breath, he seemed more relaxed.

“i won’t” you grinned. daring to wrap your arms around his shoulders, moving closer to him. “want to head back?”

he hummed, staring at your lips.

[ 47: can you dry my hair? it looks better when you do it ] + [ 60: say it again ]

the prompts

your house always seemed better when sicheng was in it. you knew in reality things didn’t change, the furniture was on its regular place, the dishes weren’t cleaner, whiter. and the walls still had those stains you couldn’t get rid off.

but it felt different. the apartment you were so used to live in felt even cosier when your boyfriend joined you there. perhaps what made it so different was the fact that he was the one who made it taste more like a home.

“can you dry my hair? it looks better when you do it” you asked to the boy lying on your bed, sitting down yourself.

the sight of him in your bed made your heart jump, even after all this time where the relationship ceased to be that recent. your bed felt different when he was there, more comfortable, and if you melted in the sheets you would never want to go away.

“sure” he smiled, kneeling down behind you, placing a kiss on the top of your head.

his fingers ran through your hair with such delicacy you thought he was cracking it and building it all over again. with ceramics of gold and bricks of love.

you closed your eyes and it suddenly got too much, and the walls of your room grew smaller, almost overwhelming.

and the words were rushing out of your mouth before you could notice. as if one of the walls were crumbling down to pieces, and you hadn’t been on time to save yourself.

“i love you”

your tongue practically winced at the foreignness of the phrase. being the first time it had articulated it. sicheng turned off the air dryer and simply stared at the nape of your neck, eyes wide and palms shaking.

you turned your body back, and in that moment, when he caught sight of your flushed cheeks and ashamed gaze, he swore your walls had changed its color.

“say it again” he breathed out, doubting his senses.

“i love you” you repeated, voice clear.

“i love you too” he giggled, amazed at how easy it was to say. was your house feeling different or was it just a figment of his imagination? “i love you, so much” he couldn’t stop. leaving kisses on your cheeks, eyelids, forehead, chin, lips.

[ 18: would you want to stay for a while? just to look at the moon? ] + [ 26: you’re stained with my lipstick ] + [ 55: then why are you blushing? ] thank you angel!!

the prompts

“i’m so tired” jungwoo let out a muffled groan into the pillow, his body collapsed next to yours. “i should get back to the dorms”

you pouted. jungwoo had been preparing and working very hard for his group’s upcoming comeback, and even though you were thrilled to see him in his natural habitat where you found he shone the most, you wanted him to rest. you also let yourself be a little bit selfish, wanting nothing more than cuddle your boyfriend for a few more minutes.

“would you want to stay for a while? just to look at the moon?” you proposed.

he made a face, expressing how he knew he should leave and meet the boys. but he also gave you a sweet smile, leaning his face closer to yours. and you knew he would stay. you knew watching the moon through your room’s window was your thing, and he could never say no to that. a day without the you and the moon was a day without life for him.

“i’d rather look at you” you scrunched your nose at the comment, red dyeing your cheeks.

jungwoo cut the distance between you with a kiss. you tasted of dreams, of streetlights, of clean sheets, of the lemon tea you had before bed to help you sleep.

the moment went on for a while. neither of you knew for how much exactly, but it was pointless, trying to control the clock. the time seemed to stop whenever you were together. and it wouldn’t surprise you if you had kissed for hours, centuries, even. perhaps your bones were older now, and you were showing off some grey hairs. somehow you still couldn’t find yourself to care. not with him, and with the moon.

“you’re stained with my lipstick” the boy giggled and you licked your own lips, tasting the pink flavor previously on jungwoo’s mouth. all over his chin at the moment.

“tastes good” you joked. and winked. “like you”

“that was lame” he frowned in embarrassment, but he couldn’t resist the sneer.

“then why are you blushing?”

“this is definitely my cue to leave” he stood up and you protested, whining and making grabby hands at him. he never felt as far as when he had to go. “i’ll see you tomorrow, baby. i promise. i love you”

rules: tag 20 followers you’d like to know better and wrangle them into answering these questions.

tagged by: @etherealtyjaem @bentobakseu @marsgotnojams

nickname:

daphne

daph

phie

gender:

female

star sign:

leo

height:

1.58 or 5’2 ish

hogwarts house:

slytherin

favorite animals:

cats!!! and penguins

number of blankets:

3 lol i’m always cold

dream trip:

new york, canada and europe in general but specially london and france

last song i listened to:

forrest gump by frank ocean

hobbies:

writing, acting, baking, dancing, singing, painting, watching tv, drinking coffee basically and admiring pretty places

favorite color:

yellow, red, pink, purple honestly every color but i would say sunset colors

last movie watched:

taylor swift’s miss americana

dream job:

being a successful actor or producer

when did i start this account:

ending of 2019

why did i start this account:

i’ve always loved to write. i write stories, poetry, scripts, basically ever since i could hold a pen. and lately i found myself reading lots of scenarios here and i loved them so i wanted to try myself!!

this is a day for love. i like it a lot because i like love, feeling it, receiving it, seeing it, finding it in so many places.

it’s a day to give love, it doesn’t matter if it’s to a friend, a partner, a family member, an animal, or yourself. the main character today is love as it is. make the most out of it, make love!

love,

daph.

[ 15: is that cute or something characteristic of a psycopath ]

the prompts

renjun’s eyelashes rested against his cheeks and to you, they resembled petals of a spring flower. even without seeing his eyes they were the candlelights that outshone the sun. rays of sunshine made their way through the curtains, creeping up on his cheeks, but he didn’t need them. he gleamed on his own.

you wouldn’t compare renjun to an angel when he slept. because he wasn’t. a golden halo didn’t form on top of his head and his features didn’t appeared carved by the gods. he simply looked like him. like renjun, the boy who couldn’t drink coffee without putting vainilla extract in it, the boy who called you at any hours of the night to tell you he loved you (only to make sure you hadn’t forgotten), the boy who would stop on his tracks to pet a dog on the street, the boy who collected tickets from movies and grocery shoppings.

he didn’t need to become a celestial figure for you to be wholly enthralled by him. being himself was enough.

you didn’t know how much time had passed before renjun rubbed his eyes and stared at you, flashing the first smile of the day. the one who would open up the doors for so many more.

“hi there” he spoke in a husky voice, throat still getting used to being brought to awakeness. “what are you up to?”

“i’ve just been watching you sleep” you admitted, elbow on the matress and face in your hand.

“is that cute or something characteristic of a psycopath” he joked and you laughed, hitting him with the pillow.

“it’s cute. it means i’m in love with you”

“that’s a relief then” you rolled your eyes while renjun slid an arm around your waist and pulled you closer to him.

his skin was still burning and you had recently become aware of how he never lacked warmth, how his body seemed to constantly build a beach on him. it had everything, weaves, castle sands, strawberry smoothies, sailboats, seaweed.

[ 40: i told you i was over you ] + [ 54: i can’t keep doing this ]

the prompts

“i don’t get to leave” hendery spat, you already closing your eyes and shaking your head. “you always disappear when things get hard. like you don’t care. but i don’t have that privilege, because i’m stuck. i’m stuck here, y/n”

“i never left because i didn’t care. this isn’t only hard for you you know?”

hendery and you were known to have an on and off bond. it was intense, almost too much, causing the buildings that were your relationship to crash down and destroy everything in the process. and then you would leave the town like that, shattered, consumed, dead. but no one likes feeling dead, so you two would get back together. you'd build the houses again with a higher quality material, promising yourselves you wouldn’t let the wind knock them to the ground anymore.

“i told you i was over you, the last time we broke up. and i really thought i was, but i was wrong”

“i can’t keep doing this” he fixed his eyes on you, filled with tears. people said eyes are the windows to the soul, and hendery’s had never looked this wounded. “we can’t keep coming back to the other. it’s not right”

“but i love you” you took a step closer, holding his face in your hands. his skin appeared intact but it felt crumbled, just like the buildings.

“i love you too. but we need to let go”

“no” you cried, bottom lip shaking. “no, please”

“it’s for the best” he traced a finger along your clenched jaw.

“it’s gonna hurt like hell” you corrected.

“not saying it won’t”

you could see the houses collapsing across his expression. everything you've worked to put together, all the touches, the twists and turns, the town of your story were displayed on the floor. and it was loud, oh, the burst was loud. glasses threatened to cut into your skin and the wood remaining from the doors were asking you to please don't open them again.

“can you give me one last kiss?” you talked, your throat hurting. not in consequence of your screams, or your tearing sobs, but because it seemed like someone was ripping your vocal cords, and without hendery there was no point in having a voice.

“no”

“why?” your heart cracked a little more, the boy's digit above your lips.

“because if i do won’t be able to walk away”

[ 2: need any help there? ] + [ 52: why is everyone so intimidated by you? ] + [ 55: then why are you blushing? ] + [ 60: say it again ]

the prompts

your sigh vanished into the fog of the loud music and quiet liquor kisses. you had been trying to get noticed by a particular someone ever since you got to the party, even fantasizing about making him fall into temptation for weeks. but not even your careful planned outfit and your velvety dances were enough. leaving you with an uncomfortable lump in your stomach in the middle of the dance floor.

you were already bad-tempered when you felt some foreign hands reaching down your waist.

“need any help there?” the voice whispered in your ear, and you weren't sure how you had heard it over all this noise.

when you turned around, you found yourself face to face with some eyes you had seen through halls and lectures, but there still weren't that familiar.

“jeno” you greeted, with half a smile. “what makes you think i need your help?”

“looks like you aren't getting the attention you want” he arched an eyebrow and gestured the space behind you. you rolled your eyes.

“it appears”

“let's dance” he grabbed your hand and made you do a twirl before you couldn't even reply.

jeno made you let out the laughs you hadn't in the whole evening in only a few songs. it started as friendly dancing, coming into contact with shy brushes. and you didn't catch the second it changed to your bodies becoming one, yours discovering his when he pulled you closer by the hips.

his lips wetting your skin shouldn't exasperate you the way they did. but it was a mixture of the dim lights, the manner in which he grinded against your back, and the frustration spreaded throughout all this time.

“jeno” you exhaled. he seemed to not have heard you, carrying on with his actions. you repeated it, a bit higher. he then lifted his head and rested it on your shoulder. “please”

that was all it took for him to guide you through the crowd, inspecting the house until he settled for a half-opened door.

his mouth was on yours and he didn't waste any second, any ounce of your taste.

you gasped when jeno lifted you without warning, without much effort either. you felt the coldness of the sink under your legs which you wrapped around his waist.

“this dress is too short” he groaned, wet kisses musicalizing the bathroom walls. “i don't even have to try”

his hands were on your bare thighs and he was right, only by raising them a bit he was saluted by the fabric of your underwear.

“lingerie” he stated with a raspy chuckle. “you got all dressed up just for him, didn't you?” you whined, embarrassed by the reminder of your unsuccessful attempt.

he slid his fingers under your panties like it was his house, always welcoming him. you moaned in his mouth and he opened it, wanting your sounds to make their way down his throat.

you clung to his shoulders tightly, and you could feel his muscles tensing under your touch. that only added to your pleasure, the pool in your crotch growing heavier.

“faster” you whimpered, almost not being able to finish the short word. jeno did as told, a second finger joining to focus on your throbbing clit, making you tighten the grip on the collar of his shirt.

“why is everyone so intimidated by you?” he asked tauntingly. and there was something about the way his voice sounded when he was putting all his focus in pleasing you. “you're so desperate, so affected”

“you talk too much” you grunted, throwing your head back. the boy giggled against your skin, sucking and biting on it.

“don't you like it?” you made a noise that expressed distaste. but you knew you were lying. “then why are you blushing?”

“you're so hot” jeno melted at the praise, shivers rushing down to his painful hard-on, his movements inside you becoming even stable and sure.

“yeah?”

“so hot” you repeated, your eyes shutting at the growing bliss on your core. “you're so strong”

“fuck” jeno hissed and grinded against the countertop on which you were sitting. trying to find some comfort for his own arousal.

“i'm so close”

“you're doing so well” he touched you even faster now, trying to make you reach the place you had seeked for a long time. “you're gonna come for me, kitten?”

“oh my god” you cried out vociferously, and he almost got scared. “say it again”

“what, kitten?” the nickname rolled through his tongue teasingly, smirk adorning it. you nodded and bit your lip fiercefully, at which jeno leaned in to do it himself.

it was all too much. and he soon joined your lips so you could not only come on his fingers, but also let go your moans in his tongue.

there was some minutes in which the boy fixed your hair, stroking it softly. your chest heavy against his.

“good?” he asked and you hummed with the tiny voice you had left.

“amazing” he planted a kiss on your cheek and hid his face in your collarbones, smiling delicately.

[ 5: hey you, i missed you ] + [ 25: just the two of us? ]

the prompts

“i think this will be great for us, a little getaway” your sister nodded cheerfully. she had planned a weekend trip with her wife, after continuously insisting about how they needed some alone time.

“your lives have gone through roof lately. with the moving and the new jobs, you deserve to relax for a bit. the two of you” you grinned to her, helping her towel dry the last dishes. “i'm so happy you trust me enough to take care of tay”

“yeah, about that...” she let out a nervous chuckle and you frowned confusedly, stopping your movements. “last time i left you alone with her, she dyed both of your hairs. with crayons”

“she said she wanted to make a fashion statement”

“next time do it without staining our walls” you rolled your eyes.

“wait, what were you talking about?”

“i asked someone else to help you”

“oh” you said. you weren't disappointed or hurt, it wasn't that lily didn't believe you were reliable, it was simply her protective and strong-willed nature. and you wouldn't dare to go around telling her how to take watch over her daughter. “that's fine. who?”

“you're going to be so nice to your bushed sister”

“i don't think i follow” you said. eyebrows burrowing together as you got more confused.

“and because you love me so much, you're going to tolerate hendery's presence”

“no way” you were sure that if this was a movie, the plate would have slipped right from your fingers onto the floor. collapsing into countless pieces that symbolized the way you felt right now.

“yes, yes way”

“you want me to take care of a kid with him? just the two of us?” you spoke, incredulous. “i wouldn't want to commit murder in front of my niece, thank you very much”

“look. hendery is my best friend and you two are the people who know me the best in the world. you're the only ones who know how i run things, hence i'm leaving you with this responsibility”

you groaned because you knew lily was right. and if it was for the sake of her and your family, you would have to put up with the annoying boy.

things didn't go immediately bad with him. lily had been meaning to introduce you two for such a long time, trying to play matchmaker. and she eventually found an occassion to do so: one of her birthday parties. you hit it off at first, and he laughed at the jokes you kept making in order to impress him. it was one particular comment, though, about how your favorite artist was the stupidest one he had ever seen, that opened the gates of hell. he was totally teasing innocently, and you would have gone along with it any other day, but for some reason you seemed to take it to heart. perceiving as if he had insulted you directly.

after you got mad, he said you were blowing something out of proportion and you had hated him ever since. you would glare at each other during gatherings, and you would never stay too close to him for too long. however, that was going to change today apparently.

“hendery!!!” you heard the yells and stomps of the little girl's feet, rushing towards the door. you watched the boy lift her from the ground, wide smiles on both of their faces.

“hey you, i missed you” he booped her nose, a loud laugh erupting from her lips.

“hey lily” he said, shooting a glance at her friend. his smile fell a bit when he caught sight of you, but not completely. “hi y/n” you waved your hand unenthusiastically.

“okay, we're going now” your sister wrapped an arm around the other woman's waist. “will you behave?”

“of course she will, tay's the definition of an angel” you pinched her cheek playfully.

“i was talking about you” she raised an eyebrow, staring at you two suspiciously.

“you've got nothing to worry about” hendery reassured.

but that had been a lie. because you, on your side, did have some things to worry about. like the way you were making dinner and got too distracted watching hendery tickle taylor's and almost burned the sauce. or like how your nice had insisted on playing the three of you together, or like how caring, attentive he truly was.

“she really likes you” you uttered, letting yourself collapse on the couch after taylor had fallen asleep. it didn't take long, halfway the story she was already heavy on your arms. she had probably used up all her energy.

“i really like her too” he smiled fondly, averting his eyes from the television to you.

the sound of the muffled noises were the only thing that filled the living room. hendery seemed focused on the scene, but it was as if your ears were clouded.

“you know, i only told you that about that band because i've actually never heard from them”

“you what?!” you exclaimed, shifting your position at the sudden confession. his eyes opened wide at the change in your behavior. “no chance. i have to show them to you”

you scrolled on your spotify until you settled for one that was one your favorite songs. you hesitated at first, wondering if the boy would end up ruining it like the last time.

his head shook to the rhythm, and your smile reached your ears when he made a face expressing delight.

“that wasn't actually bad at all” you smirked, satisfied. “same with you”

“i can say the same. and maybe i did exaggerate a bit that day” you admitted, even if you didn't want to take his side.

“a bit?”

“look, no one shouldn't mess with my music”

“i wouldn't risk it again” he grinned and you giggled softly. getting a little too lost in his white teeth.

“hey, do you want to watch a movie? we can find one on netflix. this one is already pretty bad” he proposed and you agreed.