#E-006

[opelman]

50 Years by Treflyn Lloyd-Roberts Via Flickr: Danish F-16 E-006 shows off its special Fighting Falcon Half Century markings during its practice display for the 2024 Royal International Air Tattoo. Aircraft: Royal Danish Air Force General Dynamics F-16AM Fighting Falcon E-006. Location: RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire.

[mister13eyond]

read 10h's short story and i really like so much of how pod 006's personality was adapted into mama especially.... like it's fun going back to the source and seeing that even before she was calling herself mama in the cage, pod 006 had absolutely developed most of the quirks and idiosyncrasies we see in her personality later on

also the chess scene with 10h and mama was precious? neither of them are good at chess so they're just trying to distract each other into making mistakes....

10h being the final act protag of reincarnation adds So much imo too, like... idk, i've thought a lot about how the thing with reincarnation is that it builds on yoko taro's final trick in replicant/automata so well. like "you would give something up for the fictional happiness of these pixels on the screen, because that's how strong human empathy is- you want to make them happy even knowing they're not real" is such a strong point in replicant and automata but like

reincarnation adds a whole extra layer to that. the people in the cage are not only pixels and data to us, they're even pixels and data WITHIN the framework of the world. they were never even real INSIDE the fiction. they're at best memories of long-dead people whose stories have already ended, and at worst lines of code personified. but they're also 10h's only solace from loneliness. of course she cares about them and feels empathy for them after watching their stories play out over the course of three years. so do we. of course she considers them her friends even though they've had a one-sided relationship through a screen- so do we

10h adds another doll to the russian doll of unreality going on in yoko taro games- she's us, but we're also in the exact same position with her. she's been alone and trapped inside and stir crazy and lonely, with only her pod for company, for all this time, and she bonded with some data she watched through a screen because empathy and investment in stories and having strong feelings about the world inside of a story is a deeply human experience and she and her pod have both gotten a little too human in their time together with the cage

but we have the same relationship with her!! we only know her from a short story and a brief appearance on the other side of a screen, but we care about her! we want her to be happy!!

[cyborg00-why]

If you remember, Keio department store held a cyborg 009 sofubi event in honor of the 60th anniversary this past July. At the time, Artisan Toy Tokyo previewed a collection of reissue sofubi that would later be made available for purchase. They are now up and accepting both pre-orders for the full sets in a display case, or individual sofubi pre-orders. All characters are sold individually with exception to 001 & 003, which are sold as a set. What's more, they offer international shipping at a fair rate. Prices range from $53-$118 USD depending on the figure you want, and yes the display case is also sold on it's own. Pre-orders are currently slotted for April 2025 fulfillment, so if you place an order please keep that in mind. And yes, if these look familiar they are based on the older Denboku Cyborg 009 sofubi series that were released in both their green and red prototype uniforms. Though these have a little more of a retro feel with the painted details and fully vinyl scarf as opposed to the limp plastic sheeting they used previously.

[peterpvn]

There’s no heroes or villains in this place Just shadows that dance in my headspace

Floresta das Fadas, um dia depois do Festival de Boas Vindas.

O corpo podia ser imortal, mas não estava imune a dores. E naquela manhã, em específico, corpo inteiro doía, enquanto o cérebro parecia estar sendo esmagado por uma fada perversa. Com um gemido, Peter abriu os olhos, lutando contra a claridade que atravessava a copa das árvores da Floresta das Fadas. Estava despido da cintura para cima e coberto de suor, como se a noite tivesse sido excepcionalmente boa. Acontece que não lembrava de nada, nem como tinha ido parar ali.

Sabia que tinha sido obrigado a participar da recepção e de toda aquela baboseira envolvendo os perdidos – no passado, não era essa burocracia toda; bastava arrancar uma criança de um berço e não se falava mais nisso – como se eles fossem criaturas especiais que tinham de se sentir especiais. Depois, aquele baile, em que ele tinha bebido mais vinho feérico do que era capaz de engolir. Talvez tenha ficado sóbrio no instante que tudo começou a desabar, ou, mais precisamente, quando sentiu que um cordão havia sido cortado. Não com a sua Terra do Nunca, mas com aquele que era o segundo lugar preferido dele quando se tratava de se aventurar.

A última coisa de que se lembrava era da conversa com Clarion - algo sobre abalos no outro mundo no exato momento em que Pride Lands ruiu. Sim, foi exatamente isso que disse à fada-mor, não foi? Que uma merda muito grande podia ter acontecido lá fora, no mundo deles. Não com essas palavras, é claro – ela nunca tinha tolerado a presença dele, muito menos seu linguajar. Mas a rainha das fadas não tinha dado importância, optando por recomendar que não dissesse nada a ninguém a respeito do assunto.

Mas por que justo Clarion havia dito que não devia falar sobre aquilo? Quer dizer, Peter Pan podia não ser um poço de responsabilidade e comprometimento, mas eles tinham obrigações para com o Conselho como representantes da Terra do Nunca. Além do mais, a situação já estava péssima e o caos instaurado. Saber dos abalos no outro mundo pioraria tanto assim o humor de Merlin, mesmo quando ele aparentemente não estava fazendo porra nenhuma?

Peter precisava pensar a respeito, assim que encontrasse sua camisa.

Se levantando do chão ao mesmo tempo em que cambaleava em busca do traje, o líder dos garotos perdidos sentiu um vazio – frio, secura, fraqueza absoluta, como há muito não sentia – que nada tinha a ver com estar despido no meio da floresta. Algo mais estava faltando. Algo mais tinha mudado desde a noite anterior. A pouca luz que entrava através da vegetação não projetava nada. Mesmo quando alcançou a clareira e buscou por sua forma no chão, nada apareceu.

Sua maldita Sombra não estava mais com ele.

[brights-place]

Shopping¡! z★° ୭ ₊˙ ★﹗˚ ༘ 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐗 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫: Follow Y/N Quinezel in the borderlands and see what she's up to with her wife Quinzel 002. | next | masterlist

SUMMARY 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐀 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝟒 𝐒𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥;~ 783 ᴡᴏʀᴅs

send an ask and i’ll add ya to the taglist! @justmare @beekeepingageissome ~ ★ ʀᴇʙʟᴏɢs ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴs ᴍᴇᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ★

Ivy smiled staring right at Y/N who was showing her a cute outfit she found in the abandoned mall "America's most wanted women on a shopping spree" she said putting her hand on the girls cheek "Cute" Y/N shrugged "Yet A psychopath" she said back giggling and putting the clothes in the cart and started to roll it while chatting to Ivy "I heard in Roppongi there will be a game either spades or Clubs most likely" Ivy said exiting the shop Cart filled with supplies.

Y/N started pushing the cart to the exit while Ivy pushed another cart that was filled with plants and other items of Ivy's choice continuing each of their steps to leave Y/N smiled brightly while walking through the exit and smelling the fresh air Ivy following behind using her plants to carry them to there hideout/home they found it like it was before they were sent here.

Setting Down there items each of them having their own personal half of the room for just themself Y/n jumped to her bed bouncing on it and laughing with joy, while Ivy on the other hand went to look after all her plants talking to them sweetly while morning light shined through the windows.

Y/N couldn't help but grin looking at her new found outfits "Ivy There's another arena nearby you think I can go there while you check out the one in Roppongi?" The girl asked flooding the new clothes she had just brought home Ivy raised an eyebrow "Why?" Y/N shrugged "I have a gut feeling on something" she whispered while changing clothes.

Ivy spoke up after throwing a piece of meat to a large Venus flytrap "Okay but be careful... I know you follow your gut feeling just be safe" The H/C girl nodded as Ivy stood up from her side of the room and headed towards the bathroom door "Love you Quinn" Y/n blushed and smiled "Love youuu" she said back and grabbed a pair of her clothes and grinned "this is what I want to wear today" She said grinning holding up what appeared to be leather pants, a jacket with one cut-off sleeve over a red crop top with black trim, and a black and diamonds on her leather pants. Y/N sighed while staring at Her hair it was was messy and wild abit grabbing a brush she started to brush her hair to make it look better than when she went out.

Y/N pulled it all off and hummed looking at herself in the mirror posing "Gorgeous as always!" She said to herself grabbing a piece of paper and writing a letter to Ivy and heading towards the door but froze remembering she forgot to bring a weapon.

Rushing quickly back to her and Ivys gigantic room she grabbed a Chiappa Rhino 60DS gun while staring at it intensely and grabbing Two butterfly knifes as-well and standing up quickly putting the knives in her front pockets and stared at the gun she held. The revolver has white grips inlaid with a gold Joker emblem onto it, gold decoration on the barrel shroud, and the cylinder has alternating "Love"/"Hate" gold decoration on it.

She continued to stare at the gun gripping it tightly and started to head back to the front door unlocking it and headed off to where her gut told her too Ivy walked out of the bathroom in new clothes and read the letter Y/N wrote down before she left.

___________________________

Heya Red! I'm heading off to that thing the voices and gut told me to do so see you in a bit Good-luck In your game! Bye byeeee!

___________________________

Each step she took she still had a smile the sunset behind her as she continued to stare happily forward to wherever she was going hopping onto a railing and walking on it while humming to herself.

Thinking off all sorts of things and wondering on what she had a gut feeling about she loved adventures and this one she had a good feeling that urged her to go forward while stopping when seeing a blinding light of a screen "Game This way" Pointing to wherever it was.

Y/N grinned "Let's do this!" And started running to where the signs where leading her with an excited looking grin she stopped really quickly by a seven eleven and took 10 Packets of bubble gum and stashed it in the inside of her leather jacket and running off again to find wherever she was going.

reblogs + comments are appreciated ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

©brights-place 2023 — do not repost on another platform, copy, translate or edit my works! if you fit my DNI list please don't interact!

[monogatcri]

Niwa gifs because I deserve them.

[linagram]

[ 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕 ]

the first trial is over and eiji and miki have a lot to say about it! they're going to talk about this trial's results, everyone's mvs and murders and also show that the prisoners are not the only people here who will change as the trial continues.

also, as i said before, even though the first trial has ended, everyone will still act like their "t1 versions" in the future posts until the second trial begins. there will be some changes though, like maybe for example someone will start acting more confident or quiet than usual.

Eiji: Guard 002.

Eiji: Guard 002, can you hear me?

Eiji: Miki, wake up!

Miki: Huh?..

Miki: O-oh, s-sorry! I was listening, I swear!

Eiji: It's fine, you dozed off only for a minute. But make sure to get enough sleep next time. I don't want you to fall asleep in the middle of something important.

Miki: ".. Is this how Eiji-san shows that he cares about me?"

Miki: O-okay! Sorry, can you repeat what you said earlier?

Eiji: Sure.

Eiji: So, the first trial is officially over. We have everyone's verdicts written down and I've already told all prisoners about our decisions.

Miki: .. They already know?

Eiji: Yeah. Some reactions were.. very fun to watch, haha.

Miki: .. Eiji-san, are you enjoying all this? I just want to know.

Eiji: Well..

Eiji: To be honest, not really.

Eiji: There's too many prisoners who have been voted innocent. I wish I could punish more of them..

Eiji: You're good at making me change my mind though. But just so you know, if any of those prisoners decide to show who they really are and end up hurting themselves or others, that's gonna be on you.

Miki: ...

Eiji: It doesn't mean that I'm blaming you for saving so many prisoners. I just hope you understand how important your decisions really are.

Miki: .. Y-yes, I understand.

Miki: I'm just looking at the list right now and..

Miki: It's not like I regret voting any of them innocent, of course, but..

Miki: I think I've just realized something.

Eiji: Hm? What is it?

Miki: Never mind.

Eiji: *sighs* You're acting weird today. You really should go and get some rest after we're done with this.

Miki: So why are we here anyway?

Eiji: I just wanted to discuss everyone's verdicts, that's all. It would be nice to go over them one last time.

Miki: .. Sure.

Miki: But is it okay for me to just sit here and listen to you while you talk? I.. don't have much to say about our decisions.

Eiji: Really, I thought that you will be a lot more excited since you've saved almost all prisoners.

Eiji: Haha, it's almost like you won or something.

Eiji: But okay, I'll gladly do the talking part. The very first prisoner has been voted guilty, so I'm more than happy to discuss it.

Eiji: A narcissist who's okay with doing anything to protect his reputation, even killing someone..

Eiji: Prisoner 001, Miyagawa Akio.

Eiji: Yeah, this guy definitely deserved to be voted guilty. Him claiming that it was his victim's fault for being more popular than him just made my blood boil.

Eiji: Just how heartless do you have to be to say stuff like that?

Miki: W-well, Miyagawa-san is young and emotional, so I think it's natural for him to blame everyone but himself..

Eiji: He blamed not only his victim, but even his own accomplice.

Eiji: .. To be honest, I find that part really interesting.

Miki: Why?

Eiji: You see, at first I thought that it was a classic case of "Well, it was my idea, but I wasn't the one who did it, so it's not my fault!"..

Eiji: But think about it. Right when we made it clear that he's gonna be judged for his crime, it's like he panicked and immediately mentioned that he had an accomplice. What a way to betray someone who was important to you.

Miki: But.. maybe Miyagawa-san's accomplice wasn't that important-

Eiji: They were.

Eiji: I wanted to check it for myself, so that's why I called them "stupid enough to follow his orders". He tried to protect them and said that they were loyal enough to follow his orders instead. He also became even more nervous when I asked if he liked them.

Miki: .. Hey, Eiji-san, may I ask something?

Miki: Why did you say that Miyagawa-san was a "terrible boyfriend"?

Miki: Do you think that Miyagawa-san and his accomplice were in a relationship?

Eiji: I have no idea who would fall for someone like him, but.. who knows. Some couples like to do everything together, even commit murder.

Eiji: But to be honest, I just said it to see his reaction.

Eiji: You were worried about him and you didn't want to vote him guilty at first, but I've managed to convince you after we watched his video and realized that we can't defend someone like him.

Miki: I think his video showed his accomplice as well and.. I think Miyagawa-san saw his accomplice as his only hope. They were the only person who stayed with him no matter what.

Eiji: I find it interesting that his video had very dark colors until that one figure appeared. If Akio's life was so nice until his rival started becoming more popular, why would his video look like that?

Miki: M-maybe he actually didn't like being popular-

Eiji: If that was the case, he wouldn't kill that guy. There must be something else.

Eiji: Ah, I remember the colors becoming dark again after that figure was executed by him. At first I thought that it's just supposed to show that the boy is dead now, but now I think it means something different.

Miki: .. How did Miyagawa-san react to his verdict?

Eiji: He was shocked at first, but then he laughed and said that I must be joking. When I confirmed that it's not a joke and showed him the results, he just stood there and didn't say anything. His eyes became more empty after that.

Eiji: .. Later that day I was told by other prisoners that he lost consciousness and they couldn't wake him up.

Miki: !

Miki: *stands up* Is he okay??

Eiji: He spent a whole day like that and he's still weak, but whatever, he's gonna be fine.

Eiji: I'm still gonna punish him, don't worry about it.

Eiji: A girl who thought her classmates laughed with her, while they actually laughed at her..

Eiji: Prisoner 002, Hanasaki Aimi.

Eiji: We have voted her innocent, but seriously, I thought you're gonna try harder to defend her.

Eiji: Did you find her video suspicious?

Miki: No, no, not at all, it's just..

Miki: .. I still don't get it.

Eiji: .. You don't know if she killed her classmates or someone else, right?

Miki: *nods*

Eiji: Her video doesn't show anyone else except her classmates, so of course, it's only natural to suspect that they were her victims.

Miki: But.. would someone like Aimi-chan be able to kill all of them?

Eiji: I want to say that you never know how dangerous someone can actually be, but it's surprisingly hard for me to figure her out.

Miki: Didn't she say that "it wasn't her classmates"?

Eiji: She actually said that it wasn't "one of her classmates".

Eiji: I find the way she said it very interesting.

Eiji: Also, that last part of her video confuses me a lot.

Eiji: She takes a nap, wakes up in a completely different place and sees some kind of creepy mask. What does that mean?

Miki: .. I feel like this place reminds me of something, but I just can't describe it.

Eiji: Are you saying that you've been there before or-

Miki: I-I think I've seen it somewhere, but it was in a much better state?..

Eiji: !

Eiji: Please, try your best to remember it. We still remember everything that happened to us before we came here, so seeing these murders in the news, hearing about them or even personally knowing the prisoners or their victims would make a lot of sense.

Miki: O-okay!

Miki: How did Aimi-chan react when you told her she's innocent?

Eiji: Her eyes lit up, she smiled and thanked me for "being so kind to her". She even called me and you her friends.

Miki: I'm so happy to hear that.. Aimi-chan really does deserve better.

Eiji: But for some reason, when I started to walk away, I noticed her not smiling anymore and looking.. confused, maybe?

Eiji: It's like she actually expected us to vote her guilty.

Eiji: He wanted to save someone he loved, even though they never asked him to save them.

Eiji: Prisoner 003, Ishizu Shun.

Eiji: *sighs*

Eiji: .. Innocent.

Miki: Eiji-san, we've already talked about this.

Miki: I don't want to sound mean, but.. Ishizu-san really is a bit weird.

Miki: Wait, no, he's not weird, he's just.. he's a very emotional kind of person!

Miki: Imagine what could happen if we voted him guilty..

Eiji: We have to judge them based on their crimes and not their personality, remember that.

Miki: .. I didn't judge him based on his personality.

Eiji: Huh?..

Miki: If we voted him guilty and he got punished, it would be impossible to make him tell us more about his crime. He would probably just forget about it again..

Miki: And to be honest, I didn't understand his video at all.

Eiji: .. You sounded really confident just now.

Miki: D-did I? Sorry..

Eiji: Don't apologize. You're really starting to act more like a guard.

Eiji: But yes, his video was very confusing. I think I'm starting to understand what's going on in his head.

Eiji: He doesn't have any kind of memory condition, he's just good at making himself believe that his life is better than it actually is and making himself forget all the bad things that have happened to him.

Eiji: .. I find something about his video very interesting. So you know how he always says that his ex was so important to him, right?

Eiji: .. Then why do we never actually see her in his video? We've seen Aimi's classmates and she claims that she loved them, but why do we never see Shun's ex? All the photos and messages are blurry and her face is hidden when she finally appears.

Eiji: And we can't say that it's because Shun associated her with something bad and tried to forget what she looked like, he remembers what her new boyfriend looked like perfectly fine.

Eiji: Also, Shun is actually not as loyal as he claims to be, because.. well..

Eiji: Because of Kei. And because of what he said during his interrogation. Just how did he make multiple women fall in love with him?..

Miki: How did Ishizu-san react to his verdict?

Eiji: He looked relieved and thanked me, he said he was happy to hear that we realized that his intentions were pure and that he really is innocent.

Eiji: .. His smile looked creepy though. Also, something about his reaction bothers me.

Eiji: .. Why didn't he say anything about his ex? What about him "doing it for the sake of love"?

Miki: Maybe he was just so happy to hear the news that he.. forgot about her?

Eiji: Considering how "forgetful" he is.. yeah, most likely.

Eiji: The one who sees herself as guilty, but still ends up being forgiven by everyone.

Eiji: Prisoner 004, Chiba Naomi.

Eiji: .. We really voted her innocent, even though she herself has confessed that her victim was a child.

Miki: W-well, what if she lied to make herself look more guilty-

Eiji: I don't think it was a lie. Her whole video was school-themed and it ends with her seeing an empty desk and crying.

Eiji: .. I think it's obvious that her victim was one of her students.

Miki: But maybe she felt sorry for them? Maybe she didn't want to kill them, maybe it was an accident-

Eiji: Did you listen to the lyrics? In one part, she repeatedly says that she hates someone so much she'd be okay with killing them.

Eiji: .. I'm pretty sure she's talking about her victim.

Eiji: It's so obvious, I'd say that her crime is the most boring one here.

Miki: But imagine if we voted her guilty.. we would basically give her what she wanted, don't you think?

Eiji: What do you mean?

Miki: Voting her innocent can be counted as a punishment too.

Miki: I really didn't want to vote Chiba-san guilty, because she's such a nice person, but the thought of her killing a child still scares me.

Miki: .. I just want to see what she will do now that she knows about her verdict.

Miki: I hope to see her change, in a good way, of course.

Eiji: Speaking of that. She was shocked to hear about her verdict and she said that we "really are just like them".

Miki: Does she mean the people who forgave her for her crime before she came to Milgram?

Eiji: I think so.

Eiji: But I swear I heard her laugh quietly when I walked away.

Eiji: The man who committed so many horrible crimes, but still smiles and laughs more than any prisoner here.

Eiji: Prisoner 005, Sanada Kei.

Eiji: ... *laughs*

Miki: Eiji-san, is everything okay?..

Eiji: *still laughs* I-I'm okay, i-it's just..

Eiji: We.. we did it. We voted him guilty.

Eiji: He deserved it. He deserves to be punished, he deserves to die for his sins..

Eiji: I'm just.. so happy..

Miki: ".. Kei-san is very pretty though. His beauty will definitely be ruined after Eiji-san punishes him."

Miki: "Wait, what am I thinking??"

Miki: We still don't know anything about his crime though. Isn't it a bit unfair to vote him guilty only because of his past?

Eiji: .. But you've agreed to vote him guilty though. By the way, why did you even do it?

Miki: .. I did it for you, Eiji-san.

Miki: I knew that I wouldn't be able to change your mind because you hate Kei-san so much, so..

Miki: Even if I did vote him innocent, we would get a 50/50 result. What would we even do after that?

Eiji: .. You did it for me?

Miki: *nods*

Eiji: .. Haha, you still have a lot to learn. That's a weird reason to vote someone guilty.

Eiji: Do you have anything to say about his video?

Miki: It was very confusing. Maybe even more confusing than Ishizu-san's video.

Eiji: You're right. We don't have any information about his victim too.. or victims.

Eiji: Did he kill his friends? Did he kill the person he had kidnapped? I don't know.

Eiji: How many victims did he even have?

Miki: .. Eiji-san, do you remember the "hint" Kei-san gave us?

Eiji: What are you talking about?

Miki: "Five".

Eiji: .. Huh.

Eiji: We'll have to come back to that later.

Miki: Does Kei-san know about his verdict?

Eiji: He does. When I told him everything, he laughed and said that "I'm not better than him even though I want to believe I am".

Eiji: .. I hate him so much.

Eiji: But later I saw him talking to Shun and Eiko and he looked a lot more nervous than before. His hair was more messy than usual and he kept biting his nails and looking around. I heard him say that he misses someone a lot.

Eiji: Well, I couldn't care less.

Eiji: Be careful when you lie to her, because after that you may end up lying in your own grave.

Eiji: Prisoner 006, Yoshioka Eiko.

Eiji: .. Listen, I had my reasons.

Miki: I just think Yoshioka-san isn't that bad? Her video has scared me a lot, but I still think we have to learn more about her crime before we judge her.

Eiji: Y-yeah, I agree.

Eiji: But she killed someone just because they weren't good enough for her..

Miki: Not just good enough, but "perfect".

Miki: But maybe she was actually the victim and it really is that man's fault for manipulating her?

Eiji: .. M-maybe.

Miki: Eiji-san, you don't look happy with this verdict.

Miki: By the way, why did you even agree with me? Why did you vote someone like Yoshioka-san innocent?

Eiji: Well, I didn't want her to think that I voted her guilty just because I wanted to "have more power over her"..

Miki: Ah, so you remember what she said that last time.

Miki: I guess now she will think you voted her innocent only because of her looks-

Eiji: NO, I DID NOT!

Miki: You agreed to vote her innocent so quickly though-

Eiji: Again, I had my reasons!

Miki: S-sorry..

Miki: What did Yoshioka-san say about her verdict?

Eiji: She looked completely uninterested at first, but then she smiled and..

Eiji: She said "Wow, so you really did fall in love with me, huh?"..

Eiji: Maybe I should have voted her guilty, this woman is annoying as hell.

Eiji: Someone who's too young to be in a place like this, but not too young to kill his own adoptive mother.

Eiji: Prisoner 007, Yano Asahi.

Eiji: .. I still think we should have voted this kid guilty. He's obviously just a spoiled brat who doesn't know his place.

Miki: ...

Eiji: .. I'm sorry. I forgot that you two are most likely related.

Eiji: But you have to agree that this kid is-

Miki: His personality isn't the best, but if he really is my brother.. then I understand why he turned out this way.

Miki: May I ask why you voted him innocent, Eiji-san?

Eiji: .. I want to learn more about his crime, that's all.

Miki: This might be a weird question, but did you vote him innocent for me, just like I voted Kei-san guilty for you?

Eiji: Guard 002, you and me are completely different. I would never do that.

Miki: .. *smiles* I see. Thank you.

Eiji: Why are you thanking me.. Anyway, I don't get what he meant by his mother's "weaknesses".

Eiji: How did he even manage to kill an adult woman?

Eiji: The video makes it look like she died while they were eating something, so maybe he poisoned her, but how would someone as young as him do that?

Miki: I don't know. I have no idea where he could find information about poisons and all that..

Miki: .. Wait a second.

Miki: Weaknesses.. him killing someone while they were eating..

Miki: .. I think I know what we should ask him next time.

Miki: How did he react to being voted innocent?

Eiji: Ugh.. He said something like "Of course, I would be voted innocent, I'm literally a child!"

Eiji: But I think he actually was scared of getting a guilty verdict, because he looked kind of relieved.

Eiji: She claims it was self-defense, but her murder is not as simple as it seems.

Eiji: Prisoner 008, Maruyama Yurika.

Eiji: Guilty, huh? Still can't believe you've actually agreed to let me punish her.

Miki: .. I just think that her video is too scary. And I still don't understand how her crime went.

Eiji: Same. Her video is one of the weirdest ones.

Eiji: Her video has very bright colors in the beginning and it looks like everything is alright, she doesn't look stressed or anxious at all.

Eiji: But then everything suddenly changes and it looks like she's being followed and attacked by her stalkers.

Eiji: .. But if she just wanted to protect herself, why do we see her torturing them? And I swear I could hear her talking to someone while she did it.

Eiji: And I also don't get the last part of her video.

Miki: .. M-maybe she also had an accomplice?

Miki: And I think we can say that if that's the case, they really were in a relationship because of that last part. Or Maruyama-san had feelings for them.

Eiji: But who would "team up" with her? Didn't she say that she had no one to rely on-

Eiji: ...

Eiji: Oh.

Eiji: I think I know who she could ask for help.

Miki: I wonder how Maruyama-san has reacted to being voted guilty.

Eiji: .. She didn't take it well.

Eiji: She tried to attack me actually.

Miki: !

Miki: Eiji-san, are you okay? I didn't know, please tell me if you're hurt-

Eiji: I'm fine, the prisoners can't do anything to us, remember?

Eiji: But the fact that she was okay with doing that shows that this woman is more dangerous than we thought.

Eiji: Even though he's a murderer, he claims that he was the real victim.

Eiji: Prisoner 009, Kuroki Riku.

Eiji: .. You felt sorry for him, didn't you?

Miki: I did. He literally cut himself to make us forgive him. Even if that was him trying to manipulate us, it shows that his mental state is not good.

Miki: I'm afraid he would hurt himself even more if we voted him guilty.

Eiji: You're too kind to be a prison guard.

Miki: "And also I just had to forgive a pretty boy who likes me back."

Miki: "Even though he lied to me.."

Eiji: His video shows him being a victim, but that last part..

Eiji: I get chills every time I see it.

Eiji: Just what could it possibly mean?..

Miki: .. Remember what he said about that boy's death? "It was his fault. It was so selfish of him to do something like that.."

Miki: .. I think we both know what happened.

Eiji: !..

Eiji: If that's the case.. we should have never voted him innocent.

Miki: Why did you agree to forgive him though?

Eiji: I didn't want him to do something bad to himself before I punish him. I didn't want him to ruin my fun.

Eiji: When I told him that he's been forgiven, he looked more happy than ever before. He said that he will make sure to pay you back for saving him.

Miki: P-pay me back?..

Miki: Hehe..

Eiji: .. You look too excited. Calm down.

Eiji: And finally..

Eiji: The self-proclaimed "most scary and dangerous criminal in this whole prison".

Eiji: Prisoner 010, Himura Reina.

Eiji: We both agreed to vote her innocent almost immediately after her interrogation.

Eiji: I still can't forgive her for her sins, but from what we've seen in her video, it's obvious that she wasn't a serial killer.

Eiji: She did rob people, she beat them up, she did all that stuff, but we haven't seen her actually killing someone.

Eiji: She wants to be voted guilty so badly, even I find it weird.

Miki: Until we learn more information, she's innocent to me.

Eiji: And I just voted her innocent because I wanted her to keep living while knowing that she will never be able to run away from her own sins.

Eiji: When I told her everything, she couldn't believe it. She thought it was a joke, just like Akio, but then she laughed and said that "everything is going according to one of her many evil plans".

Eiji: But when I started to walk away, I could hear her punching a wall and just asking "Why?" many, many times.

Eiji: .. That's all for today.

Eiji: That was something. This trial was full of surprises.

Eiji: But still.. I wish I could punish more prisoners.

Eiji: All of them deserve to die. Every single one of them. All of them deserve to suffer for what they have done.

Eiji: So.. Why do we have only three guilty prisoners?

Eiji: It's almost like.. I was in the wrong or something..

Eiji: Hey, Guard 002, they're criminals, right? So they deserve to be punished for their crimes, right?

Eiji: .. Guard 002? Miki?

Miki: .. Hehe..

Miki: I've saved them. I've saved so many of them.

Miki: Seven out of ten prisoners have been voted innocent.

Miki: They know that. They know that they're now safe.

Miki: And that means..

Miki: They owe me, right? They have no other choice but to depend on me and hope that I will save them again.

Miki: And the guilty prisoners will beg me to forgive them now..

Miki: .. *laughs*

Miki: Eiji-san, don't you think the second trial will be even more fun than this one?

═════════•°• ⚠ •°•═════════

The first trial is over. Thank you for participating!

[firehrt]

⠀⠀⠀THERE'S ⠀something assuring about a denizen's scream. … Not the sound itself, of course — that was grating. Bone-chilling, even. But regardless of her personal feelings about her former life, she was an assassin; it was an impulse, that tightening of the stomach when you realized you were alive and your opponent was not. And despite those aforementioned, pesky feelings, this island would always have a need for her to keep her skills sharp.

⠀⠀⠀So she spends ample time in the Mistwood when it suits her, going to places her instinct tells her she shouldn't, telling herself it gives less-capable travelers one less thing to worry about each time she fells some inky horror. No sooner had she flicked jet-black blood off her daggers, leaned her back against a rock to survey her surroundings, than those very surroundings were bathed in red. This particular shade of crimson was of the near-blinding variety, and although she's never seen it in person, the spike in energy felt familiar to her. She follows the tug in her gut, head canting toward the man matter-of-factly sheathing his sword as the wave passes; it was easy enough to spot him, considering he'd briefly parted the mist itself.

⠀⠀⠀❛ ⠀Hm. Can't you ever just give a polite 'hello' ?⠀ ❜⠀

@wiltingbeast : starter call.

[deus-ex-mona]

really feeling it rn tbh

[iceqelsa]

tag dump

[oamordotadeu]

tag dump

[cupidhoons]

CATFiSH — A NISHiMURA RiKi SMAU

iN WHiCH you and your friends have the great idea to catfish as the opposite sex to gain & prank some e-kittens. However, along the way you guys also gain some friends...who are also catfishing as the opposite sex?

PAiRiNG. non idol! nishimura riki x fem! reader

GENRE. smau, s2l, slightly e2l, online friends/catfishers (??) to lovers, rom-com

WARNiNGS. profanity, sexual jokes, kys/kms jokes, chronically online characters etc ... nothing is meant to be taken seriously in this fic and does not portray any of the idols irl !!

iNCOMiNG MESSAGE FROM LiZ. waddup waddup! im bringinf this smau back strictly for @elysianiki ma baby !! also guys omg the year is ending like like 49 days WHICH MEANS ITS GONNA BE ONE YEAR SINCE IVE BEEN ON BLR SOON!! that's insane ok anyway enjoy this fic haha i need to shut up & stop yapping ok baii ^_^

TAGLIST IS OPEN (send an ask or fill out this form to join!)

PLEASE DO NOT SPAM LiKE !

PROFiLES | one && two

CHAPTERS.

001 oh that's not...a bad idea actually!

002 am i #boba #keshi #valorant enough

003 bruh val duo kinda suck :/

004 wait im goated

005 CHAT IS THID REAL

006 more tba....

007 more tba...

008 more tba...

009 more tba...

010 more tba...

[rememberences]

♟

the rain hammered down, a relentless drumbeat on the stones of the yard, soaking through graham's tunic and chilling him to the bone. his blade trembled slightly as axell’s words hit harder than any strike could. the accusation—the insinuation—gnawed at him. axell, with his smirk and his venom, always knew how to twist the knife. graham held his ground, his jaw tight, his eyes burning despite the cold rain that dripped into them. how was it the tree had split and fractured in such a way, strangled by the weight of their mighty ancestors...how was it the brothers of runestone had all but burned the bridge they stood on?

“you think this is a game, axell?” graham growled, his voice low and steady, though there was a tremor in it, a fracture he couldn’t quite hide. his knuckles whitened on the hilt of his sword, the leather slick beneath his grip. he pointed the blade at his brother, closing the distance between them, his voice cutting through the storm. “you stand there, smug as ever, like none of this matters. like you don’t matter.” there was a mighty echo in his words, as though it were more than just graham speaking; as though it had always been more than just graham speaking. it were malcom, it were duncan, it were every man of house royce looking at the weak link. axell’s sneer was like a lash, his words deliberate and biting. grief is a weakness. graham could have laughed if it weren’t so damn bitter.

he knew grief too well—knew it could break a man or sharpen him. but this… this was not grief. axell’s indifference was a black pit, hollow and unnerving.

“weakness, you call it?” graham asked, stepping forward, steel raised but not striking - suddenly, this no longer appeared as though the brothers were sparring. this no longer seemed like practice. “you think you’re strong because you don’t care? because you hide behind that sneer and pretend nothing touches you? gods, axell. you’re not strong. you’re empty.” the word hung in the air, heavier than the rain, heavier than the steel that clashed between them. their blades locked again, the force of it jarring graham’s shoulder, but he held firm. his brother’s face was inches from his own now, the smirk still etched there like a taunt. “you need me to say it?” graham hissed, his breath visible in the cold.

“i do think you had something to do with her disappearance. your carelessness. the way you’ve made it so bloody easy for everyone to whisper about us. about you.”

he pushed axell back with a forceful shove of their blades, stepping back just enough to catch his breath. his chest heaved with the effort of the fight, but it was the weight of his words that truly drained him. the rain blurred the edges of his vision, but he didn’t look away from his brother, not for a moment. “but it’s not just her, is it?” graham continued, his voice quieter now, though no less intense. “it’s everything. it’s the way you laugh when the world’s on fire. the way you act like nothing matters. like we don’t matter.” his sword lowered slightly, though his grip didn’t relax. his shoulders sagged, just a fraction, the weariness catching up with him. he stepped back further, lowering his sword entirely now, though his eyes never left axell’s. “so you do what you must,” graham said, the edge returning to his voice.

“send your men. play your games. but if she doesn’t return—if this doesn’t end—I’ll make sure the whispers find their truth. and when they do, axell…” he trailed off, shaking his head. he didn’t finish the thought. he didn’t need to. the words hung between them like a blade, unsheathed and poised to strike. without another word, graham turned and strode away, the rain streaming off his armour as he left his brother standing alone in the yard. "but it doesn't change what i think of you. what all the family will think of you. you are a lost cause." there was a finality to his tone - as if to say, i know what you are.

.

the rain hammered down on the courtyard, turning stone to slick shadow and pooling in shallow rivulets at their feet. axell moved like a predator, his strikes powerful and deliberate, forcing graham to counter with a precision honed over years. graham's skill with the blade was undeniable and so was axell. the sharp clang of steel against steel echoed through the storm, the sound cutting through the sheets of water as if it were a language only they understood. despite the ferocity of their blows, neither pushed too far. they knew each other’s movements too well, a dance rehearsed since childhood—but this time, the stakes felt heavier, like a storm brewing beneath the surface of their sparring.

“dragging our name into whispers?” axell laughed. “it has never left the whispers. it’s always there” axell rolled his eyes. he raised his sword pointing it towards him. “you’re just lucky people tend to focus on what i do rather than what you do. you should be thanking me for taking the heat off of you” he smirked, perhaps just wanting to get a rise out of him.

the ghost of runestone rolled his shoulders as the rain streamed down his face, slicking his hair to his scalp. the sting of graham’s blade against his own vibrated up his arm, but it didn’t bother him. it never had. he smirked, just as his brother had accused, even as his muscles tensed beneath the force of the locked blades.

“and my wife?” he snorted. “let’s not pretend she was anything other than what she was. a convenience. a match made on parchment, i married here because you and ravella wanted me to. said she would be a good match yet she spoke to lords from other kingdoms as if she wasn’t wearing our name. if she ran, good riddance. if she was taken, then let someone else grieve her.” he sneered as he broke the lock between them.

axell lunged, steel crashing against graham’s sword in a calculated strike that forced their blades to lock once again. this time, he leaned in, close enough for his words to only be heard by him. “you think i’m unaffected?” his voice dropped, laced with venom. “maybe because i learned something long before you did. grief is a weakness, graham. and i can’t afford to be weak. would you like me to weep for her like a baby? to fling myself out the fucking moon door?” he laughed. “i am dealing with this my way. if she is out there my men will find her.”

he shoved hard, breaking the lock and stepping back, pointing his blade at graham’s chest. “so ask yourself, brother. what’s really bothering you? is it her disappearance—or….what? you think i did it. say it. come on i know you fucking want to. you think i killed her.”

[rafeysbangs]

lachesism , rafe cameron ( series ) 05

pairing ; brother's!bsf!rafe x kook!female!reader

content ; mdni !! outerbanks au, eventual smut, angst, violence, underage drinking, family issues, substance abuse, s/a.

summary ; rafe cameron is everything you can’t stand; reckless, infuriating, and too self-assured for his own good. as your brother’s best friend, he’s always been a constant presence, one you’ve done your best to ignore. but the tension between you has always simmered just beneath the surface, sharp and impossible to ignore. you’ve spent years resisting his pull, refusing to give him the satisfaction. but in a world where lines blur and control slips away, you’re forced to face the truth: rafe cameron isn’t so easy to hate after all.

status ; ongoing .ᐟ

✺ navigation ; 004. 005. 006.

FIVE, the hollow beneath ribs.

YOU WOKE TO THE SOFT HUM OF YOUR CEILING FAN, 

your head pounding faintly from the night before. you stretched lazily, blinking against the morning light filtering through your curtains. the bed felt oddly spacious, and you turned your head to confirm what you already suspected, rafe wasn't there. carter, on the other hand, was still sprawled out on the floor, tangled in blankets, snoring lightly.

you sat up slowly, your movements careful, and rubbed your temples. a hangover cure was the first priority. sliding out of bed, you tiptoed past carter and made your way downstairs. on the way, you passed the guest bedroom rafe usually stayed in and glanced inside. it was empty, the bed untouched.

your brows knitted together, a flicker of confusion sparking in your half-asleep mind. shrugging it off for the moment, you made your way into the kitchen. the smell of alcohol still clung to the air from the night before, you cringed at the sight of the house and wiped down the stove top. you set a pan on the stove and began cracking eggs into a bowl, tossing in a few strips of bacon and hash browns once the pan was hot.

as the food sizzled and filled the room with a rich, savory smell, the front door creaked open. you turned, spatula in hand, to see rafe stepping inside. he was wearing the same clothes from the party, his hair slightly mussed, and he avoided your eyes at first, brushing past you toward the counter.

"where were you?" you asked sharply, your voice low but pointed. your eyes scanned his face for clues, but he was annoyingly hard to read, as usual.

"just out," rafe muttered, grabbing a glass and filling it with water from the tap. he drank it in one go, his back to you.

"out where?" you pressed, taking a cautious step closer.

he finally looked at you, his expression unreadable. "relax. it's not a big deal."

before you could push further, carter's footsteps thudded down the stairs, cutting through the tension. he appeared in the kitchen doorway, his hair a mess and his face still puffy from sleep. "is that bacon i smell?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

you sighed, turning back to the stove and letting the subject drop for now. "yeah, sit down. food's almost ready."

rafe smirked faintly as he slid into a chair at the table. "you're spoiling us, didn't know you were so domestic."

you shot him a look over your shoulder but didn't respond, your mind still turning over his mysterious absence. you served up plates of bacon, eggs, and hash browns, sliding one in front of each of them before sitting down with your own.

as they ate, carter filled the silence with lazy chatter about the party, laughing about how someone had nearly fallen into the pool fully clothed. you nodded along, but your eyes kept darting toward rafe, your suspicion lingering like a shadow.

he caught you staring once and raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips as if to say, what's your problem? but you didn't rise to the bait. instead, you silently decided to keep an eye on him for the rest of the day. whatever he was up to, you weren't going to let it slide unnoticed.

the cleanup was gruelling, the aftermath of the party revealing itself in every corner of the house and yard. empty cups and bottles were scattered across tables, the faint smell of beer still clinging to the air. you, carter, and rafe moved through the chaos like a reluctant cleaning crew, each tasked with a section. you found herself around the pool, collecting forgotten items; someone's jacket, a pair of sunglasses, even a lone flip-flop.

you glanced over at rafe, who was lazily tossing garbage into a bag. your suspicion bubbled up again, and before you could stop yourself, the words slipped out.

"so, are you gonna tell me where you went this morning?"

rafe froze, his jaw tightening before he slowly looked up at you. "not this again," he muttered, shaking his head.

"yeah, this again," you shot back, crossing your arms. "you disappeared. you come back acting all shady. what's the deal?"

he let out a sharp laugh, but there was no humour in it. "maybe i don't owe you a play-by-play of my life."

"you're staying under our roof," you said pointedly, your voice rising slightly. "the least you could do is not sneak off to fuck-knows-where without a word."

"god, you're such a control freak," he snapped, his voice cutting through the quiet of the backyard. "maybe that's why no one ever invites you to stuff unless carter drags you along. you don't know how to loosen up unless you've got a drink in your hand."

you blinked, the words hitting harder than you wanted to admit. your hands clenched into fists at her sides, and for a second, you thought about throwing one of the empty bottles at his stupid face.

"you're such a piece of shit, rafe," you said instead, your voice low and venomous. "you don't care about anyone but yourself. no wonder you end up at places like barry's, completely out of it. maybe if you weren't so desperate to ruin your life, people would actually give a damn about you."

he shook his head, face darkening, "you're such a bitch." his lips pressing into a thin line. without another word, he turned on his heel and stalked off, the trash bag swinging at his side. you watched him go, your chest heaving with anger and something else you didn't want to name.

same old rafe, you thought bitterly, tossing the last of the garbage into a bin. always running, always destructive.

it took another hour to finish cleaning up, and by the time they were done, you were exhausted. you flopped onto the couch and put on a random tv show, barely paying attention as you scrolled through your phone.

"we're heading to the club," carter announced, appearing in the doorway with rafe trailing behind him.

"have fun," you replied without looking up.

"you sure you don't wanna come? maybe play a few holes?"

"pass," you said curtly, her gaze fixed on the tv.

carter shrugged, and they left. you didn't even glance at rafe as he walked out the door, though you could feel his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer than necessary.

once the house was quiet again, you let out a heavy sigh and made your way upstairs. sitting on the windowsill of your bedroom, you packed a bowl and lit it, the sharp smell of weed filling the room. you blew the smoke out into the crisp air, your mind spinning before lighting her lavender candle. 

what's with him lately? you thought, leaning your head back against the frame. you hated that you were even worried about rafe cameron of all people. but the memory of him at barry's, glassy-eyed and reckless, stuck in your head.

"he gets himself into this mess," you muttered under your breath, taking another hit.

and yet, the nagging feeling wouldn't go away. 

your head was heavy from the weed, but it wasn't doing enough to numb the constant churn of your thoughts. your finger tapped rhythmically against the lighter, flicking it open and shut, the small spark of flame giving your hands something to do. anything to distract you from replaying the morning's argument over and over in your head.

rafe's words had this way of slicing right through you, like he wasn't even trying. it wasn't just what he said but how he said it, the sharpness in his tone, the way his eyes cut into yours as if you were nothing more than an inconvenience. you hated him for it. you hated that he could get under your skin so effortlessly, that he could leave you standing there, fuming, long after he'd stormed off.

but what annoyed you even more was that beneath all that anger, you still felt something else. a pull you didn't want to acknowledge, something softer that made your stomach twist.

rafe cameron was trouble. you'd known that for years. everyone did. sarah had told you that a million times growing up. "stay out of his way. rafe's not just destructive- he's dangerous." and you had listened. or at least, you'd tried to.

but it was impossible to avoid someone like rafe. he had this presence, this energy that demanded attention. he walked into a room and everyone noticed, whether they wanted to or not. his reputation was loud and clear; the king of kooks, the cameron family's untamed problem child.

ignorance was bliss for the parents of figure eight, and ward cameron was no different. as long as rafe didn't make enough noise to embarrass the family name, who cared what he did in his spare time? who cared how many bridges he burned or how many lives he left in his wake?

and yet, there was something about him that people couldn't look away from. you hated yourself for admitting it, but rafe cameron had a magnetism that was hard to ignore. it wasn't just the way he carried himself, like the world owed him something. it was the danger in him, the unpredictability.

you'd seen it firsthand, countless times. the way he'd tear someone down without blinking, the way he'd cross any line if it meant getting what he wanted. he didn't just pass by obstacles, he demolished them.

he wasn't a mystery. not really. everyone knew what rafe cameron was: cold, calculated, cruel. he carried himself with this untouchable arrogance, and it made your blood boil every time you were around him.

but then there were moments, brief, fleeting moments, where that mask of his cracked. like the night you'd saved him from barry's, too high to make a snarky comment, stumbling to the spare bedroom in silence. or the way he'd talked to you by the pool before the party, promising you softly that everything would be fine.

this morning had been a different story. his anger, his defensiveness, it was familiar, the rafe you'd expected. but there was something else there, too. something deeper you couldn't quite name.

you hated how your mind kept circling back to him, like you were trying to figure out a puzzle you didn't even want to solve. rafe cameron wasn't your problem. he wasn't your project or responsibility.

but then why couldn't you stop thinking about him? why did you feel this nagging concern for someone who clearly didn't deserve it?

"he's not all that," you murmured under your breath, the words hanging in the still air of her room. because you'd seen it now, hadn't you? under the bravado, the cruelty, the cocky smirks, there was something else. something fragile and broken.

you inhaled deeply, letting the smoke fill your lungs, hoping it would drown out the noise in your head. rafe cameron was a mess. a dangerous, destructive mess. but you couldn't help the part of you that wondered what he might look like without all the walls he'd built around himself.

you were curled up on the couch, a plate balanced on your lap as you quietly ate dinner and flipped through a book. the faint hum of the kitchen fan was the only sound in the house, the rest of the food still sitting warm on the stove and counter, waiting for carter and rafe to stumble back from whatever chaos they'd brewed at the country club.

you were halfway through a page when the front door creaked open, followed by a thud. carter's voice, strained and breathless, muttered, "jesus, rafe, help me out here."

you set your plate down, standing as carter struggled to drag rafe into the house. rafe was draped over carter like dead weight, giggling and mumbling under his breath. his words slurred together, something about "the perfect swing" and "stupid ties."

"oh my god," you said softly, watching as carter manoeuvred rafe toward the couch.

"don't even start," carter said, gritting his teeth. "he's... completely gone. i didn't know what else to do. he nearly got us banned from the country club. they threatened to call ward, but i got us out of there."

rafe flopped onto the couch with a heavy thud, his head rolling to the side, eyes half-open and unfocused. you blinked, unsure you'd ever seen him this bad before. rafe cameron was a lot of things - loud, arrogant, reckless - but you'd never seen him this publicly out of control.

"what do we even do with him?" carter muttered, rubbing his face. "he's your problem now. i'm getting a bucket before he ruins the furniture."

you stood frozen, your arms crossed, watching as carter disappeared into the garage. rafe shifted beside you, mumbling something you couldn't quite catch.

"rafe, what are you even saying?" you asked hesitantly, glancing down at him.

his eyes fluttered open, unfocused but locking on yours for a brief moment. "you're, uh... you're kinda pretty when you're not yelling," he slurred, a dopey grin spreading across his face.

you frowned, a flush creeping up your neck despite yourself. "okay, you're done talking."

"nah, 'm serious," he mumbled, his voice drifting off. "you... you saved me or something, didn't you? or was that... uh..." he trailed off, giggling to himself.

before you could respond, carter returned with a bucket and sighed loudly. "help me get him up," he said.

between the two of you, you managed to haul rafe to the guest bedroom ensuite. he wasn't cooperating much, his legs dragging as they half-carried, half-pushed him inside.

"just leave him here," carter said, laying out a towel on the bathroom floor. "if he throws up, at least it's easy to clean."

you sighed, kneeling to adjust the towel under rafe's head as he slumped half in the bathroom and half out. you watched him for a moment, his usually sharp features soft and disheveled, his breathing uneven.

"carter," you said quietly, standing and crossing your arms. "i need to tell you something."

he looked up from where he was tossing a pillow onto the floor for rafe. "what?"

"the first night he started staying here," you began, your voice hesitant. "it wasn't just to avoid his dad. i found him at barry's... doing coke at 2 in the morning. he was so out of it, carter. i didn't have a choice but to bring him back."

carter didn't look surprised. he rubbed the back of his neck and sighed heavily. "yeah... that checks out."

"that's it? 'that checks out'?" you snapped, your frustration bubbling.

"what do you want me to say?" carter said, his voice tired. "this is just... it's who he is. he's not gonna want to change, never has."

you looked back at rafe, a lump forming in your throat. "maybe he should."

carter didn't answer, just shrugged and turned toward the door. "you coming?"

"no," you said quietly. "i'll staying here for a bit... make sure he doesn't choke on his vomit or something."

carter hesitated but nodded, leaving you alone with rafe, the faint sound of his breathing filling the silence.

you sat against the end of the bed, your arms crossed tightly over your chest as you stared at rafe. his breathing was uneven, his chest rising and falling like he was fighting against the weight of whatever had dragged him under.

you didn't know why you stayed. maybe it was pity, or maybe you just didn't want to sit alone in the silence of the house while carter went off to do whatever.

you watched him for a while, the fluorescent bathroom light flickering faintly above them. his hair was a mess, his shirt wrinkled and stained from whatever mess he'd gotten into at the country club. for someone so used to exuding power, he looked small right now, like the world had stripped him bare.

"why do you do this to yourself?" you muttered, your voice barely above a whisper.

rafe stirred slightly, his head turning toward you. you thought he might be waking up, but his eyes stayed shut, his lips parting just enough to let out a soft groan.

"you're such a mess," you said, the words sharper this time, even though you didn't mean them to be. "and you just... don't care, do you? you don't care how it affects anyone else."

your voice cracked at the end, surprising you. you hadn't meant to let it get to you like this.

rafe mumbled something incoherent, his hand twitching against the towel. you leaned forward slightly, trying to catch what he was saying, but it was nothing, just fragments of words that didn't make sense.

you sighed, running a hand through your hair, suddenly exhausted. standing, you grabbed a spare blanket from the closet and draped it over him, tucking the edges around his shoulders like you were trying to protect him from something he wouldn't even notice.

"you're lucky carter cares enough to drag you back here," you muttered. "because i don't think anyone else would."

you didn't know if that was true. people cared about rafe, but not in the way he needed. they cared about what he could offer, the status he brought, the chaos he caused. it was transactional, always.

you turned off the bedroom light and dimmed the bathroom one, leaving the door open just enough for the hallway light to spill in. your feet felt heavy as you left the room, like the weight of the night was finally catching up to you.

as you crawled into her bed, the smell of lavender still faintly clinging to your sheets, your mind wouldn't stop racing. flashes of rafe at barry's, rafe slumped over carter's shoulder, rafe with that stupid, cocky grin when you won in beer pong together.

"he's not my problem," you whispered to yourself, trying to believe it.

but sleep didn't come easy, and somewhere in the back of your mind, you knew you didn't really believe it.

you groaned softly as you rolled over, hearing the sound of retching echoing faintly through the house. it took you a moment to realise it wasn't a dream. you sat up, the blankets falling away, and rubbed your eyes. the groaning continued, louder now, pained and guttural.

"shit," you muttered under your breath, slipping out of bed and padding quietly down the hall.

when you reached the guest bedroom, the door was still slightly ajar, the faint glow of the hallway light spilling out into the bedroom. you hesitated for a second, then pushed it open fully.

rafe was on his knees in front of the toilet, his head half-buried in the bowl as he heaved again, his whole body shuddering with the effort. his shirt was bunched up at the back, and your eyes immediately landed on the massive bruise blooming along his left side. it was deep purple, almost black in the centre, fading to sickly yellow at the edges.

"jesus, rafe," you breathed, stepping closer with wide eyes.

he groaned, one hand clutching his ribs as he slumped back against the bath behind him, his head lolling to the side. his eyes flickered open, bloodshot and hazy, and they landed on you.

"y/n," he croaked, his voice raw and slurred. "what... what're you doing here?"

"what am i doing here? you're the one making enough noise to wake the dead," you said, kneeling down beside him slowly.

he winced, shifting slightly, and you could see the pain etched into his features. "feel like sshit," he mumbled, his words barely audible.

"yeah, no kidding," you muttered. you stood, grabbing a glass and filling it with water before handing it to him. "here. drink this. slowly."

he stared at the glass for a moment, like he couldn't quite comprehend what it was, then took it with a trembling hand.

"mmm," he mumbled. you took it as a thank you as he sipped the water, grimacing as he swallowed.

you sat back on your heels, watching him carefully. the bruise, the way he clutched his side, it wasn't from falling or bumping into something. it was too deliberate, too vicious.

"rafe..." you started, your voice hesitant. "what happened to your side?"

his eyes flicked to yours, sharp for a moment before they softened, his usual defences crumbling under the weight of exhaustion and whatever he'd been through. "don't worry 'bout it," he mumbled.

"don't tell me not to worry when you look like that," you snapped quietly, your voice harsher than you intended.

he flinched slightly, his gaze dropping to the floor. "jus'... had a disagreement, okay? nothin' new."

"with who? barry? your dad?" you pressed, your frustration bubbling over.

"does it matter?" he shot back, his voice hoarse but edged with bitterness.

you sighed, running a hand through your hair. "you can't keep doing this, rafe. you're going to destroy yourself."

he let out a bitter laugh, the sound hollow. "maybe i already have."

something in the way he said it made your chest tighten, like you could feel the weight of whatever he was carrying pressing down on you, too.

"you don't have to," you said softly, the words slipping out before you could stop them.

he looked at you then, really looked at you, his bloodshot eyes searching your face like he was trying to figure out if you'd meant it.

"why d'you care?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly as he locked eyes with you.

you opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. why did you care? you weren't sure. maybe it was the way he looked so lost, or the fact that he was letting you see this side of him at all. maybe it was because, deep down, you knew that no one else would.

"i... don't know," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

he stared at you for a moment longer, then nodded slightly, like that answer made sense to him in a way it didn't to you.

you realised then, with a sinking feeling in your chest, that you wanted to help him. and that it might destroy you in the process.

notes ; thank you for readinggg !!

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I-N-L-O-V-E LIKE THE MOVIES — 006 : CLOCK OUT BITCH

SYNOPSIS — You loved the game Wordscapes and Jaehyun loved you. His long lasting crush was tiresome for his friends, you were only his classmate after all. Nevertheless, what other way was there for him to gain your attention other than playing your favourite game, Wordscapes? None. Well, completely ignoring the fact he wasn’t the best at word games.

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