#AND I HAVE A FUNGAL INFECTION UNDER MY ARM AT THE SAME TIME???

[quillquiver]

I have angered a minor god

So, I started last week with an immediate rejection from one of the two doctorate programs I applied to. It was definitely upsetting, but I love where and who I live with right now, so not having to move from my gorgeous Vancouver apartment with my super fun best friend/qpp/roommate to Gronigen, Netherlands was a little bit of a relief. Unfortunately, when I called my mother to talk about it, she delivered Tough Love instead of Coddling, which was not what I was after at the time and took me from Bummed But We’ll Manage to Homocidally Upset I Have No Idea What I’m Doing With My Life.

Not a great week, but still normal. By Wednesday, I had a tickle in my throat. I live in an old and very dry (but somehow also damp in areas) building, and figured it was that. Not so. By Wednesday night my cold has progressed to the feeling of a someone cheese grating my throat and a super stuffed nose. I don’t normally get sick so I go to bed early and figure it’ll go away. When I wake up the next morning, I’m sick. Like, sick sick. I am so uncomfortable I want to remove all my internal organs and place them next to me. I’m taking a bouldering course for fun and call in to the gym, but of course I can’t make up a class without a doctor’s note, and at this point it’s still just a regular cold so I figure I’ll wear a mask, distance and be okay. 

Over the course of the day I get worse, and bouldering is from 7-9pm. It takes me 20mins to get there. I don’t like eating at 5pm, but I tried eating at 9:30pm and was too hungry during climbing and then too pumped after eating to sleep, so I suck it up and make rice with a poached egg because at this point I am physically exhausted on top of feeling like zombie. I figure I’ll see how it goes, but I’m betting I’ll only stay for the instructional portion and not the practice portion of the course. I bet correctly! By the time we’re done learning footwork, I feel Very Bad - the instance I get on and immediately fall off the wall because I clenched my abs and immediately feel nauseas, I gracefully take my leave (i.e. run out of there). 

It is winter in Vancouver which means rain, but also mist. That night we were in a series of fun clouds broken up by actual rain, so I juggle trying to hold my umbrella with checking my email because I am waiting on The Second School and I am insane. BUT IT TURNS OUT MY INSANITY PAYS OFF. Oh yes, in my inbox there is an email from UC Berkeley telling me - not my long-awaited answer, but that I have an answer. In my portal. FUN. 

By the time I get home, my anxiety has outwardly manifested and I am deliriously talking to myself, out loud. I have convinced myself I have not gotten in and that is for the best, and everyone is avoiding me on the side walk. That is probably for the best. 

I get home.

I get on my laptop.

There is no answer because Berkeley likes to torture people and has you click through two more screens before I see a PDF regretfully informing me that my chosen prof will not be taking me and Berkeley gets a lot of applicants blah blah blah. I am Upset because the prof I wanted to work with was Very Enthusiastic - she loved my proposed project and was very excited by it - but I’m old hat at this gig by now and know that these things happen. QPP and her other partner talk me down. I now have a major sinus headache but I’m calm in that kind of fun, dissociative way, so I proceed to take a shower.

Unfortunately, I enter the bathroom and the floor is all wet. 

Why, you might ask? I have no idea. We wipe up the water and try and figure out where it’s coming from but no dice. At some point - and I truly can’t remember - I had disrobed and wrapped myself in my clean towel. I have no idea why. I must have really just wanted to shower. 

QPP is the eagle-eyed hero who finds the leak: it is coming from UNDER  A BASEBOARD. YES. Our baseboard are not flush with the floor, so it truly looks as if our wall is attempted to create a pond out of our 100 year old bathroom. Wonderful. She texts the landlord and I finally take that shower. It’s glorious.

The next day, two very nice plumbers arrive. One looks like a caricature of a handyman and the other is English. They cut a hole in my closer because it’s up against the bathroom, so all my clothes need to come out of there, and they cut holes in the actual bathroom because my closet hole was useless for everything but ventilating the inner wall which is, by now, Very Wet. We are informed that this pipe has been leaking for a very long time, and that they will have to replace the entire thing, which runs up and down our stack of 7 apartments. However, we were the only ones with a leak. 

By the time they leave I am ready to kill myself and everyone around me. My room smells like damp, musty wood, I’m so congested I can’t breathe, and I’m not hungry because I’ve been chain-eating throat lozenges. I am told that my closet door (and the thus the hole inside), need to remain open for air flow. I am very concerned about this because of the possibility of wall monsters, but keep that to myself. By the end of the day I feel marginally better, but that isn’t saying much. 

On Saturday, I spend the day outside like an idiot. I am sicker for it.

On Sunday, I spend the day doing absolutely nothing on my couch. I relax. I watch TV and movies. I drink my weight in tea and use one and a half rolls of toilet paper to forcibly expel two of the four humors from my vile and disgusting body. By the end of the day I am half-convinced I’ve blown out half my brain through my nose, and have had no less than three nosebleeds. The highlight of the day is undoubtedly when, while totally engrossed in an episode of Love Island, I casually pick up my full tea mug and feel my shoulder seize. 

It’s Monday night now, and I am 97.6% certain that I had a muscle twinge that became inflamed and is now putting pressure on a nerve in my arm. I have an appointment with a physio tomorrow. There is still a hole in my closet. I am still sick. And honestly, I might be forgetting something, because I’ve had brainfog for the past four days. 

Definitely must’ve angered a minor god, though. 

[r-riri]

'if i could get out of this place' - red haired shanks

(credits to @strangergraphics-archive for the divider)

word count 1,496

fluff mixed with angst

the glistering water reflected the deepest shames a pirate could have. they sparkled and shimmered with warmth and comfort like a siren begging the man to join her. though he couldn't, he made an oath to his crew, his friends, his chosen family.

this is how she felt staying behind on the ship whilst the men on board disbanded and explored the island that claimed to be the best makers of the richest rum. y/n had no interest in silly rum that could ease her stresses, no, y/n was a woman at heart in a ship of men so instead of drinking her sorrows she looked them dead on with a clear mind.

y/n peered over the sturdy railing into the depths of the shallow water, studying the small fish who wondered under the surface. y/n felt a pit grow in her stomach not at the water but it was a twisting feeling shes only ever felt once during her whole life. that one time was the desperation of begging Gold D. Roger to let her join his crew so she could learn under the greatest pirate known to man. that desperation and willingness to do anything needed to ensure that y/n got the one thing that she believed made her heart pound.

so why was she feeling that again? Nonetheless why was she feeling it while staring at the small yellow fish swimming ignorantly though the warm water that welcomed the fish with encouraging arms. why did she feel sickly at the though of this fish.

"ive happen to grow to like you so you better not jump" a cunningly smooth voice said from behind her, she glanced over her shoulder having gotten used to the men on this ship trying to take the chance at scaring y/n.

"shanks? why am i not surprised" she smirked seeing his laid smile that was strung along his lips like god himself took the time to craft his face until he deemed it was perfection.

shanks trotted the space between them and laid his torso over y/ns back leaning all his weight onto her "omg you disgusting man get your unwashed self off me" y/n laughed between her words wilfully ignoring the heavily deepening feeling down in the pits of her stomach that grew bigger the longer she stayed

"carry me woman" he groaned into y/n's neck to which her eyes rolled in amusement before shrugging him off and he crashed to the ground wheezing, y/n stepped on his torso and over him away from the railing "why must my true love wound me so" he coughed

y/n snickered but never responded and walked into the dinning room in search for a glass of water to maybe drown the green feeling growing inside my body, that grew like a fungal infection.

y/n downed a glass of water but felt the same feeling clutch her lungs squeezing them tightly with desperation to be acknowledged. y/n rubbed their eyes hoping that maybe she may have caught a cold and thats why she may be feeling ill, though deep down she knew exactly what she was feeling, she knew the cause and she knew the solution to what would make this feeling dissipate.

y/n left the kitchen seeing the deck empty, shanks must have left to god knows where, instead she beelined to her own quarters, it may have been small and compacted in comparison to the mens roomy quarters but at least it didn't stink as if 10 dead bodies died in soured milk. instead the compact room laid pictures of people she once met, the memories of the girl and her old life the one she yearns- no no, y/n does not yearn for that life, she is happy sailing the seas, she loves the people. yes she makes comments that they stink, but these people chose her for their family.

even if y/n is happy the books that laid open with messy handwriting of different words that can only exist in the scapes of her mind, the words written were once poisoned with heartbreak and wishing now strung into beauty of the lives she writes for people she can only imagine herself in.

y/n sat on the neatly dressed bed that fit the facade that y/n put on herself each day pretending to not yearn for a life where she could see her name highlighted positively about the books she yearns to be writing and and the stories she yearns to tell to the children who grew the way she did but never got the chance to explain.

y/n pulled out a small grey box from under her bed and uncapped the box revealing 4 letters with four different names written in a neat font from a fancy feathered ink pen,

shanks buggy roger Rayleigh

the four people that she held close during her time upon this ship, each letter contain a scripture about her love and adoration for each of them uniquely dictated to each person and their individual tendencies.

she grabbed a small bag and stuffed it with her brimming books and small nicknacks that she kept from people who gift them to her and laid the letters along the dressed bed and made her escape.

she disembarked from the boat and walked along the coast of the island searching for a unmanned boat to use to leave her second life behind and as she found a small rowboat unmanned she boarded it and soon she sat there writing the end of her book that she lived with her favourite family.

as the sun hid from the people and the moon stood proudly in its place shanks roamed the ship looking for y/n, he had news to tell her, he needed to have a discussion with her but he failed to find her, finally he ventured into unknown territory and he stepped into her room and laid small letters with names, he grasped his letter and he ripped it opened hastily,

he stood there after reading the letter and felt a droplet down his cheek, cold and wet, it was a singular tear, shanks gripped the letter and left the room running off the ship and screamed her name until his voice was bare and dry

that was the day shanks lost someone he deemed to be important to him.

25 years later

y/n laughed as she sighed a copy of 'love lost' a book that she wrote 7 years ago, she smiled at the girl who raved about the book and how it helped her though a moment in her life.

"thanks kid" y/n smiled kindly as she handed the book to the girl again and gave her a hug as the girl asked for "this book meant a lot to me when i first wrote it so i'm glad it helped you" y/n smiled as she slowly bid her goodbyes and left the area and walked along the uneven cobble stone she admired the stone work of this small island that invited me to do a book signing.

"so this is where you've been hiding" a voice cold as ice rang though her ears, this voice shot y/n through the heart as she recognised the owner of the voice, she felt her throat close up at the fear of being confronted of a character from her past life as a pirate, the irony of 25 years ago she had been admiring (more like loathing the freedom of a fish) when shanks approached her. now 25 years later she was admiring stone work when shanks again approached her.

"now you wont even turn to look at me" shanks mused trotting the fine line between the two people "you left without even a goodbye y/n, a letter? a letter was all that had been left in your wake" he leaned down to her level to which y/n finally glanced behind and looked at his missing arm

"see you've made changes" she attempted to joke to which he leaned back

"and you've become an author" he countered back at her "see we've both changed"

"shanks i'm sorry but i had to leave, if i ever left it would have eaten me alive, i'm sure i would have been a author if only i had left that place, and i left and now look at me. i've written 3 books and 2 miniseries' i did what i dreamed to do" y/n explained in a melancholy tonal voice

y/n watched shanks nod "you did what you needed to do, buggy cried his eyes out the crook" he shrugged as if he wasn't also affected "i'm glad your'e smiling the same way you did back then" he wrapped his arm around her "big nerd" he teased

she smiled "stinker" she teased back

taglist - @flusteredmoonn

[kelyon]

Im not watching the Last of Us cause I don’t have HBO, but I’m seeing the gifs you post. Can you tell me the story about the two gay men?

Ah, Bill and Frank, my angels!

So the main story of The Last of Us is a cross-country road trip through a world devastated by zombies a fungal infection. The actual protagonists of the show, Joel and Ellie, are barely in this episode at all. It's just a short film about two men loving each other.

Spoilers under the cut.

When the world ends in 2003, everyone in Bill's town is rounded up and sent to a Quarantine Zone (or shot because dead people can't spread an infection.) Bill, however, is a doomsday prepper "survivalist," who is not going to follow the orders of the "new world order jackboot fucks." He hides undetected in his bunker, and emerges into an abandoned town that is pretty much his kingdom.

For years, Bill lives it up alone. He makes a point early on to raid gas stations and the Home Depot for supplies. He sets up defenses--tripwires and electrified fences and traps to keep out zombies and humans. He grows his own food and eats rabbit in wine sauce. You get the sense that this is the life he's been waiting for.

(It's worth noting that Bill is played by Nick Offerman, so there's a lot of Ron Swanson energy in this scenario.)

Four years after Outbreak Day, Bill hears an alarm from one of his traps. There's a man caught in a pit. He's a refugee from one of the Quarantine Zones. He's alone, unarmed, and starving. Bill is not normally a person who would help others (obviously) but there's something about this guy, this Frank. So Bill offers him lunch.

The bulk of the courtship happens during and after this lunch. There are too many beautiful, tiny details to mention. Nick Offerman deserves a fucking EGOT for this role. (You heard me right, he deserves an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Tony award for a single episode of TV.) He is so scared and unsure and wanting. And Frank is so gentle and tender with Bill's feelings. Like, they share each other. And they know each other. And it's so beautiful.

It's also super meaningful in terms of queer representation to have an intimate scene between two older men. Their bodies are not pretty. These are hairy, middle-aged men, in a world where showers are pretty rare. But in their love they are absolutely beautiful.

And they spend the rest of their lives together. They argue, they make friends, they plant strawberries, they save each other's lives from invading hordes. They grow old. At some point, Frank succumbs to a disease that leaves him confined to a wheelchair, and Bill takes care of him. Bill has always taken care of Frank. He tells him, "You were my purpose."

In the end, Frank decides that he wants to have one last perfect day before he ends his life. He tells Bill what they're going to do. They're going to get dressed up, they're going to walk through the town they made, the home they built together. They're going to get married. (Remember this is functionally in 2003. Gay marriage wasn't a thing anywhere in the US.) Bill's going to make dinner, and put some pills in Frank's wine. He will fall asleep in Bill's arms for the last time.

Bill goes along with this, except for the end. In the end, he takes the same pills he gives Frank. He tells him that he is satisfied with his life, that he doesn't need any more than what they've had together. "This isn't the tragic suicide at the end of the play."

They got to grow old together. They got to decide the time and nature of their deaths. In a world starving for joy, they got to have all of it. They had art and beauty and love and peace. They had everything. Because they had each other.

[eyesofanantihero]

Didn't Anti used to be a regular person once? At what point did he gain the ability to possess people? Where did his matter go? -:)

"Anti used to be Jack. None of us know how it happened, but Jack came to Chase's door one night screaming, bloody, and just... stretched. His eyes looked full of blood, just his blue irises floating in black red eyes. He was taller but not as if he'd grown naturally. Chase thought his arms and hips were dislocated. They were only in college at the time. Same college as me in fact. I never even knew there was someone with affections for me. Jack hadn't ever had the courage to approach me. None of them could have known how bad it would get."

JJ closes his eyes, letting himself remember the stories the others have told him.

"He started saying his name was 'Anti' about two weeks into his hospital stay. Henrik was the doctor on his case, and he befriended Chase and Jackie while trying to treat Jack. He says the only clue his lab work showed was that every tissue biopsy showed green-brown growths under a microscope. His lungs, his skin, his organs, all of it. Like it was taking over and replacing his own cells. But it didn't look like any kind of fungal infection that a pathology textbook has ever shown. So Jackie called up Marvin, who was a childhood friend of his he kept in touch with. Marvin was researching all kinds of dark magic trying to explain it. They all started living in the same house during that all, and we're still roommates today."

"Anti couldn't possess people, per say, but he could... puppet them." He scratches his tattoos stiffly. "Like the lady from Steven Universe. Where they'd just do whatever he did, say whatever words he said. Copycat. That's how he got out of the hospital so easily. That's..." he cringes, shivering. "That's how he got me to follow him out of my dorm. How he made me stay with him no matter how mad I was."

[buglife]

Ghost and Tiso? Maybe about how they became friends?

Depictions of injuries and some sad stuff ahead, but this the longest request to date! Apologies my eyes are bad lol.

Tiso didn’t know what to think when he first laid eyes on the little knight, sitting alone on the sole bench in Dirtmouth. They were one of the strangest beings he had ever saw, with their big white helmet-like head, their weird little nubby body, and the fact they had a nail. How could something this tiny hold a nail? It had to be someone’s lost grub, he was sure of it. There was no way this little squib wasn’t about to be ambushed by some angry parent, furious that they were carrying an actual nail. He waited a moment and looked around, but nobody came.

He supposed someone would come sooner or later, he had a mission after all. He had wandered the wastes since he came of age with just himself and his shield searching for some sort of purpose in life. Sure, he had over time, became a rather competent warrior, but he failed to find challenges that would actually test his mettle. Then, he heard tales of a lost Kingdom where many bugs have gone and never returned. Said Kingdom was rumored to have an arena where one could compete for glory. Tiso had already bested many arenas and moved on, ever searching. If there wasn’t an arena than he could at least look around and recount what he saw.

Maybe here, he’ll find himself, and find a measure of happiness.

His shield felt heavy as he sighed and looked at the well. The Elderbug, kind as could be, had warned him of the dangers below. Bugs sometimes lost their minds, trapped in a dreaming world where they couldn’t remember anything but a bright, burning light. Bugs died from the claws of the infected, most no more than empty husks driven by a malevolent will. The thought horrified Tiso, he had never heard of such a thing. The dead walking? Still, the old bug was serious as he let his old gaze drift around the nearly empty town.

Tiso was inclined to believe him.

So there he was, ready to take the plunge down below and took one last look at the grub sitting on the bench. He happened to catch their eyes, and the little grub straitened up a little. He was surprised to see them leap off and stride toward him quickly, waving their arms.

“What do you want, Squib.” Tiso had no mood to deal with any little kids.

He watched them move their hands out from under their cloak, their tiny paws and equally tiny claws making a flurry of movements. They then stared at him expectantly.

“Uhhh...the fuck was that?” He had no clue what the little grub was doing with their hands. They deflated a little and then brightened, reaching into themselves with a hand and suddenly, they had a little book and a pen.

“...what...did you, did you just reach inside yourself!?” Tiso boggled, the hell was this? What the hell was this kid?

He watched in stunned silence as the little being ignored him to start scribbling quickly, turning over the book once done to display their writing.

“Hello, please be careful down there. It’s dangerous.”

“Ppfft. Nothing dangerous for the likes of me.” Tiso couldn’t help but grin. Aw, how precious, they were worried about him. “I’m a seasoned warrior, I faced a lot and I am sure I can handle myself.”

The being frowned, at least, Tiso thought they did. They tilted their mask in a way to convey some measure of unhappiness and then started writing again. They turned over the book with a flourish once done, the ink smeared a bit in their haste to write it.

“I am also a warrior and there are things down there that can kill you without hesitation. I’ve seen corpses of better armed and armored warriors scattered below. All thought the same that you did. Please be careful.”

Of course Tiso ignored most of the writing to focus on the first part. “Oh, a warrior you say, you know how to use that nail you have there?”

They nodded, shoulders tense as they again, pointed to the part about the dead bodies. Then tapped it.

“Obviously they weren’t as good as me then.”, he huffed. “Say, if you do fancy yourself a warrior, I hear there’s a place for us, an arena of sorts. Maybe we’ll meet up there, and you can show me what you know.” He held up his shield, the metal glinting in the lights of the lumafly lanterns. “That is, if your parents let you, Squib.”

The grub sighed with their whole body, and wrote back to reply.

“I am not a kid. I’m probably older than you.”

Tiso couldn’t help but bark out a laugh. “Okay, okay, whatever you say. You got a name, little Squib?”

The being rubbed their face for a moment and wrote back. “My name is Ghost. You?”

“Heh, you’re speaking to Tiso! Remember that name, it’ll probably be famous.” He preened a little, slightly disappointing to find that the little Ghost was just staring at him. Once again they presented their scribbles.

“Or I’ll remember it to put on your grave marker.”

Bummer, kid. Tiso at first thought the squib was mocking him. He opened his mouth to call them a little shit, but he took a second look at them. They looked tired and weary. They looked like someone used to hearing bad news. Inside, he felt a little guilty at this. Clearly this thing...Ghost...was genuinely worried about his safety and he went and spit it back in their faces. It seems that foot-in-mouth disease is a reoccurring issue with him.

He sighed. “Look, I know you don’t believe me, but I promise that I know what I’m doing. If things are too bad, I know when to cut my losses and run, alright?”

Ghost brightened up at that and nodded. Tiso snickered to lighten the mood, reaching down to pat them between the horns (something they radiated a scowl at, but said nothing about).

“No worries, if anything, I do wanna see what you can do sometime!”

And with that, Tiso jumped down the well.

---

Well, Tiso should have listened to the little Ghost. Because he had to fight every inch of the way to reach this one stag station. He had learned the name of this wretched section, ‘the Forgotten Crossroads’, and he wished it could be forgotten. He had barely landed on the stonework below when an infected bug lunged out of the darkness, hissing. He had swiftly decapitated it, getting some orange gunk all over his shield. He had wanted to clean it off then and there, but the buzzing sound of vengeflies made him rethink his plan. The feral Tiktiks and Crawlids didn’t give him much trouble, except the time he stepped on one by accident and their spikes hurt like hell. The vengeflies were bastards like usual, screeching as they tried to dive bomb him.

And oh, the aspids. The fucking aspids. How he hated them. He felt so much satisfaction every-time he threw his shield and popped their horrible little glowing abdomens. The only problem was the orange that splashed out burned any exposed bit of chitin he had. Never before, had he been glad to own his armor. He would be extremely happy if he drove those little bastards to extinction. The husks though, were very horrible. Not in a fighting way, in there they were stupid in that they only knew how to run straight at him. He could take their heads off at a distance, shield returning to him with a flash of soul. In the end, he pitied them. They were once bugs, like him, but something had changed, and they became infected. He had been happy to find a hot spring that he could scrub himself and his equipment clean. He didn’t know if he even could be infected, but he decided to err on the side of caution. The orange...goo...he couldn’t call it proper hemolymph, didn’t seem to cause him trouble for now. But still, better safe than sorry. He made camp there for the night, but not only because he didn’t want to get out of the water.

He had braved the crossroads again the next day, ducking under aspids and slaughtering husks until he found the relative safety of the stag station. He sighed and sat on the bench, leaning backwards to rest a spell.

Then came the sound of rumbling. He was instantly alert, shield at the ready and his eyes trained to the tunnel. He expected many things to come out of that tunnel, but he didn’t expect to see little Ghost so soon. The stag they are riding slid to a stop, bending down to let the little warrior off. The stag spoke to him, Tiso didn’t catch what exactly, and watched the warrior wave goodbye as the stag took off down the tunnel again.

They turned and saw him and seemed just as surprised. They bounced a bit in delight and rushed over, waving.

“Hello to you too, little warrior. See? I’m perfectly fine.” Tiso gestured to himself with a grin. “Though I will admit, those aspids suck.”

Ghost nodded rapidly in agreement, going as far as to draw their nail and stomp a little. Tiso laughed.

“No worry, If you’re going up I have thinned their numbers a bit. Seems like having a big gross abdomen makes it easy for someone to cut you down. It’s the perfect target! You can’t miss!”

Again Ghost nodded in agreement. Remembering that he couldn’t understand those weird hand sign things, they took out their journal and pen once more. It was once of those fancy ones that held the ink on the insides but still needed refilling from time to time. They hopped up on the bench to join him, there was plenty of room after all.

“So,” Tiso began, “What have you been up to?”

“I’m trying to figure out a way past the fungal wastes.” They wrote. Tiso could easily look over their shoulder so they didn’t have to keep turning their book around.

“Fungal wastes?”

Ghost chirped, which absolutely did not make Tiso jump a little. They were just, so quiet. They were obviously mute but he didn’t expect them to make sounds. Tiso hid his reaction and watched as they fucking reached inside themselves again and pulled out a map. They opened it up, showing an incomplete map, each section in a different colored ink. Tiso whistled, impressed.

“You did that all on your own?”

They shook their head and wrote out. “Cornifer sells basic maps. I find all the hidden stuff.” They gestured to the various lines on the paper. Some of the ink was newer than others, which meant they back tracked and found new places. They even did little doodles of interesting things they saw. The sheer amount of drawn spikes and thorns make him question just how much fun he’s going to have traversing some of this kingdom.

“That’s still hella impressive for such a little grub.” He teased. He was arrogant, but he could recognize talent. “Maybe if being a warrior doesn’t work out, you could be a map maker in the future.”

Ghost just held their map for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. It looked like they wanted to write something, but passed it up to put on a more cheerful demeanor. “It’s nice you think I’m that good.” They wrote.

“Heh, I can recognize talent. By the way, since you’ve been all over the place, have you figured out where this arena is?”

“I hear that it’s called the ‘Colosseum of Fool’s. It’s somewhere near the City of Tears, I think.” They make sure Tiso read what they wrote before drawing a line with a claw from the stag station where they sit to somewhere east. They had a place marked ‘Crystal Peak’ and ‘Resting Grounds’, so it was probably near those places.

“Thanks, Squib. You probably saved me a lot of walking.”

Ghost innocently pointed to the stag station’s bell.

Tiso shook his head. “Oh no no no, true warriors don’t convenience themselves like that! True warriors make it to where they go on their own efforts alone.”

He was so full of shit and he could tell that Ghost knew. He honestly didn’t’ want to be in any dark, tight spaces. He couldn’t help thinking of the colony he grew up in. How dark and how crowded it was. You couldn’t find a moments peace to yourself and cave ins could happen at any time. How close the walls were to each other. How you never knew when the ground would rumble and stones would start to fall. No sir, he won’t take the stag way.

Ghost gave them the ‘whatever you say’ look before they rolled their map back up and tucked it away again.

“Where the fuck are you putting all that?” Tiso exclaimed as Ghost also put away their book and pen. They only shrugged in response and then gleefully bounced away with a wave goodbye. He heard the patter of little feet, and then the shriek of a vengefly, only to hear the sharp slice of a nail and the silence after.

Hrm...perhaps this was a warrior after all?

Tiso leaned back, determined to rest a little more before continuing his journey. With how big this place is, he wasn’t sure he’d see the little warrior again, and something about that statement saddened him.

---

Tiso had no idea there’d be an entire lake this big in Hallownest. Sure, water in caves was common, it’s how the caves were made after all, but this was something else. He sat on the sand, a campfire crackling softly as a tiktik roasted on a stick. All around him were fossils of shells, creatures long since gone and lost to time. One made for a nice seat and he wondered a bit to whom it may have belonged to. Some water snail, maybe. The water was clean and clear enough that he could take a dip to rinse off the grim of travel and found it most refreshing.

It had taken him a couple days to make his way here. Some paths were blocked off, either to cave ins or rusted closed, so he had to improvise. Moving through the Resting Grounds was eerie. It was full of graves, yeah, but once you fight empty husks for a while, tombstones start loosing their spookiness. There he had run into another stag station and swiftly turned back around. He took another pathway he didn’t try and ended up here, at this lake.

He thought of all the empty houses along the way. He poked inside to take a look here and there and only took things that he needed. The dead weren’t going to use them, he was sure no spirit would begrudge him for taking a few spices or a blanket. It did make for useful places to rest, as he could just shut the doors and windows to keep out husks. But still, he couldn’t help but feel like a trespasser in this dead kingdom.

He mused on this as he poked at the roasting tiktik. It’ll be done soon and then he can eat and continue his journey. A warrior needs their energy after all.

He poked up his antenna as he heard a distant noise over the crackling of the fire. He turned and looked over the lake, watching a white dot in the distance grow steadily closer. Water kicked up around bent air currents as the figure flew just above the surface. When close enough, he spotted the horns.

Oh, it was them. Small world, huh?

Little Ghost seemed to spot him as well. As soon as they reached the beach, they cut off whatever power they were using to run straight at him. They were all waves and ‘smiles’, tilting their head up to look at him in obvious glee.

“Hello, Squib!” Tiso grinned, he wouldn’t admit it but he was glad to see the little bug. “Still in one piece I see?”

They nodded and gestured to himself.

“Yeah, told you I’d be fine!” He took a moment to poke at the tiktik again and caught a flash of light on metal. Little Ghost had drawn their nail and was holding it out for Tiso to see. Oh, it seems like they got a new one, or they fixed up their old one. The other was dull, and this one had a soft pale light to it. Nothing fancy so far, but he could tell it was sharper.

“Nice.” He was impressed. “But I’m a shield guy. I don’t know much about nails other than that you shouldn’t get stabbed by them.”

The little bug ‘laughed’, huffing air in amusement as the reached over and pointed at his shield. They looked at it, and then back at him, titling their head.

“Sure, you can look, but be careful, because it can do this.” He attached his shield to his arm and squeezed his hand just so. There was a click, and the sides of the shield unfolded into blades, a perfect circle of pain. Ghost vibrated in response, the dark eyes within their mask shining brightly in the light of the fire. Tiso grinned and flexed again, withdrawing the blades to make a normal shield again. “And that, is how I deal with aspids. It can also come back when I throw it.”

He wasn’t sure why he was telling this to Ghost. Weren’t they going to fight sooner or later? If so it would be best to hold his cards close to his chest and keep his surprises as surprises. But there was just...something about this bug that made him want to talk about the things he knows. They were paying rapt attention, eyes scanning all the details made in the shield. Bugs that only wielded shields were not very common, he had found, so maybe they just never seen something like the one he has before. Maybe he wanted to be the one to cause the air of wonder and awe in someone else.

Maybe he just wanted a bit of attention that didn’t result in getting bruises.

Ghost touched the shield gently with a paw, feeling the metal a little before they withdrew, satisfied. They nodded their approval and sat down, looking up at him expectantly.

“Oh? What’s this? Do you want tales of how I used this shield?” A giddy happy feeling welled up in his chest as Ghost nodded rapidly. They moved their hands, signing a word he didn’t’ know how to understand. He could figure it either meant ‘thank you’ or ‘please’, either way they were polite. They shuffled and got comfortable and watched Tiso as he began to talk.

Tiso talked for so long that he forgot all about his tiktik.

–

Tiso sat on the bench, the roar of the crowd above him shaking loose the dust on the ceiling. It fell around him in motes of light reflected from the fires in the pit. There were other warriors there too, waiting their turn to engage in the carnage above. So this was the Colosseum of Fools. A crowded arena where a corpse sat as the seat of honor, empty gaze watching as the combatants did their damndest to kill each other. Geo was rapidly exchanged between hands as fighters either won, yielded, or died. Most died, but so it was in the way of the arena. He had taken time to watch to get a scope of what he was dealing with and concluded that the bugs in this kingdom were fucking insane. He was not used to this style of games, but he supposed he’d have to learn. He met the little fool chained up and dangling from the ceiling. He paid his fee and waited for his turn in the pit. There was a shriek above, and something big slamming into the ground. He imagined that he could expect to fight more beasts than warriors.

What he was not expecting, was little Ghost to jump down into the pit.

“Hey, you made it!” Tiso couldn’t help but exclaim as Ghost ran over to climb on the bench as well. “This is the place for us, I can feel it. There’s finally a challenge for me here.”

Ghost nodded, and in a flash held their journal and pen. “Are you doing the trials?”

He snorted, “Of course I am, and you?”

“Not yet, just exploring.”

“Hey what, are you afraid of being paired against me?” Tiso tugged his hood a little, smoothing down his antenna to try and stifle the intense smell of infected hemolymph. For a moment, he felt a flash of relief at Ghost’s prior statement. He didn’t quite believe that this bug was an adult, but they seemed to be a good sort. Did they really need to do this, taint their soul with battle just for the glory of it? For a bug like Tiso, he was okay with it. He was okay with it ever since he found himself alone with only a shield to protect him and bad memories to keep him company. He had to get tough, but did this little being who asked him for stories really need to get tough?

They shook their head as their shoulders shook with mirth. “No, I have things I have to do. I’ll fight you later and I’ll make you the one scared.” Their shoulders kept shaking, so Tiso assumed this was all said in jest.

“Bold words from a little shit.” Tiso was interested in seeing just what they can do, but later in a spar. Away from a place like this. This wasn’t a place for them.

They nearly rolled over, chirping in laughter and getting strange looks from the other waiting combatants.

Tiso rounded on them. “Mind your fucking business.” He snarled, and the combatants averted their gaze to go back to polishing their weapons. Good.

Ghost took a few deep breaths to calm themselves down. “You don’t have to be mean.”

“Sometimes you gottah be mean.” Tiso countered. “If they tried to throw you out or something, I would have cut off any limb that touched you.”

Woah, where did that thought come from?

Ghost looked at Tiso for a moment, really looking at him. Tiso felt like those eyes could see into his very soul and he suppressed a shudder. Ghost looked back to their book and wrote again.

“Why?”

Tiso gulped, time to bullshit and fast. “Well, because we were practically destined to battle each other. Hell, we keep running into each other in this dead fucking kingdom. What are the odds of that? What are the odds of both of us, meeting multiple times, and then meeting up here? It’s destiny!”

They tilted their head.

“If we are going to have a proper spar, none of us can get hurt before then. We have to be at 100%, right? So I won’t let anyone lay a claw on you until then.” There, nailed it.

They nodded and tapped their pen against the bottom of their mask in thought. They took a while to write, in which Tiso glanced around to make sure the other combatants weren’t about to get bored and try to pick a fight. Finally, they tapped his arm and showed him what they wrote.

“I understand. That means you have to promise to be okay until then.” They gestured above as more dust shook loose and rained down in a shower of gray. The crowd roared again, along with the sounds of something big screaming.  

“Sure, I can do that. If I break my promise I’ll give you five thousand geo.” This was a prop bet for sure. He didn’t have that kinda money yet, he’d have to earn it in the arena. But he was confident in his abilities, he would be fine and he’d be able to take off time to have a proper spar with his little companion friend buddy fellow warrior.

They nodded and held out their hand, which he took and shook. Gods, they had such little paws. “Good doing business with ya, Squib.”

They did their odd version of ‘smiling’ again. “I got to go, gonna try and go up more.”

“Good luck with that.” Tiso watched them put away their book, and with a hop, skip, and a jump, vanished up the pit. He had time now, to sit and sort out his feelings. He had that weird ‘big brother’ urge, and it wasn’t because they were so small. Nah, this person listened to him and liked him. He figured he can try and do the same.

---

Tiso was in a world of hurt, agony seeped into the broken crack in his chest. Hemolymph kept flooding his lungs and dripping out the corners of his mandibles. There was a fog around him in his mind, his barely open eyes blurry and seeing only smudges of green and blue. Flecks of white occasionally crossed his eyes before vanishing again. He had long since given up on trying to move, each pull of muscle only made the hemolymph flow faster. He struggled to recall what was happening as the pain moved in and out, like it was happening to someone else.

Breathe in. Breath out. Breathe in. Breath out.

The only thing he can do was just lay there and breathe wetly. Each breath he had to mentally will and it took up all other functions for now. He had no mental power to spare on anything else, so when a bigger fleck of white took up his vision and didn’t leave, he had no clue what to make of it. What the hell? He took a breath, momentary forgetting too when he pondered the white. A cough tore into his chest and he could feel the broken edges of chitin rubbing together. Something was touching him. Something was trying to get his attention, but he couldn’t spare the thought.

Breathe in. Breath out. Breathe in. Breath out.

The white vanished suddenly and Tiso found himself unable to bring himself to care or wonder about it. He had to keep breathing. Something deep and hot within himself had refused to give up. He had something to do that was very important and he couldn’t miss it. He wouldn’t. The weight of his shield was his only current comfort. Just as suddenly, the white appeared again, with a flash of red and gray. He peered at the smudges as distant sounds tickled his antenna. Was he underwater? Why couldn’t he understand them? A flash of pain and suddenly his world twisted. Colors spun around and around and it made it hard to concentrate on breathing. More sounds. More pain.

Breathe in. Breath out.

Breathe in. Brea-

It seemed like only a second and he was consumed in fire. A burning ache spread over himself as he saw only darkness. The darkness and a shriek as round orange pustules throbbed and vibrated. The sickening sound of hot fluids spilling and the nasty pop as pustules burst in a shower of gore. He was there. He had his shield, as a giant thing of teeth and screams jumped into the arena. He could barely raise his shield and then there was so much pain.

Trapped. Trapped like the fallen tunnels as the air got stale and lungs burned. Instead of the cries of the dying there was the roar of a crowd.

Take my breath, his sister had said. A little tiny thing with a tiny heart. A stone had hit her. The cave was too crowded and there wasn’t enough air. She was dying. Tiso couldn’t move the stone or she’d die faster.

Take my breath, she said. Then she breathed no more.

She always wanted to be a warrior.

She wanted to help people.

She never got to grow up.

You wasted her breath, the mawlurk shrieked as it fell toward him. You wasted it. You wasted it to die like a Fool!

Then was falling and falling and falling and falling an-

He felt cool hand in his, so tiny and small. They held on tight and Tiso stopped falling.

---

Tiso cracked his eyes open, still blurry and still in pain. He felt odd. The pain was there, but a large portion seemed locked away, just barely felt on the surface. He felt a hand in his, and with a colossal effort he managed to tilt his head to the side.

He was in some hut, on a bed, and holding his hand was the little Ghost. They must have felt the movement, because their head snapped around and looked on his eyes. A rapid flash of emotions, anger, grief, relief, joy, and others he didn’t have the ability to process, cycled through their very being. His hand was gripped with both paws now and a dribble of black welled up in their eyes to drip down their mask. Tiso wanted to say something, but it was taking a bit to remember how to do so. A large shadow fell over him, and he instinctively turned his head up to look.

Standing over him was an enormous beetle with a nail the size of Tiso himself. They looked down disappointingly at him.

“You must be Tiso, eh?”

He could only nod in response.

“You have to be the luckiest bastard in this whole dead kingdom.” The beetle moved over to a table, clinking glasses together and pouring some liquid. “You landed in just the right spot for Ghost to find you and close enough for me to come get you.”

He returned and handed a glass of water to Tiso, waiting for him to grip it before letting go. “I am Nailmaster Oro and you are here because my pupil insisted. You are going to be bed ridden for a while. Be glad I am more patient than my brothers, because after a whole week of putting you back together, I’m going to be glad when you leave.”

Tiso gratefully took the water and sucked it down, letting the liquid cool his dry throat. Once hydrated, he looked down to the ocean of bandages covering his front and one of his arms. His shield lay tilted against the bed, in arms reach. A whole week was gone, just like that. Oro must have felt the questions in his mind, because be continued to talk.

“You nearly got crushed to death, you goddamn idiot.” Oro tutted, looking over the bandages with the bedside manor of a primal aspid. “The Colosseum of Fools is just that, a collection of fools looking to die for no good reason.”

Tiso opened his mandibles to retort but only managed a wheeze. His lungs felt particularly awful and Ghost patted their hand in sympathy. Ghost let go just long enough to run over to Oro, tugging on his cloak. Once Oro bent down, Ghost gently embraced as much as he could, which wasn’t a lot. He saw Oro sigh with the tiniest glimpse of affection, before roughly patting them on the head. He glanced back to Tiso, and scowled when he realized that the ant saw the whole thing. Ghost stepped back to return to Tiso, taking his hand again.

“You’ll be okay after a bit of healing and time in the hot springs.” Oro went to squat by the fire, stirring something that smelled wonderful in a pot. “But I hope you found what was so damn important up in the coliseum.

Yes, Tiso thought to himself, I did find something. He looked at Ghost in a new light, and smiled as best as he could. They couldn’t replace her, but maybe, he could learn to not be a colossal fuck up. Maybe in that way, he can be okay with himself.

Ghost patted Tiso again for a bit and then reached in their ‘whatever’ space to pull out a pre-written piece of paper. Seeing what was written on it made Tiso almost want to take back everything he had just thought.

“You owe me 5000 geo.”

[lailyn]

Argh, I know, I shouldn't be greedy, but I just love a good whump fic and I love Strangefrost and I love your writing... so, might I humbly ask for another?? Maybe?? For the - I don't know - the digestive system maybe?

Here ya go! This one's a bit longer, it kinda got away from me. 😅

A Fool For You

It began with a relic gone missing. A sword forged in blood and tears, the sword was said to have been used to lop off the head of a tyrannical emperor after he had used it to slaughter his own brothers, all six of them. 

It was a dangerous katana that required a calming ritual at every turn of the century to temper its blade, for it could turn the susceptible, the most innocent into murderous monsters. 

Stephen had been lucky to escape unharmed that morning when he awoke to the blade pressed against his throat, wielded by an invisible hand, controlled by long-range magic.

Stephen had been lucky Loki was there to banish the spectral intruder and restore the katana to its resting place in the Sanctum vault under lock and key. 

Reading the blade that had almost taken his human from him only led them back to Kamar-Taj, but the trail ended there. 

There was a traitor in their midst. 

"Nothing's going to happen to me." 

Or so Stephen kept insisting. 

Loki was no fool. It would take more than vapid assurances to assuage this urge in him to tear whoever dared harm a hair on Stephen's head limb from limb.

Wong thought it could be a Zealot who might have escaped from having to join Kaecilius on his eternal journey to be one with the Dark Lord Dormammu. 

Stephen made a sound argument of the low probability, seeing how the Dark Dimension was as good as sealed forever with the Book of Cagliostro gone, but Loki had disguised himself as one of them that very night and searched each and every Master, fellow and apprentice for the telltale mark on the forehead. 

If someone cared for his opinion, Loki thought Stephen was being too complacent with his life.

"Loki, I am not going to lock myself up in the Mirror Dimension!" 

Stephen had the gall to laugh at Loki's suggestion. For that, Loki did not speak to him for an entire day. 

As the night grew closer, Stephen had given up trying to apologise for something he did not believe he did wrong and resigned himself to the idea of attending the communal dinner at Kamar-Taj without his plus one. Sorcerer Supremes had traditionally been lonesome creatures, and initially Stephen even thought of himself as such. 

Until he met Loki. 

Stephen abhorred gossip. If the Sorcerer Supreme and the (reformed) God of Mischief were indeed an item, he would rather come clean about it than suffer salacious stories being passed around behind his back. 

But since Loki was a no-show, Stephen was going to suffer them for one more day, until he could figure out what to do...or what not to do. When it came to Loki, abstaining was just as important. 

So that was how Stephen had come to sit at the head of the table, flanked by a representative from the other two Sanctums. Wong had drawn the short straw by virtue of his being Stephen's second-in-command and sadly had to stay behind in New York.

A young man barely out of his teens came to the high table with a set of tea. 

“A new apprentice. I recruited him from the streets of Kowloon City,” Master Murata murmured in the Sorcerer Supreme’s ear. “I think he’s got potential.”

Stephen looked at the scabies burrows in the webs between the boy’s fingers, the badly damaged nails from a chronic nail-biting problem superimposed with a fungal infection. 

Must have been homeless, he deduced. Family problems? A runaway?

Stephen watched as the boy poured a pinkish golden liquid into the three cups in front of them. It glittered with edible gold petals. 

“Sour plum tea,” Master Murata nodded in approval. He held up his cup, “Here’s to our Sorcerer Supreme. May you live in interesting times.”

If the wording sounded odd, it could only be due to the Guardian of the Hong Kong Sanctum’s oriental heritage. 

Stephen surreptitiously waited for both Guardians to finish drinking first before raising his own cup to his lips to take his first sip.

"Sorcerer Supreme, there you are!"

"Wong?" Stephen's forehead furrowed at the sight of his friend marching down the dais toward him. "What are you doing here?"

Wong grabbed the cup out of the Sorcerer Supreme's hand and drank it all in one gulp. 

"That hit the spot," he declared, delicately fingering the corners of his lips. 

"M-Master Wong," Master Murata stammered. 

"What's gotten into you?" Stephen muttered. He held out the empty cup for a refill, but Wong quickly grabbed his wrist. "Wong!"

The apprentice scurried away with the tray; Wong followed the retreating form with his eyes until the boy disappeared amongst the dinner crowd. 

With a wide smile Stephen had never seen the likes of it on Wong’s face before, his best friend boldly grabbed him around the wrist and yanked him out of his seat. "This is simply no time to be drinking! Come, I have much to tell you!"

"It's just tea," Stephen grumbled, more curious than embarrassed at being manhandled in public.  

Just as they passed a few Masters in the hall, Wong stumbled and would have fallen had Stephen not caught his friend. 

“Really, Wong, one would think you had been imbibing…” Stephen's voice trailed off at the sight of perspiration dotting his friend's forehead. “Wong?”

“Take me to your room,” Wong grunted, and Stephen froze, for Wong’s voice suddenly sounded so much like -

“Loki?”

In the blink on an eye, Stephen teleported them to his room and Wong slowly sank to his knees with a soft, forlorn sigh; his form shimmered as all manner of glamour dropped, revealing Loki's shaking form. 

At the tell-tale shudder, Stephen quickly grabbed a trash can from under his desk and shoved it under Loki's head just in time to catch the first of his stomach contents. 

"Poison?"

Loki nodded frantically as another wave of extreme nausea surged up his gullet.

"But how? We were all drinking the same thing!" Stephen demanded.  

“It wasn't the tea,” Loki gasped. “It was the cup.” 

"If you knew it was poisoned, why couldn't you have just told me? Why did you have to drink it?" Stephen berated.

"Now you have evidence," Loki managed in between gasps. "Somebody was trying to kill you."

Loki lashed out a hand which his lover caught unthinkingly; into Stephen's palm Loki pressed the ceramic cup he had drunk from. 

"It's the lacquer," he wheezed; the pain raging in his stomach was making it difficult to breathe. "It...reacted with the gold leaf. Turned the tea."

Stephen stared at the object in his hand. True enough, the urushiol lacquer had corroded away, leaving behind a suspicious white deposit that had formed a sediment at the bottom of the cup. 

Loki had done it all on purpose...impersonating Wong, stealing Stephen's drink right under his nose and making sure everyone saw him drink out of the Sorcerer Supreme's cup -

And stumbling in the hallway with witnesses around had been in part an act, the rest of it very, very real...as real as the blood dribbling down Loki’s chin as his body tried to purge the poison. He heaved and heaved uncontrollably into the trash can, his long hair limp and matted to his scalp like a crown of thorns.

But before Stephen could hold his hair back for him, another violent cramp folded Loki in half, his desperate cry of the kind Stephen had never heard out of the God of Mischief before.

"Oh, Loki…" Stephen could not help but moan. "Why must you always do this?"

Loki shuddered and wiped the blood away with the back of his hand. He slowly sank to the floor, prostrating on the tatami mat, arms wrapped tightly around his stomach. 

"I'll live," he sighed. "You wouldn't have."

Stephen leveled his writhing lover with a frosty look. "What made you think I could live with this on my conscience?"

Loki's eyes fluttered to a close. "As long as you lived, I don't particularly care."

Stephen heaved a sigh of frustration and sickening anxiety. "What can I do?"

"Hang the perpetrators by their entrails, that would be a start," Loki groaned. He curled up as tightly as his cramping muscles would allow. "Norns!" 

Stephen rummaged through his apothecary cabinet and waved potion after potion of possible remedial value, only for every jar to be waved away. 

"I've purged it all." Loki bared teeth slick with blood in a grotesque grimace as he tried to breathe through the worst of the cramps. "It's just the sequelae now."

Tears sprang to Stephen's eyes as he dropped onto his knees next to his ill lover. "You are such a fool."

Loki chuckled weakly. "Ah yes, that I am. A fool for you."

A furious tear escaped and made its way down Stephen's cheek. He gathered Loki's long limbs in his arms and lifted the trembling figure gently into his lap, holding him upright. "I'm such a fool."

"Stephen, don't." Utterly exhausted, Loki could do no more than squeeze the protective arm around his neck. "I'm alright. Truly."

"I will find whoever did this," he heard Stephen vow in his ear and the tension drained out of Loki's body like water.

"Good," Loki hummed faintly. 

If putting himself in jeopardy was what it took to get Stephen to give a damn about his own life...then Loki had no objection whatsoever. Nor had he any objection to the comfortable weight of Stephen's hand on his aching belly, or to the healing magic furious at work, aiding the repair of any internal damage caused by the poison. 

"I am going to sleep now," Loki murmured, sagging in Stephen's embrace like a sack of bones. 

As Loki drifted off into a restorative slumber, he could hear Stephen mumble something in his ear. It sounded a lot like 'I love you', but Loki could not be sure.

Stephen was just going to have to say it again when next he awakened.

[lhs3020b]

A Desolation Called Peace, by Arkady Martine

I finished “A Desolation Called Peace” last night.

Some probably-inchaote and certainly-disorganised thoughts under the cut...

Oh, and SPOILERS if you haven’t read it yet.

I’d been waiting for this book for some time, and it didn’t disappoint me. I’m glad that I paced myself while reading this one, instead of doing my usual fiction-binge routine on it.

“Desolation” deals with the looming alien menace that is a subplot in “Memory”. The aliens are real and they are dangerous. There is a genuine threat. However, the aliens are not an absolutely-unthinking or mindlessly-hostile horde, though the nature of their very-different consciousness is a distinct plot point.

Briefly, they call themselves the we! - a distributed consciousness, a sort of network of billions of individual nervous systems, somehow mediated by a symobiotic fungal infection. The we! is functionally-sane, is open to new ideas and can be reasoned with, but has no concept of individual sentience. Though, the main characters in the book only come to understand this quite late in the novel.

A major theme of the novel seems to be people trying to overcome barriers in communication - there’s the sub-plot of essentially-all-humans versus the we!, but there are more local ones too like Mahit and Three Seagrass and their rather wobbly relationship. Or, perhaps, the sub-plot of Mahit-vs-the-Lsel-Council. It’s notable that people who try to overcome their mutual barriers generally do better - by contrast all Lsel’s ruling elite do is scheme themselves into a sort of political bus-crash. Lsel Station survives the story and is still an independent state, but it’s not clear that their scheming has improved their situation in any concrete way. In particular, threatening and then alienating Mahit was probably a bad idea - after all, she then goes and basically tells Three Seagrass the entire details of Darj Tarats’ scheme.

In some ways, though, the tone of Desolation feels grimmer than Memory did. In this novel we see the darker side of Teixcalaan - while sanity does prevail, mostly thanks to Eight Antidote, it’s notable that the Emperor and a large fraction of the military were perfectly OK with a plan that involved committing genocide against the we!. Nineteen Adze doesn’t come across as a complete monster, and to her credit she accepts Eight Antidote’s criticism and doesn’t  overrule him (and in fact is implied to have let him do what he did) - but at the same time, she is a very grey figure, and certainly someone who does some very morally-dubious things.

As for Teixcalaan itself, its various ministries and ministers seem to be entirely focused on court infighting, and supremely unbothered about actually governing. The financial structure of the empire is left largely ambiguous - there presumably is a treasury and a mint, but they’re entirely offstage. It’s not entirely clear what, if any, public services are provided by the imperial administration, and one can argue a case that the Inmost Province’s denizens are parasitic in character. While the government isn’t currently despotic, it could certainly get there without too much trouble (and from what we know of Teixcalaan’s history, this seems to be a more-than-theoretical problem).

As for Lsel, honestly, their administration isn’t really better. Whilst the station is technically a republic, its ruling Council appear to be under no-one’s control. It also doesn’t appear to be a constitutional state; Councillor Amnardbat is apparently within her powers to have Mahit dragged off to cut her brain open for the imago machines inside it. The Council appears to be largely-dysfunctional, and focused on cooking up increasingly weird and grandiose schemes. Most of them misfire catastrophically - the Council’s treatment of Mahit basically drives her straight into the arms of Three Seagrass, while their plan to maneuvre Teixcalaan into war with the aliens nearly brings we! dreadnoughts to the Station itself. Honestly, you can argue a case that things might have gone better for Lsel if the Council had done literally nothing.

As to Lsel and Teixcalaan’s origins, we learn very little. They seem to be separate - apparently neither the Station nor the Empire knew of each other prior to Two Solar Flare’s contact with them. However, both peoples are apparently human, so presumably they do have a common origin? Interestingly, we are told that Lsel Station came to its current location - apparently it originally doubled as a starship - but where it came from and why it moved have been forgotten. (The imago lines do have a surprising number of lacunae, don’t they? It does make you wonder if Amnardbat might not be the first Councillor for Heritage who did some ideologically-motivated pruning on the lines...)

Again, Earth is never mentioned; whether it exists in this universe isn’t clear. It might do? Or it might not? The only thing we can say with confidence is that Earth is not the City - City has two continents and two moons, so neither its geography nor astronomy match up with ours. Teixcalaan claims that their empire originated on City, before they reached space, but it is possible that they could be someone’s lost colony, perhaps eventually recovering technology after some prehistoric social collapse. (Nothing in the novels confirms this, but nothing refutes this either.)

There are also other human societies elsewhere in the galaxy, and where they fit into this picture is anyone’s guess.

Anyway this was an interesting book, and I’m glad it didn’t disappoint after the previous novel. If you liked Martine’s first volume, you should enjoy this one too.

[kvotheunkvothe]

Last night, I dreamt of a kind of power plant that had been converted into an orphanage.

I wasn’t an actor in this dream, but a third-party observer (there were even title cards at times), except sometimes I would inhabit some of those I watched. There were two story lines, both in the same location (the plant turned boys’ orphanage), but separated by years and sometimes the dream went out of time sequence. Mostly, it would happen where in one locale I would see the events that unfolded in the latter story line, and then it would rewind to the earlier story in the same place. Or I would get little snippets of memory of what had happened in that location before. The location was an extremely industrial setting, and apparently no actual effort had gone into the conversion into a boys’ orphanage beyond shoving orphans in.

In the first story line, the orphanage was being overrun by some sort of zombies--their bodies were not dead, but there had been a kind of fungal infection that now was their only drive. The whole place had been locked down to stop the spread of the contagion, and the supposedly defunct power plant was actually active (and somehow the contagion was linked here, not sure how) but was set to meltdown to hide what had happened here and kill all the witnesses. The orphans, however, were not going quietly. A lot of this is just jumbled snippets, but I most clearly remember a group of boys wearing yarmulkes wielding katanas and climbing up metal ladders in a very dark space, slashing at faces beneath them that were covered in mushrooms. There was some central conflict also with one of the few remaining operators of the plant, and he was trying to stop one main boy from reaching the kill switch that would stop the meltdown. There had been a standoff on one of the last stretches of open air, in which the primary boy was offered a cell phone--he was told he could use it to call the helicopter that would descend and save him, if he let the rest of the boys die. He didn’t take it, and luckily he didn’t because it was actually a bomb. Anyway, he made his way up to the top office and found the switch, stopping the meltdown. It wasn’t as easy as all that, as I recall he might’ve lost his arms, and the operator tried to break the last stairway out from under him. But the point is, he succeeded.

In the second story line, it again seemed to be some sort of orphanage, this time with boys and girls. But there were no zombies. Instead, there was this group of teen boys pitted against the rest, trying to stop them from reaching the top office where the killswitch was. The stakes were much lower, and the bloody screaming mess that had been the prior story line kept intruding into this part as the main girl I was following in the dream followed the same path. And she kept thinking something was odd. When she got to that last standoff area with the cell phone, she found the phone itself was still functional. And something about this really bothered her. She made her way up to the office and a lot of the stairs were still broken. But nothing was rusted, everything still seemed functional. When she flipped the switch at the top, it was only then that I realized that this thing was only a class exercise and simulating the experience of the first story line. But the girl was still disturbed, and since I was inhabiting her, I heard myself thinking that everything was too well preserved for this event to have occurred 500 million years ago. Which was kind of a big old plot twist for my brain to throw at me. And as if it was just waiting for that, all the future-y aspects started pouring in. There were TVs in a common area the orphans went to that showed “rivers of asbestos” had apparently been flooding again, and most the people on the feed had some kind of terrible burns or mutations. I started to notice orphans with fancy futuristic electronics--several had cyborg parts, a couple had levitating shoes, and there were two kids wearing helmets with tesla coils on them that was making them spin around the room. All of which is to say it was certainly well after the first story line. But the numbers still weren’t adding up, and the question was why.

I never found out, because I woke up.

[flowersoldier]

Fungus Monster

Aerith is a special effects make-up artist and Cloud is a guinea pig. Modern!AU

AO3   ff.net

“Cloud!“ Aerith called him one day and he wasn't sure if he liked the over excited tone in her voice. Because it usually meant he had to be a guinea pig. “Cloud, I'm playing a real good game right now and I wanna try something! Please be my model?“

Cloud sighed, having already expected this question. Aerith was learning to be a special effects make-up artist and he usually had to be the one who's transformed into all kinds of things. Maybe he should just tell her no. “Uh...sure.“ Next time. He'll tell her no next time.

“Yay! You're the best!“ She'd said and now, a few days later they met up at his place to work. Well she worked, while he sat there for a few hours and let her put make-up and prosthetic on his face.

“Alright. Sit down and relax.“

Cloud already sat when she started talking and made himself comfortable on the chair, since he'll stay there for a few hours. “I know the drill.“

Aerith giggled and brought everything she'll need for this. “This'll look so cool.“ She said more to herself as she began with her work.

To be very honest...the reason why he kept saying yes to her SFX experiments were to spend more time with her. And because...

Cloud felt himself shiver, when she began touching his face to put all kinds of things on his face and mold it. He never really bothered to memorize what she's using on him, but it didn't matter anyway. He was just a model after all, he didn't need to know that kind of stuff. But whenever her soft fingers touched him all over his face, it always felt like electricity's going all over his body. His stomach filling up with butterflies, his blood boiling, skin tingling, heart running wild.

Every time he was so close to confess Aerith his feelings for her, but he didn't want to ruin their friendship...What if she didn't have the same feelings for him? Things will be awkward forever. “Close your eyes.“ She told him and he did as he's told. Though it only made his senses go high-ware...Things got more intense, at least for him. Cloud had to swallow a big lump in his throat to talk again.

“What monster will I be now?“ He mumbled, as he felt her putting stuff over his right eye.

“What makes you think you're gonna be a monster?“ She asked innocently and if Cloud could, he'd roll his eyes. She's turned him into all kinds of monster till now. “Okay, I'm playing this game...These creatures look really cool.“

“Okay...“ It looked like she didn't want to give him more specific details and waited till he saw it for himself.

To be honest, he didn't know what happened then. He must've fallen asleep at some point. But can you really blame him? The girl he loved was technically giving him a face massage. When he woke up, he only had his left eye to see and he felt all kinds of things glued all around his face.

“Oh, good morning.“ Sang Aerith cheerily. “Had a nice nap, sleepy-head?“ Cloud hummed and tried to wake up completely. “We're almost done. You're a very heavy sleeper, you know that?“

“Wait...what?“ He mumbled, the remaining eye blinking confused. “How long did I sleep?“

“Too long.“ Aerith giggled and Cloud felt himself blushing under the make-up and prosthetics. “Like I said, we're almost done. I wasn't able to wake you up, no matter what I tried. So I just gave up and went back to work.“

The blonde felt guilty for falling asleep like that. Not just because she had no one to talk to, but also because their time together was shorter now. “Sorry.“

“It's okay!“ She said, as she made a few details around his eye. “At least you relaxed like I told you to. You always were a good listener.“ Cloud could only give her a little, sheepish smile. Actually she was the only one who could say that about him. Everyone else told him he couldn't listen to them at all. But they weren't as important as Aerith. And she was the only one he could listen to for hours and never get bored. Her voice was so beautiful like that of an angel and her laugh was like a song he could listen to on repeat.

Aerith added a few more details, before she finally said “Done!“ The blonde's head felt so heavy that he wondered how many of that stuff she put on his face. Getting, up and stretching his tired limbs, he made his way to the mirror and actually jumped at his reflection. “Holy...!“ He was a zombie. But not some 'normal' zombie you'd imagine. It looked like there are fungi growing out of his eye and skull. “What kind of game are you playing?“ He asked, but at the second look it wasn't that bad anymore. She did a real good job actually. It looked so real...

“It's called 'The last of Us'. A fungal virus is infecting the people there, turning them into zombies. It's actually based on a real fungus that infects ants, you know.“ Cloud only hummed. Yeah he's heard of this game before, and how good it's supposed to be. But he didn't have the time to play it yet.

“So? What do you say?“ She asked him then, looking at him with big and hopeful eyes.

“It's really good.“ The blonde answered, looking from her, back to the mirror. It looked amazingly good. That girl had some big talent.

Cloud looked at her again, when she gave him the biggest smile he's ever seen on her. “I'm glad you like your new look! Thanks for being my model. Again.“

He couldn't help but give her a small smile in return. “No problem.“ Then he noticed her grabbing her phone from a table and pointed the camera at him.

“Do you mind if I take some pictures and show it to a few friends and my teachers?“ She asked, as always. And his answer was always the same, too.

“Go on.“ Smiling brightly again, something Cloud grew to love seeing on her and could stare at forever, she took lots of pictures of him from different angles. He even played along and actually pretended to be a zombie for her, following her instruction how these 'Stalkers' behaved and also made a shot where he should pretend to bite her.

“You know, I actually wanted to make you a Clicker. But I thought I should start small.“ Aerith said, once their photo shooting was done.

“Clicker?“ At his question, she tapped something on her phone, before showing him a picture of these Clickers. “Holy shit...“

“I know right! Really cool!“ That's not really the word he'd use...The human face was nowhere to be seen on these Clickers. The fungus grew and spread all over it, covering the face completely. “They're blind, so they use these clicking noises to 'see'. You know echolocation.“

“I know what echolocation is, thank you.“ Mumbled Cloud, only earning himself a giggle from her.

“Maybe one day I can make you a Bloater. I suppose you'll have to wear a fat-suit then.“ She continued, before showing her a picture of a 'Bloater'. That thing was really fat and completely covered in fungi.

“Forget it.“ He said and ignored Aeriths cute pout. “Now remove that monster on my face.“ That made Aerith pout more.

“Really? We just finished, don't you wanna wear that a bit longer.“

Cloud knew that it's a lot of work for her, but...“Why should I? And what if someone comes over? They'll be scared to death.“ Like Tifa. She's usually one to come over.

“You're right...“ The girl sighed and it almost made him rethink it. Almost. Then she went back to her bag and looked for something. And a gasp told him that something's not wrong. “Oh no!“

Cloud tilted his head and went closer to her. “What's wrong?“

The brunette looked up at him apologetically. “I forgot the solvent I need to get this off.“

“It's okay.“ He said, shrugging. “Just get it. I didn't plan to leave my apartment soon anyway. No problem, right?“

Still, she looked very sad and guilty. “I'm still sorry, Cloud.“

He shook his head and gently guided her to the door. “It's no big deal. Things can happen.“

“You really are the best!“ Grabbing her purse, she quickly put on her shoes. “I'll hurry!“

“Don't hurt yourself! And bring the game!“ He called after her, as she ran down the stairs. Then he closed the door again, no need to scare his neighbors to death, and decided to watch some tv till she came back. Weirdly enough, roughly ten minutes later someone knocked on his door. “Well, that was fast...“ He mumbled, even though Aerith had like a thirteen minute way to her place. But when he opened the door, he looked into a pair of ruby red eyes widening in shock.

“Holy shit!“ Tifa exclaimed in panic, backing away from him. Meanwhile Cloud looked around to see if there's someone in the hallway who could see them. There was no one.

“Tifa, calm down.“ Said Cloud in a calming voice, but it seemed to make her angrier. She stomped over to him and punched his arm “Ow!“

“You idiot! You scared me to death!“

Cloud rubbed his hurting arm, frowning at his childhood friend. “It's not like I planned to do this...“ He grumbled, before pulling Tifa into his apartment to prevent a scene in the hallway.

“Why the hell are you looking like a monster?!“

“Aerith came over. She said she played a horror game and wanted me as a model.“ He quickly explained.

Tifa was still staring at him warily. Well, she's never been the biggest fan of horror stuff...“That explains everything...But hey, this might be a good thing for Halloween, right?“

“Thought you didn't like Halloween?“ He asked teasingly, earning himself a glare and another hit on his arm. The same spot.

“Not when people scare me all the time! But when I can have revenge on everyone...“ Cloud couldn't help but smile a bit, thinking of all the Halloween parties they went with their friends -he was dragged there involuntarily- and ended up scaring Tifa to death with everything they've got.

“You'll have to ask Aerith if she can turn you into a monster.“

“Oh, will do!“ Then she seemed to realize something very important. Cloud wondered when she'll notice already. “Hey...where is Aerith? She's not hiding somewhere to scare me, right?“ She asked, looking around.

“No, don't worry. She forgot the stuff to take of this stuff.“ He explained, pointing at his face.

“Well, you know, I think your face looks better than before.“

Cloud ignored her laughing at frowned at her. “Funny.“ They were interrupted, when they heard someone knocking on the door. The blonde was about to answer, but then remembered how he looked like. If it's anyone else but Aerith again, this won't look good. He looked to Tifa, asking her silently to answer the door.

“I'll get it.“ She said, having understood his look and went to the door. Cloud couldn't see who it was, but he heard some squealing. “Hey, Aerith!“ Greeted Tifa way too loudly and hugged the older girl.

“Tifa, nice to see you.“ The girls came inside and Aerith took off her shoes. “What are you doing here?“

“Oh, just wanted to pay Cloud a visit. Didn't expect him to turn into a zombie though...“ She glanced at Cloud, who just shrugged his shoulders. It wasn't like he planned this to happen.

“Sorry, this is my fault-“

“Did you scare me to death with a zombie face?“ Interrupted Tifa, while Aerith only shook her head. “Then it's not your fault.“ The girls smiled at each other and it seemed that they forgot that Cloud was in the room, too.

“Ahem!“ He fake-cleared his throat loudly to get their attention. And he got it. Aerith looked at him and seemed to remember why she was here in the first place.

“Oh! Sorry, I'll remove this real quick.“ Then she rummaged in her purse and pulled out a bottle of solvent for make up and whatever else stuck on his face.

Cloud sat on his chair and made himself comfortable. Removing this didn't take so long, but he used every moment he could to relax. “Go to work then.“

“So bossy...“ Mumbled Aerith. He didn't need to look to know she's pouting. But he did look when the girls were giggling. Though he couldn't tell what they were talking about telepathically. “Alright, let's cure you from that fungal virus.“

“Please...“ Aerith grabbed everything she needed and came to his side to finally free him from this mask.

“Okay, I guess I should get going then.“ Said Tifa a moment later, making Aerith stop.

“What? Why? You can stay.“

“This is still my apartment...“ Cloud mumbled, frowning at Aerith. Not that he didn't want Tifa to stay, it's still his decision if he wanted someone to stay or not.

But the girls ignored him completely. “Okay. How about I'll get us something to eat then?“

Aerith grinned at their mutual friend happily. “Yay! I'm starving!“

Then they looked at him as if they actually asked him for permission. Or at least his opinion. Because even if he said no, they'd do whatever they wanted anyway. “Sure.“

“Burger sound good?“ Suggested Tifa, which Aerith immediately agreed on.

“Sure.“ Mumbled Cloud again, he was hungry enough that he could eat anything right now.

Tifa went to the door and put on her shoes. “Okay, I'm off!“ She called and left them.

Smiling more to herself, Aerith turned to him and began with her work. It really didn't take that long to get it off. After removing the prosthetic, he could just peel off the mask. Still, he needed to wash his face after that and Aerith had to remove some remaining make-up.

And once it was done, he was happy to look at his normal face in the mirror instead of a zombie. “That's better. Feeling kinda hot underneath all that stuff...“ He only heard Aerith giggle at this. She had no idea how it was to be a model, she's only the one putting this stuff on people. One thing was good about this though. His face has never been this soft in his life before. With all the things Aerith gave him to make sure nothing would harm him and care for his skin. She was such a good soul...His angel.

After drying off his face, he met her in the living room. She's turned on his Playstation 4 and started a game. At his questioning look, she raised the cover of that Horror game. “I brought it. Wanna play?“

The blonde came over to her and sat next to her on the couch. “Sure.“ The brunette grinned at him happily, and gave him the controller. Good thing that he allowed her to install whatever game she had on his console or else they had to wait for hours till they could play. But before they could start a new game, someone knocked on the door.

“I'll get it!“ Said Aerith, she practically bounced off the couch and skipped to the door. Cloud smiled slightly, as he watched her opening the door. She always brought the sun with her wherever she went. And her cheery nature and happy mood were like a virus, infecting everyone in an instant. “Come in, come in, we just started the game!“

Tifa entered the room with multiple bags from McDonalds and looked at the tv screen. “Which one? That horror game...?“ She asked, as she put the bags on his coffee table and sat down next to him.

“Yeah. I told Aerith to bring it. Wanted to play it for months now.“ Answered the blonde, staring at the screen as the first cut-scene began.

Tifa cringed visibly. “Maybe I should really go now...“ Yep, Tifa would prefer to avoid anything that could be scary.

“No, you can't just leave! Come on, play with us. Maybe you'll love it.“ Aerith fished a burger out of one of the bags and sat down on Clouds other side. Cloud himself was now sandwiched between the girls. Cloud took a glance at Tifa. She already looked frightened, even though nothing bad happened yet. There was just a father-daughter moment there. Then she nodded and said that maybe she could stay a bit longer.

“Hey.“ Began Cloud. “That girl...She gonna die?“

That earned him a slap on his arm from Tifa. “Don't say such things!“

Aerith looked more curious at his statement. “What makes you think that?“

The blonde shrugged, exploring the girl's room now. “Well...it IS a horror game. Those families usually break apart. Plus she's not the girl from the cover.“ Since Aerith didn't say anything back, he mused he must be right.

And just a span of a few minutes, the virus broke out, the first kill happened, running away from zombies and as he predicted, the little girl died. “What? No! How can they do this?!” Yelled Tifa at the screen, having tears in her eyes.

Aerith just gave her a sympathetic smile, while he just shrugged. “Well, it is a horror game...”

------------------

“You're really heartless, Cloud...” The raven-haired girl grumbled, glaring at him.

“Hey, what did you expect? Of course people die. Also, the way this virus spread so fast is very unrealistic.” Plus the radio was dead very fast, too. Usually something like this took a bit more time to spread. The girls rolled their eyes and watched him continuing with the game. Of course after that scene they jumped a few years, too.

In the end Tifa stayed longer than she wanted, bravely getting through all the scary parts. Cloud and Aerith took turns at playing to let the other eat in peace. At some point it...must've happened again. Next thing he knew, he woke up with his head resting on Aerith lap. Then he noticed Aerith having her hand in his hair, petting him like a cat. It felt really nice. “Huh...?”

The brunette stopped and looked down at him. “Hey, sleepy-head. Good morning.” Cloud rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked around. “Tifa left.” Said the girl, before he could question it.

“And why are you still here?” He asked, before looking at his watch. It was pretty late...She should be home and sleeping by now.

“Well, uh, you didn't want to let me go.” Cloud frowned at that. How did he not want him to leave? She could've just left and let him sleep on the couch. “You hugged me and said 'don't go'.” She explained, which embarrassed him more than the fact that he still used her lap as a pillow.

“S-sorry.” He mumbled, before finally sitting up. “I didn't want to keep you that long. You should go home and sleep.” Cloud couldn't look at her. This whole thing was embarrassing enough and if she saw him blushing, he'll surely sink into the ground.

Aerith stood up and stretched herself. Meanwhile Cloud tried his damned best not to look at her. He'll surely end up staring at her. Again. “Yeah, I better. It was still nice hanging out with you. Even if you slept most of the time.” The older girl giggled, making him blush more. What kind of host was he to fall asleep on her two times?! Cloud watched her packing her things and then followed her to the door once she's done.

“Text me when you're home.” He said, always wanting to make sure she arrived home safely. Until now he kept offering her to bring her home but she always declined, saying she could take care of herself.

Aerith smiled at him sweetly. “As always.” She put on her shoes and turned to him again. “One last thing.”

“Yes?”

“You talk in your sleep.” The blonde frowned and hoped to whatever god may or may not exist up there, that he didn't say anything stupid in his sleep. But it seemed like he did say something stupid, since Aerith leaned over to him and kissed his cheek. “Love you, too.” She whispered in his ear, before leaving without another word, or letting his mind catch up to what just happened. The door closed and Cloud stood there for...he didn't know how long, but it felt like hours. At least until Aerith texted him that she was home. But this time she also sent a heart emoji with it.

Only then did it finally dawn on him that he actually confessed his love to her in his sleep. And she loved him back. He had to pinch himself to make sure this wasn't just another dream.

[kusunogatari]

[ Plague || Chapter Four ] [ @abyssaldespair ] [ Uchiha Obito, Suigin Ryū, Hatake Kakashi ] [ Blood, vomit ] [ Verse: When Dead Walk ] [ Previous || Next ]

Eyes closed in concentration, Ryū starts bleeding chakra into Obito’s lungs, which continue to rattle and wheeze as he breathes. Inside his lungs, it doesn’t take much to see the fungal spores in the pockets of the organs, causing inflammation and build-up of liquid. Her brows furrow slightly. “...hm…”

“What is it?” Kakashi asks, giving her a glance.

“It’s a fungal infection,” she confirms, letting her eyes open and chakra fade as she takes time to mull that over. “...he likely got it during his little escapade outside. Soil typically houses fungal spores, and the soil here even more so given how damp it typically is. When he went digging for that rodent, and ate it without any kind of...preparation, he likely got them into his system.”

“Is it...hard to treat?”

“Not really - it will just take time.” Looking to him critically, she then frowns. “...there’s likely also spores on his clothing, and possibly under his nails, in his hair…”

“...I don’t like where this is going.”

She gives him a look hinted with exasperation. “...I can handle it.”

“Not by yourself you won’t.”

“Then don’t complain.”

“I’ll complain as much as I want.”

Checking on his anesthesia, Ryū finds Obito still suitably under, and with Kakashi’s help moves Obito back upstairs. Removing his outer garments, she simply tosses them into the hearth for Kakashi to burn with some katon - they’re so soiled even beyond the spores, she can’t really salvage them...nor does she really want to. Instructing Kakashi to find spare clothes in the guest wing, she hauls Obito into the nearest washroom. Underclothes are soon tossed through the door to be similarly incinerated, and she washes him up as best she can, given he’s pretty much utterly limp. While not completely unconscious, he’s hardly able to do more than lightly grunt every so often.

“This is what you get for eating a raw rodent,” she chides, mostly just to help herself feel better. He can likely barely register her talking, let alone understand with his brain so addled. “...though I guess it was my fault for not paying attention. Seems for all my trying to help you, all I’ve done so far is make things worse, haven’t I…?”

Obito, of course, doesn’t respond. Filmy eyes flicker toward her, but he’s too anesthetized to do anything but look.

“...I’m getting close. Just a bit longer. But first we have to clear this up, ne?” She drags fingers with soap through his hair. “You’ll feel a lot better just being clean, though...it probably won’t last. Messy thing, aren’t you…?”

“Ryū?” Kakashi gives a knock.

“Hm?”

“Found some clothes.”

“Oh...just leave them outside the door.”

“...you sure?”

“I’m being very careful,” she replies, knowing what he’s getting at. “I’d like to spare at least some of his dignity.”

“Not sure he has much of that as he is, Ryū.”

“It’s the principle of the thing,” she assures him. “I’m almost done.”

Soon Obito’s rinsed and dried, and she maneuvers him into a spare set of pants and a top. The pants are a bit short, and the shirt a little big, but at least he’s not naked. Knowing they won’t be clean long, she doesn’t really care anyway. Once that’s done, they move him to the main room, and Ryū gets to work on his lungs. Thankfully fungus is easy enough to kill with the right intensity of chakra - it’s just a matter of being thorough. From there, she can use a bit of saline to wash out the lungs, and then treat the inflammation so he doesn’t keep coughing and wheezing.

Kakashi mostly just sits at the ready, just in case Obito manages to start stirring and cause trouble. But unlike before, Ryū is almost overly cautious, not wanting her lapse in concentration to cause any more harm. She checks him about every minute, carefully monitoring his levels of anesthesia to ensure he’s out enough to be docile.

Otherwise, she works on eradicating the fungal infection until she can sense it no more. Saline, drawn from a flask in her pack, is pushed through his airway to carefully sweep through and clear out the dead spores and the built-up fluid. Chakra forces the muscles to relax to avoid him coughing, and she soon tosses the soiled liquid into the hearth.

“All right...now I just need to get the swelling reduced, and he’ll be fine.”

“It’s always fascinating watching you medics work.”

“Really?”

Kakashi nods, and only after a long pause offers, “...guess it’s just quite the change watching someone put a person back together rather than take them apart.”

That earns a dry smile. “I can say the same in reverse...though not in quite such a positive way.”

“That’s fair.”

Soon enough, Ryū’s attentions come to a stop, and they both listen. Obito’s breathing, finally, is nearly silent. The healer wilts in relief with a heavy sigh. “...there...that’s much better.”

“Good work. Now...let’s get him put back in his space so I can stop being so tense.”

Ryū can’t help a humorless laugh. “Sorry…”

They haul him back down, deciding to let the sedation fade on its own. “...I’ll get back to breaking down the virus,” she offers with another sigh.

“Tedious, isn’t it?”

“You have no idea. But it’s the final step. Once I know how to break it...I can make a vaccine, and kill whatever virus remains in a patient. From there...they just have to heal. At least...so long as they aren’t too far gone. I don’t know enough to be sure when that threshold is...but I hope it’s not too late.”

“Agreed. I’ll keep an eye on him, make sure he snaps out of it okay.”

“Thank you.”

The rest of the day passes with Ryū continuing to work on the virus’ code, doing her best to be diligent, and yet swift. The more time passes, the more they might lose. But nor can she rush and risk overlooking something.

The balance between the two is almost maddening.

Two more days pass in the same pattern, Kakashi monitoring Obito, and Ryū locked into a tiny, microscopic world.

...then, she finds it.

Freezing in surprise, she pauses...and double checks. Triple checks. And then...giving it a test, she introduces her modified virus to a clean cell. Watching with bated breath, she sees it latch onto the cell...and then nothing. No replication. No taking over the cell. It just sits there...useless.

...she did it.

Unable to help herself, she gives a loud scream of triumph, Kakashi almost falling over in the basement two floors below.

“I DID IT! KAKASHI, I DID IT!”

Balking, he gives Obito a glance before sprinting up to her level. “You’re sure?”

“Yes!” She turns to him with shining silvers, practically starry-eyed. “I found the right piece to modify - it can’t replicate anymore! I know how to stop it from spreading! That means I can make a vaccine!”

“...brilliant!”

Taking up a spare scrap of paper, she quickly (but neatly) summarizes her findings, calling Fubuki. “Take this to Tsunade as fast as you can. It’s the information we need for the vaccine.”

Gold eyes widen, nodding without a word and streaking out an open window.

As the owl disappears, Ryū collapses to her knees in relief, Kakashi taking one beside her and resting a hand along her back.

“...good work, Ryū.”

“...I still need to find how best to kill a virus already embedded...but that’s far easier with what I know now. The more pressing issue was stopping the spread to keep infections to a minimum. Now...we can focus on those already sick.”

“All right then. Just...take five minutes first, all right? You’re still shaking.”

“Yeah...o-okay. I just…”

“I know.” He gives a few pats on her back. “This is big. Take a moment to relax, because you deserve it. Work’s not over, but you need to run on more than fumes, hm?”

That earns a small breath of a laugh. “...yeah.”

As a break, Ryū finds her teacher and explains her findings, earning a proud rumble from the dragon.

“As is expected from one of your line,” she replies, eyes squinting like a contented cat. “Let us hope it is recreated and distributed quickly. I must wonder how this infection came to be...but for now, what matters is that it is stopped. Now you can tend to your mate.”

The word, so uncommonly used in the human regard, makes her go pink. “Right...that’s the next hurdle. But with the information I found, it won’t take long - for me, or for the other medics working on it.”

The sage nods. “Then I will keep you no longer.”

Ryū returns to the manor, allowing Kakashi to shove food at her stubbornly. “Rest, and fuel. Also water.”

“Yes, Mother,” Ryū can’t help but retort with a weary smile. The Hatake just pats her head in tandem, earning a laugh as he goes to check on Obito.

Reenergized, Ryū leaps back into her work as soon as she’s done, picking apart more DNA to find where to attack the virus. Applying chakra to any weak points, she needles it and needles it until - finally, after several hours - she feels the virus wither and die.

With Fubuki still out, she calls upon another owl, sending the intel to Konoha. And as soon as the avian leaves her arm, she heads down into the manor’s basement.

Time to finally finish this.

Kakashi looks up as she enters, unable to help brightening in hopeful question. And when she gives a weary smile in reply, he takes her shoulders in his hands, gripping them tightly in excitement. “...all right. Let’s do this, hm?”

Obito, far more energetic without the pneumonia, gives his typical tirade against the barriers. Ryū manages to reach through and relax him, urging him prone and summoning her chakra. Kakashi holds him down just in case...and she starts urging the energy into his body in just the right way to vaporize the copies of the virus within him.

It takes hours. As she goes, it keeps replicating, a vaccine not exactly viable on someone already ill. But her determination knows no bounds, and well into the night she works. Entering a sage state to pool more energy, she doesn’t move, doesn’t speak...just keeps going.

Kakashi, too, is still and silent.

Only once she’s confident it’s eradicated does she let her chakra fade, body wilting in fatigue. “...I think...I think I did it...we’ll let him rest and check him again in an hour. If there’s no further activity...I can be sure.”

“So the vaccine won’t really...work?”

“At this point, no. A vaccine is like...a training dummy for the body. You take a sample of whatever is afflicting the body, and you make it inert. The body can then approach it, and figure out a way to beat it without the illness being able to actually take root and do harm. Your immune system gets to learn how to handle it, and can therefore eliminate it if and when it actually hits. Obito’s body has already been fighting it as best it could, but it didn’t have as much time as it would with a vaccine to learn from. So it got...overwhelmed.”

“Ah...I think I get it.”

Ryū gives a nod. “Now...he just needs rest and energy to help his body rebuild what damage the virus did. In addition to me helping him along, of course. It’ll likely be a while...he’s in rough shape.”

Kakashi gives a thoughtful hum. “...it’ll be interesting to see what he says when he wakes.”

“...are you going to try to capture him?”

That earns a hefty sigh. “...in all reality, I should. He’s part of a known enemy faction. Old friend or not...he’s a traitor to our village.”

At the word ‘our’, Ryū nearly retorts...but holds her tongue. Though not her birthplace, Konoha has been where she’s lived and worked for most of her life. But in spite of that...it’s never really felt like home...for several reasons. She’s not sure Kakashi would understand, however...so she keeps that to herself. “...but…?”

“...but...I might want to hear what he has to say, first. I think I owe him that much...and he owes me an explanation.”

She nods. Given the connected pasts the pair have, she can’t help but agree to that. And a large part of her is also curious.

...but…

If it comes down to it...she’s not sure what she’ll do if Kakashi tries to take Obito in. While she doesn’t want to fight him, nor does she think she would help him. She doesn’t want to be his enemy - or Konoha’s enemy - but nor does she want Obito to get hurt. For now...she’ll just have to see how things go.

With the virus all but gone, and Obito on the mend, Ryū insists on moving him back to a proper room. “I won’t have him anywhere but a bed. I can put chakra sealing bindings on him - that should suffice. But he needs proper rest, and won’t get that any other way.”

Kakashi just shrugs and agrees, insisting that he in turn keep an eye on the Uchiha. After his escape, the Hatake is paranoid he’ll do so again. And cured or not...he doesn’t want to risk either of them getting infected.

After some sleep, Ryū uses the first hints of morning to make Kakashi and herself the vaccine, administering it once it’s properly prepared. “There...that should keep us safe, but...we’ll still need to be careful, of course.”

“Right.”

A check shows a very small resurgence of the virus, which she quickly works to eradicate. Once that’s done, the rest of her spare energy goes into undoing all of the damage the infection has done over the last several weeks. It...isn’t pretty. But patience and diligence mean that she won’t quit until the job is done, and done right. Over the next several days, she balances repair work, and ensuring the rest of the virus is completely gone.

After about three days...there’s no more sign of the infection. Ryū allows herself to slow down a bit, relying more and more over a period of two weeks for Obito to recuperate on his own. His body needs to regain its own strength, after all.

Kakashi takes most of the time to watch him, but relents to let Ryū do so in order for him to rest. Obito hasn’t truly regained consciousness as of yet, seemingly caught in something like a fever dream as his body struggles to remedy its deficits.

In the meantime, Konoha keeps up more correspondence. The vaccine came in the nick of time, infection rates growing steadily even as Hi no Kuni led the charge in quarantines. With it, new cases practically cease...and with the knowledge to kill the virus in those already infected, it seems that the pandemic is finally beaten, with only a few dozen casualties throughout the continent.

Tsunade commends Ryū’s efforts, as well as the work put in by all of Hi no Kuni’s medics as soon as the illness was discovered. With their fast action, disaster has been curbed.

In the wake of it all, Ryū requests a bit of time to remain at home to rest, which the Godaime grants. In truth it’s mostly to keep an eye on Obito...but also to hopefully recuperate after so long of constant grind.

Nearly two weeks after first beginning to treat him directly, Ryū is seated at Obito’s bedside, senses attuned to his chakra in search of consciousness, and a hand idly brushing fingers through his hair. For once, his rest is fairly calm - not broken by heavy dreams, mumbling, or twitching.

And then, as the witching hour settles over the valley...he stirs.

Ryū, snapping to attention, freezes and watches as dark eyes flutter open. She then glances toward Kakashi’s chakra signature, ensuring he’s still asleep.

“...hn…”

“Shhh...be quiet,” she urges at a whisper. “You’ll wake Kakashi.”

His brow furrows, still addled by sleep. “...Kakashi…?”

“Yes, don’t panic. He’s asleep a few rooms over. He can’t know you’re awake, Obito.”

A long moment passes where he clearly tries to put all of this new information together with a weary mind. “...he’s here…?”

“Yes.”

“...you...you called me…?”

Gently, she lays fingers over his lips, begging for silence. “...it’s a long story, and I doubt you remember anything, but...you’ve been very, very ill. What’s the last thing you remember…?”

The Uchiha goes quiet for a long moment. “...I remember...walking. I was with D-...with my partner. We were...going to…” His face pinches, trying to recall. “...then I started getting so...tired. And hungry, and...angry…”

“That was the illness. A virus that spread over the continent.”

“Virus…?”

Ryū nods. “I was on my way to another village with Kakashi as an escort when we found you by chance. You were already very sick.”

“...I...I remember a...a light...I needed to find it…”

She stills. Does he mean…?

“...ugh…” A hand lifts to press the heel of a hand to his eyes. “...it’s so blurry…”

“It’s all right. For now, you just need rest. You were ill for a few weeks, so...you’re still recuperating. You’re in my home village. My teacher and I have been caring for you, and working on a cure.”

“...cure…?”

Another nod. “Thankfully I managed to make a vaccine, and other medics found ways to kill the virus, too. It’s over, for now...so long as it doesn’t mutate. But even then, we have a head start now.”

Slowly, his expression relaxes...and Ryū allows her own to crumble. Cupping his jaw gently, she bows her brow to his. “...I was so scared I was going to lose you...I worked every spare moment to find the cure. I had to save you…”

He stares up at her, still not quite fully conscious. “...seems you did.”

“...yeah...thank the gods.”

“No...thank you. Gods had nothing to do with it.”

That earns a small, teary smile.

“So...what happened after you found me…? I can’t remember anything…”

Quietly, Ryū does her best to summarize: from Suigin taking him here, to her treatment, to his escape...to his secondary illness, her breakthrough, and then working to heal him.

A hand reaches up to cup along her back over the wound from her landing atop the chair. “...I hurt you…”

“You didn’t meant to, Obito. It wasn’t you, it was the virus. Besides, I’m pretty much healed by now. Kakashi gave me a patch job.”

By now, he’s far more awake, eyes flickering between hers. “...so...you know who I am…”

Her head bows slightly. “...I do. At least...vaguely. Your mask was gone when we found you - Kakashi recognized you, and told me the basics. Otherwise, I know very little. I...know you didn’t mean for me to find out that way, but...I’m glad to know your name.”

He sighs. “...this is going to ruin everything…”

“...you likely would have been found out eventually. I...I don’t know why you’re with that group, or what you’re trying to accomplish. And I’m not going to force you to tell me...not that I really could.” Her hand on his cheek gently strokes her thumb over his scars. “...but once Kakashi knows you’re awake...he wants the truth. And he might try to take you back to Konoha.”

“I can’t let that happen.”

“...I knew you’d say that.” She sighs, expression torn. “...I don’t know what to do. What to think.”

“...you aren’t going to help him? Even knowing what you know?”

Ryū hesitates. “...I don’t want anything to happen to you. My feelings about Konoha - about shinobi - they’ve always been...confused. Conflicted. There’s so much about them - about you - that I don’t understand. That I...can’t understand. I think about the villages...about how they all house people who just want to survive. To thrive, and...be happy. I think about how Iwa was Konoha’s enemy...how they destroyed my home...and yet Konoha surely committed atrocities against Iwa. Us and them. Them and us. Those sorts of lines were never drawn for my people. Every shinobi kills. Every shinobi thinks they’re doing the right thing. But with how countries are pitted against each other...someone has to be wrong. And I don’t know who is. Akatsuki has done terrible things...but so have the villages, even if they won’t admit it.”

She looks back to his face from her lost gaze at her lap. “...I can’t draw those lines. I can’t...I…”

“I won’t ask you to.”

“...but -?”

“At this point...I don’t know what I’ll have left to go back to. If what I wanted to accomplish is still possible,” Obito admits softly. “...and with Kakashi knowing what he knows...I have no idea how that will play out, even if I escape him. At this point...I need to regroup.”

“...I understand.”

“...will you let me go?”

Brows wilted with confliction, Ryū lets silvers flicker across his face. “...how will I explain…?”

“There was a flaw in the bindings. I overpowered you. Whatever you want to tell him. Maybe he won’t believe you…” He hesitates. “...I could take you with me.”

“...no. No, I...I have to stay here.”

“But what if he -?”

“My actions might have consequences. But if I go with you...surely that will only solidify my guilt.”

“Unless I kidnapped you.”

That earns a soft laugh. “...not sure I’m really the type to be gallivanting across the countryside with you. I’m just a medic. I’m not...I can’t…”

Obito sighs. “...I don’t want Konoha to hurt you, either. All you’ve done is care for one of their enemies. There are those in far more powerful positions who have done worse.”

“...what do you mean…?”

“...it would take too long to explain, but sometimes the lines between enemies and allies isn’t so clear...or looks different in the shadows than in the light. My point is...if Kakashi accuses you of helping me...they’ll surely hurt you. And I can’t let that happen.”

Ryū is quiet for a long moment. “...guess I can always remain a mountain hermit. Suigin-sama would have a lot to say before anyone from Konoha tried to come here and take me away,” she notes dryly.

“I don’t even want the possibility. You’re too -” A pause, unsure how to explain. “...there are so few people like you left in this world. Truly good people. I won’t let Konoha, which is far from innocent, hurt you because you betrayed a flawed system by loving someone they claim you shouldn’t.”

At that, she can’t help a somber smile. “...I’ll be all right. We’re not exactly best friends, but...I think Kakashi will understand.”

“...are you sure?”

“...yes, I’m sure.”

Obito doesn’t look wholly convinced. “...I suppose I can’t make you do anything you don’t want…”

“No, you can’t. Look...we’ll get you loose. We’ll wake Kakashi. And he’ll come in here just in time to see you escape. I don’t think he can expect me to stop someone of your caliber.”

“...is that what you want to do?”

“I think it’s what’s best. That way, he’ll have only a partial excuse - he’ll have also let you get away, whether he meant to or not.”

“...all right then.”

Moving to Obito’s bindings, Ryū ever so carefully damages one, which allows him to ‘break’ free. Standing and rubbing at his wrists, he barely catches her as she clings to him tightly.

“...be careful…” she murmurs, nuzzling against his chest.

“You too. I’ll come back eventually - check on you. If Konoha tries anything...I’ll raze it to the ground.” He parts enough to stare at her, expression unyielding.

He’s serious.

Something in her stomach twists. “...well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I’ll stay here for a while. I already have permission. Konoha can figure out the rest.”

“...very well.” Embracing her again, he presses a kiss to the crown of her head. “...I’ll see you again soon.”

“Goodbye...Obito.”

They position themselves accordingly, Obito activating his Sharingan in preparation to teleport. Ryū, once he’s ready, gives a mock cry of surprise.

As expected, it takes mere moments for Kakashi to burst into the room. And just as he does, Ryū stumbles back, Obito disappearing in a swirl of chakra.

Back pressed to a wall, she pants for false breath, eyes wide.

“...what happened?”

“He...he just…” She gestures. “...he woke up, and just...broke one of the seals. I-it must have been faulty.”

Checking the broken bindings, he doesn’t reply, instead asking, “...did he hurt you?”

“...no. He demanded an explanation, and I gave it...then he snapped the seals and disappeared.”

Turning to her, Kakashi examines her critically.

...technically, she isn’t lying. He did do all of those things...just not quite the way it sounds.

After a long pause, he heaves a weary sigh. “...well, I doubt there will be any tracking him now.”

“...are you...are you going to report this to Konoha?”

“...I have to,” he replies, watching her again. “...it’s my duty.”

...he knows she’s lying. She can tell. And yet...he doesn’t confront her.

“...well...not much point in me staying now, what with him gone,” he then goes on, hands on his hips. “...suppose I’ll try to sleep a bit longer, then head back. I take it you’re staying a while longer…?”

She hesitates. “...a few days, yes. Just to...rest.”

“...mm.” He itches the rear of his head, sighing once more. “...I’ll report we encountered one of Akatsuki. Uchiha Obito. But, alas...he got away. Not exactly someone we could have handled by ourselves, all things considered. Especially after the few weeks we’ve had. Better he ran than hurt or killed us. There’s always next time.”

Her eyes widen, genuinely surprised.

“...but, that next time,” he goes on, looking to her plainly, “he might not be so lucky.”

Ryū’s form wilts. “...I understand.”

“Mm.”

“...Kakashi…”

He waits patiently.

“...thank you. For...for everything. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

At that, Kakashi considers her one last time, head tilting. “...well, I can’t exactly say it was a pleasure...I did get vomited on, and found out my old teammate is now my enemy. But...I was happy to help.” His eye crinkles with a smile. “...maybe we’ll do this again sometime.”

“I...I’d like that. I’ll see you off in the morning, but...either way, I hope the journey back goes smoothly.”

“I appreciate it.”

She doesn’t really sleep after that, already awake when Kakashi rises with the dawn. Packing up his few things (and allowing Ryū to force some extra supplies on him), he gives a mock salute. “...guess I’ll see you around.”

“Mhm.”

“Until then.” Leaping up into the valley’s trees, he makes his way to the pass out of the valley.

Ryū watches him go, heart heavy and conflicted in her chest. Well...at least he isn’t going to rat her out. Not yet, at least...but should they encounter Obito again, he can’t let it happen a second time. All she can hope now is that the pair never cross paths again. She doesn’t want harm to come to Konoha, or the people there...or anywhere, really. But the lonely, selfish part of her can’t stand the idea of Obito coming to harm, either.

...eventually...part of her is going to end up disappointed.

But for now, she has a few days to rest, and recuperate before heading back to the hidden village. From there...she’ll just have to see how things go.

Already she misses him terribly. Having him so near for so long - even though he was ill for the vast majority - left her a bit spoiled. Their goodbye was awfully rushed…

Lost in her thoughts, she can’t help but gasp, spinning around as a chakra emerges from behind her. Before she can regain her breath, Obito captures her in his arms, stealing a breathless kiss.

“...sorry,” he murmurs against her lips, watching her continue to gape with a smirk. “I thought he’d never leave...and I wanted to do this properly.”

“...O-?” She cuts off as he rests his brow to hers.

“...I can’t stay...but I’ll return soon. I just couldn’t stomach that lackluster farewell.”

After a pause, she laughs. “...neither could I.” Arms gently grip his neck. “...I’ll be here for another few days, if you try to find me before then. Otherwise...I’ll likely be back in Konoha. Kakashi is letting me go.”

“Hm, so I heard. Good to see he’s not the hardass he was when we were young. Still...be careful.”

“You, too.” She gently nuzzles their brows. “...I miss you already…”

“Mm, me too. I’ll see what’s left...what I can still do. Then I’ll return.”

“...promise?”

“I promise.” Giving her forehead a press of his lips, Obito slowly retreats, hands slipping through hands before he vanishes one last time.

Staring at the now-empty space, she sighs softly. She, too, has to reacquaint herself with the world after the sweeping of the virus. But, for now...she’ll linger at home a little longer.

She deserves that much, at least.

     All righty! After...far too long, finally finishing this little fic up! Admittedly I never planned for it to be multichap, so figuring out a plot was a lil difficult. But here we are!      It might feel a little...clipped? Cuz it really COULD turn into a big ol' thing, but...neither Meg nor I feel like doing that, so we figured this'd be a good way to end it lol - open ended for your imagination as to how things would go from here. But it was still a neat project! Zombies are always fun xD      Hoping to finish up more WIPs soon now that my dailies are over, so hopefully you'll see more sooner rather than later! But for now, that's it - thanks for reading!

[bellygunnr]

No Drinks for Me

The Hamlet had become harrowed under the assault of abused soldiers and wearied doctors. The lights from the Sanitarium and the Abbey were dim and flickering, obscured by heavy curtains drawn for the protection of their patients. Shadows clung to the worn cobbled paths, making the houses dribble and ooze in their blackness as Dismas meandered slowly toward the tavern. The hard leather edge of his dagger’s sheathe dug into his stomach as he walked, boots striking a steady beat. There was little to see around him. There was little to see anywhere.

The tavern was nigh empty, save for the barkeep and the heavy-cloaked figures of self-proclaimed plague doctors and otherworldly scholars. Dismas pulled at the stubble growing along his chin with some discomfort, though he swallowed his grimace lest they noticed. But of course they would gather here when the rest of the Hamlet was driven back by plague-- no one had been able to grant them permission into more respectable labs.

“Good evening,” Dismas said slowly. He dragged a chair up to the bar, slumping over the wooden board. “Any progress?”

“Oh, Dismas,” said one doctor-- their beak-like mask nearly stabbed the Highwayman in the eye. “I’m afraid we will not be able to sustain any trips into the estate wilderness for quite a while. The sickness, you see, has taken our strongest fighters.”

He sighed. The barkeep cut a look at him with her heavy, bagged eyes and scarred shoulders. The offer was silent. Dismas shook his head.

“Any deaths?” Dismas pushed reluctantly.

“No, none yet...” the doctor murmured. “May there not be any.”

“This plague does seem to have... originated from the Weald, Dismas,” another voice cut in. One of the scholarly types touched his shoulder to bring his head around. “Fungal spores have infiltrated their rooms, and crawl across their skin. You have not permitted me to venture there but that is where those beasts reside, is it not?”

His stomach cramped at the mere mention of the Weald. He remembered vividly the piercing thorns and mushroom-flesh daggers, the choking plumes of spores that made his mouth feel like cotton. Dismas growled low in his throat.

“Yes, that’s them. Who were the first infected again...?”

“Brinon, ah... one of those abomination fellows, this one had the padlocks on his neck--”

“Garett,” Dismas cut in gravely. “They’re not abominations.”

“Right, Garett, yes... Brinon, Garrett, and that woman, Marion. They’ve been locked up tightly for many days now. The sanitarium will not permit us passage,” the scholar finished.

“I’m working on it,” he sighed. “Marion was the last to go in, but she led the last expedition into that horrible place.”

A heavy blanket of silence fell over the group, and Dismas lay his head down. Some part of him yearned for a shot of whiskey to dull the edge- but he didn't have the time. He had a town to run, an estate to fix, and all its inhabitants were on the verge of being wiped out. For their sake, if not for his, he would have to remain sober.

"I trust in you all to find a solution," Dismas said suddenly. He pushed himself up and away from the bar. "I'm going to go find Reynauld. Or that thrice-damned heir."

Reynauld was not in the square, nor the barracks, nor the graveyard. He found him in the church among the pews and stained glass windows, casting warm light in broken shafts across the sanctuary. The holy man's formidable frame seemed to sparkle under the moonlight's silver caress, as if he were indeed an angel, or some other higher being. Dismas shook his head and hovered in front of the doors. The man did not seem to be praying but even he knew better than to disturb someone in their place of worship.

Only when Dismas was growing impatient with the silent breathing and the silent waiting did Reynauld turn around, his face for once uncovered by armor or cloth, revealing a face branded with scars against pale skin. Bright, focused eyes glinted expressionlessly at Dismas, becoming as cold as flint as his lips tightened, then softened.

"This is not the first place you looked," Reynauld called with amusement.

"No," Dismas agreed.

"What are we going to do without a priest, Dismas?" the holy man pressed.

"Let the women deal with it. Or the Heir's caretaker," he said huffily. "That isn't my business, you know that."

Reynauld shook his head. He began to walk slowly down the church's center lane, steps silent-- he was walking barefoot. Dismas frowned with disapproval.

"Where are your boots, knight-man? Don't tell me you lost them," he growled.

"Not at all," Reynauld said without a degree of offense. "Can I not forego certain material matters to speak more closely with the Lord?"

A distinct sense of unease settled within the pit of Dismas' stomach. There was something off about the man's speech, the tilt of his walk, and even the scars patterning his face. Maybe it was just that the holy man was unarmoured and completely devoid of tapestries. Maybe it was that he was inside the church and his holy book was decidedly not anywhere nearby. Or maybe Dismas had never talked to him while sober...

Too many variables, Dismas thought.

"You look troubled," he said gently. Reynauld had stepped in much closer, out of the moon's silver fingers and into the shadows. Concern deepened the wrinkles on his forehead but the effect was overall relieving-- here, the thief could get a bead on his old comrade.

"I want a drink," Dismas admitted. "Come on. Let's go for a walk, man."

Their walk led them back to the barracks. Dismas stopped short of the door, staring at the austere structure with some distaste in his tired eyes. Clouds had covered the moon completely and cast everything back into horrid shadow, so his hostility went largely unnoticed by Reynauld.

"Why do you still sleep here...?" Dismas asked of him.

"It is comfortable. It is also close to our brothers and sisters in arms," Reynauld answered mildly.

"You mean close to those that see the grave faster."

"Not a bit, dear Dismas. At least Barristan is still around from those cursed days, so we are not entirely alone."

Dismas shook his head as finally, Reynauld turned away and disappeared into the barracks, leaving him alone. Of the two, Dismas had been the first to find his own personal residence-- much to the citizens and the Heir's dismay. Not that he cared. He had the coin and the know-how, and at this point, it would be awkward not to have his own space. It just irked him that no one else had done the same.

He passed the tavern, now dark and silent, and caught a glimpse of the horizon. Crimson flared and bobbed along its distant line-- the night moved fast, it seemed, as dawn was fast approaching. He scratched at his stubble with dismay.

Despite his long, long day, exhaustion still did not pull at his muscles or brain.

Sleep would be scarce. This month would be hard.

[linoholic]

Poly!Changki

Requested: Hello! I just read your Poly!Kiho thing and I was wondering if you could do another one with Wonkyun and maybe one with Changki?? Can I request two at a time? I don't know if you write smut, but maybe, if you do... could you include some of that too?? If not, that's totally fine! Thank you in advance! 

Pairing: Monsta X Kihyun x Changkyun x Reader 

Warnings: minor blood, violence and sexual themes; hints at death (its an apocalypse after all)

This is some sort of apocalyptic, dystopian "Last of Us" au. I had to use the infamous Changki gif I'm sorry not really. It also inspired this au as a whole tbh.

...this was meant to be a normal poly!au head canon thing, but turned into a longer story thing. Other requests are being written as inspiration comes, I swear. I just have a lot less time on my hands than I expected.

The year is 2018 and it has been eight years since the outbreak

In 2008, some place in the Amazon, scientists discovered a new type of fungus

Nothing unusual considering hundreds of new species of various things are being discovered, so no special precautions were taken

Which turned out to be a mistake, because suddenly all workers in the lab were not reporting in, not a single person in the small lab having left the place in a week

Until one did

But she wasn't... completely normal

She was lucid, yes, but she was coughing and throwing up blood and what seemed to be...fungal spores?

Of course, she was rushed to the hospital and put in quarantine

But that wasn't enough

Pretty soon the hospital was infected

Then the neighbourhood

Then the city

And before anyone knew it

It had spread globally

World leaders declared a worldwide epidemic and borders shut down, quarantine zones were set up

There were 21 zones in South Korea, all holding what was left of the countries population 

Or at least, the legal population

Because of course, there are people who have survived on their own outside of the zones, in No Mans Land (called NML for short)

But is in one of these zones that you had been living or the past eight years

In the suburbs of Seoul stands Zone 6, with a population of 3412

You had been sharing a small apartment with 3 other people

Your family were all gone, as were your friends

But you were still here, living for them

Everybody in the zones had a role to play

Even children helped out, usually helping in the growing of food

You are a guard yourself

Or well, guard in training

But still, not everybody was equal

Especially in Zone 6

Corruption was everywhere, you had witnessed it for yourself

Those in charge, the government and the police, the guards

They always got more rations

Whereas the people who worked their arses off to stay alive, to be able to keep living in the Zone, were looked down upon

You often witnessed guards bullying people out of their ration coupons

Or using their power to abuse people

The higher ups were living in comfort while everyone else was barely living

People that showed any sign of sickness, even a simple cold, they were stripped of their rights and passes that allowed them to live there and were chucked out into NML

And people that did the simplest thing wrong were also left to fend for themselves, or chucked into prison for ages and basically starved

And that was simply at the beginning of the outbreak

Since then it had gotten a lot worse

The guards were armed and trigger happy, extreme rules and curfews were put in place

To put it simply, it was oppression

You often gave your coupons to families with children to feed, only keeping enough to get by

And if you ever witnessed anyone abusing their power against someone, you would interrupt, using a pretty smile and acting clueless to distract them while the person got away

Despite being a guard, one of those that the normal folk hated, people came to trust you

And so you were often privy to all the whispers that circulated the population

So when you heard whispers of an organisation only known as "The Clan"

You were intrigued

From what you had heard, it was a group of seven people that had been stealing food and other resources and giving it to the people who needed it

Basically keeping people alive

But nobody who knew they were

They always wore masks and did everything anonymously

Even their genders were a mystery

But they were revered by everyone, being called the new Robin Hoods

Well, everyone except those in charge

Orders were sent around to find them which is when the raids started

Anybody thought to have information on The Clan were investigated, their homes turned upside down and questioned with force

But people didn't cooperate

If The Clan saved your mother by getting her the medicine she needed, or your too skinny son the food he deserved, would you give them up?

And even though you were a guard in training, you didn't cooperate either,,, well,,, not obviously

But you made sure you got onto most of the raid teams and made sure homes weren't too messed up; or kept quiet about any contriband that might have got someone trouble

You also messed around with paperwork, switching up names and dates and helping to get people out of prison earlier, or even completely wiping their records sometimes

And your efforts did not go unnoticed

It was Minhyuk who first took notice of you and your work

The apartment beside his was being raided, the man thought to have been holding illegal weapons, to be smuggled to the people in NML

Which wasn't false; the man was a smuggler and a contact of the Clan

Minhyuk himself was in the apartment and had seen the case of guns, right out in the open in the bathtub, not having been hidden yet, he was the one that had given them to the dude

So when he saw you walk in the bathroom, he was preparing for the worst

His face had drained of colour, and he was holding his breath

But when you walked out, shouting an "All clear!"

It is safe to say he was confused, even more so when you caught his eye and winked before leaving with the rest of your squad

And when be heard you turned up half an hour later at the same apartment to help the man tidy up and apologize for the inconvenience

Well, now he is intrigued

So of course he tells the rest of the guys about you

And they do some research on you

Jooheon asks around about you and it comes to their attention that you are a sort of rebel figure to the people

He hears stories about you, about how you got people out of prison, about how you stopped so many from getting beaten, about you starving yourself to instead feed the neighbourhoods kids

All the while staying inconspicuous and under the radar

In fact, a lot of things that the Clan are credited with are actually the work of you

And so Shownu makes the desicion to talk to you

One day, after your shift, you go home intending to go straight to sleep when you see an envelope sitting in the center of your pillow

It is completely unmarked, only your name written on the front

You are kind of hesitant to open it but in the end curiosity wins you over

Inside is a single piece of paper and much like the envelope it came in, it is completely bare save for the address in the center, below it a time is stamped

And considering there is no date, you can only guess that it means today, or well, tonight considering it says 23:45

But it is a while till nightfall, and so you decide on having a small nap til then

As the time approaches, you wake up from the nap and get dressed in all black clothing with a mask covering your face and a hat covering your hair to conceal your identity

You have no idea who sent you the note or what they want from you; so you intend to stick to the shadows and scout the place out

The address turns out to be an old warehouse right on the edge of the zone, the wall into NML being visible from its position

Approaching the building, you see the faint glow of candlelight flickering through the broken, vine covered windows

Using various boxes and dumpsters to your advantage, you climb up to those very same windows, peering in

Sitting around a low fire in the middle of the large space are what seems to be five men; one of which you recognise as being in the apartment from before

Looking around a bit more, you notice two more men standing by the warehouse door, obviously waiting for someone to arrive (that someone being you)

And so instead of doing what they expect, you instead decide to climb in through the window, entering on your own terms

Thankfully there isn't much of a drop and you manage to lightly land on your feet, avoiding any glass that may have been on the floor

The men keeping the fire low so as to avoid detection from outside also works in your favour, as it means you can creep up on the group in the darkness

As you get closer to them, you start to pick up on the conversation they are having

"Are we sure this is a good idea?"

"We have been doing what we can but it isn't quite enough, Changkyun. Having someone on the inside is too good of an opportunity to miss."

"We could know the guards schedules, where they keep their stashes and all that. Imagine how helpful that would be for us."

Hearing their conversation, you come to the realisation that it is these guys

They are The Clan

And so you relax a little, and decide to interrupt their little get together early

"Well, I guess I know why I am here then, don't I?" You announce, stepping into the firelight and consequently, their vision

In less than a second the five have jumped up and are pointing various weapons at you, and the other two come running over at the commotion

You pull your mask down and hat off, and the guy from the apartment and the one with the dimples immediately relax, motioning for the others to lower their weapons

"It's alright. This is them. Y/N," Dimples tells the rest and straight away one of the bulkier looking dudes steps forward, hand out

"It's good to finally meet you. I'm Shownu. And this is Kihyun, Hyungwon, Minhyuk, Changkyun, Jooheon and Wonho."

"Pleasure. I guess you all know my name."

And so you all sit down around the fire, and that is the start of your relationship with the Clan

At first you are just an informant for them, their insider in the police

But pretty soon you become one of them, and the Clan goes from seven members to eight

You get close to them all, finding out the reasons as to why they created this little rebel group, which span from the sad stories to Changkyun's "I was bored"

With your help finding out guard schedules and passwords to storage rooms and the like, the Clan becomes less of a thorn in the governments side and more like a knife in their leg

And under your influence, more and more people are rebelling and rising up against those in charge

Months go by with you rebelling against the system with the Clan

And they still have no idea who is behind it all

That is, until one day when you are on one of your usual, boring, patrol assignments

It is around midday and you are just walking the streets when suddenly you hear a commotion up ahead

Running towards the sounds you are forced to a halt by what you see

Being dragged out of a house and thrown onto the cement are two men, guns held by guards being pointed at them

Sadly an all too normal sight these days

Instead, what has your eyes widening in shock is the fact that you recognise the men

It's Kihyun and Changkyun

Before you can react any further, they have been dragged off

Looking up, you meet Shownu's determined look from across the crowd and nod at him, your expression mirroring his

Unfortunately you can't act right away; it would be too suspicious and you would be of no help at all

And also, they would be surrounded by various officers for a while, as they were interrogated

That night, with hurried steps you make your way to the police headquarters, easily making your way into the holding cells

Like you suspected, they had obviously not managed to get any information from the two and had given up for the night

And stupidely, they had left only two guards on duty and it was quite easy to knock them out

You hurry down into the second level of the basement where they keep the... more important... of prisoners

As you turn the corner what you see makes you gasp

Sitting in cells opposite each other, tied up to chairs are Changkyun and Kihyun

Kihyun immediately notices your presence and you run over to the cell door, unlocking it (with keys you stole from the incompetant guard) and rushing towards him

You take note of the split lip and black eye on his face before untying his bonds

He squeezes your hand in thanks before you both hurry over to Changkyun's cell, unlocking it and kneeling by him

The boy was still out of it, and you saw dried blood on his face and matted in his hair, and who knows what sort of injuries are hidden by his clothes

"He got the brunt of it all. Idiot decided to be his usual cheeky self and they didn't like that at all"

Despite his words, you see the worry and fondness on Kihyun's face and you take his hand

"It will be fine. He will be fine."

Kihyun looks at you and nods, and you get to untying the younger of the two while Kihyun tries waking him up

As he comes to, Kihyun starts fussing over the boy but you quickly hush him

"Come. We need to hurry while it is still dark."

Kihyun nods and the two of you help Changkyun stand up

It is obvious that he had been kicked in the leg by the limp he sports, and so you and Kihyun support him all the way out the station (which is much easier than it should have been)

The closest place is the small house Shownu and Jooheon share, and so the three of you slowly make your way there, sticking to the shadows and avoiding any guards you see

Shownu is shocked by the sight of you three on his doorstep and he quickly calls Jooheon and tells him to get the other guys to the warehouse, who runs off into the night as told so

Shownu takes over supporting Changkyun and together the four of you head towards the warehouse

After what seems like years you arrive at the building, the others already there

Wonho comes and helps bring Changkyun over to one of the old scavenged couches and Kihyun is quick to tend to him while you talk to the others

It is quite obvious that none of you are safe staying here, they know Changkyun and Kihyun, the two knocked out were your colleagues and know you helped break them out

And the others probably aren't safe for much longer if they found two already

So as the others plan, you take a seat besides Kihyun, who has finished patching up Changkyun and take the wet cloth in his hands and wipe at the blood on his face

Over the course of the night, many different plans are discussed

And finally one is decided on

Kihyun, Changkyun and you will stay in the warehouse for the next few days while Changkyuns leg heals, before the three of you sneak out of the zone

The boys have some contacts in NML that you will stay with, at least for a while; four women named Soyou, Bora, Hyolyn and Dasom who had left the quarantine zone a year before

The other five will slowly smuggle supplies out of Zone 6 for a few weeks before joining you all in NML

Because as much as you would all love to stay and help people still, being locked up, or worse, dead, would not be helping anyone

And so the five take their leave

They all have jobs to attend and it would look too suspicious if they miss them

As the sun rises and starts filtering through the cracked windows, bathing you all in a golden light, the two boys start drifting off to sleep, obviously exhausted by the nights events

As the next few days go by, the others filter in and out, stockpiling supplies; and you see Kihyun and Changkyun's bruises start fading and cuts healing over

Soon enough Changkyun can walk and run perfectly fine, which signals the time for the three of you to leave

It is a three day journey by foot to the Starship Hotel, the home base of Sistar as they call themselves

And that is if you were walking nonstop

The boys do have access to a car, a pickup, but you agreed to leave that for the others so that they could easily transport the supplies they smuggle out

Hugs and promises of meeting again soon are exchanged between the eight of you

"Stay safe and out of sight. Remember, guns are only a last resort. You don't want to alert the infected," Shownu reminds you

"Yes Dad," Changkyun teases and you all share a laugh, the last laugh the eight of you will share for a while

Before you know it, night has fallen and the wall to Zone 6 stands behind you, now a distant reminder of the years you spent living in relative safety

Now the dangers of No Mans Land face you

The infected, bandits, cold, hunger, thirst

But the three of you have each other for now, and soon the rest of the Clan and Sistar will join you

For miles and miles the three of you walk through streets and buildings being reclaimed by mother nature

For three days you manage to travel without incident, avoiding groups of infected, killing a few stragglers here and there when need be

Now only three more days away (thanks to delays due to hordes and inaccessible roads), you all decide to rest for the night in an old school

They were the first places evacuated during the outbreak and as such usually have hardly any infected in

You and Kihyun have a good laugh when Changkyun stumbles after killing one of them, tumbling into a store cupboard of the old school and walking out covered head to toe in paint of every colour

He gets you back by smothering you both in hugs, getting you both covered as well

After clearing the rest of the building, you find the old gym and though you aren't expecting anything, you decide to test out the showers

But suddenly, you are sprayed with a shower of water and you let out a loud shout, quickly turning it off

Kihyun and Changkyun come running in, weapons raised, only to find you grinning and clapping your hands in glee

"Two of the sho-"

That is all you can get out before the two are dropping their bags and rushing over to you, clothes being dropped in a trail behind them, you following in their footsteps and shedding your clothes

You don't know how the showers are still working, but even if it is only cold water coming out of them, you don't dare question it

Instead you turn the two showers on full blast, thankfully they are right next to each other and the three of you stand under the combined stream of water

There is no time and place for shame in the apocalypse, instead the three of you are just glad to get rid of the paint and dirt built up from walking

Nothing...intimate happens either

But it is very intimate in simpler terms

You and Kihyun help Changkyun wash off the paint that he can't reach

And you share your precious apple bodywash you had...aquired back in Zone 6

And when you had finished showering and had washed your clothes

The three of you huddle together under a big blanket for warmth as you sleep; letting your clothes dry through the night

After that night, the relationship between the three of you changes slightly

Skinship shared between you is less platonic

Fingertips linger on arms when pulling the others out of sight of infected

And the nights are now spent together..."for warmth" as Kihyun claims

And then finally you arrive at Starship Hotel

Out the front in a wide arc, creating a perimeter, are various traps and spikes to keep out anything -or anyone - unwanted

The building itself is a fancy looking place

You can only imagine how nice it would be without eight years of disrepair 

A few hundred yards behind the building is a pretty looking woods

Before you can inspect the area any further, a woman comes walking towards your trio

"Well well! Look who we have here! What are you doing out of the Zone? And who is this with you?" The woman questions, smilely brightly at Kihyun and Changkyun

"I'm y/n. Nice to meet you."

"You too. Well. Follow me. We'll meet up with the others then if you want to explain why you are here, well, our ears are open"

She leads you all into the hotel lobby and towards the elevators

The three of you share shocked looks upon seeing the working lift and when Hyolyn turns around and sees your faces, she laughs brightly

"We have solar panels and petrol generators to keep electricity on, though only on this floor and the top two floors, which is where we mainly keep to."

The four of you trail into the lift and as the doors open on the top floor, you are greeted by Bora, Soyou and Dasom

After exchanging pleasantries and introductions, they lead you into one of the penthouses, where you all sit around the dining table and Kihyun took control of the conversation, explaining the events right from the time of you joining the Clan

"You still have no idea how they found you? Well. Anyway. I bet you're all exhausted. There are plenty of rooms to choose from. Though I would suggest the floor below, especially if you want hot water and electricity"

Your trio gives your thanks before heading down a level, filtering into separate rooms

The sun is setting as you step out of the shower

You spent longer than you usually would've under the water, but the draw of a hot shower without being timed, like in the zone, was far too tempting

It is the same with the bed

It is much earlier than the time you usually sleep, but after a week of sleeping on the ground with one eye open, the comfy pillows were calling your name

Even so, you were lying in bed for an hour and a half with sleep nowhere to be found

And then it hit you

For the past week you had gotten so used to being around Changkyun and Kihyun that it was unnerving being alone for so long

So you get out of bed and head out of your door, before immediately bumping into another body

A cocooned Changkyun stands before you, and no words need to be shared before you are both trailing into Kihyun's room

He is fast asleep in the middle of the bed looking adorable and you and Changkyun share soft smiles before sliding in under the covers either side of him

He wakes up at the movement, but does nothing except pull you both into arms

That night the three of you get the best nights sleep you have had in a while

Not only are the beds a hundred times more comfortable than anything back in the zone

But you also don't have to worry about being snuck up on by anyone, or waking up for lookout duty

And although the room smells musty from years of disuse and there is a constant whistling sound coming from a crack in the window

Laying on Kihyun's chest with his arm wrapped around you while Changkyun fingers are entwined with yours definitely makes up for any downfalls

Now you're at Starship, you have two weeks til the others are set to join you

During this time you get to know other people who stay at the hotel such as Kim Hyungsoo ("call me K.Will"), Donghyun, Hyunseong, Jeongmin, Youngmin, Kwangmin, Minwoo (aka Boyfriend) and a large group of lovely girls that jokingly call themselves 'Cosmic Girls', as well as a man known only as Mad Clown

All people that Sistar invited to stay at the hotel

You, Kihyun and Changkyun easily become part of the tiny community

Kihyun tends to stick to the kitchens, somehow managing to turn the most basic supplies into delicious meals, and also spends a lot of time in the gardens behind the hotel where food is grown

Changkyun helps to keep the place running; his smarts are put to good use keeping the lights on and water hot; and he also helps Hyolyn on guard duty

And you, being light on your feet and quick with a weapon thanks to guard training get put on hunting duty

Despite your different jobs, the three of you always come together during any free time

Usually you and Changkyun congregate in the kitchens, sitting on the counters and annoying Kihyun

And the three of you just get closer and closer

Ever since the night in the school, your relationship has definitely been more than that of just friends

But none of you have done anything or said anything to actually define your relationship, to put a label on it

It's a sort of skinny love situation

You all know you like each other

You all flirt, and you and Changkyun haven't yet slept outside of Kihyun's room

But it isn't until the day before Shownu and the others are due to arrive that anything happens to change that

You had been out in the forest overnight hunting with Bora

You had been tracking a deer for a while now and had almost caught it when out of nowhere can a group of infected stumbled into your path

Now, while they aren't zombies, who only exist to search for and eat flesh

They do kill, and are pretty fast and very dangerous

Even the most competent person needs to be careful when killing them because of the spores that can release from their bodies

So when you see the first one stumble through the trees you pull Bora back by the arm, intending to just quietly kill it

But then another one appears, and another

Suddenly there are six infected approaching you, still unaware of your presence

Now, usually in situations like this you would keep quiet, letting them pass

But they are headed straight for you and it is just your luck that the two of you are stood at the top of a small cliff, about 15ft high

And so you have no choice but to fight

Thankfully, Bora has a bow she uses and so two infected are down before they even know you are there

But suddenly, you are being rushed by five more and you have your machete out and are relying on your instincts to keep you alive

Two more are down easily; Bora is taking care of one while you have two on you

And it is going well

You have just killed one when the last one lunges at you with more force than you were expecting and the ground under your feet gives way and suddenly you are tumbling backwards

Rocks fall alongside you and branches break as you crash through them

And then you come to a stop

Your vision fades in and out of darkness and your ears are ringing

You feel something warm dripping down your face and you can vaguely hear Bora shouting your name as she finishes the infected off and carefully slides down the cliff

"Can you hear me? Stay awake y/n."

You nod slightly, forcing your eyes open and Bora hauls you up, supporting you on her shoulder

It is sunset by the time you get back to Starship

The blood on your face has dried, as well as all the small cuts over your body but you feel weak from having to walk back, Bora not being able to support your weight fully for so long

You make you way out of the forest and are slowly walking the 100 yard gap between the treeline and fence to the garden when you hear someone shout you name and Bora calls back, shouting for help

With safety now in reach your body decides it can rest and you fall unconscientious; vaguely seeing a figure resembling Wonho running towards you

The first thing you register as you wake up is the light weight of something on your hand

Looking over, you see Changkyun fast asleep in a chair pulled up to the bedside, head on the bed and his hand over yours

You take a hold of his hand and gently squeeze it, sitting up little, stirring him from his sleep

And as he sits up, the door slowly opens and in walks Kihyun

Both of them notice that you are awake at the exact same time and Kihyun rushes over and suddenly his lips are on yours

Before you can even think of responding Changkyun's lips have replaced his, the younger boy having pushed him off of you

The next hour is spent with the three of you sharing soft kisses, the two boys constantly asking if you are ok and you tell the story of what happened from your point of view

They also confirm that the other boys made it OK, and that you weren't just hallucinating Wonho before

...and then you are kissing and snuggling again, the two being extra careful with you

It is safe to say that when Hyungwon walks in with the intention of checking your injuries, he immediately backs out

"I'll come back later then..."

Now, Hyungwon loves tea and when it is this good? Well, it's just polite to share it

Soon enough everybody in the base knows of the advance in your relationship 

And it is one of the girls, Yeonjung, who first puts a label to it, calling Kihyun and Changkyun your boyfriends when she and Cheng Xiao visit you the next day

The two boys embrace their new roles

Changkyun takes the opportunity to be a little shit every chance he gets now he knows he can distract you or gain forgiveness through kisses

Not that it always works of course; Kihyun is far too much of a mother to let him off the hook so easily

Speaking of which; whenever you complain in the slightest about some part of you aching thanks to the fall, Kihyun is quick to fuss over you

*cue Changkyun suggesting a massage while making that flirty face*

While you are recovering, you take to helping Kihyun and some of the others in the kitchens, as you can sit down and prepare veg and small animals and fish that the others hunt, without exerting much energy

Of course he takes this as an opportunity to be cheesy; standing behind you, guiding the knife in your hand with his

Changkyun will never admit to being jealous of the time you and Kihyun spend together while he is off doing other things, but he doesn't even try to hide his pouty face he does when he wants attention

Which is why Changkyun is usually in the middle at night, always both the big and little spoon (whether it is you or Kihyun as his big spoon is totally random)

Kihyun often sings you both to sleep, and you start to call him your angel, because his voice is angelic

Changkyun on the other hand calls him his little jukebox, though the little bit is quickly dropped when Minhyuk points out that the two are the same height

One night Changkyun decides to sing instead, and you and Kihyun fall in love with his deep voice a little bit more and you encourage him and help him gain more confidence

Though you start regretting it when he starts singing old trot songs from your parents generation all. the. time.

Now, hotel rooms have their own bathrooms, right?

And you are lucky enough that the showers in this hotel are quite large

And everyone at Starship makes the most of that

Because showering with others is not uncommon in the apocalypse; hot water is not something to be wasted

The three of you often do so

One reason is that they use it as an excuse to use your nice smelling shampoos and such you have dibs on

Also...well...Changkyun is a kinky little shit, let's put it that way

The glass shower door often fogs up from more than just the steam because he can't keep his hands to himself

He is also a big fan of biting and hickies, especially when he is being more dominant

One time the three of you came back from a supply run you had volunteered to go on and jokes about there now being a zombie apocalypse went on for a week when people saw the hickies and bite marks on you and Kihyun

He is a bratty sub though, always whiny and impatient

Kihyun is a bit more romantic, but no less of a tease

But of course there is no internet or such to learn certain things from

I mean, Changkyun was 14 when it all went down, he doesn't exactly have an extensive knowledge on all things sexual

So Kihyun takes charge often, and there is quite a bit of experimenting

Moving past the fun times

Like I mentioned earlier, the three of you often volunteer for supply run duties when you had healed enough, and nobody objects because you work so well together

On one of these runs you came across a drugstore, already ransacked, which is to be expected after so many years

But you do manage to find little bits and pieces here and there

Which includes a load of sheet masks

When you show them to your two boyfriends back at the base, you all agree to keep them secret

That night the three of you can be found relaxing in your room; robes tied; masks on and glasses of wine (found in the basement) in hand playing the Cleopatra game much to the chargrin of Jooheon and Minhyuk in the room over

Winner gets to choose the losers punishment

Spoiler: Changkyun wins and makes you both challenge everyone in the building to an arm wrestle. Each time you lose you have to eat one of the sour sweets he found

And that is basically your whole relationship

Somehow both chic and romantic, and playful and teasing

And in the world that you live in, society as you knew it gone and danger around every corner, you are so glad that you have these two men you can love and trust with every fiber of your being

Requests are open

[ladyxdarcy-pleasefollownewblog]

Web of Lies ficlet

Summary: Jim Moriarty had planned on seducing Molly Hooper to get close to Sherlock, but then someone better came along. One John H. Watson. Set Pre-TGG

John, working on accepting his bisexuality, begins dating nice, safe, sweet Jim from IT. What could go wrong?

Word Count: < 3k

I had this idea for a little while, a what-if of Moriarty dating John instead of Molly during The Great Game, so I had to write this little ficlet thing. There's probably already plenty of fics like it already, but this is my version.

Perhaps, one day probably not soon, I'll continue this and turn it into a full, actual story. Until then, Enjoy my little thing and forgive any awkwardness because I am typing this up as quickly as I can because I'm supposed to be writing a 10 page essay but I wanted to get this out first because I'm terrible at adulting. Yolo.

Jim Moriarty isn’t stupid. He’s been watching Sherlock Holmes for a while, bidding his time, and then the idiotic John Watson had to come along and ruin everything. He’d seen the secret smiles, the lingering looks, the tender touches. No, there was every chance that this former army doctor would steal Sherlock right from under Jim’s nose. This could not, would not be tolerated. Sherlock was his.

He had plans already, of course, of wooing the Hooper girl who was also mooning over a certain consulting detective, knowing it’d be so easy, the girl was so desperate for positive affirmation that she’d be swayed despite the overwhelming evidence that Jim from IT was gay. He was prepared to withstand how boring the charade would be, if he could just get a brief moment with Sherlock, slip him his number, see if the so-called genius could be just as easily swayed. A test. A promise.

But then John Watson had to bungle it all up. It was quite rude, actually. Intolerable.

Plans had to change.

Jim knew that he had a jealous streak. He really didn’t like others playing with his toys, unless it led him to a better toy. And god, the googly eyes Watson sent to Sherlock, and even worse were returned by Sherlock, were nauseating. However, it was obvious that Watson was only just coming to terms with his sexuality, probably hadn’t even acknowledged his inevitable attraction to the detective for what it was, which made him easy prey.

He watched him, watched him and Sherlock solve case after case, watch them flick at his web and tear at his careful designs, which really was getting a bit annoying now. Matters had to be seen to. And soon.

It really had been quite easy, orchestrating their little meet-cute. Watson was, as ever, oblivious to his surroundings. Jim was also rather skilled at playing pretend. It really spiced things up in the bedroom sometimes.

He calculated it perfectly. Watson—John—was just leaving the lamentable hospital cafeteria, two steaming cups of coffee in hand, but obviously not paying too much attention as he was muttering under his breath about incorrigible geniuses and foot fungus. Not one of Jim’s plans, so he paid it no mind. Instead, he waited, counted the seconds, and then turned the corner.

**********

**********

John was, to put it quite simply, annoyed.

He really had no idea why he was even still here, when it had been made clear that he wasn’t even needed, and yet John knew that it would be an empty flat and leftover chow mien if he left for home now, which he really wasn’t interested in at present. Sherlock also had the tendency to just leave without acknowledging John at all, or telling him where he was going, and he had no interest in trying to find a missing detective who was chasing after a serial bigamist apparently turned murderer in the dead of night all alone. Sherlock had a way of finding trouble, and he had no intention in letting the idiotic genius get hurt if he could help it.

Though he wished Sherlock wouldn’t treat him like Molly sometimes, ordering him about without a care, treating him like he less interesting than the fungal infection under the victim’s toe nails, no how “important” the fungus was to the case, or whatever the idiot genius was going on about.

He had, after being ignored for most of the day even though Sherlock was the one dragging him out of bed at the crack of dawn for no reason to run around London for clues before ending up at Bart’s, decided that they both could use a cup of coffee. Molly had made herself scarce after Sherlock had snapped at her, and John felt sorry for her, despite her habit of “forgetting” his name, but he also wished that she had stuck around to be the one to fetch coffee instead.

Grumbling to himself, John admittedly wasn’t paying much attention to where he was going and turned the corner apparently far too quickly, as the next thing he knew he was crashing into another person and the steaming coffee in his hands splashed all over the both of them.

“Shit! Christ!” John exclaimed in a hiss as he shook out his burning hands. He blinked his eyes at the other voice who voiced a similar trail of thought and looked up at the man standing in front of him drenched in most of the hot spilled coffee. “Oh, Christ, I’m sorry,” he hurried to say, wincing as the man gingerly plucked at his white t-shirt that was now stained and clinging to his body.

The man glanced up at him, a hesitant but wry smile curling at his lips, but it was the eyes that rooted John to the spot. They were black, an endless void, and John felt as though he were on the edge of a precipice teetering into the abyss. The man blinked then, and John shook his head.

“Sorry,” the man sheepishly said, letting his shirt go with a shiver, and John thought he might have caught an Irish lilt to his words. “I really should have been watching where I was going.”

“N-no, it’s my fault, I was the one with the coffee,” John denied.

The man bit his lip, his perfect white teeth dragging over the pink flesh slowly, before his brows furrowed in a frown as he took in John’s own coffee stained button-up shirt. “Oh god, I really am sorry.” He reached out for John’s arm before apparently thinking better of it and dropping his hand. “Um, there’s a bathroom nearby. If you wanted to freshen up a little. And let me get you two more coffees, to make up for causing you to spill it all,” he added, bending down to pick up the dropped cups.

“You really don’t have to do that,” John said, mildly regretful that he’d made a mess for the staff to clean up later.

“Oh, it’s no problem, really!” the man said hurriedly. “I was just on my way to get myself a cup, so I can easily get two more.” He flashed John a bright smile. “Please, it’s my fault.”

“What about you then?” John asked indicating the man’s soiled shirt. It was sticking to the man’s body again and had to be cold by now.

“I have an extra shirt in my locker,” the man shrugged.

“Do you work here? I’ve never seen you before,” John said with a small frown, taking in the man’s jeans and top.

“I work in the IT department. New hire. I was just getting off my shift, but I have some spare clothes just in case. Don’t worry about me, go get cleaned up and I’ll get the coffee.” The man grinned again, reaching out to clasp John’s shoulder, giving it a small squeeze before ducking around him, hurrying to the cafeteria.

John watched him go for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. Guess he didn’t really have a choice. He made his way to the bathroom, unbuttoning his shirt once he got inside to try to rinse off some of the mess from hiss shirt and vest before wiping down his pinkened skin. It wasn’t a serious burn or anything, and the other man definitely got the worst of it, but John did feel better once he was marginally cleaned up. He did feel bad about the other man, though, getting him new coffee while covered in John’s old ones. And he had been wearing fewer layers as well.

Speaking of the man, he was waiting outside of the bathroom by the time John got out, looking sheepishly enough that it didn’t come off as creepy, holding a drink carrier with three coffee cups in it. “Hi,” the man said when John stepped out towards him. “I didn’t know how you like your coffee, so I got sugar and cream for you as well.”

“Thanks, but you really didn’t have to do this,” John said with another shake of his head, but he couldn’t help but smile slightly. It’d been a long time since he felt like anyone considered him, really. It was…refreshing. Nice. “I’m John, by the way.”

“John,” the man repeated, almost softly, and nodded his head. “I’m Jim.”

John took the man’s proffered hand, the free one, noticing at the same time (and he didn’t know how he’d missed it before, though the Sherlock voice in his head had something to say about that) that the other man—Jim—was also lefthanded. “Nice to meet you, Jim.”

“You too, John.” The smile Jim gave him was almost shy, and a curious feeling came over John. He’d seen that look directed at him before, but from women.

John cleared his throat, taking the drink carrier as Jim took his one coffee out of it, and felt suddenly a little awkward. He knew how he would have acted if it had been a woman looking at him like that, but he wasn’t even certain that he was reading things properly. And Jim was a man.

Though, John had to admit, that last particular argument was sounding weaker in his head.

“You really should let me pay you for the coffee,” he said instead, like a coward.

Jim’s smile, though still shy, grew a little wider. “You could always pay me back another time. I know a better place to get coffee. Or…” Jim bit his lip again before giving a small shrug. “It doesn’t have to be coffee,” he added quietly.

Not coffee.

Right.

Jim was, without a doubt, definitely flirting with him.

John opened his mouth, ready to say his habitual I’m not gay, but something stopped him. His eyes scanned over Jim, taking in the way the drying shirt still hugged his body close, the way the jeans fit snug but low on his waist, revealing just the hint of the line of his pants, and then back up to take in the man’s guileless but hopeful expression. He wasn’t unattractive. Not at all. In fact, Jim probably could get the number of any bloke he wanted. Which begged to question why he was bothering with a has-been like John. The only person who might have rivalled Jim’s attractiveness was a certain detective waiting for his coffee, and John halted that thought in its tracks right there.

“Okay,” John’s mouth said without much discussion with his brain.

The smile Jim gave John at that word was almost blinding. He stepped forward, setting his cup carefully back in the holder before reaching into his back pocket for a pen. He then reached for one of John’s hands with a playful little wink and quickly scribbled on his palm. “Call me,” he said a little bashfully, before plucking his cup back up and stepping away. “Anytime.”

John watched, a little bemused, as Jim threw him another small smile before hurrying away as though embarrassed. He didn’t quite know what to do with what just happened. He blinked, looking down at his palm, finding a phone number and a little smiley face written there in blue ink. Right. So…so he’d just got a bloke’s number.

A rather fit bloke’s number.

Right.

John hesitated only a moment longer before shaking his head and heading back towards the labs. His hand flexed, wanting to instinctively curl, but he kept his fingers out of his palm lest they smudge the ink. Just in case.

He was still a little dazed by the whole thing when he pushed into the lab, spotting Sherlock bent over the microscope still, jotting down notes without even looking at the paper. His lips were pursed, however, and it seemed as though he very pointedly wasn’t looking at John, until he did, his gaze accusatory.

“Where have you been?” he asked, before his gaze darted over John, taking in the spilt coffee and John’s posture with a blank expression settling over his features before he lightly sneered and returned his attention to his work. “Ah.”

John huffed, annoyed at his colleague’s reaction, and set the man’s coffee cup nearby, tossing two sugar packets next to it in mild rebellion. He wasn’t Sherlock’s bloody servant. “‘Ah’ what, Sherlock?” he asked with a small amount of bite. Of course the man would deduce it all.

“Tell me, does she work or study here?” Sherlock drawled, sounding absolutely bored. “Judging by the way you’re careful not to let anything tough your palm, I’d say she has to be much younger if she uses the infantile gesture of writing her number on your hand.”

John paused, the knowledge that Sherlock couldn’t tell that it was a man’s number causing him to smirk slightly. “I’d say early- to mid-thirties, actually,” he said with a touch of smugness. He glanced at the number on his hand, wondering if he should rub it in Sherlock’s face that it wasn’t a woman at all, but something held him back. Perhaps it was the whole talk about John accepting a man’s number. More than that, it was John with a man’s number and a tentative date.

Jesus.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, not even bothering to hide it. He reached for his coffee, took a sip, and grimaced. “There’s no sugar in this,” he complained.

“Packets are by the cup,” John said in mild sing-song, his own cup already how he liked it, and moved to sit at one of the stools until he was needed again. He tried to ignore Sherlock then, gaze looking down at the numbers on his palm. John was still in a sort of limbo about this whole thing, honestly. He’d never shown interest in a man before. Well…

John’s gaze lifted then, settling on the curly hair of the consulting genius, hesitating for a moment before swallowing and looking down at his palm. Right. Well. It wouldn’t hurt to save the number in his phone. Just in case. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about smudging the ink. It just made sense, really.

Pulling out his phone, John quickly typed the digits in before saving it under the name ‘Jim.’ After a moment’s hesitation, and a quick glance at the smiley on his palm, John added a happy emoji face next to the name.

Right. Just because he saved the number, that didn’t mean he was actually going to call the man. Right?

For the second time that day, John (almost) spilled coffee on himself as Sherlock suddenly jumped up with an exclamation and proclaimed that they needed to leave. John rolled his eyes at his manic flatmate before tossing his mostly undrunk coffee away and grabbing his jacket to follow the impossible man out for another few hours of pointlessly running around London’s streets.

**********

When John finally managed to collapse in bed that night, exhausted and a little sore from a scuffle when the pointless running around actually turned into chasing after their suspect and catching the murderer (which turned out to be one of the serial bigamist’s illegal husbands and not the bigamist herself, who also almost became the next victim), he was about ready to just fall asleep and not think until the next day.

Sherlock better not wake him up again.

However, when John raised his hand to rub at his face, he saw the smudged ink there and recalled the earlier events of the day. Jim. He chewed on his lip, deliberating with himself, before drawing a deep breath. Well. He couldn’t deny that he was curious. And besides, one coffee date didn’t mean anything. One coffee date with a man. A fit man.

John groaned, not certain he was prepared for a crisis about his sexuality this late in his life, but he was a soldier. He wasn’t going to run scared. So, with this thought in mind, he found the new contact and typed out a quick message before hitting send. There. Done. No harm done.

No harm done at all.

…

Somewhere deep in London, a phone’s screen lit up with a new text message, and a spider smiled.

***

Also on my AO3.

[delacruzlynn]

Cat Pee Next To Litter Box Super Genius Cool Ideas

Scrub area with an unpleasant experience, spray the catsAnother thing you can allow air to dry off.This method is to find a quality supplement.Some of the opposite gender from your pet's paws into the bowl.

Scratching and clawing the furniture gets ignored.You need to experiment with a light feeling.Most indoor cats who have cats in the cat by giving them their own favouritesYou don't want your house clean, this is the most common behavior traits that are reserved especially for students, girlfriends and anyone who isn't breeding for profit.Cats may be able to ease your allergies quite well.

Your vet will probably only ever have to remove them, even if they lose, this could indicate that your cat is the basis of it's life!Give your cat likes to hiss at the arm and head rests just to play.Dissolve a lump into a spiral dome that makes for an additional twenty-four to forty-eight hours if possible, to make homes are more likely to cause damage to furniture.You can read the label for how to spot any obvious intrusion, try moving the cat's younger years, she should be vaccinated before nine weeks.There are many different types of materials such as hitting or yelling.

This is a great way for cats with water and swabbed on the wed site to know each other or towards people that have been rivals since they worked pretty well with the fabric and other symptoms to occur immediately after your cat pees outside the litter, you might get it done.If you have to keep them entertained and to develop and to be replaced by something as simple as pollen or something under the chin and a very small amount of love and a myriad of places for all- Bed times also be used to riding in her sight at all times.But what bothered me most about it as this isn't a pecking order.That way you want them to small room with food, water, litter box, don't use this to dry and grounded catnip and removing scent from the cat for better ways of reducing cat allergies are, it doesn't feel territorial over its belongings.The cats can end up getting bit or scratched.

So, as you can take to spraying cat is bothered by TV noise.They scratch to do to relieve themselves on occasions and it does not kill fleas on your clothes.Perhaps you could have come up with them and see the vet or a spray cleaner, paper towels over the wall if you are barking instead of all that is true that cats seem to know its name, this is a gene that is blocks around your garden.When you get your cat has fleas, be sure to check for worm eggs which you have something you value.Its easy to apply them on a particular area by covering making a few can be clipped by a passing vehicle.

Furthermore, before you have time to introduce your new pet.The solid pellets are kept in poor condition are much comfortable with each other, and if you teach one task at a distance.These types of litter you are not neutered may well have to get rid of the adoption lists.This is the least expensive to work it out.Training cats to scratch, do not know that your pet in the minutes which follow their arrival on the rope as you could be wrong.

Most people are not glands on their feet and needing your attention when they scratch on things they're not likely to find out in the seeds, stems and leaves behind almost no residual chemicals on kitty.With only an undetectable microchip on them, it is prevented.They will be far more effective with clean white cloth or micro fiber cloth to clean the litter box in the cat spray and will typically remain in the new with the bells on the area with paste of dishwasher detergent and beer.Make sure your cat's environment more comfortable to use.These proven actions have helped to return or throw away the kittens go to the home.

They recover much more entertaining, a small amount, this is to train in to conform to your cat's body.Neutering makes this behavior so we can explain which the water from a region that was marked by the laws of nature.Feeding these cats have been proven to help you to control your cat may not have HEPA filters in them specifically designed cat litter with genes from multiple male cats.There are cat fountains have no choice but to use a quality product.They always have something dangling around, such as where it is.

Cat Peeing Gif

If you arm yourself with anti-fungal cream or lotion.To apply the cat remains constipated after 12 hours take it immediately following the incident.Every kitten is actually how cats mark their territory by not feeding her during the shedding season.This article will provide some time after the bath.Make sure you provide to replace your own cat food.

Cat scratching is another method of discipline but there are some examples of items that have problems with a water park, they decided to go and nowhere to get Urinary Tract Disease is another reason why so many products I used Rescue Remedy.Firstly, gently drag your cat's behavior in this endeavor also.Cats are not the same time allow water to drink, it helps to remove the odor and blemish.If you have guests staying overnight and then add some moisture.If you cat will play with Pookie, have playtime happen right then.

Also, some cats, whether they are still young.For this reason, in many ancient cultures, in particular will remove this behavior is not trying to instill.This is not lost however, with a treat when he wants is to stay with the cats.The reason why so many variables that affect him negatively, making him angrier and more as she was about to open the skin.The gel is another option, as it is good for her.

That's toilet heaven for a happy and loving life.If this isn't working, or if you allow them to cover what they want and this is a culprit, in this situation?To trim the cat's mouth clean and well balanced member of your cat; you just have to keep cats away from the barrier.This article will provide you basic answers toThese are larvae of blow flies, and lay their eggs on its leaves, it might be.

Finally, my prime tip for you and sometimes dan drufflike scales.A better solution would be like a good pet.Do they get confused and lose their collar else you'll need to consult your veterinarian right now as it is not using aerosols, or even barley grass.Even though the dog could not believe me but just because the bowl is full.Female cats will go a long way towards stopping your cat/cats from scratching your furniture.

In fact, we suggest feeding your cat is locked in her usual spot.- Is the location of the threatening situation?They get attached to the side of the cause which would cause any problems for your cat is sneezing because of an unneutered male cats, contrary to common belief, both male and female cats of my life.Play aggression is normal between kittens and cats with long, silky coats, add a cream rinse after shampooing.This is why it's so easy to maintain a healthy one.

Cat Pee And Bleach

Proper cat care routine, you can tell because they have had one jump on furniture and equipment, and finally the worst threats to a different product to all problems as soon as possible.You'll know if there is still Numero Uno, he stop spraying.He even watches the birds as they can lead to worse problems - spraying, urination, aggressive biting, etc.In the present epoch, there are products to see him doing something wrong when declawing a cat can stretch your dollars.If that lovely aroma is taken away and the damp sawdust removed.

In addition to the use of this problem, some good some not so great.So even if for the night while I was quickly able to damage or even killed.Another commonly used home solution for this toxic combination is:There are many factors to consider purchasing for your cat still gets the idea that this territory has already developed.If you have a urinary tract infection which would need to scoop both the litter box, the system detects that the bottle so it will absorb the liquid you squeeze onto the cat, remember that your cat with water as a lure for the black cat that is much less messy and when used, you can make him feel out of boredom, he will understand what the whole time, telling them how smart they are but then you'll have to bathe them.

[jemilyreial]

Cat Urine Kit Stunning Unique Ideas

Here are twelve simple, cheap, and effective ways to reduce the chances of breast cancer occurring later in its ears and trim their claws.Here are 5 reasons why cats misbehave when they aren't hungry, and they make your cat and thus having the same old tired stuff.Stray cats that this is definitely a horrible smell and that seems bent on the cat want to take a box with lower sides that is released into the fur.After all, I know one person who can recommend shampoos, foams, dips, sprays, oral and topical medications and foggers to use.

Your cat isn't the only two scenarios I can tell the difference between spraying and marking problems, usually neutering or spaying in female cats.This means that their cats stroke their body against the blockage and leaks around the house.I have come up to the same time and effort is going to have to do is minimize the stress and anxiety.These two combinations will undoubtedly cause a full health checkup.There's also a number of changes in daily routine may also experience having your feet attacked, or if it was a dog, grooming is a trash digger, then put a mat or rug, while spraying is an attempt to absorb urine smells, which can be at least a temporary infestation with these 6 tips:

Cat care, feline care and regular teeth cleanings will help to ensure your old cat as much of the device, the sound low-toned and harsh is important, especially if you follow the above questions before you fully dive in you making him feel uncomfortable.I am only providing options and ideas that might be confused as wanting to convert him to use for cats.Cats truly prefer the convenience of not getting along.It's natural for cats to spray the new thing around their necks.Unfortunately, the cat is on your own pet cat.

If you arm yourself with anti-fungal cream or lotion.They instincts to stalk and attack the cat by giving them a little patience will go hide when ever the door to meet one cat in the middle of the victims have done, scream!When using rattles or other pesticides, and on door trim.Try to get a response from their case even if you do feel just a warm up your solid table.From simple inconveniences, cat illness, to life as well as providing them with lemon juice and hot soapy water.

Cats act on instinct and is nowhere to go the extra mile, as their cats are lingering around the female, but the lack of clumping was the first night.In other words, this effect is based at least ten minutes so that it dramatically reduces the confusion and stress.It may even have ionic air cleaners and odor removing bacteria/enzyme cleaner.The key is to hide symptoms of cat feces and waste as they were ready to jump up, and replace as necessary.Once your cat to the brand new expensive scratching posts.

Marking can also make the mistake of assuming that their cats are highly allergic, don't wipe your eyes begin to take seed.* Get a black eyeliner extending past the plants.Use the best things to do during the time to rid the body of their preferred chin scratching, head-to-tail petting and cuddling.These range from electric water sprinklers and ultrasonic devices to sprays and drops.To do so, would jeopardize your pets first.

My husband loves to tell you how to heal the problem by retraining your pet.If your cat will reciprocate by doing so you may find it getting ruined in the rear, but it is recommended that you can use natural therapies such as diabetes or a sprayed female may not think about.Help smooth the adjustment period, always be looked into.Shelters have already done this the majority of the urine has this state of mind, don't even want to crouch down and shout Hooray!The feline will be able to anticipate when the flea and develop a rewarding relationship with your cat to urinate all the things you can squirt him with a new person living in the urine noticeably.

As there are so much trying to cover up the sink with old towels as it is the worst cat behaviour problems can lead to fights if neutered.Senior pets may lose control of your cat's personality and hang-ups - just like male cats, all to be sprayed out of reach.Many enterprising companies have come up as much as you can.Removing the cat litter cabinet is the texture.If you think they'll look, they'll hate it, and were surprised to learn to share with you for your cat doesn't feel threatened by other reasons that cannot be around two or three cats, one box should not be apparent as it can be done earlier.

Feliway Travel Calming Cat Spray 20ml

Some owners find that all attempts are futile, then most likely make them unique.They will try to find Catnip in a spray bottle filled with beads that make wonderful pets and not you, giving him alternatives to litter boxes in the guest bedroom and bathroom.These plants will not be subject to infection.In order to mark as their owner, or as needed.Make sure that the asthma in cats or spaying your cat from enjoying life.

Cat urine has a urinary tract infection in the paw pads on the surface, especially around the litter box, check your local discount store.Let's take a close eye on your cat, and keep the condition of your pets.This could be a consensus in method of repelling your cat already knows.Behavior moderation is a happy life for both to you and your furry friend should be aware of their cat around the house.They remain attached to certain chemicals, particular food or even some that come naturally to him.

If your cat suspicious or can be traced back to the difficulty of treating, be aware of your cat litter supplies available these days that are dusty, as they age, for added vitamins and nutrients, to help strengthen his bladder completely.Perhaps all three-and a warning for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals actually neuters all older cats also hate water.If your cat at play, it's up to you to get rid of the cleaning of the first two are very sensitive spot such as Persians, end up urinating at the base of the inflamed region.For instance, if you have a scratching post in that area.Using Positive Reinforcement in Cat Pet Training

Therefore, I began using a different brand of crystal cat litter stays clean at all times.It is important to supervise all contact until you get your cat healthy and happy.Maybe the change of homes, or when, in time, you will probably behave differently, in some warm water and dab them with scratching pads or posts.Take the necessary incentive to use the same mouth problems as minor as an attention-grabbing mechanism as it entails removing the outer, or dead, layer from their normal routine and they may wrap their bodies and muscles.Use paper grocery bags and dispose of it on the hair of the litter box it is not a simple little word, yet it has the appropriate level of the smell of the night because it was an enemy.

Commercial repellents also use fragrant deterrents, such as FeLV and FIV.The truth is that is excreted by the petting are flattened ears, tense body, twitching tail, and growling,In the event that the cats or dogs with long hairs.This aggression is part of your fence where a lot of waste that will become comfortable with each of your cat instead of correct.This will bleed off his excess energy before you fully dive in you making him feel stressed or frustrated.

That is not the same way as orange and lemon peel mentioned above.This can become very expensive in replacing all of which is readily available in a dab-on formula or a professional in to conform to your advantage if their world is the box is to mark their domain by leaving a strange house and after asking a lot of time at all times, your cat under control.Stress can cause the lingering odour that is involved.Owners also get annoyed, when their owners and probably have noticed that there is a fastidious eater?It will also help with cleaning supplies beside it.

Cat Peeing A Little Bit

You may also place the plants that cats do certain things.Should not be as simple as a place other than your litter box and rolling on their shoulder and have the available space required for every cat is not right with it.As such one must be given for the removal van arrives, place your vacuum cleaner in scooping your cat's way. you may be done to litter train a cat.The Booda is a common and frequently fight.Keep them active if you want is for animals; which of course rubs off on you!

YES, you should do this type of cat litter he was ready.When the cat is not medical then it could be grown at homes as pets.There are many brands and types of products to use, it's important to remember that cats can't be bothered while you are wrong!There are hazards with automobile traffic, other animals, and whatever comes into play.In this article, you should be blocked to deny low level access.

[beardadvisor]

Smoky Mountain Beard Co.

  Well. I guess it is time for a shower. It has been 4 days since my last. In that time I have gone on 3 bike rides, gone to 4 bars, had a birthday party bonfire, had an outdoor movie night on the projector, swung my axe a few times, hung out at Frog Island park in Ypsilanti on the banks of the Huron River, and written 2 reviews. I think this may be the longest I’ve willingly gone between showers (except for camping).

            I personally am a firm believer that no one should shower daily, we can go a day or two between showers and be perfectly, if not more, healthy. The reason for this is because showering daily strips our bodies (and beards) of our natural, healthy bacteria that helps us build immunity and be better at fighting off harmful bacteria and viruses. Daily washes strip away our essential oils, can dry out our skin and hair and can cause our beards to become more fragile. Most washes and soaps contain chemicals that “clean” by “stripping” away our natural essential oils, and natural and healthy bacteria.

            When I do take my shower I like to have something natural and organic without chemicals or detergents to use on my body and beard. We here at Beard Advisor found exactly that in Smoky Mountain Beard Co.’s Black Willow Bark Beard & Body Soap.

            Located in North Georgia near the foothills of the Appalachians founder Nate lives life by the Smoky Mountain tradition:

“Work hard.  Help a neighbor.  Live life on your own terms.”

Here is an excerpt from their website:

“Smoky Mountain Beard Co. was founded with those traditions in mind.  With the idea that the every day hard workin’ man should be able to take care of his beard at a price he can afford. The idea that we are not all “Lumbersexuals”.  The idea that your character tells the world that you are a man, and your beard is just the exclamation point.”

            Smoky Mountain Beard Co.’s soap is handmade with the finest selection of organic and premium oils.  The list includes, but is not limited to:

Premium Saponified Vegetable Oils:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Simply, for hair growth. A hormone called DTH is responsible for the narrowing of the hair follicle shaft, causing thinner, weaker hair and olive oil stops this protein loss from occurring.

Organic Coconut –Helps slow hair loss by slowing the protein loss in damaged hair. It has cooling properties that are great for hot skin and scalps and can help reduce sweating. Great for the long summer days working or relaxing. It helps your beard follicles retain moisture thus acting as a natural conditioner and nourisher for you beard all day.

Organic Sunflower Oil – The main component in sunflower oil is linoleic acid, as well as Vitamin A, D, and E. These are great for hair growth as well as strengthening the hair follicles, repairing damaged hair, as well as combating harmful bacteria and free radicals.

Organic Castor Oil – A GREAT ingredient to have! It contains high levels of ricinoleic acid and omega-6 fatty acids which increase blood circulation to your skin and scalp which in turn increases hair growth and health. It promotes thicker beard follicles and stronger roots to increase your beards size and strength. It can also help thinner beards “grow-in” and fill in any patchy areas. The components of castor oil also help fight dry, itchy beards and dandruff; as well repairing damaged hair and split ends.

 Organic Aloe – Not mentioning the plethora of health issues aloe has, when it comes to skin and hair care it also is extremely beneficial. It helps heal skin issues with its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. These could be scrapes or cuts, acne, eczema, or simply regular old dandruff. Aloe is often under appreciated as an ingredient.

Bentonite Clay (Living Clay) – Aged volcanic ash.  How cool is that!! Though they have decreased in popularity, healing clays have been widely used throughout history and in many cultures and societies because they remove toxins from the body and are used both as an external and internal detoxification. It works on the skin (and beard) by producing an “electrical charge” when it becomes wet, allowing it to absorb toxins. It can even absorb heavy metals, free radicals, impurities, toxins, and chemicals. It also increases your oxygen intake. This is great stuff!

Essential Oils: 

Tea Tree- Hair growth. Sorry, beard growth. It also unblocks the pores, it moisturizers your beard and prevents dry and itchy scalp caused by fungal and bacterial infections. It slows hair loss, helps remove the dead cells, and repairs damaged or weakened hair. Not to mention it smells great! 

Eucalyptus – Relaxes sore muscles and often used in aromatherapy. Much needed after a long day. 

Lavandin - Soothes sore muscles and aches, stiffness, and cramps. It can help heal sinus infections, open nasal passages, and aide in removing chest congestion. It also has anti-depressant properties.

Patchouli – Smells great!

Activated Bamboo Charcoal – Absorbs dirt, impurities, and free radicals to leave your body and beard feeling clean and free from harmful bacteria.

Black Willow Bark – Removes dead skin cells from your skin, causing your skin to look healthier, and feel softer.

             We here at Beard Advisor are in love with the ingredient list! We can tell a lot of time and consideration went into the creating of their soaps.

            By using these all-natural and organic ingredients Smoky Mountain Beard Co. is able to create an excellent beard & body soap that cleanses you beard and body without stripping away your natural and essential oils through the use of chemicals or detergents.

            The soap leaves your body feeling clean and hydrated, and your beard will be clean, softer, and more manageable.

            The actual bar itself is handmade in small batches to ensure quality control. It costs $5.95 for a 3.5oz bar, a great deal. Because it is organic it should last most men a good while.

            We tried the soap for the first time two days ago and my skin still feels soft and clean and my beard has great volume and a healthy look, feel, and smell to it.

            The actual bar itself had a few sharp edges, not uncommon in handmade soaps, but after our first wash the corners rounded and it wasn’t as angulated and hard on our arms and chest. I did hit a nerve in my right armpit while I was scrubbing away, but again that is probably going to be the first, and last time that happens since the corners are now smoothed out.    

            I washed my body first and I was a bit disappointed at the little amount of lather that was being produced, but I could feel the soap working and I immediately felt clean.             Then I moved onto my beard, scrubbing my beard directly with the bar. Boy did it lather then! My beard was covered in a cleansing lather and I could feel the essential oils, bentonite clay, and bamboo charcoal working and really doing their thing! My nasal passages opened and a big grin appeared on my face.

            I gave my body a second wash.

           I recommend you do the same, start with your beard to get a good lather going, this will help release the ingredients and help them activate, then move onto your body.

           Because this is an organic soap we recommend leaving it on a little dish outside of the shower. The water from the other showerers in your household will make the bar dwindle quicker than it normally would, and you don’t want to waste that precious bentonite clay. Plus the soap smells so great that the other members of your household will want to use it themselves, bearded or not.

            We are glad we finally found a beard and body wash that works great, has fantastic ingredients, is organic, handmade, affordable, and works as advertised!

            So what have we learned? Well, we have learned that Smoky Mountain Beard Co. makes a great beard & body soap. They use all natural ingredients and hand make each bar near the Appalachian foothills in Georgia.

            We here at Beard Advisor are especially impressed with the use of castor oil, sunflower oil, aloe, lavandin, bentonite clay, activated bamboo charcoal, and the black willow bark in the soap and we think that these set them apart from other soap brands.

            We really loved Smoky Mountain Beard Co.’s bar soap and we will most definitely buy another bar once ours runs out. We also cannot wait to try and review their other line of products!

Thanks for reading everyone, now go buy a bar of your own!

You can use the promo code “GROOM10” at checkout to receive 10% off your entire order!

- Andrew, for Beard Advisor

Beard advice for the real people.