#I know i got through like 2 and a half routes before getting tired and uninterested.

[hsangel64]

✧.* protective ✧.*

pairings: ellie williams x fem!reader

summary: you are on patrol with someone new to train and you end up getting hurt your girlfriend ellie is not happy about it.

warnings: violence and cussing!

a/n: part three of bandmates will be up soon ! i’m so sorry i’ve been so busy with the end of the semester being here and finals i hope you guys like this one please send some requests !

it was an early morning for you and ellie. you both got up early surprisingly easy considering you guys can’t do that and get distracted with each other… but you both were up and had some breakfast together and got ready for patrol. today you had patrol with a newbie his name was tyler and maria put me to train him for patrols. today should be simple and should go smoothly i hope.

“okay ellie are you ready to go?” i yell to her from the bathroom.

“yeah you have everything you need?”

“yup !” she nods and you both leave the house to head to the stables. as you get there joel and tommy are already there.

“good morning guys.” you smile at them both as you make your way to your horse buttercup.

“hi sweetie good morning!” you say to your horse as you go to pack some carrots in the bag on your horse. you pull her out of the stables and talk to all of them in the meantime. you had about 20 minutes before you had to go to patrol and you were just waiting on tyler.

“aren’t you training that newbie today?” jesse asked as he came into the stables with dina.

“yeah i’m hoping it goes smoothly.” you sigh not really excited about training.

“well be careful out there because i heard he’s a little bit of a clutz-“

“i’m sure he can’t be that bad.” oh he was bad.

you were currently stuck in a small shed stranded with little to no bullets, multiple cuts and bruises, a sprained ankle and a stabbed side. you wondered how the hell you even got into this situation, you were crying from how much pain you were in and wondering how the hell you’ll get back home. you just wanted ellie and to lay in your guys bed.

you and tyler had gone through the route pretty easily and without any trouble only a couple of infected which weren’t hard to take down. you two had come across a group of people who didn’t care to try and keep you both alive. you were both trying to lead them away from jackson and take them down.

“i can’t do this anymore i can’t die. i’m sorry.” tyler went to opposite way back to jackson leaving you stranded with still 4-5 men on your ass. you were in absolute disbelief, you didn’t know what the hell to do. you found a shed in the distance and went for it. picked up your speed and hopped off your horse. you had your rifle with you so it wasn’t hard to take a couple out from the distance but you didn’t get 2 of them.

here you were fighting these two men one trying to hold you down while the other punches you and kicks your gut. you fought as hard as you could and found your knife on the ground close to your hand so you try and push yourself to reach for it. you grab it and stab one of the guys in the neck, the other takes his knife and stabs your side. you screamed and pushed him before he could react you took your knife and stabbed his neck.

you got up and groaned, you were now feeling how much pain you were in. you limped to the shed and took buttercup inside with you. you felt so tired, you knew you needed to get up and find your way back but you couldn’t risk leaving and running into more people. so you try and wait it out but you end up passing out in the shed huddled in the corner holding your stomach.

back at jackson ellie and dina just got back from their patrol and ellie was excitedly waiting at the gates to see her girlfriend. she missed her dearly even if it was only about an hour and a half since you guys had seen each other. she was focused on dina’s conversation that she didn’t realize the crowd that grew at the gates.

“where is she ?!” she heard joel yell and her face dropped. no no no. she ran her way through the crowd to find the kid you were training looking terrified and no sign of you.

“what happened?!” she yelled pulling tyler’s arm to focus on her.

“we got bombarded by guys i couldn’t handle it i left.” he said shaking like a fuckin idiot.

“so you left her on her own ?! you fuckin dipshit why didn’t you help?!” she pushed him.

“i-i didn’t think i’m sure she’s okay.” he sent ellie a stupid lopsided smile with tears in his eyes. he was terrified of ellie.

“what if she isn’t okay?! what the fuck is wrong with you!!” she pushed him to the ground and ran over to the stables to grab shimmer. she needs to go find you.

“woah kid you can’t go alone.” joel tried to stop her but she slightly pushed him away.

“i have to find her joel what if she’s dead.” ellie looked at joel and sighed.

“let me come with you.” tears have formed in her eyes that she didn’t even realize were there as she nodded to joel. he ran to the stables to grab his horse and they were on their way. ellie was crying while riding her horse all the way to find this shed. i can’t lose you it can’t happen.

her and joel find an area not too far into the forest with a trail of blood, bodies and horses. her breathe hitches. please don’t be dead.

“hey kiddo there’s a shed maybe she’s there.” ellie jolted her head up and ran over to it. there were two guys dead in front of it. her heart was beating so fast she couldn’t open the shed door.

“hey do you want me to open it?” joel came over with his hand on her shoulder for reassurance. she nodded and backed away for him to open it. the door opened and they were met with your horse and you laying on the floor. in a pile of your own blood. ellie’s heart stopped, no it can’t be. she ran over to you frantically. tears falling down her face and her breathing is rapid. she checks your pulse and sighs.

“her pulse is there but it’s faint…joel help please we need to get her back quickly.” she picks you up and has joel to help her pull you onto the horse with her.

“go kiddo i’ll bring the horses back.”

“are you sure?”

“yes go now quickly!!” he nods reassuringly and she nods back and rides quickly back to jackson.

“you cannot die on me like this baby you’ll be okay it’s okay.” she was panicking, tears falling down her face. she was trying to stay calm she really was. she couldn’t lose you, you meant everything to her and she really wouldn’t know what to do with herself if she lost you.

she saw the gates to jackson and felt so relieved. ellie had checked your pulse and you were still there but barely.

“come one baby it’ll be okay we’re so close.” she rode to the gates and they opened the gates immediately.

“please help i need someone please help me!!!” ellie yelled holding your limp body. maria was waiting at the gates with tommy and immediately ran over to ellie. tommy helped pull you down so ellie could get off the horse.

“we need to take her to the infirmary immediately she’s lost a lot of blood and is barely hanging on.” maria told tommy and he nodded quickly taking you to the infirmary with ellie following behind the two.

they all make it to the infirmary and place her in a small operating room. they only have one doctor in jackson so she’s always there and was basically off her feet in an instant seeing you in your state. ellie had completely blurred everything out she could see maria was talking to the doctor and led her out of the room so the doctor and operate.

she felt like she couldn’t breathe her whole world was crashing down. she cannot lose you. how would she be able to live without you if the doctor isn’t quick enough. she felt like she was going to pass out so she walked outside of the building and fell to her knees. she was struggling to breathe and felt like she was going to die.

dina and jesse were just outside and they both were at ellie’s attention.

“hey hey hey it’s okay els come on.” dina reassured her and had jesse help her pull her off the ground and sit on the steps.

“ellie look at me please.” dina pulled her face up to look at her. she had tears falling down her face, her breathing was erratic.

“okay els match my breathing okay?”

“i-i can’t please.” dina rubbed her softly on the back arm and held both of her hands. ellie was trying her best to match her breathing to dina’s. it took some time but eventually ellie was calm and stopped crying. her and dina were sitting on the steps in silence. dina knew this is what ellie needed, just someone to comfort her in silence.

waiting for any sort of update felt like years. ellie was biting her nails, going crazy not knowing how you were doing. finally joel comes out of the infirmary.

….

a/n: i think i’m just going to make another part for this because it’s getting longer than i actually wanted it to be and i wanted to add more to it so i just wanted to put something out since i haven’t in a bit-

[fuji-mango]

"Change will change you." -Nick ⁉️

Nick x Reader BSF (Male)

SYNOPSIS - Nick's been your best friend since you were kids, but for the past month, he's been ignoring you. He won't answer texts, won't return your calls. Life's been hell since he went MIA, so you decide to finally try and start pulling yourself together.

Note: My first story... be nice pls...

Word Count: 2351

WARNINGS: Burnout, Depression

Y/n’s POV

I remember when I thought that scraping my knee or falling off my bike was the most painful thing in the world, but I know now that I was very wrong. What hurts more than anything in the world, is feeling truly alone. Like you’ve been cast out to sea, and all you have is the whispers in the back of your head to stay sane.

All I can manage to do is lie in bed all day, wasting away while the world around me carries on. The sound of rain outside pelting the window only adds to the hollowness that I’m feeling. Everything felt like it was falling apart, I was being ghosted by my closest friend, everyone else moved away to college early, and doing any small thing felt like the most exhausting task in the world. Not to mention that my parents were currently several states away for work.

And as I was contemplating my depressing thoughts, I felt a slight vibration from my phone that was somewhere under my comforter. I sat up and rummaged around my bed in the dark searching for my phone. Eventually I found it and unlocked it immediately, being blinded by the screen as I did so. I scrolled through my notifications and instead of finding a new message from Nick, I found that my health app was reminding me to drink water. I wasn’t going to.

I opened my messages and I immediately saw the words I dreaded seeing beside Nick’s contact. “Read”.

I’ve been left on read again... 63 messages in the past month, and Nick hasn’t replied to any of them. I don’t even know why I feel surprised, I knew what the outcome was even before I sent it.

Nick, do you wanna hangout on Friday? (2:37 Pm 7/23) Read

…

Hey, I haven’t heard from you in awhile, how are you? (3:13 Pm 7/30) Read

…

Nick, I’m worried about you, please msg me. (12:04 Am 8/12) Read

…

Did I do something wrong? (9:13 Am 8/18) Read

…

Can you just tell me why you won’t respond? (8:15 Pm Yesterday) Read

I laughed a bit as I scrolled through our messages again. I knew he was busy with his career, that it was important to him. I just never thought that I would be thrown away for it.

Nick was my best friend. We grew up together, we watched each other go from things like dinosaur phases to graduating highschool. It feels like a part of my life is missing without him, but I can’t let it get me down forever.

I know that it’s raining, but I could go outside. I need some fresh air.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Nick’s POV

It was raining outside when Y/n texted me, it feels like forever since I’ve seen him. Part of me feels guilty for not reaching out, but the other half feels like it would shatter if I saw him again. I walked outside towards the van joining my brothers, trying hard to ignore those lingering thoughts.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Y/n’s POV

I just let myself walk, taking random turns every now and then. The slight drizzle and breeze wasn’t horrible, but still annoying nonetheless. It just feels like everything distant… Like I’m watching everythings happen from an outside perspective. The dozens of cars driving by, people waiting at the bus stop, groups of friends walking around together… The world seems so alive, and yet I was just a bystander to everything that was going on.

It was exhausting. The mental strain, the emptiness that always followed… I was tired of it all. I just wanted to feel normal again, but how could I do that when a part of my life feels like it was ripped apart.

Eventually I ended up at one of my favourite places to hangout, at least I used to. I don’t even know when or how I got here. I thought that I was taking a random route, but maybe I subconsciously brought myself here. Kelly’s Diner, the place where Nick and I used to spend hours just talking to each other, laughing obnoxiously as the hours drifted by, up until they were closing.

I wanted to go inside, to try and find some happiness here again, but some part of me told me it wasn’t worth it. But I ignored that feeling and went inside anyway, being greeted by the pink and green detailed interior. It seemed foreign to me, despite all the times that I’ve been here. I walked up to the counter, sitting on the cushioned bar stools that were still as uncomfortable as I remembered. 

One of the workers made their way over to where I was sitting after dealing with a table around the corner. It was Spencer, a guy from school, but I mainly knew him from all the times that I came here with Nick. He always got annoyed whenever we got too loud and bothered everyone else in the diner.

“Haven’t seen you in awhile.” Spencer said, his usual tired face telling me all I needed to know.

“Long shift?” I asked him sarcastically.

“Yeah, works been a bitch lately, how bout you?”

“It’s been going.” I said, stretching my arms over my head. “Can I just get a chocolate ice cream frappe?”

“No fries or anything” Spencer clarified, to which I gave him a quick nod. “Alright, I’ll get that to you in a bit.” and with that he walked into the kitchen, coming out moments later to give food to the table he was at earlier.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Nick’s POV

Hanging out with Matt and Chris was always fun, but it was also a great distraction. I always hated when things were out of my control… hated how I felt insecure when I started to fall apart. Hated how all I could ever do was run away from the problem instead of facing them. And here I am, trying to suppress the sorrows by smiling and laughing with my brothers.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Y/n’s POV

After a couple minutes, Spencer finally made his way over to me, my drink in hand.

“One chocolate ice cream frappe for my favourite customer.” He said, setting down the drink in front of me.

“Thanks” is all I managed to let out.

“Let me know if you need anything else.” and with that, Spencer walked off to start wiping down some tables.

All I did was stare at the frappe for a bit, reminiscing on the past. When Nick and I came here, I’d always ordered the chocolate one, and he’d always get vanilla. It felt strange only seeing one of them on the counter, but I was starting to feel less bothered by it the longer I stared. When I finally did take a sip, a wave of warmth enveloped my body.

It tasted just how I remembered, maybe a bit better actually. And it was at that moment that I knew I was going to be okay. When life realigned for a second to let me catch my breath. I’d kept myself stuck in place, and now I was finally moving on my own again, no external force driving me forward. Just me, and I’m going to have to accept that fact.

The fact that Nick wouldn’t always be there anymore. I mean, I did miss him and all, he was my ride or die… and sometimes it felt like he was just around the corner. And as I thought about these stupid ideas, I heard his laugh. His obnoxiously perfect laugh.

He was here, Nick was actually here. It was the most relieving yet horrifying thing I’ve ever experienced. I set down a ten dollar tip on the counter and got up from my chair, slowly walking towards the source of the sound. My legs felt heavier with every step that got me closer, until I made it to the corner and finally I saw him. And there he was, smiling and laughing with Matt and Chris, a vanilla frappe in hand.

I pulled up my phone and started to text  Nick. One last attempt before I walk away from all of this.

I miss you. (6:27 Pm Today) Sent

And I watched as he picked up the phone, and set it down just as fast. Leaving those four letters on my screen once again. “Read”. And in that moment, I didn’t care anymore, how could I care anymore. I was so fucking tired of caring. Tired of spending all my time and energy on this. I stood up from my chair, making a loud squeaking from its legs scratching on the floor. All I could think about was getting out of here as fast as I could.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Nick’s POV

A loud sound from behind me took my attention away from the conversation that me and Chris were having, and I turned to see Y/n. He didn’t look like his usual self though. His hair was messily done, which wasn’t like him at all, and his clothes were slightly wet from the rain outside. He hates the rain.

By the time he was out the door, I found myself getting up abruptly and following after him. I heard Chris and Matt yelling something at me but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Y/n looked like he was in shambles, and it was because of me. Because of how selfish I’ve been.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Y/n’s POV

The rain was a lot worse than it was 20 minutes ago, going from a slight drizzle to a full on shower. I kept walking as fast as I could, trying to calm myself down. The tears on my face were blending in with the downpour. And I could hear Nick following behind me yelling my name.

“Y/N!” Nick yelled over the loud sound of rain, but I ignored it.

My walk sped up into a jog.

“Y/N!” He yelled again, but I still didn’t stop.

My jogging turned into running.

“Y/n just stop for a minute, please.” Nick pleaded, but I was being torn apart. Why now? Why after all this time? Nick didn’t bother to write a single text explaining anything and here he was running after me. He hates running.

I turned my head back to look at Nick but tripped over the uneven sidewalk. I managed to catch myself, scraping both my palms on the wet sidewalk, but it let Nick catch up to me.

“Are you okay?” Nick asked, catching his breath and offering me a hand to help me up.

“I’m fine Nick.” I slapped his hand away and got back up, trying to leave once again, but he grabbed onto my wrist before I could. “Nick let me go.” I said, trying to escape his grasp. The tears were falling harder now.

“Y/n…”

“I said let me go Nick!” I yanked my hand away from him, turning around and continuing on my way.

“Just let me explai-”

“Explain what?” I hissed out, stopping for a moment before turning around and finally facing him. “Explain how you fucking abandoned me?” He took a step back. “Explain how you ghosted me for a whole month?” He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out, so I kept on going. “Cause I want you to explain it Nick, I want you to fucking explain how you could throw me away like I was a piece of fucking trash.” My voice broke on the last few words, and I felt horrible yelling that at him, but part of me felt justified about it, which made me feel even worse.

“Y/n…” Nick started, struggling to find the right words. “What I did… it wasn’t okay. And I don’t know that you’ll ever forgive me.” He paused for a second to compose himself. I couldn’t tell if he was crying, or if it was the rain. “And it was selfish of me to do that. Selfish of me to just ignore you and not tell you why.”

“Then why didn’t you?” I yelled out, the frustration that I’ve been holding inside lashing out.

“Because I like you.” Nick said, which left me speechless. “I’ve liked you for so long and I know that you’ll never like me back that way, and it was so fucking hard watching you be so happy with other people while I watched from the sidelines. It was so hard waiting for myself to fall out of love with you because of how much I care about our friendship… but I can't take it anymore.”

“Nick… I…” I didn’t know what to say… didn’t know what to do.

“You don’t have to say anything Y/n, it’s fine.” Nick said, looking down at the ground. He looked as miserable as me.

“Nick…” I took a step forward and hugged him. “I don’t think I could ever like you that way... but you’ve been one of the most important things throughout my life.” I stopped for a second, pulling him out of the hug and looking at him face to face. “And if this is what you need to be happy... then it’s okay... I understand.” I took a deep breath in. “But I want you to know this... You’ve been one of the best things in my life, and you always will be.” and with that, turned around and walked away.

It’s taken a lot of time to accept this change, and at first, I really didn’t want to. Sure it still kinda hurt to think about, but as I looked down at my scraped palms, I knew I could get past this too. I looked back at Nick one last time to see Matt and Chris finally reunite with him, and for the first time in a long time, I smiled.

[cherrrysue]

Heyy any Larry fic recommendation without very sad moments and has happy endings

Thank u

i'm sure this is a very old question cause it got into the bottom of my inbox and i've been on hiatus for like almost 2 years and sat in my drafts for a few days but i'm gonna answer it anyway lol. so here it is:

comforting fics with happy endings

Escapade by dolce_piccante

M, 146k

In the grand scheme of things, finding a date for a wedding should be no problem for Louis Tomlinson. He's rich. He's handsome. He's reasonably well behaved. But when the wedding is for his lifelong best friend (and former boyfriend), and is happening in under a month, finding a date for the ceremony and accompanying festivities becomes more of an adventure than he ever could have planned for.

Tired Tired Sea by MediaWhore

M, 113k

As a B&B owner on the most remote of all the British Isles, Louis Tomlinson is used to spending the coldest half of the year in complete isolation, with his dog and the sea as sole companions. Until, one day, a mysterious stranger on a quest to rebuild himself rents a room for the winter.

Walk That Mile by purpledaisy

E, 149k

Harry stares at him, the line of his jaw standing out scarily. “I wanted to get the most out of this trip so I planned it carefully.” His voice is low and steady and somehow that’s worse than when he was yelling. “So far, you’ve put your sticky fingers on everything I’ve tried to do.”

“Sticky fingers?” Louis repeats, offended. “Are you saying it’s my fault you got stung by a bee? Had you been alone you would have gotten halfway to the Dotty Diner and ran the car off the road because of an allergic reaction, so don’t go blaming me.”

“Polk-A-Dot Drive In,” Harry spits before getting out of the car. He slams the door shut with a deafening reverb and Louis rolls his eyes. - A Route 66 AU where falling in love was never part of the plan.

we can take the long road home by pinkcords

E, 45k

Late afternoon seeps into the cab, just shy of too warm, and the breeze that crosses window to window tosses their hair in their eyes, around their faces. They ride in pleasant silence, the radio humming softly in the background as they speed down the coast, and when Louis looks over, Harry’s smiling to himself, a private happiness born from whatever’s going on in his head. Louis likes to think it has something to do with him, or at the very least, this adventure they’ve embarked on together, chosen to see through to San Diego. Or, Harry and Louis fall in love down the coast of California.

where the tide takes you, i will follow by pinkcords

E, 53k

There’s no way around his departure, their inevitable fate. Harry will leave and he will return to London and when he sits in his new flat, wherever it might be, he will think of this summer and the warmth the sun brought him and the way it felt to be loved. He will compare all his future relationships to Louis and when they fall short, he will be disappointed. Harry knows this. Or, Louis lives in Gloucester and Harry tries to find a way to stay.

Chasing Empty Spaces by Lis (domesticharry)

E, 79k

The year is 1934 and Harry Styles was to inherent the largest tobacco firm in the south. His parents have picked out the “perfect” girl for him to marry and he has the privilege of receiving the highest education possible. The problem was, Harry hadn’t realized he didn’t actually want any part of that future until he met a mechanic named, Louis Tomlinson.

Adore You by isthatyoularry

M, 66k

“We invited our new acquaintances from uptown. You’ve simply got to meet their oldest son!” said his mother with a flourish, and suddenly it became abundantly clear as to why his parents had so adamantly demanded he join them in Deansville for the entirety of the summer. Against his wishes, Harry spends the holidays at his family’s summer estate, and is reluctantly pulled into a courtship he didn’t ask for. Harry doesn’t want to get married, but Louis does. They don’t fit, but then again they really, really do. Vaguely set in the 1920’s. Headpieces, jazz, fashionable canes, and flapper dresses, and that.

Falling For Me Won't Be A Mistake by Rearviewdreamer

M, 58k

Harry is married to his job and so overworked that he doesn't know how to stop. All it takes is a forced Hawaiian get-a-away, the warm tropical breeze of the island, and the most beautiful, elusive man he's ever seen to make him remember what living is like outside of work. Well, that, and the little souvenir he accidentally takes home with him.

Sodalite & Aventurine by forreveries

E, 80k

The one where, in his travels to find Swan’s elusive treasure, Captain Louis Tomlinson of the Black Dagger discovers he has a stowaway onboard - a stowaway who is rather tall and pretty and pouty and can spout off Shakespearean poetry as though he had written it. A stowaway who is also, unfortunately, secretly Louis’ biggest threat. Captain Harry Styles.

Paint Me In A Million Dreams by green_feelings

M, 112k

Harry's one of Hollywood's biggest actors, has made a name for himself in prestigious films and lives the life of a superstar. There's just one thing missing to make it picture-perfect, but the one Harry's in love with is completely out of reach for him. Enter Louis, one of Hollywood's biggest actors himself, who just came out of the closet and taps new genres in the industry. When Louis sacks the role Harry auditioned for in Scorsese's next big film, their irrational feud starts. Who could have guessed it would get even worse when for promo season, their teams decide to present them as a couple for publicity? In short, Harry's in love with someone and doesn't care about dating anyone else, Louis never felt home in L.A., Liam writes love songs for someone he shouldn't write love songs to, and Niall makes everything better with good food.

Our Lives, Non Fiction by indiaalphawhiskey

E, 113k

Heralded as the next Neil Gaiman, Louis Tomlinson does not appreciate being told that his very serious novel is in dire need of a PR boost. Even worse, that it comes in the form of a joint book tour with the UK’s #1 online romance-writing sensation Marcel Styles. Already turbulent at best, their partnership takes a drastic turn when, overly stressed about his looming deadline, Marcel accidentally blurts out a secret: though he’s famed for his scorching hot literary love scenes, he is, actually, a virgin. Convinced that the only way to rid himself of writer’s block is to gain some experience, Marcel asks Louis, author-to-author, to sleep with him – for Science. And of course Louis agrees because, well, what on Earth could possibly go wrong? Or, a lesson in romance that proves that sometimes the best love stories aren’t always by the book.

Time Passed by coffinofachimera

E, 66k

Louis struggles with their relationship as Harry grows into his identity.

beautiful sound beautiful noise by delsicle

M, 53k

Louis is a washed-up pop star who has spent nearly a year hiding away from the world. Harry is a guardian angel who is assigned to live with him for the summer. Neither of them quite get what they’re expecting.

the impossible now by stylinsoncity

M, 64k

A wish on Christmas Eve sends Louis to an alternate dimension where Harry is a member of One Direction

please leave a like and reblog ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

[leighsartworks216]

The Viper: Rewritten

Chapter 7

Ch 1 - Ch 2 - Ch 3 - Ch 4 - Ch 5 - Ch 6 - Ch 8

Jaskier x gn!Witcher!reader

AO3 - I highly recommend reading it here, as I am more likely to post on ao3 and not update here in the future as the story progresses

Warnings: blood, gore, fighting

Word Count: 4509

Masterlist

Tired patrons meandered through the tavern, searching for breakfast before their hard days’ labor. The bustling and merriment of the night were traded in for half-lidded eyes and quiet exchanges. Jaskier, despite taking forever to wake up, seemed to be the most energetic of anybody else there. However, you were truly the most awake.

“So,” Jaskier said, “where to?”

“What do you mean?” You looked at him over the rim of your tankard as you took a drink.

Your expressions were muted; surrounded by strangers and townsfolk that could turn on you at any moment, you never gave anything away. Yet Jaskier could see the hints of emotion in your eyes, so adjusted to reading Geralt after so long. He knew your cold neutrality was a barrier, and through the carefully laid bricks he could see the curiosity in your question.

His fingers rubbed against each other as his nerves caught up to him. He wasn’t shy by any means, but since Geralt yelled at him, his mind seemed to always find ways to second guess himself. He wasn’t sure if he should be asking questions; if he could. But you didn’t shut him down. You didn’t give any hint at all that you may have been annoyed with him. He had to cling to that.

“Well, I’m sure you’re going to be traveling around, looking for monsters and things to kill, and, uhm,” his fingers fiddled with the handle of his tankard, “well, I need a guide to Oxenfurt. If you’re heading that way, that is. I don’t wish to…” He watched your eyes trail to the side, brow furrowing slightly as you thought. “Impose.”

“Are you looking to winter there?”

He nodded, emboldened by the question. “Yes! I have a little townhouse there, and usually the University hires me to lecture. Talk about my adventures and,” he gestured, “heroic deeds.”

You nodded slowly as you tried to picture a route from Hengfors all the way through Redania. “It’ll take a month to get there, if the weather holds up. We can follow the Braa river west until we hit Tridam and head south from there.”

“You’ll really take me with you?” His eyes lit up. Without even knowing it, he leaned forward over the table, as if being closer would reveal more truth in your slitted eyes.

“Of course, Jaskier,” you answered easily. You allowed yourself a barely-there grin, easily missed by the other patrons. “That’s why you’ve got Adhara; so you can keep up with me.”

He huffed a laugh, relaxing back into his chair. “You won’t regret this, Viper. I promise…” His shoulders fell. His eyes got a distant sort of look to them, and his smile dimmed, as if he only just realized what he was about to say. He swallowed. “Things will be different.”

-

Jaskier was nose deep in his journal, mumbling to himself as he scratched out words and rewrote descriptions.

On your way out of town that morning, you’d passed by the town notice board, and hidden under Gwent challenges and requests for eggs, lay a contract for a nest of Drowners. Simple work for good enough pay. Enough to make back for the cost of breakfast, anyway.

The fight with the Drowners had passed by so quickly - and the bard had never before been allowed to be so close to a fight - that he had rushed to get down every single thought he had in the moment. Unfortunately, now he was left with the terrible endeavor of translating his own words. He’d been at it for almost 30 minutes now. On the rare instances he wasn’t chattering away, you gave him silence to work.

Except, for the last 30 minutes, you’d had to keep Bayard at a steady pace right beside Adhara to keep her from trialing off the path. She was well-trained and obedient, but Jaskier barely had a hand on the reins in his eagerness, and the nearby river looked perfect for a dip.

You cleared your throat, and after a moment Jaskier realized it was to get his attention. Bright eyes stared at you like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. You smiled. “How was your first Drowner experience?”

He chuckled airily and at last tucked the journal and pencil back into his pack. The question was rhetorical, he knew. It was obvious to anyone the event had tickled the artist within him, and he knew you’d been aware of his mad scribbling. Still, he grimaced playfully. “I didn’t realize they were quite that ugly,” he joked.

You huffed a laugh. You were free to do so, by now miles away from the judgemental eyes of townsfolk. Jaskier enjoyed seeing this side of you. It was a breath of fresh air after Geralt’s forever stone-cold exterior. “Wait ‘til you see a Rotfiend.”

His hands held tighter to the reins, eyes searching for an explanation. “A Rotfiend?” he enunciated. “What’s that?”

“They’re horrid,” you scowled. “Imagine a walking corpse, bloated, with skin sloughing off. Where one is found, more are sure to follow. They build their nests on old battlefields - anywhere there’s lots of death, really. The worst part, though, is when they die.”

Jaskier leaned toward you, trying to get as close as possible, as though it would provide him with even more information. He was always eager to learn, even as his face curled in disgust. “What happens?”

“They explode.”

He centered himself in the saddle, scoffing. “Now you’re just messing with me.”

“No, I’m not!”

“They explode?! Like-” He motioned his body exploding, starting from his chest and leaving him in an outward burst. “Explode-explode?”

You nodded.

He shook his head. He refused to believe something as vile as you were describing did something like blow up. “You’re messing with me.”

“They do! They explode and release clouds of poisonous gas!” A wide grin spread across your face as you tried explaining the monster to the bard. You couldn’t remember smiling like this since your time at Gorthur Gvaed. “The good news is one explosion can set off any others close by. One after another, all bursting into red clouds. I once had five of them die that way.”

Your head snapped to the side as a twig snapped. It was too far away  to have been one of the horses. Jaskier didn’t notice as you pulled Bayard to a sharp stop, trotting on ahead. “Yeah, well, I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Jaskier. Stop.”

Like a flip was switched, you were a Witcher once again. Yellow eyes scanned the forest edge like a predator searching for lunch. The rippling of water was the only sound.

All at once, you realized what was wrong. The birds stopped chirping. How long ago had they fallen silent? You were so caught up with Jaskier- You cursed yourself for making such a stupid mistake.

Before you could absolve yourself, you were falling off Bayard’s back. You screamed as the harsh impact sent shock waves through your spine. Bayard startled and reared on his hind legs, scaring Jaskier’s horse into doing the same. The bard couldn’t get a hold of his mare’s neck fast enough. He swore as he fell on his back right beside you.

He turned, ready to help you fight off whatever was attacking, whatever was scaring your horses, but he was stopped in his tracks by the arrow sticking out of your shoulder. Bright red pooled around the wooden shaft. The archer had found a gap in your armor. The only barrier the projectile had to pass through was your undershirt, now somehow darker as the blood stained it.

You clutched at your shoulder, digging your fingers into your arm as your mind screamed for you to rip it out. Get the arrow out. Get it out of your arm. It took all your willpower not to listen. You writhed against the dirt road and fallen leaves.

Bandits poured from the forest edge. A few broke off to calm the horses and prevent them from bolting. Two dragged Jaskier up to his feet by his arms and held him there, no matter how much he wriggled or fought back. Another, possessing an air of power and control, chuckled as he leaned over you.

“It’s not easy to get the jump on a Witcher,” he cackled. A muddy boot pressed down on your shoulder. You cried out through grit teeth. “But getting the jump on a Viper? That is, truly, something special.”

You grabbed the dagger at your hip, covering the handle with blood. The end of a longsword met your throat before you could drive it into him. He tsked, shaking his head. “Drop it, or we start breaking that one’s fingers.”

For a moment, Jaskier wasn’t sure what you’d do. He watched with a racing heart as you glared up at the bandit. Your fingers tensed around the hilt. One of the men holding him wrenched his hand free, grabbing hold of his fingers. And for a moment, you stared at him. Only for a moment. As brief as a whistle. And the dagger was dropped to the ground.

“A wise choice,” the bandit commended. He removed the blade from your throat, but pressed harder on your shoulder. You squirmed under his boot, a scream ripped from your throat. “Nilfgaardian scum.”

-

Anger boiled in your soul, like a bubbling pot of stew over a fire, ready to overflow. When the adrenaline subsided, all you had left was your rage.

Bayard and Adhara anxiously stamped their feet across the camp as gruff men pulled off their packs and saddlebags. You could practically feel the way Jaskier tensed when they grabbed his lute. Thankfully, they did little to harm it aside from tossing it onto a pile of potion ingredients they had no use for.

Blood dripped languidly down your arm, leaving a warm, sticky trail in its wake. The arrow held back the majority of it, like a dam holds back water. Having to keep your hands behind your back, clasped in place with no doubt stolen shackles, however, pulled at the wound, allowing enough to slip through to worry Jaskier. 

He glanced around the camp. The leader of the group watched his underlings ransack your stuff, searching for anything valuable. They wouldn’t find much other than your money. Jaskier didn’t know whether to be grateful or worried for this.

When he determined the bandits were far enough away, he ducked his head closer to yours. Your snake eyes hadn’t left the leader since you were captured.

“Are you okay?” he whispered.

As though snapped back to reality, you blinked and finally looked at him. It was not in a casual, carefree way. You did not look at him like he’d just come back from a night bar-hopping and performing for coin. There was so much fire behind your eyes. When you scanned him over for any hint of injury or harm to his person, all he could think of was the way you defended him atop the mountain. When you turned from yelling at Geralt and ushered him away; the way the anger had taken several minutes to actually fade from your body, despite the soft smile you wore. You did not answer his question.

“Did they hurt you?”

He shook his head. Where relief should have been was a hole, filled to the brim with guilt. He wasn’t hurt. He was perfectly fine, aside from the fear that spiked his heart rate and picked at his fingers.

But he could have been. He could have been hurt. And it’s all your fault.

“Hey!” The sharp shout startled Jaskier into leaning back away from you. The leader crossed the camp quickly, sneering down at you. “No talking.”

You stared silently up at him, defiant. He began to step away, foot turned toward the horses, but he stopped. A wicked grin pulled at dirt-covered cheeks. He chuckled, all too pleased with his realization.

“Boys, we didn’t just catch a snake,” he beckoned. The others stopped what they were doing, dropping your things and gathering around to hear what their leader had to say, like sinners in church hoping for their priest to provide them with salvation. The leader knelt down in front of you. His face was inches away, and his breath reeked of tobacco and ale. His voice changed to a low hiss. “You’re Nilfgaard’s prized Viper.”

A murmur arose between the underlings.

“You’ve got a pretty price on your head.” A gloved hand reached out and touched your cheek. You jerked away from the touch. “Just the head, mind you.”

The hand trailed down your throat until it brushed against the silver of your medallion. The snake engraved on it seemed to pull back, prepared to bite the finger, but it was only a trick of the light that scattered through the canopy overhead. He stared into your eyes as his hand wrapped around the metal, and in one quick tug, the string broke. An emptiness replaced the ever-present weight.

“Of course, you won’t be needing this anymore, eh?”

He chuckled as he stood up, briefly scraping the edge of the medallion across your cheek just to see you flinch away. His eyes only glanced over Jaskier. The bard’s popularity was lost on the bandit. For that, you were grateful. To them, he was just another bard, not one of the most famous, who traveled with the White Wolf and sung songs of Witcher glory.

The leader turned. With a wave of his hand, the rest of the men went back to work. Wood and grass was piled up in the center, and soon enough a fire was crackling away. They pulled out the dried meats from your bags and they tore sections off of a loaf of bread, and they sat laughing amongst themselves around the fire as the sun grew lower in the sky.

Jaskier sighed mournfully. He scowled as he watched them rip chunks from the jerky with their teeth and slosh ale between bites of bread. He only looked away when he heard your cuffs clinking together.

Your fingers felt around the metal, feeling out where it was locked, where the chains attached, and which was weaker of the two. You watched the group, but you weren’t staring at food like he’d been. When a bandit glanced over, your fingers stopped moving. As soon as he looked away again, you felt around more.

Jaskier, as soon as he realized you were trying to be sneaky, looked away. His eyes darted between the group.

Ducking your head, you whispered to the bard, “I need a distraction.”

“What kind of distraction?” The question came out more anxious than he intended. He didn’t fancy the idea of being bait, but you’d both been stuck here for hours and he was more than ready to get as far away as possible.

You ran your fingers along the chain again. It was sturdy, but all you’d need is one broken link. The real issue came with the execution. “I need 2 minutes.”

He sighed. He didn’t fancy getting beat up for an escape, either. But he nodded anyway. He’d entertained worse crowds, surely he could draw their attention long enough.

With some effort, he pushed himself up to his feet. His legs were numb from sitting on his knees so long, pricks and pins sticking him every stumbled step over to the fire. He grinned widely despite the situation.

“Gentleman!” All conversation died, replaced with glaring eyes and grotesque sneers. “You seem to have done quite well for yourselves out here. It would be my honor, as Jaskier the bard, to sing a song to your greatness!”

Some of the thugs chuckled. “You’re gonna sing us a song?”

He nodded. Their eyes all followed him as he circled around the group, pulling their attention further away from you. As soon as they were no longer faced that way, a dim orange light emitted from behind you. “I could sing for you all through the night and morning! Or until that one,” he gestured his head to one of the thugs that swayed in his seat from ale, “falls over, leastaways.”

They all laughed. The ones closest nudged the drunkard playfully. They all fell quiet when the leader uncrossed his legs and sat forward. Cracked lips curled around browning teeth. “Go on, then,” he encouraged. Yet something lingered beneath the words, as a snake slithers unseen under bushes. Something dangerous. He stood and paced around Jaskier, standing too close behind him. The bard swallowed as hot breath touched his ear. “Sing for us, little bird.”

With little time to think of all the songs in his repertoire (most of which revolved around a Witcher), the first song that didn’t deal with a White Wolf slaying beasts heroically was the song he sang. And though without a backing instrumental or the assurance that they would know the song and join in, Jaskier endured. For the few seconds he got to sing it, that is.

“Oh fishmonger, oh fishmonger. Come quell-��

A gloved hand grabbed his hair and pulled hard enough he almost fell to the ground. As it was, he was bent over backward trying not to have his hair ripped out. The leader leaned over him. “Not that fucking tripe.”

With another sharp tug to his hair, Jaskier was flung to the ground by the horses. He winced as he landed hard on his shackles.

From across the camp, sharp yellow eyes watched helplessly.

“Try again.”

A rough sigh passed the bard’s lips like a huff. He was just as powerless as the Witcher he traveled with. The thugs watched as he floundered. His lips formed half-thought lyrics, before he stopped himself. His heart raced as he sang the next song.

“The fairer sex, they often call it-”

You watched as though in slow motion as the leader swung his leg in an arc, rubber sole catching Jaskier across the cheek. The momentum sent him to the ground. Their laughter burned your ears as they watched on. With his hands still clasped behind him, Jaskier fought to get away from the crowd. His cheek was pink, though not twinged by the humors of alcohol. And from a small cut beneath his eye fell a drop of blood.

You saw red.

In one final burst of Igni, you felt the chain break apart. It glowed red as you forced yourself to stand. For a moment, everyone was too distracted bullying Jaskier, until you cut off one of their heads with their own sword.

The fear in the leader’s eyes was worth all the pain. Had you been a wild beast, you would have relished in their terror. Soaked in the way they stepped back, tried to find a way to get their weapons, try to figure out an escape. But you weren’t. And all you could think of was getting Jaskier out of there.

“Touch him again,” you hissed, “and I will ensure no god will recognize you when I am finished.”

Clinging to the last of his confidence, the leader scoffed. You could hear the waver in his voice. “You’d kill us all, for what? A bard?”

“In a heartbeat.”

All color drained from his face. He shoved his men forward to fight while the coward grabbed Jaskier and dragged him backward into the trees for protection.

Truthfully, you didn’t remember most of the fight. You recalled your injured arm becoming useless halfway through. And you distinctly remember a sharp, burning pain along your spine the more blows you took and the more men you felled. By the time the last grunt had fallen to your stolen sword, you were covered in gore and viscera.

You stepped lazily over bodies as you crossed the camp, one arm limp and the other hanging from exhaustion. The sword was heavier than your daggers, and required a completely different fighting style than you were trained in. Even at a disadvantage, you’d wiped out the entire camp so quickly you would have been praised back at school.

“Not one step closer!”

Your feet stopped at the edge of the campfire’s glow. Just beyond, back pressed up against a tall oak, was the bandit leader. Jaskier was trapped in his hold with a knife pressed to his throat. He tried not to squirm under the threat to his life, but the fear radiated off of him so thickly you could smell it through hints of vanilla.

“No closer or the bard gets it!”

You almost chuckled. “You’d kill your only bargaining chip?” You took a step forward. “Really?”

The blade pressed tighter against his neck. “I’ll do it, I swear!”

For a long moment, you both stared, studying each other. You watched the way Jaskier swallowed his whimpers down. The way the bandit’s gloved hand trembled. The silver glistening in his pocket.

“What do you propose?”

He blinked. “Drop the sword.” Your fingers tightened around the hilt. “Drop the sword and I’ll let him go.”

Jaskier thought for a moment you would refuse. The blade caught the firelight as you contemplatively shifted its weight in your grasp. He hated how shocked he felt when you did finally drop the sword. And the relief as you kicked it away from yourself.

The bandit waited a moment to ensure you weren’t trying to pull a fast one over him. Then, he lifted the knife from your bard’s neck, and shoved him forward. You grunted as you caught him, as he stumbled into you roughly. You held onto his sleeve when he gathered himself, stepping away from you, and watched over his shoulder as the cowardly leader ran away.

Jaskier sighed. It was shaky, filled with relief and disappointment. “You’re going to let him go?”

“That wasn’t part of our deal,” you answered lowly. Jaskier felt untethered when you released him and swept up the sword you’d kicked away. At the edge of the treeline, you used your whole body to gather the momentum, and threw the sword at the retreating figure. It spun through the air and landed on its mark. The bandit collapsed to the forest floor. “Stay here.”

The command was quiet and held no real power behind it, but Jaskier complied nonetheless. He watched from afar as you stepped clumsily over protruding roots.

The leader, gasping in agony, clawed his way along the ground. His gloves were hastily removed and chucked aside in hopes of gathering more traction. He screamed as the sword in his back was ripped out carelessly. A boot kicked him onto his side, and another forced him to lay on his bleeding, gaping wound. Blood stained orange and brown leaves indiscriminately.

“Mercy!” he cried. His face contorted into a gross facsimile of the man he once was. Tears clouded his vision and poured down his dirty cheeks. His hands clasped in prayer. “Mercy, please!”

You aimed the tip of your blade at his throat. His Adam's apple bobbed against it. “You hurt my bard,” you reminded him. Your voice was quiet; a mere croak of what it usually was. But the threat it carried remained as powerful as if you screamed it. “You ransacked our horses, ate our food, stole my medallion.” You twisted your grip on the blade so your palm faced you. The sword stood straight up against the hollow of his neck. “I have no mercy left to give.”

Steel sheathed itself within his neck. You watched remorseless as blood pooled in his mouth, and as he coughed and choked on it. Taking his life was all too satisfying.

With a groan, you reached down and plucked your medallion from one pocket, and the key to your cuffs from the other. You used the trees for support as you stumbled back to the camp. Jaskier met you at the treeline and pressed his body into your side to keep you upright. You held onto his sleeve again.

“Are you alright?” he whispered. He didn’t wish to take his eyes off you, even as you turned him away so you could free him from his shackles. As soon as they were off, he was facing you once again and holding you by the arms to support you.

You couldn’t find the words to answer him. Were you? Half your body was numb; the other half burned something fierce. You felt no remorse taking so many human lives, but guilt festered like an open wound when you spotted the blood on his cheek. Without thinking, you raised a hand and brushed it away.

Jaskier stayed by your side, holding you up, as you shambled toward the horses. “Need to move on,” you muttered. Were those spots in your vision? “We can get a few more miles down the road if we-”

“You’re bleeding, Viper.” He pulled you to a stop. “You’re covered in blood - I’m covered in blood.”

“You barely got a splatter on you.”

“The sun’s already beginning to set and there’s fire and food aplenty here. We should stay and rest, not charge off into the night!”

You shook your head. “Monsters’ll smell this blood. Ten minutes, tops, we’ll be fighting off rotfiends and- and everything else.”

Irritated, he looked around the camp. He really didn’t want to sleep surrounded by corpses, but you! He’d watched the fight. It was messy and sloppy, and you’d definitely be bruised in a few hours. He wasn’t entirely certain you hadn’t broken anything. Surely it would be best to patch yourselves up first?

You didn’t wait for him to argue any more. Bayard saw you approaching and met you halfway. Without a command, he laid down so you could easily mount him. Jaskier begrudgingly helped you settle in the saddle the bandits neglected to remove, and he watched as Bayard stood as carefully as he was able to avoid flinging you out the seat.

You fought to keep your eyes open as you watched Jaskier find something to step on so he could mount Adhara. Your body screamed and begged for rest. For the pain to end. But you couldn’t sleep. You refused to, when Jaskier could still be in danger from the monsters that lurked in the dark woods. No. You’d ride a while longer, and then you could rest.

Barely tugging the reins, you guided Bayard from the wooded clearing. Low hanging branches scratched against your face, but you couldn’t find any part of you that really cared. You could hear Jaskier grumbling as he pushed the branches aside.

As you neared the road, the sound of trickling water returned. Oh, the things you’d do to slip right into that cool river. Horse hooves clopped mutedly against the dirt road. Every step rocked you gently. Dark spots overwhelmed your vision, and finally your eyelids closed. Jaskier screamed your Viper moniker as he watched you slide limply off your horse once again, and collide with the hard ground below.

---

Tag List:

@writeawaythepain

@sleepyqueerenergy

@adozenforks

@plaguedoctorsnake

@solomonsimp

@cool-ontherun-world

[2-many-ideas-help]

happy (late) valentines day @rotinthehead! I was using @throwaway2277 as a way to stay anon but still contact you. sorry it took so long lol cosmic horror is harder to write than i thought

@mcyt-valentines

ft: enderman biology headcanons, joan jett, Spidey Senses, grackles being little shits, me nerding about stars, and more!

“I’M SORRY?”

“Tubbo keep it down!”

Ranboo quickly shushed their companion. They could already feel the Eyes on their back as the other tourists turned to glare at the two hybrids, causing the fur on their neck to stand up. Wonderful. The tour guide continued prattling on about the history of the quarry the group was touring. Something about a major project they were commissioned to provide the marble for? It was honestly rather boring.

“Come on Ran,” hissed Tubbo, “You’ve never seen the Milky Way?”

“I mean, I’ve seen the things they show us in school?”

“THAT DOESN’T COUNT!”

Of course, there was a reason Ranboo had never seen the Milky Way, or really any stars, in person. They grew up in the city. The constant light pollution meant that they couldn’t really see anything in the sky. The most they had ever seen was Orion, and they only ever saw him when they visited their cousins in the suburbs. Tubbo, on the other hand, grew up in the middle of nowhere. He got the pretty skies every night, and apparently considered it a federal crime for someone to have never experienced said pretty skies.

“Okay. Change of plans. We need to find a dark sky area.”

“I- wait what? Tubbo? We didn’t bring any camping supplies?”

“Irrelevant.”

“TUBBO?”

—

As soon as the tour ended, Tubbo hauled Ranboo out of the gift shop and back towards the car. He half-shoved, half-threw the incredibly discombobulated ender hybrid into the passenger’s seat, before racing around the car to get behind the wheel, staring intently at his phone all the while.

“Alright, the nearest full-dark sky area is about 2 day’s drive southwest on Route 66.”

Ranboo blinked. Tubbo, do you really think this is a good idea? We’re kinda… messing up our travel plans completely.”

“It’ll be fiiiine,” laughed the goat hybrid, “We didn’t have any reservations anyways. Hang on, lemme call Tom and let him know about the change of plans.” He tapped at his phone screen, causing a ringtone to, well, ring out through the van. After a couple seconds, the boisterous avian picked up, and soon the van was full of laughter.

Ranboo watched Tubbo cackle at something Tommy had said. The ender hybrid grinned slightly, before stiffening up like they’d been shocked. Someone, or something, was Watching them. They whipped their head towards the window, glancing around the parking lot. Tubbo cut himself off in the middle of a sentence. “Ran? You okay?”

The feeling disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. “…Yeah.”

Their friend looked utterly unconvinced. “If you say so…”

—

The old van raced along the road that cut through vast cornfields. Music blared through the radio, Ranboo and Tubbo singing along, albeit horribly off key.

“I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT MY REPUTATION baw na naw na na naw na naw na na LIVIN IN THE PAST IT’S A NEW GENERATION baw na naw na na naw na naw na na I’M GONNA DO WHAT YOU WANNA DO AND THAT’S WHAT I’M GONNA DO AND I DON’T GIVE A-“

“No no no those aren’t the lyrics Ran! It’s ‘A girl can do what she wants to do’, not ‘I’m gonna do what you wanna do’!”

“I don’t care bathtub boy, let me sing Joan Jett damn it!”

“BATHTUB BOY??”

“Yes. Bathtub b-“ There it was again, that same feeling from earlier. It felt like someone was Watching them. Someone they didn’t know.

“…You okay?”

“Tubbo? Stop the car.”

He stared at them blankly, but tires screeched as he pulled the van over anyways. “What’s going on Ran?”

“Someone was Watching us.”

“ExCUSE ME?”

Ranboo didn’t answer. They ducked out of the van and stalked towards the fence separating the roadside from the corn, the grass bending under their claws. Tubbo’s hooves clattered against the asphalt as he hopped onto the road and jogged over to the taller hybrid. “Ranboo, what the FUCK do you mean someone was Watching us?”

“Exactly what I said. Something was setting off the Enderman Spidey Sense, and it wasn’t you.

Tubbo paled. He immediately darted over to the fence, hopping it easily.

“I- TUBBO? That’s PRIVATE PROPERTY??”

The goat hybrid turned to look at his friend. “Yeah. And?”

“And- TUBBO WE’RE GONNA GET IN TROUBLE!”

“Not if we don’t get caught.”

Now, it was Ranboo’s turn to stare blankly.

Tubbo sighed. “Look, you wanna figure out what’s setting off the spidey senses or not?”

Silently, Ranboo joined their companion on the other side of the fence.

—

In the end, the duo found a grand total of 27 mourning doves, around 20 cowbirds, and no less than 300 grackles (all of which attacked them on sight), but absolutely nobody that could have been Watching them. It was eerily peaceful.

—

This pattern continued through the next few days. Ranboo’s “Spidey Senses” would go off in the middle of nowhere, they’d pull over, do a sweep of the area, and find absolutely nothing. The worst parts, though, were the nights. If even a little bit if the sky was visible, Ranboo would be entirely unable to sleep due to the constant feeling of being Watched. About 2 and a half days passed before Tubbo pulled them offroad into a little clearing. They had arrived.

—

As night fell, Tubbo hoisted a very disgruntled and blindfolded Ranboo onto the roof of the van.

“Really Tubbo, I don’t see why this is necessary.” “It’ll give the best impact Ran. You can take it off now by the way.”

The grumble building in their chest died as they lifted the blindfold off and looked up at the sky. It was beautiful. Stars were scattered across the massive expanse like paint splatters on a canvas. Purple nebulae accented the multi-colored dots. The crown jewel, however, was the full moon, glimmering high in the sky.

Tubbo started pointing at specific constellations, telling their stories. “That one’s Cassiopeia, classic victim of hubris. Earned Poseidon’s ire by saying her daughter was more beautiful than the Sea Nymphs. Got cast into the stars for that.”

Ranboo already knew most of the stories Tubbo was telling, having been the recipient of multiple Technoblade Infodumps, but they just let their companion ramble.

They sat there for what felt like hours, so engrossed by the stars and their stories that they didn’t immediately notice that the forest had gone dead silent. Once they did notice, however, they did their best to fill that silence with forced jokes and barely hidden dread. Ranboo was in the middle of a story both had heard a million times when it happened.

The sky.

Went.

Dark.

Just blinked out of existence, throwing everything into chaos. Tubbo immediately fumbled for his phone, but Ranboo sat ram-rod still, filling with dread. The feeling was back in full force. They were puffed up like an angry cat, in a way that would have been rather funny if it weren’t for the circumstances.

“Tubbo,” they whispered, “get in the car and get moving. Now.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice! Come on!” Tubbo’s shout seemed to be smothered by the void. The darkness was oppressive. Even Tubbo’s phone flashlight seemed to be swallowed into blackness.

Ranboo nearly face planted trying to get off the van’s roof. They leapt into the car as soon as they righted themself, and no sooner had they closed the door, they were off, racing down the road with high beams on and both hybrids holding on for dear life. Their flight was cut short when Ranboo noticed a speck of light growing much larger as it fell towards Earth.

It hit the ground hard, but left no crater. As the… thing unfolded itself from its landing spot, the only things in the duo’s minds were 1. Oh that’s really big, and 2. RUNRUNRUNRUN. Their minds were screaming at them to RUNMOVE do ANYTHING to get away, but they were frozen in place. Their panic spiked horribly when it lowered its head(?) to peer at them through the van window. The feeling of being Watched peaked, Ranboo’s panic was at a fever pitch and THEN…

The Thing… Spoke to them. No, not Spoke, not exactly. Its Voice rang out in their heads, loud, incomprehensible through layers of static and whispers, but still perfectly clear.

NO. YOU ARE NOT THE ONES I WAS SEARCHING FOR.

With that ominous message, the Thing vanished. Just blinked out of existence, much like the sky had earlier. Speaking of the sky, one peek out the window revealed everything was back to normal. It was like nothing ever happened, like the sky hadn’t just vanished, like their perceptions of reality hadn’t just been flipped on their heads. Ranboo’s voice broke the shocked silence with a perfect encapsulation of the duo’s thoughts.

“What the FUCK just happened?”

[skysometric]

top 5 sonic games go

warning: i am inviting you to poke a hornet's nest and i am the hornet

oh i am very aware of your Unique sonic opinions...

by contrast my opinions are gonna be more on the basic side! i'm a simple gal, i like going fast and letting the wind take me down routes i've never seen before. getting to explore big, open levels is one of the series biggest strong suits!

this is a hard list to narrow down, partly because the sonic series is so diverse and there's so much to love... but mostly because i haven't gotten to play a whole lot of sonic recently? i'm slowly trying to change that, like i just finished sonic battle last week and sonic origins the other day. to keep it easy, we're gonna stick to the main series only – i'd probably explode if i had to rank the spinoffs...

all told, that means my two biggest ranking factors here are Level Design and Nostalgia, so i doubt this list is particularly set in stone. as i replay more of the games, my top 5 will probably change – but for now, here's my best attempt at:

My Top 5 Sonic Games

5. Sonic Advance 2

the Rush games are stylish, fluid, and set the blueprint for modern sonic as we know it – but the granddaddy of them all was Sonic Advance 2, and i can confidently say that i've sunk more time into this one than any of its successors.

honestly, advance 2 is one of my most replayed games of all time! it's so easy to jump in from the beginning and let the game carry you through to the end in one sitting. i always think of the other sonic games as more of a commitment, something i have to plan around playing... not so with this one, i can blast through it in an hour or two and love it the whole way through.

i'd say this game's biggest strength is its level themes – this is peak modern sonic aesthetic, with some really unique level tropes and some of the most gorgeous pixel art on the gba. i know the gba's sound chip isn't for everyone, but i think advance 2 makes great use of it!

i know this game has a LOT of flaws – the chaos emeralds are a pain in the ass to acquire, and so many of the game's best features are locked behind getting the emeralds with every single character??? but i'm not thinking about the meta-game when i choose to blast through the levels in one sitting, and i've played it so much that i know where all the bottomless pits are and how to avoid them.

all told, sonic advance 2 is my most comfy sonic, so it deserves a spot on the list.

4. Sonic Adventure 2

if you read the story behind my least favorite game, then you probably saw this coming – adventure 2 is the game i played most with friends, long ago when i had my dreamcast. of course i still have a soft spot for it!

what i didn't mention in that post is how much mileage i got out of the chao garden, but that's because i put in most of those hours on the gamecube. i was obsessed with boosting my chao's stats with the little critters i found on my adventures 💙 so one of my favorite comfy ways to spend a saturday morning was to go collect animals for my chao...

...in the hunting stages. i actually love the hunting stages! and i really like the mech stages too! this isn't just nostalgia for sonic and shadow – i genuinely love playing the whole game, through and through.

thinking about it now, i sunk SO MANY HOURS into this game... that i got a little tired of it and stopped playing it for years. even when i picked it up on pc as an adult, i had no desire to actually replay it – why would i, when i have the whole game memorized? but maybe it's time to revisit this for a casual playthrough sometime soon...

3. Sonic Generations

i will freely admit that this one's cheating: half of the reason i love this game is because of the Unleashed Project mod. i haven't yet played unleashed, but one thing this mod taught me is that the level design is immaculate – infinitely replayable, highly rewarding to get good at, and a feeling of speed unlike any other sonic game.

but it's also kinda hard for most casual players! this is where the original generations comes in: it has less punishing low routes, and as a result, it was my gateway to modern sonic in 3d.

my pipeline was simple: i loved the hell out of my first playthrough of generations, so i replayed it enough to learn the stages and routes. by the time unleashed project released, i was good enough at modern sonic to not fail endlessly – so i loved my first playthough of unleashed project, and replayed that a ton to learn the (more advanced) stages and routes. a perfect pairing!

...but don't sleep on classic sonic either! i genuinely enjoy the classic sonic stages in generations, and i think it's a crying shame that people love to hate on them these days. it makes me think less "classic sonic" and more "sonic advance 4" in a way that makes my nostalgia happy 💙

1. Sonic Mania

no, that's not a typo, and i didn't skip one: my top 2 sonic games are tied for first place. i can't choose which one i love better!

what is there to say about mania that hasn't already been said? it's classic sonic perfected for the modern era, with gorgeous pixel art and the best level designs in the series. if you've never played a sonic game, start here and you'll fall in love.

sonic fans sometimes rag on the fact that mania leans so heavily on reused zones and nostalgia, with only a handful of new zones. that's a fair criticism, but let me flip that on its head:

i love that they revisited these old zones, not for nostalgia's sake... but because they could revisit some of the old games' biggest flaws, and smooth those over. then, in act 2, they expanded each one with new mechanics and flavors, remixing the nostalgia into a new experience that's more than the sum of its parts.

that is the impossible dream for a sonic game! that's never happened before! and it may never happen again. but at least they caught lightning in a bottle once, and it'll be with us forever, just like the memories of old.

1. Sonic 3 & Knuckles

shocker: sonic fan likes the popular game, more at 11

no, see, i grew up with sonic 2. and to be honest, i'm a little sad i didn't get to fit it on this list for nostalgic reasons. sonic 3k is everything i love about sonic 2, but bigger.

i just got through replaying this in sonic origins, and the game is just as magical now as it was when i was a kid. possibly moreso now that i know how to get past that damn barrel! let's be honest, the original games had some mean level design, and my recent playthrough wasn't 100% smooth... but nostalgia wins the day.

this game defined my childhood – even when it kicked my ass – because i had the power of a long lost art in video games: cheat codes. i got my mileage out of exploring this game simply by picking whichever zones i wanted to play in the level select and going ham! even the game's debug mode turned each zone into a playground where i could spend hours just experimenting and exploring.

then, one day, i got good enough at the game to beat it legit, with all the emeralds... fulfilling a journey that lasted so many formative years of my childhood. this is a special game to me for so many more reasons than i could list in one post, but i hope i summarized it well.

...oh, and even with all the debug mode as a kid, i still found new routes in this game last playthrough lmfao

[briantravels60]

Day 15 – Magog to Sherbrooke – 32 km

Trail: moderate hills; 139 m up, 199 m down; 17 km paved, 15 km unpaved; A

I had a change of plans. Originally I was going to stay in Sherbrooke for 2 night's, resting one day. On the advice of an "in the know" waiter in Granby I decided to stay one night in Magog and one night in Sherbrooke. Unfortunately, it was raining when I arrived and since Magog is an outdoorsy town, I didn't have much of an opportunity to partake in local activities.

I stayed at À L’Ancestrale B&B in Magog. The home was clean and the bed comfortable. The host was incredible. She had tea when I arrived, an excellent and filling breakfast, and as if that wasn’t enough, she gave me a dry place to work on my bike. Oh, and then to top it off, while I was fixing my tire, she came out with a large bag lunch, at least half the size of my already full bike pack. Highly recommended.

There are plenty of boathouses along the Magog River and an electrical power plant.

Magog is on Lake Memphremagog and activities are heavily based around the water such as boating, sailing, kayaking, eating & drinking, swimming, sun bathing, biking, walking. I would definitely give this town 3 days in the future. It may be a real gem.

I started the day by repairing my flat tire. I found a 2-3 mm thorn that had poked through the tire and punctured the tube. I removed it, replaced the tube and away I went, but not before the host got out an air compressor to properly inflate my tire.

Leaving Magog, I was faced with a detour. After taking surface streets back to the trail, I realized the TCT was in better condition than Quebec roads. Keep up the good work on the trails!

Even though I ended the day at a lower elevation, the trail was up and down. Not like the past two days where the trail was more like a “scream like a little girl” kind of roller coaster. Today, the trail was much more like long gentle hills, climbing for a km or so and then downhill for a km or so. The ride was fun. I just smiled all the way down the hills.

I arrived in Sherbrooke in the afternoon. After the detour and then missing a trail marker (La Route Verte forked to the right at l'Eglise St-Roch in Rock Forest while the TCT continued straight ahead) I rode an additional 13 km, so it took longer than planned. Sherbrooke is the city of "too many hills". I took my bike and coasted to a restaurant in 10 minutes and it took me almost 30 minutes to get back. It’s at the confluence of the Magog and St. Francis rivers, a university town with large building murals, waterfront activities, and a very cool train station microbrewery/restaurant - Siboire.

It’s also home to the massive Petites Sœurs de la Ste-Famille Convent.

[thedepthsoffandomminds]

The last of us - Broken together 2

Joel miller and reader slow burn.

English y/n

Part one

Joel woke early, before the sun had risen.

"you can grab an hour if you like? I'm just gunna get everything ready." He said in a low voice.

"tell me more about her?" You settled your rifle on the ground and pulled your sleeping bag up to your shoulders.

"I don't know a while lot, Ellie Williams, fourteen years old. Grew up in the Boston QZ. Got bit. Didn't turn, Marlene gave her to me and Tess." He gave you the run down.

"Williams?" You looked over at her then back to him. "She knew Marlene? I mean, they were friends, not just people passing?" You ask.

Joel shrugged.

"no idea, she seemed pretty protective of her." He shrugged again.

You sighed and shifted down to rest your head on the log before closing your eyes. The last thing you heard before drifting off was his suggestion of coffee.

Ellie woke to the sound of a bubbling kettle on the burner. She rolled over still in her sleeping bag and opened the lid, brown liquid bubbled. Her face screwed up with disgust. Behind her Joel laughed.

"whow what the fuck is that?" She growled. Joel half turned to her.

"you don't like coffee?"

Ellie looked back at the kettle, flipped the lid back into place and dropped back to the ground head on her backpack. The thud woke you, startling you into the day. Joel saw.

"hey, it's okay it was just us." He said walking over to you and crouching beside you. You gave a short nod.

"I figured we'd eat on the road, I've made some sandwiches from Frank's bread. I used the ham, I figure it probably doesn't have a long shelf life." He explained as you slid out of your sleeping bag.

"ham's good, thank you." You didn't feel as lost in the sunlight. Sure both your companions had been asleep you allowed yourself to cry, to release all the emotions of losing your uncle's. The last of your family, now gone. Except Joel hadn't been asleep, his eyes had flicked to you the moment you sobbed but he was no good at that. He stayed quiet giving you time.

"come on, I've been looking at the map, it shouldn't be much longer." He assured her holding a hand out to help her stand. Ellie reluctantly rolled her sleeping bag up. You remind her to tie it to her pack.

"you never know when you need to be ready to go and leave everything behind." You said, doing the same to yours and Joel's.

"you get more like your uncle every time I see you." Joel joked. It wasn't an insult, but a compliment to you.

All three of you climbed into the front seat of the truck and began your day. Ellie had the map, as the pair discussed the route. She awkwardly asked about his brother, and he grumpily answered her. You'd only met him briefly a few years back, so you said nothing.

A few hours into the drive, Joel turned to look at you both.

"we got up early, you can sleep if you want."

"I'm not even tired." Ellie rebuked him only to fall asleep ten minutes later. You two felt sleep creeping up, car journeys had always done it to you. Somehow in your sleep you had slid down and sideways, dropping your head onto Joel's shoulder. He wasn't going to complain, not even with the ache of old age creeping in was he going to stop this feeling. For more than twenty years he had kept himself closed off to feelings. After outbreak day he had lifted those walls so high, not even Tess after fifteen years had broken them down. Yeah he loved her in his way, as a partner, or well he couldn't define it in his own mind. All he knew was that he didn't feel how she did, yet he'd spent a hell of a lot of time thinking about you. Knowing full well Bill would have shot him on sight if he'd even breathed in your direction. He settled into the drive, pretending to himself that life was normal, this was just a roadtrip to a holiday. Taking the kid to summer camp or some other simpler reason.

The sound of your light breathing in his ear was starting to make him sleepy to when he pulled through the abandoned cars stopping at the bridge. Moving his arm to put the truck in park woke you subsequently walking ellie.

"stay put." He ordered you both whilst getting out of the truck grabbing his rifle from the back. You watched, silent as he looked under the semi blocking the underpass. He turned back to you and you knew something was wrong. He got back in beside you and grabbed the map from Ellie.

"where are we?" She asked.

"Kansas city." He replied,

"how far back do we have to go to get around this?" She questioned. Joel looked up from the map, tension in every inch of his body. You climbed into the back seat and started strapping your weapons on as he backed up the truck.

"we'll be back on the road a minute tops." Was what you tuned back in to hear. He caught your eyes as he looked out the back window to reverse. Joel noted your frown and chose to ignore it.

Part three

[crabscrabscrabs]

There's a weight over me today Something I have to say Love you too much to leave Don't like you enough to stay

[Verse 1] My heads in a mess and I'm stressed But I guess it's a test In the quest for happiness And the rest of that mess So I best just acquiesce Even though I've grown tired of you

And that ain't meant to sound spiteful I just try to be insightful When I write all my emotions In the night all the stuff I try to fight Will just come out and the sad fact is I'm so tired of you

Love: it's a weird thing, ain't it? There's no way to explain it But I swear as well as pain There should be joy but we sustain The same level of mundane And it's numbing me through

I often wonder if I'd miss you And still have the urge to kiss you If an issue was to hit through To this heart that now feels disused And said issue was too big to just ignore And I walked out on you

The chances are I'd fall apart And suffer seizures of the heart As my chest begins to smart The very second love depart I want to go back to the start But then again, maybe I'd just feel new Maybe I'd get my life on track And start to focus my attack On all the things my life just lacks And start to claw my passion back Instead of living like a hack Half committed, half relaxed I'd have nothing to lose

[Verse 2] I guess lately I've had too much time to think And yeah, way too much drink When the paper meets the ink Over-thinking is the chink in my armour That's just what I do And I've always been that way Forever questioning each day And every plea that's made That maybe when I lay My busy mind will make me pay By finding problems and reasons That might not even be true

See, we got together so young Before our real lives had begun But flowers don't grow up as one Each finds its own route to the sun And that's exactly what we've done We've grown up separately too

But for a few years now, it's been the problem And these realisations, I wish that I could stop them But I've realised that love is all we have in common And deep down, you know that's true

But then surely that I'm still in love with you Means there's something we can do To get us through and to pursue A brand new point of view On how this gap grew between me and you

So there's a weight over me and I'd hate to have to leave But in fate I don't believe and the state of you and me Isn't great, as you can see So I'll keep thinking this through

[hauntingthechateau]

Friday November 3rd

High of 15, a steady 7 overnight low. Overcast and broody looking.

Terrible sleep last night. Between noise and anxiety I just couldn’t fall asleep. Tried to let myself sleep in, but just ended up waking up at regular time anyway. The consensus with the trains was that a late train was still running and would get us here by 7ish if we caught it for 4:45. I bought those tickets. Took the time to repack all my bags. Checked out of the hotel but left my bags with them and went out to breakfast. Breakfast place (Au Pavilion) was touristy and empty, and yet exactly what I wanted. €12 bought me fresh pressed orange juice, tea, a GIANT omelette (3 eggs?) with a whole massive chunk of smoked salmon on it, a big potato roastie chocked full of garlic a salad and some bread.

From there I decided to do a little walk to all the really old medieval houses still standing in Paris on Rue des Barres and Rue François Miron, stopped in at the Church St Gervais and had a peek around and then went to see the Hotel de Seas (another medieval building with a public garden). It was a lovely walk through lots of different Paris neighbourhoods and just a really nice time.

While resting my feet in the garden, the text came through that our earlier train was uncanceled and we were all to take that train. I sat and read in the garden for 20 minutes before starting the trek back to the hotel and then made my way to the station. I was able to meet up with an ever growing group of artists in the station an start to get to know people. 

We got on the train and a bunch of us sat together. We made it about an hour out of Paris when the train stopped and we started getting a bunch of announcements in French but we were pretty surety train was heading back to Paris. Eventually we cobbled together that the train was turning back and taking a different route because the rails were blocked by falling trees from a passing storm, some 300-1200 trees down on the line, hence the cancelations. We sat at a station in Longueville or something like that for half an hour and then finally headed all the way back to Paris before starting off north eat towards Chalons en champagne where we turned south to Chaumont. The 2 hour journey to Chaumont took us nearly 6 hours and we were all stressed and tired and dehydrated and hungry. I got motion sickness from going backwards for part of the time, but took gravel and Imogen switched spots with me so I could face forward. 

We were picked up by Chateau staff at the station in two passenger vans with a trailer behind for our luggage and then we were off! I missed a beautiful countryside views (both on the train and in the van) since at this point we were coming in well after dark in a pitch black cloudy night and could see nothing. Ziggy drove me and some of the others staying in the village to our houses to drop our luggage and show us our rooms and then it was back to the Chateau to eat dinner!

No big champagne social/welcome party tonight since we got in so late (8 instead of 5). But the food was delicious and the wine was plentiful. There was red, white, rose and champagne on each table and I availed myself of the champagne and the red which was a Grenache merlot and was quite nice! Dinner was a whole big thing but the beef bourgeon and the pork pie were absolutely stunning. Served along side were a couple salads, pumpkin soup, baguette, mash potatoes carrots as well as dessert (which I never actually made my way to, but the pies looked fantastic! Three different kinds!

Missing from dinner was my roommate Lauren, who it turned out had taken the later train and then got stranded at the train station without data. She arrived shortly after I walked home from the Chateau and I helped her settled in. One of the kitchen staff delivered her food and I sat and chatted with her while she ate, what a stressful time for her!!! 

Finally, I unpacked and got ready for bed and man oh man and I looking forward to sleeping.

Xo 

[vickikowalewski]

Day 11 - June 2, 2023: Cinque Terre

Today started later than I wanted to. I didn’t wake up until 8am. I must be tired and needing to catch up on some sleep. It took a little bit to get going because I needed to eat, get ready, and pack my bag. This hostel has fresh made granola for breakfast (I watched and smelled them making it the night prior) and it was super delicious. The hostel worker also taught me how to use an Italian coffee maker. It’s really not that difficult even though it looks intimidating.

I ended up booking my Cinque Terre card online and man, was I glad I did that. The train station was complete chaos and the line for assistance for tickets went outside of the train station. The train was also absolutely packed. Pure madness.

I got off the train in Monterosso and the fun began. Monterosso is the only town with a beach so it’s quite scenic but rocky. I’ve heard the better beaches with sand are further away. That didn’t stop many people from laying out. I was surprised. It was warm but not that warm. Maybe mid-to-low 70s.

My goal today was to hike the trail between cities, or what I could. The trail between Monterosso and Vernazza started steep but leveled out. Lots of foot traffic and it was technically supposed to be a one way only but that didn’t work out due to the large number of people. I stopped in Vernazza and got some delicious street food and a Fanta that actually was from a restaurant. It was so good but so rich. There were a few bites I couldn’t quite finish.

The hike between Vernazza and Corniglia was surprisingly not too bad. I thought that was going to be the hardest part of the trail but it wasn’t at all. I celebrated with gelato in Corniglia. I decided to try something different and I got lemon and basil gelato. It was quite good and very refreshing.

I was feeling good so I decided to do the difficult hiking route next from Corniglia to Manarola. I think I should have waited for the next day because I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. It was fabulous but quite strenuous getting up and coming down. You basically walk at the top of a mountain overlooking the sea and through a lot of vineyards. I wanted to stop for a glass of wine at a little wine bar in the vineyards but it was closed for the holiday. Bummer. I was okay until the very end coming down the hill. That last half mile just felt like it would never end. Then I got to Monarola and the entire town is sloped downhill. I could have died. My legs were jello. Looking at my phone, I just realized I was so exhausted that I didn’t even take a photo in Manarola other than beer. I was feeling really, really bad so I decided to stop for the day. I got a large beer, a focaccia, and a liter of water. It took a while but I eventually came back to life after some food. Finding the train home was also confusing and I was displeased to be walking so much at that point but I did eventually find it.

I decided I needed a shower before dinner because I was disgusting and sweaty. It was a good opportunity for resting my legs as well. I even sat while blow drying my hair. Dinner tonight was difficult to find because today is a national holiday. Everything was booked solid. I did find a decent place though and tried a new pasta, trofie. It’s like a longer version of a spatzle but similar texture. It wasn’t my absolute favorite but it was pretty good. I ended the night at the beer garden by the sea for a cocktail.

I am beyond exhausted but glad I checked this off my bucket list! Time for bed, goodnight!

[pretentious-art]

waaaaaaaaaahhh

have i ever mentioned how much i love dating sims???

[muichiroslover]

Heyo could I request a ban x reader

Where ban and y/n first started dating before elaine so when elaine got into the picture she was a little jealous of their relationship and would try and break them up. And so one day ban and y/n got into an argument, the next day y/n and all of her stuff was gone. Elaine thinking it was a perfect time to take ban tries to comfort him but all he can think about is y/n. So eventually he finds y/n and apologizes in which y/n forgives him.

HAPPY ENDINGG

(Srry If its 2 long u don't have to do it if u dont want 2) (also I do not hate elaine xD)

Hi hi!! Yes I love this idea I love me some angst with happy ending 👀 I hope this is to your liking butterscotch!! <33 enjoy (●’◡’●)ﾉ♥︎♥︎

(Sorry it’s a little late ☹︎)

Pairings: Ban x reader

Warnings: Mentions of blood and wounds (not bad)

Genre: Angst with happy ending

_______________________________________________

You and ban had been a couple for as long as you could remember, at first it was kind of hard to approach him when you guys first met but when you guys had warmed up to each other you guys were absolutely inseparable

You guys did everything together and you were so well known your couple name around towns were “The bandit couple”

As you guys explored the world one night Ban brought up news about this drink that could give you immortality, using the sly line

“Then we can be together forever”

To which you laughed and hit him playfully, but he was entirely serious, you sighed and ended up agreeing to your adventurous boyfriends plan, if it wasn’t real at least you guys would have a fun time

So you guys began your journey to the fairy kings forest, when you guys had finally got to the tree you looked up and groaned

“That’s a huge tree, do we have to climb it?” You ask and he snorts as he already begins getting his hands and legs ready to climb

“You don’t have to, you can wait down here” he says smugly and you glare at the back of his head

“No I’m coming, I might as well see it through” you mutter annoyed to which he laughed

“That’s my girl” he says and you look away in embarrassment, feeling flustered at the comment which almost sent the blue haired man flying off the tree in amusement

As you guys climbed and finally made it to the top a girl, a little one at that looked at you both with a straight face as she puts her hand up and a huge wind blows you guys off

You scream in fear as you get blown far back and far above the ground, Ban grits and teeth and clicks his tongue as he grabs you as you guys start falling and takes the impact

You quickly got off of him and looked at him, tears almost in your eyes

“Oh my god! Ban! Ban I’m so sorry I didn’t mean for you to take the impact! Ban!! Ban-“ you frantically said to the man on the ground who’s eyes were closed

“If you keep calling my name out like that it’d be plain bullying if I didn’t wake up” he groans as he slowly sits up and you quickly hug him to which he chuckles and embraces you back

“Alright let’s try again” he says and your eyes widen slightly

“But ban-“ you begin and he just looks at you with his normal goofy smile you can never turn down, you sigh, deeply may I add and look at him

“Okay..I trust you” you say and he grins even wider as he grabs your hand and stands up as you guys started running towards the tree

The same thing happened a few times, it hurt, a lot but Ban never let you get too injured, always taking the impact of the fall even if you tried to fight with his grip in the air

The last time you guys got up there Ban grabbed his weapon and your eyes widen slightly thinking he was gonna attack the little girl

But he manipulated his staff and instead grabbed the cub with his weapon, You gasped as you two got quickly bounded by trees and the girl took the cup from Bans hand

The girl stands in front of you guys seemingly doing something then she lets us both go, Ban started explaining why you guys wanted immortality and those of such, You didn’t expect him to tell her his whole life’s story but

“Well shes too strong Y/n, let’s just go back” he says smiling at you as he holds out his hand, you smile lightly and nod as you grab it and you both head back down the tree

You guys were camping near the tree those days you were climbing it, you decided you’d stay another week since the fairy kings forest is actually quite pretty and you wanted to explore a bit before leaving since this opportunity may never come again

One night as you laid asleep in your sleeping bag you felt moving, you opened your eyes groggily to see your boyfriend quietly leaving the tent, you thought nothing of it, maybe he was going to pee or he was extra hungry or there was something dangerous nearby

Ignoring it you let yourself fall back into a deep slumber

But as the days and nights continued he kept sneaking out, you started getting suspicious so on the 4th night he snuck out you waited a little bit pretending you were sleeping and after a few minutes you slowly crept out of the tent

You looked around whispering your boyfriends name, this could be a huge misunderstanding after all

You went all around the forest and no sight of Ban

You went back to the tent and looked in, maybe you missed him?? But nope he wasn’t in there

You finally stopped in front of the tree and looked up, remembering the girl that resided there, logically speaking she was older then both of us since fairy’s live longer

“He didn’t” you whisper, you didn’t want to think, no you absolutely were wrong, must be seeing the wrong picture

Your boyfriend of years and hardships is not sneaking out at night to meet up with another girl, no it sounds absurd even thinking about it

‘I’ll just climb and check and I’ll be wrong, I’ll take the wind blow’ you think nodding your head reassuring yourself

You start climbing up the tree as quietly as possible, when you finally made it up and peaked up your mouth fell agape as you saw Ban and the girl chatting and laughing, all close

It surprised you so much that you lost grip on the tree and fell back, you rolled down the tree as if it was a hill, your limbs flying to and fro as you finally hit the bottom

You groaned quietly in pain

“What was that?” Ban says as he stops his conversation with Elaine hearing a soft thump

Elaine looks to the side

“ I didn’t hear anything?” She says and Ban shrugs as they continue to talk

You on the other hand shakily get up as you look at yourself, your arm was bleeding but you don’t know from where, your left ankle was sprained for sure, and your back was killing you it probably had a horrible bruise forming

A tear slipped out as you limped to the tent, you sat down as you grabbed bandages and started cleaning your wounds, the blood was coming from a gash just below your shoulder, probably from a sharp branch

You put a stick in your mouth as you took a deep breath, you grabbed some of Bans alcohol and poured it over the cut, you bit down harshly on the stick but no scream made it through, tears can’t say the same though

You spit out the stick as you breathed hard, every breath of air seeming like you haven’t had oxygen for a while, you take a bandage and wrap it around your arm securely

Usually you would make herbs for wounds and etc, but your hands were shaky, mind a daze and eyes blurry from tears

You wrapped up your sprained ankle and just let your back be in pain because there wasn’t much you could do about the pain back there

You sat silently in the tent waiting for your boyfriend to arrive, he did not arrive till the morning, about an hour and a half before you would usually wake up

When he opened the tent and saw you staring blankly at his empty sleeping bag he went to you and was about to touch your shoulder to ask you what was wrong but you jerked back

He was surprised as you looked at him, your eyes puffy, a huge sign you were crying

“Y/n what-“

“Where were you last night Ban?” You ask and he goes silent

“No in fact where were you the past 4 nights??” You ask and he sighs

“Y/n I just went out to explore and hunt, the foods not gonna come to us-“

You scoff, tears forming up, if he’s lying then is it true that he..

“You’re lying Ban, you’re lying to me” you grit out and he looks at you a little confused but mostly surprised

“What?”

“You were up there in that tree with that girl..” you say dangerously quiet and he sighs his head falling as he realizes he’s been caught and it looks totally wrong too

“Y/n..” he begins and you shake your head

“No no dont Y/n me, why did you lie and why were you sneaking out?!” You shout

“Y/n we were just talking I swear, I lied because I didn’t know how you would react-“

“HOW I WOULD REACT? HOW WOULD YOU REACT IF I WAS SNEAKING OFF LATE AT NIGHT AND MEETING UP WITH SOME GUY BAN?? HUH??!” You ask pushing him back but you wince as the wound near your shoulder moves

Ban notices this then notices the bandage on your arm and ankle

“Y/n what happened?” He asks quickly as he pulls your ankle into his palm to examine it, but you pull it back quickly

“You’re not even answering me, I-I can’t believe this, I can’t.” You say as you lay down in your sleeping bag, you were extremely tired from staying up the whole night already

You laid on the opposite side you usually lay on because of the wound on your other shoulder and thankfully it was the side not facing Ban

You guys didn’t speak for the whole day and when night came you woke up only to see Ban gone

“Y-You’re kidding” you whisper, you quickly get out, you run to the tree as you go up the route you began to remember with your mind at this point

You climbed up skillfully fast ignoring the roaring pain in both your ankle and shoulder, you peaked up and not to your surprise you see Ban and Elaine speaking under the oh so romantic fairy lights

With no sound you climbed back down, you walked to your tent and went in, grabbing your bag you grabbed your herbs, bandages, clothes and canned foods, leaving some for Ban even in your mood

You rolled up your sleeping bag and dig the dirt under as you grabbed your bag of coins, you and Ban always hid your money in case of any intruders, you guys were bandits after all

You take your money and put it in your bag as you get out the tent and leave

Ban returned back in the morning, he had asked Elaine what he should do to fix things and what a girl usually would like in this type of situation, you guys had never fought so bad to the point you didn’t speak the whole entire day

He was scared you were actually done with him, he had a few picked flowers in his hand and he took a deep breath as he opened the tent

But his eyes widen when he sees your stuff gone and your sleeping bag rolled up, he drops the flowers as he looks around frantically

“Y/N?? Y/N WHERE ARE YOU?!” He yelled, he ran everywhere around the forest looking for you, but you were no where in sight

By the time night fell he still couldn’t find you and it felt like his whole world was collapsing in front of him, he couldn’t think and he couldn’t even yell anymore bc he was sure he lost his voice by how loud and long he was screaming your name

He quickly wiped a tear that rolled down his cheek as he quickly climbed the tree, Elaine looked over at him worriedly

“You didn’t come at our usual time I was worried” she said and looks away blushing slightly

“She left Elaine! She left and I can’t find her anywhere” he says as he falls onto his knees and the tears finally come out

“She left me Elaine I-“ he says hoarsely

Elaine frowns sadly as she goes over and hugs him

“Well Ban...maybe she wasn’t the right one..there’s other people who can make you happy” she says

“Her injuries, she had bandages on her right arm and an injury on her ankle as well! She can get really hurt out there I have to find her” he cried

“Ban she left you, maybe it’s time to move on” Elaine says hintfully and lets go of Ban as she flies to the cup, she gives it to Ban and smiles at him

“Really?” He asks and she nods blushing a bit, he drank it slowly and when Elaine wasn’t looking he poured some inside of a glass bottle

“Ban I like-“ Elaine begins but Ban gets up

“I’m sorry Elaine I think this is the last time you’ll be seeing me, I checked every inch of the forest last night so that means Y/n has left the forest, I’m gonna be leaving as soon as I make it to the tent and get my stuff” he says to the girl who’s face falls in despair

“W-What wait but Ban she-“ she began

“She left? She had a good reason, if I was in her position I’d be upset too I can’t blame her” he says running a hand through his hair

“B-BUT SHE-SHE” Elaine tries to plead but stops when she sees Ban smile at her

“No matter what she did or does, she’s the only one my heart races for, in life or in death Y/n is my one true love so...wherever she goes I’ll chase her” he says and with that he jumps off the tree

Elaine falls to her knees as she watches the spot Ban once stood in, her head falling down as tears fell on to the tree

Ban had gotten to the tent and began packing all his stuff he got his money bag from under his sleeping , though he wonders where you hid yours and leaves

He travels for towns and towns looking for you, he had finally found you but much to his dismay you got captured since you were injured and were in a pretty tight situation as you were on death row

He watched as you and other prison mates were in a yard just doing your own things, you were laying on a bench staring at the sky

“Pssst”

You look up quickly and look around not seeing anyone, you were about to lay back down

“Pssst Y/n!”

You look around again noticing the familiar voice

“I must be going crazy” you mutter as you hold your forehead

“You’re not! Look over here!”

You slowly look to the side of the fence you were near and your eyes slowly landed on a bush, soon blue hair popped up from behind the bush and Ban gave you that grin of his

“Ban!” You say, a smile on your face, but you quickly replace it by a scowl and look away from him

He smiles slightly at that

“Y/n come on look at me” he whispers and you begrudgingly look over at him and he smiles, causing you to get flustered and your scowl to shake trying not to smile

“What are you doing here, you better hurry up and escape before they catch you too” you whisper not looking at him, instead watching the guards

He laughs

“As if I would leave you in a jail cell, come on let’s go” he says and you look at him stupidly

“Let’s go? No thanks death row isn’t that bad” you say coldly and he sighs

“Fine, guess we have to do this the hard way” he says shrugging

“HEY GUARDS” He shouts and your eyes widen as you sit up and block him with your body as the guards and inmates look at you

“UHH YEAH GUARDS, UHM YOUR ZIPPERS DOWN” you say and cringe deeply when the guards both look down and one coughs as he zips up his zipper, the inmates laughing

When everything died down you looked at Ban deadly

“Are you crazy?” You whisper

“Crazy for you”

Your mouth closes as you try to not blush but it’s inevitable as your brows unfurrow and a small smile takes over

“There’s that smile I love” he says and you roll your eyes as you huff slightly

“You better explain, I’m not giving you another chance so don’t you lie to me” you say and he nods quickly like a dog, you can basically see the tail behind him wagging

“Now step back babe, you’re boyfriends here to save you” he says smugly and you roll your eyes as you back up

He takes out his staff and in a swift motion breaks the fence, the guards all look over

“HEY” one shouts and you gasp as Ban quickly scoops you up and starts running

“It’s okay! I’ll take this bandit off your hands!” He shouts amused as he runs, he runs into a forest and does many turns eventually losing the guards who had to return back before any other inmates escaped

He puts you down lightly and you cross your arms to which he snorts

“I can run you know” you say and he shakes his head as he leans down and takes out a jar of green stuff

“They’re not as good as yours but they should do” he says and he gently takes your leg as he pulls up the inmate suit and sees your swollen ankle

“Tch stupid guards didn’t even treat it” he mutters as he takes some of the green cream and slowly and gently rubs it over your ankle

You can’t lie this felt really good but

“The first night I went up to try to plead for the youth drink” he says and you look at him

“The second night I went up to try and bribe for the youth drink”

“The third night I spoke to her, I tried to get to know her so she can see we have no bad intentions but one night wasn’t enough”

“The 4th night she had decent trust in me, so we continued talking”

He sighed as he started wrapping the bandage around your ankle softly, you don’t think you’ve ever seen Ban this gentle

“And the 5th night?” You ask and he looks to the side, you noticed a slight blush

“The 5th night I asked advice on what I should do to make you forgive me..” he mutters and your mouth falls agape slightly, it slowly forms into a small smile

“I’m sorry for not letting you explain..” you say and he shakes his head

“No, I can see how this looked from your perspective” he says as he rolls up your sleeves and switches the old bloodied bandages on your arm

You chuckle softly

“So I guess we can’t be together forever” you say sighing and as he rubs the herb cream on your bruised back he raises his eyebrow and pulls out a glass bottle with pink liquid

“Sorry but you’re not escaping me so easily” he says and you gasp as you grab the bottle and look at it

“This is really it??” You say looking back at him and he nods proudly

You slowly open it and drink it, but you didn’t feel that different

“Did it work?” You ask and he shrugs to which you deadpan

That day you both held hand as you jumped off a cliff, when you landed you guys sat up as you laughed and high fived, it worked

After a few months both you and Ban were caught purposely cause life began to get boring, you both sat in the same cell, after 33 executions you both are still alive in confinement

“I win” you say as you cross an all three X’s on the tic tac toe you made on the dirt in the ground

“You’re cheating” Ban replies and you laugh

Soon the door blows open and you two looked over to see a short man with blonde hair, you both smiled as Meliodas smiled back at you two

“Glad to see you two are still lovebirds”

[azureaqua]

❥︎ The Queen's Deceit • Ikemen Prince fanfiction

DISCLAIMER;

1. I don't own any of the ikepri characters and surroundings here, just my OC whom I created just for this purpose!

2. This is my first writing here and on top of that my first English writing! It's not my first language so there could be typos, and grammatical errors (as I'm still kind of learning the language) — in case this happens please tell me, I'm quick to fix them and make better quality!

3. Last, but not least is the story itself and some characters' personalities. Since the plot doesn't follow after our MC in the game, things can be different! Also, some elements were completely invented by me, so please keep an eye out for that too! (Plus, there could be spoilers for some routes.)

• Chapter I.

(If you guys want a theme song for our protagonist;))

Ice. And cold. I got used to it by now. Or at least my mind did, a long ago... But my body would still let me down after all these years and warn me by constantly getting goosebumps and shivering, not feeling at first my fingers tips then my hands and feet. I was burning from inside to outside... As if those ice crystals in my heart were burning down my body slowly, mercilessly. Wanting to destroy my organs first so that my chilled, helpless body will be unusable by the time I'm dead. Merely, a frozen corpse, an icy prison for my past self.

...But I should be okay after I'm ready. There.

I sighed while walking fast, trying to keep my pace and breathing steady. The exhalation when the carbon dioxide fled first from my lungs and then through my mouth to become one with the very perishing and choking air around me appeared lightly before my eyes. I saw the delicate poisoned steam as they spread all over the area. Almost saw the icy crystals too that might have frozen in that instant moment I let out my sigh. Suddenly the whole corridor around me felt cruel, nearly pinning me down in one place to notice my surroundings. And stop. But I had no time to spare nor observe. I have to keep going.

And damn, it is exceptionally cold tonight. I better sleep with double blankets after this, I guess...

"Your Highness? What are you doing here at this time of the night?" 

I heard one of the head maids calling me. I was in the kitchen, holding a plate of food, so I wasn't suspicious. My back was facing her, but I had to be careful nonetheless. I had the venom ready in my hand, too - just a couple drops from it, and it could be fatal. But... was this really what I wanted right now? I was eager about it before, but now I'm suddenly scared. 

Vater wouldn't be proud of me now, would he? Neither Gilbert, for that matter. Good thing I won't see them for a while... Let's get over this. 

"Ja, it's me, Franziska. Don't worry, I just finished training a little late and got hungry, so I will take this meal to my room if you don't mind." I tried to sound as normal and tired as possible, hoping my voice won't shake. I almost laughed nervously at the end, but that would have given away the whole act. 

Although I was still showing my back to her, I wasn't sure where she was standing exactly, so I feared that the next moment she would look over my shoulder and see what I'm doing. If only my hands wouldn't shake so much... But this is the first time I'm doing something like this, it's not like I'm a professional. I just have to be fast. 

Thanks to this nerve-racking position I was in, I no longer felt the cold eating me up, I assume this is the only positive aspect of this. Suddenly I was more like; burning with dishonesty, a bit of mischief, and excitement. 

"Very well, Prinzessin, I'll leave you to it then. But please don't overwork yourself, your mother has been worried about you." She said in a sorrowful tone. 

...It's nice of you to say something like this, Franziska, but - unfortunately - I know my mother very well. She would never be worried about me, especially after what occurred a year and a half ago.

"Trust me, I won't. I appreciate you and my mother worrying about me, but I'm doing good, training keeps me in shape, and it helps me a lot in my daily tasks, so I know my limits." At the last sentence, I turned my head in her direction and watched as she bowed to me and left. Finally, this was quite close!

I didn't waste any more of my short time and poured some delicate drops from the small vial in my hand to every point of the healthy meal. Or... well, not so healthy anymore. 

After that, I quietly slipped out of the master kitchen and tried to use some hidden passages throughout the castle to get to my destination quicker, without more people seeing me. At one point, while I was walking the stairs, I believe I caught a glimpse of something or someone, but neither of us was interested enough to investigate at this time, close to midnight. I only sincerely hoped it wasn't Gilbert or one of his watchmen or soldiers. Usually, they are the ones who use these shortcuts in the palace the most, and they also finish training late, or there could be a guard switch every 3 hours, so it was evident for me to get worried. But when I saw my room at the end of the corridor in the East wing, I silently ran towards it and finally felt safe after a long day. 

I kicked off my boots hurriedly, but before I stripped down for a sedative and comforting hot shower, I noticed that the maids must have left my window open since the morning... I was back to freezing at last. 

After half an hour, my brain felt at peace finally. I was relaxed and calm... Before the storm. 

The last thing I thought about before falling into a pleasant slumber was that I prayed that the forenoon, I wouldn't see Gilbert - or any of his subordinates, for that matter. Normally we would eat breakfast in our rooms or at the training grounds, but he's quick to sense if something's amiss. What if he comes into my room to see if I'm still sleeping or eating? Of course, this wouldn't be a problem in itself, but I know I won't be here the next time the Sun rises. At the same time, the next evening I won't be in my room either, taking a shower after a rough training, and more importantly - I won't be sleeping in my bed, neither tomorrow nor the day after that. What he'll do? 

If he finds out sooner than he should... I may get all of us killed. 

I must wake up earlier than him because I will outsmart my brother once in my life. 

...Quick, I have to make my way down fast!

In a hurry, I ran downwards on the castle's stairs as swiftly and silently as I could. I woke up before sunrise, as I wanted, but I had so much preparing to do I was constantly debating in my head that I underestimated myself and my timing.

Every second I thought that I'm running late, and at the gates - when I got my horse and assistant with me - I'll run into Gilbert, and my whole mission will fly out the window into some relentless coldness and endless suffering. Also, my second biggest fear was that what if Ingrid forgot what I told her last night? Not that she has ever forgotten anything I said to her, but still. 

Now for once, as I was running, I was not afraid to make too much noise as I didn't have my armor on me. I decided it was for the best; I won't be too recognizable. I plan to keep a low profile, and I want to do it right. 

I finally reached the castle grounds and cut through our spacious garden which didn't bloom beautifully even in the spring. That's the curse of Obsidian, I guess. Then for this matter, why did we even have a garden? 

Meanwhile, moving continuously, I reached the royal stables, unleashed my horse, and walked with her to the gate. I felt a pang of relief in my heart when I saw my assistant waiting with her horse near the enormous doors. I also already had an idea forming in my head about what I'll do with the gatekeeper guards, but that had to wait a little longer. 

"Ready, Eure Majestät?" Asked Ingrid, however, she immediately hopped onto her horse - as if not expecting any response. But after I nodded my head, we went on. 

It's time to deal with the guards... It's early, so I hope whatever I bribe them with, they'll take it without a word and keep their mouths shut in front of my mother and my brother. 

"Guten Morgen meine Herren! Could you please open the gates for us?" I used my best smile to be engaging. 

"May we know where you're going so early, Prinzessin?" Asked one of them, however, the other guard - ignoring his companion - reached for the handles to open the desired entrance... Our entrance to freedom.

"Oh, I can't possibly tell you everything. This one is a top-secret mission of mine if you'd please!" I was still smiling, but now it was a forced smile. 

Just don't ask for more details, let us go already..!

"Very well. What should we say to dein Bruder?" Meanwhile, finally, the guard who's been questioning me moved to open the gates too. 

"He knows about it, don't worry." I thanked them one last time and beckoned Ingrid to follow me. I immediately kicked my horse into a gallop, running into the dry, blackish field, feeling free. 

Shortly my assistant caught up to me and hurriedly asked me. 

"Eure Majestät, where are we planning to go exactly?" There she goes, being worried... But it's true though, I didn't say any specific destination to her last night. Not that I have any better idea now.

"Oh come on, enjoy this freedom a little bit, will you?" I laughed, which made her laugh too. "I will figure it out when the time's right." I reassured her at last and started galloping again.

It will be a long way anyway while we reach some borders, so I had plenty of time to decide which way to go. Until then, we can feel the fresh air burning through us with the marvelous taste of liberty in our mouths, making us drunk early this dawn. 

There's nothing better than this at the moment. 

"Are you sure about this? Entirely?" She sighed, her face troubled as she held my horse's bridle tightly in her other hand. 

I dismounted my horse, close to the evening hours when we reached a border in the South-Eastern region. I wasn't planning to arrive on horseback since everyone knows that only royals travel with horses, and right now, I wasn't thriving to be royalty. Right now, I have to look like a commoner, and I have to act like one. That's why I decided near the border that I will walk from now on. 

"Look on the bright side, Ingrid, you can take some day-offs! I will manage, I promise!" 

"I know you'll manage, that’s not the thing I'm most worried about. It's the country, the territory you chose. Are you sure Rhodolite is the best place to escape for a while as an Obsidianite princess and a member of the Royal Family? You know they hate us... If you get found out, they'll kill you. And maybe, but just maybe, start a war too." I sighed, seeing her anxious expression. 

"I know what I'm doing, but they will never know. That's the key; not letting them know. I'm familiar with the consequences and risks that may occur in this short period, but I need to do this. For several personal reasons. You trust me, right? You will know when I need you next time I will reach you, so don't worry, Ingrid." I stepped closer to her and hugged her. 

"Just relax around here... Feel the freedom without the kingdom's responsibilities for a little while. You can use my horse too if you want. Just don't go back to the palace and guard our secret. You're the only one I truly trust in Obsidian, not even my brother. I will be careful because it's worth it. It's worth it to be careful because I know I can go back to someone." I patted her on the shoulder one last time and started running towards the border. 

Buckle up, Rhodolite; here I come!________________________________________________________________________________________

(Okay, so how did you guys like the first part? Was it clear, was it good? Honestly this is my first English ff I posted anywhere, since I usually write in my native language, but a couple of days ago I thought I should try something new and develop my skills... I’m open to any critisism and/or opinion, bc I have nothing to lose as this is my first time haha! Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed! :D)

Part 2 is here!

[bakumu-archive]

maybe its true

denki kaminari x reader

wc: 1.4k

summary: you know denki loves you, so why do you feel so alone?

cw: hurt/comfort, depressive thoughts, being alone, tickling, fluff, mentions of food

a/n: this ones been in my drafts for a month. does this count as an apology for being mean to him in my baku bday fic? shout out to my wonderful beta reader, @winniethepoohloathesyou​ you're the best  ♥

minors do not interact. this work contains mature themes and if you continue reading you have agreed you are willing to see such content

You know that Denki still loves you. 

It's written all over his face as he tells you all about his new video game obsession. How his eyes light up showing you all the progress he's made, and all the things he wants to do. He loves to talk to you about the things he loves because he loves you too.

You can see it in his eyes in the way that he jumps to help you with the dishes when you ask him to, washing the dishes while you get dinner started before he makes his way back to the game room. 

You can hear it in his voice when he talks to you, cracking jokes and being playful with you to dispel the sorrow that he can see hidden in your eyes. 

And he's good at loving you too. He knows how to hold you just right, how to give you the perfect forehead kisses, and how to smile at you so that your heart flutters every time.

So why do you feel so sad? So alone? 

You know you shouldn't feel like this. Your brain is being irrational, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt. That the pain you feel of being pushed away isn't valid.

Because he comes to bed later and later each night; some nights not crawling under the covers until the sun is already up. The evenings you used to spend cuddling on the couch watching anime are now spent alone while he sits at his computer. The way everything he does is only done so he can go back to his games faster. Dinner is eaten later and later each night, until it’s 10 p.m. and the food has long since gone cold. The way he doesn't touch you like you need him to anymore, and if he does, it’s only because you begged him.

Is it enough that he loves you? Shouldn't you be his number one source of happiness? Why does he have to seek out and spend all his time away from you? Why aren't you enough? 

It’s a stupid thought, one that you always fight as soon as it appears, because you know where it lead. But maybe it is true.

Maybe you are just being annoying. Trying to drag his attention away from things that make him happy. Being selfish and needy trying to consume all of him time.

But shouldn't you alone be able to make him happy? Are you not good enough anymore?

You try and push the thoughts away, but they are too loud and incessant.

And besides, you know what he would say if you brought it up to him. What he always says when you bring it up.

"I work all day and just want to play my games and relax when I get home. It has nothing to do with you, I love you, I just need to clear my mind."

The phrasing never sits right with you: are you not relaxing to be around? Does your presence in his life annoy him to the point where he has to play video games to escape you?

Stupid, stupid thoughts. Obviously, you don't annoy him like that. But it still stings. Still hurts.

You roll over in your dark bedroom, checking the time on your phone, blinded by the illuminated screen momentarily.

2:05 a.m. 

Denki stayed up until 5:40 a.m. last night and woke up at 10 this morning. Thank god, it's a weekend, but he has to be getting tired by now, right?

You debate going to talk to him or just staying wrapped in the warmth of your blankets. Either way could end up with you sad and disappointed so you might as well make sure he hasn't fallen asleep in an awkward position. The last thing he needs is to have a sore neck and back.

You make your way through the dark house before peaking your head into the game room. Denki looks up from his screen and sends you one of his big smiles. Your heart instantly feels lighter but you can't hide the sadness in your voice as you speak.

"Are you coming to bed soon?"

His eyes grow wider at the crack in your voice, before he looks back down at his game. His mind seems to be racing and calculating, before he speaks. 

"You know, I really wanted to get this done today. I've been trying to get it just perfect. Just a few more minutes and I'll be in. I promise, babe."

You try and hide the selfish hurt in your eyes. You knew this would be the outcome, it was foolish to even come ask. 

Your lip quivers trying to hold in the pain and you mumble, "Okay, Denks. I'm going to go to sleep now. See you in the morning."

You leave, turning to go back to your room. The bed that you share with him will be cold on his half yet again as you fall asleep, but at this point you should be used to it, right? 

You are almost to the bedroom door, too wrapped up in your own feelings to notice the sound of feet moving toward you at a fast pace. His body slams into yours and you jump as arms wrap around your waist and Denki envelops you in his arms. He gives you a firm kiss on the cheek before resting his chin on your shoulder. 

"You looked too cute to be going to bed alone. I wouldn't want anyone to snatch you up before you got there, it's dangerous out here you know."

"In our own hallways? Shouldn't some pro-hero be here protecting us?" You sigh and roll your eyes at him as you lean into his embrace, enjoying it while it lasts.

He snuggles his nose into your neck before responding, “You are so right, I really need to call someone about the patrol routes.”

His hands move down to your hips slowly as he speaks again, “There have been sightings around here of a tickle monster on the loose. I would hate to see him get his hands on you.”

His fingers start to twitch at your sides.

You try to give him a warning, “Denki, don't you—” but you were too slow. His fingers dance over all of your most sensitive areas, tickling you until you laugh and plead for him to stop, but the noise just bounces off the walls all around you, falling on deaf ears. 

His grasp eventually falters and your squirming body is eventually able to break free, making a run for the bedroom, but Denki is close on your heels. You jump onto the bed and grab a pillow to hold above your head as a weapon to defend yourself. 

“Woah, woah, ok I didn't know that we kept weapons in here,” Denki laughs as he sees your fighting stance. “I'll turn myself in.”

He takes a running jump to the bed and belly flops onto the mattress with a force so large you almost fall off. He rolls over and looks up at you before opening his arms and motioning you to cuddle with him.

You flop into his embrace, snuggling into his chest as he starts to pet your hair. Both of your breathing slowly returning to normal after your battle. 

Denki gives your forehead a soft kiss before he's angling your chin up so he can look you in the eyes.

“Babe, I’m really sorry I haven't been paying attention to you. How about tomorrow morning I make those special pancakes you love so much and we can talk about it more then?”

Your body perks up a bit. “The ones with the whipped cream?”

“Yep,” he closes his eyes looking smug before he peaks one eyes open at you, “including the secret sauce.”

You let out a small ouh before snuggling into him closer, getting comfortable in the bed that finally has the warmth you've been denied for so long, a small smile appearing on your face.

He reaches down to your hand and entwines his fingers with yours, his thumb rubbing small circles into your soft skin before he looks at you again, eyes swimming with love and regret.

“You're my everything, my whole world. You know that, right?”

You smile back at him, nodding before burying your face in his chest, getting more comfortable and warm by the second.

You know that you need to have a bigger conversation with him, but that can wait until tomorrow because right now you just need to bask in this feeling, of being surrounded by his love.

As you drift off to sleep you hear him, “Good night, Y/N. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Denks.”

thanks for reading :)

send me an ask to be added to my taglist!  @matchamintmochi @unlimitedpastapass @eijirosriot

[delimeful]

in sickness and in health (2)

this fic was patron picked to be published by a 24 hour poll! hope you enjoy! :)

warnings: fear, fairly bad illness, murder mentions, crying, remus saying some remus things

-

The next morning, after a few measly hours of sleep, Virgil poked his head out of one of the upper boltholes in his human’s bedroom and found him still in the same position, the sheets damp with sweat around him.

Another check in a couple hours later found much the same.

And another.

And then night had fallen, and still his human hadn’t moved, looked perhaps even worse than before. Even more galling, nobody else had come over to check on him.

It was to be expected, he knew. He’d seen the human collapse and sleep a day or two away after one of his week-long at-home work sessions; it was only natural that his many friends assumed this was the same sort of scenario.

Except it wasn’t. And now his stupid human was too unconscious to even contact anyone. Virgil dragged his hands over his face, bemoaning the situation and humans and even the world in general.

He peeked down over the ledge, studying what he could see of the burns. Another application couldn’t hurt. At the very least, his parents hadn’t raised him to leave a job half-done.

His human would wake up soon, he told himself sternly as he made the trek over to the nightstand. He paused, and shook his head. There was no point in avoiding using names anymore. He was literally risking his life to go tend to the human’s wounds— he was much more than attached, at this point.

Patton would wake up soon, he told himself as he unscrewed the ointment tube’s cap. It almost sounded a little more believable like that.

Unfortunately, it ended up being truer than he would have liked.

He was halfway done with the right hand when the general unease he wore around like a second skin suddenly spiked into outright fear. He went still, straining all his senses.

There— it was the silence that was setting him off. The constant backdrop of low, raspy breathing had suddenly gone completely quiet.

As if someone was holding their breath.

Slowly, Virgil turned to confirm what his instincts were already telling him, and met the gaze of a pair of huge brown eyes.

Despite himself, he went frozen. Knowing how large humans were was one thing, but being seen by one? It had never happened to him before, and he felt utterly pinned under the stare.

(His sleeves were rolled up. Could the human see the markings on his body? Other borrowers recognizing Virgil as a part of that group was bad enough, but a human-- A human could do so much worse.)

Patton let out a little whoosh of air, as though deciding that he didn’t have to hold his breath to avoid disturbing him anymore. “Um, hi.”

His voice, even at an almost-whisper, was crackly and rough, and it made Virgil jerk slightly, his mind desperately trying to convince his locked up body to bolt already.

Patton’s hand twitched a little in response to the motion, and Virgil went stone-still again. He was standing right next to the curve of the hand, had unwittingly practically done everything but climb into the human’s palm himself. In this position, he had no doubt that in a race between him and Patton’s reflexes, he would lose.

But the human hadn’t grabbed yet. The longer it stayed that way, the better.

“Didn’t mean to startle you,” Patton mumbled apologetically. His eyes were a little glazed over; he probably thought he was dreaming. Good for Future Virgil, bad for Present Virgil. “You takin’ care of me?”

Virgil let the silence stretch, and then nodded a little when it was clear Patton was waiting for an answer. There was no point in denying it; he’d been caught red-handed. Ointment-handed. Whatever.

“Thanks,” Patton replied, face scrunching up into a weak grin. “I guess a little first aid is just what I needed.”

Not even a raging fever could hold back the puns, it seemed. Virgil narrowly avoided snorting, a return jab about Patton being a big pain on the tip of his tongue.

Abruptly, though, the hand was curling around him, sending his pulse racing as his route of escape was cut off.

Horrific ways this could end ran through his mind one after another; The human was nearly out of his head with fever, all he had to do was misjudge his strength even a little and Virgil would snap—

Everything went still again. Virgil struggled to slow his breathing, gaze darting back and forth like a cornered mouse. Patton’s hand had curled around him, pressing just slightly on his arms without actually trying to lift him. He was just sort of... holding him.

“Y’okay?” Patton murmured, and his thumb (thankfully ointment-free) gently patted his shoulder. “It’s justa’ thank you hug.”

On cue, his almost-grip loosened, hand remaining half-cupped around him but open enough that he could easily step out. Testingly, he stepped forward once, twice, always watching Patton’s face like a hawk as he did.

Patton blinked slowly at him, apparently completely unfazed by Virgil performing the world’s slowest escape.

It wasn’t until he was nearly to the edge of the bed that Patton stirred, shuffling his shoulder a bit and turning his head a bit farther to keep watching him.

“Leavin’?” he asked, looking almost a little worried. Virgil couldn’t imagine why; if anyone had the right to be worried here, it was him.

Still, he was finally close enough to his hook that he could definitely make it if Patton even twitched wrong toward him, so he took a deep breath and nodded, waiting to see how the human would react.

“‘Kay, be safe,” Patton offered, his cheek smushed against his pillow. His eyes were already half-lidded, apparently already preparing to head back to sleep now that there weren’t any convenient borrowers around to scare the life out of.

It couldn’t be that easy. Could it?

Virgil kept checking over his shoulder as he grabbed his rope, but Patton’s attention had already strayed, and as he descended, the human’s breathing returned to that familiar, sleep-slow cadence.

He only barely managed to make it back into the walls before a hysterical laugh bubbled up from his chest. He slid down to a sitting position, trying to get his breathing under control. He’d been seen, he’d have to pack up everything he’d made and leave to face the treacherous elements again--

… Except. Except Patton hadn’t grabbed him. That was no promise of safety, but… really, he had barely seemed fazed at all by the presence of a tiny person in his space. Unnaturally so, for a human. Virgil knew well how a ravaging sickness could make anyone less than keen, leave their memory foggy. There was every possibility that that was the case here.

And if it was… Virgil didn’t have to move. He could observe Patton once he got better, stay discreet and make sure that his existence was dismissed as nothing more than a fever dream.

It was a risk, but… wasn’t every choice a borrower made risky?

(He was tired of leaving homes behind.)

---

There was one problem with his plan: it required Patton to get better.

Watching the human now, it seemed that he was intent on doing anything but that. Virgil scowled down at the bed from his check-in shelf, trying to shove down the worry at the sight of Patton twisting and turning in the sheets, iller than ever.

It seemed his moment of brief lucidity (if it could be called that) hadn’t lasted. He’d spent over a day in bed, only getting worse.

Virgil was getting well and truly worried.

(He didn’t know how long it took humans to recover, but he had an extensive frame of reference for how long it took humans to succumb to sickness.)

He’d taken to pacing indecisively back and forth at his latest check in, thousands of potential options and their terrible outcomes running through his head, when a low noise caught his ear.

Patton was crying, little hitching sobs that came out rough and crackly, blinking harshly as he stared up at the ceiling.

Virgil couldn’t tell why; it could’ve been a nightmare, physical pain, or just the helplessness of being so terribly sick. He gripped the edge of the shelf he was hiding on, biting his lip harshly.

If he called out, would it help? Would Patton listen? Would he remember, later?

Before he could try, the creak of bedsprings drew his eyes back to the human, who was twisting onto his side, reaching for the bedside table. Where his phone was.

“Yes,” Virgil whispered, watching the human strain to reach just a little further. “Come on, come on…”

Patton’s hand grabbed at the edge of the phone, so close to being able to finally get the help he needed— and it fell right through his fingers, his grip too weak to hang onto it.

It was as though their spirits plummeted right along with the phone, landing with a muffled thud on the bedroom floor. Patton let out another half-sigh, half-sob, and settled back onto the bed, exhausted from even that small expenditure of energy. Virgil’s lip began to bleed from how hard he was biting it.

Within moments, the room was quiet again, Patton returning to that hazy unconsciousness.

By then, Virgil had already made his choice.

(It was almost poetic. What better way to spit in the face of his upbringing than to save a human?)

He made his way through the walls in record time, finally able to use the pent up energy he’d accumulated from all that time helplessly watching.

Once he got to the floor, he paused for only a moment to listen to the rhythmic breathing above before darting over to the phone, lying in the shadow of the bed. He flipped it over and pressed the button, the screen lighting up with a picture of a cat.

“Isn’t he allergic?” Virgil muttered, and then shook his head, swiping through to the home screen. Luckily, Patton didn’t seem to have any locks, though Virgil hated to imagine how that trust could be abused.

He recognized the old phone shape on one of the icons easily enough, and squinted at the contact list for a long moment before finding the one with a tiny picture of someone he recognized: Patton’s loud friend, the one who came over for movie nights when they were both free (a rare occurrence).

“Roman”’s number was pressed immediately, and it was only as the phone began to ring that Virgil realized he had not thought this plan through.

The phone rang once, twice, and just as he thought it would ring out and he’d be able to think of a plan-- “Patton! Perfect timing!”

He jerked away from the tinny voice, casting a glance up at the bed where Patton laid. If this was enough to rouse him, even just enough to talk, this situation would resolve itself.

“...Patton? Hellooo?”

The human above didn’t even twitch at his friend’s call.

“Ooh, did you get a booty call from Daddy Dearest?” another voice asked, gleeful and a little bit fainter than the first.

“What-- it’s buttdial, I know you know how that sounds, Remus!” There was the sound of tussling for a moment, and then Roman’s voice piped back up, sounding strained. “Okay, Pat, call back later, I guess? Remus, lemme go--”

The line went dead.

Virgil smacked the screen harshly, cursing the fact that Patton’s friends were apparently prone to nonsense and not nearly as concerned as they should be about the situation, as little as they knew about it. He glanced up at his Human again, brow furrowed.

No speaking, no texts, no physical evidence. How could he get their attention without giving himself away?

He leaned forward and pressed the call button again.

“Uh… Patton?” There was a long pause, and then a nervous laugh. “Jeez, what is he up to?”

Virgil hung up, and called again.

“What the heckity heck--”

Virgil hung up, and called again.

“Patton, are you there?”

“Maybe there’s a serial killer in his house and he can’t pipe up or they’ll get to his windpipes!” the second voice, presumably “Remus”, chimed in.

“Shut up, that’s not it!” There was an uncertain pause. “Patton, that’s not it, right? C’mon, Padre, you’re freaking me out worse than the Outage Incident of ‘09.”

Virgil hung up, and called again, ignoring the phone’s buzzing as worried texts began to filter in.

“Something’s wrong. If his phone was accidentally calling me from his pocket, he’d be replying to my texts.”

Yes! Virgil held his breath, letting the thick silence hang in the air.

“Patton, are you there? Do you need help? Give me some sort of signal,” Roman pleaded, and Virgil leaned back, desperately searching his memory for a sign that would mean something to Roman.

There was something he’d overheard, lurking in nearby wall corridors during one of their sleepovers. Roman had been waxing poetic about effective storytelling.

“That’s the thing about repetition,” he’d said. “Like that saying! Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, but three times? That’s a pattern. And patterns have meaning!”

Virgil had rolled his eyes at the time. The advice didn’t hold true for borrowers, who avoided patterns like the plague. One slip up was all it took to have to uproot his whole life or worse, after all.

Now, though, he latched onto the memory with both hands.

Two witnesses to this were two too many, but so long as they couldn’t prove anything… he pulled out his hook and carefully tapped the side of the phone, producing three distinct, dull clinks.

There was a clutter of alarmed arguing on the other end, and Virgil hurriedly smacked the red ‘end call’ button once more, his nerves frayed.

After a moment, more texts popped up.

Roman!!! ❤️👑✨: patton, i know you wouldnt pull a prank like this

Roman!!! ❤️👑✨: ur spare key is still under the kitten statue, right?

Roman!!! ❤️👑✨: im coming over

Virgil sank back on his heels, letting out a long sigh of relief. Thank goodness he knew how to read.

After another moment of shaky decompression, he hurried back into the walls, returning to his former vantage point on the shelf.

The phone lit up a few more times, the cheery ringtone of an attempted call still not quite enough to bring Patton back to awareness. Virgil resisted the urge to go climb up on a windowsill, knowing that it was far too risky, and he wouldn’t be able to recognize any human vehicles anyhow.

Finally, finally, there was the sound of a key rattling in the front door’s lock. Virgil ducked back behind a novelty bobblehead as voices spilled into the house, growing more alarmed once they reached the kitchen. Virgil remembered belatedly that the mess from Patton’s disastrous attempt to make cookies was still there.

“Patton!” Roman appeared at the doorway, eyes fixed on the bedridden form of his friend. He rushed over, pressing a wrist to his forehead. “You’re burning up…”

With some careful maneuvering, he managed to lift Patton from the bed in a bridal carry, calling for Remus to get the door.

And then they were gone, off to the human version of a sickbay.

Virgil sprawled back, letting all the tension leave him, his heart still racing from his part in it all.

Now, all he had to do was wait.