#AAAAAHHHHHhhh h h h h h h

[notsugarfun]

51

[protagaster]

Part 6 of the Warrior!Penelope Swap AU

Sigh.....

These vignettes tend to average around 3,000 to 4,000 words. Not bad, if I have to say so myself. After all, Blue and I put a lot of work, time, and effort into trying to make these fics as amazing as we physically can.

But, this one...

Do you know how long it is!? 7,000 WORDS!

AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!

...

You're all lucky we love you guys so much! Here's an extra long chapter, just for being the amazing readers you are!

Editor/Co-Author/Sister in Sin: the one, the only, @somereaderinblue (GeminiWillow on Ao3)! Gods, how lucky I am to have you by my side!

(Cross-Posted on Ao3)

Keep Your Friends Close

Penelope and her crew try to navigate the waters back to Ithaca, but a devastating storm threatens to capsize their fleet. In order to get through the storm safely, Penelope decides to take the chance and ask for the Wind God’s assistance. 

While Aeolus agrees to help, trapping the storm in a bag and tasking Penelope to keep it secured, the Ruler of Winds does not plan to make the task an easy one. Penelope is prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the bag closed, no matter what Aeolus tries throwing at her.

Little does Penelope know, Aeolus was not whom she needed to worry about… 

~

Penelope knew she didn’t have much time. 

The raging storm blocking her fleet from progressing toward their desired destination had momentarily calmed. The waters may have quieted, but the dark clouds and surrounding mist still obscured practically every view and path within their line of sight. 

Penelope knew that her only chance to get past the storm and make it back home with all her remaining women intact was to enlist the help of the divine, regardless of how well that turned out, or rather, ended last time...

Specifically, in this case, the God of Winds, Aeolus. 

Looking at the flimsy rope ladder that led to the Wind God’s cloudy kingdom, Penelope couldn’t help the tidal wave of emotions that flooded her heart and mind: determination, excitement, and ever-present anxiety.

Determination, for Penelope knew the only way to make it past the storm was with the Wind God’s help. The mortal was nothing if not resolute, willing to do whatever it took and say anything she needed to ensure the God lended them the necessary aid to make it back home. 

Excitement, because Penelope knew they weren’t far from home. With the Wind God’s assistance Penelope would soon be stepping foot on the moist, golden sands of Ithaca’s beaches, relishing in the comforts of a shelter supplied with a warm bed springing with life and delicious food with smells so delectable they could already be tasted, none of it comparing to the way she would melt in the very real embrace of her loving husband and beautiful daughter. 

However, much as she loathed to admit it, there was also that tiny sense of dread that threatened to overtake Penelope’s beautiful fantasy… 

Anxiety, taking into account all of Penelope’s past experiences involving the Gods during the past ten years. Hera, who ordered her to do something horrible under the pretense “lesser of two evils”, and Ares… 

Nope, Penelope thought to herself with a quick smack to her forehead, she couldn’t think about that right now. 

At this very moment, Penelope needed to focus on her crew and making it back home. As long as she remained focused, vigilant, and resolute, Penelope’s fantasy would soon become reality. She didn’t need immortality or even fame. Just her home, family and safety.

Letting out a deep breath, though not as steady as she would have preferred, Penelope took hold of the long rope ladder that led to the entrance of the lofty cloud domain. 

Unwilling to waste even a second, Penelope began to climb her way into the floating island that housed the ruler of the winds. 

Before she got too far up though, Penelope took the time to look down and give her sister a reassuring gaze.  

Meanwhile, back down on the deck of the main ship, Ctimene watched anxiously, arms wrapped around herself, as her captain climbed higher and higher toward the isle of clouds. From a god condensed into the feathery constraints of a vulture in disguise to a giant wooden horse and now this. Oh, what stories she’ll have to tell!

She was still held up about her and Penelope’s argument from moments ago, not at all a spat but certainly not something that would be considered a “friendly disagreement”. Ctimene knew it was wrong to publicly question the woman who was her captain, queen, sister-in-law, and best friend. Others who held even one of those stations have screamed treason and unforgiving betrayal for less.

Right here, out at sea, away from the comforts of Ithaca and outside the bounds of their husbands’ embrace, Ctimene and Penelope were all each other had. Especially now, with Circes no longer in the picture… 

Sure they had their crew, women who showed only the utmost respect and unwavering loyalty despite the difficulties they faced during the last ten years; first as a homemaker, then as a soldier. Sisters-in-arms, who all accepted their lives would no longer be their own upon accepting a God’s permission to bear arms and still choosing to learn the ways of the warrior to fight for their futures. 

But there was something different, something special, about the bond Penelope and Ctimene shared that couldn’t be emulated with the rest of the crew. 

Upon her arrival to Ithaca, the very first woman Ares and Penelope taught the ways of a warrior to was Ctimene, with Circes following shortly after. Heck, it even got to the point where Ares began to grow fond of Ctimene! Or, well, as fond as a timeless embodiment could be for a being who won’t experience even one-tenth that they have. Not as much as he did Penelope, mind you, but enough to where the God allowed Ctimene to accompany their personal training sessions and even let her see him when other mortals couldn’t. 

The point was, amongst Ares’ band of Ithacan female warriors, Penelope and Ctimene were the very first. She daresay they were mavericks even. Would it be hard to believe then, that the bond the two women shared grew to be much deeper than with any of their comrades? 

But now, after the deaths of those 72 women, Penelope had lost Ares’ favor. The crew wasn’t stupid, they noticed right away when Penelope lost her divine luster and ironclad confidence. Sure she still had her rigorous years of training, above-average physical prowess, and devastatingly cunning mind, but how long would they aid her until she was out of her depth? 

How long would Penelope be able to rely on her own mortal strength and wit, before her luck ran out and it cost them all? Before it cost them everything-

No.

Stop.

Ctimene exhaled a long, heavy sigh that left her body no lighter than before. She shouldn’t let herself linger on this, she scolded herself. 

Penelope is a good leader. 

That first year of war she led the kingdom well, better than Ctimene’s parents would have even without Odysseus by her side. Later, when the men returned so damaged that everyone thought they were beyond repair, it was Penelope who guided them and their loved ones toward a steady recovery; Ctimene remembered how thankful she was to her sister for this, for her brother and husband were slowly returning to their former selves, physically and emotionally. 

Even when it was revealed that the eligible women of Ithaca would be forced to fight in their husband’s steads, Penelope did not weep in fear as Ctimene and others did. No, Penelope raised her head high with her spear held proudly, declaring that as long as her female warriors listened to her they would have no need to worry for their lives. How easy it’d been to believe her, their queen who’d been born a Spartan princess and taken under Ares’ wing before she was a woman.

And she was right. 

Penelope led all 600 of her women through almost a decade of war with their lives intact. There were many scars and even more injuries, but not once was a pyre lit for an Ithacan soldier. Those 72, they were a devastating accident no one could have predicted. As long as they continued to listen to Penelope, the remaining 528 would be able to give them as proper a funeral rite they could given the circumstances. 

… 

Right. So long as the crew listens. 

So long as Ctimene listens.

~

After a few minutes of climbing Penelope found herself at a dead end. There was no more rope for her to cling onto, for the ladder ended underneath a giant white cloud. 

Squinting at where rough fibers met condensed vapor, Penelope noticed the ladder looked as if it were connected to the fluffs of wind themselves. 

Tentatively reaching a hand out, Penelope’s suspicions were confirmed when her hand reached into the cloud and grabbed hold of even more rope. Continuing her climb while phasing through gusts of wind Penelope soon found herself at the true end of the rope ladder, which was held down by a rainbow nail. 

Pushing herself up, Penelope was almost surprised to feel her feet land on a sturdy, swishing ground made entirely of cloud. Looking around, the mortal noticed several strange pieces of cloud-architecture building and toppling themselves after every few minutes, as if their creator was not satisfied with their appearance. 

Wait, their creator! The owner of this floating isle of clouds!

Penelope cleared her throat, a couple puffs of cloud flying out, before calling out her plea in a regal voice reserved for war councils and battlefields. 

“Great Wind God, Aeolus, I don't know if you know this but our path to home is blocked by an impenetrable storm.”

Penelope turned left to right, this way and that, hoping to find the enigmatic ruler of this island.

…

Nothing. 

Well, legends did account that Aeolus was one of the more… playful Gods, one of the many tricksters to grace the heavens. Perhaps they were waiting for Penelope to look for them, sort of like an every-day game of hide and seek?

If so, Penelope would just have to oblige. 

“I ask for your assistance, so we at last can go the distance,”

Penelope searched every corner of the cloudy isle, running to search through fluffy white architecture before it was toppled and gently parting large tufts of soft fog in search of the God. 

So far, still no luck. 

“Can you cast the perfect winds for us and aid our journey home?”

From the corner of her eye Penelope noticed one of the nearby clouds gently shake, as if something was hiding inside of it. Carefully, Penelope parted the foggy white clumps in hopes of it held the one she was looking for-

… 

Nothing? 

Penelope tilted her head, confusion evident in her features. She was so sure that she saw- 

POOF!

Penelope jumped back, startled when someone appeared out of nowhere inside that same parted cloud. 

The person looked as if they were one with the clouds themselves, their body made of the same airy substance. However, unlike the various clouds surrounding them, their body, robes, and waist-length hair would fade from white to a very light blue. Their eyes, glowing in place of pupils, were also colored this same shade. 

They had a triumphant smile on their face, like they were pleased with having “won” this little game of hide-and-seek.

“Ha ha ha!”

The deity sprung out of their hiding place, playfully flying around Penelope like a hummingbird.

“I am the wind, twisting and turning, I give the fire enough to stay burning.” 

This was Aeolus, God of the Winds. They looked Penelope up and down, scrutinizing every detail both physical and spiritual. They grinned, tapping thier cheek with a finger as an idea came to mind. 

“Let's play a game.”

“A game?” Penelope tilted her head. 

“That's what I'm serving.” Aeolus shrugged nonchalantly. “And if you win, you will get what you're yearning.” 

A game? Really? Is that really all Aeolus wanted in exchange for Penelope and her crew to safely tread the stormy seas? 

No, the Gods were never that straightforward (and she would know). Penelope just knew there had to be more to it than that. However… 

She DID vow to do and say whatever she needed to in order to secure the God’s assistance. The captain would just have to ensure she remained extra vigilant to this God’s antics. And, should Tyche be merciful, perhaps Aeolus would find better entertainment sooner or later.

“Deal.” Penelope said, holding her hand out to seal the deal. 

Aeolus reached out to shake the mortal’s hand, only to fake out at the last second and pull their hand away. Judging from the mortal’s reaction, she had not planned on the God committing such an action. 

Aeolus smiled, ecstatic to have tricked the human woman for a second time, before manifesting a plain brown bag into their hand. 

“Take a look right here at this bag.” 

The Wind God flew toward the ocean’s horizon in a blur of their namesake. They collected every single dark and gloomy cloud both nearby and in the distance as though they were naught but scattered drachmas, throwing them all inside the brown bag. Soon, the only clouds visible were those that were beautiful, light, and gentle. 

The God returned to float in front of Penelope, playfully shaking the now full brown bag. 

“It has the winds of the storm all trapped!”

Aeolus sealed the bag with a rainbow tie, plopping it right into Penelope’s hands as if it were nothing. 

“All you gotta do is not open this bag.”

Penelope tested the weight of the bag in her hands. Physically it was surprisingly light, as a cloud or gust of air usually is, but the weight of what it represented made up for its lack of density, turning into a heavy burden on Penelope’s shoulders. 

Something wasn’t right about this. 

The seal on the bag was secured nice and tight. Even if an accident occurs where she is forced to drop the bag or leave it outside of her hands, it wouldn’t be enough for the bag to open by itself. It needed to be opened willfully, by a pair of hands purposefully unsealing the rainbow tie. That was an easy enough task to accomplish simply on its own. 

Was the game Aeolus proposed truly meant to be such a straightforward one? 

Penelope looked up, masking her internal suspicion with a cockiness fueled by false courage.

“Sounds too easy, what's the catch?”

That mischievous glare in Aeolus’ glowing eyes sharpened, proving Penelope’s initial theory correct. 

“Ha ha ha!” 

Aeolus snapped their fingers, summoning a group of tiny adorable creatures that looked strikingly similar to the lotus eaters from before; these one though, instead of being covered with fuzzy dark fur, looked like they were made of little fluffy clouds ranging from the white of winter to the light blue of skies. 

These creatures collected individual puffs of clouds, stacking them atop each other and shaping each one into the rough form of a human woman. 

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer!” Aeolus replied with a little teasing “boop” to Penelope’s nose. 

“Never really know who you can trust…” Their little cloud creatures chorused in unison. 

Chillingly, Penelope couldn’t help but notice how each one looked almost exactly like one of her crew members back on the main ship. The cloud-women ran simultaneously to ambush her, each one trying to grab hold of the wind bag. 

“If they wanna get the bag open, you gotta say ‘no, sir’.”

“Sometimes killing is a must.”

Penelope, after dodging each cloud-person and striking them to evaporation, paused and stared at that little tidbit. Suddenly, the cool air of her cloudy surroundings grew chilling.

“What?”

“'Cause the end always justifies the means.” Aeolus took Penelope’s hands and spun her playfully, deliberately ignoring her question. 

“Friends turn into foes and rivalries…” The creatures echoed in the background, almost mockingly. 

“So keep your friends close and your enemies closer!” Aeolus gently pet Penelope one final time, akin to how a child would an adorable new pet fresh off the teat of its dame. 

The touch was not rough, but it made goosebumps shudder across her skin. Mortals were not meant to touch the clouds and vice versa it seems.

“Never really know who you can trust…” 

The combined words of Aeolus and their little cloudy companions echoed in Penelope’s mind as she returned to the rope ladder, continuing to take over her thoughts even while she climbed down those coiled fibers and inched closer to her waiting ship.

Whatever it was the God and their little minions tried to insinuate, Penelope hadn’t the faintest clue yet.

Never really know who you can trust…

Quicker than it took to climb the swaying ladder, Penelope soon felt her feet ground themselves from rope step to wooden floor.

The first to notice their captain’s reappearance were the two youngest crew members aboard the main ship (and even in the entire fleet): Pelagia and Erato. 

Pelagia, the shorter, slightly older, and more assertive of the two, was quick to notice the strange brown bag attached to Penelope’s hip, its rainbow string a shiny lure.

“Captain, what's happening?” Pelagia asked with a pointed finger. 

Erato, the tallest, slightly timid, youngest member of the entire crew, followed her best friend’s pointed finger and in turn noticed what she was staring at.

“What's trapped in that bag?” The two youngsters asked in unison, their combined interest bringing it to the entire main ship’s attention. 

Penelope had prepared for this on her way back down. 

The rules of her and Aeolus’ little “game” stipulated that they were to keep the bag open at all costs. As long as she informed her crew of this, of how important it was to never have it opened, they would be alright. 

“Something dangerous, friends,” Penelope took hold of the bag, trying to emphasize her point. “We mustn't lag-”

“It's treasure!” Aeolus’ little minions interrupted, seemingly appearing out of nowhere and floating aimlessly near the bag. 

The two words they spoke struck the entire crowd like thunder.

Penelope’s eyes widened as she slowly turned her head to glare at the cloud creatures. 

“What?” 

“Buh-bye!” The creatures disappeared, just like that. 

Of course… 

She should’ve known, she should’ve expected this…

Penelope could feel her heart quicken, every heartbeat rapid and faster than her blood and breath could follow. A cold sweat dripped from her forehead to the back of her neck, her occupied hand and throat closing instinctively tighter. 

This is what the Wind God meant by turning her plea into a game.

THIS is what Aeolus and the cloud creatures were warning her about with their cryptic words.

Proving her point, many crew members already began to approach Penelope about the mysterious bag. Pelagia and Erato, already in close approximation, tried to take hold of the bag kept in their captain’s rigid grip. 

“Open the bag.” Pelagia said.

“Let's see what you got.” Erato added.

Breaking out of her stupor, Penelope clutched the wind bag closer to her chest. 

“No, do not!”

Every crewmember approaching her halted, confused as to why their captain would react in such a manner. She clung to the bag more insistently than a newborn babe to their mother’s breast.

“Everybody listen closely-” Penelope’s entire demeanor was a serious one, her expression, tone, and posture as assertive and commanding as it would be back on her throne; if one had to specifically describe it, the closest comparison would be a mother scolding her children to keep them in line. 

Penelope lifted the bag high enough for everyone to see, pointing specifically at its rainbow string keeping it tightly shut. 

“See how this bag is closed? That's how it's supposed to be!”

She then gestured toward the horizon, forcing the crew to look at the clear blue skies and gentle ocean waves. 

“This bag has the storm inside! We cannot let the treasure rumor fly!” 

Aeolus’ little trick complicated things, a lot. Still, even with this wrench thrown at her, Penelope’s original plan had some standing! 

Her crew was a loyal one; they had proved it time and time again by heeding each one of her commands no matter how ridiculous or outlandish they may have seemed in the moment. They fought together, killed together, kept her and each other safe from men twice their size and thrice their strength with nothing more than cunning, stealth, and effective leadership. 

So long as they remembered this, so long as they continued to heed Penelope’s words, then Aeolus’ little “game” would end in victory. 

The crew seemed to have agreed, for the most part. 

“We'll try.” Pelagia, Erato, and some of the other women affirmed, albeit not too surely. 

The majority of the women returned to their positions, though some of them allowed their eyes to linger on the bag far longer than Penelope would have liked. The only one who didn’t was Ctimene, for she found herself unable to tear her eyes away from the brown bag… 

~ The fleet of 12 ships continued to set sail and stay their course. Night after night, day after day, the weather stayed sunny and breezy whilst the water below remained calm yet strong. 

Aeolus and their wind minions (winions, as Penelope began to call them in her thoughts) continued to tread closely behind the Ithacan ships, eager to keep track of how the mortal and her retinue were faring in their little “trust exercise”.

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer!” Aeolus would coo from above, taking note of how weary and restless the women aboard the main ship were beginning to grow. 

“Never really know who you can trust…” The crew chanted as they rowed, this growing feeling of discourse spreading amongst them. 

“Never really know who you can trust…” The winions would repeat, as if affirming this feeling inside the crewmembers. 

Aeolus observed the way Penelope stood at the edge of her ship’s helm, looking over the ocean’s path and her sailing crew in timely intervals. As days continued to pass with the ships traversing closer and closer to Ithaca, not once did Penelope allow herself more than a couple minutes of shut-eye. 

Despite her earlier words, Penelope knew the dangers of temptation far too well. She just couldn’t risk letting herself fall into slumber, lest one of the others try and open the bag whilst she slept, if not out of greed then curiosity.

She couldn’t let herself grow compliant when they were so close to home yet still not there.  

“Now they wanna get the bag open so they can have closure…”

Aeolus, watching all of this go on from above, noticed how one crew member in particular would inch closer and closer everytime Penelope dozed off longer and longer…

“Sometimes sneaking is a must…” “Sometimes sneaking is a must…”

A few more days, a few more nights. The women would all take turns rowing, resting, completing the litany of chores a ship needs to stay afloat, rowing, sleeping and repeat the daily cycle. The only woman who did not allow herself the luxury of sleep or rest was Penelope, who still held the bag close to her chest. She barely even ate, unable to stomach anything and unwilling to risk having either hand occupied on the off chance another’s tried to touch the bag. However, it was clear to the crew how exhausted their captain was growing based on her sluggish movement and bagged eyes.

Aeolus couldn’t help growing excited, for they could feel the scales of their and Penelope’s “game” tipping in their favor with each time the sun rose then set. 

“Cause the end always justifies the means,”

The crew looked at their captain, unable to keep themselves from thinking of how much she’s changed since the conflict in Troy came to an end. 

Ctimene herself was the most critical of this change, especially considering the time in which it prominently began revealing itself. 

“Everything's changed since Circes, so-”

Aeolus relaxed against their bed of clouds, gazing into the horizon a few dozen klicks away from where the ships currently sailed. From where they lay in the sky they could see a beautiful island filled with sandy beaches, luscious greenery, and a stunning palace waiting not too far in the distance. 

Still, the Wind God wasn’t worried. This right here was the climax of their little “game”, and everything exciting always happens near the end. 

Doubt, wariness, exhaustion, and the need to satiate always made for one delicious recipe of disaster.

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

“Never really know who you can trust…” 

“Never really know who you can trust…”

Back down to the ocean, on the main ship leading the other 11, the captain of the fleet definitely looked like she had seen better days. 

Penelope’s hair was frazzled, tangled and sticking up from where it was tied back. Her modest sailor’s tunic and skirt, fitted in consideration for her feminine physique, was wrinkled haphazardly with no consideration for appearance; even her sandals were not tied as neatly as they should have been. Worse of all was her face, for her beauty turned haggard under days worth of neglect and dark eye bags weighed her once keen eyes. 

Penelope, despite her obvious need for sleep, did all she could to keep herself awake. Everything ranging from pacing and slapping her cheeks to talking to herself and singing to the waves like a madwoman. Some of the phrases she said here and there were coherent enough for the others to hear, but Penelope was so deep in her fatigue that she couldn’t even discern half the things rolling off her tongue at that point. 

Right now, inside this liminal state of paranoid awareness and sleep-deprived tiredness, it was curiously the moment Penelope found herself to be completely conscious despite her exhaustion. 

“For nine days I've stayed wide awake, trying to make it home with no storm or tidal wave,” 

Penelope looked down, just in case her body’s sensation of touch had betrayed her. Sure enough, the bag of winds was still tucked safe and securely inside her arms. From an outside perspective, it looked like she was hugging it. 

“I remain unopposed, the bag is still closed, and I'm getting closer to you…”

Penelope shut her eyes. Only for a second, she told herself. 

While her eyes were shut Penelope felt a familiar warm breeze, the gust smelling of sand and freshwater, caressing her cheeks; she could smell Ithaca’s signature foods and hear the island’s melodious tunes, so close and detailed it practically felt like she was already there. 

Reopening her eyes, Penelope found she was no longer leaning against the mast of her ship. Instead, she was standing before the entrance of one of her most favorite places in the entire kingdom: the royal bedchamber’s outside balcony. 

The handmade wooden doors, bleached white and carved lovingly, opened on their own to display what was outside. 

There he was, only an arm’s length away, leaning against the balcony’s railing.

His back was turned whilst he looked out over the ocean’s horizon, donning the casual robes he only wore for private lounging and sporting the leather brace meant to bring relief to his shoulder, something he only put on in the presence of those he trusted. His dark wavy hair swayed with the wind’s breeze; his tanned skin, slightly darker than his wife's, shined warmly against the sun’s golden beams. 

He turned, his earth-toned eyes meeting her watercolored ones. 

“Odysseus…”

Her husband’s name was music to Penelope’s ears, sounding like a soothing lullaby.

Penelope couldn’t help but let herself get lost in his eyes, deep browns that displayed an intense combination of intelligence, kindness, and adoration. Those eyes, the very first thing that drew her to Odysseus back when they were only teenage acquaintances, had the same effect on her now as they did 16 years ago. 

His lips split into a smile, small and soft and comforting with everything it offered. It was just like Penelope remembered it, exactly what she longed to see after being so cruelly taken away from him for almost a decade. 

There really was no doubt about it; even though he had inevitably aged, the same as any mortal after such a long stretch of time, Odysseus would no doubt be even more gorgeous now than he was 9 years ago…

Penelope slowly let her guard down simply because of his mere presence. 

“I can't wait to resume our happiness…”

A little girl suddenly appeared by Odysseus’ side, one whose hair and eye color strikingly matched his. She shyly held his hand while looking up at Penelope, her bashful smile somehow a perfect combination of the husband and wife’s. 

Penelope knew right away the identity of this little girl. It was her baby, no longer an infant of one year but a child of ten. 

“Telemachas…”

Penelope let out a serene sigh upon hearing her daughter’s name, her heart soaring with utter bliss. 

Telemachas’ little details, like her facial features and the length of her hair, would change shape every once in a while. Sometimes she would adopt more of Ody’s characteristics while other times she took more after Penelope’s attributes. However, this did nothing to frighten or deter Penelope; if anything, it did the exact opposite. 

After almost an entire decade of being torn apart by order of the Gods, Penelope would finally be reunited with her greatest and more precious treasure. No more would she have to fantasize about the face her little girl grew into, for soon enough she would be able to see and memorize every real detail with her own two eyes. Would she have moles? Freckles from the sun? Scars from accidents? Dimples on her cheeks?

Soon, they would be able to do everything Penelope fantasized about doing with her daughter: navigating the trials of womanhood, teaching her to fight as a warrior, simply doing what they enjoy, whether it be weaving, swimming, singing, or some other lovely activity, as long as they were by each other’s side…

Oh, how lovely it all sounded.

“Time for me to be the mother I never was!” 

Odysseus and Telemachas approached Penelope, her husband wrapping his arms around her shoulders in a steady, gentle embrace while her daughter carefully pried her clenched fingers open and placed their hands atop each other’s.

‘Just keep your eyes open…’

Penelope tried to lean into Odysseus’ embrace, tried to intertwine her and Telemachas’ fingers, only for her family to slowly distance themselves from her presence.

Penelope’s heart sunk as her family moved farther and farther away from her at such a fast rate. She tried to run back to them, wanting nothing more than to return to that embrace. However, Penelope suddenly felt her body, heart, and even her very spirit grow heavy with… something.

Whatever it was, it turned her into an anchor, slowly sinking to the bottom while her husband and child disappeared out of reach like driftwood.

“Why are my eyes and my heart and my soul so heavy?”

Looking back up at them, Penelope saw that the contentment on her Odysseus and Telemachas had been replaced with worry, unease, and bone-deep anxiety. 

But of what, Penelope wondered nervously.

‘Just keep your eyes open…’

What is it, Penelope thought raggedly as her breath grew short and her lungs burned, what was making them so nervous that they moved farther away with every step she took to reach them? 

What was keeping them so far away even when they were already so close to each other? 

“I keep on trying to embrace you both, why won't you let me?”

‘Just keep your eyes open…’ Her family answered in response, concern so very evident in their tones.

But of what?

…

Wait …

Peneleope felt her thoughts quickly derail; bated breath, welling eyes, and a cold sweat quick to follow. 

Was… 

Was it Penelope herself? Was she the thing they were so afraid of…

But-

That…

That can’t be it! It just can’t!

They didn’t have anything to worry about! Penelope is still the same woman she was before that fateful day 9 years ago!

Even if Penelope has done things over the last decade she was not proud of, things that will haunt her to the Underworld, said things she wished she could take back, and watched helplessly as others who didn’t deserve to lost their lives, none of it defined who she was! 

She was still Penelope, strong yet wise, stubborn but patient, daring and still careful! The very same woman who stuck by her ideals no matter how hard it was at times.

“So much has changed but I'm the same!” Penelope cried desperately, believing wholeheartedly in her words. Because they were true…

Yes, yes that’s right! Her words did ring true!

Right now, at this moment, this one single instance that marked the possible end to her journey, Penelope, exactly as she was the moment she left Ithaca, would be the same one to once again set foot in her home!

And this Penelope would never let herself become a monster. 

“Yes I'm the same!”

Penelope, with brand new resolve, was able to take the steps she needed to finally be within reaching distance of the two loves of her life. Just one more step and they would be in each other’s arms once more…

‘Just keep your eyes open…’

One. 

More.

Step… 

Just keep your eyes open…

Penelope collapsed, that last step impossible to take on her own. However, she did not fall to the ground. Instead, she landed inside the firm embrace of Odysseus’ arms. 

“...wake up…” 

Penelope’s vision grew blurry. Looking up, she was just barely able to make out Odysseus’ face.

Wait a second… 

Penelope squinted her eyes, unsure if they were deceiving her. Why were his eyes so wide and full of panic-

“Wake up!”

Odysseus suddenly gripped his wife’s shoulders, his expression frantic and voice filled to the brim with raw desperation. 

“Penelope, they're opening the bag, WAKE UP!”

Penelope’s eyes, her real ones in the real world, snapped open. She threw herself up into a sitting position, no longer laying against the mast…

Wait. Closed eyes… laying against the mast…

Oh no…

No. No. No. No. No. No…

BY THE GODS NO! 

She- she let herself sleep! Penelope let her guard down!

She looked down at her hands and arms, praying by some miracle that it was still in her possession. But it was just as she feared…

The wind bag was gone. 

Penelope looked up. A crowd of 6 women had gathered themselves in a circle. 5 of the women Penelope could tell right away. The 6th, though, had hidden herself in the center, away from the line of sight of anyone outside the circle. 

The only thing Penelope could see, in between the wall of 5 women, was the sixth holding a very familiar brown bag. The mystery crewmate used two fingers, her index and thumb, to gingerly take hold of the rainbow string keeping it sealed…

“NO!”

Penelope threw herself to her feet and tried to run toward them. There was still time, she could still make it home if she just kept them from- 

Something yanked Penelope back. Looking down, the captain saw that one of her hands was tied to the ship’s mast. It was right then and there when Penelope realized, with a deep sense of dread, that they had planned this.

Every single woman looked in the captain’s direction once they heard her cry out in agony. This included the circle of women currently in possession of the bag. 

But it was too late. 

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer!” 

The rainbow tie came loose.

Within the very next second, Pandora’s box had unleashed upon the crew. 

Never really know who you can trust…

Never really know who you can trust…

Clouds, big and wet and stormy grew, spilling instantaneously out of the bag to return to their rightful place in the aegean. The soft gentle winds from before became harsh and heavy. The waves below grew rapid and restless, becoming even more perilous as the rain spilling from those dreary clouds added to the strength of the ocean below. 

Storm…

The combination of high winds and treacherous waves forced the fleet to halt their movement forward. And then, with no warning, the 12 ships began to sail backwards.

That’s right. At such high speeds that the fleet would have appeared as a blur to anyone on the outside, the ships sailed further and further away from home and headed to an unknown destination. It would not have been too unreasonable, at that moment, to assume the ships could compete in a race against the Messenger Gods themselves. And win. 

Full speed ahead…

Aeolus, for the first time since they issued the challenge nine days ago, descended upon the fleet of ships. They wore a smile, an eerie, menacing, foreboding one. 

Despite her difficulty maintaining balance over the uncontrollable swaying ship, Penelope managed to steady herself just enough to make her way over to her ship’s top deck and stare face-to-face at the Wind God.  

“Where's the storm taking us?!”

Aeolus giggled, cruel and childish, as they stared down at the mortal being trying desperately to regain control of the situation. 

“I said to keep the bag closed, but you weren't compliant,” Aeolus blew a kiss at the fleet, the addition of their personal winds forcing the ships to somehow go even faster than before.

“If I had to guess? You're heading to the Land of the Giants…”

Soon, it did not take long for even Aeolus and their winions to no longer be within sight. 

Storm…

At the speed they were going it would have been impossible for any of the women to point out or distinguish any landmarks that would have helped them find their way back. 

Storm…

Immediately, Penelope realized it was the cannibalistic Laestrygonians that Aeolus referred to as the final destination of their strom-fueled ships.

If they ended up arriving at their intended destination, there would be no doubt the lives of her entire crew would be lost.

Penelope needed to stop the ships from getting there! But how… 

Penelope looked around frantically, trying to search for something that could help. 

No islands or land anywhere nearby that could block the ships’ paths, she doubted their anchors were strong enough against a God’s handmade storm, no amount of rope, whether it be the numerous amounts of brown coiled thread stacked against each other in the corner or rainbow string, would do anything against the sto-

Wait, rainbow string?! 

Penelope immediately returned her eyes to the ship's floor. Right there, laying discarded against the ship’s wooden floorboards, was the rainbow string that held the power to keep the bag securely tied in the first place. 

Whoever opened the bag had not realized its importance, evident from how they tossed it aside once it no longer appeared useful. 

Penelope grabbed the string before making a run for the bag, which was still spilling its windy contents into the sky and adding more clouds to the barrage. 

Ctimene, who was trying to steady their ship’s sails, who just so happened to be only a few feet from where the bag had opened , watched as Penelope forced herself to inch closer to it using all her mortal strength. 

Despite the bag’s winds trying to keep her away, Penelope managed to successfully get as close as she needed to. Kneeling down to better reach the bag’s opening, all the while devastating winds threatened to rip her face off her skull and her hair from her scalp, Penelope wrapped the rainbow string around the flaps of the bag and tried her damndest to close it once more. 

However, trying to close the bag alone only ended in failure with each attempt. The captain, knowing she couldn’t do this alone, looked around for something or someone that could help keep the bag steady enough to close. 

No one could have missed the quick sigh of relief she let out when meeting Ctimene’s gaze. 

“Help me close the bag!” Penelope ordered her sister. 

“But ma’am, it's too late.” Ctimene answered instead of acted. 

Penelope, while still trying to close the bag with her own meager strength, glared at her second-in-command in response to her question.

“We can save whatever wind is left to use another day! Come on!”

Ctimene, finally realizing her captain’s intention, wasted no time and sprung herself to action. 

The sisters worked together to quickly close the bag: Ctimene used her immense strength to keep it steady despite its overwhelming power while Penelope wrapped the string tightly around the bag’s opening. Once she was sure it was nice and secure, Penelope pulled on both ends of the string. 

The open flaps of the bag shut in unison with the rainbow string’s pull. 

Just like that, no more were the winds stronger than their sales. The ships halted in place, no longer driven by the forces of nature. The dark, stormy clouds that had infested the skies quickly dissipated. Though not as blue and clear as it was moments ago, as light-gray clouds still littered the sky and continued to spill a light drizzle of rain, it was definitely an improvement compared to before. 

However, there was something still off with the waves below; they weren’t as treacherous as they had been whilst in the middle of the divine storm, but something was still making them uneasy, raging… 

None of the women noticed this yet. 

Every single crew member, both on the main ship or one of the other 11, let out a much needed deep breath. She would either have a hand placed over herself, hovered over the body part of a nearby friend, or was performing a combination of the two. 

Penelope and Ctimene were no exception to this. 

The captain and her second in command had not parted from the other’s side since completing their objective. Penelope had one hand over her knee to maintain balance, the other placed carefully in front of Ctimene’s torso to keep her sister from toppling over while the ship immediately steadied. Ctimene, in turn, had a hand placed over her chest to forcibly relax her breathing, with the other placed firmly on Penelope’s shoulder to keep the other secured after everything that just happened. 

While catching the breath escaping from her lungs, Penelope assessed their surroundings to devise a quick game plan in her head. Things obviously didn’t go as planned, that was for sure, but hope hadn’t died just yet!

The first thing they would have to do is figure out where they were! Though nothing looked particularly familiar in any direction she gazed, it was likely that with a little sailing they would be treading recognizable waters in no time!

Next, Penelope would have to find a way to gather resources that served both as sustenance and maintenance (no doubt the ships took quite the beating after being navigated purely by wind and wave). She would need to be careful, especially considering what happened last time they looked for sustenance, but as long as she remained vigilant and logical it should all be okay! 

Sure the “plan” barely counted as a plan to begin with, not to mention the “simple” tasks were anything but. Still, even if it sounded daunting at first, Penelope knew as long as each of the 528 women worked hard and did her part they would have nothing to worry about. 

As long as nothing else happened, they would be able to set course back home as if nothing happened in the first plac-

“Penelope of Ithaca!” A woman’s voice, deep, angry, and very much powerful, yelled out from the deepest depths of the sea herself. 

Penelope’s breath stilled, her blood running so cold for a moment she thought herself to be a corpse. 

That- that was her name, wasn’t it? 

Her and more than 500 pairs of eyes turned towards the direction of that voice. Penelope saw a pair of glowing blue orbs hidden within a cloud of foggy mist. 

The unnaturally choppy waters were much more noticeable now… 

“Do you know who I am?”

[after-nine-at-the-oasis]

E X C U S E M E ? ? ? ?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

OKAY FIRST OF ALL KANANNNN :'DDD that entire conversation killed me <3

Second of all I WAS SCARED IT WAS GOING TO END THAT WAY

AUOOUAGH Y'ALL W H Y DID YOU DO THIS TO ME 😭😭😭😭💔💔

LIKE IT WAS VERY POETIC AND POWERFUL AND ALL AND ALSO AHSOKA'S THEME 😭😭😭😭😭💔💔💔💔❤️❤️❤️ BUT STILL

Be honest did y'all just say "We need a way to get them out of the way for the sequel trilogy. . ." XD

ALSO WHERE IS MY EZRA AND HERA HUG

AND SPEAKING OF AAAAAHHHHHHHH CHOPPER AND EZRA :'DDD I'M NOT OKAY Y'ALL

Okay but like there's no way they're just gonna leave them there

Like it would be super poetic and an oddly calm and melancholy end to their constantly on the move and undergoing trauma lives but like. . . no way xD

WHEN I HEARD THE BIRD CALLS!!!! I WAS LIKE. YES!!! PLEASE!!! PLEASE BE IT/HER!!

AND IT W A S S S !!!

WHOOO YEAHH XDD THANK YOUU!!!

We deserved that so much frankly <3

Also you can't have an Ahsoka series and not have Morai (I believe that's its name) appear at least one xD

Anyway I love her/them <3 (her being either of them lol)

And lastly. My brother legitimately said "Maybe it's Anakin like Mufasa in the sky" and we joked about it for a minute

AND I'D SEEN A GIF OF HIM IN THE POST PREVIEW SECTION OF TRENDING

SO I WAS SUS

AND IT W A S!!!!

SLFKGHDKJGS XDDD

THAT WAS AMAZING

Anakin: come on Ahsoka do you know how long it's gonna take me to get back to the Afterlife where everyone else hangs out?? FOREVER GIRL. Getting yourself stuck in other galaxies and such smh

xDD

I saw a post talking about how she finally forgave and accepted herself for still loving him and like. yeah. He helped her set herself free from a lot of her guilt, and he can tell that :')

I like to believe she could kind of see him <3

Not quite, but almost :')

Anyway, THAT WAS SO AMAZING HOLY CRAP!!! SABINE USING THE FORCE WHOOOO, EZRA MAKING A NEE LIGHTSABER AND TALKING WITH HUYANG :'DDD, WHERE WERE ZEB AND KALLUS- HERA AND EZRA REUNITING :'DDD 10/10 HOW DARE YOU <333

I LOVED IT SO MUCH <333

[abnormallynice]

Me: //listening to Iris

Brain:

Me:

Brain:

Me: Dont-

Brain: City of Angels TWEWY crossover

Me: daMNIT DAMN YOU FRICK--

[orrangepoem]

MGG IS STILL IN LOUISIANA I HATE MY LIIIIIIIIIIFE

[ialwaysknewyouwerepunk]

Falling. Into a half-empty glass.

Or: I’m nothing but a bitch for falling that’s all I am. Part 1.

We’re all by this point aware of the fact that everybody’s favorite shiny-shirted chaos demon Harry Styles has been teasing us with a mini baby mashup of Two Ghosts and Falling on his rainbow-bunny-bedecked tour. Yes. We know this we have all lost our collective shit about it yes. Like god, it just sounds so pretty, here have a link to a video of him singing it yep no problem ur welcome don’t mention it GOD I would do so many dirty things for a studio recording of this.

(x, x, x)

I have written this long as all sweaty hell post today because listen ok I fucking LOVE that he fucking did this. That he’s connecting these two songs like he is. Because maybe he’s just doing it because it sounds nice, maybe he’s doing it because he’s Harry Styles and he can do what he well pleases thank u very much, maybe it’s because the two songs are about the same/a similar interpersonal conflict, maybe maybe sure any of that yeah—but I also think you can absolutely damn well read both of these songs as being about two sides of himself, rather than (or in addition to) the couples disagreement thing we generally see in them, and THAT makes this really exciting to me.

I’ve had this thought for a while now and always kind of felt like I was. Reaching a bit? So I just kind of. Kept it to myself and let myself feel my own little feely feelings about it. But then H decided to link these two songs on MAIN????? on TOUR?????? with a stunning a cappella angel harmony to boot (sott anyone. only angel anyonE) and—I lost it, I’m loooosssinnggggg it, I still feel like this is a reach tbh but I’m. Losing It. And really, to be fair, I think pretty much all of H’s songs are about approx one thousand different things at the same time, and that’s probably what I love most about them, but to me at least—I don’t know. Regardless of what Harry actually means in these two songs, Falling especially and also parts of TG feel so much to me like what it is to meet yourself, realize you’ve badly mistreated yourself, feel so sorry for that, not know how to fix it, not know if you like who you’re becoming or who you’ve been—I just. Feeeeeeeel all of that. So strongly here. And then he went and ACTUALLY CONNECTED them and I just. It’s so much. It’s so so so so. Much.

Under the cut if you wanna get real emo with me about the ghosts inside our heads and splash around in some rainbow rabbitholes. Sound weird? Good. Let’s get wet.

Keep reading

[captainsaltypear]

I opened discord and WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL MY SERVERS WHAT SOMEONE PLEASE HELP

[lumosinlove]

Your Rangers are first in the draft, how do we feel?

AaaaaaaAAAAAAAaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAA A A A A A A A A A AAAAAhhhHhhhh h h h

[whatissleepeven]

What Vines do you associate with the Demon Bros/ Obey Me MC Squad (Aqua, Musashi, Odd)?

(I had to revisit some vine compilations to remember some and thank you for the ask as I get back into the swing of things)

Lucifer

“*Reading Mammon’s notes from centuries ago* I had a grat tim when I was chikeb cret. I had las avi macup on my fas.”

Mammon

“Back at it again at Krispy Kreme” *Proceeds to do a series of backflips right into the sign overhead, ultimately breaking it*

Levi

*Decked out in spiderman gear and swimming goggles*

“It is Wednesday, my dudes.”

“AaaaAaAAaaAAAAAHHHHHHHH- ”

Satan

“Did you hang out with Beth last night?”

“You know what? Yeah, I did.”

“Aww, I love Beth!”

“You hate Be- ”

“YEAH NO SHIT, HONEY!”

Asmo

“Yes, she is a bitch. b-i, c-t, h.”

Beel

(Obey Me MC Squad providing the beat + vocals as Beel dances with chicken wings in his hands)

“Chicken wing! Chi-Chi-Chicken wing! Chicken wing! Chi-Chi-Chicken wing! Chick! Chick!”

Belphie 

“Last one there’s a rotten egg!” 

“First one there is going to get their soul sucked and *insert low chanting*” 

“Aw wh- oh hell nah - ”

Aqua

“Duke do you want the ball??” 

*Throws tennis ball* 

*Grown-ass German Shepherd tilts sideways in mid-air and crashes into the pyramid of empty bottles*

Odd

“Hey, would ya look at the buns on that guy.” 

“This is the pun police; the joke’s too funny!” 

“I’M NOT GOING BACK TO JAILLLL!!”

Musashi

*In a cheerful voice* 

“Pour two shots of vodka!”

*Dumps half the bottle in*

BONUS: Solomon

*Prepares to flip omelet in frying pan* 

*The pan part breaks from the handle as he flips it, falling to the floor*

[lannisterdaddyissues]

HOLY CRAP THIS IS EVERYTHING!!!!! ITS EVERYTHING TO ME OH MY GOD IM CRYING TOO!!!!! OMG IM SO INCANDESCENTLY HAPPY AT thiS YOU HAVE NO IDEA 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

@minimartian here's the other half of your kiss prompt!

The man before him is his constant source of vexation, and yet Uhtred cannot imagine a life without him. He is not sure why the gods entwined their paths so closely, and he alternately thanks them and curses them for it.

They are alone in a dirty hovel in a stinking swamp, and even from this distance, they can hear the baby cough. "My kingdom is dead and its prince dying. Surely this is a sign from God?" Alfred asks, voice wobbling, elegant hands grasping the front of Uhtred's tunic. They are beautiful hands, more suited to writing books and crafting kingdoms than wielding swords, but Uhtred believes in the power of those hands, and he cannot fathom why.

He leans down without thought and brushes his lips against the king's cheeks. His lips come away wet and salty, and he repeats the gesture until there is no trace of tears on the pale face. "I do not pretend to understand your God, lord, but mine have placed me here for a reason. I do not think it is to watch your kingdom die."

[kuronokiseki]

Best Misaki Moments (imo)

will do an usage and romantica version next

warning: very long post, lots and lotssss of large images

the moment where misaki became my fave character

misaki found him hawt in a suit ovo

vol 1 misaki is best misaki tbh nakamura what have you done

hahahahahahahaaaaa

nobody badmouths hubby! >:(

the scene that made 13 year old me shook and cry ;-;

BABY CRY ME CRY TOO :��(

misaki when hubby said it’s his first time going for a trip with someone for fun mann can i include the whole train chapter it’s sooo good

misaki’s subconscious hahahaha

OwO

misaki just spent a whole chapter thinking how to reward his hubby and his final decision was this

THEREFORE I SHALL OFFER MAH BODY

you tell him misaki! >:D

many ppl wanted misaki to top for once after this scene but me? POWER BOTTOM MISAKI

U NO TOUCH MAH MAN HES MINE #OAO

notice meeee :”(

usagi-san did nothing wrong I WANT TO STAY WITH HIM! DD:< (i noticed alot of ppl wished misaki would reject ijuuin in this fashion back then)

i love how nakamura ended this arc on a perfect note :”““)

usage: ive known takahiro for 15 years

misaki: AM I A JOKE TO YOU?! >:U

I HATE FUYUHIKO >:”“““(

the reason why misaki chose usage over haru :”“(

y no one loves me like misaki loves hubby :”“““““““(

misaki saved hubby!!! (a rare scene where the anime did it better, but welll hardly the anime did the manga justice)

giving someone chocolate during valentine’s day? yeahhh, totally doesnt mean anything :^)

if someone’s going to say misaki is a bad character im gonna stab them

i realized there is not a single fave moment in the mizuki arc even tho i didnt skip it while rereading (aka the WORST arc and the WORST COUPLE tbh the cousins are soooo annoying EVEN IN THE LATEST ACT 51 and everytime they appeared im having a second-hand embarrassment) finally a fave moment came right after they left nakamura istg if they are going to appear again in the future i hope their plane will crash

(i acknowledge this scene as the beginning of ijuuin arc and nothing have to do with mizuki arc)

annnnnnd misaki will repeat himself for many times regarding who he truly loves but guess who’s going to listen to him in-universe and in fandom

if nobody wants to listen then you say it with your body then b^w^b (it’s not a question abt who misaki loves anymore. it’s abt who’s misaki gonna BANG)

MISAKI’S DOMINATING ...not

(but nakamura pls fulfill misaki’s wish someday poor him)

misaki decided to thank usage by offering his body to the perv bunny

dont you think you can steal hubby away while misaki sleeps

usagi-san is S P E C I A L

:”0

hubby not jealous. misaki triggered D:<<<

MISAKI IS PRECIOUS BABY

when s3 was airing i was looking forward for this scene the most. i was confident that sakurai will deliver this scene perfectly... URGHH STUDIO DEEN I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR DOING MISAKI DIRTY

best kiss scene eva lol i love their banters xD

misaki being sweet

misaki pampering the hubby

misaki in this arc: rejected ijuuin many times, making love with usagi 24/7, fanboyed over ijuuin only for the goodies, made love with usagi, came to ijuuin’s house only bcs of work, and did i mention making love with usagi

some ppl: OMG MISAKI LOVES SENSEI MORE THAN USAGI!!!! D:<

i still remember how legendary this chapter is. too bad the anime failed to convey the feels just like in the manga

say what you want abt junjou but this is top notch writing

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

when ur landlord is brought up and the first thing you do is ask abt a couple struggling to stay together yeaaaahhh totally not suspicious misaki

bish what u say abt mah man hes mine >:(

prepare for me screaming in 3... 2... 1... AAAAAHHHHHHHH

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

serious from this point 95% of misaki’s pov will consist of him angsting abt getting apart from his hubby in every chapter onward

misaki rejecting ijuuin for the 9749294694214692746829487th time

misaki hugs back :”O

tucking the hubby he cold :”““(

yea, totally not obvious ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

i love how blatantly in love misaki is with usage and everyone can see it. even ijuuin himself noticed

baby doesnt want to lose hubby :”“““( baby is scared

S H O O K

if you dont find this heartwarming you’re heartless

smart way to make him not spend more money ^v^

D”“““““““““““““““: me ded again

misaki being a badass >:D from someone denying his feelings for akihiko in the beginning to straight up telling the parents he’s going to stay with hubby that’s some awesome character growth bravo bravo

that’s some determined shonen mc resolution OvO

aanddd finally...

AND IIIIIIIIII WILL ALWAYS LOOOOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU -

[themelonsins]

ok but like- g.undham hiding a slight indication of a double chin with his scarf. the end ❤️

AAAAAHHHHHHHH💖💖💖

it’s the subtle hints of weight gain for me bro. like his tummy rounding out and pressing against his shirt, his hips and thighs becoming softer ahvfjbefhjawahfvkjaw i love h i m 

so this???? this??? this is good 

[illusion-reality-steve]

Reaction to Nightmare being garbage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39xn95S9kbc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1BIwyz-Kbs

The new house: has one double bed. The shippers: *gasp* omg, the house has one double bed. Sabre: Can you separate the beds? Orange: I got my own bed. Shippers: *defeated noises*

Sabre’s increasing the #NoRomo energy. I wonder if it was because of the reaction to him calling Orange Steve gorgeous XD *eyes the Discord server*

Orange and Sabre are housemates now!!!

***

Sabre: This is a nice day! Let’s take a deep breath!

Yellow Steves: I’m about to end this man’s whole relaxing day.

***

Orange: *is given apples as “supplies” *

If Orange eats all those apples before reaching the gate, I’m gonna die from laughing.

***

Plot twist: Yellow Steves aren’t locking down to make sure the Darkness isn’t coming in. They’re just quarantining Nightmare Steve.

...

*dies inside*

***

omg, Nightmare Steve, that’s messed up bro. Trapping your people so you can infect them? You are an awesome villain.

RIP Yellow Steves

***

Also, great job RQ crew for amping up the background characters and visuals *applauds*

***

Nightmare: I have been planning this for a long time?

Hmm, define long time? Like, planned this since you absorbed the darkness? Or planned this WAAAAYY before? *cough* Possibly with RQ!Elemental

A vessel...

So I’m guessing Darkness can’t live as itself or unleash all of its powers? So it wants to take over the Steves?

Nightmare: *pressures  the assistant to get into the machine* Me: O_O ...

***

Nightmare: The darkness craves to become a Steve.

Reality Steve: Really? Out of all the things it wants to become? A Steve???

***

Welcome to RQ, Dark Steve!

tbh, I don’t feel bad about the assistant. If it was the leather chest plate Yellow Steve, I would have cried.

So...is Dark Steve a unique Steve? Or will there be multiple Dark Steves in the future?

I really like this new origin story for Dark Steve! It’s a lot more dark (eyy) and creepy than his story in Origins! I love RQ!Dark a lot more than SS!Dark!

I know Dark Steve is a Steve with the conscience of a Darkness. But  I hope assistant Yellow Steve is still inside there somewhere. Poor guy.

***

Orange: Sabre, I got the stick!

Me: *applauds*

***

Sabre: You're an abomination, man!

Dark Steve: qwq

***

It’s a lovely morning in the Yellow Steve Kingdom and you are a horrible abomination between a Steve and Darkness.

Today you decided that you will cause problem on purpose.

Untitled Dark Steve Game

Now on Steam.

***

Sabre: Show your true colors, Nightmare! Your yellow colors!

Nightmare: Screw you. Don’t generalize me.

*** RQ!Nightmare: I won’t regret this!

SS!Ex-Nightmare!Yellow: Oh, you poor, poor fool.

***

Omg, can we get a conflict where Color Steves will accuse each other of being Dark Steves and start a witch-hunt? Like they learn about the Dark Steves and accuse each other of being a Dark Steve in disguise? Like, what if they accuse Sabre or Rainbow of being a Dark Steve??

That’ll add so much more drama!!

I’m also glad Sabre is taking these two episodes seriously. I’m hyped for more!!

***

There’s gonna be a battle!!!!

AAAAAHHHHHHHH

[after-nine-at-the-oasis]

I JUST FINISHED EPISODE SEVEN AND AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Well technically I finished it like 20 minutes ago (11 pm ish) and was in such shock that I rewatches some scenes several times and then looked at Tumblr for a few minutes lol. There were also a few minutes total of zoning out in shock and just going o.o in there lol. Anyway!

I LITERALLY GUESSED THAT SEB WOULD GO UP AND KISS HIM DURING THE PERFORMANCE OH MY G O S H H H H AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! :DDDDD

OKAY OKAY OKAY PHEW AAAAAHHHHHHHH I'M FINE :DDDD I DON'T EVEN HAVE ANYTHING TO BE RELIEVED ABOUT WITH THE PHEW I'M JUST SETTLING DOWN LOL!!!

Okay alright lol. Let's do this ;)

EVERYONE'S HEREEE :'DDDDD!!! THERE WAS EVEN A NINI MENTION 🥰🥰🥰🥰❤️😭!!! But still - we miss you, Nini :').

Speaking of people being here though, ANTOINE??? :OOO MY GUY??!?!!? BRO LIKE JUMP SCARED ME WHEN HE SHOWED UP :DDDD

Also at first I was a bit disappointed it was in the gym (for like two seconds lol) but then I realized :'DD it's paralleling season 1 :')) and they're back with another High School Musical musical :'))) 😭😭❤️🥰. Like, Ricky pausing when he saw his mom and his dad but keeping going :'DD? That's the healed version of Getcha Head in The Game 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️🥰. The whole thing is a great parallel :')). Like, now that I think about to, Kourtney being nervous like Nini was because her life is changing relating to school - AAHHHH :'))). I just love them all so much <3333. And I wonder if we'll get a phone light moment :'D. If we don't though lol, I think we've had enough of those <333 so we'll survive :'). But even though it was kind of a parallel relating to Nini, it's kinda Kourtney as well :'). And hey, then it would be a reference to Nini <333. Ah, anyway :'). I just love that we're ending here we started <333 :')) 😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰.

Okay okay though lol let's get into character sections xD

Big Red confronting Antoine was AMAZING LOL!! It's especially hilarious considering he and Ashlyn aren't even dating anymore, but you know, some guys are just jerks xD. Anyway, I'm super glad he's here :'))) <33. Also phew his hair is better lol 😌! XD.

EJ :DD! His scene with Gina was so 😭😭😭😭😭😭💔❤️❤️. I can't even <333. I am really glad she apologized though :') - I understood where she was coming from, and you have every right to break up with someone for any reason, but I always felt like she was being a little hard on EJ last season. So seeing them have a mutual apology and understanding was really nice :')). And discuss Ricky lol? EJ is the best <3. Also I swear if EJ ends up as Coach Bolton xD. Lowkey, I'd prefer Seb or Big Red since they're still in high school, but EJ alluded to being on the stage again and he fits the role more 👀. Hm, interesting :). Also him talking to Ashlyn 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️. Your honor I love them so much :')). And I love him <333.

Ashlyn!!! AAAHHHHHH SHE'S GONNA TELL HER :'DDD!! I want to know what's in the box o.o 👀. Less shocked and more just EYEING on my part lol. Also her scene with Dewey Wood was so sweet 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️. Ay, that's another person who's back :D!! I love him, he's great :D <33. And hilarious xDD. Anyway, SLFJDHKGS her pretending to date Big Red xD. But also noooooo Maddox 😭😭😭😭❤️. I'm sure they'll work it out y'all but like- I really hope they work it out xdd. Anyway, she's slaying as Kelsi :DD 🥰. I love her so much <333.

Emmyyyy!! She's the only one who knows about Miss Jenn o.o. Of course she is though, lol xD. But anyway, she's slaying too, as Taylor :'DD. And I love how she was kind of being like, the Bailey there :')). I love her and Miss Jenn's relationship, even if we haven't seen much of it <33. And I love her 🥰❤️.

Jet is going through it lol xD. Poor Kourtney just is not picking up what this man is putting down :') xD. Or she is and is ignoring it lol. But, hey, he tried at least xd. I think he's gonna confess, but I don't know if she'll reciprocate or not 😬. Still, I'm proud of him no matter what :')) <33. And he's slaying so hard as Chad :D!! Also, he's being an amazing brother <333 :'D.

Maddox, my girllll 😭😭😭😭😭💔❤️. The balloons for Madison making the board break :'(((. It is sweet of her but like xdd <333. AND NOOOO MADDOX BEING ABOUT TO CONFESS, OR BEING READY TO ANYONE, AND SEEING ASHLYN PRETEND TO DATE BIG RED 😭😭💔💔❤️. Poor honeyyy DD': 😭. Like I said, I think they'll get through it, but in really hope they do still xdd <333. I love her 🥰.

Mr. Mazzara is slaying SO HARD :DDD!!! But seriously who is gonna take over 😬. Also dang he keeps having moments with Miss Jenn and the girl just dips and leaves him hanging 😭 xd. Oof sorry man, lol xDD. Anyway he does SO WELL as Coach Bolton :DDD!! Also, he's adorable, thank you very much <333. Like we especially see it in the beginning:'). I love him so much <333.

Miss Jenn! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH W I C K E D??!?!!? G I R L!!!! :'DDDD HONEYY!!! I would say GOOOOO!!! but also I want her to stay 😭😭. Unless EJ does and all our theories and fantasies about him being director come true 👀. Anyway xD. I love her supporting all of them :')). And AAHHHH helping Gina out :')). And her being the only who knows (before EJ)!!! AAHHHH :'DDD. Also, she's slaying as Ms. Darbus of course :DD 😌. Anyway, whatever she picks, I hope everything works out :')). I love her so much <33.

Ricky you are SLAYING :'DDD!!! AND AAAAHHHHHHHH HIS PARENTS BEING THERE TOGETHER!!!! I don't know if they're actually TOGETHER together but I'm so happy for him that they're both there and getting along :'DD. Also him practicing the speech on them was adorable and funny xDD. Also him hugging Big Red <333. My besties :')). And 😬😬 things are like, okay?? With Gina's mom?? But not great xd. In the beginning, that is - not at the end o.o. Anyway, Ricky is slaying as Troy :DD. But AAAHHHHH MY POOR BABEY AT THE END THERE 😭😭😭😭💔💔❤️. He was gonna tell her he loved her :'((. And then her mom had to sweep in and do that 😭😭😭💔❤️. I'm not okay, thank you <33. I love him ❤️❤️. And I'm mostly sure that this'll all work out, but also- I really hope it does 😭😭❤️.

GINAAAA A MOVIE STAR :DDD!!! I mean beyond the one you already starred in. I'm so happy for and proud of her :')) :'DD <33. But girl you really need to tell Ricky 😭😭💔❤️. Again, I loved her conversation with EJ <33. And AAAHHHHHHH with Miss Jenn too :'DD. I just love them all so much <33.

Okay I was trying to complete this lol but I was in bed and I ended up falling asleep (as i figured I would) SO it's morning now let's do this (I already planned on watching this last episode this morning) XD

Back to Gina, she's playing as Gabriella 🥰🥰❤️. Also why does her mom like only watch her scenes 😭. Chill girl xd. Anyway, I wasn't thinking she's gonna go? Like to do the movie but I honestly don't know 😭❤️❤️ xd. Just because like, she was saying she didn't want change and obviously change can be good but it's okay to stay the same for a while you know? Ahh, I don't know, but I'm stressed 😭😭😭❤️💔. Either way though, I'm proud of her :')).

Kourtney honeyy 😭😭💔❤️. Back to my roots starting this with "Kourtney honeyy" xDD. Anyway, AAAHHHHHHH SHE GOT INTO BOTH SCHOOLS :DD!! But DD: my poor girl has to decide now :'(((. Seeing her anxious backstage was literally killing me 😭😭💔❤️. While we're on that, she does such a good job of portraying anxiety :')). Anyway, Kourtney's mom is the best, we love her <33 😭❤️❤️. And apparently all the other theatre kid do too xD, as they should lol <3. Anyway, even though I wish she gave her the letters after the show for Kourtney's sake, I'm glad she was supporting her and also told her not to worry about it till later xD <33. Oh, and her conversation with Carlos was amazing 😭❤️. But whatever she chooses, I'm happy for her and so proud of her 🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️ <33. And poor Jet xD. Mans is trying lol :'). I do wonder if she already knows though, or if she's just oblivious xD <3. Also, Kourtney is SLAYING as Sharpay :DD!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥳❤️. I love her :))) 🥰❤️❤️.

Okay separate again and then together because I can do what I want lol xD. Anyway, you know what time it isss lol

(what time is it? seblos time-)

AAAAHHHHHHHH Carlos is slaying SO hard as Ryan :DD!! Also :')) his conversation with Kourtney <33. Lowkey that's a pretty good story :'DD. Especially for the situation. Like candy isn't college obviously but yeah, they are both good choices :'))). Anyway, I love him ❤️❤️❤️❤️😭🥰 <33.

AAAAAHHHHHHH the way Seb kept looking at his dad in the audience 😭😭😭💔❤️. Also can we talk about the growth that is him coming back later to talk about it :'DD ❤️🥰😭❤️. And back to the audience, I love how into they all were :'DDD xD ❤️. Like Seb and Big Red and EJ and stuff were all dancing and I'm like YEAH good for them <33333. XD anyway lol. He slayed accidentally being a part of the show xD. I love him <333. Oh also, since he said "more than just a wrestler", are we assuming Seb's bi/queer xDD? Like queer besides gay lol? Because like totally fine if so obviously I'm just curious lol. Anyway yeah I love him 🥰🥰❤️.

Okay just a bit on their own now let's talk about Seblos together lol xD.

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY BABEYSSSS :'DDDDD 😭😭😭😭😭😭💔💔💔❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰🥰!!!!! THEY RETURN TO USSS :'DDD!!!! AND THEY'RE SO ADORABLE 😭😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰!! ALSO LAST EPISODE AS WEL AS THIS EPISODE, WE GOT A "HONEY" AGAIN!!! THE RETURN OF HONEY Y'ALL 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰!! AS WE D E S E R V E!!! Anyway xd. Y'all I am living my best life lol, this is exactly what I wanted xD. Cute after the angst, lol xDD 🥰❤️❤️. How they managed to fit BOTH a cheating recovery storyline (with several twists) and a coming out storyline I have no idea but XDD. Lovely lol. I needed a bit of fluff and a couple kisses and that's what I got so no complaints here 😌😌 XDD 🥰🥰❤️. My babeys <33. Anyway!!! Like I said I loved how you could really see their growth with this :')). Like Carlos could tell Seb was trying not to lie and actually asked him about it, and Seb came back later to talk :'DD. Though "are we using words now, honey?" BRUTAL man XDD dang Carlos lol. But seriously I'm really proud of them both :')) <33. Also thank goodness there were some really funny moments throughout their storyline 😭❤️. We needed it xD. Listen I'm just glad we get close to normal Seblos for while :'). Because if we didn't get anything significant of them after getting back together I would've needed another season so I could see them be happy LOL. Anyway xD 😭❤️❤️🥰. In all seriousness I did really like their storyline this episode <333 :') ❤️❤️😭🥰. And describing it as an Afterschool Coming Out Special from the 1980s was hilarious XDDD. But let's go back to what I mentioned at the beginning of this post because

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SEB WALKED ON STAGE AND KISSED CARLOS :DDDDDD 😭😭😭😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰!!!!!!! FREAKING OUT!!!!!

I LITERALLY MESSAGED MY SIBLING WHEN SEB SAID HIS DAD DIDN'T KNOW LIKE "he's gonna kiss Carlos in front of him/everyone isn't he lol" AND OH MY GOSH I WAS R I G H T!!!! I DON'T KNOW IFI SPECIFIED ON STAGE BUT IT WAS ONE OF MY GUESSES!! I was also like NOO they wouldn't BUT THEY DID :'DDDD!!!! OH MY GOSH I LOVED THAT SO MUCH 😭😭😭😭😭😭❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰. Also the way the whole audience was like 👁️👄👁️ WELL ALRIGHT :DDD!! XDDD!! Plus a Rina kiss right after that so the audience must just be going with it xD. Maybe Seb's playing the young version of the nameless Scott Hoying character lol and we just connected it to HSM4 XDD. Oh and "THIS MEANS WE'RE A THING" S T O P P P P HE IS THE MOST ADORABLE EVER 😭😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰. Also how his dad immediately turned to (presumably) his mom to talk to her XDD. But he was smiling next so I think we're good :')). Maybe we'll see a talk next episode or a meeting but who knows <3333. I'm happy either way 🥰🥰.

Also Seb. PLEASE BE COACH BOLTON!!! Listen I know he probably won't but HONEY PLEASE STOP SHAKING YOUR HEAD 😭❤️❤️ xD!! I need it <333. Okay fine I just really really want it xdd <33.

Anyway that was the most adorable thing ever and I love them so so much <33333 😭😭❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰.

And y'all the MUSIC THIS EPISODE!!! ALL THE SONGS WERE SO GOOD :DDDD!!! Y'all know I love Now or Never xD but SERIOUSLY they were all amazing :DDD. And can we talk about the set and blocking/choreography with it as well??? I don't know how they had time for all that but it's a SLAY!!! Though I suppose they did show us with the dancing in episode 2 that they learn quickly lol xD. Anyway 🥰! Night of Nights was amazing (plus Seblos kiss at the end of the song 🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️ perfect timing by the way Seb <333 xD)!! I Want It All was SUCH A SLAY!!! And like I said, I adore Now or Never xD. Mr. Mazzara just WORKED in it too, he was perfect :D!! Anyway, yeah, it was all wonderful 🥰🥰🥰❤️.

Y'all I loved this episode so freaking much :')). I'm scared for the next one, and DEFINITELY not at all read, especially considering it's the finale 😭😭, but I am SO FREAKING EXCITED!!!! I am gonna miss this show though :'). So, so freaking much <333. But yeah - this episode was AMAZING!! I'm glad we're getting a lot of the performance, too - we deserve it :'D. Though hopefully this time Ricky stays in it lol <3. But seriously, every part of this episode was just amazing :')). I really hope everything works out xdd. It better lol XD :'D. I'm sure it will (almost sure) <33. Ahh, I love them all so much :') <333 😭❤️❤️❤️🥰. Such a great, wonderful episode :) <333. And I am SO EXCITED for the next one :'D. The last one :'))).

So, let's do this :'D.

ONTO EPISODE EIGHT!!!!!

[nochuobsessed]

Bite Me || Pt 15

Bite Me Masterlist

Word Count: 3.5k

Groups: BTS, Got7, NCT, Twice, Red Velvet

Au: Supernatural

Pairing: Werewolf!Yoongi x Vampire!Reader

Genre: Angst | Fluff | Smut | Au

Warnings: Gore, Smut, Supernatural Creatures

Hoseok walked down a street, the suns warm rays going unnoticed by the 117 year old vampire. He wanted a break from the crowded manor, as Namjoon was busy organizing your apology present. Hoseok was lonely. He didn’t have a blood singer, unlike everyone else in the celestial coven, apart from Wendy. He wanted someone, who wouldn’t in his situation? However he only wanted one person, and they had died.

Or so he thought.

He walked into a new local café, his love for coffee still strong throughout the century that he had been a vampire for. The café was warm and smelled of coffee beans, comfortably decorated. A few couples sat together, and grandparents with their grandchildren. Hoseok walked to the counter, smiling up at the barista who had left her station to take his order.

Hoseok froze as a chill went down his spine. The short foreigner girl that stood in front of him was an exact replica of her.

The woman he loved, the woman he married. The woman he killed.

“Hoseok, my love,” She said, running up to him and wrapping her arms around his neck, letting him pick her up and spin her around, “You look tired, you work too hard.”

Hoseok kissed the girls hand, right on her golden wedding ring, “If I get to come home every day, and see your beautiful face smiling at me, and then give you gifts that you so well deserve, it makes everything worth it.”

Hoseok brushed her black hair out of her face, revealing her freckles and the wide smile on her face, “I love you Hoseok. Truly.”

“I love you too, Julia.”

“Hi, what can I get you?” The girl said, her black hair longer than the girl he once knew, tied into a ponytail. He stared at her, terrified of the beautiful girl that stood before him. “Sir?”

Hoseok came back to reality, giving the girl a bright smile, “Sorry, a flat white please.”

He paid, and went to sit down, before stopping. He caught the girls eye, and opened his mouth to speak, “I have to ask, what’s your name?”

The girl smiled shyly, looking down, before meeting his eyes once more, “Julia.”

Hoseok felt his heart lurch. It was her.

“And you don’t recognize me?” Hoseok asked, not knowing which answer he wanted.

Julia shook her head, “I’m sorry, I don’t.”

Hoseok nodded, giving her a small smile before sitting down in a booth in the corner of the café. He waited for his drink, his eyes never leaving the girl he once knew.

Hoseok got out his phone, texting Jin quickly.

Hoseok put his phone down, forcing a smile as Julia came towards him, balancing the coffee in her hand, “Your coffee, sir.”

Hoseok almost choked at the word ‘sir’, shaking his head and offering a smile, “Please, call me Hoseok.”

“Hoseok,” Julia repeated, placing the coffee down and smiling shyly, “I hope you enjoy.”

“Why won’t you let me turn you?”

“I simply don’t want to be a vampire. It’s not that bad-”

Hoseok turned around, putting down his glass of blood and looking to his wife, “Not that bad? Julia, you will be dead by the end of this century. Me, I’ll still be alive. You are my soulmate, I can’t live without you-“

Julia shook her head, putting down the clothes she was folding, “Don’t blackmail me, Hoseok. I’d rather be dead then have to live forever and drink blood to do so. It’s disgusting.”

“You think I chose to live like this?”

“No, I don’t. But I’m choosing not to.”

“You knew what you were getting into when you married me, you knew I wanted to turn you-”

“Enough.”

Hoseok froze at Julia’s cold words. She looked tired, sick even. She leaned against the light cream wall, closing her eyes, “Why can’t you just leave it. I was born human, and I intend on staying that way.”

Hoseok walked up to her, and she let him hug her, kissing her forehead gently, “I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

Hoseok drank his coffee, shaking his head at the memories that were plaguing his mind. He hated himself for what he did, he could never forgive himself. But here she was, looking as perfect as ever, and with no memory of him either.

“Is this my chance to start over?”

He finished the coffee, going up to the counter, “The coffee was delicious, thank you.”

Julia turned around, smiling at him again, “No problem, have a nice day.”

Hoseok pushed the heavy door open with ease, letting it close behind him as he began to walk home. Not even ten seconds after leaving, the door opened again, with a hand being placed on his shoulder. He turned around to see Julia again, smiling at him as she caught her breath, “You left this at your table.”

She held out a piece of paper, and Hoseok looked to her confused, “I don’t remember-“

“Take it, you’ll need it,” She said, not taking no for an answer. That was the Julia he knew, determined and in charge, yet shy and kind.

He bowed his head, taking the folded piece of paper, “Thank you. I’ll see you around.”

He walked off, opening the piece of paper. “Hoseok, call me sometime. Julia.” Hoseok smiled to himself, she had given him her number. She had made the first move last time too, but not with a phone number. Hoseok had caught her eye at a party, and she had told him that she intended on being with him. Back then he had eagerly obliged, but knowing what he knew now, he would have told her to stay away.

Hoseok was pacing back in forth in the kitchen. He was sweating, his body on edge and filled with anxiety. He hadn’t fed in weeks, and it was finally getting to him. His blood supply had become compromised, and he couldn’t exactly feed from humans, it wasn’t something he was comfortable with.

“I’m home,” Julia called out, “Don’t worry about the smell, I dropped my glass at bar and cut my hand. It’ll be fine!”

Hoseok snapped up, smelling his soulmates blood. He had never wanted to drink it, always scared of hurting her. But now, everything had changed.

His eyes turned black, the veins becoming prominent as his fangs grew. He sped straight to where his wife was, trapping her in between the wall.

“H-hoseok?”

“I tried to resist,” Hoseok heard himself saying. He couldn’t stop the words coming out, “But I’ve waited long and hard for this sweetheart.” He dropped his head to her neck, smelling her scent, “You smell delicious.”

Julia’s heart rate went up, “Hoseok. Please, stop.”

“I can’t.”

“You can,” Julia said, reaching her hand out to place against his chest, flinching as he grabbed her wrist, “Hobi, I love you, you love me, right? I’ll do anything, I’ll become a vampire, but please don’t- AAAAAHHHHHHHH.”

Hoseok had bitten into her necks, eagerly drinking his wife’s blood. He drank, and drank, drank, until her screams stopped and she fell limp in his arms.

He wiped his mouth, moving to help her stand up, before realizing he couldn’t hear her heart beat.

He look at the blood on her neck, and on his hands.Her heart had stopped. 

“W-what have I done?”

Hoseok fell to the ground, hugging Julia’s body close to his chest as he screamed.

Hoseok’s face contorted in pain as he remembered the horrible moment that he killed his soulmate. He dropped the piece of paper in a nearby bin, not wanting to repeat history.

For that day changed him, killing the only good thing in his life. Even if it really was her, he wasn’t going to hurt her again.

-

“Rose and, Yoongi junior?”

“We are not naming our son Yoongi Junior.”

“What about Yoongi the second?”

“Nope.”

The view from your Daegu hotel was a beautiful one, the city panning out on front of you with a hue of blue. It was comforting, but never as comfortable as Yoongi. He sat behind you, the hotels white duvet wrapped around the both of you with his head resting on your shoulder. Every now and then he turned his head to kiss your cheek.

Your first in Daegu had been a quiet one. You still weren’t feeling the best so Yoongi and you decided to stay at your hotel and get you used to immense amount of blood you had to have.

“The bruises are looking better,” Yoongi pointed out, “Now that you’re getting enough blood for you and the twins, things should start to look up.”

You were currently being fed a liter of blood, with Yoongi having set up your feeding machine. The blood bag was almost empty, which meant you’d be able to leave the hotel soon. You had been eager to see where Yoongi grew up, to see what made him, him.

“You’ll take me out today, right?” You asked, turning your head to face him, “You mentioned a forest?”

Yoongi nodded, “The Arboretum, It’ll be a good relaxing date. There’s a café around here that should still be open too.”

“We haven’t gone on many dates,” You realized, “You realize we’ve done everything backwards, right?”

“Impregnated you, and then discovered you were my mate, and I your bloodsinger,” Yoongi recalled, “I guess when it comes to, us, there was no better way.”

You hummed, before noticing that the blood bag was empty, “Can we go now?”

Yoongi laughed, pressing a tender kiss to your cheek, “You’re like a little kid. Get dressed first and then we can go.”

You smiled widely, kissing him softly, “You wait till the babies are born.”

Yoongi nodded, placing both hands on your belly, “I can’t wait. Can’t wait to see them, and hug them, tell them I love them with all of my heart. I’ll tell them what an amazing woman their mother is, and that we’ll always protect them.”

You looked away, trying to hide the blush that graced your face, “I love you Min Yoongi, I really do.”

Yoongi smiled, “Good. Now let’s go.”

-

The Daegu Arboretum was beautiful. Many different outdoor pavilions all in one place, it was breathtaking.

“Why don’t they have places like this in Seoul?” You asked, “Or maybe I just haven’t seen them.”

“Daegu is unique, one of a kind,” Yoongi said, guiding you through the netted tunnel, “It can be harsh, sure, but it is beautiful. Much like you.”

You raised your eyebrows, “And what exactly do you mean by that?”

“You are harsh to those who deserve it, and not afraid to show people who’s boss. But when people prove their loyalty, you let them in, and they can finally see how caring and beautiful you are.”

You stopped walking, facing him and bringing your hand up to his cheek, your thumb moving to feel his soft skin, “You always make me feel better, thank you.”

Yoongi nodded, “I know it’s… hard. I did my research, feeling self-conscious is normal. But I don’t want you to feel like that, so I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”

You took his hand, intertwining it in yours as you continued walking. “The bump, is annoying, but it brings me so much joy,” You confessed, rubbing your free hand on your swollen tummy, “I don’t think of bad things, I think that I, a dead being, am able to bring life to the world. Life that I created with my soulmate. The universe must be pretty happy with us.”

“Who would’ve thought that a vampire werewolf union would be this successful?” Yoongi mused, “Irene told me what you said on the day you found out. That it would never work. I think that motivated me to make sure it did work, for both our sakes. We both deserve happiness, god knows we went through such terrible things. This is a reward for getting through it.”

“I haven’t told you how bad it used to be, when I was human,” You said, biting down on your lip from the anxiety of thinking about it, “I will, I promise, just not yet.”

“It’s fine, I’m happy waiting,” Yoongi reassured you, finally reaching the end of the tunnel, “As long as I have you by my side.”

You smiled, before pulling a face, “We’re so cheesy!”

Yoongi looked offended, “I thought you liked cheesy. Never mind then.”

You looked startled as he let go of your hand, walking away from you. You quickly caught up to him, pulling gently on his arm to make him stop walking. He looked amused as you panted, “I love cheesy. And don’t walk away from me like that. I am pregnant thank you very much.”

“You should thank me,” Yoongi teased, “I’m the one that came in-“

You covered your ears, this time you being the one the walk away, “I’m not listening!”

-

You had both calmed down from your joking around, reaching a small lake inside of the parks. Yoongi sat down, spreading his legs so you could sit on his lap.

“I used to come here as a kid,” Yoongi said, “It was calming. I had major anger issues that came with being a werewolf. But this place, sometimes I’d shift and just enjoy walking around, being one with nature and all that.”

You nodded, “Can we come back here, after the babies are older? I can be that 16 year-old that walks around with three dogs.”

Yoongi laughed, resting his head on your shoulder, “Sure. It would be fun to see them frolicking around at the same place I did. It would be really special.”

“We can even take them to my hometown,” You said, “There was a playground Joon-oppa used to take me to. It had an ice-cream shop right near it too. He took me there the day he faked his death. Maybe we can make new, happy memories.”

Yoongi looked at your melancholic expression. He had spoken to Namjoon a few more times since arriving in Daegu, but still not wanting to tell you. He thought now could be as good a time as ever to do so. “About your brother…”

You looked to Yoongi, an expectant expression on your face, “What about him?” You hadn’t thought that Yoongi would be interested in talking about your estranged brother, much less here of all places.

Yoongi took a deep breath in, before changing his mind, “Never mind. Let’s keep walking.”

He helped you up, offering you his arm to hold on to. You happily walked alongside him, walking over a bridge on the lake.

Yoongi stopped walking, pulling you into his chest as he saw a familiar head of medium black hair walking ahead of them. He knew the scent, but not the two scents that accompanied her.

“We need to go somewhere else,” He said, pulling you in another direction, “There’s a rock waterfall this way, I can take photo’s of you.”

You searched his face for any clues of his quick change of mind, “Why?”

“Someone I used to know,” Yoongi said, “Someone we can’t risk knowing that we’re here.”

You nodded, going in the direction of the waterfall, “An ex-girlfriend, perhaps?”

Yoongi shook his head, “No, someone in my old pack. You know Jimin and Jungkook were in the pack too?”

You looked to him surprised, “They were?”

Yoongi nodded, “I was banished when I turned 15. My brother thought I would take over, he knew I was more powerful, and a better alpha. Jungkook was young when he was bitten, he had no idea who his alpha was. Jae found him and let him join straight away.”

You looked at the trees that stood on either side of the pathway as Yoongi spoke, “Jae is your brother?”

“Jaebum,” Yoongi corrected, “He was young, power hungry. I assume that’s why he cast me out.”

You nodded, “And Jimin?”

Yoongi continued his story, “Jimin was a born wolf, but the runt of the pack. Jaebum promised he would be treated better. He lied. He was a punching bag. I used to try to patch him up, but he would say it was the only way to work his way up to the top. When I left, it got worse. I met Irene in Seoul, she was a Kpop trainee at the time. She felt she couldn’t be both, werewolf and an idol, so she quit and moved in with me.”

You connected the dots, letting out a affirming sigh, “She sings around the pack house a lot, she’s got an amazing voice.”

“She does, but you can’t be in a controlling company as a werewolf,” Yoongi said, “Anyway. Jungkook contacted me, saying that he couldn’t stay in the pack anymore. I said I’d help him escape as long as he brought Jimin with him. He agreed, and Irene and I came here and brought them to Seoul. Jungkook joined a dance studio and Jimin found Taehyung.”

“It wasn’t that long ago, I remember when Taehyung met Jimin. I came to visit and he was panicking about it,” You recalled, the trees surrounding you turning from a vivid green to a darker, more accommodating green.

“Jimin was ecstatic. Jungkook met Yugyeom at the dance studio and found out he was a wolf, and Bambam ran into us on a full moon. And that’s how I started Greyrose.”

You smiled fondly at him, “You created it to save those closest to you. It doesn’t get more noble than that.”

Yoongi blushed, “Thanks. And now you’re a part of it too.”

“And you’re in Celestial, by default, although I’m not sure if I’m in it either at the point,” You said, looking down, before stopping, and seeing the rock waterfall in front of you.

“This is it,” Yoongi said, squeezing your hand. Little sprays of water hit you both, the magnificent display in front of you distracting you from everything else around you.

“It’s beautiful,” You said in awe, forgetting that Yoongi had a protective hold on you. You went to step forward, but Yoongi held you back.

“Careful sweetheart,” He said, one hand around your waist and one on the baby bump, “Precious cargo.”

You smiled, nodding at him, “Please bring us back here one day. I want to fill everyday of their lives with beautiful things,” You said, turning around and facing him, kissing him quickly as he nodded, “Promise?”

“Promise.”

-

“I hoped this café would still be open, they have the best coffee.”

“Teasing me? Again? You are not going well in the best baby daddy department.”

Yoongi shrugged, “You wound me.”

The café that Yoongi spoke of was an indoor greenhouse café. The faint smells of nature and coffee blended together provided a heavenly scent, one that Yoongi often associated with you. You sat down at one of the tables, Yoongi sitting across from you. You look up at the glass ceiling, the beautiful smile on your face that Yoongi loved so much.

The waitress came and took your orders, or rather Yoongi’s order, as you weren’t able to eat anything.

“How much longer will I have to stay off human food,” You asked, resting your hand in your palm, “Once I give birth, I want a lot of food. Ramen, Kimbap, Tteokbokki. You can organize for it to be delivered to the hospital, right?”

Yoongi nodded, “We also need a birth plan. You know, how you want everything to go down.” The waitress returned with Yoongi’s coffee, pushing it over to you to let you smell it first, before taking a sip, “Werewolf births aren’t easy, vampire births, well there haven’t been enough to know of them. A hybrid birth, especially twins, I can’t even begin to imagine how hard-“

Yoongi froze, the familiar scent from earlier enveloping the room. He stood up, standing in front of you as he made eye contact with the girl he didn’t want to see.

“Yoongi,” She said, a relieved smile on her face, “I thought it was you.”

You got out of your chair, Yoongi helping you up, “Who is this?”

The girl looked to you confused. She had two children with her, one in a pram and one holding her hand. They all had the same raven hair, with the children sporting eyes similar to Yoongi’s.

Yoongi’s stance grew stronger, pulling you close, “This is Amber, my brothers wife.”

She bowed her head, “Pleased to meet you.”

[edogawatranslations]

999: Alterna (2) - Part 8, Chapters 3-4

Table of Contents | Previous: Part 8, Chapters 1-2

Chapter 3

“It’s too dangerous. Stay with everyone else.” I pushed Akane back after pressing the elevator call button. The gruesome sight in the x-ray room would be too much for her to handle.

Despite my warning, Akane puffed out her chest and stared straight into my eyes. “I feel safer when I’m with you, Jumpy. I don’t want to doubt the others, but Zero could be among them... and besides...”

She paused and took a step towards me.

“And besides...?”

“There’s something I really want to tell you,” she mumbled.

“What is it?”

As soon as I asked, the elevator doors opened. After we got on, I pressed the button for C-Deck. But for some odd reason, nothing happened. The button didn’t light up like it had earlier.

“Damn. What’s going on?”

No matter how many times I pressed the button, nothing changed. I grew more impatient by the second. Giving up on C-Deck, I tried the button for D-Deck, hoping that would work instead. It properly lit up, and the elevator doors shut. The cage began its slow ascent.

I let out a sigh of relief and rested my back against the wall.

“Jumpy, you’re bleeding!” Akane shouted with concern, touching my cheek.

“Oh, that? I scraped it on the floor when I busted into the chapel.”

“Are you okay?”

“It’s just a scratch,” I said, slapping my cheek with my palm. “Ow!” The cut was deeper than than I had thought, sending intense pain signals to my brain. I winced in shock.

“Don’t push yourself. You don’t want to get an infection. Let me get a closer look.”

Akane suddenly brought her face closer to mine.

“H-Hey...”

A sweet scent drifted into my nostrils. I froze in place, unable to move a muscle.

I feel like this has happened before...

Experiencing a strange sense of déjà vu, I stared at Akane’s glossy lips in silence.

“You know, something like this happened before.” Akane smiled, as if she had read my mind. “Remember? It was right before we graduated from elementary school...”

A scene flashed into my mind.

The two of us were sitting atop a small hill. We gazed quietly at the evening sun, which slowly set beyond the distant townscape.

“Are you okay?” Akane asked, concern in her voice.

“It’s just a scratch. O-Oww!”

“You’re not okay at all. It’s because you’re too reckless. What were you thinking, going up against five middle schoolers like that?”

“Come on, what else could I do? I couldn’t let them run off.”

Memories buried deep within my brain slowly seeped out into my conscience, like a sweet melody flowing out of a music box.

The rabbit murder incident that occurred in our final year of elementary school. It happened on the last day of our first term, and I dedicated all of my free time to going around and interrogating adults about the case. Finally, at the beginning of March, mere weeks before our graduation, I had determined the likely culprits—a gang of middle schoolers.

As soon as Akane and I reached the park they were rumored to hang around, we spotted a group of middle schoolers by a bush drenching a kitten with oil.

“How cruel...” Akane said, covering her face.

“Hey, what’re you doing?! Stop it!” My body moved before I could even feel anger or fear. I scooped up the kitten and gently tossed it to Akane.

“After you threw the kitten to me, I ran to the nearest police station and called an officer over. I was really shocked. Your face was so swollen, it looked like a balloon. Even though you couldn’t stand, you were still trying to grab at those middle schoolers.”

I looked down.

“As I treated your injuries on the hill, I asked you, ‘Were you unable to run away?’ Do you remember what you said? You said, ‘Nah, I could’ve run away,’ like nothing was wrong.”

“Nah, I could’ve run away.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I’m not good at giving up. I couldn’t forgive those bullies for killing those rabbits that were so precious to you. I wouldn’t be satisfied until they bowed down before you.”

“I guess something like that did happen.” I smiled, scratching below my nose. It was a little embarrassing to hear that old story.

“Jumpy, you haven’t changed a bit since then. You’re still clumsy, reckless, overly trusting of others...”

“Hey, none of those are good things!”

“Oh, I guess you’re right.” Akane grinned. “But I’m relieved I get to see the same old you again.”

Suddenly, she looked away as if swallowing her words.

“...Akane?”

“Um, I... I have one last thing I really want to tell you...” She hesitated.

“Don’t say ‘last’ like that.” I flashed a smile. “We’ll be able to see each other as much we want once this is over.”

“Huh?”

“I have something I want to tell you too.” I rested a hand on Akane’s shoulder and grinned. “Just not now. I’ll tell you only once we escape from this ship. So please, wait until then to tell me too.”

“...”

Akane looked up at me and nodded.

With perfect timing, as if it had patiently waited for our conversation to end, the elevator door opened.

“Let’s go.”

I rushed towards the central staircase, pulling Akane by her hand. Just as I was about to descend the stairs, I paused. The sight before me took me by surprise.

“No way...” Akane’s voice echoed out from behind me.

Small chunks of wood were adrift, swept here from somewhere else. Our shocked faces were reflected in the water before us. The water level had risen, causing C-Deck to be completely submerged. That was probably why the button for C-Deck in the elevator didn’t light up. An emergency device must have activated and sealed off the elevator doors on C-Deck.

“Why is the water all the way up to here?” I asked, even though I knew it was a pointless question.

I already knew the answer—it was Zero’s handiwork. He must have adjusted the amount of water coming into the ship so that it would sink once the time limit was reached.

This meant that it’d be impossible to retrieve the bracelet from the x-ray room... No, I shouldn’t give up. There must be some other way.

“Let’s head to the control room and look for something we can use,” I suggested.

We rushed up the stairs to A-Deck, pushed open the purple door, and stepped into the control room.

“What are you planning to do?” Akane asked.

Ignoring her question, I began scouring the drawers and shelves.

“Don’t tell me... You’re planning to dive down there?”

As always, Akane was sharp. She likely inferred the answer from my expression.

“That’s impossible! How far do you have to swim to get all the way to the x-ray room?!” Her tone grew more frantic.

“Don’t worry. I’d be stupid to dive down there with nothing,” I answered as I searched deep inside the shelves. “I’m hoping there’s an air tank or something around here...”

“Have you ever used one before?”

“Nope, never.”

“With no formal training, there’s no way you can dive that far down underwater. We should give up on the bracelet and head back to—”

Akane’s words cut off abruptly. Soon afterwards, I heard a thud.

“...?” I turned around, finding Akane lying on the cold floor. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

I rushed over to her and felt her reddened cheek. It was burning hot—her fever was back. I couldn’t abandon her to go to the x-ray room.

“Can you walk?”

“AAAAAHHHHHHHH!”

Akane convulsed. She screamed as her entire body twisted in pain. Her lips—no, her whole face—was turning purple. This was completely different from before.

“Kanny, keep it together!”

“Jumpy... I remember now.” A weak light glimmered from behind her mostly-shut eyelids. Amidst her heavy breathing, she began to mumble nonsense. “That’s right... I... I’ve been a ghost.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m sorry... Jumpy... Everything that’s happening tonight... was... because of me...” Tears streamed down Akane’s face.

“Hang in there! Kanny!”

“Please... Don’t worry about me... I’m fine... We’re approaching the singularity... so my existence is hazy...”

More nonsensical phrases came out of Akane’s mouth. Her mind had gotten muddled.

“AAAAAHHHHHHHH!”

She convulsed again. Her entire body bent backwards as she screamed in agony. Her wide-open eyes were locked in place, like those of a corpse. She was foaming at the mouth, with an unnatural amount of bubbles covering the edges of her lips.

It would be dangerous if she bit her tongue. I looked around for something that could help keep her mouth open.

In the next instant, the sound of a small explosion—like that of a balloon bursting—echoed out.

“...Kanny?”

I turned around with great hesitation.

Akane’s body, which was lying on the ground just a moment ago, was now nowhere to be seen.

Chapter 4

I threw myself onto the spot where Akane had just been and groped around the floor with my palms. I couldn’t feel any warmth, just like the time she disappeared from the second-class cabin.

“Kanny!” I shouted. No response. I leapt out of the control room and into the chart room. Also empty.

What in the world happened to her?

Nothing made sense anymore. I only took my eyes off Akane for one or two seconds. It didn’t matter how fast she moved. Even if there was a hidden door nearby, there wasn’t nearly enough time for her to disappear from the control room.

I crossed the chart room and pushed open the door to the captain’s cabin. Nothing had changed; the man was still lying on the ground, with an axe protruding from his back.

The bracelet on his left wrist caught my eye. Retrieving the bracelet in the x-ray room was now an impossible task—but could this one be of some use?

—If you wish to save her...

“...Huh?”

I glanced around, reacting to the voice I thought I heard a second ago. But all I saw was the bloodied corpse on the ground. He couldn’t have spoken just now, right?

—If you wish to save her, bring the bracelet to the chapel...

It wasn’t just my imagination. The voice resounded clearly in my ears.

“Who are you?” I held my breath for a second, shifting only my eyes left and right. Was Zero in the vicinity?

—There’s no time. Hurry...

The voice didn’t come from anywhere in particular. It echoed directly in my mind.

“...This can’t be real.”

I covered both ears and scanned my surroundings again.

—Hurry...

Even with my ears covered, the voice didn’t sound muffled. There was no mistaking it. I couldn’t believe it, but the voice was coming from my head. Or could it be that my mind was going crazy?

—Hurry... Time is running out...

I felt compelled to listen to the voice. I picked up the axe by my feet, and...

“HRAAAH!”

I swung it at the corpse’s left wrist with all my might. There was a sharp squelch of chopped flesh. A warm liquid splattered onto my cheeks, but I couldn’t let that faze me. The corpse’s wrist was still connected to its arm. I raised the axe once again and swung it down, aiming at the same place. This time, I felt it cut all the way through. The severed hand floated on the growing pool of blood.

After removing the bracelet from the hand, I rushed out of the room and towards the elevator. I clenched my teeth, staring straight ahead.

I decided not to occupy my mind with unnecessary thoughts.

Because I knew that unless I remained detached, my sense of self would crumble in the blink of an eye.

Next: Part 8, Chapter 5