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srgntjamesbuckybarnes · 1 month

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Hearts Entangled (2)

Summary: With the declining rate of omegas, alphas have become desperate, and betas are fighting back. In the midst of war, Y/N and her brother get separated and Y/N finds herself in trouble.

Rating: Mature

Pairing: Alpha Bucky x Omega Reader x Alpha Steve

Warnings: None

Word Count: 2.5k

A/N: Not beta’d.

Series Masterlist

Last Chapter

Chapter 2

I was still adjusting to my new status as an omega, but I couldn't shake the urge to venture out and search for Basil. Every day I sat here was a day he could be in danger. The first time I wandered into the woods, Steve hauled me back to the compound. When I presented, I didn’t anticipate having an alpha breathing down my neck. I wasn’t sure if it was because of how rare omegas were or if it was due to his alpha status, but there was no denying that Steve was fiercely protective.

Steve lectured me on the dangers in the woods now that I was an omega. Alphas were a danger when I was human. They were the ones killing betas and turning people. Now, humans were a threat, capturing omegas and using them to bait the alphas. I was wary of alphas before, but now they are dangerous for a different reason. The way Carla described alphas as mutts rang clear in my head.

Still, Basil was out there alone. I couldn’t leave him without an explanation. When I insisted on looking for him myself, Steve proposed we compromise. Steve took me into the woods with him a few times, allowing me to get used to my surroundings. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to find my way back if I left alone. He marked a few leaves with his scent; a perimeter determining how far I was allowed to travel alone. It wasn’t far from the compound, but he explained, any further and no one in the compound would sense my distress if something transpired.

Every day, Steve disappeared beyond the perimeter in search of his friend, Bucky. Each day he also left with a promise to look for Basil as well. It was the only way I could refrain from crossing the border myself. I kept to the woods most days. The sooner I knew my surroundings, the further I could go. It hadn’t been discussed with Steve, but I would cross that bridge when we came to it. Just because I bore his mark didn’t mean he could hold me hostage.

I gently ran my fingertips over the rough, textured bark of a large white oak tree. Steve did the same a few days ago. The scent of fresh linen lingered faintly on the trunk, a reminder of his presence. I couldn't help but exhale with a mix of frustration and longing. Steve's scent used to be pleasant, but now that we bonded, it had become an intoxicating and irresistible part of my being.

I was still getting used to my newly heightened senses. A shiver ran down my spine as goosebumps erupted across my skin, each one tingling with a newfound intensity. It was fascinating how my body seemed to detect things before my conscious mind could grasp them. As I leaned against the rough bark of a tree, I felt the texture dig into my palms, grounding me in the present moment. Tilting my chin upward, I inhaled deeply, taking in the surrounding air. The only scent I could detect was the familiar aroma of Steve.

I stepped back, peering into the trees on the other side of the perimeter. I couldn’t see anything unusual, but the goosebumps remained. Steve would spend hours away from the compound. The sun was still high in the sky, so I doubted he would be back anytime soon. Feeling uneasy, I decided to head back to the compound. I always stayed in the woods until Steve returned. He would have to lug me inside sometimes. Today was different. I never encountered anything other than a few animals out here. I intended to keep it that way.

Rubbing my biceps to ease the goosebumps, I started for the compound. The hair on the back of my neck stood, a sensation I was familiar with even as a beta. I was being watched. “Alpha?” I called, skimming over my shoulder. A figure emerged, crossing the imaginary perimeter Steve created. Was he back early? Did he find someone? Sniffing the air again, my nose wrinkled. There was no scent.

The man stalked toward me, eyes filled with challenge, goading me to flee. It was foolish, but what was the alternative? Stay and die? I dashed through the trees with one goal in mind: get to the compound. My heart pounded against my ribs as I heard the unmistakable sound of leaves crunching behind me. He was chasing me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Was he alone? What if I lead him to the compound, and he brings his pack? Steve never drilled me for this. His one piece of advice echoed in my mind: get back to the compound.

I bolted toward safety, breaching the tree line. Unfortunately, so did he. In a matter of seconds, I was trapped beneath him again. This time, he rolled me onto my back. The man straddled my waist, his hands locking my wrists in place beside my head. I weakly kicked my legs, hoping to throw him off of me. He didn’t budge. He just gaped down at me. His piercing blue eyes poked through the untamed hair shadowing his face. I took in his wild appearance. The dirt and grime caked to his skin was unsettling. I didn’t know if the blood on his skin was his or not. I froze again.

He held my stare as he lowered his face to my neck. I closed my eyes tight, bracing myself for the impact. The bite never came. I scrunched my neck out of reflex as his nose skimmed from beneath my jaw to the top of my collarbone. It tickled. The man pulled back scarcely, observing my reaction. I didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t hurt me yet, but that didn’t mean I should trust him.

A few seconds went by with nothing ensuing. He just stared, keeping me tangled beneath him. My muscles began to ache in my neck from tensing them, so I started to relax. When my neck was vulnerable again, he dipped his head to the opposite side and released a deep, possessive growl. His whole body vibrated.

I shuddered beneath him, waiting for him to tear my throat open with his teeth. Instead, he pulled his head back, loosening his grip on my wrists. For a man of his size, he made it incredibly easy to get free. He gaped down at me without a word. Did he want me to run? I tested the waters, keeping my eyes on his as I got my hands free. He put up a fight, but it was weak. He was letting me go.

I huffed, shoving him off of me. He let me, rolling himself to the side. That was unexpected. I racked my brain for anything Steve might have mentioned while lecturing me that would be useful at this moment. I stood up, rubbing my wrists. The man stayed seated on the ground, staring up at me, his pupils dilated like a predator hunting their prey. Was he waiting for me to run again? Taking a step back, I watched as the corner of his lips jerked upward. He’s toying with me, a game of cat and mouse.

“Y/N are you- Bucky?”

Bucky? I pivoted, spotting Natasha, edging closer. Her nose twitched, and I knew she had come to the same conclusion I had. He didn’t have a scent.

“Where have you been? What happened to you? Are you hurt?” Natasha began bombarding him with questions, placing herself between us.

Bucky looked past Natasha right at me. My heart hammered in my ears. Was he hurt? I took a step forward subconsciously. Some twisted part of my new biology told me to help him. Natasha noticed, presenting Bucky with her hand to pull him up.

“Betas,” Bucky grunted, accepting her hand.

Natasha crooked a finger in my direction. “It’s part of your biology to want to help, don’t fight it. It will do more damage in the long run.” She turned to Bucky with her arm wrapped around his back for support. “Steve found Y/N while he was out looking for you. She’s a new ‘mega, be nice.”

“‘M always nice,” Bucky mumbled.

I stood in front of Natasha, unsure of what to do. Up until now, I was under the impression that Bucky was fine. He seemed perfectly fine when he was hunting me for sport. Up close, I could see the sweat forming on Bucky’s forehead that hadn’t been there earlier. His eyes appeared heavier than before. He was dirty, tired, and- I wrapped my arm around his waist. Hot. He was very, very hot.

Bucky draped his arm around my shoulder with the bend of his elbow in the crook of my neck. I tensed, thinking of Steve. If he had a scent, it would be all over my mating glad, all over Steve’s mark. I casually tipped my head toward Bucky, discretely attempting to catch a scent. Again, there was nothing. I relaxed, letting Natasha do most of the work.

As we entered the room, I could feel Bucky's weight increasing, his body growing weaker with each passing moment. Natasha quickly took charge and placed Bucky on a kitchen barstool, while I remained trapped beneath his arm, struggling to hold him upright. The weight of his body seemed to be crushing me, and I could feel the strain on my muscles as I tried to keep him steady. Despite the difficulty, I knew that we had to act quickly to help him, and I focused all my energy on supporting Bucky as best I could.

“We’re just going to leave him here?” I asked incredulously. “He needs a doctor.”

Natasha smiled weakly, shaking her head. “He needs an omega. His omega. I’ll be back with Carla. Keep him upright.” She pointed a finger at Bucky, then disappeared.

His eyes were sealed, but his grip on my shoulder was tight. At least he wasn’t about to pass out. My biology told me to assist Bucky, but I didn’t know how. He needed medical attention. My mind drifted to Carla. We weren’t friends, but she did take care of me. Plus, she was Bucky’s omega. He would be fine. He’s safest with his omega. I knew it was true, but why wasn’t I convinced? I cursed my new biology. I wondered if Carla would be upset if she could scent me on her alpha? Would I be angry if I smelled another omega on Steve, even if they were helping him? Yes.

It was too late. Shoving the thoughts away, I reached my free hand up to drive the sweaty hair from Bucky’s face. His eyes peeled open, gliding his hand to my waist. “Bucky,” I choked as he leaned forward, nearly tumbling out of the chair. Stepping between his legs, I planted my hands on his ribs to hold him upright. His head slumped forward, landing on my shoulder. My heart ached for him. How could someone so strong turn into a puddle in a matter of minutes? His head turned, scenting me, and this time, I let him. His arms encircled my waist, yanking me as close as possible. My hands landed on his back, switching between rubbing soothing circles and lightly scratching.

Bang!

My body jolted, the door slamming down the hall, catching me by surprise. Bucky would have fallen over if he hadn't been clinging to me.

“Where is he?” A familiar Russian accent sliced through the air.

Bucky let out a low groan as I gently urged him to lean back in the seat. As he complied, I found myself pulled into his lap, his arms wrapping around me in a comforting embrace. I quickly untangled myself from him, feeling a flutter of nerves in my stomach at the intimacy of the moment. Before I could gather my thoughts, Carla came rushing into the kitchen, her arrival causing both Bucky and I to jump with surprise.

“Bucky!” She drove past me, sniffing her alpha. “What happened?”

I crossed the room to stand beside Natasha to give the couple a moment. It didn’t matter where Bucky went at this point, he needed help to go anywhere.

Bucky wailed. His eyes popped open. “Car?”

Carla nodded; both of her hands planted on his cheeks. “I’m right here, Bucky. Tell me what’s wrong. Tell me how to help you.”

For someone who had given me the cold shoulder not too long ago, it was odd to see Carla concerned, affectionate even. She cared for me while I was in heat, but she remained collected. This wasn’t the same Carla I met a week ago. This was an omega concerned for her alpha.

Fresh linen.

“He’s in rut.”

I turned, drawing him into a hug. “Steve.”

“Hiya, pretty girl,” he murmured into the top of my hair. “Nat said you found Bucky. You’re doing all my work from home,” he teased.

“Basil?” I stood on my toes, pleading for equally good news.

Steve shook his head, “I’ll keep looking.”

A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I turned my back to him, concealing the disappointment etched across my face. Deep down, I knew it wasn't his fault, but that didn't make it any easier to bear. Steve, sensing my distress, wrapped his strong arms across my chest, drawing me back into the safety of his chest. As I leaned into him, my gaze inadvertently locked with Bucky's, who had been keeping a watchful eye on us. It was clear that I wasn't the only one to notice the interaction between Steve and me, and the tension in the air was palpable.

“Glad to have you back, Buck.” I felt Steve’s chest thunder against my back.

Bucky licked his lips, his eyes lingering on me. I shifted uncomfortably, hoping Steve didn’t notice. Bucky’s lips parted, “Basil?”

“My brother. He went out one day and never came back. I was out looking for him when I met Steve.”

Bucky breathed deeply, enveloping Carla under his arm. “Human?” I nodded. Bucky cursed, leaning further into Carla. “He let me go.”

Bucky knows where Basil is. Basil is alive. I could have plunged to my knees and thanked whatever higher power protected him. Steve released me, standing in front of Bucky with his arms crossed. “What do you mean he let you go?”

“He was working with the humans. Seizing omegas and slaughtering alphas,” Bucky explained.

My heart skipped a beat. No. It couldn't be true. Basil wouldn’t do that. He wouldn't. Not after our mother’s death. He despised our father. As I stood there, feeling lost and confused, Steve turned his head to me, his eyes filled with sympathy. It only lasted a heartbeat before he took charge again. “Why did he let you go?”

Bucky shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He fixed his gaze on me, his voice coming out as a plea, “The suppressants.”

Carla frowned in concern, pulling back to look at her alpha. “Bucky, you shouldn’t be in rut if you’re on suppressants.”

“I-” His metal hand twitched. “They experimented anyway.”

Next Chapter

Taglist: @scott-loki-barnes @clevah-girlboss @meowmeowyoongles @buckysbarne @lesleurs @identity2212 @annawilk @solivagent-reverie

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tinyundercover · 2 months

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pepper & felix

epilogue

this takes place after part twenty! thank you for reading! word count: 1.2k

Owen’s shoulder, as tall as he was, was incredibly spacious.

Pepper had never sat on anyone’s shoulder but Felix’s, so it was a bit daunting— but in the last two months, Owen had proven himself to be more than trustworthy. The darkness of the theater enveloped both Pepper and Basil, and since Owen was seated directly next to the wall, both borrowers felt comfortable being out in the open, even with so many humans around.

“I’m nervous,” Felix’s fluttery voice floated through Pepper’s mind. Pepper’s lips twitched into a smile, and he clasped his hands against his chest.

“Don’t be. You’re gonna do great.”

“Did you get to the theater okay? Can anyone see you?”

“We’re hidden, Felix, I promise. Don’t worry about us.”

“Good— that’s good.” Felix paused. “Thank you for coming.”

Pepper beamed. “Good luck. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Pepper’s hands fell away from his chest, just as Owen’s did as well. Pepper brushed Owen’s neck to get his attention, lifting his voice. “Is Bree nervous?”

“A little,” Owen murmured. He couldn’t turn his head to face the borrowers, but Pepper could sense the smile in his voice. “But she’s gonna do great. Felix and Alice, too.”

“It’s gonna be weird when Felix and Alice kiss,” Basil teased, unhelpfully.

“Shut up.” Pepper snorted, shoving his sister. “They’re just acting.”

“You should— oh, something’s happening.”

Basil fell quiet as music filled the theater, loud but not unpleasant. Owen briefly brought his hand to his shoulder, brushing his thumb over the two borrowers as if to ensure they were still there, and receiving two small pats in response. Pepper beamed up at him, although he knew Owen couldn’t see it. He made a mental note to thank Owen for bringing them. He appreciated it more than Owen knew.

Pepper was entranced as soon as the curtains opened.

Alice looked more like herself than he expected; her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, while a glimmering green dress concealed her legs, draping over the stage floor.

Ironically, from this distance, Alice looked very small. Pepper lifted his hand, enthralled by how his palm appeared to envelop the human girl.

“Oh,” Basil murmured affectionately. “She sounds really good.”

Indeed, Alice was singing. Her voice shimmered with a liquid which surprised Pepper, so accustomed to her usual sharp, icy tone. He blinked, heart swelling, and leaned forward in intrigue.

It felt as if he were watching a movie, but this performance was real, gorgeous, fascinating. Alice disappeared after the end of her song, and was replaced by a crowd of humans that Pepper didn’t recognize. Their outfits were strange and unusual, but they drew Pepper in.

Pepper and Basil occasionally shared a few comments, but for the most part they were quiet, fascinated. When Felix appeared, Pepper straightened up.

The stage lights illuminated Felix in a very flattering glow, highlighting the sharpness of his bone structure, drawing Pepper’s attention to his face in a way he hadn’t noticed before. The borrower blinked, mesmerized, barely paying attention to what was happening onstage.

“You know what,” Basil mused, “I see it. Felix is hot.”

“Dude, shut up,” Pepper hushed, face warm. Basil snickered.

The story was unusual, but Pepper followed along, mind wandering. He didn’t know much about human myths, but this concept of mermaids and witches and magical sea creatures intrigued him.

Breanna, as kind and gentle and sweet as she was, was surprisingly frightening when she appeared onstage. Both Pepper and Basil stiffened upon seeing her, and for a moment Pepper didn’t recognize her. A dark, twisting, glittering costume swarmed her, sticking out in unusual directions, and her voice carried a villainous amusement that sent a chill down Pepper’s spine.

“It’s like Alice and Bree switched personalities,” Basil giggled. Pepper squinted at her.

“What?”

“Heh, you know— Alice is like Ursula in real life, and Bree is like Ariel. You know, because Alice is evil and Bree’s sweet.”

“Who— what?”

Basil gestured towards the stage, amused. “Dude, pay attention. The characters have names.”

The story surged on, and Pepper enjoyed it immensely. Felix had been so incredibly nervous over the past week, absolutely dreading opening night, convinced that he was going to butcher his songs and ruin the show. Pepper had assured him time and time again that that wouldn’t happen. Pepper had been right.

Felix’s voice didn’t waver in the slightest, flowing over the audience like a river, while he moved gracefully over the stage. Pepper’s heart spun in his chest, swelling with adoration, unable to pull his gaze away.

If Felix was feeling nervous, it wasn’t perceptible to the audience in the slightest. Pepper smiled, entranced.

After a fifteen-minute intermission, in which Owen had to explain several times that no, it didn’t just end there, it’s only halfway done, the story resumed. Pepper actually found himself to be quite disappointed when it ended, but when Felix and Alice took their final bow together, glowing and laughing and beaming, his heart soared.

“I go to all their shows,” Owen remarked, later, once he had found an empty hallway to stand in. Pepper and Basil were seated in his large palms, filled with an excitable energy after the show. “This is the first time they’ve all been leads together. I’m really proud.”

His casual voice brimmed with more emotion than usual. Pepper smiled, heart warm.

“What shows are they doing after this?” After months of talking with Felix, and more recently Alice and Breanna, Pepper was proud to have learned a bit more about theater.

Owen tilted his head, thoughtful. “Hm… our college just released the theater season for next year. Breanna was really excited for the fall one, I think it’s, uh— Chicago? Or Cabaret? One of the two.”

“I don’t know either of those,” Pepper admitted with a laugh.

“Me neither.” Owen smiled, amused. “But I’m already excited to see it.”

“Owen!”

A feminine voice drew all three of their gazes. Pepper sat up straighter as Breanna approached, looking frighteningly witchy in her black dress and glimmering dark makeup, but her beaming smile underneath was comfortingly familiar.

Owen’s hand rocked as Breanna threw her arms around him, and when Pepper and Basil both let out quiet exclamations, Breanna’s gaze landed on them. “Oh! Pepper, Basil!”

She excitedly lifted a hand in greeting, pulling away from her soulmate, and the borrowers grinned.

“You did amazing,” Basil gushed, while Pepper nodded rapidly. “I didn’t know you could sing like that.”

As Owen continued to shower Breanna in compliments, two more humans appeared around the corner, gazes searching— and when Felix and Alice spotted them, they lit up.

Within seconds, Pepper was being scooped up into Felix’s hands, held against his cheek. The borrower laughed when he noticed the beige makeup smudging his clothes, and Felix jumped into breathless apologies, which Pepper disregarded.

“Felix,” Pepper beamed, meeting his soulmate’s gaze. “You were wonderful.”

Somewhere to Pepper’s right, Basil was perched in Alice’s hands, showering her supposed enemy with bright words and enthusiastic compliments. Pepper laughed, heart swelling, and leaned forward to kiss Felix’s cheek.

“Thank you!” Felix’s voice was bright, much more energetic than what Pepper usually heard. “I– I was so nervous, but– it went well!”

Between Felix’s initial audition and now, the human had improved immensely– not necessarily in his singing ability, but in his confidence– and Pepper smiled at the thought. His gray gaze twinkled up at Felix, pride filling his expression.

“You didn’t seem nervous at all,” Pepper promised. “Seriously, I– you’re amazing. And you look… you looked really good.” He raised his eyebrows pointedly before a laugh escaped him at Felix’s flustered, amused expression. “I love you.”

With a laugh, Felix drew him closer to his face again. “I love you, too.”

-----

TAGLIST: @smallsday @compact-katrina @satethesatelite @taters169 @entomolog-t @gtzel @gt-newbie @da3dm @clumsiergiantess @vee-normous @fee-hunter @torakan @mabelisthebatman @andithewhumper @mothsintherain @violetlight @heroofthe13thday @phoenix-on-the-run @houseboatmac @dav8530 @ididit-allofit-foryou @soakedmilkgt

#pepper & felix #g/t writing

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sea-owl · 10 months

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Ohhhh if you’re taking writing prompts how about enemy chefs to lovers Polin?

Before I get into this, let me clarify that I am of the belief that if they don't try to kill each other at least once, then it's not enemies to lovers. Now that that's out of the way, this gives me an idea. Also partly inspired by @thekatebridgerton post of the siblings being embodiments of the 7 (8) deadly sins.

Penelope grew up in a family where every generation, one child would be born to be eaten by the gluttonoust demon whose domain bordered her family's ancestral lands. Well technically they were raised to be the one who cooks for the demon but when it always ends with them being devoured instead it doesn't really matter does it?

Typically, this role should have been taken on by the second born, Penelope's older sister Philippa, but instead, Penelope's mother had convinced her father to make Penelope the sacrifice instead.

"You're smarter than your sisters," Portia had told her the night it was announced. "Clever. If any of you have a chance of killing the demon it is you Penelope."

From that point on, Penelope learned how to make different dishes from things like mince pies, biscuits, and her personal favorite eclairs. She knows how to prep all different kinds of meat from farm raised animals to game to fish. She knows which fruits are ripe and which still need time. Portia made sure Penelope knew how to use a knife and which plants mixed well for flavor and which would end a life if mixed together.

"Remember, Gluttony will always want to consume more," Portia would remind her daughter. "There is no such thing as never enough."

Finally, on the day of her 18th birthday, the day came where Penelope would present her first meal to the demon. She decided to go with a fish covered in a basil and lemon cream sauce. Some roasted potatoes and vegetables. A loaf of dark bread, wine, and mixed berry eclairs for dessert.

All that was left was to bring it to the forest and pray he eats it instead of her. Carefully, she packed everything into a basket. She had to be at there by sunrise after all.

"Pen wait!" Penelope's youngest sister, Felicity, called out. The eleven year old ran down the stairs with a package in her arms.

"Litty!" Penelope exclaimed. "What are you doing awake? The sun has yet to rise."

"I wanted to give you your birthday present," Felicity said, holding up the package.

Penelope set her stuff down and carefully opened the gift. Inside was a beautiful set of kitchen knives. Every single one sharp and ready for use. "Oh Litty."

Felicity hugged her sister. "The blacksmith promised me they are extra sharp. So maybe, maybe you can come home soon."

Penelope hugged her sister tighter. Even if she could get rid of the demon it wasn't guaranteed she live too.

"I'll try," Penelope promised.

That seemed to be good enough for the eleven year old as she gave Penelope one last hug before waving her off.

In the forest, where Penelope was to meet her new master sat a table directly over the border between her family's lands and the demons. It is where her relatives in the past have presented their first and often times last meal to the demon of Gluttony.

It is where Penelope sets up the meal as the first rays of light spill across the land behind her. It is also where Penelope sees her new master for the first time.

Gluttony honestly looks like any other man Penelope has seen, a rather handsome one, but still a man. Penelope would put him at around 6 feet with dark chestnut hair and green eyes. His beauty, though, screamed dangerous to Penelope. Like a poisonous snake whose pretty colors serve as a warning to the venom they carry.

Now that snake sat across from Penelope at the table.

"Ah are you my new mortal?" Gluttony asked.

Penelope bowed her head. "Penelope Featherington, my lord."

The demon picked up the fork Penelope placed and dug in. He let out a moan tasting the food. "Delicious, and thank you for not poisoning it like some of your other relatives."

Well that's one plan Penelope shouldn't rely on.

Gluttony bit into the eclair. "Are you not eating?"

Penelope shook her head. This had to be some sort of test, right? Gluttony doesn't share. "No, my lord, I know sharing food isn't something you do."

Gluttony's eyes lit up. "I don't share huh?"

Penelope found herself on her back, staring up into green eyes. A piece of the eclair was being pressed into her lips. The same piece that Gluttony held in his own lips.

What is he doing? Gluttony always wants more so what is he getting more of out of this?!

Penelope found herself frozen on the grass. She tries to command her hand to reach for anything that can help her. She can't breathe. She opens her mouth to take a deep breath, but that only entices Gluttony to push the eclair further in.

Penelope felt her hand brush against her basket. Somehow, she reaches inside and grabs the handle of one of Felicity's gifts. Her grip firmly secured Penelope plunges the knife into the demon's side.

Gluttony, still on top of Penelope looks down at his side.

Oh shit. Well, she's definitely getting eaten.

"Lord Gluttony I-"

Penelope is cut off by the demon's chuckle.

"Gluttony is my sister," the demon said, looking back down at Penelope. Without even flinching he pulled out the knife. "I'm Wrath."

Penelope's eyes widen. "But the food-"

The demon Wrath only smirked. "I'm a growing boy, and you mortals have such delicious food."

Colin grinned down at the little mortal underneath him. Oh, she had no idea of the courting ritual she just initiated by stabbing him. He's going to have fun playing with her.

#bridgerton #polin #the cook and the demon #colin bridgerton #penelope featherington

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arvensimp · 1 year

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your father should know, pt. 3

Arven leaves you with something more than either of you bargained for when he goes off to Kalos for an internship, and through a series of miscommunications and heartbreak, he returns a few years later to learn that he actually has a child.

arven x fem!reader, nsfw content (in pt. 1), pregnancy (pts. 1, 2, & 2.5), angst, and stupid miscommunications

[part 1][part 2][part 2.5]

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY I'M BACK. pls be aware that this got WAY too long so it's gonna have to be another part or two before we actually get to the happy ending that i promised. yes this will still have a happy ending. i won't hurt arven or the baby like this lolol. the skeleton for the rest of the fic is already written, i just need to flesh it out, given it some muscle, organs, and maybe cute accessories.

ANYWAY I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS PART. please thank my mega awesome beta Katie for her help with this too. she's my rock.

---

The ceiling rattles.

"So. How'd you get here today?"

"I, uh... I took my cyclizar?"

Rika nods and takes note of the answer. The not-so-distant sound of muffled battling can be heard through the thick walls of the League building.

"What brings you to the Pokemon League today?" Rika goes on as if nothing is happening.

"Badda!" The little one sitting on her lap shouts. Rika pats his head without looking away from the student in front of her. "Shh. Let her answer my questions first."

Basil babbles a bit in response, some of his words making sense.

"To...become a champion?" The student replies.

"Good, good..." Rika continues on with the rest of the interview, asking different questions and going back and forth with the kid in front of her.

"Okay," She says later, now addressing Basil. "Now you can ask her a question."

"What?" The student asks.

"Not you." Rika corrects tersely. "Go on, Munchkin. Ask the champ-in-the-making whatever you want."

"Um... " Basil seems to think for a moment, but then he gets shy and hides his face against Rika's torso.

The student blanches. "I... I-I'm sorry? Did I do something wrong?"

"Pssh, nah. He just gets timid sometimes is all. But let's see..." Rika leans into Basil and speaks soft and sweet to him. "Whaddya think, Munchkin?" She gives his tummy a bit of a tickle, making him laugh and open up a bit. "Does this kid pass our test?" Rika keeps tickling him as he shrieks with laughter.

"Uh....Is...is that a yes?" The student eventually asks.

Rika pauses, then stands with all the pomp and importance of one in her station, propping the baby up in her arms.

"Yeah, I'd say so." She announces casually, in stark contrast to the serious air she feigned just a moment ago. "Congrats, Kid. You've passed your first test." She holds out a hand to shake and makes sure that Basil also gets to shake too.

Never too soon to start teaching the ins and outs of professionalism or whatever.

"Before you move on to the next step, you'll just need to wait a few minutes for his mama to finish her battle with one of your peers. Once she has him back, I can start your battle test. Sound good?"

The student nods, and sure enough within a few minutes, you arrive through the elevator and greet the room cheerily.

"We've got quite a few challengers today, it seems!" You announce as you take Basil from Rika. The boy had been making grabby hands for you the moment the elevator doors had opened, speaking in broken little syllables of his desire to be in your arms again.

You boop his little nose and smoosh your mouth to his pudgy cheeks in a kiss. "I wasn't gone that long, Sweet Boy!" You tell him. "Were you good for Auntie Rika?"

You look to the woman in question for her assessment.

"He did great. He's getting a real knack for these interviews, I tell you what. Asks some pretty insightful questions, right, Kid?" She says jokingly, turning to the student.

"What?" The kid looks between the three of you. "Oh! Um. ...What? Is this another test?"

Rika laughs. "Everything here is a test."

The student blanches a bit. "Oh... Then. Um. What was the question again?"

Rika ruffles the kid's hair. "Yeah, that's about par for the course. Don't worry about it. You're doing fine." She turns to face you. "For real though, Basil was great. He ate all his snacks and took a great long nap earlier and slept through all the noise of the battling. Super well behaved.” You smile at the comments, your heart swelling with pride as Rika goes on. “So you're headed out then?"

You nod, adjusting Basil on your hip as he starts to fiddle with a button on his overalls.

"Yup. Today's the day!"

Rika whistles. "Well good luck. Lemme know if you end up needing anything, yeah?"

You nod. "Thanks, will do. It should be fine though. Basil, say 'bye-bye!'"

"Bye-aye!" He mimics, waving at Rika.

"Say 'Good luck, Challenger!'"

"Goobuh, tsaduh!"

You laugh and ruffle his hair while the student gives him a determined thumbs up.

"Good job." You murmur into his sweet little head.

You grab the rest of yours and Basil's things and leave the Pokemon League building. You thought it'd do your team some good to get some energy out before their big event today, so you convinced Rika to let you take on some of the Champion Testing battles.

Within an hour or so, you're in the meadows out by Medali with a picnic set up.

Basil is seated in a bouncing little chair that meets the height of the picnic table, and you're finishing up the preparation of food for him and the pokemon.

You kneel down to help him handle his sippy cup.

"Are you excited, my littlest?" You ask him, as he babbles happily. "I'm excited, too."

It had taken you a decent amount of time to build up your courage to quite this stage.

Sure, all your Pokemon met Basil back when he was just a little potato of a thing, barely had his eyes open and could really only eat, sleep, cry, and sometimes pull your hair. But you knew back then that having your Pokemon out and about in the house, within the grasp of a little person who could easily get hurt or unintentionally piss them off was a recipe for trouble.

So your Pokemon were temporarily kept separate from your son for everyone's sake. Of course you still saw them and cared for them and battled with them, but never when Basil was around.

Now he's...he's more like a real person. Now he can run around and play. He's still learning words, but he has thoughts and can speak for himself and understand many things about the world around him. Sometimes so much so that it surprises you!

So. You can trust him enough and teach him how to behave around Pokemon.

You know your team as well as, if not better than, you know your son. You know they won't hurt him.

Still... Tinkaton's hammer is so heavy...and Skeledirge's flames burn so hot... And Raidon...

But no!

You can't keep your loves apart like this any longer!

It feels like it's been ages.

You look back to Basil and swipe your thumb across his cheek where some juice left him sticky.

"Oh, you sweet creature. Are you ready to meet Mama's friends?"

"Mama!" He chatots back to you.

"Okay, Basil." You lay out all six PokeBalls before him. "Take your pick for who you wanna meet first, okay?"

Your boy regards the PokeBalls with shining, eager eyes. He's seen these before. Chubby fingers grasp at a red and white ball. Your oldest.

"Oooh, that's a good one, my love." You say, rolling the ball gently along the table's surface with a single finger, though never removing it from Basil's grip.

"My very, very best friend is inside here." You lean in close and whisper dramatically, making Basil giggle. "But you won't tell the others, yea? He and I have been together for longer than anyone else. He's super excited to meet you. Wanna say hello?"

Basil nods.

"Can you hand me the PokeBall?"

He picks it up, having to hold it with both hands as he maneuvers the thing to your outstretched palm.

"Very good, Basil! Alright. Let's meet Skeledirge!"

You toss the ball into the air, with only a little more than your usual flare that you have when you battle, and the big, beautiful crocodile materializes with a thud on the ground in front of the table. It rears back on its hind legs and gives a mighty roar.

Basil, for his part, stands as best he's able in his chair, with you holding a supporting hand behind his back, to watch the spectacle, clapping his hands at the pokemon before him.

"Keledur!" He shrieks, delighted, before moving to climb down and onto the ground.

You lift him up easily enough and prop him against your hip, but Basil wants no part of being held when something so cool is nearby. "Whoa whoa whoa, wiggle wurmple." You tell him. "We gotta learn how to say hello to Skeledirge, yeah?"

"Hello, Skel'dur!" Basil mimics automatically, still squirming.

Skeledirge has the patience and wherewithal to stay planted while you wrangle the little one to stand in your lap as you sit cross legged in front of the Pokemon.

"Okay, Basil. Now, you need to be gentle with Pokemon. They're our friends, so we always need to be nice. Can you say 'nice'?" You take both of his hands in yours.

"Mm..." He corrects the sound. "Nnnnice!"

"Very nice! Good job! So when we pet Pokemon, we have to be very nice." You help him lean in toward Skeledirge, placing his hand on the Pokemon's nose, just to the side of the tiny firebird, which graciously hops out of the way. "See? Nice. Gentle..." You help him repeat the petting motion.

Basil squeals delightedly, petting Skeledirge's snout as he stomps his feet between your legs.

The Pokemon grumbles softly and shuts his eyes, relaxing into the ground a bit.

"Aw, Skel'dur go slee'?" Basil asks you, as he keeps petting the massive creature. "'Ats okay, Skel'dur. You go slee'. Shh... Shh..."

"Good job, Basil..." You tell him, whispering into the soft bits of fluffy hair behind his ears. "You're being so nice to Skeledirge! While he naps, do you wanna try and meet someone else?"

Basil turns to face you and nods excitedly, gripping the hem of his shirt in his little hands.

You stand and lead him back to the table where the other balls are.

Once again, Basil selects a red and white PokeBall. Briefly you wonder why he doesn't care for any of your specialty balls, but you decide not to question it.

He holds the thing tight in both hands.

"Okay, Bas', that's another really good one! I mean, they're all stellar, obviously, but this one is fun. This Pokemon and I also go way back. All the way back to..." Your heart clenches a bit, but you push past it quickly. "The very start of my journey! A very special person gave me this Pokemon."

Is it bad that you haven't brought up Arven to Basil yet? He isn't that old yet... Not even two yet. He hasn't asked about a papa or a daddy... So? You just kinda let it ride.

"How about you throw the PokeBall this time, huh? Give it a shot. Just throw the ball, hard as you can." You mime the motion to him.

Basil nods solemnly, looking to the ball, then he takes a deep breath and chucks it with a shout!

Or.

Well, he...

He kinda tries to chuck it.

In reality, the ball falls to the ground beneath his feet. It doesn't really matter though because the reddish glow of the releasing pokemon is still able to distance itself from the pair of you as Raidon materializes upright and gives a full body shake, making a chirring sound.

Basil stands in awe of the dragon that towers over the pair of you.

"Big!" He shouts, and you laugh.

"Yup! It's a big pokemon! This is Raidon!" You pat the creature lovingly along its shoulder, encouraging it to return to all fours. It eyes Basil up and down curiously, tilting its head from side to side. The sight of your baby helps bring it back down to earth a bit, and once it's on all fours again, you kneel to Basil's level.

"Now Raidon is really cool because--"

Basil shrieks, and your heart jolts momentarily before you realize it's a cry of laughter as the pokemon presses its snout up against his chest, chittering happily at him.

Your gaze softens, watching Basil pet along the dragon's snout, just as he had with Skeledirge.

"Good job... We always wanna be nice to pokemon, yeah?" You eventually say, petting along Raidon's shoulder and back.

Basil nods but doesn't take his wide, shining eyes from the creature in front of him.

"So... One of the neat things about this Pokemon is that..."

Just like both of his parents, Basil falls in love with Pokemon quickly and whole-heartedly. He's just as eager to meet everyone else on the team as they are to meet him!

Basil makes sure to play nicely and pay keen attention, or as good attention as his developing brain can make out. When someone shuts their eyes, they've "gone to sleep," so they're done playing. If someone is bouncing around, they can still play! He especially likes trying to kick around the little ball you brought along with them.

The Pokemon are also all very gentle with him. Not that you doubted any of them, really. Well, maybe Tinkaton, a little bit... But even then! They seem to understand their strength and how to tone it down for play with a teensy human.

When the sun starts to set later that evening, and Basil's eyes start to droop as his hands lose their grip on the last few bites of his cut up sandwich, you decide it might just be time to head in.

You recall all the pokemon to their balls, pack up the picnic, tuck your boy into his stroller and get started on the trek back to your apartment.

You're not alone.

You repeat the phrase like a mantra.

You're not alone.

You know that.

Not in, like, a spiritual sense or whatever, or even in the literal sense. You're fully aware that you have your little boy with you nearly at all times.

But you're not alone in raising him.

There's Nemona and Rika who are consistently proving themselves and trying to outdo one another as Best Tía of All Time.

There's Clavell who is always happy to take Basil for an afternoon when you're busy on research business for the academy.

Even Larry has taken your boy once or twice. You recall once how he gave a small sort of half smile when he took the stroller from your hands and waved you off.

"It's fine." He'd said, "He makes good company at meals."

"He can barely talk?"

"Exactly."

So.

Yeah.

You're not alone in parenthood.

Except when you are.

And...you currently are.

It's late at night. Well past Basil's usual bedtime. Past any time you'd feel comfortable asking a friend for an extra set of hands.

You can't blame Basil. Not really.

This isn't his fault. He's a good, sweet boy. He isn't even two yet, and he's already so smart.

Sometimes you even forget how little he is because he's so smart and perceptive.

That's your fault.

So... Maybe you jumped the gun a bit.

Maybe it was too soon for Basil to have a pokemon of his own.

Maybe you didn't realize how tricky it was raising a pokemon in tandem with a toddler.

How was Basil to know that dog pokemon can't eat raisins?

How were you to know he'd figured out how to open up the pantry?

You'd only been in the other room for a few minutes, changing into your pajamas and brushing your teeth when Basil had slowly pushed open your bedroom door, shuffling from foot to foot.

"Mama... Buddy frowed up..."

So...here you are, after a tearful admission on your son’s part, rushing your sweet baby's maschiff to the closest Pokemon Center.

Basil is inconsolable in your lap as the taxi flies. Your attempts to calm him fall on entirely deaf ears, partly due to the fact that he's crying so loudly that even the Taxi Driver can barely hear anything. You’ll have to tip him really well.

Basil is a good, sweet boy. He really is, but the situation isn’t aided in the slightest when he flails about in his tantrum, bashing your nose with one of his tiny fists more than hard enough to draw blood. Beyond the pain and having to hold back your own tears for your boy’s sake, you also have to calm the rage, the fear, the panic building in your heart that makes you want to scream. You also have to stanch the blood haphazardly, pressing your tender face to your shoulder, while Basil bawls out his apologies to you.

Maybe if someone else were around, someone could have been watching Basil while you changed.

Maybe if someone else was around, they could have stayed home with him while you rushed off to the Pokemon Center.

Maybe if someone else was around, they could have talked you out of letting your baby boy have a pokemon of his own.

Maybe if someone else was around, you could allow yourself to panic a bit, too.

As it stands, you need to be the sole pillar of support here. No one is here to give you a hanky to wipe at your nose or dab at the unshed tears in your eyes. No one can rub your back soothingly and let you know it’s okay, help you calm your racing heart. No one is there to help quell the nauseous churning in your stomach.

It hits you then that you’d been so busy today that you hadn’t eaten dinner. Again. An empty belly certainly didn’t help the situation.

You try to take a breath. At least, a breath through your mouth.

Buddy the Maschiff (newly hatched as of a few weeks ago from an egg that had been sitting in your box for so long you'd had no idea what was even inside) will be fine, you tell yourself. They'll get him to keep throwing up or whatever needs to happen to get the rest of the raisins out of his system.

Basil will be fine. Maybe a little scared, but fine.

You will be fine. You'll keep the food up higher. No, the raisins were plenty high. Basil pushed a chair. You'll lock the pantry. No, that's crazy, you don't want to restrict food like that. You'll... You'll...

You'll calm down after maybe a few hours of sleep and a snack, maybe. Then you'll be able to think straight again. Maybe.

It's hard doing this alone.

"Okay, I think I'm set to go then!"

"Aw, babe, that's great! You sure you don't want me coming along?"

Arven sighs, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. "I'm fine, really. I'm just packing up the rest of my stuff from my old storage unit in Mesagoza and coming right back here."

"Coming back to me, you mean?" His companion brazenly flirts. Arven lets it slide. He opens the door of the company car and steps out to the rush of the Lumiose City airport.

"I'll see you when I get back."

"Text me, babe!" She pushes, smiling wide, but Arven is already walking away.

He doesn't... He doesn't mean to be distant to the clingy woman. He's just...a little nervous for this trip is all. Paldea was the only home he ever knew before now, and he finally got the courage to leave for this Kalosian job. He was ready to grow from beneath the shadows of his world renowned parents and League Champion friends. He was ready to find something for himself and come into his own! And he’s done that! He’s still doing that! But it came at the cost of seemingly all of his friends back in Paldea. After your argument and subsequent blocking, everyone else dropped off like venonats not terribly long afterward. It really stung, and it still stings. Arven isn’t entirely sure what to expect when he returns to his home region. Has anyone been following his success? Will anyone even be happy to see him? Should he really just lay low, pack up his stuff, and spirit himself away like he was never even there? Somehow a Galarian goodbye feels worse than not even trying to rekindle a connection with some of his old pals.

Then again, none of this is an excuse to be rude to the woman who gave him a ride. She's been nothing but nice to him the last few years, serving as his PR rep at Bon Applintit. Maybe he should be nicer? Maybe he should finally cave and take her out on that date she's been seemingly begging for... He assumes she probably has some hand in the neat little reputation he's built online for himself as this chef-influencer guy.

Not that he really thinks it totally suits him entirely, but folks seem to really like his content, especially when he pairs human and pokemon food together, showing off how amazing Mabosstiff is.

That's really what it is at the end of the day, he figures. Mabosstiff is the real star of the show.

Not that he's bad, or something! He’s put a lot of effort the last few years into unlearning some of his old, unhelpful thought patterns. It's just... People love dogs, and Mabosstiff is the best!

So he's really lucky. He's hit a pocket of internet fame, and the company is keeping him on longer than his current contract. Kalos has been kind to him so far... It seems like a good place to plant roots, so... He may as well pack up the last bits of his life from Paldea and haul it off now.

The flight to Mesagoza barely takes any time. Boarding and disembarking truthfully take longer than total time in the air, but that's fine.

Arven steps into the streets and...

He's pleasantly surprised by how nice it feels to hear his own language again.

Kalosian isn't bad. He's gotten much better at it, really, even if he wasn't great with foreign languages back in his classes with Salvatore...

Maybe he should thank him? Or apologize? No, thanking him would probably be better.

Plus, if he stops by the school, he could see Clavell and Saguaro.

He wouldn't have to walk by his old apartment next to his storage unit yet.

The last place he hung out with you.

He won't have to think about how you weirdly got angry and shut him out after he had to cancel a few video calls.

He won't have to think about how empty his old place is. How he misses all his peers in his age group. How everyone else ended up dropping off within the year after you blocked him.

He won't have to think about his parents' old belongings that he needs to either pack up and move or toss.

...Yeah, stopping by the academy to see some of his old teachers might be nice.

Plus, Mabosstiff might like to check out the old stomping grounds again.

Arven makes the turn toward the massive set of looming stairs and releases his pokemon from his ball. The dog, for his part, takes a moment to slowly swivel his head from side to side, as if not quite believing his surroundings. He looks up at his person and tilts his head, one of his ears flopping inside out.

Arven laughs and pats his head, fixing the ear in the process. "Yeah, Bud." He says with a smile. "We're ho--...back for a bit. Wanna go stop by school? I bet Saguaro will have some treats for you."

Mabosstiff boofs loudly and gives a bounce--or, as much of a bounce as a dog of his size can really give--before bounding up the stairs. The sight makes Arven laugh even louder, taking after his pokemon, but Mabosstiff is much faster. He gets to the mezzanine landing in no time flat before pausing, his nose held high in the air. Mabosstiff clearly sniffs for several seconds before catching the smell of something and taking off like a bolthund, not bothering to wait for Arven to meet him.

"Hey! Buddy!" The man shouts after his pokemon, picking up the pace, but Mabosstiff pays him no heed and is out of sight within seconds.

The rational part of Arven's mind knows that Mesagoza's Academy is a safe place for pokemon, and that Mabosstiff knows how to handle himself, but at the same time, he can't help but worry just the tiniest bit as he rushes onward and upward along the stairway to try and catch up.

The tiny seed of worry sprouts and grows when he hears Mabosstiff's growling bark and a tiny shriek of a cry not long after.

"Mabosstiff!" He shouts, finally scaling the last of the stairs, doing his best to stave off the feeling of being winded. He isn't the teenager who used to traverse the region anymore, after all. His eyes dart along the courtyard, looking for a massive black cloud along the grass.

"Mabosstiff!" He shouts again, before another screech draws his attention to one of the benches where his dog seems to be perched on top of something.

"Mabosstiff, stop that now!" He calls over, running toward the scene. As he approaches, Arven makes out a speck of yellow and brown yampering and trying to climb up Mabosstiff's back, nipping at his ear.

Upon closer inspection, it's a little maschiff, but Mabosstiff is hardly paying it any mind, his attention entirely focused on using some kid in a stroller as a lollipop. Said kid is the one yelling up a storm.

"Bud!" Arven scolds him, grabbing Mabosstiff by the scruff of his neck. "Down! Now!"

With a pathetic sound, Mabosstiff backs off, as do the sounds of the little one in the stroller, whose squeals die into giggles and fits of laughter.

Arven breathes a sigh of relief that the kid wasn't frightened of his massive dog and that the shrieks he was hearing were probably just laughing. He returns his dog to its pokeball as the maschiff whines.

By now, Arven’s got enough wit about him to look to the kid's parent.

"Hey, uh, I'm so sorry about that. I really don't know what got into my Mabo--" Arven's words die on his tongue when he sees that the kid's accompanying adult was none other than Director Clavell, giving him a look as if he's seen a ghost.

"Oh! Director! Hi!" Arven greets him, embarrassed. "Sorry, I... I actually was stopping by to catch up and say hello to you. I'm back in town for just a few days and I wanted to, uh...catch...up... but, uh... Wow," He says with an awkward smile, gesturing to the stroller without actually looking at it. "Y'know, it's funny, I spent so much time with you as a kid, while Mom and Dad were in lab, and now–"

"Yes, well, Master Arven..." Clavell interrupts him, blithely moving to the child in the stroller who is briefly blocked from view as the director fiddles a bit, no doubt wiping away Mabosstiff's drool and adjusting their hair, something Arven remembers him doing countless times to him as a little boy.

A moment later, Clavell stands back up, an icy indifference covering his face, a perfect match to the chill that settles in Arven's veins as he actually looks at the kid in the stroller. "I'd say you bear a striking resemblance to your father now. We must be going. Good day."

Clavell turns the stroller around, and Arven watches as his old teacher walks off with a toddler that looks like a carbon copy of...himself, complete with a tiny maschiff following along at their heels.

His head swims. What? Who's that kid? How did Clavell get him? Why does he look just like Arven? And what was with that comment about him looking like his dad now?

Arven numbly lifts a hand to his chin. Sure, he'd let his facial hair grow out a bit, but... What? Clavell knows how Arven feels about his dad. That...that had to be a dig at him, right? Did...did the facial hair look dumb? It couldn't look that dumb? No, what was this about? And who is this kid?

By the time Arven has recovered enough to move his stupid legs into the building that Clavell and the boy had disappeared into, bolting to the director's office, the door is locked, and he's informed that Clavell has already left.

Fuck... He... He needs an answer here. Something is very wrong.

Did his mom or dad have some other kid he didn't know about or something? And then he had, like, a sibling or half-sibling somewhere who was unloading their spawn on the director?

No, that’s outrageous.

Maybe the kid just...just happens to look just like Arven?

This is stupid to just guess about. He just needs to be able to talk to someone.

Arven hurriedly makes his way to the Home Ec room and knocks at the door where the familiar face of Mr. Saguaro greets him with a friendly smile.

"Arven! Hello, my boy! Do come in, come in! Would you like something to eat? I just made pokemon treats, and I’m sure your Mabosstiff would love one!" His voice booms as Arven is ushered inside and enveloped in a tight hug.

The sensation nearly knocks the wind out of him, not just because of Saguaro's strength and size but because...well, he truthfully wasn't expecting such a warm welcome after getting the cold shoulder from Clavell. Or, he had been hoping for a warm welcome from his father figure only to be met with what he can only describe as paternal disdain.

Arven hugs Saguaro back. "Hello, Sir..." He says softly, forcing back the lump in his throat. "I, uh... I was just in the area..."

"Oh?" Saguaro asks, disengaging and pulling up a pair of seats for them to chat at a table. "Well, I'd love an opportunity to catch up with one of my most successful students. Please, sit and tell me what brings you by."

It's tempting. It's... It's really, really tempting to sit and chat about Kalos and Bon Applintit and all the good things lately, but Arven can't get the thought of that kid out of his mind.

"Sir..." He starts. "I saw Director Clavell on my way in..."

"Yes?" Saguaro asks, prompting him to continue.

"It, uh, it looked like he was... Maybe babysitting?"

Saguaro's eyes go distant for a second and he sighs. "Ah, so you saw..."

"Yeah." Arven interrupts before his former teacher has a chance to continue. "Who was that? The kid, I mean? And, well, why was the director taking care of--"

"Arven..." Saguaro sighs and stands back up, placing a hand on his shoulder. It's a comforting gesture, warm and heavy, but when Arven meets his gaze, hoping to find some type of answer to his confusion, he's met with sadness and what almost feels like disappointment radiating from the larger man. "Arven, I don't think I should be the one to tell you anything about that little one..." He says, his tone matching that same disappointment in his eyes. "That's a conversation you'll need to have with the child's mother."

"His mother...?" Arven asks, flabbergasted, his mind racing about who that could possibly be.

Saguaro nods. "You might find her at the Pokemon League this time of day, if you're lucky. I assume you don't have her number anymore?"

"Anymore? Wait, Sir, I'm not following here... I seriously have no idea what's g--"

Then it hits him.

You.

He slept with you.

It was...well, almost three-ish years ago? So...the timing would work out for a toddler. Not that he really knows what kids look like at different ages, but...

A toddler.

His toddler.

His toddler?

Arven doesn't realize his knees buckled. All he knows is that he's sitting in a chair, presumably placed beneath him by Saguaro just in time, a mug of water in his hands, while his teacher rubs gently at his back.

"Arven? Son, are you okay?"

"Don't say 'son'..." Arven mumbles out, his hands shaking as he grips the cup with near-white knuckles. He feels bile churning in his stomach. "I... I gotta go to the League... She hasn't spoken to me since...since..." He's trying to do the math in his head, but there's a block there, and between the rush of nausea and extreme anxiety, he can't focus.

"I gotta go. Sorry. I mean, thanks." He says, standing unsteadily before rushing from the room, Saguaro's protests falling on deaf ears.

Luckily, the Pokemon League isn't terribly far from Mesagoza, and Arven can make the trip on foot fairly easily in under an hour.

The whole trip there, he's panicking internally.

Did you really have his kid? That's...that's not what he actually saw was it? Then...then who was that little boy? Whose was he?

Beyond that, why hadn't you told him? Was this why you got all bitchy and dropped off the face of the earth? Well, maybe it wasn't bitchy...maybe it was hormones? But still! You never told him! Sure, he had to cancel your video calls several times, but... But you still could have found a way to tell him! You didn't need to block him! Was this why everyone else shut him out, too?

Actually... It all kinda lined up now. You blocked him, then...some number of months later, everyone else stopped talking to him, too. Even Penny stopped sending him the occasional meme.

What the fuck. Everyone thinks he's a deadbeat dad.

He is a deadbeat dad.

Or...is he? Can he be a deadbeat dad if he didn't know? ...Maybe that makes it worse? Fuck.

Maybe you didn't want him around for any of this, and that's why you didn't tell him... You knew he'd be a shitty dad or something. After all, what kind of dad could Arven be when his own dad didn't even want him?

No.

No, that's not right.

That's no way to think about any of this.

Something...

Something else has to be at play here.

Arven has talked himself down from the precipice by the time he's made it to the top of the hill on which the League building sits.

He's just about to open the door to enter when a smartly dressed person with long, teal hair exits, arms crossed and a stern look on their face.

"Hello. How can I help you today?" They ask formally.

"Hi, yeah. My name's Arven Sada-Turo. I'm looking for, uh..." He falters for a moment before giving your full name and title. It felt strange saying the whole thing out loud again, like lead on his tongue.

The person hums at him critically, then gestures with their chin back toward the building.

"Let's talk, Arven Sada-Turo."

He breathes a sigh of relief, following them through the doors.

"Oh, thank you so much. You know, I spent the last few years in Kalos, and I just came back today, so--"

"You've been in Kalos?" The person--Rika, according to the nameplate and pronouns on her desk--says. "Kalos is pretty nice. You must've been having a great time over there." She goes on, taking a seat and folding her hands in front of her.

"I, uh..." Arven eyes her, unsure. "I was... Um, I just came back to, um... Actually, is she gonna be here soon?" He asks, confused.

"Please." Rika gestures to the chair across from her desk. "Have a seat. We can have a chat while we wait for my dear friend, yeah?" She asks, her eyes narrowing like a Luxray.

"Um... Sure..." Arven says, sitting down uneasily. "So, she'll be down? I, uh, haha... I never bothered completing the League challenge while I was in school, so..." He looks around the lobby. "I dunno where she might...um...be..ya know, in the building..."

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Rika speaks over him glibly, leaning back, crossing her ankles up on her desk. "I just wanna talk for a second. So you just decided to come back to Paldea to see my dear, sweet friend? Just a little pleasure call, or...?"

Arven splutters. "Excuse me?"

"I'm just trying to get your angle here, Sada-Turo. I don't see why you're bothering to come back after all these years. She's built a good life for herself, y'know? Super successful Champion, one of the best field researchers for our scientists. One hell of a mom. She doesn't need you or whatever pathetic excuse of an offer you might be trying to attempt here."

"Wh...What?!" Arven stammers, his heart pounding painfully in his chest when your status as a parent was confirmed. "I didn't even come back to see her! I came back to get the rest of my stuff and move permanently back to Kalos! It was only--"

"Then why are you here? Why don't you go?" Rika asks, her eyes going dark. "We don't need you. She doesn’t need you."

Arven's heart sinks. Rika was re-affirming all his worst thoughts, and as much as he feels urged to believe them, he fights it. This isn't a conversation he needs to have with some random woman at the Pokemon League. Who was she anyway? Your girlfriend? No, she called you a dear friend, but still…

Ugh, Rika’s relationship to you doesn't matter! He needs to talk to you.

"Is she coming down or not? Is she even in the building?"

"Not anymore." Rika smirks, checking her phone.

Arven audibly sighs and stands to leave. "You're wasting my time. I need to talk to her about...whatever this is that’s going on." He says, gesturing vaguely as he leaves the building.

"Oh, now you wanna talk to her? Why? Wanna try and convince yourself you're better than your own daddy because of your follower count or some tauros-shit?" Rika calls after him. "See if she gives you the time of day, Sada-Turo! Just see!"

Her words sting. Really badly, actually, but Arven tries to just let them slide off his back best he can. That woman doesn't know him. She isn't the priority right now.

You are.

He just needs to figure out some way to find and talk to you…

His phone buzzes obnoxiously in his pocket. He spares a glance at it as he hails a taxi on the off-chance that maybe you'd reach out, then turns the screen off. He doesn't have time for his PR rep right now.

#arven fanfic #arven x reader #arvensimp kidfic #arven x female reader #arven x pregnant!reader #pregnancy//#i think those were all the tags people wanted me to put this under so it could be black listed. please let me know if anyone needs others!

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someone-omori · 4 months

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Yawn... it really feels like nothing's changed lately... I wonder what's taking AUBREY, KEL, BASIL and HERO so long this time. SUNNY and I need to go on some new, exciting adventures soon! ... Are you hesitating, DREAMER...? ... Hey, I just had a fun idea! It'll be a nice refresher of what we're doing here, and we'll have some fun along the way! Are you ready? Start your engines!

Download SOMEONE here!

(Hey, it's been a while! We're not sure when exactly we'll continue the blog, but we promise Someone hasn't left our headspace. Robotnik's Ring Racers, however, holds a slightly larger place in there in the moment. So we thought this would be a nice treat to release in the meantime. Hope you enjoy!)

#omori au #omori #omori someone #someone omori #omori someone au #omori askblo #dr robotniks ring racers #sonic #mod #omori mod

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summer-nights19 · 7 months

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Withering gladiolus

Aubrey angst

Summary: My take on how Aubrey's life changed after Mari's death.

Contains heavy topics

It had happened 3 years exactly today. 3 years ago, Aubrey had lost her best friend and her entire world along with her. When Mari died, she took all the beauty and joy in the world along with her, leaving a colourless world of pain and misery. Aubtey would never forget how she'd felt when she first heard the news - it had felt like a piece of her soul had died, and the rest was in unbearable agony. She'd crumbled to her knees and let the tears flow, still paraylsed with shock. Despite the initial promise to support each other, the friendship group had collapsed in a matter of days - Sunny stopped leaving the house, Basil shut everyone out and tried to avoid her, Hero left for college and Kel also seemed to stop caring about her. Everyone had apparently moved on with their lives and forgotten about Aubrey, who was left to deal with the gaping wound in her heart all alone. She really tried at first, like when she asked Basil if he wanted to study together, but when she saw what he did to Mari's face in those photographs, something inside her snapped. How dare he disrespect her dead best friend so casually and blatantly ? She'd felt the blood boiling in her veins looking at him. Something inside her snapped that day.

Ever since she was a kid, Aubrey had had a rough life - her mother was perpetually passed out on the couch surrounded by empty bottles of gin, and her father... Aubrey had no idea, and she didn't want to know either. He could be dead in a ditch for all she cared. But with them, life had been different - she had found the family she was never given in the moments they shared, their laughter, their conversation, their teasing, and their love. Suddenly, everything around her had seemed brighter and more joyful - she'd look forward to school because she's get to play with them, and afterwards, she'd spend as much time as possible out around faraway town with them.

However, after Mari's death, everything changed completely.

When she first dyed her hair, she hadn't intended for it to be an act of rebellion - she'd always wanted to try pink, and she and Mari often talked about dyeing it together. As Aubrey stood in front of the cracked bathroom mirror and started to lather the bright pink liquid on her hair, it felt like she was keeping a small part of her friend alive. When she'd seen the end result, she'd smiled a little for the first time in weeks. Then, the neighbours began to talk, to look at her differently. Like her grief had turned her into a wild, uncontrollable outlaw. Soon after, Aubrey started attending the local mass every Sunday. She'd been very surprised the first time she'd found herself wondering into the church - she'd never been particularly religious, and her mom couldn't even get up off the couch to make her meals, let alone take her to church.

People often talked about churches as places of peace and salvation, which was exactly what Aubrey was hoping to find a little of as she found herself increasingly consumed by her pain and loneliness as time went on. However, no matter how hard she seemed to try, each week she'd show up and find nothing. On the contrary, she'd started to notice the disapproving looks and whispers from the elderly as they criticised everything from her hair and outfit to her family background and upbringing.

"Look at her ... she's dressed like a common street gangster in a place of worship. That skirt is so short that I'm surprised they even let her in. What a disrespectful girl !" One old woman had whispered to her husband on an outing.

"I think it's the girl who lives in that house a few streets from here ... the one with the front yard covered with litter and the cracks in the doors and windows ... well, what can be expected from the fatherless daughter of an alcoholic ?"

The words had felt like a knife to the heart to Aubrey. Would she really never be anything more than that ? Everyone was convinced she wouldn't, so she supposed not. She almost didn't go back to church the week after, but she'd dragged herself anyway - the desire to find peace after the death of her friend was strong enough to shut out the whispers and pointing.

It was around this time that she'd first met her gang. It had been a normal day - she'd been out grocery shopping after ignoring the empty fridge for two days - and she'd bumped into Kim shoplifting bags of candy. Aubrey had promised not to tell, and, in return, Kim had taught her how to do it. Even though she hadn't liked stealing, Aubrey had to admit it might have been useful in the future - even with her new job, her balance seemed to barely cover the costs of living each month. Soon after that, Kim introduced her to the rest of the hooligans, and within a week, she'd stopped going to school and joined them full time. Yeah, she might have been throwing her life away and proving everyone right, but at least she had friends now. At least these people seemed to accept her and care about her somewhat. At least she had a way of numbing the pain and forgetting about everything as she distracted herself with petty crime and intimidating other local kids. Aubrey quickly won the respect of everyone else and became the gang's leader, having mastered this new lifestyle and embraced it to the fullest.

Sometimes, during lonely nights, when she was lying awake staring at the ceiling of her attic, Aubrey would still remember, despite her best efforts to shut out the memories and confine them to a dark corner of her mind. She'd wonder whether the others would be disappointed in the person she'd become. As much as she told herself that she hated them and didn't care, she fouldn't bring herself to fully believe it.

She wondered if Mari would still like her, had she been alive. The answer renewed the sharp pain in her chest and threatened t9 cloud her vision with tears. No. This was her life now. She needed to accept it and move on from the past, where there was only heartache to be found.

Masterlist

#omori #omori game #omori fandom #omori fanfic #omori aubrey #omori angst #aubrey omori #omori basil #omori kel #omori sunny #omori hero #omori mari #omori fanfiction

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silvereyedowl · 9 months

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What We Know About Series 15

This post will be updated with more information.

It will be coming in 2025, preceded by a Christmas special in 2024.

CAST

Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor.

Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday. Russell T Davies described her as "crucial" to the season. Gibson stated at SDCC that the season would explore Ruby's life after leaving the Doctor.

Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra. Belinda will join the Doctor and Ruby in the TARDIS. (Sethu's casting was leaked weeks prior to the April 12 announcement as she was seen at location filming.) The reveal of her character's name at SDCC has sparked speculation about connections to other Whoniverse characters, particularly Rani Chandra from The Sarah Jane Adventures. Sethu unexpectedly appeared as Anglican Marine Mundy Flynn in series 14 episode "Boom". Afterwards, RTD stated that there would be a connection of some sort between Mundy and Sethu's new character. Steven Moffat also said RTD had a plan for Sethu, and compared the plot to Clara Oswald – whose first season revolved around her having multiple doppelgangers in different time periods.

Nicola Coughlan will be appearing in the Christmas special as... Joy. I don't know whether her name or the title came first, but I'm honestly annoyed by the combination, although I like what I've seen of Coughlan's performance in the preview. Here's a video check-in from her.

Other cast members from "Joy to the World" include Peter Benedict as Basil, Julia Watson as Hilda, Niamh Marie Smith as Sylvia, Peter Baxter as Edmund Hillary, Samuel Sherpa-Moore as Tenzing Norgay, Steph de Walley as Anita, and Jonathan Aris as Melnak.

Anita Dobson as Mrs. Flood. Dobson promised the season would have some answers about her character, who ended series 14 on a decidedly mysterious note, teasing a "wild ride" towards the reveal of her identity. RTD also promised answers about her.

Jonah Hauer-King as a character who is "joining Ruby's journey".

Episode 2 is set to feature a guest actor who previously played a different character in the past.

EPISODES

Like Series 14, there will be 8 episodes and a preceding Christmas special. As of the publication of DWM 596, five scripts had been fully written.

RTD said that, besides himself, there will be four guest writers for the season.

The Christmas special is "Joy to the World", written by Steven Moffat – marking the first holiday special not to be written by the current showrunner. Interestingly, RTD previously said he was working on it in 2022, suggesting plans changed. RTD has described the special as the "maddest ever", with a story about what the Doctor is like when he's alone. A preview (below in the "Trailers" section) shows the Doctor visiting various points in the 20th century while trying to deliver someone a latte and a sandwich, only to, in 2024, barge in on Joy at the Sandringham hotel, who is herself using a hair dryer to threaten a Silurian who just walked in on her.

Millie Gibson said that episode 4, the first one she filmed, was her favourite episode of the season and a "challenge" to get right.

When Davies wrote his "Letter from the Showrunner" column for Doctor Who Magazine 591, the Script and Legal departments were investigating whether the show was allowed to use a certain title for episode 6. RTD has since described the episode as a "riot", inspired by crossing an as-yet-unspecified movie with another element.

One episode contains the words garden, firmament, and diploma.

Another episode contains the words radiation, moth, and skiffle.

An Entertainment Weekly set visit saw an episode involving "space stations, holograms, and the Doctor using his brain to thwart an interstellar foe". They also had exclusive looks at two of the Doctor's costumes for the season.

PRODUCTION

Formal preparations for series 15 began in late July 2023.

Filming began on October 23, 2023.

RTD, writing about the final days of filming for series 14, said "Yasmin Finney wrapped a few days ago, big hugs, see you soon", raising a possibility that her character Rose Noble will appear in the season as well.

Block 1 will be directed by Alex Pillai, and block 2 will be directed by Peter Hoar, who previously directed "A Good Man Goes to War". Amanda Brotchie and Makalla McPherson will also be directing episodes. McPherson teased a maze sequence appearing in one of her episodes, through which the Doctor is fleeing enemies.

In DWM 600, Davies gave a production update for the season: the Christmas special was almost picture-locked before FX. Episode 1 had just one more scene to shoot, episodes 2 and 3 were to start filming soon, episode 4 had finished shooting, episode 5 was on its fifth draft, episode 6 was on its ninth draft, episode 7 sat waiting, and episode 8 would be written soon.

In DWM 601, Davies mentioned that the sets for the UNIT Ops Room and the Sundays' flat were about to "spring back into life", and also mentioned sets for a hospital, a set "so real, we could rent it out as its actual self", and another described as an "absolute labyrinth".

On a further note, Davies has indicated that series 16 is already planned out, and that a fourth season is being planned as well, for which he joked that he might write a dialogueless episode.

Filming wrapped on May 25, 2024.

CREATOR RAMBLINGS

RTD also promised no further gap years, and hinted that the eight-episode length which Series 14 will hold to may change in the future.

Davies said in an interview that he expects the season to air at least partially in May.

In DWM 597, Davies mentioned that sets for a hotel, a hospital, and a "chamber" were being built.

Davies said that the season will not include an anniversary celebration for the new series, due to possible "anniversary overload" after the centenary special and the 60th.

He also stated that a scene filmed on March 8, 2024 would "live forever in the show's history".

RTD teased 3 words from the climax of the series: "tinderbox", "Croydon", "threshold".

In DWM 607, RTD teased ADR being recorded with a guest star in New York City, and drone filming in another city "thousands of miles" away from the UK, presumably for establishing shots.

TRAILERS

youtube

SPOILERS below the cut!

All leaks and otherwise unofficial news will be here.

Location Filming Reports

Filming for the 2024 Christmas special showing both a WWII setting and contemporary NYC.

More Christmas special filming with Joel Fry.

Filming for episode 4 (directed by Peter Hoar) with Millie Gibson, Jonah Hauer-King (whose character appears to be romantically involved with Ruby), Blake Patrick Anderson, and extras playing protestors and UNIT soldiers.

Lewis Comay was spotted in location filming, alongside the Doctor and Varada Sethu's character, in what appears to be 1950s Miami.

Filming in Cardiff Central on April 21, including the Doctor, Ruby, and Shirley Anne Bingham. Propaganda posters of Hauer-King's character (named Conrad), a crown logo, and strange changes in circumstances for several characters.

Spoiler Casting

As listed above, Joel Fry and Blake Patrick Anderson have been cast.

Jonah Hauer-King is playing someone who may be Ruby's boyfriend and may be named "Conrad".

Lewis Cornay is playing "Logan Cheever".

Ruth Madeley, Jemma Redgrave, Alexander Devrient, Bonnie Langford and Angela Wynter appear to be returning as their characters.

Other

A "spoiler roundup" from Reddit. Accuracy uncertain.

Possible release dates: March 28, a Friday, from Radio Free Skaro. This could be an indication the season will go with the same release schedule as series 14: midnight UK time, which would still be Friday in North America. Set reports saw a prop from the finale mentioning an event taking place on May 24, which is a Saturday in 2025. This would not, however, line up with the March rumours, regardless of whether they did a one- or two-episode premiere.

#doctor who #dw #series 15 #doctor who series 15 #information roundup #doctor who spoilers #spoilers #dw spoilers #russell t davies #ncuti gatwa #fifteenth doctor #millie gibson #varada sethu #nicola coughlan #steven moffat #belinda chandra

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starfish-sonnyangel · 7 months

Note

so bored you might... come out of fanfic retirement? you must be really really bored,,,

squad's favorite terran foods in your hcs?

-from @auroracycle-enjoyer

guess who has two thumbs and is working on this instead of their lit final! 🤗🤗🤗

THANK YOU FOR THE ASK!! again please please ask me things i promise ill respond even if it takes me a couple months lmao!

he squads fav terran foods

ty -

had a gym rat phase during the academy so for like 3+ years he was literally only considering how much protein a certain food had not how it tasted or anyyyything

seasoning? we dont know her here

if you ask him he’ll probably say salad (he’s lying)

auri introduced him to pizza and he’s hooked

fav is margarita bc he likes to pretend that the basil add some nutritional value

auri

SOUPPP SOUP SOUP

ugh i just need her to curl up with a good book and music and a bowl of soup she deserves it

literally any kind of soup as long as its hot n served with some kinda bread

loves chicken noodle/irish stew/really heavy soups like that bc it reminds her of what her mom used to cook

also egg drop soup, oxtail, lanzhou beef noodles, all the stuff her dad used to make

give her a mug of chicken noodle and some sourdough and she’ll literally love you forever.

its canon from aurora rising that she likes spicy food so i know she loads allll her food up with spice

everyone’s learned to not ask for a bite of her soup if they dont need to give their sinuses a deep cleanse

ty was the first to learn the hard way, snuck a sip of her food secretly and 2 minutes later was curled up on the floor with a box of tissues and a jug of milk

“ty are you cryin-” “IM NOT CRYING SHUT UP MY EYES ARE WATERING”

again, he’s not a big seasoning guy

Scar

any kind of pasta

she got really into making fresh pasta during the academy, bc she obviously needed a hobby to fill up all the time she spent not studying

is lwky a pasta prodigy can lecture you on any type of pasta

her favorite kind is fusilli (“because it’s extra, like me!”)

also a pesto fanatic

goes vegan at least 4 times each year

her current record is 2 weeks

sweet treats!!

fav cake is tirmisu

can always be trusted to have a snack tucked away in her bag

Fin

survives off energy drinks and caf, you wouldn’t really call him a foodie

that being said, he’s a sucker for a good sandwich

clean, compact, won’t get into his suit, tastes good, sandwiches check off all necessary boxes

would sell his suit for a good turkey panini

took him a while to get used to terran food but he is now a confirmed fan

with that being said he cannot cook

once set off the fire alarms across the entire academy after forgetting about a baguette he had toasting in the kitchen

i feel like he'd also be straegly obbsessed with random terran snacks like goldfish and graham crackers

is a FIEND for those yougurt chew things that are for babies

"fin, two go-gurts and a family sized bag of chex mix is not a well-rounded dinner"

looooves those nerd gummy clusters

to be completely honest he'll eat literally anything if he's hungry enough

as previously stated i need to get on my academic grind so ill be completing everyone else soon, just wanted to get this out bc i havent posted in a while

this was so much fun to do, thanks again to @auroracycle-enjoyerfor the ask!

#aurora cycle #aurora burning #hcs #aurora jie lin omalley #tyler jones #scarlett jones #finian de karran de seel

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the-bar-sinister · 2 months

Text

Deicide (8846 words) by VickytheSnake, thesavagesabretooth

catch up here Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, Wano Arc (One Piece) Spoilers, Possession, straw hat pirates polycule, Action/Adventure, Power of Friendship, Established Relationship, Kaidou Lives, basil hawkins lives, caesar clown joins the straw hats, Nefertari Vivi is a Member of the Straw Hat Pirates, Smart Monkey D. Luffy, Cuddly Monkey D. Luffy, Drinking, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags May Change

Summary: Realizing something is very, very wrong after the fight with Kaidou, Luffy seeks out Robin for comfort and advice. What he tells her is unsettling.

Luffy is hearing the voice of a god, and he wants it out of his head.

Unsurprisingly, it seemed Captain Luffy was being attended to in shifts. When Law, with Caesar behind him, got back to the suite where the Straw Hats had been put up by the samurai he found Chopper and Vivi were there with him.

It seemed like they were mid-way through an argument about whether or not Luffy could have sake yet.

Chopper was slapping his hooves down on the table with an adamant ‘no no no no’, partway through insisting that ‘he shouldn’t drink at least until we confirm his internal wounds are mostly healed’, and Vivi already trying to reach her hand towards the bottle to offer it to Luffy with a grin.

She turned, her azure hair shimmering like a field of stars in the light as she grinned and shoved Chopper down enough to finally grab the bottle with an extension of her devil fruit power…a dark and shimmering miasma of starlight and void that looped around it and drew it back to her main body.

“Mr. Law, welcome back! I’m about to get the Captain a drink!” she chirped with a broad and toothy smile.

“....and who said he could drink?” Law warned dangerously.

"Vivi did!" Luffy declared, grinning broadly and grabbing the bottle as it was offered. "Chopper thinks it's a bad idea, but I'm fine, really! How ya doing, Traffy? You want some?"

“We’re gonna have some words real soon, Nefertari.” Law pointed to her with a narrowing of his eyes. “But fine,ain’t like I can stop your captain from making dumbass decisions.”

Vivi's dark cheeks paled, and she waved her hands nervously towards him with a flapping of her miko’s robe. “H-hey! Come on! He said he was thirsty and I don’t see the harm in it!”

Chopper finally forced himself up from under her hand and wailed. “He was cut to ribbons by the end of that fight! That spiked club did a lotta damage!!”

"I promise I don't have any holes in me, Chopper!" Luffy insisted nonchalantly. "Aside from sleeping for three days I feel basically fine." Luffy waved his hand, taking a drink from the sake jar.

Law felt hands on the back of his shoulder as Caesar leaned out from behind him to grin at Luffy. "No holes is a great start, since we'd like to poke some."

“Clown.’” Law warned dangerously as he pulled himself away to drop down opposite Luffy. “You’re bouncing back awfully fast, Straw Hat.”

Vivi huffed with a smile, standing and smoothing out the miko’s hakama Law had seen her in since he found the Straw Hats creeping about undercover.

“Well…if it’s medical talk that’s going to be happening…I’m not going to be of much use. Captain Luffy?” She aimed a finger gun his way with a grin, and shot out a small and shimmering star that flared in the room before dissipating “We gotta drink more when you escape the doctor zone.”

“It’s called a treatment room!” Chopper huffed as he dusted off his hat.

Luffy beamed widely and raised the jar to her. "Yeah! We'll drink together after they're done hassling me, right?"

He looped an arm around Law from all the way around the table.

"Not much of a treatment room," Caesar muttered, hands on his hips. "But we persevere."

Vivi closed her eyes with a wave before she dissipated into the sparkling miasma of human starlight, and vanished through the door.

Chopper settled down beside Luffy again with a puff of his furry cheeks. “If I had my way he’d be in the Sunny’s doctors office!”

Law laughed sharply, reaching a hand up to grab Luffy’s stretchy arm with a lopsided smile. “Yeah well. We make due. Gimme some of that, Straw Hat. It’s been a long day and I’ve been sufferin’ Caesar’s company. I need a stiff drink.”

Luffy laughed and held the jar teasingly out of reach of Law for just a moment, before he handed it over. "Chopper's assistant is giving you trouble huh?"

Law was sure Luffy had been calling Caesar that just to see the way it looked like Clown had sucked a lemon every time. This time was no different. However, the mad scientist painted a smile onto his face anyway and clasped his hands, ignoring the captain and turning to his 'boss' instead.

"Unfortunately, Chopper the Sunny isn't docked anywhere near here so we'll have to make due, won't we?"

“Gosh, you’re right about that!” Chopper rubbed his furry chin thoughtfully “and Captain Luffy’s mostly healed up okay, despite bein’ smacked around a bunch!”

“It’s his freakish healing factor and unnatural determination.” Law smirked as he took the sake jar with a wink to Luffy, pouring back a long sip. “Freakish little bastard.”

Luffy grinned broadly, and patted his chest before grabbing for the sake bottle back. "100% freak, all Luffy. So what was this about poking holes in me?"

"Oh that?" Caesar cooed. "We were wondering if we could get some blood samples, right Traffy?"

“You can’t do that without asking first, Mr. Clown! You’re the assistant!” Chopper chided with a huff.

Law grimaced as he passed the sake bottle back.

“Ghhhh… Caesar Clown has a bug up his ass about investigating that new form of yours.” He squeezed Luffy’s arm. “And I gotta admit as a doctor I'm curious myself. It didn’t seem quite…usual…for a Paramythia awakening.”

"Huh?" Luffy's wide, dark eyes got even wider for a moment and he looked deeply at Law, and then at Caesar and back. "It's about that huh? You don't think it was normal?"

Caesar squeezed his fingers together even tighter. "I'm afraid not, Captain. You're a man of many… hoho… unique abilities, but what happened that night in Onigashima was, well let's say I'm ready for it to be a medical marvel. Don't you agree, Chopper?"

“Nnnnn…” Chopper squirmed uncomfortably as he looked up at the ceiling before managing to answer. “I mean, it kind of was a medical marvel…it kinda reminded me of Monster Point, you know?”

Law looked deep into Luffy’s eyes. “Which ain’t really natural for a Paramythia. You’ve seen an awakened Paramythia with Doflamingo. It ain’t anything like that.”

Luffy bit his lip and Law saw his eyes turn steely. He held out both his wrists. "Alright, poke away. Let's figure this out."

Law snapped his fingers “Chopper. Get me a needle and a vial, stat.”

“Yessir, Mr. Law! Assistant!” Chopper pointed to Caesar “Get me a needle and a vial, stat!”

For a split second, Caesar's face went rictus with rage, and then he smiled obsequiously, and gave a salute. "Right away, doctor!"

An hour later and Chopper and Caesar had taken the samples to another area to study, leaving Law alone with Luffy, who was looking much drunker than when they started.

No surprise, with less blood to work with.

“You probably shouldn’t have had that sake, idiot.” Law plopped down beside him, one arm flinging over his shoulder to steady him.

"Whaaaat?" he grinned, obviously flushed. He plopped his arm around Law and curled it around his waist. "Nah, I'm fiiiiine. Don't worry about it."

Law flushed with a huff of breath as Luffy twined around him. “You had a shit-ton of blood taken, Straw hat. You ain’t fine. You look like you’re gonna take two steps and fall into the sea. Two sheets to the fucking wind.”

"Well don't let me take two steps then," Luffy insisted, grinning and getting close up in his face. "I don't see any sea here– just Traffy. Am I gonna fall into you?"

Law’s face burned, and his dark eyes narrowed.

“You’d better not if ya know what’s good for you, Straw Hat!” It came out sharp and barking…it always did. But by now he was sure Luffy knew he wasn’t a man to take at his words alone.

Luffy's big, dark eyes were half lidded and his smile was droopy and soft despite Law yelling at him. It only made him laugh, and he nuzzled his head into Law's shoulder.

"I have no idea what's good for me– isn't that what doctors are for? I only know what I want."

Law flushed deeply as Luffy nuzzled against him, and placed one hand against the back of his head as he shifted to lean back a bit with a soft snort. “Well, I can tell you’re feelin’ a little touch starved somehow.”

Luffy stuck out his tongue, doing anything but pulling away. Frankly, Luffy had been like that since they'd met– since they'd been practically enemies, through the time where they had an alliance of goals, to– whatever was happening between them now. There had been a lot of 'whatever' happening, actually.

"I didn't have anybody to cuddle with for three whole days," he complained. "So I have to catch up now that I'm awake."

Law snorted, looping an arm around him and yanking him closer.

“We were a little busy. Sorry I didn’t plop down and take a nap with ya.” Admittedly, Law knew all too damn well that he’d needed to even as he neglected his own needs. The fight hadn’t been easy on him, either.

Luffy rubbed his head against Law's neck like an overly affectionate cat. "Sorry I left so much work for you guys to do. I wish I could have got up sooner. Are you okay?"

Law chuckled low under his breath at the man’s antics. Trying to pull away would only snap him back against him like a comic strip character. “You know me, Luffy. I’m always aces.” he drawled. “Maybe a bit tired, but hell if I’m gonna relax and let Caesar run the medical show around here.”

Luffy waved his free hand. "Yeah, I guess Mr. Assistant can handle it," he giggled. "I do know you though, you know?"

He gave him that wide eyed look again.

“Mr. Assistant’s gonna start turning people into chimeras if I don’t pay attention.” Law drawled, before catching Luffy’s eyes with a flush. “.....w-what. What is it? You got somethin’ to say?”

Luffy looked in his eyes again. "Are you really okay?"

“Perceptive bastard, aren’t ya?” Law placed his hand on his head, just under his straw hat. “...I ain’t the best, no.”

He leaned into Law's hand, and closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm not the best I've ever been either. So I guess it's both of us,"

Law let his fingers scritch through his hair for a moment as he sighed. “That was a brutal few days, wasn’t it?’

Luffy nodded, leaning into the skritches. He let his hat fall back around his neck and expose the rest of his fluffy hair. "Way brutal. The lead up was more fun than the raid."

“Gotta admit, running around playing samurai had a charm to it.” Law agreed. “The raid was just chaos. Chaos and brutality and tough choices.”

Luffy nodded stiffly. "Yeah."

He wound his legs around Law's waist tightly. His conflict was written on his face. Whatever had happened to Luffy during the flight hadn't been easy on him either.

“I’m gonna guess it was worse for you than it was for me.” Law gave him a squeeze. “Given you look worse than you did when we ran outta meat after Punk Hazard.”

It was a teasing barb, sure. But he was sure it’d help ground Luffy in the here and now.

Luffy laughed softly, flopping backwards, still wound rightly around him, and looking up at him. "At least we have plenty of meat."

Law smirked. “So there's that at least. Now we just gotta work through the rest, right? What the hell happened up there with you and Kaidou, anyway? You got his underling to drag him off and run away from Wano–but he didn’t strike me as a guy who quits easy.”

He rested his head against Law's stomach. "What happened was I almost killed him."

Luffy did not sound in any way enthusiastic.

“Saw some of that while me and Kid were dealing with the mess downstairs…” Law murmured. “That's one of the reasons I agreed with Caesar about taking some samples.” .

"So you didn't think it was normal either," he murmured, his gaze far away again. "It didn't feel normal, Traffy. It felt…. wrong. Don't tell anybody, okay? I know you can keep secrets.

“You know me, Luff. I ain’t gonna tell a soul.” He smiled thinly as he let his fingers linger by the back of Luffy’s neck. “I didn’t get the best view but I can tell you that ain’t something I’ve ever really seen before.”

Law could feel the hairs on the back of Luffy's neck prickle– whether from the touch, or from what he said there was no way of knowing.

"It made me feel like I wasn't me. I didn't like it."

“Shit.” Law murmured with a glare at the back wall. “Then simple. We just gotta figure out what caused it and block it off, right? If it ain’t something you like the feeling of, if it ain’t you…we can fix it. This ain’t like losing yourself to a Zoan transformation."

Luffy cocked his head crookedly and stared at Law with an intense, questioning gaze. "What do you mean? Losing yourself?"

Law clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he tried to think of how to phrase it, his arm idly looped around Luffy.

“Zoan transformations. There’s some established evidence that if you ain’t careful…if your willpower wavers, you can be overtaken by your Awakening. Lose some of your will and ego, or all of it, to whatever the fruit wants ya to be. A man awakens to his bear-bear fruit and a bear walks out of the room.”

Luffy's face paled. "But the gum-gum fruit's not a zoan fruit, right?"

“Far as we know from records it’s Paramythia.” Law agreed. “which is why your physical transformation was so alarming. That ain’t how Paramythia works. It ain’t how Logia works either. Somethin’ was going on.”

Luffy nodded slowly, and tugged at a lock of his own hair, stretching it weirdly. "Yeah cause… it felt the way you said. While I was fighting Kaidou."

Law grimaced.

“Like a Zoan fruit…losing control of your will to something?” His arm tightened around Luffy. “are you sure you ate the Gum-gum fruit, Luffy? Positively sure”

Luffy puffed out his cheeks and unwound most of the way from Law, crossing his arms. "How would I know that? I only know what Shanks told me it was."

“I could show you a damn picture of the thing if you remember what it looked like before you shoved it down your throat!” Law prodded him sharply in the chest. “I’m only asking because if it’s the Gum-Gum fruit something screwy is happening. And if it ain’t, we can figure out what it was and get around this.”

"If you show me a picture I'll probably be able to say," he mumbled. He pushed his hands against Law's chest in return. "It's not like I knew what I was doing when I ate it, you know."

Law looked up at him, his dark and serious eyes boring into him. “you were a kid, right? I get it.”

He nodded seriously back. "I was seven. It was in Shank's treasure chest and I ate it because I was mad at him."

“You ate his devil fruit ‘cause you got pissed off at him.” Law said in a deadpan.

"Well I didn't know it was a devil fruit!" Luffy protested, pouting and shoving Law's chest with his palms. "I didn't even know what a devil fruit was! I was really upset when he told me I'd never be able to swim again. I just knew it was important because Shanks was hiding it and carrying it around. I thought he was saving it for desert."

Law laughed, he couldn’t help it. He leaned against Luffy as the laugh reverberated through them both. “you know. Your time eatin’ the damn thing and mine were completely different. I’m almost a little jealous.”

Luffy pouted some more, looking like he wasn't sure if he was being made fun of. "You're jealous of a dumb kid?"

Law squeezed him tighter.

“Jealous that it seemed like your usual kind of nonsense, Luffy.” The moment he ate his fruit flashed through his mind, the snow and the pain of that moment flickering through his memory before he shut it out. “It’s just classic you. It’s funny. Hell, even charming.”

Luffy smiled up at him widely, and some of the frustration and worry that had been clouding his expression vanished. He touched Law's face.

"If you're jealous of my nonsense, you should just do more nonsense with me, okay?"

Law flushed, leaning into his hand with a smirk. “Dunno, think it’d suit me?”

"Hmmm…." Luffy's look turned teasing and he gripped his scruffy chin, turning his face back and forth. "Maybe. You seem like you have some nonsense hidden deeeeep down."

Law snorted. “I’m as sober as a nun, Luffy. Serious as the goddamn grave. You’re gonna have to dig deep to drag that shit out.”

"Well if you're jealous, then I'm gonna do it." Luffy grinned wider and dug his fingers into the fabric of his shirt, tugging on it. "I'll dig real deep and drag out your nonsense."

Law leaned his face closer to Luffy’s with a sharp smirk. “Dragging me down to your level like usual, Straw Hat?”

"That's right." The grin broadened even further for a moment, almost to an inhuman degree, and, as Law had been half expecting, Luffy pulled him into a rough kiss.

It was rough, it was sudden, but Law leaned firmly into it as he looped an arm around Luffy’s waist and yanked him against him. He kissed back just as roughly as Luffy gave.

Luffy's kisses were always sudden, and often rough, and sometimes surprising. The first time had certainly been surprising– back on Punk Hazard. If Law remembered correctly, something about 'sealing their alliance'.

Law’s heart had nearly stopped the first time. He’d been a pirate for a while, and not even his own crew had claimed to ‘seal an alliance’ with a kiss. If anything , intimacy took time. But not with Luffy.

He’d been too surprised to do anything but let Luffy lead that time, but experience had changed that. With one of the unpredictable and deeply affectionate leader of the Straw Hat Pirates, it paid to be able to adapt quick and fast.

He grinned slightly under the kiss for a moment before he tipped Luffy back and pressed the kiss deeper. In response, Luffy made a low noise into his mouth, sucking and biting at his lips and tongue, and winding his legs around Law's waist again.

It looked like Law wasn't going to get out of this any time soon. Maybe it would help both of them feel better.

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