#He's not wasting it on yelling or destroying the environment or anything

[what-bot]

These tags also pass peer review. Reminded of that time he was enthusiastically yeeting dudes to their deaths, including Kevin who narrowly hung on. He probably felt so bad about that

Tron: Uprising (S01E10) Scars Part 2                                    

[z-zonk]

***Rating: 18+

-Previous Chapter-

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***Warnings: Angst!, Hurt maybe Comfort, Mentions of mental health (reader is going through it), somewhat corrupt Hero society, implied tulmultuous relationship with family, Some violence involving the reader, (warnings may change/will be updated)

***Pairing: Pro Hero! Izuku Midoriya X Fem!Reader

***Summary:

The man continued to twist and contort. A desperate trembling hand reached out for you, as if you hadn’t been the cause of his pain. You continued to jot down notes. Ignoring his incoherent pleas for help.

From the corner of your eye you saw the woman run past you. You were sure she was making a break for it with the bag her partner was holding previously. You expected her to get out of the store, but not far from the area.

What you weren’t expecting was the sudden flash of green light. It was followed by a violent rush of air. The woman flew across the room, her body crashing into the decorative wall panelling. She fell to the floor along with some debris.

Well, that wasn’t part of the plan.

In the doorway, standing at an inconceivable height was the Symbol of Hope. Number one hero Deku.

‘This definitely didn’t look good’ you thought to yourself as you stood over the nearly incapacitated man.

This didn’t look good at all.

***Word Count: 2.6k

"Contracted"

Izuku and Shoto sat apart on Izuku’s cream sectional. They both took some time to look through their phones. The tv provided some soft background noise and light. The cool blues of the back lit screen was a subtle contrast to the warm glow that came from the table lamps on either ends of the couch. From the kitchen the occasional sound of pans shifting around could be heard over the tv.

Katsuki had banned both Shoto and Izuku from the kitchen entirely. Shoto more so. He had a habit of entering the room without saying anything. He stood there observing Katsuki’s progress with dinner and waited to be addressed to ask when dinner would be ready. But Katsuki never addressed Shoto, he glared at him. They quietly held eye contact till Katsuki yelled at him to “piss off”. This created a new rule in Izuku’s kitchen whenever he had his friends over as dinner guests. “If Kacchan is in the kitchen the room has the max capacity of one.” This rule also applied to Izuku himself. He once went into the kitchen for a drink of water while dinner was in the process of being made to be met with a quiet angry rant. Something about an “amazing kitchen” going to waste on his “pitiful culinary skills.” Now they just waited for Katsuki’s cue to eat.

Izuku knew Kacchan was making Fuyumi’s cold soba recipe. A little non verbal apology for the little incident that happened nights before. He knew if he brought up this little gesture dinner would just be cancelled entirely. The stillness of the environment was soothing. A moment of much needed mundane life for the three men. The weeks had grown bitter. Late hard nights in the office together that usually followed even harder encounters with their current threat. Katsuki seemed to be getting the worst of it as he favored going on relentless pursuits for this vigilante. Another destroyed gauntlet and bandaged arm. Another failed attempt to capture this person clad in black. Another night comparing notes with other agencies to piece together what they were dealing with.

The quiet was jarringly interrupted by the booming sound of Katsuki’s voice from the other room, “You’re the engineer, that’s your damn job!” Izuku and Shoto looked between each other and then to the case between the kitchen and the living room. “If you insist I do your job, what exactly are you good for?”

He walked into the living room, dish towel over his shoulder as he entered. He ended his call as suddenly as he arrived. He let out a frustrated groan then asked, “Ready to eat?” He didn’t wait for a response, he walked off expecting them to follow behind him and they did.

Carefully, Izuku asked, “Everything alright Kacchan?” He expected Katsuki to snap at him. With everything going on they all were slightly more irritable. Tempers were occasionally lost over seemingly insignificant incidents. But the bite never came. “The damn engineer they sent my gauntlet away to told me he would rather I come up with a more sturdy design if, ‘I planned to keep using them the way I use them’,” he explained. They all took a seat at the dining room table. Shoto didn’t wait to dig in longer than the second it took for him to thank Bakugo. “I’m not using my damn gauntlets in any new specific way. If he can't do the repairs he shoulda just said so,” he grumbled.

Izuku’s mind drifted to you. You could probably do the job. It would give him a great opportunity to see the way you’d make a support item. A reference point to see if what you made was distinguished. He had yet to tell the others about his suspicions regarding you. He felt they might jump to conclusions and strong arm the situation. He hadn’t even told them he was leaving sidekicks on patrols to meet up with you. The last thing he wanted was to completely disrupt your life. Plus he couldn’t imagine Kacchan would want you anywhere near his gauntlets. Unless he vouched for you maybe?

“I might know someone who could do it. If you’d like.”

.. ..

Shinso had prohibited you from entering your lab during The Commission’s operating hours. He told you he didn’t want to risk Deku dropping by and having to explain where you ran off to. He went as far as to temporarily confiscate your lower level key card. All of your proper co-workers, including Hatsume, weren't allowed to directly contact you. All urgent correspondence had to go through Shinso’s secretary first. No one explicitly stated this to you, but it seemed you were expected to just wait around for Deku to show up. Obviously you weren’t allowed to continue any of your actual work from the lab, but you weren’t provided with anything else to do either. You spent all eight hours of your work day working on this suit that you weren’t sure he’d even end up wearing. It was all for not.

To Hatsume

Come up to the lobby and let me into the lab.

Message from Hatsume

Okay.

You anxiously waited by the main elevator. You hoped Hitoshi had gone home at an appropriate time. It would be just your luck to have him catch you actively defying him. Usually you didn’t mind pushing his buttons, but you were trying your best to help fix the situation, not stress him out more. You just needed a few minutes in the lab, maybe even tinker with something small for a little bit, but mainly you had to talk to Hatsume to catch up on what you missed out on.

Minutes after sending out and receiving that text the elevator dinged and the doors opened. Hatsume had her nose in one of your cleaner notebooks. Her face was scrunched up as she read over your notes. You resisted the urge snatched up your book from her hands. Why did she even have that? You quickly boarded the elevator. Your eyes never left her as she read through your work.

“They’ve given me some of your assignments to complete, but I’m having a hard time making sense of some of your notes,” she told you, still not looking up. You wiped nervous palms over your dress pants. You were happy Hatsume didn’t really care to look at anyone when talking to them. She might just see the blanent panic plastered all over your face.

“The assignments they give you are very…” She paused as the doors opened on the bottom floor. Both of you stepped off and began walking towards your shared lab. “...different,” she finally finished. To you her tone wavered. It was so unlike her upbeat nature. You slowed your pace behind Hatsume. You wanted to put distance between you two. You knew what you were making alongside Hatsume was ‘different’, you were always asked to make the ‘more intense’ items. You quietly followed her.

It seemed stress and panic always plagued you in these hallways. You remembered the first time you arrived on the basement floor. The tightness in your chest was almost painful. The way the halls seemed to elongate themselves and spin though illusory felt like an attack on your senses. You held a small box of items from your eighth floor desk close to your chest. You followed the hypnotic click of Ms.Hajime’s heels as she led you deeper into the basement. Occasionally she would look back at you with a quick smile. A poor attempt to reassure you that you weren’t walking into something scary.

You were told very little about Project Alpha. The only thing you were informed of was you would be getting all of your item requests directly from The Commission. You were made to sign several NDAs days before you signed your employment contract. For many reasons your hand was shaky as the pen made contact with the signature line. One reason was that you were signing a five year contract with the HPSC. It was typical for most engineers to be under contract for three years. Long term five year contracts were specially reserved for people who had remarkable credentials, usually those who were older. You were a fresh eighteen, you didn’t even have an official signature you were confident in. Another reason was the amount of doubt that clouded your mind. You couldn’t fathom how you had done anything deserving of this kind of opportunity. You looked down at your quick, wobbly penmanship on the dashed line with a frown. How unprofessional. You were given little time to pack up your desk and meet Ms.Hajime at the elevator.

“I think you’ll fit in well down here.” Though she whispered it her words of encouragement were amplified by the echo throughout the barren halls. You wondered if this was what Tarturus was like. Then the click of your soon to be former boss's heels stopped abruptly. You had to stop suddenly too as to not walk into her. “Your lab partner is a bit eccentric, but when it comes to working styles I’m sure you’ll be able to keep up with one another.” As she said that last word the sound of what you assumed was an explosion came from behind a set of glass doors. It aggressively rattled the glass panels and shook the floor beneath your feet. If you were feeling it on any of the upper levels you’d assume a low magnitude earthquake had just happened.

A pink haired girl and a wispy billow of grey smoke slipped out from behind the door. Despite what had just happened she wore a chipper smile on her face. You looked at your boss who smiled back at the stranger. You expected her to scold her or something for some kind of misconduct, but it never came.

“Sorry about that! Ran into some minor setbacks.”

When she was sure that the smoke had cleared she pulled the doors open to show you your newest work space. It was…a disaster to say the least. Half the room was haphazardly covered in parts and tools. Parts of the floors and walls were singed or covered

in soot. If Ms.Hajime thought you two were comparable maybe you needed to change the way you worked.

Hatsume had changed over the years. Her side of the lab was still an organized disaster, but at least it was organized. The lab hadn’t changed much since you left. Aside from your notebooks which were splayed out on your workbench your side of the room remained untouched. She had even kept your notebooks in an organized lineup by date. Each book looked to be in various stages of decay the older they got.

“I just wanna ask a couple of questions about a couple of things,” she said finally looking up from your writings. There was a lump in your throat that you felt like you could just choke on. You weren’t sure you would be able to answer anything she had to ask. In your experience these moments never went well.

“Do you…” She paused. You couldn’t possibly look at her, you couldn’t in real time watch her become disappointed in you.

“Do you know how these items are being used?”

“No.”

Yes.

She nodded and muttered a quick ‘okay’ to herself.

“Why, why do you ask?”

“It’s just, these items could do some real damage. I don’t know. Something just seems strange to me.”

You knew every member of Project Alpha had varying degrees of knowledge about what was going on. You were once Hatsume. You knew the more someone knew the closer The Commission kept them, the more red tape they kept them bound in.

You couldn’t let it happen again. Not to Hatsume.

.. ..

You kicked off your shoes by the door, carelessly throwing your satchel down on top of them. You leaned up against your door. You drew in a deep breath and loudly exhaled. The sound echoed around in your darkened apartment. You dragged your hands down your face then threw your head back. You had never hated the quiet this much before. There was nothing to keep your stress filled thoughts at bay. You could feel the corners of your eyes sting and then brim with tears.

How could it have gone so wrong so quickly?

This wasn’t what you envisioned your life to be like. You wanted to do your part to uplift Hero Society, to keep people safe. Despite how some people thought of the quirkless you were determined to make yourself useful. You studied hard, kept yourself humbled, kept yourself quiet. You kept every and all ambitions tucked close to you, never sharing the fullest extent of yourself with anyone. You told yourself at the start you’d keep your goals close to your chest till they had come to fruition. Until you could without a doubt say you made a difference,till you could say you made a contribution. Keeping yourself tucked away from most meant no one could talk down on your dreams, they were safe with you for the time being. Now, it felt like the day you allowed yourself to be outwardly proud would never come.

Tears finally fell, tracing their way down your face. Your hand slipped into your jacket pocket. You pulled out your phone. Your shaky hands dialed the only person you could think to call. You pressed the phone to your ear with a gentle sniffle. The phone never rang on the other end, it went straight to voicemail. No surprise there.

“H-Hey Mom, it’s me (Y/N)...but you probably knew that…”

You shrugged off your jacket, leaving it to fall to the floor and walked deeper into the dark apartment. You shuffled over to the couch. It almost blended in seamlessly with the darkness if not for the large windows letting in the city light.

“I was just calling, because… because stuff has gotten tough and I know we don’t talk much, but I guess, I guess I missed you is all. I just-” The call ended. Defeated you dropped onto the couch cushions and allowed your phone to fall wherever. You no longer cared. You grabbed a decorative pillow and curled around. You silently allowed the tears to keep falling not bothering to wipe them away.

A happy twinkle rang out from under your sofa. You allowed your hand to fall off the edge. Your fingertips gently brushed over a sleek plastic circular body. It was Rue, a modified household appliance.The small vacuum continued to whizz around in circles letting out a happy chime. Rue was ecstatic that you came home. If it was able to scan your face it would’ve probably sung a sadder tune.

The little thing was altered by Hatsume one of the first times she came over after work. You left her alone for a couple of minutes and came back to your vacuum robot being dismantled. It was able to recognize the people it saw consistently and always chimed when those people approached. You considered Rue Hatsume’s first project with AI. She considered it a friend. You pulled your hand back and allowed Rue to keep zooming around the apartment.

You stared up at the inverted ceilings. Your eyes felt heavy as you looked into the darkness. You could’ve slept there if your phone hadn’t started to ring. A sickly sweet volatile voice told you it was her, that she had called you back, but you knew better.

You turned your head to the side to see your phone lit up beneath the coffee table. You weren’t gonna get it, you thought to yourself. It wasn’t worth it right now. You groaned, sat up and grabbed your phone. Without checking you slid your thumb over the screen to answer.

“What?” You asked, your stuffy nose audible in your abrasive tone.

“(Y/L/N), are you okay?”

You were stunned. You wiped away any leftover tears as if you could be seen and adjusted your posture on the couch.

“Midoriya, how did you get my number?”

[tinaotaku]

Hello!! Can I request HC’s for yandere! Muzan x reader

The reader have panic attack from loud noises or yelling

Thank you!! Hope you do a good in school!!

Note: Aww... thank you for your support! I never made any headcanons or had panic attacks before. Gotta go and search real quick. 

(Trigger warning!)

Ever since you were born, you hated loud noises. You just can’t handle that kind of noise that well. 

You always cried when your parents fought or when your siblings purposely yelled. You never had a nice and calm environment, considering your family is worse than any family you ever met. 

You are always a coward. You can’t go outside when people are celebrating holidays and always cried in your room. 

Your mother hated you more than anything. She is a lazy woman who can’t even take care of herself. In her eyes, you are not her child, but a useless human being. 

She always degrades you lower than dirt. She loves abusing you by hitting the walls repeatedly or shouting in your ears. Your siblings watched as you pathetically cried on the floor with red cheeks. 

As you grow older, the more useless you became. They agreed that you are a waste of space.

And that is the reason why they left you in a very haunted forest. You cried and cried as you beg for them to not leave you. 

They thought that they can leave you to rot in hell, but the almighty Muzan has to go and save you from this kind of torture. He simply can’t watch a beautiful human cried in the middle of the forest without any defense.

Instead of being scared and shy, you looked up to him and tried your best to help him in any situation.

You always hide your panic attacks. You don’t want Muzan to know this because you are afraid of him leaving you. You don’t want to go and experience all of that. 

All of the Upper Demons knew about your existence and decided to make you comfortable as possible. They are such nice demons if you knew them well, especially Akaza and Kokushibou. 

One faithful day, Akaza and Douma are fighting in the Fortress. Not only they destroyed half of the fortress, but they also made this loud noise that triggered your panic attack.

You are cooking in the kitchen and suddenly were ‘attack’ by such a huge force. 

Your breathing quickly shortened and your body was covered with sweat. 

Nakime realized this and quickly informed Kokushibou to get Muzan as quickly as possible. 

Once when Muzan came to the fortress, he was unsure what kind of ‘sickness’ you had, so he was blank for a minute. 

After a while, he decided to bring you to your room and confront you there.

He holds your hand and instructed you, “Breath in... breath out... It’s alright (Y/n), do not be scared. I’m here,” He pulled you into a very comforting hug and kissed your forehead. 

You quickly melt under his touch and decided to concentrate on your breathing. You can say that you recovered from that panic attack and know what to do if you have another one. 

“Dear, please do not hide any more things from me. I want you to be happy, okay? If you being an honest girl, I’ll bring you to the forest and have a little picnic. Would you like that?” 

For the rest of your life, you are treated like a porcelain doll. You were treated right and nicely by Muzan and the rest of the Demons. You knew being honest with Muzan is the right thing. 

[sideofmango]

Can you do HCs of Shinsou, Amajiki, Bakugo; teen!Aizawa with a South African s/o who has people saying some annoying comments to her just bc she's from Africa. Like someone says that they're sorry that she struggled with poverty (girl is from a super wealthy family that can buy their family), or say some gibberish with clicks and asks her to translate (s/o can speak five languages: English, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, and Japanese; understand others. Xhosa has clicks). They ask her if she had...

cont’d request: Pt.II - to hunt for her food (Umm, no. Cape Town has supermarkets and she knows what pizza and Japanese food is, guys). Someone just can't believe that South Africa has TV and internet, while s/o literally has a cell phone with all of the social media and has friends/family from South Africa. When class is over, someone asks why isn't she wearing "African" clothes (bc Africa is country, not a continent) when s/o is just wearing basic clothes. People be stupid.

“Don’t Be Stupid” - Headcannon for Shinsou, Tamaki, Bakugou, and teen!Aizawa

Hey! Thanks for requesting! Hope this is okay :)

Pairings: Shinsou, Tamaki, Bakugou, teen!Aizawa x reader Pronouns: she/her Warnings: ignorance, cursing

Hitoshi didn’t really give a flying fuck about what others thought, mainly because most of the time people didn’t even want to be around him because of his “villain quirk”

But just because he didn’t care what they thought about him, doesn’t mean he wouldn’t fuck somebody up if they messed with you

Shinsou is a quiet guy for the most part, but he was super perceptive

So when he heard that the little ballsack haired toddler from class 1-A was spreading rumors about you, he was angry

You had no problem explaining to people about your home country of South Africa, especially if they asked nicely

But one day when you were walking past Class 1-A when school had just ended, intent on meeting your boyfriend outside to go walk to the park together, you heard Mineta spewing shit about you and South Africa

“Yeah they’re a bunch of savages over there! They literally hunt for food with spears and everyone is poor and they use goats as money.” Mineta said

You stood by the door to see what they were going to say before you chimed in and told them what South Africa was actually like.

“Mineta that’s literally cap and you know it.” Kaminari chimed in with a roll of his eyes. 

He had been spending so much time around you and Shinsou that he started even using your slang unconsciously.

It made you smile a bit.

“Kaminari you’re dumb as rocks. How would you know?” Mineta defended himself.

“Anyways, apparently because they’re so poor they steal a lot too. Maybe that’s why my jacket went missing after I was around (y/n)...Like I said they’re a bunch of savages, she probably doesn’t know any better.” 

Now it was time for you to chime in. 

“Why the fuck would I want your ratty ass jacket anyway? I don’t steal and that’s not what South Africa is like. Denki knows because I told him about it. I’m not poor, I just don’t flaunt my wealth, and if you really want to know I could buy your entire family with my own net worth.” You remarked, crossing your arms over your chest with a huff.

Bakugou sat in the corner watching the whole exchange with a small smirk on his face...he enjoyed confrontation too much.

“Oh and we do have supermarkets where we buy our food from.” You add as an after thought. “If you wanted to know about South Africa, you should’ve just asked like a normal person instead of spewing shit. Have a nice day.” You left the classroom after that a smile growing on your face as you heard Kaminari and Kirishima scold Mineta for talking shit behind your back.

Yeah...that was the last time he did that because after Shinsou heard what happened he found Mineta the next day and threatened him so bad he peed his diaper.

Tamaki was a pretty reserved guy and when you two began dating it surprised mostly everyone because you two were so different

Honestly, Tamaki literally looked at you like a goddess and it annoyed him when people were just plain ignorant

Usually when he was annoyed he would rant to you about it or Mirio or Nejire, and then he would go sit in a corner blushing about how he feared he was oversharing

PLS HE’S SO CUTE

um...N E WAYS...

You had been a transfer into the class when they were second years after your father decided to expand his international company to Japan, meaning you had to leave your home in South Africa

You were upset at first but you quickly made friends with the Big Three and Leonardo Subarashi, who was also from South Africa. 

So it came as a surprise when one of your friends, Tsuki Vinsmoke started talking shit about your homeland even when two of her friends were from there

“They literally live in huts with dirt floors. Maybe that’s why they’re so dirty and poor.” Tsuki laughed with two of her bitch friends, standing right near you

You turned to look at her with a frown on your face, practically daring her to say something else.

“I don’t even know how those two got here. They don’t even have phone service over there.”

“Hey (y/n)?” She said a little louder, as you turned around again, placing your pencil down and momentarily ignoring your school work.

“What Tsuki?”

“Why don’t you wear African clothes? Like those weird scarves and cloths or whatever? Are you ashamed that you came from dirt poor people? I would be.” Tsuki wore a nasty smile on her face as her eyes seemed to sparkle with malice.

“There’s no such thing as African clothes Tsuki. People wear the same clothes here that they do in South Africa...why would I be ashamed of such a culturally rich homeland? I’m proud to be South African, and besides I’d suggest you do some research before you start talking to me about being poor, especially since I’m way richer than you.” You gave a fake sincere smile before glancing over at Tamaki and your friends who gave you a thumbs up as if to say Destroy her.

So you did...in the end you got sent to Principal Nezu’s office after you made her cry and she lied to your teacher saying you had threatened her life like a dirty savage

Tamaki had to hold you back with some help from Mirio before you decked her

Nezu didn’t really care and gave you a donut from the order that had been in his office before sending you back to class

Needless to say, Tsuki got suspended for being racist and perpetuating a hateful environment in the classroom and nobody else messed with you, not even her little friends who sucked up to you after Tsuki went on suspension.

Why would anyone even bother saying stupid shit about you when you were just as hot headed as your explosive boyfriend? I don’t know, but they did

Of course everyone from class 1-A was smart enough not to start anything, but it seems Monoma wasn’t as smart

The annoying overly entitled blonde from class 1-B, had started out by asking you simple questions about your homeland, things like:

“What’s it like there?”, “Is it always sunny?”, “Have you seen a rhino or lion before?”

Then they started getting kind of ignorant and annoying.

“Hey (y/n)? Can you speak African?”

“No Monoma because Africa is a continent made up of many countries, each with their own languages.” You explained, wasn’t he supposed to be smart? “What are you doing Monoma?” You asked, with a raised eyebrow as he started to make strange noises at you.

“Shit for Brains, leave us the fuck alone.” Bakugou grumbled from beside you after he finished chewing his food. 

“It’s you language right? Can you understand what I said?”

“No dumbfuck. You sounded like a dolphin.” You remarked as a few of your friends laughed lightly. 

“I’m surprised you understand...I heard your people aren’t very smart...you know products of their environment, it’s unfortunate really. I’m sorry that you lived in such poverty, but you should consider yourself lucky, now you get to live in dorms and sleep in a real bed and not on a dirt floor.” Monoma went on and on and you were growing increasingly annoyed as you friends sat there in shocked silence.

“You know what Monoma?” You said with a fake smile as you spun around. “I’ve never met anyone as ignorant and stupid as you. I’m not poor and I never was, I slept in a real bed with an actually comfortable mattress unlike the ones here, and I much smarter than you ever will be I speak five fucking languages and I can understand more than that in others. Would you like me to tell you to fuck off in another language since you can’t seem to understand Japanese?” You asked as you raised your eyebrows with your arms crossed over your chest, as if waiting for his answer. 

He stayed silent. 

“That’s what I thought. Maybe you are smart after all?” You added teasingly, watching him be dragged back to his table by Kendo.

Shota Aizawa never really had many friends, usually more laidback than others were comfortable with, but the ones he did have were the complete opposites of him

Hizashi and Shirakumo were loud pranksters, while you and Midnight were talkative and enjoyed messing with him.

Most of the time he ignored the pigheaded bully that was Sensoji, because he usually only picked on Shota, but when Sensoji realized that you were Aizawa’s real weakness, he started to hound you.

And Shota was NOT having that

It all came to a head after he battled against Shota during a training session.

“Your useless just like your quirk Aizawa.” Sensoji sneered at your boyfriend, glaring down at him. 

“Your nothing but a waste of space.” Sensoji added seeing the way that his insults didn’t really phase Shota.

“Hey leave him alone! What is wrong with you!” You intervened pushing the broad shouldered boy away from Shota.

“What are you that weak that you need your little safari ass backwoods girlfriend to save your ass?” Sensoji laughed along with one of his equally stupid Class 1-B classmates.

“Don’t fucking talk about her!” Shota yelled back, his eyes glowing as if it was a warning.

“Or what? It’s not like she’ll understand? People like her back in her country of Africa are stupid as fuck. They build their homes out of oversized tin cans and they don’t even have phones.” 

“Sensoji you’re the stupid one! Africa is... A CONTINENT NOT A COUNTRY!” Hizashi jumped in, activating his quirk halfway through his sentence.

“And they don’t live in tin cans.” Midnight added.

“I live in a nice home, one that’s probably bigger than yours. Just admit that you’re jealous of Shota and me and move on!” You pressed your finger into his chest on each word, glaring at him as if to say say something else and see what happens.

“Grow up!” Shota and Shirakumo added before Sensoji rushed away when he saw the teachers coming over to see what you all were arguing about.

“Yeah that’s what I thought! Run away like a little bitch!” You added with a growing smile.

“Language (y/n)!” Your teacher scolded, but even that couldn’t bring down your smile as you, your boyfriend, and your friends laughed about the incident.

You all still even joked about it years later.

TAGS:

[ask-an-aussie]

Aussie Wildlife FAQ

So here's questions I'm frequently asked as both a wildlife rescuer and carer and keeper at a wildlife sanctuary. Heads up, this is a long post, I've made the questions stick out so you can easily skip through. I've tried to make it as easy to read as possible, and to find what you're after, whilst also providing lots of info.

Poison Vs Venom, what's the difference?

Well, mostly, poison just never stops killing. Like if you poison an insect, then a bird or small mammal eats that insect and they slowly get poisoned by all the poisoned insects they eat, then something eats them, like an owl, and that gets poisoned, then as it rots the poison goes into the environment, etc. Poison never dies. Venom has to be injected, so yes you can be envenomated by a dead animal, if you are stupid. Poison can be inhaled, eaten/drunk or even through touch. So if a cow is poisoned you have to dispose of the body safely, if a cow is bitten by a venomous snake, technically you can still have steak for dinner.

Are all Australian animals out to kill you?

Maybe.

They could want to kill us, I mean as a species we aren't that great. Their ability to kill us however is limited. So are all Aussie animals able to kill you? No. So we have lots of cute small mammals, like antechinus, dunnarts, pygmy possums and the like, that can bite and scratch but are very tiny bois. We even have lots of non-venomous snakes, pythons and blind snakes. Most lizards outside of Goannas can't cause too much damage. Echidna's are completely defensive, have no attack whatsoever. Lots of birds have no interest in you, unless you get near their nest. Freshwater Turtles, Little Penguins and Tawny Frogmouths all main defense is shitting really stinky shit at you. Even our venomous snakes, as long as you seek medical attention you should be fine. Considering we have the top 10 most venomous snakes in the world but average only 1 death a year that's pretty good.

But you still have lots of dangerous animals right?

Yes.

Maybe I should elaborate. Any animal is dangerous, including you, if given the right circumstances. I'm a lovely person but hurt my dog and you better run. Most animals don't want a bar of you. However, if you are a threat to them, or their babies, they will defend themselves. A lot of animals get tagged with the word 'aggressive' which I don't like, aggression is a human emotion that I've never seen in wild animals, or even pets and things. Mostly it's defensive behaviours that people read wrong. For example, the most venomous snake in the world is the Inland Taipan (found in Aust.), however the most dangerous snake in Australia is the Eastern Brown snake, less venomous but also less shy and lives in suburbia. Still, it only ever strikes at people when it feels cornered and needs to get you to back the hell off. And lets be real here, what else can they do? They can't yell and scream, they can't punch or kick. Legit their only option is to bite, and even then mostly it's a closed mouth strike to freak you out into stepping back, and most people bitten by snakes are given a 'dry bite' where no venom is injected, as they want to use it on their food not waste it on us. And 90% of snake bites that happen in Australia are people either trying to catch or kill a snake.

It's fairly simple. Don't threaten animals, don't give them a reason to be dangerous and you are fine. Crocodiles in the water? Don't swim there. Sharks around? Avoid swimming at twilight. Snake? Leave it alone. Nest with baby birds? walk away. You don't randomly show up in some strangers home and expect them not to react, so why do we expect different from animals?

What animals are on the most 'dangerous list' then? Which animals should I really avoid pissing off?

Start with the obvious. Crocodiles, venomous snakes, sharks, some jellyfish, venomous spiders, stone fish, blue ringed octopus, birds of prey (our Wedge Tailed Eagle WILL attack drones, hang-gliders and helicopters if they come into their territory) Then you've got the less obvious. Ants - like meat ants, they will swarm over you then all bite down at once. 1 bite isn't so bad, a whole colony biting you, deadly. Then there's other ants in the Myrmecia family (bull ants and the like) that are just HUGE, and have massive mandables for biting and also can sting you, and are one of the most toxic insects in the world.

Wombats - Can run at 40km/hr, skull so hard it's the only thing a Tassie Devil can't eat, able to bite your calf muscle clean off your leg, oh and they have killer booty. A hard cartilage plate in their lower back that they use to block their burrows, and if threatened can lay down and as the animal tries to get past jam their legs straight and crush the skull of a fox against the roof of their burrow, easily break a dingoes jaw or even destroy your hand.

Kangaroos - yes they box, hahaha wouldn't it be funny to box with a kangaroo. NO. Kangroos box for fun but also to defend themselves and their mob. The Alpha male is the big buff one that looks like he's on steroids. He looks like that for a reason, to defend and protect his mob. DO NOT MESS WITH ANY KANGAROOs, but really don't mess with Big Daddy (for being the alpha he gets all the ladies) Kangaroos are made for this. A punch from a Kangaroo can easily break you ribs. They can lean back on their tail and bring both legs up to kick you, easily tearing you open, which they can do with the claws on their toes, and so basically dissecting you from sternum down. Oh and if they gran you round the neck for a 'Cuddle' DUCK AND RUN. They will hold you in a kind of choke hold and then bring their legs up to kick you and basically snap you in half. Don't even mess with Wallabies man, they may be smaller but can still do damage.

Tassie Devils - are extremely shy and slower than you, like you can actually run away from them. BUT. They have the strongest bite strength compared to size of any animal. The have a PSI of 1200 and males weigh around 8 kg. For perspective, Hyenas have a PSI of 1100 and males weigh around 50kg

Brushtail Possums - They may be cuter than the American Opossums but trust me, they don't want you around. They are solitary so most people have heard them fighting of a night, screeching, shrieking, hissing, growling and making darth vadar noises. Heads up from someone who has had to rescue them from awkward places (fire-places, BBQs, closets) They are stronger than you and they will f*** you up. Even without them meaning to I've gotten injuries from my joey Brushies, they get so keen on their milk when you put it in that they climb your arm and their claws are sharper than cats. Also the sheer strength of them. I'm stronger than I look but if they are clinging on to a tree you are gonna need all your strength to get them off. The can also bite your finger clean off. And I've seen injuries from people who feed wild ones and for some reason have been late to put out the food or something and they've climbed their leg or even jumped on them - stitches were required in a few of those cases (human skin is not thick like tree bark)

What's with Magpies and swooping?

Simple, they have nests/babies and are protecting them. Australia Magpies are very smart and can recognise faces. If they think you are a threat they will try and scare you off. Just like if you're walking along with your toddler and there's a weirdo doing something strange you hold the kid tighter and closer to you and move through faster. But these guys can't just move their nests or their babies. The spot is chosen based on food availability and shelter from sun and rain, but also not being too cold. It's their spot. I've never been swooped by Magpies, other birds yes, but not Magpies. My local birds know me as the lady that cleans and fills the bird bath. Legit the Magpies sing a specific song when it needs filling to call me out to do it. So don't be a threat. If they are swooping in that area, try to avoid it or go through quickly. We used to have Plovers at my school, in the bush at the end of the oval. Never a problem. One day some kids go into the bush and stomp on their nest and eggs. After that they would swoop anyone who came close to there. So the school blocked off that end of the oval. Fair call. Wasn't the birds fault.

Why is everything named so basic?

Oh you mean the snake that's black with a red belly being balled a Red Belly Black Snake, and the tree with all the doodles on it being called a Scribbly Gum? 80% of plants and animals found in Australia are found NO WHERE ELSE. So the early Europeans had a lot of things to name and when they tried naming it themselves they would get it wrong. 2 good examples are: The Death Adder (only considered highly venomous, not deadly, and not an Adder). Also you're only likely to get bitten if you stand on it or try to pick it up. The Australian Magpie, they saw a black and white bird so it must be a magpie. Nope. Actually not in the corvidae family but in the butcherbird family - Artamidae. So their solution was to either take the Aboriginal word, for example, Quoll, Kookaburra, Koala, Quokka, Taipan. Or name it after what it looks like/sounds like/ is found Boobook Owl - makes a sound like booooo-book Squirrel Glider Eastern Water Dragon Grey Headed Flying Fox Flaky Bark Tea Tree Old man Banksia This can cause confusion though as not every brown coloured snake is a brown snake, and not all Eastern brown snakes are brown. Squirrel Gliders aren't related to squirrels. Flying foxes are bats not actual foxes that fly.

What do I do if I find injured wildlife?

Well, depends on the wildlife and where it is. If it's in a dangerous position, like the middle of a highway, don't try anything. First thing, call a wildlife rescue group, there are plenty around and they have trained people who know what to do. A quick google search should show you all you need to know, also the IFAW's Wildlife Rescue App will identify the closest group to you.

If it's a snake, adult wombat or kangaroo, or any other animal that can cause you serious injury, leave it be. The wildlife rescuers you call can give you basic info on how to help but mostly calling them is the main thing.

If it's something smaller, like a young animal or glider or baby bird and you are able to put it into a cardboard box that will be perfect. The 3 main things injured/ill wildlife need are warmth, dark and quiet. You don't need to worry about food or water. The rescuers will organise that. If you give food or water to an animal in shock you can cause more damage.

THE BEST THING IS TO DO NOTHING. I know this sounds stupid. But so many problems can occur from people who don't know what they are doing helping out. You know what they say about good intentions. For example, picking up a Koala like you would pick up a human child (under the armpits, around the chest) you could actually break their ribs. Also so many Koalas end up needing vet care during heat waves because people pour water into their mouths - they can get pneumonia as the water goes in too fast, it is not a natural way for them to drink. You can also get yourself injured or make the animals injuries worse. I have seen Kangaroos with broken legs get up and try to hop away from people. I have seen severe scratches on other people because they tried to pick up an animal.

What diseases can wildlife give me?

Well. I only know about Australian wildlife, and it's very different to other parts of the world. If you get a bad bite or scratch from wildlife you should see your doctor ASAP, get the wound cleaned properly and make sure your tetanus is up to date (same as if a pet gives you a bad bite or scratch).

There aren't that many Zoonosis that are around in Australia that are easy to catch. Mostly you have to be dealing directly with sick wildlife to get them.

The main thing is Australian Bat Lyssavirus. ABL for short. Now our bats can carry it. About 1 in 1000 bats may have it and you HAVE to be bitten or scratched for it to be transmitted to you. If you are bitten or scratched by a bat your chance is 0.1% of getting ABL but it is related to Rabies, so head straight to hospital for treatment. If you don't touch a bat you won't get bitten or scratched and so your chance of getting it is 0. Hendra is the other virus our bats carry, however it has to go through a horse before it mutates enough for humans to get it.

Basically it's only when you get involved with wildlife that your risk of getting a disease from them is higher than VERY unlikely. If you happen to help some wildlife, and you maybe wrap them in a towel or jumper, even if they urinate on it. You can just chuck it in the wash (I usually add a little extra disinfectant) and it will be fine. Treat it the same as if a pet had used it or urinated on it.

What's some Good Wildlife Apps to have?

Well, there's so many out there now hey? Here's some that I've found handy or know people that use. WomSAT EchidnaCSI PlatypusSPOT are all for recording sightings of these animals (wombats/echidnas/platypus) this helps researches track where they are and how they are going which means we can help them more as well. OzAtlas - record a sighting of anything Australian, animal, plant, fungus, insect. FrogID - need to identify a frog? This is the app for you. Use photos or sound recordings, Field Guide to *insert state/territory* Fauna - Have a field guide on you wherever you are without having to carry a book. Seek by inaturalist - Helps you identify any animals, plants, insect, fungus. IFAW Wildlife Rescue - wildlife rescue app (currently for NSW only but soon expanding) will give you advice on what to do and put you into contact with the local wildlife rescue groups.

Besides Cats and Foxes, what other invasive species have you got that cause problems?

First up, any invasive species causes a problem. In Tasmania they have issues with Sugar Gliders, because they are not naturally found there and use up tree hollows that other animals need. Invasive species cause competition for food, water and shelter. They can also bring in diseases that didn't exist in Australia before and that our natives have no defence against (like cats and Toxoplasmosis) Here's a quick list of invasive animal species in Australia. Cats, dogs, foxes, pigs, water buffalo, ferrets rabbits, horses/brumbies, goats, camels, Cane Toad, European Honey Bee, Common Myna bird, deer, donkey, common starling, common pigeon, black rat, brown rat.

There's more, there's reptiles, and weeds and fish but those guys ^ are the main ones that cause problems.

I am an animal lover but unless we get rid of these animals you loose more in the long run. I'm 100% against use of poisons, I prefer having people hunt them to be honest. If you know what you are doing and have the right equipment you can give them a quick, painless death. To give you an idea how bad invasives are:

The introduction of the rabbit is the main cause the Lesser Bilby became extinct.

The introduction of cats and toxoplasmosis is believed to be the main reason Eastern Quolls became extinct on mainland Australia

Rats led directly to the extinction of 5 of Lord Howe Island's bird species

30% of our land snakes and Goannas are at risk as Cane Toads are rapidly spreading and eat their eggs.

The Common Myna Bird is the 2nd greatest threat to Australian native birds (habitat loss being the 1st)

The fox population has been estimated at 72 million and consume around 190 million birds a year

There's an estimated 23 million wild pigs/boars and an estimated 2.6 million goats - all eating whatever they come across.

How can I help Australian Wildlife?

There's the stuff we already know, like reduce/reuse/recycle and don't litter. But there's other things you may not know about.

Turn off lights at night - any lights that you don't need, don't have them on, especially if they are outside. Lots of animals require insects in their diets, particularly moths, which can be distracted by lights. Zoos Victoria have launched educational stuff for this https://youtu.be/ZAcL4FKPtHw

Learn about them - It's not hard, there's multiple ways you can do it. There's books, tv shows, pod casts, you can follow sanctuaries and other people who work with wildlife on social media. Planting flora that's native to your area is great as different plants can attract different animals and it's much lower maintenance, being made for that environment. You can even find cool life-hacks like Lemon Scented Tea-Tree doesn't just smell amazing and feed lots of wildlife, it keeps the mozzies away! There's different kinds of nesting boxes out there specific to different species that you can put up to help 'foster' that species. You can even become friends with your local Magpies! Mine know me as the lady who cleans and fills the bird bath and all I had to do was whistle to them when I was done and now they are really chill around me and I get to watch their antics. Debunk Myths! - In learning about wildlife you can debunk lots of myths like: a mother bird won't take it's chick back if you've touched it (fake news!) or that snakes dislocate their jaw to swallow their prey (that would be soooo painful!)

Put out water - have a bird bath and keep it clean and full. Or if you don't have one or want to get one just put water out on hot days. Summer's getting hotter and hotter and our animals really suffer. So put out a nice pot or container of water. Don't forget to put a rock or a stick in it if it's a slippery surface (like plastic or metal) so that little animals and bugs don't fall in and drown, and keep it out of the sun if it's likely to heat up.

Check roadkill - it's not pleasant but needs to be done. Don't do it if it's a motorway or somewhere dangerous, but if you can PLEASE do. Roadkill sometimes looks dead but isn't and you don't want them laying there suffering. They may have pouch young if they are a marsupial or young nearby that will need care without their parent. And where possible get it off the road. Species like Tasmanian Devils, Goannas and Wedge Tailed Eagles feed on roadkill and can then end up as roadkill themselves. Even if you have to drag it, it's dead and not gonna feel any more pain. 100% of people I have attended a rescue for who have called because they stopped and found a joey or young in a pouch or hiding nearby have not regretted their decision at all. Even if they were late for work, they saved a life and it was worth it.

Avoid using poisons - insecticides, pesticides, snail bait and straight up rat poison. Like mentioned in POISON VS VENOM, it just keeps killing. There are so many other options out there and they aren't hard to find. There's stuff on the internet but also at Bunnings I've found more environmentally sound options that use Tea Tree oils and Eucalyptus instead and work just as well.

Don't feed them! - Most Aussie animals are gluten and lactose intolerant. BREAD IS REALLY BAD! and if not eaten it gets mouldy and causes disease. Putting out bird seed is the number 1 problem when we talk 'feeding wildlife'. WHY?

The 'wild birdseed' that you buy in shops isn't actually for wild birds. JUST LOOK AT IT, you don't see those seeds growing out in the wild. The main seed wild birds eat are Bottle-brush, She-oaks, Banksias, Wattle and Eucalypts. None of those are found in these bags of seed.

Even for seed eaters that seed you buy is too fatty and unbalanced

For those that don't usually eat seed, like Lorikeets, eating the seed destroys the specialised bristles on their tongues that they need to eat their natural food - nectar and pollen.

If you don't keep it clean you will spread diseases, especially psittacosis (beak and feather) for which there is no cure just a slow, drawn out death. You can also catch it and end up in hospital.

You cause an imbalance. Animals breed based on food availability, if you make food available they will breed but there might not be enough space or trees available and you create more competition and also they end up relying on you and if you go on holiday or anything they can die without that food.

You can cause health issues in other animals. Possums love bird seed but it makes them fat, making it harder for them to escape predators.

You will be feeding non-natives. For example, the Common Myna bird cannot survive on wild plants, but if there is a food source around they can. Got rid of Common Mynas in my neighbourhood by convincing my neighbours to stop putting out bird seed.

RATS LOVE BIRD SEED. Specially feral rats. Mice also love bird seed.

You make a predator hot-spot. It won't take long for predators to realised animals they prey on visit your feeding station and they will come. The most common predator I find around bird seed? Snakes. Snakes love rats and mice, rats and mice love bird seed. You do the maths.

If you want to feed them just do some research and plant trees that are food for them.

How many species are endangered?

Sadly, it's almost quicker to list what's NOT endangered in Australia.

That's hard to say as there is different ways they can be endangered. In one area they may be common, but in another they could be disappearing. You can have Endangered lists at different levels; local, state, national and international.

But the most used list is the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species. AKA the IUNC Red List

Here's a bit of a breakdown: EXTINCT 26 mammals 7 birds 4 amphibians CRITICALLY ENDANGERED 7 mammals 8 birds 15 amphibians 13 reptiles ENDANGERED 18 mammals 29 birds 18 amphibians 21 Reptiles VULNERABLE 51 mammals 40 birds 23 amphibians 35 reptiles NEAR THREATENED 43 mammals 37 birds 9 amphibians 21 reptiles

Then there's the "data deficient" category where they really just don't have the info. 10 mammals 11 amphibians 42 reptiles

I will continue to update this post as I think of other things. Feel free to send me any questions you have

[btswishes]

Love me for who I am now

Bucky x Reader ( Chapter 3)

Previous / Next (4)

Summary: You apply for the Stark internship and end up getting it, so now you have 5 months to make a good impression to continue working with the Avengers.

A/N: Ok Chapter 3 here we go, things are moving 10 000+ words later XD. Sorry for any mistakes made, hope you enjoy it even a tiny bit.

Word count:  3,997

Warmings: fights, harsh language, not part of the original MCU

Y/N- Your name

Y/L/N- Your Last Name

Tag list: @vicmc624​

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

   Two men dressed in dark fancy suits helped Captain America sit on the bench next to Dr. Banner, while one more presumably, also an agent rolled in 2 stretchers. From the voices you could distinguish Natasha Romanoff and Sergeant James Barnes. Not too far, with a confidant step followed Tony Stark keeping the splint around his left hand, covered slightly by the expensive material of his jacket - throw casually over his shoulders. Poor Pepper having her husband come home almost dead all the time- must be just awful.

“What happened?” Bruce barked out intensely checking Natasha in a hastily manner, making sure there wasn’t anything too major

 “HYDRA fed us the wrong information, long story short caught the link in time and no one died.” Tony explained, pulling a squished protein bar from the inside of his pant pocket

“I almost saw the light for a second time Tony.” Captain hissed when you began disinfecting his wounds, reacting to the cold cooling yet irritating feeling of the clear liquid on the cotton ball.

“I am sure that was the explosion.” Natasha snickered at the blond man. ”Next time don’t look at it, ok?” One after the other injured agents flooded the lab making motion difficult. Most of the equipment was on the other end of the packed room. Talking and a mix of incoherent sounds filled your head, causing you to go into overdrive. You had no idea how people could work in such an environment. Hospital work was part of your curriculum, as weird as it sounded, since you were dabbling in human body functions. Even there you never had so many people on your head, there was order- obviously lacking here.

  Some were very badly injured, near-death was a correct way to say it, but for sure not 90%. Looking around you couldn’t find a shorter way towards the bandages and irrigation solution. Tables and people were placed like chess pieces in a game you were losing because of panic. Tony kept his eyes on you, biting down on the crumpling snack, waiting to see what you would do. It could have been all a test for what you knew, yet it flew over your head.

“Dr. Banner.” You yelled out patching up the Cap and moving onto one of the stretchers “Can you pass me the small bag behind you please?” he nodded and did it all without even taking a look away from Natasha’s wounds. Professional or just slightly overconfident?

  Rising your right hand you caught the bag making its way towards you. The flap flung open and you pulled out the 4 bottles of vibranium dust onto the table, right next to you. A hair tie emerged from the same place shortly after. Bucky looked up at the changing expression on your face, interested in silence maybe also in a bit of pain. Your fingers raked up your scalp, gathering as much hair as possible to imprison with the elastic. Tony ever so silent but focused, a good judge of character.

  The lids of the bottles rolled onto the desk, discarded without a thought. Your hands cupped all of them and spilling piles of metallic dust on the floor. Stark rose an eyebrow and stopped chewing for a second. Taking a deep breath the oxygen gathered all your thoughts into an anxiety suppressing pill, shooting in waves through your bloodstream. You didn’t waste any time, your eyelids swung up letting your lashes almost hit your brows. Both your elbows bent in, positioning themselves next to your waist line snugly. You could feel your back muscles clench and tighten before extending. They shot your arms to the sides, dust cloud forming two plates pushing agents to the side. 

“SILANCE!” the room granted your wish, even the atoms could be heard moving with the shock engulfing the field “This is a lab NOT a playground! If you are able to cause such ruckus you aren’t hurt enough to be here. If any of you insist on doing this, I will give you a reason to scream. If you are patched up leave! Got a paper cut or bruise- leave! Unless you crawl to me, I don’t want to see you.” hunched over your body didn’t move from its metal bending pose, arms spread like a bird in flight, eyes looking forward “Now, out.” the words vibrated fearless in your throat

  It wasn’t surprising that almost all people in black suits left in a rush, accept some that were actually getting treated from the mission. Sergeant Barnes was still laying on the stretcher waiting for his turn, taken back from the scene that unraveled above him. Almost in a Dr. Strange hand motion you pulled the vibranium back.

  The silence continued making your confidence evaporate and let the anxiety condensate back into you. Eyes roaming around the room till a loud and audible clap pulled the strings of your head towards it. Tony was doing his best not to mess his arm up more, but to him this deserved praise.

“Well done Miss inter, I am pleasantly surprised with your actions…” his footsteps creeped up, letting his body lean onto Bucky’s current bed, ignoring the man’s grunt of discomfort “…and that.” his finger made circles pointing at your arms covered with the metallic dust shaped slightly like a gauntlet

“It’s amazing isn’t it?” Banner, back still facing the rest of the room, scoffed proud like a father witnessing his child’s grades 

“You know about it?” Tony crushed up the plastic of the protein bar, tossing it in the trash in the corner of the room

“Yeah.” The doctor was finishing up with Natasha “We were actually talking about that with her before you rushed in. I was lucky enough to get a special demonstration as well.”

“So what is it Miss intern ?” his head tilted, showing a new angle of his goatee

  It didn’t take you long to notice that the sergeant couldn’t get up because he was shot pretty badly. Your desk had turned into a makeshift surgical table with all kinds of things on it - soon to be used. One of the gauntlets flew off your soft skin and pulled up the soldier like he was made of feathers. The wound seemed to be closing up fast, the super serum did give him abnormal healing. This was proof that not everything is a good thing. The bullet was still lodged inside his body, which wasn’t the optimal place for foreign matter.

“It’s vibranium dust. I am sure Mr. Stark knows about it. It was in my application papers.” You began disinfecting the area, applying a small dose of lidocaine onto the open cut, just to numb it as much as possible. Somehow you didn’t want this man to feel any more pain that he already had endured, past or present moment.

“You did, about it being inside the body not throwing it like the pissed off Sand man.” The ever so playful with words Tony ladies and gentlemen 

“I might have skipped one or two parts, but they were something I was experimenting with on the side and not on the subject I was offering.” The vibranium took the elegant shape of a sharp scalpel. With a light hand, the pressure made the blade disappear into Bucky’s skin, making a big enough incision. Tweezers fit inside snugly, pulling out the bullet that looked almost destroyed in his body. “ This batch is under my willful control.”

“Transmitter?” Tony’s eyes went over your whole body trying to find something, still consciously making a mental mark, on the little knife you manifested from basically a pile of metal “Doesn’t look like they are voice triggered .”

“The only transmitter is my brain waves.” Placing your fingers over a cup of rubbing alcohol, you dropped in the tweezers and the scalpel, now turned into the same shiny mass as it was originally in its own jar “ Quantum engineered with quarks made from my own tissues.”

“Ssss.” The hissing sound that came out from in-between Tony’s teeth as he took a sharp breath in, send chills down his own back “Masochist aren’t you. Hey, we don’t kink shame here sweetie, don’t worry.” A playful wink flew towards you “Y/N right?” your head nodded, hands putting things in their original place, trying to give the room back its original look “Nice nice. Welcome to the team, glad to have you. Seems like you chose Banner to start off your training. I am deeply offended .” a big hand grabbed onto the fabric over his heart, in the most theatrical way possible “Most people go for the playboy billionaire. I guess not everyone has good taste, don’t worry I will fix it.” 

“Excuse me?” training? Well that definitely was NOT in the list of activities for you internship “Ugh…”

“Sweet cheeks, you didn’t thought I would give access to Avengers information just like that to an intern?” he scoffed at exactly what you were thinking. The rest of the members were observing the situation from the sidelines. It wasn’t yet their time to jump in.

“Look.” His thigh went over the desk, sitting half way onto it, head crooked at you. Tony was focused on the ever so slightly changing lines of your face. He wasn’t the only one holding a breath in in expectation “I went over you application, I was taken back by your idea. It was so outside the box I am kinda jelly I didn’t come up with it. Some more digging here and there... turns out joining my university was done on a whim - second shot to the heart sweetie.” his fingers back onto his chest next to the reactor core “ Lack of history before that, no future ambitions whatsoever. Heck -” Tony’s body slid off the hard flat surface, fixing the jacket slipping off his shoulder. His back was facing you as he began walking towards the exit “ Even your professors were worried about you- gave them a lil call. I just saw a bright cookie I wanted, so I got you.” With a sideways, look he smirked almost like a cat playing with a mouse

“And I plan to keep you here one way or the other, so I offer you this.” Arms spread sideways, garment now resting on the floor, gathering the dust and dirt from all the shoes in here previously “Training, knowledge and access to tech you would never have even in university or the government. Your choice. Become someone who you used to look up to, or go back after the end of your internship.”

  Your eyes moved from the floor, slowly towards his jacket, over it and straight up his body. The breath lodged inside your throat began moving in and out unnoticeable. The two super soldiers could practically hear you inhaling a storm around yourself and Natasha read your body language. To all of them you were as simple as an open brochure. Tony knew, he was just waiting for the moment you crack under. You were but a pile of clay with astonishing properties, ready to be turned into anything.

“I did apply to Stark university as a last choice. BUT! I applied to this internship for the sole reason of doing nothing but the best to build up a reputation and secure a position in the future.” Your voice snuck out from between your soft lips as a rising in octaves whisper. As confidence began to accumulate so did the need for you to prove your qualities “Even if you didn’t tell me this Mr. Stark, I would have still whipped my success onto your face. There is something I just gotta know.”

  The loud laugh echoing from inside his voice box made your whole body flinch, a blink opening your eyes wide simultaneously. “That is my girl! Exactly what I wanted to hear from you. I knew I chose you very very well. And call me Tony, I am not that old yet for Mr.” his heels swung his body like a ballerina to face you for a bit “ First round you have with green angry guy over there. Banner seems to like you already, but I want to see how true those PE grades of yours are. I expect you to take the gym in the building as serious as the rest do, little smarty pants. I would say don’t disappoint, but that look in your eyes shows me you don’t need cheesy lines. ”

  It felt like time froze the moment the owner of the building stepped out of the lab. The heartbeat in your ears was the only thing counting down the seconds passing by you, before a big and firm arm rested onto your right shoulder. Neck cracked a bit looking up at the huge yet gentle owner. He flashed you a smile almost as bright as his blonde hair.

“He tends to mess with newcomers, don’t worry your head about it too much. Was like that with me too.” Captain America looked down at Bucky and then back at you “I leave my oldie here with you, make sure you take good care of him. “

“Thank you sir.” You blurred out, out of respect towards your childhood hero and probably one of the few people who you felt you could talk casually with out side of ‘work’

“Please, call me Steve. Even if you are a baby to the group, you are still an Avenger in training so, no need for formalities with us.”  With a gentle patting motion he pushed himself off you and in the direction of his own room. ”Don’t stay too long and forget to eat, I know how you science people get.”

  Natasha jumped off the stretcher and groaned out, trying to reposition the shoulder that once more was part of her body and not just hanging by muscles and tissues.

“See you later.” She flashed you a smile, red locks of hair dancing like fire around her “Neighbor.” The word sung out playfully, in a teasing big sister manner

“You staying behind for the usual check up?” Bruce’s voice cracked, waves directed towards the super soldier sitting on the stretcher next to you.

“Yeah.” The word bass low almost pushed his head to the side, but he stopped half way- direction opposite from you

“Y/N would you be a dear and do it for me? I have to go and get Clint his meds.” His thin figure skillfully snaked around tables, chairs and desks out of the room - door sliding closed behind him. You could hear the pressured air whistled inside from the movement.

  Pushing the screen over to the Sergeant’s body made you paused. The scanner caught easily the interference caused by his weapons, plastered over his body in bondage style belts and bags.

“Um, you will have to take those off. Sorry.” Your voice but a whisper that only his super senses could catch. With a nod he reach up to the clasp. The straps were pushing into his strong and muscular body so much, the moment he pressed the button they popped off with a jump, landing onto this pectorals seconds later. As much as you tried to stay professional, your eyes kept drifting over his body. Bucky looked huge compared to the TV version of him. Everyone knew he was experimented on by HYDRA and made into an enhanced human, but this man was a walking tank. His biceps and thighs waiting to just bust out of the fabric. Going wide, your eyes connected with your brain, realizing you were practically having weird thoughts over an injured person. Shaking out of it, you pulled back.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. ?” calling out, the interface answered practically before you could finish saying the name

Yes Miss.

“Do a standard scan and a nerve check please.”

Shall I send the results to your tablet?

“Yes, thank you.” The sound of the machine turning on led you to pull the flat screen and look at the image developing as pixels. Bucky’s body didn’t move, a bolder just sitting there and waiting. Yet his eyes caught a glimpse of your body slowly leaning onto the desk, focused on your work, unintentionally exposing your neck to him - the shapes your curves made. Somehow he couldn’t avert his gaze even if his head was empty from thoughts.

Done

“Ok...” the letters were prolonged. Biting your nail you noticed the inflamed nerve on his shoulder, pinched between his metal arm and the flesh of his body. “ Any shoulder pain?” you wanted him to say it, not you showing it

“None that I know of.” He responded, voice like thick caramel- sweet. Breathy as it was, the sigh left your mouth open, pulling your eyelids down over your irises. Your hips pushed you away from the desk and over to his left side. The cold vibranium under your touch felt refreshing. Soon as you found the spot, just the slightest pressure made him grunt.

“Hm.”an amused smirk followed the huff of air through your nose “Well I am sure this is something you know of.” Bucky kept his serious face, looking forward and not acknowledging the pain you pulled out of his extremity “Sergeant Barnes, come on.” He didn’t budge nor would he any time soon and you knew that without a verbal answer or marker

 Inhaling some air, you prepared yourself for a conversation that might just jab at more than his inflamed nerve. It could or couldn’t end up with you dead, but you weren’t getting anywhere with this. Pulling the chair on one leg, you swung it over standing directly in front of the tense man. It was time for a confrontation that no one wanted. With a push of your coat you sat down, crossing your legs and leaning onto the knee, elbow to palm.

“Look, I may not be the best person to have this conversation with or anywhere close to that, but you really need to start opening up at least to the people that care about you. Steve ‘cough cough’.”

  Bucky was still jumping from object to object but staying away from you “Keep your secrets to yourself soldier. Fighting inner demons and past trauma that you don’t even remember is hell, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer on the outside too. No one would think of you any less if you said ‘hey my shoulder hurt’.” Leaning onto the chair’s back you let your head fall towards the wood behind . Diverting your physical eye contact let him eye you comfortably.

“What would you know about that?” ok he spoke, defensive and aggressive but progress- we are making it

“I don’t, I never said I did. If I could experience what you have, I would do it to understand you.” Side to side your head rubbed over the backrest, little splints tugging on your hair “Trust me, I would make this whole situation a lot better.”

“Is this part of your internship or something?” his words pulled your teeth to your bottom lip, squeezing away gently the remark you wished to make. Maybe a bit of Tony was rubbing off onto you.

“Babysitting problematic kids?” head shot up, as your fingers found your chin, placing your whole demeanor into a thinking position “No, I don’t think so.I don’t tend to brats, not my forte.”

“You seem to let your lips lose in bad situations.” Oh now, now he was mad. “Might end up biting you in the ass later.” You didn’t need superpowers or the bp of his heart to deduce it. Since we jumped over the acceptable line by a mile, no need to turn back now. There is one way to deal with an ass and that was bite back harder.

“Sorry for not walking on eggshells around you. Sergeant Barnes.” You saluted him in a mocking way, leaning back in the chair, basically feeling the waves of anger directed towards you. If this was the Winter Soldier he would have bitten off my throat, disgraceful. - the contractions of your lungs stopped at that thought, so rude...so you? Almost like you knew him personally. Ok, ok time to cool down before something happens.

“How do you expect me to help you if you don’t throw me a bone?” you sighed, feeling still how angry Bucky was about the whole conversation and situation in general. You were in the same headspace, if not in a weird yet familiar one” If the arm hurts, let people help, heck ask Dr. Banner or Tony.” It still felt weird using their first names - energizing no doubt

“They don’t understand, never will, nor will you.” This grown man was acting like a child, like the world didn’t have people who had similar levels of stress in their life. It was slowly crawling up your nerves and igniting a fire that could, if unleashed, burn him down so fast, only the metal arm would be left. But you tried to stay cool and calm, be the adult.

“Fine, do what you want.” Your body shot up as you threw your hands even higher. The lab coat fixed itself back onto you, fingers rubbing the back of your neck. The man sat there hunched over, arm stinging with the most dumbfounded look he could plaster over his stoic façade. “You can go, but if you don’t fix it you will be a burden on the next mission.” And you threw the hook, now all good ol’Bucky had to do is bite and this would be all over in the nick of time. There was a room with your name on it, calling.

  You waited and waited till you noticed the stars pocking inside from the window. Head moving towards your clock made you realize that it was already 9pm. With a jump in your step you pulled all the vibranium back in its original comfy home and inside the space in your new desk. Whipping dust off tech and trying to organize your papers, completely ignoring the tantrum little boy pretty close by.

“Fine.” Bucky’s voice was louder and deeper than before

“What?” your neck tugged on the muscles, letting you look at him with an unbothered look swimming around in your eyes.

“I said fine.Do what you gotta do.” And the verbal consent was given on a whim. Joy filled you up knowing you wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore. All happened in a blink of an eye - arms wrapping around his, a sudden loud and painful swing leading to the crack of his whole metallic prosthetic. This was probably the first time you saw such an expression on his face. His brain now activated to deference mode, reached to grab your neck. Any normal person would piss their pants, but you tried to stay calm. Tapping his wrist you played a small echoing sound, when his eyes landed on the full extension and rotation of his arm.

  The accumulating pressure left his muscles as it showed on his face. Bucky’s eyes were wide, roaming over his arm with the speed of light, pulling a light cough out of your throat.

“Sorry. “ he pulled back instantly.

“I just repositioned your arm you big brute. Next time swing gentle, no need to go through walls.” Palming your neck you pointed at the door

“Now leave me to my work.” A light jump and he was on his legs again doing as you requested, not being able to say anything. Leaning onto the door frame he mumbled something and left.

Sergeant Barnes was thankful Miss.

F.R.I.D.A.Y. informed you, pulling a smirk from deep inside. “Yeah yeah, I know. Tough nut that James Barnes. Such a kid.” One more giggle and it was off to finishing up for you.

[getitinbusan]

Only Love Can Hurt Like This

Y/N doesn’t want a relationship, especially not with an idol. Jaebeom only wants her. Love after heartbreak and all the things that fall in between. Angst, Cheating, Fluff, Smut. Inspired by lyrics, the bold lettering indicates music or lyrics that can be found in the accompanying serendipitous universe playlist. 

The only reason to go to the club was to pick up, but when everyone knew who you were, it was just a dumb idea.

Yugyeom and Bam Bam however, were all about dumb ideas. 

He hated this scene, didn’t like attention, didn’t like the sloppy drunks and especially didn’t like girls who threw themselves at him. 

He wasn’t sure how exactly they’d talked him into coming here tonight. Sitting at the bar, head down he let his phone distract him until the inevitable happened. 

Waiting for your drink you watched the scene play out. 

“I can’t believe you haven’t bought me a drink yet.” She slithered over to him. 

“Why would I do that?” He answered barely looking up. 

“It’s the least you could give me in return for all things I’m going to do to you tonight.”

“The only thing you’re going to do that makes me happy tonight is walk away." 

A laugh escaped from your mouth and she turned to eye you up and down. 

Ignoring him she leaned in closer inserting her hand between his legs. "Listen, you’re not my type, my dick’s not interested.”

Picking his drink up off the bar she threw it in his face, “Your fucking loss.”

“I think you upset her a little,” you laughed handing him a napkin. 

“Good luck when she drops this as a Dispatch scandal tomorrow.”

The bartender handed you your drink and you started to walk away.

“Wait,” he stood up and offered his hand, “I’m…”

“Lim Jaebeom,” you cut him off leaving his hand outstretched in limbo. 

“You know who I am?”

“I do, and while it was nice to meet you Jaebeom, my dick’s not interested.”

“Wow, that’s just” he grinned…“using my own words against me. I mean… just because you’ve heard of me doesn’t mean you know me.” He was joking, you weren’t.

“I know there’s nothing about your lifestyle I want to be a part of,” you said walking back towards him.

“I know that you’re on tour about 300 days out of the year and the other 65 you’re stuck practicing.”

You got closer, “I know your fans are fucking crazy and they’ll destroy every personal relationship you try to have.”

Closer , "I know that however committed you intend on being, the road gets lonely and you’ve got a whole PR team to cover it up.”

As close as you could be, right in his ear, “Above all, I know that you’re too beautiful and too rich for your own good.”

Backing away, “Did I miss anything?" 

Raising his eyebrow he was intrigued at what had you so bitter, "Can I buy you a drink?”

You smirked before walking away, “Already bought my own, thanks though.”

He’d never had a girl so adamantly deny him and he couldn’t get his mind off of you. Picking up his drink he set off to find the two idiots responsible for bringing him here.

There they were, and there you were about 20 feet away. You looked up and made eye contact, smiling before turning your attention back to your friends. 

Bam Bam was quick to notice, “Oh, JB!! Say it’s not so, I think he’s got his eye on someone Yugyeom." 

Following their glances Yugyeom saw you. "Uh-Uh get that idea out of your head right now, she’s damaged goods." 

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Jaebeom asked.

“It means,” he pulled up his phone and showed it to JB, “That is Min Yoongi’s ex."  

He took the phone out of Yugyeom’s hand, he remembered seeing these gossip articles a few months ago. Min Yoongi caught in a cheating scandal, secret relationship revealed! 

He didn’t want this. He certainly wasn’t looking for a girlfriend but there you were.

The back story…

They were on to you.

The photographers lurked in corners, cars followed, you could feel their shadows hanging over you wherever you went.

This lifestyle was bullshit. Why the hell did you have to hide? It wasn’t normal to live like this. 

As angry as it made you, you still played along. Year two, fuck you loved him.  He was like an addiction, bad for you but you needed him.

So here you were, circling the block sneaking into your boyfriend’s house like a teenager trying not to get caught. 

It had been the ultimate shit day and it was only 10am. Your alarm hadn’t gone off, you were late for work, got yelled at, quit, stopped for coffee, spilled it all over yourself, cried in the car and now you were dodging the paps just so you could do the one thing that would make you feel better, hug your boyfriend. 

Fuck it, they weren’t letting up, let the chips fall where they may.

Parking on the road you walked to the house as quickly as you could and let yourself in.

Still crying, you closed the door behind you stopping to take a breath and re group. How the hell were you going to explain to Yoongi that you’d just outed your relationship?

Trying to pull your disheveled, tear soaked, coffee stained self together you made the trek to his downstairs studio.

Knocking lightly there was no answer, maybe he had his headphones on. Empty, the usual hub of activity was dark and quiet.

Lately he’d been distant. You thought he was just overworked and stressed. How were you so blind to not realize he must be sinking back into his anxiety.

Making your way upstairs to the bedroom, he was most likely still asleep.

Opening the door, his blackout curtains kept the room shrouded in darkness. You could hear the soothing sound of waves flowing from the white noise machine you’d bought him for Christmas.

Finally, something that made you smile. You would spend the rest of the day curled up beside him forgetting anything existed outside these walls. 

Walking towards the bed your feet caught on something, clothes?

Yoongi was meticulous with his clothing, it wasn’t like him to just leave things lying around.

Your heart began racing, it always knew before your brain clued in that something was off.

Lifting the edge of the covers, you now knew why. Laying naked, curled up together, he clearly hadn’t been having a depression nap.

Flicking the lights on you stood waiting for recognition to kick in. He sat up rubbing his eyes, looking beside him he realized she was still in the bed and it was you standing in the doorway.

That was enough, you turned the light back off and left. There was no crying, he wasn’t worth the tears.

Opening the door, it was as if the paparazzi had multiplied, cameras snapping you, clearly distraught, while he followed in pursuit.

What was the expression? Not with a fizzle but with a bang? You’d hidden for two years but now you were finished, everyone was going to know what he’d done. 

“I’ve wasted two god damn years on you Min Yoongi, I hope you get a fucking STD from your new slut" 

That was that, your whole life spread over the Dispatch gossip page before lunch.

No boyfriend, no job, your life had completely changed over the course of an hour.

It had been four days and you were still on his mind. He couldn’t figure it out; it’s not like you’d even given him a flicker of hope.

“Fuck,” he said aloud as his fingers sent the text.

JB: You’ve got to find out about Y/N for me. I can’t stop thinking about her.

Yug: Why her JB? She’s 100% negative press. Name somebody, anybody else and I’ll hook it up.

JB: I never ask you for anything. Can’t you just fucking call Jungkook and get me her details

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

Yug: She owns a small bookstore in Ikseon-dong called Serendipity. Listen, Jungkook wasn’t happy about you asking. He said she’s been through enough, and you’d better not fuck her over.

JB: Thanks, I owe you one.

Yug: I hope this doesn’t bite you in the ass.

A bookstore, he grinned, well that was just fate or…serendipity. He could just pretend running into you was a coincidence, everybody knew he loved books.

He pulled it up on Google.

Serendipity, a Bookstore/Cafe located in the heart of Ikseon. A charming Old Hanok hidden amongst the Dongs tiny alleyways

While he scribbled down the address, the reviews caught his eye.

⭐ I don’t know who this whore thinks she is, but I hope her store goes out of business.

⭐ This store is trash just like the owner.

⭐ Stupid bitch deserved to get dumped. I can’t believe Yoongi would find her attractive.

⭐ Poverty ass gold digger. You’d better stay away from our boys.

His heart broke for you, he knew fans could be possessive, but these were just cruel. What terrible things for you to have to read, and for what? False ownership of their idol

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

Opening the door, the smell of coffee and books filtered through his nostrils, if he could create his own signature fragrance, this would be it. His eyes scanned the shop until he found you, glasses on sitting behind a computer screen at the checkout.

Browsing around he’d glance up every now and again taking you in. He noted how comfortable you looked in your own environment. Unlike at the bar your face was relaxed, soft, even more beautiful than he remembered.

You smiled at the customer you were serving, and he knew he was a goner.

He went back to perusing the shelves, his heart was beating quickly. How was he going to approach you?

“Can I help you find anything,” came from behind him.

He scanned the books quickly, and turned with a smile, “I’m just looking for I Want to Die, But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki.”

You gave no reaction

“Well that’s pretty convenient Jaebeom, because you’re standing right beside it.”

Starting to walk away he caught your hand, “Hey, come on, I’m just trying to know you.”

“Funny, I think you already know all about me, you found me easily enough.” You pulled your hand away.

“Listen JB, I’m a real career killer and it seems like you’re doing pretty well for yourself. Why would you want this kind of drama?”

He knew the words were going to come out wrong but he was trying to say them before you could leave.

“I feel bad for how you’ve been treated, you deserve better. I think that I could make you better, fuck, not that there’s anything wrong with you.. I mean that we could be better….together, not separate.”

“I don’t need anyone feeling sorry for me Jaebeom, last call for the pity party ended a while ago. I’m doing just fine putting myself back together.”

“I’m sorry, I promise I’m not usually like this. I don’t know why I can’t talk to you without sounding like an idiot.”

He sighed deeply, “I’m just…is it okay if I stay? I promise I’ll just have a coffee and read, I really like it here.”

“It’s bad business for me to chase away customers, stay as long as you want ”

You felt kind of bad, maybe you were being to harsh on him. Bringing his coffee to the table you set it down placing a slice of cheesecake next to it. “It’s on me.”

“Thanks,” he smiled shyly.

“Can I ask why you chose Serendipity? It’s kind of a romantic notion for someone who’s so cynical.”

Cocking a brow you asked, “Are you really interested, or is this you hitting on me?”

He laughed, “I’m not going to stop hitting on you, but yeah, I really want to know.”

You walked away and grabbed a book off the shelf. Sitting beside him, you slid it across the table.

“Have you heard of The Three Princes of Serendip?” He shook his head no.

“It’s a fairy tale. The heroes were always discovering things they weren’t in quest of.”

He thumbed through the pages while he listened to your explanation.

“That day a few months ago,” you interrupted yourself, “I’m assuming you know what day I mean?”

He pursed his lips and nodded.

“Well, I quit the job I hated, I lost my boyfriend and the whole world treated me like I’d done something wrong.”

You shrugged, still not understanding how it all happened.

“I was lost, I had nothing but myself and a handful of hush money from Big Hit. I came here to hideout but instead I found this place for sale. If that’s not a Serendipitous string of events, I don’t know what is.”

He smiled and closed the book, “I think I’ll take this one today.”

Pretending to be shocked you questioned him, “What? You didn’t really want I Want to Die, But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki? ”

“I think I’ll leave that one as an excuse to come back.”

His deep chocolate brown eyes were heavy on you, you know because you made the mistake of looking into them.

“This is a public space, you don’t need to make excuses to come.” You tried to sound flippant.

“And JB…I wasn’t always this cynical, life just hasn’t given me a chance to be anything but.”

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

He laid in bed reading, or trying to at least. He’d been over the same sentence about four times unable to stop thinking about you. 

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

You were laying in bed when you heard the ping. You knew it was a stupid idea, but after he left you stalked his accounts, and turned on his post notifications.

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

The Vlive began, he wanted to tell everyone about a great book he was reading that he’d found in a cool little shop in Ikseon-dong. 

📖 Lady: I’m glad you like it.

Reading your comment he smiled, he really was a beautiful man. You examined his features and expressions but they suddenly changed. He tried to quickly sign off but it was too late.

😭Is he talking about y/n?

😱Are you kidding JB? 

🤮I can’t believe he’s going after Yoongi’s sloppy seconds.

He knew he fucked up and he didn’t know what to do about it. He’d finally made some headway and now he was back to square one. 

So, the next day he was back. Standing in front of your counter he held out a cup of Hotteok.

Before he could speak you jumped in, “See JB, the way this whole retail thing works is, you pick something you want that I’m selling, then give me money for it. Nowhere in the scenario do you bring me random shit just because.”

Your eyes were red, he felt terrible, after only 2 conversations he’d already managed to hurt you. 

“It’s not random shit, it’s an apology. I’m sorry I drew attention to you last night.” he paused, “you don’t deserve to be attacked like that." 

You turned away trying to gain your composure, "The one thing I’ve learned through all this is to never apologize for showing your feelings. When you do, you’re apologizing for the truth." 

You looked back, "I’ve never apologized for loving Yoongi, because it was real whether people want to believe it or not.”

You sighed, “You didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t put the target on my back JB it’s been there a while, I’m just sad because now you’ve got one too." 

His heart sank when he realized that you weren’t choosing loneliness to protect yourself, you were keeping your distance so he wouldn’t get dragged into it. 

He placed his large hand over yours as it lay on the counter. "There’s only one thing that’s going to make me walk away from you.” He tipped your chin so you were forced to look into his eyes, “Tell me you don’t want me here." 

The door chimed, you were no longer alone.

"Like I said yesterday, it’s bad business for me to chase away customers, stay as long as you want.”

He smiled brightly, “That’s not a no." 

Taking the Hotteok from the counter you were still unsure, but he was right, it wasn’t a no. 

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

Standing at the bar in the exact spot you’d met him, you’d hoped he’d be here tonight. You felt like a desperate fool with a schoolgirl crush.

Three days had passed since you’d last seen him and despite your best efforts, you found yourself missing him. You hated the way your heart hurt, of course he’d given up why would this be a surprise? 

A hand reached around placing a drink on the bar in front of you. "You look like you could use this, still pining over Min Yoongi?" 

"Actually I’m waiting for a friend Minho." 

"I could be your friend tonight Y/N. I guarantee I can get you to stop thinking about him,” he grabbed your ass. 

“No thanks, I don’t think 5 minutes in your bed will change my world.”

He grabbed the drink back, “No wonder he cheated on you, you’re such a bitch." 

Dumb, Dumb, Dumb…you’d let your guard down and everything was feeling all too personal. Shooting back the last of your Soju you grabbed your jacket and made for the exit. 

"You’re not leaving when I just got here?”

Your traitorous heart fluttered, “I didn’t know I was supposed to be waiting." 

His grin got bigger, "Are you mad because maybe you actually missed me a little?”

Mad, sad, who could tell them apart anymore? 

“Yeah, actually I am and I’m livid with myself for it." 

He put his hand on your waist, "Hey, I’m sorry, I got called for re shoots.”

His thumb rubbed over your hip soothingly, “I only have your work number…I just got back and I was hoping you’d be here" 

A voice shouted from across the bar "Don’t waste your time on that one JB, come sit with us"   

You closed your eyes trying to keep the tears at bay, "You heard the man. I’m leaving anyway, I guess I’ll see ya around.”

Shooting a look at Minho he ran out the door to catch up with you. 

Standing at the curb waiting for a cab he reached his hand out to you. “I wanted to be with you tonight, and I’m pretty sure you wanted to be with me. It’s still early, let’s go somewhere okay, can we still do that?" 

Placing your hand in his, "Only if we’re alone…and there’s alcohol.”

He smiled victorious, “I think I know a place." 

Walking up the crowded street you felt better, anonymous. He kept squeezing your hand making sure you hadn’t slipped away.

"Right here,” he stopped in front of a pink neon lit Karaoke Bar. 

“Karaoke? I think one of us has an extremely unfair advantage JB." 

"Don’t worry I’ll let you win." 

Stepping closer to him you kissed his cheek, "Why are you being so nice to me JB?" 

"Y/N, why do you keep questioning my motives?”

His hand ran up your arm, “I hate that you’ve been mistreated for so long that you don’t realize what normal behavior is.”

He held the door open for you, “How’s a private room and bottle service sound?" 

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

You consumed copious amounts of Grey Goose as you took turns performing for one another. What you lacked in vocal talent you made up for in your ability to mimic choreography.

"I think I’ve lost my voice,” you shouted after your efforts to sing Itzy’s Wannabe.

“I’m going to have to tell JYP about you, maybe with some training you can debut next year and come on tour with us,” he laughed.

He queued up the next song, “Come here, I want to dance with you." 

You moved into his waiting arms and allowed yourself to surrender to his pursuits. His song came on and you laughed, "it’s so cheesy Jaebeom-ah!" 

He sang anyway, 

Our love will lead the way for us

If the road ahead is not so easy

Like a guiding star

I’ll be there for you if you should need me

You don’t have to change a thing

I love you just the way you are

You let your head rest on his chest, his heartbeat was louder, more important than the words he was singing.

Glad he was holding you up, you felt a little drunk, a little in love and for once, you weren’t going to stop yourself. 

He kissed the top of your head and held on a little tighter, "So does this mean you’ll finally give me your number?”

You looked up at him nodding, locking eyes he moved slowly closer, lips almost touching …until his phone went off.

He frowned, “Fuck, it’s management. Sorry I’ve got to check in. Just stay in my arms ok?" 

"You’re going to read texts over my shoulder? How romantic,” you jibed, but you didn’t break away. 

JYP: Dispatch has reached out to us for comment regarding a new dating scandal. They were tipped off that you were with Y/N at Cakeshop Night Club tonight and now they are outside of the Karaoke bar waiting for photos. We need to discuss your intentions immediately. A car will pick you up in 15 mins, wait inside for security. Do not leave the building together as it is still controllable speculation.

You could feel his body react to what he was reading, deep breaths, tensed muscles and finally pulling you in tightly. “What is it J?" 

"I’ve got to get you out of here, the press are outside" 

He handed you his phone, "add your number.”

But JYPs text was still open and you saw every word.

You keyed in your info and switched it off before handing it back. 

You breathed deep, “You know, sneaking in and out of buildings is my specialty,” You put your hand over his heart and gave a sad smile.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m sure there’s a back entrance, I’ll just grab a cab home. If you go out the front they’ll be too busy taking photos of you, they’ll never notice me.”

You tried to sound confident and uncaring so he’d do what was best but Jaebeom had his own plan. 

“Get your stuff, we’re going out the front together." 

He pulled your hand through the bar and out the front door. Lights flashed as they took their photos for tomorrow’s headlines.

Hailing a cab he leaned over and kissed your lips, "I’m going to call you as soon as I can okay?”

You weren’t okay, your first kiss would be your last kiss. Your smile hid the stabbing pain in your heart, you knew it was over before it had started.

“Jaebeom,” you called him back after he closed the car door behind you, “It’s been a really great time.”

He smiled and waved.

Getting into the companies blacked out Suburban he was happy, he was going to stand his ground.

He’d felt bad that your first kiss had been under these circumstances so he opened his phone to text you a quick apology.

Searching the contacts  he found your entry, “I’m sorry” with random numbers underneath. 

So much for not getting attached. Unlocking the door you collapsed crying, the exhaustion of life had finally beaten you into submission.

The shrill ring of the store’s landline broke through the quiet of the courtyard, a reminder of his persistence. He wasn’t going to give up so you had no other choice but to cut him off. 

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

Barely having slept, coffee in hand, you made your way over the wooden path to the store.

The indication light was flashing in a rhythm that brought back the sound of his heartbeat in your ear. 

You have one unheard message…

Y/N, I know that you were happy last night, don’t walk away from this…from me.  Do you remember the day I first came into your shop? You asked me how I intended to fix you? I didn’t know then, I was just grasping for a shot…but…I know now..I’m just going to love you. All you have to do is let me…can’t you just let me?“ 

Reaching out you hit delete and tried to convince yourself it was for the best. 

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

Watching from your office he’d come in everyday for a week. The staff, as instructed, told him you weren’t there but several times he’d caught you looking at him through the window.

He looked hopeful but you were sure he’d get over it, you’d get over it. 

There was a light knock on your door before the handle turned. 

"Hey, sorry Y/N, he insisted on leaving this for you.” She placed the book on your desk and left. 

Running your hands over the cover you could tell it was well loved. 

Its condition would normally drive you nuts but it was his, and in his passionate demeanor he’d most likely tackled it head first, caution less, as was his way. 

You were unfamiliar with it, Tablo’s “Pieces of You."  Flipping through the marked up pages you found a bookmark, a hand drawn blue tree with flower petal leaves pointing to what he wanted you to see. 

"So here I am, 

Choosing to kick away the ladder 

So that I may remain at your side.

I understand your solitude 

I see your shadow.”

His phone number was scribbled on the inside cover with the inscription. “When you’re ready, whether it’s tomorrow or two years from now." 

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

The worn book sat on your desk catching your eye every so often. He hadn’t been in for a few days, had he given up? Why did it hurt to think maybe you’d never see him again?

"Fuck,” you opened the cover And picked up your phone. 

Y/N: I miss you and I don’t want to do that anymore.

JB: You don’t have to, just let me in. 

Y/N: I need some time. 

JB: I’m just….Y/N…don’t shut me out okay?

He left you space as requested ….sort of.

Every night you got notifications of his v lives. He talked to you indirectly through the camera, speaking about the books he’d read while sending secret messages through his song choices playing in the background.

He looked happy and he never wavered when your name was brought up by the fans. He stood up for you, called you a friend and told people they shouldn’t say such horrible things. 

Slowly he was breaking your resolve, you were healing. 

📖 Lady: I really enjoyed Pieces of You. 

He smiled knowing you were online. He queued up his next track, it was Junny’s By my side  and he sang…

stay right by my side

And let me teach you how to love

With you I just can’t get enough, oh girl

He closed his eyes and hummed in contentment.

Your phone notification broke the  trance Jaebeom’s sweet melody had lulled you into.  

Yoongi: Can we meet, I think we should talk.

Y/N: I don’t fucking think so.

Yoongi: it’s about Jaebeom.

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

You got to the coffee shop early and were surprised he was already there, punctuality was never his strong suit.

He stood to greet you. Thinking better of the hug he was going for, he gestured to the chair.

“I want to say I’m sorry”…he stammered over his words.

“I know it means nothing and you hate me but…I am…sorry.”

He remembered your order and it was already on the table.

“Can we just cut the shit. Why exactly do you want to talk to me about Jaebeom?”

He ran his hand up the back of his neck, “I keep getting messages from the fans about you two.”

“You know what Yoongi, I’m tired of your fucking fans. They’ve sent me hundreds of death threats, they write rude comments on my business page and now that someone actually likes me again they keep telling him that I’m a piece of shit."

You spit the feelings that had been trapped inside you out at him.  

"You know you could have told them to stop, but you didn’t.”

He looked at you puzzled and pulled up his weverse page.

“You think it’s only you?”

He scrolled through reading you select comments.

“I’ve lost all respect for you Yoongi… I can’t believe you’re a cheater. Here, this one’s great……..Y/N deserves better, I’m happy she’s with JB now…"

You were shocked, not once had you seen or received messages that were team Y/N.

"Well you fucking deserve it."

He shrugged, "Jaebeom, he’s a decent guy…Jungkook’s been talking to Yugyeom and word is you’re not giving him a chance because of what happened.”

He wouldn’t look up from his Americano.

“Don’t let me fuck up your life any more than I already have okay, I’m not worth it."

You sighed, reaching across the table to touch his arm.

"I appreciate that you’d come here to tell me that."

He picked up your hand and held it tightly in his.

"I’m sorry I did this to you. Let him be the man I couldn’t."

Standing to leave he kissed your cheek, grabbed his coffee and walked away.

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

Sitting in your office there was a soft knock at the door, "Hey, sorry, I just…did you,” she approached apprehensively with a cup of tea, “have you seen the dispatch page?”

It didn’t take long, the photos, the headlines, the comments…

Yoongi and Y/N are back together! Seen today, the couple were holding hands and kissing over coffee. Was she just using Lim Jaebeom?

You felt the wind knocked out of your lungs, of course this would happen.

Had Jaebeom seen? What would he think? As you sat panicking he sent a text.

JB: Just can’t manage to stay out of trouble, huh? I’m beginning to think you tip off your own location to Dispatch to grab the headline.

You threw your phone into the drawer and slammed it shut.

He waited, no answer, shit… he’d shoved his foot in his mouth again.

Why did he turn into a completely inarticulate unfunny  idiot when it came to you?

JB: Y/N I’m sorry that was supposed to be a joke…

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

You looked at your assistant, “I think I really fucked up, you want to go out and get completely loaded tonight?"

She smiled agreeing, "I’ll start closing, you go put on something sexy."

You stood to leave, "May as well, If I’m going to get accused of stupid shit I might as well make it worthwhile.”

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

The drinks flowed freely and you just didn’t give a fuck anymore, about anything. If they were all watching, you didn’t care. You danced, you sang, you laughed, you needed no one. Until he was in front of you.

“Shit, let’s go”, you grabbed your friends hand but she smiled devilishly at you.

“I called him, its time to get the fuck over it Y/N. You’ll thank me later,” She waved him in and walked away.

Zeroing in on you, he made his way over. Ready on the defensive you expected him to be angry.

In your best effort to save face you’d cut him off before he could you.

“If you want to be mad at me go ahead, but I fucking warned you this would happen.”

You were pointing at his chest, trying to drive your point home.

“So if you’re here to tell me you don’t want anything to do with me, you go right ahead Lim Jaebeom."

"Are you done?” He raised his voice.

“You are the most stubborn girl I’ve ever met Y/N. I’ve gone to bat for you for the last month, I never gave up. AND! despite how hard you’ve pushed me away I’ve never left. Do you think I’d actually walk away because of a dispatch article?"  

You both stared in a deadlocked gaze. Time standing still until he wrapped his arms around your waist. You could feel a million eyes on you all at once.

"Take me home Jaebeom.”

He grinned and kissed your forehead, “I thought you’d never ask."

The ride was quiet, you tucked your head under Jaebeom’s arm, the vehicle’s movements making you sleepy. He held your hand like a nervous high school boy, afraid what he really wanted to happen was about to happen.

The car pulled up to the front of his place and he smiled nudging you awake. “We’re here.“

Drunk and groggy you looked around, "where’s here?"

He put his arm around your waist to keep you from falling over, "You’re at my place, in Hannam. Remember? You asked me to bring you home?”

You looked him up and down giggling, “Yeah I did.”

Trying to balance you and getting his key in the lock he finally got the door open. At least 5 cats came running to greet him, “Oh my God JB, you’re a crazy cat lady!"

"This is why I can’t have friends over,” he picked up the smallest fluffy one and kissed it’s head.

The pretty little Siamese brushed against your leg until you picked her up. He looked shocked, “She doesn’t like anyone."  

"You purred into her fur, "Well I’m not just anyone, am I?”

“Clearly."

He walked over and took the cat from your arms, "Let’s take care of you. What can we do to minimize the hangover you’re going to have in the morning?"

He held your face in his hands. "What do you need?"

You were feeling a little dizzy, whether it was from the alcohol or his proximity you couldn’t be sure.

"Maybe some fresh air, water…your arms to keep me from falling over.” You propositioned.

He slid the balcony door open and led you outside. “You’re going to have to hold onto the rail till my arms get back."  

The air was cool and you closed your eyes inhaling deeply, everything felt right.

Perched atop the Seoul Skyline the stars shone brightly in the astronomical twilight. In the grand scheme of all the overblown things that had taken place in the last few months, you were still just a small player in a larger roll occurring around you.

A helicopter broke through the silence of the night "Uh-oh, looks like Dispatch tracked you down already.”

You shot him a look, “what, too soon?”

He passed you a glass and an aspirin, “Drink.”

He stood close beside you, leaning on the rail staring out at the city.  You walked your hand over closing the distance until it touched his.

“I want to apologize."

He cut you off, "you really don’t have to, you didn’t do anything wrong."

He brought his hand the rest of the way to lay over top of yours.

"I’m pretty sure you once told me  to never apologize for showing your feelings because if you do you’re apologizing for the truth."

Amazed you turned to him, "You remember me saying that?"

He nodded as you moved towards his lips.

He pulled back, "Y/N, you’re drunk, I’ve already ruined our first kiss I’m not going to let you forget the second."  

"You’re a good guy JB"

He wrapped his arms around you and rested his chin on your head.

"Unfortunately I am…so I’m going to have to send you to bed."

You looked up at him with big eyes and a pout, "You don’t want to sleep with me?”

“Jesus Christ, you think I don’t want you? You’re really making me question my morals right now.”

He ran his hand up your arm and sighed while spinning you back towards the door.

Flipping the switch his bedroom lit up before you.

“It’s so cozy Jaebeom-ah. Cats, Plants, nice sheets…how are you still single?"

He handed you a t-shirt from his drawer, "I was kind of hoping I’m not anymore…you can sleep in this."

You grabbed it looking upset, "I’m going to feel bad if you sleep on the couch.”

He undid the zipper that ran up the back of your dress. “You’re going to feel bad in the morning anyway plus you’re not even going to remember this conversation."  

You broke out the pout again, "What if I get scared or lonely?”

He bent down and picked up the cat that had followed you since you arrived.

“Nora is the best company and she wouldn’t dare let anything happen to you.” He kissed your forehead and pointed, “Bed, now."

He was still laughing at you as he turned off the light and closed the door.

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

You woke up in the huge bed, alone save for the tiny cat curled up into your side. The smell of coffee wafted under the door calling you to get up but your head swam in scenarios.

You remembered him being a complete gentleman, you remembered falling asleep against the pillow that smelt like him, you remembered…he was just on the other side of the door.

You liked it here, you didn’t want to leave. You wanted him to know you weren’t a waste of time, you’d already lost so much of it by pushing him away.

Grabbing your phone you composed your words into a poem you needed him to hear.

I was fine on my own, every night I slept alone

The distance kept me safe

It’s easier to fake the feel than dance around with something real

Promises might break

Then you came along and said that I was different

You were missing something and it felt like we should see

Normally, I’d fall away, your face is a distraction

But I like the way that you’re distracting me

I went home before my friends so I could hear your voice again

But it feels strange to care

I hesitate to say out loud that when I’m drunk and in a crowd

I pretend you’re there.

We watch the helicopters from the top of your apartment

And all I could think is I don’t want to leave

Normally, I’d fall away, your face is a distraction

But I like the way that you’re distracting me

I’m writing this from your bed while you’re in the other room

I like what you do to me, and I wanna tell you soon.

Maybe you’ll shy away, maybe you’ll fall apart

It’s hard being honest, but I’m being honest

Get in the play, running your fingers through my hair

Don’t wanna behave, how do you act when no one’s there?

Feeling inside, feeling a way, it’s different and it’s working

Oh, you make me nervous, oh, you make me nervous

You read it over and flopped back on his pillow…send…you  heard his notification go off ….you waited.

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

There was a soft knock before he turned the handle.

He looked beautiful standing in the doorway. His pajama pants hung low on his waist, it was the first time you’d caught a glimpse of his body and your breath hitched at the sight.

Wrapped in nothing but his sheet you pulled the covers back in invitation.

He walked over to where you sat,  "Is this what you really want?”

You bit your lip and nodded.

He pulled his pants off letting them fall to the ground and he crawled in beside you.

His hands drew through your hair and his lips found their way to yours…properly, undisturbed, no flashbulbs to commemorate the event. It was soft and languid, his tongue taking its time to explore your mouth.

He pulled away to stare at you, “Tell me I can finally have you."

"All of me Jaebeom…I’m yours.”

He caressed your face, thumb sliding between your lips, over your chin and down your neck as he kissed into the crevice of your collar bone.

It had been so long, yet it had never felt like this. You could feel his desire with every touch, his lips, his fingertips and his hard cock pressed up against your hip.

“I want you so bad J,” your hands tugged through his hair as you wrapped your leg around his body to guide him in closer.

“Shit..Shit…do you have a condom? I just never thought this would happen..fuck"

You both collapsed back onto  the bed breathing heavy.

"Ugh, no,” you sighed frustrated.

He put both hands over his face, disappointed that even this moment couldn’t go smoothly.

You rolled into his side, “I never stopped taking the pill…and after what happened, I did get tested…I mean, if you’re not okay with it..it’s okay…we can wait.”

He placed his hand on your cheek and kissed you softly, “I haven’t been with anyone in years, it’s mandatory we get tested during our physicals…"

"Fuck thank God!” You rolled on top of him and ground yourself over him.

Laying kisses down his chest you let your fingers skim lightly over his abs. His skin tingled with goosebumps under your touch and you felt him twitch at your center.

“Are you ready?”

He nodded biting his lip, “Please."

He held your hips as you lined yourself up over him. Not breaking eye contact you slowly lowered yourself, taking him into you.

You felt like you could cry, it had been so long since you’d let yourself feel the intimacy of  giving yourself to someone.

You both moaned in unison as he hit your cervix. "You feel so good,” he sighed.

You didn’t move, you wanted to feel him in you, feel him filling you, this wasn’t just sex. You were both here, in the same place at the same time feeling the same thing.

There was no past, only two people fusing themselves to one another’s future.

You began rocking your hips. Looking down his face was focused, beautiful, lost. His lips were parted and soft breaths escaped from between them every time you met back together.

He held you pressed against him as he sat upright. Brushing away your sweaty hair he kissed your neck, your shoulders and down to your breasts. He touched them reverently, his fingertips brushing lightly over your nipples making you clench around him.

His face scrunched up, “oh my god baby, you can’t do that.. it feels too good.”

Pushing his hair back you placed kisses all over his face, “We can do this all day, as many times as we want, I’m not going anywhere.”

He secured his arm around you and flipped you onto your back.

Hands on both sides of your face he rolled his hips into you. He hit different, deeper, the repetitive sliding building up the orgasm inside you.

It wasn’t rushed but it was excited, your hands, mouths and bodies had no motive other than providing each other pleasure.

Wrapping both legs around him you held him tightly against your core. “I’m so close Jaebeom, so close…”

Your head was thrown back and your hands gripped the pillows beside you. You felt him cumming, spilling out of you as he continued. He didn’t give up until your nails were dug deep into his skin and he could feel you pulsing around him.

He collapsed on top of you trying to catch his breath, “Are you okay? Was it okay?”

You couldn’t help but smile at his sincerity, “It was perfect.”

Your voice trailed off and immediately noticing, he sat up to look at you.

“I’m scared Jaebeom, I don’t want this to start wrong, I don’t want to keep us a secret."

"Then let’s not.” He grabbed his phone and held it up to take a picture.

“Are you fucking nuts?” You asked while hiding in the sheets beside him.

He tapped the keys, “What are you writing?”

He wouldn’t answer you, “Jaebeom-ah, give me the phone…stop!"

Smiling he hit SHARE and handed it to you.

What you need to know:

1: I am in love with a girl and I think that she’s in love with me.

2: I am incredibly happy.

What you don’t need to know:

1: Anything else about us.

2: Especially not why I’m in bed at 2:30 in the afternoon

3: Or that Y/Ns hiding under the covers beside me.

[adhd-demetri]

First things first, love the new url, it's super you. Second are you working on the story for your oc? I actually want to read more on it -Jane

Yep and after thinking about it, if you have a twilight oc, message me and I'll add them into the story :) but this is it so far. Consider this a free sample

~Breaking news~

Things are getting pretty wild in ohio near cowan lake campgrounds. Two coyotes and wolf have been spotted in the area roaming around together wrecking havoc and panic. Biologists are baffled by the sudden appearance of a wolf in ohio with what is supposed to be their enemy.

No one knows where the trio came from but police and wildlife officials are urging people to haze them away and for parents of pets and children alike to keep a sharp eye on them.

Witnesses say they have been seen near dumpsters and trash cans tearing open bags of uneaten food-

-Click-

Demi turned off his phone as he took a bite out of a sub he and his mate had dug out of the dumpster. He snickered at the thought of him, his little brother and his mate 'wrecking havoc' over simply digging in dumpsters for goodies people through out. Like phone chargers, towels, clothing, sleeping bags and even small one person tents with easy fixes.

People are so wasteful. Throwing away perfectly good treasures. Oh well, they were now theirs.

Casper walked up behind him and threw down a tent that he just patched up. It was a cheap green and beige 4 person tent that had a hole in the roof of it. It wasn't nothing special truthfully.

"What do you think? Nice patch work right?" He said looking very proud of his work. Demi turned around and ran his fingers over the the patch, inspecting the delicate stitching and the vinyl that protected them from wear-and-tear.

"Looks good Cas, can't imagine why someone would get rid of this for a easy fix!" He shrugged, oh well. It now belongs to his younger brother.

As he got up from the forest floor, he dusted off the leaves and dirt that clung to the back of his pants. Grabbing the tent, he headed to Caspers car that was parked by an abandoned entrance way that led to overgrown trails leading to their little hideout.

"Hey alex. Check it out, Cas fixed you a tent. Now you can go camping with us instead of sleeping in the car." He said giving his 10 year old little brother the now fixed up tent.

Alex was sitting in the back playing mario kart tour on his phone. He glanced down quickly and laid his phone down. He picked up the tent bag and looked at its contents. His baby blue eyes started to widen with excitement.

"Th-this is for me? My own tent? Wow this is so cool!" The little blond was practically jumping up and down in his spot with pure joy and happiness radiating off of him. He was so happy to have his own tent finally.

"Yup, tonight Cas and I can teach you how to put it up and when we leave, take it down. Sound good?"

"Yes! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!" He suddenly slammed into Demi with a tight hug. Demi patted his head and pulled the excited child off of himself.

Alex went back to playing his game. Demi went back and sat on the ground to join Casper in the small clearing while he was redoing the zipper work on one of the sleeping bags. Casper nearly had this one finished up and planned on giving it to Alex since it had Kion and other lion guard characters on it. Casper concentrated as he worked on stitching the zipper to the sleeping bag.

"Soooo Alex loved his tent. Thank you for fixing it up for him."

"No problem. Seemed better than sitting in the car ya know? Oh hey look I finally got it stitched. You know these zippers are so hard to fix now a days." He said zipping up the bag and admiring his work.

He looked up and noticed the sun was starting to paint the sky in a beautiful array of oranges and pinks mixed with some purples and blues. The air felt slightly cooler than it did before.

Demi rolled his eyes and simply smiled.

He knew it was time to get going and head back to the campgrounds.

Casper followed right behind him and started up his car. They headed back to Cowan Lake campgrounds tenting area.

"Hey alex! Buckle up bud!" He yelled getting back up and getting into the car to leave.

The ride there was quite relaxing as the trio was simply jamming out to some music on their way to the campgrounds. They didn't have a care in the world it seemed.

They finally made it back to their spot. Alex quickly hopped out along with his tent and claimed a spot right next to where Demi and Casper's tent was. He started to pull everything out of the make shift bag that he had stuffed it in previously.

Demi quickly got out and ran to him. He didnt want Alex to lose anything.

"Hey bud slow down, We still got to help you put it up. Cas you want to get the fire going? We can roast some shmellows and some hot dogs. I'm starved!" Demi quickly started unraveling the tent and pulling out the poles, laying them nice and neat.

While they did that, Casper started up the fire. It roared to life after a few moments of poking and prodding it with fiery paper. He grabbed all the goodies, the roasting sticks and a mini table from his car.

The sun sunk down below the trees as the beauty of the moon rose to the sky. She bathed the area in a soft ghostly white glow.

Meanwhile Alex and Demi finally got his tent all nice and set up. It looked a little worn down but it was definitely still usuable.

"Hey who wants shmellows? We got some dogs that need roasting too!" Cas called out to Demi and Alex. He laid out the marshmallows and chocolate along side the hotdogs, gram crackers and bread. Alex and Demi joined him by the cozy fire grabbing a few bits of food and wolfing them down like ravenous animals.

Demi shushed him real quick. He didn't want to disturb others and cause any unnecessary commotion. The last time that happened didn't end well .... for the other person that is.

Around them other campfires crackled and popped while kids and couples alike told stories and roasted foods. Some saying goodnight while others stayed out.

"So when the fire goes out, do you two want to go on a run? I'm pretty sure that stupid Cullen family is out hunting and I do NOT want him near our area." Demi asked Casper and Alex.

Casper thought about it for a moment and mouthed I dont care while shoving a hotdog in his mouth. Alex simply shook his head yes as he ate a burnt gooey marshmallow.

"Yeah it's a full moon tonight! And I haven't ran with you guys in forever!" Alex shouted a tad bit to loud grabbing the attention of a few nearby campers.

"Let's wait till 10. Most of the other campers will be asleep and in their tents by then. It would be the perfect time to slip out." Demi said leaning into his mate's embrace.

No one screams at his little brother for being excited.

"Yeah, it has been awhile hasn't it? It's about time we run and get a good idea of how big our territory is too if this is our permanent home." Casper said.

Demi nodded in agreement as he got up. He went to his and Casper's tent and stripped down to just his incredibly warm out pants. He didn't care if these pants got destroyed while shifting. They've been through so much and it was time to finally to get rid of them.

Casper got up from his spot and joined Demi in the tent. He wrapped his arms around Demi's midsection, pulling him into a warm hug.

"So when you want to head out love?" He whispered.

They both sat down on their makeshift bed. Minutes passed as they simply stayed still together.

A sense of euphoria enveloped him. What a lovely feeling it was.

He got up quickly, peeking out of the tent entrance way.

Neither wanted this moment to end.

His little brother crossed his mind. He left him out there by the fire by himself!

Hide and seek

Thankfully the fire was dying since no one was paying it any attention.

His brother was lying down on the grass. His headphones over his head and his hand tracing the stars as he sang a familiar song quietly. His head bobbing in sync to the beat.

Reason and rhyme

Grand and glorious

Living the dream

yours and mine

~ Euphoria!

As he sand the last part, his arm fell to his side. A smile was spreading across his face as he lost himself in his own little world of euphoria.

Demi felt his body shift quickly. Thankfully his pants were worn enough to not make hardly any noise. Brown, orange and white fur littered from his skin quickly.

The feeling of happiness and joy could be felt radiating from him once again.

Demi sighed to himself, grateful his brother was ok.

"Everything alright love?"

"Yeah, just got worried about Alex but he's fine. He's in his own little world right now."

"I can tell. I can feel it from here."

Demi went back and sat down. He searched for his phone to check the time.

9:57 PM

All of the other campers were asleep by now. The only ones awake at this point was the trio.

Casper's body morphed as well. Silvery gray fur with white swirls that resembled a starry galaxy painted his skin. His body shifted and the shorts he had were ripped quickly.

And just like that, a coyote that could blend in with the autumn themed environment stood before Casper.

The air swirled around Demi. With it, The smell of wet leaves and smoke with sugary delights. Demi inhaled the savory scents before making his way to the child that was still relaxed on the grass.

And just like that, a wolf stood above Demi in the 10 person tent.

Giving his mate a quick nuzzle, Demi slowly crept outside the tent. He didn't want to wake anyone or draw attention to himself. He still had to get Alex into their tent.

Demi nudges Alex with his snoot, urging him to get up. Alex realised it was time and ran to his brother's tent as there would be no room to shift in his own.

Soon after a small blondish white coyote pup came out. His ears and tail were probably the most unique feature both the wolf and coyote have ever seen.

Casper ran out of tent to give Alex some privacy.

'So Cas, did you hear what they said about us on the news? They think we are trouble makers!

Just were the ears attach to the head, Alex's fur was a shiny metallic gold color. His tail was the same way.

He jumped up into the air and started to run a tad bit. The excitment seemed to rub off on Demi. He too started to jump around with his little brother. Together their energy seemed to wile them up even more.

With a burst of energy, the trio took off onto the road. Demi and Alex yipped along the way down the road. Casper's tongue lulled out of his mouth while he ran.

Alex on the other paw didn't want to go digging like his older brother. He was more interested in the playground that was close by and the toys that had been abandoned there as well.

Ha! Can you believe that? Let's give them real trouble!'

Cas nodded in response. He started to slow down as they approached the dumpsters. The overwhelming smell of garbage that has been marinating all day under a scorching hot sun wafted around the trio.

Demi charged ahead of them. He loved digging in the trash, all kinds of goodies people would throw out for no reason was calling his name!

He chased after his brother though.

[lowkeyassgard]

DAY 4 OF LOKI VS. EARTH: CACTUS

Day 4 of the quarantine series and today Loki is pissed off by a cactus.

One shot summary: Loki just wanted his new book but got something a little more spikey.

Author’s note: I started something called the quarantine series as a way to help others get through this tough time. To join in just write a one shot and tag it with #quarantine series. Also if you do join in please message me so I can see it :)

Loki Odinson was not a summer kind of guy. He hated the sun. He hated the heat. He hated the exposed skin of the humans he saw walking by. He hated it all.

When it was warm outside Loki stayed very much indoors. He would lock himself away in his room with a book and stay there until it was dark outside. This is exactly how he had spent his first summer on Midgard so far. He had read through all the books Thor had brought him and he even started ordering some on some human site called kindle.

Loki only went outside when asked or deemed necessary. It had been a few days since he had left the home and today he had his first shipment of books coming in. Much to his disappointment they did not bring the books to your bedroom. They left the package in your mailbox or on your porch. Since this was just one book Loki knew he would have to go all the way out to retrieve it.

Valkyrie told him that the mail ran by noon everyday so when he saw the clock read 11:30 he began to mentally prepare himself. He was a god.. A little sun would not kill him.

Upon hearing the mail truck stop at his home Loki slipped on his shoes and grabbed the sunglasses Valkyrie had bought him and trembly reached out for the door knob.

As he opened the door his focus on the book disappeared because there on his porch sat a flower? Yes a flower. Loki was absolutely puzzled.

So puzzled that he briefly slid his sunglasses up to make sure he was seeing clearly.

There was a flower on his porch. Who would leave him a flower? Loki not being able to resist the curiosity picked up the pot. There in the dirt was a piece of paper attached to a stick that read “To bring a little summer in your home.”

Sorry to whomever brought him this but this flower was ugly. Completely hideous. It had no leaves or no pretty colors. It was just green and circular. It’s only other feature was spikes.. Loki knew because he poked his nose on one trying to smell it. It didn’t even smell nice. This was the ugliest thing he had ever seen and he had seen his own father naked once.

Loki didn’t want this flower or summer nowhere near the inside of his home. He just wanted his book that was waiting for him to retrieve from the mail box.

Loki couldn’t just leave this flower here though. Valkyrie a few weeks ago had brought him a book on the environment and how to be more environmentally friendly. She thought it would help him come more to the liking of summer. It did not but from his reading Loki knew that he couldn’t just let this plastic container with a ugly ass flower just sit here and waste away. So Loki thought up the great idea of taking out the flower, throwing it to the yard next door(where it could grow peacefully) and reusing the plastic as a holder for his knives

Loki was anti summer not a monster. With his great idea he reached down to grab the plant out of the holder. He grabbed it with both hands and let out a scream that the whole neighborhood probably heard.

“OH MY JOTUN.” Loki hollered out. This plant had spikes all over. This plant was no flower. It was a nuance. Loki was going to do a good act and allow it to grow in his neighbors yard and this is how it repaid him.

This plant entire existence should be ended and spent in hel. He was a god and it dare injured him.

Loki went back inside with his hands full of spikes and grabbed the lighter he kept in the end drawer of his island. He held the lighter between his fingers to avoid making contact with the spikes.

Once back outside he got on his knees and prepared to punish the plant in the way he believed it deserved.

Right as he was going to flick the button he heard his brother, Thor, yell out.

“Loki, What in Valhalla are you doing?

“Brother. This unknown species appeared on my porch and it defaced my skin.”

“Loki. Loki. It’s just a flower. “ Thor said as he reached down to remove it from its spot on the porch. Immediately he yelled out and threw the cactus toward Loki. Loki not wanting the cactus to hit him in the face reached up and grabbed it. Again he felt this plant intrude on his perfect hands.

Loki yelped and threw it back at his brother. Who again caught and threw it back. If anyone walked past they would be questioning what in the world these men were doing. Standing on the porch throwing a cactus back and forth. Why didn’t they just drop it? Why were they playing hot potato with it?

Loki was afraid to let the cactus fall anywhere else but his hands. He didn’t want it to harm anything else. He wanted to be the one to deal with it. But how when with each catch many more spikes filled his hands. So there him and Thor sat tossing this plant back and forth like it was a ball. Each taking turns yelling out in pain and throwing it back in the air. Their immediate response was to throw back in the air which it came from and to rejoice in the few moments of it not being in their hands.

Not being able to take anymore Loki threw a blast of energy at the cactus mid air. The whole plant caught on fire and fell to the ground. Once on the ground Loki watched it with disappointment. Loki felt like burning all of its kind to the ground.

Loki and Thor sat there and watched the cactus turn to a black crisp. Their hands bleeding and full of spikes. They say there on the porch and questioned why this plant species would even exist. Was it’s purpose just to be a complete nuance to society?

As the brothers sat there in confusion, Valkyrie approached their home.

“Oh my god. You destroyed the cactus I got you.” Valkyrie gasped.

“Cactus more like SPAWN OF ODIN.”

“Loki you’re been holed up you in your room so I brought you this. I thought it would be good company since it’s so easy to take care of.” Valkyrie said.

He supposed it would have been easy to take care of. It could have just sat on his counter and now here it laid on his porch.

“WellI. Valkyrie it’s also easy to burn.” Loki now feeing silly that he ruined a nice gift from his friend.

Valkyrie coming over to the two of them. “Loki is there anything you won’t burn? I’m running out of gift ideas.”

Loki just laughed. They spent the next four hours removing the spikes from Loki and Thor’s hands. They knew that they would look back and laugh at this. Loki did like to burn things. Especially things he didn’t understand. Cactus are ugly and useless. To Loki they will always be qualified to burn. But next time there’s a gift on his door step he will give it more than 5 minutes before burning it.

On this fine summer day, Loki added cacti to the list of useless things that exist on Earth and to his personal list of “burned before I thought “

[fuwafuwamedb]

A Stolen Wife Pt 2 (Gilgamesh, Hakuno, Ishtar)

Thus far: 1

___

He woke up first.

Unsurprising, since he was a king. It had always been his duty to wake up earlier than those in his company. It gave him the chance to note changes in a person’s demeanor. It gave him the chance to have his alone time, to take in the world around him without anyone getting in his way. The mind was best left to considerations and ponderings at this time and he was no different. His mind was focused wholly on changing his space.

He had a woman around.

He’d seen such actions with his soldiers and with his close advisors. When a man had a woman join him in his home, one of the first things to occur were décor changes. It was a manner from which a woman became comfortable in her environment. She would change a few pots and plants in the house. Perhaps she would grow something along the sills and fashion a new mead for the evening meals.

Soon, there would be new fabrics. He’d found that wives were often creatures of comforts. They liked cleanliness and order as wives. They preferred to have things fashioned into a structure and their husbands cared for in particular manners.

So, as he had his wife, he would need to show these signs.

It meant his room would alter. Things would be rearranged and his companion would need room for becoming comfortable.

His clothes were moved, several garments going back into the gates before he was evaluating the room again. Further clothing being moved would mean that he would have too little in options should he be weakened or wish not to waste his energy opening the gates.

Perhaps he needed to have his rooms expanded.

The rooms on the left and right of his own were nothing but storage. He could easily take the walls out to the left and right, repair the signs of the room being smaller, and add additional furnishings. Perhaps a fountain would be appropriate in here. The water would add a sense of life to the otherwise cold and inhuman facility.

Speaking of his wife, there was movement now.

She moved an arm. Then her head moved. His brunette was slowly moving to her side, pulling the blankets around herself a bit more.

Creature comforts. She seemed to enjoy the feel of his thick furs with their plush coats.

“Are you finally waking up?”

Those eyes closed tighter for a moment before he could see her looking over to him blearily. Slowly, she was awakening. Slowly, she was moving to sit up and rubbing at her eyes.

“Gilgamesh? What’s going on? What happened to that woman from before?”

Woman from before… did she mean that fool she’d been yelling at earlier?

“Gilgamesh-“

“The woman is gone. All of that world is gone.”

The brunette frowned at him, her eyes looking over the room.

“Welcome to Chaldea, humanity’s last defense against the problems that arise when magecraft tangles with the fabric of fate.”

“What happened to Tsukumihara Academy? Leo? Rin?”

He didn’t know what those things were, but they didn’t matter now, did they? He had removed her from that time and world. It would most likely cease to be, breaking apart at the seams and becoming destroyed.

“Gilgamesh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The woman stared at him, eyes wider. “You hate Leo. He sits in the council room. Rin looks like someone you know… or she acts that way. I don’t know. She has two twin tails that are a really dark brown, almost black. Tsukumihara Academy is where you saved me from being swallowed up by the darkness. We’re contrac-“

She paused as she looked at her hand.

“Are you looking for these?” Gilgamesh unbuttoned his shirt, presenting the red markings on his chest. “I have three of these command spells, I believe.”

“…wait.”

She was starting to panic, not a great sign for a woman he was going to claim as his own. The moving back against the headboard of his bed was also a bad sign.

Gilgamesh closed his shirt once more, buttoning it up once again.

“Calm yourself, these are simple command spells. You are still a mage and not a servant. I saved you while you were being stalked towards by a woman with purple hair-“

“BB.”

“Yes, well, I don’t care to entertain this. You’re becoming my wife.”

He may as well have told her that she was to be queen of Uruk for the look of shock that came over her. Her hands were gripping the furs of his bed further, her whole body tensing as she stared straight at him.

“Ah, I’m judging by your reaction that you are in awe of such a feat. I have looked at all of my contractors that I have had since I am in need of a companion and have chosen you. You’re far more amusing than any other, plus average enough. It is true I’m lowering myself to a point by choosing you, but I think you will come to show me the respect due.”

Nothing.

She stared at him further, her hand covering her mouth. Her eyes roamed over him, although it didn’t seem like a once over that a woman would give a man she intended to bed. It looked more like that of a woman seeing a beast descend, like she was looking for some sign of malady.

What was she thinking?

“…You have not introduced yourself,” Gilgamesh pointed out.

She blinked.

“Your name? Or do you need me to name you?”

“Hakuno. I’m Hakuno Kishinami. Which you should know already.”

“I have little time to care about my contractors, even less to remember their names and personalities. Hakuno, you are my wife now.”

“Why?”

Why?

Gilgamesh frowned at her.

She was being claimed as his wife. What did the reasoning behind this decision matter? She was being given an opportunity that would never occur for any other woman in the universe. A marriage exclusive. She would have him to herself. It was vulnerability. It was a humbling on his part. She could have had any personality. She could demand any single thing. He would be obliged as her husband to give it. That or kill her, which if she bothered him was possible.

“Gilgamesh-“

A knock was at the door, drawing their conversation to a stop.

“Oh stupid king,” Ishtar’s sing-songy voice rang out from the other side of the door. “Gudako’s planning to do experience grinding and wants all servants in the command room. You better hurry up.”

Hakuno frowned, her eyes going to him once again.

“I am a servant. You know this.”

“You have command spells though,” Hakuno pointed out.

He did. “Do not mention them to the others.”

“Why?”

Ishtar was pounding on his door again. He wasn’t sure why his master felt it appropriate to let the goddess harass him, but his respect for Gudako was falling by the minute. Gilgamesh moved closer to the bed to avoid having to speak up.

“Gil-“

“You are my wife. That is what is important at this time. Your job, as such, is to need me.”

The bemused look that came over that face was glorious. Dark, narrowed eyes, a pursing of the lips, a slight flare to her nostrils; she stared deep into the depths of his soul and showed every bit of a spine of steel.

Gilgamesh found himself snickering.

“You’re not funny.”

“I can be amusing,” he told her. “However, I am serious on this matter. My task for you is to need me. Change this room as you see fit. Demand things that bring you pleasure. You are to need and rely on me.”

“That’s a shitty wife.”

“Oh?”

“A wife should be a partner, someone who shares responsibility and stands at your side, not clings to your tacky zebra print shirt and cries for attention.”

The zebra print was fashionable…

Gilgamesh pulled another shirt from his gates, scoffing.

“Then you would rather be my contractor and my wife?”

“I was your contractor… And I don’t need a husband.”

“You have one anyway. The contracting will need discussion with Gudako.”

If anything, it would ensure that he wasn’t burned, but Gudako would be wary. Mages weren’t prone to appearing here, not as far as he was aware.

Ishtar was yelling one final time before he could hear her run off. Pest that she was, she wasn’t going to risk missing a meeting that Gudako had deemed vital for the servants.

“Come,” Gilgamesh offered his hand to the woman. “I need you dressed and I need to present you to my master before she finds out about you in some other manner.”

“I don’t like this.”

“You were brought here by me for the sole purpose of being with me. Bear that blessing and importance close as I bring you to that useless contractor of mine.”

He refused to let her leave his room until he had her adorned in jewelry to show her importance.

First impressions were vital, after all.

It was not every day that one presented their wife to their master and enemies.

[tardistimes]

Aractune

Summary: The Master's companion is scared of spiders. How could he possibly abuse that knowledge?

Series: The Planets Part 3 | Part 2 | Part 1

Word Count: 5194

N.B.  Okay, I know some people will be put off by the mention of spiders in the description (I would be, as I have a spider phobia) but I promise I use minimal descriptions and their appearances are intended to be funny not scary!

AO3 link here.

“You’ll like this one.” The Master promised, opening the door for her. “Zenus. It’s a level five planet, like Earth. Its main inhabitants built their civilisations from the treetops, using a series of interconnected bridges to travel between the forests.”

“Err, I don’t think so,” Ana said, glancing outside at the arid landscape before them. There wasn’t a single tree in sight.

Giving her an innocent look after he peeked out the doors – immediately making Ana suspicious – he declared, “How strange. The TARDIS must have brought us here for some reason. Well, it would be a shame to come all this way and not have a look around. Shall we?”

Reluctantly following him outside, Ana took in their surroundings. The sky overhead was a reddish hue, a stark contrast to the greenish-black soil covering the majority of the landscape before them. It was only broken up by the odd jagged rock protruding from the dirt or a short plant of some variety, which resembled a black cactus.

“Where are we?” She asked once she had seen enough. It really was a desolate looking place, especially when she had been prepared for a luscious forest full of treetop houses.

“Hang on, I’ll check.” The Master said, turning to go look at the console.

“You mean you don’t just know?” Ana teased, taking a chance. “Wow. If the Doctor was here, she’d probably eat a bit of soil and immediately know where we are, what week it is and where the nearest doughnut shop is.”

She didn’t often try to compare him to the Doctor, knowing their relationship was a sensitive subject, and Ana immediately bit down on her lip after making the remark as she waited nervously for his response.

The Master glared over his shoulder at her, resolutely shutting the TARDIS door before stalking back to her side. “Fine.”

He drew in a deep breath. “Aractune.”

“No doughnut shop?” Ana asked, glancing at him out the corner of her eye.

“No. And I don’t need to eat dirt to figure that out.” The Master replied dryly.

“Good,” she smiled, “to be honest, I always found that kinda gross.”

He grinned back. His smiles were always so sharp, but Ana found them increasingly endearing. Especially as he moved closer to weave their fingers together. “Come on, pet. Let’s see what’s around.”

“Doesn’t look like much of anything.” She pointed out. There were no roads or trails to suggest a civilisation of any kind. The landscape, to her, looked too barren to support any kind of life, but, as the Master said, the TARDIS wouldn’t take them there for no reason.

The Master swung their hands between them as they walked, making her laugh. He was only doing it as a joke; even without an audience, he loved to be dramatic. Ana still enjoyed the contact though. Usually, his touches were possessive, it made a nice change when they could be light-hearted like this.

“So, what do you know about Aractune?” She asked as they walked along. They were getting further away from the TARDIS, currently disguised as a large boulder, but no matter how far they walked there were no signs of people.

“Level two planet,” he replied, “so not much chaos to create here. I do seem to recall though,” the Master drawled, “I mean, I’m not the Doctor so I’m not sure how accurate this is…��

Ana rolled her eyes. She should have known he wouldn’t let the matter go.

“…but Aractune is known for a nightly meteor shower which, when viewed through the planet’s atmosphere, is meant to be quite spectacular. To a human, anyway. Can’t imagine it would hold much interest to me.” He sniffed.

“We can leave if you don’t want to be here.” Ana said. “We were meant to go to Zenus anyway.”

“Yes, us Time Lords always taking you to the wrong places.” He said lightly.

“This is the only time you’ve ever done that.” Ana pointed out. “And you said that was the TARDIS’s fault, not yours.”

“It is.” The Master agreed.

“There you go then. The Doctor was always taking us to the wrong place,” she laughed, perhaps overexaggerating a little but it wasn’t a lie, “did I ever tell you about the time she promised to take me home and we ended up on an iceberg? No? Well, I’ve made my point. You’re obviously the superior pilot.”

His grin grew and he preened under her compliment. The Master was such a vain creature, which she never failed to find hilarious.

“So we’re staying for the meteor shower?” Ana asked. “I guess we can only see it at nightfall? How long do we have to wait?”

“The days are quite short here. I’d say we only have to wait half an hour before sunset.”

“Great.”

Glancing around, she was unsurprised to see there was still little to do to pass the time.

“What do we do until then?”

Reaching into his pocket, which Ana had learned were bigger on the inside a while ago, he pulled out a blanket and unfurled it on the floor.

“Do you just carry that with you all the time?” She asked sceptically. That didn’t sound like something the Master would waste space on.

“Never know when you might need a blanket.” He told her.

She still didn’t believe him but took a seat beside him on the ground. He laid back after he was sure she was comfortable and, as always, she followed him. Pointing up at the sky, he told her more about the planet, some of the reptilian-like animals which had begun to develop over the past million years, how the environment would develop over subsequent millennia until it was suitable to maintain intelligent life; trying to show off with his knowledge and dispel any comparison with the Doctor.

As he started to tell her about the natural satellites in orbit, the reddish sky darkened into a deep purple before fading into black. The stars lit up the night sky, softly illuminating the landscape around them. It was very dark once the sun set on the planet and, feeling slightly exposed, Ana shuffled closer to the Master where she felt safer.

“Are you warm enough?” He asked.

While the temperatures had dropped with the departing sun, she was fine beside him. “No.”

“Scared?” He teased next.

“No.” Ana intoned.

He stretched his arm out and, taking the invitation, Ana rolled into his side. “Silly human.” The Master mumbled into her hair, pulling her closer with his free hand.

The meteors began to shoot across the night sky, pulling a delighted cry from Ana as she saw them. The sparks from their trails flared brightly, illuminating the entire sky above them with flashes of warm yellow. They swirled into the dusty atmosphere, mixing into explosions of bright oranges and fiery reds.

The Master grinned smugly as Ana exclaimed how beautiful it was – his human was so easy to please.

She became entirely entranced with the display as it continued to unfold overhead, so Ana barely heard the rustling that first sounded behind her. When it came again, however, suddenly closer, she jumped. Pressing her hands to the Master’s chest, she pushed herself up and squinted through the shadows surrounding them.

“What was that?” Ana asked nervously.

“What was what?” The Master replied lazily, idly running his fingers through the ends of her hair.

Shaking her head, sure she was imagining it, Ana settled back against him.

“Okay, no. Do you not hear that?” She said a minute later, sitting upright as the noise came again.

“It’s just the wind.” He dismissed, still laying down. “Now pay attention to the meteor shower. You see those meteors at the end? In about ten thousand years they will finally come close enough to the planet to be pulled in by its orbit. Where they crash will become the first major body of water, which will advance the development of intelligent life. As for the other meteors, they crash five million years from now and destroy the civilisation which ultimately forms here. Absolute devastation, we really should visit…”

“Master!” Ana exclaimed. Whatever caused the noise was close enough now for her to pinpoint it, coming from her left.

Her head turned just in time to see the spindly creature approach, its numerous legs slowly breaking through the shadows as it neared them and Ana realised with a stab of terror, “SPIDER!”

It was nearly the size of a basketball and scurried towards her. With a cry, she rolled over the Master’s torso until she was firmly behind him, fully prepared to use him as a human (alien, she corrected) shield.

Instead of complaining about the indignity of her actions, the Master calmly pulled the TCE from his pocket and killed the creature approaching them.

“Honestly,” he tusked, once it was taken care of, “that is not a spider. We’re not on Earth, darling. Look.”

Reaching forward to pluck up the miniature, he held it close to Ana’s face, sighing when she immediately scampered away.

“Don’t put it near me!” She yelled.

“Pet, I’m just trying to demonstrate that it only has seven legs. Not eight.”

Refusing to look, Ana declared, “I don’t care, it still scared the crap out of me. Sneaking up on us like that. Hang on a minute,” she said, a shudder running down her spine, “are there more of those?”

“Yes. At this moment in time, they’re the dominant life form on the planet.”

Hurrying back to his side, Ana grabbed his arm (the one not holding the spider-like creature) and held him tightly. “Get me the hell out of here.”

The Master raised an eyebrow at her. “It’s fine. As I just demonstrated,” he flicked the figurine away from them, “I am more than capable of protecting us. Besides, they’re not venomous. Not to humans anyway. As far as I know.”

Ana shot him an unimpressed look. “I am not sitting out here with those things all around us.”

“But love, the meteor shower.”

“No.” She insisted, standing up and crossing her arms.

The Master, unable to remember a time he had seen Ana ever so resolute, slowly stood. Carefully folding the blanket while she tapped her foot impatiently, he only led her back to the TARDIS once it was properly tucked back inside his pocket. Offering her his arm, she quickly took it and stayed pressed to his side the entire way back.

Holding the door open for her, Ana hastened inside the TARDIS – determined to have a scolding hot shower in the hopes it would kill the feeling of invisible spiders crawling over her skin. She always felt that way after an encounter.

The Master watched her go, waiting for her to leave the console room before allowing a mischievous smile to cross his face.

________________________________________________________________

Every few weeks, the Master returned Ana home so she could maintain the life she’d left behind to travel with him – making calls to relatives and paying her bills. He was never happy about it, constantly making the argument for her to quit her job, sell her things and move aboard the TARDIS permanently. Every time, Ana pointed out she still had family on Earth and she needed somewhere to stay while visiting them.

Really, she knew it wouldn’t matter much to her if she never saw her family ever again, and she had no friends of note. Getting rid of her home, however, seemed too great a risk. Realistically, despite the developments in their relationship, Ana would always think there was a chance the Master would tire of her one day and leave her somewhere. On the chance he had enough compassion for her left to make that place Earth, it would help to have somewhere to go.

The Master was stood in the console room when she came back from her bedroom – where she had collected a few things she’d need on Earth – scrutinising the screens to try and avoid a goodbye.

With a sigh, Ana crossed over to his side. It seemed her trip home would be like every other. Just once, she wished she could say goodbye for a few days without the Master treating it as though she were saying goodbye forever.

Pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth, Ana said, “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Three days.” The Master confirmed grumpily.

She didn’t know why he always made such a performance about this. He had a time machine. He could literally close the door and travel to exactly three days’ time when she was due to come back to the TARDIS, leaving no time to miss her. Instead, he’d go off on his adventures – which he’d tell her all about once she came back, making them sound as enchanting and wonderful as he could – in the hopes it would make her regret her decision to leave and choose to move into the TARDIS permanently.

If she were being honest with herself, Ana did miss the Master and the TARDIS when she left. In an ideal world, she would stay with him for as long as she could before her mortality got in the way. Life was never ideal however and she knew she had to maintain a life beyond him.

“Goodbye, Master,” Ana said, saddened when he wouldn’t meet her gaze.

He started toying with the switches on the console, which she took as her cue to leave.

Sighing again, Ana pulled open the TARDIS door and stepped outside into her living room.

Glancing around, customarily checking to see everything was in place, she paused when she saw an ominously large cobweb in a corner of the room. It spanned about a foot and was worryingly empty.

Leaving the TARDIS door open just to be safe, Ana tentatively stepped closer to it, her eyes jumping around so nothing could sneak up on her. The experience of Aractune was still fresh in her memory and she had no desire to relive any part of that.

Rationally, she knew her fear was irrational. Unfortunately, there was nothing rational about phobias and she’d been scared witless of spiders for as long as she could remember. It was something her family had always teased her for, using it as an obstacle to her following in their footsteps. How could she work in law enforcement, act in a capacity to keep others safe, if she fell prey to irrational fear so easily?

There was nothing around the cobweb and Ana prayed the creature that had created it had since departed her apartment.

Turning around, she clapped a hand to her mouth to contain the squeal which left her lips.

She only muffled part of it, enough escaping to capture the Master’s attention.

“Was that you?” He asked, stepping into her house. Casting a disparaging look at his surroundings, he declared, “Honestly pet, I don’t know what you see in this place. You could fit the entirety of this apartment inside your room in the TARDIS. At least let me find you somewhere suitable on this scrap heap of a planet?”

“Master.” Ana squeaked, jabbing a finger towards the dead, offending creature laid in the middle of her living room floor.

“What is it?” He said, curiously following her gesture. When he saw what had gotten her so excited he groaned. “Not this again. I do not understand your preoccupation with eight-legged animals. We have faced far worse, love. Significantly more dangerous and, in my opinion, much uglier. This,” he condemned, scrutinising the small arachnid before him, “it would barely fill the palm of your hand, let alone mine. And it’s already dead!”

Ana shuddered at the thought of touching it.

“Can you just get rid of it, please?” She implored, trying to keep her tone even and courteous. The last thing she needed was the Master to decide the situation was funny and torment her with the thing even further.

Luckily, after one glimpse at her face, he realised how strongly she wanted it gone and did so without complaint. Only once he’d scooped it up and left the room to dispose of its body, did Ana feel the tension leave her body. That encounter had come too close off the back of the one on Aractune and she prayed, for the sake of her nerves, she wouldn’t encounter any more spiders for quite some time. Or, ideally, ever again.

“All gone.” The Master announced as he came back in.

“Thank you,” Ana said, gushing with gratitude. If he hadn’t just handled its body, she would have thrown herself into his arms to show just how appreciative she was.

“Don’t mention it.” He grinned. “Now, about this flat of yours. I really do think you can do better. Why don’t I…”

“Master.” Ana moaned. Not again.

He held up his hands. “Very well. I won’t mention it. You stay here, in your adorable little hovel. I just hope, for your sake, that you don’t have an infestation of those silly little creatures.” The Master said idly. “Hey, do you remember that woman who was killed by those giant spiders in her apartment when we first met? I couldn’t say so at the time – given the part, I was playing – but that was quite funny, wasn’t it?”

Ana felt all the colour leave her face.

Her eyes bounced around the flat and suddenly her body was tense again.

That sneaky bastard.

Shooting him a glare, Ana stalked past him back into the TARDIS.

“Oh, are you not staying? How delightful, darling.” He grinned. “Now, how about we try and get to Zenus this time. I really do think you’ll enjoy it.”

________________________________________________________________

Ana had been trying to shower away the grime from their latest adventure when she caught sight of the first black leg emerging from the drain. With a shriek, she leapt out of the cubicle, hollering for help.

Grabbing the closest towel, Ana wrapped it around herself just in time for the Master to burst through the door to come to her rescue. If she had thought about it rationally, she might have questioned how he had responded so quickly – given he had last been seen in the console room and, no matter how much the TARDIS aided him by rearranging the corridors, he shouldn’t have been able to get to her so fast.

Instead, she watched him kill the spider and flush it down the toilet, before hurrying to his side to thank him. He pulled her into a hug, grateful for all the skin bared to him by the towel she wore, as he ran his hands along her arms before pulling her flush to his chest.

Once her heart had slowed down to its normal rate, Ana pulled back and switched off the water.

“Your clothes are all damp.” She apologised when she returned to his side.

“Don’t worry about it. I have plenty more where these come from.” He assured, pushing the hair out of her face. “Besides, all in the line of duty. I can’t let those pesky things get to my human now, can I?”

His hand trailed down her face to brush over her bottom lip and he delighted as Ana immediately gave into temptation and leaned in to initiate a passionate kiss, the leftover adrenaline from her encounter making their embrace increasingly desperate.  

________________________________________________________________

“How do spiders keep getting aboard?” Ana lamented, her legs pulled up onto the seat of her chair while the Master caught the spider which had just crawled out the kitchen cupboard while she was trying to get some cereal for breakfast. “We’re in space!”

“We must have picked some up when you wanted to go to Earth yesterday.” The Master explained pointedly. He’d given Ana free reign to choose their destination and, to his chagrin, she wanted to go to Earth to see the launch of Apollo 11. To him, a trip to her sub-par planet to witness the development of primitive technology was a waste of a trip, but she’d found it fascinating.

“The launch probably disrupted a lot of the wildlife and they would have sought shelter.”

The notion that the latest scare was probably her fault, made her apologise for causing such a commotion.

“It’s all right, pet.” He said good-naturedly. “Gave me an opportunity to swoop in and rescue you.”

He waggled his eyebrows at her, making Ana laugh.

“My hero.” She grinned, going along with the joke.

At least he was trying to be.

________________________________________________________________

 Picking up her phone, Ana quickly dialled the TARDIS phone.

“Miss me already, love.” The Master answered, picking up after the first ring. There was a sound of machinery clunking in the background, so Ana presumed he was working in the console room.

“Erm, are you busy?” She asked nervously.

“You do miss me, don’t you?” He chuckled deeply. If the hairs on the back of her neck weren’t already standing on end, they would have been after hearing his pleased tone. “Good pet. Why don’t you tell me what it is you need?”

She was too panicked to respond to his flirting and demanded, a bit too sharply, “Can you just come back? Please?”

The line was silent for a moment before the Master slowly agreed.

“All right, Ana. I’ll be right there.”

Pocketing her phone, Ana concentrated on what was before her. As long as she kept her eyes on it, she wouldn’t lose it. The Master would arrive and get rid of it, then she could go back to enjoying her holiday.

In exchange for the night she’d missed on Daviron – when he’d eagerly whisked her away from her vacation early despite their deal – Ana had convinced the Master to let her stay at a resort for the day. They’d come across the place on their latest adventure. The resort was surrounded by natural geothermal springs and sat secluded in the middle of the planet’s woodlands. It had seemed so beautiful and peaceful, that Ana had implored him to spend more time there and, like last time, the Master had secured her a beautiful suite at the resort’s hotel where she would stay overnight.

Her time there had been blissfully relaxing. Right up until the spider before her emerged. It was the biggest she’d seen since Sheffield and Ana was desperate to get away from it, however, it was between her and the door, leaving little room for her to escape without coming into contact with it.

The sound of the TARDIS landing was the most wonderful noise in the universe Ana decided, as it landed in her bedroom. Taking up space beside her wardrobe, it disguised itself as an additional door.

Stepping outside, the Master raised his hands in question.

Jerking her head towards the problem, she watched as he amusedly realised what he had been summoned for.

“Darling, if you missed me all you needed to do was call. You don’t need to orchestrate these things to justify it.” He jested, raking his eyes up and down the length of her body. “You know I’d never leave you lonely.”

“Master, please.” Ana pleaded, returning her eyes to the oversized bug so it couldn’t disappear on her. She’d spend the night dreading its reappearance.

With all the airs of a long-suffering man, the Master sighed as he withdrew his TCE and killed yet another creature which had offended his human.

Turning on her heel, Ana threw her arms around him and hugged him desperately.

“I knew you’d missed me.” He crowed into her hair, reeling her close.

Shivering slightly, she tried to will herself to relax. It was gone, the Master had dealt with it and she was perfectly safe.

The Master sensed her distress and hugged her more gently, with a firm hand stroking her back to calm her. “It’s all gone now, Ana.” He promised. “You can get back to your holiday now.”

She grimaced at the thought – no longer feeling safe alone in the room it had emerged in – and, after a moment, the Master added, “Unless you want to come back to the TARDIS early?”

Nodding into his shoulder, Ana was unable to see the delight on his face.

Scooping her up, the Master hastened her into the TARDIS without a backward glance.

________________________________________________________________

In hindsight, Ana should have realised what the Master was doing long before she did. As it happened, she only found out when she caught him in the act. The squirming spider was trapped between his fingers by one of its legs, about to go on Ana’s bed. 

Slamming the door behind her, the Master froze before he could let it go. 

Glancing over his shoulder, he gave her a guilty grin. “Pet. I thought you were going for a swim?”

“I forgot my towel,” Ana explained dryly, pointing to the item she had left slung over a chair. 

“We have spares in the lockers beside the pool.” He told her, his tone casual as the spider continued its struggle against his grip. 

Ana arched a brow. “I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t know that or I wouldn’t have come back so soon.” She drawled. “Just what exactly are you doing with that spider?”

“I was removing it.”

She hummed sceptically. “What were you doing in here to begin with?”

As the Master of lies, he spun her a pretty story about wanting to do something romantic by leaving a gift on her bed – he even had a box in his pocket to produce as part of the charade, something he often kept on him in case he attracted his human’s ire and needed a distraction. The lie may have worked on her – it was, she begrudgingly conceded, convincingly told – if, while he spoke, her memory hadn’t produced all those times she had been terrorised by one of those eight-legged creatures, with the Master always conveniently placed to come to her rescue. Taking her to Aractune, even though he knew from their first meeting she was terrified of spiders (or in Aractune’s case, spider-like creatures). The one in her apartment, in the shower, in the TARDIS’s kitchen, in her hotel suite, and now one on her pillow. Undoubtedly he would have waited just around the corner, waiting for her screech of terror before dashing in to rescue her. 

“If you want me to be your damsel in distress,” Ana said acidly, once he was finished telling his fabrications, “perhaps you could try something different next time? Maybe pay someone to dangle me off a building or accidentally drop me into shark-infested waters? This act with the spiders is starting to wear a bit thin. How about some real jeopardy?”

“Pet, I just told you…”

“Treating me like an idiot isn’t going to win me over, you know.” She bit back. Marching over to her bedroom door, she yanked it open and gestured outside. “Take your eight-legged friend with you on your way out.”

“This is my TARDIS, Ana. I’ll go where I please.” He stated, immediately rebelling. 

“Fine. You can take me home then. At least I know you haven’t had time to sneak anything into my house just to scare me back to you. Take me home.”

The Master crushed the spider in his hand, annoyed with its wriggling, and Ana fought not to grimace. She must have failed as, upon catching sight of her face, his ire magnified. 

“Why don’t you get the Doctor to take you home if you’re so disgusted?”

Ana was taken aback. “The Doctor? What has she got to do with anything?” 

“I travelled with you all, pet.” The Master reminded. “I saw you all together. The way your eyes used to light up whenever she would swoop in to rescue you from danger – which, for the record, she also used to put you in. Never did you blame her for that, instead you would all simper and praise her intelligence, her bravery. Your precious Doctor. I’m sure if she had done this, you would have found it delightful!” He yelled, the bitterness dripping so heavily from his words, Ana could feel it wash over her from the other side of the room. 

Her bewilderment grew. “That’s why you did this? You wanted an excuse to rescue me so you could be more like the Doctor.”

Out of habit, he rejoined, “I am nothing like the Doctor!”

“I know!” Ana yelled back. When his face fell, she added softly, “That’s why I chose you.”

Walking closer, still mindful of his hand and the crushed remains of the insect smeared over his palm, Ana looked at him. “When I was with the fam and I got into danger, there was always a part of me that thought they wouldn’t miss me if I was gone. I was never really a part of their family, and part of me wondered if sometimes they wouldn’t like to get rid of me. That, given the opportunity of me being in danger, they would just leave me there. That’s why I was so happy when O started to come with us because, with you there, I knew there was always someone who would notice if I wasn’t there, who would push to get me back whatever the risk. That’s why I’m with you now. You might get me into ridiculously dangerous situations, but I know you’ll always try to rescue me from them.”

“Always.” The Master confirmed without hesitation. 

Ana believed him. While she knew there was a chance the Master might get sick of her one day and send her packing, she was confident he would never leave her to fall victim to one of his messes. She believed he cared for her enough to never wish her physical harm. If she was in danger, he would rescue her. There was no doubt in her mind. And she certainly didn’t need any convincing to stay with him – she had never regretted her choice to leave the Doctor for the Master and couldn’t imagine there would ever be a time that she would. 

“You don’t need to play pretend being the hero, Master. There’s nothing for you to live up to. I’m happy where I am.” Ana said. “No more spiders, okay?

“No more spiders.” He confirmed. Raising his hands, ready to tug her into a kiss, he pouted when Ana hastily backed away. 

“Okay, don’t get me wrong. I’d love to kiss you, really I would. But you’ve got to wash that hand first, I’m not getting spider guts in my hair.”

His dour expression was replaced with a grin as he realised her true motive for pulling away. Pointing a finger at her, he said sternly, “Don’t go anywhere.”

The Master hastened into her bathroom to do as his pet desired, Ana giggling as she watched him run off, so eager to return for his kiss. 

“I’m still mad about you planting all those spiders though.” She called after him. 

“I know.” He replied sulkily, prompting her to laugh again. “I’ll make it up to you.”

My hero, she thought wryly.

Note: That second experience is based on something that happened to me when a relative, who had been house sitting for us, thought it would be funny to leave a dead spider in the middle of my bedroom floor for when I got home because they know how much I hate spiders. Suffice to say, I didn't find it funny! 

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this and no one found the spiders creepy! I know this story doesn't progress the series much, I just thought it was a funny idea as I'd already set up that Ana hates spiders in Vabivis. Let me know your thoughts!

N.B. I've now made a Discord group for Master fans (and other Dhawan characters like Orlo, Davos etc). If you're interested in joining, message me for the link! 

[comic-is-trying-to-write]

"Alright, everyone!” I’m not sure if anyone else knows this, but it does take a bit to convoke any kind of courage once you get so used to running away from your problems and are far from being used to asserting your self in the faces of seven others. Luckily, Soren ain't much of a wallflower. “It’s time to go! We only have one shot at this! Remember, once the Formidi-Bomb is crafted, it will explode in a matter of seconds! This means that whoever is doing the crafting will be in grave danger…and...well, I was hoping that…perhaps we could draw straws…!”

Although Soren was as straightforward as he could be, a heavy wave of awkward fell upon everyone, hushing them into silence. 

No. 

No, no, no, no. 

That’s an understatement. 

The wave that was Soren’s warning violently collapsed directly onto their heads from behind, abruptly in the sense that they could feel the spine-chilling presence of the thousand-foot tide at the back of them, a thunderous collision powerfully plunging onto them as they shrieked. That is, before the brackish water forcibly crammed into their noses, the unbelievably uncomfortable event had them to reflexively gap their mouths in teeth-grit, only to be forced to gasp even more salt-filled water, the roofs of their throats ironically dehydrating, the desperate desire to screech bloody murder merely intensifying as the strong current threw them, shuttling them into a harsh tumble, flailing their arms about, incompetent to swim to the oxygen cruelly teased overhead of them as they each try to preserve their lives, ultimately asphyxiating without a witness about, their lifeless body to only be discovered and mercilessly ripped apart, limb-to-limb by a sharp-toothed predator, their blooded remains to be left at the bottom of the ocean for centuries, for all some know--an unquestionable death for all. 

Except for one survivor, that is.

“Anyone?” I mean, even requesting in as meek of a tone of voice that was, Soren subconsciously knew that asking something of a suicide mission was a bit much to invite. “Please…?”

“This is my chance to be a hero.”

All of the seven others present, including Soren, instantaneously shot their head, some letting out small and to-be-expected exclamations, as they began to gawk at the individual who had courageously shattered the cowardice tendency that was circulating back and forth throughout proximity into fragments, accepting to conclude the journey that consisted of locating each and every member of the world’s greatest band of heroes to ever exist–the Order of the Stone, one of which had never to have been accompanied by the light of day in years, appearing to be belatedly rescued from his insanity, a result of isolation. Not only that, but having a full-on adventure alongside Gabriel the Warrior. Not to mention generally evading and scheming to eliminate the Witherstorm: a monstrosity completely competent of tearing the entire world apart, corner to corner, whilst it unmercifully murders everything that moves, mindlessly destroying the environment, atmosphere breaking, every step that it takes. Or every air it flies, I mean. A teenage group of four, a blessed extension to a combatant, somehow accomplishes all that and much more, however, none of them dared to risk their life, all-so-fatally. After all, sure they’d be honoured as a hero but would they want to be honoured as a deceased hero? It’s a given that no one would be okay with that fate. 

Besides Jesse, that is.

“This is my chance to step up.”

Once everyone had comprehended the fact that Jesse was volunteering to risk their own life for a problem that wasn’t his fault, several offered encouraging remarks whilst Soren presented a fake smile of good-luck and pleased approval as he stepped across to Jesse, giving custody to the Formidi-Bomb to the heroic soul, “Very well then...!”

Coughs echoing into the night sky, Gabriel bringing a hand to his mouth, a polite custom, before reminding his allies, the best engineer and rogue in the world: Magnus and Ellegaard. His tone being slightly angrily, “We should be ashamed of ourselves…!”

Ellegaard silently bit her lip, Magnus wordlessly glancing at the night-shadowed terrain to his left, both in an embarrassment of their friend’s notification, although they both already knew that. Even if they didn’t want to. At all. After maybe a second or two, eventually, both Magnus and Ellegaard shifted their attention towards one another, sharing shy, pitiful glimpses, supplied thoroughly with heavy regrets and laments, hearts quivering with sorrow. Remembering all that happened that day…The memories that happened that fateful…terrible…day… Eyes closed, heads lowered in absolute disgrace, they had broken away from each other’s pain-recalled expressions as if they could just shut out the recollections of the Order of the Stone’s most recent mission that easily. Most recent in a several years span, I mean. Ellegaard cradling herself, holding the humerus portion of her arms, Magnus simply trying to evade eye-contact with anyone, the guilt crushed them. Have to fix it. Even if that means to die. I’d be a hero, right? Die a hero.

“Jesse…take my armour,” Ellegaard offered, taking a small step up to Jesse who was now standing on the bridge ahead of the group next to Soren, “It will help.”

“Nah…” Magnus advised. Perhaps he was copying Ellegaard. Perhaps he thought that was a good idea too, “Take mine–It’s gotten me out of a lotta jams!”

Ellegaard got a bit upset, a stern voice, “I insist.”

Magnus argued, “I double insist.”

“I triple insist.”

“I…insist four times.”

“Quadruple.”

“Betcha don’t know what the fifth one is though!”

“Quintuple…alternately pentuple.”

“Know-it-all.”

“I’ve never found that insulting.”

“Up to you, Jesse,” Magnus turned his eyes back to Jesse. “Either real armour…or nerd armour.”

Jesse sighed, laughing. It was kind of funny, really. Even when they’re voluntarily placing their lives on the line, an abnormality ripping everything that they’ve ever loved apart, they persist to quarrel like five-year-olds. Both the engineer and rogue looked hopefully at Jesse–Jesse themself obviously wanting to make a conscious choice about who’s armour to select for, what they all had hoped to be, the final battle against the WitherStorm. However, Jesse didn’t want to take up a long amount of time. After all, wasn’t there a blood-thirsty monstrosity, made with an unorthodox material, smashing everything in it’s path to tears and tatters, a million times their size, Jesse themself being expected to slaughter the abnormality? In fact, wouldn’t the very solution to eliminate it would be to use an explosive that could vigorously detonate and fracture to fragments before it’s challenging, elusive production? 

We don’t have time to waste! 

“Jesse,” Ellegaard began, warmly smiling as Magnus bitterly pouted, “you won’t regret this. The choice that you’re making means that-” Ellegaard suddenly jumped, looking overhead, head snapped back, arms fiercely pressed to her sides, eyes shut, “we’rE ALL GONNA DIE!”

Magnus added, “Well, that’s inspirational-” Magnus violently flinched upon noticing in the corner of his eye what Ellegaard shrieked about, instantaneously shifting himself around to have a clear view at it, a finger sternly pointed, “WELL, THAT’S PANIC-INDUCING!” Alike to everyone else, he then shouted bloody murder, a drawn-out screech, spontaneously accelerating elsewhere. Anywhere elsewhere. The earsplitting outcries and heavy, fleeting footfalls pressed to the slightly damp grass, cause of the eight characters present; the noises echoed into the darkened twilight atmosphere, though it was blocked for the most part. A spine-chilling reality polished against all of their fingertips, cold, nervous sweat slipping drown their already stressed claws, a disturbing tune hallucinated in and out of their ears, filling the sky. None of them cared if they were sprinting into whatever was left of the monster-infested territories. None of them cared if they were running directly into a more open-area, monsters a higher chance of attacking them. None of them cared about producing a much of a loud racket, giving away their position. None of them cared if they had just up-ed and abandoned the rest of the group–others needing them. The didn’t care if others would or were worrying about them. They didn’t care about what was politely customed. They didn’t care about anyone else besides themself at that moment. All that they cared about was to get at a gap from the WitherStorm.

- - -

“Jesse!” Soren addressed trying to get Jesse’s attention, though the ginger bloke was running right next to them, alongside the rest of the group, “You’re going to have to set down a crafting table out there and make that Formidi-Bomb! Everyone else, grab a buddy and spilt-up! We need to keep that WitherStorm on track, so build, build, build!” Suddenly, a purple, dangerous tractor beam appeared in front of the group. The beam would elevate whoever was unfortunate enough to be in harms-way of the monster off of the ground and to their tortuous death, a strange feeling to come into the recipient’s stomach, though that may’ve been the certain death giving them that sense, a red outcome. The group was forced to disband from one-another; not that the violet stream was anything of an inconvenience though–they were going to scatter anyways. Jesse’s group disbanded to the left-hand side, the Order of the stone to the off route, the breeze of the cold especially pressing against Ellegaard’s chest, armour not defending her from the chill like it previously was; her armour being awarded to “Jesse!” Soren reminded in a loud yell, “Don’t forget! Super TNT in the middle and gunpower all around!” 

While the Order took the right-hand side, Jesse’s group the left, Jesse themself took the center, Formidi-Bomb materials in hand, eager to destroy that wretched creature, it being made by corrupt hands. A pursuit to a proximity of the unnatural creation felt like hours–It felt like the area where they had to approach was getting farther and farther away as they moved closer. The hurricane-like-wind, produced by the WitherStorm’s general existence, strongly stormed into Jesse’s face as they were hastening to a nearness; the breeze also gradually fluttered away Jesse’s confidence to small fragments to detonate the explosive in such a vicinity to the killing monstrosity that they were running to; a near-fatal activity…not that they really had a choice. This’ll save the world. Greater good, yeah? The noise of the rapid, racket footfalls of their allies echoed into the twilight atmosphere. Jesse taking a glance behind them, they saw their friends and supporters constructing mini-structures, only for the WitherStorm to forcefully shred it apart, the creature growing stronger in the process. They continued doing that. Over and over. Loyally is one thing. Over-optimism is another. But still…thanks, guys. Jesse finally reaching an appropriate distance, they set the crafting table onto the ground and, just as Soren informed, they located his unique TNT in the center, gunpower surrounding i-

Heart-drop.

Purple.

Purple. 

Purple.

Jesse’s feet felt nothing.

Jesse’s hands felt nothing.

Jesse’s body felt nothing.

What was happening?

They were going to die.

They were going to die.

They were going to die.

They were going to die.

This was it.

They were going to die.

Entering god-knows-what.

Literally.

Their friends will grieve.

Over them.

Their fault.

This.

Was.

It.

…

No.

Determined, Jesse swiftly swirled, propelling themself with one foot–foot jostled against the block which was pushed away, launching themself off of the crafting table–crafting table tumbling away, close to slipping out of the gravitation the Jesse and his materials were overpowered into, near to stumbling out of any possible arm-reach. Jesse whirling themself around, they frantically scanned their proximity as if their life depended on it. Which it did. Jesse striving to seek the ingredients of the Formidi-Bomb which had also elevated alongside them, they desperately glanced around. One. Jesse springing forward to quicky grab a single piece of gunpowder that had been lost, another coming into view, a natural result, out of the corner of their eye, they hurriedly snatched the second item out of the air. Well. Loose air. After all, Jesse was in the air, as a result of the tractor beam. Two. Jesse was barely able to feel as much as a small sense of satisfaction and self-achievement before they metaphorically collapsed into a panicked state. A very panicked state. Oh god, please no… In their peripheral vision, they saw something that really, really alarmed and scared them. A lot. In peripheral vision, Jesse saw his friends and allies creating another structure–a pig-like structure. But what exactly caught their eye in a bad way? 

“Magnus!” Soren warned in a shout, “Ellegaard!”

From the woman’s perspective, that’s when everything faded to black.

[datenightfright]

I know I asked for the angst and depressing content but now I am so sad that Thomas is hauling the dead girl back home after she confessed ;-; Do you hate me for requesting it? And do you hate me even more for asking if she actually manages to survive but just avoids Thomas until he has to come to terms on what to do? ;-; I need angst and sadness but now I just want a happy ending >.

*glares at you* The culprit is back again….You are SO LUCKY I love a good happy ending! In truth, I was gonna do  part two of this anyway, cuz like…this was such a good prompt. I love the ‘one sided pining until someone gets hurt and the other realizes their feelings’ trope. It’s such a good trope. 

This one kinda got away from me too. I put most of it under the cut. Thank you for such a cute request! 

Pt one: Here

Well, this was embarrassing. Instead of going out with some dignity you managed to survive your knife wound. It hurt like a son of a bitch, but, ironically, the only thing that hurt worse was your heart. 

You groan as the water passes over your wound. Hoyt stitched it as best he could, which was pretty damn good actually, but they had to be undone once you realize the damn cut was infected. Now you were trying to wash it out as best you. Lots of warm water and peroxide. It stung so bad you damn near puked. You inhale deeply, taking a break from tending to yourself. Looking at the ceiling of your bathroom, you have to wonder if the plan for your death was the slow and painful kind rather than the quick kind. 

Whatever the case, you were hear now, in a dingy bathroom, trying to take as long as possible tending to your needs. The floorboards creaking just outside the door makes you grimace harder than bandaging your ribs. Tommy was out there, waiting for you.

Thomas had changed. He doted on you hand and foot. Fed you, helped you get dressed in the morning, rubbed your feet even though they didn’t need to be rubbed. You were tired of it. There was no meaning behind it other than his attempt to assuage his own guilt. 

You press your lips together, holding the edge of the sink. How the hell had things gone so fucking wrong? Scrubbing at your eyes you manage to straighten out. You unlocked the door. Yup, there was good old Tommy, worriedly waiting for you. He reaches for you, but you slap a hand away. “I’m fine,” You say, not daring to look at him, “Just leave me alone,” You rush past him as quickly as your injury allows. Before he can follow, you close your bedroom door and lock it. Things were hard enough as it was without him complicating everything.

*

Nightfall sees Tommy in the basement. For once in his life, he’s loud. Throwing things against the wall, yelling, punching, upturning his workbench. All the frustration, the pain, the hatred, all of it unleashed in one massive tantrum. He’d fucked up so bad. 

He loved you from the moment he laid his eyes on you. Of course, he never allowed himself to fall for you completely, not at first anyway. He couldn’t allow himself the indulgence of infatuation. He managed to keep his head screwed on straight…for the most part anyway.  

You hadn’t reacted with the others, not with fear. Shock, of course, which was understandable, it isn’t every day someone rushes at you with a chainsaw, but not a trace of fear. You were so gentle with him. Smiling at him, hugging him. He slides down the wall, all energy spent for the time being. Once…he brings his hand up to his cheek, once you had even kissed him. 

He recalled the memory perfectly. He’d been getting ready for the day, frantically looking for his mask. You were the one that found it. He left it on the counter when he came home from getting dinner. He’d been so tired, and his face hurt so bad he just dropped it on the first surface he came across. 

You were kind to him, smiling at him so warmly. He’d froze in front of you. The last thing he wanted was for you to see his face. “I found your mask Tommy,” You say, handing it to him. He takes it, frantically trying to do damage that’s already been done. Before he could put it on, your lips were at his cheek. Your lips had been so warm, so soft. He wanted  thousand more, a million more. “You’re very handsome Tommy,” You told him. 

It was at that moment he fell for you completely. You thought he was handsome! You kissed him! Surely you must love him too! He waited for a sing. Anything that gave away your affections, but he could find nothing. You were the same as always. Cooking food, making sure he had enough to eat, repairing his clothes. He waited weeks, then months, then years. Nothing.

He realized that maybe you didn’t love him like he loved you. Maybe you loved him like Luda Mae loved him. Like a mother, or a friend. He cried for days when he realized it. He wasted so much time on a stupid fantasy. He came to a decision one night, if no one as beautiful as you was going to love him, then he’d take it from the next girl.

The next one wasn’t pretty like you were. She wasn’t smart or capable. She was loud, whiny, and altogether irritating, but Tommy was sure he could take care of that. Even so, no matter how much time had passed, she simply didn’t fill the void that you left. 

At night, when he went to sit with her, sometimes he’d put his head in her lap, pretending it was you. He even made her read the same books you read to him, and run her fingers through his hair. He made dresses that looked like yours, made her brush his hair for him. In the end, it just wasn’t you. 

Now things were worse than ever. You really did love him! You had all along, he was just too wrapped up in himself to see. But then he went and stabbed you, nearly killing you, now you hated him. He tried to make up for it. He took care of you as best he could. Feeding you, helping you get dressed, brushing your hair. He’d been nothing but gentle. The damage was done. There was no going back.

He pulls a small bunny from his pocket. He kept it with him always, you made it for him. He sniffles, staring at it. Normally, the little rabbit calms him, because he knows at least someone at home likes him enough to be kind to him. Now, it’s just a representation of what he’s destroy. Within moments his sniffles become sobs.

*

You stand at the top of the stairwell. Hoyt, who’d had enough of all this, barged into your room and laid it all on the table. Tommy’s been in love with you for years, but moved on when you seemed no closer to reciprocating his feelings, now he was crying in the basement. 

You hardly believed him. If Tommy loved you so much, why had he rejected you? But, here you are, listening to the heart wrenching sobs of a man that most definitely had his heart broken. 

You take the steps slowly, wincing as you did so. With as long as it took you to stop in front of Tommy, you’re surprised his sobs hadn’t let up. He isn’t paying attention to you, simply holding the Easter gift you’d given him long ago. You aren’t sure how to get down to his level, so instead, to settle for nudging him with your toe. “Tommy,” you mutter. His sobbing stops, yet, he only curls into himself more. You aren’t exactly sure what to say. “Tommy, my side hurts, help me sit down will you?” Tommy does as asked, gently bringing you to the cold, wet floor. Yes, this environment is definitely going to help the healing process. 

Tommy scoots away from you. “Come back here,” You mutter, tugging at his sleeve, “I need to lean on you.” He does as asked, allowing you to use his arm as you wished. For a long while, all you can hear is Tommy sniffling. You run Hoyt’s tirade through your head. No, you think, there’s no way Tommy has been in love with you for years. You outright laugh, bitterness beginning to overtake the heartache. “Oh Lord,” You sigh, “I can’t believe I bought into Hoyt’s dumb speech.” Tommy looks at you, curiously. “He thinks you’re in love with me! Isn’t that a hollar and a half? You? In love with me?” You scoff, not registering the hurt in Tommy’s eyes. “As if someone could fall in love with me.” You let out another chuckle, shaking your head.

Tommy worries at his lip. He DOES love you! More than anything. He just doesn’t know how to show you! “What am I compared to a busty blonde anyway?” Your head plops itself in his arm, feeling pathetic about it all. “I think maybe I should leave once I heal up. You know? Take one of the abandoned houses in town? A trailer maybe. I could find work in the next town over, I’m sure of it. What do you think Thomas?”

You crane your neck to look at him, sitting straighter when you notice panic in his eyes. You aren’t exactly sure what to say, but Tommy has a plan at least. He grabs your face and presses his lips roughly to yours. Unsure of how to kiss, he pulls back immediately. Shaking his head he kisses you again, and again, and again. 

This time, you laugh for a completely different reason. Now everything seems just so incredibly silly and inconsequential. “Ok, ok,” You giggle, “Maybe I’ll stick around for a while.” Tommy nods, his kisses getting softer. “But there’s one condition,” He still, listened to you intently. “You get me to my bed as quickly as possible, I’m so tired, Tommy.” 

He lifts you gently into his arms and carries you to the bedroom, giving you kisses all along the way. 

[teatreethot]

Quiet

It was quiet. Too quiet. Aaron didn’t like the quiet. Ever since the Theodosia’s both left this world, Aaron desperately tried to stay in a homely environment. This house wasn’t his home. It was quiet. Too quiet.

It wasn’t like he could go anywhere else. Work had become a nightmare. Whether it was Hamilton and Jefferson taunting him, or Washington blatently ignoring him, he couldn’t stay there for more than an hour without feeling unwanted. 

People he could once trust such as James Madison, or Maria, or Lafayette blocked him out of their lives. They said he was too much for them, and they needed to take a break and relax.

Not one of them knew that his girls were gone. Not one of them cared. Theosodia Senior wasn’t in the best shape. She was constantly coughing, vomiting. There were days where she would only drink water. Those were her good days. Eventually, the tumor spread, and Theo died, leaving Aaron alone with his daughter. 

Alexander’s son spread rumours about young Theo around the school, calling her a slut, and a prostitue, and a whore. It was the one year anniversary of her mother’s death when she took her own life.

His friends in New Jersey weren’t much help either. He had gone there for a holiday to relax. It turns out that Matthias and Jon didn’t want to associate themselves with him anymore. He was too ‘broken’ as they said. He went to Monty, his father figure who saved him from his uncle. 

He didn’t expect to get yelled at. 

Monty screamed at him for being pathetic, for wasting his time, for not accomplishing anything. Aaron didn’t think he was ever so terrified in his life. So he left Jersey, the others not bothering to say bye,

His biggest mistake was letting Laurens and Mulligan stay in his house while he was gone. 

Aaron walked in with his suitcase to find the floor trashed, glass shattered, walls broken, photographs ripped. Locking the door, Aaron bit his lip. He looked around, breathing becoming harder. Walking through the house, another thought struck him. Dropping his suitcase and running, he went to his own room where he saw dozens of photographs ripped, burned and stained on the floor. 

Tears built up behind his eyes as he fell to the floor, clutching the destroyed papers. His last memories of his beautiful girls. After Alexander has ‘accidently’ deleted his photos on his phone, and Thomas reset his whole laptop to keep him behind in work, the photos were the only photos he had left.

The tears began to rapidly race down his cheek as he sobbed, body shaking. He had nothing. Everything was lost. Turning back to go to the other room, he picked up a glass shard from Theo’s broken mirror. A sense of rage overcame his grief. How dare they go into his daughter’s room and break her possesions. 

But soon, the anger dissipated, leaving him to drown in his sorrow. Taking a breath, he pressed the glass shard against his wrist. Aaron hissed at the sting, but continured to draw lines down his arm. Switching his arm, he smiled lightly. He could hear people screaming behind locked doors. He turned his head slightly to see the whole gang staring and screaming at him in shock throuhg the window.

He turned away.

Shakily pressing his shard against his neck, he breathed his final breath. A breath of relief. And for the first time in his life, Aaron Burr accepted the quiet.

[kvcatnip]

Atashi (The Glorious Ones)

In which Adari drinks too much, Cullen has to be Commander, and Solas is left to take care of her. Enjoy!

They’d been in gallivanting around the Western Approach for a month. Rifts, Venatori, Darkspawn, and the Abyssal High Dragon had kept them pinned far longer than any of them had wanted. They were only at Skyhold to replenish supplies and prepare for the attack on Adamant before making the long trek back across Western Thedas.

They were making their time at “home” count. First thing on the agenda was to celebrate the dragon slaying.

Iron Bull had gathered everyone that was in The Herald’s Rest to tell them of how they had defeated the dragon. He was all gusto, yelling, and crazy details but it was making him smile from horn to horn.

“Inquisitor! I have brought you a Qun speciality for THE CELEBRATION!”

Adari laughed at her friend, who had obviously starting celebrating before they had even gotten there.

“Oh? And will this poison or kill me, Bull?”

“Possibly both! Come drink!!”

Adari wasn’t much for drinking, but clearly this was not the night to argue. She made her way to the center of the crowd that Bull had been entertaining. When she sat down next to him, he handed her a sloshing mug of something that smelled like it could be used as a disinfectant at best or melt something at worst.

“This smells horrible! What is this?”

“Maraas-lok! DRINK!”

Adari held her nose and took a swing. It was awful. Why anyone was drinking this willingly was beyond her.

“Niccceeeee, boss!” Bull was laughing so hard that he was barely seated in his chair anymore. He started to tell everyone about ATASHI. They are sacred, but also they need to be destroyed! There are lots of vigorous cheers and mugs lifted in the air at this.

“Boss! DRINK!!”

He refilled her mug before she could respond. Even though he’s already fairly wasted, she’s certain that he will have a crystal clear recollection as to whether she drank this or not.

With a deep sigh she says, “Anything to boost morale….”

Steeling herself, she throws back her head to finish it swiftly. This time is burns less on initial contact, but she’s certain that she won’t be able to speak later. She’s coughing, attempting to breathe, and trying not to gag all while Bull is laughing madly.

“YOU’RE THE BEST, BOSS!”

From behind her she hears: “I have a feeling that little wolf doesn’t often participate when there’s drinking.”

Dorian slides in next to her. The group is becoming rambunctious, but he manages to get a chair.

“You picked the worst way to develop a taste for it. You’ll be in bed all day tomorrow.”

“Well. I have been needing a day off.”

Bull comes by bringing more of the maraas-lok while yelling: “DRINNK MORE WE ARE DRAGON SLAYERS OF LEGEND!”

Dorian is sipping his wine and watching in amusement while she coughs and spurts her way through another mug. It isn’t long before she is joining in with the yelling of “ATASSHHHIIII” with everyone else Dorian watches in amusement, until he notices Solas hovering in the back of the tavern. 

Leaving the main group, he walks over to him. He’s leaning on the back wall, so Dorian joins him in watching the crowd.

Once he arranges himself, he takes another sip of wine and asks, “Come to join in, eh?”

Solas scoffs saying, “Mostly just curious as to why I can hear them all the way in the rotunda. What is happening in here?”

“Oh, they’re celebrating the dragon slaying. And the death of little wolf’s sense of taste.”

Solas raises an eyebrow at Dorian, and looks to find Adari in the crowd. He finds her being hoisted into Bull’s shoulders, sloshing mug in hand, while they all cheer “ATASHHIIII!!” 

“Bull has been providing our dear Inquisitor a Qunari liquor called maraas-lok all evening. It burns your nose hairs to even smell it. So far, she’s on mug number four.”

“Is this wise? What if it makes her ill?”

“I don’t believe that she was given much of a choice. Rather, I don’t think she gave herself much of one. Morale, and all that.”

Solas huffed. This was foolish of her. Even Dorian seemed to know better.

“Has anyone told Commander Cullen? I doubt he would approve.”

“I don’t think he’s come out of his office since we returned. Preparing the upcoming siege, I presume. Adari went to fetch him a meal and to greet him right before heading here. So, no. Either he doesn’t know or he didn’t think it was a threat. Which was foolish, if you ask me.”

That did not sit well with Solas. He realized the siege was an important battle, but they had been gone a month. He knew Adari was eager to see him, as she spent the last leg of their trip either clearly daydreaming or talking about it.

“The deep crease in your brow tells me that you do not agree with our charming Commander.”

Scoffing, Solas said: “A month is a good deal of time to prepare. What’s one evening after that much time away?”

“Be careful, my friend. Your feelings are starting to show.”

“I just don’t agree, Dorian. Nothing more.”

Dorian hummed his response, choosing to instead take another sip of his drink. Solas understood the importance of priorities and duty to the cause at hand. However, he had lived much longer. Cullen and Adari had been apart a month. A tiring month, at that. Not that there had been any huge issues arise, but rather the environment itself had slowly leeched away some of her joy. He had been eager to see her return to herself now that she was back at Skyhold. 

Instead she was riding Bull’s shoulders, yelling about dragons, and becoming very drunk, very fast.

He was pushing off the wall to leave when the entire tavern made a collective gasp. He and Dorian made eye contact before rushing over to the crowd. Pushing their way through, they found Adari, wincing in pain and giggling like a child.

Dorian gave his drink to the person nearest. Turning back he said, “Alright, little wolf, I think it’s time for you to retire. Solas, will you help me?”

They each support a side of her as they haul her out of the tavern. Once outside Dorian said, “I think now might be the time to let the Commander know about all the fun she’s had this evening.”

“CULLEN! He needs a drink. Can we go get him some of theeeee… hmmmm…maraaaaasssss-LOK?” She clicked her tongue loudly on the last symbol, which made her start laughing again.

Dorian shook his head, smiling at her. “While I agree that he probably needs a drink, this might not be the best time.”

She pursed her lips and huffed at him. Outside Cullen’s office, Adari starts yelling: “CULLENNNNNN! CULLYYYY WULLLYYY.”

Solas gags involuntarily while Dorian was giggles at them both. Cullen met them at the door with wide eyes and a confused look on his face.

“What’s going on - Adari? Are you drunk?”

“Mhm! ATASHIIII!”

Dorian clarified: “What she means is that Iron Bull gave her Qunari liquor to celebrate the dragon killing. That was well and good until she fell from his shoulders, onto the floor of the tavern, in front of a crowd of people.”

“Maker’s breath! Bring her in!”

They lifted her through the door, having to angle themselves through. In the process they hit the door frame, which made Adari howl in pain.

Steadying her, Dorian says: “The girl kills a high dragon but injured herself with alcohol.”

Solas took the weight of Adari from Dorian, and set her down on the sofa in Cullen’s office. Turning to face the Commander, he found him with one hand rubbing the back of his neck while the other rubbed down his face.

“I’m not sure what to do here. I have a meeting tonight with the Commanders of the Imperial army about securing their aid in the upcoming siege on Adamant Fortress. I’ve spent all day preparing. We could severally use the aid in this battle.”

“Little wolf here needs to be watched, Commander. She rarely drinks, and then she went and drank a Quanari liquor. This won’t end well.”

Solas added, “Not only that, Commander, but I think she might have injured herself when she fell. I have not yet had a chance to examine her.”

Cullen was wiping his face again and beginning to pace. Finally he turned to Solas.

“I hate to ask this of you after you just returned, but would you please keep watch on her tonight? I can be there for her overnight, but the sun has yet to set and the Imperial Commanders are arriving soon.”

“Yes, of course. In that case, however, it might be best to move her to her quarters.”

“Ah, agreed. Thank you, Solas. Dorian, you as well, for your assistance.”

“No need, Commander. We shall make sure that she is no worse for wear when you return.”

“I will go try to stall everyone outside the Main Hall then, so you can take her to her quarters without much attention.”

Solas and Dorian again picked up their very drunk, very giggly Inquisitor, and began to make the trip across what felt like most of Skyhold to her quarters. At the door of the rotunda, leading into the Main Hall, they all stopped to take a collective pause before rushing in. Varric was first to take notice. With a pleading look from the three men, he turned to the people loitering and said, “Have I ever told you all about the time Hawke and I fought a dragon…?” Every Inquisition personnel and Orlesian mask alike stopped to look at the dwarf. He began his tale while slowly walking across to the gardens. Luckily, they all began to herd after him.

Cullen sighed. “Thank the Maker. I’ll go stall the other guests outside as well. Good luck, and thank you both, again.”

At that, Cullen turned to walk out. He began walking straighter, taking on his full role of Commander.

Dorian turned his head to look down at Adari. “Well let’s get this over with. Little wolf, can you at least stop giggling while we attempt this?”

Adari abruptly stopped, and nodded fiercely once before she pinned her lips together. He rolled his eyes, but was grateful for her sensible attitude, even when she couldn’t think straight.

Solas looked out to check the hall. With everyone clamoring to hear Varric, the hall was unnaturally empty. They hoisted Adari between them (who still had her lips pressed together like she was playing a game,) and rushed as fast as they could to the door of her quarters. They almost ran into Josephine, who was studying her writing board on her way to also meet the Imperial Commanders.

“Oh, I beg your pardon. I didn’t see… oh! What happened?!”

Dorian grunted while they kept walking and said, “Little wolf. Qunari liquor. Please do keep everyone away for the evening.”

Josephine nodded. “I will make sure that she is not needed.”

Solas bowed his head in gratitude and added, “Ambassador, if you could have someone send up a fresh pitcher of water, some bread, and a nausea tonic that would be very helpful.”

“I will get on that right away, Solas.”

They continued on, barely making it into her doorway when Adari wiggled out of their grasp. She yelled, “I’ll race you!” before taking off up the stairs ahead of them.

With his hands on his hips, Dorian said,“How does she do this?! I’m tired from just waking her here!”

“She is an elf. I imagine her experience and training help as well, “ Solas responded as they took off after her. 

She made it nearly all the way up before tripping on the last section of stairs. Solas fade stepped to catch her before she tumbled her way down the stairs completely. Scooping her up, he relied on Dorian to open the door for him. Adari had started giggling again, but this time with much more wincing when Solas finally set her down on her sofa. Dorian set to the process of undoing her boots, belt, and sash as Solas went to find her sleep clothes. He found the correct drawer, grabbed what was on top, and returned to hand it to her.

“Da’Len, I need you to go into your dressing closest and change into this, please. It’ll be more comfortable, and then I can look at your wounds.”

Adari huffed at him, but took the clothes anyway. She went into the closet, slamming the door behind her.

Solas was shaking his head when Dorian said, “You will have your hands full with her this evening, my friend.”

Bewildered, Solas turned to him. “Are you not also staying?”

Dorian chuckled and said, “You need to look after her, but someone has to look after the Iron Bull as well.”

Ah, yes. Solas had forgotten that while they were in the Approach that the pair had taken up with each other. He sighed to himself, wondering what he had agreed to, when they heard a crash from the closet. They both rushed over just as Adari opened the door and stepped out. She HAD managed to put on her sleeping clothes (which turned out to be just an oversized sleeping shirt), but her Inquisitor uniform pants were still around her ankles and she had put the jacket back on over her shoulders. She was giving them a very “I am pleased with myself” grin when she proclaimed, “I am *tiny burp* READY for my meeting, Josephine!”

Dorian doubled over in laughter while Adari continued to beam at them. Solas couldn’t help but laugh as well as they tried to usher her out into her bedroom. Solas was trying to get her to sit down when she finally fell onto the bed.

“Yes, you did very well Da’Len but it is time for rest now. You do not need your  jacket or pants for that.”

She looked at him with a confused expression before answering with, “An Inquisitoralness is always *hiccup* prepared, Solas.”

Again, Solas shook his head at her. Still he couldn’t help but smiling at her. He took her jacket, as Dorian bent to get her pants from their entanglement at her ankles. Finally free of her “Inquisitoralness”, Solas realized that the “sleeping clothes” he had given her was actually one of Cullen’s shirts.

When Dorian noticed this, he started laughing all the more, but this time at Solas’s expense.

“Oh what a fun evening you shall have, my dear elf.”

Solas was clenching his jaw in frustration when there was a knock on the door.

“I imagine that is the supplies I asked Josephine for. Please make yourself useful, Master Pavus, and fetch them for me.”

Dorian had an amused smile on his face as he headed for the door. Solas turned to Adari, who had finally seemed to tire herself out as she had fallen back onto her pillows. He walked over to her and began using his magic to scan her for wounds. Dorian set the tray of supplies on the table by the sofa, and moved it over to them by the bed.

Solas nodded at him in recognition and then said, “Knot on her head, an ugly bruise on her left rib, and scratches on her shins.”

“She gets more hurt from one night of drinking than she does out fighting. Will you be alright here with her?”

“She seems to have worn herself out. I will heal her and try to get her to eat. Then I imagine she will just sleep for the rest of the evening.”

“Well good luck, in any case. I’m off to find Bull. Hopefully he faired better than our dear Inquisitor.”

Solas set to healing Adari before Dorian had fully left the room, lest Adari get another burst of energy. She seemed to be sleeping, but she winced when he started on her ribs.

“Poking hurts, Solas!”

“You hurt yourself, Da’Len. It’ll be over in a minute.”

She whimpered, but let him continue. At her shins she complained that it “made her itch”, and sat up.

“If you aren’t going to sleep, then try eating instead.” Solas offered her the bread, which she ignored. She mumbled something while holding her stomach, so he reached for the tonic instead. Thankfully she seemed to recognize what it was, and took it from him happily. Even under the influence of a stout liquor, she could easily spot the necessary healing tonics for any situation.

She curled her legs under her, and popped the top off the bottle. Solas went to pour her a glass of water. When he turned to give her the glass, she mumbled a sleepy “thank you”. Now that he had a moment to catch his breath, he stopped to look at her.

She was so beautiful. Even wearing Cullen’s shirt, which was much too big for her, she looked radiant. Her long hair was braided behind one ear, per usual, and she was playing with the braid. The rest was swept over her shoulder and was hanging down past her chest. He winced internally when he realized he had been looking at her chest, which was more on display than normal due to the ties on the shirt. Adari was more shapely than most of the other elves of this age. She was very toned from her years of being a scout, but also had well defined curves of the… feminine sort. 

She was taller, at least by several inches, than any other elven woman he had met since he awoke. This paired with her tanned skin and bright green eyes, made her the type of woman that often had fixed gazes upon her. Though she hardly seemed to notice. She was always modest, practical, and graceful with the way she presented herself. Probably because that was who she was, at the core of her. Even at the Winter Palace, she had chosen an elegant gown of emerald green with a high lace collar. She looked like the forest. She was the embodiment of dappled sunlight, moss on trees, wildflowers, and fresh soil. The forest shaped her, made her, and she wore that crown everyday in this world. She was a queen, a goddess, without ever seeming to realize. 

She was sipping on the water he gave her with half lidded eyes, so he felt less guilty about his…perusal of her. He walked over and pulled back the covers for her, lest she spill water everywhere trying to do it herself. She hummed a thank you and slid underneath. He took the glass from her, set it down, and went to look through her bookshelf. If he had to be here all evening, he could at least find something to read. He was pulling a book of Ferelden stories from the shelf when he heard her call his name.

Walking over to the bed, she looked up at him with eyes that were already half asleep.

“Solas? Would you stay with me?”

“I’m not going anywhere, Da’Len. I’ll be here if you need me, until Cullen returns from his meeting.”

“No, I mean, will you come stay with me over here?”

He wasn’t sure what she was asking, but he felt a spark of nerves at her question.

“You want me to come sit with you?”

“Yes, please. I want your company.”

Solas went to the bed, and carefully sat down on top of the covers next to her. She immediately nuzzled her way onto his chest. He put his arm around her before he thought about how this might look. Cullen would be back later this evening, and this was not the scenario in which to find them.

He was lost in second guessing the situation when Adari said, “Solas?”

“Yes, Da’Len?”

“Thank you… for loving me so much.”

And with that, he was stunned speechless. He looked down at her. She was smiling, but obviously had already gone to sleep. He put the book down on his lap. Closing his eyes, he whispered, “It is my pleasure…vhenan,” before falling to sleep himself.

Solas was awaken by the sound of Adari’s inner bedroom door opening and closing. With a small panic, he looked down to find that Adari had flipped over to sleep on her other side. Thankfully, to anyone that might see - this looked like he was merely keeping a close eye on her in the state she was in. Which was the truth, he reminded himself.

The Commander appeared at the top of the staircase. He had changed out of his armor and was in his casual clothes. Solas noted with bitterness that he was wearing the same type of shirt he had given Adari to change into hours ago. He tried to hide that he was less than excited to see Cullen.

“How is she?”

“She had a knot on her head, bruising on her left ribs, and scratches on her shins. For the moment though she is fine and asleep.”

“Oh, good. Thank you for taking care of her for me. Did she eat anything?”

“Just a nausea tonic and water. If you like, I can have someone send some food up on my way out.”

Cullen accessed the supplies from earlier, and said, “I imagine she’ll sleep through the night, but thank you. Besides, I know she keeps a secret stash of fruit and cheese in a bottom drawer of her desk.” He grinned as he remembered this and looked over at her. Solas wished he didn’t notice how adoringly Cullen watched her.

“If you no longer need me, I will ask your leave for the night.”

“Yes, yes of course. Thank you again.”

Solas turned to leave, very much wishing he were the one staying with her. It had been her choice, ultimately, choosing the Commander over him. There had been lots of flirting between them in Haven, but something between them changed when they reached Skyhold. He had been unsure if he should pursue her. He knew it was a distraction. He knew he should focus, and let her be the Inquisitor. Even still, he felt sick when he had heard about them kissing on the battlements.

He realized that had been what changed between them. Adari saw him as her “Hahren”, her mentor and teacher. Her friend. He had never wanted to be anyone’s friend less in his entire Elvhen life.

Cullen stood watching over her, until he heard the door close behind Solas. He hadn’t wanted to leave her with him, but given the situation he had been the best man for the job. He carefully picked up the covers, and slid into the bed beside her. She woke up when she felt his arm around her waist, and wiggled backwards into his warmth.

“She made a sound of approval and said,” Hello, vhenan.”

Cullen smiled into her hair before saying, “I heard you got into some trouble today.”

“Maybe a bit more than normal. I remember why I don’t drink often.”

“Yes, I’ll have to remember to thank Iron Bull for his charity. Or perhaps fire him. You should be grateful Solas and Dorian were there to look out for you.”

Adari paused, trying to remember. Vaguely she remembered them bringing her to her chambers. She’ll have to ask Dorian for the details tomorrow.

Instead she said, “Solas is a good friend. You would think he would be tired of me after a month traveling together.”

Something about that did not sit well with him, but he said: “He is indeed very loyal to you. I’m grateful, even if I wish he didn’t have to fill in where I should be.”

Adari wiggled into him again, making him chuckle. She said, “You had a duty tonight. Remind me to ask you about it in the morning. For now, I want to go back to sleep.”

Cullen kissed the top of her head, and together they fell asleep.

Something smelled delicious. More than delicious, it was making her stomach ache. Squinting her eyes open, she hissed at the light steaming into her room. He heard a deep chuckle at the side of the bed, and then heard the curtains closing. She tried opening her eyes again.

Cullen was closing the last curtain as she sat up. She rubbed her eyes, blinking, and found the source of the smell. Eggs, druffalo bacon, and fresh bread were on a plate next to her side of the bed.

“Solas tells me that you didn’t eat. I thought you could use something to soak up all that liquor in your system.”

She crossed her legs under the covers, and reached for the plate. She had eaten only a few decent meals over the last month, and none had smelled as good as this. She groaned and began shoveling it at an alarming rate. Cullen walked over, trying to steal a piece of bacon. What he got instead was a fierce smack on the hand.

Laughing, he said, “Your tea will be ready in a few minutes. I just poured it into the pot.”

“Good, thank you. I’m going to need it to get through today. It already hurts behind my eyes, and somewhere in the back of my head.”

“That would be from the barely healed knot on your head from falling off of Bull’s shoulders in the middle of the tavern.”

“I…what?!”

He was still laughing at her when he said, “Oh yes. Everyone is talking about it. Well, a few that could remember it talked about it, and it spread from there.”

She felt her face turn red, and she stopped eating to catch her breath. Cullen used this opportunity to finally steal a piece of bacon. This time she let him.

Groaning she said, “What… what else did I do?”

“I’m not surprised you don’t remember. Nothing too terrible. You yelled about dragons, mostly. Called me “Cully Wully”, and tried to race Dorian and Solas up the stairs to your chambers. Which, I’ll add, you tripped on.”

Feeling a bit better about the situation she said, “Well it could have gone worse. Regardless, I’m going to need that entire pot of tea to clear my head before I can assume the role of Inquisitor today.”

“Ah, about that. You see, you were gone for a month. Which, in case you weren’t aware, is a very long time. Last night brought to my attention that maybe you need a break. So I spoke to Josephine and Lelilana about taking care of matters for us today. We are taking today to not be the Inquisitor and Commander. I hope you don’t mind.”

She smiled broadly at him, and said, “Nothing sounds better, vhenan.”

[elexuscal]

Fanfic: Bound

Summary:  At first, Pearl had no reason to chafe against Pink Diamond's final order. There were too many other things to concern herself with, and it was like Rose had said: no looking back.

Through life and death, love and birth, peace and war, Pearl realises she just what a complete betrayal it always was.

Warning: spoilers for A Single Pale Rose, and content warning for everything associated. 

Bound

In the moment Pink Diamond gave that final order, Pearl didn’t care. She didn’t have time to. The enormity of the deed they were about to commit loomed on the horizon, filling up the entirety of her mind with uncertainty and terror and giddiness and wonder.

She wanted to do this. She truly did. She wanted to discard her old life for good, to live free, to be whoever she wanted to be.

It was just hard, letting go of almost everything she’d ever known.

In the days following, Pearl did find a few quick chances to think more about the order. She had some… uncertainty regarding it. Had binding her really been necessary? Surely Pink— Rose knew that she’d keep any promise asked of her, without question.

But it had felt solemn. It had felt important. A fitting way to mark Pink Diamond’s demise.

And surely, Rose was right. In this new world they created, why would there ever be any reason to bring up the past? Rose Quartz would always be Rose Quartz, Pearl would always be Pearl, and there would be no need for anyone to doubt those facts.

Then the Corruption came.

In that timeless length after, when the grief and horror was rawest, there were moments when Pearl thought she couldn’t bear it.

Garnet— or Ruby and Sapphire, they couldn’t always manage to stick together— would be there. Crying. Or not crying at all, looking hard as stone. Pleading with monsters, fighting with them, staring at their bubbles, or else, just sitting on the barren ground, lost in thought, or time-streams, or something else altogether.

And Pearl would imagine throwing herself in front of Garnet, and telling her the truth. The whole of it.

It’s my fault, mine! I’m the reason they’re gone! I faked Pink Diamond’s death, this was all vengeance on behalf of a Gem that’s whole and well—

But she’d choke on her own words.

Garnet would notice. No matter how lost she was in her visions, sooner or later, she always noticed. And she, or Ruby and Sapphire, would wrap an arm or two around Pearl’s slender frame, and rub her back, an offer of silent comfort. Even though they didn’t understand what precisely they were comforting her for, Pearl would accept, and offer comfort back.

Later, she decided, this was for the best. What consolation would the truth have given Garnet? Either way, their friends were all gone.

The final order wasn’t something Pearl thought of much at all, in the millennia that followed.

It only came to her after Steven was born, and even then, quite some time afterwards. When the boy was nearly up to about Pearl’s waist.

Pearl had spent the day teaching him about astronomy, explaining about the solar system, and stars, and asteroids. Steven hadn’t understood much, but he’d marvelled at the projections Pearl had summoned from her gem, and drawn scraggly pictures, and proudly announced that one day he wanted to be an astronaut. Pearl had laughed at that, and so Steven had laughed too.

He was returned to Greg shortly thereafter, and Pearl was left thinking. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to take him into space— they had no working ships left, none at all.

She could tell him about it, though. Not just these generalities. About the other planets she’d seen, the space systems she’d flown through. The radiant colours of nebulae, planets that were covered entirely in oceans, floating cities which could only be built where gravity was only a fraction of Earth’s.

… but she’d seen all of that in service to the Diamond Authority.

There were ways around the binding, of course. Pearl was clever. She knew she could be vague in the right places, direct the focus of the descriptions. Those tales wouldn’t have to risk Rose’s secret.

But what if Steven asked? What if Amethyst did, or— or Garnet? No, Garnet wouldn’t, she’d always respected Pearl’s reluctance to speak about her past, but the other two—

Pearl didn’t know what would happen, and it scared her.

Steven grew. He grew and grew and grew, and learned so much, and Pearl was so, so proud of him.

And then he heard, from a Homeworld Ruby: “I saw the traitorous Rose Quartz shatter Pink Diamond with my own eye!”

Pearl’s hands flew to her mouth automatically. She wasn’t even planning to say something, but the thought of That’s not what happened was still enough to trigger it.

Then she saw Steven.

He looked like someone struck to their core.

She wanted to tell him, tell him then, No, that’s not how it happened, Rose never killed anyone, never would have, she loved everything and wanted it all protected and—

Of course, even if she could speak, she wouldn’t have done so there, surrounded by enemy Rubies. That was something she’d have chosen to share in private. Just for her family, as Steven would have called them.

But it wasn’t a choice, was it?

Hours and hours later, they were in their stolen Red Eye, and Pearl was finally starting to calm down. They’d found Steven. He was there. He was alive. The red was starting to return to his cheeks. He was breathing, and talking, and laughing, and safe.

… and then he asked why none of them ever told him about Pink Diamond.

Garnet answered. She was the only one of them who could.

And it was horrible, hearing her tell these lies she wholly believed. Pearl just sat there, hands on the ship’s controls, lips a thin line, unable to stop herself from listening.

Garnet’s story ended. Steven seemed mollified.

Pearl told herself she was, too.

Then one day Steven stood defiantly in the middle of the living room, face scrunched up in anger and frustration, an old human journal in his hand, demanding answers.

The journal’s picture of the Palanquin was colorless, but Pearl could see it, vivid pink in her mind, the air thick with the scent of hibiscus and oncoming rain, screams and clashing swords in the distance—

And Steven said he’d dreamed of that place. Dreamed.

How? Was he re-living Rose’s memories after all? Was it some other thing, future visions or long sight or a telepathic connection, and if so, with who—

Pearl wanted to ask, but she can’t, she can’t, she can’t.

“Please, you’re making Pearl very upset,” said Garnet.

“No! I’m upset!” yelled Steven.

She can’t, she can’t, she can’t

“We’re. Not. Going. Rose never wanted you to see this place!”

“R- Rose wanted? What about what I want!”

Steven was right, he was completely right. Steven was the one here, with her gem, and his own human heart, and that order Pink Diamond gave so long ago could never have considered this.

But it wasn’t just that, either. Steven wanted to know, and Pearl wanted to tell him. And Garnet, and Amethyst. They deserved to know too, surely? And surely Pearl deserved to loosen that crushing feeling in her chest—

She said, in her mind, What about what I want?  

Garnet was worried. She wasn’t telling Pearl why, concerned that her friend was on the verge of some emotional meltdown. That in itself was one more source of frustration.

Pearl wanted answers, an explanation, but there was only so far she could push without an explanation of her own to offer.

Steven and Greg disappeared. Some days later, Garnet did too. Then she came back. Steven was with her. Greg was not.

He’d been taken to the Zoo.

Returning there was like walking into a dream.

Pearl remembered when the Zoo had first been built. Pink Diamond had been so excited. Her own little collection of humans, in the prettiest of colours, all safe and warm and protected. She could visit them whenever she wanted.

Later, Rose Quartz had soured on it. The carefully conditioned environment was so pale compared to natural human encampments and towns and cities. Even Pearl had been able to appreciate that. There was barely any art here, no music, no chance to choose when they ate or slept, or even their own partners.

They’d discussed ways of disbanding it, but couldn’t figure anything out. To have Pink Diamond close it would have seemed immediately suspicious to the other Diamonds. To send rebellion fleets to raid it would have been dangerous, a waste of both time and resources.

“We can’t risk getting our people shattered for so few humans,” Pearl had said.

Rose had nodded. “Yes. We’ll get them after. They’ll be safer here than on a war-torn planet, anyway.”

That was the justification for the Rose Quartzes, as well. It was truly, truly regrettable how they’d taken the fall for Pink Diamond’s rebellion, but better safe in a bubble than on the front lines. They too would be retrieved after.

But there had been no after. Their spaceships had all been destroyed.

In the magnitude of everything else she’d lost, Pearl had found it hard to care.

She cared now. Not just from the pain of being plunged into a role she thought she’d escaped forever. Not just from fear for Amethyst and Ruby and Sapphire, trapped in this viper’s nest with her. Not just out of worry for Steven, thrown into the same Zoo— prison — his mother had made millennia ago.

Worry for Greg. She was worried for Mr. Gregory Universe.

Later, only after Greg had been rescued and everyone was safe, Pearl marvelled at that.

She marvelled at how excellent she felt, in general. She had a stolen spaceship, she’d insulted an Agate to her face, her whole body was thrumming with rebellion, and they had been victorious!

It was enough to convince her, for quite some time, that everything was alright.

Then Steven turned himself in to Homeworld.

Pearl floated in the water, throat and eyes burning, as Steven announced his identity as Rose Quartz, and Aquamarine took him in.

Everything was a gray flurry of pain after that. Her hands worked automatically at repairing a drop ship while her mind was a million miles away. Her memories swam with protocols for questioning, trials, imprisonment and executions. There should be time to get to him before he was shattered, but...

-but what if those protocols had changed? What if, when confronted by an ‘assassin’, the Diamonds rushed immediately to the harshest punishment?

If only Steven knew. If only Pearl had told him. She had no idea if it really would have helped, if he would have believed her, or the Diamonds would have believed him, or what the fallout would have been be if they had. But surely anything, anything, would be better than this.

This is my fault, she thought, eyes misting up so violently she couldn’t see the tools in front of her.

And then: No. This is Pink Diamond’s.

Later, when Steven tore away from her, tears running down his face, oblivious to the words Pearl was choking on, she thought: No. Rose’s fault.

When Steven came to her, asking if she’d shattered Pink Diamond, Pearl had no idea what brought those suspicions on. She would ask if she could. She would do so many things.

Instead, she walked herself right out of the room, and spent the next hour cleaning swords. Then the next mentally preparing a new training routine for Connie. Approximately thirty minutes spent attempting to perfectly recall musical compositions from 14th Century Japan. When she realised she already remembered them all, she went to vacuum every inch of Steven’s room that she could reach.

Steven came to talk, again, this time with a message from Pearl that she had absolutely no recollection of writing.

A text saying: I want to tell you, but I can’t 🙈

For a moment she was confused. Then an idea unfurled in her mind, along with the realisation she must have already had it.

Oh. Oh, she was smart.

She told Steven to go find her phone. She was allowed to tell him that. He was confused, but hopefully, he would understand soon.

Pearl lost track of things, after that. Her body was still vacuuming. The rhythm was simple and calming like nothing else was, and it required no real guidance from her mind.

She’d heard the human idiom ‘lost in thought’ before, and never had it been so appropriate.

At some point, Amethyst showed up. She asked, “How you doing?”

“Fine,” said Pearl.

“Cuz ya seemed kinda… off, earlier.”

“Mmm.”

Amethyst stared at her. Distantly, Pearl knew she should find this uncomfortable, but did not have the mental energy to do anything about it.

“Have you seen Steven?” Amethyst asked.

“Yes,” said Pearl.

Silence.

“Where?” asked Amethyst, leaning forward.

“The battlefield.” Pearl could see him in her mind. She could see everything. It seemed so much more real than the Beach House.

She could see Steven’s horror when he discovered the truth. He was in her mind. She could feel it.

After it was all done, Pearl felt untethered.

Something around her throat had loosened. For millennia, she’d always been bound to someone. Now, that final pink rope had been cut, and she felt like a human boat with a broken sail, slack and directionless.

There was a lot of crying. From herself, from Garnet, Ruby, Sapphire, Amethyst, Steven. It all blurred together.

Eventually, Pearl fell asleep.

She wasn’t even aware it had happened. Those handful of times she’d tried before, she’d had to lie still and stiff, thinking intently about not thinking. This time, she simply became so exhausted that she tumbled into it without realising. Once there, she did not dream.

When she woke up, it was dark.

She was lying on the couch. She could not recall how she’d ended up there— perhaps someone had carried her. They must have laid the blanket over her. There was something pressed against her calf. Looking carefully, Pearl discovered it was Amethyst, sitting on the floor, head slumped on the couch’s cushion, some saliva dripping from her mouth. Steven was on the other couch, tucked into a small ball, snoring quietly. Next to him, in an almost identical pose, was Peridot. Off to the side, Pearl made out the slumbering mass of Lion, his chest rising and falling softly. The animal’s mass half-blocked another shape-- or shapes-- also covered in blankets. Was it Garnet, or Ruby and Sapphire?

Pearl supposed it didn’t matter, as long as the two were together.

She felt no need to go back to sleep. Carefully, so as not to disturb Amethyst, or anyone else around her, Pearl eased herself up and got to her feet. She would go to her room and… think.

Evidently, she wasn’t as quiet as she thought-- or perhaps Steven wasn’t sleeping as deeply as she’d assumed-- because as she passed, his eyes blinked open.

“Pearl?” he murmured, bleary.

She said nothing, just smiled at him faintly. Pearl saw the slow realisation as memory crept over him.

“Are you okay?” he said, shifting a little.

“I’m alright,” Pearl said, and to her own surprise, it was the truth.

He looked between her and the stone door. “Please,” he said. “Can we talk?”

“Of course,” Pearl said. He got to his feet, and seemed to hesitate a little. Pearl recognised what he wanted, and took his hand. It was soft and warm. Side by side, hand in hand, they walked into the Temple.

AN: between my masters and querying for my original novel, i barely have time for fic writing, but after that ep, i had to write something

[dies]