#((The Heart and The Hero of Truth suffer from the 'and they were best friends' phenomenon in the story))

[antihibikase-archive]

Do not be fooled by his black attire, he’s actually a healer of the kingdom. That, and his perpetual scowl make it almost impossible for anyone to just approach him.. unless they’re little kids, who just so happen to like him.

Anyway, here’s “The Heart”, aka probably Cheren Slater in a past life! 

Despite not necessarily being the best healer ever, his role in the story of the twins is a massive one, yet, some versions of the story omit his existence entirely due to unsavory factors associated with his death.

Initially a scholar like one of his childhood friends, who would go on to become “The Scholar” in the Hero of Truth’s story, he suddenly stopped his studies and was requested to become a healer for the palace, mainly to keep the twin princes in check. 

Speaking of twin princes, he is one of the few people who is in good relations with both of them and their accompanying parties. Perhaps this is why becomes a treasure to them both, even if its clear he somewhat favors the older prince more.

His apparent lack of aptitude for “magic” (aka he had a weak aura) made it impossible for him to bond with certain Pokemon that scholars were recommended to use, so.. he became the world’s most unapproachable healer!

He has his own personal issues because he believes he’s unable to bond with Pokemon. He gets along well with the older prince’s Volcarona and the Tirtouga he takes care of.

The staff he carries around doesn’t automatically heal people through magic, as those from the future may think. They’re stuffed with herbs and berries. Somehow, hitting people with it works half the time.

Might as well be the royal advisor, with how often he gives out advice to both the princes, especially the older twin.

His family did not come from Unova initially, so he’s sensitive to the colder climate. He’s also more drawn to the sea.

At some point during his journey, a red string around his finger was spotted. That same red string remains on his person even after his death, as the Hero of Truth insisted. That red string was rumored to be a gift from the Hero of Truth, when they were traveling together.

The events surrounding his death are vague, but its implied he was killed during a battle between the two princes at the end of their journey, in which they wanted to prove which one was worthy of obtaining the power of the legendary dragon.

In truth, this story is false; while it is true that the princes started to argue over the throne, the dragon, and over truths and ideals, The Heart was killed in the process of the dragon splitting into two, taking his life in exchange for giving birth to Reshiram and Zekrom.

Due to his fondness for the sea, and his beloved Tirtouga passing away in his arms out of heartbreak for his own death, he was buried in a temple in the sea, and his death caused the twins and their respective dragons to refuse the throne.

Since the dragons were considered divine, his death and existence are sometimes omitted in some versions of the story in an attempt to make the heroes look faultless.

On a winter night with a full moon, it is said that the spirit of The Heart can be seen walking on the shores of Undella Bay, looking for his beloved Tirtouga and calling out for his prince.

[crystallinestars]

Unrequited Love

When he develops feelings for you, but your heart belongs to another with no hope of ever loving him back.

I'm not 100% happy with this, but it has been sitting in my drafts for a long time, so I want to finally post it. Forgive me if these are all repetitive.

WARNING: This is pure angst. No happy endings here.

Characters: Kaeya, Xiao, Alhaitham, Thoma, Zhongli, and Kaveh

🦚 Kaeya:

Kaeya has liked you ever since you were both children. Back when he and Diluc pretended to be knights of Favonius that heroically saved you and Jean from Treasure Hoarders, Kaeya had always wanted to play your knight in shining armor. When you got injured while playing and started crying, Kaeya was always the first one to comfort you and help patch up your scrapes and bruises. His little crush on you prompted him to look out for you and protect you from harm to the best of his ability.

As the years passed, that crush developed into full-fledged love. After Kaeya’s falling out with Diluc, you were the only person remaining whom he considered a close friend and confidant. Despite how much he tried to distance himself from you, you wouldn’t have any of it, and persistently wormed your way into his life. You worked hard to keep your friendship alive by giving Kaeya the companionship he craved, and served as a shoulder for him to lean on during his lowest moments. When faced with your sincerity, acceptance, and kindness, how could Kaeya not fall even deeper in love with you?

He lived life by distancing himself from others. He didn’t want to be abandoned and hurt again the same way when his father left him all alone in Mondstadt as a child all those years ago. Kaeya didn’t want to grow attached to people and then suffer when those bonds inevitably broke, just like they did when Diluc shunned him once he revealed the truth about his origins. Kaeya knew better than that, yet your presence made him harbor hope that perhaps you were different.

You’ve known each other since childhood, so Kaeya naturally trusted you more than most. You had a deep bond of understanding and acceptance that made Kaeya hope that maybe he could find unconditional love with you. To have you by his side, being his sole light in this dark world, is all he ever wanted. To have just one person he can let down his walls around and bare his broken self to. These rosy fantasies floated in his mind whenever you were together, warming and soothing his scarred heart.

He should have known better, but he paid the price for his foolish hopes.

When you told Kaeya that you and Diluc got together, it felt as if a bucket of cold water was dumped on him. The sweet, golden fantasies were shattered, replaced with the harsh reality that you didn’t feel the same way about him.

Truly, he should have expected this outcome.

As children, Kaeya had wanted to be your knight in their games of pretend, but it was always Diluc who beat him to the punch. His brother was always the one to save you from the imaginary bad guys and be your hero, while Kaeya faded into the background and was forced to watch as you kissed Diluc’s cheek in thanks.

Kaeya was the first to comfort you when you got injured, but it was always Diluc who ultimately cheered you up and restored your smile. When his relationship with his brother became strained, most of your attention was focused on Diluc who was mourning the loss of his father, not on Kaeya who had also lost Krepus.

To you, Kaeya always came second, and this time was no exception.

Though the news shattered his heart, Kaeya expertly masked his pain with a smile. If you wanted to be just friends, then so be it. He would accept anything you gave him because he craved any scrap of your affection that badly. Your presence comforted him in a way nothing else did, not even his favorite Death After Noon which he resorted to when he wanted to numb the sorrow and forget the painful memories, if only for a few hours. He didn’t want to lose the care and gentleness you showed him, even if it meant suffering through the heartache of knowing that your acts of kindness towards him weren’t out of romantic love. Kaeya could tolerate it, he was sure. He would move on and learn to be happy for you and his brother.

Even if his conversations with Diluc became more awkward because as much as he tried to hide his heartbreak, Diluc knew Kaeya was suffering deep down, he would still smile and try to be happy.

Even if he felt bile rise in his throat when he watched you and Diluc share a kiss and profess your love, Kaeya would smile because you must never learn of his secret romantic feelings for you. His unwanted feelings.

Even if he silently cried alone at home after attending your wedding, grasping at his chest where his aching heart was and downing glass after glass of liquor, Kaeya will plaster on that same smile.

Even if his unrequited love for you never waned no matter how many years passed, Kaeya will continue to wear a smile and act happy for you despite his heart still longing for your love.

Maybe he can’t ever be genuinely happy for you and his brother, but he can at least pretend to be.

👹 Xiao:

Xiao knew that befriending a human like you would only lead to disaster. No matter how many times he warned you to stay away from him because his karma would hurt you, you didn’t listen and continued to visit the lonely adeptus.

Xiao should have put an end to your visits by disappearing and relocating somewhere you wouldn’t be able to find him, but he didn’t. Something in him wanted to stay with you despite his better judgment. The way you brought him new trinkets and foods to try was endearing, albeit a waste of your time since Xiao seldom liked anything you brought.

He wasn’t sure why you were so adamant about befriending him, and when asked, you simply said that he seemed lonely and in need of a friend. Xiao found your reasoning naïve and even foolish since you were putting yourself in danger over an altruistic impulse, but no matter how much he pushed you away, you didn’t give up on him. You were persistent in your attempts to befriend the lonely adeptus, easily seeing through him. He only pushed you away because he was scared, not because he hated you.

Xiao wasn’t sure when exactly it happened, but one day he caught himself looking forward to your visits. He anticipated your arrival, patiently waiting for the moment he when would hear the familiar sound of your footsteps that made his heart race. His breath hitched and cheeks flushed when you smiled at him or playfully teased him. Anything you did sent his heart aflutter. Xiao was utterly smitten with you, yet he didn’t know what to do about these feelings. For now, he was content to simply let them be and enjoy these peaceful and happy days with you. He would explore these warm and airy feelings at his own pace and see where they lead.

However, these delicate emotions quickly turned as heavy as a boulder when you announced that you found a lover.

Xiao was surprised by the news since he didn’t think you had someone else you were as close to as him, if not more so. In hindsight, he should have expected it. You were a warm and friendly person, so it was only natural that you had other people you were close to in your life. This was how things should be. An adeptus like him did not belong by your side.

Though he was aware that it was for the best for you to find love and settle down with a fellow human, something inside Xiao’s chest ached at the thought. He was disappointed that he was not as special to you as he perceived, but he tried his best to ignore the pain and disappointment by burying them deep inside his heart. He tried to maintain the same demeanor he always did around you, but even you could tell that he seemed bothered by something. The way he became more reserved and aloof around you tipped you off that something weighed on his mind.

When you pressed him about it, he reluctantly confessed that he thought you would stop seeing him as much due to your new love. Despite your reassurances that you still wanted him around, as time progressed, you visited Xiao less and less often. You still brought him gifts and foods to try, but this time supplemented by comments about how your boyfriend Gaming gave them to you to try and give to your friends. Most of your conversations were no longer about your life anymore, instead now revolving around Gaming.

Your less frequent visits worried Xiao, so he sometimes stopped by Liyue Harbor to check in on you to see if you were alright. That was how Xiao found himself observing the progression of your relationship with Gaming.

As he watched you stroll around the harbor with the cheerful boy, Xiao found himself yearning to be the one you looped your arms around.

To be the one to make you smile and laugh.

To be the one to hold your hand and kiss you sweetly on the lips.

He wanted to be in Gaming’s shoes and discover what it’s like to be loved by you. However, each and every time, he shoved those thoughts and desires into the farthest recess of his mind, locking them away. He will not interfere, it is not his place. It’s better for everyone if you don’t love him. You would only get hurt being around him if you do. As a human, you would inevitably get hurt by his karma, and Xiao would never forgive himself if that happened.

If one day you drifted apart because you no longer had time for him, Xiao would accept it. It will hurt, but he will accept it.

It’s better this way, he tells himself. It’s better for you to love a fellow human, especially one that treats you right and makes you happy the way Gaming does. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t the one to give you happiness—all that ultimately mattered was that you were happy, even if not with him. Not that he truly believed he could make you happy…

He’s too dangerous to be worthy of your love, so it’s better this way…

It’s better this way.

🎧 Alhaitham:

When Alhaitham invited you over to his house, he never imagined that he was setting himself up for utter heartache. The number of times he invited a person over can be counted on one hand, yet you were one of the chosen few who piqued his interest enough to invite you to his private space. You were not a genius like him, but that did not matter. You understood his worldview and didn’t criticize him for his introverted personality, which he appreciated. Plus, you weren’t afraid to stand up to him if you thought he was being too cold or antisocial, and actively challenged him to step out of his comfort zone every now and then.

Having invited you to his house, you inevitably met his mess of a roommate. When you and Kaveh instantly hit it off, Alhaitham thought nothing of it at the time. The two of you got along, and Kaveh nagged at him less which was good enough for him.

However, with Kaveh being introduced into your life, your unusual friendship with Alhaitham started to change. Whenever you expressed a desire to come over or hang out with Alhaitham, you would always ask if Kaveh could join. Every time you met up with Alhaitham to share literature or get a cup of coffee, your topic of conversation would deviate to Kaveh.

The Scribe was no fool, and he could instantly tell that you developed feelings for his roommate. Something weighed heavy in his chest at that realization, but he chose not to ponder on that feeling too much, and simply brushed it aside. Alhaitham believed in letting people have free will over the development of their lives, so he didn’t stop you from seeking out the company of the architect, even when it resulted in you canceling plans with him.

Kaveh expressed similar behavior to you, constantly asking and talking about you like a schoolboy with a crush. It didn’t take much for the Scribe to figure out that the architect returned your romantic feelings. At the back of his mind, Alhaitham knew what this could result in, but even if something in him disliked the idea, he let things play their natural course. He figured you would know better than to go for Kaveh, a person plagued with deep-rooted issues that not just anyone could deal with.

It was only when he came home one day to find you cuddling up to and kissing Kaveh did that heavy feeling return with a vengeance. The sight of your happy smiles, the sound of your laughter, and the knowledge that Kaveh made you happier than you could ever be with him, weighed heavy on his chest like a boulder. It was difficult to breathe.

However, Alhaitham remained the picture of indifference and carried on to his room. You and Kaveh only spared him with a brief greeting before returning to your little romantic bubble, none the wiser about how the Scribe felt. Alhaitham himself didn’t know what he was feeling, and it wasn’t until much later when he was struggling to focus on reading his book did it finally hit him that he was heartbroken. His chest felt heavy with sadness and disappointment because he loved you, yet you did not want his love.

The realization came far too late, and Alhaitham was left with no choice but to accept that you would not be his. Maybe if he realized his feelings sooner the outcome would have been different? Maybe if he never invited you over, you wouldn’t have fallen for Kaveh? These questions, among various others, plagued him like a bad aftertaste in his mouth.

It was too late to change anything. You made your choice, and Alhaitham will respect it.

He hid his heartache behind an aloof demeanor and curt responses, going about his days as usual. It would be best if both you and Kaveh never found out about his unrequited love to avoid unnecessary drama and complications. Even if some days it was difficult to push down the heavy feelings pressing on his chest, Alhaitham hid them well.

The only times his carefully crafted facade cracks is when you hang out with just him, lost in your own thoughts or distracted by an activity, unaware that Alhaitham is looking at you. If anyone took the time to study his gaze, they would see that despite his stoic expression, Alhaithm’s eyes reflected pure yearning and sadness. As soon as you looked at him, though, he would quickly look away to avoid you finding out the truth.

He will respect your decision, even if it hurts him.

He will hide his pain to protect your happiness and friendship.

🍡 Thoma:

Ever since he first met you, Thoma knew you were off-limits. You were Ayato’s fiancée, after all. As attractive as he found you, he couldn’t get too close to you since you were already taken. He should have been content with simply befriending and serving you the way he served Ayaka and Ayato.

At first, he was.

Ever since being introduced to him, you were placed in Thoma’s care to have the loyal retainer familiarize you with the Kamisato estate and the workings of the Clan when Ayato was too busy to do so. Thoma could tell you were out of your element being engaged to someone of high political and social standing like his Lord, so he did his best to ease your nerves and help you acclimate to your new home. He surmised that being isolated in such a large manor with none of your usual friends and family around must have been lonely, so he chose to become your first friend at the estate.

Thoma regularly snuck you out to play with stray cats and dogs, and watched your face light up in a joyous smile when the animals sought out your affection. Thoma also taught you the ropes about acting like a noble. Due to your nerves, you sometimes made mistakes, but Thoma always helped you feel better by laughing off your blunders. When you expressed a desire to see your family and friends, Thoma accompanied you to the city and served as your protector. He knew what it felt like to be stranded away from family since he was separated from his mother in Mondstadt long ago, and he didn’t want you to miss your family the way he did.

Somewhere along the way, Thoma caught feelings.

He didn’t realize it immediately. It just hit him one day when he watched you and Ayato share an intimate moment on the veranda. He felt jealous and protective of you as he watched Ayato tenderly stroke your cheek and lean in for a kiss.

Thoma didn’t hate Ayato for being the one to capture your heart. He owed a lot to both the Kamisato siblings for accepting an immigrant like him and giving him a place to belong when nobody else in Inazuma did. He is eternally grateful to them for that. For this reason, his jealousy was quickly replaced with shame and guilt because he shouldn’t have feelings for you. You were Ayato’s fiancée, he knew that. You already have someone else in your heart, someone whom Thoma serves out of a sense of respect and loyalty. He would never have it in him to ruin the idyllic happiness shared between you and his Lord.

With no other option, Thoma chooses to keep his feelings for you hidden. He plays the role of your best friend perfectly, being mindful of not touching you unnecessarily or for longer than is appropriate, no matter how much he wants to. He maintains a respectful distance between you, both physically and figuratively.

Though he brushes aside your occasional puzzled glance at his sudden change in behavior, Ayato knows. Thoma can fool you, but he can’t fool Ayato. His Lord knows what’s really brewing behind the surface of the blond’s cheerful smile.

But Thoma steps back and shows Ayato that he has no intentions of getting in the way of his relationship with you. You do not love him the way you love Ayato, and that is the reality of the situation. If you want Thoma to be your friend, then he will happily remain as one, no matter how much his heart bleeds to not mean something more to you.

Thoma will smile for you, so you won’t know that something is wrong. Because nothing is wrong, he thinks. His feelings are not necessary, and he will do his best to move on to not impede the happiness of his Lord and yourself.

The only time he slipped up was when he tucked away a stray strand of your hair on your wedding day. His fingers brushed against the soft skin of your cheek for a bit longer than appropriate, but quickly pulled away to not rouse your suspicion any further. Wishing you luck, Thoma saw you off with that same warm smile plastered on his face as you prepared to meet up with Ayato to begin the wedding ceremony.

He will smile for you. Even if his heart feels like it’s being torn apart, and there’s a thick lump in his throat that makes it hard for him to speak, the least Thoma could do is smile. He will support you on your road to happiness, even if it’s not with him.

🔶 Zhongli:

Zhongli had met many people during his very long life, but few left as deep of an impression on him as you did. You were an ordinary human, a friend of Hu Tao’s he occasionally saw when you stopped by to chat with the funeral director. At first glance, there wasn’t anything particularly outstanding about you, but Zhongli found himself drawn to your energy.

When Hu Tao introduced you to him, he took an immediate liking to you and your boundless curiosity for the knowledge and stories he had to share. It was no secret that Zhongli was wise and well-informed about many things, and you saw him as a source of trivia and riveting tales about events long past.

Your undivided attention and bright eyes endeared you to Zhongli, and the god grew fond of you. He invited you to more outings where he shared interesting stories and answered any questions you had about anything at all. He had fun in your presence and was delighted to be called your dear friend.

Zhongli was well aware that there were deeper feelings brewing in his heart for you, but he was in no rush to explore or act upon them. He was content to take his time and allow your relationship with him to develop at a natural pace. Perhaps one day the two of you would grow even closer, and he would divulge his greatest secret to you about his hidden identity. For now, he would accompany you around Liyue as your friend, and share his boundless knowledge with you.

When you suddenly started zoning out during one of his long-winded speeches, he wondered if something was weighing on your mind. At first, you sheepishly brushed his concern away, saying it was nothing. When you began canceling your dates with Zhongli and scheduling fewer of them than usual, his concern deepened. When he asked for the reason behind these changes, your answer left him conflicted.

It was a charming young man from Snezhnaya, you divulged to Zhongli. A young man going by the name Tartaglia, with eyes the deepest blue you’ve ever seen, sporting a striking red scarf and mask that made him easy to spot in a crowd. Zhongli instantly knew you were talking about Childe, the Eleventh Fatui Harbinger.

He warned you about the dangers of associating yourself with a man like Tartaglia, but that didn’t stop you from meeting the Harbinger on a regular basis. You were enamored with that Snezhnayan rascal, and Zhongli could do nothing but watch as you abandoned his company in favor of Childe’s. You still considered Zhongli as a friend and tried to make time for him, but spurred by your romantic feelings, you chose to prioritize Tartaglia over the former archon.

Watching you run off to be with another man left a bitter feeling in the back of Zhongli’s throat, akin to the bitterness of green tea. But perhaps, things were better off this way. You were a human, whereas Zhongli was a god. He was an ancient being that had lived thousands of years and would continue to live for hundreds if not thousands more, long after your death. He does not age the way you do, not to mention that him being not human might put you off.

Yes, it was better for you to be with someone of your own kind, even if Zhongli disapproved of the man you had chosen. However, seeing how happy you were with Tartaglia, perhaps he was wrong about the impulsive Harbinger. Childe spoiled you with gifts and meals, took you out to see new sights that Zhongli could not, and gave you a vast array of new experiences that the ancient god couldn’t hope to give you. Not to mention, Childe was a fierce and reliable protector, so despite his dangerous occupation, you were in safe hands.

You smiled more with Tartaglia than you ever did with Zhongli, and he knew that he had lost. There were very few battles Zhongli had faced defeat in throughout his long life of fighting wars, but battles of the heart were not his forte. In the battlefield of love, he was the obvious loser. At least, he could accept that fact.

Or so he thought.

The day you announced you were leaving Liyue to go live with Tartaglia in Snezhnaya, made Zhongli’s blood run cold.

Zhongli had lost many people he held dear to him, so he was used to the pain and heartache that came with loss. It still inevitably hurt, but he knew how to cope with that loss better. Losing you was a different sort of heartache, though. Knowing there was a possibility he could see you, yet being denied that privilege because your love for another man was far stronger than your attachment to anything in Liyue was a bitter pill to swallow.

Just like all the other friends and comrades he had to part with, you were also leaving his life, yet your departure was voluntary. You simply did not need him anymore. Not the way he needed you, at least. You made your decision, and Zhongli will respect it, even if something in him is screaming to convince you to stay, to not leave him for good.

He sees you off with a carefully crafted smile and all the best wishes for your future in another land. As a parting gift, he gives you a beautifully ornate hairpin. A token of your friendship, he called it, though in reality, it was his unspoken love confession. Even if you never pick up on the hidden meaning, that was alright. As long as you kept his gift, a piece of his heart would always be with you.

🍷 Kaveh:

To Kaveh, you were a warm ray of light. Whenever he felt down due to bad customers or haunting memories about his father’s untimely death, you would always be there to get him out of his depressive state and prevent him from overindulging in alcohol. You knew how to get through to him when Alhaitham couldn’t, simply by speaking with empathy and gentleness towards him, which is something Kaveh greatly appreciated. Having been faced with tragedy after tragedy, and Alhaitham’s constant harsh criticisms, your gentleness was like a soothing balm to his wounded heart.

Against his wishes, Kaveh fell in love with you. How could he not when you were so understanding and kind? He knew your relationship with him was strictly platonic, but a part of him hoped that maybe you loved him too. That maybe the two of you could be more than friends.

Being a romantic, Kaveh had daydreamed about you a lot, doodling pictures of you in his sketchbook while spinning fantasies about being in a romantic relationship with you. He pictured all the various dates he would take you on, how he would lean in to kiss you for the first time, how he would profess his undying love and hear you say those same three words back to him.

“I love you.”

The day he got to hear you say those words did come, but unlike in his fantasies, your words were not directed at Kaveh. No, instead, you said them to Alhaitham.

It felt like something out of a bad dream the way Kaveh had accidentally stumbled upon your intimate moment with Alhaitham while stepping out of his room to get a drink. He stood behind the corner, getting a glimpse of you straddling Alhaitham’s lap on the living room couch, yet going unnoticed by either of you.

Hearing your earnest confession of love directed at Alhaitham of all people, made his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. Bile rose to his throat when Alhaitham awkwardly reciprocated your feelings and cupped your face in a tender gesture that Kaveh didn’t know the Scribe was even capable of. Once you started to lean closer to Alhaitham’s face, Kaveh quickly made it back to his room, slamming the door shut in his haste to get away from that sight. The loud sound alerted the both of you to his presence, but Kaveh was too heartbroken to care.

What followed were weeks of agonizing turmoil. Kaveh knew he should be happy for Alhaitham. The antisocial Scribe deserved to be happy with someone he loved, but a part of him felt resentful that you chose Alhaitham over him. His fights with Alhaitham became more frequent. Kaveh nitpicked everything Alhaitham did out of jealousy, sparking conflicts that were not as easily waved away and forgotten as before. That resentment turned into guilt as Kaveh felt like a horrible person and friend for being jealous. He didn’t want to argue with Alhaitham, but he couldn’t help himself when his emotions were such a mess. He couldn’t control the impulses.

Alhaitham wasn’t stupid and quickly figured out that Kaveh was lashing out at him because of his broken heart. He had known about Kaveh’s feelings for you. The architect didn’t even try to hide his infatuation towards you, and talked about you at length to him. But you had made your choice: you gave your heart to Alhaitham, not Kaveh, and Kaveh needed to respect that. Alhaitham didn’t mince his words when he told Kaveh he needed to let go of his feelings for you because you weren’t romantically interested in him, but instead of helping, it only hurt Kaveh worse.

Of course you chose Alhaitham and not him. Compared to Alhaitham, he had no money to speak of, no house, and a mountain of debt. Moreover, he tended to overindulge in alcohol and get moody easily, plus you often told him that he hurt you with his self-destructive behaviors… It was only reasonable that Alhaitham would be a better choice in your eyes. After all, he will never be good enough for you. Not a failure like him.

You would always be an unattainable light he will admire from afar but never touch because someone like him is unworthy of you. He’s unworthy of your love—your kindness, even—and you deserve someone much, much better who can truly make you happy.

Kaveh knew all that, yet it didn’t stop his heart from shattering to pieces every time he saw you with his roommate. It felt like his heart was pierced with multiple shards of glass every time he saw you give affection to Alhaitham, those same hugs and kisses he daydreamed about having with you, but he didn’t let it show. Kaveh would pull on a strained smile and pretend that everything was okay, pretend that he was genuinely happy for you. He truly wanted to be. Dear god did he try to be, but he could not. It hurt too much to see you with another.

When the pain became too much, Kaveh started to visit Lambad’s Tavern on a frequent basis. He wasn’t proud of himself for reverting back to his bad habit of getting blackout drunk to drown out his pain and sorrow, but it was the only thing that helped him cope with the heartache.

Kaveh would drink heavily almost on a daily basis. Lambad became witness to the many times Kaveh broke down crying, and many other times when he would laugh in a self-deprecating manner and smile wryly while muttering something under his breath.

The architect had to be regularly escorted home by his friends, preferably someone other than Alhaitham because Kaveh became quite volatile when the Scribe came to take his drunk friend home. So one time, you came to take him home. Kaveh's recent avoidance of you had become worrisome, and Alhaitham wouldn’t tell you why.

While carrying the plastered blond back to your boyfriend’s house, in his drunken haze, Kaveh had confessed to you. He babbled about how much he loved you, that he was sorry he wasn’t worthy of you, and how much he wished to be loved by you the same way.

He’s sorry he can’t be a good friend to you because of his feelings.

He’s sorry he’s such a mess.

He’s sorry. So very sorry.

[codenamesazanka]

I'm thinking. I'm thinking. it would be cool if all of my dislike and criticism of Deku's actions in this final war arc (and maybe before) was actually supposed to be the intended feeling. That he was supposed to be read as an arrogant little shit with no plan and failed at saving Shigaraki all along. Saving Shigaraki was his ego talking - him wanting to save that Crying Child, because it makes him feel good to be a Hero... in the easiest way possible. He pried open Shigaraki's lid with no regard for how questionable such an act is. He never understood Shigaraki at all.

Deku has the potential to be a great hero. When Yoichi and Kudou talked about his great qualities, it was because they can sense the seed of it at his heart. But it hadn't been cultivated. He does have a drive to save, but it was too early to call it that. He does believe everyone has the same heart, but he hasn't actually come to that conclusion himself. That's why they needed to speak about his own feelings for him. He's 16 years old and thrown into a war. How can anyone have proper development and meta-cognition in such a scenario?

I'm thinking. It was Stain who spared Shigaraki and told him he sensed the seed of a warped conviction inside of him, when all readers saw at the time was an erratic manchild. But Stain was right. Shigaraki's conviction grew and developed and became such a noble desire, but 'twisted' - A Hero, but for the Villains.

Deku just had the high of his life. What if he's about to enter the lowest? He failed to save someone. Society is getting rebuilt and where it goes from now on is absolutely crucial. He's "quirkless" again - that personality is gone so who is he now?

I'm thinking. There's a reason why his agreement with Overhaul hasn't been resolved yet. I'm thinking Compress and his vigilante ancestor's dream of reform can't be just ditched like that. I'm thinking how Deku can fail so incredibly at not realizing why Shigaraki stayed the leader of the League all through the end, and how Shigaraki tells him 'ganbare'.

I'm thinking about Shigaraki, and how he's a fair guy. But he's a Villain. He sensed Deku's intention, understood just how sincere it was, and can respect that. And the guy did just helped heal his childhood trauma. And thus, he's holding Deku responsible for making sure his destruction is permanent, and leaves with a semi-sardonic 'do your best'. I think that's actually just like him.

I'm thinking about Uraraka and Shouto getting two sad looking panels in this semi-celebratory chapter where All Might calls Bakugou and Deku the greatest Heroes. They were the two who actually considered the suffering their Villain went through. They acknowledged the whole of their Villain, their agency and desires, and they supposedly saved them. But there's no celebration for them. Maybe it's because they've seen the truth and can't be unaffected.

I'm thinking about Spinner, who saved Deku from a teammate at the camp raid because he believed in Stain who believed in Deku to be a true Hero. And then Spinner became Shigaraki's most devoted friend and Shigaraki left a message to him, via Deku.

I'm thinking maybe Horikoshi got out all the battle shonen stuff they wanted out of him and now he can do his own thing. He sucks at fight scenes and great at character writing and darker material.

The issue to this thinking is that this hope is sooooo dangerous. I had a similar thought that Endeavor, after the Touya reveal, was going to get some brutal atonement. I thought post-Jaku would be a really cool chance to examine the issues of Hero Society, and that Tartarus being recognized as a human-rights violations would end up somewhere. I loved what I felt was the subtly realistic built-up of the Heteromorph arc, and I still love it, but then it ended up the way it did. I thought AFO's tragic backstory getting revealed could be awesome. I've clowned myself again and again. I guess this is the latest clowning.

And none of this actually saves Shigaraki or brings him back. Rather, his death and last words is pretty much required for this brutal realization and haunting on Deku and the story.

Worse, this all has the potential to make me think Deku is interesting. What am I doing to myself. 🤡

[mcflymemes]

SPIDER-MAN PROMPTS *  assorted dialogue from the 2002 film

this is my gift, my curse.

i'm not like you. you're a murderer.

that's all i have to give.

a bit of a slob, isn't he?

now get outta here.

i chose my path, you chose the way of the hero.

i missed the part where that's my problem.

believe in me, as i believed in you.

i resent that.

hey, what the hell?

i'll give you two hundred bucks for all of 'em.

this is why only fools are heroes.

with great power comes great responsibility.

you don't trust anyone. that's your problem.

now he's gonna get away with my money!

has he mentioned me?

what the hell's the matter with you?

it's as if you've reached the unreachable and you weren't ready for it.

one thing they love more than a hero is to see a hero fail.

in spite of everything you've done for them, eventually they will hate you.

hold it right here! you're under arrest!

i would never hurt you.

thank god for you.

go home dear. you look awful.

feeling better this morning?

think you're pretty funny, don't you?

i don't want to fight you.

just don't fall on your ass.

you know, you're taller than you look.

we are who we choose to be.

i want you to know that i will always be there for you.

hey freak show! you're going nowhere!

give me your hand.

if anything happened to me, it was you i could count on.

sorry i'm late. work was murder.

you know how much i sacrified?

not everyone is meant to make a difference.

for me, the choice to lead an ordinary life is no longer an option.

you and i are not so different.

why bother?

i went through exactly the same thing at your age.

i tried to stop it, but i couldn't stop it!

here's the real truth.

i will always be there to take care of you. i promise you that.

we're exceptional.

i'll be here when you get back.

is somebody there?

why wasn't i told?

you can't do this to me.

i could squash you like a bug right now, but i'm offering you a choice.

you were awesome in all the school plays.

imagine what we could accomplish together, what we could create.

is that what you want?

don't play innocent with me.

you're gonna pick on a guy trying to save a bunch of kids?

i got something for your ass.

you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!

what's your name, kid?

i will always be your friend.

that's the best you've got?

you're amazing.

nice to have a fan.

follow the cold shiver running down your spine.

you sure you want to know?

the story of my life is not for the faint of heart.

this, like any story worth telling, is all about a girl.

that's me.

that's what you've chosen.

slander is spoken. in print, it's libel.

can i do anything for you?

you know who i am.

only a friend?

i wanna act... on stage.

make him suffer.

i offered you friendship, and you spat in my face.

we're gonna have a hell of a time.

you killed those people on the balcony!

i had nothing to do with it!

i beg you, protect me!

[fitzs-trained-monkey]

To Maintain The Lie

Series: Rational Thinking Part Four

Summary: What does one call themselves when they are neither hero nor villain? Is there a word for those merciful lies told in order to champion truth? Where is the line between necessity and morality? You're not the hero in this story and you're not the villain. You're just the surgeon who stops a heart to prevent more pain. What a shame it is that life just isn't fair. || Kol x reader || Here lies my Masterlist ||

Warnings: Cannon typical violence, angst, language, some gore. I can't exactly call any of this fluff but these two are so in love it kinda makes me sick.

A/N: This part got so long that I had to split it in half. Expect a few pov changes as I try to widen the scope on this fic. (Or maybe I'm just showing off. Who knows?) Now, let's start the show.

🔪STORY BEGINS BELOW 🔪

Whoever first claimed that they were too young to die was an arrogant, entitled, narcissistic asshole. For you see, such a statement implied that life - or more accurately - death was somehow bound, or at least could be, by a human sense of restraint or equity. It alleged that there was such a thing as an age below which the universe simply could or should not tolerate a human being's loss of life.

But Jeremy Gilbert knew the truth. There was no such thing as fair. Equity was nothing more than a fantasy that humanity had invented to make themselves feel better because people die every day and the universe doesn’t give a damn how young they are. Some claim that tragedies and pain happen for a reason - that there’s a reward in the end for those who endure - but Jeremy didn’t believe that. No, he’d been suffering his whole damn life and every reward he thought he’d received had been mercilessly ripped away from him and if there was a reason for it, then it was not one he could see. Though, perhaps his true reward was nothing quite so grand as one would hope. Perhaps his only solace would be an escape from living with the crushing weight of loss. For now, it seemed, Jeremy Gilbert would die as he had lived - suffering.

So whoever it was that had first claimed themselves too young to die - that person was an arrogant, entitled, narcissistic asshole, he decided. Because he was dying - alone in the darkness and the dirt - and he was only seventeen.

There was nothing fair in that.'

"Damon, stop!" Elena's voice cried out from somewhere in the distance. The sound wasn't too far behind him - it was uncomfortably close. 

Jeremy Gilbert ground his teeth, dragging his broken body across the forest floor. Blood seeped from a gash in his arm. It was deep - the kind that would require stitches, but he couldn't afford to worry about that right now. For the moment, he needed to focus on surviving.

Y/N had warned him. She'd warned him, and he hadn't listened.

Jeremy bit his lip to keep himself from screaming as he shoved himself upward with all his might. His back slammed into a tree, and the boy gasped as a flash of pain shot through him. It mellowed out a moment later, joining the ambient agony he'd henceforth acquired. Adrenaline was dulling the worst of it which wasn't exactly encouraging. He didn't even want to consider how much pain he would be in if he survived this.

"I can't, Elena!" Damon's voice retaliated. "I've spent far too long engineering our mutual destruction already. Jeremy's Hunter's Mark puts us all in danger - puts you in danger!" 

“Jeremy’s my brother, Damon!” Elena argued. “Don’t you understand? He would never hurt me!”

Wouldn’t he? Jeremy wasn’t so sure anymore, not after hearing what Elena had done to his best friend and she’d done that while she was human. His sister was a vampire now. She had changed since the accident and not for the better. Jeremy could see it, even if he didn’t want to. If Elena lost control, if she did something bad - hurt someone, killed someone - if she couldn’t control it, then was it not his responsibility to protect people from her? Even if that meant putting her down?

But no. No, it wasn’t. Since when had it ever been his responsibility to hurt anyone, regardless of what they’d done? Jeremy was a damn teenager for crying out loud! He wasn’t a soldier - he was a kid! 

A-and killing Elena? That wasn’t him! Jeremey loved his sister. He loved her! Yet, those thoughts had sounded so reasonable and far too close to his own, blending so seamlessly he hardly noticed.

“No, Elena! It’s you who doesn’t understand,” Damon snapped. “I saw that kid draw a stake on the only real friend he’s ever had! Jeremy was ready to kill her and he didn’t even notice! How much longer before that’s you?”

Maybe Damon was right…

What was this hunter’s mark doing to him? 

Jeremy's sister said something else, but his enhanced hearing wasn't strong enough yet to catch it. Besides, his senses seemed to be fading in and out of focus at the moment, so he didn't bother with straining to hear, opting to draw his semi-auto from his waistband instead. He still had some fight left in him.

“We’ll find another way, Elena. You can’t take the cure if you’re dead.” The elder Salvatore's words filtered through the trees. "I'm doing what has to be done."

"NO!"

So this was how he was going to die. Was it a bad thing that he hoped this time would be permanent? Surely he'd served his sentence by now, hadn't he?

When Damon stalked out from between the trees in front of him, Jeremy knew his time was up. Sure, he had regrets - hell, he had more than he could count. Sure, he was supposedly too young to die, but when had that ever mattered in this godforsaken town? Sure, he knew he didn't deserve this fate, though for better or worse, this was the one he'd chosen. 

No, Jeremy Gilbert didn't want to die, but he had come to terms with his fate long before this moment. After all, he'd died and come back a few times already. (He wasn't sure whether that made him lucky or not.) He'd been living on borrowed time for a long while and he wasn't even sure if he'd really been alive for any of it. If now was his time to go, then he'd go out with a fight and smile when it was finally over. 

Whether Damon was right or not, Jeremy Gilbert was not about to go quietly into that good night. No, that boy had suffered far too much to make his death easy on whatever forces of nature demanded that he die before graduating high school. So, he thanked the Lord in heaven for the extra lives he'd been given - 'cause most other people only get the one - and he raised that gun in his hand to point at Damon's black, black heart.

"You're hesitating," The vampire noted. 

"There's only one bullet left," Jeremy replied, voice as dry as a desert as he stared that monster down unblinkingly.

"Good to know." Damon huffed a laugh. "Well, this is it, Baby Gilbert. No hard feelings?"

"Nah, I've got a few… dick."

Damon smirked. The cold, unhallowed blackness of the night around them filled his cold, dead eyes, spilling over like bleeding cracks down his cheeks. Jeremy's own eyes narrowed and the breath that left his lips, undoubtedly his last, turned to mist in the chilling evening air. His vision from exhaustion swam and his hand with three broken fingers shook because that gun was heavier than he'd thought it was going to be just a few months ago. In spite of his failing body, he did his best to aim as his finger tightened on the trigger.

The boy's soon-to-be murderer hissed and staggered back, but didn't drop dead. Jeremy had missed the monster's heart. That was alright, he supposed. After all, he was only a junior in high school - not a marksman, not a soldier, not even an adult - just a kid whose story was ending before it ever should have had to begin.

Jeremy lowered the gun and closed his eyes as Damon rushed forward.

Yet death, it would seem, was not quite ready to take him.

A breeze passed in front of his face and a growl ripped from Damon's throat. Jeremy opened his eyes. There in front of him stood Y/N, arms grappled around Damon's. It was a wrestler's hold she had him in, some random part of his dying brain noted. (The Olympic sort of wrestling, not the WW-E kind because he absolutely needed to know that in his last moments.) Damon’s face contorted into a grimace and he hissed, shoving the girl harshly. Y/N ground her teeth, digging her feet into the soil beneath them, and pushed back with a shout, refusing to lose. But Damon was older, and thus significantly stronger than she was. Her feet slid back inch by inch, but it wasn’t enough. 

Damon’s low growl morphed into a scream of pain and he reeled back. Jeremy’s stubbornly useless vision cleared just enough for him to see the smoke that curled off the elder Salvatore’s arms. 

“Oh, look. Tiny Sherlock’s here to save the day.” He backed off a couple of steps and took to prowling back and forth like a leopard searching for a chink in the armor of its prey. "Crazy how you always show up where you're least wanted."

Mist left the mouth of Jeremy's best friend in small puffs, her entire body was tensed in anticipation and Jeremy couldn't help but wonder who'd taught her how to fight. 

"What can I say?" The girl huffed, flicking a few loose strands of hair out of her face. "It's a talent."

Damon's footing shifted slightly to the right and Y/N adjusted her own to match, keeping herself between Jeremy and his intended murderer. The lips of the raven-haired vampire curled.

“Still can’t win a fight without cheating, I see,” He snarled bitterly.

On her arms, he now noticed, the girl wore a pair of sleek black gloves that extended up a ways past her elbows. She adjusted them carefully, staring the other vampire down as she did so and Jeremy’s addled brain finally made the connection. Vervain.

“Last I checked, there’s no such thing as cheating when a life is at stake. You taught me that, Damon.” Her voice was as icy and sharp as a winter storm. There were raging winds howling in the night behind her eyes. “Then again, I suppose that only applies when it’s Elena you’re saving. Anyone else be damned, right?” 

“I like to think it only applies once you’ve proven yourself.” Damon smirked. “Take off those gloves, why don’cha? I’m curious. Let’s see if you can beat me in a fair fight.”

Y/N snorted and shook her head. “You must really think I’m dumb, huh?”

“Nah, I just think you’re a coward,” He retorted.

“You’re wrong.” Y/N’s body shifted into a stance that was clearly defensive - an odd tactic for a person whose motto was “the best defense is a swift and decisive offense” - but usually it was only herself she was protecting. Now, she had to worry about Jeremy too and he couldn’t do a thing to help her. It wasn't often that the boy would admit to being useless but his body was seriously broken.

“Then prove it,” Damon challenged.

The girl just shook her head, eyes narrowing. Her expression was one of furious hail and tempestuous wind and her tone was made of frozen spears. “I have nothing to prove to the likes of you - ignorant, arrogant, faithlessly paranoid, pathologically manipulative, inconsequential scrap of agoraphobic slime. ” 

The expression that dawns across a person’s face when they realize they no longer hold any power over another, is somewhat hard to describe. It begins as something close to surprise, then morphs into indignation, before settling on cold hatred. 

Damon's black eyes narrowed. "You should have stayed dead."

"Funny," Y/N, hummed. "Did your dad say the same thing?"

He snarled in rage and leaped forward, sweeping his leg out to bring Y/N crashing down on her back. Then, he whirled to make a grab for Jeremy. All he would need was a millisecond - a quick snap of the neck and it was done. But Y/N wasn't going to let that happen. Her arm shot out and grasped Jeremy by the ankle, yanking hard. He cried out in pain as twigs and roots and who knows what else, shredded his back as she dragged his body behind hers and rolled onto her side. Damon reached toward her, but her foot lashed out and she landed a kick to the outstretched hand. Jeremy's enhanced senses discerned the telltale snap of breaking bone. The raven-haired vampire stumbled back, cursing and Y/N was up on her feet again in a second. Parrying his clumsy left hook, Y/N sent her knee flying into his stomach which knocked the wind out of him and gave her the opening she needed to get her hands around his throat.

A strangled sound escaped him, a mix of pain and breathlessness, as she pushed him back, vervain gloves burning his skin. He tried to rip her hands off him but only succeeded in torching his own as well. Throwing his weight backward sent both opponents to the ground and gave him a shot to roll out of her grip. Unfortunately, this was a move the girl was quite familiar with and she knew just how to counter it. She shifted her weight as they fell, curling her knees in. When Damon's back hit the dirt, her knees landed on his diaphragm. He lost most - if not all - of his remaining air and when he, in a daze, tried to move his arm, Y/N threw one leg out to the side to step on it. 

Jeremy was vaguely reminded of Black Widow.

Damon sputtered and coughed on the ground for a few seconds before falling silent but the girl didn't release him until his foot stopped twitching. Then she got up and raced over to the Gilbert boy, effortlessly lifting him off the ground in a fireman's carry.

"Day-um, Jerry-Berry!" The girl huffed, grinning at him. "What are you doing goin' around with all this beef? You're supposed to be a stick!"

Jeremy just raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, well - fighting for your life on a daily basis tends to do that to you." He was too tired to be witty. 

She snorted. "Touche." 

The boy closed his eyes and let his head roll back. "Not that I'm ungrateful, but uh - what the hell are you doing here?" He asked.

"No time to explain!" She answered brightly. "Hold on tight!"

Trees and plants were whizzing by in an instant, and Jeremy tried to ignore how his stomach dropped. He'd always liked roller coasters, but somehow the sensation was different when he was experiencing excruciating pain - the kind that's white-hot and threatens to make one throw up. He hissed as his best friend came to a sudden stop.  

She cursed. 

"He's back up," She said, turning around to watch the trees. "I was hoping to run you all the way, but we're not gonna make it. Can you stand?"

"I dunno... Maybe?" He shook his head. "Wait, what are you talking about? Where are we running to?" He demanded, hissing when the girl set him on his feet.

"No time. Do you think you can run?"

Jeremy's lips pressed into a thin line, annoyed. "Depends on where I'm going," He insisted.  

"Away from here!" Came her non-answer. He sent her a flat look and she frowned. "Come on, Jer. Don't you trust me?"

He wanted to say yes - immediately and without a doubt, yes. But how could he? Vampirism changed people. He hardly even recognized his own sister some days and he was beginning to wonder if the friend he'd thought he'd lost in Denver was the same girl who'd come back. She was trying to be the same, but her efforts felt to him like a snake trying to fit into a skin it had outgrown. There was this energy - wild and whimsical - that seeped between the edges now and it reminded him far too much of the person she now ran with. Jeremy wanted to trust her. 

But Kol Mikaelson? 

Never again.

"I don't know why you're helping me," He said with a sigh. He was so tired of this - running circles around trust and always being betrayed. To his surprise, the girl didn't get upset. She just nodded. 

"I'm helping because I like you alive… dumbass." Her voice was thin but it held a flicker of humor and warmth. "There's a car parked out on the road just beyond those trees." She pointed. "It's that Dodge Hellcat I always said I was gonna buy - can't miss it. I'll buy you as much time to get there as I can. Don't stop, and whatever you do, don't look back. Okay?" 

He hesitated just a moment but nodded. "Okay."

"What are you waiting for? GO!"

So he did. Jeremy ran as fast as his damaged legs could carry him, squinting through the tears in his eyes as the pain rose to a fever pitch. He ground his jaw against it, but he didn't stop, nor did he look back - even when he heard his best friend scream.

He burst through the trees after what felt like an eternity. Glancing up and down the street, he found the car Y/N had told him to look for. It was silver, just like she always said it would be. He limped towards it, his heart threatening to give out. Jeremy collapsed about five feet away, agony burning through every cell in his body but he refused to give up. He crawled the rest of the way, grasped the door handle with bloodied fingers, and flung himself into the passenger's seat.  

Every muscle in his body trembled as he forced himself to relax, groaning.

"This is insane," He breathed, tipping his head back against the headrest.

"Oh, it's about to get even better."

That all too familiar voice sent ice shooting through his veins. Jeremy slowly turned his head to see none other than Kol Mikaelson, smirking in the driver's seat. Their eyes met for a moment and both refused to blink. Kol’s mouth stretched into a grin while Jeremy’s own twisted into a grimace. Ten heartbeats. His hand flew to the door but Jeremy was met with the telltale click of the door’s lock before he could touch it. The human groaned.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

***

"Start the car, start the car, start the car!" You barreled out of the trees and raced for your beloved vehicle. Your boyfriend had been right - you should have brought the Jeep. "Start the f-ing car, Kol!"

You dove through the door's open window and into the backseat just as the engine roared to life. 

"Freaking FLOOR IT!" You ordered, unceremoniously shoving yourself upright. Kol floored it. Rubber burned and tires squealed but somehow zero to sixty in 3.4 seconds didn't seem fast enough with a determinedly homicidal vampire chasing you.

"This feels like a bad idea!" Jeremy cried over the roar of the open windows. He'd never admit it but mingled with the terror in his voice, there was also exhilaration. 

"Come off it, Jer," You said, smirking. "You know you've always wanted to go this fast." You patted his hand which clung to the armrest for dear life and leaned down. "Now, where did I put that thing?"

"Don't tell me you lost it, love," Kol teasingly complained from up-front. "Those things are dangerous, you know. Just think of what would happen if everyone were as irresposible with them as you are."

You rolled your eyes. "Oh, shut up you. Jeremy, don't agree with him." Your friend snorted and winced. Scrabbling around under the seat, your hand found cold metal and supple leather. "Found it." 

You grabbed the gun and sat up, ducking your head back out the window and twisting to aim at the streak of black that burst onto the road. Muggy summer wind whipped through your hair as the car accelerated to dangerous speeds down an unlit small-town road, though you would trust the boy at the wheel with more than just your life. 

Despite your vehicle's considerable speed of two hundred and three miles per hour, the black streak raced after you, slowly but surely gaining. You opened fire, trying to keep your aim steady, but the country road was less than standard. 

"Could you hit any more potholes?" You complained, reaching into the front seat. Kol pushed a new magazine into your palm and you quickly reloaded. 

"I don't know," He replied. "Are you aiming for the wretch's heart or his knees?"

You snorted. "More like his face."

"Admirable." He smirked. "Let him get a little closer."

"What?!" Both you and Jeremy demanded at the same time. You whirled around, eyes wide. Kol glanced at you through the rearview mirror.

"Trust me," He said. 

Trust. You could give him that.

You stopped firing. "And… that's the last of the ammo," You lied, speaking just loud enough for Damon to hear. He seemed to take that as encouragement. 

"Get your pretty little head back in here, please," Kol said pleasantly. You raised a brow but retreated back into the Hellcat. Twisting around, you had a decent view of the raven-haired vampire as he pushed closer and closer to the car's bumper.

"He's getting pretty close," You warned.

"Not yet, love," Came the response from the front seat. 

You sent him a flat look. "You're being just so comforting right now."

"Isn't it wonderful?"

You made a non-committal noise and checked the rear window again. 

"You guys argue like an old married couple." Pain morphed Jeremy's laugh into something that sounded more like a wheeze. You weren't quite sure how he could laugh when his life was at stake, but you took a little solace from it. 

"Aww, thanks."

"Don't thank him," Kol scoffed. "He just called you old."

"If I'm old, what does that make you?"

He just grinned. "Classic."

You smacked his shoulder and checked your flank again.

"You know, I never thought my life would be reduced to Death Cab lyrics," You observed, somewhat wryly, hands wrapped like a vice around the gun.

Under Kol's compulsion, Damon wouldn't give up the chase until Jeremy was either dead or outside the state of Virginia. It was odd. You had been the architect of this clever ploy, yet it would seem you hadn't fully anticipated how nerve-wracking your role within it would be.

Thus, the state line really did feel like the Berlin wall.

You just hoped you could reach it in time.

"Is now really the best time to be quizzing me on song lyrics?" Kol wondered, expertly rounding a bend at a speed no human could manage.

You shrugged. "Good a time as any."

He huffed a laugh and you suppressed a smile. It warmed you up inside to have someone who not only understood but who loved you for your nine-track mind.

"Crooked Teeth," He answered, somewhat smug. 

"Ah, he does pay attention," You mused distractedly. Behind you, that black streak drew within twenty feet. "Remind me, what are we waiting for exactly?"

"The opportune moment," Kol replied.

"So like, right now?"

"Nope."

Fifteen feet and closing.

"Now?"

"Wait."

Ten feet and closing.

"Kol - I love you - but you're really starting to worry me!" You said, watching Damon inch ever nearer.

"Patience, my flower." He purred, calm as a quiet grove after rain. 

Five feet.

"Sweetheart, he is literally riding our coattail!" You exclaimed, eyes wide.

Kol smirked. "Perfect." He glanced back at you. "Give Jeremy a hug, will you?"

Your eyes flew wide.

In that instant, a spark in your brain - that terrible blessing you'd been cursed with - flared to life. Calculations raced through your head, outpacing Newton's laws in the milliseconds before the impact.

Kol slammed on the breaks and time slowed.

(Solve the problem. Solve the problem. Solve the problem.)

4,000 pounds of carbon-fiber and steel traveling at 203 miles an hour - approximately 300 feet or 91 meters per second. That makes for a momentum of 364,000 pounds. 

(Fascinating but irrelevant. Get back on track.) 

A Dodge Hellcat's stopping distance equates to 107 feet at sixty miles an hour which becomes 368 feet at top speed, decelerating the vehicle in approximately 1.7 seconds. 

(You're running out of time. Think faster. Think faster.)

364,000 pounds of force brought to a standstill in 1.7 seconds results in a negative g-force of 5.48 exerted on the body.

(But what does that do? You have to act. Solve the problem.)

Three individuals in the vehicle. One vulnerable to breakage. Instant death - possible, but unlikely. Prioritize potential injuries - whiplash, concussion, internal hemorrhaging, ocular and auditory trauma, acute systemic failure, and aneurysm. 

(Time to react. What are you going to do?)

Conclusion: Mind the head.

You threw your arms up just in time to catch Jeremy's head as physics made an admirable effort to huck the entirety of the car's interior through the windshield. The grinding of gears and the screaming of tires on asphalt met your ears as inertia attempted to bifurcate the front seat using your body - a rather unpleasant experience, though you would take the physical pain of a few broken ribs over the anguish of losing your best friend any day. Smoke obscured your vision and the scent of burning rubber assaulted your nose, but you pushed through it, opening your eyes.

"And he sticks the landing!" Kol announced, glib as ever. "Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen."

"Kol-" You groaned, pushing yourself up to rest an elbow on his seat. "-you hurt my baby."

That car was your second love and whosoever was responsible would be intensely sorrowful should you find so much as a scratch in her paint.

"Eh, she's fine." He waved a hand dismissively. "Though, you may need to clean her up a bit because et voila!" The boy gestured behind the vehicle and you twisted around, squinting at the tarmac.

Damon's undead corpse, now quite prone, rested about fifty feet behind the car. Road rash would be a very tame description of his injuries seeing as about half his body was missing and most of his insides were splayed across the thoroughfare. He must have collided with the back of the car and flipped over the roof before being ground up by the wheels like rotten tomatoes in a blender. There was quite a lot of blood.

You turned back, grinning.

"Well, that's one problem taken care of!"

***

"You guys are insane," Jeremy groaned, rubbing his eyes. They hurt and he worried they might fall out of his head after that impact. On the bright side, he wasn't dead.

Y/N had tried to protect him, so that was something.

"You're just now figuring that out?" In the driver's seat, Kol tossed his head back, laughing. Oddly enough, it wasn’t the hyena laugh this time. It was warmer, more sincere. Jeremy just rolled his eyes, stretching out his aching neck.

"You good, Jer?" Y/N asked from the back seat. She reached up to squeeze his shoulder comfortingly.

A sharp pain burned in his chest as he shrugged. "I'm fine, I think. No thanks to your boyfriend here." Breathing hurt.

“Oh, bloody hell, mate!" It was Kol's turn to roll his eyes. "How many times do I need to say I’m not going to kill you?” He questioned, smirking amusedly.

“At least a hundred times after you stop trying,” Jeremy said. Though it pained him to speak, like something sharp writhing around in his chest, he expected that would fade. It wasn't like they'd been in a serious crash and as long as the injury wasn't critical or something that would require a cast, then the healing his Hunter's Mark provided would take care of it, he figured as the car began moving again - in less of a hurry this time.

Over the course of the next twenty minutes, the stabbing pain did not recede. If anything, it worsened. Discomfort built in his chest, thick and hot. 

As if he could sense it coming, Kol passed him a handful of tissues. Jeremy took them, albeit a little confused. Seconds later, a fit of rasping, retching, burning coughs tore through him. The boy doubled over, hacking into the tissues for longer than he wanted to think about. When his lungs finally calmed, Jeremy’s throat felt disturbingly wet. 

The vehicle was silent for three heartbeats.

"Jeremy?" Y/N's voice was very soft - filled with something more than worry.

“That…” Kol spoke up. “That did not sound good.”

Jeremy looked up only to be met with a sight he would have otherwise thought impossible. The original vampire’s eyes were wide and his mouth pressed into a thin line - his hand lingered in the air, half outstretched. Kol looked concerned - actually, genuinely concerned. He pointed to Jeremy’s hands. 

“And that’s definitely not good.”

Jeremy looked down. The wadded-up tissues were stained red, red, red. Yeah, that wasn’t the best sign. Jeremy felt dizzy. Breathing really hurt. His eyes felt heavy and everything smelled like pennies.

"What's going on?" Y/N demanded. "Kol, what can you see? Why is he coughing up blood? "

Damn it. Was he dying again?

Wow, his thoughts were really loud. More words were invading his ears but he only caught a few.

"-chest doesn’t seem to be caving… Did Damon hit your back?” Kol was asking. Sound was blurry.

“I, uh -” He thought about that. Thinking was hard and he was really tired. “He pushed me into a rock.”

Kol nodded, frown deepening. He glanced backward, meeting Y/N's eyes with a grim expression. "Can you hear it too?"

"I-I don't know," Y/N stammered, uncharacteristically unsure. "I mean, I hear something, but I don't know-"

"Yes, you do," Kol interrupted. "You know better than I, but I can't be sure unless you tell me. I know you would love to think you're just making it up, but if we can both hear it..." He trailed off.

The girl nodded, lips pressed into a line - eyes rimmed with red. "Yeah," She whispered. "I can hear it."

Kol nodded and turned back, his face a mask of calm. There was no snide smirk or predatory gleam. It was oddly comforting. 

“Alright there, mate. Don’t panic - but from what I can hear, it sounds like something has punctured your lungs, possibly a rib. I could make sure, but I’d have to touch your back.”

The hunter sent him a very flat look. He might have been dizzy and critically injured, but he wasn't stupid.

“You literally tried to Chewbacca my arms a few hours ago,” Jeremy wheezed. He wanted to take a deep breath but his lungs felt smaller than they should be. “Hands off.”

Kol rolled his eyes, cursing under his breath. “I panicked, alright?”

Jeremy raised a brow. “You pani-”

He was cut off by another vicious round of choked coughs. Blood spewed liberally from his lips this time and his chest felt hot and tight. Jeremy felt weak, weaker than he’d ever felt and he couldn’t breathe. 

“Oh, bloody hell. That’s definitely a punctured lung.” Kol laid a hand on his shoulder, squeezing, pulling him back to reality. "Hey, Jeremy? Stay with me, alright?"

There was so much blood on the tissues and his hands. Some faint voice in the back of his mind told him he should be unconscious by now. The Mark was probably the only thing keeping him alive. He felt light-headed.

“I-I don’t want your help,” Jeremy spat past the blood in his mouth. “I’ll heal.” 

The original shook his head. “Not from this. Not on your own.” He cursed quietly and threw the car into gear, flooring the accelerator. 

"What can we do?" Y/N asked, voice thin - one hairsbreadth away from snapping. "Kol, what can I do? Just tell me what to do!"

"Nothing, darling. Don't do anything."

"I can't just sit here!" She protested. "If I give him my blood, that'll help right?"

“Under normal circumstances, I'd say yes; however, considering his Hunter's Mark, I fear his body might reject it - that could just make things worse," The original explained. His expression grew ever darker, like the summer sky as it prepared to unleash a tornado.

Y/N cursed and Jeremy's vision grew dark. His eyes threatened to close. He was so tired. 

Kol shook him a little, sending pain soaring through his system and snapping him back to attention. He was fading - Jeremy was fading fast. “Hey, listen to me, alright? We’re going to get you to a hospital. You’re going to be alright, mate. Just stay awake. Just keep those eyes open and you’ll be fine - Y/N, keep him awake. Do not let him fall unconscious.”

Jeremy scowled, fighting against a tide of pain and exhaustion that threatened to pull him under. “What do you care?” He demanded.

“Are you kidding?” Kol flashed him a wry smile. “Y/N would have my head if I let you die.”

"Got that right." His best friend chuckled from the back seat and through the haze, Jeremy felt her fingers tangle with his. "You're gonna be okay, Jerrie-berry," She whispered. "I promise."

***

You'd always hated hospitals.

Now, perhaps that animosity could have been chalked-up to the slightly disturbing notion that was your current existence - seeing as the only room in such an establishment you could rightfully belong in now was the morgue. (A rather unpleasant thought, any way you slice it.) However, you'd never really been fazed by the whole "undead" thing. You didn't really think of yourself as dead - merely experiencing alternative states of mortality. So, none of that really upset you.

It was the dishonesty of the whole thing, you decided. Yes, that was it. 

A hospital was merely one gigantic lie.

The walls and floor were far too white for a place steeped so thickly with blood and death. Instruments, people, floors, walls, and ceilings were barren, scrubbed within an inch of their lives. In an institution that idolized wellness and health, the halls were much too stark and silent, empty of all life save for the souls who were paid to be there. Even the guest accommodations were deceitful. Chairs sporting upholstery that looked like it should have been soft on frames that should have been somewhat comfortable, all came up disappointingly short. 

The feeble whimpers of the sick and dying - hundreds of them - thrummed in your ears. Doctors that proffered the hope of extended life - of more time - fragile conjunctures they couldn't guarantee. Eyes that smiled with mouths that grimaced beneath masks.

It was all a lie.

Your hands clenched into fists.

"Hey, hey…" Kol's soft voice was there at your ear in a millisecond. His right hand covered yours, squeezing comfortingly while his other combed expertly through your hair. "Don't get upset. It's alright, he's doing just fine. No need to get worked up, darling. You're alright."

You'd ranted to him about this before. A deep-rooted hatred for hypocrites and self-righteous insincerity was something you shared, though not quite in all the same ways. He'd found your distaste for hospitals funny then - not here though, not now.

You nodded - a hollow gesture just like this hollow pantheon of medicine. Telling yourself that he would be fine felt like a lie. Not that Kol would ever lie to you, not intentionally. He was generally the more optimistic one, though.

It wasn't a lie itself that you hated. (After all, some lies are necessary; like the one you found yourself tangled in.) Rather, it was the concept of pointless lies that you abhorred. Deceit without true purpose irked you. Why couldn't people just say what they meant - what they knew to be true? Kol was only trying to make you feel better and you understood that, but you didn't want empty comfort. 

You didn't want to feel peaceful now - happy, hopeful - if you were just going to be sad later.

What was the point in feeling good now, if you were only going to feel sad later?

Kol had told you what despair was. You didn't want to feel that again.

But that wasn't up to you. Fate's cruel strings lay in the hands of those doctors in the room before you, carving up your best friend in an attempt to save his life.

From where you sat, nestled firmly in Kol's lap, you could hear the doctors working on Jeremy. The prognosis wasn't good. Yet, the boy in whose arms you rested still offered you hope.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can stay here with you," He murmured, pressing a sweet kiss to your temple. It took all the strength you had to nod again, trying to hold it together, but the rest of your body betrayed you. Your trembling hands constricted, nails digging into his skin. Kol just held you tighter. "I know, I know. I'm pathetic, but all the free food around here is getting to me, love," He tried to joke.

Curiously, you found yourself wroth with him all of a sudden. Why couldn't he just ignore it? Why couldn't he just focus? Keeping the hunger in check really wasn't that hard. Why did he struggle so badly? 

Why did he want to leave you when you needed him most? Why did everyone always leave you?

"Darling, please say something."

You hadn't said a word since the doors to the operating room closed. That was three hours ago. So what?

You looked up at him, eyes empty.

"Are you leaving me too?" You wondered. Your tone wasn't aggressive or snide, though for anyone else it would have been.

Kol's chocolate eyes traded worry for anguish, but the pain in them wasn't for himself. Tangling his fingers in your hair, he leaned in and pressed his lips to yours - warm and soft but absent of the usual fluid heat his kisses sent dripping down your spine. Inside, you just felt cold.

"No, Y/N," The boy promised. "I'm not leaving you. Not now - not ever." He drew you closer, tucking your head under his chin. He swayed back and forth slightly - no one had ever held you with such care. "Though I may not always be by your side every moment of every day, I will be here when you need me. I'm not going to leave you and neither will Jeremy."

"Don't pretend to care about him," You sighed bitterly. 

"Oh, I don't." Kol hummed. "But you do and the last thing I want is to see you hurting. That's how it is when you love someone."

You huffed. "Sounds annoying."

"Not when it's you."

"That's nice."

He shrugged. "You could use a little nice."

"Who are you and what have you done with Kol Mikaelson?" A smirk tugged at your lips, though you didn't quite permit it. Your mouth had always run faster than your head anyway so there was no real need to end that tradition. 

He laughed and you felt that boy's teeth nip a little at your ear. "Oh, now that was uncalled for."

You hummed, but couldn't find it within yourself to keep teasing. Kol pressed another kiss to your hair and the two of you just sat quietly for a moment.

"How do you know he's gonna make it?" You asked, pursing your lips to keep them from trembling.

Kol shook his head softly. "I don't," He admitted. He took a deep breath and continued, sounding pensive. "That's the problem with the world today, I think. Everyone, everywhere… as a people, you've all lost faith." The boy tugged at a lock of your hair, twirling it around and around his finger. "And in that loss, you know longer know what you can trust."

"Trust?" You scoffed. "Trust who? Those doctors in there? My only friend's lungs are impaled on his ribcage. What can they really do besides make sure he dies a little less dead?"

That sweet boy pulled away from you, just enough to look into your eyes as he lifted your chin with his finger.

"Trust Jeremy, Y/N - trust your friend. Trust that he loves you, despite his faults and misgivings, and trust that he's fighting for life at this very moment."

Your words came out quite broken and you knew you must be crying. "And if that's not enough?"

"Then trust me," He said. "Trust that I'll protect you when things go wrong - from fate and from yourself."

You nodded and this time, it wasn't so empty.

"Alright," You said, curling up in his lap a little more. "Yeah, I think I can do that."

"I know you can," He said. You turned your gaze toward the doors of the operating room once more. 

"He can never find out what we did." Your voice was spider silk - thinner than a hair, yet pound for pound stronger than steel. Kol nodded, pressing a kiss to your shoulder. 

"And he never will."

***

Niklaus Mikaelson was, by no means, an expert in all things magical. (No, that title fell to his little brother - a terrifying thought, truly. Maddening that fact was, every time he permitted himself to dwell on it for any length of time.) However, he supposed that his status as an original vampire - hybrid actually, to be more precise, but that was irrelevant at the moment - ought to make him the local authority on the subject of compulsion, or more prudently, the compulsion of other vampires.

Damon Salvatore, on the other hand, was an unsavory lad in the purest definition of the locution. Strong-willed, and pig-headed, he reminded Klaus somewhat of a coyote - that is, if a coyote could be driven by spite. Thus the possibility seemed extremely remote that one such as Damon Salvatore would take well to compulsion. Any action taken by him, if not of his own willful volition, even if he weren't aware of it, would be made obvious to others by his subconscious mind in an attempt to spite whoever had compelled him. In other words, the man was just too damn stubborn for mind control to work properly.

"So?" The irritating Bennet witch demanded as Klaus strolled leisurely from the cramped and filthy confines of the Salvatore's basement. Honestly, he was no clean freak, but he had heard of this brilliant invention called a mop. "What's the verdict?" 

"I'm afraid I have to diagnose your friend with a terminal case of stupidity," The hybrid said, smirking amusedly. His eyes flicked briefly around the room, scanning for any sign of a trap. He found none, but that only served to heighten his suspicion. Legend hadn't deemed him a paranoid genius for nothing.

The young girl didn't seem to find his jest humorous. Her eyes narrowed, glowering at him the same way her ancestors used to.

"Has he been compelled or not?" She pressed, teeth grinding.

All pretenses of mirth dropped from Klaus' face. "As best I can tell, no," He answered grimly. "I'm afraid his actions… unexpected and jarring as they may be, are entirely his own."

"What?" The doppelganger gasped. "That-that can't be right! Kol - your brother must have compelled him. I'm sure of it!"

The hybrid's eyes flicked in her direction. Behind her - silent and stoic as a mountain with impeccable hair - stood the younger Salvatore brother. Regrettable it was, Klaus thought, that he'd resigned to being so boring. Stefan's expression decided to take a respite from brooding long enough to avow contemplation. 

"Your accusations - while just and reasonable - don't particularly matter, love," Klaus said with a slight shrug. "He hasn't been compelled, or if he has, then he's under the most complex and thorough compulsion I've ever encountered."

"But how do you know it wasn't your brother who did it?" Asked a particularly delightful blonde, standing in the furthest corner of the room from him. He had to wonder if she did that on purpose.

"Well, to put it quite simply, Caroline -" He couldn't help but smile when he spoke to her. "- I know my brother's handywork, and this is not it. Comparing the two would be like comparing a sledgehammer to a feather pillow, love. Kol is far too sloppy for this to be his doing."

That last statement in particular wasn't entirely true. Yes, his brother could be careless, but when given proper incentive, he could be every bit as wily and conniving as the woman that created them - if not doubly so. He could outwit the furtive predator he was so often compared to in legend. There was a reason that boy was cited as the worst of the worst - the wildest of the Mikaelson clan. There was a reason Klaus had sooner chosen to ambush and incapacitate his brother rather than risk outright conflict with him. It was intellect that made his brother so deeply formidable; a vast intellect behind a careless facade and he wielded it like a surgeon's instrument. Given any time to think - a second, a heartbeat - Kol would always win. 

He only had one true weakness, one Klaus had so often employed. Kol was a whimsical being - easily and often distracted by every fleeting impulse. Tasks or threats to be handled needed to be clear-cut and direct, clearly defined, and very, very real in order for Kol to handle them. Had Klaus and his family been born in the current century, his little brother would be the kind of boy who puts off writing an essay or studying for a test until the night before it's due. The type to do the homework as the professor is collecting it and still get an A.

So it wasn't that Kol couldn't have compelled Damon - he was most certainly capable of the methodical complexity required - it just didn't seem like his style. 

What was infinitely more likely, and infinitely more troubling, Klaus thought, was the possibility that Kol had quite simply convinced Damon of the danger one very young hunter posed to the ever-precious Miss. Gilbert. Wily Fox was an apt moniker, indeed; even as a child, the former witch had always been so... gifted with persuasion. If not for Rebekah's loud and loyal heart, the hybrid was positive Kol would have turned their little sister against him eventually. 

Thus, if Damon Salvatore was a coyote - a lone, fickle scavenger - then Klaus doubted his brother would have to work hard to sway his judgment. There was something honest about him, something raw, vicious, and candid, that belied his devious ways; it was something Klaus himself could never seem to match. Trepidation is an excellent motivator and Kol certainly had a knack for ghost stories; yet, his stories in particular had long since possessed quite the kicker. 

They were always, always true. 

As a boy, Klaus remembered, Kol had once told villagers around the bonfire of a wraith he'd seen, wandering the woods roundabout the falls. No one believed him then either. On the following morn, that little dark-haired runt of a boy brought home the monster's corpse.

(So, truthfully, Klaus knew he should be on his brother's side this time. However, doing so would conflict with his purposes and the hybrid had never been one to deny himself anything. Especially not something he'd been pursuing for a millennium.)

Damon's actions spoke more to paranoia than undue influence. Paranoia was something Klaus knew intimately. Paranoia cannot be abated.

A dishearteningly sober voice tore the hybrid from his spiraling reverie. 

"Call him," Stefan said. Klaus lifted a brow. Had he not given his conclusion? Were they not done here?

"Pardon?"

"Call him," The stern teenager repeated. "Call your brother and demand he tell you the truth."

Klaus narrowed his eyes and began to pace, hands clasped behind his back - it helped him think.

The other blonde in the room - Rebekah had been henceforth preoccupied with sculpting her nails - hummed. A not-quite-pleasant tone that drew close to amusement with a veiled dose of ire. "Yes, please call him, Nik. Because we all know how demanding things of Kol tends to be a spectacularly pleasant experience."

The hybrid grimaced. She had a point there.

"How do you know he won't just lie?" Bonnie asked, hostility more than prevalent in her tone. 

"He won't," Klaus conceded, almost to himself. 

"How do you know?" Elena pressed. 

Within a blink, he had that pesky doppelganger by the throat, lifting her into the air. "You impugn my word?" He asked pleasantly. 

She didn't struggle. The girl just glared. "Routinely." 

A smirk tugged at his lips and he let her go, returning to his pacing. She coughed and staggered but her pride demanded that she remain upright. That one was becoming more and more like dear Katarina every day. Across the room, Rebekah sighed, flopping onto a sofa the same way she did everything - dramatically. She shaded her eyes with her arm as though she had an agonizing headache, though such pains were physically impossible for the undead to contract. 

"Kol never lies once called out on the act," She declared with finality. "He's been that way since we were children. For all his scheming, the maniac's a bloody awful liar." Klaus huffed a laugh. That bit was true. "Just call him, Nik. I want to get this over with."

Klaus flashed her a scathing look, but she was - as per bloody usual - unfortunately right. He pulled out his phone and dialed Kol's number. He just hoped his little brother remembered how to operate the device. He probably would - Kol remembered everything.

The phone rang once. 

"Put it on speaker," Caroline said, crossing her arms as each of his enemies drew a step closer. He sighed but did as requested.

The phone rang twice and then three times. Only halfway through the fourth ring did the Wily Fox pick up.

"Well, well, well..." His little brother drawled, blithe and cavalier as always. "I was wondering how long it would take for you to come barking up the wrong tree. Looks like I've lost a bet." He laughed and it was the cold, empty laugh he'd picked up since touring Africa.

Klaus pointedly ignored the dog pun and instead put on a fake smile. "Well, you know how it is. One does what one must when one's doppelganger comes groveling to one's knees, alarmed by her boyfriend's spontaneously homicidal behavior, and… well, whenever I think of manslaughter I think of you, Kol."

"Really?" The voice on the phone gibed. "That's funny because - and I swear it's like magic - but you open your mouth, and my mind drifts to fratricide... and daggers."

Another jab which Klaus ignored. 

"You seem to have made a mess, little brother," He said.

"Have I? Oh, dear... that must be inconvenient." Klaus could practically hear him grinning. "Say, how is - oh, what's his name? - Damien, was it? Has one of Elena's worshipers managed to scrape his intestines back together or are they permanently smeared into the asphalt?" 

Out of sheer curiosity, Klaus spared Elena a glance. She looked positively murderous. 

"I'm afraid he's going to be just fine."

"That's a shame." Kol hummed.

"It is," He agreed. "However, it so happens that Salvatore's intestines are not the mess I'm referring to." 

The boy gasped, mockingly. "No shit?"

"No," Klaus said, voice clipped. "I'll make this simple for you, Kol. Did you or did you not compel Damon Salvatore to hunt and/or kill Jeremy Gilbert?"

That cold, hyena laugh came again. There was something distinctly raw to it this time, something harsh and strained yet oddly broken; like a wounded animal rather than a rabid one. When he spoke, however, there was nothing in his words save for wrath. 

"You would love that wouldn't you?" Kol spat. "Yet another problem you can solve with a dagger - quick and tidy. You're such a hypocrite! You and Elijah!" His voice quieted and warped into something acidic disguised as honey and song. "And even you, my little sister." The blonde on the couch froze and the color drained from her face. There was fear in her eyes as if she'd seen a ghost. 

"Hello, Rebekah!" Kol practically sang. "I could hear your fingernails drumming, you do that when you're nervous." 

"And why exactly would I be intimidated by you?" Bekah did an excellent impression of boredom but her wide, shaken eyes met Klaus' own in search of reassurance. 

"Oh, sweetheart. Don't think for a second that I don't know what you did in nineteen-fourteen." From carefree and playful to downright vicious, his tone turned on a dime. "You ratted on me, Bex."

Rebekah shot to her feet, fists clenched. "So what, Kol? You're going to take away my only chance at happiness because I told on you?"

"No," Kol snapped. "I am going to save your life because I love you! This cure you think you understand is not your chance at happiness. After all these years, can't you see it? Have you not figured it out? The three of you keep lying to yourselves whilst punishing me for facing the truth.

"WE ARE ALL OF US TRAPPED, REBEKAH! This existence our mother bound us to is a trap and we cannot get out! WE ARE NEVER GETTING OUT! You and Nik can scream and cry and rattle the bars all you wish but none of us are ever going to escape lest we meet a very permanent end." 

"You don't know that!" Their sister cried, tears beginning to verge in her eyes. 

"Yes, I do."

"No, you don't! Silas isn't even real!"

"Bloody hell, Rebekah! Why won't you see it? WHY WON'T ANY OF YOU JUST LISTEN TO ME?!" There was desperation in that question and Klaus could only pretend he hadn't heard it.

"BECAUSE YOU'RE WRONG!" Rebekah was weeping now. "You're wrong and you're just angry with yourself because we have a chance at getting back what we lost and you're too scared to take it!"

"Do you think I haven't tried?" Kol seethed, voice thick with more pain than any of them could say. "I've searched a thousand years for such a miracle while you did nothing but mourn your own loss. Don't you dare call me a coward for facing the truth! We died, Bex. We died and we're staying dead. Silas or no - this 'cure' is not the answer."

A tense silence hung in the air and Klaus had to break it. He had to because if he didn't then he would admit that his little brother was right.

"You didn't answer the question, Kol," He said cooly, his tone a warning.

"You don't believe me." His little brother gave a bitter, miserable laugh. "Can't say I hoped you would. Well, in that case, I don't suppose I can express just how much it thrills me to report that this particular mess won't be so easily locked away in a casket. I merely tried to convince Damon to examine his priorities - it's not my fault he's been gunning for an excuse to kill the kid."

Elena, trembling with a lover's fury, lost her patience. "YOU LIAR!" She screamed. "You horrid filthy liar!"

"Are those the best insults you've got, love? I'm afraid I've known nuns who've called me worse," Kol jeered. He was back to sounding listless. In the corner, Caroline opened her mouth as if to question, but thought better of it. Klaus smirked at her and shrugged, nodding. She seemed vaguely disturbed by that knowledge. 

Elena, in a startling show of nerve, stormed over to where Klaus stood and snatched the phone from his hands. "Tell me where my brother is, you son of a bitch," She growled. 

The boy on the other end hissed. "Oh, no I'm afraid I can't do that. Telling you would defeat the whole 'Get-Jeremy-the-Hell-Out-of-Dodge' plan which would be going spectacularly had your boyfriend not broken half of the kid's ribs."

Elena paled. "Where is he? What did you do to him?"

"Are you deaf?" Kol sneered. "As I said, the only person with intentions to cause your brother harm is Damon. I intend to cure him... as soon as he wakes up. Then I'll be more than glad to bring him right back home - that is, if he ever wants to see any of you again. Now, this has all been a thoroughly unpleasant and pointless experience, so if that's all then I'll be hanging up now. Thanks for nothing, brother." There was a short pause and Klaus could have a sword he heard someone speaking on the other end - a girl. Kol's voice returned for one short statement. "Oh, and Stefan? Y/N says hi." 

Then he hung up.

***

Kol got off the phone and sighed, shoulders hunched as though they carried the burden of Atlas. He turned to you, but didn't meet your gaze. His eyes were rimmed with red. You didn't know what to say. You were still so new to the whole feelings thing and you didn't want to mess it up, but you couldn't just abandon him either.

Jeremy was alright now. He was stable and healing quicker than should be possible. He'd been in and out of consciousness for the past few hours since, sleeping in the second bedroom of the hotel you were currently hiding out in. He was fine now and you could think.

Even when you were so wrapped up in your own head - hardly able to think through everything you were feeling - Kol had been there. He had stayed with you at the hospital through it all and he had struggled to do so; curbing his appetite pained him, you knew, but he'd stayed anyway. He had stayed because you needed him and you were okay now, but he wasn't. The least you could do was return the favor.

"Are you alright?" You asked. It was pathetic but you didn't know what else to do. "That sounded… heavy."

Kol bit his lip, trying so hard to smile for you. He didn't want to burden you with his internal struggle when you already had one of your own. But he had been the one to explain to you what love really was. What your cruel mother had led you to believe for so many years was wrong.

Love is not about solving problems. Love is not defined by whether or not one party can "fix" the other. Love didn't mean perfection. It wasn't like that at all.

Love is more like sharing an umbrella. It wasn't necessarily about being shielded from the rain and it didn't matter why one person didn't have an umbrella of their own. What mattered was that the other party was willing to share.

Love is like buying an ice cream cone for someone who's upset. Because sure, it doesn't fix the problem, but perhaps it could warm their heart for a moment. And it didn't matter if the wrong flavor was chosen because the simple existence of that ice cream cone is enough to prove that someone else cares.

Love is like helping someone learn to skate. Picking them back up every time they fall even if that means being pulled down with them sometimes. It means taking a moment to lay on the floor and laugh with them while other people - sometimes many, many other people, who always manage to seem so graceful - move on and around and past you. What matters is working together with that person to stand up and keep going, even if it's only to fall right back down mere seconds later.

Love is like taking a person to Niagara Falls, even though you'd already been. Love is doing things for someone even when they don't ask. Love is like a person jumping into a puddle of mud because a taxi just came by and splashed some all over you. Love is like hate-watching a movie with someone just to listen to them rant about it.

Love wasn't about feeling happy all the time. Sometimes it was just about being sad at the same time.

Love was what you had with Kol.

So when he flashed that strained smile and said - "I'm fine." - you just shook your head.

"No, you're not."

He laughed, bitter and broken. Then he raced across the room and threw his arms around you and you caught him. He didn't fall apart though, because this wasn't the first time and he was used to this same old story even though he should never have needed to be.

"They don't listen," He hissed painfully, face buried in your neck.

Well… you knew what that was like. 

"No." You shook your head. "They don't."

"They would rather cling to their delusions than just trust me."

"People don't trust the things they'd rather fear," You said, combing your fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry fate forged you this way." 

That boy clung to you tighter, grasping handfuls of your shirt. "I suppose that makes us kindred souls, you and I," He muttered. There was acceptance in his voice now. "Made to be hated. Given claws and teeth and punished for them."

You turned your head and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Well, if that's the case, then I'm glad I became who I am."

"Why?" He asked.

"So you wouldn't always be alone," You decided. "I'm grateful to everything that made me, if all of it was what led me to you."

Kol sighed and shook his head. "Darling, I'm not worth everything that happened to you."

"Yes, you are." Your tone didn't leave room for any further protests on his part, so the two of you simply held each other for a while. He'd been right in what he'd said before. It wasn't annoying - not when it was him.

Once he could breathe a little easier, Kol slid his hands to your thighs and hoisted you up, prompting you to hook your legs around his waist. He walked over to the hotel couch and laid you down, quickly positioning himself over you. Gazing down at you, he just smiled and pushed a lock of hair out of your face. Kol leaned down and met your lips. It was a slow, meaningful kiss and you smiled into it as he let himself unwind, melting against you with a sweetness he showed no one else. Then he stilled. When he pulled away, there was something odd in his eyes. You thought it looked a little bit like dread but there was more to it. He opened his mouth, blinking rapidly and you caught sight of an acute pain that you’d never seen in him before. 

“Kol?” You frowned. 

“I’ve doomed you,” He said quietly, almost to himself. “Bloody hell, darling… I-I’ve just killed you.”

His words left you speechless. Guilt wasn’t an emotion you associated with him.

“What are you-”

“It’s Klaus, don’t you understand?” Kol moved off of you and stood, tearing his hands through his hair. “We took the cure from him. Darling, my brother is never going to stop hunting me for what we’ve done and now I’ve just implicated you!”

You blinked, raising a brow. “Pretty sure I was implicated from day one…” 

“No! No, you weren’t. Only to Elena’s little cult, not to my siblings.” His gestures grew wilder as he paced, hands shaking, breathing erratic. “You were there, but you were nothing. You weren’t important-”

“Ouch.”

“No, don’t you see, love? To them, you-you were just an accessory.”

“I remember Rebekah being very aware that t’was I who stole the twig of destiny,” You pointed out. 

“But you stole it for me,” He maintained. “She didn’t know who you are, what you’re capable of. Neither did my brother but now, with all of them working together…” His voice trailed off and he stopped pacing. His eyes met yours dejectedly, waiting for you to put it together.

You nodded, pursing your lips. “Now, Mystic Squad Goals is gonna tattle on me,” You finished. He was right. You’d had a way out before, but that was gone now. “I’m just as guilty as you are.”

Kol sighed and shook his head. Shame rolled off him in waves. “I’m such an idiot.” He cursed quietly. “This is exactly what you wanted to avoid. If I had just taken a moment to think, this never would have happened. Y/N, I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not.”

His head shot up. “Excuse me?”

“I’m not sorry.” You shrugged. Something inside you crumpled, yet you managed to smile. “Life on the run doesn’t sound so bad. I mean, there’s still a lot of stuff I think I wanna see. A-and we can go anywhere, right?” Your laugh wasn’t entirely real but it wasn’t completely fake either. Kol moved to sit beside you with a sigh. 

"Darling, you understand what this means, don’t you?” Kol asked softly, looking at you through the corner of his eyes. You bit down on your lip, nodding though your eyes stung. “If Jeremy chooses to go back…” He hesitated.

“I’ll never see him again,” You whispered. 

He touched your arm, ever so gently. “And you’re ready for that?” He asked. “To say goodbye?”

You wiped your eyes and sniffed. This wasn’t the paralyzing pain you’d felt a few days before. It hurt, yes. But with that pain came the realization that you’d known this was coming. You’d always known, even before vampires came back to Mystic Falls. You’d known that life is a bittersweet thing. Childhood friendships are great but they’re just that. People grow up and grow apart because friends… well, friends aren’t really meant to last forever. They come and go. They live their lives, move away,  fall in love, and have a family - or maybe they don’t. Maybe they get in a car crash and die early, or maybe they spend their life traveling with their dog. Point is, they leave and most people don’t know which goodbye will be their last. 

You would miss Jeremy, of course. But you could live on without him. Just so long as you knew he’d be okay.

Because goodbye doesn't mean the end - not completely - and goodbye can't erase all the happiness that came before it; though, isn't it a miracle that any of it happened at all? Goodbye just means leaving and leaving, you’d discovered, isn’t always a bad thing. Leaving means moving on - finding something new.

“You know, I think I am?” You smiled faintly. “I wasn’t before, because he wasn’t okay. I didn’t want to fail him. But we’re doing something good, I think, and he’ll be better off.” Huffing a laugh, you took Kol’s hand and met his eyes, looking at the boy you had left your old life for.

“So, no. I’m not sorry, Kol.” You decided. “I’d do it all again in a heartbeat as long as I get to stay with you.” 

The smile that broke out across that boy’s lips could have outshone the sun as he pulled your hand to his mouth and left a soft kiss on your knuckles. 

“How did I get so lucky?” He wondered. You bit your lip against a cheezy grin and looked at the floor, feeling your cheeks warm. You still couldn’t help it. After all, Kol was the first person to describe your presence as lucky.

“Save that for when your brother decides not to impale you on a tree,” You said nudging his arm. 

“Ah! That would be the miracle, wouldn’t it?” He said. You hummed in response, nodding. A beat passed between the two of you in silence. Then, you remembered. 

“Hey, we gotta hide the Kill-Me-Stick.”

Tagging: @yn-ymn-yln@r13mar@rootbeerfaygo@iiskittles16ii@fandomrulesall-blog@dark-night-sky-99@railingsofsorrow@apolloroid@thatweirdoleigh@misswe03@eat-cake@felinegrate@trikigirl271@cute-freak27@fayeatheart@archangelslollipop @aonungs-tsahik @sleepneverheardofher @space-princess-charming@heartbreakgrill@whatsupb18 @enchantedlandcoffee @trikigirl271 @kleinegamerin Really sorry if I missed anyone! If you requested to be on the taglist, just DM me and I'll fix it!

[thesashawick]

DANDELIONS: CH. 1 ARRIVING LATE

The day was cold, and Peter was running terribly late.

Harley was going to kill him, and Peter wouldn’t stop him. He deserved it. What kind of friend forgot his best friend’s birthday party? Especially when Peter was the one who had manned almost the entire thing. Truly, he didn’t know what was happening in his mind, lately he had been so stressed with the finances of his little family, that he had no space left for any other things. May was barely holding her job as a nurse with all the harassment she received from the Dean, and Peter was juggling three part-time jobs that were quickly becoming the bane of his existence, and high school and patrol. His grades didn’t suffer, thank goodness, but he was slowly being so overwhelmed with everything that he wasn’t sure how long he would hold on. And now, his personal life was suffering too.

Harley was the only friend that Peter had, a real friend that didn’t care if he was a scholarship kid, or that he was loaded with money, nor did he want Peter near to bully homework from him. Harley only cared about Peter, the nerdy kid that liked Star Wars and who was a fan of his dad; the Peter that spoke for hours about this or that, or that was smarter than anyone would give him credit for. Harley was a true friend, and Peter didn’t want to lose him.

So, he ran faster, using his Spider Man abilities to run as fast as he possibly could without being suspicious, evading people and trash cans left and right. He had to stop at some point, he was still ten minutes away from the Tower, and he was two hours late to his best friend’s party. Darn it, Harley is really going to kill me. However, no matter if he gently shoved people away, or if he outright tried to find another way outside of the lot of people that had trapped him into moving at a snail’s pace, Peter still found himself stuck ten minutes away from the Tower.

If Mr. Stark didn’t like me before, he definitely doesn’t like me now. He will think I stood up Harley.

That thought made his heart clench and a tight knot form in his throat. If there was anything worse than losing his only friend, it certainly was losing his access to seeing his hero up close, to make the man of his dreams disappointed in him, that was truly a catastrophe. Don’t think that way! Think about your best friend and not his dad! He scolded himself, full of reproach. It wasn’t right to think like that, like Harley wasn’t important, and as if Peter only was Harley’s friend because of Mr. Stark. But that was the truth, wasn’t it? You only got close to him because being his friend was being a step near Mr. Stark. It was your fix before he introduced you to his dad. Peter clenched his jaw tightly enough that it hurt. No, he thought back resolutely, I would never use someone like that.

The cold had subsided, replaced by the uncomfortable heat of the bodies coming off from the people surrounding him. Peter tried to see above the shoulders of those in front of him, and cursed in his mind when he saw an ambulance and squad cars blocking the way. Peter blinked, when did that happen? He didn’t remember hearing the sound of an ambulance or that of a squad car. Nor did he remember there being an accident in any way. He looked around and found himself in front of the Tower. The group of people around him were in fact witnesses who seen the accident happen. That’s not… normal, I don’t remember arriving here.

There was a fog inside his mind, like there was some sort of fog machine obscuring his view of things. It was odd, and worrying and…an alarm ringed in his phone, waking him up from that train of thought. I’ll worry about that later. I’m already late to the party.

He shook his head, dismissing his thought about it. I’m probably just overwhelmed with things. It’s probably nothing. He turned around and walked into the Tower’s reception. Better late than never.

He went to the reception that managed the entry to Mr. Stark’s floors. The reception was brightly decorated, lived in, and painted of a soft pastel blue. It screamed of someone with a vibrant personality, someone exactly like the woman behind it.

“Hi, Albany!” He greeted the young receptionist with an animated wave of his right hand. “How are you today? Work’s been good to you?”

The young woman, with her bright pink hair and her wide smile, waved back. “Hello Peter! I’m fine, you know how it is. And yeah, work’s been good, I’m mostly on my phone or haunting the place.”

Peter laughed. “I’m sure everyone here adores you, and don’t consider you doing rounds around as haunting.” And he was sure of it, he wasn’t saying it just because. Albany was good company.

Albany gestured with her hand dismissively. “Bah, now you are just flattering little old me.” Then she got a secretive expression. “But you better get going, I’m sure you’re going to love it up there.”

“Okay…?”

That was weird.

Peter waved her goodbye and crossed the security point after chatting a bit with Dave and Jonas, the security guards that guarded the elevators. He was sure they had been Secret Service or something like that. Going up to the elevators, he chose the one Mr. Stark had always told him to use and got in after showing his bracelet to the little security pad with the camera. The doors opened for him, and once they were closed the voice of JARVIS greeted him.

“Good evening, Mr. Parker.”

He loved being in on the secret that was JARVIS, the wonderful creation that he was. Mr. Stark truly was a magnificent man with skilled hands and an incredible mind.

“Good evening to you too, JARVIS.” He said. “I hope Harley isn’t too angry with me?”

JARVIS’s belated response made him worry. “The Young Mister Stark did not seem to be angry.”

That eased his mind a bit. Maybe Harley knew that it wasn’t on purpose. Or maybe Peter had worried too much about nothing. It wasn’t like his best friend would be alone, he probably was having a lot of fun with his other friends.

“Thank you JARVIS.”

“You’re welcome, Mr Parker.”

The rest of the ride up was silent. And Peter did his best to look as good as he could in the brief moments that he had. He truly despised Miranda for convincing him to fill in place of Luke, but then again, he did need the money and she wasn’t aware that Peter had other things to do in his free day. So maybe he didn’t despise her, and instead, he despised his situation.

He shook his head, trying to get his hair to look good. Then, after a few seconds, he gave up with an exasperated sigh, it wasn’t worth it. He was in his work uniform, nothing short of changing and showering would make him look decent. Just as he lowered his hand, the doors of the elevator opened into Mr. Stark’s penthouse, it was empty, by the looks of it, even if the lights were on. He didn’t get off, his Spidey Sense going off like a brat being told his mom wouldn’t buy him what he wanted.

“Uh, JARVIS? I was supposed to get off on Harley’s floor…”

So maybe his best friend was angry at him.

“Sir requests that you meet him before going down.”

His heart began to pound against his chest, his hands clammy with sweat. The only thought in his mind was that Mr. Stark wanted to speak alone with him. Alone. With Peter.

He was stepping outside of the elevator before he could think better of it.

[knightsteapot]

☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ SOME CONTEXT BEFORE READING

ANYTHING BEFORE SAYING "TE AMO" is a very short SMAU series with Jason Todd (Red Hood) and Reader (Latina anti-heroine).

Fluff, comedy, action, probably some spice... Yeah, most likely ehe.

First chapter

☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ PROFILES

NILTAVA: In other words reader. Your past is a story for another time, you don't remember anything and sometimes it's better, especially when you're conscious you suffered after being kidnapped and transformed into a weapon. You never went back to your family, not even when the Justice League gave you the chance, no, that life wasn't yours anymore.

You were not a victim, not now, you solved the issue by yourself, you punished the people behind the whole damned project, you destroyed their lives as they destroyed yours. Batman wasn't happy about it, but what's done it's done. Maybe he pitied you enough to understand your reasons, who knows? At least him and his "family" were not as bad as you thought for the first time, no, actually the only one you wanted to punch was that cheeky bastard: Red Hood, he was always interfering with your plans, with your revenge, however, life works in mysterious ways... And now... Things are different.

After all the shit you went through and thanks to the person who took you out of hell itself: Jason Todd, you decided to become a hero but under your own rules, in general terms an anti-heroine, joining a nice group of misfits like you: the outlaws. You owed to Red Hood your new life, despite your conflicts at the beginning, what he did for you let you comprehend that kindness still existed in a twisted world like this. You were ready to follow that red helmet to the end of the world and back, but was it your way to repay his kindness or... was it something worse... like love?

BASIC DATA:

Codename: Niltava

Civilian Name: Ela/ Ella Flores

This is not your real name. You have a real name, the one given by your parents but it's long lost in your past, remembering it would condemn you to live a life full of grief and doubt that doesn't belong to you anyways. You let the batkids choose your new identity, you couldn't call yourself Niltava 24/7 did you?

Truth be told, you liked the fact that your name sounded good in spanish too. You disconnected yourself from your past but not from your roots.

Abilities: Combat and weapon mastery. You were brainwashed to be the perfect weapon and you indeed are.

Aura manipulation. After an expedition in your mercenary days, you made a contract with a goddess called Admena. Ancient goddess from a lost civilization, she said she's the goddess of primordial order but... Sometimes... You think chaos fits her better.

Extra: You use a a blue short wig when you're in your vigilante duty. Your secret identity is very important, exposing yourself so easily would be stupid.

MOREA: One of your best friends, you've been friends for around a year, an amateur witch who wants to become a high ranking heroine. Great power and ability to summon astral beings. You two met eachother working with the justice league dark in a very... Particular case.

BASIC DATA:

Codename: Morea

Civilian name: Katherine Simone

Abilities: Astral summoning. She can summon and control entities from the astral plane only if she's stronger than them, if not things can get complicated.

RED HOOD: Anti-hero and leader of the infamous outlaws. Ex-robin, won a round against death but came back with issues. Strong, smart, badass, intimidating outside... A heart of gold inside. Destiny made him discover Niltava's plan to take revenge, thought of her as the enemy, later understood what was really happening... Helped her as if his life depended on it. Got involved with his family again thanks to this. Doesn't really know if he likes it or not.

BASIC DATA:

Codename: Red Hood

Civilian name: Jason Peter Todd

Abilities: Combat, weapons and detective expertise. Extremely good doing what he does.

☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ EXTRAS

Artemis de Bana-Mighdall

Bizarro

Roy Harper

Batfam

[edgelordfinalboss]

Part Three: Outlaws Of Santa Carla (The Lost Boys Fanfiction/Western American Fanfiction AU Fanfiction)🤠🦇✨🖤

If Paul was to be turned, he was going without a fight.

Slipping through the branches of the trees with far from graceful grabs for the bark, only his fear in the silence of the woods propelled him. The canopy  of dark green clustered pines remained still, not a needle moving among the darkness. 

Night had come as everyday promised and with it was the truth that he would be caught. He didn't have the speed or the strength that Marko had or the hunger to hunt him in return. Paul had become prey now, losing his place as the shadow watching from afar as others found themselves trembling in his current position. 

"Only a few hours 'till sunrise, then you can see yourself out of here. Only a few more hours." Paul's voice remained as a soft echo in his head as every thought was aided with a weak attempt to regain a steady breath. 

Gripping on to the grooves of the tree, holsting himself farther into the crook of the thickest limbs, forcing himself into a much more comfortable position. Would he really have the will to hurt his closest friend or would he have to give in to his friend's monstrous actions? It was clear that Marko didn't want him dead but had a far worst fate in mind. Either he could accept the curse and live as a social outcast or try his best at taking down Marko and getting away scot free with a well crafted story of his heroism and fight with a dangerous vampire. He could be the hero that he had always strived to be. He could do something in honor of his father for one last time.

Paul felt a tear prickle at the thought of the day he had taken down his father, the person closest to him and it had been the worst agony that one could dream of suffering. 

Could he do it again? 

Paul's thoughts were becoming more and more overwhelming, blocking out the world around and below him. Armed with nothing but a stolen military knife and an empty pistol, his chance of hunting Marko in return was far too slim to even revisit those thoughts. 

A rustle through the branches facing him snaches him from his thoughts as the forest lit with life. The cries and songs of the once silent birds of the forest filled that air so loud that gripping his ears became an instant response. The beating of wings sounded louder than his heart.

Kicking out at the slant in the tree, bark explodes from the surface, raining down on the ground below. 

"I'm gonna die!" Reaching out for a higher hanging branch, his fingers barely found the separated twigs, pulling a few of the, off before gaining a stable hold. Blood dripped down his wrist as he held on tighter to the branch, swaying under his weight. 

"You aren't gonna die, Paul. You're gonna live forever." A shadow hunched over the adjacent branch, hands on knees, golden eyes glaring and an array of forest dwelling birds perched on his shoulders. The gleam of a black and silver dagger slicing through the air caught Paul's eyes. The very thing that could save him or turn him. 

Letting go of the branch, his stomach dropped.

Marco darted forward through the branches, weapon extended but not close enough to meet with Paul's skin. With barely enough time to balance on the branch below him, Paul summoned all the strength possible and swung forward. Grabbing  his friend with a strength that he never knew that he had within him, the slant branch snapped. Paul fought for a grip on something, anything, but the claws of his friend dragged him farther into the air. Falling through the splay of branches, Paul had already come to terms with defeat. 

The flock of birds surrounded them in a cloud of black, each one pecking at his skin and attempting to claw through the thickness of his hair. 

Paul, barely able to make out Marko kept pushing against him, ignoring the fear of the steady fall to win. A sharp ring and the scream of Marko echoes as the branches of a short pine crash into Marko, tangling them both in a mess of pine needles. Holding on to him, both float feet above the forest floor as if they had never fallen. 

It hit him with a sharp knowing like no other, They are floating.

He had seen Marko do it, but as he held on to his friend, so was he. 

Searching his friend for the thing they had crossed endless miles for, he found nothing.

"Where is the dagger?" Paul screamed over the beat of one hundred wings, grabbing Marko's chin and tilting it so that their eyes met. 

Marko simply snarled, fangs dangerously close to his flesh. His nails could rip him apart but aided with adrenaline, he was numb to the steady scraping of claws on his sides. 

Marko's empty hands drive Paul deeper into a frenzy of anxiety. "Marko, you need that dagger."

With that, the air that had once held him so tight let go without warning, leaving him snatching at the air. 

[aquadestinyswriting]

Ten Songs Tag

Thanks for the tag @druidx. Finally getting around to this tag game now I'm home from holiday and can have multiple tags open and the ability to copy/paste effectively. Taking all the songs from my generic Titan Playlist

Tagging: @sparrow-orion-writes , @homesteadchronicles, @warriorbookworm, @mariahwritesstuff,@ashirisu, @thesorcerersapprentice,

Rules: Use your WIP playlist and put it on shuffle. Write the first 10 songs that come up and quote your favorite lyrics from each song and/or the lyrics that fit your WIP best (they might be the same lyrics), then tag 10 people.

All As One- Miracle of Sound

Fight for your values And fight for your friends Fight through this blight Find the light at the end

This one can apply to either the OG Heroes of Toreguarde or to the Destiny's New Servants crew. The lyrics above basically embody the stubborn will to carry on as long as you have others fighting alongside you.

2. Die for You- Otherwise

I would break, I would burn, I would suffer, There's nothing I wouldn't do, do for you. I would lie, I would steal, for no other, You make me feel so alive, So alive I'd die for you!

There are too many couples this would apply to in this damn setting (both romantic and platonic) but I think it fits either Edwin/Selene best and from Edwin's pov if only because I think he really would do all of the above for Selene in the end if she asked (or even if she doesn't).

3. No One Will Save You- Aviators

I burned your world away Devoured by my conviction I left you home afraid While mother's ventured out Don't cry when lanterns fade Soon we'll be awakened But it breaks my heart to say No one will save you now

Oh this one is a good one for the villains, most particularly Darkhide. The chorus basically echoes his kinda sorta regret for needing to sacrifice a whole city of mostly innocent people in order to get what he wants. He was one of the more tragic villains we had in the Destiny's New Servants campaign. A man so broken that he felt he needed to sacrifice so many just to save the one he loved.

4. The Weight of the World (English version)- Neir Automata ost

'Cause we're gonna shout it loud Even if our words seem meaningless It's like I'm carrying the weight of the world I wish that someway, somehow That I could save every one of us But the truth is that I'm only one girl Maybe if I keep believing my dreams will come to life Come to life

The song, as a whole, generally fits Elowyn best, but it does apply to Selene, Meredith and Alexis as well. All four women had to rage against the injustices wrought against them by Fate, Destiny, whatever you want to call it, in order to get the happy ending they wanted.

5. My Revolution- Miracle of Sound

Bring out the brother in me I'm searching for unity Everything is changing Inside of me The city's under my feet The ruins of the elite Everything is changing Inside of me

Ah, the song I chose for Laurence during his little revolution arc. The lyrics above reflect his desire to unite the downtrodden people of Toreguarde to rise up against a clearly corrupt Council and the fact that it changed him, and not in a good way. Clerics of Olidimarra amirite?

6. Hand of Sorrow- Within Temptation

So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind? So many years have past, who are the noble and the wise? Will all our sins be justified?

I chose this one to represent Alexis' journey during @druidx's 'What Alexis Did Next', but that part above could apply to any one of the Heroes of Toreguarde because all of them had dreams that were completely shattered at one point and all have various 'sins' to their names that could be justified by the circumstances they happened in. It's also hard to say who were the most noble and wise of them.

7. Building Better Worlds- Aviators

But no the battle isn't won The war has only just begun And we'll keep fighting, keep building A better place for us And if they strike us down tonight We'll sear the darkness with the light

This song was chosen more for the vibes, but this bit here reminds me very strongly of when the Heroes of Toreguarde finally got to the point where they could take Toreguarde back after its fall.

8. Ready Aim Fire- Imagine Dragons

With our backs to the wall The darkness will fall We never quite thought We could lose it all

I like this song as a theme for the first arc I Gm'd after taking over the Destiny's New Servants campaign. As much as the party had won against Darkhide, they quickly found out they still had their proverbial backs to the wall and could easily lose everything they'd just fought for.

9. The Moment We Come Alive- Red

Together we are bright as the stars We're a light that will never die

This whole song is basically a theme for the main thrust of the Darkhide Arc of the Destiny's New Servants campaign, but I particularly love these two lines from the chorus. The party have come together as a proper found family by this point and have become a beacon of hope against the tyranny of Darkhide and his allies.

10. Immortal- Aviators

We make our own way, We rebuild The city's razed Our prophecy is self fulfilled For better days

Both parties from the completed Titan campaigns do basically become legends in their own rights by the time of The Ouroboros of Destiny campaign, so this song is a fitting tribute to them. The above lyrics fit well with the OG heroes rebuilding Toreguarde from the ashes of the Demon War, which is a lovely mental image.

[lolitystories]

Miguel O'Hara x OC : Firefly.

Summary: Every universe has its own Spider-man, and in every universe he is alone, protecting the world by hiding the truth from his friends and family, and sometimes he has to lose them, to protect the world. However, in one of this dimensions, his partner is ready to do anything, so that he does not suffer the same tragic fate as the other versions of himself.

A failed experiment… Here is what had led Miguel to this result. Overnight his life had changed, he had become spider-man, a hero... But... Was he really a hero?

After his own company drugged him, he wanted to cure himself by conducting an experiment on himself, but the jealousy of one of his coworkers caused his experiment to fail, turning him into a man, half-spider.

Before that, he had never cared about others, even if his family was far from perfect, he had never needed anything, he was not to be pitied.

"With great power comes great responsibility." He despised that phrase more than anything. Everything the hero powers and life brought him was a curse…

He had a fiancee, "Dana", but she died, when Venom wanted to go after him. He had moreover left her, so that she wouldn't be a victim, because of his new life… His own father was an evil genius and his mother despised him… Fortunately, he still had his little brother, someone too nice for his own good, but that he has always made him suffer, by stealing Dana from him, who was first his girlfriend.

This is why he no longer wanted to bind himself to anyone.

But things couldn't be that simple, could they?

“Miguel.” “...” "Miggy, are you listening to me?" He raised his head.

Sara Parker, his best friend, was looking at him with a raised eyebrow, or at least her hologram, she was in her office right now.

Sara was his assistant and the very descendant of Peter Parker. They had known each other since college and even though she hadn't inherited the spider's powers like her ancestor, she had a highly developed sixth sense, always warning her of danger. She was strong, but it stopped there, as if the radioactive DNA had gradually disappeared over time.

She has excellent computer skills and has always supported Miguel in his missions. Kind of like the oracle in Batman.

She was already working at Alchemax and investigating their more than shady operations, when Miguel became Spider-man, it was there that she revealed to him who his ancestor was and that she wanted to help him, to honor his memory.

At first against, she ended up becoming his confidante, after all, she was the only person he could tell about all the remorse he felt.

He was exhausted...

"There is…" She started, but he cut her off.

“Yes, several parts have disappeared in the lab, it's not the first time that this has happened, Gab often takes some to work at home and then, only a person who knows the security system by heart could have done that, there may also have been an error. Ask Lyla to check with you.” Sarah smiled at him.

"So you were listening to me." "Of course." "I'll double check don't worry I don't need Lyla's help she'll bother me again." *I heard that ! And it will be my pleasure to help you…* Said the artificial intelligence approaching Sara to give her a wink.

She rolled her eyes.

"You should go home, it's late." “...” "What's the matter ?" “If you come in too, there is a restaurant that…” "No, I'm thinking of staying a few more hours, don't wait for me." “...Well, good evening.” “Good evening Sara.” The hologram disappeared.

Miguel sighed, he knew what she was trying to do, just like Gabriel, it's true that Dana had been dead for years... But he couldn't turn the page, that life was over.

Some time ago, he had received an unlikely visit from a version of him from another dimension. With a spider-woman and a spider-punk?

He had explained to him the existence of “canon events" and that what had happened to Dana, had happened to many other versions of him… Some had lost their children, others their brothers, their loved ones… But this sacrifice …is part of spider-man history.

“It had to happen… Bullshit…”Said Sara.

At these words Hobie smiled, while Jessica sighed.

Miguel didn't respond to her provocation, he looked at her with… Sadness?

“It is however the truth, no one can change history or forge a destiny… Everything is already planned in advance, this is how the balance of the world can exist…”"But…"“Sara…”She looked at this Miguel from another world, he knew her name, but… Why was he looking at her with so much regret ?

“You are wrong… Nothing is decided in advance, I am sure…”"We didn't become spider-man because we wanted to, we never had a choice, you should understand that better than anyone."“No one can decide the future, or claim to be able to control the fate of the world… So if you knew someone was going to die, you would let them…”He cut her off.

“One life is nothing, against the fate of the whole world.”"...You're not really the Miguel I know..."She said disappointed.

"But I guess, I understand myself, don't I?"The gaze of the Miguel of this other self, seemed… Broken ?

He then asked her to join his group, in order to save the multiverse, but he refused.

Before leaving Hobie gave her something, just in case…

He then gave up wearing the mask of a hero.

**

After the death of his father, Miguel took over the management of Alchemax and decided to transform the company, with the help of his brother. It had nothing to do with what it was before.

He was going to spend his life in this office and try to do something good for once… Protect those he loves by staying away from them.

And then… There was a new heroine in town at the moment.

The first time he saw her was a month after everyone was begging Spider-man to come back, which is kind of ironic considering he was still considered an outlaw. Seeing no more supervillains, the notorious criminals had returned.

She had then appeared, to save the victims of a burglary. The picture that appeared on tv was this woman in a black jumpsuit. Her outfit was reminiscent of an old movie… How it was already, yes… “Tron”.

Purple neon lights surrounded her jumpsuit and she wore a helmet on her head.

She had been called "Firefly", probably because of the robotic wings she had on her back.

Despite her ridiculous name, she seemed to do a good job, she could create prisons using electric wires that shot from small cannons to her wrists. She was clearly inspired by spider-man for this.

The police and the government were always against heroes, but it looks like she's doing a better job than him...

Things could have stayed that way for a long time… But a few details started to set Miguel on the alert.

**

“Sara, can you come into my office?” No answers.

"Sara?" It looked like her transmitter was off.

So he decided to go see her, and was surprised to find her asleep on her desk, dark circles under her eyes. A trickle of drool ran down his numeric keypad.

“You overwork yourself too much.” He turned off her screens and retrieved the file he had come for.

He then noticed a shiny object sticking out of her pocket, a small purple disk, which flashed, as if receiving a call.

He was really hesitant whether he should wake her up or not, but finally he let her rest.

A few hours later, an accident took place, it was a fire, fortunately the firefighters were able to control the flames, but there were several injured, including a little girl.

Sara walked into his office, her eyes blank.

“Excuse me… Did you call me? I just saw your message." “Yes, but don’t worry, I went to get the file, you look exhausted, do you need time off, it’s been a long time since…” She quickly shook her head.

“No…I'm fine.” “...” She scratched her neck nervously.

"I'm going back to my office, call me if you need me." "Yes, I would." For once, he tried to smile at her, but she barely noticed him, she quickly left the office.

His brother came to see him the same day to hear from him and discuss, even if Gabriel was the more talkative of the two...

“By the way, how is Sara?” "You can go ask her, she's in her office." "Come on…" Said his brother, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You're lucky not everyone has the woman they love just steps away." "We don't have that kind of relationship." "Really ? So… I guess you don’t mind if I invite her for a drink?” "Do what you want." “...Miguel. I know it's been hard for you lately and… I know I can't understand but… We're not eternals.” “...” "Who said we didn't have the right to be..." “What happy? I was and screwed it up, as usual." "But…" “Excuse me, I still have work to do…” Gabriel sighed and hesitated.

"You know... You're not the only one who's scared..." He told her, before leaving.

At that moment, Miguel had not understood what he was trying to explain to him...

**

The other strange event took place, when they left the office together.

It was not uncommon for them not to speak, even when they were in the same room, it was not awkward, they both enjoyed having a quiet moment. As they took the elevator, Miguel noticed her tiredness and especially the strange marks on her skin.

“...Did you hurt yourself?” “...” It took her a while to realize what he was talking about, then she looked at her hands.

They were covered in bruises and it even looked like her finger had been twisted. Sara quickly hid them.

“It’s nothing…I got my finger stuck trying to fix my car. Miguel sighed.

“It's 2100, I don't see why you insist on using antiques. Even if you fix it, you won't be able to get very far with it…” She smirked.

“Need I remind you who came to help you when you wanted to see the last game and your holographic system stopped working…” “I could have fixed it.” "Yes, but the game would be over already, you see the antiques don't let you down." She stuck her tongue out and he smiled.

It had been a long time since they had spent a moment together.

This moment ended when a small beep sounded and Sara tensed.

"Aren't you picking up?" "I've finished the work. On the other hand… I think I forgot something up there, excuse me.” "Do you want me to wait for you?" “No thank you, you should go home Miggy.” He frowned at the nickname but greeted her.

On her way to the exit, Lyla appeared.

*Miguel, I have something to tell you.* "What ?" *Do you remember when Sara said that equipment was missing in the storeroom?* "Yes." *Well I decided to check it out myself and there is something weird…* "You should tell Sara then, she's still here." *Precisely… What is weird it's her access code that appears in the rooms or the equipment has disappeared.* “...Why would she have told us if she took the equipment?” *Perhaps so that we do not suspect her. Besides, we must be missing a good ten minutes on the surveillance videos…* “...Where is she now?” *I check.* Lyla brought up a virtual map of the building.

Sara's gps said she was in her office and all of a sudden.

*Her signal disappeared…* “Find her.” *I... I can't, it's like she blocked my access. She has the status of co-admin.* "Well I'm over it, find her Lyla." *All right !* She said cheerfully.

*So… She's at, no she's heading… Dammit, how does she go so fast?* Sara's signal said she was downtown, half an hour away by public transport.

“...Send me the list of all the missing equipment.” *GOOD !*

**

The news the next day only confirmed his fears…

Last night, Firefly had fought against a villain from another dimension. The green goblin and she had been seriously injured, of course… If spider-man had been there, he could have helped her but…

“Sara…” He tried to call her, but instead he received a pre-recorded message.

"Sorry Miguel, I couldn't come today, I have a fever, but if you need my help I..." He hung up and headed for her apartment.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Instead of the young woman, it was his brother who came to open the door for her, the two looked at each other with a look of understanding.

"You guessed…" Gabriel told him.

“You helped her create her gear…” Miguel grabbed his brother by the collar.

"What were you thinking !? She could have died!!!” “...Did you really care?” “...” "I thought you didn't want to talk to us anymore, you've been ignoring us for so long..." "Stop." "What ? Since you decided to play cowards, someone had to…” “You two stop…” A weak, tired voice came from the back of the apartment.

Miguel released Gabriel, who rubbed his neck, before fixing his collar.

"I believe you two need to talk, I'll let you." His brother left.

The apartment was dimly lit, just outside city light through the blinds.

“Lyla.” He said, walking towards the room.

*Her vital signs are stable.*

She was lying down, her head turned towards the window, her wounds had already been treated, it looked like her brother had sent for a doctor in secret…

Her gear was on the floor, near her wardrobe. He should have known, even her outfit was reminiscent of an old movie…

He took the chair from her desk and pulled it closer to her bed, to sit next to her.

They were both silent for a moment, but it was obvious she wasn't going to speak.

"Why ?..." “...” "Why did you do such a stupid thing?" “To protect the city…” "But you're not supposed to." "So it's up to you?" "I can't be spider-man anymore." "This is not what I mean…" She said, finally turning to him.

"Who decides ? Who chooses that it's up to you to be a hero?" "I did not have the choice." "No. You always had a choice, like you had the choice to let me die the first time we met…” “...” "You saved me, but you didn't have to." "It has nothing to do, each time, I hurt the people that..." “But you forget how many times you saved us! Spider-man always saves everyone, but no one will save him… I find that rather cruel.” “...” "The crowd cheers for him, then hates him, it's like they forgot you were a man behind the mask." Miguel looked at her surprised.

“Hey… My family has been through this, the fear, the desperation… I know well, why you don't want to wear the mask anymore and I understand, but like the other you said, everyone needs a hero then… I thought if I took your place, maybe…” She put her hand over her eyes.

"Sorry…" He said to her.

“...” “It seems like whatever I do, I always make mistakes, even when I try to get some distance.” "It's not…" “My other self told me what happened to your other version, in the universe where he was…” “...” “No matter the universe, I can never protect you… You are… My Gwen Stacy it seems…” “Miguel.” She tried to sit up, but he stopped her, tenderly cupping her face in his hands.

"I don't want to lose you…" Sara's eyes trembled, but she looked away.

“You are already losing me…” She said, pushing his hands away.

“If you are afraid to go on living… Then you have already lost me Miguel.” Her words hurt him.

She was the one suffering and yet he had the impression that someone had just stuck a blade in his chest...

“If you are so scared… You should go.” She turned around again, she didn't want to talk to him anymore.

Miguel stood there for a few more moments, he could hear her crying, but he knew he couldn't comfort her.

He got up to leave the apartment. On the cabinet by the entrance, he noticed a picture frame.

It was a picture of them at graduation, everything seemed… Different back then, he was different. It was during this time that he saved her life. A drunken student rushed at her after class. He was in his car at the time, without thinking, he rammed the other student, so she wouldn't get run over. Everyone made it out alive. And... Everyone considered him a hero back then.

But he still remembers what had motivated him at that time…

I have to save her...

He didn't know her yet, she was a simple stranger, there was no glory, no superpowers, no destiny...

She was going to die, and he had wanted to protect her.

**

“Nobody move and everything will be fine, okay?” "Mom…" "Shut up !" A group of thieves were trying to evade the police, they had just obtained a new type of weapon on the black market and the police could not do anything against this new equipment.

After their theft, they were going to escape in a car, the hostage was a child and they hoped to get a nice ransom in exchange.

But the one who held the child had no time to blink, that his hostage had disappeared.

"That…" “Go somewehere safe !" Firefly had arrived, her wings and digital outfit allowing her to move quickly.

She then cut off the power in the street, so that the criminals were plunged into darkness.

“Finally she's here…Now guys!” The first finished his sentence and was put on the ground, following the punch she had given him, she had then tied his wrists with her electric purple wire.

His sidekick took the opportunity to target her and managed to place a tag on her costume.

*ALERT-SYSTEM-CORRUPTED-SYYZGYGYZ*

"Shit…" Her wings and her wires no longer worked.

“So not that strong without powers huh!?” The two remaining men started shooting at her, they had night vision goggles.

Firefly had no difficulty dodging their blows.

“Emergency protocol activation!” The security system clicked and she was able to attack again.

She got rid of the second man by catching a car in her webs, she threw it towards them and when they wanted to dodge she captured one.

The last lost his laser weapon, terrified of not being able to beat it, he decided to shoot, among the crowd.

"NO !!!" But she couldn't stop the bullets.

A huge web then formed and trapped the bullets.

Firefly's eyes widened when she looked up… He was there.

"It's…" But the criminal could not finish his sentence, because he was immediately trapped in a web.

The lights came back on the street, and the crowd looked up in turn, to see the man in the familiar suit.

"Spider-man !" "It's him !" "He came back !" Cheers rang out, followed by applause.

But it was short-lived.

"Spiderman ! Firefly! You are under arrest !" Said a policeman, obviously they were coming once the bad guys had been captured.

Miguel climbed down and approached Firefly.

Even with her helmet on, he knew she was staring at him in amazement.

"The city isn't too big for two heroes, I hope?" He said.

She sighed, but ended up smiling.

"Don't be jealous, if I became more popular than you." He smiled and took her hand, placing a kiss on it that made her shudder.

“You saved me this time…” “...” She couldn't answer him, they had just been surrounded by a horde of furious policemen.

But as they were about to flee, someone intervened.

"Are you kidding me !? She saved my son!” Said the victim's mother.

“And spider-man stopped the bullets!” Added another.

Gradually, a crowd began to gather, to protect them.

Miguel was surprised, he had never realized, never thought that one day… It would be the others, who would come to his aid.

No one had ever...

Firefly took her hand, firmly.

"Let's go." She spread her mechanical wings, her whole body shone with that purple glow, her hand in his, bringing her a warmth, which he thought he could never feel again.

She shone in the darkness like a firefly, she had approached the spider, when he could have devoured her, but without fear, she landed on his web.

Once safe, in the offices of Alchemax, her suit retracted, to turn into a small disk, the one he had seen the last time.

His digital combination disappeared too, giving him back his everyday outfit.

As she was about to speak, Sara found herself trapped, held tenderly in his arms.

“...” "Sorry to keep you waiting." She began to relax, returning his hug.

“I have always been there. I wouldn't leave you.” "I know…" "What made you change your mind?" “I think… The worst would be to have lost you, without having tried.” “...” “You were right, I don't know what will happen, but… I want to have a choice, I want to be able to choose and…” She gently raised her head, his eyes were red, she had almost forgotten her gaze, as he was wearing his sunglasses.

She lifted her hands to cup his face, he relaxed there, as if he hadn't been able to in years.

"And ?..." He hesitated.

“We have time…” "Really ?" "If our destiny is like a spider's thread, then... It's up to us to weave the web, what do you think?" His gaze plunged into hers, he saw there, a glimmer, a future… A hope.

Sara dropped her hands to his shoulders and he leaned down to cup her face, their lips brushing.

Then he closed the distance.

He couldn't hear anything except the sound of their hearts. The chains that weighed on his back disappeared. The world regained its colors, it felt like itself again...

canoneventalljeaezag

*Canon event rewritten.*

They continued to kiss, when they separated, she placed kisses on his forehead, his cheeks, his neck, while saying sweet words to him and reminding him that she loved him.

He hugged her again.

"I love you." she told him.

"I.." When she felt him hesitate, she reassured him.

“I know… Take your time.” Her gaze was soft and full of kindness.

What had he done to deserve such tenderness ?

As he was about to kiss her again, but someone entered the office.

“Miguel ! You…" Gabriel fell silent, looking at the couple.

Sara was blushing as Miguel glared at him.

"Lyla, why didn't you tell us?" *Well…Sara made it clear to me, last time that she wanted me out of her business…* She said slyly.

Sara tried to grab her but the holographic woman walked away laughing.

It was her little revenge for the last time...

**

“Miguel…” “...” "Where's my costume?" “Your costume needed an upgrade.” “My costume is perfect !” “A simple tag could disable your security system, you need a shield.” “Okay, look I…” Sara was speechless.

"It is…" Her costume now adorned webs, the emblem of the spider.

"I'm spider-man, I was and it always will be a part of me, but... Maybe I'm not the hero this world needs." She smiled at him and immediately tried on her new costume.

**

Ok… Let me tell you my story. The story I chose.

My name is Sara Parker and for the past few months,I became a spider-woman, or at least, I will be one day...My ancestor was the spider-man, the first of this universe.Unfortunately I never had that chance.

All spider-man did not choose to be,I have always wanted to help others.And... I fell in love with the new spider-man.I tried to help him… But I couldn't save him from himself.

So… I took up the flame.All we needed was a light, a spark... I was always told that we couldn't change our destiny,That heroes are doomed to suffer.

I say that the heroes also need to be supported.I would listen, I would be different, I would be... Me?We are no longer alone now.It's time to believe in our own story.

**

A few months later… In a secret Alchemax laboratory. Miguel, Gabriel and Sara, were working on a new type of wire, for her electric costume.

"Stop looking at me." Says Miguel.

"I'm not looking..." Said Sara, looking away.

“And then… If you saw me looking at you, you were looking at me first…” Miguel turned around, smirking.

"Really ?" "Yes."

"Please both of you, stop flirting..." Said Gabriel.

They couldn't help but laugh, before getting back to work.

In the recent months, they had done some research on the multiverse and thanks to Lyla, they were able to escape the surveillance of the other 2099. That's when they discovered something, which could change the situation...

Objects around them began to fly, accompanied by strange lights, like that time...

“Spider Woman?...” Asked Sara, to the young woman who appeared in front of her.

“Yeah and…” Gwen looked confused at the woman in front of her and the Miguel, who was standing right behind her.

"Me too, well, for a few months, but you can call me Firefly." For the very first time, Sara felt a strange tingling sensation on the back of her neck, her spider senses telling her she was with one of her kind.

"You're... You are like me ?" Gwen smiled at her reaction.

“Yes… We all feel that the first time.” "All ?" She then saw other spider-man cross the portal, some suspicious of this other version of Miguel.

"I'm glad our Lyla was able to contact you, Miguel, I mean the other one blocked our communications with you." “Hobie has his own way to communicate…” “We have changed our event canon.” She said to the other spiders.

“And…I think I just changed mine.” Added Gwen.

Sara then revealed to them their research and perhaps a way to save their friend Miles, from the fate they wanted to subject him to.

Obviously, she agreed to join them, to save the multiverse.

"And... He's not coming, is he a spider-man after all?" Pavitr asked pointing to Miguel.

“Anyone can become spider-man… And I think she needs to go it alone.” He said looking at her tenderly, but with concern.

The three friends looked at each other with wide eyes.

"Yeah... It's clearly not the Miguel we know." Says Pav.

They gave her a watch and they were going to be accompanied by the other Lyla, to guide them.

The others had already passed through the portal and as she was about to pass through it...

“Sara!” She turned.

"I love you…" She took off her helmet, looking at him with bright eyes.

She rushed over to kiss him.

“Come back, safe and sound.” “I will try… Thanks…” “...” “To trust me.” "You are spider-woman, I trust you." She smiled at him and kissed him one last time, before jumping into the portal.

A great void greeted her and she began to be afraid, but Gwen called out to her.

“Hey… All you need to do is trust yourself.” Sara took a deep breath and spread her wings, like webs.

"Lyla, take us to earth 616B."

For the rest... It's up to you, after all... You are free to wear the mask too.

Canon event of Sara and Miguel:

If the canon event had happened… Sara's costume would have been hacked and she would have been controlled, by her own costume. Impossible to remove it, she would have become the prowler and would have killed Gabriel, before coming to kill Miguel.

Miguel would then have Lyla create a virus, destroying Sara's mind, freeing her from the suit but destroying her psychologically.

That's when he would have discovered that she was Firefly and he would have become spider-man again, losing all notion of what is right or wrong…

But... Fortunately, it didn't happen, like what... A single decision can change the course of fate.

**

Back to Masterlist.

[childofchrist1983]

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. - Matthew 24:42-44 KJV

We are given these four weeks each year to get ready for the coming of Christ, but what does that mean?

For many people, this means checking off a list of presents we need to buy for family and friends. For some, it means going into debt. What does this have to do with preparing for Christ? For thousands of years, the Jewish people have prepared and watched for the Messiah. What were they looking for? Their idea of a Messiah was of a powerful king and so they missed the signs that pointed to Jesus.

We, too, can miss the signs of the presence of Jesus Christ among us. Christmas celebrates the fact that Jesus came, lived and died for us to save us from the punishment of our sins, and rose from the dead so that we would know of our eternal salvation and the love of God that promises forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. We can best prepare for Christmas by celebrating this reality everyday.

Advent is a time for us to think about this great gift and ask ourselves how we are preparing to meet Him when He returns. If we put all our energies into shopping, we are missing the mark. Just as we are Easter people, living with a sense of joy in our salvation, we are Christmas people, welcoming Christ into our world each day in the people we meet, in the circumstances where we find ourselves.

In the story of the Fourth Wiseman, our hero falls behind in his search for the newborn king because he stops and helps people in need for thirty-three years and finally meets him at the foot of the cross on Calvary. He then realizes that he has "met" Christ in all the people he helped over those years. This Advent, let's be alert and watchful and recognize the signs that Christ is among us.

May God with us as we begin our preparations to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Let us keep our focus on the true meaning of Christmas and be watchful, so that we might recognize opportunities to find Christ and reach out to those in need with compassion and love. May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time daily to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful Lord, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in the Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

[e-dragoons]

lyric writing prompts!

... one line from every song on my spotify wrapped, in order! if you can guess the song you get... a thumbs up from me. these are REALLY RANDOM.

you mean like, like, [name] with the ass?

feel like i'm hexed

i've been looking everywhere for you

i'm not the right one you should wait on

edamame

was it something i said to make you feel like you're a burden?

i wouldn't hesitate to smile while you suffocate and die

no quiero estar aquí (i do not want to be here)

when i'm far too gone, can you show me love?

you can be the beauty and i could be the monster

a king with no crown

we are not the same

you take the full truth, then you pour some out

i died in your arms tonight

there's two sides to every story

fell in love with a girl i met in hell

we're so good at selling lies

this ain't no place for no hero to call home

i'm not okay

back on my bullshit

could i be a prisoner for the voices in my brain?

i try to tell you what i think and play it off like it's a joke

your kiss and i will surrender

c'est la vie (that's life)

don't follow me, you'll end up in my arms

i was just an only child of the universe, and then i found you

so when are you gonna sing for me?

can't turn down, i refuse to hold back anymore

would you pray before you twist the knife?

my poor heart is my only friend

i wanna know if i tell you a secret, will you keep it?

thought you were mine, love

you are everything you hated

i thought i was a fool for no one, but ooh baby i'm a fool for you

whine about it

my sanctuary, you're holy to me

numb you up until you can't feel a god damn thing

i cannot erupt, i must control

blood cold as ice and a heart made of stone

were we ever friends?

what's the worst that i can say?

everything i would give is everything you couldn't take

i'm living for you

you see, love isn't what i need as long as i can set you free

you better run

i got dreams of my own, but i want to make yours come true

i would brave the darkest night to make you a promise

i could be a better boyfriend than him

hurt and grieve but don't suffer alone

we met before but nice to meet you

if this is how you folks make art, it's fucking depressing

secrets i have held in my heart are harder to hide than i thought

emptiness is safe, keep it that way

all i did was try my best, this the kind of thanks i get?

that's a red flag bitch, olé

my high hopes are getting low

if i only could i'd make a deal with god, and i'd get him to swap our places

nothing to say when everything gets in the way

everyone that tried to fix me knows that i can't change a bit

tell yourself it's never gonna happen again

you gotta be so cold to make it in this world

i'll follow you into the dark

a shot in the heart doesn't make it unbreak

you say you won't but then you do

burn everything you love, then burn the ashes

when life gives me lemons, i don't make lemonade. i use them to make you cry.

i can't do shit right, i can't learn my lesson

sometimes all i think about is you

i don't talk about it unless i make a joke about it

arrogant boy, love yourself so no one has to

i think she really likes me, ask politely, can i--ooh?

best friends, ex-friends till the end; better off as lovers, not the other way around

love your eyes when you would look at me

there's a story at the bottom of this bottle

i can keep secrets that i know that you want me

hurts but i know how to hide it, kinda like it

i will leave you out to bleed

self sabotage is an old friend of mine

maybe i'm too emotional, or maybe you never cared at all

i lose my voice when i look at you

but i guess good for you

come break some hearts now, tear them out

there's really just one thing that we have in common: neither of us will be missed

and if we can't find where we belong, we'll have to make it on our own

don't waste your time or time will waste you

and as i arrived i thought i saw you leaving

it's too cold for you here and now

i don't want to be afraid

all my style, all my grace, all i tried to save my face

let's get mischievous and polyamorous

you can think that you're in love when you're really just in pain

the world tried to burn all the mercy out of me, but you know i wouldn't let it

i really fucked it up this time. didn't i, my dear?

somebody get me through this nightmare

when i start to tumble from the sky, you remind me how to fly

if you want, i'll keep on crying

take a breath, let the rest come easy

i'd rather be lost than to stay the same

have you ever wanted to disappear?

just another girl alone at the bar

screwing everything up and doing everything wrong

[maguro13-2]

Legacy of Shinra Reboot ~ Origins of the Ink Demon Chapter 1 Remake Finale (5/10) ~

Dream Tsugumi : I finally defeated a witch and become the hero of my own story, now that I am really the most strongest there ever was...

Dream Shaula : (chuckles evilly) You think that you defeated a witch? Here's the truth, I'm not the Shaula Gorgon you once knew about? I must say congratulate me on defeating a heartless you killed!

Dream Tsugumi : A what!?

*insane laughter*

Dream Tsugumi : What the-!?!

*insane laughter continues*

Dream Tsugumi : Mom...dad! Oh no! I've killed a heartless...What have I done?

Dream Maka (?) : Yeah, Tsugumi-chan. What you've really done. After all you a hero of the Ohkuboverse is such a fool to think that you gained victorious over evil. In fact that there is no Evil, it was all made up in a dream that you could never escape. So join us, Tsugumi, join us or join your fate.

Dream Death the Kid : What are you waiting for? So get us to join our world as a hero of your story or either join the fates.

Dream Tsugumi : ...*clenches fist*.

Dream Maka : Well, guess this means that you suffered a lot in your past. There was no Soul Eater story and our author that made us is such a greedy fool! *laughs evilly+converts into a heartless*

[Revolution to the Origin (Pt.2) by Hideaki Kobayashi]

Dream Tsugumi : What the-!? You guys are heartless as well!?!

Heartless : That's right, the stories of the Ohkuboverse were all made up in dreams like yours! You have no place for you to run! So give up now and let us decided to join your fate!

Dream Tsugumi : Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

*Tsugumi runs off to escape*

Heartless : You fools! Don't let her escape! Eat her heart off!

*Heartless uproars+chases after Tsugumi*

Dream Tsugumi : I thought that being a hero of my story would be great, everything is a lie. My friends, my mom and dad, my teachers, all of this was for nothing! I can't believe the Ohkuboverse is gone, all gone! And this was all a dream, this is all Shinra's fault for making me believe in everything for him. I failed him to understand that influence of his! There's no way that I'll never be good as a hero! If only there was light, I could escape this foul breath of darkness that is trying to let me engulfy into the abyss! I want freedom, I don't want to protect Shinra, I just wanted to make everyone happy! I don't be want to be alone! I just wanted to be with the same people that I truly know! Please, I just wanted to be a great hero!

*a mysterious light appears*

Angel Vibe's voice : No...You are not alone...You are a part of everyone. I will guide you all to where the ones you hold dearly for them. Come closer.

Tsugumi : That voice! It must be a sign from...Angel Vibe? Please! Angel Vibe! Give me answers! I want to help those that are needed with me!

*scene engulfs by the light*

Dyna Blade : Hey, Kid. Hey, wake up.

Tsugumi : *wakes up* Huh? What happened? Did my story of being a hero is over? Meta Knight? What are you doing here in my dream for real.

Sword Knight : We're not even in your dreams, Kid. You were unconcious after being knocked by Erazor Djinn's power.

Tsugumi : Wha---I am serious? I was in a coma for one year? But my story...

Sword Knight : Your story was made up in a dream, The witches were not threats to the human society, but someone is making big personal cover ups to believe that you were the hero of the story.

King Dedede : So what's this girl doing waking up in a coma like this.

Escargoon : [To Dedede] Ne need barge in, Sire. This girl had been in the best coma I've ever seen.

King Dedede : [To Escargoon] What did you expect about a coma? I never thought that I would see the light of day! We had just find out that Meta Knight was alive as well and I believe that she would make a great comeback if this what it means to these guys.

Escargoon : [To Escargoon] Clever that's really all covered in the book. But what on earth are we supposed to do with girl, after she's human from earth.

King Dedede :[To Dedede] That's because we are in earth, in the Real World.

Escargoon : Don't believe anything that she never had been human instead of being a Demon Weapon.

Waddle Doo : A demon weapon! That's blasphemy! That's made up race created by alchemy a long time ago. They're just humans and they're not even tools to a bunch of heartless...

Meta Knight : Or even the devil himself, the same boy that created the world and story of Soul Eater. Perhaps, You Tsugumi Harudori, was all in a fantasy that pretended to be the world of Soul Eater, a dream where the world and story takes place at.

Tsugumi : A dream? The world of Soul Eater dream and it does not exist. So truth has been telling me all this time, everyone and this world we call it Soul World, is really a dream? Not even a real world?

[Echo Night - Beyond/Nebula : Track 13]

Sword Knight : We told you before, girlie. Shinra Kusakabe was the one who made it up everything. He's a grown-up form of lifeform called a Chao. The Real Ohkuboverse was destroyed by the Time Eater. He was scolded for creating Darkside and Soul Eater's story without the Seven World Rings to complete the end of his or her tale.

Tsugumi : How did you know about this stuff.

Sword Knight : Easy. A man named Axel got it all memorized. Each of the heroes of the Ohkuboverse needed to complete their tale by gathering the Seven World Rings, and when seven are all gathered in hand, their tale will forever be completed, that is what their goal of being heroes of the Ohkuboverse.

Tsugumi : So that's why Erazor Djinn attacked at the warehouse. He wanted to gather Seven Rings that the hero will reach the end of his or her tale. All of this Ohkuboverse thing just a universe full of stories that needed to be completed. But...without the Seven Rings, our stories will never be complete.

Sword Knight : You only have a strong sense of humor, but you lack humor and you are willingly seeing about everything you did once in your life. This story, this world we call it Soul Eater, all made up in one dream.

Tsugumi : So...Everyone in the Ohkuboverse is dead, did we all exist here in the Real World?

Meta Knight : Come. You have much to learn anything from the Ohkuboverse. *walks off*

Tsugumi : What does this all mean?

[Echo Night - Beyond/Nebula : Track 20]

Metal Knight : A long time ago, the Ohkuboverse was an existing universe where the four stories are connected together with the four vibes, it was an existing universe that Angel Vibe and Demon Vibe created for the sole purpose to bring the balance of Yin and Yang, Angel Vibe has the force of Yang that brings hope for humanity's wishes and stories, but for Demon Vibe, he carries out Yin for the sake of others that desires pain and suffering, but it could bad influences and bring darkness into the atmosphere. Angel Vibe and Demon Vibe had been the main forces of the Ohkuboverse eons in the basis since the Mashimaverse existed.

Tsugumi : There was an existing universe? The Mashimaverse? The Mashimaverse stay existed for a long period of time.

Metal Knight : Yes, things went everything perfect for the Ohkuboverse, until one day, Demon Vibe starts sabotaging the world and plans to ruler over the universe of Real World by orchestrating the Ohkubovers'e religion which became a massive ploy to his image. That was his, his dream of galactic conquest that will eventually all the galaxy covered in darkness. But then Angel Vibe couldn't take it no more, to put a stop to this entity's elusive plan, Angel Vibe gifted it's powers to Shinra Kusakabe, and he was given with the gift called the Light of Hope, this thank the boy for stopping Demon Vibe and sealed him within a dimension where he could never be forgiven, not even his mortal enemy Angel Vibe would forgive her for ruining her peace within the Universe. That is until the Ohkuboverse's peace was long lasted when the Time Eater arrived and destroyed the entire universe with it's power. That is how everything was lost and you, a girl from this Soul World truly exists within the Real World.

Tsugumi : I see...

[Brief Relief by Jun Senoue]

Tsugumi : So as of today that...I, junior student Tsugumi Harudori, was the hero of Soul World for nothing. All these crazy stories, all of this madness, was all just a dream, a dream so rare that both a story and a world takes place. But what about my heritage as a Demon Weapon?

Meta Knight : There was never really a Demon Weapon heritage. It was all made up by Alchemist to let truth to cease all to function and yet there were no demons in the world of Soul Eater, this is nothing but a dream as well. The Real Ohkuboverse is gone, erased by the Time Eater despite the influence of Shinra being spread across the planet. This is where your heritage comes from, a warrior's heritage. That is all you have.

Tsugumi : Good for me. I guess being a Demon Weapon was all for nothing as well I see. Guess the author that made Soul Eater's was a weirdo and idiots of the industry had no rights to make mangas weirder in the 21st century.

*ALARM BEEPING*

Meta Knight : And important call? What is this treachery that has brought upon this world?

*click*

Meta Knight : Meta Knight here. Status report.

[Preparation for Ritual by Jun Senoue]

Sailor Waddle Dee on Speaker : Sir! There's trouble on the moon! Estimated over a horde of Heartless, we have discovered that the mastermind behind the DWMA, Darkside Death, has created a heartless that combines the heart of three youths and including the consciousness of Maka Albarn as well!

Tsugumi : Huh?

*images flashing*

Tsugumi : Maka? This Darkside Death's doing? He was only using me as a tool to protect the legacy?

Sailor Waddle Dee : There's also an addition to it. While the DWMA works as organization, it is also stated that the legacy is responsible for making all the youths into slaves for becoming heroes to their selves and most of all, Shinra Kusakabe wanted to put an end to his cursed legacy so that the DWMA would ceased all operations as the world's peacekeeping forces on the planet.

Tsugumi : Shinra too? Then that means I've been set up by the boy who created our world and our stories, all of this was it's his own fauult that he brought Soul Eater existence.

Meta Knight : So the devilish boy has decided to comeback to pay his retributions for his reposition as hero of the world that Soul Eater's story existed! Attention to all Meta Knights! Gather up the crew with all incoming battle sections! Cancel or finish any preparations that are necessary to completed! Get Sir Halberd Knight's mask to make Tsugumi into a warrior! Mobilize Heavy Lobster and the remaining wheelie units for the rector! Mobilize the ship Halberd!

Sailor Waddle Dee on Speaker : Sir. I'm assure to that the Halberd does require the boost to travel into space, but we forgot about it's wings! Tsugumi had them piece together to recreate it that'll able to fly again into the stars, and not to buy candy bars!

Meta Knight : You maybe right about my ship, but we have no other option that we are giving orders to protect Earth from the clutches of evil itself! We must protect, Tsugumi, Dreamland, and the entire planet at all costs! We needed all of the Meta Knights to be gathered to the ship immediately.

Sailor Waddle Dee on Speaker : Yes sir! I will get everyone right away! I hope Nightmare doesn't find out about this!

Meta Knight : After two long years, Heartless have been scourging throughout the planet from it's shadows and tried to cover our world with the profound darkness gathered by many demons that regain for power. And now, when the night is their's, it'll be ours for the taking. There's no way that Maka will never have this kind of effort that will risk everyone's life fighting for this planet. This madness, this hatred, all nothing but make-believes and nonsense from their author who made the story of Soul Eater. So now...with all things coming in closer to end Shinra's Foolishness! I will make sure that darkness will never be their powers again and then the world of Soul Eater will fall into the great reaches of darkness itself and the light will never bring it back!

(scene changes)

[I Know Professor by Jun Senoue]

Bendy's Voice : My son...I'm counting on you to save our family.

Inky Jr : I know, dad. I truly felt that mom would've been so proud of protecting the line. But this power of mine, If I could unleash this profound darkness in my body, I bet things would never be the same. I would reclaim the bloodline from those who would use it for their selfish deeds. And that is why I am meeting their on top of the moon. But first...I really need to make a house call.

"later..."

Sailor Waddle Dee : Coordiantes set. Beginning thrusters at maximum speed! Course plotted to the moon. All systems online, Green. Gate opening now.

*Rumbling*

*DBZ SFX : BOOMING*

Sailor Waddle Dee : All system go! Ready for take off!

Sir Halberd Knight/Tsugumi : So...With this identity as Sir Halberd Knight, I...Tsugumi Harudori, former Junior student, is now becoming a fully fledged hero of being the masked warrior that shrouded in mystery. So with that, I had to sacrifice eveything that I got. Mom, dad, my friends, and my teachers. They'll never see me again as I become the hero of my new story.

Voice : Halbern Launch sequence beginning in 5...4...3...2...1...Take off.

[Fanfare for Eggman by Masaru Setsumaru]

*the Halberd launches off into space*

Sailor Waddle Dee : Here we go! Next stop...To the Phanto Sanctuary of the Moon!

(Inky Jr is shown on the Halberd's top deck)

Inky Jr : This is at least very entertaining to see the likes of that Maka Kid. I hope she sees me like this when they here about this. I'll greet Maka kid back...WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE!

*DBZ SFX : SURPRISE*

Inky Jr : *chuckles+laughs triumphantly*

"This will be proving very entertaining when I see the world..."

"Knowingly that it is all too worthy to see this day..."

"But I'm one step closer of meeting a girl with gratuitous fate..."

"I'll make sure that she'll never use the power of the royal bloodline..."

"And I'll prove her that the blood of the Ink Demon is ours..."

"And bring the night will be mine to control Darkness once more!"

"I...will regain...VICTORY!"

~ Scene 22 : Warrior's True Potential ~

[thebiggestnaturaldisaster]

Ochako

2018 backlog part 9 maybe?

-------------------------------------------------------------

You watched the UA Sports Festival every year. In fact you went to the festival every year. It was a tradition you didn't your best to uphold, and you succeeded every year. Except this one. You were stuck at work this year breaking your tradition that was perfect thus far. You loved it! Seeing all of the powerful quirks that existed honestly made you feel safe knowing that they protected you. Not to mention the sheer cool factor of it all.

The tv in your aunts shop was playing it live today and tomorrow so you didn't miss out on the event itself. The first day went without anything standing out too much. Although this one guy had a mind control quirk and for some reason instead of him being in a hero course a grape headed kid was, that confused you. This one person stood out a lot though. She was average and had brown hair but the way she fought the scary guy fearlessly and with a competitive smile on her was amazing. And the way she moved and her perfect simplicity captivated you, if only you could have been there to watch in person.

A couple of weeks passed since you'd seen the girl on tv and your life continued on as usual. Your aunt owns this cute little boutique in the middle of town. It's fairly busy but you don't really pay attention to who comes in on a personal level. That is until a particular girl walks through the door. The bell on the door gets your attention, the fave is what keeps your attention.

"You're that girl from the sports festival right? You were amazing! Especially the fight against the scary guy!" You could stop yourself from talking despite your strong urge to. She thanked you with a gentle and kind smile as you two had some casual conversation. She started coming in more often sometimes twice a week. After awhile you two exchanged phone numbers and became close friends. You met the other students in her class, the scary kid is more annoying than scary in person you learned.

Weeks of friendship lead to months and months lead to years. Time? Time lead to feelings. Feelings that weren't particularly welcomed. Your stomach turned to knots when you two were close or alone, you skin tingled slightly even after her touch had left you. The sensations were strong, all you hoped was she felt them too. You never had the guts to tell her the truth and if she felt them she didn't either. So you stayed suffering silently when all you wanted was to give her happiness.

Cha cha: Hey I'm bringing popcorn for the movie night.

(Y/N/N): I have the blankets and candy! See you soon!

A few more texts of confirmation were exchanged before you got the mini fort ready for the sleepover. It was movie night and on the movie menu tonight was cheesy rom-coms. Great! Just great!

Just a few hours later a knock was heard from the door moments before it was opened to reveal a certain brunette. Movie after movie, snack after snack you sat there wishing the characters were you and her. Every time your hands would brush against each other's your heart felt like it could explode. Her disheveled hair make you melt as you saw how comfortable she was with you. The final kiss and the final credits played.

"OH! (Y/N)! I didn't tell you!" Her excited voice startled you as you turned your head towards her. Inches. Just inches were between your face as hers. Her scent surrounded you as your eyes flickered down to her lips. Her smile was perfectly imperfect. You loved her. That's the only thing you could think as you fought the urge to kiss her then and there. You couldn't even say a word before she continued.

"Katsuki asked me to be his girlfriend! Isn't that amazing? I mean of course I said yes!" She said the happiness in her voice was drowning. Your heart stopped. Or so it seemed. Part of you wished it had. You examined her face and the excitement that was plastered all over it. She's your best friend and you're hers. You were in love with her. She was dating someone else. You had no choice if you wanted her to be happy.

You smiled. The smile hurt more than your stomach. The words that follow burn your tongue as you speak them-

"That's amazing! It's about time I'm so happy for you!"

You did your best. For your best friend. Her for her happiness. You'd be there for her.

[wardenred]

Flash Fic Masterpost

All the original flash fic and snippets ever posted on this blog,to be updated sporadically.

Post-Final Girls 'Verse

In a dystopian world of cyberpunk and superpowers, three women keep coming together and apart. Snippets in chronological order:

Back in High School (Flo and Mel snip at each other about Jules)

Back in High School-2 (Flo and Jules talk about robots and kindness)

As an Experiment (Jules gets Flo to try living together)

Like Gravity (a typical instance of Flo and Mel running into each other)

Kitchen Talk (Jules & Flo, ethical disagreements in some unidentified probably peaceful time)

Pillow Talk (another moral conundrum convo)

"But what does it do?" (Flo gets a regular piercing that isn't a cyberpunk device; Jules is suspicious)

Anniversary (Flo takes Jules out on anniversary date and possibly does some crime on the side)

To Make Amends (an AU version of Flo and Mel being led to reconnect and start working together, based on an early iteration of the outline)

Language of the Revolution (based on an actual scene from the draft)

"I thought you were dead" (an AU where Mel gets captured by the Big Damn Villain; in the actual draft, it's Flo who draws this short stick)

The Morning After (the immediate aftermath of book one)

A Hologram (Jules & Flo beyond the city limits)

Plastic and Chrome (Mel: meanwhile in X-City...)

Hypervigilance (Flo tries to be introspective about her feelings for Mel; takes part after Flo and Jules leave the city, technically, but is really an extended flashback)

Neon and Moonlight (Flo, Jules, a brief trip back to the civilization)

Letters (Jules starts writing to Mel)

Numbers and Pixels, Smoke and Mirrors (on the verge of a reunion in VR)

Extra: a trilogy of whumptember snippets set in the same universe, probably in a different city, with charaters I know little about other than that they want me to know more and write a book about them:

[1], [2], [3] (captivity, brainwashing)

Tales from the Witch House 'Verse

In a kitchen sink urban fantasy world, a bunch of young supernaturals are squatting in a derelict house under the protection of a mysterious witch who claims to have their best interests at heart.

Tim and Leo Angst

Tim and Leo Fluff

"I hate this song" (takes place soon after the one linked above)

Xan and Gella Fluff

Flame & Moth 'Verse

Based on a RP my friend and I have had going on for year. A potentially evil superhero agency, an amnesiac pyrokinetic searching for the truth of his past, a villain who keeps showing up to save him and make his life harder. You know, the fun stuff. Snippets in roughly chronological order:

Out of the Rubble (one of the many instances of the villain coming to the rescue; written for whumptember)

"Is that blood?" (sometimes, Flame can rescue himself! with a little help from his Agency partner Batshit)

Searching for memories in a house on fire (Flame, mortal peril, Moth shows up right on time; written for whumptember)

"There's nothing I can do" (Flame looses a trainee)

Oops, the Agency isn't happy (look, Flame's suffering again; written for whumptember)

Flame is getting rescued from the above predicament (or is he?)

"You said I'd be safe here" (right, apparently he did get rescued)

You Can Doom Everyone (maybe it's a nightmare sequence, maybe it's not)

Bonus: same universe, different hero and villain Bonus-2: not sure this takes place in the same universe... but hero and villain, too

More Than We'll Never Know 'Verse

Snippets related to an ongoing WIP set in a D&D-esque world of adventurers, living legends, and evil capitalism. Mostly focused on a single messy adventuring found family of six.

A version of Vezee and Dagatha's first meeting

A random corn maze adventure

Bariq Being Bariq

Ice by the Fire (Sufjen and Vel getting to know each other)

Trinket (Sufjen and Vel late-book fluff)

Tired of Fighting (Bariq being a shitty friend to Vel)

"Your Magic Is Awesome" (Rinouk being a good friend to Vel)

The perils of getting too close to the villain, might be where the plot is headed, might be an AU/theoretical snippet

Not Mad, Just Disappointed (Dagatha reconnects with her mentor, sort of)

"It's a trial, not a party" (fluffy Dagatha/Vezee sequel to the above)

Vezee and Dagatha's Happy Ending (possible version)

Unwanted Rescue (it is possible Bariq will continue being himself even after the end of the story... or maybe I'll figure out how to give him a better arc after all)

And maybe sometime after the ending Vel and Sufjen will adopt a baby dragon: [1] [2]

Champagne Problems 'Verse

Snippets related to an ongoing WIP set in a city full of corrupt nobles, eldritch cults, angsty magic Academy students, portals that might connect all that to our world, and lying liars who lie.

Secret Meeting (prior to the book's events Elair meets with his evil employer)

Not At All Serious (pre-book Elair, the perils of falling in love under a fake identity)

Rainy Day (pre-book Elair and Miq fluff)

Sweet Tooth (more pre-book Elair and Miq fluff)

Outdoor Event (even more pre-book Elair and Miq fluff)

Practice at the City Hall (pre-book Elair and Miq again, poor Miq is clearly planning the proposal at the end there...)

"I've Got You" (Elair and Miq fluff, just might be a rough draft for late in the book)

Cults and Blood Sacrifices (absolutely unrelated to the book's events, I don't know these characters; absolutely takes place in Mramorsten, though; written for whumptember)

Kingdom in Peril Plot Bunny Exploration

Just a bunch of characters and a slowly forming setting existing rent-free in my mind. No idea where I'm going with all of this, but the journey will involve court intrigue, royals behaving badly, randomly appearing gothic vibes, mysterious dark threats, and possibly soulmates.

Surprise Visitor on a Rainy Evening

No One's Happy about Going to the Royal Court

Oh, Look, the King Has a Brother (He's My Favorite)

Royal Siblings Flashback

Alita Alone in the Garden

Royal Chessboard

Random Randomness

Consider this a catch-all category that I may eventually reorganize by genre.

Dead Gurdian's Dolmen (fantasy, worldbuilding-focused)

The Frozen Giant (sci-fantasy, worldbuilding-focused)

Dragons are fairly splenetic creatures (cozy fantasy, predictably turned into a trilogy of novels with one drafted already :D)

Bucolic Living (cozy lovecraftian post-apocalypse)

Sapphic September: Portal Fantasy (YA, parallel worlds)

"Our job isn't to too god, it is to make right" (fantasy, gods and heroes that fight them, evil mentor, written for whumptember)

An unplanned sequel to the above (in which things get darker)

"Let me do this for you" (fantasy, some kind of secret agents, self-sacrifice, written for whumptember)

Sapphic September: 3 AM (some kind of post-break-up drama?)

"Don't come home" (dark fairytale with a soul-eating dragon)

Around the Oak (a weird sapphic time warp flash fic)

"This was always going to happen" (fantasy, character death, guard captain x spy)

"If that's what it takes" (fantasy, an adventurer attempts to rescue her brother from an evil wizard; written for whumptember)

Mother's Matchmaking (space opera/melodrama of manners, enemies-to-lovers, will be a book someday)

The summer weeks by the sea are long (a sapphic vacation with revelations)

Life on Mars (sometimes, people just keep coming back and you can never let them go)

Dystopia Tropes (random modern-day slice-of-life romance)

Waiting for a Call (angsty sapphic magical girls)

Always Sunny (a monster hunter comes back to her hometown to reconnect with her ex-girlfriend, definitely will be a book someday)

Home (mad science and eldritch tentacles, written for whumptember)

Gears (a steampunk tinkerer and a rogue, for Sapphic September)

The Better Bad Idea (something something sapphic Regency-inspired fantasy, for Sapphic September)

"There are no aliens on the abandoned atomic station" (something something scientist and journalist, for Sapphic September)

Fool's Gold (a dark fantasy snippet, friends to enemies)

When you're escaping confinement, why not take your captor with you, right (written for whumptember, hero and villain)

Dreamscape Navigation (pretty much a novelization of a stray magic system... or a flashficization, rather)

On the Porch (a half-baked tropey idea about sisters reconnecting because of a condition in their grandmother's will)

What You Swore to Destroy (angsty YA horror with a touch of eldritch past lives)

Lessons in Failure (not all heroes get good mentors)

Picking Cherries (something very random; kids and cherries sometimes make things better)

A Maybe, a What If, an Almost (stream of consciousness friends-to-enemies flash fic)

Won't Forget (tiny 100-words drabble about memory spells)

Also, a whumptember two-parter with potential for more parts about a sassy imprisoned prince:

[1] [2] (warnings: imprisonment, sensory deprivation, torture)

And another whumptember two-parter: in part one, someone just tries to survive in a city his twin has ruined; in part two, the twin is in an even worse pickle.

#iHunt Rpg Fanfic (based loosely on a campaign I was in, you don't need to know anything about the game, it's just a small wrong number flash fic)

My tag for all the flash fiction and snippets: #warden's random scribbles.

[hellmouth-manor]

Tainted Love | Shoji Trial 2.1 | RE: Wowie all that.

Shoji felt like he wasn't here. His body was physically standing at his stupid podium with the stupid candle and stupid matches, but his mind was elsewhere. When things felt too much, Shoji had a habit of hiding away. He was halfway through his mental playlist of his favorite songs when the demonesses called for a vote. Shoji couldn't vote, let alone begin to process what's going on.

Alou is... a serial killer. Who serial killed Poppy's family. Who loved Poppy... the assassin. Who killed Wakako in what sounds like a fit of rage. Poppy's unwanted(?) love Alou proceeded to kill them and move Wakako's decapitated head back to the lounge where he slept, and tucked it in like Wakako was sent to bed.

Shoji's face was unmoving, but anyone close to him could notice that his eyes aren't focused on the trial. They're looking at something very far away that no one else can see. He mouths words to himself, a song playing in his head to block out the voices, the anger, and the hurt. Shoji didn't want to approach this pain... how would he stop it? He doesn't have the faculties to come to grips with this betrayal...

Sometimes I feel I've got to run away, I've got to get away-

That's what this is, right? A betrayal. A man who, in practice, was warm, kind, understanding, and nurturing, took the trust that Shoji's dear friend had, and thrusted her into a dangerous situation. He played with her life like she was the game Operation, and he just couldn't get the funny bone out. Could Shoji had been a target? Did Alou consider convincing Shoji to try killing Poppy? Why did he think so little about life and death? Why is he so fickle with suffering? Right. The whole... serial killer thing.

From the pain you drive into the heart of me-

Disillusionment is something Shoji's used to. His father, a Navy hero, was merely a man with an ego problem who thought he knew what was best for his children. His mother was one part strong, independent woman, and two parts tiger mom, more willing to tear her sons apart to excel than to tell them she loves them. This kind of heartbreak took a lifetime to bear. Why was Alou's actions so gutting? His eyes drift upwards to stare at the chandelier decorated ceiling. He called him brave, for embracing himself and standing against the tides. He called him Lovebird, for how openly he cares for others. He gave advice, and held him, and cooked for him, and made him feel like someone actually truly cared. Were those lies? Sweet, saccharine half truths used to make Shoji some kind of pawn? Why does it hurt so much..? When did Shoji let it hurt him this much?

The love we share seems to go nowhere-

Maybe this was a sign. Heather's breakdown of who he was, Alou's betrayal, Poppy's disappointment... All these little pieces come together to make Shoji realize... he's caring too much. He has to stop caring. He cared too much as a child as he became a star student to make mommy and daddy happy. He cared too much in middle school when he aced all the tests he could despite the lack of validation, and he cared too much now, seeing someone he dared call uncle lay out his twisted, very ethically concerning love. His clever plans... Why did Alou have to sound like some messed up comic book villain? Alou's love might be fucked up, and Shoji doesn't know how to deal with that. How does he begin to cope with how fucked this all his?

"Take my tears and that's not very all... tainted love...."

Shoji mumbles to himself as the song in his head continues to play. Oh, Soft Cell, what would he do without you? He weakly grabs the matches next to his candle and lights one. Finally, for the first time this trial, Shoji looks over at Alou, and his voice croaks out.

"What a fucking bummer."

And he casts his vote, quickly returning to his thousand yard stare once his match was safely put out.