#◟〈 ♠ 〉 leave no traces ━━ 🇪​🇽​🇨​🇭​🇦​🇳​🇬​🇪﹒

[avcnturine]

IT'S BEEN SOME TIME SINCE THE LAST PERSON who was this good at hiding their tells. he's pleasantly surprised. then again, this is a man who has all the reason to be guarded, and who has no idea as to who he's talking to. on a planet like this, these colorful eyes are nothing more than any other shiny bauble, balancing out their net worth in anonymity. he wonders, as they roam idly over the duke's face, lingering there, holding his own darker gaze for a few beats longer than socially comfortable, whether they were really as unnerving to have fixed on you as people say, even when you didn't know.

hypnotic fuschia, a brilliant blue enough to drown in. . . as the saying goes, the avgin's honey. finally, they blink, and his smile widens a little more, growing warm with the other's eventual, quiet admission. there's a lot to be admired in the honesty and the lack of posturing, the complete absence of pretense. he'd heard fontaine was a nation of theatrical and dramatic people, but this duke, now that he's met him in the flesh, seems like anything but.

"mm, that's very true. good point," he relents, sitting back in his own chair and allowing one leg to fold neatly over the other ; palms warm against the still-steaming cup in his lap. "that's something i was curious about, actually——it's not uncommon for prisoners to funnel back into the system through labor, and i understand that meropide is responsible for most of the machinery used throughout the nation. but despite that, it has a more robust livelihood of its own than just about any other penitentiary i've ever seen."

as for whether he seems like someone who'd seen many, he'd leave for the good duke to make his guesses.

approval isn't what he'd ascribe to most people he does business with ; for the most part, there aren't strong feelings either way——it comes down to something a lot more practical. but all the things he'd learned about this warden the last several weeks centered around the same thing: the fortress used to be very different. the labor, the culture, the credit system: these were meropide's new wealth, and that which they generated externally, for the rest of fontaine, was little more than an afterthought in most of the residents' minds. residents, rather than strictly prisoners.

"which goes back to what you were just saying: ' everyone here is repenting for something '. but in most cases, that's what the sentence is for, and the length of that repentance is for the judge to decide. here, on the other hand. . ." it seems like no one's in any hurry to leave. he lets that sit for a half-beat, then opts to get closer to the heart of the question ; and between the two paths to it laid before him, he takes the one less-traveled-by: "it seems like your own sentence ended a long time ago, duke wriothesley. so, when do you think you'll have served long enough?"

　♠　⋮﹒ leave no traces

[demxters]

✩ for the blurb requests; jake and ace, date night, cuddling on the couch, eating take out and just being with each other, maybe falling asleep in each others arms

—DATE NIGHT

frat!jake seresin x f!reader

wc: 494

warning(s): 18+, fem!reader, no y/n (reader goes by nickname ace),

catch up with jake and ace here!

»»————- ♠︎ ————-««

As extravagant as Jake could get with date night, he knew that you also loved a casual night in.

Take-out, a movie or two, and your pajamas was all you wanted as long as it was in the company of your boyfriend.

When Jake saw just how exhausted you were after your last round of classes for the day, he knew that a night in was exactly what you needed.

“I am so full right now,” Jake sighs as he sinks further into the leather cushions of your couch.

You scoff, following suit. “I have never seen someone devour so many crab wontons at once.”

Jake laughs, nudging you gently in the side. “You’re one to talk. One second I was grabbing some chow mein, the next the entire box was empty!”

Joining in on his laughter, you slide underneath his arm and muzzle into his side. With a tight arm holding you in place.

He feels your body get a little heavier in his arms and he looks down to see your eyes already fluttering shut. Jake traces a finger lightly down the bridge of your nose. You scrunch your nose in that adorable way that he loves and he presses a kiss to your head with a heart full of love.

You intertwine your fingers with his that lay gently on your belly.

“I thought you wanted to watch that new true crime documentary,” he comments.

You shake your head. “Too tired.”

“Alright, sleepy head, let’s get you to bed.” Jake tries to get up but your arms squeeze tighter around his waist.

“No, stay,” you whine. In any other circumstance you would’ve felt pathetic. But your boyfriend was just too comfortable and warm that you didn’t want him to move.

Jake settles back into his position, hesitantly. “Bob and Mickey are gonna kill me if they find me asleep here.”

“Oh, please, they let Javy sleepover all the time.”

“You sure?”

“Promise. Now shhh… I’m trying to sleep,” you mumble into the skin of his neck.

A hushed chuckle leaves Jake’s lips as he gives you a soft peck on the forehead. “Love you, Ace.”

You sigh happily in his embrace. “Love you more, Seresin.”

Jake waits until he feels your breath even out before finally closing his eyes. He could never fall asleep before you, always one to make sure you were safe and sound first.

“Not possible,” he finally whispers into the night.

Had you been awake to hear him, he knows you’d argue with him until your throat goes dry. Jake finds it endearing how adamant you are that you love him more. You could argue all day about it. He doesn’t doubt that you love him, he just thinks there’s no way you could love him more than he loves you—his perfect girl.

Knowing he got the last word in your playful little argument, though unfairly, Jake finally allows himself to drift off into a restful sleep.

tgm taglist: @joaquinwhorres @harrycherrylove @smoothdogsgirl @t-nd-rfoot @dempy @ollyoxenfrees @potato-girl99981 @averyhotchner @2guysonascooter @loveforaugust @blue-aconite @fandom-life-12 @stiles-banshees @iamdannyday @hotch-meeeeeuppppp @breezemood @eli2447 @angelbabyange @finelytaylored @pono-pura-vida @hecate-steps-on-me @blueoorchid @aviatorobsessed @blackwidownat2814 @hallecarey1 @averagereader35 @laneylovesglen @atarmychick007 @kajjaka @urfavelocagirl @clancycumber230 @memeorydotcom @kmc1989 @percysaidnever

[shadowynn]

| death's sweet kiss | one |

♥♡♠♤♣♧♦♢

pairing: hisoka x fem! reader, chrollo x fem! reader (though, it will mainly be hisoka x reader for the first bit)

genre: soulmate au

warnings: some cursing and violence (not anything crazy in the first part)

summary:

hisoka had never been interested in love and you were just another object to be used for his own personal gain. he never planned to get attached, but it's not long before he finds himself in deeper than he ever planned to be.

No one had ever treated him the way you did, and he often fought the urge to keep you locked up and far away from the rest of the world, where he could keep you all to himself.

despite his outward demeanor, chollo has always longed to be loved, and yet, no matter how long he searches, you always remained just out of reach. and then, just when he's given up, you come tumbling into his life in a whirlwind he had never expected.

It’s no wonder Hisoka is so enraptured by you. You’re so terribly pure, it feels as though it’s a sin to think I could ever have you.

wordcount: 6.6k

a/n: so, this is something a bit different than my other works, but also a piece i've been working on for over a year now and honestly the piece that got me back into writing fanfiction after a pretty long break. as stated above, this piece will focus mostly on hisoka x reader for the first ten - twelve parts and will then delve more into the chrollo x reader side of things. as i've also mainly just watched the 2011 version of the anime, it will follow that version of events than others, though i might mix things up every so often. anyways, i hope you all enjoy and feedback is always appreciated :)

| one | two |

♥♡♠♤♣♧♦♢

“Man, what a loser.”

Your eyes paused at their spot in your book to peek over the cover and watch the white-haired boy plop down next to you with a sigh. You hadn't quite heard what he had just said over the music coming from your headphones, but the orange can he was fiddling with gave you some idea.

You quickly scanned the room around you, assuming he must have been talking to someone else, but it soon became clear his words were directed towards you. There was too much distance between you and the rest of the applicants for him to be talking to anyone else. Why he had decided to sit next to you, however, you hadn't a clue.

"That's poisoned, you know?" You pulled your right headphone behind your ear as you spoke. He wasn't the first person to attempt a conversation with you upon your arrival to the Hunter's Exam, but he was the first you had given a proper reply to in a while. He seemed harmless enough, at least more harmless than the other applicants that had approached you so far, and you were almost certain the cans being handed out were laced with some sort of drug or poison, so you couldn't very well let the boy just drink it in good conscious. "Well, at least I'm assuming it is."

You had been presented with a similar can on juice almost immediately upon your entry an hour or so earlier, and while the man had played the role of friendly veteran nearly flawless, his body had spoken a different story. It had practically screamed danger when he had proffered the can, leaving you to quickly decline his offer with a fake smile of your own and leaving before he could attempt to pull anything else. You had known you would need to be on edge for the Exam, but you hadn't expected anything like this to happen the moment you had walked through the doors.

"He laced them with a laxative, but I'm not worried." The kid shrugged, the trace of a smirk lining his lips as he popped the can open. "Poisons don't hurt me." And before you could stop him or question exactly what he meant, he downed the entire can in one swig.

"A laxative?" Your lips twisted as you mulled over his revelation, gaze glancing across the room to where he was now trying the very same scheme on the most recent group of rookies to arrive, one of whom appeared just as young as the boy beside you. You hated to admit it, but it was a smart play. Absolutely horrible, but smart. Mix the right one in and he would easily be able to kick out the competition before the exam had even started. "I can't imagine anyone would want to come back after an incident like that. No wonder he's considered the rookie crusher; he's really got it out for the first timers."

"I heard he pretty much gave up on passing the exam a long time ago. He just comes back each year to ruin it for the rookies, so I thought it would be funny to see his reaction when I keep drinking them." He paused for a second, eyeing the now empty can in his hands. "Well, that, and I'm just thirsty."

You glanced at the boy next to you once more before tugging your headphones down around your neck and closing your book. Both items had been used as a barrier against unwanted attention since your arrival. You weren't the only female applicant, but one of the only female rookies from what you could tell, leading many of the male veterans eager to 'help a girl out". It had taken over half an hour for them to understand you weren't interested and finally leave you be, and since then, you had started picking up just as much gossip on yourself as you had on the exam and its other applicants. Eventually, you had just turned up the volume of your music and tuned them out altogether, not wanting to hear any more of the comments they were making towards you anymore.

"If you're just thirsty, you might want to try some actual water instead," you replied, reaching inside your bag and rumbling around for one of the spare water bottles you had brought. "Immune to poisons or not, it'll feel better on your stomach in the long run."

You knew his young appearance was deceiving. He had made it to the exam, after all, but you couldn't stop yourself from wanting to help him out. There was a calculated sharpness in his eyes, a telltale sign that life had aged him faster than his physical body had grown. You could see your younger self in those catlike eyes, and your want to help lighten the invisible load surprised you.

He paused, taking a moment to measure you up before taking the plastic bottle from your hand. Whether it was because he expected this bottle to be laced with another poison or that he was just surprised by the act of kindness, you weren't sure, but the way his eyes softened ever so slightly afterwards had you leaning towards the latter. "I'm Killua, by the way."

“y/n, it’s nice to meet-”

A scream echoed throughout the tunnel before you could finish your sentiment, causing the both of you to quickly pop up to your feet in search of the source. You knew a cry of pain when you heard one and was quick to scan the crowd for a source. Stretching up on your toes, you followed the rest of the crowd's gaze towards the middle of the group where an opening was now being creating, separating two men from the rest. The one facing you was the first to catch your attention, leaving you to watch in horror as the last bit of his arms dissolved into a flurry of flower petals.

It took only a few seconds for the shock of the scene to disappear and send you into motion. You weren't sure if you could do anything to help; reattaching the limbs would have been easy enough if there was something to reattach, but growing new ones? Even with your years of training, you were almost certain that was beyond your ability. Still, you had to do something, if only to help ease the pain for a moment, but you quickly came to a stop when you finally caught sight of the man who had created the commotion.

You had never been the type of romantic to believe in love at first sight, but your parents' marriage had held enough evidence for you to thoroughly believe in the idea of soulmates. You may have been young at the time, but it had been obvious to you that the two had been made for each other. Two halves that had made a whole. But it wasn't until later in life that you had discovered the idea of soulmates wasn't just a romantic fantasy, but a reality. One only had to learn nen to discover the truth for themselves.

The marks had begun appearing when you were only sixteen, just as you were finally beginning to really develop and hone your skill. You had run to your uncle in a panic, not quite understanding what they were or why they wouldn't come off no matter how hard you had scrubbed. It was only then that you finally learned the truth. Soulmates really did exist and nen helped guide you to them with soulmarks, a tattoo-like marking that mirrored a part of themselves alongside a name.

Everyone had at least one, but there were some like yourself and your uncle who had two or more, though his had both faded away over the years. The first resembled a twelve-legged spider and it's web tracing along the upper half of your chest and neck. Part of the webbing creating the silhouette of a name just below your left collar bone, while the spider hung from its web between your breasts with a cross-like design along its back. It was the mark you had long since come to resent over the years after discovering the meaning behind the spider and its tie to the infamous Phantom Troupe. Once the band of thieves had made their name known to the world, you had kept it hidden, fearful of the repercussions that might come if anyone were to mistake it for the actual group's tattoo or if they simply took offense to your relation to it.

But it wasn't this one that captured your mind at the moment, but the second mark traced along your wrist. It had presented itself in an imitation of a Joker card, complete with an aura-like substance that wrapped around your wrist a few times before extending beyond the back of your hand. The only difference between the card on your wrist and its real-life counterpart was the name traced along the top and bottom. You had stared at it and the image enough in the past six years to have it imprinted in your mind, wondering just who the man it represented was. And today you were finally able to piece everything together.

You had never met the man, seen the man, let alone ever heard his name before, but you knew without a doubt that this was the man who's name had been etched along the inside of your wrist.

This was one of your soulmates.

This was Hisoka.

It was hard to tell exactly how you felt in that moment. While you had never been against the idea of soulmates like some you knew, you had still never taken a major interest in finding yours either. Sure, you were curious and a bit excited about experiencing the type of relationship you had seen your parents share, but you had also never felt like you were ready for it. You had so much growing left to do and so much stronger to get. Perhaps in a few years when you had your Hunter's License and enough confidence in your ability to protect the ones you cared for, but not now. Not when you still had so much left to do and improve on your own.

"So, that's Hisoka." Killua's head tilted as he assessed the scene, mild curiosity across his features. "How do you suppose he did that?"

"You know him?" You barely heard Killua's second question, focusing in on the fact he seemed to be familiar with the man and confirming what your own suspicions had already told you on the man's identity.

Killua shook his head. "No, not really. It's just everyone's been talking about him. Apparently he was the top pick to pass last year before he was disqualified for almost killing an examiner he didn't agree with. Nobody seems to like him."

"Oh." Your face fell, hearing Killua's words echoed from the other nearby applicants. He was right. No one seemed happy he was here.

It was hard to hide the disappointment that pooled inside you, all too quickly able to deduce just what type of man he was. In all your time wondering about your soulmates, you had always worried about whether or not they would accept you and not whether you would accept them. You had already been wary of the other, unsure if you ever wanted to associate yourself with a member of the Phantom Troupe, but you had always held on to some hope with Hisoka. But now, seeing him for the first time, you realized he was no better than the other.

But, then again, what could you say or do to judge them when you had your own blood on your hands.

"Sheesh, what's wrong with you? You look like you've just seen a ghost." Killua's second round of questions drove you back to reality and you ducked back into the crowd before Hisoka had a chance to see you and deduce the same thing as yourself. "You're not squeamish, right? Because if you are, you're not going to make it far here."

"No, no, far from it actually." You shook your head, barely realizing you had been picking at the black sleeve covering your left wrist. "I just thought I knew that guy. The one who lost his arms, that is, but I was wrong. I've never seen him before." The lie flew past your lips with an ease that shocked you, but getting your body to match was the harder challenge. "I guess I'm just more nervous than I thought, huh?" This one wasn't as much of a lie. It was true you were nervous, but knowing that one of your soulmates was just within sight had sent them soaring through the roof.

With the look Killua was giving you, it was obvious he didn't believe you, but a buzzer resounded throughout the corridor before he could question you further. You couldn't keep yourself from visibly jumping at the sound and swore under your breath at the way your nerves were making you act. You had been able to control them to this point, not wanting to be seen as weak, but seeing Hisoka had sent your mental state kiltering precariously.

Forcing yourself to stop for a second, you took a deep breath and did your best to compose yourself before packing up your belongings as neatly as you could while the wall opposite of the entrance began to rise. You didn't have time for something like this. This was the Hunter Exam and if you wanted to beat the odds and pass, you needed to put all your time and energy into doing so. You didn't have time to worry about the pink-haired man and what you thought of him or even the possible rejection that could follow. At least not now. Not until the exam was over and you had a chance to prove your worth to yourself.

"I apologize for the delay. Thank you for waiting." A man had appeared on the other side of the wall. "The entry period for the Hunter applicants is now officially closed, so, without further ado, the Hunter Exam will now begin."

You felt the doubt you had done your best to push aside start to claw its way back as he went through the possible risks involved with their participation, wondering if you really were strong enough to pass. It took all your mental strength to keep it at bay, repeating your uncle's words in your mind. Self doubt is the first step to failure, but believing in one's self is the first step to success. You had spent the last eight years training for this very moment, only finally able to participate once your uncle had deemed you ready. And if he believed in you, then you should as well.

So, with one final breath, you shuffled forward with the rest of the applicants when you were asked to follow.

"I think he's picking up the pace," Killua said, still by your side as the exam officially began. And he was right. What had started as a brisk walk had quickly picked up speed until you were all at a steady jog.

Although your uncle was a licensed Hunter himself and had been an examiner for a few exams in the past, he hadn't told you anything about it, not even on how to find the exam. This meant you were on your own out here, just as clueless as the rest of the rookies here with only a few snippets here and there about what might occur.

“How rude of me, I neglected to introduce myself. I am Satoz, your examiner for the first phase of the exam. It is my responsibility to lead you all to the second phase.” 

“Second? What happened to the first?” One of the applicants towards the front of the group asked, mimicking your own thoughts. Was the first phase of the exam simply making it there?

“The first phase is already underway and is quite simple. All you have to do is follow me to the second phase. So, please, try and keep up.”

It didn't take long for you to realize what you were being tested for in the first phase. Without knowing how long you would be required to run or where exactly you might be going, your mental and physical endurance were being tested.

"This isn't so bad then," you mumbled, more out of your own relief than to Killua. If all you had to do was keep up with the examiner, then you should have no problem finishing the first phase. It wouldn't be fun, but you were confident you could run as long as you needed. Your uncle had seen to that.

"If we only have to follow him, might as well do it the easy way," Killua replied, motioning to the skateboard he held.

Your face lit up at his idea. "Mind if I join you?" you asked. Without skipping a beat, you kicked your left leg far enough back to where you could press the button at the heel before repeating the same process with your other foot. Four wheels popped out from the bottom of each boot, turning them into a pair of roller skates.

"Woah, where'd you get those?" Killua threw down his skateboard, quickly matching your new speed.

"Pretty cool, huh? My uncle gave me a new pair just for the exam."

You'd been given your first set of roller skates when you were just six years old as a way for you to help run deliveries for your parents. The villages you traveled to were small and remote, and you had been eager to help out, so the skates had been a way for you to get around quickly. When your uncle had given you a pair that could easily switch between boots and skates when you were sixteen, you had been ecstatic and worn them nearly every day. That pair alongside a few others had long since worn out, but he had surprised you once again with a new pair before you had left for the exam.

"You mentioned your uncle earlier," Killua began after the first few hours. "What happened to your parents?"

"They're dead." You couldn't help but tense the slightest at his question. You didn't mind his curiosity, it had been nearly ten years now since their deaths and time had slowly helped to ease the majority of the pain, but the topic still always brought up a multitude of memories you didn't like to think about. Especially not after that night two years ago.

"Oh, how'd they die?"

It was at this moment you saw yourself reflected in him once again. Someone who had also been forced to grow up just a little too soon, but while you had had your uncle to pick you up and set you on the right path, turning the tragedy into something that had allowed you to flourish and grow, he had simply become cold and stony. He was broken, even if he didn't realize it himself.

"Have you ever heard of the serial killer the Orphan Maker?" You asked, a bit surprised at the ease you felt in opening up to the boy, and upon Killua's nod, you continued. "We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and I was too young and weak to stop him from killing them." You paused, taking a breath and pushing back the wave of memories the story brought with it. You had learned to accept the past for what it was and move on, but remembering that night was still painful, leaving you with scars that would never quite heal. "It's why I want to be a Hunter. My parents had shown me the miracle of medicine and healing, but how can you save the people you care for if you're not strong enough to protect them from harm's way? I want, I need to be strong enough to do both."

Killua was silent for a moment. "So, are you a doctor then? Because you look pretty young to be one." His reply hardly surprised you. Something in his own past had left his emotions distorted, leaving a lack of empathy for life and death.

"No, not technically, but feel free to come see me if you have an injury you need attended to, okay?" You smiled at him, hoping he would follow through if he needed. "But, enough about me. What about you? Why do you want to be a Hunter?"

"I don't. I just heard the exam was hard, so I thought I'd try it to see for myself."

Just who was the strange boy beside you? To attempt the exam at his age was strange enough, but to simply want to take it because he had heard it was supposed to be hard was even stranger, especially seeing he wasn't yet familiar with nen.

“Hey! Why don’t you show some respect for the exam?”

Your conversation was interrupted when the applicant Killua had just passed suddenly turned and yelled at him.

“What do you mean?” Killua slowed his pace down to match the applicant, just as confused as you were to why he was being yelled out.

“I mean quit using the damn skateboard. That’s cheating.”

"How's that?" You butted in, pulling up next to Killua once you realized this man was just jealous you had a way to get out of running. "It's an endurance test, sure, but we were told just to follow. Not run."

You expected him to be just as pissed at you as he was with Killua, but his face only turned a bright shade of red when he turned to look at you.

"She's right, Leorio." It was the boy behind them that spoke up, dressed in green and around the same age as Killua. He must have known this 'Leorio' because his response led to the man's face turning even redder and he quickly mumbled some sort of apology under his breath before turning away.

"Hey, y/n, I think I'm going to run for a bit." Killua, unfazed by the outburst, went to the kid behind you, interested in the other kid his age taking the exam.

You nodded, understanding that talking to a kid his age would probably make for better conversation than you would, especially with the topic the two of you had ended on. "See you at the finish line?"

Killua beamed. “You betcha!”

The next few hours dragged on and you were left with nothing more than your own thoughts to keep you company as you weaved in and out of the crowd. Now that Killua had left you, you pulled your headphones back up over your ears in an attempt to distract yourself, but found it little help when your eyes kept glancing over at the man near the front. You told yourself you needed to keep an eye on him to make sure you stayed out of his eyesight, needing to focus on the exam for now, but that didn't stop your eyes from lingering every time you glanced his way. Nor did it stop yourself from realizing the main reason you wanted to keep out of sight was for fear of how he would react to the same revelation you had made.

Not everyone was interested in finding their soulmates, and you knew they could bring just as much pain to someone as they could joy. There were some who just didn't accept the person whose name was etched on their skin because they held no interest and some who had simply already committed their life to another. You didn't know anything about Hisoka. let alone how you actually felt about it all yourself, and yet, the idea of being rejected absolutely terrified you. What if it was because he had been expecting someone different? Someone stronger, or prettier, or more confident? What if it was because you simply weren't enough? A rejection that would sting much more than if he had simply already found someone else.

But no matter how often the man strayed into your thoughts, you knew it wasn't something you could afford to think about right now. You couldn't let him distract you from what truly mattered at the moment. the exam. You would finish it, and you would pass it, and then you could worry about the name on your wrist.

Unfortunately for you, the ease of the first phase came to a stop when the flat expanse of the tunnel you had been running in came to an end at the foot of a giant flight of stairs. The examiner didn't even pause at the change in terrain, simply making his way up them without the slightest change in pace. Seeing no other way around it and dreading what was to come, you flipped the wheels of your skates back into your boots and began making your way up after him.

While you had lost a handful of people over the first stretch, people started faltering more and more as you made your way up the stairs with no end in sight. You managed to hold your spot in the middle with relative ease, but it didn't take long before you were beginning to feel the burn yourself. You were almost certain you were close to the end, but exactly how much further, you hadn't a clue. But just as you were beginning to lose hope of it ever actually ending, light began to shine from further up ahead. You picked up your speed with renewed energy, and after a few more agonizing minutes, you had made it outside with a gentle breeze blowing that felt like heaven against your hot and sweaty skin.

"Hey, y/n!" Killua called to you when he saw you pass through the exit, a bright smile on his face as seeing you had also made it. "You got any more of that water?"

You nodded, breathless from the run, and slowly made your way over to him and the boy he had met earlier. Pulling your bag onto one shoulder, you rummaged around to find one of the four plastic bottles you had left and tossed it over to Killua. "Would you like one too?" you asked the other boy, feeling guilty if you didn't offer him one as well.

"That would be great, thanks!" he beamed. "I'm Gon!"

"y/n, it's nice to meet you Gon," you replied with a smile of your own before tugging your hair out of its ponytail long enough to pull it into a bun on top of your head and get the sweaty strands off the back of your neck. About a third of the examinees filled the clearing around you with a fairly steady stream of more coming through the tunnel behind you. "Is this our final destination?"

"Nope, not yet- Oh, hey, Kurapika!" Gon answered before waving to one of the applicants who had just come through behind you. He was younger than you as well, but closer to your age than the other two and standing around the same height as yourself. Still breathless from the run, he nodded his head at Gon and made his way over to your small group.

"Hey, where'd you get the water?" Another guy came up behind Kurapika, and though he was looking a bit more worse for wear than he had earlier - his shirt now tied around his waist in an attempt to cool down and coated in sweat - you quickly recognized him as the man who had yelled at Killua and you a few hours earlier.

"Miss y/n gave it to us!"

You couldn't hold back the giggle that came up when you saw the look that spread across his face when Gon pointed over at you. He must have recognized you just as easily with the blush that started blooming once more. Giving him a small wave, you tossed the last bottle over to him. The action caught him by surprise and left him scrambling to catch it after bouncing off his chest.

"I think the fog is lifting." Kurapika was the first to take notice of the subtle change in the air following their exchange, taking in their surroundings with a careful eye.

"Do you think-" you started, but your question was answered before you could finish it when the examiner began to address them once more.

“The Milsy Wetlands, also known as Swindler’s Swamp. We must cross it to reach phase two of the exam. This place is home to a large group of truly bizarre animals, many of which are crafty, voracious creatures who deceive and feast on human prey. So, please do try and be careful. If you’re deceived, you’ll surely die.” Satoz continued, unfazed as the entrance to the tunnel closed behind them. “These wetland creatures are not to be underestimated. They will use every trick in the book to fool their prey. This is an ecosystem in which all creatures hunt by the art of deception. So, please follow me closely and you won’t be deceived.”

Though you felt the same sense of dread as the rest of the examinees, you still felt a slight wave of relief as he went through the second half of the first phase. The swamp would be your first real test of combat outside of training which did make you a bit nervous, but you had no reason to worry about being deceived. As long as you were using the alternate version of gyo to assess the beings around you, it would be near impossible for anyone to pull a lie past you. 

“Is he messing with us?” The man, Leorio if she was remembering correctly, scoffed. “If we know they’ll try and deceive us, who’s going to fall for it?”

“Don’t let him fool you!” Mumbling overtook the crowd as a man appeared behind the entrance behind you, and you nearly jumped in surprise. He looked like he had just gotten out of a fight, with patches of black and blue scattered amongst the scratches along his skin. “He’s lying! That man is lying to you!”

Though his appearance had startled you, you knew he was lying before he even opened his mouth. Just one quick scan on his body and you were quick to see he wasn’t even human. You had no idea what type of creature he was, but it was clear he was not the human he appeared to be on the outside, his internal structure and feel was far too different. He must have been one of the creatures Satoz had just warned you about. 

“You do realize he’s the one lying, right?” you mumbled in response when Leorio started falling in with the side of the crowd that was favoring this new creature over Satoz.

“Yeah, and what makes you so sure about that, huh?”

“A liar, no matter how experienced, will always betray themselves in some way. If you know what to look for, it’s easy enough to decipher the truth for yourself.”

While your words did begin to sway him a bit, he didn’t seem entirely convinced either, simply frowning as he looked from Satoz to the creature and back again, mumbling under his breath as he mulled it over. 

But before you could say anything else to convince him fully, three playing cards struck the creature with a strong enough force to kill him before his body ever hit the ground. The same amount of cards went flying towards Satoz, but he was able to catch them before they hit with very little effort. 

“I see, I see. You are the real one then.”

You knew who had thrown them without having to follow the gaze of the rest of the crowd. You had your own card with his name on it sketched along the inside of your wrist after all, and any doubts you might have had before were completely squashed. If you weren't certain this was your Hisoka, you were certain now, and found yourself ensuring your left glove was still tucked safely inside the end of your sleeve. 

Even though you were expecting him this time around, it didn’t stop your heart from skipping a beat when you went to look at him, inwardly cursing the universe for thinking now was the right moment for the two of you to finally cross paths. As though the Hunter Exam wasn’t stressful enough, you now had to worry about what might happen when he realized you were here too. And he would, if he hadn’t already. Your usage of nen making you stick out like a red flag among the other applicants. 

“Wow, y/n, you were right.” Gon interrupted your train of thoughts when he referred to your earlier statement about Satoz being the real examiner. “He was lying.”

“I don’t even think he was human,” Kurapika added, eyes trailing to the body now being picked apart by vultures. “We need to be sure to not let our guard down.”

You nodded, rolling out your shoulders as you attempted to refocus on the task at hand. But it was easier said than done when you finally took off again. Not only did you have to focus on staying close enough to the examiner so you could track him, but you also had to try and focus on staying out of Hisoka’s sight as well. A task that you quickly came to realize was impossible at this point, and could only hope he wouldn’t be able to get a clear picture of you through the murky fog that surrounded you.

But as much as you hated the extra set of nerves, it did help to keep your adrenaline high and give you an extra boost of energy to keep you going, especially when your position with Gon and Killua put you just ahead of Hisoka. Normally you would have struggled to keep the pace the two boys were going after the marathon you had just ran, but you found yourself almost urging them to go faster and create an even bigger distance between yourself and the man a few meters behind you.

“I think we should try and move ahead to the front.” You had no qualms with Killua’s statement a few minutes later, and neither did Gon. However, you were surprised when he listed his reason why a few seconds later. “I just want to put some distance between Hisoka and us. Staying close is dangerous, I can smell it.”

“Huh? I don’t think he smells.” Gon replied with a naivety that betrayed his actual age, but he still glanced behind them before yelling at the other two applicants he had befriended to let them know you were going on ahead.

But things didn’t quite go to plan a few minutes after you pushed on ahead. One second Gon and Killua were right beside you and the next second you could hear them screaming as they fell through a hole that had just appeared in the ground. You slid to a stop, heart rapidly picking up pace as the worst case scenario flew into your head, but your fears of them falling to their death were quickly proven wrong when you spun around and saw a giant frog stepping out of the hole they had just fell into, leaving you to quickly wonder if this was a worse scenario or not.

You could feel the panic rising up, but you stifled it before it could overwhelm you and affect your coming actions. As long as you stayed calm and level headed, you could fix this and save them. This was your first real challenge of the exam and you were determined to not mess it up. You could do this.

With a deep breath, you used the alternate form of gyo to observe the frog and saw the two boys you were with had indeed been swallowed, but alive. With one more breath, you lept on top of the frog’s back, who had been oblivious of your presence until this moment. Pressing both hands against his back, you closed your eyes and sent your aura flooding into his body. After a few seconds of familiarizing yourself with his body, you used your nen to force the right muscles to contract and cause the frog to throw them back up.  

The force of the action whipped you off his back and sent you flying back into a nearby tree. You managed to right yourself just in time, gathering your footing in just a few seconds before heading back to where the two boys now were. 

“Ack, so gross!” Killua’s voice snatched her attention first, but one quick scan on his body was all it took for her to see that the two were just fine physically. The only issue was that they were now both coated in the frog’s vomit.

“Are you guys okay?”

“Yeah, I guess he just didn’t like the taste of us, huh?”

“Are you okay, y/n?” Gon asked, wiping himself off as best he could before walking over to you, barely concerned with what had just happened to him. 

“I’m all good!” you nodded, flashing them a smile and a thumbs up, thankful they had taken the frog’s upset stomach to have been caused by the can of poisoned juice Killua still had on him. It saved you from having to try and come up with a lie on how you had gotten them out of there on your own. 

“Well, come on then. We need to keep moving. I bet we can still make it if we start right now.” Killua seemed just as unperturbed by the situation, taking just a second or two to wipe himself off before running back into the woods.

With a shrug of your shoulders towards Gon, you took off after him. As long as they were both okay, you figured he was right. You could still make it to the end of the phase if you kept going.

It wasn’t long before you caught sight of Satoz and the few applicants who had managed to evade the dangers of the swamp well enough to keep up with him. Killua was right at your side, though Gon was nowhere to be seen when you turned to look, losing him somewhere along the way. But as much as you were worried about the boy and where he might have gone, you knew he was more than capable of handling himself. If he had made it this far, then there was more than met the eye with him just as it was with Killua.

So, you pushed any negative thoughts of Gon out of your head and chased after Satoz alongside Killua. Before you knew it, the fog was clearing and Satoz had stopped in his tracks declaring they had finally reached their destination. You were a wheezing mess, lungs burning with each breath and legs feeling like they may collapse at any second, but you had made it. You had passed the first phase. 

♥♡♠♤♣♧♦♢

[alexandraxsuoh]

♠ She never stays outside of Liyue for many reasons. She used to always move place and never leave a trace of her presence. She usually stays in Liyue since most of her friends are there. 

♠ She doesn’t know when asking for help since she tried many time but never got help. They call her reckless, stubborn and all but she’s far too used to be alone and left for dead too many times. 

♠ Her weapon is unusual since she uses a scythe instead of everything else. She has a sword but hate it since her father used to be a knight before going crazy and violent.

[softmafia]

His Limits To Love

Warnings: none

A/n: just a cute little one shot!! :3

━━━━━♥♠♣♦━━━━━

The rain was pounding hard on the roof, and beating against the glass, Y/n was getting bored of watching the raindrops race down the window.. so soon their eyes began to fic onto the magician sleeping peacefully beside them. Hisoka, in their eyes, was the definition of divine beauty.. he looked like a statue carved to perfection and then brought to life, even in his most questionable moments. He looked even more gorgeous while sleeping, so peaceful, so content.. granted he was probably dreaming about murder or various other gore-ish scenarios.. but that didn’t change how majestic he looked, his fiery red hair fell so softly against his face, his chiseled jawline pointed upwards, lips squashed against the pillow, leaving it open enough for small little snores to escape from them, not loud enough to be unbearably loud, but enough to show how at peace he was when he was in his slumber.

Y/n rested their head on their arm, smiling softly as they reached their hand out, softly stroking Hisoka’s soft locks out of his face, then gently dragging their hand down his back, but that was when he opened his eyes just a crack. Those piercing, mysterious golden eyes that would always go soft when Y/n entered the room. They giggled, but kept their hand on the arch of his back, feeling how his muscles tensed slightly, “I’m sorry I woke you up..” they said softly, to which the cunning magician replied, “Don’t apologize, darling~” he purred, blinking at them in a soft manner. “Were you staring at me~?” He whispered, his voice was hushed and gruff from just waking up. “How can I not..? You look so handsome when you sleep, you seem so relaxed.” Y/n said, moving their hand up to trace at his impressive jawline, he purred happily and quietly.

“Ooh~? Do I now~?” He chuckled softly, turning onto his side and holding their hand on his face.

Nodding, they spoke, “You’re the most handsome man I’ve ever seen..” Y/n replied, letting their thumb brush over his prominent cheekbone.

“Ooh you little devil~” Hisoka purred, “Come here so I can hold you~” he reached his arm out and pulled Y/n close, as they happily scooted over to him. Their face was held closely to his chest, and his fingers gently combed through their h/c hair, burying his nose in it and softly breathing in the scent, “You better enjoy this while it lasts~” he whispered into their ear, as they listened to his soft, steady heartbeat. Although his next set of words made their blood run cold.

“Because tomorrow I won’t be as relaxed..~ our fight is way overdue~”

Hisoka had a soft spot for them.. but he also expressed the desire to fight them just as much, they loved each other to the sun and back but there were always limits to Hisoka’s love, apparently.

[hunnybadgerv]

Tracker: Physical Intimacy Prompts

Adapted from the Physical Intimacy Prompts posted originally by screnwriter-deactivated20220724

holding hands under the table

touching your lover’s thigh under the table

hiding behind a wall, pulling your lover into a kiss as they walk by

“you need to stop doing that.” “do what?” “that little eye thing you do when i walk into the room.”

leaving notes in obscure places for your lover to find

we kissed last night but we have to pretend like nothing happened

your hand is touching mine and i can’t stop myself from taking it

making eye-contact with your lover from across the room, gesturing at them to follow you outside

tracing a finger across your lover’s scar

leaning in for a kiss but pulling away last second

whispering “i love you” in-between kisses

smiling in-between kisses

intertwining fingers

comparing hand sizes

straddling your lover’s thighs

tying your lover’s tie

falling asleep in your lover’s arms

very obviously checking each other out while undressing, trying to deny it even though it’s obvious

tending to your lover’s wound

kissing your lover’s forehead or knuckles

scooting closer to your lover in bed

good morning/good night texts

looking into your lover’s eyes, then *gaze drops to lips*

being protective

Adapted from Nonsexual Acts of Intimacy posted originally posted by @thatotherrpmeme.

♔ : Finding your muse wearing their clothes

♕: Holding hands

♖: Having their hair washed by your muse

♗: Your muse falling asleep with their head in my muse's lap.

♘: Cuddling in a blanket fort

♙: Sharing a bed

♚: Head scratches

♛: Sharing a dessert

♜: Shoulder rubs

♝: Reading a book together

♞: Caring for each other while ill (specify which party is which)

♟: Patching up a wound

♤: Taking a bath together

♧: Your muse playing with their hair

♡: Accidentally falling asleep together

♢: Forehead or cheek kisses

♠: Your muse adjusting their jewelry/neck tie/ etc.

♣: Back scratches

♥: Your muse crying about something

♦: Slow dancing

[demxters]

☆ for blurb night requests; Ace meeting Jake's parents for the first time... we've already seen Jake meeting hers, but how does she meet his? Do they go back to Texas during break? Is his parents visiting?

—MEET THE PARENTS

frat!jake seresin x f!reader

wc: 1.6k (is this even considered a blurb anymore)

warning(s): 18+, fem!reader, no y/n (reader goes by nickname ace), mentions of dysfunctional parental relationships

catch up with jake and ace here!

»»————- ♠︎ ————-««

The First Time

Walking around campus felt like a stab to the heart. Everywhere you looked, proud children were going around with their parents in tow. Bright smiles and joyous laughter filled the air in activities you could not participate in.

Family day was quite possibly your least favorite event on campus. It was a constant reminder of the parents you didn’t have. You hated how envious you felt of them all.

Yet every year without fail, you succumb yourself to this same torture of going out to the quad and watching what you didn’t have.

For reasons you didn’t understand, you found yourself desperately wanting this with your own parents. Every single time, you would invite them, hoping they would make it. Every single time, they disappointed you.

This year, Nat asked if you wanted to join her and her parents on their day out but you refused. You loved the Traces, but you didn’t want to intrude on their only time with their daughter. You were also so tired of the pitiful looks you got from your friends’ families every time you saw them.

You would rather suffer in silence than have anyone feel sorry for you. So you threw yourself your own pity party.

Making your rounds through the Hall of Science, someone calling for you stops you in your tracks.

“Ace, hey!”

You knew that voice too well. Clenching your fists, you pull yourself together. You turn to see the blond making his way towards you.

You have to silently remind yourself to be civil because of all the people around.

“Seresin,” you grit out with a practiced grin.

He sends you a charming smile and you hate the way it makes your cheeks warm up. Jake looks over his shoulder for a moment before looking back at you with his eyes glistening with a look you couldn’t describe. “I have some people I want you to meet.”

You send him a questioning look wondering, what could he possibly be up to now?

He looked over his shoulder, beckoning for whoever it was with an enthusiastic wave of his hand.

Nothing could’ve prepared you to be met with a woman whose eyes were an identical shade of green to those looking at you and a man with the same dirt blond hair as the boy in front of you.

“Ace, this is my mom and pops,” he smiles proudly with a hand on his hip as the other pulls his mother into his side.

Shock takes over your system for never, in a million years, did you think Jake Seresin would be introducing you to his parents.

The woman beside him grins with the same smile as her son, dimple and all. The sight is bewildering, seeing the boy you knew as Hangman standing with the people who raised him. You’re not sure what you were expecting but it definitely wasn’t what happened next.

“Oh my goodness, look at you!” Slipping out from under her son’s arm, the woman who you can only assume was Mrs. Seresin. Her voice was sweet as molasses, and her floral perfume flooded your senses.

You’re immediately overcome by the feeling of home as she gathers you in her arms. You want to tear up, not realizing just how touch starved you’ve been. You couldn’t recall the last time your mother hugged you, let alone talked to you because she wanted to.

You didn’t know Mrs. Seresin, but she emitted a feeling of security that made you never want to leave her embrace.

But you stepped away, not giving in to your temptations. You wouldn’t allow yourself to have the satisfaction. You couldn’t.

“You are absolutely beautiful! Jake never mentioned anything about you being this gorgeous!” She gushes over you.

“Ma!” Jake’s cheeks turn a bright shade of red. He rubs a hand down the back of his neck and looks down at the floor.

His reaction makes you giggle. You eye him, almost as if to say You talk about me?

The man holds his hand out to you with a smile of his own. “Pleasure to meet you.” He’s a bit more calm in comparison to Mrs. Seresin who looks close to bouncing off the walls in glee.

Taking his hand, you bashfully grin. “Oh, the pleasure is all mine, sir.”

Mrs. Seresin waves a hand at you, gathering your hands in her own. “Please, call us Thomas and Sandra. There’s no need for formalities, sweetheart.”

Your smile grows at the nickname. It must run in the family.

The Seresin’s invite you to continue walking around with them and though you politely try to decline, Mr. and Mrs. Seresin refused to take “no” for an answer.

So you spent the afternoon with the Seresin’s and, surprisingly, were enjoying yourself. Not once, did Jake nor his parents mention anything about your lack of parents. For that you felt more than grateful.

You were walking ahead with Jake’s father, having a deep conversation about something Jake had no clue about.

Jake feels his mother sidle up beside him. “Ace is a nice girl, don’t you think?”

He hums in response.

“That was nice of you. Introducing us to her and all.” She glances at her son who continues to avoid her eyes. She knew her son all too well. “I’m really hoping this isn’t the last we’ll see of her.”

“Mom,“ he starts. “Whatever it is you’re thinking, it’s not like that.”

Mrs. Seresin raises a brow. “I never said it was. I’m just saying, I think it would be nice to have that girl around more often.”

Jake watches as you laugh at something his father said and smiles. There’s that feeling again. The one he seemed to always get whenever he was around you.

He hears your laughter once more causing his lips to turn upward. He hoped you would be around more often too.

The First (official) Time

“Meeting your parents on campus is completely different from going home with you to Texas to see them!” You exclaim with hurried breaths.

Jake laughs, wrapping his arm around your shoulders and presses a kiss to your temple. “Relax, Ace. They love you.” He pauses and adds, “Not more than I do, of course.”

His declaration doesn’t do much to quell the nerves in your system. Meeting his parents is one thing. Meeting his parents and brother, sisters, nieces, and nephews was another.

“I’ve only met them once, Jake. It’s not possible for them to like me that much already,” you reason. “I mean, what if I embarrass myself? What if your siblings hate me?”

“That’s my Ace. Ever the optimist,” he jests.

You smack him on the chest and try to pull away, only for him to hold you tighter. “Not funny, Jake.”

“Sorry, sorry. I know.” Glancing to his front door and back to your wide eyes he gives you the most comforting smile he can. “It’ll be alright, baby. I promise. You know when you got into that accident, my parents were worried sick. My siblings too! They had me calling to update them every day after you went home.”

“Really?” You ask shyly.

“Really, sweetheart.” He brushed his thumb softly against the scar on your forehead from the crash. A mark that once made you feel insecure, until he showered it with love. “I’ll be right there with you the whole time. Now come on, I bet Ma’s been watching us through the peephole the entire time.”

You chuckle, leaning into Jake’s touch to ease your running heartbeat. Just as he raises his fist to knock on the door, it swings open and you’re met with none other than Mrs. Seresin who’s already grinning from ear to ear.

Jake opens his arms for a hug from his mother, not expecting her to push past him and run straight to you.

Just like the first time, you’re caught by surprise when she wraps you in her arms in a big bear hug. “It’s so good to see you, honey! We’re so glad you could make it out here.”

You laugh at Jake’s bewildered expression as you hug her back. “It’s so good to see you too, Mrs. Seresin.”

She playfully scolds you at that. “Oh, what did we talk about last time? It’s Sandra.”

You correct yourself as you pull away.

“Hi Mom,” Jake adds with an unamused look.

“Jacob, quit standing there and take the bags inside.”

You laugh, feeling more than comfortable in Mrs. Seresin’s presence. “Yeah, Jacob.”

He throws his hands up in exasperation, huffing under his breath about there being more of them now.

Jake trudges behind the both of you as your mom leads you inside. As she shows you to the room you’ll be staying in for the night, she whispers softly in your ear, “I knew you’d find your way back to us.”

You must look confused because she smiled softly and continued.

“When we met you the first time, I had the strongest feeling in my gut that you were going to become part of this family and I was right.”

Your heart warms at her words. You don’t know what to say, feeling shy from the intimacy of her confession. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I know I sprung that on you a little fast. I just want you to know that you’ll always have a family with us.” She gives your hand a squeeze and moves ahead to open the door for you.

Jake, who heard the entire conversation, takes your hand that his mom was holding. “See? I told you. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“Thank you,” you tell him sincerely.

He can see stars in your eyes and pure happiness in your smile. He loved seeing you like this. He only wanted to ever see you like this forever. “What for?”

“Just… thank you.” You press a soft kiss to his lips which he gladly reciprocates.

He wasn’t sure what you were thanking him for but if it kept you looking like that, then he’d just accept it and hope he could keep you that way.

tgm taglist: @joaquinwhorres @harrycherrylove @smoothdogsgirl @t-nd-rfoot @dempy @ollyoxenfrees @potato-girl99981 @averyhotchner @2guysonascooter @loveforaugust @blue-aconite @fandom-life-12 @stiles-banshees @iamdannyday @hotch-meeeeeuppppp @breezemood @eli2447 @angelbabyange @finelytaylored @pono-pura-vida @hecate-steps-on-me @blueoorchid @aviatorobsessed @blackwidownat2814 @hallecarey1 @averagereader35 @laneylovesglen @atarmychick007 @kajjaka @urfavelocagirl @clancycumber230 @memeorydotcom

[enjomo-arch]

(  flame  command  :  nami  )   //    [  ♠ @chatcambrioleur  ]

"Your laugh is so... I missed it."

❝  now,  i  wasn't  off  for  too  long.  ❞  his  face  broke  out  in  a  broad  grin  at  the  appearance  of  his  brother's  group.  especially  nami,  since  he  had  to  leave  in  such  a  rush  he  couldn't  even  say  a  proper  goodbye  to  everyone.  

when  he  followed  another  lead,  all  traces  of  him  vanished  for  several  weeks.  still,  it  was  pretty  lucky  that  he  stayed  on  the  same  island  as  his  younger  brother  and  it  didn't  take  long  for  ace  to  catch  the  lady  navigator  in  her  warm  embrace  when  she  jumped  on  him.

 he  let  out  a  hearty  chuckle  of  contentment.  as  the  laughter  died  down,  he  lifted  an  eyebrow  and  greeted  her  with  his  trademark  sneaky  grin.  ❝  my laugh, is so what  ?  but maybe  i  should  laugh  more  often  for  ya'  señorita  ?  ❞