Boop's Creativity Corner (updated 3/11)
Sept 22, 2018 1:47:00 GMT -5
Redfleck and ᴀᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ like this
Post by ✽Boop✽ on Sept 22, 2018 1:47:00 GMT -5
This is basically my space to let out my creative energy, by writing these short stories with my ocs (or my friend's ocs, or maybe even actual fanfiction in the future?) whenever inspiration strikes.
That being said, let's get started with an idea that literally came to me like, overnight
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The stranger arrived at dawn.
That being said, let's get started with an idea that literally came to me like, overnight
Something To Protect
This story was, believe it or not, inspired by Minecraft of all things. So the world and some of its concepts are derived from it. 3.1k words, featuring my oc Chris and ᴀᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ 's oc Finn.
Just in case you're really curious about the inspiration for this, Here's the Minecraft Let's Play I'm Watching
Enjoy!!
Just in case you're really curious about the inspiration for this, Here's the Minecraft Let's Play I'm Watching
Enjoy!!
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The stranger arrived at dawn.
Covered in blood and clothes torn in various places, he limped into the village square.
Finn just so happened to wake up early that morning, and had taken a walk. He spotted the strange man as he passed by, and gasped. ”Who are you?!” He blurted out, but the man’s only response was to collapse onto the ground, unconscious.
He rushed forward and flipped the man over onto his back. He was still breathing, but his wounds seemed to be pretty severe.
”Someone, help!” He called out, and soon enough another villager emerged from their home and came to check out the scene.
Finn was a good person. And like any good person would do, he hoisted the wounded man up as best he could, with the help of his neighbor, and carried him back to his cottage.
The village didn’t have a “doctor” in the literal sense, but everyone would probably agree that Finn was the closest thing to it. He was the one who treated the other villagers when they were sick, and patched up their wounds. No one else really knew how to do it. So it was he who laid the stranger onto his bed, undressed him, and began to examine his wounds.
The man had a large gash in his side, which was still bleeding. He had other large cuts all over his body, as well as bruises. His ankle appeared to be sprained as well. Finn found a cloth and a bucket of water, and began to wash the dirt and blood off the man’s body. After he was clean enough, Finn wrapped bandages around his mid-section, across his chest, and over his arms and legs as well. The ankle he propped up over some old books he had lying around.
When his work was done he looked over the stranger again, finally noticing the other details that weren’t life-threatening. The man had a serene face as he slept, though naturally hardened from a clearly rough life. Dark hair framed his face; messy, but in a way that suggested it was always like that. Two silver bands adorned his ears: one pierced through the lobe, the other around the helix. He was tall, broad in shoulder, and quite muscular.
Finn himself was shorter by comparison. He had a decent build from farming, but nothing quite like the stranger, clearly seasoned in combat. He had short brown hair, and wide mint-green eyes that drew attention from many.
The stranger slept for most of the day. Finn spent the time tending to his crops and doing household chores. Every now and again he would pause to check on his patient; he would sit there for a while and watch the man as he slept, the only sign of life being the rise and fall of his chest.
It was evening when the stranger finally moved again. He shifted, groaning from the pain of his injuries, and opened his eyes. Finn was watching when it happened, and he gasped, but not just because he woke up.
It was because his eyes were the color of emeralds struck by sunlight.
The stranger didn’t know this, though. At the sound, he turned his head sharply towards the smaller man watching him. He blinked a few times, eyelids temporarily shutting out that brilliant green light. Then his gaze wandered around the room, trying to get his bearings. Finally his lips moved, and Finn strained his ears to listen to his words.
”What...time is it?”
Finn cocked his head, wondering if he heard right. ”The time?” The man nodded weakly. He peered out the window before answering; orange light radiated from the horizon in a semicircle, staining the sky a purple hue. ”Sunset.”
As soon as he heard, the dark-haired man thrashed to the side of the bed and tried to get up.
”Wh-what are you doing?” Finn stammered as he tensed in his chair, prepared to help the man.
”I have to...get out of here.” He muttered. He winced as he lifted himself up, and when he put his weight on his ankle his legs buckled. Finn was quick enough to jump up and catch him before he fell, hands wrapped around his sides.
”Let me go.” He said sternly, as his hand reached down to grip Finn’s wrist tightly. He managed to pull it away from him and Finn released, allowing the man to try to stand on his own. He didn’t get far; a couple of steps and he was on the ground again. The smaller man approached him cautiously and guided him back to the bed. The stranger didn’t resist any further, but sank into the mattress with an angry huff.
”Who in their right mind would go out with wounds like that?” Finn asked the man.
The man’s fists clenched and unclenched, frustrated. ”You don’t understand.” He grumbled. ”This place is in danger as long as I’m here.”
”Why is that?” Finn questioned. ”Are you a werewolf? Or a monster in disguise?” The man said nothing; he only shook his head.
Finn paused, thinking, before he continued. ”Say, why did you come here anyway? If you’re worried about putting this village in danger.” He didn’t wait for the man to respond. ”It’s because you need help. So I’m going to help you. I’d say it’s worth the risk, wouldn’t you?” He looked at the stranger expectantly.
The man sighed in defeat, and fixed his gaze on the wooden wall. Finn took that as a yes. He clapped his hands and rubbed them together.
”Alright, so you’ll stay here in bed until you’ve healed enough to move on your own. Doctor’s orders.” He said with a friendly smile.
The man was silent for a moment, before he spoke quietly. ”Thanks. For not leaving me to die.”
Finn’s smile widened into a full-blown grin. ”It’s what I do.”
————————
And so the stranger stayed under Finn’s care for a while. He remained bedridden, but Finn would visit with him for a while in between the day’s activities.
They talked about different things, and learned about each other. Finn discovered that the man was a traveler by the name of Christopher. He never stayed in one place for very long, and he rarely came in contact with civilization. Finn figured that he must live a lonely and quite dangerous life. In turn, Christopher listened to Finn go on about his day’s work: tending to his crops in order to get by, patching up the villagers’ wounds and treating illnesses.
The night after Christopher’s arrival, strange noises could be heard from outside. They were wet, guttural growls, something Finn had never heard before. As soon as they began Christopher urged Finn to block the door, and the other complied, frightened of the alternative.
The growls continued throughout the night. Every time they heard one Chris would shoot a glance at his longsword leaning against the wall, and his fingers would twitch impatiently. Other than that, the traveler seemed rather accustomed to the sounds.
The next morning, the villagers gathered in the square to discuss what happened. Everyone had cowered in their homes; no one got any sleep. One villager claimed that she had looked out the window, and saw the source of the growling. She described grotesque humanoid monsters, zombie-like, with discolored skin and soulless eyes. Reanimated skeletons roamed among them as well.
She said they were wandering around aimlessly but deliberately, as if they were...searching for something.
Another villager claimed that a monster had broken down his door. Luckily he managed to beat it off with a broom, but his family was forced to hide in the basement until morning.
The villagers ultimately decided that until they came up with a better way to defend themselves, there would be a curfew. Everyone was instructed to barricade their doors at night.
When Finn arrived back at his cottage, he found Christopher sitting up in the bed with his back against the pillows, waiting expectantly. ”What’s the news?” he asked after Finn closed the door behind him.
”Everyone’s okay.” Finn answered as he crossed the room towards the bed. He pulled up a chair and began to change the other man’s bandages. ”They’ve decided to enact a curfew. They’re not sure what else to do; no one’s ever had experience with monsters.”
Christopher only grunted in response. They were silent for a minute as Finn unraveled the bandages wrapped around his patient’s arm. After a moment of thought, he spoke up again.
”Why are the monsters here? Do they follow you?” He paused his work, gazing at the traveler expectantly.
At first Christopher didn’t meet his gaze. His green eyes were turned away, looking out the window with a somber glaze. ”I...I think I must be cursed.” he began. ”One day, I woke up on a beach. I have no memories before that. And ever since...monsters appear around me, when night falls. That’s why I keep to myself; the creatures follow me. Hunting. No one else should fall in their path.”
The man fell silent, and Finn continued to unravel the bandage. It wasn’t until he had replaced it with fresh gauze that he finally responded. ”That must be lonely.”
Christopher’s eyes shifted to glance at the shorter man, pained. ”You have no idea.”
————————
The two grew a little closer as the days passed. Finn would come talk to Chris during breaks in his work, to keep him company and from getting bored. They traded stories about their lives, whatever the other might find interesting. Despite not remembering much of his past, Christopher still had many fascinating stories to share. He’d traveled to many places and seen many things. He had been in many dangerous situations too, and Finn listened to it all with wide, curious eyes.
Finn by comparison had lived a rather peaceful life, farming and healing others. He figured that his own stories must be boring to the rugged traveler, but Chris reassured him that he liked hearing about it. It was very different from the perilous nomadic life that he himself led.
As time passed Christopher opened up more. He greeted Finn enthusiastically every time the other came inside to see him, and happily told him everything Finn was curious about.
But there was one question that had a rather grim answer.
Finn asked him whether he’d met with others before. And Christopher explained what happened the only time he had.
It was a small settlement, nearby the coast. He said that he had visited to look for answers about himself. But as night fell, the monsters invaded. He had tried to slay them, but he didn’t realize until it was too late that the monsters could turn any human into one of them, to take on their ghastly undead form. So as they attacked, their army grew. Christopher was forced to flee the settlement, leaving everyone to their fate. He said that not a single person had survived. And that was the reason he lived his life alone.
The account chilled Finn to his core.
————————
Days had passed, but it was only a matter of time before something went wrong.
Night had fallen, and the guttural wails had already begun outside of the cottage walls. The two tried not to pay any mind to it. Christopher was settled into bed, and Finn was just about to turn off the lantern and retreat to his own quarters.
Suddenly, a bony fist smashed through the window.
Finn screamed. Christopher jumped out of bed and immediately went for his sword. The doctor scrambled backwards into the corner of the room in panic and watched as the skeleton climbed through the window, bony feet crunching on broken glass. The other man rushed towards the hellspawn and whacked its skull with his blade. The force of the blow caused it to crumple to the ground, bones cracked and dissembling.
By that time, other undead creatures were gathering at the freshly-made hole in the wall.
Christopher turned around and grabbed the lantern off the nightstand. He pushed it into Finn’s hands and shoved him towards the ladder on the far side of the room.
”Get upstairs, now!” he shouted.
Not sparing even a second to argue, Finn began his ascent. He heard the sound of blade hitting flesh, an angry growl, and a moment later Christopher was following him up the ladder. He grunted and cursed with the effort, but managed to get to the top despite his still-healing injuries.
”They can’t climb.” Christopher panted when they had both reached the safety of the second floor, but he grabbed the ladder and pulled it up anyway. His muscles rippled underneath his skin, strained with the effort. He set the ladder aside and slammed the trapdoor closed, muffling the sound of the creatures below.
Finn sat away from the trapdoor with the lantern cast beside him. His legs trembled in front of him and his breathing grew heavy. His heart pounded in his chest. ”Chris...what...” he muttered shakily as tears sprang to his eyes.
The other man turned around, and his green gaze widened in shock at Finn’s panic. He set the sword aside, crawled across the floor to him and immediately wrapped the smaller man in his arms.
Finn didn’t know what to do, but he felt safer in Christopher’s embrace, so he shifted closer to the tall man’s chest. In response Chris held Finn tighter, and leaned down to whisper in his ear. ”Don’t worry. I won’t let them hurt you.”
Finn believed him.
Soon his breathing slowed, and eventually he fell asleep in Christopher’s arms. The man picked him up and laid him down in the bed in the corner. Then he crawled in next to him and pulled the covers over them both.
They stayed like that until morning arrived.
————————
The effort exerted from that night prolonged the healing process, but eventually Christopher was able to stand and move around without much trouble.
So one morning, Finn made his way downstairs to find the man donning his traveler’s clothes, his sword already in its sheath at his belt. ”Christopher? You’re leaving already?” He couldn’t quite disguise the disappointment in his voice.
The man glanced behind him before he bent down to lace up his boots. ”Trust me, you’ll be much safer as soon as I’m gone. It’s the right thing to do.”
”B-but...wait!” Finn called out. Christopher walked over to the door and Finn followed him. He reached out and grabbed Christopher’s hand, stopping him in his tracks. ”You don’t really want to leave though...do you?”
The dark-haired man stared at the door for a moment, and sighed. He turned around to meet Finn’s mint gaze with a pained expression. ”I don’t, really.” With his free hand, he reached up to caress Finn’s cheek, tracing the pad of his thumb over soft skin. ”But I don’t want to keep you in danger any longer.”
Finn reached his own hand up to cup the one on his cheek, holding it in place. ”Then stay.” he pleaded sweetly. ”I will be safe, as long as you’re here.”
Chris inhaled sharply, shocked at the words’ implication, and the emotions they planted in his heart. Then his gaze melted with a warm smile, and he squeezed Finn’s other hand. ”Maybe I can.” he mused.
”But there’s something I must do.”
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Christopher immediately got to work. ”They don’t like light.” he explained to Finn as he started to build lantern posts to place around the village. ”So this will certainly help.”
And help it did. Soon every house in the village had a lantern post close by, as well as the village square and the perimeter. But it wasn’t foolproof, of course. Most of the monsters stayed away, but occasionally there would be some who’d ignore the light or find a way around it.
But Christopher’s work was far from over. After the lanterns, he began a new project.
It took him a while to get started; he had to find materials to make a type of cement, and plenty of large, solid stones for building. Finn led him to an abandoned mineshaft a short distance away, almost completely forgotten to the village. It was chock full of resources, the ones Chris would need anyway.
Then he got to work. It was a slow process; the weeks stretched into months. Yet slowly but surely, progress was made.
They didn’t see much of each other during the day. Christopher spent the daylight hours building, while Finn busied himself with his farm and other duties. The evenings they spent growing closer as friends, or perhaps something a little different. Sharing stories, meals, even cuddling by the furnace.
Life for both of them grew brighter with each other.
Finally, Christopher set down the tools and wiped the sweat off his forehead, as his gaze swept across his finished work. The wall was sturdy, or as much as it could be from the effort of just one man. It was just tall enough to keep the otherworldly creatures from crawling over it. And it encompassed the entire village.
Between this wall and the lights, he thought, this village should finally be safe.
Even with me here.
Christopher trekked back to the cottage to tell Finn the good news. He found the smaller man in the yard, hard at work tending to his crops. Finn glanced behind him when he heard the man approaching and stood up, surprise coloring his expression. ”You’re back early today.” he remarked.
Christopher walked steadily forward until he was right in front of Finn. ”I am. The wall is complete.”
A soft smile graced Finn’s features at the words. ”So it is.” His fingers fluttered at his sides, unsure of what to do with his hands. ”So that means you can stay?” he asked with a hopeful glint in his mint-green eyes. ”Forever, maybe?”
Christopher grinned as he pulled the gloves off his hands. He cupped them around the other man’s cheeks, and leaned down to press his lips to Finn’s. Finn’s eyes closed as he sighed into the kiss, and his hands reached up to rest on top of Christopher’s.
”Yeah. I’ll stay.” Christopher answered when he broke away, as he watched the flush coloring his lover’s cheeks. ”Forever.”
Tears began to well in Finn’s eyes, and he pulled Chris into another kiss, longer this time.
As the sun shone bright upon them, they surrounded each other with warmth, filled with happiness and hope for all the good times to come.
”Because I found something to protect.”
How Long I Will Love You
Sparks Over Rippling Depths
Black is the New Variety
One of the blanket box prompts I did for fun on my Pillowfort. (If you don't know what that means, feel free to ask) Basically, you assign your characters a number and follow prompts based on those numbers. They're just short, sweet, and fun creative outlets that I decided to post here as well.
Be My Valentine?
Another of the blanket box prompts first posted on my Pillowfort.
Amongst the Stars Once More
On March 11, 2018 I created Yuliana Yurievna. So to celebrate her 'birthday' I wrote a special little thing featuring her. 1,197 words, there are references to christianity but not framed to condone it or anything.
Yuliana wasn’t exactly sure how she had gotten to the sidewalk in front of her apartment building.
All she knew was what she could see. And what she could see was a vast night sky above her head, impossibly dark contrasted by impossibly-bright stars. It was as if the light pollution in her town had forgotten to exist, allowing the pure beauty of the natural universe to pan over her world.
The late-winter, not-quite-spring, March air was chilly, not in an intimidating way; it was more like October air, which felt like a cool break from the previous summer’s heat, and promised the coming of fall festivals, haunted attractions, and pumpkin-carving. Though this differed in that it signaled the end of a bone-cold winter, and gave knowledge that the warm spring weather was once again on the horizon.
Yuliana wasn’t certain how long the other person had been there, or if they had just now appeared. But they were there now, and their presence absorbed all of Yuliana’s attention, away from the sky and the air and the noises, seemingly natural but at the same time nonexistant. It was as if the stranger seemed to glow, despite the fact they were not glowing. They simply enraptured her gaze, as if that person was the only thing there was to look at, the only thing that existed.
Their appearance was not something that could be perceived in the natural sense. It was like they were constantly shifting; at one moment, Yuliana could almost picture long blonde hair, but it was actually short and brown. But no, it was red. But no, it was black. Their eyes seemed to be absent of color, and yet full of it at the same time. It was impossible to tell. Perhaps the person’s frame was thin and lithe, perhaps it was built and stocky. Yuliana just couldn’t figure it out, but it also felt as though figuring it out didn’t matter. The person existed, and didn’t exist, yet commanded attention as though they were a politician about to give an important speech.
“But I never believed in God.” The words left her mouth before she could even process them.
A warm, accepting gaze from the person in front of her. “You never needed to.”
Her head swam, nothing quite registering but at the same time, it was perfect clarity. “Are you God?”
Warmth and acceptance shifted into amusement, revealed by a slight smirk. “If that’s what you decide to believe.” The presence’s voice had no specific trait to define it; it simply was, the words and their meaning delivered to Yuliana in the language she understood.
A moment of silence passed, one that could have stretched through eternity, or perhaps just a fraction of a second.
The person offered a hand.
“A gift, from me to you.” They said simply.
Hesitant, Yuliana carefully placed her own hand in the other’s. It was warm, mild, indistinct, and yet was the only hand in the world. Upon touching it, the chilly air seemed to morph around her, changing into pleasant warmth. It was as if spring had arrived at last, in the span of a second.
The long winter coat that had been carefully wrapped around her body disappeared in that moment, replaced with her favorite summer dress, the one that she never wore because she couldn’t be bothered to go outside in the warm months. Light and breezy, it promised freedom and carefree movement, ease. Simplicity.
Before Yuliana could ponder what had happened, or what was to happen next, her hand was suddenly tugged. It was a gentle action, much like guiding a balloon through air, or a float through water. And that was exactly how she felt then: a balloon, a float. She drifted after the presence, feet no longer firmly attached to the ground in what people typically perceived as the work of gravity.
Slowly, carefully, the world sank beneath her. She was walking, it seemed, towards the very sky that sparkled with all of those bright, bright stars, but it didn’t feel so stiff and natural. The motions were there, but she was still a balloon, floating after that one still grasping her hand. Where her feet landed, little white pinpricks cushioned her. It was as if an invisible cloud was there every step of the way, made of tiny stars that only appeared when the tips of her toes blessed them.
The town beneath her was gone. Not really gone, but insignificant. All that mattered was the speckled darkness enveloping her, the steady movements bringing her ever forward, and the kind, comforting soul ahead, orchestrating it all.
Now, their features began to take on the appearance of people who were familiar to her. One glimpse showed a long, blonde braid, another showed those motherly lavender waves. A brown ponytail, then a silver one, then black hair, then caramel-blonde. When they turned around to grace Yuliana with a smile, they showed eyes that were sky-blue and promised comfort, eyes of green that showed kindness. Playful amber, mischievous grey. Hazel eyes that spoke of untold fondness.
Surrounded by the stars, on a road to faraway galaxies she could only dream of, Yuliana felt peace. Truly, this was the perfect existence.
This was the place she belonged.
She opened her eyes to sunlight falling through the curtains of her bedroom window.
It was a dream. Of course it was.
She went through the normal motions of her day, because it was a normal day. She got up, dressed herself, and went to classes, just like she always did. Sat through lectures, took notes. Checked her phone occasionally, to find her notifications silent.
It was normal. It was boring. It was as if her journey amongst the stars never happened, because it didn’t. It was only a dream, unfinished, because such illusions always are.
It was late afternoon when she arrived at her apartment building, the sun just beginning to make its descent below the horizon. The March air was chilly, and growing more so by the minute. She walked along the sidewalk, past the spot where she didn’t meet that mysterious person. Where she didn’t lift off of the ground, where she didn’t experience that feeling of comfort and serenity.
The door seemed to unlock a lot easier today, than it usually did.
The lights were on. She would have pondered whether she had left them on before leaving, but before she could, ten different heads popped out of various hiding spots, with cone-shaped hats strapped to them.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YULA!”
She froze, and her bag slipped to the floor.
They all looked happy to see her. There was Ellie in her long blonde braid, all innocence and smiles. Brooke, a little bit of cake batter caught in her short lavender hair. Christopher in his dark and brooding demeanor, green eyes revealing his true kindness underneath. Even Spencer couldn’t truly hide her excitement, the smallest of smirks playing at the corner of her lips.
All of her friends were here, overjoyed to remind her what day it was, that which she had completely forgotten.
And Yuliana was amongst the stars once more.
”Hey, Chris?” came Finn’s soft voice, interrupting the comfortable silence shared between them.
”Yeah?”
”How long will you love me?”
Christopher was silent for a moment. Then, with the hand that wasn’t currently holding Finn’s, he pointed up towards the night sky that surrounded them.
”As long as the stars are above you.”
Finn pouted.
”So when morning comes, you’ll stop?”
”No, silly.” Chris chuckled. ”You know the stars will always be there. Just like my love for you.”
Finn grinned; that was the answer he wanted to hear. He rolled closer to Chris’s side and pecked him on the cheek.
”I’m glad.”
Finn himself would love the man beside him for as long as there were seasons. But he didn’t need to say it. Christopher already knew.
Inspiration for this ficlet: Ellie Goulding - How Long Will I Love You
”Yeah?”
”How long will you love me?”
Christopher was silent for a moment. Then, with the hand that wasn’t currently holding Finn’s, he pointed up towards the night sky that surrounded them.
”As long as the stars are above you.”
Finn pouted.
”So when morning comes, you’ll stop?”
”No, silly.” Chris chuckled. ”You know the stars will always be there. Just like my love for you.”
Finn grinned; that was the answer he wanted to hear. He rolled closer to Chris’s side and pecked him on the cheek.
”I’m glad.”
Finn himself would love the man beside him for as long as there were seasons. But he didn’t need to say it. Christopher already knew.
Inspiration for this ficlet: Ellie Goulding - How Long Will I Love You
Sparks Over Rippling Depths
This was a late Valentine's Day gift for my most treasured friend, ᴀᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ - starring my character Christopher and her character Finn.
1.7k words, loosely based on her prompt: water elemental + fire elemental + forbidden love. Enjoy~
If one was listening closely, they might be able to hear the quiet thumping of shoes on wooden planks as one lone man crossed the pier that evening. One hand rested in his jacket pocket, the other clutched a book pressed tight against his torso as he walked. When he reached the end of the pier he quickly scanned the area to make sure no one else was around, and when he found he was alone he sat down at the very edge. For a few minutes he waited, sitting absolutely still, until suddenly the water beneath him stirred. Green scales flashed in the fading light, and a long fin glided just underneath the water, disappearing for a moment before a young man’s head broke the surface to peer at him with a cheerful grin.
“Chris!” The male greeted, mint eyes brimming with excitement. The sight made Christopher’s face relax into an endeared smile, as it did every time he saw the merman.
“Hey Finn, nice to see you again.” He greeted in turn, and held up the book he was holding so the other could see it. “I brought your favorite today.”
Chris wasn’t sure how the boy could appear more excited, but he managed. “Yay!” He cheered, as his webbed hands stretched out to grab onto the wood. He hoisted his torso up just enough so he could rest his head on his folded arms, and stared at Chris adoringly. “Read it from the beginning, please.”
The man nodded and opened the book to the first chapter. The daylight was quickly fading into darkness with each passing moment, but Christopher had no trouble making out the words on the page. Reading in the dark was just one of his numerous abilities, which set him apart from regular humans. He took in a breath, and began. “Once upon a time...”
Christopher recited the words to Finn with just as much passion as all the times he’d read the story before, but as time went on he eventually noticed that Finn wasn’t responding like usual. Chris glanced up to see that the merman was gazing at him, eyes gleaming with affection and...was that curiosity? It barely seemed like he was even paying attention to the story. “Hey.” He said softly when Chris had paused his reading.
“Hm?”
Finn pressed his face further into his arm, squishing his cheek cutely. “Can you do that thing again?”
A small smile tugged at the corner of Chris’s lips. “Of course.” He took one hand from the book and held it out, palm facing upward. In that moment, a small flame steadily began to grow in his hand.
“Whooaa...” Finn couldn’t help but mutter in awe as the flickering light danced across his features, his eyes wide with amazement. The flame radiated warmth into Chris’s palm, and pulsated like a heartbeat in front of him. It was as if the fire was his own heart, beating just for that merman currently transfixed by his power. Maybe I should tell him. Yes, Christopher couldn’t think of a better time than this moment.
“So, Finn.” He began, and as the addressed’s gaze shifted back to him he took a deep breath. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time.”
Finn’s head tilted curiously. “What is that?”
The dark-haired man looked away; he just couldn’t seem to meet that bright gaze. He felt heat crawling up the sides of his face, and he knew it had nothing to do with pyromancy. “I...really like you. A lot. And it’s not like friendship. It’s...different from that.” He fell silent, and after a moment with no response he dared to glance at Finn again. The merman was staring back at him with a thoughtful expression. “You know...I’ve felt that too, for a while. At least, I think it’s the same.” He mused as he traced the wood grains with his finger. He gave Christopher a shy smile, and a blush soon colored his cheeks in the firelight. Now it was his turn to look away in embarrassment. “I, um, thought about it a lot. I’ve wanted to do that thing humans do, you know? Where they exchange rings and profess their love. I thought...you’re the one I’d want to do that with.”
The smile on Christopher’s face grew at hearing Finn’s words, and he chuckled. “Well, humans only do that when they’ve loved each other for a very long time. Many years.”
“So? I still want to!” Finn huffed, pouting. A swishing could be heard from the water, and the merman’s tail made an irritated splash. “If only I had legs, so I could walk with you and be with you always. And face you at eye level.”
“Yeah. Or if only I could swim, then we could live beneath the water.” Christopher sighed. Thinking like that was hopeless; submerging himself in water was practically suicide for someone like him. But he didn’t want to make Finn sad, so he tried to think of something to lighten the mood. Suddenly his eyes widened when he remembered what day it was. “You know, the humans call this day ‘Valentine’s Day’.”
“Really?” That curiosity entered Finn’s gaze again as he looked up at Chris with wonder. “What’s Valentine’s Day?”
“It’s another day for humans to profess their love, though this one comes every year. Some go out and have fun, while others stay home to kiss or cuddle or hold hands. Anyone who feels love can celebrate it.”
“Then we should celebrate, too!” Finn declared. But then he seemed to grow shy again, and he hid the lower half of his face below the edge of the pier. “I mean, uh...I’ve kinda wanted to know what kissing is like. Kissing you, that is.”
Christopher flushed and sputtered at first, and in his surprise the flame in his hand went out, casting the two of them in darkness. “Y-yeah, we could do that. Kiss.” He stammered. Even without the warmth of the fire, he was starting to feel hot.
“Okay...so how do we do it? Show me.” Finn ordered, webbed fingers tapping on the deck in anticipation.
“Alright. Um, well first...” Christopher closed the book he held and set it behind him. Then he crawled forward on his hands and knees until he was leaning over Finn. “Put your arms around my neck so I can hoist you up.”
For a second Finn seemed worried, but curiosity won out. “If you think it’s okay.” He muttered before reaching out to grasp the man’s neck with a slippery hand. Where his fingers came into contact with the back of his neck, Chris could feel a slight sizzling sensation. It wasn’t enough to hurt him so he didn’t complain, and at no protest Finn’s other arm rose to meet him. Putting all his weight on his knees, Christopher reached his arms down to wrap them around Finn’s torso, and in one swift movement he was sitting down again, the merman safely seated in his lap. But as water splashed onto him he couldn’t help letting out a sharp gasp.
“Are you okay?” Finn asked, tone and expression alike laced with concern.
“It’s fine, don’t worry.” The other responded through gritted teeth, and held Finn tighter. “It stings a bit, but it’s okay. This is worth it.” He meant what he said; a bit of stinging was nothing when it came to his feelings for Finn.
“Alright then.” Finn conceded, giving him an expectant smile. “So...”
Chris returned the smile and lifted a hand to brush some of Finn’s hair away, ignoring the tingling in his fingertips. With that same hand he cupped the merman’s cheek and leaned forward, until his lips were pressed against Finn’s. It was a chaste peck, and yet the soft plushness of the other boy’s lips was there. Real. When he drew back he could see a blush on the other’s cheeks, but there was also an excited gleam in his mint eyes.
“Hmm. So that’s what it is.” He mused, a playful smirk gracing his lips. “I quite like kissing. Do it again?” In response Christopher leaned forward once more and closed his eyes, as he made the kiss a bit deeper this time. Sharp tingles traveled from the back of his neck to the sides of his face as Finn’s wet hands splayed across his cheeks. It felt almost like sparks of electricity on his skin; uncomfortable, but with Finn it only seemed magical.
Finally they broke apart again, contentment bubbling warmly in Christopher’s chest. But as soon as the kiss ended, Finn’s eyebrows quirked in a bewildered way, and his grip on Chris tightened. Suddenly he began slapping his tail frantically, the the green scaly fins making loud thumps against the wooden pier. “W-what’s happening to me?!” He demanded, a hint of panic entering his tone. “What’s wrong with my tail?!”
“I don’t know!” Chris exclaimed as he watched the man in his lap freak out in horror. “Are you hurt?!” His eyes frantically scanned Finn for any sign of injury, but found nothing. It was only a kiss, what was going on?!
The merman stilled for a second as he tried to calm himself down. His grip on Chris’s collar lessened. “I don’t think so. It’s just...weird. It doesn’t really feel like my tail anymore. Heavier maybe?” When the words left his mouth, both men looked down to see that Finn’s tail was changing visibly. Green scales seemed to disappear, receding back to reveal soft pale flesh underneath. Then it began to split, forming two trunk-like figures. Tail-fins melted away and solidified into feet, placed at the end of what now looked like two very human legs.
All they could do was stare in stunned silence as the process unfolded before their very eyes. But then Finn started to wiggle his new toes. The action looked so silly to Chris; his initial shock quickly ebbed away and he let out a small chuckle, the noise ringing out and breaking the silence.
Finn turned to him, a grin on his features once more. “This means I can walk now, right?”
Christopher didn’t fully understand what just happened or why, but one thing was clear - Finn had legs. He nodded, and carefully helped his now-boyfriend to his newfound feet. “Now let’s go find you some clothes.”
Hand in hand, with smiles and laughter shared between them, they began to walk the way Christopher had come.
Black is the New Variety
One of the blanket box prompts I did for fun on my Pillowfort. (If you don't know what that means, feel free to ask) Basically, you assign your characters a number and follow prompts based on those numbers. They're just short, sweet, and fun creative outlets that I decided to post here as well.
This one features my own two OCs, Christopher and Luke. The prompt: "1 picks out clothes for 5"
Christopher wasn't entirely sure how he found himself digging through Luke's closet, but there he was, searching for...what was it again? He couldn't remember exactly what, because what he'd found distracted him from his quest entirely. "Uh...Luke?" Christopher called out over his shoulder, grabbing the attention of the other dark-haired man sitting in the bedroom. "Why is there so much...blue?"
The addressed looked up from where he was absorbed in a textbook, and gave Chris an incredulous look as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "What are you talking about? Also, how long does it take for you to find a simple blanket?"
Chris ignored the latter question and poked his head out from behind the closet door. "I mean, every single shirt you own is blue, dude. Is that your favorite color?"
Luke blinked. "Oh, well, I guess so. Brooke told me it matched my eyes."
Christopher scrutinized the other man for a moment, and eventually nodded in approval. "Okay, yeah, she's right. But I think you need some variety in your wardrobe." Of course, Christopher was one to talk. The only color anyone had ever seen him wear was black. But that didn't seem to come to mind as he abandoned the closet and headed for the door, where he started to put on his sneakers. "Come on, there's still daylight. Let's go clothes shopping."
"Uh...okay." Luke muttered as he reluctantly closed the textbook. It appeared their study-session was over now, in favor of his friend's new quest.
---
When they left the shop of their choice a couple hours later, Luke was carrying a new outfit...all in black. And Christopher seemed rather pleased with himself. "You know you're a hypocrite, right?" The taller guy commented. "My wardrobe now has more colors than yours, which is to say, two."
His friend seemed unfazed by the accusation; he simply kept up his happy stroll as he waved a hand dismissively. "Black is the new variety. It's a great color. Very versatile. Hey, you know what? We should stop by my place so I can paint your nails. Then we'll be matching!"
Luke let out a breathy sigh and shook his head. "I'd really rather not."
But despite his initial protest, by the end of the day his nails were a matte shade of, you guessed it, black. What could he say? When Christopher was excited about something, you just couldn't tell him no.
The addressed looked up from where he was absorbed in a textbook, and gave Chris an incredulous look as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "What are you talking about? Also, how long does it take for you to find a simple blanket?"
Chris ignored the latter question and poked his head out from behind the closet door. "I mean, every single shirt you own is blue, dude. Is that your favorite color?"
Luke blinked. "Oh, well, I guess so. Brooke told me it matched my eyes."
Christopher scrutinized the other man for a moment, and eventually nodded in approval. "Okay, yeah, she's right. But I think you need some variety in your wardrobe." Of course, Christopher was one to talk. The only color anyone had ever seen him wear was black. But that didn't seem to come to mind as he abandoned the closet and headed for the door, where he started to put on his sneakers. "Come on, there's still daylight. Let's go clothes shopping."
"Uh...okay." Luke muttered as he reluctantly closed the textbook. It appeared their study-session was over now, in favor of his friend's new quest.
---
When they left the shop of their choice a couple hours later, Luke was carrying a new outfit...all in black. And Christopher seemed rather pleased with himself. "You know you're a hypocrite, right?" The taller guy commented. "My wardrobe now has more colors than yours, which is to say, two."
His friend seemed unfazed by the accusation; he simply kept up his happy stroll as he waved a hand dismissively. "Black is the new variety. It's a great color. Very versatile. Hey, you know what? We should stop by my place so I can paint your nails. Then we'll be matching!"
Luke let out a breathy sigh and shook his head. "I'd really rather not."
But despite his initial protest, by the end of the day his nails were a matte shade of, you guessed it, black. What could he say? When Christopher was excited about something, you just couldn't tell him no.
Be My Valentine?
Another of the blanket box prompts first posted on my Pillowfort.
Featuring my two OCs, Spencer and Pearl. This time the prompt was: "4 reacting to a love confession from 8"
"So what I'm trying to say is...I'm in love with you, Spencer. Please be my Valentine?" And with that, Pearl got down on one knee, as if this was a marriage proposal (the horror), and procured a single fresh rose to offer before the other girl.
At first, Spencer's eyebrows rose in shock, and her jaw dropped. She certainly wasn't expecting this, especially from Pearl of all people. But then, she realized...it made no sense. "I-is this some kind of joke?" she sputtered accusingly. "Who put you up to this? Was it Julian?" Well, no, now that she thought about it, it was obvious that Pearl was the mastermind here. She was known among all their friends for being a big prankster. She probably got the rose from Julian, though. He was in the Theater Club, where they had access to a million of the damned things.
"What? No!" the blue-haired girl denied, unfaltering in her speech. "I know it must be hard to believe, but I've harbored these feelings for a while now. It's true; I want to be more than friends. So...please?" She held the rose up a little higher and smiled hopefully.
Maybe Pearl was just as good an actor as her twin, but her performance actually seemed pretty convincing. Maybe this was legit? Spencer's personality left a bit to the imagination, to be sure, but she knew she was pretty, even if some could consider that vain. Maybe Pearl fell for her good looks? Maybe she was intrigued by who the dirty-blonde could really be underneath the surface?
Unfortunately, Pearl wasn't the person Spencer was hoping to get a confession from. She averted her gaze and began fumbling with her fingers. "Well...um...I'm sorry. I'm actually in love with someone else..."
She heard a light gasp, and her eyes snapped back to Pearl's face to gauge her reaction. She was expecting disappointment in those grey eyes, maybe even anger, but what she found instead was shock and...a bit of guilt? "Oh. Shit, I, uh...that's private. I should not have done this. I am a bad person."
"What are you talking about?"
Pearl unsteadily got to her feet. "You see, I actually was pranking you. But I'm reeeaaaally sorry!" She began to twirl the rose stem in her hands, feet shuffling uncomfortably. "I didn't mean to make you say that. And I won't ask who it is!"
"Pff." Spencer shoved her hands in her coat pocket and huffed indignantly. "Whatever. I'm going now." To be perfectly honest with herself, Spencer was kind of hurt. What a cruel prank to play, especially today of all days. It just reminded her of her own unrequited love, and that was painful. She turned and began to walk away, but was stopped by a hand on her arm.
"Wait!" Pearl exclaimed. "I really am sorry. I definitely shouldn't have done that. Can I make it up to you?" She slowly turned the other girl back around to face her.
"How?"
"Let me take you out! It'll be a girls' night, just you and me, and we can do whatever you want. Sound fun?" She offered the rose once more, holding it even closer to Spencer's face. Her grin was infectious, and it reached all the way to her mischievous grey eyes, so very much like her brother's.
Spencer sighed. Her bubbly, excitable personality was a bit more than Spencer wanted to handle, especially since Brooke wouldn't be around to put a leash on her shenanigans. But it certainly beat sitting at home to risk being a third wheel around Zack and his boyfriend. "Fine, I guess."
"Yaaaay!" Pearl cheered, as she actually bounced in place as if she were a rubber ball. Spencer had already begun walking away again and Pearl trotted after her to keep up. "So, what do you want to do? I'm down for anything, and I mean literally anything."
"...Skating. I guess. Don't come crying to me when you fall flat on your face."
"Sound's GREAT!"
Amongst the Stars Once More
On March 11, 2018 I created Yuliana Yurievna. So to celebrate her 'birthday' I wrote a special little thing featuring her. 1,197 words, there are references to christianity but not framed to condone it or anything.
Yuliana wasn’t exactly sure how she had gotten to the sidewalk in front of her apartment building.
All she knew was what she could see. And what she could see was a vast night sky above her head, impossibly dark contrasted by impossibly-bright stars. It was as if the light pollution in her town had forgotten to exist, allowing the pure beauty of the natural universe to pan over her world.
The late-winter, not-quite-spring, March air was chilly, not in an intimidating way; it was more like October air, which felt like a cool break from the previous summer’s heat, and promised the coming of fall festivals, haunted attractions, and pumpkin-carving. Though this differed in that it signaled the end of a bone-cold winter, and gave knowledge that the warm spring weather was once again on the horizon.
Yuliana wasn’t certain how long the other person had been there, or if they had just now appeared. But they were there now, and their presence absorbed all of Yuliana’s attention, away from the sky and the air and the noises, seemingly natural but at the same time nonexistant. It was as if the stranger seemed to glow, despite the fact they were not glowing. They simply enraptured her gaze, as if that person was the only thing there was to look at, the only thing that existed.
Their appearance was not something that could be perceived in the natural sense. It was like they were constantly shifting; at one moment, Yuliana could almost picture long blonde hair, but it was actually short and brown. But no, it was red. But no, it was black. Their eyes seemed to be absent of color, and yet full of it at the same time. It was impossible to tell. Perhaps the person’s frame was thin and lithe, perhaps it was built and stocky. Yuliana just couldn’t figure it out, but it also felt as though figuring it out didn’t matter. The person existed, and didn’t exist, yet commanded attention as though they were a politician about to give an important speech.
“But I never believed in God.” The words left her mouth before she could even process them.
A warm, accepting gaze from the person in front of her. “You never needed to.”
Her head swam, nothing quite registering but at the same time, it was perfect clarity. “Are you God?”
Warmth and acceptance shifted into amusement, revealed by a slight smirk. “If that’s what you decide to believe.” The presence’s voice had no specific trait to define it; it simply was, the words and their meaning delivered to Yuliana in the language she understood.
A moment of silence passed, one that could have stretched through eternity, or perhaps just a fraction of a second.
The person offered a hand.
“A gift, from me to you.” They said simply.
Hesitant, Yuliana carefully placed her own hand in the other’s. It was warm, mild, indistinct, and yet was the only hand in the world. Upon touching it, the chilly air seemed to morph around her, changing into pleasant warmth. It was as if spring had arrived at last, in the span of a second.
The long winter coat that had been carefully wrapped around her body disappeared in that moment, replaced with her favorite summer dress, the one that she never wore because she couldn’t be bothered to go outside in the warm months. Light and breezy, it promised freedom and carefree movement, ease. Simplicity.
Before Yuliana could ponder what had happened, or what was to happen next, her hand was suddenly tugged. It was a gentle action, much like guiding a balloon through air, or a float through water. And that was exactly how she felt then: a balloon, a float. She drifted after the presence, feet no longer firmly attached to the ground in what people typically perceived as the work of gravity.
Slowly, carefully, the world sank beneath her. She was walking, it seemed, towards the very sky that sparkled with all of those bright, bright stars, but it didn’t feel so stiff and natural. The motions were there, but she was still a balloon, floating after that one still grasping her hand. Where her feet landed, little white pinpricks cushioned her. It was as if an invisible cloud was there every step of the way, made of tiny stars that only appeared when the tips of her toes blessed them.
The town beneath her was gone. Not really gone, but insignificant. All that mattered was the speckled darkness enveloping her, the steady movements bringing her ever forward, and the kind, comforting soul ahead, orchestrating it all.
Now, their features began to take on the appearance of people who were familiar to her. One glimpse showed a long, blonde braid, another showed those motherly lavender waves. A brown ponytail, then a silver one, then black hair, then caramel-blonde. When they turned around to grace Yuliana with a smile, they showed eyes that were sky-blue and promised comfort, eyes of green that showed kindness. Playful amber, mischievous grey. Hazel eyes that spoke of untold fondness.
Surrounded by the stars, on a road to faraway galaxies she could only dream of, Yuliana felt peace. Truly, this was the perfect existence.
This was the place she belonged.
She opened her eyes to sunlight falling through the curtains of her bedroom window.
It was a dream. Of course it was.
She went through the normal motions of her day, because it was a normal day. She got up, dressed herself, and went to classes, just like she always did. Sat through lectures, took notes. Checked her phone occasionally, to find her notifications silent.
It was normal. It was boring. It was as if her journey amongst the stars never happened, because it didn’t. It was only a dream, unfinished, because such illusions always are.
It was late afternoon when she arrived at her apartment building, the sun just beginning to make its descent below the horizon. The March air was chilly, and growing more so by the minute. She walked along the sidewalk, past the spot where she didn’t meet that mysterious person. Where she didn’t lift off of the ground, where she didn’t experience that feeling of comfort and serenity.
The door seemed to unlock a lot easier today, than it usually did.
The lights were on. She would have pondered whether she had left them on before leaving, but before she could, ten different heads popped out of various hiding spots, with cone-shaped hats strapped to them.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YULA!”
She froze, and her bag slipped to the floor.
They all looked happy to see her. There was Ellie in her long blonde braid, all innocence and smiles. Brooke, a little bit of cake batter caught in her short lavender hair. Christopher in his dark and brooding demeanor, green eyes revealing his true kindness underneath. Even Spencer couldn’t truly hide her excitement, the smallest of smirks playing at the corner of her lips.
All of her friends were here, overjoyed to remind her what day it was, that which she had completely forgotten.
And Yuliana was amongst the stars once more.
