#[how did we go from chess to eating rocks]

[cloud-knight-yanqing]

oooooo

i might add popcorn salt to my rocks next time.

-🪨 (im claiming a sign off now.)

"Ooh, you definitely should! They always taste a little better when you add salt. It really perfects the entire thing!"

[vacantgodling]

worthless war

You never learn his name.

Your thoughts have already devolved into the most basic of actions to sustain you along. Eat. Sleep. Forward. Retreat. Swing. Parry. Kill.

There is a reason generals do not wear helmets. Their matted, blood soaked hair used to be windswept and glorious. They bark orders and their pawns follow; the matted grass of stinking, rotting corpses, the board of a most convoluted game of chess. In the beginning, how foolish your company thought, should you make it behind enemy lines that you would become kings. It didn’t take long to realize it didn’t work that way. That eyes cast up to the heavens stayed that way, glassy and unseeing in their swift death.

Your eyes weren’t adept at seeing anymore. Your helmet made the world dark and despairing, a fitful mirror to the fruitlessness of this Worthless War. It was a war of pride, not a war of glory. By the time you entered the fray, any semblance of morality had long fled; back to the homeland where praises were sung of a warrior’s valor and the duty of the sword. There was no honor in this place.

Except.

You met him when a stab to the side, under the chink of your chain mail made you kneel. In the centre of the battlefield, you knelt there, statuesque and unseeing. Was it your time to die? Maybe. You were so tired. This war has taken everything from you. You could still see the face of your dear sweet Lucasta*, rosy faced and bright, cheerful and kind. You had not kissed for she was chaste, but you held her hands tender as a newborn babe and bid her farewell.

I will return a hero! You said—what a fool you had been! Young and suckling like a calf to a teat; you knew not what awaited you, young lamb to the slaughter. You knew not of how this war would betray you.

But you felt an arm raise you up.

No words were spoken, only the gleam of his sword in his hand in the sunlight. His helmet was impasse, but his arm that held you felt like warmth, felt like summer, felt like the joy of a child. You leant heavily into him, and he supported you, and took you far away from the battlefield.

It was the first thought you’d had since your mind fell away some time ago. Where are we going? You could ask. Are we advancing? Retreating? How else would you know your place in line? Are you God? If perhaps, you were religious. You weren’t. But maybe you were—if only for the way he sat you squarely down on a rock in some remote and desolate field in some forgotten daydream. Even if the war raged, the clashes of swords and armor not too far off on the horizon, it was a muted murmur this far away. The war but a distant night terror. Your body felt lighter than air, your head clear yet clouded, perhaps it was the dizziness from blood loss.

He didn’t speak, but his hands were verbose. He left your helmet fast to your skull, but pulled you out of your armor, piece by piece. What an intimate ritual—you oft used to think of undressing Lucasta when the two of you were finally wed should you make it back from this war. From her corset and over skirts, to her chemise, her stockings; to unearth what bounty lay beneath cotton coverings, just the same as he unlatched your breastplate. Cool hands spread across your collar and chest, then came to the side just underneath your arm where blood, thick and viscous, stuck like molasses to your skin.

Where he retrieved water when rations were low, you didn’t know. For so long you have just been some spectral floating thing; only manifesting as a sword for your general to wield. But now you felt horribly human; your mouth dry with thirst and caked with dirt and grime and the sins of taking life after life. Heaven knew no prayers would wash you clean, but he did. He washed your wound and dressed it as best he could. He ripped pieces and pieces of his own spare shirt and wrapped them round and round your body, pressing until the blood stopped. Until the blood rushed from your head south at the novelty of another’s touch, never mind the touch was a man. This was the touch of your savior; your holiness, your shining grace given from Lucasta’s Lord above.

“W…” You managed to croak, and he stopped his ministrations. If you had hydration enough for tears, perhaps you would’ve shed them. Don’t stop. You wanted to say. Those glorious touches that reminded you that you were alive and a soul and part of this world. “Why…” Your voice was no louder than a field mouse.

Behind his helmet, he didn’t say a thing. Not a grunt, not a hum, not a word. He only kept dressing your wound. Round and round he twirled those makeshift bandages, and you imagined Lucasta on your long awaited wedding day, twirling in your arms as the blushing bride she ought to be. But here, and bare, and carnal, you felt you ought to be the bride. Why shouldn’t you receive such tenderness of a strong hand to your lips or touch to your brow? Why shouldn’t you linger in this comforting daydream where you were just a man, and the knight dressing you was another, and in the hay of this little barn of innocence you sullied it with passions that Lucasta’s God would blush at?

You gripped his hands, hissing as he bade you stand. It was always easier to suit standing. When he returned the chinks of your breastplate and tightened it fast, it was every deceleration of love you could ever hear. It was a proposal, a wedding, devotion divine. You took his hand. He gave you your sword. He led you back to the battlefield. Your thoughts returned lifeless, but when he took his place next to you in formation, your mind bloomed with flowers; roses and daffodils and forget-me-nots; an endless springtime where he knew your scars and perhaps, you knew his.

And as all evils do, the Worthless War drew to a close.

There was no grand finale. No heroes of lore or legend were born out of this war. You stood at the foothills of your hometown, with nothing but a small ration, and a few bits of coins for the trouble of it all.

You returned to Lucasta. She knew the light in your eyes dimmed. She spoke to you of the wedding, of babies, of summertime—but your life was paused; ever stuck and transfixed at that moment he took you aside to patch your wound. Suspended in that one shred of humanity that you felt in that moment, and the lingering warmth that you felt after, for the days and weeks until the war came to an end. He never spoke, but he was always by your side, and you fastly to his.

Your head was bare, but your soul never took off its helmet. At night, you lay awake with Lucasta’s head pressed delicately to your chest, dreaming of the metallic hiss of his breath in and out as he undressed your soul.

some footnotes:

* = the name Lucasta i lifted from the 17th century poet Richard Lovelace as the meaning is “pure light”. in this piece Lucasta serves two roles: as the bride to be the protagonist has waiting back home, but also represents his innocence that the war has taken from him. how even though he’s returned home and has his former life waiting for him how he can never truly regain that innocence.

[victorluvsalice]

Welcome back to the Chill Valicer Save, where we have reached Fall Friday! And the gang going out to yet another world to peddle their Van Liddelton Snacks. :) Let's see how that went for them –

-->Started with everyone where I’d left them on Saturday – Alice sleeping, Victor working on his new song, Smiler editing their latest SimsTube video (“Karaoke Til Spooky,” the singing video they were working on when they got interrupted by the house making weird noises), and Marm playing chess while his durability slowly degraded. I had Smiler finish their edits on the video (just had to add some fancy transitions), hype it up to their followers, then upload it, while I sent Marm out to feed Toothy the cowplant before anybody got any ideas about eating the cake tongue –

And then the game informed me “hey, pop-up holiday today, it’s Night On The Town” by flashing that little “there’s something new on the calendar” light on the, well, calendar. XD I made a mental note of that for later and sent Smiler down to meet Marm once Toothy was fed and give him a tune-up so he didn’t suffer any catastrophic explosions –

-->And then I looked over at the wind farm and was like “is every fucking turbine broken AGAIN?!” *shakehead* I promptly sent Smiler and Marm over to go repair them (as Victor was still busy with his song) – then remembered “oh wait, Marm’s ready to get an enhancement level – I should have Smiler make a mechanism so they can upgrade him” and sent Smiler to the robotics bench to do that instead while Marm kept repairing. Because hey, he does need to learn some skills, and Handiness is always a good one! I’d planned for him to get them all while I pushed Victor to complete his song –

But then, midway through Marm’s repair efforts, I realized that poor Victor really had to go to the bathroom. So I reluctantly stopped progress on his classical piece and let him use the toilet...then, since he was up already, had him cast Repairio on a handful of the turbines (and one busted water collector) to speed up the repair process once he was done washing his hands. Because I wanted that damn wind farm working again FASTER, damn it. (Seriously, why do the turbines break so often?? It’s annoying.)

-->Anyway – with all the water collectors and wind turbines back in functional condition, I had Victor go kick a creepy doll by the laundry nook, then prepared to have him start the laundry before heading into the greenhouse...but before I could, I noticed a few things. Namely, that the minifridge in the greenhouse was broken (thanks to the angry gnomes from Harvestfest); both fridges were stinking (thanks to the spoiled food within, as no one in this family has to eat often enough to take care of all the leftovers); AND that the back porch umbrella table was a scorched mess (thanks to a lightning strike I must have missed on Harvestfest). I thus had Victor Repairio the table and the minifridge, then clean the spoiled food out of the kitchen fridge before finally putting the laundry into the washer. With a bluebell to keep it floral fresh. Glad something is fresh in this house!

-->While all that was happening, Smiler finished up their mechanism, and Marm finished repairing the final turbines and scavenging all the trash piles for parts before sticking them in his inventory for later recycling. I thus had Smiler start properly enhancing Marm while Victor took a moment to Scruberoo the puddles in the greenhouse before going to rummage through the trash pile left behind by the gnomes. I myself took a moment to clear up the gnome population while he did that – moving one of the gnomes standing on a rock and the gnome sitting on a rock over to the corners of the greenhouse; sticking the ordinary gnome in the little wheelbarrow out front of the greenhouse; putting the reaper gnome and the alien gnome outside of Toothy’s pen; and just straight up selling the duplicate “standing on a rock” gnome and the two pool gnomes. So these little fuckers are all set until the next Harvestfest. :p

[tabi-wa-michizure]

I’m enjoying all the meta (and basically using tumblr as therapy in the wake of ep6, tbh), but I have to say…although I understand it, I still felt somewhat betrayed by those final 15 minutes. I was thinking about the book and the show, trying to put the end into context.

In the book, there is no body swap, no bus ride holding hands, no being cast out by their respective sides. In that context, it makes perfect sense for the unwritten second book/season 3 to open with Aziraphale’s promotion, and the shadow of the Second Coming. Aziraphale and Crowley still haven’t worked through much, but they are slightly more on the same page.

In the show, there has been a lot more interpersonal (inter-ethereal and occult being?) drama, and more misunderstandings. Crowley thought he’d been making himself and his feelings clear to Aziraphale without needing to say much aloud, and was horrified when he realized the full extent of the gap between them, how far apart they still are. I respect that, in the show, this is still where they are, but I can’t help but feel that leaving us there, with a minimum 3 year wait for season 3/continuation in another medium, runs contrary to the spirit of the book.

Good Omens the book has been in my life for 20 years, and became a part of me as soon as I read it. Even from elementary school, I had anxiety (undiagnosed at that point), and was on my way to becoming an atheist despite being raised Christian. My parents weren’t extremist or even religiously conservative, and yet still somehow religion plus my own propensity towards anxiety left me lying awake into the night, so many nights, wondering if I would go to hell, if I was just somehow an intrinsically compromised as a human being, and wondering what exactly what goodness means in the context of our humanity.

And then in high school, I found this book by two authors I loved, and it was a clever, hilarious comedy, but behind that, it was sharp and incisive about what it meant to be human.

“I don't see what's so triffic about creating people as people and then gettin' upset 'cos they act like people,” said Adam severely. ‘Anyway, if you stopped tellin’ people it’s all sorted out after they’re dead, they might try sorting it all out while they’re alive. “

“There was never an apple, in Adam’s opinion, that wasn’t worth the trouble you got into for eating it.”

“Hell wasn't a major reservoir of evil, any more than Heaven, in Crowley's opinion, was a fountain of goodness; they were just sides in the great cosmic chess game. Where you found the real McCoy, the real grace and the real heart-stopping evil, was right inside the human mind.”

“And just when you'd think they were more malignant than ever Hell could be, they could occasionally show more grace than Heaven ever dreamed of. Often the same individual was involved. It was this free-will thing, of course. It was a bugger.”

“Everyone found their eyes turning toward Adam. He seemed to be thinking very carefully. Then he said: “I don’t see why it matters what is written. Not when it’s about people. It can always be crossed out.”

It was so fond, and so uplifting in a very particular way. Not that bad things didn’t happen in the GO universe; obviously, they did. But the overarching feeling is one of fondness and love for humanity, and the angel and demon who stood by and among humanity, taking it in, and letting it change them.

The book ended in a place of hope, while the end of season 2 left us in a very dark place. Perhaps in the future, paired with season 3, the ending will feel right as we watch the whole story unfold. And yet…right now, the end of Good Omens as we know it so far left me feeling utterly gutted, and it’s hard to move past.

As I watch Crowley watch Aziraphale leave, I can’t help but think of this line: “Underneath it all, Crowley was an optimist. If there was one rock-hard certainty that had sustained him through the bad times—he thought briefly of the fourteenth century—then it was utter surety that he would come out on top; that the universe would look after him.” TV Crowley doesn’t show that core optimism as much, but I wish we could have seen it at the end.

[clover-midori]

SHATTERED IN SECONDS

"It was like when you make a move in chess and just as you take your finger off the piece, you see the mistake you've made, and there's this panic because you don't know yet the scale of disaster you've left yourself open to."

- Kazuo Ishiguro

CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE SELMA CONTINUES TO THREATEN BAJA CALIFORNIA AND CALIFORNIA COASTS WITH HIGH STORM SURGE…

On the surface, this storm didn’t seem like a big threat. You’d just have to stay close to shore, so as to not get swept away.

Easy, wasn’t it?

Well yes, but we’re not talking about the surface.

We’re talking about the OCTOPOD. What else would it have been?

Oh right. There was also outside the Octopod. The sea.

A few hours had passed now. The winds were starting to pick up now, as Selma’s outer bands rolled in.

From the HQ, Kwazii kept watching as day gradually turned to night. To him, it looked fantastic. The darkening of the sea’s colors, while painting everything into dullness, was still majestic in a way.

"Avast, if Dashi wasn’t sleeping this out, she’d get some fantastic shots." The cat smiled at Shellington, whipping out his pathetically old BlackBerry Bold 9900. "But at least I’ve gotten this old thing from who knows where!"

Only recently had the sea otter noticed Kwazii’s liking for 2000s technology like this. The other day, when he walked into the cat’s room, he noticed a PlayStation 2 on his dresser.

It was an interesting quirk. Maybe the term "piracy", as in downloading episodes of Velma from a sketchy website full of steamed hams in your area brought Kwazii back to his pirate days. And from there he discovered how cool the 2000s really were.

He was a little confused, but he got the spirit. So, yay for him.

"Shellington? Kwazii? If I were y’all, I’d get away from the windows. Y���know it’s only gonna get worse." Tweak spoke up from behind them. "There’s gotta be some debris coming from somewhere… Rocks and the like!"

"Nyaw, it’s not like it’s gotten anywhere yet! We’ve got time!" The cat laughed it off. "After all, we just gotta wait!"

The bunny facepalmed. She knew he couldn’t risk it forever. Especially not in the wake of a hurricane. A CATEGORY 5 hurricane.

But, of course, Kwazii couldn’t listen. And neither could Shellington. They were just too… disconnected, if anything.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Barnacles made an announcement.

"Octonauts, I advise that all of you stay inside the main area of the Octopod for the rest of tonight. Remember that we are going through an extremely violent hurricane, and it’s moving fast. Should anything happen, we should stick together."

Kwazii stopped smiling.

Shellington stopped smiling, too.

The true scale of what was yet to come, finally came into full view. And it was not good at all.

"Jumping jellyfish. I almost forgot… again." The sea otter was now wide awake, which was rare to see as he tended to be a sleepyhead. But now here he was, in horrific realization.

And not just that, but he knew Dashi was deep asleep in her room. Yet, he couldn’t speak up. Not yet.

Barnacles didn’t know either.

But Kwazii did.

"Captain, I think we’re missing someone… HEY! Any of ye seen-"

And just when you thought things were shit, they were about to become the diarrhea you got after eating one too many breadsticks from the school cafeteria.

The Octopod slowly rumbled, as Selma’s winds picked up once again. For a few seconds, it calmly get steadily rocked back and fourth. Again and again.

"…jumping jellyfish. I gotta go." Shellington rushed to his lab. Kwazii went down his trail, deep into his refuge.

~~~~

Shellington walked around his lab, and he was starting to panic.

"What do we do? What do we do? What… do we do? The Octopod is shaking, the hurricane is already here, and Dashi isn’t in the main area." He kept talking to himself, before bumping into Kwazii.

"C’mon, now! I clearly helped Captain anchor the Octopod! We can’t be that plundered!" He tried to comfort the sea otter. But it wasn’t any use.

"Kwazii, you and I need to get to the launch bay RIGHT NOW. I might have an idea of why things aren’t going well."

A few minutes later, the two had snuck past Tweak, and were tethered to the Octopod by an old iPhone charging cable. Selma kept throwing the currents around and around, and it was becoming increasingly hard to swim.

Fortunately, Kwazii easily noticed what was wrong with the Octopod.

"Nothing?!"

"Fascinating! There’s no marks at all!"

The two shook their heads. Clearly something was playing with them. A sea creature? Most likely. But that couldn’t be. Not in a hurricane!

"…avast! Your free antivirus, this isn’t right!" The cat and otter swam back inside, in panic. The cause was obvious, but the anchor had been set about 3 hours ago! And during that time, clearly many fish were finding shelter…

The anchor simply came loose. Which it had never done before.

It was a sign.

A sign that their time was almost up.

"Kwazii?! Shellington?! What were you two doin’ out there?!" Tweak immediately noticed them, dripping water. "Y'all could’ve gotten real hurt!"

"That’s for Peso to figure out. Me and Kwazii had to find out why the Octopod was shaking. And there’s no marks on the anchor… Meaning that what’s merely happening is that…" Shellington stopped, and immediately turned to Kwazii. "It’s loose."

He went went empty for a moment. "But Shellington, I didn’t do it! I was just guiding the captain and…"

The otter tightly hugged him, shaking his head. "I never said you did it. You were only trying to help… What I’m saying is… Your captain is at fault."

Tweak gasped. "Oh me, oh my, oh WHAT THE HECK?! So… Cap failed to anchor the Octopod deep enough? You’re tellin’ me he left us for dead?!"

"I mean… I DON’T KNOW!" Shellington screamed. "I might just be losing my mind! What I’m more concerned is… how much time do we have left until the anchor is loose enough to completely free the Octopod from the ground?"

The bunny just looked at the otter, horrified as he was. And the answer? Just as obvious.

"Faster than you can say 'WE'RE FUCKED FOR REAL!' WE HAVE TO GET HIS ATTENTION!" Tweak ran upstairs in a panic, something she had never really done before, until now.

By sheer coincidence, she crashed head-on into Barnacles, and it hurt like hell. But her fears numbed out her pain, as she fell back down the stairs. The captain ran for her, trying to catch.

In the end, it ended up in a two-Octonaut stampede. Two likely injuries. But those didn’t matter, when Tweak knew she was about to die in absolute panic from potential disaster.

She wished she didn’t have to say the same about the others. And while she was disappointed in Barnacles, she was just as sorry for him. To know you were in extreme danger during a hurricane, was to be a nightmare. And that? The bunny understood.

It was his fault, and at the same time, it wasn’t.

"Cap…! I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry… I should’ve been more careful…" Tweak was tearing up. "I just wanted to tell you the bad news… before it’s too late…" she covered her eyes in regret.

"Bad news? Then there’s not a time to waste. Tell me."

Tweak wanted to throw up. The whole thought of this was getting to her HARD. But she had to say something.

"The anchor is loose. It’s not functioning as it should. Cap, you know what this means? You know what this FUCKING MEANS?!" Tweak angrily grabbed the captain by the ears.

"Tweak, let go- Wait… the anchor? Loose? Not functioning as it should? You’re telling me…"

Shellington and Kwazii were gone, and Barnacles only caught sight of Tweak’s leg, as she ran upstairs.

That was the code to make a run for it.

~~~~

Barnacles ran as fast as he could to the HQ, and almost IMMEDIATELY did he SMASH his fist into the Octo-Alert. So hard, that it became louder and higher-pitched than before… and there was no way anyone could ignore.

"OCTONAUTS, TO THE HQ, RIGHT NOW! THIS IS A LIFE-OR-DEATH SITUATION, AND I NEED ALL OF US TO ACT FAST FOR OUR SURVIVAL! WASTE NO TIME OR WE WILL MOST-CERTAINLY DIE."

That was the scariest announcement Barnacles would ever say. And sadder, was that it could be his last.

Almost immediately, Peso ran through the HQ. But he didn’t stop. In fact, he was running for downstairs. He was looking for some certain patients.

"Flappity flippers! They can’t be gone like that! They have to be somewhere!" He was the most anxious he’d have been since 2010, and had his headphones on full volume. He couldn’t hear his own screams either, because all he could hear was Jvne’s hardest album ever. Its title, he screamed to himself.

"STARVING SLVTS… ALWAYS GET THEIR FIX!"

Sorry, what’s that?

Vicki? What about… Oh.

What, have we forgotten Inkling?

"No… I haven’t…" he sighed, looking at Tunip. The Vegimals had all rushed for his library, looking for Shellington as usual. "I would advise you stay with me… Oh, my, The Octo-Alarm is going off and I don’t like the sound of it…!"

He rolled up in his chair, confused about the sound. It never sounded this urgent, but now? It was nightmare fuel.

~~~~

Shellington had never cried so hard before, and now he kept raging in his laboratory, and all that Kwazii could do was watch.

"LOOK AT THIS! I COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING! SOMETHING TO SAVE US ALL! AND YET? I DIDN’T, KWAZII! I DIDN’T!!!" He kept shouting, clutching his face in front of the cat.

"I FAILED YOU! I… FAILED YOU!"

Kwazii was trying to get him to stop crying, but it wasn’t any use. The only thing in life Kwazii feared was spiders, and now Shellington bawling his eyes out.

Not that he hatefully feared it. If anything, it was something he wished to never witness. The otter he spent so much time with. Inches away from heart failure, if anything.

"Nyaw… Who am I to leave him here?… I have to go to the HQ… But Shellington is screaming, and crying… Avast, I can’t go up there. I have to do something!"

The ex-pirate looked at the scientific otter, and knew that, with all that was happening, comfort him.

But this was impossible. With Barnacles’ making these announcements over the Octo-Alarm, his warm hugs were nothing.

"JUST MINUTES AGO, I WAS MADE AWARE OF GRIM NEWS. THE ANCHOR HAS FAILED TO CHAIN THE OCTOPOD, AND IS YET TO COME OFF AT ANY MOMENT. THE OCTOPOD IS STARTING TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY, AND HAS A VERY HIGH CHANCE TO CRASH WITH A VIOLENT IMPACT. WITH THAT, WE CAN ONLY DO ONE THING FOR AN ATTEMPT OF SURVIVAL."

Kwazii could feel himself going more and more deaf, as the screams of Barnacles and Shellington echoed around him, exceeding what he felt was over 175 decibels. Enough to kill him… if this crash didn’t.

"BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Barnacles shouted so loudly, like he was angry at everyone. Like an actual polar bear…

Kwazii had enough of him. All he wanted to do was just hug Shellington. If this was gonna keep on going, the last thing he’d do… was rebel. And so, he did.

"Captain…. SHUT UP!" He shouted back, possibly rupturing a lung. But those didn’t matter anymore. "GET OFF MY BACK AND YE BUZZ RIGHT OFF, UNDERSTOOD?!"

Not that he heard that. But the cat wanted to scream at him.

The cat tightly hugged the otter, trying to talk to him. To know he was not alone. To know he was NEVER alone. He dragged him into his bed, head on the front end.

Kwazii’s idea was to seek shelter inside here. To stay upstairs was too dangerous. And he knew others were likely listening to Barnacles.

If anything, he was hoping Dashi was still asleep.

~~~~

"Listen to me.. Inkling.. I can’t find them anywhere. They’re missing, and I can’t be bothered anymore…" Peso cried in a raspy voice. "I bet you are just as hurt as I am, but please… Save the Vegimals. Get them out of here… and save yourself."

The squid smiled at the penguin, noticing how pale his eyes were. "Goodness me, you look very ill yourself… I promise I’ll look after them."

Peso felt as if he could collapse at any moment, but he still managed to shake his flipper with Inkling. "I’m sorry… I didn’t act faster… I'm gonna miss you…"

"Good luck out there," Inkling nodded. "You're in for one wild ride." Suddenly, the Octopod violently shook, throwing Peso to the ceiling and knocking him out instantly, but not killing him, thankfully. The impact had also caused many books to fly around, some crashing into the window, which left it cracked.

"My books! Peso! Just… what a tragedy! We HAVE to evacuate… Tunip, are you ready?" He looked at the broken window, knowing it was a perfect escape.

"Cheepa… wala… Shellybo." The Vegimal looked back from the door, knowing that otter was still in there.

"…I promise we'll find him once the sand settles. I guarantee that everything has a chance." Inkling held him by one tentacle, and watched as the glass, stressed by the harsh movements of the Octopod, as it continued to glide through the sea’s insane currents, cracked one more time.

And like that, it shattered into thousands of pieces, all which made way for GALLONS upon GALLONS of sea water.

Inkling took one final look at Peso's body, knowing there was no time left. He had to go, go, go.

The other Vegimals followed him, as he charged towards the escape, knowing he was leaving behind everything. Him, Inkling, being the founder… now leaving it all as it went to waste.

At first, the Octonauts were merely a collection of simulations that Inkling had worked on with two humans in LA and Vancouver. Michael and Vicki. To each one another, it didn’t feel like a whole lot, but it was the greatest thing they’d have ever done. None of them knew the impact those simulations from 2006 had. At the time, it was all just for fun.

They decided to cherish it with the other stuff they’d have been doing at the time. All under the studio’s name.

Meomi. A little creative studio dedicated to play, delight and good-liness.

That was how it started.

And now, it was a whole new world that he had made with those two humans. None of them really knew how big this whole thing would become, until it became clear, that it was more than that little… creative… studio.

2010. The Octonauts were real.

And now, they weren’t.

As the squid swam out, hauling the Vegimals, he knew what was going to be left from this.

A lost legacy, eternal regret, and an angry call at 4AM from Vicki.

All because of a broken anchor.

It continued to shred away in the currents. Panel by panel, piece by piece.

The Octopod was slowly falling apart.

But at least Barnacles stopped shouting. At least not on the intercom.

"…S-Shellington?" Kwazii whispered to the otter, both trapped inside his folded-up bed. "Are ye okay now?"

Sea otter couldn’t see for a moment, but then realized what had happened. "Kwazii, is that you? Hi. Why are the lights turned off?"

"Just wanted to help you sleep. I know you’re awake now, so I figured we’d… talk."

Neither really knew what they were referring to. They were just in this… coffin, unaware of their impending doom.

"…Of course. I should have thought about that. What’s on your mind, Kwazii?" Shellington awkwardly giggled. "You seem pretty bored."

For a moment, the cat was thinking. Now, when you’re inside a folded up (Michael) Murphy bed, you think you’re in danger. But not here. If anything, the two were simply enjoying each other’s company.

"Well… I do wanna confess something." Kwazii giggled back. "Ye approve~?"

Shellington let out an "mhmm", which made the cat blush a little.

"Good, matey. Now, I’m pretty sure ye know that we’ve been spending more time than usual lately. And honestly, I myself don’t really know why… But, Shellington, the thing is… and I’m being more genuine than a PlayStation 5 from a shady arcade, and I’ve wanted to say this for months now…

"Go on," said Shellington. "What's up?" He was becoming more intrigued, and Kwazii knew it was truly time to tell him.

"I always did love you. For REAL."

Shellington blushed heavily from those 5 words. With all the time he had spend with the cat, he knew he felt the same way. He went for it as well, smiling bright.

"…I love you too, Kwazii."

But right after that, came a massive…

BANG!

…and everything went darker than ever.

Dashi was still asleep.

Tweak ducked in the launch bay.

Peso, unconscious, was thrown out of the window.

Shellington was hiding in his bed.

Kwazii was with him.

But none of those sounded as terrifying as what Captain Barnacles Bear suffered through.

He was still in the HQ. Where all the glass was.

The Octopod fell flat on its front.

All the glass was smashed, and shards of it were sent flying towards him at an insanely fast speed. And all that Barnacles could do was block his face.

But now, it was too late.

Too late to cry.

Too late to brace.

Too late to scream.

Everything, even hopes and dreams, was shattered in seconds.

[shrimplymoray]

Ngl, i see this as the tweels? here i am, going on about this AGAIN that they r not polar opposites of each other but like... Most content by fans treat them like they are some 20 something shady guy, when I can only describe them as silly goofy teenagers.

Yeah, they DO collect Azul's collateral, but it always felt to me like when ur group of friends goes to talk to ur crush for u in school cuz u don't want to show urself and they r like "hey, my friend likes u" THIS IS LITERALLY THE VIBES I GET THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS PLAYING SOME TWISTED 4D CHESS MIND GAME SOMETIMES THEY R JUST BEING SILLY AND STUPID

Specially Jade. Guys, c'mon, he is NOT just the calm and collected, prim and proper guy. He did a monologue to himself about his mushrooms. He takes photos of rocks and plants he finds on his hikes and shows them on his club's Culture Fair room. He likes to cause as much chaos as Floyd, but ina way that entertains him, which is "people getting mixed signals of what I intend". AND BEING HONEST, THAT IS A MOOD. BEING SUS, EVEN IF IT IS HOW WE DO NOWADAYS OF HAHA IS THIS A DICK JOKE OR NOT IS THE SAME THING HE IS DOING.

Floyd is intimidating but then he is also just some silly teenager. He likes to talk about shoes with Ace during Basketball club training. He likes to dance. He likes to tease people he enjoys being around with his silly nicknames and being a menace. TELL ME WHICH TEENAGE GROUP DOESN'T DO THE EXACT SAME NOWADAYS. I WILL TAKE A CHAIR AND WAIT FOR THAT.

This is my call for people to like, treat them as not "scary intimidating merfolk who will eat you alive" and more as the guys that would go to their best friend and say "dude, what if we threw a ball from the second floor, would it jump back up or would it defloat? wanna try?" CUZ THEY SO WOULD!!! PLEASE!!!

not gonna say it. but he popped into your head didn’t he

[handelplayssims]

Oye. How many more days left with these vampires? 4 it seems. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Well, let’s look at Roxana’s whims. Prank and be mean to someone. As usual. Welp, pranking is easily done. Hey, Omar! Here’s this hand buzzer trick! Next is Omar who wants to have child, or get disliked by someone. Mm. They already dislike each other though. I’m going to refresh those whims and then have him focus on Harrison. ...the whims were to leave a note on the family bulliten board and become enemies with the person he disliked. -shrug- Emilie is up and at em and needs food, and it’s an hour until work and school. Let’s just wait out the time until we head back into work with Omar.

And here we go! Perhaps today, we might get that final surgery requirement. ...if I was mean, I would perform surgery on a patient that might not need it...but eh, let’s try to be a good doctor. WOAH, there we go! We got a guy who collapsed right at the front door. And he needs emergency surgery! There we go! And hey, the patient we’ve been working on also needed surgery. Nice! Finally! He’s got that promotion! And is now a specialist! Good for Omar.

Oooh, Roxana, while I did manage to queue and get her the plasma fruit salad she needed, she also just ran out and drank from a passing sim. Hee. Now she’s super-tense about drinking from others.  MAN. I keep forgetting about Emilie and the making-friends-at-school thing! Now it’s 8PM and I bet there would only be teens at the park at this time. Doing their teen hangout thing. Ah well, both parents have whims regarding kids so, I decided to have both of them lecture their kids about manners. They’re neat sims, they’d care about this sort of thing. And now the kids are asleep. I decide to have the parents chat about the struggles of parenting...and the struggles of being a vampire. But thankfully Omar has a very high logic and can logic away the stress of drinking from a random sim. And she has low fun so uh, let’s have a woohoo in the shower.

Harrison wants to meet someone new so lets see if any teens are hanging around the park at the moment. But if not, we’ll bring someone along because he needs to drink! Hmm. The Alluring Visage means he’s low on vampire energy now. Meaning he needs to sleep. But we just got here! But I guess we can go right back home.. because it’s pretty much time for-

Neighborhood Watch!

Devan Geiger in the Geiger household has died. No cliffhanger here; Devan slipped when rock climbing.

Hold on, let me check something…yep. This was the guy who just moved into a home. RIP!

Mack Newman in the Newman hosuehold has died. Mack tried to make cereal but it burst into flames.

Let’s see, it’s early in the morning, nothing much to do. The kids sleep schedule is all kinds of messed up but alas. Let’s make sure I actually remember to set Emile to make friends at school. Omar’s got work at 9 until 7pm. So that leaves Roxana alone to do her work. And we got a biography about a dude who very much wants someone to write about him. That’ll do. Huh, and evidently she’s excited about the project at least. So a drink break and then we head back to work. Annnd she’s sick. Stuffed up nose, it seems. Well, what is the recommendations, internet? Taking a steamy shower! Annd hey, it worked! Back to writing she goes! Kids are back from school and boy, are they tired! But Roxana wants them to volunteer with her and so what she wants, she gets!

Let’s see. Omar does want a promotion, again. Could think about just having him visit a library for a late-night study instead. Since hey, that does also work, in theory, for a doctor. You gotta research your medical stuff! Oh hey, we actually met a scientist, since we’re at Strangerville. There would be a scientist/doctor solidarity, wouldn’t there? Let’s play a game of chess, get the know the guy a little and then head home.

Home again, and Omar wants to eat some popcorn. It’ll go poorly but we can attempt to have some. Meanwhile Harrison wants another promotion. Which, fine and all but I guess let’s work on your charisma skill. Selena’s hungry and Emile, oof! Bladder failure! ...and Roxana’s whim didn’t clear because we left in the middle of it. Fair enough, I suppose! Also I am trying to have Omar mend his relationship with Selena but alas! She just thinks he’s creepy with that weird hissing all the time! Ah well. Anyway it’s time for-

Neighborhood Watch! Mizuki Maeda in the Maeda household has died. Mizuki was victim to a vicious chicken attack.

Ah man. She was one of my longest lived townies. Riiiiiip!

Akira Kibo in the Kibo household has died. Akira fell for a cowplant’s cake bait. He could not have his cake and eat it too.

Ha. I had a feeling this was going to happen to him sooner or later. RIP!

[targwh0re]

Thoughts on Teen Wolf the Movie while watching it pt.4

Not Eli just crouching in the corner

"Remember Simba" 🦁

Damn imagine that's how Derek introduced Eli to the pack💀 took him to the look out place/point? and held him up like Simba but he's a little wolf pup🐺 "and all the dragons roared as one" (srry I've been watching alot of Hotd)

Really fucked up of you to have Derek stabbed like that infront of his son who has no way of knowing his dad's not actually dead

Why'd they fall down the stairs?

nah grl ur fam got themselves killed

How poetic of Nogi 📜✒

"I can do this" or not

I stand by the idea that the only reason Eli didn't pass out was bc there wasn't a mirror around 😂

Poor Malia, she obviously cares about Eli very much

Oh, so we just out here stabbing ourselves now? Interesting development in our tale

Also that's the rock I'm talking about, the one where Derek could've brought baby Eli😂

"Can't we just call Stiles?" Is what he was going to stay

why is Jackson eating in every scene😂

...

....

🎶walk him like a dog, sis, walk him like a dog🎶

Second hand embarrassment 😳 Peter why they got you on the floor like that😭💀

I'm weak. Yes, Peter we can see the blood 5 feet infront of you, and you would've seen it too if you had been STANDING

What happend to that scene where Peter was reprimanding Malia "can you at least try to behave more human" We just throwing that out the window😭

Okay I'm done now, I swear

Jackson amd Malia both not understanding a word out of Lydia's mouth😂 (bc they were supposed to be the same person)

Anytime Scott opens his mouth Allison like *pokey stab* *pokey stab"

"...the moment you stabbed me" sir you stabbed urself 🤦‍♀️

If its all mountain ash then why could Malia, Parrish, and Jackson all walk on it?

Scott: "You remember" Allison: Bitch *kicks*

Malia and Parrish aren't bad, but one I don't think Malia should be in a relationship and two idk there's no background for it

Ahhh Victoria 😱

She is right, history does have a shit ton of handsome killers. So what have we learned? don't trust pretty people😂

I mean, personally I think Kate deserved it. Plus it's not like she stayed dead, so no harm done🤷‍♀️

Wonder how long Derek's been tryna wake Eli up 🤔

Just an illusion... I'll come back go this plot point later

Ew Scott put that thing away🤢

You know what Allison, if you think he's lying why don't you tell us how you think you died hmmm

Derek still being 🥇 supportive dad for Eli when they're in a hostage situation 💀

Hikari sounds so annoyed at this whole thing, I love her, she just wants to go back to her Ramen restaurant😂

Ain't nobody told Melissa about the devine move last time?

Nah, the other one Parrish 🙄

Boy it's been a recurring thing for years, you've just been too busy in London

Poor Isaac, did he get anything?

um Jackson, and Lydia, and Stiles. We just said his name sweetie

Well shit that's not his problem that you don't remember

"There's no such thing as fate" "There's no such thing as werewolves" why did you do this to me😭😭😭

If your a werewolf hunter shouldn't you know what ur supposed to do to help with wolfsbane

I'd be the same Eli. Gonna get a zillion diseases from his evil nasty ass hand🤮

He's trying, stop shaming him Nogi🙄

oop- Derek said I think the fuck not you trick ass bitch, here me roar

He has bad memories with road flares😬

"Scott you're my brother. So if you're gonna do this...your just going to have to take me with you then" ooooh now I just made myself cry😭😭😭

glowsticks😁

Derek: "Eli, did you see that? Did you see your eyes" Eli: "How the hell am I supposed to see my eyes, they're the things i use to see" 🤣🤣🤣

That is the best line! The best line!🤣

Damn Nogi why you so loud, it's not that deep 😒

That was kinda simple to bring Allison back to less homicidal

Oh we playing chess again, cool. Still don't know how to play😬

Scott got drampled by a herd of deer, Eli got trampled by a heard of hormonal, halfwits (lesser known Peter line) I'll take the deer thanks 👍

"I'm still in love with you" awwww 🥺❤ we know Scott, we know

So how could Jackson able to even touch the mountain ash? Is it bc he's a chimera even though they were supposed to be impossible unless they were genetically altered by the dread doctors?... Jeff explain.

Ow, poor Eli, now he knows the struggle😂

ahahaha Adrian woke up and chose violence lmoa

The main reason this is so funny to me is bc Mr. Harris was always so nice to Jackson wtf happend

How does he know about everyone? Oh well Monroe. But still, I like to believe he was a failed emissary & for people complaining about Harris "being back from the dead" they never actually found his body. I kept waiting for the series to finish that plot line but they never did so I'm pleased that he's the villian (which I predicted he was😁) I'm just confused on his motives and wish they explained it better

How did they ruin your life? And um didn't jennifer choose u herself 🤨 also I seem to remember you saying you helped crazy darach lady so u made ur damn self a loose end🥱

he's right he was in London 🇬🇧

but uh jackson honey, for future reference maybe don't talk when there's a man with a loaded gun, just you know, just in case he decides to shoot u👍

I say we yell fire 🔥

So what's the other layers and their purposes? Is the Nogitsune actually in their layer of the illusion bc remember when Scott, Stiles, Lydia, and Kira were in an illusion with the "Nogitsune" but he was just another illusion bc he was really outside w/ Derek and the twins🤔

Poor Derek, hasn't he been through enough, now he's afraid he fucked his son up by protecting him

i will add to this thou, I've seen a few people say that Derek is too much like Clarke Kent and that he would have a completely different parenting style and while I do somewhat agree we have to remember that people tend to act different around their family and especially with their kids than they are with other people. It's also been a lot of years where he has changed alot to fit having to raise a child by himself (who tf is Eli's mom and where is she?; Jeff said he wanted to explore that in another movie) plus he had to change, S2 Derek would be a terrible father and Eli would've been so fucked up

That cute little wave and the smile back 😊

Wish Stiles would've popped up, he could've been in Jackson place being threatened at gun point (it would make more sense bc Harris hated him) he didn't know why Lydia left, and he would've been the one to tell her it was just a dream

Even if it was a premonition (which I don't think it was, I think fear is a powerful thing and it manipulates you and when you've spent your whole teen years like them just constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, well...) you can't outrun fate

They wail in grief 😔

*clink* *falls to the ground with dramatic gasp* 💀

I still wanna know who the hell Greenburg was

Also calling Scott Greenburg still would be like 30...

Yea ur sons on the field 😁👏👏👏

Flashes to when Stiles was scoring all thos goals in season 2 and everyone was cheering for him🥺👏👏👏

"My dad was actually right. I'm actually pretty good" 😎

omg not him forgetting about his currently hostage father😭💀

Wonder how Derek feels listening to all this 😂

well no shit it's not over, did you forget that ur dead ex ain't the problem anymore smh

Pt.4-5

[poking-at-knbs-shiny-bits]

These are headcanons; not anything that could really be called "facts", fun or otherwise.

Of course, everyone is free to build their castles in the air however it makes them happiest! But if anyone is interested, for the actual happenings OP references:

1. I do not know about archery, but the rest are accurate. Amongst Akashi's numerous and eclectic talents there's also more games—he's good enough at chess, go and othello to beat out all their clubs during Teiko's culture festival—and according to the drama theater 2nd games CD, the Game of Life. He's also good at poker and at making silly faces!

2. Other people have pointed it out in the comments, but let me reiterate - the question wasn't whom he was afraid to lose, it was TO whom he least WANTED to lose.

(I really wonder how Kuroko reacted to that one once out of the interview haha. Breaking news, "just a shadow who can't play by himself" considered greatest rival of ex-captain of the miragen, current Rakuzan captain and student council president, akashi heir)

3. Got the gist right - including the baby haha, more on that later - it's not specified whether it was his neighborhood, but it must have been on his route home because people stopped him for:

-Placing a large order in a homemade tofu shop

-Teaching the store owner's kid how to ride a bycicle

-Get invited to a fireworks festival.

He also got out before his bus stop to help a granny carry her groceries, stuck to basic drills during basketball practice so Nijimura could visit his dad in the hospital afterwards, AND. THE BABY THING. He scooped the baby from the runaway cart and saved him from being run over by a TRAIN. It's exactly as amazing and ridiculous as it sounds.

4. 10/10 no notes

5. Also accurate. Akashi, in typical Akashi fashion, even before entering talked as though his victory were assured, and indeed he won lol. While rocking a white yukata with an embroidered dragon that amazed Kise and Momoi because it's super hard to pull off (as expected of akashi-kun!) and then was the one to nudge Aomime into talking to Momoi's parents so she could stay and light fireworks with everyone :)

6. The Santa thing for Seirin was also a gag, and Kuroko didn't have anything to do with it, he didn't even know it was happening. It was Riko who organised it

7. Mostly accurate! Indeed his favorite is tofu and hates seaweed - his dislike for pickled ginger is also mentioned in the teiko festival drama CD. But it's not that he doesn't like meat, it's that everyone went for the meat during training camp and so he was free to purloin all the tofu in his table. Tofu IS his favorite food after all lmao.

9. Any and all talk about which real life players the Miragen is based on is pure speculation - nothing's been confirmed. However, we do know his favorite NBA player is Magic Johnson.

10. It wasn't Aomine, it was Momoi. Aomine got rowdy and was punished to make air chairs. Momoi was intimidated by the fancy shops and brands, who dragged in Kuroko to help her, who was also intimidated, and Akashi helped them out. He found the required lipstick in like 5 minutes (as expected of akashi-kun!)

11. This is easily the most inaccurate one. Akashi had Kuroko sit out of basketball practice because he had sprained his wrist, and then told Momoi to walk him home with no detours because there was a street basketball court on the way and he didn't want Kuroko to play and worsen his injury. This was a one-time thing.

And Akashi didn't pick Kuroko for the morning announcement, that was the coach. Akashi just wrote down for him a memo with what he should say at the end to make an impression... while also getting back at the others for their less than helpful suggestions when Kuroko asked for help with the script.

It did end with Akashi asking Kuroko to eat lunch with him, both ignoring the stampede of people out to destroy their friends and everything they hold dear, so it's still good fuel for shippers - Akashi and Kuroko plotting psychological warfare together lmao.

11. He doesn't love to boss around; if you pay attention you'll realise he's remarkably permissive of his team's antics until he's had enough and lays down the law. What he does do is NAG, and it ends with everyone listening to him, even upperclassmen, bc he's right! which is even funnier. He made the miracles run laps for littering!

12. That is DEFINITELY not accurate; the Miracles were the main attraction, but they didn't actually participate in the contest—the prize went to the only couple who actually entered the competition. Red Riding Hood Akashi WAS rather popular though haha. And yeah Akashi was the only one who didn't act the least bit embarrassed about the memory of wearing a skirt lol, kudos to him.

I mentioned a couple of them, but if anyone wants me to add sources and links lmk!!

Hiiiii~ May I have some Akashi Seijuuro fun facts if its okay with you??? I can't wait to know more about my bae lol Thank you!!!!!!!❤💖

Hello:) YAY! It’d be my pleasure, Akashi is one of my top favorite characters ever existed, I love him to death. Seriously, I love him TOO MUCH, pls, write me 24/7 about Akashi-kun.

- besides being perfect at basketball and shogi, he's good at archery, horse-riding, playing violin and piano... and that’s only the things that were mentioned, so he’s basically a prince on a white horse (he literally has a white horse named Yukimura);

- during the Winter Cup interview, he admitted that out of all people he’s scared to lose Kuroko the most (tbh I’m still shocked, cause Kuroko was the one taking the interview and Akashi just straight (not so straight) up went “It’s you.”). and can I just say that he could’ve picked his best friend (Midorima) for example? so make your own conclusions here haha;

- his whole neigbourhood adores him, cause he’s always sweet and polite to everyone there, once the baby fell out of the runaway baby carriage and he caught it mid air, so he’s also basically a superhero lolz;

- he doesn’t know how to make jokes (but with a dad like that I wouldn’t know how to either hahaa., no);

- when he went to the festival with GOM, he won the shogi tournament (where were real professional shogi players!!). the prize was a huge box of sweets and he gave it to Murasakibara (T_T);

- he and Kuroko loved fooling people in Rock-Paper-Scissors game, Kuroko distracted a person by standing behind Akashi while he was using his emperor eye, it’s seriously hilarious (power couple but also little shits lmao);

- he once dressed up as santa to give presents to the Seirin (yeah.. things he does for his blue-haired wonder lol);

- he doesn’t like meat, he loves tofu very much tho; he also hates seeweed and pickled ginger;

- he’s the only character in KNB who was based not on one, but on two NBA players;

- when they went to Hawaii, Aomine was too embarrassed to buy a lipstick for his mom (absolute disgrace in my opinion!), and Akashi just asked what shade she needed and went and bought it himself (it made be very sad tbh cause his thoughts were probably “you don’t know how lucky you are that can still buy things for your mom, cause I can’t");

- he’s very bias towards Kuroko (I think Kise was whining the most about the fact that Kuroko was allowed basically everything, while others weren’t :D), he’s also very protective of him, he even specifically told all the other GOM members that when they’re going out, Kuroko shouldn’t be home too late (lmao); he also picked Kuroko to represent the basketball club (which is ridiculous in my opinion, cause wouldn’t Kise for example made a better job? but no, Akashi thinks Kuroko will charm everybody’s pants off haha BIAS);

- he basically loves to boss around every group of ppl he’s in (Seirin also got tips on how to do stuff lolz); I think he’s a natural dom haha

- he and Kuroko won the couples contest dressed as red riding hood and a wolf, and can I just give 100000 points to Akashi, cause he was the only one from GOM who didn’t act like wearing a skirt one time would make his dick magically fall off. he also rocked the red riding hood costume, they were really the cutest.

it somehow turned into akakuro facts, but it is what it is lol 

[sholangagaga]

Roxanne: Sorry for having great tits and correct opinions on everything. as if its my fault

-

Glitchtrap: ruin the lives of everyone around you and then die

Vanny: words of wisdom

-

Freddy: How are you?

Bonnie: I literally wanna disappear without an explanation but thanks for asking

-

Monty: Can't remember what my personality is supposed to be like. I wish I had written it down

-

Sundrop: everyone knows that the real way to show someone you love them is to find them a really cool rock. Not diamonds or anything, just a neat rock you'd think they'd really enjoy

-

Moondrop: Might ghost everyone and call it a year

-

Monty, to Bonnie: I have feelings for you. not telling you which ones though

-

Chica: whats your biggest fear?

Roxy: Being forgotten

Chica: wow thats deep

Chica: Mine's the kool aid man but I feel kinda stupid about it now

-

Gregory: Fact; I can jump higher than any tree

Vanny: Oh? And how is that possible?

Gregory: trees cant jump

Vanny: I will destroy you

-

Vanny: How do I know ZERO celebrities? You guys always talk about famous people and I have no idea who the hell they are but then it turns out they're the most well known and liked person on earth right now!

Vanessa: because all you do is talk to demons in computer programs

Vanny: He told me to murder a child the other day

-

Vanessa: You seem like the type of person who thinks robots are just made to make people's lives easier

Vanny: Well aren't they?

Vanessa, pointing at Glitchtrap: He hasn't made anyone's life easier and you know it

-

Monty: bro but in a flirty way

-

Gregory: What happens if you press the brake and the accelerator at the same time?

Freddy: it takes a screenshot

Roxy: Get out of my raceway

-

Monty: How dumb do they think we are??

Chica: Sometimes Roxy leaves me pictures of food instead of a shopping list

-

DJ Music Man: what if "It's Raining Men" and "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" are both about the same event but from different perspectives?

Freddy: I am literally begging you to stop

-

Chica: I think you're spiritually a new yorker

Roxy: this is the nicest way to call someone an asshole I think

-

Monty: *wii channel music playing as he lay dead on the ground*

-

Freddy: I just want to draw tiny hearts everywhere because Im full of love and the world is cruel

-

Foxy: It's been a long week

Bonnie: It's only 4pm on a Monday

-

Monty: y'all'd've'f'ld've

Chica: you all would have if I would have???

Freddy: did you just make a complete sentence using contractions

Roxy: the south is out of control

-

Freddy: Not to get political or anything but what the fuck is oatmeal

-

Bonnie: I'm going for a facial expression that's a mixture of "How the hell did I get myself into this mess" and "I'm surrounded by idiots"

Foxy: Honestly I think you nailed it

-

Gregory: i'm going to defeat you with the power of found family and this gun I found

-

Roxy, to the tune of The Final Countdown: It's a mental breakdown

-

Freddy, showing the slightest sign of affection:

Gregory: I'd kill for you

-

Chica: I'm not lying on the floor physically but I am lying on the floor spiritually

-

Bonnie: You're stupid, I like that in a man

-

Chica: got some chicken noodle soup and a nice warm shower. Craziest part is Im gonna eat my soup in the shower

Monty: Take a super hot shower and just use that water to make your noodles. Chess not Checkers

-

[mrsmaybank]

My Little Sun - Spencer Reid x Reader

 It could not be heaven because her actions, her sounds and her intentions were the opposite of sanctity and purity: they were sinful. So bad and so good that you could get the two confused.

CW: MENTIONS OF KIDNAPPING, IMPLIED SMUT, AGE GAP, LANGUAGE, DADDY KINK. (LMK IF I MISSED ANY PLEASE)

PART ONE

PART TWO

A/N: Shiiit!!! Sorry this mediocrity took so long!!! Anyway, let me know if you want me to clear anything up and please let me know if you like it. Kisses <3

I had the right to be upset, but I knew I shouldn’t be. Hotch was right, I could not work the case nor was I in the state to. It was for my own good and maybe the sanity of the rest of the team. I was a mess. He “ordered” me to go get some sleep in the breakroom, knowing I would never agree to go home. But like always, I couldn’t sleep. That wasn’t unusual and my brain began me to torture me with a movie of my most recent memories. 

9 Days Ago 

Friday - 8:49 PM

“I waannt Thaiiii foooood!” Only she could make my heart melt while simultaneously whining and disagreeing with me. She tightened her grip on my hand, “Pretty, pretty please?”

“We had Thai last week.” I looked down at her as we continued walking down the streets. “And plus, you love the Greek place.” She pouted and continued to ramble about why Thai was so much better. Even complaining, her company was so comforting and calming that I was genuinely relaxed, despite the roars of taxi cabs and the indistinct chatter of drunk city goers. 

“Oh my god! Don’t look! Do not look left!” She skipped to my right, “Look-look at me!” I watched her skip around me and cling to my right arm before her little hands grabbed my face and pressed her mouth to mine. 

“Sweetheart,” I tried to get out of her grip but she cut me off by pressing her body to mine and continuing the frenzied kiss. As soon as she needed a breath, I spun in the other direction. “You’re a monster.” I grabbed her hand and we ran to it immediately. A life-size and functioning chess board under an array of colorful lanterns and vines. It was probably a contemporary art piece and I silently thanked whoever created it. I wrapped my arms around her as I excitedly admired it. “Why didn’t you want me to see this?” I whispered into the small of her neck. “Is it because I always beat you at chess?” 

She backed up from me offended, “You don’t always beat me!” 

I grabbed her once more, not liking the space between us. “If you took all of our games, looked at my wins and your losses, I’ve won 98% of the time.” 

“Yeah well…” she tiptoed and grazed her lips against mine, “I win 100% of the time.” I was confused, “At this.” She pressed her entire body to mine and finally kissed me.

“You,”

Kiss.  

“Don’t know,” 

Kiss. 

“What you’re,”

Kiss.

“Starting little,”

Kiss.

“Girl.” 

She grabbed my hand and twirled herself around just to fall back onto me. I caught her, just like she knew I would. I trusted her and she trusted me, and that was the best feeling in the world. “I love you.” I said, still supporting all her weight. 

She stood upright and gave me a light kiss. “I love you so much Spencer.” 

I couldn’t see anything in the world but her. “I would do anything for you.” 

She perked up with a sneaky glint in her eye, “Would you eat Thai two weeks in a row?” She grinned. 

I sighed. She won. “Yeah,” I pushed the hair out of her face, “I would. Let’s go get some.” 

“If..” she rolled her eyes, “We play on the walk back.” I motioned to the board. “I’ll go easy on you.” 

“You’re on Dr. Reid.” she snarked back. 

8 Days Ago

Saturday - 2:31 PM

Saturday was one of those stereotypical rainy days where the world seemed slowed. The pitter patter of the raindrops and the light music of her favorite record created a symphony of other-worldly peace for me. I left our room, and there she was, my perfect girl sitting criss crossed at my desk. I perched over her, laying a sweet kiss on her cheek. 

“So..I was thinking macaroons…” she scrolled through different catering sites, “But cupcakes are a must too.” I watched her plan in adoration. Never in my life had I been so sure of anything. But I wanted to marry this girl and spend every last day of my life like this one and there was no question about it. It was that simple. 

“Spence?” she broke me out of my lovelorn daydreams of growing old together.

“Yeah?” I answered. 

“Chocolate or red velvet? There is one right answer.” her eyes narrowed. 

“Oh,” I knew exactly what she wanted me to say, “Red velvet. All the way.” 

“You really are a genius.” She teased and began to scribble ‘Red Velvet’ on the small notebook next to her. I looked at the list of random little things she’d written down in preparation for the day. It assured me she was just as infatuated with the idea of a future together as I was. I sighed, “Even your handwriting is cute.” 

“Duh..” she retorted and I rolled my eyes, “Can I read you the food list?” I gently lifted her off the desk seat, “You can read it to me on the couch maybe?” 

She nodded and grabbed her notebook. I sat first, and she took the opportunity to crawl in my lap. It’s like our bodies were made for each other because she just fit so perfectly there. 

“For the dessert table, hazelnut, pistachio and vanilla macaroons. From the French bakery in downtown. Obviously.  Red velvet cupcakes from that bakery JJ told me about. Remember the ones she ordered for her baby shower?” I nodded. “Those.”

“White chocolate macadamia nut cookies, and if I get my way..”

“You always do.” I teased. “Yeah, and don’t forget it.” she smiled, “Tiny little cheesecake squares.” 

“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” I said. “Of course! A lot of tiny desserts are waaay better than one big cake.” 

“And more sanitary.” It was her turn to sigh.

“Yes yes, and more sanitary.” She laid her head in my chest and closed her eyes.

 “I told Penelope we’d meet her at the restaurant at 3.” 

“But it’s raining!” I complained. Truthfully, I just didn’t want this moment to end. She gave me a look and I stopped my protests. “Y’know if we order an Uber instead of taking the metro, we might have time to take a nice…” her words purposely trailed, “Long...hot shower.” She didn’t really have to say much else, batting her eyelashes to give this heart wrenching illusion of innocence. I wasn't buying it. Then, being way too coy for her age, she ran her hands up my chest and flashed me a coquettish grin. It was textbook but, goddd. Her smile alone turned me on to an extent it shouldn’t. 

I let her off my lap and stood up instantly, grabbing her hand and leading her to our bathroom. “Now.”

7 Days Ago 

Sunday - 9:22 AM 

The view convinced me I had died and arrived in heaven. I had to be. Where else but heaven does an angel perch themselves on your lap? No, though. It wasn’t heaven. It could not be heaven because her actions, her sounds and her intentions were the opposite of sanctity and purity: they were sinful. So bad and so good that you could get the two confused. 

She kissed down my neck and I swore my heart would burst out of my chest. She paused and sat up to say “When was the last time we got a whole weekend together like this?” 

I rubbed her arms up and down, “I can’t even remember.” 

“Me neither.” She kind of sounded like she wanted to say something else, but I didn’t really care, kissing her open mouth and rocking my hips up to hers. She was panting by the time my hands met her chest. “Please,” she whined, “Daddy, please.” 

She had no idea what she was asking for but I did. So I gave it to her. 

I would give her anything. 

6 Days Ago 

Monday 7:02 AM 

“Bye baby.” I kissed her still bed-headed hair. 

“NOooo!” she tried to pull my satchel back into her mess of sheets. 

“I’m sorry.” I sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. She curled her head into my lap and I caressed her forehead. 

“You have class today.” I felt her twitch, “An important one. You should eat a good breakfast.” 

“I know.” she said sadly. I registered that the sadness was less about class, and more about the fact we both knew this was goodbye for at least a couple days. Time spent together was bliss and days apart were agonizing, regardless of how important both of our responsibilities were. 

“Hey, think about what a good weekend we had.” I gently reminded her. 

“I know but now you’re gonna be gone.” The pain in her voice brought me the kind of sorrow that you didn’t wish upon your worst enemy. 

“Not for too long, little girl.” I kissed her forehead again, “I promise.” 

She got up and sighed, “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” 

I wish she wouldn’t do that, but I couldn’t blame her either. 

“I’m sorry.” She just shook her head. 

“Don’t be. Go save some lives Dr. Reid.” there was a gentle smile on her face as she said the words, “I’ll be right here when you get back.” I enveloped her in a hug with nothing but love, and she still couldn't resist teasing me, “Or maybe drunk at a Frat house, I don’t know.” 

My eyes went wide and the thought immediately gave me anxiety, “Please, do not. Do you know-” She shut me up with a kiss and I silently thanked her for it. “I love you Spencer. I’ll see you soon.” “I love you more.” I got up and headed for the door, “Sooner than later, okay?” 

She nodded, “Okay.” 

3 Days Ago 

Wednesday 2:10 AM 

I silently stepped through the apartment, relishing in the stillness that meant just maybe, my begging Y/N not to waste sleep over me had worked, but I still doubted it. Her listening to my instructions was like a solar eclipse: disappointingly rare. 

As soon as I made it to the bedroom though, I was pleasantly surprised. She was asleep, but not yet under the covers. Poor thing had tried to stay up, but couldn’t. As much as I wanted to instantly smother her in affection, I restrained myself only to admire the sight of her in nothing but underwear and a grey cardigan of mine. She’d only done a single button too, obscuring the direct view so her figure was just barely covered. It was incredibly attractive and she knew it.

I began to undress, trying to remain silent as I exchanged my tie and vest for pajama pants and the Caltech sweater on the dresser. I didn’t wear it much before she did. In fact, I’d only started wearing it because despite it being 5 sizes too big for her, she adored it. For the first couple months of knowing her, it was the only thing she slept in. And because of that, it smelled like her perfume. Nestling myself into bed next to her, I wrapped my hands around her waist and pulled her close, while trying to gently pull the sheets out from under her. 

“Get under the covers.” Her eyes fluttered open, “Spence...Spencer?” She smiled, “Spencer!” 

She buried herself impossibly closer to my chest, arms and legs wrapping around me like a…

“You’re like a panda.” I laughed. She giggled, “You’re bamboo.”

“Are you calling me a stick-skinny? That’s hurtful, y/n.” We laughed harder until I couldn’t stop myself from kissing her. The kisses were long and sweet as we both savored the reunion. She tugged on the sweater I wore, “Why are you wearing my sweatshirt?” I brushed some hair out of her face. “It was mine first.” She rolled her eyes, “Pff...did you even go to Caltech?” She was trying so hard to control laughter, “Poser.” 

She laughed as I’m sure despite silence from me she could hear my internal screaming. 

Her laughter finally ceased when my grip on her got looser and my eyes hung a little lower. “Sleepy?” she asked. 

I nodded and so did she, “Me too.” We got under the covers together. 

“Hold me.” she hummed. “Hotch give you guys the day off tomorrow?”

“Yeah, recuperation. The case was...rough.” 

“You guys catch the guy?” she asked. 

I nodded, “Yeah.” “That’s amazing Spence. You’re so amazing.” I held her tighter. 

“I love you.” I said. 

“I love you too. Now go to sleep.” And so I did. 

2 Days Ago 

Thursday 6:30 PM

“It did indeed. You’ve become my solnyshko moyo.”

“Tell me that’s Russian dirty talk.” She said with a grin.

“It’s better. It’s a term of endearment you’ve become the epitome of.”

“And what’s that Dr. Reid?” she giggled.

“My little sun. You’ve become my little sun. Following me around and bringing light and warmth.” She snuggled herself impossibly closer into my chest, wrapping one of her legs over mine.

“Except for your feet!” I shrieked at her freezing toes meeting mine.

“They’re not that cold you big baby!” she shouted.

I laughed and kissed her sweetly, “I am not the baby here.” I said.  

“Please,” she started until I interrupted her with a kiss, “If you’re not the baby,” I kissed her again, “That implies I’M the baby,” Kiss, “And I’m not a” Kiss.

“Shush baby.” I told her, but like always, she didn’t listen, instead sitting up to straddle me. My appreciation for her beauty was like how a prisoner appreciates freedom, and yet it was miniscule into what I found in her character. It blew my mind that a girl so perfect existed.

“Rarely do great virtue and beauty dwell together. Francesco Petrarch.” I started, my hands making their way onto her hips, “That makes you a rarity.”

“You’re spoiling me with nice words today Spencer.” “You’ve spoiled me. My frontal lobe is spoiled milk.” She laughed, wondering how I was going to manage to make this one romantic.

“That’s the part of the brain responsible for sensibility and logical thinking, and you, little girl, have positively ruined it. You make me stupid.”

“I ruined the genius Dr. Reid with the 187 IQ? Makes sense. I’m like, way smarter.”

“You are. So, so much smarter.”

“I want that in writing.” she poked my chest.

I pulled her down and kissed her forehead to whisper in her ear. “Not a chance.”

She pushed herself away and rolled her eyes at me like a bratty child does her nanny, and I continued, “ You’re smarter, but I’m more educated. I have more doctorates than you have years in university.”

“Whatever…”

I brushed the hair away from her perfect face, “You tired baby?”

She sighed and laid down, splaying herself on my chest, laying on me like I was the duvet. “Very.”

I held her impossibly close, breathing in her scent and counting every time her heart thumped, her bpm said she was relaxed. Oh god, I wanted her like this forever. Relaxed in my arms, where nothing could touch us but each other.

Present Day 

Sunday 11:45 PM

How did it all seem so incredibly long ago? The BAU break room couch was definitely not made for sleeping, and yet Hotch had insisted I come try to get some rest. What was the use? How was I supposed to rest knowing that Y/N was out there in so much danger? I couldn’t rest until we found her, everybody knew that. 

Morgan came rushing into the tiny room, “Garcia’s got a hit. Her father left her 3 of his commercial properties, one of which is an abandoned mall.” 

I wasn’t allowed to work on the profile, but this was, for lack of a better word, a clear trap. “Morgan, it can’t be that easy. We both know that.” 

“Kid, she’s having a psychotic break. Everything about this is disorganized. It wasn’t planned at all. It’s not that much of a stretch to say she’d go to a secluded place she figured we’d never find.”

“Was there a second stressor? JJ and I thought it might’ve been the proposal but…” 

“Reid, I’ll brief you in the car. Get your shit together and let’s go get Y/N.” 

----

Taglist: @slaterskaterslaterboi @frickin-bats @bxtchboy69​  @reidsbbg

@sassy-hades @jackiehollanderr @k-k0129 @spenceoffense​

(Comment to be added)

[annbourbon]

Yaay! I've been tagged!! So happy 😭💕

1. Are you named after anyone? Yeah my mom called me Anna because of the Beatles, "Anna Go to him"

2. When was the last time you cried? Around November or December last year. There was a lot of drama going on and a group of people who was really toxic to m, I finally got my shit together and moved onto something better. I haven't cried ever since and I'm happy now! <3

3. Do you have kids? Nope

4. Do you use sarcasm? Sometimes lol

5. What's the first thing you notice about people? The eyes of they're close, their appearance if they're a bit far, the smell, if they're passing by and I'm a bit distracted.

6. What's your eye color? Hazel

7. Scary movies or happy endings? Both. Depends on my mood, and some scary movies are actually touching and have a bit of a good/happy (maybe sometimes bittersweet) ending. Life can be a happy, and beautiful story but also hard and terrifying one. So I like both. Depending on my mood and company. I'm the kind of person who watches scary movies alone, at night and then proceeds to sleep like a baby sheep. I also love to watch scary movies when I'm angry or pissed off with/at someone or something. But I also love romantic and comedic movies... yeah it depends.

8. Any special talents? Ummm lol I can eat even when I'm sick or in pain. Okay I'll say, um I can learn things rather quickly: maths, chemistry, biology, dancing, sports, drawing, writing, etc. I can learn anything and become rather decent at it. Anything. Except for bread. Just no. Have you guys seen Charlie Angels? When Lucy Liu gives them muffins? That's me with any kind of bread. And I've been trying to figure it out since I was 8 y.o. so there's no hope for me lol

9. Where were you born? Haven't decided yet lol ok no... Mexico. I'll omit the city, lots of creeps and stalkers have been in my life already so I'm not going to share more info like that.

10. What are your hobbies? Ballet (thanks to Barbie, Tchaikovsky and my mom lolol)

11. Any pets? Two cats (actually I have three cats and a dog but one of the cats is my brother's and so is the dog, so I just have a two little fellas... I'm considering buying a Cavalier King though... I've always wanted one.)

12. What sports do you play/have played? (Gotta go and eat something so I'll be back lol)

And I'm back lol (took me a whole day cause I'm busy as hell, sorry) so, yeah: chess, volleyball, basketball, soccer, ice-skate, swim, run, walk/sprint, cheerleading, rock-climbing indoors and outdoors. And other stuff. But I don't remember everything I ever did, just the most relevant ones: Volleyball practices were hard as hell. I even fainted because of it. And I'm not the kind of person who tends to faint.

Basketball was embarrassing. I'm tiny AF!! But we were forced so whatever lol

13. How tall are you? 5'0

14. Favorite subjects in school? I never liked school. Like, at all. But funny thing is, after I became a homeschool student (bullying from peers and teachers) I developed a healthy interest and started to love every single subject. So thanks mom, thanks dad!

15. Dream job? I don't have one. As long as I can eat and study/do everything I love and like, I'm content. I love being creative though.

Now,

@shizekarnstein

@ginatrerotola

@icedart21

@chengxiansbaby

@glitterurfloral

@jacksonthereaper

@knightfeld

@reidrunner

@xblackfinch

I don't have 6 more to make sure they're 15 though lol so they'll have to work. Sorry. Also thanks for the tag @bl00000g I had a fun time reading yours and answering it too<3

15 tags 15 mutuals

*tips hat* @athemarina

1. Are you named after anyone?: No but there is this thing on my father's side of my family where give a name starting with the letter A to their child.

2. When was the last time you cried?: About a month ago.

3. Do you have kids?: Noh

4. Do you use sarcasm?: Why would I ever?

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?: The way they talk and I try to notice hand gestures a lot.

6. What’s your eye colour?: Dark brown

7. Scary movies or happy endings?: Either one or both

8. Any special talents?: Eh....I can do this thing with my arms, it's a bit hard to explain but one friend called it a 'bone breaker' and my other friend told me I was temporarily popping it out of it's socket.

9. Where were you born?: Earth. I assure you that I am not an alien.

10. What are your hobbies?: Writing, drawing, reading, day dreaming, plotting ways to rebel against my school.

11. Have you any pets?: Fishes.

12. What sports do you play/have played?: Speed skating, swimming

13. How tall are you?: 5'4'' (yes I am very short)

14. Favourite subject in school?: Art (I am a computer science student)

15. Dream job?: Honestly I am trying to survive through school. My dream job was crushed in 8th grade.

Tagging: @late-to-the-fandom @master-of-the-pigeon-religion @on-noon @caligraphyzev @calloumii @idreamofhamandcheese @rxd-bxttrflxss @isabellebissonrouthier @midnight-and-his-melodiverse@subuthetitan @i-eat-books-and-nutella @timetravellingkitty @avocado-frog @usernamewastaken @aohendo

[glowingspence]

Can you do a platonic hotchreid with prompts 64 and 65???

"There was a kid with him, he is sitting in the waiting area but we can't get him to talk." The nurse tells Morgan when he arrives at the hospital.

Hotch had gotten a call that Gideon had been brought into the ER after someone tried breaking in and was surprised by him being home. Shots were exchanged while a bullet hit Gideon in the torso.

Hotch had called the team immediately, directing Morgan to drive down to the hospital for a reason he didn't understand because he and Gideon are hardly close, he knows he would rather have Hotch there but he had not been able to change his mind. Something had Hotch determind to check out the apartment.

"A kid?" Derek questions sceptical. He knows about Gideon's son, but they don't have any contact.

"Not a kid but a young man. Maybe a teenager. I can't tell you."

"Can you lead me to him?"

"Of course." The nurse leads him down the hall while she continues talking, "He seems distraught by what happened and he doesn't really let anyone talk to him but maybe you get lucky if you tell him that you are a friend of Agent Gideon."

"I will try, thank you." Slowly he walks into the waiting area that is apart from an old man in the corner and a woman reading a book empty. "Hey"

The man doesn't look up to him, he looks down on his blood soaked converse, the shoe lashes are open and have left a red pattern on the white floor.

"My name is Agent Derek Morgan, I work with Jason Gideon. Can you tell me who you are?" The man keeps on shuffling his feet over the ground, his thin hair covering parts of his face as he holds himself. "Did you call the ambulance?"

He nods and then looks away, still to the floor but more down the hall. "Can you tell me what happened?" He shakes his head and starts moving his leg left and right, "Is it okay if I sit down with you?"

"Agent Morgan played chess with me today, for a minute I thought that man is gonna outplay me." He recites and Morgan looks at him with confusion on his face.

"Did- did Agent Gideon say that?"

"Did Agent Gideon say that? Yes" The kid answers and looks up to him for the first time, eyeing every inch of him until something else catches his eyes and Morgan sees Hotch approaching them with fast steps before pulling the man in his arms who leaves out a strangled whine,

"Thank god you are okay" Hotch moves out of the hug and cups his face, "I know- I know no touches but I was so worried." He hugs him again, this time the young man presses his hands between them and pushes him off, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"They took Gideon." He speaks with huge eyes, "They took him. They wouldn't let me help."

"It's okay they are gonna take care of him okay?"

"Hotch?" Derek questions sceptical, "Care to explain what is going on?"

"Right, right." A little bit flustered Hotch gets up from the ground, "This is Spencer, Spencer is living with Jason and will work with us in the future. Right?"

"No"

"No?" Hotch questions with a frown, "Why not?"

"Need to write all the tests." He states as he rocks back in forth, "Kid I will make us a cup of coffee and then we can study- Spencer get down- get down-" He yells the last parts while he takes his hand up to his head, hitting it.

"It's okay, it's okay, you are safe. Deep breath." Hotch crouches down in front of him again, "Spencer hey!"

"Where is the painting? Where is the painting? Fuck why are they home? Why are there two? Only the kid was supposed to be here. Stay on the ground. Stay on the ground. Stay on the ground. Stay on the ground."

"Did they say that? Where there more than one?"

"Home" To their surprise he gets up from his seat, his ears still covered as he aims for the hallway before Hotch stops him with one hand around his waist, causing him again to leave out a high pitched noise.

"Where do you wanna go? Tell me"

"Today is the 3rd. Tomorrow is the 4th. Need to study. Today is the 3rd. Last chance. Gideon needs to help me. He was gone all week, now we need to study all of it in one night."

"Then let's drive to my home okay? I'll help you study."

"Fast" Spencer starts walking again while Hotch stays back for a second.

"Call JJ have her pick up Spencer's text books, they already must be on the table if they wanted to get started." Hotch orders.

"You can't be serious? How can he think about a test right now?"

"Better a test than this. Just do it." Hotch looks at him in a way that tells Derek not to ask any more questions and to just do what he just has been told.

"You remember Haley right?" Hotch questions when he unlocks the door to their house, "My wife?"

Timidly Spencer nods and steps into the house, a light shining in the kitchen, "Let's get our shoes off and then see if we can find us a good coffee to get us through the night."

"Books"

"Agent Jareau is going to get your books. It's going to take a few minutes though." Hotch smiles at him apologetic while he gets out of his shoes and places them near the others, "Come on."

He leads him into the kitchen where Haley is already up and preparing something to eat for him and two cups of coffee, "Hey you" With a warm motherly smile she places the cup in front of where Spencer sits down, "It's two sugar, right?"

Offended Spencer frowns at her and shakes his head while Hotch leaves out a chuckle, "She was kidding. You can have as much sugar as you want." She places the sugar next to him, watching him put multiple spoons in, "You are gonna get a heartattck one day."

"Good heart. Past physical." He taps his chest a few times.

"I heard" Hotch sits down next to him, taking a sip himself. "Why don't you go to the bathroom real quick? There is a lot of blood on your face and clothes. I will bring you new ones okay.."

Spencer shakes his head and grips a pen that is lying at the end of the table, "We can start studying when JJ was here? We have enough time that you can take care of yourself first."

"Seven hours and four minutes" He states and looks back at the ceiling.

"Good that you have that brain of yours then."

"No time"

"There is enough time." Hotch takes a warm wet washcloth from Haley and gently touches Spencer's head who immediately leaves out a whine and starts hitting Hotch with his hand, "It's okay, you are okay."

"No time, no time."

"Shh it's okay." He keeps on trying until Spencer forms his hand into a fist and hits him into the side with full force making Hotch grasp for air for a moment,

"Aaron!"

"No time. No time."

"I won't touch you again, I promise." Hotch places the washcloth on the kitchen, "It's okay, I am sorry."

"Only Gideon and Mom."

"I know I am sorry"

"No touching."

"It's okay."

"Only Gideon and Mom."

"I know that's okay. I respect that." Skeptical Spencer sits back down on the chair but keeps his eyes on Hotch and when Haley moves flinches and looks where she is going, "You are not in any danger."

"Want Gideon"

"I know." Slowly Hotch keeps his hands in sight and sits down, "The hospital is gonna call me on this phone if there are any news."

"Morgan?"

"No not Agent Morgan. He was there because I send him." Hesitant Spencer grabs Hotch's phone, "I drove down to Jason's place to see if you are there."

"Drove with Gideon."

"That was okay."

"Blood"

"I can imagine." Hotch has to hold back to not physically comfort him again. "Do you really need to study? Or are you just a little paranoid-"

"No time! Need to study!" He slams his hands down on the table, "Need to study"

"It's okay, it's okay we will study"

"Aaron-" Haley makes a motion for him to follow her out the room but he shakes his head and grabs an old bill from the corner of the table and the pen from Spencer's hands.

"Alright name everything you need to study." It takes some time till JJ gets the books from the crime scene and Hotch finds out that Gideon is right and that Spencer really does get too much anxiety over exams even if he can perfectly do it. So in the morning they are running on no sleep and the third cup of coffee, "Okay Agent Morgan is going to drive you, alright? He is going to wait for you to finish the test and then drive you to the hospital."

"Okay" Concentrated Spencer keeps fiddling with the pen in his hands, "Okay, okay, okay" he mutters while Derek looks at him with worry.

"There is gotta be a way that he can skip the test. Look at him. He hasn't even washed off the blood."

"I tried all night. Just drive him. I told him you will drive off at 7:20 am with him. Don't make it late."

"Okay, okay, okay" Spencer is still muttering under his breath while rereading the same pages for what must be the fifth time and when he climbs into Morgan's truck he starts rocking back and forth.

"Kid?"

"No time."

"Did Hotch give you at least something to eat?" Morgan questions and Spencer nods, "Did you eat it?"

He shakes his head and Derek reaches to the back, grabbing two protein bars and a soda can. "Eat and drink or you brain won't work."

"For me?"

"Yes kid, eat this while we drive."

"Thank you, Sir"

"No problem." They get quite a few stares when they walk into the room like this and Morgan walks up to the Agent supervising the test announcing he will sit in.

"He was not with Agent Gideon was he? I heard what happened." The old man questions while watching Spencer take a seat in the back.

"Kid got lucky but I would feel more comfortable sitting here, have an eye on him."

"No worries he will be done in twenty minutes anyway."

"Twenty?"

"Kid got a brain even Jason Gideon can't compete with." He tells him and offers to get him a stool and Spencer shyly looks up and waves to Derek who shoots him a smile back and when Spencer hands in his test like expected he even gets away with a pat on the shoulder. "You answered everything?"

"Yes, sir"

"Gideon will be proud of you."

"We will see him now right?"

"Yes of course." He looks at the kid a moment longer, "Does Gideon normally come with you to tests?"

"I get really anxious in tests so he does when he can. It was very nice of you to sit in, Sir."

"Of course."

"Do you think when I will start working at the BAU, you will still work there too?"

"I hope so."

"Will we be friends then, Sir?" He questions much to Derek's surprise. It's not something people ask usually but Spencer doesn't seem to mean this in a mocking way.

"That I am betting on." Encouraging he places his hand on Spencer's shoulder again, "Have you met anyone else from the team yet?"

"Only Gideon and Hotch."

"I am sure you will love the rest too."

"I wouldn't really say I love Hotch" Spencer states with a slightly sorry face that makes Derek break out into a chuckle.

"It's okay, you will."

"He is nice"

"And he loves you a lot."

"Really?"

"Really." When Spencer reaches the hospital he is first shy and timidly walking into the room before Gideon opens his arms for him,

"It's good to see you"

"I got through my whole test!"

"That's amazing, kiddo." He hugs him, ignoring the pain, "Hotch hold me you studied together"

"Yes he is a great study partner" Spencer sits down on the bed, "And Derek said we can be friends when I join the team."

"That's amazing." Proudly Gideon smiles at him, "Come here again, lay down." Spencer stripes off his shoes and then curls up against Gideon's healthy side, "I am glad you are okay."

"You too"

[Prompt list]

[empressofthesunwriter]

The Queens Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

8th Millenniums Items

Reborn!Kisara

Reborn!Mana

Queen!OC

QueenReborn!Oc

RedEyesBlackDragon!OC

Pairings:

Atem/Yami YuugiXOC

Yuugi MutoXOC

Seto KaibaXReborn!Kisara

Anzu MazakiXReborn!Mana

Author Note: Big thank you to my friend Light guardine35 from Quotev and AO3 who helped me when I got stuck. You rock my world, cupcake. :D Do me a favor and read her stories, all right? Now, I know people are reading this story, but I don’t get enough reviews for it as it should be, so please, please, please give me a review. I’m open to criticism I’m not afraid, I just want some feedback. T^T Okay, I’m done whining. Enjoythe chapter!

Chapter 5: Off to Duelist Kingdom! Part II

Redone 29/08/24

All right, maybe staying hiding outside on the cruise ship wasn't the best idea.

Anzu had a problem now.

A really urgent now!

"I'm at my breaking point!", she whined and stood up.

"If we don't hide, we'll get in trouble!". reminded Honda.

"But I can't hold it. Where's the bathroom."

Honda seriously stood up and pointed proudly over the railing.

"Relive yourself over there!"

"You fool! I'm not a noy!", shouted Anzy angrily.

"Hey, guys keep it down!", hissed Maja, who had a sleeping Sadiye in her arms. "Some of us try to sleep over her and you don't want to wake up this little dragon, trust me!"

Before anyone could say something more a door opened.

They saw Ryou Bakura walk out of it and lean on the railing.

“Bakura-Kun? Is that Bakura?”, Anzu whisper-shouted to Honda.

Maja also looked curious over.

“I'm not Ba-sure-a.”, joked Honda.

Maja and Anzu sweatdropped in disbelief.

"What a lame joke.", grumbled Anzu.

"Totally.", agreed Maja, before she asked: “Is this Bakura a friend of yours?”,

“A school friend, yes.”, answerd Anzu.

Maja eyed him up and down and then grinned.

“He reminds me of a fluffy kitty…adorable!”

Now Anzu and Honda sweatdropped.

/*/

“I’m sooooo full.”, whined Sehrazat holding her belly.

It had been a stupid idea to eat all this food!

Kihana had to fight a burp. She was a bit green in the face.

“That’s the first and last time we do this.”, proclaimed Kihana. “My stomach hurts so much.”

Sehrazat could only agree.

The two best friends were out of their room in search of Yugi and Jonouchi. They together with Afya agreed that they needed to win the boy’s trust first before they could tell them all about Afya and Yugi’s lodger in the Millennium Puzzle.

If he didn’t know about the pharaoh already.

They would wing it as they go, was decided.

Kihana opened a door that would lead them to the exterior of the ship since they hadn’t found them inside.

Luck was on their side it seemed.

They did find the boys.

Yugi was sitting at one of the tables, while Joey was standing beside him.

“Hello again, Yugi and Joey.”, greeted Kihana for them as they walked up to the boys.

“Oh, hey, girls, how’s going?”, greeted Joey smiling back.

Yuugi and Sehrazat looked shyly at each other, he turned red, while she was bashful.

“Aren’t you two just adorable?”, cooed Afya in their minds.

“Shut up, Gran-Gran!”

The ancient queen laughed just.

“All good, with you guys?”, asked Kihana. Joey said the same, so she asked another thing: “So what were you up to?”

“Nothing much, just enjoying the cruise, and you ladies?”

“We were actually looking for you guys. Sehra wants to know all about your Duel against Kaiba, Yugi.”, told them Kihana.

Not only the boys blinked, also Sehrazat. That wasn’t really the reason, they searched for them, not that Sehrazat would mind hearing about it.

Sehrazat gave Kihana a look, but her best friend gripped just her shoulder and Yugi ones and pushed them nearly to the rail.

“Why don’t you two talk there and I will tell Joey about our adventure in the Europe Championship.”

“You really will?”

“Of course, Joey!”

The blond boy blushed and couldn’t help to celebrate internally. A pretty girl who was also a duelist wanted to talk with him and share her experience with him.

It was awesome!

Meanwhile, our two short duelists were clearly shy with each other. Sehrazat played with her fingers and Yugi rubbed his neck nervously.

“For the love of Hathor, child, Kihana gave you a chance to talk to your crush.”, explained Afya in their minds. “Take it! Ask the boy about his duel and form a connection.”

The blue-haired girl didn’t know what to say and gulped nervously. After what happened with…HIM…she was insecure about boys. Yet, she didn’t think Yuugi was like that…and if even Kihana played wingman for her…maybe she should give it a try.

So she took a big gulp of air and smiled at Yugi. The boy blushed seeing her pretty smile, wondering how a girl like her could have any interest in him. He may be taller than her, but he was short for a male and his baby face didn’t make girls swoon over him.

“Would you like to tell me about your duel with Kaiba, Yugi-Kun? I would like to hear it from you.”, she said, batting her long eyelashes at him.

Yugi just turned redder, nonetheless nodded rabidly. His heart was nearly leaping out from his chest.

He would do anything she asked if she kept looking at him like he was someone special to her.

Kihana and Joey grinned seeing how Yugi started to tell Sehrazat in all the details about this duel with Kaiba and how she seemed to swoon harder after every sentence. Sehrazat asked him then to elaborate something more and Yuugi felt in heaven.

No girl he knew was that interested and knows so much about Duel Monsters, that he could talk so freely with her like that.

After a few minutes the two of them stood really close to each other, looking unafraid into the eyes of each other, laughing and talking about Duel Monsters’ strategies and cards.

Both felt a connection forming, an understanding, that they had always longed for.

“Nice going, Hana-Chan.”, complimented Joey. “These two would have never talked with each other if not for you.”

“Why thank you Jonouchi-Kun.”, grinned Kihana.

Already the designer in her image what Sehrazat’s wedding dress should look like and what colors for his tuxedo would fit Yuugi best.

“Hi Yugi.”, said suddenly, someone.

They turned and saw-

“Haga-Kun.”, said Yugi.

Kihana and Afya both felt annoyed that the boy showed up.

It was going so well with Yugi and Sehrazat!

Sehrazat herself was a bit sad that her conversation with Yugi stopped, hopeful they could talk more after Haga left.

“I see you found some new friends. Even famous ones.”, continues the Insect-Duelist. “A shame you couldn’t participate at the world championships because of a technicality Faizan-San.”

Sehrazat waved her hand.

“Well, at least Kihana and I could join the Duelist Kingdom. This is more important than the world championship.”

Haga nodded.

 “The night breeze feels nice. Did you trade for any good cards?”, he turned to the tri-colored-haired boy.

“No. I'll duel using the cards that I brought.”, answered Yugi.

“I figured as much. Your deck contains the Exodia cards that you used to defeat Kaiba, right?”

“You know about that?”

“Can you let me see those legendary cards?”

“If the secret is out, I don't need to hide them. I'm in trouble since you know my strategy.”

Yugi moved back to the table to get his cards, Haga following. Sehrazat crossed her arms and joined them.

She mouths a thank you to Kihana for giving her a chance to talk with Yugi and her best friend winks at her.

Yugi rummages through the golden box which holds once upon a time the pieces of the Millenium Puzzle.

 “Here!”

With a smile, he hands Haga his five Exodia cards.

That’s the moment Sehrazat feels a tingle in her connection with Afya.

“What’s up, Gran-Gran?”

“The Insect-Boy gives me some weird, as you call, vibes! Be careful!”

And Afya should have the right feeling.

After admiring the Exodia cards and admitting that he couldn’t find a strategy till now to defeat them, Haga throws the card overboard.

“I fucking knew it!”

Yuugi, Joey, Kihana and Sehrazat look shocked at how the cards fall into the ocean below.

“No!”, screams Yuugi, trying desperately to reach them.

Haga just laughs and walks away with the words: “Now there's no one who can challenge me.”

“You Punk!”, shouts Joey.

“What a cockroach!”, hisses Kihana.

“My cards!”, cries Yuugi. “Grandpa gave me those precious cards!”

“Damn it!”

With this Joey jumps over the railing and into the ocean.

The three others are shocked.

“Joey! It's no use!”, calls Yugi.

“Are you nuts?!”, adds Kihana.

“Yeah, you can’t do it alone!”, say’s Sehrazat.

Before Yuugi can ask what she means and Kihana can grip her, already Sehrazat jumps overboard to help Joey with the cards.

“That was heroic and dumb at the same time.”, lectures her Afya, as Sehrazat shivers because of the cold ocean water.

“I know, but these cards are important to Yugi! What else could I have done?”

“You here to help Sehra?”, asks Joey and swims over to her.

She nods determinedly.

“I promise you, We'll get them, Yuugi!”, shouts Joey up to the ship.

“Joey, Sehrazat, they're not worth drowning over!”, cries Yuugi shocked.

He can’t believe that his best friend and his new friend have really done this.

But why? He doesn’t understand.

Kihana seems ready to jump herself down, as she screams at them: “Sehrazat Nefertiti Faizan and Katsuya Jonouchi, you both came this instant back onboard or so help you Ra, I will get you myself and it won’t be pretty!”

“Not till we have all of Exodia!”, contradicts Sehrazat and plucks a card from the ocean’s surface. “I got one, Joey!”

“Me too!”

“Joey, Sehrazat swim back to the ship!”, pleads Yugi.

The two ignore him and pluck each other another one. Joey thinks about how he can help finally someone he cares about and Sehrazat how she is glad that she can give Yugi back Exodia.

“That’s the last one.”, she yells cheerily.

She has three and Joey has two. Those are all pieces of Exodia!

“Now come back up, before I kick your ass!”, growls Kihana angrily.

Sehrazat and Joey would like to do that, but that’s when a strong current drags them both underwater

Yuugi and Kihana yell the name of their respective best friend and jump now into the ocean too. They each grab them.

“You are both crazy, you know that?!”, yells Kihana.

Suddenly they hear voices calling out for them.

“Big sister, Sehrazat!”

“Yugi, Jounouchi!”

Kihana thinks she is dreaming. On the ship is her little sister with Maja and an unknown boy and girl.

“Anzu!”, calls Yuugi to the girl.

The unknown boy unrolls a ladder down to the water.

“Are you okay?”

“Grab ahold!”, tells them this Anzu.

“Hurry!”

“Anzu, Honda.”, says Yuugi in disbelief.

After they swim back up to the ship and climb the ladder our four who took a dive have to catch their breath. Anzu, Honda, Maja, and Sadiye stand worried around them.

“You saved us.”, shudders Yuugi. “But why did you sneak on board?”

“We were worried.”, adminds Anzu.

“Because you'd be alone”, adds Honda.

“Thanks, everyone.”

“Sadiye Kisara Schariq and Maja Sayuri Maamoun, what in the name of Isis and Osiris are you doing here?!”, questions Kihana, and seems ready to explode.

“The same as our new friends, Anzu and Honda.”, answers her sister Nochchanlety. “We were worried and want to support you.”

“You will get so grounded when we get back home, Sadiye and I will not be sorry for you!”

“Big sister!”

“Why did you take the swan dive anyway, we just saw how one after the other jumped into the water.”, ask Maja wondering.

Sehrazat holds her three cards up and Joey follows her example with his two.

“Because of the Exodia-Cards!”, she says.

“We got them all, Yugi!”, tells Joey happy.

“You guys are crazy. Totally crazy. But thank you so much.”

Yugi takes the cards back from them. It is then that Joey turns sad and shakes his head.

“You should thank Sehra more, she found most of the cards. Alone I wouldn’t have found them all.”, gritted Joey his teeth in frustration.

“That’s not true, Joey!”, argues Sehrazat back.

The blond boy just shakes his head.

“It's always this way with me. I'm never able to help anybody. Not even my own sister, Shizuka.”

This shocks Honda, Anzu, and Yuugi, while our four girls just look confused.

“Shizuka?”, repeats Yuugi.

“Really? You have a sister, Joey?”, ask Anzu to be sure she heard right.

“You guys didn’t know?”, wonders Maja.

They shake their heads.

“That sounds straight out of a drama series.”, mumbles Sehrazat and wrings her hair out.

“Our parents divorced years ago when we were kids.”, explains Joey. “She lives far away with my mother. My sister's had really bad eyes since she was born. Eventually, she'll go blind.”

Yuugi gives him an empathic look.

“I'm sorry.”

“Thanks, Yug'. She sent me a message. The doctors told her that the time had come. Soon her eyes will be impossible to repair, even with surgery. But there are specialists in Germany who could perform an operation now before it's too late. They could save her eyesight. But... there's no way I can pay for the operation. I have to win. For her! Winning in the Duelist Kingdom, and getting the prize money, is the only way I can help Shizuka!”

“We'll both do our best, Joey!”, promises Yuugi. “You, for your sister. And me, for my grandpa.”

“It seems we all here are fighting for someone precious.”, musses Sehrazat with a sad look and grips her Millenium Item.

“Did Pegasus take someone from you too, Sehrazat?”, asks Yuugi carefully.

He knows this look. It’s the same when he thinks about how his grandfather lost his soul to Pegasus.

It’s Kihana who answers him.

“Pegasus wants all the Millenium Items it seems. With his, he took Sehrazat's mother’s soul and we both are here to get it back. That’s why we searched for you two in the first place. We had a feeling you would be in the same situation and become our allies. All because of your Millenium Puzzle.”

The Puzzle and the Fragment seem to glint at the same moment.

“Allies, I think we should be friends.”, says Anzu passionately. “We all are here to fight against Pegasus. With friends on our sides, it will be better.”

“Nice said, Anzu.”, praises Honda.

The four girls look at each other and then nod.

“Then how about we go to my and Kihana’s cabin? We need to dry and you guys need a place to sleep.”

Jonouchi's You Have Your Own Cabin could be heard from kilometres.

/*/

Afya had a small smile as she looked around the cabin.

Sehrazat, Kihana, and Sadiye were sleeping peacefully in one bed, while Maja and this new girl Anzu shared the other. Jounouchi and Honda had each taken one of the couches for themselves and were having a snoring contest it seems and little Yugi was curled up in the armchair.

It looked like “her kids” and the new ones felt comfortable with each other. She was happy that they made friends fast.

Softly humming she stroked Sehrazat’s blue locks.

Maybe with their new friends, they would have even more of a chance not only to get Amira’s soul back but also little Yuugi’s grandfather’s soul and the price money Jounouchi needed for his little sister’s operation.

That’s when she felt how the air was humming with energy.

With old ancient magic.

The kind she used herself.

She closed her eyes, yet didn’t stop her humming.

The once queen of all Egypt had wondered when the spirit of the Millenium Puzzle would talk to her.

They both had sensed each other when Yugi and Sehrazat first met.

“So you decide finally to show yourself?”, she couldn’t help but use a huffy tone. She had tried early to talk to him, but he had refused to answer her. How rude! “I wondered for a second if you would stay in the puzzle for all the journey.”

The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle or as he called himself Yami admitted he did feel a bit bad that he hadn’t talked to his follow spirit earlier. He was just so surprised to encounter another soul like him, that he needed to think for a while. It didn’t help that the presence of the spirit of the Millenium Fragment was so…so familiar to him, even if it didn’t make any sense!

He had needed time for himself.

Yami had his hands in his pant pockets and looked at how the female spirit seemed to check on the new friends of Yugi and Yugi and his friends too.

She seemed like a mother, looking after her flesh and blood to make sure they were all right.

Something deep in him twisted painfully, and a feeling of bittersweetness washed over him.

He wonders why?

That’s when his fellow spirit turned to him, fixing him with a regal expression, fitting for a great queen and orange eyes so sharp, that he had a feeling she could look right through him.

She was really beautiful.

Her long dark blue hair reminds him of the night sky and her unique orange eyes were not from this world. She had more womanly curves than her young partner, yet he could make out the muscles she had.

This was someone who could fight physically with any man and he had a feeling she would end up victorious.

Meanwhile, Afya had similar thoughts running through her head.

Little Yuugi’s darker half, was taller than him, his hair a bit wilder, and his eyes the colour of the most beautiful amethyst. His face was serious, sharper, but oh so handsome.

Like the gods had sculpted it.

If she were a young girl she would have probably swooned, but she was an ancient spirit, a queen nonetheless, she swooned because of no one!

Even if such a fine specimen was before her.

“I apologize.”, he addressed her with a sinful-sounding voice, which made her shiver lightly. Since Sehrazat awoke her soul from her deep slumber, no one had gotten such a reaction out of her. What was happening? “I should have talked to you before, but I admit. I was quite in shock meeting someone in the same situation I’m in.”

Afya put a hand on her hip, fully aware of how the other spirit seemed to check her shapely body up thanks to her movement as she had intended.

Was she flirting?

Yes.

She couldn’t resist.

“You mean trapped in a Millenium Item, bonded to a young teenager and with no memory?”, she nearly purred.

Yami balled the hands in his pockets into fists. Her honeyed voice got to him and was it his imagination or was the room filled with energy?

Sinful, erotic, energy.

Well, he wouldn’t complain.

You didn’t meet such a beautiful woman any day.

“So you are just like me, what is your name?”, he asked her, making his voice drop more, delightful in seeing her shiver a bit and batting her long eyelashes at him.

“Afya was the name my descendant gave me. You may call me so…?”

“Yami.”

“Yami.”, she repeated purring like a cat and now he had to control his shivers.

By Afya triumphed glint in her topaz eyes, he failed miserably.

Well, two could play this game.

He gave her a smirk, which clearly affected Afya, and asked: “Descendant? Do you mean the young girl who wears the Millennium Fragment? I thought you don’t remember anything.”

“Apparently I was once a powerful queen of Egpyt.”, she started to explain, playing with a lock of her hair. Yami got the desire to run his finger into these dark blue locks. “Before I died, my soul was put into my Millenium Item and one of my daughters became its keeper. For thousands of years, her bloodline kept it safe, till it was Sehrazat’s turn. When she put it on, my soul awoke and here I am now.”

“I slept for such as long too.”, Yami’s eyes wander over the sleeping Yugi, and a little smile forms. “When Yugi solved the puzzle, it was like a was reborn into this world. I know my roots lay in Egypt too. Probably all Millenium Items are from there.”

He heard how Afya hummed, and then the other spirit walked closer to him.

Now they stood before each other.

She cocked her head in a flirty fashion, showing him her long elegant neck, and reached with one hand out to him.

Afya rubbed his shoulder and then slid with her hand his arm up and down.

If he was a weaker man, he would have gulped and turned red, but he wasn’t so he raised an eyebrow at her and wrapped one lock of her hair around his finger.

It was really soft and smooth.

“I have a feeling you want to make a point, beautiful Afya.”, know he was the one purring and Afya felt her knees going weak.

She licked her lips and had to keep a winning smile from her face as she saw how Yami followed hungrily this motion with his eyes.

“Mmh, we both are from Egypt, I was a queen once and we both feel the connection that the Puzzle and Fragment have with each other.”

“If you are pointing out the obvious that I was the pharaoh to your queen, my dear, then you don’t need to waste your breath. I already suspected it, when you told me your story.”

Afya narrowed her eyes at him and stopped rubbing his arm. She came really close to his face, their nose barely touching.

“Then why didn’t you say so before and play dumb?”, she hissed offended. Was he only playing with her? “We may have been married once, but I am no one’s plaything.”

“I didn’t think that and for making you feel this way I am sorry.”, he apologized sincerely and put a bit of hair behind her ear. “I admit, this is new and exciting. I thought we would keep on flirting. I greatly enjoyed our banter.”

Yami had to fight the smirk at her bashful expression.

His queen was tough, he felt it in his bones, yet she was with him like a freshly fallen-in-love girl.

Mmh, his queen…

He indeed liked the sound of it.

Before she could answer him, they both heard a sleepy voice calling for her.

It was her young host and descendant…which meant she was also his? Did he and Afya have children? He needed to ask her the next time they were alone.

“Gran-Gran? What are you doing?”

Seems like Sehrazat, that was her name if Yami remembered right, couldn’t see him.

Afya gave him such a hot look, that he felt his knees go weak. That look promised more than delightful banter…he couldn’t wait.

“Nothing, child of mine. Do you want me to sing you a lullaby to fall back asleep?”, Afya asked her.

Something like a yes came from Sehrazat.

Afya squeezed his hand, till she walked and sat then down beside her Hikari, to sing her to sleep.

Yami decides to go back into his puzzle.

He wouldn’t disturb the two ladies with his presence.

Also, he had a lot to think about.

Next

[twinklelilstarkey]

Stopping You - Michael Gray [Part 9]

Words: 8.2k+

Summary: When finally able to leave the hospital, memories awake buried feelings in both Y/N and Michael.

Warnings: Female!Reader. Mentions of wounds and physical pain. Emotional Cheating. A very slight mention of smut. A character being touch-starved. Being horny [ :) ]. Self hate (discrediting their own sadness and feelings; hateful inner voice). 

Prologue    Part 1    Part 2    Part 3    Part 4    Part 5     Part 6    Part 7   Part 8     Part 9     Part 10

It has been 2 days ever since you woke up.

The doctors don’t seem to be planning on letting you go home this soon since the wound is supposedly still “too fresh” and because “you’re too at risk of ripping stiches”. Which to you, what they are actually trying to say is “you can’t stand still so we will force you to sit the fuck down until you’re good enough to go back home”.

It does sounds more accurate, doesn’t it?

You’re already able to sit up on your own even though it still hurts like a bitch. And you’ve been playing more and more chess with Michael now that Finn and Polly are back to work.

It, honestly, hasn’t been that bad.

It’s still a little tense between you two when stuck in silence but can anybody blame you after all that happened?

But tense or not, you still like his company, nonetheless.

You know, also, that Gina has been making some visits at the hospital. Not to see you of course, but to see him. They always talk to each other behind the doors of your room, in the hallway, whispering and shutting up whenever a nurse or doctor would walk by.

You would’ve been lying if you said that you weren’t curious. But still, it is not your place to make questions about personal matters. So, behind the glass of the doors you stay.

The door of your room swings open again, letting a wave of cold wind hit you and you look up to see Michael, who is staring at the ground.

“Please, Michael. You have to listen to me, this makes no sense-” Gina says loudly, making Michael turn quickly and glare at her.

You look at the two of them confused and Michael whispers something at his fiancée before turning to walk back out of the room, but he doesn’t, he just stands by the door. Gina looks through the glass in the doors at you and you lift an eyebrow as if to question her glance.

She looks away and you grin while looking back to the papers in your lap.

“Go home, Gina” Michael whisper yells at her and you try your best to act as if the conversation is not making curiosity crawl under your skin.

The blonde, standing behind the door, sighs and takes a step back. And after that, all you can hear is her thick heels sound over the stone of the hospital’s hallways.

Michael sighs as her steps echo through the empty side of the hospital and he turns back to you, seeing you smirking while reading whatever is there to read in all the family’s money withdraws.

“Trouble in paradise?” You poke, not even lifting your eyes at him.

He doesn’t answer at first, he just walks towards the chair he had been previously seated and sits down ungracefully.

You chuckle under your breath at his silence and flip over the page, reading the handwritten numbers of everything that has been gained and wasted over the name of the Shelby family.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” He pokes back.

You finally look up from the papers and he has a teasing look over his eyes, now.

He’s already comfortable enough to make jokes and tease you back, and, honestly, he almost doesn’t seem like the same Michael from the day after the event.

You don’t hate it. At all.

“Anything is more entertaining than this” You admit, looking back down to your papers.

“I don’t doubt it” He agrees.

You two stay silent again. Minds focusing on two completely different things.

Michael’s travels to Ginna’s words while yours goes back to the numbers.

Gina had just tried to make him follow the plan again. Hurt the prey while it’s weak, she said. But again, he doesn’t agree at all with her words.

Her tone is not understanding anymore, or even slightly sweet. Her tone is what seems to be a way to try and achieve an authorial one. Her words carry venom as she spills the, so, simple task of overthrowing Tommy Shelby.

Michael’s not even sure if she always talked like that and he never noticed, or is it just sounding different now because he can’t stop comparing his fiancée with you. 

He honestly deeply hopes that he could just erase that plan from Gina’s mind, she almost seems obsessed over it. Judging by how tired she looks every time she visits, she must have not been sleeping lately.

How and why did this plan even seem good at all? As Michael always been so power-hungry? As he always been so thirsty for success, or felt pleasure over imagining himself sitting on the family’s throne?

No human doesn’t love success, that is the truth. Especially if it all is signed at the bottom with your family’s last name. But what Michael was planning with Gina is nothing of the sort. This was not about making your own money and achieve your own success. This was taking somebody else’s and claiming it as yours.

And that is nothing but dirty and foul. How could he have thought that this was good in the first place?

Fuck the American companies who shamed his family’s business over the not being the ideal business partners. His family is serious and hard working. They came from absolutely nothing. Unlike all those men, who swim in their, nothing but dirty, money.

He must talk to Tommy, to let him know about what they said. The news are going to be old, and he should’ve just told him everything when he had just talked to them. But he didn’t. And he regrets it now. Deeply.

Better late than never, right?

“When’s the wedding?” You ask, breaking the silence in the room.

Michael blinks his thoughts away and looks back up at you to already find you staring. You look curious.

“We- Uhm… we haven’t decided yet” He answers, short and simple.

You nod while pursing your lips forward in thought.

“And have you decided on where is going to be?” You ask, “At least in what country?”

“Gina wants to marry and live in America” He replies, fidgeting in his seat as his hand reaches his pocket.

Michael moves slowly to grab his cigarettes and his lighter from his pocket as you stare.

You don’t exactly know how to react. You’re quite disappointed with his answer, but you’re sure you’ll be able to accept it with time. At least to slow the bitter truth that is Michael finding love and moving abroad. Again.

But why should you care?

It’s true that you haven’t found love in another someone, but you also haven’t tried. In the time Michael was away, you occupied your mind and your heart with work. With papers just like the one’s that rest over your lap now. But you could start all over again with another person. Right?

But do you even know when you stopped loving him? When you gave up in love?

The answer is no. You don’t remember, nor do you feel it missing in your chest. You care for many people, yet you love less. You can count in your fingers how many people you would actually shed a tear if their life came to an unfortunate ending.

It would consist in people like Polly and Finn. People who took care of you at your lowest but also didn’t let you go when you stood in your own feet.

Michael moves forward to tap down the ashes of his cigarette on the ashtray beside you and you force yourself to look back at your papers.

Is Michael one of them?

(…)

“What’s with that face?” Michael asks as walks out of the bathroom.

You look up from your plate of food, the disgusted scowl still in your face.

“This is horrible” You tell him, cringing as you hold your fork in your hand.

Michael chuckles and you look back down, your fork pokes the small pile of overcooked rice and you swear to God that it just jiggled.

How is that even physically possible?

As you’re too ingulfed in your horrible meal, Michael walks to stand next to you and eyes your food from up close. You look over at him and the same exact features of disgust fill his face.

He looks at you as amusement overcomes your emotions and you giggle before looking at the food again.

“That looks…” He starts and you look up at him as he stands straighter, “Delicious” He says, trying his best to motivate you to eat.

You look at him with both a smile and a frown, and he looks at you, biting his lip to contain his other possible descriptions of your so wonderful meal.

“It could honestly be worse” He says, and you gasp.

“Worse?” You ask, smiling in amusement but also confused with his words.

“Yes…?” He answers, “I ate worse when I was here”

“You did not” You disagree.

“I did!” He defends himself.

“You did not!” You repeat, shifting in your seat.

“Y/N, it was way worse. You threw it at the wall once and it stuck!” He emphasizes the last word.

You bite in your laughter at the memory and shake your head.

“Still think it’s worse”

“Then…” He breathes in, serious look on his face, “You’re blind” A small smile cracks at the end.

You laugh a bit and look back at the metal tray. You poke the rice again and it jiggles one more time, making the man beside you chuckle through his noise, under his breath.

“It’s horrible, Michael” You say, slightly upset over this being one of the only meals you have today.

“It is” He finally agrees.

You sigh and put down your fork, falling back against your bed and your pillows.

“You should still eat-”

“I prefer to starve” You answer with a deep breath.

Michael grabs your tray from the small table in front of you and walks over to put it on the counter next to the door. He grabs the apple and throws back to you, landing beside your legs.

“You could’ve hit me” You say.

You grab it and let it rest over your lap as he walks back to the bed.

“Excuse my horrible aim, your highness” He teases, and you roll your eyes, “You’ve done worse to me before”

“Did not” You defend yourself.

“Yes, you did”

He sits down on the side of your bed, next to your legs.

“Like what?”

“You hit me with a jar once, with a rock back in the field, almost stuck a fork on my hand-”

“Those were not on purpose!” You say with a smile.

He smiles back.

“Don’t care. If I was as a careless as you, I could’ve been decapitated by now” He continues, and you giggle at him.

“Decapitated?” You repeat.

“Yes!” He says loudly, “Don’t you remember when you had that machet-?”

“Excuse you?” You ask, sitting up, “That was nowhere near your face!”

“Because I pulled away!” He says as loudly.

You let out a fit of giggles at the memory and the sight of his widen, terrified, eyes back on that day, and Michael stares at you with a smile.

“Good to know my suffering is that amusing”

You giggle away your worries but all of a sudden, you stop laughing abruptly. Your hand rests under your chest as pain starts to spread over your torso. The painkillers probably exceeded their ability to work, over not being able to cover all the pain since you kept on moving.

“You okay?” He asks, worried, smile completely disappearing.

“Yeah, yeah” You say, a small smile of reassurance on your lips, “I think so”

“Want me to check?”

You think for a second and your mind starts overthinking, what if you just popped a stitch?

“No… I think I’m okay”

He looks at you for a little longer and you lean forward a bit.

“I’m good, Michael, don’t worry”

He stays silent while eyeing, worry filling his thoughts, just like yours, and you sigh.

You bring your hand under your hospital gown and touch the thin bandage carefully. Michael watches as you do it, and you almost sigh in relief as you don’t see any blood on your fingertips.

“See? I’m okay”

He nods and you sit up straighter.

“No more laughing for you, then” He says, patting your leg, and another smile starts appearing in your face.

God, you missed this.

(…)

Michael reenters your room as silent as he can and closes the door slowly. The room is now back to its natural darkness of the night, as it is just 5 past 11pm.

You’re still laying on your side in bed, in a deep sleep, just like when he left you to get something warm to drink.

He walks towards you at slow pace, cold fingers wrapped around his paper cup, holding a fresh and hot coffee. He sets it down by your nightstand, letting the steam lift off the liquid into the cold air of the room.

Michael stares down at the vacant part of the bed by your side and lets himself sit next to you.

His mother had just left. You slept the whole way through her visit, but she didn’t seem to mind. She had a lot to talk with him, mostly business.

“She looks so peaceful while she sleeps.”

That’s what his mother had told him as they stared down at you, sleeping under all your blankets before she had to leave. He didn’t answer her. But he agreed.

“You care for her, Michael?”

“Of course, I do.”

The smile she gave him at the sound of those words was unexpected. It was sweet and loving, just like the look she used to give him back when she saw you two together. Back when you were truly together.

It reminds him of all the memories of all the times you would try to annoy him in family dinners.

He doesn’t know why those memories specifically, but he remembers a lot.

The way he would stare at his mom just to try and ignore you further, all because he was “mad” at you. As if he could ever be mad at you. You wouldn’t even hurt a fly at the time. You wouldn’t even screamed back in arguments.

His mother would only smile at him from the other side of the table while seeing you sigh dramatically and lean back on your chair over the lack of response from your pokes and pinches.

Your distressed feelings wouldn’t last long since you would go back to whispering his name right as the family would restart a loud conversation.

You would give up by dessert. You would just grab his hand and lay it over your lap to play with it, obviously bored with all the business talk.

So many things have changed now.

Without even acknowledging it, Michael brings his hand to your cheek. You flinch a little over how cold his fingers are but after that, you give no other reaction. He moves your hair out of your face and smoothly caresses it.

Michael almost feels like his fingers are vibrating. It’s been so long ever since he had touched you like this. Your skin is almost like silk under his calloused fingers.

His finger traces your eyebrow, brushing it carefully as he stares at you, scared to awake you with any sudden movements.

You look so peaceful while asleep, like everything potentially bad in this world had vanished and you were left to just live all there’s good.

He pulls his hand away after some seconds and looks down at you. He grabs onto the top of your blankets and brings them all the way up to your neck, covering any of your exposed skin from the cold wind that is forcing its way in by the small cracks of the windows.

His hand goes back to your face almost at the same second, almost like he misses touching it. It has been so long since the last time he had done it, it almost feels unreal.

In your deep and peaceful sleep, you move your head over the pillow as his movements slow, making his fingers graze over your skin again. Michael doesn’t move, he just lets you do whatever so you can lay comfortably without any interruptions.

The sound of the harsh wind surrounds the room in that same second, hitting and whistling its way against the old windows.

You dip your head a bit under your covers and Michael chuckles through his nose, under his breath. It was almost like watching a cute little chipmunk hiding back inside its tree over the cold.

Without even realizing, in the moments of silence his brain used to create an alternative reality, all he can think of is how much he wants to hold you right now.

His thoughts are completely oblivious to his reality. The one where you two share as much physical touch as two roosters, both fighting for dominance in a chicken filled world. But he can’t help it. He misses you and your touch. He misses your sweet and long hugs, and how warm you always were.

Not even 2 hours ago you two had been playing chess and everything was so… different. He can’t quite understand why, but something in your interactions was pulling the strings of his heart.

It was like 3 days ago when you were discussing your disgusting lunch, where you laughed so hard you two freaked out over ripping a stitch.

Those moments felt unreal to him. Made him feel warm on the inside.

A few hours ago, maybe it was the way you would laugh at his struggles to win the game after his complete horrible plays, or the way you would smile as he looked down at the board thinking.

But it was something.

You’re staring down at the board, chin resting on your fist as you look down at the chess pieces. Your mind going miles a second with all the plays you can imagine, repeating over and over again to see if they made any sense.

You’re surely slow at this game, slower than you were before, but Michael isn’t complaining.

He leans back on his chair, his victory smile already spreading over his lips while you struggled.

“Stop that” You whisper at him, not looking up.

“Stop what?” He asks, humor thick on his tone.

“Stop thinking you’ve already won” You explain.

You look up with a smile on your face as the competitive bones in your body vibrate for you to be able to win this and show him that you’re more than capable to win him 2 times a night.

Michael is already staring. Your gaze meets his almost immediately, it’s both warm and welcoming as the soft and playful nature of your conversation floats in between you.

You bite your tongue and force yourself to look away and back to the board. Your mind is back to blank, you can’t remember the play you had been repeating in your mind.

“The clock is ticking” Michael teases, making your smile widen.

“Stop” You say waving your hand in the air, so he shuts up.

“Better get ready to lose” He sings his words, and you sigh dramatically.

You cover your ears with both of your hands and force yourself into going back to the “chess mentality”. Michael continues to smile down while looking at you and you bite your lips to try and stop yours.

“Ten seconds left”

You glare at him playfully.

“You’re lying”

“Am not, look at the clock”

You ignore him and go back to the board.

“6… 5… 4…” Michael counts down dramatically.

In the middle of the stress and pressure forced upon you, you move one of your pieces without a second thought. As you place it down, Michael shuts up.

You look up at him and he is just staring you amusingly.

“Are you sure about that one?” He asks and you frown.

You look back at your piece and your eyes widen. Why would you do that? You just handed him the whole game in a gold platter.

“No!” You exclaim, hands flying to your face in embarrassment.

Michael’s laughter feels the room and you hear him move his own piece. Your heart swells at the sound of his cackles and you uncover your face to check the board again.

“I’m not playing anymore” You say, voice muffled by your hands.

“Are you officially giving up?” He teases.

You look at the board again and a fake sad look overcomes your face.

“Yes” You sigh.

Michael laughs again and you can almost feel your lips pulling up again. He starts rearranging the pieces and you stare at him as he does it.

“No need to be that sad over this, you’ll eventually get better” He teases.

“Fuck off” You curse.

He smiles widely at your words and you smile back. You continue to stare at him as he carefully places everything back, both of you silent.

As he finishes, he looks up at you.

“Ready to lose?” You ask him and he leans back in his chair.

“As if that will ever happen”

You smile at him while shaking your head and move your first piece, his eyes still on you as you do it.

The fall from those thoughts back to reality is as harsh as one can be.

He shouldn’t even be touching you right now, you probably don’t even want him to. All you’ve done lately is talk and make jokes, doing this will ruin everything.

Michael, right in that same second, retracts his hand away from your face and stands from the bed’s side. He breathes in sharply as he looks down at you and snatches his coffee back from the nightstand.

He shouldn’t be doing this.

He walks away and takes his seat back against the window.

He can’t do this.

(…)

Finally. The day of your freedom. Well, at least some of it. The day you’re finally leaving the hospital.

Polly is not working for the day, but Finn was forced to stay put and do as told. So, it’s just you and her.

You don’t know where Michael is, honestly. He stayed these past few days and nights with you at the hospital, always present in the room whenever you would fall asleep or wake up.

Whenever you would awake, he would be sitting close to the window, smoking and deep in thought. But not today. Your room was empty, with no sight of life except for your own. It was insanely cold there too. Everything felt different, and also extremely uncomfortable.

Polly appeared 2 hours after you woke up and sat up in bed, and many talks with the nurses later, they give you the good news of finally being able to go home.

You know that Polly is in the hallway talking to someone and it has been doing so for some good minutes since she left.

And since she ditched you for whoever that person is, you are now left alone in the bedroom to try and find a way to get dressed. She had brought you clothes from your house, and those same ones were a suit, and, of course, underwear. Some large suit pants, heels, and a silk dress shirt.

She picked those clothes without probably even realizing that you can’t really move at all. And because of that, you can’t stop cursing her enough.

You love that woman, but she does some things that make you question that same love.

You stand over the cold tiled floor with your wobbly legs and shivers run through your body. Why is everything so cold today?

You strip your hospital gown and put on your underwear, hands, or should you say, body shaking in both cold and, of course, pain.

You’ve now learned how you use your torso for almost every movement in your daily life, and you can’t hate this experience more than now.

You take a seat back on the bed and throw your dress shirt over your shoulders, carefully moving your arms, that feel sore, into the sleeves. The white fabric is freezing against your skin, which just makes you want to get dressed faster.

You button some of the buttons at the end of it quickly and grab your pants, pleading that they will bring you some warmth.

Now, how the fuck are you going to get them on?

Putting on your underwear already hurt as it did, and you did it quickly. But what about something like pants? You know, what you need to adjust a thousand times, so they sit well, and that are baggy enough for them to just slide down your legs when not buttoned at your waist.

Where is Polly when you need her?

Right in that same second, the door of the room opens, and you sigh in relief. Polly must have finally remembered the fact that you struggle to even sit for too long.

“Shit, sorry” Michael’s voice sounds behind you and you throw your head back in disappointment.

“It’s fine” You say, annoyance in your tone, but not over him. “It’s not anything you haven’t seen before”

You lean your head back forward and don’t even care to look over your shoulder at Michael, it’s not like you were naked, so it’s not like he’s seeing anything too bad.

You hold your pants in your hands, thinking deeply of every possible way of how you can get them in both of your legs without leaning too forward, like you did with your underwear (and now regret), and quick enough so they don’t just slide off and fall back to your feet.

“Do you need help?” His voice again.

You sit silent for some time, thinking. You could ask him to call over his mom, but what if she’s talking to someone important?

“Yes, please” You admit, giving up.

You hear Michael’s steps behind you, getting closer to the bed, and as soon as he appears next to you, at the end of the bed, you notice that he’s wearing a full suit, unlike any other day. Coat, blazer and vest. His, now, usual way to wear suits.

“I can’t put these on without them falling or hurting myself” You explain with a hint of embarrassment.

He doesn’t say anything, he just lets his eyes fall to your hands and to your pants. Without making you wait any longer, he stands in front of you and takes the piece of clothing from your hands, exposing the skin of your thighs to him and to the cold room.

He crouches and carefully slides each leg of yours into the pants, you don’t even have to do anything, he’s just doing it all.

“Can you stand?” He asks, his voice deep and low, almost in a whisper.

You nod, not looking away from his hands as they rest over your knees, and he takes a small step back for you to have enough space.

As your feet touch the ground again, Michael pushes the rest of the pants up to your torso, where the mostly unbuttoned shirt is. His fingers drag over your skin as they move to pull your pants up, and you almost gasp.

His blue eyes travel from his hands for the first time to your exposed skin. To your stomach, mostly visible over the unbuttoned shirt, to the bandage and to your chest, partly covered by your bra. His eyes almost feel heavy and his breathing quickens at just the sight. You notice it before he even can.

You look up at his face and right on that second, Michael lets go of your clothing. You don’t say anything at first, still feeling his eyes on you, and you swallow harshly as you feel the familiar tingles travel down your torso to the end of your belly.

God, you don’t remember the last time you, actually, felt turned on. It has been so long. But this surely is not when you expected this feeling to come back.

His gaze is so familiar that you almost have to slap yourself to not let your mind travel to so unholy memories. But, deep down, you would be lying if you said that you wouldn’t want him close to you again.

You clear your throat and finally look away.

“Thank you” You whisper.

Michael snaps back to reality and looks up at you. He gives you a small nod and takes another step back, this time, a bigger one.

You lean against the bed, so the baggy waist of the pants can rest over it and not fall, and you bring your shaking fingers to the buttons of your shirt.

You aren’t shaking over the cold or pain anymore. You’ve never felt so hot in your life. You’re shaking over how many emotions you’re feeling all at once.

You struggle a bit at the beginning, but you finally get the hang of it after some embarrassing seconds. Michael watches as your skin disappears under the thin fabric, as well as the small white bandage that covers your wound.

You don’t care that he watches, honestly. You don’t trust your voice all that much right now, so you can’t hide your emotions by teasing him about it, but he surely knows that he shouldn’t be looking.

He has a god damn fiancée.

You finish adjusting your clothes and quickly grab the blazer from the top of your bed, sliding it over your shoulders quickly.

You walk over past Michael to the small mirror in the corner of the room and you do what you can with your hair, since you seem like a mad woman with this much frizz on it.

The door of the room opens again, and you look through the mirror to find Polly.

“You were able to get dressed on your own?” She asks surprised, sparing her son a quick look of confusion.

“I’m a big girl” You answer before Michael can even open his mouth.

You turn back around and walk towards the bed, letting Polly laugh slightly at your comment. You pay attention to your feet as you put on your heels and Polly decides to talk to her son.

“Are you going to talk to Tommy today?” She asks while walking closer to him.

“Yes”

“When?”

There’s a slight pause.

“In an hour” He answers.

You look over your shoulder confused, and they notice it, looking at you with two different looks.

Polly looks like she’s seconds away of explaining to you what this conversation is about, but Michael, god, he looks like he’s about to plead you on his knees to not even ask.

“Can we go home now?” You ask, fulfilling Michael’s silent wishes.

“Of course,” Polly answers.

She’s the first one to start walking out of the room, yet Michael only moves when you start walking after her.

You look over your shoulder a few times to make sure you’re not forgetting anything behind, and Michael does the same, helping you out with an extra pair of eyes.

You follow Polly through the hallways you do not remember walking down before, and you can’t help but feel a little lost and overwhelmed with how long they are. They all look the same, same paintings, same number of windows, same color of the walls. It’s like a maze.

Some nurses stop to look at the three of you and you look down at the stone under your feet, not wanting to show any sort of discomfort or pain over moving, to anyone but the people close you.

Polly opens the crowded hallways of the hospital with her presence as you reach the actual part of the hospital that everyone is using.

Michael stands now beside you, both hands on his pockets while carrying himself with as much confidence as his mother. You almost feel uncomfortable over how different the energy is between them and you.

As you three move around a turn in the hallways, all types of people move as quick as they can out of your way, but a man is not quick enough.

His shoulder hits yours and you look up at him as a reflex. His eyes are filled with worry as they meet yours, his lips read inaudible apologies as you walk away.

Michael’s hand rests over your shoulder that just got hit, and he pulls you in closer to him, away from the crowd. You look away from the man as he shifts his eyes over to Michael, and you move your gaze back to the ground.

Michael glares at the unknown man and holds you in closer protectively, making the man almost cry in apology.

He looks away and looks down at you, finding you staring at the ground. You feel a slight squeeze over your shoulder, but you don’t look up at Michael, you just look up to look at Polly’s figure in front of you.

You all reach the front door of the hospital and a man, who doesn’t even work at the hospital, opens the door for you three. Michael lets you walk in front of him, letting go of your shoulder, and you wait for him by the door before following Polly to the car.

Most of the things you’re doing right now are not even controlled by you, your body is doing them before you even realize. Leaning against Michael, walking close to Michael, letting him touch you, waiting for him so he can stay beside you.

You don’t know what’s going on, but you’re in too much discomfort to even question it.

You reach Polly’s car and Michael opens the door for you. Polly walks around the car to go to the driver’s seat. You struggle a bit to climb up the seat, but you feel Michael’s eyes on you as you do everything.

You finally sit and the door closes beside you. Michael takes his seat at the passenger seat, beside his mother, who starts the car right in the same second.

You lean your head back and sigh under the loud noise of the car, your eyes closed at the soreness of your whole body and the slight pain of your torso.

The drive to Polly’s house is quiet. Nobody dares to open their mouth to ruin the silence as you suffer from the lack of painkillers in your system on the backseat.

You ended up halfway through the drive finding yourself not looking at the road or outside of your window but looking at Michael. He is at a fair distance for you to see his side profile just right, while you’re hidden from Polly’s eyes in the review mirror.

Your mind is blank as you do it, no memories come to hunt you, nor does any other negative feeling. You are at peace for these minutes. Something you haven’t felt for some time.

As Polly’s car comes to a stop in front of her house, you look away from Michael, careful so he wouldn’t notice.

You wonder what has gotten you so focused on him lately.

It’s weird and rather unfamiliar to look at him and not feel some kind of hatred. Maybe it is the fact that he saved your life, a few days ago. But it’s hard to say. There’s surely something else.

It could honestly be anything at this point too. It could be your way to say that you’re thankful for what he did, or even your way to show yourself that you don’t hate him anymore. But do you?

The door beside you opens and you jump in your seat for being so rudely awaken from your thoughts.

“You alright?” Michael asks from beside you.

You just nod.

He steps away from the door and you see Polly already walking inside the house, not even waiting for you two.

You slide slowly off your seat and stand aside from the door so Michael can close it. He does that and you both walk silently inside his mom’s house.

“Are you staying for lunch, Michael?” Polly screams all the way from the kitchen.

You take your jacket off and he looks over at the kitchen to look at his mother, who awaits his answer.

“Uh, no” He answers, also taking his jacket off. “I’m having lunch with Gina, today”

You swallow hard as you turn around and hang your jacket on the wall. Michael is quick to do the same and you keep your distance from him, walking towards Polly.

“Alright, it’s just us then, Y/N” Polly says with a smile to you and you give the same exact smile.

“Guess so” You say, trying to mimic her excited tone but failing horribly.

Michael looks over at you as you answer with an annoyed tone, but you can’t see him over your back being turned to him. He glances at his mom confused and she just gives him a quick shrug.

“I can stay if you want me to” He says, looking at his mom.

“Oh no, don’t worry about us” Polly says, waving her hand in the air to dismiss him, “Y/N is going to be working for most of the day anyways”

Michael does a quick nod, and you walk in the kitchen, leaning against the counter.

Your heart is beating faster than normal, you really weren’t expecting him to offer to have lunch with you two. Was it because of your tone?

Polly walks over to a cabinet and starts to grab the things she will need for whatever she’s making for lunch.

Michael appears next to you and takes a seat on one of the highchairs next to you. You ignore his presence and lace your own fingers together over to counter to hide your sweaty palms.

What is going on with you?

(…)

“Can you please let go of that and eat?” Polly asks you and you look up from the papers in front of you.

“Sorry” You say with a slight smile.

You grab your fork and eye the freshly made meal in front of you. Your mind is heavy with so many thoughts that it’s hard to even want to stop to work. You need to distract yourself, or else you’re going insane.

Could you be liking Michael all over again? Is that what’s happening?

He will hurt you again, you know. He has a person that he loves, now. Gina. You’re nothing to him anymore, just a friend… Oh… Can you even be considered a friend?

Have you even forgiven him yet?

You’re jumping to conclusions just because he is close to you. He has no interest in you anymore, Y/N. Grow out of it. Stand your ground. You’re being ridiculous. Since when are you this weak?

You bring a hand over your forehead in frustration and you rub your skin to try and make the thoughts go away.

“What’s wrong?” Polly asks as she looks up from her lunch at you.

“Nothing” You say, shaking your head a little.

“You lie to me now?” She comments, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. “Be honest, come on”

“It’s nothing bad, Pol, I swear”

“Just tell me what it is about” She asks, curious, “You’re supposed to be relaxing, and you’ve been all tense since you got here”

You lean back on your chair as well and put your fork down.

You’re falling in love again. You want to forgive him. After so many years of fighting for your worth. Everything in the garbage now. All because he showed you the simplest of human empathy over being shot.

Your heart is beating rapidly against your chest as your gaze shifts over to the ceiling, your body seeking comfort in the memories that rest so deep and distant in your mind as your negative thoughts fight for dominance.

“I feel weak” You comment, “It’s ridiculous, it is. But I can’t help it”

Tears water your eyes in that same second and you sigh loudly at how ridiculous this whole thing is. You shouldn’t be crying. There’s nothing to cry about.

“Why do you feel that way?” Polly asks softly, worry heavy on her tone.

You wipe your tears away quickly and sniffle shortly, not wanting to show how upset you really are.

“I don’t know. I was okay before all of this. All I could feel was anger in me, or I just felt normal, and now-” You gasp for air as a sob fights its way to your mouth, “And now all I feel is sadness. It’s like… It’s like everything is crashing down on me”

Polly stares at you confused. Yes, you haven’t been your so happy self with her since you got home, but she just thought it was because you were tired.

You looked just fine back at the hospital yesterday when you were playing chess with Michael.

She stands in her chair and walks over to you as you wipe your tears forcefully, hating to be this distraught over something you don’t even fully understand.

“What is this about?” She asks, resting her hand over your cheek.

You shake your head, and you swallow your tears quickly. You’re stronger than this.

“I just feel like everything is going backwards” You admit, staying silent for some seconds, “I’m not healing anymore” You breathe in, “It’s like the wound is reopening again and it’s all my fault.”

You don’t use the actual words of what you are feeling. You’re too embarrassed to admit it out loud. But, at the same time, you’re scared that Polly might think you’re weak, or even ridiculous. Just like you do.

You’re at fault here, nobody else is. You made your bed by acting all nice and sweet with him, and now look at what you’ve done. You ruined everything.

Polly eyes you as she rethinks your words, not taking them literally and not thinking about your actual wound, and leans over at you, eyeing you eye to eye.

She frowns a bit as you calm down slowly after your confession and her thumb smooths your skin away carefully.

“Is this about-” She stops herself about instantly. It has to be.

You look away from her embarrassed and she eyes you sweetly. Her other hand coming up to cup your other cheek as she makes you look at her.

She understands it.

It’s like love is crushing you. Crushing your every little bit of strength all over again. Like it’s destroying you and destroying everything you’ve built in these 2 years.

As if your walls are falling, and all its bricks are laying on top of you. Punishing you for not fighting whoever attacked them or threatened to destroy them.

Polly continues to stand silent and pulls you into a hug, you lean forward in your chair and wrap your arms around her, right away. She wraps hers the same way and squeezes you close to her.

Kisses lay over your head as she hugs you close to her and you feel your chin start to shake again.

You’re falling again.

(…)

“Are you listening to me?” Gina asks and Michael looks up at her.

“No, sorry” He says shaking his head a bit, “I was thinking about work”

“It’s okay,” She forgives, “I was saying that I talked to some people back in America today…”

Michael holds a frown almost instantly.

“-And we’ve talked about all sorts of wedding venues” He tenses up, “The price range changes a lot from whether we want an outside reception or not”

“Hum…” He itches the back of his neck, “Yo-you’ve already decided on a date?”

“Of course!” She answers with a smile, “You said back at the ship that the sooner the better and I’ve checked with a lot of people and…” She stops to add suspense to her speech, “We can get it done next month” She announces.

Her excitement is not even slightly mirrored by her fiancé.

“What?” She asks, smile falling off her features, worry in her tone, “Do you not like the idea?”

Michael opens his mouth to answer but closes it right away, so she continues.

“I thought it would be a good thing.” She explains, “Since we’re not doing- what we were supposed to be doing, for now, and it’s always better to come back home earlier than expected- Do-do you not agree?”

“I uhm… I just thought we would have a longer engagement, that’s all” Michael says quickly. “But uhm…”

There are a few seconds of silence until he rethinks her words.

“For now?” He repeats confused, “Gina, god. We won’t be doing our plan anymore. You know that better than anyone.”

“Michael let’s not talk about this, please” She says as she brings her glass of wine to her lips.

“Gina, just listen to me.” He says calmly, “We’re not doing anything. I’ve talked to Tommy today and he’s already dealing with all of this”

“What?”

“I’ve talked to Tommy about-”

“Our plan?!” She asks scared.

“No.” Michael says in a scowl, “I told him what they told us, that they didn’t want to work with us. That’s all”

“Why would you do that?” She asks, disappointment and anger being the only expressions readable on her face.

“Because Gina… We are not doing this anymore” He repeats.

“You shouldn’t have done that” She says, shaking her head, “You should’ve asked for my opinion, for my side on this. You can’t decide everything on your own, I was in this too”

“I had to. It feels wrong to betray my family” He explains, feeling helpless, “How can you not understand?”

There’s a quick silence between them.

“I can’t understand because it was so sudden, Michael. I don’t know what happened when I wasn’t with you here, but we came into this country with a plan. A perfect plan that would only help us both. And now…” She sighs, “You just don’t want to do it anymore?”

“I’ve said this before. It doesn’t feel right to take everything out of my family’s name and put it in mine.” He answers calmly, “I can’t do it to them”

She shakes her head disappointingly.

“We can still live our lives after this plan, Gina. We did it for a year. We can still do it now” He insists. “Our relationship wasn’t about this before, and surely isn’t now”

His words didn’t sound right to him. It didn’t sound like he was convincing Gina anymore; it was like he was convincing himself.

And she noticed the hesitation on his words.

“Why did you say it like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you are actually thinking twice if our relationship was just about business”

“You know that’s not true, Gina” He says disapprovingly.

“Well, it sounds like it” She says, anger on her tone, “I don’t know what has gotten into you Michael. Or what girl got on you, but you have to remember who really is on your side here.” She emphasizes the world ‘girl’.

“What are you talking about?”

“When we came here, she laughed over what happened with you at the Crash. Laughed, Michael. She wasn’t on your side” She exclaims.

He looks down at his food.

“I was always by your side. I was there when we saw all the numbers go down. Where was she? Here, probably cursing you and blaming you for everything that happened”

“It was my-”

“No, it wasn’t. We’ve talked about this. The warning that your cousin gave to you to pull out could’ve been just a false warning, you did what was right-”

“I don’t get where you’re going with this.” Michael interrupts.

He looks back up.

“She is not your fiancée, Michael. I am. I get it that she was in your past, for whatever reason, and that she got hurt. But we came into this country for a reason. Our. Plan. And she made everything stop.”

He stays quiet.

“There shouldn’t be sides for you to pick, Michael. I should be your priority.” She scoffs, “If we’re not here doing anything, then we might as well just leave.”

He stays quiet, again, but this time he shakes his head.

“See? You’re picking to stay here. Again.” She nods. “She’s your priority, Michael. And you should feel disgusted with yourself”

She looks away from him as Michael doesn’t agree or disagree, he just stares blankly at her in silence.

She breathes in deeply and grabs the napkin off her lap.

“I’ll see you back at the hotel. We can talk about this later” She whispers at him.

She rises from her chair and walks away from the table, leaving her dinner not even half eaten and most of her wine still on her glass.

He watches her as she walks away and out of the restaurant, yet his heart doesn’t budge, not even a little. He feels relieved as she walks away, but this new conversation is still difficult for him to process.

There is something stopping him.

Stopping him from disagreeing with her words. Something that is keeping his mind clogged in these situations. Something that whenever close, it makes his heart speed up and question his loyalty. As horrible as that sounds.

He knows what, or rather who, that something is. He doesn’t want to admit it, but it’s there.

And everything is coming back with it. Whether he likes it or not.

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Hope you enjoyed this! If would like to make any questions about the characters or when the next part will be available. My ask box is always open.

[inkandpen22]

Otherworldly Kings and Queens (2/?)

Pairing: Peter Pevensie x Female!Reader / Prince Caspian x Female!Reader  

Warning: mild mentions of violence 

Word Count: 1.8k

Part Summary: Y/N and the Pevensies search the surrounding cliffs and they start to piece together what happened since the Pevensies leaved. Then, someone is nearly attacked... 

A/N: As requested, I’m releasing one more part today! In the next part Y/N meets Caspian!!!! Get hyped! 

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After our antics on the beach, the five of us hike up the cliffs after Edmund spotted some old runes he mentioned not remembering. Peter holds my hand the entire way. One, because when does he not frankly? Two, because I don't keep my eyes ahead of us as I'm too distracted by everything around me. I've never seen any place Narnia! There's so much untouched land, for as far as the eye can see! I've lived in London my whole life. There's constant noise and good luck finding a patch of grass that isn't a park. I had only ever been to the ocean a handful of times and it never looked like this one. The water is so clear and crystal blue! Also, I swear I saw an actual mermaid tail flick up through the surface at one point.

"So you really don't remember these?" I question, referring to the runes. 

"Not from what I can recall," Edmund pants ahead.

Once we finally reach the ancient-looking stone structures, we all start to wonder about the place individually to figure out where we landed. Peter and I, however, remain together and stroll about. Trees and bushes of various kinds have grown over the rubble. It's must've been centuries, perhaps even thousand of years, since this place was inhabited.

As Peter climbs to the tallest point to get a better look, I pick a bright red apple from its branch and toss it to Lucy with a giggle. I stroll over to the edge of the platform that overlooks the western coast. Scattered bits of green covered land streak the horizon. Whoever lived here was lucky, they had the most incredible view! The sunsets must be unparalleled.

"I wonder who lived here?" Lucy questions beside me.

"I think we did..."

I glance over my shoulder and Susan holds up something in her hand. I narrow my eyes at the shiny object and I go over to join her.

"Hey, that's mine!" Edmund announces as he takes the thing from Susan. "From my chess set!"

"What chess set?" Peter interlocks his hand with mine once he reaches us.

"Well I didn't exactly have a solid gold chess set in Finchley did I?" Edmund sasses, examining the piece.

"It can't be!" Lucy runs off, shocker.

The four of us follow the youngest swiftly to catch up. It annoyed me when she would run off in London and I know that city like the back of my hand. If she continues to run off in a foreign land... okay, so I don't know what I'm going to do, but I sure won't be happy about it!

Lucy takes Peter's hand and starts to escort him up a platform. I slip my from his, which earns me a subtle glare of annoyance. I snicker as Lucy aligns Peter in a specific place. She sets each of her siblings in a spot, clearly onto something. 

 "Imagine walls," she instructs. "And pillars there!" She points before stopping in her own place on the far side. "And glass roof!"

I observe the four siblings lined up a few feet above me on the platform. I start to see what I think Lucy is envisioning. The pile of rock behind each of them, they're remnants of thrones! I look to Peter and he's starting to process it too.

"Cair Paravel," he concludes with a solemn expression.

We continue searching the once glorious palace that Peter vividly described to me countless times this past year. Peter is understandably crossed and has grown quiet. All I can do is continue holding his hand and rub my free one on his arm comfortingly. I hate not being of more use in figuring out what happened here. In my defense, I've never been to Narnia before.

Edmund jogs ahead and kneels beside a boulder. "Catapults," he mutters.

"What?" Peter finally breaks his silence.

"This didn't just happen," Edmund determines. "Cair Paravel was attacked."

After a moment, Peter marches off with a stern expression. Silently, he takes me along with him on his march without slowing down. Lucy and the others follow, just as confused as me. Clearly, Peter knows where he's going and is on a mission to get there. I would ask him where exactly our destination is, but I prefer to keep my head.

Abruptly, he stops in front of a tower-like structure. He releases my hand and starts to remove brush from the building. Edmund helps him press against the stone which eventually shifts to reveal a worn wooden door with a lion engraved on the handle. Peter picks up a rock and starts to go at the wood panels. The door breaks and gives way to expose a dark stairwell leading down. I glance over at Lucy and Susan who simply watch their brothers act. Evidently, they must remember this place too.

Peter rips the bottom of his shirt and starts wrapping it around a stick he’d picked up. "Don't suppose you have any matches, do you?" He checks with his brother.

Ed starts to dig through his bag. "No, but would this help?" He reveals his torch.

The girls and I giggle. Of course this would happen.

"You might've mentioned that a bit sooner!" Peter laughs.

Ed starts leading the way down the stairs. Peter gestures for his sisters to go then holds out his hand to me. He follows behind me down the grumbled stairs. I'm really trusting these four not to get me killed, aren't I? The three ahead of Peter and I and hurry around inside. 

Sunlight pours in from skylights and my eyes land on four golden trunks are line up perfectly in a half circle.

"I can't believe it," Peter expresses as he appears by my side. "It's all still here!"

The three younger Pevensies start to search through their old trunks while Peter and I examine the dusty treasures that have been knocked around from the attack. Peter picks up what appears to be shield and blows away the dirt that hides the giant lion face on it.

"Was it your's?" I ask over his shoulder

He hums, holding it out for me to see better. "Many years ago..."

My eyes flicker up from the shield and land on a marble statue ahead. The figure appears so familiar, yet how would that be possible?

"Wait," I step forward to study the face better. "Is this you?" I point.

"Yes," Peter laughs, placing a hand on my lower back gently. "Again, many years ago. I was older then."

I shake my head in awe, "yeah, no kidding."

"Here Y/N!"

I turn my attention to Susan and she tosses me a royal blue velvet gown. "You can borrow it," she grins. "It'll help you blend in."

I hold up medieval style dress in front of me. The only time I ever imagined myself wearing something like this was for Halloween.

"Take this too," Peter hands me a dagger from his trunk.

"Why would I need a weapon?" I frown. 

"Not every creature in Narnia is necessarily in favor of us," Edmund snickers, glancing between his siblings.

Peter rests his chin on my shoulder as I examine the red leather handled dagger in my hands. "It's alright," Peter comforts with a whisper in my ear. "I'll keep you safe... promise."

"I could I at least have a real weapon?" I request, laughing lightly. "If I'm going to be in real life threatening situation, I prefer to have a weapon that doesn't require me to be mere feet from my opposer!” 

Peter snickers, collecting items to change into. 

"I might as well kiss my life goodbye,” I add under my breath. 

"I got this katana as a gift from the Emperor of the Eastern Desert Lands," Edmund offers.

"What's that?" I've never heard of it before.

Ed removes the sword from its sheath with a whoosh as I cross the chamber to him. Its curved, thin, long, blade would be perfect. I graze my finger tips across the shining blade, in awe of it.

"I did research on it when we returned to our world. It's native to Japan, amongst the Samurai," he explains, placing the sleek black and gold handle in my hand.

"Hey! Hey!" Peter appears at my side in a blink. "Careful!"

"I got it! I got it! Don't get your knickers in a twist," I tease. I turn hold the sword up right to admire the blade closer.

"You could get hurt with that." Peter still worries.

"I could get hurt by someone attacking me too," I sass, lowering the weapon to address my friend. 

His eyes meet mine, filled with annoyance. He wants me to simply agree with him all the time. 

I smile, "wouldn't you prefer I have a sturdy way of defending myself?"  

"I think your words and wit would be enough to frighten them," he smirks.

"You charm me,” I blush. 

"Always do," he winks, taking the katana from me before someone gets hurt. "You can get it back when we leave. After that, I want it in its sheath unless absolutely necessary! I mean it, Y/N!"

I watch him slip the blade back into its leather casing cautiously. I place my hand over his to gain his attention. 

"You may be the King of Narnia, but you forget I'm not one of your subjects," I mock playfully.

"You're right," he agrees surprisingly. Gently, he picks up my hand and places a kiss to the back of it. Then, his features turns serious. "But while you're here your safety is my responsibility."

I roll my eyes, I hate how he patronizes me. One would think I'm one of his little sisters too with how protective he can get. Actually, he's less overbearing toward his siblings, even Lucy and she's significantly younger than me! With my luck something bad will happen, I will be away from Peter, and then what? I will be left with the dagger toy he gave me. As soon as I get that sword in my hands, I'm not giving it back. I'm just going to have to prove my capability to Peter.

___________________________________

Okay, so Edmund was right, some creatures don't like us! A black bear quite literally attacked Lucy! Fully charged at her and was going to eat her as a midday snack! That was until the DLF shot it with his arrow. DLF as in “Dear Little Friend.” His real name is Trumpkin, he’s the dwarf we saved from some Telmarines. Telmarines are apparently from another land in this world. They're human like us, but not friendly! I repeat not friendly!

Peter quickly grabs his little sister and pulls her to safety by me. I take her into my arms and comfort her as she cries. 

"I thought you said the animals could talk?!" I scream at Peter, rightfully distraught. 

"They can! I mean... they could..." Peter stammers, evidently just as lost as me.

“We... we just killed an innocent bear!” I stumble over my words. “We took an innocent animals life!”

“Innocent?! He was going to kill Lucy!” Edmund justifies it. 

“Y/N’s right!” Susan defends. “It clearly didn’t know any better!”  

“It was probably hungry!” Trumpkin shouts over all of us arguing. 

“Great! That makes me feel so much better!” I shout at the dwarf. 

"You've been away for a while... ” Trumpkin grumbles bitterly. 

He pulls his dagger and stabs the bear. I cover Lucy’s eyes so she doesn’t see the horrid sight. Peter notices me grimace and guides my face to hide in his chest. 

Was the stabbing really necessary?! It’s dead! 

“I think you'll find Narnia is a more savage place than you remember,” Trumpkin adds. 

"Oh lovely!" I sarcastically remark. "Looking forward to it!"

"Just stay close to me," Peter instructs, keeping one arm around me and the other around Lucy. 

"Don't have to ask me twice," I mutter, utterly afraid. 

Narnia is supposed to be this fairytale lovely land! There are pixies and stuff here! Where are the dancing trees?! Where are the people made of flowers?! I envisioned Neverland and I got a fence-less zoo! 

_______________________

Tags:  @hyperactiveravenclaw @rangergranger11​ @blackbirddaredevil23​

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