#(not actually but it certainly does not feel good)
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spidermanifested · 1 day ago
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another black sails fantheory ive seen around a lot is that silver is jewish, usually specifically sephardic, but despite its prevalence i havent been able to find anybodys actual thesis statements about it. so if there are Essays out there (especially by somebody with more historical-slash-judaism knowledge than i with my meager wiki-crawls) i would love Links
however once again ive pondered a bunch of the stuff ive noticed personally, about mr john "if thats even your real name" silver. and honestly at this point id be kind of surprised if it Wasnt the actual context the writers shaped his character around. everything just seems to come together really neatly
hes impressively literate for his circumstances/time period, and really good at quickly memorizing large amounts of text. a solid religious education could very well explain this
specifically– and this is one of the things that feels like a huge bit of intentional subtext to me– the scene where hes hiding with the lepers and memorizing the urca schedule REALLY seems to evoke someone reading scripture under a prayer shawl
not only does he not know how to cook pork, but does not even seem to know what pork looks like when finished cooking
the pretext flint used to get his crew to hunt down the hamiltons' ship was that it was carrying sephardic riches. this is a completely throwaway detail we learn secondhand, in a story where there are very, very few completely throwaway details
silver speaks at least some spanish. this comes up Once and goes totally unquestioned by everyone around him, likely because they think he just picked it up as a sailor. he almost certainly has not been at sea long enough for this to be the case. speaking ladino as a first language on the other hand would give him a huge leg up (so to speak.) in that department
further point. around the time period of the show, the biggest sephardic community in the world lived in thessaloniki in modern-day greece. it was:
a) one of the most major seaports in the ottoman empire
b) a famous center for learning, which boasted 100% literacy of its jewish population
and c) despite its long and prosperous history under ottoman rule, beginning to decline along with the rest of the empire, for many interconnected reasons, including but not limited to: Problems With the Governments Handling of the Textile Industry (where have we heard that before)
lotta unrest. religious schisms and doomsday prophecies. reactionary groups of overempowered soldiers attacking civilians for stress relief (again. where have we heard that before). people, unsurprisingly, started leaving
so if you did want, against john silvers express wishes. to theorize a backstory for a surprisingly educated stowaway of Mystery Origin, who has Mystery Trauma and doesnt want anybody to know who he is or where he comes from, and which would give a new level of relevance to all the greek stuff that permeates the show (down to the actual name of the thing!), along with containing parallels to several other backstories and events in the show proper,
Well this one make sense i think 👍
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lexirosewrites · 2 days ago
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19 year old omega Steve recently has come into his scent, essentially making it open season and he's able to be courted now
He is being pursued(hunted) by a former classmate, Tommy Hagan
Tommy is an alpha and had been waiting for Steve to come into his scent after he and Carol (Beta) broke up because she finally noticed his obsession with Steve
Tommy became a police officer and unfortunately abuses his position and uses his resources to keep an eye on Steve
It all comes to a head when Steve comes back home from work to find an unfamiliar scent in his nest and things moved around in his room, he also notices some underwear missing
He packs up his nest and some of his clothes and runs, runs to the only person he thinks can help him... Feral 26 year old alpha drug dealer Eddie Munson
Eddie lives with his beta uncle and has been since he was about 13 or so, he isn't ever bothered by the cops except for the Chief who always brought him back to his uncle with a warning but never ever charged him with possession, the old alpha seems to see something in the younger alpha that he doesn't see in himself
To say Eddie is surprised to see Hawkins most desired omega on his doorstep looking a mess is an understatement. The omega looks like he ran across town and through the woods, he was checking over his shoulder so he jumped when the door swung open
"I need help, a cop is after me"
"not my problem little one"
"please! It's Tommy Hagan, he's been after my neck and I can't go to the other officers because they might side with him!"
"surely you have a friend that can house you, I don't need the cops breathing down my neck anymore then they already are"
"they're just pups, and Robin is at college. You're my only hope, please Eddie help me. I'll clean and sleep on the couch, no! The floor... In the kitchen! I'll be out of the way and make meals and anything else. The chief is away for his wedding anniversary and I just need to impose myself until he's back"
Eddie growls low and steps aside letting the younger into his home
"and what if the town thinks I've taken advantage of you? Makes you out to be damaged goods? What if it actually happens and it's not just rumors"
"you're not as big and scary as you like to think you are" Steve says defiantly as he trembles
Eddie was surprised that Steve knew his name and called his bluff, Wayne was okay with Steve hiding out at theirs but told him there is no need for him to sleep on the floor or the couch. Steve would take Wayne's room and Wayne would take the couch
Slowly Eddie learns that Steve knew of Eddie from the pups he looks after that Eddie runs campaigns for, the two also grow closer and closer until they finally start courting for real
The pups and Wayne gave their blessings right away but Eddie took longer winning Robin over, Eddie's friends are nervous about the potential draw back of Eddie courting Steve Harrington but are supportive in the end
Tommy does eventually catch wind of where Steve has been staying and comes to take what he feels is his
However he wasn't expecting the whole trailer park and neighborhood to come in defense of Steve and Eddie and he certainly wasn't expecting to be publicly rejected by Steve and he definitely wasn't expecting to lose his job and be arrested by the chief of police old man Hopper once he learns about all the things Tommy has done
Steve and Eddie eventually mate and have pups the first of which are twins that bring the parents much joy
poor Steve!!!🥺
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wanderingwinds333 · 10 hours ago
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My Sweetheart, Your Nightmare.
Pairing: Azriel X Reader
Summary: Having noticed that Elain clings to Azriel, Feyre mentions she thinks Azriel and Elain would be good together. Questions why the mother didn’t make them mates. Rhysand quickly lets her in on an important piece of information.
“‘Why not make them mates?” Feyre states as she witnesses her sister and Azriel down in the garden.
Rhysands eyes widen at his mates brazen comment and goes to interject but before he can she continues on.
“They look perfectly matched do they not? Two beautiful and caring people. Three sisters for three brothers just make sense?” Feyre says sounding upset.
“Feyre darling. It appears I’ve left out some pretty important information about this family. It’s my fault really, she’s been out doing my messy work for the night court this whole time. Keeping all the other threats at bay and …immobilizing them so Azriel has less work on his plate.” Rhysand rambles.
“What? I’m not following Rhys?” Feyre questions.
Rhysand sighs but goes to explain further.
“Azriel is only doing as I have asked in looking after Elain. He already has a mate Feyre. One he is very committed to. A female that you most certainly never want to hear the words you just spoke about your sister and him. She- “ a throat clears from behind them.
“SHE, is right here Rhysand.” A sultry voice states.
Rhysands eyes widen in what Feyre can only see as fear.
“Y/N! You are home! Oh Azriel is going to be thrilled, let me just go get him for you.” Rhysand quickly goes to grab Feyre and tries to leave but y/n has other plans.
Magic surges across the room and Feyres feet feel stuck to the floor. She turns her head to look at Rhysand and notices he is in the same predicament.
“Dammit” Rhysand whispers more to himself.
“Ah ah ah, Rhysie. That’s no way to greet your favorite sister in law. You haven’t even introduced me to your mate yet.”
Feyre turns to actually get a good look at the female that has somehow over powered the High Lord and Lady of the Night Court.
Ashen white hair, icy eyes, taller than most fae females, and she has a beautiful silhouette that filled out a pair of black leathers quite nicely, Feyre thought. Cauldron boil her, this female was gorgeous.
Before Feyre could find anymore of your perfections Rhysand interrupted her train of thoughts.
“Think less loudly Feyre Darling, I’m starting to become jealous.” Rhysand deadpans.
Feyre blushes and immediately looks down to her feet.
“You know I have that affect on most fae Rhysie. Don’t be a sour puss.” Y/n smugly states.
Y/n descends upon them and actually goes to bow before Feyre.
“It is an honor to officially meet you my High Lady. My name is y/n, assassin of the Night Court. Mate and wife of Azriel.” Y/N proudly states.
“I-it’s lovely to finally meet you y/n.” Feyre stutters out.
This female infront of Feyre is terrifying and ethereal. Feyre already knows she is lethal and all thoughts she had prior of how Elain and Azriel were perfectly matched go straight out the window. She can see it now…why the cauldron makes the pairings it does.
Y/N stands to her full height but all playfulness she exuded before is gone.
“I know you did not know of my existence until just now…so for that reason alone I’ll let your comments slide. But Azriel is MY mate and the saying ‘if I can’t have them, then no one can’ is very much the saying I live by when it comes to him.”
Feyre can only nod her head dumbfounded.
A second later shadows envelope the room. More lively than Feyre has ever seen them.
Azriel soon enters with a confused Elain in tow.
When Azriel lays his eyes on y/n, Feyre can quite literally see the tension leave his body.
“Sweetheart.” Azriel speaks so softly. He rushes to y/n and envelopes her in a hug that looks like it would hurt.
“Hi love.” Y/n whispers back just as soft and leans her forehead against his.
It’s an intimate moment that everyone else in the room feel like they are intruding on.
But one moment the feared shadowsinger and his mate were there…and the next gone.
Rhysand releases a breath that he had been holding.
“Well that was y/n. She’s half high fae and half witch. The people of Prythian call her Nightmare because fae parents tell their children if you don’t behave she’ll come in the night while you are sleeping and take you to her dungeon. Which isn’t totally untrue…it’s just criminals and murderers that she takes to her dungeon. You won’t see her or Azriel again until maybe two or three months from now .” Rhysand states.
“What? Where will they be?” Elain finally speaks.
After witnessing all she just had she can’t say she’s not a bit disappointed. It was obvious what you were to Azriel.
“Oh they are going to pick up their children from Azriels mom’s cottage and spend the rest of their time at their home.” Rhysand throws out casually.
“THEY HAVE CHILDREN? Rhysand what else have you conveniently left out?!” Feyre berates.
“….well I think that’s it honestly. OH they have a pet wolf who is very protective of the children. Also my niece and nephews, they enjoy tormenting people in different ways than their parents…mental manipulation. Just lock your mind up real tight around them. God I love them and proud they are all daemati like me but they once convinced me I had a thing for Beron for over a week until y/n realized what they were doing and made them release my mind.” Rhysand annoyedly admits.
Elain and Feyre can only stare at him in shock. He simply shrugs his shoulders like it was normal and walks off.
Elain breaks the silence and turns to Feyre. “I think y/n is going to end up being best friends with Nesta.” the two break out in giggles and they honestly can’t wait to see that unfold.
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earlgreylatte · 3 days ago
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hi can you make some headcanons about yandere green lanterns sharing a darling? (maybe some nsfw?) love your work!
Sharing is Caring
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(Yandere Green Lanterns x Blue Lantern Reader) What would you even be without them?
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When you became a Blue Lantern, you were whisked away to Odym, where you were fully initiated into the corps and entrusted with the the ring of hope. You’re not fully sure why you were chosen, but the opportunity was too good not to seize, especially seeing how beautiful Odym was. Maybe you were a bit self serving for a Blue Lantern, but the promise of adventure and sights unknown to the rest of humanity were more than enough to motivate you.
Of course, you quickly came to realize the cons that came with the job after you were ambushed by actual intergalactic mercenaries and were only able to use your ring to act defensively, until Hal Jordan shows up to rescue you. You’d never forget that moment for many reasons. It was the first time you truly thought you would die. It was also the first time you felt so assured and powerful at the Green Lantern’s appearance. With him around, you were truly strong.
And it looked like neither of you were in a rush to leave each other’s company. Hal was charming, offering to show a fellow Earthling the do’s and don’ts of space travel, regaling you with tales of his journey thus far, pulling more than a few laughs out of you. And you felt safe near him, at peace, even. Maybe you were a bit clingy due to the uncertainty of your surroundings, but Hal certainly didn’t mind, keeping a grip on your hand, to keep you steady as you two fly. Or at least that’s the reason he cited.
Hal was more than willing to let you tag along, showing you his favourite planets to visit, and praising you for your help with his own duties. You felt useful next to him. You liked when he would shoot you an easy grin, ruffling your hair after a job done well.
You meet Kyle soon after, running into him at some pub Hal liked to frequent. He seemed entranced with the mere sight of you until Hal pushes down on his head.
Kyle is nice, if not a bit quiet at first, staring at you with an intensity that had you pressing yourself against Hal in an attempt to hide. Hal laughs it off, saying Kyle is an artist.
You wonder if all artists seem so…sad. Maybe it was a result of your ring, but you could sense a certain grief in him.
So it feels right when you cradle his face in your hands, as carefully as you can, hoping your ring is able to emit the comfort you want to give him. Something that soothes the loneliness that’s so apparent.
When Hal is called back to Oa, Kyle insists he can watch over you and continue your adventure. Hal begrudgingly agrees, pulling you into an embrace as he gently kisses the skin under your eye, promising to be back before you know it.
While Hal always kept an arm slung over you or locked hands with you, Kyle seemed more hesitant, simply hovering over you, eyeing anyone that even steps in your vicinity, only touching you to steer you in a certain direction.
It isn’t until you settle in a shared room provided by the kingdom of a planet where you both worked as diplomats that he grows more confident and open in his affection. Wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling your body towards his, he teases you, asking if Hal ever got to share a bed with you, if anyone’s been this close to you before.
You meet Guy at his bar, Warriors, on Oa, being shown around by Hal and Kyle, both men pressing themselves against either side of your body as you enter. Guy almost instantly flirts with you in his usual self assured manner, softening at your wide eyed look. He compares you to Bambi, with your doe eyed look and hesitant steps. When Hal lightly jabs at him for already having a soft spot for you, he only confirms it, sending you a wink. He promises he’ll come up with a menu item named after you.
Although despite his quick fondness for you, he is after all Guy Gardner, always stepping into your space without care, manhandling you with a cocky grin, and more than willing to cuss out anyone that looks at you too long.
You meet John and Jessica soon after, both pitying you for having to be stuck with their more abrasive members. John takes it upon himself to check on you, making sure you’re not too overwhelmed while Jessica finds herself quickly growing attached, pressing you against her side and asking all kinds of questions about your interests, your childhood, your life on Earth, and so on.
All of them become much more protective when you and Saint Walker become the only ones that escape the destruction of the corps, with the latter giving up his ring. Kyle, who rescued you, takes you to discuss with the other Green Lanterns on whether you should keep the ring or not, before deciding the best place for you would be by their sides. And that anyone that came after you would most definitely regret it.
You’re never alone after that, a Lantern always pressed against you, whether you’re on Earth or not. Anyone that even approaches you is interrogated, and any threat is quickly taken care of.
You find your duties becoming less of you devoting yourself to the universe’s welfare and acting more as a personal cuddle buddy, always wrapped in the arms of one of them, as you sit perched on their laps.
If you try to bring this to their attention, they’ll only smile at you, patiently explaining that you’re utterly helpless without them and there are so many beings out there that would harm you in horrible ways just to get to them. Before you know it, Hal has you tucked in his bed, saying he’ll be back after he takes care of something. You’re quite literally warming his sheets.
Eventually, they grow bolder, locking lips with you at any chance, letting their hands run down your body, pinching and prodding, as they kissed and nipped at your neck.
They like taking care of you, so it’s pretty common to find yourself in Hal’s lap as Kyle presses his mouth against your sex, licking and sucking until you’re near tears.
Or for Guy to have you on your knees as he coos at how cute you are, looking up at him as you choke at his size.
And John bending you over when you ask to train, insisting you need to build up your endurance to keep up with them.
And you find yourself okay with this. Helping them in any way you can, whether it’s giving their rings a boost or letting them enjoy your warmth. You’re undeniably doing good, even when it’s just you letting them rut into you as they groan and praise you for being so good, their little Blue Lantern to love and dote on.
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Blue Lantern Reader having to be bottom of the group to maintain peace LMAOO
Uhh rip to the other lanterns I did not include, my bad…
Let me give anon a kiss on the forehead for this request, you did good💙
Masterlist
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aplacefordreaming24 · 1 day ago
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WAAAAA HELLO HELLO HELLO
I have so many f/o's but I'll always happily take the chance to gush about my main. His name is Ted, and he's just- sigh. He's so perfect to me. I love him so much. He's the light of my life and I always feel better just thinking about him hehehe
My irl bf was the one who introduced me to him actually ;0 and it took *years* irl for me to really think about him the way I do now!!! Because originally I watched a playthrough of the game he comes from, and,,, ngl the light he's shown in that is kinda awful? Not the worst, but certainly not the best. But then, years later, I finally got around to reading the original story he comes from (It was a short story first called "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream," and then it got turned into a game). And just. God. Idk. Something about him, just- clicked!
And like, you wouldn't think it would, because ngl he's kinda, worse in the story? But it was more just- why he is the way he is that clicked. The reasons behind how he behaves that you don't learn in the game. And so much of himself, his core character, was changed in the game. (Same with everyone, besides like, the villain). And for the first time, I saw someone who was very similar to me. I felt seen and understood by his true character, and it made me grow really sympathetic for him.
After the initial shock wore down, it all just kinda came crashing into "Omg I love him so much I just wanna make him so happy" ykyk?? The way his story ends is so tragic but I wanna believe that it isn't the end. That he'll end up happy, eventually, no matter how long it takes. And I wanna be the one waiting for him with open arms to bring him that happiness and support and love that he deserves and never got.
It's silly. It's dumb. A lot of the fandom is split on his character; some really love him like me, and others kinda hate the hell out of him. And it always kinda gets me down but yk, he's still my love. My prince. My one and only. I just try to think about comforting him and block people who hate him cause like. I get it. I get why you would. But that doesn't mean I have to, feel the same? At least I think so.
He has a lot of paranoia about people hating him. I do too, but I'm always there to remind him it's not true. I'll never hate him. He has my heart, and even if he chose someone else, I'd still love him. His happiness means more to me than some silly conditional thing.
Maybe that's a little unhealthy to say. But yk, I feel this way for all my relationships, friendships, etc. I'd rather you be happy without me than miserable around me. No point in sticking around; it does neither of us any good.
Idk. I could go on and on about my s/i and his relationship (If you've ever heard of Orpheus and Eurydice, they're very much like that, including the doomed aspect). How they're two sides of the same coin and such. But like- man. If I sit here and talk all day about him I'm not gonna get anything I need to do today done.
Sorry if this is long fnjdfjk really if you don't wanna respond you don't have to!! But ty for giving me a place to gush about him ;0
AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GUSH ABOUT YOU AND VERGIL TO ME TOO I'D LOVE TO HEAR IT!!! I LOVE LISTENING TO PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THEIR LOVES!!!
GUSH ABOUT YOUR F/O IN THE REBLOGS TO ME AND I WILL ACTUALLY LISTEN AND RESPOND TO THEM ACCORDINGLY BECAUSE YOU 🫵 DEAR READER DESERVE TO HAVE YOUR INTERESTS TREATED WITH RESPECT AND NOT JUST GET A "wow that's neat"
doubles and proshippers dni! Doubles you also deserve respect I'm just not very good at sharing I'm so sorry!
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artslovergirl · 2 days ago
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Stanford!art as a secret admirer pleaaaaase
hiii! sorry this took me literally a month to finish i am still not very good at keeping a drabble a drabble and this one really got away from me but i promise in the future that hopefully wont be the case....anywhoo! enjoy! (ty for being my first request ever!) also shoutout to diya for helping me a bit with characterizing art having a crush on someone! mwah!
admittedly, art felt like a creep. not enough to stop sneaking glances at you across the lecture hall but definitely enough to feel hot shame crawl up his neck whenever you would accidentally meet his eye contact.
he quickly glanced away and stared back at the blackboard, trying to pretend that's what he had been looking at all along.
he began fiddling with his pen, pushing the plastic end of it nervously against his lips. he could feel your eyes on him for a few moments longer before turning back around to face the professor.
great. now you probably actually thought he was a creep. which is not exactly how he planned your first form of contact to go.
...alright, to be fair, he never had an exact plan in the first place? but "make awkward eye contact" wouldn't have been a part of it. that's for sure.
he was a little out of his element here. stanford was a hell of a lot bigger than mark rebellato was.
back there, most of the girls knew him, sometimes even liked him already or he had patrick as his wingman. (or when it came to tashi, competition.) but here? he felt so unsure all of a sudden. it felt like all of the experience he had with dating seemed completely useless.
when he first saw you, he was still pretty infatuated with tashi. but that doesnt mean he didnt notice how hot you were. as more time passed the more he realized that tashi and patrick were apprently locked in (go figure the dude finally learns commitment just in time. read bitterness.) and the more he saw you, the more he heard you talk in class, the more he saw you laugh with your friends, the more you wouldnt leave his mind. not to mention how fucking smart you were. well, are.
the lecture ended and as always you were one of the first people out the door. you were always in a rush. or maybe you just had another class all the way on the other side of campus?
he wondered what your major was. he wondered if you knew he played tennis. he wondered if it would even impress you if you found out. he hoped it would.
---
art was sitting in the cafeteria stabbing his fork into his salad that consisted of like 70% veggies and 30% eggs.
he had to say, he was definitely getting sick of eggs at this point. he took a small sip of his gatorade.
usually, he drank blue, but he decided to try red today. maybe because it was patrick's favorite flavor or maybe because he needed at least a little change in routine.
unfortunately, as he went to place the bottle back down on the table, he almost knocked it over as soon as he suddenly noticed you standing by the vending machine. and then turning around. and.. walking towards him? holy shit.
at first, he thought you would just walk past him, but you stopped at his table. he didn't know if he believed in god, but at that moment, he certainly felt like a favorite.
"hey," you smiled politely, "sorry to bother you, but do you happen to have a quarter? that thing doesn't seem to take nickles." you nodded your head towards the vending machine at the entrance of the cafeteria.
"uh." his brain tried to play catch up. "um, yeah, let me check." he let out a small chuckle so he wouldn't sound so nervous, but it sounded more like he was wheezing. he pulled out his wallet, ripped apart the velcro, and checked. he silently celebrated when he noticed he did, in fact, have a few quarters. "yeah, how many do you need?" he looked up at you. his cheeks felt hot.
"oh, just one is fine." he nods, and suddenly, in front of your presence, it seems a lot harder to properly grab the quarter from his wallet. he does manage, though, and as he hands it to you, he feels your fingers brush against his palm.
as if transferred from your fingertips to his palm it felt like a surge went through his body, traveling through his arteries and sparking at the tips of his fingers and toes. you hand him your nickels in exchange. before you could turn to leave, he quickly interjected, "we're in the same class, right? english literature?"
he didnt know where he was going with this, he just wanted to keep talking to you.
your eyes flashed with recognition.
"oh, yeah! art, right? you sit behind me?" you knew his name. "yeah, yeah, that's right." he nodded, his fingers drummed against the table. there was a short lull in the conversation as he desperately tried to grasp for anything to talk about that wouldn't seem like he was hitting on you (even though he kind of was.)
"so, uh, this is actually good timing because i've been sorta meaning to talk to you anyway?" his lips pulled into a familiar charming lopsided smile.
"oh, really?" you tilted your head. "yeah." he nodded, his hand going to fidget with curls on the back of his neck that stuck out of his backwards cap.
"i, uh, need some help with some of the material, and, you know, you're so good-"
"oh, i'm not that-"
"nah, c'mon no need to be modest," there's that grin again, "i don't think i've ever seen you get a question wrong."
you huff, feeling embarrassed at the unexpected praise, "well, it's literature, so it's all interpretation, it's hard to be outright wrong."
"see, that answer just confirms it." he says.
you chuckle, finally giving in and accepting the compliment. "so..you want my help then?" he nods. he really prayed you would say yes because this was really his only plan on how to get to know you.
you mulled over it for a few seconds. then you nodded. "yeah, okay, let me give you my number and we can figure out the details later. i got another class in like-" you glanced back at the clock, "shit, 3 minutes."
you hastily ripped a piece of paper out of your notebook scribbled a number on it and left it on the table. "oh, and thanks for the quarter!" you yelled back (even though you didn't even get to use it) before booking it out of the cafeteria. guess he was right about you always being in a rush.
---
4:58 pm. 2 more minutes till you'd knock at his door. art did another once over of his room. now he wasn't exactly a messy guy but he had to admit his dorm had never been this clean before. actually maybe it was too clean...would you think that was weird? like would you think he was a neatfreak? girls probably weren't into that.
he began messing up his bedsheets just a little so it wouldnt look like he had just spent the past three hours obsessively cleaning every inch of his dorm. even though thats exactly what he did.
it was a pretty small room but you'd be surprised how long it can take to clean if you're doing a real deep clean. not to mention the pain in the ass that doing laundry in college was.
he did all of this because, keeping true to your word, you did make plans with him to help him out with some of the reading.
you : does 5pm on saturday work 4 u?? :-)
art : Yeah, I'm totally free!!
(in hindsight the two exclamation points were probably a bit much.)
just as he was about to check out his hair for the 5th time today, there was a knock on the door. he glanced at the little digital watch on his wrist. 5pm sharp. wow, you were punctual. was it weird that he found that hot?
art quickly brushes a few unruly curls that were sticking out of his backwards cap away with his fingers before moving to open the door.
---
"so, what's the exact stuff you're having trouble with?" you peered at him from his bed, which you were sitting on, which he was being very cool about.
you had asked him if it was okay to sit there after you had exchanged a few pleasantries and then chatted for about 10 minutes.
it was mostly about class at first, then turned into more personal topics. you asked him if he was on the tennis team, because of all the..well..tennis gear in his room.
he nodded and told you about his tennis scholarship. you chuckled and said you had never really watched any matches at stanford so far, but you'd like to see him play.
he really tried to not seem overly enthusiastic about that but he did tell you the exact time and date of his next match.
apparently, you thought the sport seemed "really impressive". ( i.e. you were impressed. i.e. you were impressed by him playing tennis. or that's at least how he heard it.)
then, after he found out you were an english major, which wasn't a surprise, you finally brought up the topic of studying.
he spun in his desk chair, to face you.
"just some of this..interpretive stuff...i feel like i never know what the professor wants to hear from me." he tapped the end of his pen against the book he was holding. "well.." you shifted into a cross-legged postion, you were wearing shorts and he was trying really hard not to stare at your legs.
"you probably shouldnt be thinking about that in the first place, you know, what the professor wants to hear? you should think about what you actually got from the book." he knew this was pretty standard advice but when you said it, it sounded like the most intelligent, world-changing thing he'd ever heard.
"riiight...what if i didnt get anything from it?" he smiled sheepishly, leaning his head on his hand. you scrunched up your nose and playfully rolled your eyes, "oh, come on, how can you read classic literature and not get anything from it? i don't believe that."
you scooted forward a little. a little closer to him. a nervous chuckle left his lips, his gaze swept back and forth between you and the book before settling on you.
truth be told, he was doing fine, at least grade-wise, and even if he wasn't, it wasn't like he was striving to become an english professor, he mostly decided to take this class on a whim. but the part about struggling with interpretations was true, it just maybe wasn't necessarily a dire enough situation to require your help...
"well, maybe youre not asking yourself the right questions before you read." you hummed, gently tapping your finger against your leg. "can i see your notes?"
art panicked a bit at that. he wasn't sure why, but suddenly someone looking at his notes felt oddly intimate. you would be able to read the bits and parts of the book he regarded as important enough to jot down. what he liked. what he didn't like. perhaps it was a little intimate.
he tried to play it casual, though, and nodded as he handed you his english lit folder. his nerves only got worse the longer you took to read through them.
then suddenly, you smiled and nodded a little bit before looking up at him again. he prayed that you couldn't see the way his heart was trying to escape his ribcage right now.
"you know, you couldve just asked me out."
before his brain could even process that sentence, his mouth seemed to go into immediate action to splutter out some kind of denial in order to salvage this, "what? i- no, no, that's not- i mean, seriously why would-"
"i mean, i wouldn't have said no. like you didn't have to pretend to need my help. you clearly don't need it-" you gently tossed his folder back onto the desk. "-plus you're cute."
he didn't move for a good few seconds until he finally caught up to what had just happened.
now, this would've been the moment where he would've liked to be really cool and smooth in his response, but instead what happened was: "um..so then are we..like are you.."
in his defense you kind of caught him off guard. like completely. he had had a plan. how the study sessions would transition into friendship, and then maybe, hopefully at some point would transition into dating. he was a patient guy, really, and you had just skipped like...everything.
"are you free tomorrow?" you asked, as you stood up to grab your bag. wow, you were really taking the wheel at this point. and he discovered that he had shockingly little problem with that.
"uh, yeah, yeah i'm free..like all day." he did have training in the morning but he truly would skip it just this once if it came down to it.
"2pm?"
"sure."
"i'll text you?"
"okay."
"so..it's a date?"
you had stood up from the bed and were suddenly already on your way out. probably because you could tell he needed a minute.
"yeah, a date." he nodded with a (almost lovestruck) smile he hadn't even noticed had snuck its way unto his lips. you reciprocated with an equally excited grin, "cool."
before he knew it, the door had clicked shut, and he was alone again. he felt warm.
"cool."
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howlsofbloodhounds · 2 days ago
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I have a couple of questions, the main two being: 1: what ships do you dislike/hate? and why? 2: are there any ships you enjoy/like? and why? I am an anti-shipper myself, so hearing other ppls opinions on ships is interesting to me.
Only ships I really hate are like, incest, pedo or zoophilia, and Killermare and Bad Sans Poly.
I hate Killermare because it is trafficker/kidnapper/abuser x victim/captive and that is just..baked so completely in their narratives I find it ridiculous to ignore it.
I hate the narrative that Nightmare ever genuinely saved Killer, he didn’t—Color was the one putting in hard work and tears trying to protect, understand, befriend, and earn Killer’s trust. He was the one being threatened with death and stabbed and attacked for trying to help like he was asked to— by Killer himself—to help. He’s the one constantly risking his life and safety and well being for Killer’s freedom.
I hate how certain shippers treat this ship, how they treat Killer, and how they definitely treat Color—like Color’s somehow the bad guy because they want to pretend that Nightmare is somehow good for Killer’s safety or that Killer would ever be happy with him. Or as if Color only has selfish intentions and motives for Killer. Even more so when they pretend it’s one sided and Killer doesn’t grow to feel the same eventually—even when they’re extremely rough and certainly not friends in the beginning.
As if Killer wasn’t the one asking Color to save him. As if Killer didn’t say he kinda likes Color, and Nightmare had to tell him to literally shut up—as if Color isn’t the only one besides Toriel Killer has admitted to liking before, compared to when he said he doesn’t like anyone when asked. As if Color wasn’t the only one Stage 1 Killer ever felt comfortable asking, pleading with, for help—trusting him enough to admit he wants to be saved.
As for ships i enjoy, there’s Colorkiller obviously—but I also enjoy them as a friendship, or queer platonic, or them in general. Lifeafterdeath most definitely. Reapertale Chara x Core!Frisk (I don’t know. if they have a ship name) is wonderful.
Epic Sanses poly, Delta x Color, Epic x Color, Ccino x Color, just other Color ships in general i like. Chromatic Crew poly could be interesting.
But honestly what I really want is more of Killer in platonic relationships.
Color is special to him and this is just an undeniable fact, and Killer doesn’t strike me as the type to be very interested in friendship outside of what he managed to build with Color—but i think he should have more social connections, even if they aren’t what he has with Color because he does not trust most people at all.
I’d love to see more of Ink and Killer. Not really as a ship, but as pals—I feel they’d understand each other. Ccino and Killer and Lust and Killer and Color too. I’d like to see Ink and Color content as well, and Color and Dream.
I feel I’d be interested in seeing more Killer and Horror content, but there’s barely any outside of Bad Sans Poly or MTT Poly—and even in those ships there’s hardly anything.
I’ve found myself turned away from most Killer and Murder dynamics because, similar to Kross and killermare, these two always have to have some sort of “sexual tension” or something and it’s actually just beating eachother half to death or being lovey dovey and so in love. (Or when Killer is portrayed as a desperate whore for dust’s attention and begging him to love him or something.)
I think I’d find them more interesting in fandom depictions if 1. It wasn’t always just about how “hot” they are together and how “hot” is it that they hate eachother or whatever, and 2. people focused more on how they’re different rather than how they’re similar.
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armpirate · 2 days ago
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RED || Jungkook | Ch. 1
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MASTERLIST Previous ||  Next
Pairings: Demon!Jungkook x fem!reader  
Genre: smut, angst, fluff, fantasy, past life
Warnings: Explicit language, mention of death and suicide, demonology, violence, rough sex
Summary: Y/n thought her life couldn't get worse after losing her parents in a tragic accident. Years after, she's aware of everyone moving forward, while she's in the same place, isolated and alone. She struggles to find meaning in a world that seems indifferent to her grief. Desperate for comfort, to feel the deep connection she had been missing, she starts the manifestation, expecting an inoffensive entity to walk with her that rough path. What she doesn't know is that she awoke the mysterious entity tied to an old necklace around her neck.
Jungkook, a mysterious and seductive figure, appears in her life, offering the company she craves. But as his presence grows stronger, so does the unsettling sense that there's more to him -and the necklace- than meets the eye, unfolding all the reasons that took him to that place.
Now, as the past bleeds into the present, Y/n must fight with her growing feelings for the demon who seems familiar yet dangerous. Jungkook is determined to reclaim his power, but in doing so, he may doom Y/n once again. Bound by fate, the two are locked in a dangerous mix of love, redemption, and the looming threat of destruction. 
Will they break the curse that has haunted them both, or will history repeat itself with devastating consequences?
Chapter duration: 11 minutes
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When she first came across a video about manifestation through subliminal audios, she was skeptical. More like skeptical, she quite laughed at the idea of people actually believing someone could get something out of that. It was similar to making a wish to a shooting star, with the only difference being that watching those videos made her feel like an idiot.
At first, those videos showed up as advertisements of other videos claiming to know how to attract positive energies, or how you could get whatever you wanted with manifestations. Slowly, they evolved into more specific videos on how the Law of Attraction worked and thousands of videos with that same theme. She wasn't a believer, she certainly didn't think a video on social media could help her overcome her struggles, yet she still believed in those small signs. As if the universe was trying to communicate with her somehow. She still chose to go on with life, hopeful she was just getting crazier.
But after she found herself alone at home, bored on a Saturday night after coming back from work, while her only friends were hanging out with their own friends, suddenly those videos didn't sound as stupid and pathetic as she thought.
She went from one video to the other, too bored to continue, but too intrigued in finding out whether they worked or not to give up. One of her hands sneaked under the blanket, finding a warm place when she pressed her thighs around it, so she could escape the cold in her apartment.
Suddenly, while moving from one video to the other, those videos started turning into "magical entities", things that weren't abstract. Those apparently powerful entities were tangible, with personalities and thoughts, with amazing abilities. And, most importantly, that would wish only good things for those who manifested them.
At first, she ignored it. She didn't have the energy to think of herself playing the Bloody Mary game at such a big age, but then she thought of how she had nothing else to lose. She was already bored. If it didn't work out, she'd have found entertainment for the night. If it did work out, life would probably start looking at her differently.
She had nothing to lose, at that point. The only results would be either non-existent or positive.
With a sigh, she moved in her bed, dragging her body to the middle, legs crossed and hands still holding her phone, earphones on and eyes focused on the screen. Nervously, she played with the necklace around her neck, looking for some reassurance there, before she started speaking.
Her eyes closed, one hand holding her phone, the other hand still playing nervously with the pendant of her necklace.
—By the thread of time, I call to you —she repeated softly, barely audible in a whisper. Her tone was shy, as if someone was hearing her despite living alone—. In silence, I call. In darkness, I find you —one of her eyes opened, trying to check whether something was changing in her surroundings—. From the shadows of what was, come forth into the light of now? Bound by love, freed by pain. Answer me —another sigh, another movement of her head showing off her disappointment—. If someone is there, come to me, please, fill this void.
When saying those last words, her voice cracked, and her eyes watered at the possibility of calling out for her parents. She went quickly from trying to call out that entity to demand her parents to be there with her, right when she needed them.
She dropped her phone, holding onto the necklace that one belonged to her mother, while looking around in the darkness.
—I'll do whatever it takes —her voice was shaky while pronouncing those words—, I don't care about the price, I don't care about the consequences. Please, I need you.
For a brief moment during that chant, she felt something in the air changing. Like the temperature dropping or the hint of an indecipherable whisper falling on her ear... yet she realized it was all coming from her own desperation and not reality.
There was no movement in her apartment, no hints that whatever she did worked. Her tongue moved through her lips, stopping at the corner with an annoyed expression, dropping her head to the front while her hands fell over her lap.
It was the dumbest and most pathetic thing she had ever done in her twenty four years alive. And which made it worse was how hopeful she felt on it working out.
The reverse of her hand moved with anger over her cheekbones, wiping out the tears that kept rolling down. Minutes later, she looked like she hadn't been crying, she looked like she hadn't been hoping for a miracle, plugging her phone and turning the lamp off, so she could lie on the bed on her back again, wrapped on the thick blankets.
Her fingers fidgeted on her belly under the covers, eyes stuck on the ceiling above her, while she kept thinking she didn't do things right. She felt uneasy, unable to get some peaceful sleep before she insisted again.
—Psst —she called out—. Don't take too long to give signs. If you're there, show up with the same desperation I called on you.
She tried, even if it was something that gave her no results.
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Y/n found herself standing in the middle of an empty street, her heart pounding in her chest. The world around her seemed old -ancient, even-, but not the European type of old. The characteristics of that street had Asian features, pretty remarkable.
The street was eerily quiet, deserted, and bathed in a redish fog that clung to everything. The uneven stone path beneath her feet was cold, and the sound of her own footsteps echoed unnaturally, amplifying the growing tension inside her. She felt the weight of something unseen pressing down on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
The wind was still, and yet there was a gnawing feeling that something was watching her, just out of sight. Each shadow seemed to stretch and bend as if alive, threatening to swallow her whole. Every step she took forward only heightened her anxiety, the oppressive silence ringing in her ears.
The cold air had her hugging herself almost instantly, making her even more confused at the fact that she was still wearing the tank top and shorts she used as her pajamas.
Suddenly, something came at her like a wave, making it difficult to breathe, going from holding her own arms to grabbing her throat as if that gesture would make the air come through more easily.
Her breath came shallow, and in a desperate attempt to escape the suffocating emptiness of the street, she darted into one of the old wooden houses nearby. The door creaked as it swung shut behind her, enclosing her in complete darkness. Inside, it was still, but different -no longer the silent, oppressive void outside. Inside, there was a strange, almost magnetic pull that tugged her forward, guiding her down a dimly lit corridor.
The door clicking behind her echoed the room, making her aware of how big the place was despite not being able to see anything at all. Scared of the dark, she tried to open the door again, but it kept resisting her strength.
As if that action was the only thing she needed to get it all started, some claps stole her attention, freezing her move. With every lamp that was being lit in the corridor, a new clap made all the hairs in her body raise, getting pointier with each loud sound.
It kept getting narrower the further it was from her, and the weak light coming from the curved lamps barely gave her any chance to see properly. Her mind kept telling her to try to open the main door and escape, but her body didn't respond to her own begs. Her feet started moving, slowly but steadily towards the new door away from her, as if there was something else controlling her moves better than she did.
Her steps felt heavy, almost as if her body was being dragged by an external force to the dark red door at the end of the corridor. It was hypnotic, attracting, almost like seeing a distant star in a black sky.
The light grew stronger as she moved, illuminating a single room. Just like the street, with dark tones of red that ended up being pleasing to her sight.
She stepped inside, her heart hammering louder now, the air thick with something she couldn't name. As soon as she crossed the door, the lights went off again. Her eyes were squinted as she tried to see something through the darkness when she found herself trapped again in a different space. But, that time, she didn't attempt to get out, she didn't turn, not a single hair in her body moved. There was a growing sensation that there was something inside she wanted to find.
A sonorous breeze collided with her ears and her body instantly reacted to the sensation. Her skin was burning, her core throbbed with eagerness. There was an urging suffocating need that started to build up and that she couldn't make disappear when pressing her thighs together -it only grew bigger with every slight rub.
Somewhere among the silence, she heard a male chuckle, deep and dark, but so attracting that it almost caused her to moan out loud. Her brain overthought when that laugh got in her system, and her stomach felt funny instantly.
The room lit up, but not completely. For minutes, there was a flicker of light coming and going in different corners of the room, quickly moving in front of her. With every new move, she discovered a new detail of the room that was hidden to her with that darkness, finally allowing her to see what was being kept from her eyesight.
A few centimeters ahead of her, there was a black leather headboard that shined under the light, completely disappearing as the focus kept moving. It lowered down, allowing her to see the burgundy sheets falling over the edge of the bed, heading to its corner and moving back to the center, where she was able to see a pair of athletic thighs, covered with some black slacks, manspreading with a hand falling lazily in the center. She tried to pay attention to the tattoos on the reverse and his fingers, but the light moved before she was able to. It w bent back to the opposite side of the headboard, moving to the right steadily. His eyes were black and fierce, as if he knew he'd be able to do whatever he wanted to her. There wasn't a glimpse of good intentions on the looks he was giving her.
The way he already had his eyes on her, and how he even moved them lower over her body, made Y/n aware that, unlike her, he was indeed able to see her across the darkness. Y/n thought she'd be able to reach the climax merely with the way he was looking at her.
To him, she was his prey, cornered and trapped, and he was the beast ready to jump at her.
The corners of his doe eyes wrinkled for a second, as if he finally thought what he was going to do to her.
Y/n's pulse quickened as she stood frozen, unsure if she should move toward him or run. Each flicker of light illuminated just enough to make her breath catch in her throat, but not enough to see him fully. His figure seemed almost unreal, like a phantom on the edge of her consciousness, tethered to the shadows. Then, just as suddenly as the dream had begun, the light vanished, plunging her back into darkness. The only light in the room disappeared, leaving her lost, momentarily blind.
She was hopeful the light would shine again and would fall on him, that was why her eyes didn't move a centimeter from where she last saw his eyes. But when the light came back, starting to move over the spot where he was sitting, there was no one else anymore. The sheets looked messy, and they had the subtle shape of his lower body, confirming her he was indeed there in front of her and it wasn't made up.
It felt disappointing for her. Because it was all getting started, and the moment she was calming herself down to speak, encouraging herself to make a sound, he vanished without saying a word.
Her body squirmed involuntarily when a warm touch over the side of her tank top, feeling a palm almost cover her ribs.
His breathing was calm, slow, relaxing and warm when falling in her ear, feeling like an enchant that took over her body easily. Her neck fell to the side, and her eyes closed, handing him all the power he wanted to have over her.
—Were you looking for me? —never a voice had sounded so sensual and melodic, yet so deep and masculine at the same time.
The way his warm breathing coated her right ear, while his voice hypnotized her out of her control made her nipples harden under the thin white fabric.
She hadn't seen his face completely, she didn't know his intentions, and she for sure was in a dangerous place, but she was ready to do whatever he asked her to.
His hand expanded to her belly, with his pinky finger ghosting over the elastic of her shorts. He still didn't stop, but his touch was gentle on her, venturing himself lower while giving her time to mentalize what was going to happen, caressing her body as if he had touched it many times before. His finger played with the edge of her shorts, digging lower and directly moving through her underwear. He didn't ask for permission, he didn't need to. It was as if her consent had been agreed beforehand, long before she showed up there, lost in danger.
Her lip was trapped under her teeth when his mouth moved over her sensitive skin, looking for that same reaction he got from her.
—Then you already found me.
His body pressed against her back, while his hand dud lower, digging his fingers to reach her clit.
—Who are you?
But he didn't answer, he twirled his digits around her bundle of nerves, leaving her with a loud gasp escaping her mouth, and that transferred to reality.
She woke up instantly, in the middle of a heavy breath that forced her to sit on the bed. Her heart was pounding against her chest, aiming to break her rib cage while her whole body was craving a touch that wasn't even real, a touch in her dream so vivid that she was sure she'd feel for days.
Y/n looked around in her studio, confused at being there for a few seconds, trying to understand that everything that happened was just a dream. Despite being home, she still had the feeling of being somewhere else just seconds ago. As if she had been able to teleport without knowing it.
That dream felt way too vivid and real to only be part of her imagination.
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wisteria-lodge · 1 day ago
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Male Crying in the Harry Potter Books
(this is a clean-up of an earlier post, incorporating some of the excellent feedback & additions I got.)
Men do 32% of the crying in the Harry Potter books, even though they represent 66% of the characters (pretty much as expected).* However, I’m interested in why the crying happens, and what it says about the characters. Because for the ladies, crying is pretty neutral - they all cry, and for all sorts of reasons (tired, frustrated, stressed, emotionally overwrought...) Bellatrix, Augusta Longbottom, Ginny, Tonks… all cry. Hermione cries thirty separate times over the course of the books. There is a point where where the narrative framing judges them for crying too much (Cho) but mostly it's a non-issue.
Male crying though, is something that gets mocked (by Slytherins.) Pansy calls Neville a “fat little cry baby,” and after Rita’s article (falsely) says that Harry was crying, Draco comes in with “Want a hanky, Potter, in case you start crying in Transfiguration?” There’s also “D’you think [Hagrid]’ll cry when they cut off his hippogriff’s - ” right before Hermione slaps Draco. So making fun of guys for crying is bad right? 
Let’s get into it. 
1 : Crying because of a death
The most acceptable reason for male crying. Mostly it happens *right* at the moment of death, or possibly at the funeral/next to the grave. Severus cries over Lily's letter (the ripped one which Harry later finds) which is certainly grave-adjacent.
In Book 3, Harry cries while talking to Lupin about hearing his parents dying (although the narrative voice DOES let us know that he’s kind of embarrassed about this.)
“Harry suddenly realized that there were tears on his face mingling with the sweat. He bent his face as low as possible, wiping them off on his robes, pretending to do up his shoelace, so that Lupin wouldn’t see.” 
This attempt to hide hide tears shows up a few more times. Sirius *also* cries when talking about Lily and James' deaths... or does he?
[Harry] was pointing at Black, who shook his head slowly; the sunken eyes were suddenly overbright. "Harry...I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me. ... I'm to blame, I know it. ... The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies...I realized what Peter must've done...what I'd done. ..." His voice broke. He turned away. "Enough of this," said Lupin, and there was a steely note in his voice Harry had never heard before.
@strawberrybasilsorbet analyzes this passage extremely well:
"Suddenly overbright" is a particularly memorable descriptor for me. What an unusual way to describe having tears in one's eyes! It verges on euphemistic. "His voice broke" is much more direct, but still relies on implication instead of mentioning tears outright — which, considering that the intended audience is young readers, could be seen as subtle. Like Harry in the example above, Sirius clearly considers crying something to be ashamed of: he turns away to hide his tears. And in this moment, the sentences also become short. Halting, stilted. The narrative voice evokes Sirius's feelings here instead of describing his actions in detail. It isn't until later in the scene, when Sirius and Lupin begin to take action, that we get a straightforward description: "[Sirius] approached Lupin and the struggling rat, and his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face." But even here, it is an understated observation. We don't get a description of actual crying, or even holding back tears."
Sirius also cries in Book 4, while listening to Harry describe seeing the shades of his parents come out of Voldemort's wand.
At this point, Harry found he could not continue. He looked around at Sirius and saw that he had his face in his hands.
@strawberrybasilsorbet continues,
"[this] example is more ambiguous — Sirius might be crying, he might be trying not to cry, or he might just be overwhelmed — but either way, the scene reflects a similar approach to strong emotion. Sirius covers his face to hide his sorrow; the narrator makes a short, declarative observation that leaves a lot between the lines. These scenes suggest that masculine tears are most respected by the narrative when they are (1) in response to grief, (2) irrepressible, despite the character's attempts to obscure or prevent them. Sirius and Harry are the two characters who represent this most clearly, although Lupin's sudden steeliness in the PoA scene implies that he shares this perspective. (This is also reflected in Lupin's decision to switch from talk to action: he cuts the conversation abruptly when Sirius begins to cry, demanding that Ron hand over Scabbers immediately. He is likely trying to spare his friend the ordeal of further emotional vulnerability). The narrator's voice seems to share this instinct, giving Sirius the dignity of subtlety when describing his emotions. This contrasts strongly with characters like Peter, whose tears are described in vivid and humiliating detail. What I think is especially revealing is how...discreet?...the narrator's voice becomes when Sirius is the character who is crying.
There is this slight *fan dance* quality present, where we see Sirius before he starts crying, and then again after he has already cried. But really don't see him actually crying.
Harry also has an interesting, sort of delayed reaction to Dumbledore's death:
Dumbledore had weakened himself by drinking that terrible potion for nothing. Harry crumpled the parchment in his hand, and his eyes burned with tears as behind him. Fang began to howl. He clutched the cold locket in his hand so tightly that it hurt, but he could not prevent hot tears spilling from his eyes
There’s a lot going on in this moment: Harry is tired, frustrated, disappointed, overwhelmed. But we still get that note that tears are something that ought to be hidden, and that even though Harry is trying to stop them, these happen to be irrepressible.
Crying because of a death: Full Breakdown
Amos Diggory: 1 (Cedric’s death) 
Arthur Weasley: 1 (Fred’s death)
Harry Potter: 4 (Hedwig, Lily, James, Dumbledore)
Rubeus Hagrid: 4 (Dumbledore, Buckbeak, Aragog, Harry) 
Sirius Black: 2 (Lily, James)
Severus Snape: 1 (Lily)
Argus Filtch: 1 (thinks Mrs. Norris is dead) 
Xenophillius Lovegood: 1 (thinks Luna is dead) 
Fillius Flitwick: (thinks Ginny is dead) 
Ron Weasley: 1 (Dumbledore’s funeral) 
Elphias Doge: 1 (Dumbledore’s funeral
2: Crying because of pain
You’d think this one would also be acceptable. But… not really? Dudley cries when Vernon hits him (but Harry doesn’t.) Peter Pettigrew cries when he cuts off his own hand, Saw style, but it gets framed as blubbering weakness.
Our last guy crying in pain is Book 1 Neville, after he breaks his wrist during flying lessons. He also “sniffs,” while walking into the Forbidden Forest for detention, which *might* count as crying? But really, Neville cries surprisingly little. We get a lot of “looked as though he might cry” and “on the verge of tears”... but that's not actually crying. And I think that’s because… early-books Neville, yes we’re supposed to see him as a little pathetic. But definitely not as pathetic as Dudley or Pettigrew. @blorger writes:
The characters who cry for pain are crying because they're just Not Man Enough (and that's wormtail's biggest failure as a character, isn't it?). Neville, to me, is the perfect encapsulation of JKR's attitude towards crying: he is constantly on the verge of crying, especially in the first books, because we're meant to feel a sort of benign pity for him, his weakness makes him amiable, yes, but there's still strength in his character (he can stop himself from crying! see, he's brave!). Neville does Suffering well, and nothing shows one's character to jkr more than how they handle suffering.
Crying in pain: Full Breakdown
Dudley Dursley: 1 (hit by Uncle Vernon)
Neville Longbottom: 1 (broken wrist)
Peter Pettigrew: (hand cut off)
Bonus almost crying: 
Dudley Dursley: Fake crying
Neville Longbottom: “looked as though he might cry” “on the verge of tears.” 
Professor Quirrell: “looked as though he was about to cry”
3: “Childlike” crying
Sometimes the people who cry are literally little boys. No one is going to judge infant Harry for crying when Voldemort is in the house, or little Severus for crying when his parents are fighting. Interestingly, when Myrtle is talking about Draco crying in her bathroom, Harry assumes she’s talking about someone much younger: 
“There’s been a boy in here crying?” said Harry curiously. “A young boy?” 
But of course, when an adult is crying in a childlike way, it immediately becomes… pathetic. Again we have Pettigrew, who “burst into tears. It was horrible to watch: He looked like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.” In the Horcrux cave, crying Dumbledore is described “like a child dying of thirst.” Which is also meant to be pathetic, but in more of a ‘Harry has to be the adult now’ sort of way. Also, the potion seems to have made Dumbledore mentally regress back to his youth, so it’s *closer* to a literal “child crying” moment. 
(I considered putting Dumbledore drinking the potion in the ‘pain’ section, but at least in the book I think it’s clear he’s mostly in emotional rather than physical pain.)
Where this gets messy is with the house-elves. House-elves are not children, but they are presented as childlike. They are small and in-your-face, direct even though their problem-solving tends to be very convoluted/not especially logical. I like the present-tense, no pronouns way they speak, but I can’t deny it is kind of baby-talk adjacent. And… house elves are *really* emotional. Dobby, Kreacher (and Winky) cry a LOT. If I had to guess, I would say JKR likes treating house-elves as childlike so it’s more of a surprise when it turns out that one of them was behind everything. But considering that they are slaves, it is gross - considering that one of the main real-world justifications for slavery was ‘slaves are childlike, and therefore unable to take care of themselves.'
There’s also Hagrid. With seventeen separate instances of crying, Hagrid easily cries more than any other guy in the Harry Potter books. And… well… he’s also presented as oddly childlike. He seems much more like Harry and Ron’s contemporary than a peer of the other professors - which is weird, since  if he went to school with Voldemort fifty years ago, he’s in his sixties now. But still, he’s helpless in the face of criticism, he’s comically out of his depth whenever he deals with the Ministry, he’s constantly letting things slip or drastically misjudging danger levels. The first three books all use “Hagrid gets in trouble, the gang has to bail him out” as a plot point, and in Book 4 his sideplot with Madame Maxime gets treated like a schoolboy’s first crush, with all these jokes about him wearing suits that don’t quite fit, and trying and failing to style his hair.
Childlike crying: Full breakdown
Rubeus Hagrid: 13
Dobby: 7
Kreacher: 3
Peter Pettigrew: 1
Harry Potter: 1 (infant)
Severus Snape: 1 “while a small dark-haired boy cried in a corner.”  “it was unnerving to think that the crying little boy who had watched his parents shouting ” 
Albus Dumbledore: 1 "like a child dying of thirst"
4. Crying because of strong emotion
The difference here is... does the character try to suppress the crying, or not? If they do try to suppress it, then it stays respectable, on a level with grief-crying. If not well... that means that the character crying is meant to read as a little pathetic, a little femme or (lets face it)... both.
Take this example of Ron crying after he destroys the locket horcrux:
Ron was breathing heavily: His eyes were no longer red at all, but their normal blue; they were also wet. Harry stooped, pretending he had not seen, and picked up the broken Horcrux. (...) “After you left,” he said in a low voice, grateful for the fact that Ron’s face was hidden, “[Hermione] cried for a week. Probably longer, only she didn’t want me to see..."
Hermione is allowed more tears because she is a girl, but there does come a point where she has to hide them or else run the risk of being perceived as crying too much by the narrative (like Cho.) In terms of the boys - again, we've got moment like Sirius and Remus have, where Ron is (correctly) hiding his tears and Harry is (correctly) doing a 'I'm going to protect you from further vulnerability by kind of changing the subject / pretending that I didn't see you cry.' Also, similarly to the Sirius example, the description of Ron's crying is subtle, almost euphemistic ("wet eyes.") We are not using the word cry, or tears, or anything like that.
Look at this next excerpt, of Percy's reunion with his family, and especially at how the crying of all three characters is handled:
Mrs. Weasley burst into tears. She ran forward, pushed Fred aside, and pulled Percy into a strangling hug, while he patted her on the back, his eyes on his father. “I’m sorry, Dad,” Percy said. Mr. Weasley blinked rather rapidly, then he too hurried to hug his son. “What made you see sense, Perce?” inquired George. “It’s been coming on for a while,” said Percy, mopping his eyes under his glasses with a corner of his traveling cloak.
Molly is crying buckets, no problem. Arthur gets almost-crying or euphemistic crying. And Percy is explicitly crying, not trying to hide it, and even gets the slightly comedic imagery of trying to wipe your eyes without taking off your glasses.
And well, JKR respects Percy less than she respects Arthur. As @arkadijxpancakes puts it, "When it comes to Percy, I'm still surprised how subdued his crying in that scene is. Because, yeah, Rowling does respect him less. She also has a tendency to write him in a pretty feminine manner. It's still a stark contrast to his mother, however." Even though we catch him in a serious moment, he's still slightly ridiculous Percy.
So from this, we can see that this male heightened emotionality is meant to look a bit comedic - like when Oliver Wood cries when Gryffindor wins the Quidditch cup "to highlight that his weird priorities are funny and slightly ridiculous," ( @blorger.) We also don't see Hogwarts-age Snape actually cry, but considering his nickname is “Snivellus” (ie“crybaby,” since “sniveling” is a synonym for crying, I'm assuing he does.) Just the word "Snivellus" is clearly supposed to funny and a little pathetic.
Slughorn has an interesting instance of crying at Aragog's funeral, not out of grief for Aragog, but out of a maudlin sense of togetherness, nostalgia, and camaraderie. It *is* supposed to be funny that he's crying over a giant spider he just met. Like Percy, Slughorn is also a bit femme-coded: a flashy dresser with lilac pajamas, who loves his treats and fancy dinner parties, and is well-connected without being ambitious the way Lucius is. He also is aligned with pureblood-supremacy, but hyper avoidant of violence and confrontation... just like Draco.
Draco of course gets a BIG crying scene in Book 6. We here about him crying once from Myrtle, and then see it first hand: 
Malfoy was crying — actually crying — tears streaming down his pale face into the grimy basin.
The narrative voice takes a second to let us know that he was ACTUALLY CRYING, just to hammer in that this is something unexpected and not-normal. I think I want also to attribute Draco’s tendency to cry - and cry because he’s overwhelmed, scared, lonely - to the character’s slight femme coding. And the fact that JKR clearly sees him as a bit pathetic.
The most surprising person to land in this particular category is Dumbledore. I was surprised he cries as much as he does, at such unusual times, and with none of the "manliness" of a crying Harry, Ron, Sirius, or Arthur. He cries when he sees Snape’s doe patronus - because of love or just because he’s emotionally overwhelmed. He cries all through the Horcrux cave, primarily because of guilt. He cries twice during the King’s Cross Station vision-quest, once because of his complicated feelings about Harry while he asks for forgiveness, and once over … Grindlewald.
“They say he showed remorse in later years, alone in his cell at Nurmengard. I hope that it is true. I would like to think he did feel the horror and shame of what he had done. Perhaps that lie to Voldemort was his attempt to make amends . . . to prevent Voldemort from taking the Hallow . . .”  “. . . or maybe from breaking into your tomb?” suggested Harry, and Dumbledore dabbed his eyes.
I think Dumbledore gets all these tears because he is actually, deliberately queer coded. JKR announced that Dumbledore was gay just a few months after Book 7 was published, and I think she had that character interpretation in her head as early as Book 6. My proof of that is Dumbledore's increased emotionality - and also this interesting passage from Book 6: 
This younger Albus Dumbledore’s long hair and beard were auburn. Having reached their side of the street, he strode off along the pavement, drawing many curious glances due to the flamboyantly cut suit of plum velvet that he was wearing. “Nice suit, sir,” said Harry, before he could stop himself, but Dumbledore merely chuckled.
Now, okay. Wizards out and about in the muggle world often wear unusual colors like purple and emerald green. However. That adjective flamboyantly is only used one other time in the entire series, to describe Fudge’s hand gestures. Here, it is used to describe clothes, a purple velvet suit which is honestly more than a little bit Oscar Wilde. And “flamboyantly gay” … those are two words often heard together. 
Also, correct me if I’m wrong, but I am pretty sure this is the only opinion about clothing Harry ever expresses aloud. @niche-pastiche hit the nail right on the head with the observation that "Nice suit, sir" is SO the response of a young adhd boy in the early 2000s trying not to say "thats gay." 
And so that's my say. In JKR's head, crying isn't "manly," so if you are crying, it's because you're a woman, you're a child, you're funny/pathetic, or you're ambiguously femme-coded. A noble single man tear is allowed at times of intense grief, but otherwise you have to turn your head away.
Crying because of strong emotion: Full breakdown 
Draco Malfoy: 2
Severus Snape: 1
Albus Dumbledore: 4
Horace Slughorn: 1
Arthur Weasley: 1
Percy Weasley: 1
Ron Weasley: 1
*My list of 208 Harry Potter characters comes from TV Tropes, which had the most complete breakdown. I am excluding characters from Cursed Child and the Fantastic Beasts Films. Also, please tell me if there are any instances of crying that I missed.
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kathleenkatmary · 7 hours ago
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I will say it over and over again until I have no voice to say it with... FRAMING. MATTERS.
EDIT: Okay, I'm going to expand on this because I remembered that there have been multiple times when I've said this that someone truly did not know what I'm talking about.
Framing matters. The way a narrative frames a character and their actions matters. In so many different ways. It matters to the message the writers are trying to send. It matter to the message that is actually sent. It matter to what the character and their actions end up meaning or representing with in the narrative. And it matters to how the audience perceives and feels about the character.
Obviously, that last bit is what matters here. The way a character and their actions are framed within the narrative can be consistent with the things they do and say, or it can be inconsistent with the things they do and say. And Spike and Xander actually serve as a really good demonstration of this. As has already been pointed out, when Spike does something bad and toxic and fucked up, more often than not it's framed as such. Yes, from pretty early on he was written to be far more complex than just the unambiguous bad guy, and from season 4 on in particular he's given an arc that gives him more and more chances to do good things and to do the right thing, and for increasingly less selfish reasons. But the narrative never treats those things as some sort of get out of jail free card that frames everything he does as good and not selfish. His toxic bullshit is still framed as toxic bullshit. Are there a few moments here and there where things he does aren't appropriately framed? Sure, probably. But you're going to find that in a pretty much any show, because no show is perfect.
Xander, on the other hand, is pretty regularly (as the poster above says, at least 50% of the time) framed in a way that is not consistent with the way he behaves. Not only is he framed as the loveable loser harmless best friend, he's also more than once framed in ways that treat him doing the literal bare minimum of not being a horrible person as though he's some kind of ultimate good guy hero (him not taking advantage of Buffy when she was under the love spell and the way he's treated for that is a great example) or that treat his really gross and toxic ideas and attitudes as being completely correct (the bullshit he spouted when Riley gave Buffy the ultimatum). Even when his attitudes or behavior is framed appropriately, it's usually stuff that's brushed off pretty easily, even when it has dire consequences (like him not telling Buffy that Willow was going to do the spell to give Angel his soul back).
Now, of course, framing isn't the only thing that determines how an audience will react to characters. For one thing, there are plenty of instances of fans just going crazy over characters who are framed as being heroes or desirable romantic leads even though that framing is inconsistent with how they actually behave and the things they actually do. And there are plenty of other things that go into how an audience reacts to a character. There are certain character traits, from aspects of their personality to just bits of their design, that will make a character more appealing. Especially when it comes to online audiences.
So yeah, Spike as a character hitting a lot of those "fandom favorite" boxes almost certainly contributes to people favoring him to at least some extent. But I think the framing really is the big thing here that makes people so much more likely to favor Spike, and so much more likely to call out Xander. The narrative is pretty regularly calling out Spike. His behavior is weird and creepy and the narrative points that out regularly. So it's not really something the fandom needs to do. Going online and being like "so, Spike kidnapping Buffy, tying her up, and telling her he's going to kill his ex girlfriend in front of her to prove his love is so creepy and toxic, right?" isn't really necessary because... yeah. The narrative knows it, and therefor so does the vast majority of the audience. But with Xander that is not something the narrative usually does. When he, for example, condescendingly corrects Anya, the narrative doesn't treat that critically, it treats it as a funny thing that Xander is probably right to do. When he agrees with everything Riley said when he gave Buffy that ultimatum and treats Buffy like she's the problem in that relationship, it doesn't frame him as wrong, or as projecting so many of his own issues with women and with Buffy in particular onto the situation. He's framed as the man talking sense into Buffy. So it does fall on the audience to call it out, and to call the show out for not doing it.
Like I said, inconsistent framing isn't something that an audience always notices, but with a show like Buffy, where a lot of - really, I would even say most of - the characters are usually appropriately framed, and where you do have an instance of a guy's creepy, toxic behavior appropriately framed, I think that makes it easier for viewers to clock it when there's a character that isn't being appropriately framed. Even if viewers doing consciously realize it's why they're reacting negatively to a character. Personally, I think that's also at least part of the reason a lot of people don't react well to Riley. It's not because he's 'boring' or because they ship Buffy with someone else and he 'gets in the way', or whatever. At least, not completely. I really think the way his character was framed, especially in season 5, was often not really in line with what was actually happening with the character, and people could feel that.
Are there Spike fans who just completely ignore it all, ignore the framing and all the shitty, creepy, toxic shit Spike has done so that they can feel like they're allowed to like him 'guilt free', or so they can engage with the character completely uncritically? Sure. Of course. Any character with any amount of fanbase is going to have people who do that. It's just a part of fandom. And I'm not going to act like Spike doesn't check a lot of boxes of typical "fandom favorite" types, and that is going to make people more likely to be drawn to him as a character. But there's a lot of critical analysis of Buffy that happens, even just in online fandom spaces, analysis that goes far deeper than just that kind of more surface level fandom engagement. And even then, so much of what you see is incredibly critical of Xander and the way he's written while being much more favorable to Spike and the way he's written. That's not just fangirls ignoring the bad stuff their fav does while dogpiling on another character. That's people recognizing the problems with Xander's writing and the very stark difference in the framing between Xander and Spike.
At the end of the day, fictional characters are not real people. The way they're written and how audiences react to them is about a lot more than just the way a character behaves and the things they say and do. There's a lot more that goes into it, and framing is a big part of it.
ok I’m only on season 5 but can someone explain to me how Xander is the universally hated one for, from what I can tell, some bad choices and worse jokes, while Spike, the fandom’s babygirl and beloved heartthrob, literally stalks Buffy, holds her captive, and then commissions a robot version of her when it’s made clear he’ll never have her. like someone please explain it because the math is not mathing.
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fan-goddess · 1 day ago
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If he’s a ghost, I can be a phantom
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Authors Note: So this has taken way too long for me to write. I hit way too many blocks last year so hopefully i won't have the same with this one. I think though I'll be taking a haitus just to clear my head, as i want to take some space while i focus on other things
Word count: 14.2k words
Taglist: @hoosbandewan @humanpurposes @watercolorskyy @omgbrcat @blue-serendipity @arcielee
Warnings: Heavy sexism, patriarchal views, cheating, angst, sexual tension, does reader come off as i'm not like other girls? kissing, blood, descriptions of bullet wound, talk of one night stands, alcohol, arousal, threats of murder, pervy men (if i miss any which im sure i did let me know so i can add it.)
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The mission was not supposed to go like this.
It was supposed to be a quick and easy mission, but you suppose simplicity is not as easy to maintain or even believe to be true, when you’re bleeding with a gunshot wound to your shoulder and at least a litre and a half of blood spilled on a once pristine white carpet.
Tom Bennett is supposedly one of the best of the best. He was recruited when he was still pretty young from the army, and since then, had been trained ruthlessly to know how to shoot and where the places had to be to look like somebody else’s vengeance.
You yourself were similar, but you actually had the smarts going for you rather than the brawn. Soon as you graduated from university with a degree in foreign communications, two men in suits were sitting on your sofa describing what’ll happen and how in very painstakingly detailed ways.
You’d never met Agent Tom Bennett before the mission briefing, but you had certainly heard of him. Son of a pacifist from Manchester, who ironically likes to get into one too many fights that the agency, while not being happy about paying the damages for, does not mention since Bennett does the job needed. What you hear most however from your coworkers, is how he never leaves a mission without a notch in his post, even if it’s from his fellow agent.
So when being told your mission and your partner, your male supervisor gave you a once over and told you to keep your head high and your legs firmly shut. And like the good girl you pretended to be, you just nodded your head so you could work and die someplace better than the dreary country that is mother England.
Even sitting in that briefing room waiting for Agent Bennett to grace you all with his presence you swore you could feel the eyes of every person in that room making bets in their heads whether you’d sleep with him on the mission or not. And by how you analysed everyone watching you, the probability of it being yes was quite frankly staggering.
“Hello hello hello!” A man's voice says, and when you turn to look at the intruder unlike everyone else who simply didn't care enough to turn, you’re met with such a cocky smirk you know exactly who this is.
“And who is this pretty little lady?” Tom says, finally directing his attention to you who just continues to sit there with a blank face.
“It’s Agent to you Agent Bennett.”
“Oh is it now? Well I’m very sorry, agent. I’ll be sure to address you right from now on shan’t I? Though I’m sure with our mission we’ll get on like a house on fire by the end.” Agent Bennett grins, sitting down directly next to you and plopping his arm round your neck. Though to his own amusement only, you immediately shove him off you and move yourself further down the sofa with a huff.
The supervisor overseeing the mission's progress thankfully manages to distract him by beginning the debriefing.
“Agents, we are sending you to France in a few weeks to-“
“Fuck off!” Agent Bennett shouts which even after all your training still manages to make you jump in your seat.
“As I was saying,” The supervisor starts again, glaring hard at Agent Bennett who sulks in his seat like a child on the verge of a tantrum. “You’ll be going to France to infiltrate and retrieve some information from a corrupt politician's estate that he keeps in a hard drive inside of a vault in his office.”
“What’s the security on the estate and vault?” You ask, as Agent Bennett it seems is still acting like a spoiled child after being told he needs to go to France, when already off the top of your head you could list so many other much worse places he could’ve been told he needed to go.
“The usual security protocol. He has security cameras equipped with night vision, guards to patrol the grounds as well as guard dogs trained to attack on site, and sensors in regards to lights, doors and of course the safe, which you two need to get into. We couldn't find anything about it in our extensive research, so you'll both need to use your heads when faced with that later on in the mission.”
“Sounds impossible…” You can’t help but comment.
“Oh come on, love don’t sound so negative!” Bennett grins. You can see him looking at you from the corner of your eye but it appears you’ve already managed to grow tired of his bullshit, so instead you merely look to the supervisor who, like you, appears to be attempting to ignore the guy. “I’m sure we’ll be done before suppers on the table!”
“Sure.” You simply say, rolling your eyes while the supervisor already looks ready to chuck Agent Bennett into the enemies home arse first.
“Now, you two will be our main operatives with the surveillance team being ready to assist whenever they’re needed. It took some work, but we managed to get a good enough alibi to get you both inside as it turns out our politician has a fancy for private masquerade balls.”
As he says this a much younger recruit who looks barely old enough to drink in Europe passes you and Agent Bennett your individual case files, and when you open it to look at your latest identity, you find yourself having to hold in your disgust.
“Mrs Dahlia Carrington?” You can’t help but question out loud, already dreading what Agent Bennett will say.
“Yes wife?” Like clockwork, his annoying voice rings out boiling your blood with every syllable. “As Mr Thomas Carrington, I suppose it is my duty to make sure my beloved is dressed to her best!”
“Never call me that again.”
“Just getting us both into the mood sweetie!”
“Don’t call me that either!” You snap, turning to him with a clenched fist that you oh so desperately want to damage his pretty smirking face with.
“Enough the both of you!” Your supervisor begs, glaring at you and Agent Bennett and making you feel like a child being lectured by their parents. “Agent Bennett, I for one can say have had enough with your playboy nature and how it constantly affects your missions. Will you behave this time, or will I need to prepare another incident report for your arrival with an extra year or two suspended field training?”
And like a child who’s been lectured by a parents, Agent Bennett pouts with a furrowed expression.
“No sir…”
“Good. Now learn your documents and meet with your team. They have the necessary equipment you’ll be needing to get familiar with. Formal wear included.”
You take the supervisor's ending nod as your dismissal and take the file in your hand as you leave. You do not dare look at Agent Bennett, especially as he begins to moan again only this time because he’s been told he has to wear a suit and tie, yet still you manage to get the feeling of goosebumps erupting on your back as you swear you feel his gaze roam your behind.
You cannot be bothered to snap at the man again, so you just sigh loudly to let him know of your annoyance at his actions, and his deep chuckle rings through your mind as you walk away.
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As you sit on the stool waiting for your outfit to arrive for you to try it on, you read the file carefully making sure to try and memorise every word possible.
The man whose house you are to sneak into, with help of Agent Bennett as the supervisor had spoken in the debriefing, is a pure French blooded politician whose work slowly turned more and more poisoned against the good of the people. Most recently, he’s gotten access to certain information that could bring about war if placed into the hands of the wrong people, and like the idiot he is, he’s kept it on his computer in his estate.
So what you and Agent Bennett are simply assigned to do, is act like you’re both members of high society to get inside the politician's home and retrieve the information stored most likely on his laptop.
It seems very simple. But then again, all the files of Agent Bennett's other missions seemed simple too, and most of them ended up in millions of pounds in property damage and at least a couple hundred dead bodies needing an explanation only the government could provide.
“Here we are my dear!” The stylist says as he walks through the door with your dress in his hand.
Before you had been given access to missions and was stuck on desk duty, you had never realised that being an agent stylist was an actual job offered here at headquarters. But now that you’ve been upgraded and done a good amount of missions you definitely see why it’s necessary, especially since the bulletproof vest has certainly saved your skin once or twice.
“Oh Stan, it's gorgeous!” You gush as he hangs it on the rack and steps back to allow you to see it in its full glory.
The dress's colour is mainly a deep blue, similar to that of a sapphire, but in the middle where the deep blue fabric separates the fabric is a much lighter shade that you can only describe as being like the cornflowers you see in the fields. The dresses shoulder cuffs are short with a barely noticeable belt keeping the dress firmly fitted. The same sapphire shade continues down the dress till the very end, which happens to be just around your ankles which is the just the way you like your dresses to be.
Overall, it’s everything you’ve ever wanted.
“I’m glad you think so.” Stan smiles, stepping back towards the dress so he can show you the extra special details not seen by the public. “Now the fabric this is made out of is bullet resistant thread. It’ll stop the bullet going in you, but it’s not perfect. If you’re under fire and hit one too many times it’ll rip and you’ll get shot. Understand?”
“Understood.”
“Good. The dress is tailored for your preference, as I remember you saying you didn’t like too long dresses. Also, it’s not too short so it shows the knife or pistol that you will no doubt have strapped to your thigh. Other than those two things the dress is pretty explanatory and simple. Still, anything you wanna ask about?”
“Why blue?” You can’t help but ask. Usually you’d be asking all about the dynamics and the science behind it. But right now, you can’t help but feel curious when looking at the colour of the dress that you rarely ever see on your other wardrobe items.
“Cause Agent Bennett said it’d bring out your eyes.” Stan simply says, full on cackling with amusement when he sees your face melt into an untimely scowl.
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On the day before the mission, the supervisor claimed that to get into a better mindset for the roles you and Agent Bennett needed to play, you both needed to spend a night in a nearby hotel.
Though you should’ve known that bastard was up for something when he smiled whilst he said this, as after speaking to the female receptionist, who seemed all too eager in your opinion in eyeing up your pretend husband, and heading to the room, you discover only one bed. And what’s worse, if it somehow could’ve been, is that it was covered in rose petals.
The supervisor had booked the two of you a honeymoon suit.
It was like he was enticing Agent Bennett to attempt to sleep with you, not that you’d ever let him get near enough though of course.
“Well could’ve been worse I s’pose!” Agent Bennett sniffs as he walks around the room. He opens every cabinet, leaves every door open, chucks his bags and other belongings on the bed until eventually his unique bout of chaos settles and he’s sitting on a sofa chair by the open window with an open bag of peanuts in one hand, a bottle of soda in another, and an old fashioned movie playing in the background.
“What?” He muffles with his mouth full. “If the agency is paying for it all, which I know they are, better make the most of it Mrs!”
“Don’t call me that.” You simply say, refusing to admit he’s actually correct for once in his statement. Instead you just take the time to organise your suitcase and your belongings so everything is where it should be and in a discreet place in case housekeeping decides to visit while you’re away.
This evening, you and your pretend husband were going to go, or rather are being ordered to go, downstairs for dinner to further push this idea that the two of you were just a regular married couple.
So about an hour before the dinner reservation in the hotels restaurant while Agent Bennett was too busy trying to find a channel on the hotels tv that wasn't all in bloody French, you slipped into the bathroom to attempt to slip yourself in a dress suitable enough for an evening meal, but not too revealing as to look like you're trying to be invited to work undercover in the red light district.
You stare at the five differently styled dresses you narrowed your two suitcases to, and can't help but sigh to yourself. How on earth have you managed to get yourself in this particular situation?
"Oi! You gonna be any longer missus? Think I'm gonna piss myself here with how long you've been on the loo for!"
"Piss off the balcony for all I care, I'm changing!" You yell back, not looking away from the line of dresses hung up on the shower curtain line.
"Touchy touchy... well if ya want I could always come in and-"
"Over my dead body!" This time, you sharply turn to the door and glare as you picture Agent Bennett on the other side with his smug smirk and his crossed arms that manage to somehow make his biceps bigger than what they were. Ugh it makes you sick in the stomach just thinking about them.
"For god's sake love open the door and I'll choose the god damn dress so you can quit fussing and I can quit trying not to piss myself over the carpet! I don't wanna barge in cause you're a lady and all that but i'm a desperate man over here!" He says, and you can't help but giggle for a moment as you imagine him hopping about with crossed legs and his arms crossed over his bladder. Still, with a straight face you unlock and open the bathroom door and stand aside as to your amusement, Agent Bennett just as you imagined, shuffles into the room with his legs fused together.
"The red one." He simply says, barely managing to get a look at them all before deciding on one you suspect at random.
"But it's got that massive slit down the side that shows my knee. I want to be formal, not like I'm looking for a good time."
"So go with the yellow." He quickly fires, definitely making eyes at the toilet.
"Washes me out like Edward Cullen."
"He an ex of yours or something? Green looks charming."
"I'm gonna respectfully choose to ignore that statement and accept your apology. Besides, I don't have the shoes to go with it."
"Choose the black one or I'm pissing with or without you in the room. And a word of warning, I think a number two may be coming up on the horizon sweetheart."
"You're disgusting." You snap, grabbing all the dresses from the shower curtain rail and swiftly retreating from the room. You can hear Agent Bennett's unique chuckle echo as you begin shutting the door behind you, and you refuse to believe it's why your heart feels like it's beating a million beats a second hard against your rib cage.
You stare in the mirror as you place the black dress in front of yourself in an attempt to see how it looks, and you can't help but think damn. You look fucking hot.
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As you walked beside Agent Bennett arm in arm into the restaurant, you swore you could feel somebody's eyes resting on you. Even after the two of you had sat down and ordered some drinks, the back of your neck felt sweltering from the eyes of another.
“It’s cause of the dress.” Your pretend husband insisted as he sipped on some of the red wine. Apparently ordering a plain old lager wasn’t very upper class of him. “Your tits look really good in it.”
“Don’t look at my breasts agent Bennett!” You scowl, moving your arms to shield his and possibly even the other set of eyes from your slightly revealed skin.
“Maybe don’t call me agent Bennett whilst we’re undercover wifey.” He smirks, choosing to blissfully ignore your previous demand.
“Fine! Husband, do not stare at my breasts in public.”
“So you’re fine with me going it in the privacy of our room? Good to know.”
“If we weren’t in public right now I swear I’d-“
“Are you both ready to order some starters?” A voice interrupts you admittedly with a start. When you turn around a relatively young man possibly even younger than yourself stands there in a fancy suit and a small notebook in hand. He’s got a charming smile you suppose, but the eyes tell an entirely different story as you can see him very clearly taking the opportunity to look down the front of your dress.
“I’ll take the dived scallops with charred leak, onion broth and pink purslane.” You snap the starter menu shut loudly which thankfully draws the attention of the waiter from your breasts. He even seems to be bashful as his face turns a light pink and he coughs a few times as he adjusts himself.
“And you sir?” He finally squeezed, turning to Tom who looked at the man unimpressed as if he wasn’t doing practically the same thing not even five minutes ago.
“I’ll take the same as my wife.” Tom emphasizes those last two words firmly while he glares at the poor boy who begins to stutter out an apology towards you.
"I-I'm sorry ma'am! I'll send someone else over to take the rest of your order!" And like that, the lad runs off with his tail between his legs, leaving you with a distinct yet mixed feeling of both shame and gratitude, while Tom begins to chug the rest of his glass of wine and refills the empty glass with a smile like the cat who ate the canary.
Five minutes go by filled only with the background noise of the restaurant's classical music and the conversations of other hotel guests, and finally another person comes over dressed in the same looking suit.
"Hi my name is Henriette and I shall be taking the rest of your order and helping you with any issues you may or may not face for the rest of the evening. I see my colleague has already taken your starters, but could I please have the rest of your intended food order?" Compared to the other guy, this woman certainly acts like she belongs here.
"I'm afraid to say my dear that my husband is very particular with his food order so I will be deciding for him or else we'll both end up going hungry! I shall have for my main the ratatouille, while he'll have the beef carbonnade. For desserts, me and my husband will each have a chocolate ganache cake with the amarena cherries.”
“Perfect choice Madame!” Henriette smiles as she takes the yours and Tom’s menus before nodding her head to you slightly and walking away.
“I’m very particular with my food?”
“Yes. Like a child who refuses to eat their vegetables because they’re green.”
“I would take offence to that if it wasn’t true.” Tom admits, even shrugging his shoulders while you giggle slightly at his action.
The rest of the evening is filled with chatter and smiles that are not as reluctant as you’d like to admit. That stare you felt at the beginning of the night washes away as you concern yourself with Tom and his antics that leave your cheeks aching from how relaxed you've been with him.
The food soon arrives one after another, and each time a plate is placed in front of Tom he gives you a look of untrustworthiness as he raises his fork and moves to take a bite. Yet every time he does this he gives you a look of satisfying defeat which you always respond with a smile.
By the time the desserts arrive, Tom has eaten every bite of the food you chose for him, and you remember that fact distinctively so you could rub it in his face later on.
"So... how's the food been?" You can't help but ask as you savor the way too overpriced little cake that's about the same size as the distance between your thumb and your palm.
"They've been pretty good." He grunts, eyes focused on the cake he doesn't care about the size of, only the rich taste and the thought of how younger he would've killed for this sort of food.
"Pretty good? If we weren't in public I'd think you were about to lick the goddamn plate."
"Not my fault the portions are small as fuck."
"Tom, don't swear in public, it's unbecoming!"
"Jesus what are you my father now? Or my sister?"
"Tom, what are you talking about?" Your brow furrows in confusion at Tom's sudden change in mood. Where was that person who half an hour ago was joking and riling you up with only the topic of your own boobs for gods sake and who is this moody teenager that replaced him?
"Cause I know you're just putting up with me cause you were assigned to me." he begins, but pauses to refill his glass. That's when you realise exactly why his tongue seems to be so loose and why his mood is so well, moody. Tom Bennett has allowed himself to indulge practically at the very start of the mission and is now sitting in front of you pissed as a sea sailor on bloody red wine of all things. "You're probably thinking about how pathetic I am right now! Oh how pathetic is it that top agent Bennett is getting drunk so early!"
"Jesus Christ Tom, can you keep it together!" You attempt to whisper, but ultimately fail as you see everyone is slowly beginning to turn to look at the two of you including the waitress from earlier.
So in an attempt to halt the damage already made, you grab Tom's arm and try to pull him from his chair so you can drag him back to your room and let him sleep this mood swing off. Though that's about as effective as running through water as he just slumps against you and nearly knocks you straight to the floor, training be damned it seems.
"Do you wish for me to help you Madame? I could get someone at the front desk to help?" The familiar voice of Henriette says.
"No thank you I am perfectly capable Henriette. I am used to dragging my husband away when he's gotten into one of his moods. As much as he denies it every time he has never been very good at holding his alcohol no matter the amount of times he does it." You have to force yourself to act calm and like a true high class lady, but anyone with eyes could see how frustrated you were at that moment as you refrained yourself from whacking Tom over the head and teaching him a lesson.
You somehow manage to get Tom out of the dining hall with the stares of every man and woman in that room no doubt judging your sham of a marriage with their eyes and tongues. Just as you're about to leave though, you suddenly remember the bill and almost go straight back leaving Tom in the middle of the corridor whilst you sort it out, but then with a sigh of utmost gratitude you also remember how it'll be charged at the end of your stay.
“Where are you taking me, wife?” He grumbles, feeling you stop him so suddenly he gets the urge to throw up.
“Back to our room husband. Because of you and your inability to hold your alcohol, our mission may have failed before it even began.”
This time, the hotheaded agent doesn’t have a response to give you. Instead, he just closes his eyes and leans himself against you, allowing himself to be dragged to the room. In the elevator though there is some elderly woman decked to the dimes in diamonds and sapphires who gives the two of you a knowing look from where she stands.
“Long night?” She asks you, staring straight ahead as the doors close behind you.
“Tell me about it…” You laugh, grunting as Tom begins to slip and you’re forced to pull him up further against you. She laughs with you with a look in her eyes as if she’s remembering something long ago, and with that the conversation between you ends.
She gets off on the next floor, and you and Tom manage to make it back to your room giving the impression of a young dutiful wife just taking her drunk husband back to their room.
Soon as you get inside, you chuck Tom off you onto the sofa and chuckle as you imagine him waking up in the middle of the night with a sore back and his evening clothes.
You change into comfy pajamas you packed and get into bed, almost falling straight to sleep with how comfy the bed and pillows are, but not before listening to the sound of Tom's snoring that sends you into a deep sleep.
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When you wake on the morning of the mission to the sound of your alarm, you can’t help but allow your eyes to be drawn to the sofa where you expect to see Toms drooped over a wine stinking body. Only there’s no one there.
“Tom?” You call out as you step out the bed and make your way to the bathroom thinking maybe he’s in there throwing up his insides. Only when you hear no response or even any throwing up noises do you enter to find it in the exact same way you left it this morning.
When you touch the sofa you take note of how it’s slightly cold to the touch, and can’t help yourself but think about Tom possibly staggering from his seat late at night whilst you slept and got himself in trouble.
The anxiety gnaws at your mind as the possibilities of what could’ve happened to him keep coming at you.
Where did he go?
What if he went looking for more alcohol in a dingy bar somewhere and got caught?
What if he’s lying somewhere dead?
By the time you come around your nails are half shredded and your legs are shaking slightly from how long you’ve been standing up. And to keep yourself sane for the time being you find yourself for the first time ever texting Agent Tom Bennett.
The agency for every new case assigns the agent a different phone with all the information and numbers needed. You’d been given yours after the debriefing, and yet somehow Tom had already begun to spam you with random texts throughout the day.
What is your favourite food? What's your drink of choice? What’s your favourite colour?
You never answered, partially because leaving him on read was an exhilarating experience. So texting him now felt strange to do.
Where are you?
You texted him that first. But after five minutes of watching the pixilated words be left unanswered and unread you sent him another.
I hope your having the worst hangover of your life. You deserve it after last night and how you acted. Show up to the mission sober if you can go so long without a drink I’m surprised the so great agent Bennett is an alcoholic
You take a break staring in order to take a shower and hopefully clear your thoughts. As you step out the bathroom and begin to towel dry your hair you hear your phone ping with a notification, and it’s as if rocks have been tied to your feet with how heavy they feel walking to your phone.
You open it with a hitched breath, and you almost get the urge to chuck it straight out the balcony doors when you see the message.
Didn’t think you’d have worried about little old me that much Mrs. And don’t worry, my hangover, which I’m sad to report is practically non existant, will probs be gone before the mission even begins. I’ll meet you there when you need me.
And when you think it’s over, he sends another
By the way it’s you’re when speaking bout my headache love, not your ;)
“Bastard.” You groan this time chucking yourself against the bed. Why does he take such pleasure in your annoyance? Why does he seem to enjoy making your life so hard?
In the end in an attempt to take your mind off the hurricane that was Tom Bennett you switch your phone off and spend the whole day in your hotel room fixing yourself up for this evening.
You firstly treat yourself to room service breakfast involving pancakes, croissants, bacon and the whole nine dimes. Then after cleaning yourself up you got onto the actual dressing up aspect.
The dress as soon as you had arrived in the room yesterday was hung up on a hook from within its protective bag in the wardrobe, and when you retrieve it and unravel it you go just as breathless as you were when you first saw it.
The blue is still as breathtaking and the length still as satisfactory. You almost get the girlish urge to put it on now and twirl around like how you did as a child in your Disney princess costume, but stop yourself as you remember Stan warning you not to crease the dress at all, so to be safe you zip the protective cover straight back up and close the wardrobes door firmly to be safe.
So you move on to trying on everything else. The bra you plan to wear isn't too important as the dress will cover up your shoulders so that's out of the way.
The shoes take up some time but in your opinion not long enough. Since practically as soon as the questions come at you their answers come shooting in quick succession behind them. The question on what was nonexistent as since you knew dancing was going to happen whether by the agencies demand or even Toms, heels were out of the question. And since there were few other shoes packed for you in your suitcase you soon found yourself with some dark navy kitten heels that managed to make you feel elegant and safe at the same time.
Makeup though was your biggest time consumer though. You spent hours thinking about what was suitable and what was not with all the products that had been packed all laid out on the dresser table in front of you.
You couldn't put too much on, as then everyone would stare and you might as well cancel the mission before it's even begun. Though you couldn't go without any or be super subtle with it all or else even then you'll get judgemental stares from people. So you spend quite a bit of time in front of the mirror putting various different products on your face and finally after what thankfully feels like forever, you find a style that suits both you and the mission at hand perfectly.
When experimenting, you did debate on possibly wearing something you think would interest the man whose house you're infiltrating, but you soon put that thought to bed when the con list became longer than the pros, not that there was even anything on there in the beginning. You had no idea what he was truly like behind closed doors apart from of course betraying his country and his people that is.
Though the one you wear now, it makes you feel powerful.
It’s a good mixture of subtle yet striking, with the use of eyeliner forcing people to look into your eyes. There’s only a little conditioner and foundation to cover up a few spots and blemishes. The only other thing you decide to use make-up wise is some lipstick that’s a little darker than your natural lip shade.
You decide to take it off as it’s still a while before you need to leave before the ball, so to waste time you do what you never would’ve done before this mission.
You sat on the bed in a complimentary dressing gown, ordered some fancy lunch, and watched reality tv. You watch it all as you eat without any complaints. It feels like you were a teenager all over again without a care in the world.
Though soon the time ticks away and it’s about time for you to get changed into your outfit and prepare your weapons. A small pistol strapped to your thigh. A signet looking ring on your ring finger that when activated, could deliver 50 thousand volts to whoever is unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of it. And your personal favourite, a pepper spray that’s disguised to look like a shade of red lipstick.
When that’s all sorted though and hidden away from the public eye, only then do you dare turn your phone back on. You don’t really know what to expect. Messages from Tom begging for forgiveness? A message from your supervisor saying you’re gonna be extracted as Toms blew the mission?
You will say what you do find when you turn your phone. Nothing. No messages, no notifications, nothing.
It’s a blow to the stomach but you take it on the chin and deal with it, especially when it's Tom you’re dealing with.
Walking down to the lobby to get to the car that’ll bring you to the rich guy's mansion, you can feel the stares of others on your skin as you walk. To keep appearances you simply sway your hips as you pass to show you are unbothered by your past, and smile at yourself like you own the world.
Which you certainly feel like when you realise the car that’ll be dropping you off is a smaller yet still classy limousine, even equipped with an equally handsome man who opens the door for you to get in.
“Good evening Mrs Carrington,” The kind man begins as you slowly sway closer. “My name is Webster, and I shall be your chauffeur for the duration of this service. There are drinks within the back as-well as many small snacks in case you were feeling particularly peckish. Do you have any questions for me?”
“No thank you Webster I believe any I thought of have already been answered.” You just simply say with a smile of gratitude as you duck into the car and let out a sigh you didn’t even realise you were holding as you sat down on the soft leather.
You turn your head slightly to get a look at these drinks and small snacks on offer, and it truly does seem all your questions have been answered as you meet the eyes of your pretend husband for the evening as he drinks at a bottle of unlabelled substance.
“I’d have thought after yesterday you’d avoid alcohol…” You can’t help but snidely comment, watching as he grumbles at it.
“I came back didn’t I? Ain’t that the most important thing?”
“The most important thing Bennett, is you making sure you don’t screw this mission over with your day drinking.” You respond, and in an act of retaliation that shocks even you, you make a grab at the bottle of drink and sniff at the top to try and tell what it is.
Though you suppose it’s even more shocking for you to discover that the bottle doesn’t smell like cheap booze as you thought it was, but actually it was the scentless yet still recognisable scent of water.
“Not had a drop since yesterday.” Tom sneers, grabbing back the bottle to take another swig. "Wouldn't want to embarrass the perfect little agent anymore than I already have."
"Don't call me that Bennett." You snap, looking at him with hate in your eyes as you try to think back to the nice man you talked with yesterday.
"Why not Mrs? Aren't you the one who's got the 100% success rate in all their missions? The one who always catches the bad guy with not a single scratch on her soft delicate skin?" Tom continues to antagonise you and you swear you're this close to yanking that bottle from his hands and whacking him to death with it in this very car.
"Let's just focus on the mission, husband, so then this can all be over and done with and we can go back to never talking too or even better not even seeing each other again. Alright?"
"Fine..." He amusingly grumbles as he slumps further into the seat. "Run the plan by me again Mrs as I'm sure you've memorised it all already."
"I actually have, but if you insist. We get into the venue posing as Mr and Mrs Carrington, then socialise for a bit to appear as the average bourgeoisie couple, maybe even dance a bit if we need to. After that we head to the politician's office to extract the information from the hard drive within the vault. Hopefully we should be out and back in bed before midnight. Any questions?"
Tom, deciding to be the class clown in a car of only three people, raises his hand as if in a classroom. "I've got a question Mrs! Who said anything about dancing?"
"The supervisor did. As according to him we need to fit in as much as possible and that includes dancing whether you like the idea or not. Oh, and one more thing silly old me forgot to mention. Don't flirt with any lonely wives or daughters."
"Oh come on Mrs don't you think I have some self restraint?" He attempts to laugh with a smile on his face that soon much to your own amusement however, is quickly wiped away when he sees the dead seriousness of your expression and voice. "Do you really think that little of me?"
"Well within the first full day of knowing me you got drunk as a sailor after being honest for two seconds with me, then left in the middle of the night to do god knows what in the streets. So yes Agent Bennett, that is what I think of you."
"You remind me of my sister... I don't say that often or with great pleasure..." Tom grumbles while you yourself find yourself acting surprised at his words.
"You've got a sister?" You find yourself asking.
"Yeah. Lois. The brains of the family while I got the looks. Was a singer in a pub before she got the qualifications after having a baby to become a nurse at some great big hospital. Dad's little brainy-box while I'm sitting in a jail cell for another night." This time, you don't say the words that immediately pop into your head. As even as helpful as they will try to sound you know he'll take it as pity whichever way you say it. "Though I suppose I got the looks at least! We can agree on that, can't we missus! What you say after this we go to the pub? My treat!"
And with not even what you could say a snap of the fingers the energetic careful Agent Bennett returns. Along with the urge to smack him round the head with one hand while with the other you call HR.
"And do what? Just drinking?" You find yourself asking.
"Sure! And maybe more if you feel like it. No pressure at all! I do like my ladies, consenting I'll have you know!"
"Oh great you like the basic rules of sex. Good to know..." You grumble, and with your last strand of patience snapping, you find a small bottle of fruity cider you remember drinking back when you were a uni student and taking a swig.
"Now who needs to be told to watch their liquor!" Tom laughs.
"Shut it or I'm throwing you out of the car myself and making you walk."
"But I dunno where I'll be heading sweetheart!"
"Then ask a local for directions."
"But I don't speak french?"
"39% of the French population say they can speak English. With how much of a talker you tend to be, I'm sure you won't have much of an issue finding someone!"
After yours and Tom's little marital spat, as Tom himself called it as he grumbled like a toddler slouching against the seats, the rest of the ride to the estate was filled with silence. Occasionally the sound of a honking car or the regular noises of the bustling city life broke the silence, but apart from that you and Tom made no effort to get along.
You sometimes take a sip of the cider you opened without much thought, and you regret very soon as the taste washes over your tongue. There’s a reason why you drank this at uni. It’s cheap, it’s strong, and after a couple bottles you can’t remember your own name.
“We’re about five minutes from the location Mr and Mrs Carrington,” The driver says through the little intercom. “I suggest you start thawing out before the entrance.”
You and Tom look at each other from the corner of your eyes, and deep down know the man is right. Even if the two of you couldn’t stand each other right now, for the sake of the country as much as Tom claims to hate it you both do not want the innocent people to suffer.
“Fine.” You spit.
“Fine.” Tom grumbles back.
So like the loved-up couple you were both playing to be, with neither knowing who began moving first, yours and Tom's hand found each other and clutched together in a firm embrace.
When the both of you get out of the car at the front of the politician's house, your hands still clutch hard against one another as you both adorn the masks you’ve been given to conceal your identity.
In an almost ironic turn of events, you were given the mark of the devil, and Tom the mask of the angel.
"Looking good Mrs." You hear Tom say.
"Save it!" You simply snap back with your eyes facing straight forward. If he wants to try and make you begin liking him again with simple words, he's gonna have to try much harder than that. Preferably on his knees, but you don't mind as long as he truly shows his regret.
And with how you can practically hear him rolling his eyes at you, you know he'll at this point need to be doing a lot more than getting on his knees for you if you had anything to say to him.
The target as expected wasn't at the door to greet his guests. Instead, he simply walked around the rooms like God's greatest gift and allowed them the honour of approaching.
Only he wasn't going to be the spider standing idly by waiting for the fly to come to him. Tonight, he was the ignorant fly while you and Tom sat perched in your little web, venom ready awaiting the right moment to strike.
"You seen him yet angel?" Tom murmurs against your ear as he leads you into the main ball room with his hand perched firmly on your lower back. You can feel the warmth of his palm alone through the fabric of your clothes, and you hate the way it makes your stomach churn in a way that leaves you craving for more.
"If I saw him, I'd tell you." You just simply say, turning your head away from him as you still feel where his breath had tickled you. Somehow though, you didn't manage to pluck the courage inside you to move from his hand that still firmly imprints itself against you.
You can hear him lightly chuckle beside you, and with a quick yet heavy sip of the complimentary champagne you were offered when you both walked through the door, the mission began.
With every step forward you felt daggers piercing the back of your neck, and with every sudden high pitched laugh belonging to some man's wife you felt the grip on Tom's arm suddenly tighten.
"What you doing that for?!" He suddenly whispers after the fifth time.
"Something doesn't feel right..." You try to reason, resisting every urge to turn around.
"Oh I'm sorry. I guess I didn't realise I was partnered with the bloody girl who saw dead people."
"If we were not in this room full of people I want you to know I would've smacked you round the back of the head for that."
"Careful love. If you do it I may just like it."
"Save it for the gullible women you manage to con into sleeping with you." You attempt to seem disgusted at his actions as you think about how many women seem to be affected by Tom's typical charm, but then you're reminded that you were one of the women who'd fallen victim to his boyish-like smiles and his dopey laugh. You'll never admit this to anyone, but your face may have turned a little pink at the memory.
"Only if that gullible woman is you my sweet." Tom quips right back, smiling at you in such a way it feels like your heart may beat out of your chest. Yet to stop him from charming you anymore, you just roll your eyes and nudge Tom into the direction of the bar.
"Thought you said I wasn't allowed to drink?
"I did. It's just the extra cherry on top of the milkshake being able to drink in front of you. Like eating chocolate in front of a child past its bed time." You grin, ordering a double gin and tonic and finishing that first sip with an exaggerated sigh. "Husband, would you mind paying the bartender for my drink pretty please? I seem to have left my purse at home!"
"Any man that makes his wife pay for her own drinks looking like that in that dress is no man." The bartender comments, looking you up and down as he takes Tom's card and puts it through the machine. While the man's back is turned for a moment you can't help but observe him.
You recognise him from the list of employees you looked at before arriving tonight. His name is Henry Clarkes, a ginger middle aged man from Exeter currently on his 3rd marriage collapse. Though to be fair, that wouldn't have happened if he hadn't gotten another girl even younger than yourself pregnant with his 4th child. Though that's just your opinion...
By your side Tom grumbles something illegible as he stares daggers into the back of the man's head. And to your surprise, he only manages to push out an obviously strained thanks that even the man behind the bar chuckles at. So before Tom takes it upon himself to leap across that bar and beats the man black and blue, you take Tom's hand firmly in your own to squeeze it tight and drag him away from the scene.
"Bet you loved that." He says soon as you're far enough away. "But you would've taken him into our hotel room if I wasn't there!"
"Fucks sake Tom if i'd have known you were just as a dickhead sober I would've gotten you a drink before we came here. Maybe it would've made you more bearable..."
"So you don't deny it!" He growls, pulling you with a yelp as he forces you to a wall at the edge of the party. "You would've fucked him in our bed?"
"Jesus Tom no I would not have fucked that random man in our hotel bed!" You try to whisper, but it's sort of hard too when there's gossipy women practically circling you where you stand. "Unlike you, I don't sleep with random people I've met in the span of less than a minute!"
"I don't do that anymore!" Is that his defence? Really?
"Since when? This morning!?"
"Since I realised I'd be working with you a few weeks ago." It's the way he says it so quickly you suppose is what makes you so flustered. The way he had no hesitation in the words as if he had been waiting to say them all his life.
"Tom... I-"
"My my and who are these two lovebirds tucked away in the corner?" A voice suddenly says, bursting the two of you out of whatever trance you were entrapped in. You both turn to this person, and you have to physically stop yourself from reacting when you recognise them. The exact man whose home and party you just sneaked into, the corrupt french politician.
"I'm Dahlia Carrington monsieur, and this is my husband Thomas! I apologise for our behaviour, we were just having a little argument and-"
"Oh no need to apologise mademoiselle! I myself have at least one argument a day with my own wife!" That's cause you've been cheating on her with the nanny of your four children all under the age of 12. If it wasn't so sad to think about given the age gap, you'd have laughed at the cliche of it all. "Let me guess! She's been hitting the cards and the drinks a little too hard huh?"
Did this man really just manage to call you a gold-digger and some kind of alcoholic all in one insult? You think he did. Tom thinks it too, by the way he seems to glare the same kind of despising glaring at this man just like how he did at the bartender.
"Sure." Tom grits out, his jaw clenched down hard. You look down, and see that even his whole body is reared up.
Yet it seems this man is as dense as his security is, since he just keeps on talking.
"You know what you need to do son? Need to get her on a tighter leash if you ask me!" If Tom doesn't hit him, you definitely will at this point. "Maybe even give her a child! Cause I can tell from her figure alone that she hasn't had any yet! But trust me on this, only have a single son! Cause then you've got the heir, the wife off your back, and a still tight one when you need it! Oh, and by the way mademoiselle, you may want to smile a bit more. Makes you look all wrinkled and old."
How is this man smiling right now at you? He has just told you that you were pretty much just at best, a childbearing sex doll for your husband, and he's just standing there with the biggest fucking grin on his face drinking some million dollar looking champagne. How fucking dare?
"Ooh! I must be off now! There are so many guests to see and so little time... au revoir my good friends!" He smiles, disappearing into the crowd of the bourgeoisie, leaving you and Tom at the edge with anger written clearly on both your faces.
"I'm gonna kill him." You say first.
"Not if I do it first." Tom responds immediately after. "I'll push him down the stairs so everyone will claim it was cause he was drunk."
"I was just gonna shoot him in the head."
"Wouldn't that blow our cover?" Tom curiously asks, turning to you while you look back at him with a unique smile on your face that Tom can't help but cause a shiver to run up his spine.
"Doesn't matter to me. At least I get the satisfaction of knowing I rid the world of another patriarchal dickheaded twat..." You firmly say, watching Tom's mouth slowly turn into an almost impressed smirk.
"Fair enough wife. Fair enough."
Tom takes your hand in his as he slowly directs you through the room till you get to the staircase to the upper floors. Thankfully they haven't been shut off to the public, and instead people are being encouraged to look around and marvel at all the weird and frankly sort of disturbing memorabilia adorning the walls, such as stuffed animals being glass and paintings of worryingly young girls.
"His office is another floor up. If we continue looking like some regular prissy couple then we can get there easy." He says directing you further down the corridor to yet another set of stairs.
"If I knew I'd need to be climbing up so many stairs I'd have requested the costume team to have packed me more comfortable shoes..." You grumble as Tom looks over his shoulder to merely laugh at your pain.
"Awe, is the poor little lady unhappy she has to climb some simple stairs?" He pouts as he tilts his head, laughing loud at how you scowl at him. "I would've thought little miss perfect would've actually looked at the mission plans before this. My my was the mrs slacking?"
"Idiot." You simply sigh, rolling your ankles as soon as you get to the next floor. "I did look at the plans I'll have, you know! It's not my fault that it was never specified the height of the stairs..." You mumble. You can see Tom laugh slightly with a delighted twinkle in his eye as he looks at your pouting lips. He sure loves to see you suffer....
"I mean I could've carried Mrs up if her royal highness had asked me." Tom shrugs, laughing as you take the time to wack him on his upper arm with the back of your hand. "Hey hey hey Mrs don't hit our loving devoted husband! I did offer!"
"Yeah, when we were already up the stairs!"
"At least I offered at all! Besides, the office is just up here. You've stretched your ankle enough." Tom groans, grabbing you by the wrist this time to lead you. You grumble behind him as you look around at the corridor for any cameras and any extra security.
You spot three cameras already by the time you both get to the door, and tap Tom's hand to let him know. Thankfully you can't see anything else that would get in the way of the mission like a keypad or a retinal scanner. If you had to admit, it was sort of basic considering what information the man was storing and with how much money he had.
"You got it?" He pulls you in close to murmur against your ear. To those currently watching, it would've looked like a husband leaning in to whisper some romantic words to his wife.
"Of course." You simply murmur back, fiddling with your earring as you find the tiny switch and press it. It's amazing what kind of technology the intelligence lab can come up with, as to any other person looking at you they may have thought you were wearing simple ordinary earrings. But, in actuality they were specially designed in order to, when having the switch pressed, would expel a small burst of electromagnetic waves that'd disrupt the cameras feed, giving the organisation enough time to replace it with a fake copy. "Should be replaced now."
Usually, the organisation would have people on hand to hack into the cameras and change the feed. But apparently they couldn't do it within the time they got to the secure location and the time you'd be getting to the location. So for the time being, the earrings had to do.
"Then let's get inside. Stupid bastard doesn't even have a lock on the door." He laughs, stepping inside and closing it behind you. "He even left his safe in clear view of the room! What a twat!"
"Careful Tom!" You can't help but say, watching as he strides across the room with no possible caution for danger. "We don't know exactly what sort of security this man has on his safe!"
"Then I suppose we better figure it out then Mrs." He continues to smile, this time walking directly up to the safe as he puts on a pair of gloves you didn't know where he was even hiding them. "Seems pretty simple to me..."
Tom puts his head against the cool material of the box and slowly begins to turn the dial ever so slowly so he can hear the distinct clicks from within. Slowly you walk up behind him and watch him as he works, which gives you a view of something you had no idea you'd be interested in viewing.
From where you stood you could see Tom's long nimble hands work as they touch the dial and in a strange way stroke the surface of the safe as he moves his hand. If you had to be honest with yourself, it's sort of hypnotising.
"You know I can feel you staring at me right Mrs?" Tom's cocky voice suddenly says, breaking you from whatever strange spell Tom's fingers had on you. He even turns to stare at you as he says this, and you can't find yourself even in the position to lie to yourself that Tom's grin doesn't make you feel like you have butterflies swarming right now in your stomach.
"Just open the safe Agent Bennett." You snarl, admittedly the nickname feeling strange against your tongue.
"My my back to the origins are we missus? Then it's a good thing I've got the perfect nickname for you and I'll never be using anything less for my favourite girl!" Tom turns back to the last few digits of the safe, and you're left with a blush you pray this man does not see. He still calls you Mrs after seeing how annoyed it got you. Just how long would it take to shake off the fact you blushed due to his charm?
"Are you almost done?" You ask, attempting to distract yourself and hope it goes down quickly.
"If you let me listen I'd be done quicker." He quips, letting out a loud "Aha!" when the final distinct tick sounds, and he's able to turn the wheel and open the safe door with a self-satisfied smile. "And you thought to doubt me?"
"Shut it." You sigh, stepping out the way as Tom swings the door out towards the two of you, to reveal another door.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Tom groans, the sound of which you ignore as you walk up to it and see what it is you're dealing with. Unlike the security on the last door, this one is equipped with a key pad with numbers zero through nine, and no real indication on how long the sequence needed to be.
Yet that doesn't appear to stop you as you try putting in the birthday of the nanny, to which an annoyingly loud noise sounds out indicating a failed attempt. "Two attempts remain." A male robotic voice says.
"What did you do!?" Tom shouts, forcibly grabbing your upper arm to turn you around and look at him.
"I took my shot." You simply say, taking Tom's arm in your hand and shoving it away so hard he steps back once. "And don't you dare touch me like that again Tom."
To your relief, he doesn't seem in the mood to pick a fight with you as he just grumbles under his breath staring at the door keeping the both of you from your mission.
Admittedly, you both stay where you stand for a few minutes thinking about possible numbers the politician would hold dear to him. Anything to do with his wife is immediately off the table such as anniversaries or her birthday. You'd thought he'd maybe take advantage of the nanny more than he had already, but that seems to be just as effective as the wife. That's when you suddenly get reminded of something he's said to Tom early while he was halfway through a misogynistic ramble he'd been on.
'But trust me on this, only have a single son!'
"Tom," You begin to ask, turning to said man who at the sound of his name looks back at you recognising the thinking expression on your face. "What was that thing the bastard was saying about his son?"
You say this rhetorically as you step closer and closer to the keypad with a grin as you enter the birth date of the politician's only son and youngest child, and are welcomed with the same robotic voice as before. "Welcome monsieur, to the vault." It simply says, before this time Tom's voice breaks through the silence.
"Fucking smarty pants!" He says as he moves in front of you. At first you think this is just another insult, but then you see the way his face is actually lit up in pride and realise quickly he's actually proud of you. "Knew you could do this Mrs!"
"Really?" You can't help but ask, watching as his face quickly turns serious as he looks at you. It's strange.
"Of course. You're smart, you are. More smarter than I could ever be. I mean, you actually listened to the French bastard while he was talking to us."
"You weren't?"
"No. I was just imagining my fists pummelling into his face till he swallows his own teeth and is forced to be put on life support in some shitty hospital that without him knowing bleeds his money dry as he fights for his life." He admits, watching you closely as you blink in surprise at the level of violence this man in front of you is willing to express.
"Damn... he must've pissed you off good Tom." You try to make the mood lighter, but still Tom's face stays oddly serious and calm.
"Of course he did. No one should get to talk about you like that in front of you, or even away from you, and get to smile like that ever again. Now let's get into this vault thing." Fuck. Here comes the blush and the feral butterflies in the stomach. A double whammy...
"Y-yeah lets!" You quickly say, standing close behind Tom as he opens the door and thankfully this time not revealing another door, but instead revealing a large room filled with a variety of things that would no doubt add up to millions, possibly even ranging into a billion pounds.
"Who even needs this?" Tom's voice suddenly rings out. You turn to the direction of where his voice came from, and begin to laugh hard when you see exactly what Tom is so confused by. A large bottle of what looked like it used to hold port, but now holds a deep amber coloured liquid that took you a second to realise what it is as well as some other bits floating about.
Agent Tom Bennett is holding in his hands a witches' bottle. AKA, a bottle filled with some random person's piss, toe nails, hair and other various bodily things.
You must've made him nervous as for the first time you think since the mission started he says your name in a meek manner. "What am I holding..."
"You, you're holding some poor person's piss!" You laugh, practically wheezing with no consideration for noise levels as you watch Tom's face contort into one of pure disgust and horror. He manages to put it down as gently as a man who just discovered he's holding a bottle of piss can be, yet it still manages to make you laugh so hard you almost fall over.
"That's fucking disgusting!" The poor man shouts, staring at the offending item with deeply furrowed eyebrows and hateful eyes. "Why the fuck would anyone want that?!"
"I dunno. People used to make them in order to draw in and trap harmful intentions directed at their owners like evil spirits or counteract witches spells. It's sort of cool, when you get past the fact that it's basically just piss and nails and other bodily stuff in a jar."
"Still fucking disgusting. Let's just find this stupid hard drive..." He grumbles, rubbing the hand that touched the bottle on his suit.
You continue to giggle behind Tom as you follow him through the assortment of items. By the looks of it, basically all of it has been organised into sort of sections, making the look for the area with the electronics much easier for the two of you.
After some time looking through some boxes of various things, you find a hard drive labelled with the dangerous info the politician was storing. You'll be honest, it almost felt too easy finding it.
"That's it?" You hear Tom comment from behind as you turn around to face him with the device within your pointing finger and thumb.
"That's it." You shrug, stepping forward to adjust Tom's suit jacket so you can get to the small inside pocket and place the device inside it. It's a little bigger than what was expected, but it still fits just fine within its containment.
"Are we done now," Tom starts to murmur, making you realise the position you were in. You were standing barely a breath away from him, still holding his jacket lapel with your hands keeping him close. You swear you can feel his breath fan against your face, your own face though being pulled straight out of your lungs when you for certain feel his hands slowly move to touch your waist. "I was beginning to enjoy my time with you. Maybe we can fit in a dance before we leave, huh missus?"
You can barely find yourself able to speak as you're frozen where you stand. You can barely manage to nod as you can only find yourself praying for your life that the blush on your face isn't as noticeable as you feel it being.
"Y-yeah." You finally manage to strain out, not even able to look at him as you try to focus on instead of his face a small stain near his chest pocket. Yet it seems Tom has other plans, as he removes one of the hands from your waist to your chin, which he uses only two of his fingers to gently move your head up and force you to look at him eye to eye.
You feel your eyes drawn upwards to look at his face, yet even that action doesn’t last long as you suddenly find yourself staring at his lips while he moistens them with his tongue. They’re a pretty shade of pink, and under the harsh light overhead you can swear you find them glistening slightly.
You murmur Tom's name under your breath lightly, and your eyes close as you feel his hands curl tightly around your body with a sense of possessiveness you never thought you’d get from him.
As you begin to lean closer, feeling his warm breath slowly cause goosebumps to raise all along the length of your arms, you can feel your eyes slowly close as you begin to wonder how this situation has occurred, and why the hell does it feel so right to do?
That is however, till you hear faint footsteps that sound like they're coming closer.
"Do you hear that?" You murmur as you open your eyes slightly to look at Tom, who to your slight amusement is still stuck within the moment. His eyes are still closed, and his mouth slightly puckered as he still tries to inch himself closer and closer.
"I didn't hear anything." He quickly says, not opening his eyes or anything. "Just get over here so I can-"
"They're over here!" A voice shouts in the distance, finally forcing Tom to accept the moment is over, and open his eyes to see your 'i told you so' expression.
Tom grumbles some incoherent words under his breath as he takes his gun out from his hidden inner pocket before turning to you. "Don't think this is over missus." He simply says, before turning to the direction of where the shouting came from.
You yourself just roll your eyes as you retrieve your own pistol still firmly strapped against your leg, and follow behind Tom as you both try to get some cover underneath all the ornaments and objects placed amongst each other.
There is only one main walkway that is designed to showcase every item as you walk around the room, but that doesn't mean people can't make their paths, as demonstrated when Tom walks head first through a rack of old animal fur coats. As the two of you begin to get closer to the exit, the sound of talking gets louder the more steps you take, and you both duck for cover behind a huge set of antique chests of drawers.
"Do we know how many are here?" You hear one of them say, followed by a symphony of guns being reloaded one after another. By the sounds of the guns alone, there's got to be around an even 10 guards ready to shoot you if given the command.
"The boss says can't be more than two." Another says soon after, most likely the squad leader if he's the one answering the questions. "They can't be too far, so fan out and shoot only to disarm or incapacitate. The boss wants us to question them to find out who they work for."
You and Tom from where you both are hiding look at each other in mutual understanding as the promise makes its way through both your heads at the same time. Don't leave the other behind no matter what.
Even though you had both gone through with missions that slipped last second and been tortured by one too many people, even though you both knew the other could handle it the silent declaration still happened without a shadow of a doubt. Neither Tom nor you could bear to think of the other person being hurt by this French asshole.
"Any idea how to dodge these French pricks?" Tom asks as he turns to you, much to your surprise.
"Huh... and here I thought that you'd be all ready to shoot first escape later. What's changed? Did you hit your head when I wasn't looking? Trip on some old Victorian teddy bear?" You can't help but laugh, watching Tom's face doesn't even turn to a simple smirk as he answers.
"Can't have my missus getting hurt. So have you got a plan or do we need to fall back onto the shoot first plan?"
You hate to admit it, but it's at that moment when you finally realise why it had felt so right to be in his arms. Somehow between the chaos of the mission and the short but sweet moments together, you'd fallen for the man worse than James Bond himself, Agent Tom Bennett.
"I think I can see the entrance door from here. The guards have started fanning out more in the middle of the room, which is their mistake thinking we'd still be cowering in the back corner. If we're silent and don't draw attention, then I think we can get out of the room without gunfire and any unnecessary attention. Got that?" You finally say, turning to him and watching as he nods his head in return to your question.
"Got it missus. Take the lead." He says, gesturing his hand in a random direction. You roll your eyes at the nickname but less due to annoyance, and more due to amusement that he still insists on using it even though by now, the disguises have long since crumpled away.
Still, you say nothing and just gesture for him to follow you, which he does in a heartbeat. You can hear the heavy footsteps of the guards in the distance but to your and Tom's relief they go quieter instead of louder, indicating that the group were still making their way to the back of the room.
You make your way through all manner of objects in an attempt to stay away from the main path that stays primarily visible most of the length of the way. You pass rugs, more furniture similar to those earlier sets of drawers, faberge eggs, and even coincidentally old stuffed toys.
Soon, the view of the office you had passed to sneak in came into view. It was so close. You could not tell if there were any guards on the outside which was good for the both of you, as it seems these guards were dumber than they looked.
You turned around to check that Tom had successfully followed behind you with all the twists and turns through the junk, only as you did so, you managed to catch just in time Toms shoulder banging into wobbly piece of display furniture, causing an expensive yet boring looking vase to come toppling down and smash against the hard floor.
"For fucks sake..." You mumble as shouts go off in the distance in chime with heavy footsteps that inch close and closer towards you both.
"Sorry!" Tom yells at you as he leaps up and begins firing like crazy in an attempt to get these guys before they get either of you. You have to sigh in defeat at the turn of events before you also begin to fire at these men with everything you got while also moving backwards towards the exit.
For a minute, all you could hear was gunshot after gunshot, mixed in with the sounds of the guards screaming in pain when either you or Tom managed to get one. But that all changed when you felt one of the last guards bullets burying itself within your shoulder, bringing you down hard against the floor with a surprised scream.
You can hear Tom yell out your name as the last rounds of gunfire go off. As soon as the sounds stop you feel Tom's arms enveloping you so he can pull you closer and assess the wound.
"Shit shit shit you ok missus? Where'd it hit?" Tom begs, his voice frantic as he sees the hole in you gushing blood by the second. He doesn't know if the bullet has done any more damage other than the initial tissue damage, such as bone fracture or nerve injury. If Tom doesn't get you help soon, there's a chance with those nasty ass bullets you could get an infection within the wound.
"Come on darling let's get you safe." Tom says as he takes off his suit jacket and rips off a large section of the back to create a make-shift sling for you. As soon as he deems it tight enough, Tom pulls you up and places your uninjured arm around his neck so he can support you and make sure you leave this place by his side.
Every few steps Tom takes with you on his arm he is watching the surroundings carefully with his gun in easy reach. The previous gunfire must have alerted someone else about their presence, but to Tom's surprise there was no one. No other guards springing out of walls with their guns ready to blow his and your brains out. No evil bad guy with a pathetic monologue on the tip of his tongue. It's as if they were letting him and you walk out of there free with just the gunshot wound. How the hell could it be that simple?
"You still awake missus?" Tom asks, his lips crooked as he attempts to smile for you to show nothing could be worse, even though it easily most definitely could've been. You manage to groan a small response in return, and even if he couldn't make out a single syllable, he'd recognise that smart mouthed sass of yours anywhere. "Yeah yeah I hear you... There's a car out front we can get away in fitted with medical supplies for yourself. Why we don’t get some small basic med kit to keep on hand in case this shit happens, I've got no clue..."
The mission was not supposed to go like this. It was supposed to end great. With the hard drive in the hands of the supervisor and Tom and you having dinner somewhere. Not with you leaning on him for the support while you practically bled out all because of him.
Tom can hear the blood droplets hitting the once pristine white flooring of the hallway, and each soft individual splatter sends a shiver up his spine. He has no idea why he cares so deeply about you right now, and why even the thought of you being permanently injured sends pure nausea down to his stomach. Yet he pushes the thought process down as he makes sure you don't end up losing consciousness right now. The hallway cameras should still be under the control of the organisations tech people by now, but Tom doesn't want to risk chances by lingering when he could be getting you to safety as quickly as possible.
So while making sure your body is fully supported, Tom leads you down the stairs and the other hallways to a more discreet exit away from the crowds of people still there in the ball. The music from before had been so loud that he doubts they heard anything. Plus, they were no doubt distracted with the copious amounts of alcohol they'd all been ingesting in the last couple hours. 
The camera's tom spots are all pointed away from the two of you as you make your way through the halls. The blood coming from your shoulder has slowly begun to lessen, yet still with the way your shoulder and the surrounding areas were beginning to go numb, you still could feel the faint trails trickling down your legs and hear the odd droplets fall to the floor.
"Almost there missus almost there..." Tom mutters, seeing the last door separating you both to the outside world. When he first tried to get through, the door stayed firmly shut even after Tom attempted to slam his body against it in an attempt to loosen it.
"Fucks sake!" He groans, looking down and seeing the simple key lock needed to escape. "Can afford to purchase all that useless shit and keep it behind an electronic keypad but can't be bothered to purchase an electronic lock for the front door..."
Tom carefully places you upright against the closest wall so he can kneel down and get a closer look at the problem. It's just a simple titan key needed, but seeing at how simple it is and where the door leads, it's probably in the pocket of one of the many waiters walking around, and Tom didn't exactly have the time to ask all of them which person had the key. So he did something he never thought he'd be putting to use in real life. Tom grabbed a bobby pin from within your hair, and stuck it within the key lock.
It takes him an embarrassingly long time to get it right, but eventually after a couple hundred swears and scratches on his fingers, the door opens with a soft click and a small 'hurrah' from Tom himself. He even turns to you with a victorious smirk, which you return with another exhausted groan and even an exaggerated eye roll even though you begin to feel lightheaded with all the blood that's come out of you within the hour.
"Let's get you help missus."Tom grunts as he picks you back up from the floor and directs you to the direction of a car parked not too far from the entrance. It's smaller than the original limousine that brought you to the mission in the first place, but you can't help but faintly smile when you see the familiar face of Webster watching you from the driver's seat.
As soon as Tom sets you down inside the vehicle, you feel your body slump in the most unladylike of ways against the soft exterior of the car's seats and let out a sigh of relief that it's all over.
"I trust you know about removing a bullet Agent Bennett." Webster's voice rings out through the speaker as you feel the engine begin and the car drives off.
"Sarcastic bastard..." Tom murmurs as he swiftly takes the med kit from underneath the seat and opens it to take out the tweezers and the gauze and place them beside you on the seat. Next, he removes the piece of his suit he had used to originally stem the blood flow of the wound and rips your dress slightly so he can see your shoulder better without it interfering. You'll no doubt be pissed later, but he'll just send it to Stan later to get fixed.
With the barrier gone, blood flows more steadily than what it was a few minutes ago, but it doesn't matter right now as much as it does to make sure the bullet comes out fully. "This is going to hurt." Tom simply warns before he picks up the tweezers and begins to poke and prod his way inside of the wound.
It truly breaks his heart to hear your screams of pain, but he needs to persist and find this damn bullet. Thankfully it doesn't take too long, as with the combined layer of your dress and bra it managed to not let it go in as deep as it could've. So soon enough as the pesky bugger is soon plucked out and thrown somewhere within the car space while Tom quickly takes the gauze and wraps the wound tight.
"Feeling better missus?" He asks, forcing you to look at him as your eyes slowly regain a look of focus you minutes ago were losing fast.
"Yeah..." You manage to say, wincing as you move your shoulder slightly. "I'm alright. Thanks, for not leaving me in there."
"I'd never." Tom quickly says, shaking his head and furrowing his brows to further his point. "And besides, now that I know you're ok, I can continue where we left off."
"What do you mea-"
Before you can begin to question what Tom is trying to say, his lips capture yours, and your heart feels as though it stops mid-beat between your chest. You have no thoughts running through your head right now. Your focus being only on the calming warmth of Tom's lips and the faint taste of mint.
His hands cup your waist and face delicately as if you were made of pure glass. Yet as much as you enjoyed his tender touch, you didn't want Tom to think of you as delicate. You wanted him to hold you with the knowledge you could never crumble from him. For him to know he could never hurt you.
You never want this strange feeling of right to end, but when it eventually does, with the two of you both silently attempting to catch your breaths.
"Was that good?" Tom eventually asks, staring at you with hopeful eyes. "If I made you like uncomfortable or anything I'm sorry-"
"You didn't." You say with a smile as you lean forward to peck his lips again in a sweet kiss in reassurance. As you pull away, you can see Tom's lips turned in a bashful smile and his cheeks heat up to a light pink. If you were being honest, it was really fucking adorable. Words you never thought you'd ever say about agent Bennett in your life.
"Good." He simply says, focusing on the curves of your face and trying not to think about how his face is probably bright red due to embarrassment from being so soft with a girl. "Now let's get back to the hotel."
"Why are we going back to the hotel?" You ask, confusion in your voice.
"Cause I want you to get dressed up before I take you out for a date tonight. So shower, take as much time as you need to get ready, cause I want to make this as special for you as I ever could for you. Tell me your favourite food so I can book the best restaurant available for you. I'm sure Webster can deliver the hard drive when he returns the car."
"I can indeed sir." Webster says through the intercom, scaring the two of you as you both jump slightly in your seats. "Just pop it through the slot and I can take it straight to the supervisor no issue."
"Thank you Webster!" Tom grins as he takes the device and puts it through to the other side.
Webster takes it in his hand and places it within his own suit jacket pocket. His eyes are focused on the road, but he can't deny the warmth in his chest when he sees the two of you giggling and smiling between yourself in the backseat like a couple of lovesick teenagers. He drops you and Tom at the hotel as told, but he can't stop himself from watching the two of you enter the hotel together.
As soon as Tom had stepped out before you, he made sure to reach for your hand and help you step out like a proper gentleman, and the entire walk up to the hotel doors none of you made the step to let go.
Webster watched the two of you with a smile, as he thinks to himself, he has never seen a pair of people so in love with each other.
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candyskiez · 2 days ago
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thinkin about the conversation abt guilt between jon and helen again. and how the distortion realized “i wasnt going to stop doing it so i decided not to feel bad”. and how Feeling Guilty About It never changed anything for jon. it didn’t stop him from feeding. didn’t stop him from hurting people or being rude or abrasive. certainly didnt fix the apocalypse he was tricked into causing. his guilt never helped or saved anyone, and his choice to carry it around with him was mostly for self flagellation purposes. but also it was because he never stopped seeing people as people. even when they were his prey they were people. it’s just. !!!
GODDD YOU DONT EVEN KNOW. SEASON FOUR KILLED ME. SEASON FOUR CHANGED ME AS A PERSON. Grggrgr. God you don't even know. Ok ok.
Jon wants so badly to be a good person but he doesn't want to *get* better. He wants to BE better. Which. I never saw portrayed so accurately in fiction before and kind of felt like seeing my internal organs just. Out there. On the screen. But yknow. He wants so so bad to be good and he has no idea how to actually Stop hurting people and giving up these awful behaviors means giving up the things thatve kept him safe his whole life. His desperate attempts to do better in s4 are often met with rejection, and regardless of how understandable the others actions are (and I will argue it was understandable till the heat death of the universe) it ends up leaving him in this limbo where he doesn't feel like changing is Working. And it doesn't really help that he only tends to actually understand his feelings and other people's perspectives until they've blown up and he can't ignore them anymore. He so badly wants to be a good person but he's kind of just. He's not given up on per say but he's so angry and frustrated about it because nothing he does seems to be good enough or actually seem to improve in any meaningful way.
Ok ok on the note of the actual conversation you brought up. Sorry i got very sidetracked. Jon and guilt is so so interesting because it's embedded so deep in his personality. So much of who he is was fundamentally shaped by guilt and shame. And it doesn't actually fix anything. Most of his actions fueled by guilt or wanting to Repent don't actually do anything good. It partly stopped his whole murder crusade but tbh. There was also other things going on, less just Jon Guilt and more so Jon actually reflecting. It's almost like actually reevaluating your shit is more effective than self punishing. Guilt is so deeply rooted in every aspect of his actions throughout the series and it doesn't make him kinder most of the time. If anything it makes him more bitter and impulsive. But he can't afford to let go of his guilt less he starts just letting himself hurt everyone near him, but it was never actually the guilt that stopped him. He only really started stopping himself from doing shit out of compassion and care for the few people he had left. Guilt never stopped him, but he never let go because he Needed it to stop him from doing worse. But it wasn't the shame that had stopped him, he'd been ashamed his whole life and it actively made him worse. What did stop him in the end was the one person he had left being so furious at him but staying with him anyway, because he loved him.
Also I have Big Feelings about Jon and Helen's relationship and how Jon giving up on Helen was when he gave up on himself but that is a topic for another day. Jonathan Sims the man that you are. Boy why are you so guilt.
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anxiouslowercase · 2 months ago
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sas rh: let eoin survive the fall au » a tale of two lieutenants (part two)
#sas rogue heroes#sasrh:canonau#turns out augustin cannot for the life of him figure the irish lieutenant out#and he makes him oh so very curious#actually both irishmen kinda do#especially when they're together#but whereas paddy remains pretty set in letting augustin see just one side of him#(and maybe just a glimpse of something else when he lets his guard down with eoin and doesn't realise the french is looking)#eoin seems to do the opposite and it's like he enjoys showing he contains multitudes every single time both lieutenants have an interaction#and just when jordan thinks he's finally understood who's this young talented soldier#BAM something else pops up#he's not just paddy's number one defender#he's also pretty good at leading a drill and training??#he's joyful and kind to others (english and french - he makes no difference)#he's a talented pianist ?? certainly catching augustin's attention when he gives paddy lessons in the mess hall#(lessons which he tries not to stare at for they feel a bit private)#he's skilled not just with weapons and strategy but also with the pen ?? with words ??#if the letters he's seen him ghost write are anything to go by#but oh then he starts making off handed comments about poetry#about books#about books augustin is reading in those small moments of quiet in between the raids and the battles#and he's *stubborn* - augustin figures out when comments turn into conversations turn into exchanges and into debates#and he *likes* debating - they have that in common#tbh neither of them back down from their own stances and augustin would say theres never someone who comes on top#until one time when augustin is quite sure he's got this one#but then eoin mcgonigal just delivers one final blow in perfect french that leaves him just ?????¿¿¿¿¿???#and he's a bit speechless#and eoin just smiles his usual smile and stretches and leaves like it's nothing and MON DIEU does he make augustin OH so curious#and that's the only reason he stares#NYWAY this is super self indulgent id say more but tag limit POINT IS love em they shouldve met paddy has 2 hands (as do they)
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spotaus · 2 days ago
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Hope you don't mind if I rb off the rb w/ the fan-art haha! Finally I'm back for the big ol' reblog!! (Warning: This will probably be literally every thought I have as I reread the oneshot, which will be a lot of really small notes and/or big side tangents- Aka! LONG!!!)
Okay! First off, i love Nightmare in the first section!! The note about his paranoia and just how thoroughly he kept everything documented is so fun and brings an energy of growth to his character that would've happened recently in the story, but far enough back for him to be comfortable with how he's ruling now! Night in this entire first portion is actually just so so fun, from his confidence with Reaper + knowing just who he needs to make sure is where in order to solve the problem? Man it's SO good! He's a lil guy, he's still young, but he's learned and grown and he knows his own people (family) so well!!!
Along with that, the lore behind the drug is so so fun, I love how ou ended up developing that to make it feel so dangerous and so worthy of needing to tackle asap!
Back to the plan? Night and Reaper puzzling out exactly where their people would need to go to solve the issue is so banger- Night having learned a thing or two from his knights, street smarts that Reaper doesn't have, and Reaper knowing his kingdom inside and out and knowing the dangers? So tasty!!!! (And the lil note that Dust's replacement would end up being Cross + Horror, horror just to make sure Cross doesn't kill Geno, is SUCH a funny re-occurring joke (tho he would) this oneshot, it makes me giggle every time it comes up- Cross holds those grudges like no other!)
Night and Dust's interaction is so awesome too... It's a perfect balance between 'boss/employee' and 'siblings' because, yeah, Dust could just say yes, but Nightmare makes extra sure that Dust is comfortable with the idea and makes sure he isn't lying for Night's benefit! And Dust smiling after relenting to Night's 'please' for the guard to escort him? For Dust and Night to laugh about not telling the others right away lest they deny for him? Oh they're adorable!! And ofc Night's lingering worry....
GENO!!!! Oh this wreck of a man, I love him dearly... His panic here is so silly, but also so valid, like, it's SO good for his arc. He is actively fumbling and worrying, and he rarely does that- And ofc Reaper. Gods I've said it before and I'll say it again, the way you write for these two is just amazing... Every time I read you afterdeath content, suddenly I feel like a hopeless romantic and need to tear something to pieces with my teeth (/pos). Something about this specific scene where it balances the humor of Geno's dread+worry with Reaper being so supportive and soft and sweet? OUGHHH. And the way that Geno has so many internal thoughts that he refuses to admit out loud? I love that for him, he's so so refusing to show weakness, voice it, his pride is still too big and too wounded to be that honest, even in front of Reaper! (His inner dialogue about the greed too? Oh that was good! You're so right, he's driven by his need for more and more and more!) The mention of the other mages too. I love that he has a very very strong opinion on the others from his school and fears the worst if he were to let anyone else venture out with Dust. Geno is the only option, literally ofc, but also morally in his mind!
Geno and those damn horses, I love them sm... Bro could've fumbled worse, but he certainly did fumble often <3
Levitation Spell Specified! Chekov's Gun!! (I couldn't have predicted how that one was going to come back up if I had tried lmao!)
Again, Geno and Reaper being soft... This is just a personal thing to feel free to ignore this, but it tickles my brain how openly affectionate Reaper is (in this fic, in ur other fic, etc-) but like- I say he's like that but I don't ever capture the vibes right- Here?? Here in this fic?? You did it so so well. The little reassurance and stuff right before Dust + the other show up brings me so much joy it had me kicking my feet like a schoolgirl!!
Life mention!! Love to see it!
ROGERS MENTION!!!! (He's so committed to his job, He's my one oc in the back that I love lmao-)
Decor!! I love the little bits of lore you sprinkled in through the castle description! Even though Geno has seen it a bajillion times and acknowledges it, it still is seemless on how easily he recalls the information! and he's a nerd so ofc he'd do that! (And oml Geno reflecting on Reaper's age!!! I am CACKLING- Geno is so chill with it and it so worried for Dust- I know for a fact that Dust is probably very aware (Night is extremely aware of Sanctuary's history after becoming allies, and he mentioned it to the knights one day how old Reaper was, kinda as a way to explain just how solid Sanctuary is as an ally) and he'd totally just be like 'Yeah. I don't mind.' and move on lmao-)
Geno fumbling the name of horse hooves <3 And a gorgeous reunion of Awkward Geno and Chill Dust! (And the horses!!!! I never said anything but Opal and Basalt's personalities + descriptions are so perfect!!) Reaper lowkey definitely wanting to get closer (either to Dust or the Horses) but holding himself back is so fun too- Geno knows him well :]. And freaky Opal moment!! She's so funny, cryptid of a horse, perfect for Dust!
So sorry, the town scenes, no matter how brief, are so perfect- Especially Geno seeing how the city reacts to Dust (and himself though he's kinda missing that) and putting Dust into such an impressive light is so sweet... And imagining that Dust just has people fawning over him and his mysterious self is really funny to me- He deserves it, of course, but it's still really funny!
Geno fumble counter! It's up again! (Poor guy, can't do small-talk to save his life, I get it bro-)
HELL YEAH! Stumbled across Geno's reflection again and! Augh I didn't catch it the first time, but the fact that Geno acknowledges that he was using both Dust, and Reaper, to get to Dust? Hurting both of them in the process without meaning to? Because he was so curious and he didn't even consider how it could backfire? Ough- And ik a lot of this we've discussed before but I love how you have it play out... Oh! And Geno just being SO secure about him and Reaper, entirely unbothered by the idea of Reaper persuing someone alongside himself? I love that bit... (And I love that Geno still has no worries on where he and Reaper stand in their relationship, because they make it work between themselves!)
Opal again! She's judging Geno so hard... I love her!
The addition of that little tourist town is so cool! They found a way to make the beauty and nature safe to traverse, and found a way to keep an eye on the dangerous parts!
Dust asking a proper question!! I loved this bit, because it's Dust's first proper reach out to test the waters (especially in Geno's silence) and Geno takes the opportunity to spill everything about the Mountains and his relations to them haha! Inviting him (and the others ofc, he's making a conscious effort to not be weird about it) to visit! And!!!! I'm so sorry but his infordump??? about the little mice and his favorite flowers?? Oh Geno you're famous to me- (I legit was sitting there reading that the first time and realized that, yes, that would work as a flirting tactic on me. I have the same taste as Reaper, Dust, and Nightmare I Suppose (Geno, Fresh, and Error all do this, I cannot be convinced otherwise haha!)-) And he's so frustrated that he kept talking! No, Geno, it's working!! Keep going you nerd!!
Nightfall and anxieties about being uncertain in things and how uncomfortable it can be my beloved <3.
HE FELL!!! Sorry, sorry, I'm so glad you made Geno fall (harmlessly) off of Basalt while trying to dismount. He needed to have that happen to him, and he needed Dust to see it lmao! (And as always, Basalt is a gorgeous and calm boy!)
Geno's fire is such a fun detail too. I also vibe with the shift in Dust's attitude after the infodump too. He's more willing to interact, and Geno is offering up answers to pretty much every question that Dust is asking! It's subtle, I didn't notice it the first time, but it's a really nice touch! (Also Geno showing off to save his pride, but also having smart reasons, is SO fun!) Along with Dust having his reasons and so much confidence in his horses? I loved this little bit getting to see them interact!! And then ofc gay panic Geno regretting things the moment they start eating, and worse when they have to share the tent! Worrying himself to sleep my beloved!
Oh he got so used to being spoiled in the castle!!! Oh he's so cute 'Reaper always let him sleep in' he's been so comfy!! So cozy! Dude was NOT ready to see Dust haha! And the way he's worried about his appearance now thanks to how it would reflect on Reaper because of their connections? How it's made such an impact that he's worried how he looks around just himself and Dust? Awe!!!
Him making it clear he wants to help too... Big steps... Ad Dust being so unclear about how he takes it is so fun!
The lore for the kingdoms and the two's differing pallettes! Augh moments like this had me eating up all the content from location to location istg! Orchard focusing on animals, then swapping to fruits, and Sanctuary having amazing fish! !!!
And ofc my beloved horses- Opal is so smug and perfect, she deserves the world- And Basalt putting up with the gay shananigans on his back, flustered Geno and chill Dust (who MUST know what he's doing, even if he's entirely justified in doing it-). The "Hold on." and Geno's internal 'Where?!' really kills me every time- Dust having to help Geno across the river w/ Basalt, and then Geno having even more panic. Almost falling off again trying to put distance between them because he started catching feelings again, Dust pulling him back on, gods I love them-
And the reveal that Basalt is Horror's horse! Ofc I had a feeling, but by the gods is it so sweet- Not only that Dust prepped the strong and steady horse for Geno's sake, but also that he went through the trouble intitally of training up Basalt for Horror to ride! W/ his head injury his balance must be awful, and the custom saddle to grip onto, as well as a horse who keeps his balance very well? Oh I love that... (Now this also opens the door for Dust to have also trained up Killer and Cross' horses specifically for them- And Nightmare's- but that's for another time!) Dust loves his brothers so much, and is looking out for their best interests, and that of the horses!
And omg!! Shy Dust at Geno's genuine appreciation and acknowledgement of something he did to help him??? Waugh- The bit looking back on when they first were friends/"flirting" and Dust being shy is so sweet... Dust getting shy and Geno finding it cute... (Also, yeah, Geno finding the murderer, ex-smuggler, ex-crimelord cute is baffling and adorable lmao-)
Reaper being a good king again moment!!! I love that you keep adding glimpses into the structuring and history and economy of Sanctuary, it's so banger-
I love their routine, and them obviously being more comfortable working together (Their little discussion as they decide to keep searching the mine entrances, and setting up camp in a routine now-) And!! Reaper having a weighted blanket! One that Geno wants to add a warmth spell to so that it's more comfortable for him?? Waugh??? They're adorable-
Dust offering up that he was a smuggler, again that inside knowledge kicking in! And Geno being surprised about it (bro has no memory, just like me frfr-)- (Reaper's background checks! Hah! Wonder he still decided to go for it, he loves Geno immensely-) And Geno returning with the lore drop that he was his own provider as a kid!
Geno and Dust having normal conversation!!! And Geno taking a few snorts and (assumedly) positive looks to mean he's doing well. I'm so proud of him...
The final mineshaft time.... Geno being so understanding about leaving the horses behind, and Dust being alright with it and being smart about dismantling their riding gear so they don't get stolen? Grogeous. (Geno's right, Opal IS a diva!!!)
GENo!!! We do NOT split the party in this household!! You beautiful idiot!!!! ESPECIALLY NOT CARRYING A LIGHT!!!!!!
Augh, yeah, they got him- (pre-emptively, I LOVED this section. On god I made some unholy giggling sounds when I read it the first time!!!)
Hi. So. Rover? FABULOUS villain. Peak! He's just deranged enough to make this entire situation make sense!!
I almost lost my mind when Geno was recoognized for being the Royal Mage. I mean, he's a VERY public figure, he does not shy away from being right by Reaper's side as often as possible, he goes out on his own a lot, people KNOW him! It was just really interesting! (And from Rover's perspective? Of course it's a treat to have collared Geno, the Royal Mage, essentially the prized jewel of the King? Powerful magic known across kingdoms? Yeaugh... His plan to have Geno get hooked on the drug then send him back to Reaper like that? On god this dude actually could've had a shot- devious af-) And Geno's magic being unable to even slightly resist the slave collar? Man, that was downright TASTY. He was entirely helpless there, and Rover almost got his way.
AND DUST!!!!! HELL YEAH!!!!! Rover reacting with such Dread to Dus's presence made me SO giddy!!! (Admittedly, sometimes I have so much fun writing about the silly things happening between the Knights and their good times with Night + the others, I forget that they're actually like, extremely capable, respected, and feared figures to anyone who doesn't live in the same building as them! SO ROver having this reaction jolted me back into Geno's mindset of 'Right! Dust is like, actually really really badass and important known over there. This guy in particular would think of Dust as some sort of angel of death! Wuagh!!!) (And Geno being unable to do anything but taking the chance to watch Dust fight <3)
ROVER- my dude just did the medival equilvalent of 'Put a gun to your head- I'm impressed! And ofc it got Dust to stop in his tracks!! And then how Rover continues to speak, trying to get Dust to talk (And ofc he wouldn't know about Nightmare's alliance with Sanctuary, or the fact that he's not actually an evil tyrant, because he was run-out pretty early on! I LOVE seeing remnants of the early days!! Especially from characters who have witnessed it all (Dust) and who only know the era or relative peace + rebuilding (Geno)!!) and Dust is just completely silent!
The panic in Geno when Dust gets dampened, and the smugness from Rover? Perfect... And Rover deciding to snatch Dust's mask?? (And the hesitancy of his lackies??) Dust being furious about it, and Geno feeling awful for thinking he could handle it all and getting their plans all screwed up? And then out of left field Dust starts talking- No, MOCKING this guy! And Geno is under the impression that Dust is helpless with those dampners on (He's seen what any one non-magic attack can do to Dust's fragile bones...)- And ofc Rover has so so much character- Him mentioning how he'll be strong enough to defeat 'Nim's Son' and how Dust calls him out for being a coward and not saying Nightmare's name? Saying Night is stronger than even the people + Geno's magic? OUGH-
Gen connecting the dots finally too! Dust is so smart, and even with how little he says, he gets his point across so easily- (You write for him so so well Ancha!!!) Taunting Rover into trading off the scenario of who has what on? He's so so smart!!
Also Geno (even though he's a little numb) being furious and magic-less, socking Rover straight in the face the moment he's free for a second? That is so him, and I've never been more proud!!
And Dust being SO covered in stuff, things that had Geno entirely powerless, and Rover still being freaked out? Amazing... And then the fact that everything had fallen into place, that Geno can SEE Dust's emotions (bbecause, well, he knows Dust a bit better than he was giving himself credit for) and Dust gets to finally let loose when Rover tries to command him to do magic?? Wowza, it gets me every time I think about it-
The two of them running off and Geno realizing that Dust KNEW he'd be strong enough to escape the things? That he'd been acting? (Well, not really, he told the guys straight up that he let them catch him) and that he was always strong enough? Put himself into that position to get Geno safer? And ofc the shock at Dust's lightning magic that he seemed to pull out of absolutely nowhere-
And then they're running again, and the scene where Geno has to jump and Dust is clear he'll catch him? My HEART!! And in turn Dust trusts Geno when he says to let go when they're falling!!! MY HEART AGAGIN-
When they're safe on the ground and Dust hides his face- And then lets himself be vulnerable and lets Geno heal the weak shoulder? Geno *asking permission* before he does anything?? CHaracter growth??? Oh!! And the addition of the dusty bones! They grey flakes! Of course Geno notices them, and surely it's not what he thinks, right? Right?
Dust clearly feeling out in the open w/o his mask too... man... That bit makes me so emotional for no reason (big reason but you know what I mean haha!) and Geno being supportive and promise they'll right the wrong! (AND Dust being uncomfortable with the flying minecart! It's like a call back to Geno being uneasy riding Basalt! And Geno doesn't judge him or anything! He's learning!)
How easily Dust handles everything and how Geno is just actually kinda smitten by it brings me immense joy! I mean, sure, his partner can kill smth with a touch, but Dust has something about him that makes Geno even MORE impressed haha!
And then Geno being impressed by the machines is SO him. Bro is just curious, what can he say?? Poor Dust is crushing on a moronic nerd- And he reacts reasonably poorly in turn, because, well, yeah! It's a weird thing for Geno to be fascinated by, and it probably reminds him way too much of how Geno looked at him back then-
Rover!!! When he ended up showing up again i LOST IT. It makes so much sense, but I just didn't see it coming at all, and I was convinced I was losing my mind! The cool logic that drug sets off for the magic system is so interesting, and tbh I'm w/ Geno on wondering aboutt how much it could actually do for a person haha! (Dude the casual convo between Dust and Geno, ignoring him, as so funny and perfect for them!) Though, I must say? Fittingly dramatic and intense final line coming from him! Didn't expect it, but I must say that I did enjoy it a lot! Especially since he willingly set off that avalanche on them!
And the avalanche!!! Ogh! Opal is such a loyal and crazy horse, and Basalt, I think, is the mvp of this entire operation, gotta say <3. But fr. Dust knew exactly how to help them get the upper hand, and he was ready to do whatever it took to get all four of them to safety! (Geno, my beloved, clinging to Dust so so much- I would be doing the same, can't blame him-) Them jumping a ravine just barely in order to escape the snow was banger, and- and Basalt and Opal working together, Opal helping him up edges, and Basalt being such a good boy listening to Dust and saving all of them? (Can you tell the avalanche was one of my favorite scenes? Can you? /lh-)
And the calm aftermath- Geno not even realizing he was plastered to Dust, Dust being VERY aware, Geno being extremely more focused on the death he just narrowly avoided? (And the note of probably stopping by a healer because he was THAT stressed out is such a good touch!) And then Dust being very much less stressed because he does stuff this crazy, if not worse, fairly often? (Not to mention if he let himself get distressed, especially on a snow-covered mountain? Yeah, that'd end poorly for them-)
And good gods Ancha, there were many gut-punches here (I think the Collar on Geno and the avalanche were two of the biggest) but Basalt being hurt? That one got me GOOD. Like, I mean I think I actually gasped at that one. Because?? Poor boy did all that just to be wounded in a way Dust *Knows* isn't a good sign? I was SO scared- But then Geno came in clutch... Bro used what little knowledge he had on the subject (Fresh! Yippee!! You taught him something!!) and used it to help out and come up with a better solution! He jerryrigged horse-healing! To help out Basalt!!! He's so resourceful... Even when he was exhausted from doing things before...
The camp set-up is so fun. They're both exhausted, Geno's finally grappling with the severity of what just happened, Dust is trying to push through but it evidently at the end of his own reserves as well (the flint and steel thing sparking off his magic is Such a cool touch btw??) anf they just... sit aorund the fire??? AWE??? (Dust having his mask off is so cool too, so subtle...) Geno mentioning in his head his low reserves for immediate magic due to his soul was awesome too... So many fun souls in this adventure!!
The tipi is so cool too! And the fire bit, I love that the logic here is that the fire Geno is using is like the fire Toriel uses in her house, where you could just crawl inside and take a nap- Imagining little Error curling up in the flame is so fuckin funny too-
AND GENO- Moment bro was free from his warm bed roll he totally subconsciously decided that Dust just had to be near him- I know you mentioned a scene from Dust's perspective of this would be so peak, and I think it very much would be, but Geno just half-asleep deciding to curl into Dust because he's safe and warm and stable? Yeah, I didn't realize I needed that...
I FORGOT ABOUT HIS ALMOST FUMBLE- "What you cooking good- FRIEND" good gods Geno you're my favorite forever and ever-
And them having casual conversations again! Yippeee!!!! Dude them discussing intent and the ways it works, and then Dust TEASING about it?? Crying sobbing, I love them... (Also Dust actually being able to cook, I love him so dearly for that. He had a billion places to pick up the skill and he did! He went for it!)
And the walk, Dust opening the door to talk about magic!! Geno whole-heartedly offering his own weak spot and then explaining how his magic works! Dust being curious! (And Geno recogninzing that Dust does actually listen...) And Geno being SUCH a nerd about it, spilling his guts over how much he adores learning about magic, others magic, all magic! (Dust cannot relate but is starting to piece things together-)
And gods, Geno just giving all the lore? This fits him so so well first off, but second? I LOVE the direction you took his past, Ancha! I wouldn't have even considered same mom multiple dads, but it makes a lot of sense as to how Geno and Fresh and Error made it so long and so strangely, haha! (Also, Ironfields! Scribbling that down frantically for no reason in particular-) And ofc I love the addition that Dust would assume Geno was from Sanctuary, because, I mean, he has to be, right? Those marks and knowing Reaper so well? And then ofc the note of Reaper picking Geno based on his magical skill, and him deciding that if he found another more talented he'd still ask for a date from Geno later? Adorable??? And dude, the bit about both Geno and Fresh looking at Error like their whole worlds? That HURTS- OWIE- But Error being such a calm baby until his magic Exploded their wall? I'm cackling, I love them- (And Dust's little 'Good brother"??? High praise coming from him oml???? Especially with Error of all skeletons, the one he unintentionally or intentionally bonded with??)
And man, the way their talk ends with Dust asking how Error ended up with them? The mutual sadness at that one is killing me- (Also Geno recognizing that Dust was tired from talking? Dude is noticing the social battery! Yippee!!!)
Next morning, Geno's dream? Adorable, hilarious, love that he's embarrassed by it! And dude, I love the fact that Dust left his jacket, that's so so awesome-
And I love this discussion about the magic and the whole collar siuation. Of course Dust would want to hear more about Geno's magic (since he doesn't have anyone to really learn magic from aside from Night) and Geno would want to know why Dust *doesn't* see it the same way! And Dust describing it how he did, a natural force that he guides rather than controls, it's awesome! And Geno is rightfully so enamoured by it and is holding in his awe and need to get to the bottom of it!!
And Geno being honest about his panic compared to Dust's skill in the heat of battle? Dust being 100% understanding fits him well, he rationalizes it for Geno even when Geno refuses to accept it. He believes he should've been more of a help a lot sooner, recognizes his shortcomings and things to improve on, while Dust is just impressed at what he *did* do!
And ofc the iconic shift into Dust questioning Geno's actions before!!!! I squeaked when i realized this was the direction it was heading haha!
Geno admitting right off the bat how shitty he was and then, just rolling into the whole explanation? I'm so proud of him!!! (Ancha you did his arc so much justice here, in this entire oneshot, I loved it dearly-) He explains his logic just like he does everything else in this plot, and even if it's crappy logic, he acknowledges that he wasn't keeping Dust's feelings as in-mind as he should've been. That he doesn't expect Dust to just forgive him. And when Dust drops the other actions, the kiss and the touching, Geno is just like!!! Very alarmed because he hadn't even been thinking of that! Because that one was more genuine! And he's honest with that too! (And yeah, his logic makes sense, because he was so used to Reaper!)
And I think that it's perfect that Dust gives him the silent treatment after this, because the guy deserves some time to think it out and untangle some really intense emotions! (Also, in the night I'm 50/50 on whether that was actually a dream or if Geno genuinely just curled around Dust again, but I'm *guessing* it was a dream lol-)
And then the camping at the cabin?? Dust's lil check to confirm Reaper's interest followed by checking with Geno, and Geno fumbling it SO badly (and still somehow managing to get the message across-). Dust saying that lil line? 'I don't hate you, I just don't understand you"??? Helpp me??? I literally like. Knowing what comes after this??? Crying sobbing??? Anyways, perfect execution Ancha, as always <3
Their return to town!!! Again, I keep forgetting these two are figureheads in their kingdoms that are very known and respected- Dust got his moment with Rover, Geno gets his moment in town! People are rallying and celebrating that the two survived despite all the odds against them! They're happy to see them and want to help! (And Dust slipping coins to those helpful people? So so him, such a good detail!)
The guards worrying over Geno and *Geno* being the one shying away from attention because it's all pointless worrying? Him complimenting Dust and Dust getting shy about it? Ough-
And Reaper!!! I know I give Night all the credit for stressed times in his study, but Reaper! Poor guy! (I can't imagine things on his end. Geno going missing, Dust along with him, two people he loves and cares for? Yeag.) Him instantly going to Geno gives me butterflies, and he's so earnest about wanting to make sure both of them are alright and know he cares for them? Crying. Sobbing. (Especially with the bit later with Reaper hearing about their whole debacle? YEAH. Crazy-)
The sudden Dust pov is so fitting too!! It makes sense for it to be him to percieve this scene, and omg. The way I SNARLED when Dust got up close and personal and debated and then said Geno was a cute nerd and gave him a kiss on the cheek???? I literally made the most unhinged, dog chewing on a stick, gutteral growl because girly giggles were NOT enough.
Like, thematically and for the point of this oneshot, it is SUCH a good conclusion! Geno made a change for the better, both Geno and Dust got to know each other better, they got glimpses into each other's lives in ways that made them better understand the other's troubles! Geno got to learn about just how skilled Dust is and a bit about his past, while Dust. Well. Dust got to figure out why Geno's... Like That. And for all the hardships and the awkwardness and the tension and the laughs, they made it through, and they know they care about one another, and Geno left the choice entirely up to Dust. Forgiveness, love, etc. Dust was able to choose for himself, entirely without any eyes on him and without fear or pressure or weight on his shoulders, and he chose! He's giving it another chance, because now he can expend a bit more trust. He can give it another shot.
And dude, I just know that Geno's goofy happy grin was something he had NO control over. I love that for them...
Okay I think I probably missed some things in the moment so quick bonus list!
The storms on the mountain being calm, I have to guess that's only because Dust was doing such a good job at keeping calm, so while he can't directly control the weather, it was influenced. Like, in the night after the mines incident it was creeping in, while Dust was emotionally drained + magically/physically exhausted, but after it was clear skies, just REALLY cold. If that's the case, GREAT detail! If not, then I've been typing too long haha!
Shout-out to Killer, totally exposing Dust's crush by trying really hard to be a good wingman- He technically helped, but boy did it also hinder-
Uhhhh. Mentioning again how much I love the effort that went into Basalt's role in the story? Opal too ofc, but for some reason my brain has fixated on Basalt and his cool custom saddle to accommodate Horror and how much of a beast that horse is <3 (I WILL be learning how to draw horses so I can draw Opal, Basalt, and the others whenever one of us jumps on needing them for plot reasons haha!)
So. The first scene I actually wanted to sketch out was this final one w/ Dust on his tip-toes and Geno leaning ever so slightly down to meet Dust's height for the kiss. I just. Yeag. I love them.
Also!!! The choice to make it a cheek kiss is so special to me! Especially if Geno had already kissed him on the mouth (teeth?) before because, well, he needs to work back to that point, do it over with a healthy relationship. In the meantime, it's something that he feels in control of, and feels comfortable doing, and both of them can appreciate the emotions and trust behind the gesture! Made me very very very happy! (The way you write romance is something I need to download into my brain forever-)
And.... I need to sketch Geno in his travel fit (Ignore that I already drew the one thing, it's not super far off from his normal fit I imagine lol!)
Lastly! I just loved everything about this oneshot Ancha! I'm so sorry that it took me so long to get to replying for (I've been writing for like 4 hours now haha!) and I'll be adding it to the masterpost tomorrow most likely! I'm honored to have you as a co-writer and this is smth I'm putting in my long-term memory so I can think about it forever and ever!!!! (I don't have emojis, writing on a laptop, but picture the salute emoji and a lot of heart emojis, haha!)
Gifted Oneshot - NewAgeAU - The Mountain
I have been slow cooking and scheming a little something. That stopped being little a while ago.
Also as you notice. Not just a drabble. Straight up an oneshot.
On that note. Because of this I have also decided to upload it to my AO3. In case you prefer reading it there you can by clicking Here.
This is for my friendo @spotaus and their New Age AU, or ours as I am a bit of the co-writer at this point haha.
Fair warning. This installment is far into the future and after the main story line the main story will focus on. This is about the DustedAfterDeath relationship and how they went from toxic to reasonable.
Warnings: past toxic relationship. mentions of drugs. mentions of slave collars.
Also... Euh... it is 33000 words long. Yes you are reading that right. 33K words. Which is why i am terrified to see how Tumblr will react to that many words as I never tried to upload something that long here.
Anyway! Here we go!
*----------------*
Nightmare frowns as he looks back at the files left on his wartable before turning back to the cabinet with many different reports. The cabinet itself is a nice dark brown and made of sturdy wood. It had served him well over the last many years he had been a king.
It was one of many that he had both in the warroom as in his own office. This one specifically he had rolled into the warroom as it had all the detailed reports from the black market dismantling.
Reaper whistles as he leans on the table “I keep forgetting that you document everything.”
Nightmare gives a tiny shrug at his fellow king “It is a habit.” Before he used to keep track of everything because he had been a control freak and perfectionist who was paranoid. The magic of The Ritual had done a number on his mental health and Nightmare sometimes still wondered how he managed to get through that for 7 years before he turned thirteen again. Ccino is honestly a miracle worker.
Nightmare finally finds the reports he had been looking for and pulls them out with a tiny triumphed smile. He lays them across the table and reaper looks at it curiously.
Nightmare speaks “This.” he points at the files “Is everything I have about the dismantling.”
Reaper nods as he looks at the five reports “On the whole black market?”
Nightmare frowns “No? Everything about that is in the cabinet. Those are just about the main drugs rings.” The smaller ones Dust had managed to do in one afternoon at that point. Even with Dust having had to wear multiple magic dampers and without much training he had been scarily efficient at shutting it down. The biggest issue had been with the main branches which required more leg work and a more stealthy approach.
Nightmare just knows that Dust and Killer had returned covered in soot and Killer had looked so excited as he spoke about Nightmare having to hire Dust fulltime. Dust had just looked bored but had felt rather content and proud of himself back then.
Nightmare is pretty sure that is when those two actually started to become friends which would eventually become the almost twin bond the two shared. And Nightmare can know as actual twin.
Reaper looks shocked “That many reports? Why?” even as he asks it he pulls the first report over as he starts scanning the information for stuff he recognises from his own drugs problem.
Nightmare takes a seat and pulls over the information that Reaper had brought with him “With the magic my mind was busy and paranoid. The reports helped. Because each time my mind would think of another detail or something that could backfire I could pull the report open again and search it. Either to help calm my mind that there was nothing to worry about. Or to give me a starting point to make sure this new idea didn’t became a problem.” After he deaged back to his normal age he just kept the habit up of making the reports. Nightmare hadn’t looked at them much in the last 3 years but it was nice to have them.
Especially in situations like this.
Nightmare opens the file that Reaper brought and frowns. It is all about how a new drug has been making the circles in Reaper’s land. In the capital city no less. The effects are mostly concentrated on giving the monster or human taking it a large magical boost. Causing them to be able to perform magic for a short while and to feel energised. The healers and scientists however had found out that the drug does this at cost of soul energy. Meaning that the very magic you gain is taken directly from your soul. And unlike magic users the average soul is unable to perform these activities without consequences.
The most likely consequence is that the one who takes it gets soulburn. A dangerous illness where the soul starts to produce more energy which can cause the soul to burn a way out of the body. An even worse option is that the soul can collapse in on itself as it gives too much of the soul energy. Causing death.
All very serious concerns. Especially if you take into consideration that the drug is addictive. The monster or human taking it will the first few times feel amazing which leads to developing a craving for it. And then it is a slippery slope down towards the worst possible results.
Nightmare can understand why Reaper came here with their treaty to get more help.
It isn’t exactly a secret that Nightmare’s land used to be swarmed with crime. Nightmare knows. Even after ten long and hard years of working on these issues the rumours still remain. Nightmare knows it will take even longer before the bad image of his land is improved. Nightmare is very happy that his brother and Blue are working on that.
Reaper is frowning as he has by now three of the five reports open and seems to switch between the different folders to study the information.
Nightmare turns back to the information offered to him and skips passed the properties and the victims. Instead Nightmare focuses on the section of where it first appeared and if it appeared anywhere before reaching the capital.
Nightmare finds a few locations and goes towards his map table. He touches the side and focusses for a moment. The map in view changes to fit the layout of Reaper’s kingdom. Nightmare walks towards the side of the capital city and touches the map. A small marker appears where Nightmare touched the map. Nightmare refers back to the other location mentions and starts putting it down on the map as he looks at the direction.
Mmh. Strange. It started near the mountains.
Nightmare makes a few careful notes of all the locations and what the layout looks like before making the table show a more detailed map of the mountains themselves.
The mountains help protect Reaper’s territory. It makes his country hard to infiltrate. Not to forget the ocean guarding him on the other side and the small area where the ocean and mountain range don’t meet being the mangrove forest.
Nightmare frowns as he stares at the map. It seems impossible for whoever did this to have smuggled the drugs in from the outside.
Nightmare speaks slowly “It seems likely that they make the drugs in your kingdom itself. Instead of importing it. If it were imported you would have noticed and caught them in either the port area or when they stubbled in through the forest or mountains.” Reaper has his guard watch those areas like hawks. Had they been importing the drugs they would have been caught already.
Reaper frowns as he looks deeply unhappy “That is what I am afraid of. That just means they have settled somewhere in my lands but I have had my guards search the cities and towns. There is no sign of them having settled anywhere, just selling.”
Nightmare frowns as he concentrates back on the map. He zooms in on the Three Lakes “The lakes?”
Reaper shakes his skull “We searched it. And unlike in our own river we couldn’t find any traces of the drugs in the water there.” He sounds relieved. Nightmare understands of course. His main food source is those lakes together with fishing in the ocean.
Nightmare frowns as he looks at the mines “Are the mines still operational?”
Reaper looks up and frowns “Not all of them. We maintain them just in case as we don’t want landslides but some have been locked up and decommissioned.”
Nightmare keeps looking at him and Reaper frowns “The mountains are dangerous. Them settling there would be too big of a risk.”
Nightmare shrugs as he speaks “I thought the same about the gang settling in the old clocktower and below in the sewers.” Dust had looked so damn amused when Nightmare had said it seemed unlikely “But these people… they don’t care about anyone’s safety. Not even their own. If they can gain power and money they will risk everything. Because to them the reward far outweighs the possible risk.”
Reaper frowns as he taps the files and stares at the map “The problem is. The mine shaft. You can’t just reach it. There is a reason we keep a careful eye on those. They are hard to reach and even harder to get the supplies needed up there.” Reaper frowns “Travel can take anywhere from 2 days on foot to 2 weeks on horseback, all depending on which mine you go to.”
Nightmare looks back at the map “Which mine is most likely to hold them?”
Reaper frowns as he taps the map and stares at the different mountains being viewed.
Nightmare takes the files back and looks at the different clues they had found so far. Nightmare frowns “They most likely make it somewhere. So it has to be a place has the ability to make the drugs.” He looks back at Reaper.
Reaper studies the map and points to one “We set this one up to be decommissioned soon. We were planning on going up there in summer to shut it down to make sure there were no accidents as can take up to a full week worth of travel on horseback. Even if you go alone.” Reaper points at the area and the long distance from the main roads “You would have to travel through the kingdom itself before moving up the mountain. The paths are traitorous. Even in summer. Much less now. With it being early spring.”
Nightmare frowns as he stares at the map “How risky is it to wait? Until it is safe to travel the mountain?”
Reaper shakes his skull “We have found multiple people dead already. Soulburns and souls just giving out. More people are looking for this drug. If it starts to spread out of the capital towards the smaller areas.” He frowns “Not to forget if more of the water gets pollinated it will affect us through the drinking water.” He sighs “I need to put a stop to this right away.”
Nightmare nods as he thinks. Dust could make it up there. Dust has more skills with horses than anyone Nightmare knows. Not to forget that even if the weather takes a turn for the worse it will just power Dust enough to maybe even redirect the storm. Dust also has experience in taking down these type of things.
However. Dust works the best either alone or with a very small crew. Most of his knights do.
Nightmare looks back at Reaper “How do you picture this mission?”
Reaper taps the map as he speaks “It would have to be a small group. The paths will be dangerous and having a large group may cause the path to become unstable. But sending someone alone is just begging them to be lost in the mountains without backup.”
Nightmare nods as he speaks “I can send one of my knights.” Dust would be by far the best. But that means sending Dust out to Reaper’s country and… well… Nightmare may trust Reaper with stuff about his country, there is a reason Nightmare no longer needs Dream’s presence for these meetings. But Nightmare still doesn’t quite trust Reaper with Dust. Things have been getting better but… Nightmare is still worried.
Reaper smiles before looking a bit more nervous himself “I appreciate the help. And I appreciate you being willing to entrust one of their safeties to me. But before you say anything or agree to help in that way. I must say. The one I would send would be someone… Very knowledgeable and skilled in magic. The drug works magically. And as you said it is most likely being produced inside those very mountains. Meaning they have some kind of power source or set up. Most likely magical that needs to be shut down.” And Reaper waits.
Nightmare doesn’t like this. His mind spins as he considers what was said. The worst part is that Reaper is right. Nightmare can see the reasoning and the conclusion that was made because of that. Even the very information they have to work with is because of Geno. Geno had been the one who figured out it was a magical drug and how it affect those around them all. Geno was the only right pick.
Nightmare thinks long and hard. Killer would be fine with the actual dismantling but he isn’t the best horse rider. Horror is strong but magically not strong enough to most likely have to battle magically skilled people who are even making this substance. Not to forget that Horror needs one of the sturdier horses. And while they are trusty steeds they are not the best for mountain paths.
Cross is out of the question. Mostly because Cross will end up making Geno go missing. Cross would be fine with the actual fighting and riding the horse all the way to the end location but Cross is also still furious at both Reaper and Geno and doesn’t make it a secret.
Dust is the only option.
Nightmare speaks slowly “I… Dust is the only fit for this mission. He is unchallenged in his horse handling and our expert when it comes to shutting down these kind of operations.”
Reaper looks shocked but then looks to the side as he frowns at the map. Clearly thinking.
Nightmare knows he will make the same conclusion that Nightmare just made. Dust is the only option to send up that mountain. Especially in these dangerous circumstances. And Geno needs to go because he is the one who knows this magic and can shut it down effectively.
Reaper frowns as he looks at Nightmare “You really think Dust can make it up that mountain? Even in early spring? While guiding other horses?”
Nightmare thinks for a moment. If it was in his own territory Nightmare would feel comfortable sending all four of his knights. Knowing that Dust could lead those horses up any area that he knows. But that is the issue. This would be uncharted territory for Dust to lead horses up and around.
Nightmare nods “If it is in your territory? I know Dust can safely lead two horses up the mountain, the only reason I say two is because Dust doesn’t know that mountain. But I would have to request they use horses from my kingdom.”
Reaper looks curious “I am not saying no and will gladly accept that but why?”
Nightmare figured it was obvious but then again Reaper wouldn’t know “Dust trains the horses. Every horse in used by my guards and knights are trained by him.” Which also means that Dust has a bond with every horse in use by those in the castle and that even if someone else is riding it they will listen to Dust’s comments, directions and orders.
Reaper looks impressed before nodding “Of course.” A moment of silence “Are you sure this will be alright?”
Nightmare frowns as he looks to the side “I am not. But this is dangerous. It needs to be stopped as soon as possible.”
Reaper nods as he sighs “I will return home. Talk with Geno. We will remain in contact by letter and whenever works for you and Dust I will gladly welcome his visit and help.”
Nightmare nods “I will ask Dust myself.” If Dust says no Nightmare will have to reconsider who he can safely send. If that ends up the case he would most likely have to send both Horror and Cross. Cross to send up the mountain with the horses and to deal with the ring while Horror would go along to deal with Cross himself.
For now he will just ask Dust.
--
Nightmare watches nervously as Dust looks over the mission plans. His knight had frowned when he saw the location but he had schooled his expression quickly enough to read the mission set up and goal.
Dust nods and speaks “I agree. I am the best fit.” Factual and quiet. Nightmare always thought he could read his brother no problem but turns out that Dust could still hide things from him.
Nightmare doesn’t often miss the magic the Ritual gave him. But the one thing he does miss was the connection he had had with those close to him.
Nightmare misses being able to feel their joy and excitement. He misses being able to feel that connection to their magic and souls. The way he could feel them close in a way that he could never explain.
Being able to notice when they needed help.
It is why he watches Dust closely. Trying to see any signs of distress. Nightmare had promised himself he would not miss those signs again.
Dust nods as he looks up “I can do it. Lead two horses up to the mine shaft and help the mage coming along to shut it down.”
Now the hard part.
Nightmare takes a deep breath and speaks “There is only one option for which mage could be send along to fix this mess.” He waits a moment “Geno.”
Dust’s hand twitches before forming a fist before relaxing it again. Dust nods “Okay.”
Nightmare glares “No. Seriously. Are you okay with it? We can think of something else if it is too much.”
Dust gets this tiny fond smile on his face “You really want to trust Killer to lead two horses up that mountain?”
Nightmare looks to the side and mutters “I wouldn’t have trusted him to do that to begin with. Would have send Horror and Cross together.”
Dust pulls a face “Yeah I can see why you can’t send Cross alone.”
Nightmare looks pained “What did he do?”
Dust looks slightly embarrassed “He did not enjoy the fact that Geno now feels… brave enough to wave and say hello. I am not exactly sure what he said but Cross looked rather happy after the interaction so I assume nothing good.”
Nightmare gets it of course. As Cross had said once. Dust doesn’t move to protect or defend himself so as his fellow knights it is their job. And Cross takes his job as knight, and brother, very serious.
Nightmare is a bit curious about what Cross exactly said but he can try to ask him later. For now “Are you sure?”
Dust frowns as he thinks for a moment “It will be… unpleasant. But if he continues to behave and act as is now I do not see an issue with us doing this mission.”
Nightmare frowns before nodding. Dust seems honestly okay with it. Nightmare points towards the map “We need to move out as soon as possible. I want you to prepare your pack for travel and two horses for the track up the mountain. I will send Captain Rogers with you as escort to Reaper’s kingdom. He will remain there until you return and escort you back.”
Dust looks amused “I don’t need an escort.”
Nightmare doesn’t even bother as he just stares at Dust “Please.” Please. Please just let him do this. Please let him protect him in the tiny ways he can.
Dust gets that fond little smile again before sighing but nodding “Okay. Okay. I will travel with some of the guards. Restock my packs before we leave for the mountains.”
Nightmare smiles as he hands the mission brief over to Dust.
Dust reads it and hums “You may want to keep the others in the dark for a little while. At least until I am on my way there.”
Nightmare can’t help but laugh as he nods “Probably for the best.”
Dust nods and gives the little mock bow before he turns and leaves the warroom. Most likely to go and take care of the horses and get them ready for the long track.
Nightmare really hopes he didn’t make a mistake.
--
Geno feels like he is going to throw up. Even as he stares at his many charged crystals and some spell scrolls.
His soul pulses fast and he feels sick and excited.
How is he going to get through this?!
A soft chuckle and a hand takes his own “My love?”
Geno blinks out of his thinking before staring at Reaper “You are trying to kill me.”
Reaper looks so amused as he tilts his skull “Really? I should have removed my gloves if that was the case.” He joins him on the bed “Are you alright my love?”
Geno laughs and stares at Reaper “Yes? No? I am not sure? I am going to be alone with Dust! For weeks on end!” he stresses the words.
Reaper gives a slow nod as he frowns “You don’t want to anymore?”
Geno groans “No I want to! That is the issue! The problem is… I am not sure… How am I supposed to make it through this week without it ending with him hating me even more?!” the only reason there was the tiny peace was because of Error’s and Fresh’s situation. Dust still avoids them a lot and Geno had only been lucky enough to manage a wave or small hello.
Not at all the small conversations he craves and wants so badly. That connection he had had but lost because of his own stupid and idiotic behaviour.
If those things are already impossible how is he ever going to be able to manage a full week of travel? One on one travel?
Reaper looks so damn gentle and Geno hates how much he still craves that look. He should be fine without it. Yet here he is still craving that look. Same as the awe Reaper would show when Geno showed off his magic.
Reaper takes his hand and rubs the back of it. Carefully, even as he wears his gloves for safety, Geno never saw the deal with that. Not when it was just them. Geno knows Reaper would never hurt him. Geno knows Reaper enough to know that, Geno knows enough about magic to know that Reaper would never kill him with his Touch of Death ability.
Sadly Reaper doesn’t believe this.
Reaper speaks carefully “I don’t think he will hate you, or more as you say it.” he continues to hold his hand and rub the back of it with careful tiny circles. Reaper stares at him with that same love written all over his face.
Geno does not deserve it. But he is selfish and a bastard and can’t let go. He would never let go of this beautiful but terrifying thing. Not as long as Reaper is willing to give it.
It is why it hurts so bad to have lost what he and Dust had had, all because Geno couldn’t stop being selfish and greedy for one moment.
Reaper smiles softly still, probably aware of the mental turmoil Geno is having, and speaks again “You are respecting his boundaries… or most of them.” Reaper shoots the Seeing Crystals a look and yes Geno deserves that jab. Reaper doesn’t dwell on it for longer “You know what you did before was wrong. You are more aware of yourself and your habits. You can use this knowledge to make it through this trip alright. In a way you can see it as your chance to truly show Dust that you learned from your past mistakes.”
Geno is still unsure as he breaks their eye contact.
Reaper speaks softer “I can still ask for someone else to go? Another mage maybe-”
“No!” Geno is slightly embarrassed by his reaction but it is justified!! Geno has gone to a school with mages! He knows how they think and the biggest issue in his old school had been the many different mages all trying to figure out either love potions or love spells. Stupid hormones driven teens.
Geno is very aware he is being a hypocrite but at least he never sunk that low. He never tried to use his magic to force anyone to feel something for him that wasn’t there. He never committed that crime of break of consent. Geno still has the opinion that those spells and potions count as rape drugs and he will not take any arguments against that.
Reaper looks amused “So you will go?”
Geno grumbles as he looks to the side “Obviously! And just because I am obviously the only correct choice for this mission.” He turns back to his many spells and sighs “I am just…” worried scared terrified paranoid anxious “I don’t want to mess it all up again.”
Reaper had worked so damn hard to fix Geno’s mistake. The very treaty had been in danger and Geno had felt terrible. The fact they still didn’t trust Geno proved once again how badly he messed this whole thing up. Just because he can’t look at people like a normal person and has the stupid habit of turning everything in his mind into some weird scorecard or game or experiment or whatever his minds decides on for the day.
Reaper says it is Geno’s own trauma from being forced to be a parent to his younger brothers while having no stable income or secure housing.
Geno just thinks he is an ass.
Reaper hums as he keeps holding his hand and rubbing the back of it “And you won’t. I trust you.”
Geno laughs as he looks to the side “That went well the last time.”
Reaper hums “The past is in the past. You are trying to improve and better yourself. Why would I keep bringing up stuff you did before that you already regret and are trying to improve?” Reaper traces Geno’s cheek with the gentlest touch “Why would I want to hurt you like that? You learned. You are changing your behaviour and working hard to do right now. I think that is beautiful and shows who you really are as person. You just need the chance and time to improve.” He kisses the hand before smiling “I will ask you once more. Please be honest. Do you feel ready to go on this journey? And do you want to? Or do you need more time to grow and feel secure in interacting with him?” and he waits.
Geno thinks for a moment. He honestly feels fine with going up the mountain. To search the mines. He is just nervous about how Dust will react to him. But moreso, he is excited. Excited about the chance to just be near the other. Hear the other speak again. Speak to him again!
Geno nods “I want to go.” there is just one tiny issue “But horses?!” he stresses the word.
Reaper looks amused “Do you want to walk up the mountain?”
Geno glares “I can’t drive a horse Reaper!”
Reaper chuckles as he smiles “It is called riding love.”
Geno groans as he ignores the comment “I prefer walking over falling on my face every time the horse makes a turn.” There is a reason Geno had wanted to use his inexperience with horses to create a moment with Dust before and oh boy now that he thinks about that he sees the very clear red flag that situation is. Geno really is just red flag after red flag isn’t he?
Reaper smiles “I mean. It should be fine. Nightmare will be sending two horses along with Dust. And Dust apparently has good control over the horses and they listen to him. I am sure the horse will behave and make sure you don’t fall off if Dust asks.”
Geno knows of course. He had spied on a few of those horse trainings before he realised he was once again ignoring every boundary and just taking what he wanted. But the fact remains he had seen Dust work with the horses before. He is an amazing rider and knows what he is doing.
Which just makes the fear of falling off the stupid horse and down a cliff even worse. Geno doesn’t want to make a fool of himself like that.
Reaper smiles “Give it a chance. I am sure you will do amazing.”
Geno sighs and nods. It isn’t like he doesn’t want to do it. He wants to do it so badly. A long time alone with Dust? Getting the chance to talk to him and maybe finally be able to at least start to apologise for his own rude behaviour? The mission itself? Finding this magical substance that reacts to the very biology of both humans and monsters? Geno is so curious how it works and how they manufacture it!
Reaper kisses his hands before he gets up “I need to go check if everything is ready for our guests. I hope you will join me in the throne room soon.” Reaper smiles and gives a tiny bow before leaving.
Geno sighs as he stares at his pack stuffed full with crystals and other tools.
He hopes he can make this work. If only for a little bit.
Geno takes a deep breath before looking at his pack with focus. He opens it removes everything he put into it before taking much more careful note of what he will need.
The basic camping equipment will be taken care of by the maids and servants. Reaper called together a bunch of people who have been on that mountain before to handle the actual camp packing. Including rations. Meaning that Geno’s personal pack will just be for what Geno needs to take along.
He takes a deep breath and picks up a few crystals. These should siphon away any large magical energy. Reaper mentioned that Nightmare thought they will be making these drugs locally. Meaning that they will have to have a large magical powersource. Best to have these along.
Next he grabs his army knife. He enchanted it obviously by embedding some of his smaller crystals into it. It should work to cut anything, including metal cables or worse. He also has some lock picking tools in there. Geno isn’t the best with it which is why he enchanted those as well. But he has seen those slave collars making their way around the areas where the drug is also active and he just wants to make sure there is a way to get those off of anyone.
Geno looks at his many spells and feels a bit embarrassed once he notices he grabbed his most complex and powerful ones. Way to be obvious Geno. Way to make it clear you are desperate to show off. Geno pushes them around and ends up grabbing the one for levitation just in case. It is always good to have that one with you when you go to high places.
Some healing crystals are also a must and one of his more complex and powerful ones is the Calm Emotions. Meant to calm down any aggression. Geno never truly had a chance to test it but if it works as he thought it would it may be useful. Next he grabs his shield crystal and checks those.
He obviously can cast spells without his crystals. Geno is a skilled mage. The difference is that the crystals area already charged and ready to cast the spell without having to still take time to cast it and use his limited mana supply. Geno would just need to activate them.
Geno steps back and nods “That will do.” After that he took some extras of the same crystals and closed his pack. Finally packed.
Geno takes a moment to look at himself in the mirror. He closes his sockets for a moment and takes a deep breath “I can do this.” he opens his sockets and stares at himself “You can do this.” He makes sure to make it an order for himself “You will be normal. You will not make him feel uncomfortable. You will remain respectful of his boundaries and you will not ask pushy questions.” Or better said. Just be a decent person.
He can do this.
Geno puts his bag on his back and leaves his room to quickly join Reaper. A small prickle along his nervous and he feels a rush of excitement come over him.
Dust is here.
Geno grins and rushes to the throne room to get there in time.
Geno gets to the entrance hall and stops there. Takes a moment to calm down. And enters the hall. A glance around shows he is still on time and Reaper smiles at him from beside his throne.
The throne is still the same from when Life was the king of this land. It is a beautiful light brown with all kinds of animals engraved into it. It is as old as the kingdom itself. Geno knows that many other kings look down on it as it isn’t that large or imposing and it isn’t made of a rare material.
Geno thinks it is beautiful. There are spells woven into the throne to make sure it remains healthy and alive. Flowers grown unto the throne to fit the season.
Geno knows that no matter what anyone else says Reaper will never do away with any marks left by Life. When asked he says it is to show respect to the original king that made the save haven that is this land. Geno knows it is because Reaper misses his old friend.
Reaper takes his face between his hands and places a gentle kiss on his skull. Geno feels bashful at the obvious affection in the simple movement. Reaper looks amused “Ready love?”
Geno takes a deep breath and nods “I am.”
Reaper smiles brightly before pulling his hands away from him. Just in time it seems as the throne room doors open. Reaper and Geno look up together.
One of the castle guards bows deeply “The cavalcade of the country of Orchard has arrived.” Geno can’t stop the small snort at the way the guard says it while Reaper just shoots him an amused look.
Geno waits for a moment and feels his soul beat speed up when the group walks in. He immediately finds Dust. Dust is dressed in his knight gear. Completely covered and his mask on. He walks side by side with an older man. Geno studies the other and quickly finds the markings that show he is the captain of the castle guard. Yeah, Geno should have expected as much seeing as Nightmare is very protective of his knights.
Geno gets it. He has his own brothers are all.
The captain bows deeply “King Reaper and royal mage Geno. It is a honour to visit and be allowed to aid you in the name of our King Nightmare.” He stands up and puts his fist on his chest, one top of the royal mark on his armour. The sword with a tree branch and the two birds on either side “I am captain Rogers! Our king send my man and I along to support your troops in the lands to help find people who are causing harm while the Knight will help your royal mage to undo the source.”
Dust just nods as he remains quiet. He is always so quiet and mysterious and Geno just now realises just how good he looks in that armour...
Reaper gives a small nod to show he heard and listened “I welcome you in my land and home. My own guard will fill you in on the developments while my maids will show you where you will be resting for your stay.” Reaper nods towards some of his help and they move forwards quickly.
Most of the guard goes while Rogers and Dust remain. Rogers nods and bows again “We appreciate it.” he glances at Dust for a moment before continuing “Will our Knight and your royal mage move out today or tomorrow?”
Dust shrugs and mutters “Today is fine.”
Geno nods his own agreement as he stares at Reaper. Reaper sees it of course and speaks “If today is fine than today the Knight and my mage will go towards the start of the path up the mountain. To enable them to have an early start tomorrow.”
Dust nods “Sounds good. I will ready the horses.” He turns and leaves the hall. Geno watches him go as Captain Rogers says his own goodbyes before following some maids to meet up with his own guard forces.
Geno turns to Reaper “I am going to go… yeah.” He points over his shoulder with his thumb.
Reaper smiles and nods. “Of course. I will join you soon. I just need to check with what has been packed for you two and I will meet you at the gate.”
Geno nods and leaves the throne room. He rushes through the halls as he ignores the beautiful décor. It isn’t that he doesn’t appreciate the beauty. He used to spend his thinking hours staring at the masterfully crafter stained glass. He rushes towards the exit of the castle as the story told in the large ceiling high windows passes him backwards.
Geno knows the story of course. The story of how Life fled her own war-controlled homelands and husband. How she took likeminded people with her and got her most trusted friend to help guide her people. How she travelled for a long time before finding this paradise. Hidden between the mountains with no one there to challenge their will to stay. How Life made a land worth living in. How she made a paradise focussed on safety and healing. Becoming the original king of this land, throwing away the title of queen as she fled her home and became a king to the people who went with her.
Geno had teased Reaper a lot when he learned that Reaper had been Life’s trusted friend. That Reaper is old as dirt. Reaper had been a bit self-conscious about it. Asking Gen if it bothered him that Reaper was that much older.
Geno didn’t really mind. It wasn’t like he looked old. Quite honestly Reaper was hot for someone who was older than the country itself. Geno does worry that Dust may mind… They may have to ease Dust into that knowledge. Geno thinks Dust already knows because it isn’t a secret that Reaper has been king for a long time but even Geno hadn’t realised just how old he had been.
Then again… It had been Geno who ruined everything… Reaper had been an adult and responsible about everything.
Geno gets outside and blinks in the harsh light. He looks around and spots Dust by a group of horses.
One of the horses near him is leaning into his light touches with its eyes closed. The horse looks smaller than Geno is used to but he doesn’t know a lot about horses. The horses is a dark grey and has black feet… hooves? Area near the hooves. Black lower legs, a black snout and black mane and tail.
Geno slowly gets closer when he notices the horse having violet eyes. Is that even possible? Geno always thought horses to have either brown or black eyes.
The horse looks up and huffs as it seems to get more nervous. Dust just pets it over the snout and it calms down. Geno can barely hear him mutter “Easy Opal. Easy.” The horse, Opal apparently, sniffs and huffs but calms down.
Dust nods and turns to look at him. Geno tries to smile but doubts it looks as relaxed as he wants it to look “Hi… How are you Dust?”
Dust hums and shrugs “Fine.” A moment of silence “You?”
Geno grins “That is good. That you feel fine. I have been busy with this whole… drugs mess. Thanks so much you even want to help.”
Dust shrugs again as he focusses on the horse “Only option. Other option was Cross.” And he pets the horse.
Geno winces. Yeah…  yikes… that is a dodged bullet. Cross is still furious with him.
Geno takes a few steps closer “These are your horses?” he likes horses… maybe that will get him to talk? About anything? Maybe?
Dust nods and pets the horse before him “Opal.” He pulls a hand away and waves towards the second horse “Basalt.” Basalt is a dark brown horse. A bit bigger and has black eyes. Geno must admit that Basalt looks exactly like how Geno would picture a horse, a massive one at that.
Dust continues “You will be on Basalt. Basalt will also carry our stuff.” Which is when the door opens and Reaper walks out with one of the survivalist advisors following him.
Reaper introduces them as Cretic and Cretic immediately starts explaining what was packed and why.
Geno feels his soul speed up at the mention of just one tent. Cretic mentions how it is just not realistic to take two tents and expect to find an area big enough to set up camp for two tents. Not to forget how it would just cost more time to set up and break down two tents every night and morning. Furthermore it would make more sense to share the small space of the tent together because that could warm up the space better for them even if they didn’t share a bedroll. They huff and mention that sharing a bedroll would be much better for surviving the cold temperatures but that their king told them that would not be an option.
Geno is very thankful for Reaper for that. Already sharing a tent space with Dust will be a lot. A bedroll?! Geno would just die. Just end up as his soul pulses so hard it would pulse out of his ribcage. And seeing as it is a stupid tiny shard it would probably hurt like hell too.
Dust looks the pack over before nodding as he grabs the packs and walks over to basalt. Then he clicks it in place and pets Basalt’s head. Basalt nuzzles the hand before standing ready again.
Dust speaks softly as he pets the neck “Basalt will carry packs and let Geno ride him.” he walks over to Opal and pats her neck “Opal. My horse.”
Reaper nods as he looks excited at the horses “It is always a treat to see one of the many horses that walk Orchard.” But he remains back and doesn’t approach even as Geno knows Reaper wants to.
Dust checks the pack before looking at Geno and waiting. Right. Shit. Horse riding. Shit. He isn’t good at this horse riding thing at all.
Geno walks over and chuckles “So… eum… I am not good at this riding thing?” Wait!! Shit?! That came out wrong! “You know! Horse riding!” shoot him now.
Dust either doesn’t notice or care as he walks over and strokes Basalt’s neck “Basalt walks by himself. He doesn’t need to be lead.”
Oh. Well… okay then… Geno walks over and puts his foot in the little foot step thing on the saddle. Okay. Okay. He can do this. He hops on and it isn’t as elegant as he wanted but he is on.
And Basalt moves around a bit but he is on it. He is riding a horse.
Dust walks over to Opal and jumps on without looking bothered in anyway. Opal stands up on her back legs for a moment but then back to normal. Shaking her head around. Dust pets her and she calms down.
Reaper looks nervous at Geno “Will you be okay?” Geno nods. Reaper turns to Dust “Do you need anything else? And will you and the horses be okay?”
Dust nods “This is fine.” He tugs lightly on the reins and Opal turns quickly and Geno is convinced the horse was on her backlegs again. How flexible and quick is that horse?
Dust lets Opal walk a few steps and Basalt just follows. No need for Geno to direct it at all. So this is what Nightmare meant with Dust being able to easily guide up to three horses up the mountain.
And they leave the castle ground. They follow the path down from the castle to the main city and Geno watches in awe as Basalt just does it himself without any needed guidance from Geno. Hell probably through any wrong directions from Geno too.
They walk through the city around the castle and Geno can see people look on in awe. Geno gets it. Dust is like a knight in shining armour trope but instead of just being in shining silver armour on a perfect white horse. He is in dark leathers and dark colours with a cloak. A hood covering his skull and a beautiful panther mask on his face. The gloves and mask to fully hide his skeleton traits. On top of a mysterious rare horse which still seems slightly wild and uncontrolled yet it listens. Yeah… Geno gets why some girls sigh and stare wishfully.
They leave the city and trod on.
Geno can’t help but just watch the other. So in his element and controlled. Geno is happy to just stare as Basalt walks just a tiny bit behind Opal and Dust. Geno smiles as he speaks “You are unbelievable good with them…” Is that enough? “It is amazing.” Is he overdoing this? “You must spend a lot of time with them.”
Dust doesn’t look around as he shrugs “Just like the last two times you asked. I still train them.”
Geno can’t help but flinch and look away. Any nerves he had before return with a  vengeance. Right. Why did he think? Geno looks down and tries to find his voice “I… I know that… I just… I thought… Nevermind.” He thought maybe a compliment would go over well… But maybe it seemed like a dig instead? Like Geno hadn’t taken him seriously when he said he worked with the horses? Like Geno hadn’t believed he worked hard? Geno isn’t sure.
Dust remains quiet as they travel.
Most of the day is silent after that as Geno just lets familiar scenes pass him by. As it is still early spring the air is still cold and crisp and the ground is covered with snow. The mountains in the distance are covered with snow as well.
Geno glances down at the snowy ground. Seems like the horses are fine as they walk on. Geno looks up and glances to the side before he mutters “This… probably is a stupid question. How are the horses going through the snow without issue?”
Dust tilts his skull slightly. Geno notices because his hood moves a bit. But then Dust answers “Generally horses are completely fine in all kinds of weather. We did make sure to get their hooves checked before the trip.” And he looks ahead again “It is just west until we need to go north correct?”
Geno nods “Yeah. We need to go where there is a path between the two large mountains. We can go up there and start navigating towards the mine.” There will eventually be some markings near the roads to show the direction. A less travelled path to lead them there.
Dust is quiet for a moment before nodding “You will need to start either leading” oh please don’t let him ride in front and show Dust how terrible he is at this “or you will need to keep the map out and tell me the directions when we get near.”
Oh thank fuck an out “I can do the second one.” Geno will just die if he knows Dust is behind him judging him for how terrible he is with riding a horse. Well, Geno knows he is bad at this thing and Dust obviously know and is probably judging him already but no need to showcase just how bad he is at it!
It is okay. It is fine. You may not be able to ride a horse or anything but you can do magic! You will be able to show off your magic and how that is your element and Dust will think you are cool!
Geno tells himself at least. Fuck. He just doesn’t want him to hate him even more.
They keep going west as they travel in silence. Geno is playing with the reins as he keeps staring at the back of Dust. Trying to think of something to say which will actually start a conversation. As the time slowly goes by Geno becomes painfully aware that he isn’t sure what to talk about. Asking about Dust will just make him uncomfortable or annoyed because Geno just knows he will be repeating questions again. Asking about how his homelife is going will also just be met with suspicion because of Geno’s stupid past mistakes. Same for his fellow knights, family or hobbies. But Geno can’t just talk about what he likes. All he really cares about for hobbies is magic and that is also part of the whole start of the mess.
Geno honestly wishes he could go back in time and punch himself in the face and shake himself. If he had just been just not such an ass! If he had just been a normal person to Dust. All Geno had had to do was be a decent person.
Reaper had asked him if Geno had been okay with Reaper liking Dust and trying to see if it could go anywhere. He had been honest about his attraction and starting affection. Had asked Geno if Geno was okay with it or if Geno preferred for them to remain exclusive and for Reaper to take more distance from the other. Geno had said he was fine with it.
Geno had felt very secure in how Reaper felt about him and about their relationship. Which is part of the reason why Geno had said sure to begin with. The other reason was much more selfish and jerkish. Geno had been curious and fascinated about Dust’s magic. He had felt that power and energy and almost static in it. Geno is unsure how it could be and had been morbidly curious about how it worked.
They both had known that Dust had had a thing for them. A crush maybe, Killer’s meddling had made it obvious.
Geno isn’t proud of the fact that he used those very feelings. Both from Dust and Reaper to enable him to unravel secrets and mysteries that weren’t Geno’s to learn. Of better said, force Dust to speak about.
It just got worse when Geno realised his own feelings had changed. When it was no longer just a simple curiosity but actual interest.
Geno is honestly happy Dust ended up stopping him. Made him back off…
The magic had felt hurt and distressed. So very hurt and panicked.
Geno had… He wasn’t even sure what his plan had been after that. He backed up and just felt worse when it turned out that Dust had also cut off any contact with Reaper. But Geno had been too prideful and too much of a coward to admit to Reaper what he had done.
At least until Error knocked it out of him that is. Or knocked some sense into him.
Dust hadn’t even wanted to look at him…
“Geno?”
Geno snaps out of it and glances up. Dust is looking at him, from behind that mask, while being turned towards him “Is this the correct path?”
Geno turns to the way pointers and quickly grabs the map Dust mentioned before. He checks their location and is quickly able to figure out where they should be. He checks the distance and nods “This is the right spot. We go north from here. We will come by a little settlement, it isn’t on any official map but it is the settlement everyone who goes on tours to the mountains goes by.” It should be calm really. With it being early spring and so the touring season hasn’t started yet.
Dust nods and turns the way they are going. Geno can swear that Opal is looking unimpressed at him before huffing and walking the way her rider directs her.
Basalt calmly follows and Geno grabs the saddle tighter as he shakes for a moment. Okay. Okay. He is still on the horse.
They trot on.
Geno makes sure to keep the map open and folded in a way to make is easier to figure out where they are. Best do the thing he can actually help with.
With horse they make very quick time and Geno watches as they reach the settlement very quickly. Geno glances at their map before looking at the settlement “We got here very quick.”
Dust hums as he makes their horses keep moving “Not a surprise. We went straight towards this area over following the roads. We cut back on travel time.” He glances at the obvious very close by mountains before looking at him “We best try to make a start with the climb before it is time to set up camp.”
Geno nods “Indeed.” He tries not to remember what their camp includes. Sharing. A tent. Don’t think about it. Don’t.
The follow the path and soon walk through the valley between the two mountains. Geno glances down to reassure himself he still knows this part before speaking “The path will soon curve towards the right. We want to go off path there and stay left. Otherwise we will end up on the wrong side of the ravine.”
Geno glances up as he speaks and sees Dust nod “Got it. Left it is.” He tugs very lightly on Opal’s reins and Opal looks up and around as she walks.
Geno can see the curve in the path in the distance and looks around for the small markings of the other hidden path.
Reaper told him that in the past many people tried to climb the mountains without guidance and got hurt badly. To stop this Reaper got some explorers together to actually map out the mountain and find some nice trail options for the people. It started small but grew with time and became a nice and healthy income for the country and a nice economy boost.
Opal stops for a moment before making another sharp turn and walking straight through the foliage. Basalt follows without a moment of hesitation and Geno had to keep the plants out of his face as he keeps a tight hold on both the map and saddle.
It is unpleasant but they get through it and the area opens up a bit more. There are still trees and uneven ground but it is better than before.
Dust glances around and looks back at him. Geno checks the map and nods “We just need to keep going North for a while longer. Try to go up where we can. It isn’t until we are be the ravine that we need to look for another path.”
Dust hums as he turns his skull to look at that sky. He tilts his skull for a moment before nodding as he faces forwards “We can still keep going for a little. Try to make it to this ravine at least.” and they set off again.
Geno smiles as they follow. Making sure to keep a phalange on the map to mark where they are.
But in the end he can’t help but look around. Even with spring not quite having started it is gorgeous in the mountains. Geno hadn’t visited them often, completely his own fault of course, and it was great to get to experience them again.
The partly frozen dirt but the tiny tiny patches of grass peeking through. The trees all look bare with only some traces of snow but those tiny dots of green to signal the leaves are returning.
He takes a deep breath and sighs happily. The crisp clean air. It very light scent of the many plants and flowers.
“You like the mountain?”
Geno blinks before laughing “Yeah I do. You wouldn’t think it with how rarely I visit but I love it here.” He needs to visit more often. Maybe after Fresh fully moved all his animals Geno can convince him to go on a trip with him? Geno would also invite Error but Error seems very against leaving Nightmare’s side.
“Too busy?”
Geno blinks before shaking his skull “Not exactly. It is more that I keep myself too busy to go.” he laughs “Reaper wanted me to explore and get the chance to tour them the moment I set foot on land here…” Geno really need to go more often “Reaper did take me on a skiing and snowboarding trip once. To help me relax.” He can’t help but look hopeful at Dust’s back “Maybe… Once this whole thing is over… You can go on a mountain tour? See the nice parts? I am sure Reaper will be happy to get the best people for it. For you and everyone else too!” Make it less personal. Don’t single him out again.
Dust shrugs “Maybe summer.”
Geno nods as he tries to think quickly “Summer is great to visit the mountains! There will be many wild flowers and animals. I think Reaper told me there are a few species that other kingdoms thought to be extinct that live here still!” think think come on what else “Not to forget the many mountain rivers and waterfalls! There are also the Three Lakes of course but those are a bit out of the way. But there are also smaller lakes all around that create beautiful little spots where you can camp!”
Dust is quiet for a bit and Geno worries he pushed too far again. He is pushing his luck all over again isn’t he? Why can’t he just be normal when Dust is near?
Dust gives a soft hum as he speaks “The others will like that.”
Okay! Not ruined quite yet. Geno grins as he leans forwards before having to quickly right himself. Right. On a horse. Focus Geno. Don’t fall on your face “Winter is also great. Have you even been skiing or snowboarding before?”
Dust snorts for some reason as he shakes his skull “Winter and I don’t mix.”
Geno pauses and tilts his skull slightly confused “I mean. That is what winter coats and stuff are for. Don’t worry. We would make sure you are ready for the mountain and everything.” Wait! “I mean like all of you with you. Not just you. I mean if you came alone you would also be taken care of.” Which is when Geno decides now is time to just keep his mouth shut for a bit. Why is it that the only charismatic skills he has is about manipulating people and lying and not about honest feelings and basic conversations?
Dust is quiet for a bit again before speaking “Will keep that in mind.”
No. Please don’t keep Geno’s terrible conversation skills in mind.
Geno is trying to think of a distraction and sadly his mouth continues to speak instead “Then again. It is fine if winter isn’t for you. Summer is great! The sun will be warm and high and that makes it easier to go to the highest peaks without freezing quickly. People like to try to climb to the highest top in the summer but that is a few months track. They often start mid spring or late spring for those. I personally never really went further than just the main path and a few smaller paths. But the flowers are nice! They are about any colour, shape and scent you can think of! My favourite of the bunch actually grows in the winter but it will still remain in the summer in a smaller form. It is real cool. One of the scientists explained that the flower doesn’t actually use insects to pollinate but instead these very tiny mice that travel around. I know, also a shock that those aren’t in like hibernation or anything. Apparently They have very thick coats and are light enough that they hardly leave indents in the snow. Making them perfect to actually travel in the winter when things are calm without getting attention from predators.” Oh please someone shut him up. “So these mice eat like decaying stuff as well but use the living flowers as shelter when the predators are near. Camouflage and everything. And the flowers themselves mask their scent. Which in turn makes the mice covered in their pollen which they move to the next flowers and new places.”
Geno finishes his speal and is horrified to realise just how long he kept talking about stupid flowers and some random mice of which he doesn’t even remember the name. Why can’t he just?! Be normal?!
Dust hums before looking to the side “I hear water.”
Geno blinks and quickly looks at the map “I… I think it is either the water in the ravine if we are still low. Or one of the many smaller rivers and small waterfalls if we are higher.” He looks around to see if he notices any marks for either option. Geno hadn’t been paying attention to if they were climbing up or not.
Dust nods as he seems to consider their options before looking at the sky again “We need to camp.”
Geno’s soul starts to speed up. Fuck why is he such a mess? He was never this much of a mess with Reaper. Maybe it was because Reaper just makes everything easy and okay? He makes it feel safe. This is so stupid why can’t he just… Ugh!
Basalt moves and Geno is quick to grab onto the saddle to stay stable. That was a close one.
They keep moving for a bit longer. Geno must admit he is starting to feel nervous when the forest area around them starts to darken. Even with Geno knowing that they both as skeletons would be fine with their eye lights it still makes him uneasy. He doesn’t like being unprepared. And walking through the forest as it slowly gets darker without them having a set plan on where to set up camp? It makes Geno uneasy.
Still he remains quiet as he lets Dust lead them. He isn’t going to be difficult about being uncomfortable or nervous. It is nothing compared to what he put the other through. And this isn’t even with any real reason. It is just Geno being a control freak and perfectionist.
It is okay. It is okay.
The light around them is slowly changing towards a yellowish orange as it gets later and later when Dust finally stops them. It doesn’t look any different from any of the other areas they walked through but it must have something special about it.
Dust jumps off Opal and walks towards the packs by Geno and Basalt. Geno watches as Dust calmly unclicks the tent and walks towards the side. Dust doesn’t even look up at him “I will set up the tent. Can you do the fire?”
Fire. Yes! He can do the fire! Geno grins and nods “Of course!” He swings his leg over the horse as he saw Dust do and steps down. His left foot touches the ground and he grins. Easy. He moves to take his right foot out of the saddle and unto the ground only to not be able to do so. And then he loses his balance.
Ugh. That hurt. He blinks open his sockets and sees Basalt look at him with a tilted head. Clearly unsure what to do with Geno. Geno looks at his leg and sees that his boot got stuck on the footpiece of the saddle. Which is why he couldn’t pull free and why he ended up losing his balance.
Great.
“Are you hurt?”
Double great!!
“Just my pride. And my clothes probably.”
Dust hums “Should be fine. No mud in this area.”
That explains why the ground is so hard. Even so Geno manages to twist his boot free as he pushes himself up. He dusts himself off and is relieved to see that Dust was right. Just some dirt. No mud and no rips. That is good.
Geno walks over to where Dust is setting up camp as he sits on the ground. Geno draws a circle in the sand before laying a simple rock in the middle of it. He concentrates and thinks about the nature of fire. The way it can be created with flint and steel. A spark of energy created by the simple rock and metal. With that in mind his magic sparks and a red flame appears, seemingly burning form the rock itself. Not burning anything around it and remaining in the circle he drew in the sand.
“Mh.”
Geno jumps and turns quickly. Only to find Dust right behind him. Holy shit he is quiet!
Dust ignores his jump “Why magic?”
Geno blinks. He turns back to his newly made campfire. He just wanted to show off but now feels self-conscious about it. He thinks for a moment before speaking “I mean… We are still trying to be stealthy right? This fire will function as a normal fire. Just not leave any traces or create smoke. And aside from the little light for our area it won’t be obvious from further away.” And he also really wanted to show off that he could do stuff after the horse disaster.
Dust tilts his skull before nodding “Fair enough.” He walks over towards the horses as he starts removing the packs from Basalt. He lays them by Geno’s side and Geno makes himself useful by unpacking a few of their rations. It is to make sure their mana stays filled up in case of emergency.
Geno lets the fire warm up their food as he watches Dust undo the saddles and laying those over some tree branches. He undoes the reins and grabs a brush to brush out the parts that had been covered with either the saddle or the head piece of the reins.
Geno frowns “Don’t they need to be tied to a tree or something?”
Dust shrugs “Some do. I prefer them free to run if needed.”
Geno frowns more “Aren’t you… scared something will scare them off?” and leave them horseless with all their camping gear and the long track ahead?
Dust shrugs again “Even if they do. They will return.” He finishes brushing the horses before walking towards the fire side and sitting not quite across from Geno but also not next to him.
Geno hands him his food and they eat in silence.
Geno keeps his focus on his food but it is gone rather quickly. Then he just remains close to the fire. Staring at the magical flame. Trying to not be weird or a creep by staring at the other.
Oh fuck he should have just had Reaper send another mage instead of him. He can’t do this.
Some movement to his side. Dust speaks up “We will need to get moving early tomorrow. As soon as it is light out. We best go to bed.”
Oh fuck he can’t do this.
Dust continues speaking “Can you turn off the fire? The light may attract something and the tent is insulated anyway.”
Geno nods “Sure. No problem.” He clicks his phalanges and the fire turns off. He takes his time getting up as he hears Dust disappear into their tent.
Their. Tent.
Fuck how will he be normal about this? He can’t.
He moves towards the tent and pauses by the open flap before pushing it aside.
Oh god their bedrolls are side by side and the tent is so small he has to crawl.
Dust is already rolled up in his. Seems like he only took off his boots but further sleeps with everything on. Okay. Just. Just do the same thing. Even if it will be a bit uncomfortable.
He undoes his shoes and gets into his bedroll. It is still a bit cold but Geno can hardly feel it. Not when he can feel the slight warmth from Dust beside him.
The tent is dark and silent as Geno just stares at the ceiling of it. Trying to ignore the fact that Dust is laying right next to him.
It is so quiet. Geno isn’t breathing and he is sure Dust isn’t either. There is a tension in the air and between them or maybe that is just Geno being hopeful? He isn’t sure anymore.
Geno isn’t even sure if he can sleep like this. He is too aware of the other and Dust being so close and fuck why wasn’t it like this with Reaper? Why was it so much easier with Reaper? Was it because he was focussing on Error being missing? Because he had been more focussed on the fact he was the king and Geno himself was his royal mage? Is it because he already messed everything up once and is terrified of ruining things again?
His mind keeps spiralling even as his sockets grow heavier and heavier.
--
“Geno.”
Mmmh. No… he doesn’t want to wake up… The air outside of his little cocoon of blankets is cold and he does not like the cold.
“Geno.”
Just a bit longer.
A nudge to his shoulder and Geno goes to give whatever servant is waking him the stink eye. Reaper always lets him sleep in and-
That is Dust. Looking annoyed and shit he isn’t wearing his mask yet even if he can spot it on top of his hood.
Geno stares and searching for the words “What?” Just end him.
Dust just looks neutral. Downright bored if Geno didn’t know that was just his neutral face. Dust speaks again “We need to go soon. Can you warm up food while I clean up camp?” and he waits.
Geno blinks before remembering his excuse of the day before “Right! Of course. Right away.” He searches for his boots and finds them quickly enough and oh stars he really did sleep in his travel gear.
Geno never truly cared about how he looks or how others see him. Before he just didn’t care and with time it just wasn’t important. It wasn’t until he started to live in Reaper’s castle in Sanctuary. That is when he started to notice people paying attention to him and being disapproving.
Again, at first he didn’t care. He didn’t give a fuck what some snobby rich person thought of him and still doesn’t. But he quickly realised that how he holds himself and how he looks effects how people see and think about Reaper so he started to take a bit better care of himself and his appearance.
He leaves the tent and goes to the same spot as the night before. It is still dark out but luckily Geno has reasonable good darksight. He holds his hands together and focusses on the nonburn fire he wants to summon again.
It is as easy as breathing and a moment later the fire is burning and shining before him. Glistering like perfect gems. Geno checks their packs and is happy to note that Dust already removed those from their tent which makes it possible for Geno to just grab the food and warm it up easily.
As it warms up Geno shoots some glances over his shoulder. Watching as Dust is already rolling up the tent again before walking over to the already saddled up horses. Seems like Dust had already been awake for a while.
Geno frowns as he looks at the fire “You were awake for a while already?”
Dust pauses his movements before he continues “Not for long.” He tightens the rope around the packs on the saddle.
Geno frowns as he gets the food ready to eat before undoing his fire spell “Still… I know I… haven’t been the best person.” Which is putting it mildly “And I know stuff isn’t just forgiven. But while out here I want to help. We are on this mission together after all…”
Dust turns to stare at him. His face unreadable. Geno misses when Dust at least allowed him to see something beyond his careful neutral face. Dust turns back to the horses “Don’t mind.” and he puts the reins over Opal’s head and Opal shakes his head. Dust messes with his hood and mask and the mask is on his face “Ready?”
Geno nods before actually answering “Yeah. Food is heated.” He hands Dust his warmed food before looking with dread at Basalt. Basalt at least is nice enough to stand still as Geno struggles on top of the horse.
Getting on the horse on equal ground with two free hands it one thing, trying to climb on top of one in the forest on top of a mountain with food in one hand is a whole other situation. Geno ends up managing it and didn’t even need to use magic to aid him.
Geno looks up to see Dust already on Opal’s back. The place that had been their camp is cleaned of any traces of their stay. Dust turns Opal around and the two of them set off again.
It is still very early. Dawn only just broke and there is only the very starts of sunlight making it easier to see.
They follow up the winding path up the mountain. Geno nibbles the food and knows he is pulling a face. The heat made the food a bit better but it are still rations.
Geno glances at Dust and notices he is already done eating “You like rations?”
Dust tilts his skull and shrugs “Not the best but not the worst. Healthy.”
Right. He is used to missions and having to eat rations on the go “That is fair… Must admit that ever since I moved to Sanctuary I have been enjoying the food.” He sighs “The fish is fucking amazing. Then again it is the country’s export.” He nibbles on his food “Orchard was all about like… grains and stuff right?”
Dust shrugs as he mutters “Mostly for cattle. Used to be a lot about meat. When Nightmare took over the country switched to fruits and orchards. Now it is mostly fruits and stuff like it.”
Geno gives a slow nod “Right… the weather and climate changed after Nightmare took over right? None of those weather rituals.” The rituals that country used to do fascinated Geno endlessly. The strange way they used magic to do stuff and make large changes. Larger than most simple or complex spells should be capable of. Permanent drought is very intense and very hard as it forces the unguided and wild being of nature itself to bend to it. Things that are alive are always harder to work with magically. It is why Geno prefers the more direct and unchanging nature of rocks and gems.
Dust shrugs “Nightmare doesn’t like the rituals.”
Geno nods “I get it.” blood magic and sacrifice magics are always disliked. Fascinating but very harmful ways to practise magic. Though both are very strong and have many ways to even alter reality. Necromancy is a close one after those two but not quite on the same level of power. Necromancers just have the worst rep and bad PR.
They walk in silence as Geno looks around the area. It has been so long since he was last up here, he really needs to visit it more often.
The horses stop and Geno looks forwards only to freeze. Because that is a much larger and wild river than it should be.
Dust tilts his skull slightly “Did we make a wrong turn?”
Geno shakes his skull as he double checks their map “We shouldn’t have. I checked as we walked we are right where I thought we should be…” he frowns as he focusses on the map “There should just be a small river here with only a few stepping stones to get past it. Not this large and very much not this wild.”
Dust hums as he keeps looking at the river “Other way?”
Geno frowns “There is another path… but that means we have to go back to the main path and move to the other side of the ravine and follow it along until we find a way further down and back up on another side of this mountain. Instead of going west we would need to go much further up north before climbing the mountain up into the south west side you know?” he follows the map with his phalanges as he checks the routes.
Dust hums “Over the river it is.” Only for him to get off the horse and pet Opal before nudging her. And Opal just jumps over the river before looking back smugly.
Geno stares with his mouth open.
Dust walks over to him and Basalt and stops by the side “Scoot.”
Wait what?!
Geno blinks “What?” his voice sounds much higher than it should be.
Dust tilts his skull “Scoot. A bit back.”
Geno gives a slow nod as he moves a bit back. Dust then just jumps up and over the side and oh god he is right in front of him and where does Geno leave his hands.
Dust gets the reins in his hands and shoots him a look over his shoulder “Hold on.”
Where?!
Dust nudges the horse and Basalt starts to move and Geno holds unto around his waist. Especially when Dust makes Basalt speed up.
Geno tries to focus on just holding on and not on the fact of how warm Dust feels. He is thankful that Dust is wearing armour and leather as that makes it impossible to really feel the other and-
Oh shit they are jumping.
Geno holds on tightly and plasters himself against Dust’s back.
A moment later Basalt lands on the other side of the river and comes to a slow stop.
Dust hums “Up and over.”
Geno is not letting go as his whole body is tense “How did you know he would be able to make it? Why not jump over with Opal?”
Dust hums “Opal can jump alone…” and he shoots him a look.
Right, and Geno can’t. Great.
Shit he is still holding the other and following the barely there curve of his body and- Geno lets go and tries to scoot backwards. Trying to keep his emotions and magic calm when he starts to slide to the side. Dust quickly grabs his arms and tugs him back fully on Basalt as he himself gets off easily.
Geno can just fucking die. This fucking sucks. He is making stupid mistake after mistake and making blunder after blunder.
Dust doesn’t seem bothered as he is already walking over towards Opal and jumps on her back.
Geno frowns as he stares down. Not even sure what to say at this point. Sorry he is a mess? Both with anything horse related and Dust related? Geno is probably making this so much harder than it needs to be.
Geno glances back at the river and mutters “How did you know that Basalt could carry both of us and jump over?”
Dust answers easily “Is Horror’s horse. He is strong.”
Geno blinks and looks at the massive and muscled horse he is riding. Wow. That would explain as Horror is a big guy and carries large weapons. Geno looks up “And that is why you picked Basalt?”
Dust nods “Also easy to lead. I always lead Basalt.”
Geno frowns “Always? What if Horror is riding it?”
Dust sounds amused as he speaks “Horror can’t ride a horse. Worse than you.”
Geno blinks confused. Seriously? Horror is… worse somehow? Geno speaks up without thinking “I almost fell like three times already…”
Dust nods “Better than Horror. Basalt good at balance for a reason.”
Geno looks at Basalt and sees how the saddle he is on has many spots to grab on. Same for the reins now that he truly studies it. Horror having difficulty riding a horse… It would make sense to train a horse to be easy to ride for guests as they listen to someone else. Geno had notices that Basalt didn’t as much look around but just watches Opal and Dust.
Geno also only now realises that Dust messed with the reins and probably put them on like the lead setting over just for Geno to hold onto to balance. He only got them ready to lead the horse when Dust was the one riding it.
He…
Oh.
Huh.
Geno can’t help but smile a bit as his soul does a little flutter “Thanks… I appreciate it…”
A long silence follows that and that is okay. Geno doesn’t truly expect an answer.
“No problem… shared mission.” Dust’s answer is quiet.
Geno grins wider as he can’t help but get the feeling that Dust is being shy. He used to be shy a lot and Geno finds it adorable all over again. Even before his interest changed from just fascination in his magic to feelings for him he always found the other cute. Which probably says  a lot about him that he found a murderer and ex-smuggler and ex-crimelord adorable but Geno is just going to not bother thinking about that specifically.
They don’t come across any other rivers as they walk along the path around the mountain. They talk a bit more about the plan. Which is finding one of the lower mine entrances and entering through those before systematically searching the mine.
Which will be the most time costly part of the mission. As the mines are complex with many tunnels. Geno got the copies of the last made maps but they may not match up perfectly anymore as the mine system is older.
They get in a rhythm after that. They travel throughout the day and when dusk starts Dust sets up camp as Geno keeps an eye on the food rations and the path they must take.
They don’t come across any rough rivers again as they move along the mountain steadily. Geno is only a little sad about it but he keeps his mouth shut. He will just have to be thankful for the chance he got to be that close to the other.
It takes them a total of three days but they finally spot it in the distance. A quarry with a large landmarker that they used to mine, mostly for granite. As they needed that for the construction of the new cities. Geno is pretty sure some of the originally made buildings are still in the capital standing tall and strong. The mine and quarry both just got too unstable to continue to mining operations safely and Reaper had to discontinue the work at this location.
Dust looks around the area “Large mine…”
Geno looks over and nods “It is the oldest and largest in the country.” Which is also why there was a lot of pushback when Reaper closed it for safety reasons.
Geno knows that Reaper took the time to search for a new place to start mining to make sure that the many people working at this location didn’t lose their jobs. Reaper had spent a long time looking for a new location and as the people had to wait Reaper used money form the treasury to make sure no one lost their income.
Geno honestly wonders how some people could say that Reaper was a bad king.
Dust nods as he looks around. Geno wishes he could see his face to figure out what he feels or thinks. Now Geno just as to wait for Dust to speak, which he doesn’t do a lot. Guy is shy and quiet.
Dust turns to him “Where is the entrance?”
Geno frowns “I mean. It should be right there.” He turns and points only to blink. Why is it collapsed?!
Dust hums “By your face. It should be open.” He gets off of Opal and walks over to the opening into the mountain. He looks at the wood and the many many rocks filling up the opening.
Dust speaks up “Wood is cut through. Support beam and all. No marks of a natural rockslide.”
Geno frowns “Sabotage…” That is rough “Well… Good news, we found the mine they are located in.”
Dust hums “Bad news… Entrance is a no.” Dust looks at the entrance before looking back at Geno “Blast open?”
Geno frowns and shakes his skull “Can’t risk it. As I said before, the mine is instable and may collapse. Not to forget the mountain is at high risk of avalanches.”
Dust continues to looks at him “Alternative?”
Geno checks the map and nods “There are more entrances all over the mountain. They are just harder to reach.” He points at some of the minecart rails going out and around the mountain “Helps with the many carts. Most of the mountain is full of tunnels.”
Dust nods and walks back to Opal as he gets on “Where to?”
Geno looks at their map “A bit down again and then we need to follow a narrow path to get to the trail leading to the next possible entrance.”
Dust nods as he turns their horses back to the entrance of the quarry. “Okay.” and they are off again.
Geno directs them back the way they came before getting to the thin ledge they carefully walk over. Dust only asks him how long the track will be once, which Geno answers with it should be about half a day.
Geno just hopes that this one is actually open for them to use.
They follow the path and by the time the sun is starting to set they come to the second entrance, one near a river which leads all the way down the mountain.
Dust stops them and stares ahead. Geno follows his line of sight and- “Those motherfuckers.”
The second entrance is also locked off.
Dust nods “Apparently.” And he jumps off his horse.
Geno blinks “What are you doing?”
Dust doesn’t answer out loud instead he gets the pack for the tent. Geno nods “Fair enough. Camping time.” He gets off Basalt and he is proud that he hasn’t fallen while getting off the horse since day one.
Geno goes about his usual routine to get the fire going and to warm their food as Dust is quick about the tent and the horses. It is nice at this point. Both doing their thing in silence. Geno hands Dust his food before going into the tent to sleep, having set a timer on the magical fire for an hour.
Geno sighs as he gets comfortable in the bedroll. Ready to sleep as he is now much warmer in it. Honestly the magic woven into the bedroll is amazing. He will need to figure out how to do this. Maybe add it to Reaper’s weighted blanket. Reaper gets cold easily and the added warmth to his comfort blanket will be great.
His mind is already slowing down with sleep when he hears very soft shuffles. That is good. That is Dust then. Getting some sleep as well.
Geno lets out another yawn before he lets sleep claim him.
--
The plans ends up being to keep going up the winding paths up the mountain. Which is a rather high risk at the moment as they mountain is traitorous this time of spring. But Geno figures at this point that none of the entrances will be open.
Which leaves them going with the path going straight to the highest one instead of going one up at the time.
Geno grumbles as he has to hold on tightly to the saddle “Why did those idiots even lock everything up? Don’t they need stuff?”
Dust hums “Nah. Only times they go out is when they smuggle and trade. Otherwise lock away and preparing for next trade session.”
Geno blinks as he looks at the back of Dust “Really? How do you know that?”
Dust just shoots him a look over his shoulder. Geno is still unsure how Dust can be this expressive while still wearing his mask and not showing his face. Maybe Geno is just good at figuring out Dust at this point?
He likes that idea…
Dust shakes his skull but Geno thinks he heard a small snort before Dust answers “Used to smuggle. And do crimes. Never messed with drugs however. Too high risk.”
Right… Geno knew that. Because Reaper did a background check on all the Knights before he went to even speak with Nightmare about searching his country for Error. Years and years ago.
Geno can’t help but be intrigued “What was that like? I used to spend a lot of time on the streets but never spend much time in the black markets…” Too much risk for a kid with no adults to protect them. Children got abducted from the streets very often at his old home.
Dust is silent for a bit and Geno looks to the side “Sorry… pushy again?” Why can’t he just…
Dust shakes his skull “Not pushy… surprised…” he seems to think for a while “It was easy money.” And he leaves it at that.
Huh. Well. Geno gets it. Which he makes sure to mention. Dust shoots him another look and Geno shrugs “I used to be young before. No one would hire a child for a normal job and I only had so much time with full time school to actually get money. Shadier business gives better payout.”
Dust keeps looking at him before giving a short nod.
Geno smiles as he relaxes a bit. He thinks it is going well. Maybe Reaper was right. And he just needed to start some conversations and try to be calm and mindful of the boundaries Dust sets.
Geno at this point is honestly just enjoying the track. It is relaxing to be out in the open air. Conversations are going well. They got their little routine going and Geno has managed to get the other to at least let out a few amused snorts and gotten him to look back at him. Geno thinks it is going very well!
By the fifth day Geno is almost disappointed to see the mineshafts in the distance. Meaning that his time with Dust is starting to come to an end.
Dust hums as he looks at Geno. Geno forces a smile to his face and nods “That is the one.” Dust nods and leads their horses closer to the entrance before he pauses.
Geno frowns “Something wrong?”
Dust looks back at him before looking at Opal “Don’t want them to be hurt.”
Geno blinks as he looks at the horses “I mean… We don’t have to bring them all the way up there. We can leave them at a lower spot? Out of view and free to run if need be?” Geno doubts that of course. As Geno has no doubt that Dust and him will be able to take care of those drug dealers easily.
Dust seems to relax and nods. Then he directs the horses a bit closer to start the final climb.
They get to a small patch of trees a bit away from the last entrance. Dust gets off and gets to work on making sure the saddle and reins aren’t ready to be used to ride Opal. Geno gets off himself and Dust does the same with Basalt. He spends some time to check both horses before nudging them deeper into the hiding place. Opal looks very unamused as she tries to walk back over to Dust. Dust clicks his teeth and makes a motion with his hand. Opal huffs and snorts before holding her head high as she trots into the forest.
Geno crosses his arms “Can’t believe I am saying this but that horse is a diva.”
Dust just nods and shrugs as Geno laughs. They walk towards the mine entrance and Geno frowns. It is so quiet here… It gives him the creeps. Dust starts to walk slower and slower and Geno can see him glancing around.
Geno gets to the entrance when a hand grabs his shoulder and tugs lightly. Geno looks back at Dust. Dust just shakes his skull as he continues to stare at the entrance.
Geno frowns “I know it feels… off. But it is the only entrance that is still open.” Geno makes sure to keep his voice low and just above a whisper. They are still being stealthy after all.
Dust frowns before pointing towards one of the higher up rail systems for carts. That disappear into the mountain.
Geno frowns “We can just use this entrance.”
Dust points to himself and then to the new entrance he found. Then points at Geno and waits. Geno just points towards the entrance they are in front of. Dust sighs but nods. Then he turns and starts climbing the wall to reach the new entrance he found. And he disappears inside.
Okay.
Geno casts a simple light spell before going into the mine.
It is old and deserted. There is dust and dirt everywhere. Geno uses his little ball of light to shine out and get a feeling for the distance. The ground is uneven and the walls are all cut out roughly. The tunnel leads onwards with a small decline to it.
Geno follows it. As he walks he keeps looking around him and back. Having the feeling he is being watched.
Geno tries to remember the layout of the mine he studied. He never really studied the upper parts beyond the basics. If he remembers correctly it will open up to a larger area soon. The centre of the upper part where all the mined goods were collected and counted and noted down.
He feels a shiver go up his spine as he feels magic right behind him. He doesn’t think as he turns and makes the ball of light explode into a flash. A groan of someone else and Geno rushes deeper into the mine. Now running with just his natural nightvision to guide him.
Geno continues to run deeper into the mine as the footfall starts to follow him. Shit shit shit.
Dust was so right he should have gone with him. Why the hell did Geno think he knew this kinda stuff better than Dust who had actual experience with missions like this?!
Geno goes to turn a corner but feels the magic charge up and quickly dives to the side to dodge the incoming blast. Purple fire magic?
Before he can get up and continue running hands grab his shoulders and he feels something click around his neck.
“Stand up and stand still.”
His body moves without his permission as it follows the order. Shit. The slave collar. Shit shit shit shit shit.
Geno tries to force his body or magic to move and act but neither seem to be able to. He is forced to watch someone walk out of the shadows of one of the many tunnels. Human by the looks of it. A badly kept beard and very pale and thin skin. Large marks of too little sleep under those eyes. But the eyes are focussed and there is a grin on his face.
The man smirks “Well if this isn’t a treat! I know my people said I had guests wandering the mountain but I never expected it to be the royal mage himself!” he grins as he puts an arm around Geno’s shoulders.
Geno glares and tries to speak but his body just won’t move. Get your filthy limbs away from him.
The man smirks “I am Rover. The head and brains behind this operation. Come come! I will show you the whole place and give you a tour!” he looks downright excited as he moves.
Geno can’t stop his body from moving after the man. Following the order he had been given.
As soon as Geno can he is burning this man to a crisp. Serves him right for trying to control Geno.
Geno can’t even study the people behind him as he can barely move his eye lights as it is. He is stuck following Rover as Rover has a bounce in his step. Fucking freak.
They exit the tunnel into a large open space and this is the main operations of this mining outcrop he had been looking for. As expected it is the place to be. The elevators are operational as they carry boxes up and down into a lower area or up to the small office building near the top. People are walking around closing crates.
There is this strange machine that some people put some kind of powder in. At the bottom these tiny crystal shaped rocks tumble out. That is it. That is the drugs that are at large in the city.
But it isn’t just one large machine. Geno can already see seven of them all working.
Rover grins “Beautiful isn’t it? The small doses we distributed was just the test. Knowing that the drugs are as well received as they are means we can expand! It is a matter of time before everyone wants a bit of my supply!” he walks towards one of the machines and sticks his hand into a crate that is being filled up. He shows the handful off as if he is holding something precious instead of something deadly and dangerous.
Rover grins “Especially now.” he chuckles “The royal mage liking this stuff? That will boost sales so high. Especially as you will make sure the king doesn’t try to stop it anymore.”
Geno glares as he tries to make it obvious he will ever much not do that.
Rover grins “It is okay. You will just need a tiny taste test.” He drops most of it before walking over with one single piece.
Geno tries to pull free from the control keeping his body locked. He tries to blast the other. But nothing. He can’t even mentally activate one of his many crystals. All ready with potent magic to protect him.
Nothing he can do.
He slowly feels his fear increase. He has no idea how his magic and soul will react to the drug. His soul isn’t a full soul after all. Just a shard of one. Geno has a lot of magic already that his soul shard overproduces. He has no idea what will happen if he has to take this and his soul is pushed even further.
Rover holds out his hand “Take thi-AAAAH!” A knife hits his arm.
Geno feels a bit of relieve as the order doesn’t take effect. A dark shadow lands behind some of the people guarding Rover and Geno can see a sharp bone attack impale one of the guards with a crack of electricity.
The guard drops down. Rover turns and Geno can see him look panicked as he whispers “A Knight.”
Right. Rover is originally from Orchard. He would know the full meaning of the masks. Rover looks around panicked as Geno just watches Dust take out guard after guard. Moving fluent and with a grace he hadn’t had had the pleasure of seeing since that one fated training session.
Rover takes a few steps back and yells out “Hold an explosion spell to your own skull!! If he continues to attack you will shoot it!”
Geno feels his soul freeze as his magic starts to unwillingly form the spell. His arm aims at his skull and he can feel the energy behind the magic. He feels the unwillingness of his magic as he has to aim it at his own being. Dust freezes.
Rover pants as he looks around “Okay. Okay. Much better don’t we all agree?” He glares at some people “Get another collar. Now!”
One guard shakes “Boss we don’t… we don’t have more ready. We didn’t have the magical chips prepared to make more.”
Rover pants as he looks around “Then get the magic dampers!” He glares as he looks frantic “What a big show. Since when does the king of Orchard care about other countries?”
Dust just stares from behind his mask. Unbothered.
Rover glares “What?! Not going to speak?”
Dust doesn’t say a word again.
The guards rush back with some magic dampers. Rover considers it as he looks between Geno and Dust. Clearly thinking.
Rover points to Dust “Hands and arms out. Or the king of Sanctuary will have to look for a new royal mage!”
Dust frowns but gives a slow nod as he holds out his arms. Rover snaps his fingers and points at the guard holding the dampers before pointing at Dust.
No. No don’t do that.
The guard puts two dampers on Dust.
Rover sighs and grins “There isn’t that better?” he looks at Geno “Dispel that attack.” Geno’s magic does as told and Geno wants to spit in Rover’s face. Rover grins as he swagger walks over to Dust. He boldly removes the mask which he holds up proudly.
One of the guards looks nervous “Boss. Euh… You shouldn’t… the masks… The masks are important and…”
Rover shoots the guard a look “Yes I know. But I think I am owned it. After all! I outsmarted the Knight and the royal mage!”
Geno watches as Dust glares at Rover. Bloody murder so clear in those mismatched eyes. Geno feels so guilty. He should have just trusted Dust’s instincts and snuck in with him through the other entrance that he found. Why did Geno have to be stubborn? He thought he would have been able to handle this easily with his magic.
Dust snorts “Debatable.” Rover glares at him but Dust isn’t even looking at Rover anymore. He is just looking around the area. Looking bored and unimpressed. Like he has somewhere much more important to be.
Rover sputters and glares “I caught you both! I have this set up! I am on my way to be the greatest and most influential person in the world!”
Dust snorts “Country I guess… and for druggies…” and he shrugs again.
Rover glares and points at Geno “With the most powerful mage under my control it is a matter of time before I have all I deserve!”
Dust raises a brow. Glances at Geno. Then back at Rover. And shrugs again “Not as powerful as my king.”
Rover freezes for a moment as he worries the crate he is next to. Frown on his face “These drugs will get me people. Get me forces. I will be able to take all I want. Even… even Nim’s son won’t stand a chance against me.”
Geno never understood why they wouldn’t say Nightmare’s name.
Dust tilts his skull and has an unimpressed look on his face “You don’t even dare mutter his name. Why do you think you are strong enough to defeat someone with the power of a god?”
Geno frowns before connecting the dots. This man doesn’t know that Nightmare lost those powers already. Dust is counting on the fact that Rover has been out of the loop on the gossip inside of Orchard. Especially because the news that Nightmare is no longer powered by that ritual never left the inner circles until a little while ago.
Dust is counting on this man’s ignorance.
Rover shakes his skull “I will have more people. People who can end him.”
Dust tilts his skull “Only reason you caught me is because I let you.”
Rover freezes as he worries the crate. His eyes shooting between Geno and Dust. Then he gets a grin. He points to some man and snaps his fingers “Get the blockers on the mage.”
Geno blinks but soon he feels his magic be locked off. Rover than points to some guards and to Dust “Keep. Him. Still.” And he undoes the slave collar from Geno’s neck.
Geno feels his ability to move return and the first thing he does before he can even feel beyond the numb feeling is hit Rover right in his stupid ugly mug. Rover groans but guards grab Geno and hold him still as Rover rushes to Dust. And puts the collar on him.
Geno feels himself freeze as Dust just takes a deep breath. Now wearing two blockers and the collar.
Rover grins “There! Much better! Now! With you under my comment I will be unstoppable! Those fellow Knights of yours won’t want to attack you! Surely!”
Dust just stares ahead. Not a single emotion on his face. Rover turns to him and shudders as he looks around for a moment before looking back “Shit that is unnerving. Hey! Speak!”
Geno can spot it. The way that the corner of Dust’s mouth twitches slightly. Almost as if he would be grinning or smirking if he let himself. Instead Dust remains looking neutral as he stares at Rover “You don’t even know what I can do.”
Rover frowns as he worries the crate. Then he points to Dust and speaks “Do a spell and don’t aim it at any of us!”
Dust’s sockets and eye lights look so fucking amused. Geno can feel the static grow and grow and next thing that Geno knows there is a large blast of lightning originating from Dust that blasts outwards. Rover and the guards rush and dodge where they can.
Geno sees the fried circuits of the magic dampers and the slave collar drop to the ground when a hand grabs his hand and pulls him free from the guards who fell back with shock.
Dust and him are running into one of the many tunnels and Geno is trying to get the blocker off but he can’t.
Dust stops them in a tunnel and takes one of his hands “Can’t unlock yourself. It has fail safes.” He studies the bracelet and Geno can’t help but just stare at Dust. Dust must have known. Dust must have known from the start that his magic would be powerful enough to fry all of them at once.
Geno hadn’t know that Dust knows lightning spells! Those are hard to master and very powerful! That is insane to just have as a go to spell.
Geno focusses “On my hip is a knife. It should be able to cut through anything.” Dust doesn’t even check as his hand reaches the spot and finds the army knife Geno took along just in case.
A cut later and one of the blockers falls of. Geno feels his magic return to him and smiles. Dust gets to work on the match of it when they hear running. Which makes them both start to run again.
Geno follows after Dust as they get to a large cavern with an even larger drop. They run across the creaking and instable pathways as Dust glares “Why?”
Geno pants as he runs “I told you! This place is almost fully hollowed out. It is why it was closed! It is instable!”
They get to the end of the pathway only to find it a dead-end. Dust gets ready to turn only to see more of those people coming.
They spot a ledge by the cavern wall and Dust jumps from the pathway to the edge of it. He manages to land and Geno feels his nerves get even worse. What does he do? He can’t do that?
Dust turns to him and holds out a hand. Oh no. Geno looks back and sees the other people coming. He slowly climbs over the railing, having a dead grip on it still as he glances down. It is so dark and deep down there. Dropping in there would be his end. Easily.
Dust snaps his fingers and Geno looks up. Dust holds out a hand and looks calm. Everything about him says it clearly. He will catch him.
He will catch him.
He will catch him.
Geno lets go of the railing and sets off hard. His hand finds Dust’s and Dust pulls him right against the wall. Geno’s soul is pulsing wildly as he stands there. Dust tugs on his hand and starts shuffling along the ledge, away from those following them. Geno follows him even as he is starting to feel sick.
Geno never thought he had a fear of heights before but this feels different.
They are moving along the edge when Rover and his people start shooting at them. The ledge they stand on starts to crumble and suddenly they are both falling. Dust manages to grab unto the ledge with his hand and Geno can feel that Dust has a very tight grip on his hand.
Geno can see the pained look on Dust’s face and Geno is reminded of Dust’s weaker shoulder. Shit… this can’t be good for him.
They hang there and Geno can see Rover getting his guards and people to aim their magical attacks at them.
Geno looks down and the movement causes some of his crystals to be visible.
His crystals.
Oh duh!
He looks up at Dust “Dust! You need to let go!”
Dust looks at him like he is an idiot. Geno grins back “Let go of the ledge! We will be fine!” Dust is clearly unsure and Geno is trying to figure out how to explain it to him. But then… Dust lets go of the ledge.
There is no time to consider what exactly that means as suddenly they are falling.
They are falling and panic starts to fill him.
Geno pulls on Dust to make him closer and Geno pretty much warps as much around Dust as he can. Next he searches for the right crystal.
Please please please- There!
Geno grabs it and tugs it free from his hat.
He holds the crystal against both of them and prays it works as he focusses on the magic.
He feels it and tugs on it. The crystal turns to dust and Geno can feel himself, and Dust thank everything, start to slow in their descent.
They fall slowly in silence and darkness before they land on the ground without as much as a scratch.
They sit on the ground for a moment. Both breathing harshly as Geno lets the adrenaline slowly drain from his body.
That is when Geno suddenly becomes painfully aware that he is still holding unto Dust tightly and that they are pretty much in each other’s laps! Geno quickly pulls away from the other and makes room. Dust however isn’t looking at him at all as he keeps his hood pulled tightly over his face.
Dust gets up first, still not looking at him, as he rubs and rotates his fragile shoulder.
Geno frowns before getting up “Hey… It is totally okay if you don’t want to but… I do have healing magic?”
Dust is silent for a bit. He glances up for a moment before nodding “Fine.”
Geno smiles as he takes a seat. He thinks about using the crystals but decides this is better to do himself.
Dust sits before him and pauses his movements for a moment. But then he undoes his outer armour and puts it aside. Next he removes his hood from his being and Geno sees even more inner armour under the hood with an undershirt under that.
Dust removes the inner armour and frees only his hurt shoulder from the undershirt.
Geno can’t help but stare at the bones. Because he can see very tiny specks of grey on the white bones. But that can’t be what he thinks it is right? Because that is what happens to skeletons when they start dusting. Their bones turn a grey before falling apart in dust particles. Geno wants to touch those spots but he stops himself. Don’t be weird. Don’t be pushy. He hovers his hand above the shoulder and concentrates. Trying to feel what the injury is and what it needs.
Geno can feel the dull ache in his own shoulder. It seems like he overstretched the joints and that it had too much weight put on it. Geno can also feel it. The way the mana lines deep and hidden in the other still has tiny breaks in them. This must be why his shoulder is still hurt after that hit from Horror from a year ago at this point.
Geno stops himself from just pushing healing into those areas as he speaks “Your joints are overstretched and too much pressure was put on them as well. It is easy to heal… I… I also noticed that your mana lines have tiny cracks in them. I think this is what is causing you your weaker shoulder now… I can try to heal it a bit as well…” Only if he is okay with it.
Dust thinks it over before giving a short nod.
Geno feels excitement fill him as he concentrates on his magic. Help him. Heal him. Just make him feel better. Geno wants to be able to help him and make him feel better. Anything.
The soft ache he had been feeling in his own shoulder disappears with each tiny bit of magic he pushes into the old and new wounds. Dust’s shoulder easily accepts the magic. Even as Geno can feel static from Dust’s own magic. Clearly not as okay with this intruding magic as Dust’s body is.
Geno makes sure that his own magic remains calm. He just wants to help. That is all he wants. Please just let him.
The magic doesn’t cast him out luckily and the healing is finished much quicker than he thought it would. Geno pulls his hands back as he catches his breath “There… all done.” Casting spells on the fly always takes more energy than the carefully planned and crafted spells he has.
Dust rolls his shoulder and frowns as he touches it for a moment. He glances at him before quickly getting dressed again. Geno can’t help but feel anxious “Is something wrong?” he thought he had it all now. He thought he healed the other.
Dust pauses and mutters “Feels good…” and he tugs the hood on tighter, his hand reaching towards the spot he normally leaves his mask before frowning even more.
Geno grins and nudges their shoulders together “It is okay. We will get it back and show Rover he was a fucking idiot…” Talking about idiot “I am sorry… I should have listened before when you said we shouldn’t go through the main entrance… I got overconfident.” He messed up.
Dust shoots him a look and shrugs “Easy fix.” He sighs as he looks up “Don’t look forwards to the climb.”
Geno actually starts to smile as he holds up one of his crystals “Oh don’t worry. I got just the spell for that.” Dust looks intrigued at the crystal.
Geno searches the place before spotting an empty mine cart. That will do nicely. He jumps into it and looks at Dust, Dust tilts his skull but follows his lead.
Geno makes sure it isn’t stuck before he grabs the crystal that he has charged with levitation magic. He holds it near the cart and concentrates. The magic needs to be transferred to the holding place of the crystal into the cart itself. He imagines that the cart is magnetically charged and that this one matches the one around it. To make sure that the same pools push each other away.
The crystal falls apart and-
The cart rocks as it slowly starts to float. Dust remains very still as he holds unto the cart tightly. Geno grins as he looks up “Up we go!”
It is kind of like an elevator. They rise slowly up as they sit in silence. Geno sighs as he leans against the cart “What do we do?”
Dust hums as he keeps a tight hold on the cart. Clearly uncomfortable with this way of transportation. Geno blinks and gives him a softer smile “It is okay. The magic will make sure it remains stable and not swing or anything. We will be up in no time.” Dust shrugs as he keeps looking up.
Geno feels a bit bad for taking him on this ride without a warning. Geno sighs as he looks up. What do they do…
Dust speaks softly “We need to stop the production…”
Geno nods as the original plan returns “We need to stop the machines. I can stop them easily enough but the problem is Rover and his man.”
Dust shrugs “I can deal with them.” he frowns as he glances at Geno “But fighting and keeping an eye on you is… harder.”
Geno rolls his eyes. He doesn’t take it personally. “I know I know I am not a fighter. It is fine. I have a crystal to make a shield but I need time to set it up.”
Dust nods “Hiding place for you. I go in and end them. Then you lock up stuff.”
Geno laughs “Sounds a lot easier than it will probably be.” Dust doesn’t look bothered.
They get all the way back to the pathways they were on before and Geno is happy to note they see no one. Dust points further up “We can hide you there. Easy to get around.”
Geno nods and makes the cart fly even higher. They get to an upper cart rail and Dust gets out first. Geno goes after and parks the cart sideways. Just to make sure it doesn’t fall off.
Dust leads him through the upper rail system. They very quickly get back to the main area where they see Rover screaming at some of his workers. About them having to go down to make sure Geno and Dust are actually dead. The workers however clearly don’t want to as they quote the fact the whole area is unstable. Rover reminds them that he will end them if they don’t go. So they can pick taking their chances in the mines or take the certain end by Rover’s hands.
Dust hums as they watch “He is sampling his own produce.”
Geno nods “He is overcharged and his soul will implode soon enough if he keeps using it.”
Dust nods his agreement “Someone else would just take over. Best clean out the whole nest.” And he readies a sharp bone in his hand. He glances at Geno “Shield?”
Geno nods and holds up his needed crystal “Ready.” Dust gives him some space to work with and Geno has the shield up very quickly.
Dust nods before just jumping down and landing right on top of Rover who he stabs right through the chest without a second hesitation. Dust grabs his mask and puts it back on his face. The other stare in shock which Dust uses to attack.
Geno should probably be doing something other than just staring but can you blame him? Dust moves with a grace and confidence that rivals professional dancers. Dust is so comfortable and familiar with himself and his skills that he moves between the forces as if it is nothing.
It is not even a fight. It is a slaughter. A beautiful slaughter.
Dust finishes the last one and moves all the bodies into the same area before looking up at Geno. Geno grins as he undoes his shield “No worries. I got this.” some slow falling and he is on the ground without as much as a scratch.
Dust nods before looking at all the drugs and chemicals. Geno grins “Time to put everything in a crystal. Can you help me move everything into that tunnel start?” he points to one that hasn’t been dug out far yet “I will use that as the vault for now. Until we can send people up here to properly dispose of everything.”
Dust nods and the two of them set to work on moving everything into the tunnel. Aside from paperwork. All the paperwork Geno can find he puts on his person to get back to Reaper as proof.
It takes a long time to get everything to the right spot. Geno sits near the materials and machinery and can’t help but stare in wonder “This is so strange! These machines take the magic from found items and push it into smaller sugar cubes which gain those strange forms as the magic settles!” Geno can’t help but grin. “It is fascinating. So fascinating. I never even thought about taking the magical energy of non-edible stuff and binding it to sugar of all things!” The way the machine pulls the magic out, just leaving the empty husks of the minerals and plants they put in. The fact that made the sugar with chemicals to bind it easily to the magic. And then how the sugar itself almost crystalised and grew spikes to show this infused magic. The difference within the original form and the new form must make it possible for the machine to influence the intent! It is so weird that these people managed to find a way to get a machine to edit the magic as usually that is impossible because of the lack of intent or purpose.
Geno looks back with a grin but frowns at the way Dust is looking away with his arms crossed “We done?”
Geno nods “Yeah… we are done…” what… what is wrong? Maybe he is anxious to get back to his horses? Geno turns back to the small tunnel and gets to work on writing the sigils and symbols for the needed spell. Luckily he won’t need a lot for this.
He touches the stone and takes a deep breath. The rocks change shapes and forms right before his own sockets as the rock all start to grow crystals, Stalagmite and stalactites all to enclose the items hidden within. Geno infuses it with more magic and the new barrier crystalises and forms a stable seal, as Geno does this he pushes his crystal to drain magic into the barrier as well. If anyone were to open the barrier the spell will drain all the magic from everything in the tunnel. Making sure that no one can get to it unless they get a neutralising spell from Geno to stop that from happening.
Geno nods “All locked away. Let’s get out of here.” Dust nods and is already leading the way out. Huh…
Geno frowns as he goes after Dust. Feeling unsure about what went wrong.
They leave the mine but neither of them says a word. Geno is not sure what to say or what could be bothering the other. Maybe nothing is even bothering him and Geno is just assuming stuff.
The get to the horses and Dust is quick to get both ready. Geno stands by the side as he makes sure the proof they found is safely tugged away on his person.
Dust has Basalt ready first and Geno climbs up as Dust gets on Opal’s back.
Geno gets the map out of the pack and studies the route “We can take another path down. One that would be shorter than the original one we took. Mostly because we would be able to take the path straight down instead of going by every other entrance.”
Dust nods and follows the direction Geno points out.
They just get a bit down the path when a loud yell stops them.
Geno looks back confused as Dust just sighs annoyed “He doesn’t know when to die.”
Rover stands on top of the mine gate glaring. A gun in hand.
Geno hums as he toys with one of his crystals. Charging it quickly and getting the shield to activate within seconds “It is honestly quite sad.”
Dust tilts his skull curiously “How is he even alive?”
Geno rolls his eyes as he looks unbothered at Rover “You told me remember? He sampled his own supply. I can only assume it put his soul and magic into overdrive, which effected his human physic.” Geno shrugs “I am not a biologist. I am not sure.” Still, surviving a stab through the chest is impressive. Geno can see the blood covering his front form here.
Dust blinks and keeps staring at Rover “Didn’t know that was a thing.”
Geno shrugs again “Euh. It normally isn’t. It isn’t healthy for the soul.” Dust nods.
Rover glares at them and shoots the gun, the bullet hits the shield and turns to dust, “Stop ignoring me!”
Geno is about to make another comment when he hears it. A soft, very soft, rumble.
Dust noticed too as he looks around. Geno looks anxiously at Rover “No need to shout.”
Rover has a crazed smile on his face as he pulls out an explosive “That is the thing. If everything I did was for nothing. If all of it was for nothing. If this is my end.” He grins “I am taking you two fuckers with me.” And he throws the explosive back into the mine.
A loud explosion and the rumbling gets worse. Rover turns and throws out his arms “Now lets embrace the end!! A white! Cold! Embrace! Of death!”
Geno can see it on the mountain. The snow on the mountain shifting. He turns to Dust panicked “Avalanche.” Dust is already turning Opal around and pulling on Basalts reins.
Geno however yelps as he shifts and gets unstable. He holds unto the saddle but he does not feel secure at all.
Dust glances back at the snow and looks back at Geno “Shield?”
Geno shakes his skull “Not strong enough to hold off an avalanche.” At least. He doesn’t think so. They never had to test it! It is about blocking attacks! Not to withstand natural disasters.
Dust however nods as he jumps off of Opal. Next he goes to her side and cuts off the saddle and throws it off of her. Packs included. He does the same to the reins. Wait is that Geno’s knife?
Geno blinks confused as Dust just pushes him further up Basalt’s neck and out of the saddle. Doing the same with the saddle on Basalt’s back.
Next Dust pushes him back a bit and jumps on top of Basalt as well and takes the reins. He tugs on it lightly and Basalt starts to speed up, Opal following them without needing a comment.
“Hold on.”
Geno doesn’t even think as he locks his arms around Dust’s middle as he leans forwards.
Basalt is off like a bullet. Speeding down the mountain and jumping over and rushing past terrain. Geno isn’t sure what to do so all he does is lean closer to Dust and try to copy his movements. Just stay plastered against his back as he moves with him.
The snow is rushing after them as Opal runs by their side. Needing no rider to keep up and stay on course.
Basalt is a beast. And Geno means this with the upmost respect. Basalt goes over and past the terrain as if it is nothing. While Opal needs to make some small side jumps or multiple smaller jumps Basalt just sets off and clears any gap easily. They rush past the many pine trees but even with the lighter carry load Geno can still hear the snow starting to catch up.
The snow is much faster than they are. But unloading the packs and freeing up the horses to enable them more movement freedom may have bought them some precious minutes…
Opal is running ahead of them before she darts to the side. Dust doesn’t think as he leans to guide Basalt into the same direction. Geno leans with him and feels fear enter his soul as he sees why Opal changed directions. There is a huge cliff and ravine right where they had been going.
They are now not even running straight away from the coming snow anymore. Geno tugs himself closer to Dust. Feeling more panic reach him.
Dust frowns as he looks around for a moment before he just turns Basalt to be aimed at the avalanche!?
Geno looks at him panicked but he looks focussed and determined and Geno decides he will just shut up and trust the other. He pushes his face into the soft leather and scarf around Dust’s neck and shoulders and tries to keep his panic inside.
Opal is faster and jumps up and into the moving snow before she keeps trotting slowly forwards. Basalt can’t do the same as gracefully but does a similar move.
Geno feels the shock of the snow’s force and feels himself start to slide slightly. He just holds tighter unto Dust. Warm and stable Dust.
Dust keeps guiding Basalt using the reins. Managing to keep Basalt on track to not be swept away by the snow. Following the path that Opal leads them down.
Geno glances a look up away from the shoulder and spots what Dust is aiming for. A rocky outcrop. Standing out of the snow like a beacon.
Another rumble and Geno glances up to see another wave of snow start to come lose and barrel down the mountain straight towards them. His arms tighten around the other “Dust…”
“I know I know.” Dust keeps the horses on track and manages to get to the rock. Opal gets up easily and turns to bite some weird leather strap on Basalt’s reins and tugs on it. Helping Basalt up the rock.
The rumbling of rushing snow is louder than ever. Dust points towards Opal and makes a click sound. Opal gallops towards the edge of the rock and jumps!
Only to clear the ravine with ease and to turn around to wait for them.
Dust guides Basalt to look into the right direction. He pets the large horse and mutters “Just this Basalt. Then we can take a break.” Basalt lets out a huff of breathe before starting to run and gallop towards the edge.
Basalt jumps and seems to make it before the backside starts to slide off. Panic overtakes his soul again as he holds unto Dust. Fear gripping every part of his mind and soul.
Then Opal grabs the reins again and tugs as Basalt works hard to get back up the ledge.
And they are on it.
Moments later the second wave of snow comes over the ledge and falls into the ravine.
Geno remains frozen against Dust’s back as Dust pants “That… was close…” Geno just stares at the ruined landscape behind them. Trees had been pulled from the ground and are sticking out of the snow. If he had been in there he wouldn’t only have gotten buried but also risked getting hit by one of those trees or other stuff hidden in it. Only to be knocked out and to freeze under the snow.
If he wouldn’t have been dragged down that ravine for a long and painful fall only to be covered with snow if he even survived it.
“Geno?” Geno shoots Dust a look.
Dust isn’t looking at him. He is messing with the reins “You… euh… arms?”
Geno frowns as he turns to look over Dust’s shoulder that he had been pushing  his face against. He still has his arms in a dead grip around Dust.
Oh!
Geno pulls away only to yelp as he starts to fall off. Dust grabs him to keep him from falling. With Dust’s help he can actually get off of Basalt without the assist of the saddle.
As soon as he is on the ground his knees go weak and he falls to the ground fully. So thankful to be on solid ground again “Oh thank the stars… That took years off my life.” His soul is still beating and pulsing wildly from the stress. He may have to visit a healer once he is home to make sure he didn’t overstress his soul with this trip.
Dust lands next to him and pets both the horses before crouching down next to him “You okay?”
Geno laughs as he still sits there shaking “How are you this calm?! It feels like my soul was trying to escape my body while we were trying to escape… How did you stay that calm?”
Dust tilts his skull a tiny bit and mutters “Trained. Taught… Prepared.”
Geno blinks. Right… Dust is a Knight. He trained and practised responses and plans and everything for these kind of missions.
Geno laughs and looks down “Makes sense…” fucking hell he must look so useless to the other. Geno is just. He is just so out of his depth. This whole trip it was surprise after surprise and Geno never did anything like this. Sure He can do magic and knows magic but he never had to… this is not him. And he truly just made stuff more complicated.
Geno continues to sit in the snow as Dust walks over to Opal and pets and checks her over. He nods to himself before walking over to Basalt. Dust puts his and Basalt’s heads together and leans against the horse for a moment as he stares at him. Then Dust checks his neck and his back before checking the legs and freezing.
Dust crouches down and lightly touches a leg, only for Basalt to step away and moving a bit around before standing still.
Dust looks so sad. Geno frowns as he searches for the right words “Is… is something wrong?”
Dust looks to the side as he tugs on his scarf and hood “Basalt’s legs got hurt…”
Geno frowns. Isn’t that like very bad news for a horse? “Can… Can it heal?”
Dust shrugs “Not here.”
Geno frowns. Okay. That is bad. Because to get somewhere safe or even close to someone to help the horse they need to get down the whole mountain. And Geno doesn’t know a lot about animals. But thanks to Fresh he knows enough to know that climbing down a mountain with a wound on a pet’s leg is a very sure way to make them unable to recover fully.
Geno feels so bad… Basalt got them through an avalanche and now what? He can’t walk anymore? Something that is very important for horses?
Geno frowns at his hands as he pauses. Wait… He looks over and speaks up “If… if you are okay with it… I never healed horses before… But I can at least see what I can do and help? Make it a bit better so he can safely make it down the mountain and towards someone who can fully help him?”
Dust stares at him before giving a tiny nod. Geno pushes himself up from his spot on the ground as he walks over. He pauses by Basalt’s side and looks nervously at Dust “Make sure he doesn’t kick me?”
Dust gives another small nod.
Geno gets to Basalt’s side and holds one hand near a leg. He could have used one of the prepared crystals with some basic healing. But he may as well do it this way. This way the healing is much more powerful and he can feel what is wrong where.
He takes a deep breath and uses the familiar spell. He can feel his soul give an unhappy ping as he tries to heal again so shortly after the last time but he will be fine. It is just to give Basalt a boost. He quickly feels what is wrong, or he thinks he does. His joints feel overstretched and stressed. He also can’t really put weight on one of his legs which puts more pressure on the other to take over. He focusses on the pain in the bad leg first. He feels along the area and gets the feeling there is a break there. He finds it and pushes healing into that area. Promoting the energy and magic in the animal to locate towards that area and promote the area to heal much quicker than it naturally would heal. Mending the wound with new bone.
That is the worst wound by far. Next he focusses on actively relaxing the stretched joints. Which is easy to do, the only thing that complicates things is the fact that the horse has four legs compared to Geno’s two and Geno has to mentally estimate where the pain in his own arms would be relatively located to relax it.
But he does it and has to pull back after a moment. He is panting lightly “That should do it… Can’t do much more as I am afraid I will heal something wrong.”
Dust is by Basalt’s side and gentle touches the hurt spots of before after which he looks at him shocked. “You healed him?”
Geno rubs his neck as he shrugs “Yeah? Told you I could do it…” he glances at Basalt “Did I get everything?” Geno really doesn’t know animals and their anatomy well at all. Maybe the very basics if he is being generous with his knowledge.
Dust seems to just stare at him before looking away, Not really giving an answer as he pets Basalt. Geno frowns as he looks at him.
He feels exhausted. It has been such a long day and Geno still feels tired.
For now he just stares at the forest around them. Letting the cold air calm his racing soul as he listens to the forest settling after the disaster of snow. He can hear some trees creaking in the distance as the snow leans against it.
“Come.”
Geno blinks as he finally looks away from that ravine they had almost fallen into. He looks back at Dust and sees him next to both horses with Basalt’s reins in his hands.
Dust nods towards the forest “We need to get out of the open. Nights get cold.” And he waits.
Geno nods as he gets up, he sat down again? And goes over to the other. Dust leads the way and Geno follows after, making sure to use Dust’s footsteps in the snow to easily move through it. Opal seems to track ahead as she listens and tilts her head. Looking around before looking back to see if they are following her. Basalt walks slowly through the snow. Taking careful steps. Clearly trying to not push his own body too hard.
Geno gets it. He honestly wants to lay down and not move for a while. He is exhausted.
“This will work.”
Geno blinks and focusses again. They are in a very enclosed ring of trees. It is tight but the trees give a reasonable amount of cover. Geno looks at Dust. Dust however has already removed Basalt’s reins and hung those over a branch. Dust is walking around and shoving snow aside as the two horses walk to the side and stand together. Opal digging at the ground and seems to be unearthing roots and other stuff.
Dust stops as he studies the floor. Most the snow has been pushed aside and some of the dirt hidden beneath has been revealed. Dust is now moving some rocks into a circle and cleaning that part out of snow as well. Dust looks over at him and nods to the dirt patch.
Geno moves over to the spot and just sits down. He could have died… multiple times today he got within an inch of dying… He never would have seen Fresh or Error again. Or worse… The slave collar had been on him… He hadn’t been able to move his own body, his very magic hadn’t been responding to him and had been forced to listen to that… that… that freak!
Dust curses and Geno looks up to see him frowning at some flint and steel. He reaches for it again but some magical sparks fly of his hand as soon as he gets near the tool and he pulls his hand back with a flinch.
Right… He had to overuse his magic to fry the slave collar, the dampers and to get everyone to back off…
Geno scoots close to the ring of stones and places one in the middle of the circle. He spots a stone which will work and places it in the middle. He concentrates and his soul gives an unhappy pulse about him pushing his magic a lot with the stress he experienced but it works as a fire starts.
Geno takes a deep sigh as he relaxes near the warmth it gives up. Some movement and Dust is sitting by the fire as well. Staring at the flame.
Huh… He had removed his mask. Geno wonders when he did that but doesn’t ask as he just leans close to the non-burning flame that warms him until his core.
Neither of them speaks and that is okay. He wants to rest for a moment.
They sit there for quite some time and Geno lays his skull on his legs as he lets his core recover from the magic he used. He may be skilled and powerful but in the end he still only has a shard of a soul compared to normal monsters. He is limited with his magical stamina. And it fucking sucks. He wanted… nevermind.
Dust has gotten up and seems to be searching the direct area. He comes back with some long sticks and starts putting those together to make a makeshift tent thing. A tipi he believes. It is small and in a direct circle around him and the small flame. Dust comes back inside and sighs contently.
Geno continues to lean on his knee as he stares at him “Why did you make that?”
Dust looks at the tipi around them and answers “No stuff… Need a place to stay tonight… Small area warms up quicker.”
It is even smaller than their original tent had been.
Geno frowns “Shouldn’t we rush down the mountain?”
Dust shrugs “Why? Those people couldn’t have survived that avalanche. We aren’t stealthing anymore. Basalt can’t carry anyone with his legs and Opal won’t like you riding her. Best to take it slow and walk. Today we rest and recover from what happened.”
Geno nods as he stares at the fire. He is so happy. He needs a moment “Good thing the flame won’t burn us. It will be fine to leave it on throughout the night.” Geno can know as he once rolled into the fire in his sleep. It was quite the shock to wake up inside his own fire. Not as bad as Error having once climbed into the fireplace to sleep in the flame Geno left in there to warm their home. Geno was sure he would have had an actual soul-attack over that one.
Dust nods “Neat.”
Geno watches Dust for a moment. Happy to just watch the other warm his hands on his magical fire. Content. They are okay. They are okay. Geno can’t help but really study the other’s neck. He can’t quite see it and curses the fact he didn’t think about checking it before while he had been healing Dust. What if frying the collar hurt his neck? Or frying the dampers hurt his wrists? Geno didn’t notice anything but the worry is there.
Dust stretches out as he looks at Geno “We should sleep.”
Geno nods as he lays on his side of the fire. Dust lays on the other end and Geno looks at the back of Dust’s skull.
He will probably feel better after some rest. Even if he doubts that his sleep will come easily.
Still he closes his eyes. His mind slows down as he just listens to Dust moving and breathing. The horses outside move around as well and the by now familiar sounds relax him. He is okay.
He is save.
It…
It is late?
Geno isn’t sure how much he slept.
Or if he even truly slept.
It is cold.
He yawns and opens his sockets a little bit.
The fire is behind him now. Instead of in front. But Dust is still in front of him.
He is warm.
Geno sighs as he pushes his skull closer to the other.
He is so warm… Like on the horse earlier. Warm and stable.
Geno yawns and pushes his face into the back of his hoody. Mmh… this is nice.
So nice…
Geno feels his awareness slip away and surrenders to the darkness again.
--
Geno yawns as something delicious wakes him up. He sits up and rubs his eyes as he glances around confused.
He is in a wooden tent thing? He can spot his own magical flame right beside him. Giving him a nice source of heat on this cool morning.
His mind is hazy. What happened the day before?
They set camp to recover and… went to bed early?
Wait they skipped food all together? Probably why Dust is cooking.
Geno gets up and glances at his dirty clothes. Right. He slept right on top of dirt which was slightly muddy because of the snow it had been laying under before. Geno does a quick spell to clean himself up a bit. Make sure he is presentable.
The day before had been a mess but now they are free to travel home! No stress. No mission. Just getting home safely!
Geno feels a sort of excitement as he exits the small stick made tent and spots Dust outside. A normal fire by him which he is roasting some plants on. Huh.
Geno walks over and grins “What you cooking good l-” ABORT! “friend!!”
Dust doesn’t look in his direction. Seemingly very focused on what he is making “Roasting roots… nutritious.”
Geno smiles as he sits nearby “Smells good. When I cook stuff with magic it becomes edible but never quite good.”
Dust shrugs “Needs intent… Magic doesn’t give that?”
Geno nods “We make magic by infusing it with emotions. Same for intent. But magic can’t have intent. We can layer our own intent into a spell which we can feel but in the end magic can’t give intent. So… meh cooking.” He laughs and shrugs. He was always a terrible cook.
Dust nods and shoots him a glance “Always use magic? Easy stuff?” he nods towards the fire and the meal he is making.
Geno grins and shrugs “You can call it cheating. Maybe people do. I never saw it as cheating. I always liked to call it using the skills I have available to make stuff easier for my brothers and me.”
Dust nods and glances at him “Why cook if you can’t? Parents?”
Geno laughs and shakes his skull “Nah. They weren’t around.” And if he ever met his mother or any of those useless fathers ever again he would sooner hit them in the face with a fist.
Dust nods as he gets up “Food.” He hands over a stick with some slices roots and some plants and it smells delicious as he can smell some herbs he smelled before in the kitchen. He gets eating and hums happily.
“It is good.”
Dust looks amused “Basic.” Then he grins a tiny bit and mutters a bit softer “Should make basic food yourself more… taste difference between that and magical prepared food.” And he turns back to his meal.
Geno stares. Did… did Dust just… tease him? That didn’t sound mean. More of a joke? Geno grins as he eats his meal. It suddenly tasting many times sweeter.
They eat their meal before cleaning up. Dust puts the reins back on Basalt and keeps a tight hold of it as Geno uses his map to lead them down. Geno is so lucky that he had had the map on his person, some for the proof of the whole operation in the mountain.
They walk in mostly silence as they search for a path to follow.
They have to track through the forest for a while with a few near slips but they find an old path rather quickly with little difficulty.
Geno grins as he checks the map “This should be the one. We should just follow this south and we will be off this mountain eventually.” And even if they are on another path that one also just needs to be followed southwards until they get to the bottom.
Dust nods as he changes the reins on Basalt. Making it so he doesn’t need to be lead anymore. Trusting the horse to walk with them and to be able to safely make his way down now that they have a stable path to follow.
The horses walk behind them as Dust and Geno walk side by side. The forest is peaceful and beautiful. Geno thought he had seen dark clouds the day before when they were near the mine but seems like those had cleared up somewhere in the night.
Dust glances at him “Use magic a lot…”
Geno blinks and nods “Yeah. Magic is great I love using it.”
Dust nods but frowns “But got tired?”
Geno laughs and nods “That obvious?” Dust just shrugs and Geno doesn’t mind. Geno decides to tell him. Geno knows some weak spots of Dust, it is only fair he knows one of Geno “I don’t actually have a lot of mana available to me.”
Dust shoots him an disbelieving look. Geno grins and nods “It is the truth. I have horrendous magical stamina for a mage. It is why I make these.” He taps one of the crystals “I spend a few hours a day slowly infusing crystals and other rocks to make them hold my spells for me. Means I have a few always prepared and can use my mana for the actual emergencies.” There are other things that matter of course. The faster you cast a spell the more mana it takes. Same for stressful situations. It is because your soul is already stressed and your soul weaves the mana into a spell and magic to use.
Dust nods and glances back at his horses “Why… use mana instead of a crystal for healing?” he rubs his shoulder.
Geno shrugs as he feels a bit embarrassed. He doubts that because he wanted to show off is a good reason. He does for the second reason he did it “It is the same reason with the cooking. Magic can’t give intent. And some spells are depended on that. Sure I got some healing crystals but they aren’t specific or specialised. With your shoulder having already been hit before I didn’t want to risk it healing wrong with a crystal. The same implied for Basalt as I heard that a broken leg for a horse is fatale.”
Dust gives a slow nod and thinks for a moment. “Healing works better with intent?”
Geno nods “Much better! Of course I can put intent into the magic that I put in the crystal. And it will do what I want. But when I heal it directly I can kinda… sense out the injury? I feel like an echo of it in my own body, makes it easier to focus the healing into the spots that really need it instead of everything at once that the crystals do.”
Dust nods as he listens. Dust is a real good listener… Geno hadn’t really appreciated that before. Before when he just wanted information he just wanted to get Dust to start talking. But it is nice to have an active listener to talk to.
Not to forget! Dust is showing interest in magic! Geno finally can talk about all the stuff he knows about it! He will have to be careful to not try and focus on Dust’s magic to make sure Geno doesn’t overstep again but this will work! This can work!
They walk together as Dust hums “Didn’t know magic worked like that.”
Geno rubs his cheek “I mean. Magic works in many ways. It is dynamic and evolving in that way. That it changes when interacting with it. Like… I see it was crystals and minerals. Many different yet similar things that when interacting can make newer forms. When put under pressure can change from one to the other. It is something that endlessly fascinates me. I used to talk with people all the time. To learn how they saw magic. How they interacted with it.”
Dust looks at him “… You… want to understand magic.” he sounds as if he is in disbelieve.
Geno grins “Don’t you? It is everywhere around us. In the plants, in the rocks, in the earth itself, in the sky! It is in the static that fills the air. It is in the newly made technology even when it wasn’t used to make it! Magic gets everywhere and it changes to fit just fine. To belong. It is…” He had wanted to belong so badly. Fit in and belong. Get people to let him stay so he could make a stable home. “It seemed… nice.”
Dust frowns as he looks ahead. Thinking about it. “You know a lot about magic… much studying?”
Geno grins and nods “A lot. Used to be one of the things that came natural to me! Even with my weak mana the spells and magic itself? It just worked like I wanted! It made everything easier. From cooking to cleaning to actually getting jobs. Let me tell you no one will hire a teen for a full time job. Annoying as everything.”
Dust looks at him confused “Parents? Their job?”
Geno laughs and looks to the side “Well… My parents weren’t the best. Dad run out on my mom the moment she got pregnant. Honestly don’t get why she even decided to keep me. Apparently I was a very difficult pregnancy as she would not shut up about that. Maybe she thought getting me would make the guy come back? Either way. It was her and me for a while.” They had managed okay. Geno went to a local school and walked home alone. He had to help with the chores as his mom was out to search for jobs and work. And she couldn’t keep a job down for longer than a few days before switching jobs again.
“Then, when I was about 9ish, she came home with this guy. New guys she met that day, bringing he right home to her home address and young child.” Geno glares ahead.
Dust snorts “That is begging to be robbed.”
Geno waves his hands around “Right?! Anyway. That guy was a piece of work. He would glare and lock me in rooms. The joke is on him. I was already very magical and let me tell you there is no keeping someone inside when you can magically unlock doors or move furniture he placed in front of it.” He grins and laughs as he remembers the shocked look on the guys face when Geno would just appear back in the small kitchen, eating a snack just ten minutes after the guy tried to lock him out of the house. “Of course mother dear didn’t believe me at all. She just said it would take some getting used to him being my new dad and that I wanted her to be miserable and alone forever.” Geno rolls his eyes “I would have been more okay with the asshole if he wasn’t a deadbeat that couldn’t hold a job either.”
Dust hums “Charming. I can see why she liked him.”
Geno laughs at the absolute deadpan voice and unimpressed stone face. Geno nods “I know right? And then. Of course. My idiotic mother got herself pregnant. I think she was trying to baby trap the guy.”
Dust tilts his skull “Didn’t work with the first one. Why would it work with the second?”
Geno grins “Oh trust me. It gets worse. So. The guy. Obviously. Acted as if he was overjoyed. Said that he would finally have a child and a son or daughter to adore. Mom didn’t even bother to correct him when I was standing right there.” He sighs “The asshole kept up the illusion that he wanted this child and when she was in the process to actually get Fresh the guy stole the small amount of savings we had and ran off with it.” he sighs. His mother had blamed him. Said that Geno hadn’t been welcoming to her new love and his new dad. That his behaviour had been the reason why little Fresh would now grow up without a dad.
Geno shrugs “Said that Fresh would now grow up without a father because I didn’t welcome him. Which honestly. Seems more of an his issue if he couldn’t handle one sassy annoying child. Not that it mattered much as mom went back to her old habits of leaving the whole day to work or search for work while I took care of Fresh.” He looks at Dust “Let me tell you this. Catching an active baby and washing him and feeding him? A lot easier with magic and telekinesis spells.” He smiles at the memories of Fresh being the chaotic little baby he had been. Geno adores his wild brother.
Dust frowns “She made you take care of him?”
Geno shrugs “Made is a big word. She did stuff. Just not most of it. And I honestly didn’t trust her with my little brother.” Fresh was his. Same for Error. Those two are his little brothers and he will make sure people know that messing with them means messing with him. “And Fresh wasn’t hard to take care of. Bugger was chaotic and energetic but it was fun. Harder was still trying to get a side job to help with covering school costs as mom barely made enough to keep the house.”
Dust frowns “No covered education? I thought that was a thing in Sanctuary?”
Geno looks at Dust confused before grinning “I wasn’t born in Sanctuary.” Dust looks confused but waits. Geno nods “I am from Ironfields. You know. Across the water and inwards more? I was just lucky that Reaper had the funds to visit all the big magical academia to look for a royal mage. And I made the cut.” Reaper swore up and down that he had picked Geno for his skill. Yes he had liked Geno on a personal and attraction level as well but that was not what influenced his decision on making him royal mage. If Reaper had found someone more skilled he would have offered them the job and gone back to Geno to request a date with him.
Dust nods “But you did parttime stuff when younger?”
Geno nods “All the time. It helped cover the costs for school. Thought it kept me busy. Between school, work and taking care of Fresh and myself it was rather busy. It got easier when Fresh was old enough to go to school too. And Fresh was actually really good when near others so he would be quiet and behave while I worked. He just was a menace at school or at home.” He sighs “And then! My mom came home with ANOTHER guy when I was sixteen and Fresh was six!”
Dust whistles “She got some bad taste.”
Geno groans “The worst! He straight up tried to get her to abandon us. Which what a fucking jackass. She was about to do it too until I reminded her that at this point I was the one paying for the fucking house and that everyone knew she was our mom and it would be social suicide for her to abandon us and try to play happy wife with this man.” She had cursed him out. Told him that he was a fucking freak and demon and was the cause of her unhappiness. That she should have realised Geno was the problem the second the healers told her his soul wasn’t developing right. “She got annoying about it and I just reminded her that she was the one who decided to keep me. Not me. She got angrier about that little fact.” He sighs “And once again. She got a kid with this fucker as well. And as always. The guy noped out at the last moment and stole the savings she had.” Geno is sure the only reason he stayed as long as he had was because he had been looking for Geno’s savings and funds. But Geno isn’t an idiot. He hid anything he earned and only paid the people that needed paying directly. Like hell he was going to trust he deadbeat of a mother with his money. He earned that for himself and his brother, and later brother, not her.
Dust nods “Error?”
Geno nods “Error was born.” He had been seventeen and Fresh had been seven. Both of them had adored Error immediately. Geno and Fresh has both known things would get harder but little Error had been the cutest little thing. Fresh had held him and had stared at Geno with such determination when he declared he would be the best older brother. Geno had laughed and held his two little brothers. His brothers. His family.
Dust nods and crosses his arms “How long until the next guy?”
Geno sighs and shakes his head “She left. Left a whole note about how she couldn’t stay with us anymore. Something about how having three children from different man would hurt her chances at finding true love and happiness. As if we decided to be born over her being a fucking idiot and not terminating us when it turned out to be too rough.”
Dust hums “Idiot.”
Geno nods “She is the biggest idiot. But I hardly expected anything else at that point. In the end it didn’t even get harder. In matter of fact it got easier. No one wanted our old and crooked house and the bank didn’t care who lived in it as long as payments were made on time. They just changed her name to mine on the paperwork and we remained in our house. I took Error with me to class and work and Error was a quiet baby who slept a lot. It only started to get harder to take care of him when his magic developed.” Unlike Geno. Error has a very healthy soul which is very magical attuned. Error blasted their wall and made their house have an open concept kitchen instead of a room with a door. They were so lucky it wasn’t a load baring wall.
Dust nods as he stares ahead of them “Good brother.”
Geno feels flustered suddenly as he rubs his neck “Euh. It was a bit rough sometimes but all in all not that hard… I got lucky with my magic. It made everything easier and less hard. I could cheat and safe time on so many things with my skills. Not to forget that I got a full ride scholar ship to a pristine school for magic to get my actual schooling. I moved my brothers with me to be closer to that school so I could commute and be home in the evening for them.” Not to forget that the scholar ship was more than enough to cover their living costs if he didn’t use it to stay in the dorms as those are expensive.
Dust looks at him curiously “Then how did… Error end up with us?”
Geno sighs “It would take time to settle and move stuff to Reaper’s place. Get my workshop and rooms set up. Search for people to make sure that Error got the right education and Fresh got what he needed with his condition. I had just needed time to make everything perfect. The plan had been that I would go first. Get stuff ready and set up. And then Fresh and Error would both move in with me… Fresh was supposed to watch over Error on the weekends while Error stayed at the academy throughout the week.” He sighs sadly. It had all gone so wrong. And Geno hadn’t known until it was too late to fix it.
Dust frowns as he looks down. It is okay that he doesn’t know what to say, Geno doesn’t either.
They continue to walk in silence for a long time. Eventually Dust stops them saying they should set camp again.
Geno grins as he casts the right spells and copies the setup of the day before. A tent made of sticks and other stuff laying around. A fire both inside and outside of the tent. And all the snow that was on the ground pushed aside and this time the ground magically dried.
Dust looks shocked as Geno grins “See? Told you stuff gets easier with magic. I just didn’t have the mana yesterday.”
Dust looks at him with a tilted head before nodding. Huh. Seems like Dust hit his limit on socialising. That is okay.
They are quickly ready and comfortable in their now reasonably warm tent. Dust actually lays out he own coat to sleep on and Geno copies his actions. It makes the ground a bit softer to lay on.
Geno sighs and goes to sleep.
--
Geno doesn’t want to get up. He had been having a very nice dream. A dream where he had been on the horse with Dust. But his dream hadn’t focused on the terror of the snow following them. It had instead been focussed on the feeling of being that close to Dust. How he felt and how warm he had been. The feeling of Dust’s body against his. Even his scent had made it in.
Which now that he is awake? Holy shit he is being a creep.
Geno groans as he sits up. Finding himself in the tent laying on his coat and- oh… Dust had left his coat by him as a blanket. Geno hides his face in his hands and tries to contain his screaming. How can he deal with this? He can’t. His feelings feel like they will explode his soul and he is really trying to not overdo it or annoy Dust or worse make him feel uncomfortable again.
But… the fact that Dust is trying to make sure he is comfortable should mean that… Does that mean that Dust has forgiven him? Does this mean that they have at least a neutral standing now?
Geno joins Dust outside for another delicious breakfast, honestly how dust can find food is beyond Geno but he is thankful for it, before they continue down the mountain. Most of their morning is spend in silence as they walk together. Only a few comments about what path they should take and how to go about their descent of the mountain.
They do get turned around for a bit as the path they had been following seems to disappear for a bit. Geno and Dust consult the map and their compass to figure out how to get further down.
They make their own path through foliage and bare trees with the horses close by. Dust turns back a few times to help Basalt find his footing as Opal just walks with sidesteps past things.
Geno crosses his arms “Is Opal showing off?”
Dust nods as he doesn’t look away from Basalt “She does that.”
Geno snorts “Must have taken a lot of time to train her. She seems stubborn.”
Dust nods again as he checks that Basalt is still standing okay “She is. But she has energy and wants to learn. It was just a matter of giving her new things to learn and practise. She now knows too much.” He sighs and Geno laughs.
They have to carefully walk down a few more ledges but manage to find the path again. After consulting their map again they follow it eastwards as that should be down.
Dust starts to speak softly “I was wondering…” he glances at Geno “How do you… make your magic do all those things?”
Geno blinks and looks at Dust “I mean… intent matters a lot. But it is also what I have in mind as I craft the spell. Spell crafting, at least in my case, is about picturing what I want and how and how it relates to the parts and elements I mentally connect it to.”
Dust frowns “For you? Nightmare said… It is energy and alive.”
Geno tilts his skull as he thinks “I can see why he saw it as that… from what I know. Magic changes and shapes itself to fit whatever someone thinks about it. It gives different people the ability to do different thing.” He had mentioned the day before, Geno thinks so at least. The day before they spoke about a lot. Or well Geno spoke about it.
Dust nods “So. Alive?”
Geno rubs his neck “Kinda? I never saw it as alive. Just reactive. We push emotions and intent into it. The magic soaks it up and repeats it. In a way we give it feelings and wants. We make it want to do what we want. I think?” Geno grins at Dust “It is weird and complex because everyone thinks about it differently and interacts with it differently. Which means the magic reacts and behaves differently as well. When we first start learning magic or hearing about it people already have opinions that they tell us. It shapes how we see magic and what we think magic is capable of doing. Which sets limits.” Geno frowns “Why did you think your magic could break the collar? I didn’t think it was possible for my magic to go against it but yours did. How did it break free from the control?”
Dust seems to think for a moment. Frowning before muttering “I don’t… control it… guide at most.”
Geno blinks before gasping “The collar couldn’t make it listen… because you don’t believe anything can control it?” Dust shrugs and nods.
“Never saw it as… something I affect. It is a force of nature. It is lightning. Energy. Alive.”
Geno wants to ask so many questions. How Dust came to this conclusion. How he managed to direct it. How he manages his power to remain contained. But Geno swallows the many questions. He pushes it down. Instead he looks at Dust “And… because of that it was free to fight the collar?”
Dust shrugs before he seems to think for a while again. Then he mutters softly “I got… No real control. But I got power… When I first got… picked for being a Knight. I needed four bracelets to keep it down. Nightmare said it grew stronger.”
Four.
Four magic blockers?!
Geno wants to beg Dust to let him see the magic. See how it interacts. But he can’t because it makes Dust uncomfortable. Keep it in. Keep it in.
Geno focusses on what Dust mentioned before “That fits with how you see magic. You, and Nightmare I guess, see magic as something alive that grows and grows stronger. Something wild that can’t be contained much like a natural force. It makes sense than that this manmade collar couldn’t control it. Couldn’t keep it contained. You just… waited for your moment to act upon that…” Geno laughs and shakes his skull “Damn that is so fucking impressive. I couldn’t do that.”
Dust frowns and stares at him confused.
Geno laughs “The whole staying calm and waiting for the right moment to cast a spell. I was panicking as soon as the situation went south.”
Dust frowns and shakes his skull “Wasn’t that bad… Shield. And slow falling?”
Geno nods “That came after. After I had more time to think. Had we fallen before I had a chance to think of it? I doubt I would have been fast enough to cast the spell. It is just. I know I can do magic and it is easy to me. But doing it in moments of stress?” he shakes his skull “I never had to do that before. It showed.” He sighs.
Dust thinks for a moment “Not that bad. You thought of stuff and used magic when we needed it. I am used to missions. I am used to fighting. Before being a Knight I was used to the crime-ring and scenes. Lots of tension. Quick thinking.”
Geno nods as he pulls out a crystal “I know they work. I just. Always tested them in save areas with failsafes in mind. It was never a matter of life and death. At least not while I practised and tested them. I made sure they would work the way they were intended. Then gave the crystals to people actually going on missions…” The only reason he was on this one is because he was the only one who would have been able to magically shut down whatever this drug ring had been.
Dust nods before shrugging “Worked out okay.”
Geno stares in shock at Dust. He seems honest. Even if Geno messed up pretty much at every step but Dust seems to not think that. Or at least not having hard feelings about it.
Geno smiles a bit as he looks down “Thanks to you mostly. The way you just knew what to do and how and when, and how to move and attack. It was fucking amazing.” And that is downplaying it.
Dust looks to the side as he rubs his cheek “I guess… Just practise.”
Just practise. As if Geno hadn’t had a chance to see a bit of their usual training before. Geno laughs and shakes his skull.
They walk silently for a moment before Geno speaks “Thanks. For… being willing to talk about magic stuff… I know you don’t like it.”
Dust shrugs and mutters “Don’t mind magic… just don’t like… mine.” He shrugs again before looking at Geno “Why?”
Geno blinks and laughs “Sorry I have no idea what you are asking this time.”
Dust rolls his eyes and seems to consider his questions “Why… act like you did… before… to get answers… but back up now?”
Oh. Oh! That. That is a loaded one.
Geno looks away “Euh… The very short version of the answer? I am a bastard and asshole.” He looks at the ground in front of them “It is just. Foremost. Reaper and I knew about your… interest and crush for a while.” Dust immediately tugs the hood tighter around him. Geno looks to the side before smiling at him “It is okay! Reaper thought it was cute-” that was the wrong word as Dust lets out a long and quiet groan.
Geno shoots him a smile “If it helps… Reaper very quickly got interested? He was the one who wanted to see where it could maybe go? Lead?” he rubs his neck “Sorry I am not the best in this. Reaper is the emotionally available one honestly.”
Geno takes a deep breath “Reaper asked me if I was fine with it. Him exploring this feeling for you to see where it went. I was okay with it. I knew that Reaper would always love me and just because he started to like you it wouldn’t affect the love he held for me.” He sighs “And well… I must admit. I was fucking curious. Your magic? It is something I never seem, heard of or felt before. I wanted to know how it worked. I wanted to just understand how it could have become the way it was. And I figured… as Reaper and you grew closer I could just… Kinda… Tag along to get the answers I wanted?” He winces at the truth. “I know… I know it is bad. But I swear it was never supposed to get out of hand! I just… I just wanted some answers and figured you already liked me so maybe… just like… giving some attention and affection? Get some answers? And then once I got the answers I would be gentle about like… stopping it?” He is such a fucking asshole “And I figured it would be fine as Reaper was honest and really did like you! That maybe we could become more casual friends or acquaintances while both of us separately dated Reaper?” He sighs and looks away “I know. I am sorry. I am an asshole.”
Dust is silent. Taking it in maybe? Or maybe he is now going back to ignoring and not speaking to Geno again. He would deserve it.
“Then why… Kiss me? Or…” he isn’t looking at him “Tracing lower and stroking my leg?”
Geno feels himself grow mortified and horrified. Right! He did that! He 100% did that! Geno covers his face and chuckles “Because I am an asshole? It wasn’t… part of my plan… But I did end up really liking you. I fucking realised that while Reaper fell earlier I wasn’t far behind. I was a fucking mess. And then I figured… I had already been kinda faking courtship… What difference does it make to make it a real one? I figured… I figured it wouldn’t matter. I wasn’t planning on ever admitting that the whole thing started as a lie.” He looks away “I just… I got greedy I guess. Stuff that used to just be to keep the scheme going suddenly wasn’t enough. It felt good and I was greedy and wanted more.” Reaper never minded. Reaper had set the pace to a lot slower than Geno had wanted but Reaper had had no issue with slowing Geno down. “I figured… If I really overstepped… You would just tell me to quit it or something.”
“I hadn’t… considered the fact that there was a power disbalance between us. I never saw it as that. You were you and I was just me. I never thought of us as a Knight vs a Royal Mage. We were just two guys talking and hanging out… I know now I should have considered it. Maybe make it clear that I wouldn’t be mad or annoyed or ruin anything if you said no or asked me to back off. I hadn’t considered you felt like you couldn’t because of the whole treaty thing… I am sorry.” God. Why hadn’t Geno practised that more? Reaper had told him that if Dust ever gave him another chance to talk to him Geno would have to explain himself and apologise. Why hadn’t he considered better on what to say and how?
Dust frowns as he stares at the ground. Geno looks at him and waits but he doesn’t look up. Geno sighs as he looks away. He isn’t allowed to feel disappointed. He isn’t allowed to feel that way when he just admitted to Dust he had been right and that Geno had been lying and manipulating him to get something he wanted.
He deserves this.
The cold of the weather isn’t even as cold as the newfound tension between them.
They don’t speak as they set up camp.
They don’t interact as they both lay down to sleep for the night.
Geno feels like sleep evades him. He just stares at the top part of the tent as he listens. Dust’s breathing seems different than usual. Like he isn’t sleeping either.
Geno considers apologising again but if it before wasn’t enough what would make it now be good enough. Geno glares as he rolls up and turns towards the wooden tent, his back aimed towards Dust. Not allowing himself to look at the other.
What is done is done. He finally made good on being honest to Dust. Show him that he is a selfish asshole. Geno rolls up to safe some of the warmth as he closes his eyes. He will just have to accept that this little thing and maybe friendship is over. And Geno ruined it himself.
It seems like his sleeping mind and dreams didn’t get the memo.
Because he once again dreams about hugging Dust as they sit together. Maybe they are on one of the horses? Maybe not. Geno can’t focus on anything but how the other feels and the warmth he gives up.
Dust tries to leave in his dreams. Tries to get out of his embrace. Geno mumbles unhappily.
He can’t speak clearly in this stupid dream for some reason. Can’t explain.
“Please stay…” his mind is like cotton. He just wants to have this. Even if it is fake. “miss you…” and he snuggles his face deeper into the nice spot by his neck and shoulders.
Dust doesn’t move for a while. Then a sigh and the body returns to his embrace.
Geno sighs as he pushes close. His whole being purring as he snuggles closer. Trying to get as much out of this dream as he can.
The night goes on and his dream starts to fade out…
--
The next morning they are both still quiet. Geno had woken up by his magical fire with his own coat used as blanket this time. Getting outside explained why. It is freezing outside. But there are still no clouds in the sky. It is calm weather.
Which is honestly a miracle. The weather in the mountains are unpredictable and it is unheard of to have more than two days in a row with just sun. But they have been up here for a week now, the seventh day exactly, and it is still sunny with no wind!
It makes for cold nights and very cold mornings as there is no clouds in the evening either but honestly it is amazing to not have to be afraid for a sudden snowstorm.
No instead Geno can just be afraid and anxious about Dust truly hating him forever and how Geno is going to have to break it to Reaper that he ruined this a second time now and ruined his own second chance.
Geno is completely fine.
One long morning later and they are starting to see some spring flowers and some grass on the ground that the horses happily eat. Geno sighs in relieve. This should make getting down easier.
They follow the now clearly marked path and Geno finds his soul fully calm as he speaks “I think this is the path and mountain we thought it was. Meaning this one has easier paths to follow and some premade camp sites.”
Dust nods “Should make stuff easier at least.”
Geno grins but his grin falls as Dust still isn’t looking at him. Looking ahead of them. Geno puts his hands into his pockets as he kicks a rock once in a while. Feeling hurt and very rejected.
The silence makes the track long and awkward. Geno tries to keep himself distracted but he keeps looking back into Dust’s direction.
They do end up finding one of the camp sites and after considering the time they decide to make it an early night and walk the last part to the foot of the mountain the next day over trying to rush down and risking having to travel in the dark.
They find a nice cabin and set up camp there. Geno goes towards the supply box and raids it of blankets and some snacks hidden away. They are a bit expired but also these are dried snacks and Geno knows from experience they don’t truly go bad as much as go stale.
Geno returns outside to see Dust had set up their little cabin and a fire in the fire pit. Geno grins as he gives one of his found blankets to Dust before putting one down for himself and going inside to put the other two on the actual beds. Geno goes back outside and relaxes by the fire. He hands some of the snacks to Dust before getting comfy in his own blanket and snacks.
The sound of the fire is nice. The crackling gives it an extra layer of experience and Geno sighs as he just enjoys it. It feels peaceful and nice. Like the actual camping trips he had gone on with Reaper. He really needs to do this with his brothers. Enjoy the nature and mountain on his terms and peaceful environment.
“You were honest? Before?”
Geno blinks and looks over “what?”
Dust just stares at the fire “What you said before… Reaper… Reaper was really interested?”
Geno feels his soul pick up “Yes!” Wait! No! tune it down! “I mean. He still is. He honestly is. But Reaper is a lot better at this than I am and is actually able to read other people’s social cues and everything.” If Geno can’t… If Geno ruined this for himself he wants at least his mate to still get the chance for this.
Dust frowns as he keeps staring into the fire. Then he glances are Geno “You?”
Geno can’t look away. Dust’s eyes are mismatched with their colours. There is the tiniest ring of red around one and the other has the same but an even tinier ring of blue in the red ring. If you don’t stare at it the eye lights just appear white. Geno had seen both colours flash brightly when Dust used that lightning spell. So bright with energy and magic. Geno laughs as he looks away for a moment before looking back at Dust “I haven’t stopped falling if that helps? I am not good at this… whole emotion and relationship thing… Reaper did the hard work with our own relationship. But I know I like you. I like being near you and I was honestly happy to spend time with you. It… It hurts to know you hate me and that it is my own fault.” He snorts as he looks at the fire “I don’t know how to make it better… But I do like you. A lot. For a long time now.” Another thing Geno wished he had practised. Fucking hell he knew he had this mission to spend time with Dust he just… hadn’t thought they would have these conversations!
Dust hums as he stares at the fire before getting up “Going to bed.” He waits for a moment by the door and mutters “I don’t hate you. I just don’t get you…” and he goes inside.
Geno stares at the door. Unsure what just happened.
--
The next day travel was both better and worse. Geno felt better knowing the other didn’t hate him but there was a… tension in the air around them. Dust seems content to walk in silence as Geno just lets himself ramble without much thought.
Fuck just end him. Put him out of his misery and his failing at this.
Geno is just describing the process and thoughts behind crafting a new spell and how to balance the magic and mana properly to not make it go towards an already made spell.
“There goes so much more into it than just wishful thinking and putting mana into a spell!” Geno glares “Some mages call themselves masters of the arts when they can’t even properly manage a spell and the outwards force behind it! It is terrible! Not only is it dangerous but it also makes the reputation of actual master mages less trustworthy! And most people can’t just see the difference between an actual master mage and someone who just calls themselves that!”
Dust nods along “Ruins hard work and good name.”
Geno nods “Absolutely! It takes a long time to study magic and get familiar enough with it to craft actual well working spells that others can replicate! Just pushing some stuff together and hoping that it works with a lot of magic isn’t spell crafting!”
Dust snorts as he looks amused “What do you call my lightning? It just happens and can’t level it.”
Geno waves his hands “That is different! You are using a premade spell and editing it slightly to fit you and your magic and mana! You don’t say you crafted a new spell! You don’t act as if you have mastered magic! In matter of fact you treat it as something that makes its own decisions and works with you.” He glares ahead of him as he imagines breaking those fake mage fucker’s necks! “Those assholes however!! Acting as if they made powerful spells only to have those be instable and blasting people!” it is dangerous and a disgrace!
Dust hums and nods “Annoying.”
Geno nods “Very.” He takes a deep breath “Luckily. Reaper let me set tighter regulations for it in Sanctuary. You need an actual licence to perform as a mage there now and the mages are tested to make sure they don’t just have dangerous and instable spells.”
Dust nods “Good idea.”
Geno laughs “Thanks. I just. Magic is beautiful and fascinating but people need to stay watchful and respectful about it as it can be dangerous if used wrong.”
Dust nods along “Like the drugs and collars.”
Geno nods himself “Exactly!”
It is already early afternoon when they finally step out of the forest around the mountain and Geno stretches out “Awesome! Just a clear shot to town now.” hopefully they can send a message from there that they are fine as they get someone to get them back to the capital. Geno luckily is well known enough to be able to get a ride and promise payment once they arrived there.
Geno and Dust continue on and walk into town. Geno is already looking around to spot someone who can help them as Dust makes sure his mask is in place.
Geno spots someone with a big enough cart “Hello sir. I had a request-” Geno can’t even make his offer because as soon as the man he had been speaking against turns around he gasps and cheers.
Geno blinks confused as more people look their direction and more people cheer. Geno glances at Dust and Dust just looks at him. Geno shrugs as he looks back to the man “Is… something the matter?”
The man smiles brightly “Sir! People thought you disappeared on the mountain! And with the avalanche and as people know about the many storms and horrible weather. People feared the worst!”
Geno frowns as that information sinks in “I need to return to the castle in that case. And send a message to our king.” Reaper must be worried sick.
The man nods as he rushes to prepare the cart. Dust makes sure it works for Basalt to be carried as he gets new tools to saddle up Opal. Geno writes a message and sends it off with a carrier as Geno waits for the cart to be prepared.
People offer them food and new clothes to wear as Geno can admit they both look worse for wear. They only take some of the food and Geno can see Dust slipping gold coins and money into the pockets of the people who offered the stuff freely. It is painfully thoughtful and Geno feels his soul speed up.
How can he not be even more in love than he started as?
Geno gets in the by rider seat of the cart as Dust just climbs on top of his horse to ride Opal. Opal seems excited as she stands on her backlegs and whips her head around. She lands and starts running with Dust on her back. Dust easily makes her run in a circle to remain near the cart the whole time but Geno thinks he is having fun.
They need to actually follow the road but luckily this cart is being pulled by strong horses who don’t mind running. Making them make quick time over the calm walking pace of the journey to the mountain pace.
The man asks many questions and Geno remains vague about what he was doing up there. He keeps it as search and a study case which makes Dust snort. Geno isn’t sure why but the man buys the excuse.
Night is starting to fall when they finally reach the capital. By the gates Geno sees some of Reaper’s elite guards waiting and he thinks those are the forces of Nightmare’s kingdom.
The captain of Nightmare’s guard walks over “My Knight! I knew you would return to us safe and sound! Do you want us to take your horses to the stables?”
Dust nods as he gets off Opal before going to the cart. He opens it and carefully leads Basalt out “Watch his legs.” And he hands over the reins of both the horses to the captain, Rogers now that Geno thinks about it.
Rogers nods and leads the horses away.
Geno himself has gotten down from the cart and waves the worried guards away. Mentioning how he should discuss things with their king and rest.
Geno is quick to wave Dust with him as he escapes the spotlight.
Dust glances at him from behind his mask “Don’t like attention?”
Geno sighs “I don’t mind attention. The endless worrying however is unneeded. I am alright.” He pauses “Mostly thanks to you but we will tell Reaper about that as well.”
Dust tugs his skull deeper into the hood in a gesture that Geno by now can identify as shy and bashful. Reaper was right all that time ago. Dust is very cute.
They get to the study and find Reaper awake and looking stressed. He looks up and Geno can see the tension disappear from his form. Reaper is by his side and Geno is in his embrace within seconds. Reaper sounds thankful “You are alive. Thank you for returning to me.” He smiles at Dust “Both of you.”
Dust does the same shy and bashful reaction of tugging his skull deeper into the hood.
Geno hums as he enjoys the embrace “Mostly thanks to Dust. I will tell you everything.”
Reaper shakes his skull “Later. You both need a good meal, need to be checked in case of injuries. Time to clean up and rest. We can talk tomorrow about all you saw. For now let me just make sure you both are okay.” He glances at Dust “Please.”
Dust is quiet before giving a small nod “Message Nightmare.”
Reaper smiles and nods “I will send a message right away that you returned form the mountain.”
Dust nods again and Geno smiles. This is perfect! Now they can at least spoil and take care of him a little!
--
Dust is preparing his packs as the other forces of Nightmare’s guard gets ready behind him. Dust isn’t worried. Basalt is okay for the track and Opal is downright excited.
Geno is watching him getting ready to leave and seems anxious. Messing with some of those crystals of his. A nervous tick he has.
Dust nods to himself as he walks over to him and tilts his skull.
Geno rubs his neck and looks nervous. He looks much comfier in his normal clothes and cleaned up “You sure you will be fine?”
Dust nods as he crosses his arms “More stuff than I could use in four trips.” Reaper had been horrified to hear his mate had gotten collared. And had been so thankful and worried when he heard that Dust had managed to trick Rover into collaring him instead which he made backfire badly.
Dust isn’t worried. It isn’t the first time his storm decided to fry someone. Dust is more shocked that Rover survived the first and second attack he did against him.
Geno nods “Right! Euh… Reaper is just really thankful. And really worried you may have issues with the trip because of leftover injuries… That you got protecting me.” He winces and looks away.
Dust shrugs. It wasn’t that bad honestly. Sometimes it is better to take the hit yourself over letting someone more fragile or vulnerable having to take the hit. Dust may be physically weaker but he has mana to spare and magic strong enough to break most things not specifically designed to stop him.
And nothing is specifically designed to stop him.
Dust glances back “Time to go.”
Geno holds up a hand “Wait! I was… wondering… And you can say no I don’t mind. I just. Was wondering. If maybe… you could see a possibility of ever giving us a chance? For a date? Again?” he looks hopeful.
Dust thinks for a moment to consider all that happened the last two weeks. The way he actually understands Geno now. He makes sure no one is watching them before quickly leaning close. Geno freezes which is good as Dust needs him to stay still. Curse the fact that everyone is taller than him. He manages to reach him and whispers “I figured you out finally. You are a nerd.” And he kisses the cheek and pulls back as he replaces the mask “Cute one.” Geno stares in shock as Dust walks back towards the horses with a wave.
“Lets keep in contact. Next time no mountain missions though.” He gets to Opal and gets on her back with practised ease.
As he looks back he sees Geno grinning madly as he waves “You can count on it! Have a safe trip.”
Dust snorts and nods as he leads Opal to catch up with Rogers and the others.
Maybe this will end in heartbreak again but Dust thinks he got a much better read on them this time. And maybe it will be fine.
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aeolianblues · 5 months ago
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was kinda thinking about this when I saw Renee Rapp live recently-- I didn't know her visual vibe, I'd heard a few songs here and there but I hadn't really *seen* her, and her attire at Osheaga was really casual, a jersey (baseball/basketball?) and slacks. And that was so amazing! I couldn't help thinking, the work Billie Eilish has done for how women in pop music are allowed to dress is incredible. Seeing her up there all comfortable you just know that Billie walked in her oversized tops so that Renee in her slacks could run; Billie walked through all the critcisms about how she dressed slobbily and having to assert that she didn't owe anyone a display of skin, so that Renee could be comfortable and unquestioned running up and down the catwalk in front of 10,000 people. How iconic.
And I don't think we even realised at the time how much something as simple as letting Billie dress the way she as a (then-) 17-year-old teenager dressed, could end up meaning for a future generation of women in music.
Obviously there is still way to go, there were weirdos complaining about how 'plain' Dua Lipa's Glastonbury outfit was this year (in 2024!!), l have to ask, are you at Paris Fashion Week?? She is the musical HEADLINER of an entire day of music at one of the biggest music festivals in the world, and you can't grant her the space to exist as an artist, you have to moan about her dress not being excitingly revealing enough. There's work to do, it's still dismal out there. But the space Billie Eilish has created for a most ordinarily-dressed woman popstar is still heartening.
#music#rambling away; I'll log off#man. I remember how on the other hand when I was going to my first ever gig my guitar teacher said to me#notice how plainly he's dressed? No frills. His music speaks for himself.#(The musician in question was Slash and apart from his very recognisable hat and sunglasses; he was wearing a plain white t-shirt with a#minnie mouse graphic print in the centre. I think sometimes about how not even women in rock music are afforded that.#Like this is a thing across genres#With the exception of Franz Ferdinand for whom Alex has actually said in interviews that they treated FF gigs as nights out#and so dressed like they'd be dressed for a club night out--#most other guy bands are like *picked a tee off the floor*#whereas the girls in bands I've seen-- even literally just local musicians-- the girls in our local rock bands feel compelled to#dress like it's graduation day#Like we had this really cool local band-- singer's a girl in second year of uni#keeping up with the fact that they were playing like RHCP and Muse covers on stage; fast stuff--#she was up there in a delicate dress and heels and stomping across stage n all#and the rest of her band; dudes; were quite comfortable in their t-shirts#like of course she made a choice herself and was more than capable of stomping in heels--I mean I've seen Phoebe from Lambrini Girls#JUMP OFF a 5-ft platform stage while wearing 3-inch block heels. And in a party dress!#But then again Lambrini Girls genuinely are freaks of nature and I envy anyone who's going to see them open for Amyl & the Sniffers rn#bc that's an EXPLOSIVE combo. Nonetheless. I was saying.#Part of it certainly comes from a normalisation of just superhuman strength; balance + praying there's no malfunction with your skirt#which DOES happen at rock shows more frequently than you'd imagine. It's just if you're in a good crowd they'll pretend they saw nothing#but it's certainly more practical to gig in sneakers and trousers lol. From experience!#billie eilish#renee rapp#women in music#pop music#dua lipa#Also like Billies doing it for the pop lesbians#lesbian
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littlest-bugz · 6 months ago
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Relapsing is a part of healing
[one systems perspective on relapsing during Resolution/late stage DID recovery.]
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This post has been cooking in my drafts for a while, but since I'm back in a headspace where I would consider myself back in Resolution, I'm comfortable talking about this. I'm airing out my dirty laundry quite a bit in this post, but the reason I'm making this post is because of the fact I don't see many late stage recovery systems talk about relapsing back into dissociation and other CDD symptoms. I'm here to say it's totally okay and a part of healing. I don't know who needs to hear that, but I definitely did. I didn't hear it until i was in therapy.
A couple of months ago [when I was initially writing this post], I went through a series of traumatic events, including little over 3 weeks of reoccurring flashbacks due to a re-traumatizing situation. I have lovingly dubbed it 'the three weeks of hell'. There was more than just that, including 2 explosive breakdowns, where I just couldn't handle all the input I was getting with what all was going on. I was a whole wreck for a moment there, that's for sure. THANKFULLY, we only split off a one new alter after everything, which is healing progress, but it meant an increase in blackout amnesia in our day to day life, let alone the dissociation it was causing the system as a whole, nearly putting us back at step one of recovery.
The moment I noticed the blackout amnesia and increase in DID symptoms, I started thinking I had ruined any progress I could've possibly made. It felt like I had taken ten steps forward and then tumbled down the stairs. I never got to process the trauma as it just began to pile on, and eventually I popped in probably the worst explosive breakdown I've EVER had- my fight or flight kicked in and for gods know what reason, my brain chose fight. But that breakdown had solidified that 'fuck, I'm getting worse again' mentality I had going on. Everyone I knew seemed to 'keep it together' during rough times, so why couldn't I?
So that brought me to this post.
I wondered why I don't see talk of relapse in Late Stage Recovery spaces, let alone general CDD spaces. I figure, in my mind, that it's because it just isn't talked about. At least, not frequently. In the space I have curated for myself, I see a lot of fellow late stage recovery systems and finally fused systems, but everyone seems to not have relapsed at any point. Granted, this is the internet, and people show what they want others to see, but I felt ashamed for a good while that I had relapsed back into the amnesiac aspects of my dissociation. I didn't feel like I could call the stage of healing I am in 'late stage recovery'. But that's just. not true. I still am. My healing is ongoing, and I was able to resolve it.
In recovery for many disorders, relapses are, inherently, a part of the process of healing. Symptoms resurfacing is, to some extent, part of healing. Everyone is bound to have slip ups and rough times, and if your go to coping mechanism is dissociation [in CDDs cases], it's possible that you might slip back into those maladaptive mechanisms due to the stress of life happenings, but that's okay. What is needed is to learn the proper coping skills to deal with that stress, but it can be extremely hard to unlearn maladaptive coping skills and make turning towards healthy ones a default. Relapsing gives you the time to reinforce and build up what skills you do have.
When the three weeks of hell was occurring, I didn't exactly have the coping skills necessary to keep on with life, and any I did have, they were not 'automatic' enough. On top of that, my therapist was conveniently out of office for those three weeks. It did give me the time to make my skills stronger. Of course, I felt terrible about it but Relapsing is okay. As long as you learn how to deal with the stress and trauma, that's what matters. I'm still learning how to properly cope with everything that happened during those weeks, to be blunt, but I have gained a grasp on Resolution pretty quickly afterwards. I don't think it would've been possible to recover so easily had I not been in late stage recovery, and like I said before, it helped reinforce my coping skill box, making them stronger and much easier to recall. I definitely would say that relapsing was a part of my healing. Didn't feel good, but it became a huge factor in how we cope day to day.
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TLDR; Relapsing during Resolution [Functional Multiplicity/Final fusion] is a part of recovery itself.
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