#HELP MY SON HE'S GONE ROUGE

[almostzora]

The Tdp season 7 trailer:

0:00-1:50 "Oooh this is cool. It's gonna be such an exciting season!"

1:50-2:34 "What. No. What do you mean?!? CALLUMM!! (ToT)"

[13tinysocks]

My Dead Girlfriend

You find common ground with the Marks- getting a little too comfortable in the process. Across the desert, plans are made.

Past child abuse. NSFW. (Not related, Jesus)

[Invincible Variants X Reader]

[Part one]  [Ao3]  [16]  [18] [Chapter Index]

17 * Rendezvous [10.3k]

"I ain't even saved your number

So no, I can't reply to no text,

I make him cry 'bout the pussy,

Probably why my shit so wet."

Cry Baby - Megan Thee Stallion (ft. DaBaby)

        Gray fought the urge to stand closer to you, instead opting to keep watch of the horizon until the others returned. They did, minutes before Tracksuit asking where he was. Neither of you told them to suck it, because that felt a little on the nose. Tracksuit returned, grumbling something about his stomach. 

        Gray took of before Tracksuit could get his bearings, knowing the way better than Tracksuit after Maskless relayed the directions. Tracksuit bitched and moaned as he took to the sky. Gray ignored him because being near you like a magnet for desire that still roiled in his stomach. Nothing was as boner-killing as Tracksuit rattling on about his bathroom trip as they flew.

        Gray found Mark's body under six feet of sand. The stuff dried to him like horrible glitter glue. His heart was still in hand, fingers clutching so hard it punctured in multiple places. He was stiff and cold, flesh starting to sink in with rot.

        With all the dried bug carcasses, he could smoke all of Mark in hours instead of days like Emperor. He set up a station in what used to be your old home. It'd keep the heat well.

        Tracksuit helped. Mumbling about how fucked up it was the whole time despite his actions, because eventually the bugs would run dry. They needed emergency food. 

        He made Tracksuit swear not to tell you. Though if they ever had to turn to the backup, you'd know right away where it came from. 

        ***

        Omni returned diligently to your side. Listening to your spiked heart rate, watching your reddened face, how your eyes avoided his. He chalked it all up to more crying, you poor thing.  

        He spoke first, watching the fire, trying to see what you saw in your memories.

        "I'm impressed by what you built down there." Your home. Your hamster hut. Your shitty bug furniture. Shared with Mark. You suck in your lips and he knows he's said the wrong thing. You didn't need empty platitudes, you needed connection. The thing you so clearly had with Mark. So apparent in the single, well-worn cot, the lingering smell of soup and sex. "I was young when I first developed my powers." 

        Markus was up to bat. Missed once, twice, then hit the incoming baseball so hard it knocked the pitcher off his feet and broke three of his ribs. It was chalked up to a freak accident but Nolan knew it wasn't. It was everything he had been waiting for, he was so proud. Took Markus and Debbie out to ice cream after insincerely apologizing to the parents of the kid his son just hospitalized. Markus remembers laughing at the ice cream shop, the smile on his dads face. It was one of the last times he ever felt normal. 

        Training began right away. School shoved aside, play dates ignored, his weekends bowling with mom gone for good. Dad didn't go easy on him just because he was a child. In hindsight, his training was harder at the beginning compared to when he got older. Back then, he didn't follow orders as well. He misunderstood things, wasn't strong enough to withstand villains or the beatings that'd come if he failed to take down the bad guy of the week. But he learned overtime, getting hit was better than staying in the room. 

        A few months into his training, he'd fucked up big time. Was too slow and let an elderly couple get smashed by a car some rouge giant mutant threw. Instead of going after the mutant, he lifted the car in a desperate attempt to save the man, who's screams he could hear. Except the weight of the car was keeping the blood inside his crushed body, and when he lifted it with an apology, he bled out in front of Markus's eyes. So fast there was no chance of saving him. Not the first death he'd seen, not even close, but he remembered it for what came after.

        Debbie had introduced Nolan to the idea of a timeout when Markus was a toddler refusing to eat his veggies. Stay quiet, keep your head in the corner, don't move. It was a very human punishment, suitable to his son without powers. Viltrumite children did not misbehave the way Markus did, for fear of a beating, or just the fear of being perceived as weak, to be culled. Nolan knew Markus would never understand that pressure being raised on Earth, so he had to raise the stakes, punishment would have to match his son. So he shoved Markus into the downstairs coat closet, told him to face the wall and not move until he came back. Then he shut the door. Didn't come back for hours. 

        The house had gone quiet. Markus was well-behaved, but this was ridiculous. Dad knew it was an accident. He surely didn't mean for him to be in the closet so long. It was an accident the punishment went so long. Those people were dead forever and that sucked but it wasn't Markus's fault for trying to save them. Honest mistakes happen all the time! When he opened the door, it was night. He saw Dad right away with his eyes adjusted to the dark. Sat still on the couch, a travel booklet open in his lap.

        "I told you to stay." Dad was in front of him in an instant. Chest to Markus's nose. The threat of violence in his stillness. "You want to be like me, don't you?" He nodded though he was scared shitless and really had to pee but didn't know how to say it. "Then you need to learn to truly reflect on your mistakes."

        "Dad-"

        He shut up when Dad's fist balled. He wanted to be like him so, so very badly. He also wanted out of the closet. He also didn't want to get hit again. He decided then to look at it as training, and not as something that made him feel cracked and incomplete, if this was the only way, so be it. Markus shut the door and faced the wall for three days.

        Debbie found him while looking for an old kerchief to wear to an open house. She blindly believed Nolan when he said Mark was staying at William's house for the weekend. Piss reek on all the coats despite being dried in his pants. She tore Nolan a new one the best she could, but he quieted her. He never hit her but he held things over her neck like a guillotine. "Debbie, you need to understand. Viltrumite children are different, stronger, he can take it."

        "Nolan, he's eight."

         "Which is early for powers, yes, but there's no better time to set him on the right path. What I'm doing is a good thing. Markus neeeds to be prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the planet safe." His voice was placating, easy. They'd had this conversation a hundred times and Nolan always won.

        But Debbie still tried, less as time wore on, but still tried nonetheless. "Can't you go a little easier on him?"

        "Do you want Earth to be blown up by a metor if I'm not around to stop it? Or alien invsation or mind control? I can't be everywhere at once."

        "There's other heros to-"

        Nolan held up his hand to quiet her. "They're only human."

        "Only human?" She was insulted. 

         "Yes, Debbie, only human. You'll never understand what it's like for us. What we are. As a Viltrumite, I know better than you. I know whats best for the planet. You know how to sell a house. Who do you think is more fit to raise our boy to be who he wants to be?"  Markus had begged for training all his life. Lay anxiosly awake at night, worring if he'd never get his powers. 

Debbie didn't try much longer, like she should've, she let him steamroll her. All she did for Markus was buy him enough time to change clothes, to go to the bathroom but not clean up. Nolan had him back in the closet while he took his mother to bed where they argued. Markus could hear their rising voices through the walls. Superhearing not developed enough to parse out the words. The yelling gave way to the apparent sounds of sex. There was nothing else to hear, to focus on. 

         It was Dad who got the say when he was let out. While he sat in the dark his fathers face had morphed into a monster in his mind, an unfamiliar hatred that choked out the rest of his senses. He wanted to yell at him, to hit the thing that was keeping him in there. But when Nolan opened the door and put a hand on his shoulder, it was just his father. He was so overwhelmed and so grateful he hugged him. Nolan hugged him back, saying, "I'm sorry I had to do that, son." 

        It happened again. He made less mistakes as he got older but they still happened. Nolan would take him to the closet, sometimes silently sometimes with violence. Markus tried leaving multiple times over the years. Dad would find him immediately or some time later, sometimes goading him back to the closet, sometimes beating him so bad he had no choice but to be carried back. And there he sat. Stewing. Becoming steelier than his father in the dark. Always aspiring to be like Nolan but thinking to himself, if he had a son he'd do different. He'd be better. He'd look better in red and white instead of that silly blue-yellow color scheme Art picked out for him. 

        "I know what isolation can do to someone," Omni said.

        Killing Dad was a lot easier than he'd thought it'd be. He'd placed him on such a high pedestal he didn't notice how thin the supports were. But that wasn't the point. This was about the things you shared, not his love-hate fueled parental double homicide.

        Yet you looked at him like he'd emphasized how he'd beat his father's head in after snapping mom's neck. You looked up at him, a whisper on your lips, "What the fuck?"

        He had expected that reaction. You'd given him a similar one before. Except by the time that happened, you'd been together for years and put things a little less vulgarly. He'd always thought it was strange, how you cried to him about the death of his parents. He told you it was an attack. An old arch nemesis, a flimsy story, really, but you'd believed him because with him, you knew he always knew what was best. He could still remember the horror on your face when you found out what he really was. This time around, he'd be more honest from the get go. The more you understood him, the more he understood you. 

        "Dude, if that's your idea of flirting you suck," Tracksuit said, back to you both lying on the floor trying to sleep.

        It wasn't said exactly, but neither party was willing to leave you with the other. So they stuck around under the tent, waiting for the cool but not overly hot morning to move the tent closer to Tracksuit's and Maskless's expansive concrete estate. 

        Despite what Tracksuit said, you had leaned on Omni's side halfway through the story. Relating to some things and being horrified by the rest. Hating that you felt bad for him, that you could see a kid Markus alone in the dark and feel only horror at the idea. Hating that you needed to feel his body heat, how you couldn't stop yourself from melting into it. Hating that you needed to hear a story of someone else burned in the dark. His story, life, was worse, to the point where you wanted to apologize for making him talk about it, but you don't.

        Instead, you give him want he wants, what a stupid part of you needs, "Thanks... Markus." You can't look at him. Won't. Don't want to see what the name does to him- send a flush of memory to his cheeks and a glint to his eyes. "Even if that was a super fucked up time in your life." You think about telling him about the first time you killed someone. Not first blood for Machine Head, but the real first time. The accident. 

        "Of course, my dove." His arm loosely snakes around your waist, holding your body closer.

        Tracksuit's head whipped around. Pissed at you but nosy. The last time he heard that name you were crying it out. And since when were you on a pet-name basis with that daddy-loving freak? He found Markus's head pressed to your (hair/scalp), not quite kissing you but not not kissing you. Nose twitching as he inhaled your sweaty, desert scent. Ew. He flipped back around.

        You knew what you were doing. Trying to get closer to Markus to fill the Mark shaped hole in your wounded heart. The guilt of it hits you, dizzying and harsh. 

        "Don't call me that." You said though it had made your gut pleasantly twist. To be loved is to be changed and Mark loved you so much in those two weeks despite what he did to you. You hated the way it changed you. Here was Markus, offering up love on a silver platter with no secret side dish of being locked away and going insane. 

        The skip of your heart says you're a liar who likes the name but he placates you, "Would you rather I call you something else?"

        His lips move against your (hair/scalp), his voice low and teasing, sending a pleasant tingle down your spine and straight to your still aching cunt. It'd been hours since you'd sucked Gray dry and you wanted more. When Markus had returned with Maskless, him and Gray took to the sky. You had no idea if he told but guessed not with how surprisingly chill Markus was with his presence. If you told him, you'd ruin things, but you'd get the pleasure of hurting his stupid feelings.

        You make the decision that's not best in the long haul, but for now, "My name is just fine."

        ***

        Gray waited in the sky. Hands behind his back, still slick with sweat. Heart rate slowed, an unusual relaxation in his shoulders that he tried to offset by being extra rigid. Cock still wet with your saliva. Luckily, the wind made his kilt flutter forward a degree, hiding the mild arousal that'd repossessed him. 

        You were down there. Small with distance. Content, with no idea that you'd taken his world view and flipped it around and around. Before he was fighting for a reason to care, unsure of why he was still fighting to survive. But the care you'd shown him, how easily you could unwind him and fill him with such new uncertain feelings was more than enough. One thing was for certain, procreation without actually procreating was much better than he had ever envisioned. He wanted to do it again and again and again. Any and every way you could teach him. He fantasized about things he never gave thought before. Remembered the slivers of your skin he'd seen and shivered. 

        He wasn't just surviving for the Empire now. He was surviving for you and your vicious tongue. For the chance to fill you with love and his... oh. Jesus, that was uncouth. But he couldn't stop thinking about it. If you'd like it. The sounds and faces you'd make. The-

        "You wanted to speak to me?" Markus lifted into the sky behind him. 

        Gray didn't turn. Hard on too apparent even in the wind. "Your mate attempted to convince me to take her to the others while you were gone." He kept his tone mild.

        Markus crossed his arms, "And how did she do that?" 

        He should tell the truth. Lies would cause problems in a situation like this but he felt so much closer to you having a secret. Plus his allyship with Markus was new, he couldn't risk it, not now. Not if it meant losing you. Gray just had to hope you'd also keep your mouth shut.

         "We spoke at length," he said, "She tried to use her powers but she's drained. From what I've observed, it may take until her leg heals for her to be at full potency. We should plan for that." A gnawing, horny part of him said fuck it. Take her along. Kill the others. More blowjobs for him. Blowjobs for a job well done. More food for him. Food for a job well done. Both animal cravings the desert brought out in him.

        "I see," Markus said. 

        Gray had been shot at by alien ray guns. Been cursed, beat, trained by one of Viltrum's elite. He kept himself cool and steady to a T. He felt Markus could see right through him, had to school his heart rate and breathing. He was sure he'd win the fight if it came to that, but there'd be repercussions surrounding you he wasn't ready to face- not after you'd recently grown so affectionate. 

        "Her leg will be healed in about a week." Gray added. 

        Markus nodded to himself. "So we have a week to convince her to not try and kill herself for nothing." Not a lot of time considering how stubborn you'd proved to be. Refusing to die in those caves, taking one of them down despite your affections for him. 

        "I say we have a week to train her until we all go to kill them," Gray said, watching the man over his shoulder. Was the idea too unlike himself? Would Markus know what had transpired?

        Markus was quiet a moment. Gray took it as suspicion until he said, "They could kill us too." Though Markus loathed to admit it. "Kill her to get at us. It's too dangerous." But so were they. They'd spot you eventually. "But I agree. Something must be done about them, sooner rather than later. I don't want her involved."

        Why not? She's an asset. Gray thought, before his dick caught up to him. No post-battle reward if you were dead. It was his turn to say, "I see."

        ***

        The days went by in a molasses blur. The tent was moved beside the concrete runes that was Maskless and Tracksuit's base. Simply so there'd be no quarrel about where you'd be and who with- you were with them, at their shared base, all the time. They kept to their original bases and you floated between them. 

        Skirting the days by in agony as your bone knit itself back together. Turns out humans didn't have speed-healing for a reason- it hurt like a motherfucker. You'd used the last of your codeine to dull the pain, but it barely scratched the surface. So most of the time you just laid down wherever was coolest, and wondered when you were going to join Mark in death.

        The pain wasn't all physical, being nearly bed ridden left you with lots of time to think about him. It shouldn't hurt so bad, him being gone. You hadn't really known him all that long. You lived together for two weeks and the affection had started to turn to a boiling hatred. But you got to live and he didn't. His only crime was not joining the empire, oh and mass homicide on your version of Earth but still- you felt like the shittier person. He killed for you, you killed because some robot asshole told you to.

        You were starfished on Markus's cot, recovered from the cave ruins under the tent shade. Hot, but hydrated enough to sweat. Stripped to the soldier's underthings. Leg no longer splinted, bone mostly healed but still, it hurt to walk.

        "What are thinking about?" Markus. Ever since he told you about himself, you'd started calling him the name like he'd been calling you yours. He liked it. A lot. You hated how much he liked it, but liked that somebody liked something you were doing. You just wanted to feel loved again. Not by him necessarily, but he kept hand feeding you affection like you were some skittish horse.

        Markus had you practice using your powers every day. Never as long or hard as Gray would like but it was compromise to not using power at all. Tracksuit or Maskless were often your unwilling subjects, paid in extra bug meat. You were getting better by the day, stronger as your leg healed.

       Gray was down in the caves doing something. He wouldn't tell you what. Maskless was down there with him, sifting through the ruins of the hatchery. Last you saw Tracksuit he said he was going to nap in his hammock- the map turned cloak he demanded you give back days ago. You did, though you bickered back and forth. Blooming friendship soured by his jabs and you making him literally jab himself. You missed the normalcy he brought, but you were also pissed at him. You were pissed at everything, all the time. So was he. The desert made bitches out of both of you.   

        Back to Markus. You wanted a few things from him. For him to take you to Phantom. For him to help you ease the pain in your leg and your heart. You could get all that and more if he would just, "Come here." You reached up for him, hovering over your bed. In the past few days you'd allowed him to hold you. It left you with a swirling contradictory roster of feelings. 

        He obeyed, coming closer until your arms could snake around his back. Tugging at him. He smiled. Thinking finally, you were returning his affections, molding into the sweet thing he wanted you to be. He'd been fine just holding you while you sat or laid there like a corpse, but he'd been yearning for your reciprocation. 

        For awhile, you let him hold you. You made no sound, didn't doze. Just lay with your eyes open, face pressed to his chest listening to his beating heart. Thinking about Mark. Thinking that if he wasn't so... You closed your eyes. You couldn't start thinking it was Mark's fault. Wouldn't. But if he had just held on, let you dig you both out...

        You couldn't think anymore. You pulled back from Markus's chest, looked into his face. Calm with a slight wrinkle of worry in his brow. "My-"

        You kissed him. Trying to recoup yourself in it, to not feel the overwhelming void. You feel his stubble scratch against your jaw and reach your hand up to trace along it. You feel needy and when he tenses and kisses back you feel wanted, vindicated. You go back and forth, slow and steady wins the race- and gets your motor humming. He welcomed your tongue into his mouth, practically rolled out the red carpet. He was all too happy to help you feel needed, wanted.

        Through the rolling of tongues and sighs, you could still remember Mark, feel the rebar digging into your skin and his arms around your waist. You needed something more. Your hand left his cheek, trailing down his chest until you found a semi on the soft side. 

        He was gone from you all at once. Standing on his knees on the edge of the cot. You followed him, lifting onto your elbows, face flushed and lips buzzing. Whining, "Why'd you stop?"

        You looked so much like her. Chest heaving, eyes wanting, splayed on the bed under him begging for more. He wanted to give it to you but not like this.

        "I don't think you're ready." He knew the only reason you let him cling to you was Mark's death. It stung, but he was grateful. Knew you'd eventually stick around because you liked him for him, not that dead boy. Only when your heart had healed and you were wanting, would he make love to you again.

        "For sex? I think I am." You'd been thinking about how good it'd felt to suck Gray off for days. Gray had been avoiding you but seemed to have told nobody of your rendezvous. You missed how getting eaten out by Mark felt. Fingers stretching out your cunt. You ached for something more. Something thick and mind-erasing, even for a little while. Felt guilty about it, felt not-guilty, then guilty all over again.

        Markus frowned as you sat fully upright. Hands reaching for his waist. He leaned back, "You're still grieving and hurt."

        But you were insistent. Hurting so much in the stillness, the broken leg and your mind eating at you. You needed this. "Gray gave me the okay to walk yesterday. Why don't we set that back a little, yeah?" 

        He shook his head and completely floated out of range. "Don't use my love for you to hurt yourself." You didn't rise to follow. Knew it'd be a fruitless endeavor. 

        You scoffed still, rejection stung. "Sex wouldn't hurt me."

        He rose a brow. Remembering how you enjoyed him manhandling you. Remember how your attitude had started to shift after he fucked you. Sex changes things, though he doesn't bring it up. "I'm sure we'd enjoy it, yes, but I don't want you to regret it afterwards." 

        "I won't." 

        You didn't love him enough yet. You hadn't dropped Mark from your mind.

        "You will." He said. You fixed him with a look but you both knew he's right. "I appreciate the... offer but I think it's best to wait." He moved back toward the edge of the tent. Thinking about fucking you till you begged him to stop. Feeling himself twinge with excitement but his mind was stronger than his body. "I'm going to check on the others. I'll tell you if they've found anything."

        With that, he was gone. Fighting himself to leave you but knowing it'd pay off in the end. You wouldn't see him as some fuck buddy, he was to be your husband. 

        You were alone. Unsatisfied. Needy as hell. Pissed. Needed someone to rant to, a little normalcy. Needed to feel like you were talking to Mark at the very beginning of things. Him and his cocktail sauce jokes.

        You trudged to the other base where the only other person you could talk to was.

        The concrete remains were shaded but sweltering. The hammock ends were stuffed into cracks in the wall like they used to be before Maskless tore them out, unsecured and unsurprising when Tracksuit fell out of it, again. He swore as he got up off the ground, trying to fix the damn thing and take his nap. He was tired of sand, of this fucking place and everything that came with it. He heard the crunch of your boots, another thing he hated about the desert. "Didn't hear the other guys makin' food so wha'dya want?"

        You leaned against the bare window frame watching his back flex as he worked, trying and failing to shove the fabric back where it used to be.

        "That's not going to work." You thought of Mark trying to help make the buggy furniture. His hands were big and clumsy, you ended up making most of it.

        He scoffed. "You come'ere just to tell me that?" He crawled into the freshly hung hammock, which instantly fell. He bristled as he thrashed in the sheet, saw you still watching and hissed catishly, "Fuck off!"

        You left to his relief, only to come back a few minutes later. You walked slowly, mostly leaned to your good leg. You were determined to walk on your own, with no more sad looks from Gray or Markus. "Here." You re-entered the room, holding your rebar crutch. "Use this as a stake." 

        In the time you were gone he tried three more times with zero success. "Oh yeah, cuz I can hang a hammock off one thingy." He snatched the crutch out of your hand anyways. 

        You watched him look around. Considering sticking it in the sand but remembering it wouldn't hold. You suggested, "Stick it in the wall. Tie the other half to that." You point to a rusty spike of metal jutting out of the ceiling. You'd had to be resourceful in the cave, with Mark.

        Tracksuit grumbled but listened. Shoving the rebar into the wall, sending cracks along it, making you worry the wall would crumble and ceiling would come down but the rebar held. He tied one end to it, then the other to the spike you pointed out. He gently, slowly, laid himself down. Tensed for the inevitable fall but it didn't come. "Hm."

        "You're welcome." You said, not your normal biting tone.

        "Didn't say thank you." He bit back.

        "I know." 

        He waited for you to leave but you didn't. "Thought you came over cuz you were all like, annoyed at the sound of me falling n' shit. You jus' gon watch me sleep or something?"

        "No."

        He spun, back facing you. He slipped his mask off his face. Hot as all hell under the fabric. "Then piss off, I'm trying to sleep." 

        "Is it really that hard to not be a dick to me?" You snapped. Deep down you missed that asshole you smoked with. You needed a friend. You couldn't see him now, just another back turned. You can almost imagine Mark in the end- despite the hair.

        "I dunno, is it really that hard to not be a huge bitch when every guy in the desert is slobbering over your pussy?" 

        "Excuse me?" You had power again. You could make him hurt. You wanted to rebuild the bridge you burned but... God, he was such a dick.

        "If I were you, I'd be all for it. Like, you can't do shit but sit around, so why not ease the tension a bit and pass yourself around?" 

        He didn't mean it but he was mad. Missing Rex, missing home. Missing when he didn't have to hear about you and see you every fucking day. You got to eat good in a cave while he starved in the sun, got to cum as much as you wanted with an endless roster of boyfriends but abstained for some fucking reason. 

        He heard your footsteps coming closer but didn't move. He knew you couldn't hurt him but was wary of you controlling him. He hadn’t considered you could untie the hammock from the crutch and let him fall on his ass. It didn't hurt but it did well making him angry. He snarled up at you from the floor, unmasked, feeling naked but he didn't lunge for the cover. Thought it'd make him seem weak in front of you. "Fuck was that for?"

        You knew under the fabric he was Mark, but seeing his face for the first time felt like a hot slap. He was Mark with thicker brows, one of them slit. He was Mark with a more bent nose bridge, a bull ring septum, and a cheek dermal. He was Mark with longer lashes and a scowl that said he hated you. Mark would could grow facial hair, stubbly and spotty as it was. Seeing his face made your gut twist painfully and balloon with butterflies. You had wanted to reply, to tell him he was being a cunt but your throat was dry.

        Tracksuit saw the hesitation in your eyes and went for the kill. He stood fast, forced his face into yours grinning. "Aww, lose ya nerve when you saw this sexy mug?"

        You didn't back down, pointing at the cheek piercing, "You look ridiculous." Though you thought it looked sexy.

        "Tch. Yeah right. You're like- biologically down for all this, sweetheart." The pet name came out as an insult. 

        "I don't fuck losers." You leaned in, challenging him back. 

        "Really?" His breath was hot on your lips, "Could've had me fooled."

        You snarled. "Step off." 

         Even though you were in his place, standing over his fallen hammock. Even though you could make him with your powers but you don't. 

        "You first." He said.

        You'd been down this road before. Knew where it led, but you stood your ground. Waited for it to happen.

        Both of you stared nto each other’s eyes, yours so pretty, his light and amber. Anger electric between you. You don't remember who looked at whose lips first. Just that someone did and lips and teeth collided shortly after. You had him by the collar, pulling him violently close. He gripped you hard by the waist. Tongues already in each other's mouths. Growling like animals. Biting but never hard enough to bleed.

        As the kiss moved, so did your bodies. He pushed your back rough into the concrete wall, pressing himself fully into you. Warming your already overheated body. Pressing his quickly growing arousal to your thigh. You moaned into his mouth, heat pooling between your legs. 

        He sensed it. Moved his hands from your waist to your hips, forcing your legs up, making your thighs hook around his hips. The sound you made when his clothed arousal pressed to yours, a harsh gasp, only made him harder. He snickered against your lip, grinding into your core. "You fuckin' like that?"

        This was a terrible idea on both your parts but neither of you stopped. Tracksuit needed a proper release after starving in the desert and You needed a distraction from the grief. Both of you got something out of this. 

        "Hate it." You said against his lips, slick with your spit before you kissed him again. Body moving with his, dry humping each other like dogs against the wall.

        He's touchy. Hands slipping under your shirt to paw at your tits. Kneading them harsh in his hands. Savoring how it made you gasp into his mouth. "Not such a bitch now, huh?"

        He was Mark, but sounded nothing like Mark when he talked. It was the accent, the cocky attitude. Part of you wanted to pretend it was Mark making you feel good. Another part wants you to remember its Tracksuit. Mark was dead, couldn’t make you feel good anymore, move on.

        You can't make up your mind so you tell him to, "Shut the fuck up."

         You escape his lips and go for his throat. Not bothering to kiss down the column of skin, going right to sucking and biting. His hips cant against yours, pressing delicious friction to your core. 

        "Yeah," He gasps, "Yeah, just like that."

        "What did I just say?" You bite him again. This time he doesn't comment, only groaning as he grinds into you.

        He doesn't expect it when you say, "Get off of me."

        He listened, not because you used your powers. but because his mind came back to him. Thinking, 'oh shit, I'm so dead, the others came back and heard and I'm sooo fucked.' He listened, looked out the broken windows and saw no one. 

        "Blue ballin' me, seriously?" He tried to sound pissed but he only sounded desperate. He only stepped back a few feet. He was faster than you. Could so easily pin your back to the wall and fuck you into it. He doesn't because he's not Scars. You're a person to him, despite much of an asshole as you were.

        You gave him an annoyed look. "I can't take my pants off like that." 

        Oh. Oh!

         He shifted on his feet, ready to tear your pants off rather than wait for you to pull them down. His head (not the lower one) stirred. "Wait a sec. Are you trying to get me killed right now?"

        You didn’t stop undoing your pants buttons. "They're all out right now. We've got time."

        His mind went blank when you started wiggling your hips to get out of the pants. God Damn. His head stirred, that one this time. "They catch us, I'm dead."

        "You're dead once we run out of food anyway." Or until you accidentally made him kill himself, you thought bitterly. You knelt down and tugged off your boots, stepped out of your pants. Casual, easy, like sex used to be. You hated that you felt the need to say, "Are we doing this or what?" When everything was so easily passed between you and Mark. You hooked your thumbs in the solider shorts, waiting for his reply. Looking dangerously hot. He prayed to a God he didn't believe in that your pussy would be to die for.

        Tracksuit had you back against the wall, helping you tug down the shorts. Naked from the waist down, though your rumpled-up tank top didn't cover much. He'd undone his suit, pulled the zipper at his neck all the way down to his crotch. Exposing a sweaty, toned chest and a cock in dire need of attention. He hated that Art made him a onesie but it was easy to get in and out of.

        "Fuck." You moaned just looking at him. Still mostly clothed but Jesus. 

        "Like what you see?" He squeezed your ass as you rehooked your legs around his waist. 

        "Shut up." You tugged at his hair and he moans, leans in to mindlessly shove his tongue down your throat. You welcome it. Leaving him to blindly fumble with his dick, sliding the pink aching tip up and down your folds. Coating himself and relishing your shudder. 

        He pushed in slow. Eyes rolling back into his head as your welcoming cunt stretched around him. So wet and ready for him. It'd been such a long time since he fucked. A millennia by his standards with his revolving door of booty calls. Sliding inside you felt like coming home.

        You knew he'd be big, him and Gray were the same person after all, but he just kept going and going. Filling you inch after thick inch. Pushing your body to its limit by the time his pelvis met yours. For a moment, you were both still. Your body adjusting to the fullness. So much bigger than fingers. 

        "You good?" He panted into your lips. You growled and canted your hips. That was answer enough. 

        Squeezing your ass, he rolled his hips back, dragging his dick slowly out before he pushed forward. Testing the feel of you. All of you felt like it was squeezing him, trying to keep him inside, close. You moaned as he pulled out again only to shove back inside, faster this time. He'd done enough fucking to know the signs that someone liked it fast, liked it hard. He wasted no time in setting a pace that made your skin clap together. 

        Filling you all the way before leaving you empty then forcing your cunt to reopen, to take all of him in one long drag. Over and over. His pelvis slapped harshly against your swollen clit. Your moans echoing off the concrete walls only spurred him on. So different from the way Mark worshiped your pussy. Mark was all about giving, even when you were pleasuring him, he wanted to be good for you. Here you were, a week after his death, being fucked near to tears by another man (kind of). Tracksuit took, greedy and unforgiving. God, you were awful and God Tracksuit's dick felt so good. Why was Mark so scared of giving you his?

        "You know," Tracksuit pulled you from your half-dazed thoughts, "you're a lot nicer with a dick you." He watched your face, flushed, fucked-out by a few strokes. He wasn't surprised, he was good at a short list of things: Killing, fighting, and fucking.

        Only then you realized how desperate and slutty you must look. You schooled your features but he'd seen it, was grinning mischievously at you though his eyes were clouded with want. Dick snapping into you. 

        "You're a lot less annoying when you shut up." You could've cum by now if he just kept quiet. Stopped pulling you out of your thoughts that only made you start to spiral. Pleasure mixing thick with self hate and regret.

        "You say that a lot." He chuckled.

        "Because you talk a lot." You yanked him forward by his tousled hair. You sucked on his neck and finally, instead of yapping, he moans. Gripping you harder, hips starting to stutter, thrusts less calculated, balls deep practically grinding his cockhead against your cervix.

       “You want me to pull out or can I cum in you like a slut too?” He probably shouldn't have added that last part. You'd probably push him off, hate him for saying it but you don't. 

        The idea makes you clench around him, throb with want. Finally forget. You try and fail to keep your voice steady, maoning, "Don’t you dare pull out.”  

        "Fuck- nnnngg- fuck I'm-" A jackal's bark escapes his throat as he cums. Filling you more than you already had been. Hot and claiming. His head lulls as his dick went sof, heart hammering. "Holy shit." He pulled out of you. The plug gone, his cum starts to ooze out. "Fuck I did not think you’d let me cum in you, that’s crazy." He mused over the view a moment. 

        You leaned back against the wall. Dejected. Feeling like a slut cheating on Mark who was fucking dead. Feeling like if you didn't cum this would all be for nothing. You don't care about showing him, just lift your tank top and let him see the scar. "Doesn't mean much, remember?"

        He felt like an asshole. "Uh. Yeah." His hands leave your ass, now lightly bruised in the shape of his hands. Usually people were panting when he was done with them. You just looked kinda sad, but that wasn't his problem. You were the pampered princess, he was just some guy, not some princeling who promised to save you from a castle. He unnotched your legs from his waist, left you shivering and wanting as he grabbed his zipper and starting pulling it up. "Thanks for that."

        Your feet hit the sand and you are fucking pissed. "I'm not done." You prowled forward, needing to finish what you started. Pussy throbbing. Having a taste of him but not enough to bring you to orgasm. You kept thinking about Mark every time you got close- bit of a mood killer. 

        He jutted his hips forward, softened dick uselessly flopping between his legs. "Can't really fuck you like this."

        Mark would've never left you wanting. Even if he'd come he'd take care of you, double whatever you gave him, triple it. "You selfish asshole." 

        Tracksuit shrugged with an unwarranted smirk, like you’d just called him handsome. "I get that a lot."

        You narrowed your eyes at him and his toned body and good dick and hair sweatily stuck to his forehead. You wanted him all over again but he'd need time to recover. "Lie down."

        "What?"

        Your eye twitched. "Look, we're probably going to die. Let's just get this out of our systems." That got him on his back, hands folded behind his neck like a pillow. Dick still soft but soon to wake. 

        "So what'cha gon do until then?" Tracksuit watched you, amused as you crawled on top of him. Cum rolling in streaky tears down your inner thighs. 

        Your pussy touched down on his muscled thigh. Rough fabric providing the perfect amount of friction. You don't reply, hands coming down on his hard chest as your hips started to rock, sliding yourself up and down his leg like a dog. He watched, mesmerized by the way you moved. Needing his dick to resurrect so you’d do that rolling motion on him. 

         "You gonna help at all?" You snarled at him, still and lazy, hands still tucked behind his head.

        "Don't wanna ruin the view." He said, happy to watch as your eyes flutter from grinding on his legs. Most girls would be too embarrassed to do something this desperate. God, you really were a slut. He appreciated that. Loved a good slut. Didn’t consider why you might be desperate or what it meant. 

        "Dickhead."

        "Speaking of," he palmed his regrowing erection. Still slick with your fluids. You were poised to sit down on him before he was fully hard. He didn't mind. 

        You were full once again. Getting fuller by the second as he grew harder inside of you. Again, you rolled your hips on him. Feeling his cock push into your walls, grind against all those sweet spots that made your eyes roll back. Your shin shot little spikes of pain up your back but you didn't care. Leaned forward, gripping him by the shoulders as you chased release.

        Hands came to your hips, guiding you along with a guttural, "Fuck yeah, baby."

        It was your turn to set the pace and you did. Bringing yourself up and down as fast as you could. Trying to out run the grief. Feeling Tracksuit's thickness punch up inside of you. Thinking about doing this with, "Mark."

        Tracksuit's closed eyes open. Watching you. Knowing who you were pretending he was. Fine by him. He was using you to cum too. But, he was still mildly insulted, he wouldn't give you what you wanted, only himself. He gripped your hips hard, started fucking back up into you, making your tits bounce, setting the pace. You tried to keep up but you were only human. Just a hole for him to fuck.

        You were about to cum. You could feel that sweet tension building inside of you, ready to snap when he flips you on your back. Climax slips through your fingers as his dick shifts, hitting a different spot entirely.

        "Are you fucking serious?" You snapped.

        "Yes ma'am." He didn't hide the way he was watching your tits bounce through the tank top. Didn't hide his purposeful denial.

        "You are-"

        "A selfish asshole? Yeah, think I just heard that."

         You snarl but get lost in him again. It's endearing. He liked your attention on him, though he doesn't know why. He'd had plenty of casual flings he didn't care about, but none of them got a round two. Maybe the desert was really starting to get to him. Maybe he had a crush. Whatever- you were fucking him and he was going to make sure you knew it.

        He grabbed you by the plush of your hips and rammed in deep. Cock filling you all at once. He savored the way your eyes shot back. Mouth fell open. He opened his mouth to taunt as your spasming hand reached up, and covered his lips. He smiled into your palm. 

        You bounced off each other. Shifting sand under your bodies. He filled you deeply, completely, fast, so fast. Holding your hips at an angle so his cockhead punched into your g-spot every time. You felt orgasm finally coming like freight train. Your mind went blank.

        "Oh shit!" Your pussy convulsed around him. Squeezed so hard he felt like you'd snap his dick clean off. Jerked him off with your muscles and twitches so good that he came again. The hardest he'd ever cum. Vision going blurry and mind going fuzzy. Maybe there was a reason the others wanted you so bad.

        Cum leaked out your hole from around his softening length. Every inch of you full and warm and claimed again like it'd been with Mark who could've fucked you like this had he not been so scared. 

        For a few blissful seconds, you were a blank slate before it all came crashing back. Mark was dead and you just fucked somebody else a week after he died. 

        Tracksuit pulled out and flopped into the sand beside you. Heaving, red faced.

         "Holy fuck." He said. It was good before but feeling the way you came? "I think I just saw God." One thing was for sure, your pussy was not mediocre. Most people couldn't get him to cum once, let alone twice.

        Your breath hitched. He turned to watch you laugh exept you weren’t laughing. You were crying.

        ***

        Markus wasn't gone for more than ten minutes. Just long enough to check on Gray and Maskless's progress with the jerky. A collective secret shared. Talking of dead man's meat cools his body and mind. They head back in a group, flying low and slow, idly searching the desert as they went. Finding nothing. 

        He heard it before he landed. Heard the same sound fall from your lips all those weeks ago in the dark cave after you fell. Ricocheting off the walls of the concrete ruins, so loud it made his ears twitch. Markus was a reasonable man. He knew you were bound to be attracted to the others, would be downright concerned if you weren't. But still, it hurt, hearing you fuck another version of himself. The one who didn't even care about you- that hurt. How could you be so stupid? 

        His gloves groaned as he approached the building. He was going to rip that rat off you and give you the talking-to of a lifetime. A hand fell on his shoulder, Gray. Who was fighting jealousy in his own right but approached the situation a little more clinically. "Humans get frustrated when they can not finish what they set out to do."

        Maskless ran his hand over his face and retreated to the tent, where he laid himself down. Hands over ears to drown the sounds out. No prude but pretty fucking annoyed. Forcing himself to think about William and now how much he hated the lot of you.

        Markus waited, getting angrier by the second, every grunt and moan that came out of that building like a punch. He was livid, but willing to wait until you were decent. He'd waited and suffered long enough what were a few more minutes? But once he heard your soft cries, that plan went out the window.

        ***

        "I'm bored! This is boring!" Lensless whined, head thrown back. Phantom didn't react to him poking at his wounds anymore. Whenever Phantom was conscious, he didn't react to much at all. "We should just kill 'im. Jerky-fy him the way that guy did."

        "He knows where she is." Scars scratched at his beard. Somehow he grew one while all Lensless got was spotty stubble. 

        Lensless hummed, thinking while he shoved a thumb under Phantom's dirty bandages. Feeling around in the hot meat, stomach grumbling. Phantom breathed but didn’t stir. 

       "He's not gonna tell us, even if he could." Lensless pulled his thumb out and popped it into his mouth, savoring the rich flavor. He sucked his finger clean before shoving it back in. "She's probably dead anyway." He smiled, but wasn't happy. You barely used your powers on him. Barely pushed him around. He hardly got to see you cry and break down. That was no fun at all.

        Scars quietly considered this. Hating that Lensless of all people was right. "We'll kill the next one slower." 

        Lensless grinned. "Any idea who?"

        "Whoever we find. We'll keep him alive till we've got a replacement."

        "Sounds good to me!"

        Mohawk slunk away from the wall he hid behind.

        ***

        "Aw shit," Tracksuit rolled onto his side, trying to joke. "Was it really that good?" 

        You wiped at your eyes with your thumb but the tears kept coming, hating that this was what you'd been reduced to. A grieving slut with a gaping pussy.

         "I miss Mark." You'd never said it, even before the desert. Before you would have lashed out at the suggestion it but you'd been beaten down by the sun and withered by grief. You were a shell of who you used to be. Longing to be that person again but you couldn't be, not out here. A sob ripped from your throat.

        Tracksuit didn't reach out. Didn't know if he should or not. His casual flings cried sometimes, but he usually had the option to just fly away before they got sappy on him. He couldn't really leave because this was technically his house, his camp. Plus, he kind of, sort of liked you a little more now after you made him cum twice. Enough to think he should be a little less of a douche to you. You had been trapped for two weeks, had just lost you kind of boyfriend. He wracked his brain for something nice to say. "You like... are like... really-" He'd always been bad at being earnest. "-Not a bitch at all, I was just kinda mad earlier." That was a start.

        "Is that seriously how you talk to women?" The voice made you both bolt upright. Sand stuck to the sweaty backs of your clothes.

        Markus's frame eclipsed the doorway, casting a cool shadow over you. Mask on to protect his face from the UV, to protect you from seeing the betrayal in his eyes. 

        "Shit, dude." Tracksuit yanked up his zipper. "Don't kill me but also learn to knock? Seriously, don't kill me."

        "If I wanted you dead, you would be." Markus deadpanned. "I've been waiting for you two to finish."

        You moved for your pants. Markus was a red-white flash. Suddenly, you were sat down, pants on, wiped dry (much as he could) between the legs by a rag Markus threw into the wastes. You stared up at him, heart beating erratically, even your tank top was fixed back in place.

         "I don't want you to look as indecent as you must feel." He said as his attention turned to Tracksuit, who was in fighting stance, ready to be attacked. But Markus didn't lunge. "That was a stupid idea."

        "Yeah, cuz you're gonna kill me." Tracksuit tried smiling but it didn't reach his eyes- so close in hue to Markus's, to mom's. 

        Markus ignored him and his tense muscles. "(Y/n) is under deep emotional duress. She is in no state for intimate relations."

        "Intimate relations?" Tracksuit scoffed. "You mean fuckin'?"

        "Obviously."

        The more time Tracksuit went by without his head being mashed into a pulp, the more he relaxed, but never completely. Markus could pull a Maskless any second. "If you haven't noticed, we're all stuck in a fuckin' desert bro, we're all under 'deep emotional durress', so yeah, I'm gonna need to relax a little."

        Markus wanted to snap his neck. For fucking you, sure, but his voice, his manner. So childish, so unrefined. What he could've been had father not been so cruel in molding him into the perfect hero.

        "A few months in the desert is nothing." He said, "As Viltrumites we can survive much longer without food or water. You would know had you ever had any hardship." Days in the closet. No food. No water. No light. Just him, the darkness, and the coats pressing in.

        "Bitch, I moved outta my parents place and roughed it for years. Oh and-" He pointed to his face, exposed to Markus for the first time. His nose bridge was permanently knocked to the right. "I didn't have it easy with daddy-dearest like you did. He'd beat the shit out of me, no fuckin' time out. Like, matching costumes, man, for real? How often do you two go on daddy-daughter dates, huh?"

        Markus's jaw ticked at the way you watched them both. Catching a flash of concern for Tracksuit at his jab. He couldn't kill the fucker, you cared about him now, clung to him like you had Mark. It'd only set back your relationship. 

        "I suggest you be quiet, Mark." The name came out low, a warning from Markus's lips that made Tracksuit almost flinch. 

        "You sound just like him." Tracksuit half-laughed. "That's fucking crazy, dude. Like, actually insane."

        "I won't warn you again, Mark."

        "Okay, first of all, I never went by that stupid ass name," Tracksuit said. Dad picked it. He hated dad. Hated mom too but a little less, "Went by Seb. You know, like, Sebastian." 

        "I'm aware of our middle name."

        "Cool. Well, if you're gonna 'dad' me, at least get the name right. Or don't maybe. Seriously, you're freaky as fuck, dude. Quit it with the dad voice and the dad outfit and the dad lecture-" Tracksuit threw his hands up then down. "Whatever. It's weird! You're weird!"

        Markus's lips twitched stiffly down. He even frowned like dad. "Father must've only lectured you if you're like this."

        "Uh, my broken nose, hello?"

        "That's nothing." Markus took a proper step into the room. Sand dusting up around his boot. "Do you want to see what my Father would do to me for acting like this?"

        You're up on your feet. Legs and back aching. Embarrassed, vindicated, but having seen enough macho bullshit.

        "I came onto him." You admitted fast. 

        Markus's eyes slide to you under the dark glass. "I could tell. I thought you were better than this. I told you to wait until you felt better." 

        It hurt. Almost felt like your actual parent was disappointed in you. You lashed out, "I thought you hated your dad for what he did to you. Why the fuck are you acting like him now?"

        There were still tears in your eyes, but Markus didn't miss a beat. "I hated him, but you both are acting like children."

        Another shadow crossed into the room. Gray hovered in through a busted window, wearing an expression that gave nothing away.

        Tracksuit threw up his hands, "Uh-oh! Mommy's here to yell at us too!"

        You snickered at that because it felt good to be a bitch. To feel like you and Tracksuit were on the same page, friends again at last. 

        "We have a guest." Gray said.

        ***

        Mohawk remembered vaguely where Maskless and Tracksuit held up. He wanted to warn them because they were alright. He liked them better than those pretentious dickheads because they didn't slobber over you. He didn't truly care for Maskless and Tracksuit, he just wanted help taking Lensless and Scars down. It was only a matter of time till they went after someone else then someone else, picking them off one by one. If Mohawk wanted to live, he needed to buddy up. Kill them and eat them. Not the other way around.

        Seeing that tent outside the concrete ruin surprised him but to hell with the dislike, he thought. The more the merrier. 

        Gray intercepted his landing in the sky, asking why he was there. Mohawk explained in a frazzled frenzy. Mohawk had some of his head on but it wasn't screwed tight. That's what drinking blood and eating raw flesh did to a guy after two weeks. He could only imagine how batshit Lensless and Scars were since they really, really liked the taste where Mohawk... could only admire it a tad. 

        Gray wanted to talk longer in the sky. Steer Mohawk toward the tent so he could fetch the others, conveniently leaving you in the ruins with orders to stay put. Gray didn't trust him a bit. If anybody was going to snap next, it'd be Mohawk. Perhaps once the job was done, he could be eliminated.

        Despite everything, Mohawk was quicker with him. Fueled by desperation and annoyance at the idea of waiting a second longer to launch an attack. He touched down. Gray only had seconds to warn the others and hope they had the sense to hide you.

[galacticghoste]

OK HERE ME OUT MARIA AS A LADY OF THE LAKE

she can be a mother like figure to him

im a just dump all my knowlage here it's long have fun

Shadow will be raised by her since doing some research a while back I came to find out that Sir Lancelot was raised by the lady of the lake.

Some iterations he's kidnapped or was just taken bc they lost their parents or something so dudes an orphan some mention being raised in the fay lands, and that sounds SO FUCKING INTERSTING.

So i decided to change it up a bit since there is multiple ladys of the lake in fokelore and im a sucker for fantasy

i played around with the fact that the lady of the Lake in the story lancolot is from gose by many names depending on the iteration so in this world theres multiple and one is named Vivian

Amy will still be a lady of the lake Nimue just not the one who raised Shadow, she can by a lady of the lake in training when lance was with Vivian.

also the lady of the lake shall be a fay enchantres whatever.

maybe they crossed path before as childern hehe

image lil Nimue and lil Lanc ahhh

Soooooo i may have added more since I CAN NOT bring myself to make shadow just a reguler guy bro is the ulimate life form and im sticking to those roots

IM MAKEING HIM A CHANGLING HEHEHE MEANING HES NOT EVEN THE TRUE LANCOLOT THE DUDE IS DEAD way before he meet vivian.

Since in fokelore fay or some other magical creatures would sometimes switch human babys with their own so thats what happens to lanc he's a changling who his father black doom switched a birth with the help of Gerold (idk what to change his name to) he will be a fae too.

The deal was with shadow in the throne they could use him as a puppet to do things in favor of the fae.

But things would not go as planed and so kingdom gone now and gerold is left with this changling baby who he put in inhibitor on to keep im from turning to his fae form.

So Vivian (Maria) had no idea he wasnt even the true Lancolot

Gerold just said to keep those on saying hes a cursed child. Vivian still loved him like a son nonethless rasing him to become a knight.

But one day things go south when Lanc picked a fight with some near by village kids when Vivian brought him to the human realm to still remain familer to what she thinks are his roots.

One thing led to another that village kid happen to be the child of the leader of the town who at the time would blam almost eveything on witch craft or the devil soooo yeah he dont like fae and they knew Vivian was his mother/ care taker so they belived he must be cursed so the plan was to kill both Lanc and Vivian but yeah that didn't exactly happen so they kill Vivian who left an opeing for Lanc to esccpe

She did this by pushing him to a fae circle (since in old tales they say they can be portals and whatever)

He escaped but he never saw her again he knew she was dead...

He live alone for a bit befor befriended some other orphan kids who were thieves one being Rouge the bat

yada yada yad some of the events of black knight later shadow is now a adult with vage mermories of his past he dosent even remember being rased in the fae realm just that Vivian was his caretaker and that she died Visting her lake as an adult is all dried out but people of the village have lighten up now and speak of a lady of the lake near by so shadow heads over seeking answers since his inhibortor rings are no longer being very helpful in holding back his "curse"

He belives maybe this Nimue can help him find a way to cure his "curse"

This was actually fun to write :D

[cowboygenesis]

4: call it like you see it | din djarin x reader

part 4 of the "brown eyes" series: masterlist and spotify playlist. | buy me a coffee?

pairing: din djarin x reader chapter warnings: none. word count: 6.3k series summary: din settles on the distant planet of lazure prime while seeking a safe-haven for his son. unbeknownst to him, the choice leads him to unforeseen threats—and a deeper connection he never thought possible. notes: YES MY FRIENDS, two chapter in 2 days! when i tell you i sat down for 6 hours straight making this happen, i mean it. how do you guys feel about valerie's character? let me know!

A week passes after your spontaneous gathering with the soldier-child duo, and you find yourself wondering about them more often than you’d initially liked.

When you’re out and about in town, doing errands—be it groceries or helping out a neighbor in need—the memory of his visor fixed firmly on you muddles your mind as you sat in the seat of his Crest. You remember your quickened pulse, his gaze, and the proximity. Maker.

You want to visit them: bring more baked goods and chat, cuddle Grogu, and unwind in the woods as the duo does… whatever they do— yet each time you think about it, your throat tightens. You don’t want to push things too far, and often you feel as though you’ve stepped out of line by just looking for them in the first place.

And so Lazure Prime, with its rolling fields and soft winds, has never felt this lonely before.

There's a peculiar quiet that follows you home nowadays, leering in the dark as you catch yourself scanning the tree line, hoping to spot the familiar gleam of silver armor. For days, it doesn’t come.

It’s a feeling you’re familiar with, yet can’t quite place as you sit in your home one night. The HoloWave hums with a soft tune, harmonizing with the howling wind breezing through the windows. You’ve left them open to enjoy the downpour— trickling over your rooftop and bringing in that delicate, ozonic smell.

You sit at your dining table, blanket hanging loosely over your hip, and a hand-sharpened pencil in your hand.

The graphite glides over a yellowed page, crisp sound caressing your ears as you try to commit everything from memory to paper. The strange baby, a rouge skyline through the window, and his strong, palpable presence as he gazed over— into you near the console that night.

What would he look like under the armor, had you taken a guess?

You know his skin to be smooth and tan. Then, you picture his face worn from years of hard work, wrinkled at the intersection of his eyebrows from the times he scowls; but in your imagination, in this specific scene, there’s a wide smile on his face. A grin— toothy and boyish— amidst the features of a man who's gone through Hell and back.

And his eyes? You couldn’t tell. Are they blue like the vast oceans of Lazure, or dark like the depth of space?

Your hand shakes against the page as you draw them, as if the fantasy itself was too sinful to ponder.

Thunder strikes beyond the treeline as you fall asleep against the journal page. You dream of rolling fields, gnarled branches, and a metallic safe-haven hidden within.

Today, the market opens again; and because you’ve decided to omit setting up a stand this time around (“I’ve just been too busy,” you had told your friends), you find yourself waking late.

It’s almost noon when you finally check your chrono, and so in fear of missing the market altogether, you prepare in a great hurry.

The caf scalds your tongue as you take brazen sips between brushing your hair, the bundled knee-highs on your calves mismatched when you finally throw on your cloak and scarf. Meanwhile, you find yourself reciting a silent prayer.

As you walk down the familiar path to the heart of the city with an empty basket in hand, your chest thrums with anticipation. Silently, you wish to see them again, if only to know how they’re faring.

The last few steps you make around the bend are hurried. Eventually, you break into a jog as the town square comes into view.

It’s busy, as it is every other week; brimming with locals who stroll from booth to booth, looking for their choice of stockpiles. Children dart between stalls, their laughter echoing above the racket of bargaining voices. Vendors call out to passersby, eager to sell their wares.

Normally, this cacophony would feel lively, but today it only deepens the hollow ache within you. Your eyes squint, trying to spot a familiar head of green or suit of metal, but to no avail.

Your lips dip into a slight frown. The realization dawns on you that the day you spent on the Crest with the unlikely duo was probably the last memory you’d have of them. Yes, Din had told you he’d wanted to stay, but realistically? They had probably left sometime during the week in search of a more suitable, accepting town or planet altogether. After all, it’d probably be warranted with the difficulties they had faced here since day one.

You don’t blame them, not one bit. ‘That’s fine,’ you think throught a shudder.

Then why does your stomach sink at the thought?

You glance around once more. And nothing. No green baby, no sharp visor sizing you down.

It’s because you had grown to enjoy the feeling of company, you think. Something about the pair’s otherness felt like it aided your selfish need for accommodating another. It’s a desire you’ve long forgotten, but they’ve brought it back with a devastating force.

You were so hopeless. So naive.

You exhale softly, adjusting your grip on the empty basket, and step further into the square. Life goes on. You’ll wallow over the departure of your new friends later tonight, over a glass of spotchka.

You imagine the kid smiling in his dad’s lap, as the armored man rises the Crest into the atmosphere, then beyond. The fantasy soothes you just enough to blink the annoying tears away.

A friendly face catches your eye near the spice vendor’s stall, waving enthusiastically as your eyes focus. Spotchka? Maker, of course. Have you been feeding your friend false promises of sharing a drink since the last market?

You force a smile and make your way over, weaving through the throng. Once you’re in the epicenter, you notice she’s without the kids. Her hair flows down her shoulder in a loose braid, held together by an elastic twine. You use the same kind when you happen to choose an updo for the day.

“Val,” you chuckle dryly, rubbing soothingly at your forearm. She cocks her head with a furrowed brow, but her smile is sympathetic as she turns to you. You feel you don’t deserve the compassion.

She says your name, her voice honeyed as ever as she takes your hand.

The look she gives you is almost suffocating, like a mother reprimanding her young child. Actually, you know this is the look she gives her kids when they’re misbehaving.

“Good morning, you little Ewok. Have you been avoiding me?” she questions as if it were the most natural, non-accusatory thing in the galaxy. She’s not mad, not one bit.

Your eyes widen, fingers squeezing around hers. You suddenly realize the dryness on your tongue, and how it twists when you try to speak for the first time since waking. “No— Maker, no, I’ve— I’ve been so preoccupied, I was gonna ask about dinner last night, I—”

“Hey,” she breaks you off, craning her neck forward to match your eye level. Then, she smiles wider, and momentarily it’s all you can think about. “Talk to me.”

You frown, but allow your hands to remain intertwined. You know she’ll understand, yet the idea of venting suddenly seems obscure and out of reach.

You’ve known Valerie for years, but it feels like eons when you try to count it back. She’s the kind of person you managed to click with from the get-go, no small talk or any of that Maker-forsaken ‘warm-up’ you needed with most people— she just understood without needing anexplanation. Since the day you arrived on the planet, battered and bruised, she saw the strength in you and nurtured it.

“It’s nothing,” you shake your head, mirroring her smile. It’s not the first or last time you’ll reject her help, you know it as your tongue flows with sand. You hope she understands.

Valerie’s eyes narrow, and her grip loosens. You want to hold on for a second longer, keep the warmth of her calloused hands in yours, but you don’t humor it. You know better, you always have.

Once you separate, she sighs and lets her brow flatten. There’s a thick bundle of parsley in her arms, and she cradles it like a child.

“Tell me at least… have you been getting enough rest?” she shrugs, and her smile returns. You know each other’s buttons well enough to sense when they shouldn’t be pushed.

You nod, brushing a lock of hair out of your face.

It’s true, you have been sleeping well. Your slumber is deep when it comes, and the dreams are vivid enough to pencil into your journal. You avoid confessing what— who— they’re about.

“Good,” she nods back, placing the parsley in her woven basket. She straightens, gives you a once-over, and sighs again. You know the look, and can only give her an encouraging smile as she hesitates.

“Can I ask you something?” she finally declares, and you nod.

Valerie brings the basket closer to her hip, right hand tracing the slope of her jawline as she thinks of the most appropriate way to approach you. You find it unusual for her usually brazen personality but decide against commenting.

“Are you still seeing him?” she questions, and your eyebrows dip in awe.

Seeing him? As if you’d have the audacity to see that scoundrel after he—

But then, it dawns on you like a summer breeze; it tickles your cheeks and makes them blossom pink.

She’s talking about Din.

Your hands bunch at your front as your lips purse. Before you think to confess, your tongue makes you feign innocence.

“Who?” you question, instantly feeling yourself wince at the blatant ingenuity. Valerie’s eyes narrow, like she’s studying you. Of course she knows better than to trust that.

“The mercenary,” she elaborates, almost offended you’ve forced her to.

“The… the mercenary?” you question, and she nods. You watch her squeeze her lips into a tight line before soothing your hand with her thumb.

“I saw you leave the market with him last week.”

“What?” Your eyes widen. Were… were you being watched all that time? Had you been careless when you prioritized your amity? “You… you did?”

She nods with a shrug. You can’t read her body language; she’s eerily non-commital with her interrogation, making you shiver.

“Not just me,” she replies quietly, glancing around the square. As your gaze follows, indeed, you catch dozens of eyes on you. You’ve credited that strange feeling in your stomach all morning to paranoia, but perhaps it’s true; your act of service made you the talk of town. Obviously. Maker, what did you expect helping someone so blatantly out of place? With your own murky history, no less.

You turn back to your friend, voice lowering to a near-whisper. Your features are stern as you think of the tension between you and Din as he towered over you in his cockpit.

“Nothing happened. What did you think happened?”

“Oh, don’t blame me for worrying,” she rolls her eyes through a scoff, leaning in for some privacy. Still, the leering eyes hang over your shoulder as she speaks. “He’s not just a visitor, right? Was he… was he sent from the Em—”

“No,” you interject, tone lowering. You feel a pit dwelling in your stomach and Valerie notices immediately. She pushed a button.

“Right,” she continues, pivoting from remorse. She’s trying to diminish that bitter feeling in your mouth by rubbing at your forearms, and strangely, it works well enough. “Then… who is he?”

You look down. Should you… should you tell her? Valerie has been nothing but kind to you, even after learning of your past, but with Din?

“He’s a bounty hunter,” you half-confess with a sigh, and she squeezes you. You’re not pressured to continue, but her touch alone lets you know you can be earnest with her, as you usually are.

“Bounty hunter?” she repeats, and you nod.

“A…” you begin shakily, looking into her eyes. She’ll understand, as she always does. “…A Mandalorian.”

You watch in real-time as her eyebrows rise on her forehead. Still, the softness in her gaze maintains as she gauges your own emotions, but your heart is stuck in your throat.

“A Mandalorian?” she repeats quietly, trying the words on her tongue. Her eyes flicker from side to side while you hold your breath. “I…”

Your knuckles are white when her tight-lipped frown turns into a soft smile.

“I thought so,” she nods, almost self-satisfied while you give her a strained glare.

“There… there is no way you’re chill about this right now,” you reprimand in a tight voice, and all she can do is chuckle warmly at your reaction. “He’s the elite of mercenaries, a… a hitman for hire. You should have seen his—”

“Do you think his armor is real beskar?” she cuts you off, rubbing her chin in thought. She’s not being serious at all, and you’re not sure how to take it. Was this really just not a big deal? Have you been overreacting?

Instead, you take her comment in. Beskar, beskar… you had never seen the brilliant material in person but heard great tales of its symbol of grandeur, status, and wealth amongst the Mandalorians. But it couldn’t be.

“Beskar? There’s no way, I mean… he was wrapped in that thing,” you shake your head, feeling the tension in your body fading ever so slowly. “Would cost him a new X-Wing and then a bit to afford a whole set.”

“I heard that the best bounty hunters make enough to vacation on Coruscant every single quarter. Can you imagine the life?” she chuckles softly, “Maybe you should ask him about it next time you see each other.”

Your lips tighten. The next time you’ll see him?

“There…” you sigh as you prepare for the confession. Valerie raises a groomed eyebrow, but you’re already looking down at your feet. “There won’t be a next time.”

“What?” she questions quietly, growing curious, or perhaps sensing the downtrodden lilt of your voice.

Maker, there comes the melancholy. It’s a bit on the nose, you think, but now that you say it out loud, you realize that you’ll miss them. Deeply. Them, or the pleasant feeling their company provided in your otherwise quiet life. But perhaps that’s exactly what missing a person means— you know the feeling all too well.

You’re broken away from your silent daydream when Valerie’s hand comes up to shake your shoulder.

She speaks your name and you wet your lower lip. The watchful crowd shifts in the corner of your weary eye, and suddenly, there’s a chill in the air.

“He’s gone,” you sigh, letting out a dry chuckle. “I haven’t seen him in days, I—”

“No,” your friend asserts firmly. Your gaze rises to her face, and you see she’s peeking over your shoulder. The market murmurs.

It all starts to feel like a bad fever dream, a drunken stupor, until Valerie grabs your bicep again.

“Look!” she squeezes, and you finally feel bold enough to let your gaze follow suit.

Your heart skips a beat.

He stands there, at the edge of the square, cloaked in shadow. The glint of his armor catches the sunlight, briefly stinging your eyes with its brilliance.

You feel a little sting somewhere in your chest. It leaves almost as promptly, but when your hand comes up to cradle the pendant around your neck, you know what the feeling is. They’ve never left, and the realization fills your heart with firecrackers.

As he steps closer, you hear chatter— the village gossip you’ve feared, not for yourself, but for him. You try to spot the orb he usually carries by his side, and surely enough, it hums quietly as it hovers a few paces behind. You smile, now knowing what, or who, resides within.

Din is still as a statue, helmet tilted slightly, as though scanning the crowd before him—or perhaps, looking for someone in particular. It quiets down, and for a split second you think you can feel your pulse quicken.

The man’s visor fixes onto a point, as if he had sensed your heartbeat through the thrum.

You realize as your breath falters.

You.

He’s looking at you.

Your hands feel clammy as he steps forward. Maybe it’s just the ringing in your ears, but it seems as if the chatter has picked up again— perhaps out of respect, or more likely— fear. Things are back to normal for a moment.

Only now do you realise the grip on your bicep. When you turn to look, you catch your friend’s eyes fixed on the stranger.

“Valerie,” you mutter, and your voice is hoarse. When you clear your throat, she finally looks at you.

Her eyes are slightly widened, pupils two small islands amidst a sea of brown. She shakes her head out of the trance, or shock, and loosens her grip on your arm. You watch her wet her lips.

“You should talk to him,” she replies promptly, and you give her a disbelieving frown.

“Okay, and say what exactly?” you chuckle dryly.

When you look back to the sheet of armor, you spot him perusing one of the stalls. The merchant running it, a younger girl named Thalia, keeps her arms crossed tightly as she likely explains her wares.

“That he’s welcome here,” Valerie trails, following your gaze. There’s a dark, solemn look in her eyes the moment you catch her speak, interrupted only by a sympathetic smile. “That we don’t mean harm. Folks are afraid because they’re confused. It’s an unknown they’re not willing to discover.”

You nod vehemently, eyebrows furrowed.

“…And that you’d miss him if he left,” she adds through a smile, and you scoff. Even though she’s right.

You nod at your friend, and she smiles at you.

There it goes.

Your breath picks up with your footsteps as your worn boots carry you to him. You know the market’s natural chatter has picked up again, but you can’t hear it through the rush of blood to your head.

He watches you silently, standing beneath the extended roofing of a nearby hut. Your eyes trail to his armored body, and something about you fills with pride. You got to see the tanned skin beneath it before anyone else here.

“Din,” you mutter under your breath, more to yourself than anything. You didn’t ask prior, but you imagine it’s safe to assume he’d rather not be addressed by the name in public— whether it’s real or not. Something makes you feel like it was for your ears only.

His helmet tilts slightly as you still in front of him, sizing you up. Does he… does he even recognize you?

You offer a small smile. “Hey, Mando.”

Din looks at your face again, and you wonder if he’s right with the nickname. For all you know, it might be offensive or derogatory, or—

Then he says your name. It’s quiet through the modulator, but unmistakenly yours. It sends a crisp shiver down your spine, making you hum in acknowledgment.

“You remembered?” you tease slightly, and he sighs. You’re genuinely a bit surprised.

“You’re taunting me,” he replies lowly, but there’s no real danger to his tone. It’s almost like he’s… teasing you back.

You chuckle warmly, trying to ignore the soft heat creeping into your cheeks. You stand like that for a beat, taking each other in. You wonder what he’s thinking, but before you can ask, your gaze moves to the humming orb at his hip.

"You and Grogu,” you begin quietly, looking to his visor again, “You’re… you’re okay?”

There’s a beat of silence again, but it’s still as comfortable as before. You know the answer before he even speaks.

“Yes,” he nods, taking a glance at Grogu’s closed crib. You want to ask to see him, pet his little head, hear him coo, when—

“He…” Din begins anew, and you can’t help but quirk an eyebrow when he looks back at you.

You smile at him in hopes of a silent incentive, and it seems to work just fine.

“…He really liked that thing you brought him,” the Mandalorian finally confesses with a nod, and you know he means the meat snacks. “Womp rat finished it the moment you left.”

You beam at him, the grin threatening to spill into a chuckle. Your lips squeeze tight to contain it.

“You’re so mean, calling him that,” you reprimand through a smile, and watch Din tilt his helmet again.

“I call it like I see it,” he retorts, repeating your words from days ago. It makes your already blooming chest puff with glee, and that warm, trickling feeling settles in your tummy.

Your smile suddenly drops when you realise you’re not in his private quarters anymore. When you look around, you see a few stray glances thrown your way, but most people seem to be minding their business.

You look back to the cradle, then Din. His gaze is fixed on you, and you get a gut feeling he’s mulling something over.

“I need your help with the Crest again,” he begins, and you nod for him to continue.

He paces from one leg to the other, and the sight is so out of the ordinary you almost want to giggle. Is he nervous?

“The lagging thruster you found during the check,” he continues, and you’re starting to see where this is going. He lingers on this sentence for a moment, and you can’t help but grin mischievously.

“Yes?” you press, almost teasingly, as he makes a noise under the helmet. It comes out muffled and distorted through the modulator, but for a second you think he might be clearing his throat.

“I want you to take a look at it,” he finally confesses, placing a hand on each hip— you imagine its his attempt at grounding himself in an unfamiliar situation.

“I thought you’d take care of it,” you prompt, but the tease in your tone is so evident you feel his gaze boring into you.

“I did,” he explains sternly, crossing his arms over his chest. “The thrusters are replaced, an old Imperial model. I’m not familiar with the technology.”

You pause for a moment, your smile dropping slowly. Why would he ask this of you?

Before you can protest, he continues, “The Crest’s control panel is from the same period. You had no problem navigating it, so I assumed your knowledge is broad there.”

“Oh,” you reply quietly, feeling the sinking feeling in your stomach fade away. You almost assumed the worst, again.

You cross your arms, mirroring the man’s stance as you take him in. If he’s comofortable enough to ask you a favor, he must really need that check up.

Still, why not bargain something harmless in return?

“Okay,” you finally nod, and the foxy smile returns to your lips, “But— I want you to meet someone first.”

He sizes you up, helmet tilted to the side as he evaluated your proposal. It’s brief, and soon enough, you see him nod once in approval.

You chuckle at his willingness, and nod for him to follow you.

When you turn around, you see a few people staring your way, but most of them retract their attention when you notice. You were never one for crowds, but you feel like with Din around, it makes it a little more bareable.

You head through the market, looking back once just to make sure your companion is following. Sure enough, you spot his strong silhouette shadowing just a few paces behind you.

“Valerie!” you call out, spotting the woman at her stall.

When she spots you, she grins with a small wave. You lean against her stall as Din looks her up and down.

The woman’s eyes squint a bit, but she doesn’t seem afraid, or even nervous. She sizes the Mandalorian back, hands firmly on her hips as she nods.

“Good to meet you,” she greets, and Din nods back.

“Likewise.”

You exhale slowly as relief washes over you. Introductions are always a little awkward, especially when both parties have strong personalities. “I was th—”

“You’re a Mandalorian, then?” Valerie cuts you off, her gaze curious as it bores into Din. There’s a keen grin painting her lips, and you groan quietly, knowing exactly where this is going.

“Yes,” Din replies tactfully, keeping his tone steady. For now, you’ll let them do their thing and pray things don’t escalate.

“Are you looking for a bounty?” she continues, and the Mandalorian tilts his head in amusement.

“No.”

“So you’re here on holiday?” she continues, and you can’t help but chuckle in the sidelines. You realize that your friend might sate your curiosity by asking all the questions you’ve been too afraid to ask yourself.

“…No,” Mando replies, taking a quick look at you. You smile, wondering if he’s asking you for help or cursing you out for putting him on the spot like that.

“Di— Mando, this is Valerie,” you correct yourself, taking your opportunity to break up their little banter. He nods, crossing his arms.

“Mando might be staying with us for a while,” you explain to your friend, and she nods along. Her eyes don’t leave the man’s shiny helmet, and you can’t imagine why.

“…Just until I figure out the next steps,” Din adds. When you glance at him again, he looks a bit more at ease.

“Okay,” Valerie acknowledges, “How have you been enjoying Terrine?” she questions, her tone softening as she joins you in leaning against the stall.

Din looks down for a moment, then to you. For a moment, you worry he might answer with something brutally honest like ‘not at all’, but when his reply finally comes, your shoulders lower.

“It’s a peaceful town,” he acknowledges, taking a brief glance at Grogu’s closed crib— he’s monitoring him closely, still wary of their surroundings. It’s chaos compared to their little clearing in the woods. “Few things to worry about.”

“Indeed,” Valerie nods, “No guards, no bounties, little crime. You must feel a little out of place.”

Din tilts his helmet again, pondering the woman’s words.

“Your people aren’t used to heavy artillery,” he replies flatly, yet Valerie can’t help but laugh at his answer. You join her with your own chuckle, eyes glued to the Mandalorian as he sizes you up as if to ask ‘where’s the joke in that?’.

“What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right?” she elbows you, and you give her a solemn smile. You watch Din flip his gaze between the two of you.

“The people here mean well, Mando,” you add, giving him an encouraging nod. “I know it’s a lot to ask of you now, but I hope you manage to integrate, eventually. No matter how long you decide to stay.”

His gaze stays on you for a beat as he mulls over your words. You’re still unsure if he likes the new nickname, but you’ll have to ask about it later.

“How about this weekend?” Valerie interjects, and you look at her with a raised eyebrow.

“How come?” you question.

“The cantina’s gonna be lively,” she grins with a shrug, leaning closer, “And it’s the perfect chance for our Mandalorian friend to see the best of Terrine. Maybe we’ll even get him to loosen up a little, and hey— you owe me that drink, right?”

You bite your lip at her comment, fully realising she’s right. On both fronts.

“That I do,” you smile, looking over at Mando. “How’s that for your introduction?”

Din shifts beside you, his stance tightening just slightly. “I don’t—”

“It’ll be great!” Valerie cuts him off enthusiastically. “You can meet some of the locals, get accustomed. It’d be a good place to start.”

“It’s not my scene,” he replies, his tone low and skeptical.

“You deserve a break, Mando. Just one evening,” You frown a little, though not out of anger. “Besides, Gro—”

“No,” he stops you sternly, and your lips tighten.

Din exhales audibly through the modulator as he glances at Grogu’s orb. “It’s not that simple.”

“I understand,” you speak softly, tone gentler. Treading lightly is what you do best, so you try that instead. “Do what you feel is best.”

He doesn’t respond immediately, but you can see the hesitation in the slight tilt of his helmet, the way his gloved fingers flex at his sides. You glance back at Valerie, whose grin has softened.

He finally nods, and that declares the end of that conversation.

“Take your time,” Valerie nods, her tone encouraging. “We’ll both be there if you change your mind.”

You look at her with a quirked eyebrow, extending an arm towards her. “We?”

She chuckles, catching your palm in hers. “We. You’re coming.”

“I—”

“No questions asked! You’ve been keeping me waiting for weeks, and it’s about time you talk with—”

“Yes, Maker, alright!” you laugh nervously, squeezing her palm with a little more force than necessary to stop her unhinged monologuing. You’ll tell Din about that eventually, but not yet. “I’ll be there.”

“Jackpot,” Valerie grins, all self-satisfied as she gently kisses the knuckles of your hand. The gesture’s a little dramatic, but it gives you a surge of confidence as you withdraw.

You chuckle warmly, looking over at Din who’s still watching the both of you like a hawk. You sigh, stepping away from Valerie’s stall before standing at the man’s side once more.

“Alright, let’s leave before she starts grilling you again,” you sigh with jest, and your friend winks. “See you soon, okay?”

“See you this weekend!” she corrects as you’re walking away, and you laugh into open air in return.

“Yes, this weekend!” you affirm, waving at her as you and Din disappear in the crowd.

You weave through the thrum, which proves quite simple as Din walks in front for a change. The crowd spreads like a sea as he plunges ahead, leaving a comfortable path for you to follow until you reach an empty alley perched between two homes. With the market open, it sees little traction.

You make the effort to walk ahead in that moment, smiling to yourself as your back hits the wall. You watch as your companion does the same, resting his weight against the one opposite to you.

You watch him like this for a moment, taking in the way his arms cross and the quiet, distant thrum of townsfolk.

“She likes you,” you finally comment through a wide grin, and Din’s scoff can be heard loud and clear through the modulator.

“She likes you,” he retorts, shaking his head. “I’m collateral.”

“So harsh, Mando!” you reprimand teasingly, watching briefly as an elderly couple walks between you. They give you a brief glance, and you smile warmly at them as they pass.

When you look back at Din, you catch him staring as they disappear out of sight. You can’t help but smile, but you’re not sure why.

“You know, I think you should give Terrine a chance,” you confess, clasping your palms behind your back.

When the man tilts his head, you sigh.

“I just think you could find a place for yourself here,” you elaborate, taking a glance at the still-closed orb. “For him.”

The Mandalorian follows your gaze, where it halts briefly. When you feel he’s gotten his fill, he looks at you again, that sharp visor sending a sudden shiver down your spine.

“You want me to come?” he finally says, and your eyes widen.

“…What?”

“To the cantina,” he continues, and you exhale slowly. “Is that why you’re telling me this?”

Is it? You know he cares for the weak, and fights for what he believes is right. Of course you want him to have a comfortable life here, or wherever else him and the kid decide to go in the end.

“Do you want to come?” you ask, biting your tongue at the silly, almost juvenile question.

“Answer me,” he demands, voice stern but rounded at the edges. You almost gasp at the way his lilt makes your stomach flip.

“…I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” you shrug, though your nonchalance is so obviously faked it makes you wince inwardly.

Din’s helmet tilts again, and you can’t help but bite your bottom lip to stop the goofy grin that threatens to emerge there.

“Strange girl,” he mutters quietly, pushing himself off the wall. “Strange, stubborn girl.”

You chuckle, crossing your arms as he takes a step forward.

“I’m stubborn?” you counter teasingly, “You’re the one making a life-or-death situation over a kriffin’ drink.”

The modulator doesn’t mask the slight huff of amusement he lets out. “I told you it’s not that simple.”

You arch a brow, pushing off the wall to face him fully. “But why? People here want to know you, Din. Their fear might hide it, but it’s true.”

His name slips from your lips so easily, but it seems to hang heavier in the air. Din tilts his helmet slightly, as if he’s measuring the sincerity of your words.

“You don’t know that,” he murmurs.

“I do,” you insist, stepping closer. “You’ve done no wrong in my eyes.”

The Mandalorian’s shoulders rise and fall with a slow exhale, his crossed arms tightening momentarily.

“I think that the people here want to give you a chance,” you continue quietly, staring up into his visor. For a moment, you feel the urge to cradle the helmet like it’s his bare face. “You just need to give them one in return.”

“And you?” he asks, voice low, almost hesitant.

Your heart quickens, blood flooding your ears with that familiar thrum.

“What about me?” you blink as he seems to hover closer with every breath.

He studies you closely, his body perfectly still as a gentle breeze musses your hair.

“Why are you so insistent on giving me hope?” he questions, as if the idea was completely foreign to him.

You sigh, eyes trying to map out his face through the dark slits again. You wish you had a rational, satisfying answer to his question, but you don’t. Not yet, at least.

“Someone has to,” you finally reply, a foxy smile tugging at your lips. “Consider it charity work.”

His helmet tilts slightly, and you swear you can feel the weight of his gaze pressing into you, searching for something—answers, reasons, maybe even lies. But you have none of those to offer him, and the closeness and sheer intimacy of the moment makes you fearful. You know he dislikes your answer, but similarly hope he understands why it’s the one you’ve given him.

“You think I need charity?” he says after a moment, his tone teasing but resolute, almost as if he’s afraid of breaking the fragile thread tethering the two of you together in this slim alleyway of the town you’ve learned to love and cherish.

“Maybe,” you grin, gazing up again.

Only now do you become aware of the sheer proximity of his face to yours, the way he could breathe down your neck if only afforded the luxury of discarding the helmet.

His hand flexes in your peripheral. For a second you think he might reach out, but then it drops to his side again.

“Maybe?” he murmurs.

“I don’t want to give up on you,” you explain, feeling a little safer treading the territory ahead. “Is hope so foreign to you?”

You think you might have pressed a metaphorical wound in that moment when Din stiffens, but your worries are quickly washed away when his hand finally rises against all odds.

And this time, he doesn’t back down.

“Hope is a fragile thing,” he mutters, and you’re stuck under his looming stature. You feel the delicate touch of a gloved finger under your chin, soft like a feather, treading so lightly you might think it’s imaginary for a second. “Easy to find, even easier to lose.”

“So?” you counter before you can stop yourself. The words tumble out of your mouth unbidden, like the dam of your restraint has finally cracked on the surface. “Everything worth having is fragile, Din.”

His hand moves up your jaw, ghosting to your ear. He hovers there a while, and your legs turn to cotton. You feel dazed, high, drunk off the strange gesture that you’re unsure to call affection.

And when your hand rises to rest atop his chestplate, you let it.

“Doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying for,” you finally add in a half-whisper, just as he tucks a stray lock of hair behind your ear. The touch is so gentle, so calculated, you begin to doubt it’s the same hand that took countless lives before.

There’s a pause, long and loaded, the air between you thick and sticky.

You feel the ghost of his touch on your jaw as he retracts his hand, never taking his gaze off of you as your hand is forced to leave his chest.

“Strange girl,” he mutters under his breath.

You grin despite the squeeze still humming in your chest. “You keep saying that, but I think you mean it as a compliment.”

His helmet tilts again, the faintest hint of amusement in his posture. “Maybe.”

You chuckle, the sound quiet and easy, and it feels like the moment shifts—less heavy, beaming. You cross your arms and mirror his stance, leaning against the wall again.

“Guess I’ll just have to keep up this charity a while longer,” you say lightly, though your heart races.

For a moment, you think he might call you stubborn again. But then, so quietly you almost miss it, he replies.

“Guess you will.”

You smile up at him. It’s wide, toothy, and radiating— you hope he sees the gesture as a silent reply as you move away from the wall again.

He watches carefully as your hand ghosts over his outer palm, gaze glued to his visor as you finally make contact. It’s gentle, chaste, and fleeting; you withdraw before you can even catch his hand twitching.

“Now hurry up,” you chuckle, your honeyed tone turning taunting again as you prance out of the alley. “Let’s get your ship fixed.”

[shitposting-puppet]

A list of Sonic Headcanons to keep in mind for my works

Sonic is functionally Tails' dad, and the duo treat each other like a mix of brothers and father/son.

This makes him the Mom Friend as the only member of Team Sonic to actually Raise a Child

Sonic has an unconscious habit of constantly searching his friends for injuries, sonce Tails tended to get hurt frequently while inventing

He can find basically anything. Amy once lost her favorite headband and after two minutes of searching, Sonic found it behind her bed.

He likes to play stupid for the bit (it helps reclaim the childhood he gave up for Tails' sake)

But he'd do it again

Actually has some anxiety about letting Tails go on adventures with him (thats his baby brother!)

Has accidentally used the "talking to a child Tails" voice on the others. Tails thinks this is fucking hilarious. Sonic does not

Light sleeper

Sonic is THE Go-To person for nightmares, insomnia, flashbacks etc because he's good at listening and comfort.

He once sat with Shadow for three hours in total silence, with the only sound being some soft music after Shadow had a bad flashback

Granted, Sonic proceeded to fall asleep at lunch the next day but the thought is what matters

A serial napper. If theres downtime, he's napping. Leftover from him sleeping with a baby Tails

Good at recommending tea (for some reason? Tails doesn't even *like* tea)

The tea recommendations started once he and Knuckles became friends bc Knuckles fell in love with tea when he came to the mainland for the first time

Sonic knows how to pick locks, it started as a joke but then it spiralled as all things do when relating to him

Tails keeps trying to invent locks Sonic cant get into. Sonic finds a way anyhow.

Sonic picking locks has actually come in handy multiple times.

Like:

Breaking into Tails' workshop because the fox mobian hasnt eaten enough.

Getting into eggman's base.

Saving some civilians.

Pranks

Breaking into Team Dark's base to fuck with Shadow and the others

Sonic can cook, really well, he just prefers chilidogs

Amy on the other hand, isnt allowed in a kitchen.

Neither is Tails

Technically, Silver knows how to cook...kinda

His food is edible, and good for you.... but not very appealing to look at or tasty

Vector, Big and Vanilla are the only adults Sonic and Tails really trust

Silver is shorter than you think, having grown up in a hellscape means that he looks runty, his height stunted from lacknof nutrition

Speaking of, Silver and Blaze smell like fire. A smokey smell that is both comforting and unnerving. Depends on the intensity

Silver returns to the past covered in debris and ash most of the time.

Silver straight up looks brown or grey half the time because the future is actively on fire half the time. He must be wrestled into a bath

Sonic will just hose Silver down out in the garden

The alternative is a repeat of The Sink Incident

Neither of them want that.

Tails does. He thinks its hilarious

Amy will let Silver use a shower

Tails Nine decided to return with Shadow and Sonic at the end of Sonic Prime and now lives with Sonic and Tails

He has also gone back to being called Miles to distance himself from what he did

Sonknux and Rougeknux are both Things That Happen. Knuckles has 2 hands after all.

Sonic had a bi-awakenijg upon meeting Renegade and it got worse after meeting Dread

He couldnt look Knuckles in the eye for two weeks

Silver may be an extrovert and love people, but he gets overstimulated easily by all of the visual noise in the past. He just isn't used to seeing so many bright colors or moving objects like leaves and grass.

When this happens, he'll quiet down and close his eyes, content to listen to his friends and chip in only when he thinks he has something to contribute

When Omega gets pissed at anyone, he threatens to post their search history. This threat is most effective against Rouge and least effective against Tails.

Tails: Sonic has seen my search history like five separate times. You cannot threaten me with that

Sonic: Can confirm, its either mechanics or workshopping bombs

Silver actually should have inhibitor rings since he isnt the best at controlling his telekinetic powers. He can toss it, but aiming is a different story (based on his 06 gameplay- jesus. The aim is ATROCIOUS)

Silver is Shadows descendant and albino. Neither of them know this.

Amy is wearing inhibitors. They're only holding her back from true potential (i love scary girls lol)

Vector is basically Espio and Charmy's dad

Espio is the edgy brother and we all know it

Vector eats like a broke college student with a god complex and Suffers for it

Espio snorts and tries not to laugh

Charmy has no such reservations

Sonic was selectively mute as a child and knows some sign language when he has silent episodes (often when overwhelmed)

Tails acts as a translator.

Sonic: Well, Eggman's an Egg-head

Tails: Your smack talk was better back when you didn't talk.

Sonic, laughing: PFFFFFT WOAH

Silver has a weighted blanket, he originally got it to keep him grounded literally so he doesnt float off, but it also had the added bonus of keeping him grounded mentally too

Sonic made it a point to celebrate Tail's birthday every year, and would plan for ages

This did mean that for those first few years Sonic didn't end up celebrating his own, but in his mind it was completely worth it.

Tails disagrees, and wishes he had known sooner. But Sonic laughs everytime and ruffles his hair.

Truthfully, everytime his saw his baby brother smile, Sonic felt that made up for every missed birthday. Because Tails was getting everything Sonic had ever wanted at his age.

And he'd make sure Tails was never alone.

Silver and Sonic sometimes remind Shadow of Maria with their mannerisms (Silver with his endless optimism, and Sonic with his smile)

He once mistook Tails for her too (...they have the same shade of blue eyes. Its hard to look at the kit sometimes)

[valentine-cafe]

May I have a tiramisu, a strawberry shortcake and a mango pudding please!?!

[Afab gn reader]

May I sendd in a request continuing the domestic life with the trio and pregnant reader?!<3 Like when the baby arrives how are they like?! Imagining them taking care of the baby!! And especially the first few days when you come home from the hospital, they'll make sure to go get the baby in the middle of the night so you can continue to rest!! Or imagining them pushing the baby around In a stroller!! Or rocking them slowly while cooing at them!! What if they had Alessio's eyes and Rishen's pretty nose!!?? Making sure to let Talisen know that he's just as much if their parent as the other two are!!

-🍄

🍒 𓂃 𝑶𝑹𝑫𝑬𝑹 𝑼𝑷 : mango & strawberry tiramisu !! . . . snake monster, immortal & nerdy hybrid ⊹ afab gn reader .

. ᘛ 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔​​​​​​​﹕verse 781 ꮽ  zhào talisen, rishen herrera, alessio arias

 𐔌𖹭 ˖ ࣪  who's that ?⠀﹕a stoic grim reaper naga. an immortal inhuman and a nerdy hybrid hero

ּ  ֗ recepit ℘ ... the trio with their baby a few weeks after birth⊹ cw ٬٬ none . 

Alessio shifts a little in his sleep, as he tugs you closer to him. HIs head is situated in your lap. As he catches up on the rest he didn't get last night after the little baby broke into tears.

Your fingers comb through his black locks, while you converse with Talisen quietly. Watching him in serene inner peace, as he rocks the baby back and forth in his arms.

"Let's saaaay, that he's got your black hair, instead of Alessio's," you hum, smile wide while you glance to the side, meeting maroon pools full of life in them. A stark contrast to the slow beating heart in Talisen's chest.

It'd been 5 weeks since the birth. The little boy sleeps peacefully in the grim reaper's arms. It might not feel like it right now, but he will be a father as much as Rishen and Alessio are the parents of this beautiful bundle of joy.

"Oh my love," Talisen sighs and gives you a small smile to reassure you. "We can pretend all we want, but I will never be able to truly be a part of creating this masterpiece." It is the bitter truth at the end of the day. Technology of 781 has gone so far that multiple people can have one baby together. Though grim reapers are unfortunately not under that category.

None know they even exist. So how would they know that they are incompatible with humans to begin with?

"Don't say that gege." Rishen croons into Talisen's ear, hands spread across his back, as she leans over his shoulder. Rouge lips dust the soft skin and whisper little endeaments and comments of love into it for each kiss. "You helped him along the way. Like everyone else did."

Maroon meets maroon, As Talisen turns his face to gaze into Rishen's eyes and press kisses to her lips. Ah of course, the distraction of all distractions. Before Talisen knows it, he is deprived of his little joy. As Rishen takes their boy.

"Noooo." Talisen whines and reaches out. Nobody ever prepared him for the attachment that his kind develops for new life. Grim reapers have a role of death, but they also have a role to protect what new comes to the world. His son, is certainly an even bigger ordeal. Even if he knows Rishen isn't a threat.

"Gegeeee, you've hogged him all day. I want the bebe too. Also he has a stinky diaper." Rishen chuckles as she watches her son awake and start crying from the discomfort.

It wakes up the immortal man in your lap immediately. Yet you shove his head down onto your thighs again and gently massage his scalp. "Amor's got it. Please sleep querido."

"Mm. . . Fuck."

"Language."

"Ah shut up Dalisen."

꒰ ۪ ˖ ࣪ 𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑢 ... info ꮽ mlist ꮽ verse ꮽ wiki .

[camillomea]

Red robin and rouges gallery 3

Tim didn't expect to open his eyes again. He was pretty sure he was going to die. But when he did, someone was screaming his name in panic. His vision was blurry, his ears were ringing, he was in terrible pain. His head wasn't on the ground anymore. It was on something softer. He couldn't quite make out his surroundings. He could feel a hand on his neck. Probably the person who was calling him, checking his pulse. The ringing in his ears was really bad, but he could still hear the half-intelligible voice of the person holding him, he could still hear the panic in the voice. He finally came to his senses enough to realize that the person holding him was a hater. He stuttered, "Uncle eddie." Riddler looked relieved to see him awake. "Hey Red. I'm here like I promised you, I'm here to get you," he said. Tim said, "It s-s-hurts. Uncle Eddie hurts so much. I-I-I was so scared," he said and started to cry. Eddie said, "shhhh. It's okay, you're safe now. You're going to be okay. You're going to be safe. Red, I need you to stay awake for me. okay? I'm going to take you to the doctor. He'll take care of the pain, but you have to stay awake." Tim could see the panic in his voice and on his face, despite the ringing in his ears and his blurry vision. Tim said, "I'm really tired." Eddie said, his voice low. Eddie said, "I know. I know. Just a little. Hang in there for a while, okay? Afterwards, you can sleep as much as you want, I promise." Tim whimpered quietly. It was obvious that he was in a lot of pain. Eddie said, "Red, honey, can you tell me who did this to you?" Tim said, "j-j-joker o-o-o. He wanted to do that Robin thing again, but in a more entertaining way. I-i-i-I stopped the bomb, just like you taught me." Eddie stiffened, taking a deep breath to calm himself, then he said, "It's okay, Red. Good job. You did a great job. I'm proud of you." Tim felt relieved to hear this despite the pain in his body. He started coughing up blood. Eddie picked him up. Mother Tim started screaming in pain. Eddie said "shhhh you'll be fine you'll be fine. I'll take you to doctor B. I promise you you'll be fine" and quickly took him to the car. Tim's eyes were blackened from the pain. His brain was pounding. Eddie laid him down on the back seat of the car. Tim could barely keep his eyes open. After making sure he wouldn't fall, Eddie got into the front seat and started the car. He stepped on the gas. His hands were covered in blood but he didn't care a bit, his only priority right now was to get the kid to the doctor. He picked up his phone and called someone. When the call was answered, he immediately said "I'm bringing Bradford Red to you. His condition is very urgent" his voice was full of panic and anger. His voice was dripping with murderous intent. A voice came from the other end of the line and was shouting "WHAT! WHAT HAPPENED". Eddie growled "he's the joker".

***

The Riddler had come to my doctor's house at full speed. Bradford was standing at the door. When he opened the back door and saw Red, he froze and was very angry, he growled "son of a bitch". They immediately carried Tim inside with the help of the Riddler. They put him inside. Bradford immediately started to take care of Tim. Eddie went to the bathroom. He tried to clean the blood off himself. His hands were shaking with anger. He cleaned himself up and changed his clothes. He took his phone. He called Oswald.

O- Hey Eddie hello.

E- Oswald hello

O- What's wrong? Your voice sounds bad

E- Red o o

O- Hey hey. Calm down calm down. What's wrong? Where are you? Is Red back? Is he hurt

E- Joker. That son of a bitch hurt little Red. He's in bad shape. I took him to the doctor. He had pressed the emergency button. I found him right away

O- Where's the joker

E- I don't know. When I got there, he was already gone

O- I'm coming there. It's okay. It's okay he'll be fine soon

E-....

O- are you okay

E- I'm physically fine. There was a lot of blood

O- it's okay it's okay he'll be fine. I promise you.

He said. Then he hung up after talking for a while. Then he sent a group message to Ivy and Harley.

E- I need water from the emergency pond Ivy you can set the fee. I'll accept anything

I-????? WHO HAPPENED WHAT

H- Was Oswald injured or?

E- Red

I- WHAT????

H- WHO HARASSED MY BABY

E- Your ex

[writingwhimsey]

Becoming Comtesse Ch. 9

Chapter 9

“The arrangements have all been made, le Comte.” Sebastian said as he stood in the guest room of the Marquis's home with Comte. “There is already a supply of rouge and blanc at the chateau with more to be delivered as needed over the course of your honeymoon. I have also made contact with the housekeeper and cook to be there.”

“Thank you, Sebastian.” Comte said as he finished putting on his tie.

“And of course, I will keep things running smoothly at the mansion while you are gone.” Sebastian added.

“I trust them all to you.” Comte replied.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help Sebas keep everyone in line. Especially Arthur.” Leonardo said as he was in the room as well.

Comte sighed. “I thought you were trying to make me not worry.”

Leonardo chuckled. “We’ll have it all under control. Enjoy your honeymoon, alright. You got a beautiful bride.”

“That I do.” Comte agreed.

The three men exited the room and headed down to the entrance. Most of the guests had left and it was down to their host, Colette’s family, Monsieur Glass, and a few of the residents of the mansion. Colette’s mother was looking up the stairs worriedly.

Comte walked over to his mother-in-law. “Is something wrong?” He asked.

Madame looked around to be sure her son wasn’t listening. He seemed to be having a conversation with Arthur. “My son wanted to have a moment with Colette. He came down and she hasn’t come down yet. It worries me a bit.” She answered. “He has a tendency to say the wrong thing to her.”

Comte nodded. “That is concerning.” He immediately turned to the stairs, heading up them to go find his bride.

He went down the hall the guest rooms were in. As soon as he turned the corner, he saw the door open and Colette stepping out. She was taking a deep breath and muttering to herself. “I can do this…”

“Ma cherie…” Comte called out to her.

She jumped slightly and looked at him in surprise. “Abel…”

“Is everything alright?” Comte asked, concern coloring his tone.

She put on a brave smile. “Perfectly. I just needed a moment to collect myself.” She answered. “I didn’t mean to make you come searching for me.”

“Your mother told me of her concern.” Comte told her. “I wanted to come check on you.”

“She would be concerned.” Colette replied, shaking her head.

“Is there anything you wish to talk about, ma cherie?”

“No…it is nothing.” She replied. “Shall we go?”

“If you are sure.” Comte replied, holding out his hand to her. He hoped that perhaps once they were completely alone on their honeymoon, she might open up to him more.

She seemed to hesitate a moment before placing her hand in his.”Yes.”

The newlyweds headed down the stairs together. Comte could sense the nervous energy coming from Colette with every step they took. They descended the stairs where everyone was waiting for them, ready to see them off.

Colette and her mother embraced and shared their farewells. “Write to me often and I will be sure to visit you when I can.” Madame Wells told her.

Colette smiled. “Of course, Mother.”

Comte and Colette soon exited the Marquis’s home and were climbing into the carriage. As Comte sat beside his wife, he noticed her shrinking away from him and sitting up rigidly straight. Comte repressed the urge to frown, wondering what it was that her brother had said to her that made her feel so nervous. Especially when she had just been starting to open up to him.

“We’ll be staying tonight at a country inn.” Comte said. “Then tomorrow we will set out for a Chateau I have in the south.”

“That…sounds lovely.” Colette replied.

“Is something the matter, ma cherie?” Comte asked, reaching a hand to touch hers.

Colette seemed to jump, causing Comte to pull his hand back. “Nothing…it’s nothing.”

Comte could tell that it was indeed something. He knew whatever it was, he needed to be gentle in getting the information from her. He just wanted her to feel at ease with him. He also didn’t want to press her to talk about something if she found it uncomfortable. 

“The inn we’ll be staying at is one of my favorites. The baker makes some of the most delicious bread.” Comte said. “And there is a nice little village not far from the chateau that has some nice little shops. There is a book shop that you might enjoy. And a nice little flower shop as well.”

“That sounds lovely.” Colette replied, though she still seemed nervous.

Comte tried chatting with her the entire carriage ride to the inn. She seemed to stay nervous and sat as far from him as possible while still sitting right next to him. The sun was just beginning to set when the carriage pulled up to the inn. Comte exited the carriage and helped Colette out of the carriage.

They headed inside the inn and a meal was already waiting for them. They sat down to eat while the carriage driver and one of the inn’s taff carried their luggage to their room. Comte noticed Colette hardly touching her food through the dinner. He couldn’t help but to feel worried.

“We have a nice warm bath drawn for you, Madame.” The innkeeper told Colette.

“Thank you.” She said. She then looked over at Comte. “Do you mind if I…”

Comte smiled. “Of course not, cherie. Go, enjoy your bath and relax.” He told her. “I’ll meet you in our room.”

She nodded. “Right.”

As Colette followed the innkeeper, Comte couldn’t help but to worry. What could have changed? What could have made her so nervous?

Colette…

I took a while in the bath, staying in the water until it had grown cold and my fingers and toes grew pruny. “I should…I should be going.” I muttered to myself. I had to work up the courage to go to my room…to join my husband…and perform my wifely duties.

I took a deep breath as I rose from the bath and dried myself off. I slipped into the long, thin white nightdress I’d brought. I then pulled on the silk robe that had been part of what I had learned were the many clothes Abel had ordered for me. I wrapped the robe tightly around myself and tied it closed.

I took a deep breath as I walked from the bath to the room Abel and I would be staying in for our wedding night. Abel was in the room, waiting for me, wearing his own robe over a long white nightshirt. He smiled warmly at me.

“Did you enjoy your bath, ma cherie?” He asked.

“Yes. It was warm.” I answered.

“Good.” He said. He was then reaching a hand out to me. “Are you ready for bed?”

“I…I suppose.” I answered, hesitantly placing my hand in his. 

We walked over to the bed together. We slipped out of our robes hanging them up and then slowly climbed into the bed together. Abel leaned over and gently kissed me on the cheek. “Goodnight, ma cherie.” He told me before leaning over to blow out the candle in the lantern used to light the room.

“What?” I asked.

Abel looked over at me. “What is it?” He asked.

It was now that all of the nervous energy I’d been holding in since talking to my brother came out and my thoughts spilled from my lips unbidden. “I…It’s our wedding night…and I’ve been so nervous all day…anticipating…and my mother had told me what to expect…and then my brother told me it was my wifely duty and that you would be expecting it…and that as your wife I should give myself to you whenever you wanted and…”

Abel’s golden eyes went wide in surprise. His hand was on mine in a comforting gesture. “Colette, I…I had no such expectations of tonight. Nor do I ever expect you to just give yourself to me just because we are married.”

“You…you weren’t expecting it?” I asked. “You…don’t want…”

“I never said I didn’t want to, cherie.” Abel clarified. “But I only want to if you are fully consenting.”

I looked at him, my own eyes wide as a mixture of emotions flooded through me. “So…I got myself all worked up for nothing? I mean even before my brother talked to me…I’d been feeling nervous…thinking about the pictures my mother had shown me…and doing that with you…and I…”

Abel was fighting off an amused smile. He leaned in, his fingers coming beneath my chin, bringing my gaze to his. “Should you wish it, cherie, I will happily ravish you tonight. But only if you want to.” He told me. “Do you want me to?”

I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I had gotten so worked up over it all. And yet here it was, my husband had no intention of taking me tonight…at least not if I didn’t wish it. Did I want to? Was I still nervous? Was I too nervous? “I…don’t know.” I answered honestly. There was a part of me that just wished he would make the choice for me and get it over with.

Abel gave me a kind smile and then kissed me on the forehead. “Until your answer is an enthusiastic yes, I shan’t touch you.” He told me. “I will simply be content to lie next to you and wait for you to be ready.”

“You…thank you.” I replied as I felt tears begin to sting my eyes. I think they were my body’s way of letting out all of the tension I had been carrying.

His warm fingertips were wiping at my tears. “May I hold you?” He asked me in such a gentle voice.

I didn’t have the words, but nodded. Abel pulled me into his arms, tucking my head beneath his chin as his hands moved up and down my back in a soothing manner. I felt his lips brush the top of my head.

“You will always be safe with me, ma cherie.” He whispered to me.

We laid back in the bed together, Abel still holding me as I cried, releasing all of the stress and tension I’d been holding. My body soon relaxed and exhaustion hit me and I fell into a deep sleep.

Comte…

Comte watched as Colette slowly fell asleep in his arms, her head resting on his chest. He gently ran his fingers through her hair. “I should have known that is what would have been on your mind.” He muttered to her sleeping form.

“Forgive me, mon amour.” He murmured in the darkness before closing his own eyes to join her in sleep.

Taglist:

@zulablaise @violettduchess @kisara-16 @tele86

@otomewonderland @lovely-bubb1es @lucyw260 @queengiuliettafirstlady

@obeymetalesandikemen @leiaglamela @fang-and-feather @eventinelysplayground

[allthatmay]

sometimes i giggle when remembering ace was going around telling people hed make whitebeard the pirate king (twice in canon; first when meeting luffy at arabasta, second when fighting blackbeard at banaro island) while said man was on a wheelchair. parental love so overwhelming it made him go delulu.

AH, I know, it's so cute. What's funnier is that I don't think he actually ever thinks Whitebeard will be the king. He's not dumb; he knows Whitebeard is very ill and old. I think a part of him simply doesn't want to acknowledge it as he's only just gained Whitebeard as a father and doesn't want to think about losing him.

There's this really great post about the Ace novels (here, which is where I've borrowed the quotes from) that basically sums them up. A big take-away is that, in joining the Whitebeards, Ace realises he doesn't actually know what he wants.

P. 159: [Thatch asks him] “You want your reputation to surpass that of the Pirate King, but you’re not interested in the One Piece. You don’t want to break the code either. What the hell does your flag even represent?” [And Ace answers] “I don’t know. Honestly, I thought I did, but not anymore.”

Sweet baby boy Ace realises he doesn't want the title nor the OP, so he simply redirects those desires onto his "new dad." In fact, Ace has known all along that he didn't actually want to be Pirate King, but he felt like he had to become it in order to shuck his father's identity and gain his own, good or bad. That's partly why he was so reluctant to join the Whitebeards in the first place: replacing one father figure with another would hardly help matters.

P. 224-225: “Whitebeard inviting him to be his son had seemed to him like another ‘father’ attempting to take control of his life. But […] now he understood the word ‘son’ a little differently.”

When he actually thinks about it, I'm sure Ace wants nothing more than to see Luffy be king. But he's so overwhelmed by all the love he's getting from his new family and old friends—he's only just started to accept that it is love—that he's like, "What am I supposed to do with this?" So he returns to what he knows, and decides that the best way to show his gratitude is to make Whitebeard the Pirate King. It gives Ace a means of being useful while eclipsing the persona of Pirate King Gold Roger with Pirate King Edward Newgate, which is good for Ace, who simply wants to get out of Roger's shadow.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think Ace hates Roger at all, just the public image of him. (Okay, maybe there's a little bit of hate because of what happened with Rouge, but that's simply misdirection—Ace blames himself for that.) If they were ever to meet (perhaps through some time travel shenanigans), I could see Ace having all the manners of a feral house cat: desperate to be let in, but hissing and biting at every move Roger makes.

Anyway, wow, I've gone off on one. Point is, YES, it is VERY cute. It has the same vibes as, "LOOK! This is my brother Luffy! He's a menace! His bounty's the highest in the East Blue!"

[lady-phasma]

This specific use of the 180 Degree Rule has been nagging me since the last trailer came out. The 180 Degree Rule refers to how the camera frames the subjects in a scene so that they are "switched" when the camera moves. This is less disorienting to viewers than if the subjects stayed on the same side of the frame every time (see example below). It's a small trick, but it is noticeable when it isn't used. Logic tells us they should stay on the same side of the frame but it really doesn't work. If you are interested in understanding this further there is a great sequence in Satoshi Kon's Paprika (2006) that explains it better than I have ever seen anywhere else.

Daemon's War

The exchange between Rhaenyra and Jace in episode 10 conveys so much meaning in so few words. I'm not going to discuss Rhaenyra's desires in this post or if they conflict with Daemon's. That would need its own post all to itself.

Jacaerys: Where is Daemon? Rhaenyra: I don't know. Gone to madness. Gone to plot his war.

Daemon and his motivations are revealed so concisely. There is certainly foreshadowing here, but I appreciate that Rhaenyra knows him so well and has no expectations of him (at this point) beyond what she has seen in the past.

Daemon makes bold assumptions and is arrogant enough to think his way is the best way. When he lists Meleys in their assets there is no doubt in his mind that Rhaenys will side with them in the war. But why does he assume this? What isn't being said is intriguing.

We have Syrax, Caraxes, and Meleys. Your sons have Vermax, Arrax, and Tyraxes. Baela has Moondancer. There are also unclaimed dragons. Seasmoke still resides on Driftmark. Vermithor and Silverwing dwell on the Dragonmont, still riderless. Then there are the three wild dragons, all of whom nest here.

Then, at some point in season two, we see Daemon presumably stop Rhaenys by grabbing her arm.

This man is manipulative and good at it. Rhaenys is not pleased with him touching her. With no context at all, we only have a few words and body language to interpret. I can't wait to see if I'm correct about this when this episode airs. There is a threat or ultimatum here. Daemon's posture is so self-assured, hand resting on Dark Sister as if whatever he is saying has only one response: agreement.

Correct 180 (from trailer):

Might be helpful to cover one while watching the other.

Incorrect 180 (my edit):

What made this 180 rule from the trailer stick in my mind is how tight the frame is on Rhaenys for her reaction shot. A medium shot on Daemon cuts to a medium close up on her in order to show her facial expression. We can't interpret too much from trailer editing as it is specifically designed to manipulate and distract viewers in a different way from the final product. However, we are given Daemon's dialogue for this particular shot: "We are going to King's Landing." But what next? Why show her disdain, frustration, irritation? Is there an "or else" or some other technique to coerce her and House Velaryon?

Rhaenyra's words are relevant here as well as in the foreshadowing of the upcoming war. Daemon is not asking permission. His hostility, animosity, and wounded ego combine to make him rash. Another example of the applicability of the title The Rouge Prince. This isn't an argument that his character is made more complex by this foreshadowing, but that he has rarely, if ever, hidden his motives. His motivations are always clear even if they shift from selfish to selfless (which is only evident a handful of times). He is morally ambiguous to viewers because much of the time he seems to be amoral. He can stomach things that others cannot. He believes the end justifies the means. I think it will be fascinating to see how the showrunners, writers, and Matt can navigate someone becoming a villain without making him completely one dimensional. He is irredeemable and many of his fans love him for precisely that. He doesn't want to be redeemed. He wants to be in control.

I started writing this last night and today this amazing gifset comes across my dash so I had to link it.

[tazienimp]

Arite, come get your angst, click for good quality on that first one. Also tw, blood, kinda.

Lore:

Crys is haunted with nightmares, just like her dad and husband are. But unlike her dad, no one is maliciously making her have these nightmares, not even her sister who is possessing her body. In fact Crys and Ames share nightmares.

Remember when i said, Crystal doesn't remember Janice, but Amethyst does? Well, it causes Amythest have nightmares of her, but since Crystal can't remember their mother, she appears distorted and half formed in their nightmares, framed in reddish purples with all they can see being her eyes, her grin, and her hands. Crystal doesn't remember these after waking up.

Crystal's most frequent nightmares are of her father, Mephiles, leaving her to commit 06. This nightmare in perticular helped Shadow figure out who her dad was before Mephiles visited them. She used to not remember these nightmares, until her dad came back.

And the last one shown here, are of her failing her kids. Platinum is very mentally ill, with too many demons to fight on his own, yet Crys doesn't know how to help him. Her and Shadow have done so much to try and help their son, but can't figure out why his condition keeps worsening, and she can't find it in her to force him to wear inhibitors like his dad does cause she's scared it'd worsen his identity issues, so Crystal feels like a failure of a mother, and fears losing her children cause she couldn't help them in time or in a way that matters, especially her baby boy.

There's more nightmares she has, but these are the big three, and the second and third one specifically haunt her even during her waking hours. She does her best to fight down her fears and anxieties, so much so that often those around her can only see her as the bubbly hedgecat they've always known her to be. Only Shadow, Rouge, and Mephiles know how she really feels deep down. It's why Rouge set her up with Shadow to keep her safe, it's why Shadow drops her off at Mephy and Doom's when he's not home so she's not alone. It's partially why Mephy feels so much guilt yet also worsens things due to his possessive overprotection of her, though most of that comes from what he had to deal with while married to Janice.

This specific night was horrible. It had been years, and Crystal insisted to her mate that she could stay home alone while he was gone, that she could handle it, cause her and her dad got in another fight over him again, so Crys didn't want to be near her dad at the moment. She quickly found out that she could not handle being by herself in that house. Yeah she has the kids there, but sleeping alone is hell for her, it always has been. The next morning she took the kids with her to Mephy and Doom's apartment while she still had the mental strength to do so, before she could become a helpless mess. She would rather die than depend on her children, she doesn't want to feel like a burden to them, they're her entire world and she'd do anything for them.

Did this tonight cause I've had several nightmares tonight, and i couldn't even have a conversation with my brother without breaking down in tears, and everything's kinda going to shit rn, so, i needed a way to get through it tonight, and this was what i coild come up with. But hey! More lore material for you guys to chew on, yw.

I love you all, so so much.

[musubiki]

i wanna know more ab the m34th finding out lime’s relationship to the cat witch bc id be like 🧍‍♀️ if i were them just kinda pissed

UHGUHGU THIS IM NOT SUPER SOLID ON!!!!! but i will talk about what i have in my head right now!!

so much potential in every route....one route would be: they recruited him under the assumption he wanted the cat witch for some kind of revenge (because witches bad. why else would one want to look so desperately for them), and is essentially ignorant of his relationship to her. UNTIL we get to some point where for some mission/reason/other, they find out about them.

in my head i see that episode going as: another member finds and hunts down mochi (a fight she almost loses, and a good time to showcase what the m34th can really do). when lime arrives to a near-exhausted mochi backed into a corner, said guy (whoever, one of the more sadistic members) is like "Goldwood! Look, I found her! That stupid bitch of a cat witch has been hiding in the capitol all along! You wanted first dibs right? Now you can do what you want!" anyway lime dismembers this guy. legitimately cuts him off mid-sentance (literally cuts off his arm. i want a cool scene with this asshole clamoring for his life, and lime reveals for the first time to anyone in the m34th that hes vowed to the cat witch before unaliving him)

and when some other members of the m34th arrive (far after that guy is dead and lime has taken mochi away somewhere safe), they start to deduce "Huh... these clean cuts were made by one of our weapons." and slowly over the course of a few days as the investigation into their fallen comrade progresses, it becomes increasingly clear how wrong they were about lime

this also leads to a fight between lime and the other members of the m34th (whoever was on-call in the capitol at the time. SOS emergency mission, someones gone rouge). a fight mochi wasnt apart of, as it started to go down as she was still covering. also a fight that marshal, clarinette, and the squad captain all turned and sided with lime right before the fight

(it was marshals idea. lime was ready to kill every person who tried to get to mochi, but before lime could get his hands dirty, marshal swooped in with the idea of "If we erase their memories of it, we dont HAVE to kill them, and your girlfriend wont be upset with you for it.") (side note: the m34th has a memory-replacement system similar to the memory replace spell witches use. its a little more complicated as the memories can be stored and retrieved with some kind of tech something, but if you can destroy those as well then its like it never happened)

between lime, marshal, clarinette, and the squad captain who covers for all of them, this actually does end up succeeding. (another sad moment for clarinette, helping a roughed up lime limp his way home and having to watch mochi run into his arms again after she just helped save his life)

BUT THE OTHER SCENARIO ALSO HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL WHICH IS:

(under the same pretense they thought he was after revenge) the m34th knew where the cat witch was the whole time. they couldve easily helped him find her within weeks, but purposely kept him in the dark because they thought if he got what he wanted, he would lose motivation and wouldnt be as good a soilder (this route is better for showcasing the true power/reach/resources/spirit of the m34th)

in a subplot related to the frog witch, mochi gets summoned to the capitol palace by the king to find his missing son, the prince. none of their resources have been able to locate him, so the king figures the strongest witch is the next best bet. then their best m34th soilders (lime included) gets assigned to "watch" her during her mission under the orders of "i dont care how you feel, you arnt allowed to kill her until she finds the prince," and they have to spend the whole time pretending they hate each other and that they never met before in their lives

at the end, the prince is eventually found and mochi requests that if the m34th is going to keep watch over her, that lime be the one assigned to her since she knows him now post-mission. and lime has to pretend to be like "ah hate that cat witch, but this is for a paycheck and shes not super insufferable...so...fine." and so lime being in her guild is still in the dark to the rest of the m34th, but they DO know that he sees her at least semi-regularly with the "check-ins" (which gives birth to the "Cant believe you got seduced by a witch" things hehehe)

EITHER WAY I DONT KNOW YET

[livewireprojects]

Sonic getting help from Rouge & Big

Some more pics I never posted to Tumblr, I also am in the mood to talk about my Lost Prince AU.

If you find these images in my DA gallery I just want to mention the Tumblr post for these images happens to be the updated ver of the description.(WHy am I saying this like I'm talking about another posts, then again this counts for my other pics too)

I went to go back to bed

Image posted on DA February 21, 2021

So for some reason I imagine at some point Sonic became close with Rouge. It helps that she is considered part of the gang, helps when she can & as time goes on becomes Knuckle's girlfriend & eventually wife. Something led to Sonic confiding in Rouge & Knuckles some times when he needs support/help & is unable to tell anyone else.

This takes place after Mephiles goes missing thanks to Eggman, it's really understandable that Sonic was worried.(Especially if Eggman is involved) They were investigating one of Eggman's bases alone, it led to getting hit with a strange machine that didn't effect either(Sonic later learned it some how led to Venice) after the incident with the machine Eggman's security system kicked in. Sonic passed out at some point & when he woke up he was alone in front of the base. Sonic worried about Mephiles & was scared about what could have happened but couldn't get back into the base(was also struggling due to a panic attack) with no other choice he ended up going home.

This specific image is when Sonic found out he was pregnant with Venice & Rouge went to check on him(Originally he went to her but I feel this fits better) because she & Knuckles were worried, she also knew from experience with Shadow that something was wrong. She was very right because Sonic had shut down due to the shock of losing someone close to him(especially one that he thought of as a potential lover) & the fact he was now expecting Mephiles's child.

While Sonic's friends & family helped out Rouge & Knuckles made sure Sonic had their full support.(Vanilla & Vector helped as best as they can but Rouge insisted on being there since the two have a couple month old son) It helped that they had a couple month old daughter & Rouge had dealt with Shadow struggling in the past so was able to help Sonic through his trauma.

Image posted on DA February 19, 2021

I mentioned before that I imagine Big despite being goofy to be a good dad when he eventually becomes one.(This is at least 3-4 years before he becomes a dad) I dunno how he got the experience but then again he's probably helped others out here & there at some point. Probably a good idea since he ended up showing up to help Rouge & Knuckles prepare Sonic for parenthood.

Big is holding a teddy he's using to help demonstrate, Sonic is holding one to practice & Rouge has baby Lara.(Her & Knuckles's daughter) Rouge is impressed by Big being good with parenting lessons & Sonic is kind of quiet/hesitant because he's still emotionally drained from everything that happened.(It's one of those moments were he's gone selective mute from stress)

Shadow isn't helping because he's elsewhere & wasn't told anything.(I think Sonic despite being kind of close got self-conscious & didn't say anything, everyone else found out from those that found Sonic having issues & got involved) I'm not entirely sure what he's doing, Shadow doesn't learn about Venice for some time & learns Sonic is his mom later on.

Some things have slightly changed since I originally worked on this post(This post was started January 14 2025, since it's 2:11am it is now the 20th), some things have changed(like how Silver came to be) but for the most part Venice's is the same cause I guess some how we need to shove a cloning joke in here.(Not really, I just for some reason decided that Venice was caused by a mishap at one of Eggman's bases & said base was also why Mephiles was missing for 3 or so years)

[estellardreams]

Meeting the Royal Family - S8

“As many of you know, my family has kept a private life. We aren't interested in meddling with current affairs. But as crime has risen, so has our concern. So it is time to step out of the shadows, and into the light.” The Emperor began.

The ninja kept themselves hidden for their protection, making sure the Sons of Doom wouldn’t attack.

“If they wanted to keep themselves hidden, why give a speech?” Amy asked.

“They’re trying to reach out to the people, Amy.” Tails said.

“I find it nice… Like an old tradition to keep people’s hopes up.” Knuckles said.

“But with all that glitz and glam? Yeesh, it looks like too much.” Sonic mumbled.

“Oh hush, blue. It looks pretty as is. Besides, the Emperor and Empress are part of our tradition. It’s our duty for them to be protected from harm’s way.” Rouge said.

“That is true.” Shadow agreed, keeping his gaze on the royal family.

“...and always stay united.” The emperor finished. The crowd erupted in cheers before a sudden barrage of bangs rang out, sending everyone into a frenzy.

“Get down!” Shadow leapt in, protectively guarding the royal family using his energy shields.

“Is the threat clear?”

Rouge headed over to the sound, seeing the firecrackers going off. “False alarm! They’re only firecrackers.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” he breathed a sigh of relief, lowering the shield as the Counsel of the royal family, Antoine, escorted the royal family back inside.

“You’ve protected the Royal Family. You have their gratitude. You are invited to be their guests in the palace.” he came up to the ninja as they regrouped.

“Oh wow! No one ever gets invited to the palace.” Amy said.

“We’d be honored.” Shadow agreed.

The ninja were led inside, being greeted with a massive and expansive palace donned in beautiful shades of red, gold, and lined with quartz and marble.

“Woah! It’s even more dazzling than I could’ve ever dreamed!” Rouge gushed.

“Welcome to the Palace of Secrets.” Antoine began.

“Palace of Secrets? Neat. Why do they call it that?” Sonic asked.

“If I were to tell you that, then it wouldn't be a secret now, would it?” he said.

“Eh, fair enough.”

Antoine led them inside the throne room, opening the doors to the royal family. 

“I present to you the exalted Emperor and Empress of Ninjago, and their son, the Ruby Prince, Prince Eclipse the Hedgehog.”

The ninja all lined up in their presence and bowed to them. The Emperor stepped forward. 

“We are honored by your presence.” he said.

“The honor is all ours.” Shadow said.

“I have read so much about you all. You have been amazing out there so… Thank you for protecting us. And I’d like to share my thanks to all of you individually.” Eclipse began.

“Sonic, the blue hedgehog who’s become the fastest being on the planet. Tails, the genius mechanic with a knack for knowledge and structure. Knuckles, the calm and composed guardian of the land we stand on. Rouge, the intelligent bat who knows more that she lets on. Amy Rose, the blossoming flower and guardian of nature. And Shadow… The destined green ninja, holder of two elemental powers, and the son of Black Doom. I… Apologize for a rough upbringing you must’ve had.”

“It’s alright, prince. I understand. I hope nothing similar has befallen you.”

“Yeah… Right.” Eclipse stepped back.

“We adopted Eclipse when he was a young child, abandoned by his old family. We’ve raised him as our own.” The empress said.

“Thank you for inviting us into your home.” Shadow thanked.

“It wasn’t us. It was our son.”

“And he would like you to stay with us, until the threat to our throne is gone.” the emperor continued.

“These are troubling times, and as long as we have an Oni Pendant, we fear our lives are in jeopardy.”

“The necklaces must never be reunited. Please say yes.” Eclipse said.

“You have our help.” Shadow agreed.

“Thank you. Sir Antoine can show you around the palace.”

Antoine nodded, guiding the group down the halls of the palace to where they’ll be staying, along with what was needed to be guarded.

“While you are in our service, you have full access to the complimentary royal buffet. Anything you want is at your disposal. Exotic fruits, assorted vegetables, scones, and all-you-can-eat cake.” he presented a massive table full of food.

“Oh my goodness…! Can I…?” Amy asked, inching towards the salad on display.

“Go on ahead.”

“Thank you, sir.” she bowed, dishing out a bowl of chicken salad and quietly eating it as everyone continued on.

“The palace is equipped with secret passages to get anywhere fast.” Antoine said.

“Oh! Is that why it’s called the Palace of Secrets?” Sonic asked.

“Yes. However, only the royal family knows where they are.”

“Huh… Good to know.”

“And finally, the reason for your protection: the Pendant of Deception.” he presented the amulet in a display case inside the palace.

“Huh… That looks weird. And strange.” Knuckles commented.

“May I bring you to your new sleeping quarters?” Antoine asked.

“Of course. That would be nice. We’ll settle our things inside for now, and get on with our job.” Shadow said.

“Thank you, again, for your assistance to the royal family.” he led them to a massive bedroom, opening the doors to a hallway with many guest rooms inside.

“Please select one, then return to your job.”

“Of course, thank you.”

The ninja kept their posts, monitoring the castle to make sure no one tried to break in and steal the pendant. Shadow stopped looking around, noticing the door to a bedroom opened. It was to the prince. He looked inside, seeing that the windows were open… And he was gone.

Shadow froze, quickly running to the window to search for the prince. What happened? Where did he go?

He spotted a hooded figure in the distance, running with a bag of things, and ran after them.

He chased them on the rooftops, trying to reach the prince. He quickly grabbed them by the cloak, only for them to pull Shadow off and leap down to the streets. Shadow leapt down, tackling the figure to the ground.

“Who are you?! What did you do with the prince?” he questioned, pulling the hood off.

To his shock, the person he just tackled was none other than Eclipse himself.

“Wait… Prince Eclipse?” Shadow got up, getting off the hedgehog.

Eclipse breathed, sitting up as he pulled the bag he was carrying to his side. “Heh, at least I know you’re doing your job.”

“But… What are you doing out of the palace?”

“Trying to help the people. So many… Starving and hurt. I just wanted to help them.”

“Then… What’s in the bag?”

“Food from the palace.” he opened up the bag, showing the food he stuffed inside. Eclipse got up with Shadow, stopping when he heard Antoine in the distance realize his disappearance.

“Shoot. They can’t know I left the palace! Put on a disguise or something!” he threw a hoodie to Shadow.

“Okay okay, but why?” Shadow quickly put the hoodie on, keeping the hood up to hide his presence.

“My parents would never allow this!”

“... Fair enough. My father never would’ve let me do something like this either.”

“You must’ve had a bad relationship with your father, huh?”

“Yeah… But he’s gone now.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? I thought you’d be more happy about that.”

Shadow paused, his ears falling a little. “It’s… Complicated, and I kinda feel lost. Like, my father gave me a purpose in my life… And then I became a ninja and had a new purpose; To protect everyone. But I always feel like… I can’t do it. Like this isn’t me…”

“I… I understand that. To feel so lost and confused must be hard, especially when everyone expects so much of you…”

Shadow’s ears perked up, turning to him. “You… You understand?”

“I suppose so.” Eclipse’s gaze was drawn towards the stars in the sky, staring up at them.

“Aren’t they beautiful? And this city… I’m rarely out like this, and… I wonder what it’s like to look up at the sky more.” Eclipse climbed to a higher rooftop on a building.

“Prince, wait!” Shadow climbed up to him.

Prince relaxed, sitting down and staring up at the stars. “... My parents named me after an eclipse since… I was the darkened blue of the moon, and the shining red rays peeking out from the sun. It’s quite a beautiful sight to look at.”

“I’m sure of it. I’ve never seen an eclipse myself.” Shadow said.

“Well, you’re looking at me now.” Eclipse joked.

Shadow gave him a flat look. “That was a terrible pun.”

The young prince laughed, relaxing on the ground as he stared up at the sky. He paused, quickly getting back up and grabbing the bag he brought. “Right, this food shouldn’t go to waste.”

He climbed back down from the roof, beginning to find people who needed food and giving it out to them. Many children came up to him, letting him give out the rest to bring back to their families.

“Prince-”

“Please, call me Eclipse.”

“Okay, uh… Eclipse. We should get you back to the palace.” Shadow said.

“Right, let’s go. And please… Can we not talk about this… Entire ‘sneaking out’ thing?”

“Of course. But let’s go, before anything bad happens.”

Eclipse nodded, heading back with Shadow to the palace. Eclipse brought Shadow through a secret passage, getting inside and pretending to act like he was out admiring the plants within the castle walls.

“There you are, prince! Where have you been?” Antoine came up to him.

“My apologies, Sir Antoine. I was only admiring the plants. I did not mean for you to worry.”

“Well, I am glad that you are safe. Now, your parents have called for you.”

“Of course. I’ll meet with them right away.” Eclipse got up and left.

Shadow waited until Antoine left the garden before emerging from the bush he hid himself in, heading back into the palace and making sure he wasn’t seen in the dead of night.

[themculibrary]

AO3 Masterlist 6

Links Last Checked: June 4th, 2025

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five

Changing Fate (ao3) - Wix bucky/tony, loki/tony T, 27k

Summary: Tony dies in Siberia under the hands of Captain America, but fate doesn't leave it there. He opens his eyes several years earlier amidst the threat of Loki's invasion and the first assembling of the 'Avengers'. Tony may not understand why he got this second chance, but he's going to do better with it - and he's decided that he's going to share it. With a Winter Soldier who could really use a different hand than he was dealt.

Never let it be said that fate doesn't have a sense of humor.

Debts (ao3) - d_aia tony/t’challa M, 59k

Summary: In which Tony saves T'Chaka, T'Challa is grateful, and they both are all the better for it.

Detonation Imminent (ao3) - KairosImprimatur pepper/tony, clint/natasha T, 61k

Summary: Peter and Rocket decide it's a good idea to snoop around Stark Tower before introducing themselves. Clearly there's no way this could go awry.

Endgame (ao3) - YunaYamiMouto tony/stephen T, 196k

Summary: The rouge Avengers are pardoned under the influence of King T'Challa and it is up to Tony to 'welcome' them back. But as he and his new team are at the private airport, an unexpected fight breaks loose and the fate of the whole universe is changed when a wizard places himself as Tony Stark's protector.

It's a Secret to Everybody (ao3) - Snapdragon_in_the_Snow pepper/tony T, 97k

Summary: “I have kids," Clint said. "I know dad behavior when I see it.” Tony blinked multiple consecutive times, processing the statement. “Excuse me?” “Tony,” Steve said now, “how long have you had a son? And how come we’ve never known about him?” “Yeah,” Clint spoke again, “I thought I was the only one with a secret family. Turns out you’ve had one longer than me!” ------- Peter gets to spend all summer living in Avengers Tower with Tony. When the Rogue Avengers get pardoned and come back to live at the Tower too, they're confused as to who Peter is. However, once they see how Tony acts around Peter, that confusion goes away, as they know for certain who Peter must be - Tony's secret son. Tony and Peter decide to make the most of the situation, and play along. They hope they can keep up the act all summer. But they soon learn that they barely have to act at all.

Keeper (ao3) - HepG2 steve/tony E, 81k

Summary: “Uh, I’m… very new to the whole thing,” Tony swallows visibly. He uncrosses his legs and grabs his cup again. “I looked at pictures. Research. They look graphic.”

Tony Stark is a journalist hanging onto the last of his life lines. He needs new writing materials. Something that sells. Then the whole town is talking about a BDSM play gone wrong, and there it is. His story. Steve chuckles again. Tony notices he hasn’t touched his drink. “No worries. It’s very unlikely for us to take it up to that level.

It takes two to tango.

Kissin’ Dynamite (ao3) - crime_fighting_spiderling G, 27k

Summary: “Maybe I shouldn’t go.” Peter spoke. MJ shoved a permission slip into his hand at his comment.

“You’re going.” She simply stated.

Where Peter and his class go on a field trip to Stark Tower.

Language (ao3) - SailorChibi steve/tony, clint/phil T, 30k

Summary: This is how Tony fixed the team and the damage he’d done, and in the process learned how to start fixing himself. Well, maybe the latter might take a little help from Steve.

Oh, Hey There, Mister Blue (ao3) - iguessyouregonnamissthepantyraid T, 75k

Summary: There are certain things one learns to expect when dealing with the Mad Titan. Ending up on an unfamiliar ship surrounded by a bunch of aliens is one thing. Loki can handle that.

Ending up on an unfamiliar ship surrounded by a bunch of aliens who are actually on his side is quite another.

Oh, My King for a Kingdom (ao3) - STARSdidathing loki/tony T, 14k

Summary: The blood and betrayal of an Afghanistan cave formed Iron Man. The blood and betrayal of a Siberian bunker formed something else.

Re-Engineered (ao3) - Opy3332 bucky/tony M, 73k

Summary: “Tony blinks. He blinks and his entire world changes.”

Tony is sent back in time from mid-Infinity War to just after returning from Afghanistan.

How different is Tony Stark, and the MCU, with all that knowledge of the future?

Haunted by the guilt of Rhodey’s injury, the betrayal and pain of Steve, the fear of Wanda, the loss of Jarvis, and the foreknowledge of Thanos, this Tony is one the universe hasn’t contended with before. And he is more than ready to re-claim his title of genius, billionaire, and philanthropist in ways unexpected.

Relativistic Heat Conduction (ao3) - BlossomsintheMist steve/tony E, 69k

Summary: Age of Ultron-based, but not entirely canon compliant. Written for the 2013 Cap-Iron Man Reverse Big Bang. Ultron has attacked, obliterating most of the world's superheroes and resistance in a matter of hours. The remaining heroes band together and share what strength they have to get through it, to survive, and defeat Ultron once and for all. Steve Rogers grieves in the wake of the disaster and the heroes' defeat, and no one knows if he will be able to provide the leadership they need--but Tony Stark isn't about to let him slip away that easily.

Reverse Games (ao3) - MsMoonstar G, 75k

Summary: Thor and Loki have been arguing since they arrived back on Earth and the Avengers are tired of it. Tony Stark comes up with a brilliant plan to make the two Agardian gods get along.

Sharpen Your Teeth (ao3) - STARSdidathing loki/tony M, 369k

Summary: A betrayed Tony Stark leaves the Avengers. He's angry and bitter but he's not about to stop being a hero. The problem is that not everyone is happy with his decision.

Silvertongue (ao3) - Epiphanyx7 jane/thor M, 34k

Summary: [[Post-Avengers. Loki's plan had gone perfectly, now he needs only to see it to it's natural conclusion.]]

No Asgardian cell can hold him. Loki's magic is bound, but his mind is not -- and the Aesir were always fools, to think that Loki's mind was anything other than his most dangerous asset.

The Guardians (ao3) - GremlinSR peter/tony M, 35k

Summary: Tony is pulled out of his funk after the Civil War by actual space aliens when they come to warn him of an impending attack. Now he's building a new team, going on adventures with his new space friends, and generally just moving on.

When Team Cap comes back, they'll find things are different than how they left them.

A salty 'Tony doesn't need the team back' post Civil War fic.

Unwanted Celebrity (ao3) - Kryptaria, zooeyscigar steve/bucky T, 72k

Summary: Fifteen years ago, a skinny kid from Brooklyn went to an arts summer camp, where he met child movie star Jimmy Barnes. Their unlikely friendship faded as the years passed. But now, a threat to Barnes' career brings Steve back into his life, in the most unexpected of ways. Or, the one where Bucky is a smooth celebrity, right up until Steve the snarky photographer shows up, and Bucky's whole world gets blown to pieces.

Walls Come Tumbling Down (ao3) - lambchop33 steve/bucky E, 74k

Summary: Bucky Barnes is a successful contractor with an unsuccessful dating history. His boyfriend of many years cheated on him, and he's determined not to repeat that mistake. Enter Steve Rogers, the gorgeous neighbor he discovers in his new apartment building. Companion piece to The Match Game, told from Bucky's point of view, from the beginning. And in the beginning, the thoughts inside Bucky's head are radically different from those inside Steve's head, save for one thing. Bucky thinks Steve is hot, so he's got that going for him. But at this stage, that's all he's got.

Your Highness (ao3) - the_irish_mayhem jane/thor, clint/natasha E, 6k

Summary: Jane wants something in bed and Thor is more than happy to oblige.

Z to A (ao3) - memoriaeterna wanda/vision, pepper/tony T, 88k

Summary: The moment of disorientation was nothing compared to the next thing he saw. He was standing in the midst of an airport, looking directly at a girl with the familiar red leather coat. The mutual recognition was instant. Leipzig. Or, Peter and Wanda sent back in time to stop the inevitable. Good news: they are not alone. Bad news: who and from when.

[power-rings]

Till Death Do Us Part: Chapter 2 His Presence

[previous chapter] [next chapter here]

Everyday since that day when Amy felt able to finally get back to work, without a breakdown, she had swore I had seen Shadow on the other side of the street. Was he watching out for her? Anytime she tried to confront him, he was mysteriously gone. Each evening that she took the stroll home, she still felt his gaze. She wasn't sure whether to be creeped out, or what. Amy shook her head, picking up the pace. For once since late last month, I actually looked forward to getting home. Her kids had came home just last week; their house felt normal now. Oh, how relieved Amy had felt when they embraced her the moment she opened the door. While at work, typically Tails watches the kids, or on the rare occasion Rouge or Knuckles will.  In the morning, the kids will be returning to school, she wanted to get as much time with them this evening as she could. Her youngest son Mach will be starting kindergarten, while Lily will be starting 2nd grade. Lily was ecstatic, while her brother was full of butterflies. At the dinner table, I would encourage Mach about school, and remind him he won't be having a full day until the next week. We had pizza at the dinner table, thanks to Tails for ordering for them before I had even gotten home. Once Tails left the house, I started helping the kids with preparing their lunches for the next day. Mach was a lot more pickier than his sister, he hated crust on his sandwiches, while Lily didn't mind. The three soon joined each other on the sofa, watching one of their favorite movies together. Summer days were ending for them, and my heart ached slightly. She was gonna be alone again. Dread started to seep in. Mach was going to be gone more, which was another reason why she was relieved she started working again to bring in some income, and keep herself busy. In her heart though, she will miss these days home alone with her youngest son. She wondered if he felt the same? Once the credits rolled, Amy got them ready for bed. She watched from the doorway as Lily sat on her bed, and set an alarm for herself. Lily sure has matured since Sonic had passed. When she saw her mother, she smiled warmly. They embraced, and Amy kissed her on the head. Their gaze locked with one another, feeling as though they were thinking the same thing. They laid on the bed together, Lily talking about that trip she took, and the accident with the jellyfish stinging Mach. Which, as Tails exclaimed Mach had handled it like a pro. The pair talked about Sonic, remembering those nights he'd be in the bedroom tucking her in. Or perhaps getting Mach fired up, causing him to get too excited to sleep. Neither of them never thought, they'd have to actually miss those moments. Yet, here they were. When Lily fell asleep on her shoulder, Amy carefully moved and tucked her in. Tears stinging her eyes, that she held back earlier.  When she went to check on Mach, he was on the floor playing with some video games. Sternly, she told him to put it away and get to bed. Just like with Lily, Amy lingered in his room and they sat on his bed. Mach rest on her lap, not much was said between the pair, except Amy asking Mach to make sure he didn't forget anything for school. She made a mental note to check his bookbag before she gets to bed. Like many nights before Amy stroked his ear until he had fallen asleep; which it didn't take long. Now that he was tucked in, Amy turned to switch off his bedside lamp and kissed him on the head before leaving. 

The hallway to her bedroom felt like it went on forever, she hesitated Infront of her doorway. So eerily quiet.  Last week, Amy got tired of sleeping on the couch because it was hurting her back now. Now feeling like maybe this would help her sleep, she got rid of the sheets that her and Sonic would sleep on together, and replaced them with fresh new bedding. New pillows and everything. It seemed to help her get to sleep, as well as some music playing to provide more noise to make up for the lack of Sonic's snoring that she oddly missed. She eventually fell asleep around 2 that morning. Amy must have slept hard, because when her alarm went off at 5am that morning, she didn't even move an inch. It wasn't until, 6:30am when Lily came into the bedroom. "Mom?" Her ears twitched, slowly lifting her head, blinking in confusion. Why had her daughter came in her room, at this hour? On a weekend- Oh shit. She gave her daughter an apologetic gaze before pulling the covers off of her body. The frantic hedgehog got her slippers on and quickly made her way into the kitchen, she wanted to make sure they had a good breakfast before school. She prepped some pancakes, with Lily's help, and cut up some fruit, and fixed some glasses of orange juices.  After Mach was rudely waken up by his sister, they sat around the table to enjoy the first meal of the day. To Amy, time flew by and before she knew it she was helping them get their belongings, and head out the door. Since the school was walking distance, the three of them walked along the sidewalk, when they got closer to the school building they saw two rows of cars for drop-off.  Some teachers guided them inside, while a lot of the parents had wished to walk them to the entrance. Lily knew where she was suppose to go, when she saw two of her friends from her previous classroom, she gave Amy a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek... leaving her brother and mom behind. A lady welcomed Amy and Mach inside, while doing so, the young hedgehog gripped his mom's hand tighter. Deep down she wanted to just turn around and take the kids back home, sure it was only gonna be for 6 hours but the loneliness in that house would drive her insane. Mach's kindergarten teacher greeted them warmly, Mach was guided to his desk, while Amy and his teacher had a quick conversation. Soon, Amy wished him a great first day, embraced him tightly. Alongside Amy, other parents said their goodbye's and went on their way. Amy stopped at the end of the curb, quickly texting Tails how the drop-off went. Once she looked up, she noticed a familiar motorcycle in the parking lot. Nah, it couldn't be him. As she inched closer, her curiosity getting the best of her..  

"Looking for something, Rose?" She almost jumped out of her own skin at the sound of his voice. She squinted at him, suspicious. Before she could even ask, why the hell he was at the school he answered, "Knuckles and Rouge are out of town." Yeah, she totally didn't forget their child was attending first grade now. 

"Hm, not very safe to let a minor ride on a bike." She smirked, playfully.

"He was fine. I'm not stupid; he wore a helmet." Shadow scoffed at her comment, while he mounted his bike. 

"He better... Rouge would kill you if anything happened." Amy glanced back at the school building, more children were being dropped off. 

Shadow shrugged, "if she didn't trust me with her son I wouldn't be here, now would I?" Amy's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and crossed her arms, inched closer to the other hedgehog. 

"Oh, you wouldn't be here to just watch me, now would you?" Shadow's ear twitched slightly, but Amy couldn't read him. "I saw you. Every single day I walked home. Slightly creepy, don't ya' think? I mean I would've been fine if you asked to walk with me. But, you just stood on the other side of the street-" Shadow waved his hand. 

"I wasn't watching you."

"I saw you." She went on to speak more, but Shadow silenced her. 

"I knew when you got off of work, I arrived maybe minutes before you clocked out." Shadow admitted, shifting further back on his bike. "I wanted to make sure..."

"Make sure of what?"

"...That you were okay." Amy felt like her heart fluttered slightly. Okay, that was weird. Why did it do that? Her gaze fell to her feet. Amy didn't know what to say. Could she really blame him? After that incident in the restaurant? She contacted him afterall. He wasn't the one who just randomly called in the middle of the day. Could she really be upset with him for checking on her? No. Nothing was spoken between the pair, Amy was pulled out of her deep train of thought when he revved up his bike. "I better go."

Amy blurted out an apology, "I shouldn't have assumed, I should have... j-just approached you about it. I'm sorry. T-thank you for checking on me, Shadow." Her cheeks felt hot, and she hoped that he didn't noticed the blush. "Next time.. let's walk together. I'd like the company."

Shadow looked away. Feeling awkward. He patted the seat behind him and handed her a helmet. Amy hesitated, but she did admit just now that she'd like the company. She snapped her helmet in place, and mounted the bike. She wasn't sure he was taking them, but she didn't ask any questions. As he accelerated further from the school, she grasped his waist tighter. It wasn't long before she realized that he wasn't taking her home. Going deeper into the city, the hill got steeper and Amy closed her eyes tightly. She felt him turn the bike to the left, and actually slow down. They had pulled into an apartment complex. He parked into a numbered parking spot, and dismounted the bike. "Is this your apartment?" He nodded. She followed him up a flight of stairs, he punched in a code, and the door unlocked. At the end of the hallway was an elevator, he pressed the upper level, triggering the door to open. Silently, the pair entered, as he punched the number 4 in the number pad. It only took seconds before they arrived on the right floor, he exited and walked down another hallway. He took a left, and stopped infront of his door. Amy hesitated in the doorway. She never been to Shadow's apartment... this was the same apartment complex Rouge use to live in, she remembered. After Rouge and Knuckles got serious, she moved out leaving Shadow to himself. "Close the door. Echo will get out." Amy quickly shut the door as she stepped inside. 

"Echo?" Amy asked, looking around the apartment. Did he have a pet? Shadow inched his way towards the kitchen. Roaming through some cabinets, and his fridge. Before she got an answer from the dark hedgehog, she heard movement coming from another room, finally making contact with a dark Chao that made its way in the living room. Amy squealed, startling the Chao.  "Aww! I didn't know you had a Chao, Shadow!" She reached to pick the startled Chao up. 

"Don't pick him up- he bites.." The second he warned her, Amy yelped in pain, and Echo flew out of her arms. Shadow gave Echo a cold look.

She rubbed the top of her hand, wincing. Amy laughed nervously, "my bad. Chao's are so cute, and precious." 

"Not Echo." Shadow scoffed and placed a bowl of fruit before the Chao. Echo stared the stranger down, before stuffing its mouth with fruit.

She glanced at her hand, noticing that Echo did in fact draw some blood. "Uh, do you have a bandage?" Shadow blinked at her injury, and then searched through his cabinet for a bandage for the bite. He grabbed her right hand, and put some anti-bacterial cream on it before wrapping it up. 

Shadow left the room to answer the door, some of his mail left at the door. Half of which he tossed in the trash. "If you wish to leave, I'll take you home. I hadn't fed Echo before I left. My couch would suffer if I didn't return quickly."

"Do you mind if we stay a little longer?" Amy glanced around the house. Looking at the frames hung on the wall, admiring a picture hung above the couch that displayed a mountain view. "Where was this taken?"

"It came with the apartment." Shadow responded quickly, keeping an eye on his Chao that just watched Amy search the apartment. A little red question mark forming above its head. Amy should have known, when Rouge lived here she probably did a lot of the decorating as it was. 

"Can I get a tour?" His eyes furrowed in confusion. Amy could tell he wasn't thrilled about the idea. Shadow shrugged, and guided her down the hall. There was a small half bath, an office in the next room, and then at the end of the hallway was his bedroom. "Jeez, didn't even make your bed, Shadow." She playfully elbowed him. Shadow rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms, watching her search the room. She stopped at his bedside, seeing a picture of Maria Robotnik. "...Is this her?" His eyes softened slightly, and nodded. Amy smiled. "What was she like?" 

"Too pure for this world.." Shadow's response was hardly audible. His red eyes darted to the ground. 

"I wish I could have met her." Amy sighed, gave Shadow a sympathic look, then made her way toward the door leaving the room behind, and leaving Shadow for a moment to his thoughts. She heard him clear his throat, but nothing but silence followed. She paused when Echo stood at her feet, staring up at her. The Chao made a weird noise, and walked away, leaving them behind. "Hm. I wonder where it gets that attitude from." Amy grinned back at Shadow. He merely scoffed.

Hours later, Amy was still at Shadow's apartment. Not much was spoken between them. They were actually just enjoying some coffee sitting at the bar in his small kitchen. "I can't believe Mach is in school, already." Amy sat her cup down, and gave a sigh, her hand running through her messy bangs. "Sonic is missing it all." Amy gave a painful smile, "others always tell me that he's not missing it, he's still here. In my heart..." She took a quick sip of her coffee. "Sometimes I just wished they didn't say anything at all." Amy exhaled, "It's not the same, Shadow. I wished they would understand." She noticed he was staring at her, and quickly she glanced away. "It doesn't get rid of the fact that he is missing out on everything. One day... Lily will be getting married." Amy's eyes started to sting with tears, "Sonic won't be here to walk her down the isle." Amy wiped at her eyes, and gave another tired sigh. "I know it's far in the future, but as a mother I think about these things." Amy met his gaze, "poor Mach doesn't quite understand what happened to his dad. He's only six, Shadow." She continued on, "when the time comes Mach finally asks more questions about Sonic, I don't know how I'm gonna handle it." She sniffled, trying to hold back from more waterworks. 

"...You'll figure it out when the time comes." Shadow chimed in. 

 Amy jumped when Echo suddenly jumped on the countertop. Echo glanced at Shadow, which in return Shadow told it to get down. Echo trotted towards Amy, perhaps the Chao could sense how Amy was feeling. Amy watched it jump into her lap. "Uh... hi there?" The ball floating above its head still perfectly rounded, so it was hard to predict what Echo would do next. The very hand that he had bitten earlier, he licked over the place as if it was apologizing. Shadow look on with surprised. Echo cooed and then hopped off of her lap. "See? Chao's are precious." She smiled. Amy wiped at her eyes, and exhaled. "I'm sorry, you probably have a lot of things to do. I... guess I should get home." Amy finished off her cup of coffee, and made her way into the kitchen to rinse out the mug before placing it in the dishwasher. "I can walk home-" She noticed Shadow making his way to the door, grabbing a set of keys and a helmet that he placed on the coffee table. After leaving the apartment, they made their way to the parking lot. "For a nice apartment, there's not a lot of vehicles here." Amy noted. 

"Yeah.. it gets busier at night." Amy wanted to slap herself, she had forgotten this place had a club underneath the living quarters. 

"For someone that likes the quiet, this is a strange place to live." Shadow smirked at her in response

"That's why I mainly work at nighttime." Amy nodded, the two of them both mounted the bike. But, Amy had more questions. Shadow must have noticed because he hesitated turning the ignition on. 

"May I ask what you do?"

"I work with G.U.N." Shadow cleared his throat, "I also sometimes guard the club here."

"Interesting..." Amy fixed her helmet securely. "I don't know how I feel about G.U.N."

"That's what Sonic would say."

"I... I thought that's who attacked your home?" She motioned towards the sky. Perhaps she was prying too much into Shadow's life, so if he didn't respond, she would understand.

"That was years ago, Rose. That was under a different ... leadership."

"Is this leadership better? I know they've made some decisions that could've been played out better."

"Perhaps." Shadow revved the engine, "But, I'm not gonna defend them. I just work with them. I could care less about their personal morals."

"Sonic never did like them." Amy leaned against Shadow's back, holding tight as he picked up speed. 

"Well, I guess I wouldn't either after being chased with a semi." Shadow scoffed softly. Amy pinched at his ribs.

"Yeah, because they had thought he was you. "

"It's not my fault for that their poor eyesight."

----

Tuesday morning came fast, and the routine was about the same as yesterday. Get the kids ready, breakfast, saying goodbyes at the school. But, today Amy was returning to work after having Monday off to take time for her kids. Quite honestly, it wasn't a bad day nor was it a busy  one. Which was helpful so the staff could restock on different items. Amy was asked to finish decorating an order for a birthday party. She found after working at the cafe, she enjoyed decorating various sweet treats. It was a simple "happy sweet 16" decorated on the top layer of the cake. By 3pm it was ready to be sent out to the customer, which she was pleased with the handiwork, and tipped very well. By 4:30 Amy clocked out, said bye to all her coworkers, and slipped out of the door. She paused a few blocks ahead, looking for someone. She didn't catch a glimpse of him on the other side of the street. Perhaps he got the wrong idea, and decided not to take up on the offer and walk with her. She was clearly disappointed. Amy checked her phone, there was a few text messages from Tails stating that he took the kids out to dinner, and was gonna play video games with Mach after helping him with his homework. She went to reply to her text, only to drop her device after colliding into Shadow. "Ouch! Sorry!" He grunted in response, and reached down to pick up her phone. She met his gaze, " you came?"

He shrugged, "you said you could use the company." Amy started to smile until she noticed the cut along Shadow's cheek, and dried up blood at his head. 

"What happened?" She went to touch it, and Shadow was taken off guard. He gently moved her hand away. 

"Tch, just had an confrontation at the club last night. Nothing I couldn't handle. You going home?"

Amy frowned, "yes." She started walking ahead of the male hedgehog. It probably only took them 10 minutes to get to her house. "Come in. You need to clean that up."

Shadow stopped at the entryway, "It's fine." Amy pulled at his wrist, and pulled him inside. Making him sit at the stool in the kitchen.  He sat with his head resting in his hand in defeat, while she looked around in her kitchen. She grabbed a wet cloth, and inched closer to the dark hedgehog, cleaning off any of the dried up blood, causing Shadow to wince slightly. Amy frowned at the gash. 

"Who stitched that up?" She looked over the gash that was poorly fastened together to close the wound. 

Shadow eyed her cautiously, "I did." 

"Jeez." She started to gather some different supplies from the first aid. After being with Sonic, and the many injuries that he sustained, Amy was almost a pro now. Carefully, she undid the poor stitching job, and started working on that nasty gash.  Unlike Sonic, Shadow actually didn't squirm. Yes, it hurt like hell but he knew this was a battle that he couldn't win with her, so he just allowed her to work her magic and close up the wound. She ran a finger along the cut along his cheek, which wasn't as bad. In response, Shadow subconsciously stroked her knuckles while her hand rested there. When she felt his gentle touch, her hand felt hot all of a sudden. So did the rest of her. What the hell is this? She only ever felt this way with Sonic. Only could he make her heart flutter, and her stomach turn into mush.  Yet, for some reason Shadow's touch, and his presence was causing all of these weird sensations. The front door opened, and Lily walked in with her bookbag, she froze when she saw a mysterious male hedgehog with her mom in the kitchen. "Oh! Welcome home, baby girl." Amy's face burned in embarrassment, and Shadow quickly got up from his seat. Lily embraced her with an arm hug, looking over her shoulder towards Shadow. 

"Mom ...who is that?" Her voice strained slightly, struggling so hard to control her emotions right now.  Meanwhile, Shadow made for the exit. Mach was in a rush, so he didn't even acknowledge his mom, or even Shadow and rushed upstairs to relieve himself. 

"Shadow?" Tails stood before the door, with some of the kids' belongings. Lily looked from her uncle to her mother. Conflicted. She only heard her daddy speak about Shadow, and perhaps seen him in the distance, but never became aquatinted with him. She had so many questions. Why was he so close to her mom earlier?

Shadow acknowledged with a nod. "I was just leaving." He made a quick gaze towards Amy, her face beet red.  

The twin-tailed fox's ears twitched slightly, and then closed the door behind him. Glancing at Amy, for a possible answer to this weird encounter. Amy smiled in embarrassment, and took the items from her fox friend. "I was just about to fix supper, if you'd like to join us?" Tails nodded, he made his way to the window and peaked out the blinds. Amy started to hang up the kids' bookbags, cleaned out their lunchboxes. Amy watched her daughter retrieve a soda from the fridge,  "Lily if you wanna help me set the table..." Lily met her mom's gaze. She didn't say a word. She just took a sip of her soda, and made her way upstairs. It felt like her heart was stomped on.

"What was he doing here? Did he hurt-"

"No." Amy answered quickly, as she preheated the over as the recipe instructed. "He's been more helpful really..." She realized that Tails never heard about that incident, and that Amy had called Shadow. She kept that to herself. "He just making sure I made it home okay." Tails raised a brow, not completely convinced. He didn't notice the first-aid kit and other medical supplies out on the counter, instead, he made his way to the living room. "Could you put the enchilada's in for me? I'm gonna check on her." 

Tails smiled, "of course."

Amy tapped on her daughter's door, Lily was sitting at her desk drawing away at her sketchpad, when her mom entered, she dropped her pencil and met her worried gaze. "Hey sweetheart. " Amy kissed her on the forehead. "How was school today?" Lily brushed her bangs aside, and closed her sketchpad, and sit on the edge of the bed, her mother joining her shortly after. 

"It was good." She shrugged, and leaned against her mom. Amy was trying to get a read on her. "I think Mach made a new friend," Lily looked up at her. Amy smiled back, full of pride. "Yeah, I saw them playing on the playground together. But, mom I think Mach gets into trouble a lot." Lily laughed a little, "he was in timeout a lot this afternoon." Amy gave a sigh. She would definitely talk to him later.  The pair made small talk for a few moments, then heard the beeping from downstairs, indicating the over had preheated to the set temperature. Amy got up from her bed, and made for the door. "Mom?" The pink hedgehog stopped, her ear twitching in attention. "Is... he coming over more?" She assumed that Lily was referring to Shadow. She looked away, tears stinging in her eyes. "I don't want a new dad." Her face turned red with anger, and hurt, as she rubbed at her eyes. 

"Oh baby, no. It's not like that..." Seeing her cry made her heart ache, within seconds she was at her side again. She held her close, while Lily cried into her chest. "Shadow... has just been watching out for me, that's all. Just as friends." It felt like she was trying to remind herself of that. Friends. Nothing more. But, how does Shadow see them? "No one will ever replace your daddy, sweetheart." Lily sniffled, wiping away more tears trying to escape. 

"Okay.." Lily embraced her mother tighter, and made for the restroom to wash up before dinner. While alone, Amy sat on the edge of the bed, lost in her thoughts. Was there something growing between her and Shadow? Something deep down told her that perhaps she was wrong. She shook her head, pushing away these lingering thoughts and questions. Amy met Mach and Tails downstairs, supper was almost finished. As she was setting up the table, when Lily came down she seemed to be more upbeat now that they had their talk and she had a relaxing bath to ease her thoughts. As a family they all gathered together at the table to enjoy some cheesy chicken enchiladas. Around 830 both of the kids were struggling to stay awake, so they made their way back to their rooms. Her and Tails was catching up, she invited him to stay here since there was a storm stirring outside. "Did Mach get in trouble today?" Tails sighed, and nodded. 

"Yeah, his teacher said he doesn't stay still very long, and will talk back to her sometimes." Seems about right. "Otherwise, he's doing well. Don't worry, Ames. It's a new start for him." He patted her hand. Amy went to get a bowl of ice cream for the two of them. As she scooping some of the frozen treat into a bowl for herself, her phone dinged. 

Hey chick. You doing ok? You should come to the club tonight. We need a girls night. Shadow's gonna be there, but he won't intervene. Buuuut maybe you want him to? ..I heard you two have been talking a lot. What's up with that???

Amy dropped her bowl, startled. She quickly cleaned it up, and tapped away at her phone. It's nothing. We're just friends. Rouge, it's a school nite. 

She saw the dots on the bottom of her screen indicating that Rouge was already texting back. Amy returned to the couch where Tails was watching some sort of movie, that she never seen before. 

Don't worry, dear we'll get you home before bedtime. Just friends.. mhmmm.

Amy rolled her eyes, and went to text her once more. Another time, Rouge. G'night. Luckily for Amy, Rouge let it be and didn't text back the rest of the night. Amy turned her phone on silent, and enjoyed the company of Tails. They turned in around 11pm that night. 

-

Amy had finished another day at the cafe, and just as expected Shadow was waiting for her. He was reading something on his phone, leaning against the building before she walked out. "Amy." She was actually shocked that he called her by her first name, they inched closer. If he had anything to say after that, Amy quickly stopped him. 

"Hey... uh, I think I'm gonna go by myself today." He blinked, but she couldn't tell whether this bothered him or not. "I'll be fine. Thanks for looking after me." Shadow shrugged, and started to turn around. At least he wasn't pushing the issue. If she didn't want to walk with him. He respected it. She started to inch further and further away from me, but she still felt his gaze on her. In fact, when she looked over her shoulder, she saw him staring at her. She gave him a smile before he disappeared. Honestly, this made her feel terrible. But, she didn't want her daughter to get the wrong impression of the relationship between them.  It was a quiet, and lonely walk back home. For the rest of the week, it was like this. By Saturday, she almost texted him to walk with her. But, no. She took the journey home by herself. 

Rouge later asked about coming to the club tonight, and finally Amy agreed. Her kids more than excited to have a night with Uncle Tails. Around 7pm that evening, she approached the apartment. Her eyes locked on the familiar motorcycle. He was parked in the same location as last time, just like he had mentioned the other day, it got busier at night, and he was correct. There was a long line at the entrance. But, once someone saw Amy, they let her through. "Party of 3. Under the name Rouge?" She nodded, and they allowed her inside before the club filled up with more bodies. Rouge was at the bar, and waved her over. "Party of 3? Who else is here?" Rouge shrugged, "another friend of mine, but she cancelled on me. So, it's just the two of us." She winked, "what you want to drink? I'll take care of it." 

Amy glanced at the drink choices presented before her, "just a water." Rouge frowned. Amy didn't feel like getting a strong drink, a cold glass of water with lemon sounded good enough to her. Rouge ordered a glass of red wine for herself, and order a water with lemon for Amy. Slowly the club started to fill up with more people. Among the group, she made out Shadow. He didn't see her, thankfully. That would have been awkward. They made their way to a round table near the back of the room. 

"How are you doing, m'dear?"

Amy took a sip of her drink, and gave a faint smile. "I'm hanging in there."

Rouge patted her hand. Even though they've had their differences, the two have put aside the past, and shared a good friendship. "Shadow told me what happened the other day..." Amy's ears perked up slightly, shocked that Shadow mentioned it. "He said you were a mess."

"I can't believe he brought that up."

"He seemed worried, Amy." 

Amy sighed. She snacked on some chips that was brought to them earlier, and dipped them in some salsa. "I appreciate him being there for me. But, I'm doing better now. He doesn't have to babysit me."

Rouge raised a brow, "babysit? I don't think.."

"Lily thinks there's something going on between us. She saw him at the house." Amy admitted, lowering her voice. There was a noticeable blush on her cheeks. "Honestly, Rouge. I can't tell how I feel about him." Amy looked away, "I have never seen Shadow like this before, though."

"He's rough around the edges, dear. But, he's not a bad guy. You just have to get to know him."

"I guess you would know, you lived with him for years." Rouge winked back at her playfully.