Synopsis: One winter before his disappearance, you told your boyfriend Yu about a question youâve had for so long; one even he could hardly respond to.
It took many more hopeless winters for you to finally have your answer.âÂ
Note: Please don't copy or steal my work and pass it off as your own! If you'd like to use one of my headcanons or something, I'd love it if you tagged or asked.
SIDENOTE did anyone see how Clove speaks? Who would've thought vehemently studying Irish slang 8 months ago would come back to help me like this??? Writing them is gonna be such a breeze fr hint wink wink nudge nudge nudge
You wanted to call yourself stupid for not catching on.
How wasnât it obvious?
There was a gun in his bedroom and a medallion with a symbol that you've never seen before, even after relentlessly googling around.
Purple eyes, mysterious disappearances, owning a house with undisclosed memories that he was just willing to abandon for your apartment, and⊠other than his grandma? Yeah, no family.
You stepped behind the counter and pocketed your headphones.
Only now did you hear Yingâs muffled voice way behind you inside her room, drowned out by the music.
You were sure that she was speaking to someone on the phone, considering your co-worker called out at the last minute. Who, however, would remain a mystery.
Not that you cared.
Then, the door swung open, and you heard the clicks of her shoes as she walked down the corridor, phone in hand.
â â
âI made sure to check it before I left.â She explained. âAround March, last I heard. Thatâs the only dayâ Y/N!â
â â
Yingâs previously quiet voice shot up a few decibels upon noticing you.
But before you even realised it, your mind had prepared itself for the sudden incoming hug it really didnât want.
â â
âOh my God, I was so worried!â
â â
Her arms found their place tightly wrapped around you, completely ignoring the seemingly important call, as she had tossed her phone on the counter behind her in favour of this embrace.
You placed one hand on her back in a weak attempt to reciprocate it. However, all you could notice was how cold her silky black ponytail was as it fell on her back.
â â
âI missed one day, Ying.â
â â
âI thought something happened to you!â She pulled away, her hands still on your shoulders. âYou shouldâve told meâ where were you?â
â â
âAt Yuâs.â
â â
Her posture immediately relaxed with that answer, and a wide grin painted her features.
â â
âAh, is that so? And how are the lemons? I trust theyâre in excellent condition.â
â â
You wouldâve groaned at how she referred to a bunch of seeds underground as if they were babies being taken care of. But after that tangent, maybe that comparison was⊠Well, apt wasnât the word, but, you know.
Something like that.
â â
âStill acclimating. They require less maintenance in the winter, butâŠâÂ
â â
Your words were lodged in your throat, and you were rendered unable to tell her exactly what you were thinking.
But Ying somehow didnât notice. Instead, she began taking a few steps back to close the call sheâd abandoned, another idea popping up in her mind.
â â
âHow large was his backyard again? Why donât you plant more seeds there? Something that can withstand this weather?â
â â
âWhenâs the last time youâve been to his house, Ying?â
â â
She placed one hand on her hip.
â â
âI visited Isoâs house a few times before, Y/N. I even recall mentioning the absurd size of his backyard. Ah, I think I used the word ridiculous, too⊠That mightâve offended him.â
â â
Ying explained thoughtfully with a finger on her chin. And from her dreamy tone, it was easy for you to infer that she was just about to go off on another tangent should you let her keep talking.
She promptly moved towards the register with this memory in mind. But before she could say anything, you interrupted her.
â â
âWhoâs Iso?â
â â
âŠ
â â
âIso?âÂ
â â
Ying stayed silent for a moment.Â
Then, she tittered,Â
â â
âIâ I mustâve misspoken; I meant to say Yu.â
â â
You crossed your arms.
â â
âWhoâs Iso, Ying?â
â â
âAh, itâ itâs just a character from a book Iâm currently reading. Itâs not anything important.â Ying fanned herself with her hand as she spoke, presumably from a bout of anxiety. âAnywho, as I was sayingâ would you like me to come along with you? Weâll find new spots for you to plant in!â
â â
âŠ
You ran your fingers through your hair, leaning on the counter behind you.
Ying only had two Meyer lemons that day, and you managed to scoop out a combined amount of nine seeds. A lot, but compared to a normal lemon that had at least tenâfifteen seeds in one fruit, it was nothing.
And what worried you was the prospect of you failing or only managing to get a few trees out of those.
It couldnât hurt to have a few⊠backup fruits, right? If the lemons failed, youâd maybe have⊠something else. Besides, the cashier from that one shop seemed fond of you when you bought the garden ready passion fruit. You could purchase another orange and strike up a conversation with her.
Besides, you needed to work on mentally desensitising yourself to being in his house.
â â
âI'll take care of it myself, I could use some alone time.â
â â
Even though every second of your life was composed of âalone timeâ to the point that it was concerning.
But Ying didnât really want to mention that. Not when your mood seemed to be substantially improving with it.
She flashed you her familiar grin in response.
â â
âWell, if youâd like any help, Iâm oneââ
â â
âOne text away, got it. Werenât you talking to someone?â
â â
You gestured at the phone she set on the counter a while ago, referencing the call sheâd abandoned in favour of this conversation.
And you swore you could see buffering in her eyes before she caught on.
â â
âOh! Right, thank you, Iâd almost forgotten about her.â
â â
She quickly grabbed the phone and waved goodbye before disappearing into her office for the day. And by then, you had already known that customers made their way inside.
You didnât even need to look back to know. Not when that repetitive jingle gave it away, and the sounds of them snickering and gossiping to each other.
You sighed and ran your fingers through your hair, preparing to serve the group.
â â
â€àžș·ă
â â
You were still thinking about that gun even after itâd been a whole year since you visited his house. However, when you passed by his bedroom, the thoughts took over your mind like a virus.
The urge to peer through his drawers once more grew unbearable, even after youâd done it a few dozen times. And each time, it wouldnât change; there was simply no gun anymore.
This weapon only raised more questions in your mind. None of them were new, except for one:
Was Yu dead?Â
Was that the reason for his disappearance?
Maybe the hourglass medallion was related to it. Maybe they were a⊠an organisation? A group, something like that.
Maybe heâd gotten into a fight with these people, or maybe they sent someone out to kill him. But why?
You thought of at least a hundred possibilities as to how he wouldâve died, but none of it made sense because of one thing, how did someone like Yu get involved with people like this?
The only reason you entertained it was because of his eyes, his nonexistent parents, and the bloody house you were in.
Thereâs no way a barista with the same salary as you would be able to buy all of this.
But you never doubted him; you trusted him. You trusted his decision to keep it all vague.
You trusted that, one day, he would tell you.
Maybe that was a mistake.
â â
Oh, screw it, you thought as you pushed the doors to his backyard open.
Ignoring the familiar cold sensation that wrapped itself around your exposed face and neck was an easy task, especially when you were finally taking in the sight before you.
Six trees. But you already saw that before. What grabbed your attention were the white flowers scattered around the deep green leaves, like fairies that had sprinkled dust during the night.
Once youâd reached it, you meticulously cupped one flower in your gloved hands and observed the shape, but all of it was healthy. All it needed was one more year to finally bear fruit.
The pearly white tint of the flower beautifully stood out against your black gloves; its thin petals curving in a manner so purposeful, you swore it was sculpted by the gods.
They also needed pruning, you mused before going back to grab a tool you left behind.
But youâd get to it after you watered them.
Incidentally, it was February; Winter was finally coming to an end. And this meant that the snow that coated the ground was starting to melt off, patches of dull grass sneaking through any opening they could in an effort to get some air.
This made the shovel you were about to use somewhat redundant when it came to shovelling the snow.
Nevertheless, once youâd picked an empty spot in his spacious backyard, you slid the blade of your shovel under the thin mound of melting snow. Then, once you scooped up most of it, you tossed it aside and cleared the area.
â â
âWhy do you plant things in the winter? Why not summer?â
â â
Yu suddenly questioned from behind as he rested on the staircase after heâd done shovelling all of the snow.
Since heâd volunteered and successfully done most of the gruelling work for you, you had enough space to finally plant the germinated lemon seeds once you were done spacing them out.
And to him, his inquiry made sense.
Winter was the season of death, and even his optimism wouldnât stop him from admitting that. So why would you pursue a hobby that sprouted life at that time?
You continued shovelling the snow out of the way as you remembered what you told him that dreadful day.
And this time, you didnât block your brain from pulling these annoying conversations from the depths of your mind â not when you wanted to remember the answer.
â â
âPlanting things in the winter helps them bear fruit faster. Moreover, the seeds I'm planting are winter fruit.â
â â
Despite sitting behind you, you could easily tell that Yu immediately perked up at the foreign term.
â â
âWinter fruit?â
â â
âYes. It's exactly what it sounds like.â
â â
Whenever he learned something new from you, he would just have the cutest look on his face.
If only you could see it now, you mulled. But that privilege was revoked years ago, and you werenât in the mood to mourn right now.
Not after all of your impressive progress so far.
â â
âLemons are a winter fruit?â
â â
You nodded.
â â
â...What about oranges?â
â â
He noted the abundance of oranges you had at the time, and your silent plans to have them planted, if only it didnât take years for the blasted trees to bear fruit.
This question, however, made you pause at the time.
â â
âThey... are.â
â â
âI see. And why oranges specifically?â
â â
Seemingly oblivious to the pause in your answer, Yu continued pressing on, unaware of the consequences of asking such a question.
Once the snow was out of the way and youâd cleared the grass, you moved back towards the doors and grabbed the nearby rake, ready to make space for your orange trees.
â â
âThey were my dad's favourite.â
â â
The answer came solemnly; the shift in topic immediately souring both his and your mood.
And Yu quickly caught on to his mistake since he immediately rushed to apologise,
â â
âOh, I'm- I'm sorry. I didn't mean toâŠâ
â â
You pushed a plentiful amount of dirt out of the way with only a few repetitive movements. And though they were few, you still felt the sweat form.
The thick jacket you wore started to weigh heavily on you. That, and just about everything else, but were you really going to work in a tank top out here?
â â
âNo, it's okay.â
â â
Yu watched you stand up once you were done, dusting off your hands.
Yet he noted how weak your movements were. How much hesitance was involved in just getting the dirt off of your fingers, or even holding yourself up.
How easily upset you were at the mention of your deceased parents.Â
At the time.
â â
âCan we leave? I'll... I'll check on the trees afterwards.â
â â
He immediately stood up and took off his glove to pull you closer to him.
â â
âOf course. You deserve a break, after all. Where would you like to go?â
â â
âDo you remember the bridge I told you about? I heard it looks better in the spring; but we should go tomorrow.â
â â
Yu beamed at this, his fingers interlocking with yours, and his thumb had already begun outlining the lines on your palm.
It sounded like an innocent suggestion.
â â
âTomorrow? Okay, but you'll have to send me the location in advance.â
â â
You remembered both of you leaving for the bridge that day and what came afterwards.
You remembered the dread that followed you throughout the entire trip. Not to mention the gloom, all because you remembered your father.
And itâs not like any of it was to be missed.
You didnât miss having your whole day ruined at the mention of one person.
You stood back and stared at the hole youâd dug with the shovel, measuring its width compared to the tree you were about to put in its place.
Perfect, you thought. It was all perfect.
â â
â€àžș·ă
â â
Summer passed by like a breeze, and Ying was beyond delighted at the harvest you brought back and immediately got to work with the others to turn them into delicious treats to sell.
Luckily for you (or her), they sold like hotcakes, and today, once winter finally arrived, the moment you walked through the doors and heard the jingle from above, you already saw the results of your hard work.
Ying stood deep within the dining area in front of the wall that used to be empty for so long; now, however, it carried the large, expensive painting she had yearned for the past few years.
And just like she predicted, it looked absolutely stunning.
The colours perfectly complemented the warm colour palette of the general area, and the ladies and their surroundings bounced off of the previously dull flora sheâd decorated the area with. That, and, you know, it was just a pretty painting to look at.
You approached and pocketed your headphones, but Ying neednât look back to know you were there.
The crunch of the ice under your boots was loud enough. All thanks to the strong snowfall outside.
â â
âIsnât this amazing? It feels like I renovated the whole area, Y/N!â
â â
She said excitedly as she clasped her hands together, meeting your gaze.
Did you even want to ask how long she spent staring at the painting? Not that it was a bad thing.
â â
âI admit. It does look impressive.â
â â
âAnd I couldnât have done it without you! Speaking of which, you look happy today. Did something happen?â
â â
Ying asked with a tilt of her head, and your smile only widened at this despite your futile attempts to keep a straight face.
â â
âThe lady at the nursery suggested I sell some of my plants there with her. Iâm still considering it.â
â â
She didnât know who she was, so you didnât really bother telling Ying the name of this new friend you made.
But her face still beamed at this.
â â
âWhy not? You mentioned your apartment being cramped a while ago. Is that still the case?â
â â
âIt is.â
â â
Of course sheâd remember an off-handed comment from months ago.
Besides, all anyone needed to know something like this was to simply glance at any of your windows, and theyâd see the potted trees pressed up against them.
â â
âIâll still have to wait until the weather clears up.â
â â
âI see. Good call.â
â â
She didnât need to look out the windows to see the thick fog outside. The way to work was difficult enough for her since she had to avoid the black ice and check the weather for any potential storms.
Nevertheless, despite how subtle it was, Ying immediately picked up on the wistfulness that bled into your previously content tone.
â â
âIs⊠something wrong?â
â â
Your smile slowly fell as you carefully leaned on the table behind you.
Donât quote me on this comparison, I hate Chemistry.
But despite solitude being bound to you like protons to a nucleus at this point, and vice versa, youâd been keeping this question to yourself, and it felt like it was driving you mad. For once, you needed to ask someone, and who better than Ying?
And you werenât in the mood to be subtle or to ease her into it.Â
Might as well lay it all out.
â â
âIs Yu dead?â
â â
She seemed incredibly caught off guard by the question.
â â
âDead? Thatâ thatâs a⊠ah, a bold assumption⊠Why would you ever say that?â
â â
Should you even tell her about the gun and the hourglass medallion?
Even though you were still pissed at Yu for keeping so many things hidden from you, you still felt it disrespectful to air out his laundry behind his back.
Well, if he was alive, that is.
You sighed and ran your fingers through your hair.
â â
âJust a thought.â
â â
âNo, donât say that. Youâre doing so well, Y/N; donât let the pessimism get to you!â
â â
You smiled in amusement at her words.
Was the change in your appearance and attitude that drastic? You couldâve sworn one of the positive things about your genes was the lack of dark circles under your eyes.
Ying, however, only kept going.
â â
âHow about we visit his grandmother? I know both of you used to do that a lot. Are those lemons done growing?â
â â
âThey are. I should be able to harvest them on Sunday if the weather gets better.â
â â
Itâs been a while since you visited her. And honestly, you may or may not have missed her delighted smile and hug whenever sheâd see you come in with freshly baked goods for her to enjoy.
Shame this all stopped when Yu disappeared. If you took it this horribly, you couldnât even imagine what she was going through.
â â
âSunday? Thatâs great! Would you like me to come with you? Iâll bring the baskets!â
â â
For once, the offer sounded enticing.
Hauling baskets around in a bus also sounded like a terrible idea. SoâŠÂ
You nodded.
â â
âI donât mind.â
â â
âWonderful! So, what do you always bring her? Was it lemon bars, orâŠâ
â â
Ying started spitballing ideas as she walked you to the counter, attempting to come up with a list of lemon desserts for you both to bring.
Sweets and baking werenât her forte, but it was really fun to watch her ramble on about something she really enjoyed. It wasnât that hard to tell that she never got to have a casual conversation with someone outside of work, anyway.
And so you let her talk, instead opting to listen to her in silence and only chiming in when she was out of words.
â â
â€àžș·ă
â â
Both of you settled on lemon pie.
It was a nice change compared to the usual pound cakes youâd always bring her. And besides, you needed to bring something special after not visiting her for years, or however long itâs been.
Not like you were one to keep track of time.
Nevertheless, a week had passed since that conversation, and things only continued to improve. Mentally, that is.
You were way too exhausted from tending to what felt like a few hundred trees all day. The work felt like it was never ending.
Itâs not like you were able to go outside anyway; the fog never let up since then. Even the buses were starting to reroute, and your path to work was getting more and more hazy.
Thankfully for you, it was Saturday; youâve been up since the crack of dawn, and youâve just finished your housework at two in the afternoon.
Pruning, fertilising, watering and fending off fungal infections and diseases. Even though it was winter, an abundance of dormant plants still equaled a considerable amount of work.
Sure, as Ying said, the air was fresher in here, but you needed to sell all of these plants. It was quite literally a forest at this point.
That wasnât to mention the ones at Yuâs house that you still havenât tended to, the ones you were going to harvest tomorrow had the weather improved.
Once you set down your shears and gave your fingers the relief of rest after spending the past hour pruning your kiwi tree, it felt like they were just one wrong move away from falling off your body.
And maybe that was the time for you to actually stop working.
â â
You walked back inside to your hotter bedroom and slammed the door to the balcony shut, taking a deep breath of the fresh air to isolate a specific scent. And it didnât take long for you to spot it â the scent of hot chocolate.
Youâd just made it for breakfast and had completely forgotten about it whilst waiting for it to cool off.
Huh. Instead of drinking it in bed, maybe you should try something Ying would probably do.
You ran your stiff fingers through your hair and moved towards the kitchen, grabbed the lukewarm cup and headed for the living room.
Once you sat down on the couch, the remote immediately made its way into your hand and the television was turned on.
Yuâs blankets were still there. You washed and tossed them back there, since there was no reason for you to move them.
Not like you felt ill when you looked at them. They were pretty warm.Â
Besides, you were more concerned with the television and whether or not it would work after being unused for so long.
And⊠Yeah. It was kind of boring. Scratch that; it was very boring.
Ying was probably just way too old-fashioned for you.
You surfed through the channels for a few more minutes. And with every channel you passed, you were only further reminded as to why this blasted thing was never used.
You surfed and surfed and surfed, eventually landing on whatever channel it was once youâd gotten bored enough and instead picked up the phone to scroll through social media.
Maybe you really should hit up your landlord and stop funding this useless thing mounted on your wall, you mused.
Your train of thought, however, was immediately derailed once your ringtone blasted in your ears.
Ying had suddenly called you. And despite your annoyance, you accepted it without thought, holding the phone up to your ear.
â â
âY/N! Good afternoon, how are you?â
â â
âHi. Do you need something?âÂ
â â
She tittered, and you could feel her anxiously fan herself from the other side of the phone.
â â
âWhat if I just wanted to check in on my friend?â
â â
âSo you⊠donât need anything.â
â â
âNo, I do. Are you free this March?â
â â
You sighed and instead looked out the window, your eyes locking on the rapid snowfall that only helped further coat the ground in tonnes of snow.
Sidewalks, houses, dead trees, balconies⊠Well, the uncovered ones, of course. Your balcony was safe.
â â
âPossibly. Why?â
â â
This question was weird to ask, to say the least. Especially to someone who lived their life with no planning and went with the flow.
But you did understand why sheâd ask since she planned months and months ahead.
â â
âThereâs something I must do, but itâs highly likely that Iâd end up needing your assistance with it. Do you recall a few years ago, when youâŠâ
â â
Then, the word âstormâ caught your attention, your eyes immediately darted back to the television as your brain tuned out Yingâs words.
Turns out that the channel youâd stopped at was the weather forecast, and the woman was explaining an incoming catastrophic storm headed towardsâŠ
Crap.Â
â â
âIâ I have to go; I need to leave.â
â â
âWhere? Whatâs happening?âÂ
â â
Without thought, you stood up and rushed towards the thick jacket you had hung up on the coat rack right next to the door.
â â
âYing, thereâs a blizzard. Itâs headed right around the neighbourhood where Yuâs house is!â
â â
You slipped on your boots and grabbed your keys, stuffing whatever remaining essentials there were in your pocket.
â â
âWhat?! Y/N, wait, donât tell me youâreââ
â â
âIâm going, Ying!â
â â
âDonât! Donât, just wait for me, Iââ
â â
You slammed the door shut, haphazardly holding the scarf over your nose, and rushed down the flight of stairs.
â â
Ying failed to convince you not to go before you closed the phone and shifted all of your focus back on your path, and she especially failed to get you to understand what was truly happening through your skull.
To her, you either didnât notice the magnitude of the situation, or you just outright didnât care. Rushing into a blizzard just to keep a few trees safe was something no sane person would do, even with how much those trees meant to you.
And despite the thick haze that blocked you from seeing only a few feet in front of you, the people rushing to get home as soon as possible, and the rapid snowfall, none of it mattered.
You clutched the ice-cold pole inside the bus and leaned your head against it, its temperature seeping through your thick black gloves and stinging your skin.
Your eyes locked on the windows as you watched the driver struggle to make his way through the fog, and your heart raced fast enough that it nearly constituted a heart attack.
People around you were scared. The children huddled with their parents like scared birds, and you swore you could hear a few of them reassure their kids that they were going to make it home just fine.
But you tuned it all out in favour of what was important to you.
All you needed to do was get to his house.
Get to his house at the very least, and itâll all be okay.Â
Those trees will be okay. Youâll make sure of it.
Hey gang, Ik its been a while sinc ei posted iso stuff but unfortunately ive fallen into Ace Attorney (again). This doesn't mean I lost interest in valorant, but it just means even though I have creative energy again, I cant write stuff for Iso bc my focus is on AA (Simon Blackquill to be specific)
If I ever make a blog for him, it wont be in this time bc I'm still cautious abt falling out of AA in the next month or so
pairing: simon blackquill x gn+reader (+klavier gavin)
summary: you get caught making out with your boyfriend, but can't shake the feeling that he wanted to get caught...
it was a little embarrassing to be caught making out with your boyfriend in the courthouse, especially by a fellow friend and colleague like klavier. but after the initial embarrassment had faded, you noticed that simon didn't seem flustered at all, to be caught with you. no, he almost seemed happy about it!
âwhy did you wait for klavier to walk in before kissing me?â
the door to the defendant lobby had fallen shut, when you crossed your arms in front of your chest and looked up at simon, studying his expression, as you awaited his answer.
âi have no clue what you're talking aboutâ simon brushed off your claims quickly, just like a true prosecutor. âi didn't wait for anything, especially not a witness to our kissâ
as he replied, you studied his reaction. your intent gaze seemed to be enough to unsettle your boyfriend a little.
âwhat are you doing? why are you looking at me like thatâŠ?â
simon leaned in a little, eyebrows furrowed, as he mimicked you. but then you smiled, irritating your boyfriend even more.
âyou wanted to be caught, didn't you~?â you suddenly smiled, as simon huffed amused in response and rolled his eyes. âhey, don't act like thatâ! you're the one who wanted to show off to your colleague, so don't try to deny it now!â
despite your complaining, simon wasn't ready to drop his act just yet. he'd be damned if he admitted to being jealous of another man!
âagain, i have no clue what you're talking aboutâ
once more, you furrowed your eyebrows and glared at simon with a little pout on your lips. you looked somewhat serious about this whole thing, but simon couldn't take you fully seriously when you looked this cute.
âfine, then i have to spell out for you thenâ you huffed and grinned amused. âyou're jealous of klavier! is that it, simon? you see him flirt with all those women and now you want him to see that you can land yourself a partner as well!â
simon sighed, before a small smile crept his way onto his lips. it seemed like he was finally ready to give up his act.
âyou're almost rightâ he told you, using that same condescending tone you often heard in court. âi wanted klavier to know you're mine. he can flirt with anyone he wants, that's none of my business. but i've wanted him to see that you're already mine!â
Synopsis: One winter before his disappearance, you told your boyfriend Yu about a question youâve had for so long; one even he could hardly respond to.
It took many more hopeless winters for you to finally have your answer.âÂ
Note: Please don't copy or steal my work and pass it off as your own! If you'd like to use one of my headcanons or something, I'd love it if you tagged or asked.
Good day! Sorry for the delay, I totally haven't been eating up the Iso stuff Valorant's posting for the past few weeks like an Iso zombie, or anything.
Also I might start publishing stuff a lot more slowly with everything's coming up, but I'll try my best to keep writing! Have a good read!â ââ â
You were tasked with showing up to work extra early today. Not that you had anything important to do, but Ying had an idea, and she always made her grand ideas your or Yuâs problem.
Mostly you, for some reason.
Since she was your boss, you never really minded this. Actually, it was starting to grow on you, especially since she seemed incredibly busy with something else and didnât have many other ways to release her stress.
It was important to note that this wasnât all daisies and rainbows, however. This plan, though joyous for her, was pure torture for you.
Your path to work today consisted of you carrying a basket concealed at the top with some cloth as you walked down the pavement. Your mistake of not wearing gloves, combined with the brutally cold weather and the heaviness of said basket, it felt like your fingers were about to snap and fall off any second.
Despite somehow surviving every single winter in your lifetime, you never bothered purchasing gloves since you had this habit of keeping your hands in your pockets.
Fuelled by a certain someone.
Your thoughts were curt once you pushed the door open, your entrance accompanied by a jingle as you moved towards the counter where Ying was.
Though she was writing down a few things on her laptop, she immediately met your gaze with a grin and prioritised greeting you.
You placed one ripened passion fruit on the table, Yingâs eyes glimmering in excitement as she turned off her laptop and clasped her hands together.
â â
âTwo,â you set down another, âthree,â then another, âfour, five, six,â
âÂ
You were careful not to set them down too hard. Despite their thick skin, you knew you could accidentally crush them.
And after a whole year of tending to that cursed tree, preventing fungal infections and protecting it from anything that stood between you and a bloody good harvest, smashing the fruits was the last thing you wanted to do.
â â
âFifteen.â
â â
You set down the final one. And by the time you looked up at Ying, her grin grew so wide it could tear her skin open with just one more fruit set to the counter.
â â
âWonderfulâ this is amazing! I can only imagine how many desserts and drinks we can make with this!â She held one fruit and let her thumb scan the wrinkly skin. âAnd howâre your other trees, if I may ask?â
â â
With a shrug, the basket was tossed aside and you made your way behind the counter, taking out a knife from a nearby drawer.
Your fingers were noticeably less stiff thanks to the heat.
Though it still hurt to bend them, it wasnât as bad as, you know, probably approaching hypothermia.
â â
âWe have to wait until next summer for the harvest, Iâm afraid.â
â â
âAh, is that so? No problem; the profits weâll make from this should make up for the time lost!â
â â
She noted with the same enthusiasm from the moment you showed her a single fruit.
You didnât want to waste your time making the pies. Your task was to grow the fruit, not cook them.
At least until she said otherwise. Again, Ying was your boss.
Once you put down the chopping board and knife you previously washed, she handed you the fruit and allowed you to cut into it.
And with just one slice, it parted to reveal a slew of yellow deliciousness glimmering under the light, waiting to be ingested.
Ying aimed for said âdeliciousnessâ. You, however, already aimed to keep the seeds for yourself.
She took the sliced fruit and trotted off, letting you take the others and continue cutting into them.
The silence was immediately broken, however, especially once another thing popped up in her mind.
â â
âI donât want to sound like a creep, butâŠâ she piped up from behind, âI noticed you started listening to music on the way here again.â
â â
You paused.
Right⊠The headphones.
You mindlessly took them out last week and started using them whilst pruning your tree, the action comparable to pouring yourself a glass of water to go with a meal.
As if there was no emotional attachment to such a thing.Â
And it felt good, now that she mentioned it. Noâ it felt triumphant, actually. More pleasing than coming to work with a basketful of fruit with only the bustling of the streets to accompany you.
Not that your taste in music was anything crazy, but, you know.
You promptly went back to slicing through the fruit.
It took a great deal of effort not to let the looming sense of despondency consume you as if it were a blue whale.
â â
âYeah, I⊠Gardening is as distracting as I remember it to be.â
â â
âYouâre not going to drop it, are you?â
â â
âNo, no. Not at all.â
â â
It gave you something to do other than sulk in bed all day.
Ying took the sliced fruit with a smile you barely caught from the corner of your eye, before moving back to the counter behind you.
â â
âIâve actually purchased a few other things to go along with the pies weâre making. Would you like the seeds?â
â â
You looked back to see her taking out a few other fruits and setting them on the crowded counter, right next to what you discovered was a colander.
The colours of said fruit pleasantly stood out against the variety of beiges and the muted tones of the outside world.
A few oranges sat adjacent to the sliced passion fruit from you, some store-bought passion fruit alongside those ones, andâŠ
â â
âI was told oranges were your specialty a while ago. Iâm hoping thatâs still the case.â
â â
â...What lemon is that?â
â â
Ying paused to look back at what sheâd set down, before perking up and grabbing the exact fruit you were eyeing.
â â
âAh, you noticed? Itâs a Meyer lemon! I had to wait for December and go so far to find them; I still somehow only managed to purchase two before they sold out.â She grinned to herself whilst handing it to you. âI donât know how you used to get so many all the time.â
â â
You set down the blade, then moved to take the lemon from her, observing its familiar shape and colour.
Soft, round, thin skin, and a deeper tint of yellow juxtaposed to its regular counterpart. Just how you remembered it to be.
â â
âWhereâd you find them?â
â â
Ying tittered and took out another lemon, setting it alongside the pile of fruit sheâd already placed.
â â
âThatâs a secret. Anyhow, Iâll need to fire up the ovens now and call in a few others. I guarantee thatâŠâ
â â
She continued speaking, but you tuned her out in favour of taking in the lemonâs characteristics all over again.
Itâs been a while since youâve seen one of those. Heck, itâs been a while since you were even able to stomach thinking about Meyer lemons.
But now, sure, they were doing their cursed job of reminding you of Yu, but what chiefly took over your mind was how youâd be able to plant this on your balcony again. The process, the space, all of that previously buried information was now slowly digging itself out.
Huh.
A cold sensation on your thumb snapped you out of your thoughts, and you looked down to realise that you accidentally dented the skin, deep enough for the juice to spill.
You promptly shook your head and went back to work.
â â
â€àžș·ă
â â
It took a while for you to finally clean out all of the pots and fill them with their respective soils. And it took an even longer while for you to plant your seeds, organising them outside on the balcony, where there was more room.
Your apartment was now slowly growing more and more synonymous with a forest. Plants and bushes everywhere, you swore the air also started to change the more you tended to all of it.
You stood back and proudly dusted off your hands, heaving a tired sigh in the process of catching your breath.
Despite the cold temperature that poked at your skin like an army of wasps, you were still heavily sweating, and it felt like your chest was burning.
How the heck did you do this all the time without anyoneâs help? You thought, but again, you were more physically capable of things like this given your⊠erm, better diet and mental state.
Better than whatever the heck it was now before Ying convinced you to pick up gardening again.
It felt like your muscles had deteriorated after a year of⊠well, after a year.
Whatever. If there was one thing you were going to do, itâs to return to how you were before Yu left. Maybe even better.
And these plants were the first step to getting there.
You took the pen and sticky notes set on a table near the corner and began writing.
The ice cold temperature of said pen stung your fingers, but itâs not like that stopped you.
âorangeâ, and âpassion fruitâ.
But you stopped halfway through writing the word âlemonâ.
You havenât planted any lemons. In fact, you ran out of pots, as unbelievable as that sounded.
You wanted to plant the lemons right now. No, you needed to.
If you donât start now, how long will it take until you finally get fruit? Besides, Yingâs thirst for fresh fruit wouldnât be quenched any time soon.
But⊠there was no room.
âŠ
You sighed, and went back inside.
There was one solution in mind. But that solution required a level of bravery you could never hope to achieve.
And now that she mentioned it, you could hardly put on the headphones without thinking of Yu.
You barely managed to plant those two fruits without being reminded of your parents over and over; how were you supposed to even think of approaching Meyer lemons?
It just seemed too ambitious. It seemed like it was too soon, especially when you were still technically grieving Yuâs disappearance.
But the idea was tempting, to plant the lemons in Yuâs backyard. His house was practically abandoned, right? It wasnât⊠occupied.
How could you, though? Exploit your boyfriendâs generosity like that?
Not only his generosity, but for sharing something so vulnerable with you, only to be used for your own selfish goals when he wasnât around toâ
Your thoughts were interrupted once the music in your ears paused in favour of the ringtone that began playing.
Someone was calling. And you rushed to your phone on the other side of the balcony, checking the name.
Ying.Â
Why would she be calling you today? At night?Nevertheless, you answered and pocketed the device.
â â
âHello?â
â â
âGood evening!â
â â
You immediately flinched at the sound of multiple plates clanking against each other. That wasnât to mention the people speaking loudly in the background.
Though far away and, quite frankly, muffled, you were too used to the serene ambient playlist you had going.
â â
"Ying, it's ten. Why're you still at work?"
â â
"You should've seen it, Y/N! People went crazy over the pastries, theyâ they think I put some kind of secret ingredient in there! No, in fact, they actively avoided the store-bought passion fruit; they wanted yours!" She excitedly laughed to herself. "Can you believe it? I never thought using fresh fruit could have such an effect!"
â â
You ran your fingers through your messy hair, unable to hold back the smirk that painted your features.
â â
"No kidding."
â â
"I'll give you a cut of it this month. But we're only a few sales shy of purchasing that painting! What would I do without you, Y/N?"
â â
She let out a content sigh.
You noted the unwavering excitement in her voice. Heck, you even knew that her cheeks were currently twisting to accommodate a wide smile despite being on the other side of the phone. But she kept the volume of her voice low, almost as if she were holding herself back in order to maintain her air of professionalism, or whatever.
ButâŠ
â â
âYing. We need to talk.â
â â
âWait, just one second.â
â â
Ying muted her microphone before you could tell her about what ran through your mind.
And the doubt grew the more seconds that passed. Should you really tell her what was going on, or should you just deal with it alone?
Your heart jumped out of your chest once you heard an audible thud from behind you, quickly turning to see what the noise was.
But you immediately calmed down the moment you recognised the wrinkly lump that sat on the ground, barely reflecting the light off of its thick purple skin.
It was a passion fruit from the tree.
You⊠missed one.
Ying then unmuted, snatching your attention with ease.
â â
âIâm sorry, what were we saying?â
â â
"Something about a painting. Look, thereâs something important..." you glanced at the other pots as you leaned on the wall behind you, "Ying, there's no more room."
â â
"Huh? For the plants?"
â â
"Yes. My balcony is full, and I ran out of pots."
â â
"I see... And buying a new pot is not an option, is it?"
â â
"No."
â â
You sighed, running your fingers through your hair.
â â
"Iâ I have a solution in mind, but it's hard to swallow."
â â
Your voice shifted to a hushed whisper towards the end of that sentence, and the despondency hit you like a truck.
Was this even a good idea? Was telling her a good idea?
What if she shuns you for such a thing?Â
â â
"What is it?"
â â
Silence settled for a moment, before you finally gathered the remnants of courage you had and spoke up.
â â
"I'm..." you started, "I'm thinking of planting the lemons in his house. In his⊠backyard"
â â
...
â â
"His... house?"
â â
"Yes."
â â
Crap.
The silence must be indicative of shock; she must be disgusted by this selfish idea, just like you were.
This was the exact reaction you were afraid oâ
â â
"Ah, that's a great idea! I assume you visited his house before; do you still have the keys?"
â â
"I do. He gave them to me."
â â
"Perfect, then yes, I think you should do it!"
â â
Ying cried out in excitement, all of the professionalism she feigned melting like ice cream on a hot summer day, all because of you. Presumably in public, considering the bustling you still heard from the other side.
So much for maintaining her mellownessâŠÂ
â â
"Yu told me once about how dead his house felt, no matter what heâd do. This could be the most ideal solution to that!"
â â
"In what way is that the solution?"
â â
You said with a wry laugh as you opened the door and went back inside, but Ying wasn't bothered by your pessimism whatsoever.
â â
"Because gardening is the perfect contrast to death!"
â â
...
â â
"Pardon?"
â â
"When you strip down all of the complicated details, gardening is technically giving life to an inanimate object, Y/N! You take a seed, something no different from aâ a rockâ a pebble, and nurture it. You turn it into a tree, and it's amazing! It's an extraordinary process!"
â â
You were expecting her to mention the still air, how having plants there would freshen it up, or the fact that his house was generally abandoned and it would be more beneficial to just use it, but this wasnât what was in your mind.
â â
"...Ying, look, I respect your fascination with philosophy, but this isâ"
â â
"Not only that, but a tree is a being that benefits everything around it. Itâ it replaces the oxygen, it bears fruit, and it returns what it has taken from its environment!"
â â
"Ying."
â â
"Think about it! When you picture a ghost town, what comes to mind? Now imagine that ghost town with a touch of mother nature. Fascinating, right?"
â â
Oh my god.
She seemed far too swept away with this topic, as if these thoughts had been festering in her head for the past few months with no outlet... until you came into the picture.
Wait just a second, was this why she wanted you to go back to gardening? Or maybe you were just overthinking things.
Your words, however, fell on deaf ears as you tried to drag her back down to reality.
â â
"I think you should understand how valuable gardening is, Y/Nâ"
â â
"Ying!"
â â
"Yes! Yes, I'm sorry, Iâ" She tittered, clearly embarrassed. "I must've gotten carried away."
â â
âItâs fine.â
â â
She already sounded cheesy throughout this entire ordeal, but this was starting to get out of hand.
You sighed, unable to stop yourself from smiling like an idiot as you stared out the window, observing a family of three hopping on a bus.
In fact, it wasn't too far-fetched to assume that Ying had a high opinion of you for your gardening just as Yu did this whole time, and she was indirectly telling you now.
What else could possibly explain this random tangent?
âŠAn idea promptly popped up.
â â
"Look, Ying, I have to go. I need to⊠do something."
â â
You immediately stood up from the couch and left to take out the sealed bag full of seeds stashed deep within the kitchenâs cupboards.Â
â â
âDo something?â
â â
"I'll ring you up later. We'll keep talking about this on Monday."
â â
All Ying did was successfully add on to your confusion for the past few minutes, sure, but maybe she also ignited a bit of inspiration in you, given what you were doing.
Then, you turned and grabbed a few keys from your drawers, shoving them in the pockets of the thick coat you were about to wear.
â â
"Oh, I see. Iâll let you do whatever it is you want to do. And if youâd like any help, Iâm one text away."
â â
Despite being on the other side of the phone, you could feel a misplaced cheeky grin force itself on her face. One that, as opposed to the merry and artless one from before, would absolutely look weird on someone as mature and mellow as her.
Well, as mellow as she tried to be. She just couldnât hold back around you, for some reason.
But it still seems like she caught on.
â â
âBreak a leg out there."
â â
And with that, you closed the call and pocketed your phone, rushing down the flight of stairs.
Only two more minutes until the specific bus you aimed for would arrive, and you did not want to miss it, thatâs for sure.
Ying's little tangent was so incredibly cloying, it nearly gave you a headache by the end of it.
She spoke like a mum who watched way too many soppy movies from the 90's... Well, you might've caught her recommending a few to your co-workers.
But it may have been exactly what you needed to get you on your feet.
You were going to plant those seeds. And in her words, 'bring life back' to that house. You werenât going to allow the pessimistic side of you convince you otherwise.
Now that you weren't in on call, you were free to take out one earbud and play music once more whilst you ran towards the closed gates.
â â
â€àžș·ă
â â
Winter, two and a half years ago.
â â
Even after a considerable amount of time had passed, Yuâs house remained just as empty as when you first visited it.
âItâs because I moved most of my stuff to your apartment!â he explained when you questioned him on it. But if that were the case, why were most of them blankets?
Even the bloody misters he brought along were purchased from the stores situated outside of your complex.
Oh, who were you kidding? It was on par for someone like him to own only heaps of blankets and hoodies.
And even though this was your second time visiting it, the place felt lonelier than before, for some reason.
The rooms felt vast, despite how tiny they really were. Mostly thanks to the echo and the lack of furniture, but thatâs by the by.
And that wasnât to mention the photos strewn around the walls. More specifically, the family photos.
They left an impact on you despite being few and far between.
â â
Across the living room was an arched doorway that led to what wouldâve looked like a black hole had it not been for the sunlight.
Thatâs where you two stopped whilst Yu was fiddling with his keys. And instead of letting yourself in, you allowed the dark patterned wall to lead you to something you probably shouldnât have found so interesting.
Hung above the fireplace was a picture you could hardly see thanks to the dim colour scheme that blended in with the surrounding darkness.
Nevertheless, you still managed to outline two specks of purple on a toddlerâs eyes, surrounded by stunning green foliage and the Russian violet coat of a woman who carried him.
It was⊠Yu. Being held by, presumably, his mother. Or his grandmother; it was hard to tell.
Who knew he looked like such a cute baby?
Also, how the heck did his round cheeks morph into the slick jawline he has right now?
â â
âRemember how you showed me your balcony a while ago?â Yuâs voice swiftly snatched your attention, âIâd like to show you something in return.â
â â
âWhat is it?â
â â
He moved down the short hallway and opened a cherry door to his left, his steps muffled by the crimson carpet flooring.
â â
âI left a few keys in my bedroom, can you get them while I go toâ uh, while I⊠do something?â
â â
He looked at you with an innocent smile, awaiting an answer.
Just like the painting, his bright eyes brilliantly shimmered in the darkness. In fact, now that youâve seen him as a baby, it became harder and harder to resist saying yes.
â â
âI'll be back.â
â â
And with that, you moved to his vacant bedroom.
Though there were bedsheets, the bed still lacked a blanket. Which, to be fair, should be expected at this point.
Once you flicked the light switch, you promptly took off your shoes and stepped on the large patterned rug, nearing the dusty furniture.
Incidentally, the patterns didnât fit his style, now that you thought about it. In fact, the entire house looked like it was decorated by someone older.
Much, much older. And Yu was way too dorky to fit that criteria. But whatever.
Searching was easy at best, especially since most of the drawers on the vanity table were empty.
Within a few picoseconds of opening and slamming them, you were done, and had already moved on to the closet that harboured a few hoodies at best.
Where the heck was the key?
â â
âYu, where is it?â
â â
You called out, your voice echoing through the house.
And it took only a few seconds before he shouted his response from what seemed to be⊠outside?
â â
âOn the bedside table, it should be on the right!â
â â
You sighed and moved to the one on the right.
But just as you pulled the drawer back, you heard a large gust of wind billow through the house.
Accompanying that wind was a cold sensation that forced you to shiver as you searched.
â â
âWhatâre you doing out there, Yu?â
â â
The moment you slammed the drawer shut, he presumably closed the door as well and prevented the air from further entering.
â â
âNothing! Iâll show you when youâre back.â
â â
âWhen youâre backâ, huh?
Jeez, you werenât sure whether he was preparing something cute or trying to stop a disaster from happening.
â â
âCareful. You have no idea how high my expectations are getting.â
â â
He responded with a barely audible chuckle, and your cold heart just about melted.
Since the top was empty, you pulled back the bottom drawer instead. However, just as your eyes settled on the objects inside, your mind went blank.
A medallion glimmered under the weak lights above you. And despite the darkness, you could outline an hourglass symbol etched onto the reflective object.
But that wasnât what concerned you. What concerned you was the gun that sat right next to it.
Why was there a gun?
â â
âDid you find it?â
â â
You jumped and shut the drawer, turning to see him standing behind you.
â â
âUhâ no, no I havenât.â
â â
âReally? I know I put it there.â
â â
Within a few steps, Yu already found himself right next to you, and he pulled the first drawer open, grabbing the keys that were concealed by the sharp shadows.
â â
âHere it is. It mustâve been the lights.â
â â
âI⊠guess it was.â
â â
There was a gun in the bottom drawer.
â â
âAre you okay? You look pale.â
â â
He cupped your cheek in his hand, wiping away a bead of sweat with his thumb.
Just as he did that, however, you quickly broke the embrace and took a step back.
â â
âYes, Iâm fine. I just need some air.â
â â
He was surprised. That much, you could tell.
â â
âOh⊠Okay, follow me.â
â â
He promptly led you outside and took a sharp turn to the right, leading you towards a section of the house you havenât explored yet. But that didnât concern you.
Instead, you kept your eyes on the ground as you followed him, unable to control the questions that took over you.
Why would there be a gun in his bedroom? Should you bring it up?
And what about that medallion? It was next to the weaponâŠ
Okay, maybe you were overthinking things. It could be some band, or something. Maybe the gun was fake.
Heck, maybe you didnât see a gun at all. Maybe you wereâ
â â
âHere, youâll need this.â
â â
Your thoughts were knocked out of your head once you saw Yu grab something from the nearby wall and hold it up to you.
Turns out it was a robe. He took it from the nearby coat stand.
Long and soft, its pristine beige tufts were highlighted by the sunlight.
It was only once your eyes settled on the wooden double doors did you realise that he planned on taking you outsideâŠ
Oh.Â
â â
âYou have a backyard?â
â â
âMhm.â
â â
He draped the robe over you, allowing the thin yet warm material to enfold and protect you from the oncoming wave of cold.
Then, he opened the door and let in even more sunlight.
You stepped out and observed the area around you.
Closed off by a fence of stone, heaven itself stood before you⊠if it werenât drowning in snow.
Thanks to the winter season, what wouldâve been a stunning tree was instead a massive dead log that barely held itself, its branches protruding outwards in a sickly manner.
You took a few steps forward as you took in the place, allowing the fresh air to fill your lungs.
â â
âIf I were you, Iâd only leave this place in the winter.â
â â
âAnd let your fruit die?â
â â
You stopped, taking a moment to process how that related to the current conversation.
And it only took a few seconds for it to click.
â â
âIs that your way of inviting me to plant here?â
â â
He shrugged innocently.
â â
âYou said it. Not me.â
â â
You smiled and allowed him to pull you into a hug, your head pressing up against his chest.
Despite the misapprehension that he was, ahem, âsubtleâ, he was the exact opposite.
â â
âShouldnât you build a swimming pool here? For summerâŠâ
â â
âHmm. Thatâs an idea.â
â â
He thoughtfully mumbled to himself, before something else caught your attention.
The hoodie that he wore was loose, now that he had taken off his jacket and scarf. It revealed a good portion of his neck.
However, before you could point this out, he pulled away and spoke up once more.
â â
âI donât like spending too much time here, to be honest. Too many⊠uh, memories. But maybeâŠâ he weakly smiled, âmaybe youâll find this place more useful than I ever could.â
â â
With his hands in yours, you felt an unfamiliar texture on your palm.
It was only when he pulled away that you realised that he had given you the two keys from the bedroom drawer.
â â
âThese are the spare keys. You gave me yours; itâs⊠only fair I give you mine.â
â â
You stared at him in silence, the ice cold metal settling in the warm palm of your hand.
But instead of feeling some sort of joy, you felt your stomach churn at the thought of the gun.
Even without said gun to cloud your mind, you had no idea how to feel about this.
Should you be happy, sad, or relieved? How did he feel when you gave him your keys?
It was as if you were unappreciative of anything he did, like sadness was the only thing your mind knew how to feel. And that wasnât what youâ
His hand landed on your shoulder, snapping you out of your panicked frenzy.
â â
âAre you okay?â
â â
You sighed.Â
â â
âYu, Iââ
â â
You were torn between asking him about the gun and admitting how you felt.
Either way, it was a lose-lose dichotomy.
âŠ
You grabbed his hand, fingers interlocked like two puzzle pieces connecting.
â â
âYouâre cold.â
â â
âHm?â
â â
If you were stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea, you might as well dig yourself out, right?
And thatâs what you did.
You pocketed the keys, then held his hand in both of yours to check his temperature.
And you were right; he was starting to get cold. Very cold.
â â
âItâ itâs not that bad, Y/N. Really. The hoodie is warm enough.â
â â
âDonât start with that. Youâll get a fever.â
â â
A misplaced grin painted his features.
â â
âReally?â
â â
You grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer.
â â
âShut up and come here.â Â
â â
Yu lightly laughed as you wrapped the soft robe around him, bringing him to you to share your warmth.
Of course the thought of you nursing him back to health was tempting to him.
Knowing how cheesy he was, youâd have to be watchful so that he wouldnât orchestrate something like that.
With his arm around your shoulder, you took out the keys again, sombrely observing their shape.
Im sad so heres a rlly short drabble mostly to comfort myself.
No gif cuz I wanna keep this short
Emptiness was a void.
A void no one can escape.
The sun rises, then it falls, an everlasting cycle that will continue until the day the star dies.
A field of grass, so lushious and green, a sweet nature scent in the air carried by the wind.
There's one color that stands out, a flower.
Lilacs.
"I love you," He says, arms firmly wrapped around you as he mutters those words again and again in your shoulder, his face buried in his own hoodie which you were wearing.
He brings his lips to yours, pressing a firm kiss as he gently holds the back of your neck in his hand.
"æç±äœ "
It's a phrase you were extremely familiar with. It's one he's told you countless times, you already knew what it meant.
He pulls away for a brief moment.
"æç±äœ " Another kiss.
"æç±äœ " Again.
"æç±äœ " And again.
"You understand, right? I love you very much,"
He presses another kiss.
"More than anything," He says.
And it feels nice. His arms were like a shield that protected you from the harm of the outside world.
ok i know im supposed to be clearing out my requests but đŁ
Warnings: none
There was just something about men who took ceramics. And one of your classmates in particular caught your eye; Li Zhao Yu(or Iso as you've heard his friends call him). Iso had been your hallway crush ever since the start of the semester. He just so happened to be seated at the wheel next to the one you usually use and god was he hot. He was so focused on the project in front of him and made the art of ceramics look effortless.
That couldn't be more far from the truth for you. Snapping out of your dazed trance, you look down at the lump of clay in front of you. It was all lopsided and might as well be considered a pile of mud at this point. You turned to look at Iso just to see he now had a decent sized bowl.
How the hell did he do that so fast!?
You stared at him in awe for a moment before being pulled out of your thoughts once again, this time by a chuckle coming from the very man you had been staring at.
He sat up as his wheel slowed to a stop, wiping his hands off on the towel draped over his thigh. "Need some help?"
You look between him and the mess of wet clay in front of you a couple times before nodding, your face heating up from embarrassment.
You scrape up the clay you were working with previously, replacing it with a fresh ball so Iso could teach you. After you finish coning* and centering your clay, he brought his stool over to sit behind you.
"Is it alright if I touch you?"
Not trusting your words, you nod your head at him as to give him silent permission. He places his hands on top of yours, guiding them in dropping in the well* and raising the walls* of the clay. His touch was gentle yet firm at the same time.
"You don't want to fight the clay, but you still need to apply a bit of pressure," he explains.
He was leaning over your shoulder so he can effectively guide both of your hands. At this point you couldn't focus on anything he's been saying. You were distracted by the feeling of his hands over yours, his chest pressed to your back and how close his face is to yours at the moment.
You felt the light pressure of his body against yours leave, and surprisingly in front of you was an evenly-shaped bowl. Somehow, you managed to make it without even actually listening to him as he guided you.
"Oh wow, um...thank you," you say, bashfully.
"No problem. I'm Iso by the way. Want to head out and get lunch with me?"
You nod your head and quickly get to cleaning your station. There was no way you'd pass up this opportunity.
For those of you who don't know ceramics terms ^__^
coning: when you prep the clay for centering, it's kind of like wedging while already on the wheel which evens out the water content and gets rid of air bubbles
dropping in the well: this is basically just creating the opening of a bowl/cup etc.
raising the walls: this one is pretty self explanatory but its when you bring up the sides of whatever you are making
To the one that requested that Iso kills Omen AU, Im almost done (its almost been done for weeks actually) but i cant figure out a good beginning and ending, but im certain its 90% finished
To the one that req that Iso enemy au, Im starting on it today bc I got some inspo for it.
I have nothing in mind for Part 3 of Yandere Iso as of now, but I do want to make it! Hence why ive been playing dating sims lately, The Kid in The Back and A Date with Death are my faves
Yall I promise im always thinking of all the reqs here i feel like shit for not getting them out soon enough đđ
When I successfully defeat my writer's block đđ I've ltrlly been trying to write stuff for other reqs ive gotten LAST YEAR but i have no urge or spark for writing TnT
Honestly though, I'm so happy people enjoy that series enough to want a part 3!! TY GUYSđ«¶đ«¶
I saw ur celebrity Iso x bakery girl post and im in LOVE
May I req an art student!Iso x reader where Iso is roommates with another guy (either Phoenix, Gekko, or Yoru) and that dude has friends over with reader being one of them and tries to go find the bathroom but instead stumbles upon Iso's art room where he's painting away and doesnt notice reader? :3
And maybe reader leaves their number without him noticing until the guests all leaveđ€đ
If You Need a Muse
Characters: Li Zhao "Iso" Yu
Type: Fluff, Oneshot, Gn!reader
this request has sparked something within me... how do we feel about CeramicArtist!Iso smirk emoji
also I changed the req just a tad bit >.<
Warnings: none
It wasn't often that your dear friend Jamie invited you over to his home. Your little group often spent time at Sunwoo's (who prefers to be called Jett) house or showed up at Ryo's uninvited. He was always too lazy to host or feared disturbing his roommate, but today he wanted for you all to play a console game he just bought.
You sat on the floor in front of Jett, who was on the couch battling against Ryo. You watched the game on the screen as you awaited your turn, as Jamie came from the kitchen with more snacks. Jett was currently losing, yelling and leaning into Ryo in hopes of throwing his game. You laughed before looking at your brown haired friend who sat on the floor next to you.
"We're not bothering your roommate are we?"
"Nah, I don't think he's home right now."
After about another hour of playing the game and eating junk food, you needed to use the bathroom. Setting your controller down you looked over to Jamie, asking for directions to the bathroom.
"It's down the hall, first door to the right."
You nodded, getting up and going on your way to find the toilet. You stopped in front of a closed door, pushing it open to reveal NOT a bathroom. You look around, taking in the room. It was well lit, the walls decorated with paintings in various sizes. In the center of the room was an easel, and a man standing in front of it who's gaze seemed to have shifted from the piece in front of him to you. He was wearing comfortable clothes protected by an apron, a paintbrush in one hand and palette in the other.
"Oh uh- Sorry. You must be Jamie's roommate, I was just looking for the bathroom."
He offers you a small smile before returning to his work.
"No worries, it's one door over."
From where you stood you couldn't really tell what he had been painting, but what you could tell was that the man himself was a piece of art. He had beautiful purple eyes and sharp features that you could almost believe he were a marble statue come to life. After taking him and the room in for a little longer you spoke up once again.
"Your art is very beautiful."
He looks up and smiles at you again before responding.
"Thanks. I'm working on pieces for my portfolio, though I don't think anything I paint could compare to your beauty."
You were left speechless as you felt the tip of your ears burn.
"O-oh. Thank you. I'll be- uh- going now..." You stuttered out, before turning and going back to your original task.
Find and use the bathroom.
After doing your business, you returned back downstairs to find that your friends switched to watching a movie.
"Geez, you took forever in there!" Jett complains.
"Did you take a shit or something?" Ryo asks, scrunching his face up at you.
The other two laugh at his statement before you give a response.
"I don't see how any of that is your business," you huffed. Instead of rejoining your companions in the living room, you make your way into the kitchen. There was a magnetic basket stuck to the side of the fridge with pens, some memo pads and sticky notes in them. You grabbed one of the sticky notes and a pen and begin to write your note. You look around for a place to set it as your eyes land on a coffee machine.
Bingo
The machine must belong to your friend's mysterious and attractive roommate, as you knew your friend didn't really enjoy coffee all that much.
You stuck the note on the bottom of a mug sitting underneath the machine before setting it back in place and finally returning to the living room.
{timeskip}
The next morning, Li made his way towards the kitchen for his daily cup of coffee. He would be headed off to class soon and needed a bit of caffeine to start the day. Jamie had already been up, also about to leave for class. After brewing his coffee and picking up his mug, ne noticed a yellow corner of a sticky note peeking out from the bottom.
Peeling the note off, confused, he brought it up to eye level to read.
"If you ever need a muse (or wanna go out :D) call me~ XXX-XXX-XXXX (Jamie's Bathroom Friend)"
A light blush dusted his face at the note. This had to have been left by his roommates attractive friend yesterday. He was so distracted buy the number written in front of him that he didn't notice Jamie peeking over his shoulder.
"That's why they took so long in the bathroom! Hah, looks like one of my best mates likes you."
The man gave his flat mate a firm pat on the back before going about his day. The light blush on Li's face darkened in embarassment at the realization Jamie had seen what was written. Drinking his coffee, he sat down and put the note in his pocket.
He would have to put the number in his phone later.
Can I req an influencer/celebrity Iso x bakery owner reader?
Or just an Iso x bakery owner in general :0 <3
Sugar and Stardust
Characters: Li Zhao "Iso" Yu
Type: Fluff, Oneshot, Gn!reader, Normal AU??? like the vp and all that doesn't exist
did I name the bakery after a mlp character? Yes. Yes I did.
Warning: none
Being an idol wasn't as glorious as people made it seem. There were so many factors that lots of people wouldn't be able to handle. There was paparazzi, demanding managers, and crazy fans who sometimes forget their favs are human too.
Needless to say, Li was exhausted after his last tour. He had spent around 4 weeks performing under his stage name Iso, bouncing around countries that we're far from home. But now, he was finally able to relax.
He decided to spend his time off back at his hometown, visiting family and old friends. Iso's birthplace was relatively small compared to the big cities he's grown used to, meaning it was much safer to go out without some disguise. He walked through the market place, looking at all the familiar shops and reminiscing of his younger years.
There were a few street vendors, a convenience store and... wait a minute.
Huh, that place must be new.
Iso stopped, looking up at the sign that read "Sunset Shimmer Bakery" in fancy writing.
I guess I'll give it a try.
Iso entered the bakery and was immediately struck by the scent of freshly baked pastries. He looked around, taking in the warm and cozy atmosphere. There were warm toned lights strung along the ceiling, which gave a much gentler feel compared to bright florescents. The air around him was warm and there were tables with soft cushioned chairs in sort of a gold-yellow hue.
You perked up at the sound of a customer entering and made your way towards the counter from the kitchen.
"Hello, and welcome to Sunset Shimmer Bakery. Are you ready to get an order started or do you need a moment?"
Iso looked up at the source of the voice and his pupils dilatated. In front of them was the most beautiful person he had ever seen, despite being in a flour covered apron.
"I uh- one minute please."
"Alright, I'll be over here when you're ready."
The man stood staring for a moment as you returned to what you had been doing before. Snapping out of his trance, he took some time to assess the sweets in the display case in front of him. There was a plethora of pastries and other sweets, ranging from mini cheesecakes and muffins to more Chinese snacks like custard buns and jiandui (sesame balls).
After a few moments more, he looked up to see you had finished your task and were now waiting on him.
"Are you ready to order?" You asked with a sweet smile. You were just doing your job but god Iso couldn't help but to think you were adorable.
"Yeah, I think I'll take one of those," he said, pointing into the display case."
Somehow, your face seemed to light up even more as you went to open up the case.
"This one is one of my favorites! I like to call it Star-berry Shortcake!"
The pastry was a single serving sized strawberry shortcake, with a tiny bit of gold powder sprinkled over the top with some star sprinkles decorating the top.
You packed up a slice in a box for him before sticking something to the top of it and putting it in a small bag. The man got out his wallet, ready for you to tell him his total before looking up and seeing you holding the bag out to him.
"This one's on the house!"
He was quick to argue, being more than willing to pay you but you just smiled and shook your head with an "I insist".
Iso sighed, taking the bag and then thanking you. He begins to head towards the door before stopping in his tracks and turning back to you.
"By the way...what's your name?"
You let out a soft and angelic laugh before answering "It's Y/n."
The idol nodded before bidding you goodbye once again, making his way back home. Once there, he sat down and pulled his sweet treat out of the bag before reading the note you had stuck to the top.
"I never thought such a big star would walk into my little bakery. Thank you for the visit, Iso <3"
Iso smiles at the note and the little heart you drew in the corner. Setting it aside, he began to eat the cake he just bought- was given. The cake was delicious and seemed to be just as sweet as you had been.
He would have to visit your shop again. If not for the baked goods, then it would be for the cute owner that has piqued his interest.
Can I req an influencer/celebrity Iso x bakery owner reader?
Or just an Iso x bakery owner in general :0 <3
Sugar and Stardust
Characters: Li Zhao "Iso" Yu
Type: Fluff, Oneshot, Gn!reader, Normal AU??? like the vp and all that doesn't exist
did I name the bakery after a mlp character? Yes. Yes I did.
Warning: none
Being an idol wasn't as glorious as people made it seem. There were so many factors that lots of people wouldn't be able to handle. There was paparazzi, demanding managers, and crazy fans who sometimes forget their favs are human too.
Needless to say, Li was exhausted after his last tour. He had spent around 4 weeks performing under his stage name Iso, bouncing around countries that we're far from home. But now, he was finally able to relax.
He decided to spend his time off back at his hometown, visiting family and old friends. Iso's birthplace was relatively small compared to the big cities he's grown used to, meaning it was much safer to go out without some disguise. He walked through the market place, looking at all the familiar shops and reminiscing of his younger years.
There were a few street vendors, a convenience store and... wait a minute.
Huh, that place must be new.
Iso stopped, looking up at the sign that read "Sunset Shimmer Bakery" in fancy writing.
I guess I'll give it a try.
Iso entered the bakery and was immediately struck by the scent of freshly baked pastries. He looked around, taking in the warm and cozy atmosphere. There were warm toned lights strung along the ceiling, which gave a much gentler feel compared to bright florescents. The air around him was warm and there were tables with soft cushioned chairs in sort of a gold-yellow hue.
You perked up at the sound of a customer entering and made your way towards the counter from the kitchen.
"Hello, and welcome to Sunset Shimmer Bakery. Are you ready to get an order started or do you need a moment?"
Iso looked up at the source of the voice and his pupils dilatated. In front of them was the most beautiful person he had ever seen, despite being in a flour covered apron.
"I uh- one minute please."
"Alright, I'll be over here when you're ready."
The man stood staring for a moment as you returned to what you had been doing before. Snapping out of his trance, he took some time to assess the sweets in the display case in front of him. There was a plethora of pastries and other sweets, ranging from mini cheesecakes and muffins to more Chinese snacks like custard buns and jiandui (sesame balls).
After a few moments more, he looked up to see you had finished your task and were now waiting on him.
"Are you ready to order?" You asked with a sweet smile. You were just doing your job but god Iso couldn't help but to think you were adorable.
"Yeah, I think I'll take one of those," he said, pointing into the display case."
Somehow, your face seemed to light up even more as you went to open up the case.
"This one is one of my favorites! I like to call it Star-berry Shortcake!"
The pastry was a single serving sized strawberry shortcake, with a tiny bit of gold powder sprinkled over the top with some star sprinkles decorating the top.
You packed up a slice in a box for him before sticking something to the top of it and putting it in a small bag. The man got out his wallet, ready for you to tell him his total before looking up and seeing you holding the bag out to him.
"This one's on the house!"
He was quick to argue, being more than willing to pay you but you just smiled and shook your head with an "I insist".
Iso sighed, taking the bag and then thanking you. He begins to head towards the door before stopping in his tracks and turning back to you.
"By the way...what's your name?"
You let out a soft and angelic laugh before answering "It's Y/n."
The idol nodded before bidding you goodbye once again, making his way back home. Once there, he sat down and pulled his sweet treat out of the bag before reading the note you had stuck to the top.
"I never thought such a big star would walk into my little bakery. Thank you for the visit, Iso <3"
Iso smiles at the note and the little heart you drew in the corner. Setting it aside, he began to eat the cake he just bought- was given. The cake was delicious and seemed to be just as sweet as you had been.
He would have to visit your shop again. If not for the baked goods, then it would be for the cute owner that has piqued his interest.
Look At Me Please 2.0; Possesive Yandere!Iso x Reader
To those that have given me reqs, I'm terribly sorry for not getting them out yet. My writer's block is such a painđ I promise I'm constantly thinking abt them tho and tryna brainstorm but my creative well is nonexistent dibdjs
Anywho, this is a continuation of the last Yandere Iso hc post! Highly recommend that you read the first! :]
Iso didnât go through with his plans against Yoru that day because he was too happy about going on that date, but that doesnât mean he forgot. Around a week after your boba date with him, you found Yoru with a serious injury being nursed back to health by Sage, when you asked what happened, he told you to leave. Perhaps a matter of pride?
You bring up the concern with your new boyfriend, Iso. When he responds, he doesnât sound sympathetic. It wasnât strange, he barely showed expressive emotion, and he didnât have the best interactions with Yoru, so you assumed he didnât really care because they werenât the greatest friends.
In reality, Iso was fuming that you were concerned about that stupid cocky bastard and how he snapped at you like that. How dare that shit head take your emotions for granted? Sure, heâs the reason Yoru was injured in the first place, but the audacity Yoru had to brush you off. Heâll have to do more damage later.
The day you told Iso you loved him for the first time, something about him changed. He wasnât shy anymore, he was always initiating intimacy, trying to give you kisses, holding your hand, and overall just a lot more doting and servicing you.
Oh, youâre tired? How could he let this happen! Iso shuts the rest of the world out with both of you in either his or your room, he already put both of your requests for a day off.
Very insistent about sleeping in the same room, you wonât do anything too intimate, he just wants to be with you for the rest of your life night.
At some point, everything becomes a reminder of you. The bare walls of the HQ, the houseplants put around the facility by Skye and Sage, the air that he breaths, he couldnât get enough of anything.
ALWAYS holding you somewhere. Whether it be on the shoulder while youre talking to someone, the arm, your back, your leg while you're sitting, etc. Iso likes having a hand on you as a way to say âMine.â to the others.
Every day has a new gift. Your room is starting to get crowded with all of the things he gets for you, Iso has already requested Brimstone to extend your room to make some space.
Manâs is rich and just loves spoiling you. Even if itâs just your favorite snack, or a new piece of clothing, he will literally get anything you want. If you mentioned something you even hinted youâd like, expect to receive it in the following hours to a day. He ordered it with overnight shipping.
Your assigned on a mission and he isnât sent with you? Oh no!! Someone on the strike team got injured from training, what will we ever do? Everyone else happens to be unavailable for some unknown reasons, except Iso.
During the mission when you request a gun, heâll immediately get it for you and snap at anyone else who even tries to get it first. Iso kisses you on the forehead before going to his position.
You had to apologize to Reyna for his behavior, she told you that his heart revealed that he wasnât the good person you thought he was. Which was strange. How was the admiring and loving Iso not who he appeared to be?
One day, have an argument with Iso about going to training with Gekko and the others. He said that there was no need for you to go with them when the two of you could train together later.
You didnât understand why Iso was so upset, you were just gonna do a few mock battles with other people, what's so wrong with that? You could train with him later too if he wanted to. You brushed him off anyway, finding his attitude very childish right now. Suddenly, he grabs your face in his hand, forcing you to look at him.
âDonât look at them.â He ordered.
Before you could get a word out, your eyes met his, and you could see the intensity and possession in his eyes which glowed brighter than they normally did. It was terrifying.
You say his name, and suddenly he snaps out of it, letting you go and apologizing profusely. He starts tearing up a bit and saying that he shouldnât have done that and keeps apologizing, stepping away from you and not letting himself hold you.
You feel guilty when he looks down at his hands, as if there was fresh blood on them, as if heâd just destroyed something precious. You couldnât help but pull him in for a hug and apologize too. He tries to pull away, saying that he was a horrible person, but you donât let that happen. So, he embraces you back, burying his face in your neck.
You could tell he was genuinely upset, and reassured him that he wasnât bad and that youâll be with him. He doesnât need to worry about anything, youâll put off training with the others for another time and stay with him for the rest of the day. He sniffles, pulling you in closer.
What you couldnât see since his face was on your shoulder was the malicious expression at his successful attempt at keeping you to himself. Hook, line, and sinker.