#I can't chew the metal ones for obvious reasons

[wachi-delectrico]

I don't know who came up with the idea of paper straws but I hope tragedy and evil falls upon them

[melit0n]

Part three to the Sleep Token FX post. Some of these I've picked up on my own, and others have been pointed out to me by @reveries-of-my-mind and @moonchild-in-blue through their reblogs of my original post about Vore. A lot of these FX bits are more obvious, so I decided to just put TMBTE in one post.

Part three includes: Take Me Back To Eden

Part One -> One, Two, Jaws and The Way That You Were

Part Two -> Sundowning and This Place Will Become Your Tomb

+ If I've missed something, feel to add your own thoughts!

Note- some of these are FX, others are sound mixing and music bits I wanted to mention. Any song you don't see mentioned are songs that I couldn't find anything to pull out of them. Plus, reminder; these are my interpretations, I'm sorry if you can't hear what I hear, or you think something different.

Chokehold

- Lots and lots of digital, glitchy FX which sets the mood for the album. This is also repeated throughout all the songs in the album, which works with their algorithm-esc, robotic theme (both lyrically and musically) in their songs for this one.

The Summoning

- Unfortunately, everyone's favourite jazz-metal amalgamation doesn't have any other SFX notes other than carrying on Chokehold's glitchy FX motifs.

Aqua Regia

- Jazz café ambience shown throughout the song, also, every single instrument other than the main paino is echoed and or muffled.

+ Fun fact! Aqua Regia is Latin for Royal Water. It's a concentrated solution of Hydrochloric and nitric acids, and is one of the only acids that can dissolve Gold; it's used in the jewelry trade to test the purity of Gold. Not a clue what Vessel is trying to get across with that, but his obsession with chemistry and biology motifs strike again.

Granite

- The screetch of the guitar chord at 2:32, right before the breakdown, sounds almost like a car hitting the breaks and skidding. Works well with Granite's theme of car crashes. You can almost imagine someone having an argument in the car, and the screetch is a result of things going a bit too far.

Vore

- Like I said in my original post, in the beginning (first fifteen seconds), along with the scratchy guitar chord, there are chewing and swallowing sounds. The song is quite literally from the point of view of being stuck in the throat of a God.

- At 3:23 to 3:30, there are bird noises similar to the ones at the start of TMBTE! They're incredibly subtle, but they're there. If you can't pinpoint it, there's a squeaking noise at 3:27, which is just a bird tweeting!

Rain

- From 3:55 to the end of the song, there's rain, which is obviously very fitting. Not specifically rain tapping on a rooftop, but more so rain pouring down a gutter, at least to me.

Take Me Back To Eden

- From 0:00 to 0:40, there's echoed animal noises, like if you were to stand in the middle of a rainforest. The song starts of in absolute silence, only broken by nature; not a human made noise to be heard. It's quite literally Eden. These sounds are there throughout the song, they just get much harder to hear the longer Vessel sings and the more instruments they later on top of eachother.

- At 1:42, there's either a Lion's or a Tiger's roar.

- From 3:10-3:16, there's the sound of thunder.

- A lot of the jingles you hear in The Summoning are repeated here! E.g; 3:40 and, more clearly, at 4:50 and 7:50.

- The lyrics "we were tangled up like branches in a flood; it was no accident" are direct refrences to the lyrics in Chokehold.

Euclid

- The song is 5 minutes and 13 seconds long, but Vessel only starts singing at the 13 second mark. The first lyric? "Just run it back, give me five whole minutes". We, as the listener give him five whole minutes to say what he's gotta say. Further, the song ends on the exact same piano chord that it begins with; the song, in of itself, is a loop. Anytime you play Euclid on loop, you are running it back and giving him five whole minutes. One of the reasons Euclid is my favourite (next to Aqua Regia) for this album.

- The lyrics "the night belongs to you" and "this bough is broken through" are lyrical refrences to The Nigh Does not Belong to God from Sundowning and When The Bough Breaks from One. The oldest album, and ST's first produced album.

- From 4:02 to the end of the song, a verse from The Night Does Not Belong To God is played. It completes the produced album trilogy, and, with the five stages of grief, allows for acceptance and healing. Euclid not only loops itself, but loops the three albums together. Sundowning, TPWBYT and TMBTE are an endless loop that can and will be played as many times as needed for Vessel, for you, as the listener, to heal. To accept change. To realise there's more than denial, anger bargaining and depression. And I think that, in of itself, is beautiful.

---------

Album Notes: Sleep Token really put their whole soul into this album huh. By far, it's the one that uses SFX the most, and rounds out Sleep Token's own genre as a whole. We see snippets of older songs used throughout the album, both lyrical refrences and actual chunks of old songs taken out and placed within other ones. 10/10, would cry to again.

Thank you for reading through all my thoughts and feelings, whoever you are. Remember, the night belongs to you; worship <3.

[amazing-spiderling]

17, 20 and 22 for the violence asks >:)

17. there should be more of this type of fic/art

I feel like this is more of a twitter thing for me because I ended up following a lot of artists from Japan and Korea for Spideypool content there, some of whom have made the leap to Daredevil- but gosh, I keep seeing GORGEOUS anime style Fratt art and I'm like... why no Mattfoggy? T___T Not that there aren't tons of talented Mattfoggy artists, but for whatever reason, Foggy seems really underrepresented in the anime/manga style or if he shows up, it's usually just part of a Nelson Murdock and Page cutesy image. PLEASE put him in your yaoi aesthetic doujinshi four panel comics, I'm begging y'all. XDDD

20. part of canon you found tedious or boring

I am trying so hard to be spicy, but unfortunately my taste is immaculate so the things I don't like are pretty much universally panned. XD (No, Cat, you're just basic.)

To take it back to Metal Gear for a moment, I know that fandom is sort of split between what my friends and I used to call the "old" and "new testament" fans. People that were into the games set in the 60's-80's featuring Big Boss, Kazuhira Miller, Revolver Ocelot and the Diamond Dogs etc versus the games set in the 90's-2000's starring Solid Snake, Otacon, Liquid Snake, Meryl, Raiden and also Revolver Ocelot but with a mustache now.

Broadly speaking, while people will debate whether MGS 2 sucks or MGS 4 holds up, or whether the storytelling of MGS V still manages to shine through despite all of the obvious cutbacks caused by Konami- the fandom at large agrees that Metal Gear Solid 3 (the first game where we learn about Big Boss as a hero and his motivations etc) is lauded as the best game in the series. (With some people even saying it's the one you should play first?) And I gotta be really really real here.

I don't give a crap about Big Boss.

I mean, being introduced to the series in something more like release order- he's the antagonist, or at least behind a lot of the events that trouble the protagonists. He set a lot of wheels in motion that had consequences even he couldn't account for. Even when we get his motivation, I'm mostly like, "Cool story. Still war crimes." And yeah, everyone in these games is a war criminal, but some people are war criminals to try and put a stop to nuclear war and others are war criminals bc they think the world should always have a place for soldiers. Basically, nothing anyone could tell me about Big Boss's past could make me like him, and if I don't like characters it's harder for me to care about them. So while I can appreciate MGS 3 and V as games, and still watched people play through them and such... I just don't like... care about them.

22. your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

I can't say everyone ignores it, but there's SO MUCH FIC that revolves around Nelson vs. Murdock (and I get it, there's a lot of meat there to chew on) but DAMN the way some of the early S2 episodes make me feel. Watching Foggy running up stairs looking for Matt and cradling his head in his lap before dragging him back to his apartment (somehow???) Foggy strolling into the Dogs of Hell's club- even Foggy's moment of badassery (set to the music from the Columbia steps flashback- maybe hinting at how Matt has changed Foggy for the better perhaps?) in the hospital with the gang members? ARghhh The Daredevil fandom wants to zoom in on the "Matt chained to a brick wall" scene from S2 but I'm like... waving my arms at all this other good stuff from the beginning of that season begging people to do something with it.

[scientific-tricorder]

My anatomy and xenobiology brain was prompted by the skulls in Picard, and I'm planning on digging deeper, but a few initial observations.

Probably the biggest one is why do the Ferengi ears have bones?! Makes no sense. Particularly given that one time Rom physically manipulated the shape of his ears to tune in onto a specific conversation, showing that they are pliable - which bone is not! And I don't know of any creature with bone shaping the ears. Cartilage generally does the job just fine. Plus the way the bone is shaped suggests some notable muscle attachments, and I don't remember Ferengi moving their ears around a lot with intrinsic muscles But on the less obvious stuff, this pretty evidently is more a classic style Ferengi instead of the Disco version. There's some funky stuff going on on the cheekbones, and the skull has some nice nasal conchae. I also noticed that the supraorbital foramina (the little hole above the eye socket) was moved more medially to accommodate the bony brows. Those brows would also fill up the space where the lacrimal gland normally is, but there's also little 'pockets' lateral to the eye sockets, so it's possible that its located there instead.

The Borg skull definitely looks human, which might be world-building for how this world is human-centric, but once Borg-ified, one no longer counts as human. It also noticeably has the nicest teeth, likely either a sign of humans having better dental care and/or of Borg dental corrections. The way the metal eyepiece blends with the bone is interesting.

Martok's skull looks a lot more like the Disco Klingons than DS9 ones, and I don't think the ridges match up with Martok's. Overall, it is a lot more filled out with bone, as can really be seen with the cheekbones. Also the eye socket, with the orbital fissures seemingly closed up with only small holes. It also looks like there are extra foramina (skull holes), which would line up with the whole 'Klingons have double of everything' thing (although not for the mental foramen on the mandible for some reason). Big attachment areas for chewing muscles, which makes sense. And the nose looks like a little sacrum to me.

Dukat's skull is... interesting? It's got those Cardassian ridges, and then the 'spoon' is different. I did see one idea that it's a hole (likely cause of death), but it looks more like a colored depression, looking at the visible line of shadow in it and the overall symmetry (bullet holes in skulls tend to look a bit different). He's also got funky cheekbones, and an extra foramen in the angle of the mandible for some reason. There's a pretty obvious suture in the middle of the mandible, and looks like something funky is going on in the temporal region, but I can't tell what.

Last is Sarek's skull. I know others have already pointed out the little brow ridges. His supraorbital foramina make me happy though, with two on the right and a supraorbital notch on the left (these weird little variations are very common on skulls due to how they develop). Instead of an infraorbital foramen, there seems to be some sort of flat, curved opening on the edge of the eye socket. Looks like there are some relatively big attachments for various chewing muscles, so Vulcans might have a strong bite. We can also see a suture on the top edge of the skull, a bit to the side, which is interesting because humans most definitely don't have a suture there, thus suggesting that Vulcans have a different arrangement of skull bones.

[littlest-dark-age]

If it wasn't for the nights

Taglist @plzineedhelp @randomoutsiders

nsfw material, do not read if you do not wish to consume nsfw material. also unbeta'd

You couldn't believe the sight before you, sure you knew sirius was into guys but you didn't know that james was as well. Although at this point it shouldn't really shock you, the way the two "playfully" flirted every change they got. How the interacted with one another in general, especially when it was just the three of you. Not going to the lengths they did in front of you in front of remus and peter, as for the reason you're not quite sure.

You recall the shock that sent a chill throughout you're entire body when you discovered the two, much too intertwined with each other to acknowledge that you walked into the warm common room. It's obvious by the way they're so wrapped up in one another that they didn't expect you, or anyone for that matter, to be coming into the common room at this hour. In their defence, it is the early hours of the morning.

Not moving, unable to tear your eyes away from the two boys in front of the fireplace. Sirius pulls away from the passionate kiss, a strand of saliva still connecting him to James, lips red and glossy but spreading into a grin when he spots you. Eyes gleaming, whether it's the fire or his own mischief he can't help but to plan you don't know. James whines and looks around for what caused the dark haired man before his eyes to pull away, turning to look at you. Letting you see his fussed tie and hair, shirt tails peeking under his sweater and the collar crooked from where it sits out of the soft wool. Face flushed as red as a cherry, glasses on the floor next to their legs. Sirius is the first to speak out of the three of you.

"Like to watch do you?" His words are paired with a raise of a thick brow and nibble of his already chewed lips. A bit of hope shining in his eyes unknowingly.

The sudden accusation shocked you a bit, even if you knew it was a bit of teasing, not trying to stare at their private moment but not being able to tear your eyes away from it and the tingles it brought you. "i- I didn't mean to! Sorry.."

James speaks up next, still turning his body to face you and lean away from Sirius and the fireplace. "S'alright, I know he's pretty isn't he? You should see him when he's painted red with that blush of his, the pretty expressions he makes too."

Sirius rolls his eyes at the words coming from him, joined by a shake of his head. But his smile never leaves his face as he waves you over with a ring clad hand, gesturing for you to sit on the love seat a foot or two from their spot on the floor. "If you're such a voyeur, why don't you have a front row seat?"

The words don't register immediately in your already slightly frazzled head but once they do, it's like you don't have control over your legs which now feel like jelly. Trying your best to not trip over your bare feet, you begin to shuffle over to the love seat that sirius gestured to. The closer you get the more obvious the marks on the two of them are, bite marks littering James's neck and making it flush so pretty around the teeth marks. You wonder how far the two of them were planning on going before you stumbled into the room, but you figured you'd find out given the seat you were just so generously offered. James feels your eyes scanning over his neck and chuckles softly before the words slip from him.

"You should see his, they're all pretty purple about now. Not to mention the scratches, I really need to trim my nails." James leans over and lifts sirius's barely there shirt, not that it hid his chest much, revealing the claw marks you can only assume James left although when you're not sure. Bite marks, not unsimilar to James's littering just under his collar bone and as your eyes wander lower on his toned body you notice just how many are littering his happy trail and v-line. Smaller scratches joining the love bites that make their home near Sirius's waistband. While you're in your own world, staring at the marks, james and sirius share a look. No words needed to ask one another if they wanted to do what the night will more than likely dissolve into if they continue with you. Giving the other a slight nod before looking back at you, the sound of sirius's light chuckle breaking you from your trance.

"What's going on in your pretty head lovie?" James asks with a tilt of his head. Eyes gleaming with the same shine as the man beside him. His eyes rolling over your pajama clad body, sending warmth throughout your bones. Warming you more than the fire would on a snowy winter night. Suddenly remembering what you're wearing, clenching your thighs at the thought of the two of them lifting up the large shirt over your head to play with your chest. Thinking about how rough James's hands must be from quidditch and how soft Sirius's are, how different they'd feel wandering your body for the first time. Discovering anything they can and gripping it in their large hands. Leaving their touch for you to dream of.

"Did you come down here hoping this would happen? By the looks of it, I think you did. What a naughty pup jamsie."

Wondering if they can tell that you don't have any shorts on, the black tee shirt being big enough to go down to your mid thigh. Hiding the red satin panties you wore. You clench your thighs together again, action not going unnoticed by them. "if you did, maybe we should punish you...making you watch and not be able to do anything about the mess between your thighs." Sirius's tone is soft but still so dominating, even if he's probably the one most exposed in the room. He leans over and grips james's face, tugging him back onto his lap. Sliding a slender hand up his shirt, not doing anything quite yet besides breathing in james's scent from where he tucks his head into the crook of his neck. Beginning to pepper more kisses there as if you're not in the room as james closes his eyes at the feeling of sirius's hands and lips.

Sirius can't help but grin into james's skin, hearing the small mewl leaving his throat before dying on his lips. The hand gripping james's jaw leaves, settling itself onto his belt buckle and beginning to fiddle with it. The metal sound rings through the room, once when Sirius undoes it and again once it's tossed onto the floor close to the bottle of fire whiskey. He moves his head, no longer being tucked into his neck but following it up to his jawline where he nips and drags his teeth down the soft skin. Leaving red lines but soothing them with the tip of his tongue before moving to finally kiss james once more. You can see their tongues mash together and only imagine what they'd feel like on your clit at the same time. Saliva coats both of their lips again, shining due to the fire.

A gasp leaves james, due to the fact that sirius has his cock in a vice like hold in his hand. You didn't even notice the sound of his zipper, too caught up in the idea of both of the pretty boys in front of you ruining you a thousand different ways. Not new thoughts but only intensified by the actions happening. Whining at the fact that you can't see what sirius is doing to james properly, causing them to break away and look at you again. "What poppet? You're getting what you wanted, yea? Or is this not quite enough for someone as dirty as you?"

"Can't see it" comes out more like a whine and is followed by a furrow of your brows, lips pulling into a soft pout. The look causes sirius to laugh gently, nodding. He takes his hand away from james causing him to growl softly at his counterpart. Sirius rolls his eyes at the sound but starts to tug down james's pants, quickly followed by his boxers that are stained with pre cum in the front. Sirius stands up and undoes his own belt, followed by his pants. Standing in just his rented boxers as he walks over to the love seat. Gripping the arms of it, essentially trapping you and leaning down to get closer to your face. "Can you see it now, see jamesies cock leaky and red? How pretty it is, how thick it is? I bet you want it stuffed in that pretty cunt of yours, huh?"

You stare into sirius's dark eyes, which seem to have storms swirling around in them. Chest rising a tad bit faster at the words he mumbled to you, joined by the nod of your head at the questions. Your reaction causing him to softly bite his lip before letting go of the plush arms and returning to the floor. Where james lays now on his back, softly stroking himself. Pre cum smeared all over his cock, leaking from his flushed tip. Sirius kneels in front of james and leans forward, tongue out to lick a stripe up the underside of his cock making james groan. He gently kisses up the length before sucking on his head, james's hands flying to grip sirius's long hair and tug him closer. James's hands relax after sirius pulls away, shimmying out of his own underwear now. Cock slapping against his stomach as he pulls james up so he's sitting up.

Sirius spreads his own pre cum over his length, closing his eyes and tossing his head back with a silent moan at the touch. He shuffles both of their legs till he has one leg straddling james's hips. You lick your lips at the glistening of their flushed cocks, so close together. Looking so pretty that you can almost taste them, feel their weight against your tongue and slipping down your throat. Feeling them coat your throat with their cum.

James lifts his hips and starts to rut his own length against sirius's, hissing at the feeling. Sirius moves his own hips to match the erratic pace james set, sighing at their combined slick. Hoping the two of them won't notice your own movements, you slip a hand in your panties. Using two fingers to gather your wetness and start to circle your clit slowly, opposite of the pace the two of them are going. The wet noises of your cunt blending into the noises sirius and James are making.

Mewls and soft whines slipping past your lips as you buck your hips, getting closer and closer to the edge of cumming. Fingers speeding up, drawing harsher and harsher circles on the sensitive button. You don't realize you had closed your eyes, or that the slick noises are only coming from you at this point. Suddenly you feel hands on your thighs spreading them while tugging you closer to the edge of the loveseat. Eyes opening to reveal james's hand on your right knee and sirius's on your left with wolf-like grins on their faces. James pulls your hand out of your panties, bringing the two fingers into his mouth. Closing his eyes and humming at the taste of you.

"You taste so good bunny, but you weren't supposed to play." His eyes open and dart to your panties "such a cute lace, hearts and everything huh?" He moves his hand to hover above your waistband, snapping it against your soft skin with a grin.

"Are you ready for the real fun pup? No more watching…"

[milfnearyou]

                𝐨𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐮𝐧: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥.

 “𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮.”

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 2.4K | 𝐎𝐇 𝐒𝐄𝐇𝐔𝐍 𝐗 𝐅𝐄𝐌!𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: ANGST. CHEATING. BETRAYAL. SUGGESTIVE. THATS PRETTY MUCH IT THIS TIME AROUND. NGL THIS ISN’T MY BEST WORK AND IS A SHORT ONE SHOT, SORRY! CLICK HEADER FOR HIGHER RESOLUTION BC TUMBLR IS STUPID.

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

“So you just woke up one day and decided you loved me?!” 

Your voice was painfully shrill, bouncing against the metal walls and echoing through the elevator shaft. If you hadn't been so furious, you would've cringed at the way you sounded. Considering your behaviour to be completely out of character and rather petty. But it was impossible to think straight. With all the sirens in your mind screaming 'Alert!' causing you to grow defensive. You saw everything as red, wrapped in a series of warning signs. Eager to protect yourself you grew aggressive, fury coursing through your veins and laced with disgust. 

The disbelief was evident in your tone, accompanied by the extremely annoyed look plastered on your face. Your eyebrows were contorted together, lightly creasing your forehead as you anxiously chewed on your bottom lip. Your hands were balled into tight fists trembling at your sides as you fought the urge to beat the living crap out of him. 

"Fucking answer me Sehun!" You exclaim, throwing your hands in the air. You didn't understand him, not taking any of his bullshit words seriously as a result. Had he been telling the truth, had he truly meant every word he said. Sehun wouldn't have just stood there in front of you with nothing to say. The silence he offered simply adding more fuel to the fire that raged inside of you. 

"So now you're silent? You weren't this fucking quiet back when you were professing your so-called love to me?! What's gotten into you now?"

Again, nothing but silence. The tall man simply stands there in front of you with his hands shoved into the pockets of his pants as the elevator continues to rise higher and higher. With every floor, the elevator cabinet passed, the angrier you got and it didn't help that you lived in a high rise apartment. If he continued to act this way you'd be fuming, steam emitting from your body by the time you'd reach your floor.

“Do you even know what it means to love someone? Or do you just throw yourself in any direction that proves beneficial to your selfish well being?” The questions flew past your lips one after another. You weren’t going to hold back either. Pushing yourself towards him, forcing him to explain himself. 

You didn't deserve the silence. You deserved proper answers, ones that were absent from the immature man in front of you. 

"Answer me right now or I swear to god I'm cutting you off forever," Warning him, you take a step forward to face him closer. Invading his personal space as you stare at him, craning your neck upwards with your arms crossed. 

Watching him like a hawk, you attentively wait. Noticing how he seems to take a slight step back, his broad chest heaving up and down slowly. He seems to be nervous or perhaps, flustered? It was hard for you to believe that with all the ways he could've handled the situation this was what he opted for.

Step by step, you get closer and closer towards Sehun until he's got his back pressed against the metal walls of the elevator. It was hard to believe that someone who looked dominant most of the time could be so cowardly. 

"I'm not asking again," You state, pressing your index finger roughly against his chest. Physically pushing him around until he's finally had enough. His large hands pressing against your shoulders as he shoves you back, regaining his confidence. Finally, he refutes, silence no longer being an option for him.

“Fuck off! Do you want an answer? Fine, but you don't have to act like such an invasive bitch about things!" 

Stunned your eyes widen. You can't tell if you should be offended or impressed with just how much you pushed him but you let him speak. Not saying anything even though he had just called you a bitch. 

"No, I didn’t just wake up one morning and decide that I’d fall in love with you! It took me countless days and nights, essentially adding up into months of thinking about nothing except you! Do you know how painful it felt for me? Do you not understand how guilty I felt?!” The tone in his voice is dangerously low as he narrows his eyes at you. It's his turn to match your attitude, fixing his posture and standing tall. 

"Oh really? So you only thought about how you felt and not how I would feel knowing about your feelings for me? Sehun, how selfish can you be? You aren't the only person on this godforsaken planet!" 

"You don't think I knew that? I know you wouldn't be happy with this but you have to understand that had I kept everything to myself and continued to hang out around you; it would've been both disrespectful to you but also incredibly torturous to me. It was worth gambling my feelings and confessing with the consequence of potentially losing a friend instead of hiding it."  

Taken aback, you feel yourself pause and you hate yourself for it. Sehun has a point, he's valid for being upfront about things but there was just one thing that didn't sit right with you. Despite wanting an answer and getting it you curse yourself for falling silent. The hypocrisy of your silence hitting you square in the face but you're not done. You still have one more thing to say.

"What about the fact that you're still dating my best friend? Did you think about how much this would hurt her? No, let me guess, I bet you haven't even mentioned anything to her," Bringing your best friend up seemed to be the major thing standing in between both of you.

Sehun stares at you like he's been frozen in time. His features completely poised and monotone as your eyes scan his face for any sign of emotion. It was still much too hard to accept his words, to trust them and understand that it came from the bottom of his heart. Your anger was now replaced with complete confusion, perhaps even denial as you scoff at him. He was crazy to think you'd ditch your best friend for a man like him.

Sehun only stood there with his shoulders pushed back, his posture relaxed. His orange tufts of hair making him look like a complete clown. His current demeanour was very different in comparison to how defensive he was earlier.

How could he be so hot and cold? None of it made sense with his face being completely unreadable, everything felt bland like a black and white movie. Sehun could scream as much as he wanted but his words would never get through, bouncing behind the screen, staying unheard from the crowd. All these things made it impossible to find the sincerity he had in his words represented in his body language. 

The elevator came to a stop with a rather loud ding notifying you that it had arrived on your floor. You take one last look at Sehun battling with yourself on whether or not someone as selfish as him was worth entangling yourself with. But no matter how you thought of it you couldn't accept him. With Sehun came consequences, ones that you weren't willing to risk getting into and that being losing your best friend. Someone who was there for you through thick and thin could never be replaced with a man you'd only known for roughly a year.

He didn't mean anything to you and he wasn't allowed to have any meaning in your life, it just wasn't okay. Betrayal had a greater impact than love, you would be foolish to accept the latter. 

Leaving him behind, you step outside of the elevator. Realizing just how much more breathable the air outside the shaft was in comparison to being back inside holed up with your worst nightmare. Your moment of freedom is cut short when you feel his lean arms wrap around your waist pulling you back inside.

He's clinging onto you like a child refusing to let go as he rests his head next to your shoulder. His hot breath brushing against your neck, making you uncomfortable for many reasons that were quite obvious. He just wasn't single nor available and you couldn't let yourself be the other girl. 

“Please just—take a chance. I'm willing to cross oceans for you, tear apart anything that stands in my way because I love you. I'll break up with her, she's nothing like you. Why can't you see that I love you?” He rambles, his voice falling soft. Sehun sounds like he's about to fall apart as he speaks into the crook of your neck. 

His voice vibrating against your skin, echoing through your mind. Despite his tone being no louder than a whisper, his message came loud and clear. Slowly his plump, soft lips make contact with your skin as you freeze in place watching as the elevator doors slam shut. Moving downwards again you feel like you're slowly descending to hell. 

His actions gave you goosebumps as he peppered kisses against your neck. Using one hand to grasp your waist, holding you close to him. While the other cupped your cheek, tilting your head slightly so he could gain better access to your body, his kisses moving down south and landing onto your shoulder. Pushing your shirt slightly aside before gently biting down on your skin causing you to gasp. 

Sehun's touch was electrifying and almost hypnotizing, you felt yourself growing dizzy and out of touch with your surrounding. As he continued using his lips to convey how much you meant to him against your screaming mind that yelled at you not to do this to your best friend. But like a fool, you melt into his touch. Lips falling apart, as your chest heaves up and down. The air feels intoxicating as he rotates your head towards him. His lips crashing against yours as you feel like you're about to pass out. 

You can't give in, you can't betray your best friend and yet, you feel yourself kissing him back. Your tongue tangling with his, exchanging dirty, secretive kisses. Turning around to face him better you fall into all the places you knew weren't right and that was right into the arms of Sehun's. Intertwining your fingers with his, holding onto him tightly as if the only chance you'd have with him would be taken away. 

Now you knew what it meant to be selfish and just how delicious it tasted. 

The elevator is filled with the lewd, smacking of the shared kisses between you both. His body grinding into yours as you feel yourself growing heavy. Developing a strong heartbeat where your filthy desires lay. You felt yourself growing wet, shifting your thighs uncomfortably together. Feeling his hand snake down towards the waistline of your skirt, tugging on them. 

"You just have to say the word and I'm dropping everything and everyone for you," He says in between kisses as you tilt your head back in pleasure when you feel his fingers slipping past your skirt. Hovering dangerously over your soaked heat. "Do you want to run away with me?" He asks. 

You want to say yes. Your body having a mind of its own would rather speak for you but you just can't bring yourself to go through with it. The image of your best friend is hung up in your mind and even though the damage has already been done, you still don't think it's too late to stop. 

“I can’t and you know I won’t,” You reply, wincing at how your voice cracks. You didn’t want to seem weak in front of him, you needed to show him you had control over how you felt. That you were sure you didn't want him but it was all a lie. A lie you told yourself and in return had the truth spoken out loud by the actions of your body. 

Sehun knew of this and yet, his peppered kisses come to a halt. The grip he's got around you loosening as his hand slips out of your skirt. You step out of his grasp feeling ashamed, not daring to look at him. Turning around and staring at the doors instead. Fixing your shirt you crane your neck from side to side trying your best to calm down. Bringing a shaky hand towards the elevator buttons and clicking for your floor. 

You can feel Sehun's gaze boring holes into the back of your head. 

"I don't understand. Why can't you just let me love you? It's not that hard to just give me a shot. I can give you the world, give you all the happiness and security you need in life."

"--Let me be the man that protects you, that cherishes you. I know it's hard because of her but...don't we deserve to be happy?" He pleads, his voice wavering. If you had turned around to face him you'd see his lips quivering. His dark, brown eyes are glossy with tears threatening to escape from the tiny apertures of his tear ducts. 

But currently, it's your turn to fall silent. All because you know that despite him falling at the seams, begging you to love him you know that he'll only go back to being the same once he's got you twirling around his dainty fingers. His norm being the same silent person as always, emotionally unavailable and confusing as always. Plus, who's to say he won't just ditch you like he's doing to your best friend? 

"It's your turn to answer me," He pleads but you ignore him. Thanking the timing of the elevator for opening right at the end of his sentence. 

Quickly stepping off you pray that he doesn't snake himself around you again because if he does, you don't know if you had the power inside to fight him off again and thankfully he doesn't. Sehun leaves you alone watching you get out of his view, the sound of your Chelsea boots clicking against the hallway floors until suddenly you're just gone. A wave of heartbreak washing over his feelings as he realizes that he just can't sit here and do nothing. 

He won't go back to your best friend, he doesn't love her and in fact, he never did. It wasn't his choice to hurt her like this but he couldn't help but fall in love with the wrong person. So he chases you, chases the love of his life eager to satisfy his selfishness and have you by his side. 

The consequence of dealing with your best friend could come later but first, he needed to convince you once and for all that he was the only good thing in his life. Your best friend was to be replaced. 

   𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐃: 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐅𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐎𝐔©︎

[aries-rising-on-an-aquarius-tide]

Evocations: XII

Alexandra couldn't decide what was worse - that she was jealous over a perfect stranger openly flirting with Olivia, or the fact that she knew it was irrational. It wasn't like her, to be either jealous or irrational; her reputation was for being calm to the point of coldness under pressure.

But nothing, when it came to Olivia, was cold.

Alex ran a finger through the condensation on her drink's glass, glancing up for what seemed like the hundredth time at the woman having a smiling conversation with Liv. The strange blonde giggled and found an excuse to touch Liv's forearm, causing Alex to deathgrip her glass as her eyes narrowed.

It didn't help that Olivia's gaydar was piss-poor. She was an incredible detective, smart and intuitive when it came to victims or chasing sex offenders. Flirting, though, sent the brunette into a foreign land where she seemed to lack both language and direction. Unless she stripped her clothes off and made an obvious move, Alex assumed Liv wouldn't even realize that this aggressive blonde was interested.

Is it because it's a woman? Alex wondered, scrutinizing her jealousy. She had never been jealous in the past, with other girlfriends. Perhaps, without realizing it, she had been unconcerned about losing them. Olivia had never given her reason to worry about infidelity, never - and they had been together over a year and a half.

Tipping her drink to her mouth, Alex looked over at the two women again, finding the nameless blonde now gesturing in the direction of the bar - likely offering to buy Liv a drink. Alex sucked an ice cube from her glass and crunched it between her teeth, her jealousy simmering in her belly.

She wasn't oblivious to the amount of attention that Olivia constantly drew. Alex was well aware that her partner was stunning, and usually, seeing others stumble over themselves like stuttering, blushing fools just made Alex more proud that she was hers. This time, this night . . . everything seemed off-kilter.

Sighing, she drained the glass, chewed more ice, and looked over again. But they were gone.

Not just the stranger - Liv, too. Both gone.

Alexandra startled to her feet off her bar stool as her chest was gripped with blazing anxiety and anger. She forced herself to take a breath and swept her gaze all around the room, sure that she was just panicking over nothing. But her eyes weren't deceiving her - Olivia was nowhere in the room.

Grabbing her clutch purse, Alex left her glass of melting ice and started in the direction of the restroom, as it was the most logical assumption. Beneath the surface of her skin, she could feel her irritation buzzing like a live wire.

While there were people in the restroom, Liv nor the blonde was among them. Alex took the time to splash cold water on her wrists and back of her neck in an attempt to think clearly. In spite of this attempt, she felt her anxiety tip over into real upset, and her stomach cramped.

She charged back through the bar - as best a tall woman in heels can charge - and plowed through the double glass doors into the cool evening. Her gaze scanned up and down the sidewalk among the people milling about, first left and then right. The second look to the right, Alexandra finally spotted them, down the sidewalk away from the others.

Liv was laughing as the other woman tossed a cigarette to the pavement and stamped it out. Alex swallowed dryly as the two women hugged, and Olivia held open the door to the taxi at the curb, ushering the blonde inside. For just a breath, Alex's heart stilled completely, imagining her lover getting into the cab with the woman and driving away, taking her entire life with her.

Then she blinked, her heart started again, and the cab was pulling away as Liv was coming back down the sidewalk in Alexandra's direction. When she got past some of the people, Olivia noticed Alex where she stood, arms crossed over her chest, still strangling her clutch bag.

"Hey! What're you doing out here in the cold?" she asked Alex with a curious grin.

"Who was that?" Alex's voice was flat, and controlled. It was her about-to-cross-examine voice.

"We went to college together," Liv answered, glancing back in the direction of the long-gone black and yellow. "Just an old acquaintance."

Alex rolled her eyes, exhaling heavily. Liv raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"An acquaintance. She was flirting, Olivia."

A laugh bubbled out of Liv before she could catch it. "What?! Al, don't be ridiculous," she shook her head.

"That's what you always say," Alex returned, "but just because you're oblivious doesn't mean no one is flirting!'

"It doesn't mean everyone is flirting, either!"

Alex threw her hands out in front of her and huffed, then opened her clutch and rooted for keys. They had been renting an SUV for a few weeks, toying with the idea of jointly buying a vehicle, and it was parked in a lot behind the drink club.

"I'm going home. You can come, or not," she tossed off, and turned in the direction of the parking lot.

"Alex, you - " Liv started, but the ADA was already moving, and she had to lurch forward to hurry after her, "You can't be serious!"

"I'm perfectly serious."

"We hardly spoke!"

"Imagine, the concept of body language," Alex deadpanned, "playing a part in flirting. A novelty."

"'Lex. You were drinking and I wasn't; give me the keys," Olivia tried, changing tactics.

"Are you accusing me of being drunk?"

"Not at all, I would just prefer to drive."

They had made it to the vehicle, and Alex stopped within a foot of the driver's side door. "Would you really? Like to drive?" she asked.

"Yes," Liv nodded, and moved to take the keys, which Alexandra pulled away and up at the last moment, dangling them in her hand above her head.

"Then you'll have to arrest me. Detective," she taunted.

Running out of patience, Liv sighed and moved into Alex's space, their bodies aligning as she pressed her into the cold metal of the SUV, reaching for the keys.

"Is that what you want? Me to handcuff you?" the brunette chuckled, making sure to brush against the sensitive inside of Alex's wrist. But the look in the blonde's eyes was still heavy with nerves, making Liv still.

"Alex. Why were you so worried? Have I ever given you reason - "

"Of course not," she said immediately. "But . . . "

"But what?"

"Everybody always wants you," Alex said quietly, blushing faintly, feeling ridiculous now that her fear was fading.

"Oh. Mm," Liv acknowledged. "Well, you know who I want?" she murmured. The blonde met her gaze, but didn't speak. She pressed Alex even harder against the door, leaning toward her mouth. "I want you."

Alexandra suppressed her grin and tipped her head up, forcing Olivia's kiss to land on her neck instead of her mouth. "Only me?"

"Only you," Liv confirmed.

"I want you, too," Alex sighed, melting into the press of warm kisses down her neck. She slipped her arms around Liv, pulling her mouth up to kiss her. "To myself," she added, "just mine ."

"Yours," Liv nodded.

Alex cupped a breast through the brunette's sensible button-up. "Mine?"

"Yours."

The hand curved around and down, gripping her ass through her pants. "Mine?"

Olivia nodded again. Alex's hand slid gently between Liv's thighs, sending a shock of desire through her. "And this?"

"Of course."

Finally, Alex brought her hand back up, pressing it firmly against Olivia's chest over her heart.

"Yours," Liv said, without hesitation.

Alex felt like she could breathe again as she nudged the keys into Olivia's palm. "Drive me home," she murmured, "so I can show you what's yours."

[boop-le-snoot]

PARTY FAVOURS I CHAPTER 37

💖 first time reader click here 💖

Five more chapters to go, guys. This is coming to an end 😭 I enjoyed writing it so, so much! In this chapter we have fluff. Literally only fluff and snark, because my babies have suffered enough. And the remainder is gonna be the same. Because fuck pain.

Coulson was mad. Outwardly, of course, he seemed as level-headed as ever, handing out orders and signing papers out left and right, but coming to sit within five feet of him seemed like the worst mistake I had recently made. His phone was ringing practically non-stop and he answered every call, sometimes speaking in different languages I didn't understand, sometimes in rapid-fire English that sounded like Morse code to me.

I'd never been sent to the principal's office but I imagine that's how it feels like. Finally, his shoulders sagged and the breath he took in left his lungs slowly, deflating his body into a tense ball of quiet fury.

"You and mister Brock ruined months worth of investigation and undercover work," The agent finally spoke. "But I can't even be mad at you properly. We've apprehended the main culprit, detained all of his followers except select few that Dr. Xavier took upon himself to handle," His words shocked me; not at all the scolding I was expecting. A deeper part of me was even afraid I'd be taken away and buried under so much red tape not even Tony's seemingly endless money and influence could have gotten me out. "I... Really don't know what more to say." Coulson folded his hands atop the desk, looking over me with a blank look.

"A thank you would be nice," I let my mouth run before the words even really registered in my brain, the cursed thing.

The agent chortled, "Perhaps, we really do owe you a solid one," Before standing up and walking over to the coffee machine in the far corner of his office. "Coffee?" He motioned to a pile of empty cups next to it. I nodded and he set to work. "The guys should be back in two hours, tops," He remarked off-handedly, watching me out of the corner of his eye. There was no way he had missed how my body relaxed into the uncomfortable office chair at the news. "Nobody is hurt except Rogers but I think he'd find how to hurt himself even on recon duty." The man laughed, bringing over two cups of dark, delicious, steamiy hot bean juice. Nhghhgg.

"Steve is a dumbass," I agreed amicably, blowing over the rim of the cup. The stone of coffee on it's own seemed to wake up my previously anxious, half-empty half-racing brain. The past twelve hours were full of urgency, the team being called in for assistance in mere minutes after my and Venom's return to the tower.

They barely had time to wipe their tears and shelf their worries before the suit-up call came, haste hugs and kisses being traded on their way to the quinjet. Coulson showed up not much later after that, a quinjet of his own and a stack of papers for Eddie to fill out, stern instructions for me to follow him and stay glued to his side at all times. I didn't need to ask: it was obvious there was a rat in SHIELD, again. Thankfully, the rat was discovered before they could come and try to increase their odds by doing something to me; I'd hid out in Coulson's office, crashing down into a strange, most likely Venom-induced sleep as footsteps raced past the door.

I'd woken up anxious and disoriented, the owner of the office pacing along the furthest wall and pointedly whispering into his cellphone. The rest was history.

"Your father called," The agent remarked, watching my reaction carefully. "Said to call him back whenever you can."

I was drained, beyond wrung out, and not just from my latest stunt as a parasitic symbiotic alien's host. The past couple of months were a nightmare, an anxiety-riddled, paranoia-spiced mess of a shit show. I was very much looking forward to breathing freely and enjoying my science without hiding my WIPs, enjoying my relationship (s) without fear of being abducted and sending my men into a panicked, destructive spiral.

My voice remained even as I carefully contemplated and spoke my next words. "He can go fuck himself. Him and that harpy of a woman," I sighed: disappointed in my parents, but not surprised. "I'm freshly out of fucks to give. I'm done."

Coulson, if he even was surprised, didn't show it. His expression remained neutral and supportive. "I understand you. There's enough basis for us to aid you in creating a new identity for you, if you'd like," He pushed a stack of papers towards me.

I chewed on my lip in contemplation. It would be handy, sure, I could be rid of the curse that became of my family name and my parents couldn't legally do anything at all to me; on the other side there was my name plastered on several inventions and projects I'd done over the years. In all my years, I was taught that my name is to be my business card.

The decision was obvious. "No, thank you," I looked at him, hoping to convey the sincerity. "I think I will be okay."

He smiled and went back to his paperwork, all but verbally dismissing me. As soon as I finished my coffee and washed the mug, the couch called to me once again and I curled up under the fleece blanket Coulson had thrown over me while I slept, alternating my attention between sneaking glances at his concentrated form and my cellphone and the few meager games it had. There was no signal and no wi-fi access on the Helicarrier. Security reasons, blah blah blah...

A knock sounded out, startling me out of my sluggish thoughts; one of Coulson's hands crawled down to one of the drawers on his right side where I assumed he had hidden a gun. "Come in," He called out, shooting me a pointed look. I sat up, alert.

"M'here to pick up - uh - a Baby," A tired but amused, familiar voice called out. Clint stepped into the room, still wearing his dirty and bloody uniform, and, as my eyes briefly scanned him, the archer appeared to be unhurt save for a few bruises here and there. His eyes landed on me immediately, visibly relieved.

"Waa," I deadpanned indignantly, raising my hands like a toddler would do when they wanted to be picked up. The only thing Clint was missing was a courier's ball cap.

"I assume the mission went smoothly?" Coulson asked, a soft grin and even softer eyes landing on our interaction.

Clint nodded affirmative, walking over and picking me up with ease, disregarding my shierk completely and stopping only when I poked him in the ear - closest appendage to me - in retaliation. His eyes were laughing and his tone was flat. "Caw caw, motherfucker," He announced to me flatly, waving goodbye to Coulson.

We passed more than a dozen agents giving us the biggest side-eye as I dangled over his shoulder, ass up in the air, fiddling with the numerous straps of his gear as Clint power-walked us to the Avengers quinjet. I'd even stuck out my tongue to some dude pointing a finger at us.

My family was already loaded into the vehicle, all in various stages of dirty, bloody and undressed. Coulson's words were true - only Steve sported a wide bandage over his shoulder, neck and head - one look at Bucky and I just knew the Captain would be regretting his stupidity in a few hours time. Even Stephen was there, looking unhurt but very annoyed and tired, as he hovered a few feet off the ground with Cloaky majestically swaying behind him.

"And what the fuck was that little performance for?" I asked once Clint deposited me in the very front row, between a dozing Bruce and a tinkering Tony.

"I had strict instructions from the Hulk," The archer grinned, pushing a few buttons on the dashboard of the vehicle. In seconds, we took off home.

"Oh, hi," Bruce must've heard his green counterpart being mentioned; his eyes cracked open just as I smiled at the scientist and reached over to brush his curly mop of hair out of his face. "M'yes, Hulk is demanding you do not set foot on the ground these days," Bruce was sleepy and warm, so soft when he kissed my hand, I felt my heart swell.

"Gonna spoil me rotten, you lot," I snorted, keeping the happy smile and the warm feeling as Stephen came back from the Astral world, opening his eyes and giving me a grin of his own.

"That's my job," Tony mumbled, still very occupied with a part of his suit. I turned around expecting a kiss; I had to stifle an ugly snort upon discovering one of the parts of his Iron Man suit got damaged and stuck, making a part of the chestplate render one of his arms temporarily immobile. Tony looked like a frustrated toddler building Legos.

"Someone get me a screwdriver and some pliers," I gently pried away the calloused fingers away from the jagged piece of metal, kissing Tony's cheek in the moments until Natasha handed me the required instruments. Tony was free, grimacing in discomfort as he stretched and rotated his arm, in little under ten minutes. "What happened to the nanosuit?" I asked, not remembering the last time I'd seen Tony in one of his older, clunkier creations.

"They had some sort of technopath mutant," He grumbled - I had discovered the source of his ire. "Turns out, Bruce snuck in my special anti-mutant suit I'd made ages ago. Nanosuit got destroyed in seconds and Hulk had to carry me back to the quinjet for a change of equipment," Despite his sour mood, Tony was visibly more relaxed than since the day I confessed I'd been drugged. "Brucie-bear, this is exactly why it remained a prototype."

"It's better to get stuck in a suit than to be a meat pancake on the sidewalk," Used to Tony's tantrums, Bruce merely blinked and continued eating the chocolate that he procured only God knew where.

I locked eyes with Stephen, both of us shaking our heads in almost identical, semi-fond semi-annoyed way. Ah, sweet sweet normalcy.

There were towers of pizza boxes as we arrived in the tower; a couple of agents got all but yeeted out by Tony, with little to no thank you as they had been the ones that arranged the food for us - still, I understood Tony's dislike of the super-secret organisation and merely paid the two for the pizza, politely waving goodbye as they side-eyed Tony with disdain.

Then, I had to tow both Clint and Thor as they attempted to begin eating, still wearing muddy bloody clothes - of course, I did not possess the physical strength required to handle two adult men, so I merely began a small lecture on parasites (Stephen gleefully joined in) and both of them scattered towards the showers like two spooked little first-graders.

I also used the brief moment of stagnation to hug Loki; these days he didn't freeze in surprise but rather warmly hugged me back, whispering something cheeky to me as I buried my face in his chest. Stephen was the one to cough extra-loudly to attempt to separate us - it was, once again, unanimously decided to have a family dinner and a cuddle pile straight after. Food coma had never sounded nicer.

"So, what'd Coulson say to you?" Clint asked curiously as we all settled in, freshly showered and those who needed it, re-bandaged. I was warm and toasty between Tony and Stephen, wearing the former's gym shorts and the latter's hoodie, Bruce's t-shirt underneath it. The scientist himself was drooling onto Tony's shoulder, somwhere between sleep and awareness, glasses askew.

"He basically thanked me and offered me a new identity," I shrugged, polishing off the last of my smoothie and handing the second bottle over to Loki. As usual, no food was wasted and I always had someone to finish my leftovers, especially since Bucky tended to think I could eat as much as him and kept trying to overfeed me like a foie gras goose.

"Congrats, you've been adopted," Natasha snorted from her place between Clint and Steve. Only the red of her hair was visible behind the man-bulk and the blankets.

"Uh," My response was, as always, deeply informative and astute.

"He likes to take in strays," Clint full-belly laughed. "Me at first, then Natasha. He's got a soft spot for Tony and Bucky but he won't admit it."

My eyebrows rose. "That's... That's my job?" I remembered the whole Venom/Eddie situation, our rogue wizard. Coulson was aiming for my place- the audacity! "He can't just do that!"

"And you can?" Stephen's finger booped my nose, making me huff and cuddle up to Tony, turning my butt towards the sorcerer to show him exactly what I thought about his observations. He only laughed harder. "Sounds like someone's a little jealous."

"Okay, boomer," I rolled my eyes. Stephen Strange, a supreme troll is what he is.

"But that's why you love me," He continued as others around us groaned and snorted, too used to us teasing each other about our age difference and my old man kink. Whatever, I got to bang my hot old men anyways.

THE TAG LIST IS NOW OPEN! @another-stark-sub ​ @mostly-marvel-musings  @vozit ​ @littlegasps ​ @pilloclock ​ @shereadsinquiet @downeyreads ​ @hermione-grangers-wife ​ @individualistfem ​ @sleep-i-ness @capbrie @lillsxd @agustdowney @dee-vn @justanotherblonde23 @fanngirl19 @persephonehemingway @softie-socks @schemefrenzy @letsby @cutenessloading @romeo-the-cactus @jelly-fishy-babie @mikariell95 @gladiosamicitias @warrior1-19 @toomanyrobins @i-cant-hangout-im-drumming

[paversandplatters]

||𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚎𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚂𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚙|| (5/20)

Apocalypse! Au (TW! Minor gore and cussing)

Reader x multiple

Chapter 5: A Flock Found

They pack a wheel barrow to the brim with the newly acquired supplies they find not botheringing to leave behind much of anything, making sure to cop the twenty five gallon container of gasoline from the tool shed out back behind the building... Lord knows they'll need for the grand task ahead of them. By the time the light in the south western sky began to fade from a light gray to pink over the backwaters of the panhandle they're ready. They slip outside through the rectory's side door and creep single file along the edge of the property. Y/n takes the lead, periodically glancing over her shoulder for any sign of the herd that had crossed the highway or any sign of the group that occupied this space all too recently. She carries a glock with a full magazine just in case. The dusky air gets clammy and cool on the back of the stranger's neck as he follows them to the car. They climb in hurriedly, stowing their provisions in the rear cargo bay. Y/n kicks the engine on as the newcomer clambers into the passenger seat next to her- much to the dismay of the other two- unfolding an old dogeared map.

"They usually stick pretty close to the ocean." He says almost to himself, silently calculating the mileage between them and the gulf. "Probably should start down by Perry or Carwfordville." He senses movement ahead of them through the windshield and glances up in time to see a couple of jagged shadows emerging from the woods about a hundred yards away, drawn to the sound of their engine. Garbled growls can be heard over the drone of crickets. The trace smell of garbage on the breeze, the light and space of the outdoors is almost overwhelming to him. He feels like he's been asleep for a hundred years, locked away in that dank and dirty church- he starts to feel dizzy.

Y/n gooses the accelerator and the SUV lurches away. He sinks into his seat as they roar down the road, swerving to avoid the half dozen or so biters now skulking out of the woods blocking their path. They sideswipe one the creatures, ripping a chunk of its shoulder, splattering fresh gore across the glass of his side window.

"You get used to it." she states after he flinches in disgust. He just stares at the splatter, flecks of bone chips, and a long trail of black bile.

"I don't think anyone can get used to that ..." Nick mutters from the back seat.

Night falls and the darkness deepens behind the trees on either side of the road. Most of the streetlights in this part of the country have gone the same way as the internet or cable TV, so the road only gets darker and darker as they head south towards the steaming thickets and festering swamps of the coastal lowlands. The going is slow, most of the two lanes are crowded with rusted out wreckages ,the carcasses of cars and trucks so old now that the weeds and switchgrass have begun to grow up from their metal endoskeletons. The two young men in the rear breathe heavily, thickly, half asleep while Y/n drives and softly hums some forgotten tune. They had passed the jerky and water around a few minutes ago- their standard fare of supper- and now their bellies growl and their eyelids droop with exhaustion.

"You never gave your name..." His hushed voices rings out from the shotgun seat.

"Hadn't crossed my mind at the time, sorry about that... It's Y/n" She chuckles softly. "The one with the headband is Nick but goes by Sapnap, don't ask i don't know- the other one with the accent is George." he just simply hums in reply.

"What about you big guy? What do they call you?"

He takes a moment to regard the woman seated next to him; his head still trying to wrap itself around this complete stranger who's shown him nothing but kindness. On the one hand, she seems trustworthy enough, friendly, a good listener, courteous and capable of single handedly taking out an entire chapel full of reanimated corpses... On the other hand she seems like a walking time bomb. He'd seen her type before- they type that's too kind until something or someone breaks that trust. A hairline trigger. The sad fact is he doesn't have a large array of options. Staying in that hellhole of a church with those enslavers, listening to the groans of the dead, waiting for whatever those bastards would do next quickly loses its charm... Seeing the aftermath of her cleaning house with that knife had given him an odd charge- a cathartic release. He's also aware that he'd never be able to find the caravan on his own given the sorry state he's in. He really has no choice but to go along with her and her scruffy ass men and hope for the best.

"I don't have a name.. that is, one that I can remember.."

She desperately wants to pry, how could he not remember his own name? But the thousand yard stare and glassy gaze is enough to stop her from inquiring any further. "Well we've gotta call you something big guy." She's met with silence in response. "Alright, I guess Big Guy it is then." He offers only a meek hum in response. In an attempt to silence his own raging thoughts his eyes landed on the red bandanna tied to the rearview mirror for what was probably the hundredth time since he started on this way too long car ride.

"... What's that about?" He points to the red scarf.

"It belonged to a friend of mine a long while back, before Sapnap and George were a thing." Her hands tighten their hold on the wheel. "I was caught by 'traders' and he was stuck in the same hole as me... Couldn't have been any older than fourteen at the time. One night the compound was under attack, their front gate was breached- luckily we were kept at the very back end, so when the opportunity came we managed to escape our holding cell and I hoisted him over the wall. Told him to keep running, to not look back. He got away but I was caught again," She takes in a deep breath before resuming her story.

"I was quickly sold off to some asshole who had these two chained up for breaking into their stores... one thing led to another and we snuck out and snagged this ride... we've been moving around since." It was obvious by her tone there was a lot she was leaving out and probably for a good reason. Notably the two in the back seat were dead silent, so much so that it made the air feel heavy and dense enough to cut with a sharp enough knife. Suddenly he was wishing he hadn't bothered to ask in the first place

"That sign back there," He manages, desprate to break the heavy air "Said 'Cross city 12 miles" He glances up from the map in his lap, gazing out the side window at the stewing darkness of Dixie County Florida. "Got a feeling we're getting close."

The vast patchwork of wetlands passes in a blur on either side of them. The land oozing a low blanket of methane as gray as mold, clinging to the shadows of pine thickets and gullies like dirty lace. The air smells briny and rotten with dead fish. Every few minutes they pass the ruins of a small town or wreckage strewn trailer parks. No sign of survivors in these parts, though only the occasional silhouette of an upright corpse shambling by, it's eyes like twin yellow reflectors in the darkness.

"We can't just keep burning gas all night." Sapnap says from his place in the rear, his voice all cranked up with pain and panic "and we can't just go off of what you overheard those traders talking about- Much less go off of feelings.." Big guy just keeps a neural face.

"We're in the ballpark" He persists "Believe me they'll be hard to miss." Y/n grips the steering wheel, her jaw working overtime on a piece of gum, snapping and chewing complusively as she drives.

"How many vehicles do they have in this convoy?" George questions between wheezy breaths.

"No idea... but it's quite a few ."

"That's pretty general."

"They'll be easy to spot." He replies once more, gazing back out at the darkness. "Our best bet is to follow the coast, they like to keep close to the water.."

"Why's that?"

He shrugs. "According to those 'traders' they keep their eyes peeled for ships or any possible way they might get their asses the hell out of here. Most of the bigger boats around here have been destroyed by the hurricane that hit a couple years ago, so it's a long shot that they'll find anything..."

They're about to give up the search when they start to climb the gentle slope- at first so gradual it's almost unnoticeable - up the side of a vast malodorous landfill- the barren trash-strewn scrubland to their left reaches across miles of sandy berms, all the way down to the deserted ghostly boardwalks that wind their way along the beaches. The sky has begun to bruise pink with predawn light and Y/n has just started to say something when the Big Guy sees the first faint streaks of red dots in the distant haze.

"LOOK!" He points his large gnarled hand down at the far dunes of ashen white sand winding along the coast. The surface is so pocked and windswept it resembles the dark side of the moon.

"Where?" She cranes her neck, slowing the vehicle down to a crawl.

"I don't see anything."

"About Half a mile up there... Look at the tail lights!"

She takes a deep cleansing breath as she finally sees the caravan chugging along the coastal road in the predawn light, it looks like embers throwing up puffs of smoke in their wake.

"Holy shit, I see it." A big smile washes over her face, Glad she decided to follow through with this insane plan.

"What do you think of those boys?" The two young men in the rear lean forward, transfixed by the sight, each of them rapt and silent as they gaze at the convoy.

"What are you doing?! Blaster your horn at them," George stutters anxiously. "Don't let them get away !"

Y/n smiles to herself, in her former life she used to be fascinated by the wildlife shows, often catching them in the late night showings after work before she turning in for the night. She remembers one episode in particular, on the behavior of sheep vs the behavior of wolves. She remembers the flock mentality; the sheep moving almost as one, easily managed by a single sheepdog. She remembers the instinct of the Wolf, stealthy, patient as it and its pack creep up on the flock. She shoots a glance across the dark interior at the larger man sat next to her before turning her head to face the two sat behind them.

"I have a better idea."

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@the-wandering-pan-ace @hvrcruxes

[spacechip707]

32. In a way I can't return 😊😊😊

Oh my gosh, sorry it took so long~ You didn’t specify, so I wrote some twin fluff. Hope that was okay! Really hope that you like it and it’s not a disappointment! Lololol :D

It was just one of those nights.

Self-loathing pervaded Saeran’s thoughts, raking its icy fingers across his mind. He mimicked the gesture physically, clawing at his own scalp as if it would make the pain stop. The accusations of worthlessness...filthiness...loneliness...He didn’t want to face them right now. He didn’t want to answer the thousands of questions bombarding his already pounding head. He didn’t want to stare up at the ceiling for another night, trembling at the shadows that too eerily resembled the gaping emptiness inside his own chest.

His energy was depleted, but he rolled himself off the bed. His legs worked on their own as he made his way to...anywhere.Despite living in the bunker for nearly a year, Saeran refused to find a place to feel truly comfortable. That would require attachment. Something he wasn't willing to form.

      Yet, as he wandered from room to room, he found each one was already associated with memories. He hated it. The kitchen...where Saeyoung would attempt nightly to make them a decent meal. The living room...where he and Saeyoung would sit in an agreeable silence during the day. Even the bathrooms, where Saeyoung would pat his back patiently when his meds caused him to dispel his food.

    Saeran’s thoughts halted when he reached a dead end...which happened to be the entrance into Saeyoung’s work room. This room had no memories. He had only been in there a few times, all of which were very brief.

His brother tended to lock himself in there on stressful days and then emerge with several new robots. Saeran half wondered whether it would work the same way for him. His fingers hovered over the doorknob. He couldn’t decipher the source of the hesitance. Perhaps it stemmed from a fear of being similar to his twin. To be reminded of the fact that he had a brother--the same one that encouraged him with bright zeal and then left him to ruin. He shook his head, afraid of the emotions that would follow that train of thought.

He swallowed and pulled open the door. He froze when he was met with golden eyes and red hair that mirrored his own. A few breaths passed before Saeyoung smiled softly.

“Saeran,” he said the name as a greeting. How he managed to make it sound so cheerful was a mystery to the younger twin. “Sorry, were you looking for me? Did you need something?”’

Saeran prepared himself to pivot on his heel and leave. But then he would face that ceiling again...and his personal spectres hiding in the darkness that danced across it. He needed a distraction, even if it happened to be his brother.

He took a few steps forward and lowered himself onto the floor, leaning against the wall behind him. He pressed his lips in a fine line, his eyes darting up to Saeyoung’s for a brief moment. The older twin didn’t seem to think it unusual--or if he did, he chose not to comment. Saeran was glad. He didn’t want questions.

Saeyoung swiveled his chair to the workbench, throwing his attention back into whatever he was constructing. It was actually….peaceful. The creaking of screws and the soft clanking of metal were the only noises penetrating the muted room. The tension in Saeran’s shoulders melted away, and soon enough the throbbing at the base of his neck did as well.

Just as he let out a breath of relief, a bunch of metal parts went sprawling onto the ground in front of him. Saeyoung snickered from his chair. He had one leg propped up against the seat, while his arm hung lazily to the side. He looked at Saeran with an almost cocky grin. “Want to help?”

Saeran rolled his eyes. After living here so long, he should’ve been expecting Saeyoung to be up to something. But, the older twin continued to prove his unpredictability.

“Not really,” Saeran responded, although his fingers brushed over the metal parts out of curiosity.

He narrowed his eyes at the shapes, a faint blueprint of what they could be already forming in his mind. With a few more seconds, the idea became more solidified until he was seeing exactly where all the pieces would connect and what parts he would need to complete it. Suddenly, Saeran’s anxious thoughts were replaced by the desire to create something.

Oh...So this is why Saeyoung built robots.

“Have an idea?” Saeyoung asked, gathering tools off the workbench and transferring them to the floor. He slipped off his chair and shimmied over to his brother, a concentrated frown replacing his usual quirky smirk. “I was thinking we could use a new toaster, but I don’t think I have the parts for it yet.”

Saeran shook his head and crawled a bit closer, so the parts were spread out evenly between them. “We should make a light.”

“A what?”

“A nightlight of sorts,” he elaborated. He rubbed the back of his neck, hoping that the reasons behind his sudden idea weren't obvious. With the lines wrinkling Saeyoung’s forehead, he doubted that.

He tossed a cluster of tangles wires towards his brother, curtailing the question halfway past his lips. “Sort through these,” he muttered.

The redhead complied, and for awhile, there was peace again. Saeran asked the occasional question, Saeyoung offered occasional suggestions. An hour later, and a skeleton of a complex machine sat between them. Dread pounded in the younger twin’s head. They had hardly exchanged words, and yet they moved together like clockwork. They were truly connected, no matter how much Saeran despised it.

“What happened?” Saeyoung asked. His focused glare morphed back into his typical worried pout.

Saeran found it difficult to swallow. He set the tools down, briefly scowling at his hands as if they had done this against his will.

Saeyoung’s eyes sparked in understanding, and a smile masked the disappointment leaking from his countenance. “Did I push myself onto you again?” He said, unable to conceal the constriction of his throat. “Sorry.”

Saeran hated that he was linked to the man across from him. He hated fate or whatever God Saeyoung believed in that had tied them together in the first place. But most of all, Saeran hated the remorse pooling in his stomach at the crestfallen grimace suffocating his twin’s usual optimism.

“N-no,” he found himself saying. “You didn't. I just…”

How could he explain how he felt without making it worse?

“You don't have to lie,” Saeyoung sighed. His fingers continued to fidget with the wires, and he seemed to blink more than necessary. “If you want to be alone--”

“No!” Saeran burst. He turned away when his brother looked up at him. Not alone. He didn't want that. “Um...g-give me a red wire.”

The older twin’s penetrating gaze lingered uncomfortably long. Saeran was exposed and laid bare in that moment, but perhaps there was an advantage. So was Saeyoung.

Saeran was all too familiar with the anxiety and self-hatred lurking behind those wide eyes.

His brows quirked forward as he reached out for the thin strips offered to him. “MC said you only come here when you're tense,” he said. He lied, rather. That was an observation he made himself.

“Did she?” Saeyoung replied, finding a new zeal for the screwdriver. His mouth parted in a soft sigh. “I guess...you’re not the only one having a rough night.”

Saeran pursed his lips. He had barely heard his brother’s words, and yet they stabbed into his mind like daggers. He cleared his throat, unnerved at how quickly his walls were weakening. “Aren't you Catholic? Why don't you get a priest to...cleanse the place or something?”

Saeyoung covered his chest with a hand, a short but loud laugh erupting from his throat. Still, there was something painful hidden behind it. The older man rubbed his face. “I don’t think that’s how it works,” he replied with a few more chuckles. “Besides, the priest would probably just carry me out of the house instead.”

Saeran couldn't resist the crooked grin tugging at his own lips. His gaze darted up, expecting to see Saeyoung mirroring the same expression. Instead, he noticed the redness ebbing the whites of his eyes.

“Anyway,” the redhead went on, tapping on his temple. “There’s some darkness that we learn to fight ourselves.”

Saeran chewed on his bottom lip, busying himself with the metal parts in front of him. Why did it hurt to see his brother like that? Just a few months ago, the anguish cracking his very being would’ve been an answered prayer. Now, it just made his numb heart twinge.

“Oh,” was the only reply he could manage.

Saeyoung suddenly stiffened. A cheeriness crinkled his eyes, but it didn’t reach past the surface. “Sorry. It’s late, and I’m just getting too sentimental. You know the moon can do that, right? We can’t see the moon inside though. I guess it’s in the air or something.”

He was rambling, Saeran observed. He did that a lot when he was anxious too. “You don’t have to lie,” he interjected.

Saeyoung fell silent, but he insisted on holding up that blithe mask. For once, Saeran wanted to see what was behind it. He wanted to see the fragmented and shattered man that was actually his brother, and, for the first time in years, his motives weren’t malicious. No...they were almost apprehensive.

But despite the time that had passed, he still couldn’t get the questions past his tongue. He didn’t venture further, and instead, he allowed the room be blanketed in quietness.

Once again, they fell into the rhythm of building. One piece here, a screw there, some electrical tape around that...all of it done with only a few words spared between them. Soon enough, Saeran found himself working more quickly while his twin lagged behind.

Then, Saeyoung’s soft snores interrupted the silence for the first time in hours. His head resting on his chair, his mouth hung open, and his glasses tilted on the bridge of his nose. He looked ridiculous. This wasn’t the first time Saeran was tempted to take a picture, but each time resulted in the same conclusion: saved memories meant forming attachment. He didn’t want that.

Instead, he threw himself back into the project, his ambition remaining strong despite his aching fingers and stinging eyes. The clock ticked forward, and Saeran added new ideas as he went along. He wasn’t sure how much time had elapsed when he pushed the round, metal orb away from his lap and admired his work.

He leaned back against the wall and stretched his legs. Exhaustion began to settle into his muscles, but there was a strange satisfaction that accompanied it.  

“Maybe you should go to school and become an engineer,” Saeyoung said, causing the younger man to nearly topple over in surprise.

“You’re awake,” Saeran said matter-of-factly.

Saeyoung shifted forward to inspect the machine. When he fell asleep, there was nothing more than the inner core done. “You said it was a light, right?”

Saeran bit the inside of his cheek, giving a sheepish nod. “The switch is on the bottom.”

His brother carefully flipped the orb, finding the small button and flicking it on. Hundreds of soft, subtle rays shot out from the center. They hit the ceiling and the walls, speckling them in tiny beads of brilliance...at least for a little while. Both twins gasped when the colors shifted, evolving from a warm yellow to a deep purple and then to a cool blue.

“It’s like a sky,” Saeyoung breathed, his hand reaching upwards and weaving through the streams of light.

“Yeah,” Saeran muttered, as much in awe as his brother. He didn’t expect the little invention to actually work. It was...good. Something good. “There’s no windows here, so I thought--”

He was interrupted when something heavy descended onto his head and obstructed his vision. He yanked it off, identifying it as a blanket of sorts. He turned to Saeyoung questioningly and noticed he also had a similar throw.

“You couldn’t sleep in your room, and I couldn’t sleep in mine,” Saeyoung said with a shrug. He shut off the lights, further emphasizing the radiance of colors, before he lowered himself to the ground. He lay flat on his back. “We can just stay here and catch a few hours of rest. You set the atmosphere nicely.”

Saeran hesitated, his gaze flickering between the blanket and Saeyoung. Wouldn’t this just be another memory? But...he had a point. Saeran didn’t want to sleep alone, and the light chased away the shadows he feared so deeply. Besides, he wasn’t sure his legs would make it to his room. So he followed suit, laying out onto the ground and staring up at the sky fashioned from lights.

“I love you, Saeran.”

Saeran jolted, propping himself up on one elbow and glaring at Saeyoung. “Where the heck did that come from?”

The redhead let out a sluggish laugh, no doubt drifting back into sleep. “I don’t know. I just felt like saying it to my brother, so I did. I love you!”

“Stop saying that,” Saeran grumbled. He flopped back onto the floor, fixing his attention back onto the ceiling. But he couldn’t concentrate.

He squirmed as those words submersed themselves into his brain. No longer was he plagued by the cutting slander of his own mind. Instead, those few syllables were wreaking havoc inside, causing an uncomfortable warmth to rise up to his face and spread throughout his body.

He turned his head assigning more glowers to the person responsible, but Saeyoung remained blissfully unaware, his eyes rapt with wonderment as the colors transitioned again. For the second time that night, Saeran saw past them to something melancholy and fractured.

Then, something happened inside of him. It came out nowhere...this overwhelming urge to cast away that sadness...to be the strong one, for once. Saeran drummed his fingers against the ground at the possibility. He wondered if...that phrase...would work just as well. If it would be like magic, casting away the coldness encasing a tortured heart.

So, he experimented. He mutely formed the letters on his tongue, gathering courage until finally…

He said nothing. The words remained lodged in his throat, unwilling to surface into the air. He bailed after the third attempt and pulled the blanket closer to himself. It always seemed so easy for Saeyoung to love. It seemed to pour out of his very soul onto everyone he met, but for Saeran...it wasn’t so simple for his shackled soul.

Even without saying it, Saeran knew without a doubt his brother loved him--unconditionally, as events in the past year had proven. And a strain of affection somewhere in the pit of his chest wanted to return it with the same intensity, but he just couldn’t.

Saeran still had a long way to go before he could truly feel love for his brother. Maybe the tiny flame that had begun to glow inside of him would be squelched by tomorrow’s troubles. Or maybe it was a start.

He once again faced his sleeping twin. A smile twitched on his face as Saeyoung assumed that ridiculous expression again. Saeran didn’t know how to help his brother, and he didn’t know the answer to his own ‘maybes’, but perhaps he could risk a step towards both.

He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture.