#I spent way too long thinking about this today 😂

[sometimesanalice]

i am inquiring into bradley's letter jacket 👀

Thank you for coming to my rescue with the SOS ask in the tags! You’re such a gem for this, Monroe! 💖 (Part 2 of 2)

I shared some headcanons about it here! But I’ve got more details for you!

About Bradley’s Letterman jacket:

The jacket is black with white sleeves, trimmed with black and cardinal red stripes, and has matching red buttons.

Left Front:

-Patch on his left chest is a ‘W’ for Washington High School

-embroidered inserts into the ‘W’ is a small baseball with 3 bars under it, 2 white stars and 2 gold stars (one for each year on the team: white for participation, gold for captain)

-cardinals mascot patch on pocket

Left Sleeve patches:

-baseball

-2 state championship (sophomore and junior years)

-3 all-state baseball chevrons with the year embroidered on it

-#10 (his jersey number) above the cuff

Right Front:

-Bradley in embroidered in white script

-2005 grad year patch on pocket

Right arm patches:

-US flag (just like Mav)

-red chevron with white ‘captain’ embroidered on it

-scholar athlete patch (he’s smart and pretty!)

-NHS torch

(He always joked about saying he deserved a tennis patch for all of SG games that he sat through.)

Back:

-‘Bradshaw’ in block lettering, red with a white outline

-two baseball bats crossed over each other, a mitt with a ball in the middle where they intersect

-underneath that in a smaller font ‘Cardinals’, matching color and font as his last name

^general vibes

^inspo for the image on back and a couple examples of the patches on the sleeves

^the font used for the embroidery on the front

[writingforstraykids]

I feel kind of angsty today and I’m in the mood to just read something that makes me cry so hear me out.Minho/Chan or Felix argue with you because you feel neglected and such in because they are so busy and barley make time for you and you just want to feel a little affection and they are also upset because they are stressed and kind of blow up and say stuff they shouldn’t have and evereyone is upset.Maybe they solve it (or they don’t if you want to be mean).But I really need something gut wrenching.

(Also don’t rush and take your time with writing this if you even want to<3)

-🎀

I've decided to be extra mean and make this a poly mess so you have all of the boys in it😂😂 I hope you like it and I don't make you cry too hard...also if you ever wanna talk, just let me know hun🥺���

You don't need me

Pairing: Minchanlix x femReader | Minho x Chan x Felix x femReader

Word Count: 2391

Warnings/Tags: angst, argument, insecurities, feeling neglected, feeling left out, loneliness, chan's a little stressed meanie, Minlix is...idk🤣

bold indicates English

do not repost, translate, or plagiarize my works in any way here or on other platforms. ©️writingforstraykids 2024 -

Minho races down the stairs, cursing quietly as he drops his keys. He quickly bends down to pick them up, and his glasses, which he only quickly pushed up his nose before, fall onto the floor.

"Are you okay?" you ask, amused.

"Obviously not," he says, clearly annoyed.

"Well, can I help?" you ask gently, and Minho firmly shakes his head, grabbing his sneakers.

"I'm late; there's nothing you can do about that," he tells you, and you're about to answer, but he cuts you off. "Yongbok! I swear if you don't move your ass down here in five seconds, I'll drive without you!" he yells upstairs, making you flinch at the volume of his voice.

"Is Channie already-?"

"Don't think he slept here tonight," Minho shakes his head and grabs his bag. "FELIX!"

"Minho, for fucks sake!" Felix yells back and appears at the top of the stairs. "I swear, this man is driving me crazy. As if those five seconds would make any difference at this point, my God. It's Hyunjin, he won't kill us!" he curses as he walks downstairs, his hair messily falling around his head.

"Don't you start talking English now and think I don't know that means you're talking shit about me," Minho tells him, throwing his sneakers at him. "Put those on, we're late."

"Well, if someone wouldn't have taken so long waking up today," Felix comments and rolls his eyes at him. He looks up, startled, as you carefully brush his hair back for him, trying to fix the mess. "Not now, Y/nnie, we have to leave," he gently shakes you off.

You pull back your hand and nod gently, glancing at Minho, who's grabbing his stuff and unlocking the door. "Bye, see you later!" he shouts and waves you, stepping outside. Only two seconds later, he's back. "Felix, I swear I will kick you."

"Fuck off," Felix curses under his breath and grabs his things, waving at you and slipping outside as well. The door falls closed, and you're standing still for a moment.

"Well, good morning and goodbye to you too. I love you too," you whisper to yourself and sigh softly. Turning around you spot their packed lunch boxes still on the table. "Shit," you curse and throw your head back, frustrated. You know they barely make time to eat unless you made it. Well, maybe you could visit them later, get your kiss, and check on Chan.

You stand still in the suddenly very empty house and try to remember the last time they were all home and you've spent some quality time together. It feels like months and you soon realize it has been. One of them has always been either working or not even in the country. Sometimes it really doesn't feel like you're living with your three boyfriends but some roommates who stop by now and then.

"Oh, come on, don't be so dramatic," you shake your head and chew on your lower lip. You don't know when the last time was you had breakfast all together, you got a kiss goodbye from all of them or they came back in time for dinner. Needless to say, no one has properly touched you in weeks as well. Were you that easy to forget? Are you just another assignment to get done on their daily to-do lists? Something they could just reschedule to another day if they can't make time for it?

Sighing softly you make your way upstairs and rummage through your closet, searching for a nice outfit. You find a cute summer dress they all love and decide on that. After a quick shower, you fix your hair and make yourself presentable.

-

Only a little later, you're walking down the hallway to their practice room and gently knock at the door, letting yourself inside. Minho demonstrates some steps as Felix and Hyunjin watch him closely and try to mirror his movements. Felix messes up a step, and Minho starts laughing at him, chasing him through the room. He wraps his arms around his waist and pulls him against his chest, kissing his cheek. "Yongbokie, come on," he giggles softly, and Felix tries to squirm away from him.

"I'm sorry, hyungie," he laughs, eyes shining bright. "I promise I'll do better."

"Once you're done flirting, we could continue?" Hyunjin groans playfully annoyed.

Minho turns with Felix in his hold, and they face you. Surprise laces their features. "Y/n? What are you doing here?" Minho asks confused.

"Oh, you forgot your lunch today, and I didn't know how long you'd be at the company," you tell them, and Minho nods gently.

"Thanks," he tells you and lets go of Felix, walking over to his phone.

Felix stretches tiredly and watches Minho as he scrolls through his phone. "You wanna go again?"

Minho glances at his watch before nodding. "We should. We have like an hour before the rest join us." You nod gently to yourself and put their lunch down on the bench next to their stuff. "Chan's at the studio," he tells you before turning the music back on.

You watch them stunned as they continue practicing and don't really notice the compassionate smile Hyunjin gives you. Your throat tightens, and you quickly make your way outside. You're clearly not needed here.

You knock at the door, and Jisung opens the door, smiling at you brightly. "Hey, Y/n," he beams at you and pulls you into a hug. "Chan hyung, look who's here."

"Ji, I told you no visitors right now," he groans and pulls off his headphones with a heavy sigh. He spots you in the door and nods. "Oh, hi."

"Hi," you say quietly, holding on tightly to the box in your hand. "I just wanted to bring you your lunch. I won't disturb you for long."

"Ah, okay," he says and gestures toward the small table next to the door. "Just put it there, I'll eat later. Thanks, Y/n."

"You're welcome," you nod and are about to leave again but hesitate for a moment.

"Anything else?" Chan asks, not even looking at you.

"Will you be home tonight?" you ask gently, and he raises his eyebrows, still not looking over.

"Why?"

"Because you weren't yesterday," you say and see Jisung's confused frown at that.

"Hyung, you promised," Changbin sighs from his spot on the sofa, rolling his eyes at you in secrecy.

"Y/n, we've been over this before. If I get done in time, I'll be there; if not, then not," he announces, almost a little annoyed.

You scoff at him and put down the box heavily. "Sorry for asking, I guess," you spit out and open the door, stopping when you hear him groan.

"Stop being so pushy, my god," Chan rolls his eyes and looks at you for the first time today. "I'll be there. Are you happy now?"

"You know what?" you ask lowly. "You can stay here for another night. It makes no difference if you guys are there or not, you only have eyes for each other or work. Sometimes I wonder why my three roommates even need me."

"What the fuck did you just say?" Chan asks quietly and stares at you.

"You fucking heard me," you spit out with tears burning in your eyes. "At this rate, I'm just part of the interior. You don't say good morning, you don't say goodnight, you're not home for dinner, you're not there. And if you are you're busy with work or talk to Minho and Felix only. You don't need me right now, and that fucking hurts, Chan."

"Okay, that's enough delusional behavior for one day," Chan gets up with a groan and shakes his head at you. "We'll talk about this tonight, but right now, I really don't have time for this."

"Don't bother," you shake your head at him, heart breaking. "I'll take myself back out."

"Hyung," Changbin sighs a little, but Chan ignores him.

"Come on, Y/nnie, I'll take you to your car, yeah?" Jisung says gently and wraps his arm around you, pulling you outside. "He doesn't mean it. He's being dumb."

"Yes, he does; they all do," you sniffle, and Jisung frowns at you.

"What do you mean?" he asks worriedly.

"It's been like this for weeks now. They all rush out of the house and act like I don't exist anymore," you tell him, hot tears falling down your cheeks. "I know they're stressed; I know they have a lot to do, but is it really too much to ask?"

"No, Y/nnie, it isn't," he shakes his head and pulls you into a tight hug. "I'm sure what you're describing is true. They sometimes forget everything around them when things here get rough. I'm sorry, hun," he says and soothingly rubs your back. He thinks for a moment before shaking his head and gently patting your back. "Come on, they'll never learn if they don't see what it does to you."

"No, Ji, they're busy-" you protest through tears.

"I don't care," he shakes his head and leads you down the hallway. He rips open the door to the room and pulls you with him to Minho's phone, turning the music off. "Hyunjin, you come with me. You two have something to fix here."

Minho blinks at him, confused, and his face falls, seeing you crying in his arms. "Y/nnie, kitten," he says worriedly and quickly makes his way over. "Honey, what's wrong?" he asks gently, cupping your face and searching your eyes. "Hey, look at me," he says softly.

"Y-You don't need me," you hiccup, and Minho frowns at you.

"What do you mean?" he asks, confused, and Felix steps next to you, gently rubbing your lower back.

"Babe?" Felix asks worriedly as you don't answer.

"Go get Channie," Minho tells him, eyes widening as you furiously shake your head. Chan is usually the best to comfort you when you are really upset. "No? Why, kitten? What happened?"

"Channie s-says I'm delusional," you sob quietly as Minho sits down on the bench and pulls you into his lap.

"What?" Felix asks, confused. "Did you two get into a fight?" he asks, sitting down next to the two of you.

You bury your face in Minho's chest, so desperate for such a simple gesture. Sobs shake your body as you tell them about what happened with Chan and how neglected you felt during those past weeks. It all flows freely now, and they both listen quietly, not interrupting you once. Minho's hand rubs your back soothingly, and Felix fondles your hair gently.

"Oh kitten, I'm so sorry," Minho apologizes sincerely once you're done. "I had no idea you were suffering that much because of us."

"You're right, babe, we're so busy we sometimes forget about you or act a little harsh," Felix nods guiltily and leans down to kiss your head. "I'm so sorry we made you feel like that. You don't deserve that one bit, my dear."

"I know I'm being dramatic," you sniffle into Minho's shirt.

"No, you're not," he shakes his head and rests his head against yours. You really aren't. I didn't even say goodbye properly today. Or good morning," he says, his voice laced heavily with guilt. "And...I should've told you how beautiful you look today the minute you stepped inside."

You giggle sadly and pull back. "Yeah?"

"Mhm, our pretty girl," Felix adds fondly as Minho wipes your cheeks.

"We love you so much, even if we act like idiots sometimes," Minho promises and kisses your forehead.

"I love you guys too," you tell them with a sad little smile.

"I'll go and get Channie, okay?" Felix asks softly, and you nod timidly. He giggles at the comment Minho makes and quickly makes his way to the studio. He doesn't knock at the door and steps inside. "Channie babe, we need you."

"Not now, Lix," Chan shakes his head, writing down some things for Jisung.

"Minho said if you don't move your ass over there in two minutes top he won't have sex with you for the next three months. Our tour comes up, you don't wanna risk that," Felix says with a straight face, making Changbin and Jisung crack up.

Chan glances up at him suspiciously and sees Felix isn't joking. "Oh my fucking God, fine!"

Felix walks next to him and glances at Chan thoughtfully. "Push the group back for a moment, yeah? Stray Kids doesn't matter now, she does."

Chan's face falls a little and he straightens up as they reach the door. "Yeah, okay," he says quietly and steps inside with him. You're curled up in Minho's lap on the floor by now as he's playing with your hair. Tear streaks paint your cheeks, your eyes are reddish, and you're sniffling a little. "Baby, I'm sorry," Chan sighs and gets down on the floor next to you. "I'm stressed out, I didn't sleep last night, and I took it out on you. I'm an idiot, please forgive me?" he asks guiltily and hesitantly takes your hand. He must've really hurt you if you went to Minho and Felix about it. You usually prefer to settle arguments privately.

"It's not just you," Minho shakes his head, and Felix sums it up for him. Chan nods along, and his heart gets heavier with every word leaving his boyfriend's lips.

"Oh, Y/nnie baby," he whispers with tears in his eyes. "Can I give you a hug?" You nod timidly and climb off Minho's lap and into his arms instead. Chan pulls you in tight, burying his face in your shoulder. You relax in his hold and close your eyes. No matter how mad or hurt you were, you would never deny one of Chan's healing long hugs. "I'm so sorry, you're right, we've messed up big time. I love you so much, yeah? You're so beautiful and kind, and I could never stop loving you, baby. Never. I will do better, I promise."

"I love you too," you whisper and exhale softly, your heart feeling a lot lighter now that you've told them all. Minho and Felix join your hug and kiss your hair. "You'll be home tonight?" you ask timidly.

"Yeah, we'll all be home," Chan assures you kindly and squeezes you.

MASTERLISTS | PROMPT LIST | GUIDELINES

Taglist (Please let me know if you want to be added to or removed from the taglist):

@atinyniki @mal-lunar-28 @lilmisssona @aaasia111 @galaxycatdrawz @kthstrawberryshortcake @channieaddict @soullostinspaceandtime @malfoygalaxies @rebecca-johnson-28 @michelle4eve @lixie-phoria @gxtwllsn @xxstrayland

[themeraldee]

I don't know if you're getting sick of the body type questions, but on one of your most recent asks you said, "It's not that I think that he will be immediately attracted to a larger size. He most certainly will throw all sorts of jabs and sarcastic remarks," and hooooo boy does that fulfill some kind of pathetic fantasy in me. I was wondering if you had any little tastes of like, what that would look like? The idea of being so disgusted with a girl because she doesn't fit his idealized image and slowly melting because she just has a force-of-nature personality that sees into his soul? Sounds great, give me 20.

I'm really just wondering of like, things he would say or think as he's going through it.

Deffo not getting sick of it!!! I read this in the morning and spent the entire day thinking back to this. Still somehow I don't have the perfect answers. I gotta say snappy and clever dialogue is such a weakness of mine that whatever I think of for this probably won't flow how I want it to so excuse that pls 😂

At first he'd treat her with 0 respect, dismissing her like any other office drone whinging in his ear about something they need from him. When her post turns more permanent and she doesn't scurry away at the first sign of discomfort he pushes it further, seeing how much more she can take. It's a lot less about insulting her weight and a lot more about getting under her skin and dealing with his own issues of getting increasingly more attracted to someone with a societally less desirable body.

He looks her up and down before making comments such as:

"I didn't know Vought hired women your size."

"Whew, must be real confident to wear a dress like that."

She has heard it a thousand times, men always just try to get the upper hand, wanting to be the dominant one in the exchange. While there's no question about his power, he acts just like any other man who thinks insulting her weight will magically make her turn skinny.

At first I imagine him ogling her, unabashedly staring at her ass or tits, watching as she walks or bends over. It's less about getting his dick hard and more about the condescending superiority because he feels like he's doing her a favour as according to him, pfft, who else is gonna look at you like that?

But really he always looks forward to her nonchalant responses anytime he tried to jab at her with yet another fat-shaming joke. She so doesn't take him seriously and it's such a nice change of pace that he's hooked on their interactions.

"Cookies today, huh? Still not had enough?"

"No actually, I brought some for you. The team had too many leftover so I thought I'd share."

"Well it's not like you need anymore." He's so caught off guard by the nice gesture that he has no choice but to default to more rude remarks.

"Just eat the damn cookie." He relishes in the way she shakes her head, rolling her eyes with a tiny hint of a smile.

---

"What in the christ are you drinking now? What kind of calorie bomb is that, it smells fucking awful."

"It's literally just a matcha latte, it's actually a little bitter - want to try some?"

And it's the little remarks or acknowledgements she sends back his way that get him a little too riled up. Because she has no issues with 'standing up' to him. Oops suddenly he's ogling her for a whole different reason. Jaw clenching, head swimming with thoughts of parting her soft thighs and feeling them squeeze around his head—

Until he's the one actively seeking her company because she's a breath of fresh air and doesn't cower in front of him. And he wants her so fucking bad. She offers companionship when nobody else is willing to have an entertaining conversation. It reaally doesn't take long for him to be desperate to be held by her soft body and have her words softly whispered in his ear.

[ryuichirou]

Replies

We just got back from an oceanarium where we spent 1.5 hours trying to find moray eels and then half an hour hanging out in front of their tank, so I’m pretty tired and won’t write a lot of replies today… sorry! At least I can show you these doofuses that I drew as we were watching them lol They are so delightfully dorky.

They had a giant octopus there too, but it didn’t want to come out and say hi, so the only thing that we saw was a small part of its tentacle. Azul being misanthropic once again…

Anyways, replies! Related to my Ortho/Idia drawing from yesterday.

characharing asked:

THAT ART WITH BIG ORTHO AND SMOL IDIA, I'M RABID, THANK YOU, I DIDN'T EXPECT TO EAT GOOD TODAY

YOU’RE WELCOME, PLEASE ENJOY!!! I am so happy you liked this one!!

eh-nonnie-mouse asked:

Big Ortho is Big cute. Give Onii-san lots of kisses he deserves them!!!

So I have my notifications turned on for you and when I did a preview I saw Big Ortho and a fuzzy string of blue coming out his nose 😂. I was very confused for half a second. Also Idia's hair looks like one of those felt slinky worm things that my cats used to play with (before they decided eating the long colorful this was a good idea and had that toy quickly revoked) and I was thinking Idia asking Ortho "would you love me if I was a worm?" And it being a fiery furry worm in his hand.

He’s about to kiss him once for every day of their separation! Niichan is about to get a loooot of kisses!

Oh my god, he would absolutely still love Idia if he was a worm… Isn’t Idia already kind of a worm? In a way.  A little bit. Philosophically.

I think your cat would love to play with his hair LOL I also hope it’s feeling okay after such sudden dietary changes!

[bebravedearheart]

😂 tickling for merthur!

I don't know why, I had a feeling I'd get this one😂

***

Merlin threw open the heavy curtains blocking the dawn from Arthur's chambers, eliciting a groan from the prince who for all he said Merlin puzzled him was a mystery himself. How could a man with the honed reflexes of a knight training since childhood, who woke at the slightest twitch or rustle while on patrol or on a hunt, be so difficult to wake in the mornings he spent in his lavish bed in the castle.

Though, on reflection, Merlin didn't think he'd wake up so easily if he too was enveloped in soft linen sheets and a feather mattress.

Arthur had done no more than press his face further into his pillow.

"Come on then," Merlin said brightly, just a fraction louder than he needed to. "Let's have you lazy daisy," He knew Arthur hated that phrase and it might at least get something thrown at his head--which meant Arthur would have to move to do so.

The prince, clearly intending to be particularly difficult today, just groaned again, one hand dragged from the warmth of the deep red coverlet to make a shooing motion at Merlin.

"Breakfast will get cold," Merlin tried, deciding not to mention the fact he had once again been late to pick it up and it was already no more than lukewarm.

"S'always cold," Arthur muttered, muffled in his decadence.

"Do I have to drag you out, my lord?" Merlin asked, both of them well aware he only titled Arthur when he was being particularly sardonic. "I've done it before and I will do it again," he continued, trying his best to channel his mother's particular brand of ferocity.

"Are you threatening me, Merlin?" came the still-muffled, still-pompous tone. Arthur was feeling a little more awake, then.

"If that's what it needs to be to get your lazy arse out of bed, royal or not." Merlin answered loftily, with a long-suffering sigh for good measure. He still couldn't see the prince's face, but Arthur's hand was idly twisting in his coverlet; those broad, calloused fingers wrinkling then smoothing the linen.

"You can't talk to me like that," Arthur raised his head, the effect of his commanding, self-important tone somewhat lessened by the yawn that broke his words and the way his hair stuck up in all directions.

Something warm settled itself beneath Merlin's ribs, as it so often did in unguarded moments like these, the glimpses of the man beneath the crown, the infuriating, stubborn, childish man.

"Well, are you getting out of bed?"

"Nope."

"Then I shall continue."

"Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"Sod off."

"Right." Merlin had a note of finality to his tone. "If you're not getting out of bed, I'm getting in."

"Excuse me?" Arthur demanded, though the words had not even left his mouth before Merlin was sat on his hips, knees either side of him.

"Get up," Merlin singsonged, prodding Arthur's bare chest with one long finger.

"Get off," Arthur grumbled, with far less heat than he knew he should at such familiarity.

"Get up," Merlin sang again, prodding Arthur in the ribs this time. The prince could not suppress the slight twitch and shiver when Merlin's finger brushed the sensitive, ticklish spot on his ribs. Merlin did not fail to notice and he grinned wickedly.

"Right." He said again, drawing all of his fingers, feather-light across Arthur's ribs.

***

"Merlin!" the prince squeaked--with dignity, of course--thinking wildly for a moment about how soft Merlin's palms were where they rested on his sides, how warm.

"Are you getting up, my lord?" Merlin said again, his other hand skating over Arthur's chest as the laughter he could not help broke free.

"Merlin! Give up! Merlin!" He bellowed between giggles, had no idea what anyone passing in the corridor might think. His manservant had never listened to him, however, and it did not look like he was about to start now.

Truly awake now, Arthur drew on those perfectly honed reflexes and grabbed Merlin's wrist, knowing Merlin wasn't expecting it. "Ha!" his voice was triumphant as he sat up, still holding Merlin's wrist. They had wrestled like children before, gone far beyond any boundary of lord and servant many times but this felt different. The air felt charged with something Arthur could not name and tried hard not to think about.

His hand seemed so large, clumsy against Merlin's. His blunt, calloused fingertips looked like they would sully Merlin's perfectly pale skin. Arthur swallowed thickly, knowing he should let go but unable to make himself just yet.

Merlin flexed his fingers and Arthur watched the movement intently, didn't think of rules or propriety as he brought Merlin's hand closer to his face, pressed a kiss to his warm palm. Merlin's breath caught in his throat and Arthur moved to kiss the pads of each of Merlin's finger. He tasted the salt-sweat of Merlin's skin, the barest hint of whichever herbs he had picked for Gaius before coming to wake him and the honey from the rolls he always brought Arthur for breakfast. "Stealing my sweetmeats before you've even served me, Merlin?"

The tips of Merlin's ears flushed a delicate pink and Arthur knew he was right. He let go of Merlin's wrist, reluctantly. "We should--"

Merlin's hand had already found its way back to Arthur's chest, pressed flat against his sternum, pushing Arthur to lie back down. Those elegant fingers ran across his chest, down his ribs again; over all the ticklish spots that made Arthur shiver, brushing a nipple oh-so-lightly--which made Arthur actually gasp.

Merlin's smile turned wicked as he tickled Arthur's ribs again just to watch him twitch.

"I think you can stay in bed just a little longer."

[bangpop91]

Growing Pains

This is my story for @bucktommypositivityweek round 2, day 3.

Today's prompt: missing moments.

This is my take on Buck and Tommy’s first time having sex, as well as spending the night together.

Buck : Want to come over and have dinner and watch a movie after your shift

He sends the text before he can overthink it. Now he wishes he had over-thought the message a little bit, because it sounds awkward and formal. Which is at least better than sending Tommy a text asking him to Netflix and chill. He used to be good at this, being cool and flirty. But now he doesn't know to tell Tommy that he wants to spend time with him, dates, stolen kisses, cuddling. But he's also ready For the chill part of Netflix and Chill. 

❤️ Tomm y ❤️ : Of course, Darlin. I'll pick up take out on my way over. How does Chinese sound? 

Buck: extra crab rangoons? 🥺🥺🥺🥺

❤️ Tommy ❤️ : Of course. I would never forget your extra crab rangoons.

He's nervous in a way he hasn't been since he was in his early twenties and realized that he's a good looking guy who's good at sex. He never really had to try that hard to get girls interested in sleeping with him. Even after that, after Abby, he wasn't worried about turning a casual night in into a sexy night in. It just happened. But him and Tommy are taking things slow because he's never been with a dude and every time he thinks Tommy might be taking things in a direction that leads to them having sex, Tommy pulls away and goes home. 

So yes he is nervous and doesn't know what to do, he tried texting Eddie for advice which in hindsight was a stupid choice.

Eddie: 😂😂😂😂😂 

Eddie: why would I know how to get a dude to have sex with you

Eddie: have you tried taking your shirt off? Marisol taking her shirt off always works for me

Buck frowned at the messages from his best friend before responding.

Buck: what about when Jesus is watching you?

Eddie: 🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕

Read the rest under the cut or on A03

 

He considers texting Hen for advice but it seems like a 50/50 shot if Hen would be more or less helpful than Eddie. There is no way he is going to text Maddie because as helpful as his sister would be, she would tell Chimney and Chimney would inevitably wind up accidentally telling Tommy which would be even more embarrassing. He's debating asking Josh but Josh is Maddie's best friend and would lead to the same outcome of Maddie telling Chimney.

He thinks about the things he'd liked. He thinks of the petty matching sets of lingerie that Ali and Taylor would wear. It's not a perfect equivalence, he doesn't know if seeing him in lingerie would actually be a thing for Tommy, but he does have a few pairs of boxer briefs that according to Taylor and Natalia made his ass look biteable, and hug his dick in a way that he thinks makes his bulge look good. 

So he puts on his best pair of black boxer briefs, before debating what to wear over them. He knows gray sweatpants are a thing people consider sexy, but he doesn't want to look under dressed either. They haven't gotten to the hanging out in their lazy day clothing stage yet. Which might be ridiculous since he'd taken Tommy as his date to his sister's wedding, but hasn't let Tommy see him in his ratty sweatpants and hoodies. And Tommy will be coming from work so it's not like he needs to be dressed for a night out. 

He can do this. He puts on a pair of jeans that he's had for years, they've been washed so many times that they are faded, and distressed in the knees, the denim has gone soft and they make his thighs look good. Next he pulls on a soft and very snuggly, slightly too big hoodie forgoing anything under it. He didn't realize how long he had spent agonizing over his clothes until he heard Tommy knocking on the door of his loft. 

“Shit.” He shouted into the empty loft racing down the stairs to open the door for Tommy. He really should give Tommy his spare key. “Hi babe.” he said breathlessly, yanking open the door making Tommy laugh as he stepped inside giving him a quick kiss hello, his arms loaded down with takeout.

“Hi Darlin. Where do you want me to set this?” Tommy asked, holding up the plastic bags filled with delicious smelling food. 

“We can eat on the couch.” Buck responded sheepishly with a shrug. “You want a beer? I picked up those Brette Rosés that you like.” Tommy made a soft humming noise in the back of his throat as he sat down the bags of takeout on the counter before crowding into his space smiling at him.

“You hated them.” He did, but Tommy loves them and he wants to make Tommy happy and feel at home in his loft. He's blushing and knows it as he shrugs, but Tommy is smiling even brighter as he leans In kissing his cheeks. “You're adorable, Evan. I'd love one.” 

They settle onto the couch with their cartons of Chinese take out and beers. Buck has Tommy pick the movie, because his boyfriend is very opinionated about movies and what movies it is a crime that Buck hasn't seen. 

“Nothing sad tonight.” He tells Tommy firmly not over Tommy making him watch Steel Magnolias. Tommy laughs but agrees nothing sad and puts on Bringing Up Baby. The movie is funny and engaging as they eat dinner with chopsticks feeding each other bits and pieces of food, but also sweet enough that once They have finished eating they can curl up in the corner of the couch with a second beer each, cuddling and trading kisses. It eases the nerves in his chest because he loves kissing Tommy. He loves the way his lips are slightly chapped and his stubble feels against his face. He loves the gentle way Tommy uses his massive hands to cradle his face, or play with the short hairs at the base of his scalp.

He drags his hand up Tommy's thigh making his boyfriend moan into his mouth before starting to pull back,

“Evan-” He cuts his boyfriend off.

“I want to have sex with you!” He blurts out with a wince, there went any attempt at subtle seduction, what's worse is the fact Tommy was smiling. He kind of wants to melt into the couch and die of embarrassment.

“We can do that.” Tommy says, still smiling as he turns off the tv, leading Buck up the stairs to his bed. This is easy laying side by side with each other holding each other close, trading slow kisses, letting their hands slowly explore each other's bodies. This is familiar and comfortable.  “What do you want tonight?” Tommy asks between kisses, his calloused fingers playing with the soft skin of Buck's belly under his hoodie.

“To have sex.” He paused awkwardly. “With you.” 

“Well I was hoping it was going to be with me.” Tommy responds dryly before they both start laughing which is different because he’s never laughed during sex. Sex had always been this serious thing, it had never been silly though. But now Tommy is laying on his side, propped up on his elbow looking down at him adoringly and smiling while playing with the hem of his hoodie. “I mean what would you like to do?” Buck bit his lip nervously shrugging, he hadn't gotten that far in his thinking. He just knows he wants to experience this new intimacy with Tommy. So he takes a deep breath.

“I want us to be naked.” Buck starts,

“That's generally how it goes, yes.” Tommy teases him again and they are both laughing again, further easing the nerves that usually accompany having sex with someone new for the first time. Someone you really care about, who you could see yourself having a future with.

“Be nice.” He chides his boyfriend playfully, making them laugh again, and it allows Buck to relax fully, slipping his fingers under Tommy's shirt experimenting with touching the skin there. “And I want to just see what happens. Do what feels good.”

Their kisses are slow as they explore each other. Buck thinks this is what his first time should have been like, it should have felt tender. Of course there is heat as well, the way Tommy had groaned pressing kisses over his chest and collarbone after having removed Buck's hoodie, the way his hands groped and tugged him closer possessively. How he had moaned and buried his face into Tommy’s chest hair, nuzzling and placing kisses to the skin. 

He gasps rocking against Tommy's muscular thighs when they are down to their underwear, unbelievably turned by how easily Tommy hand manhandled him, preening when Tommy moaned seeing him in his tiny black briefs, grabbing at his ass possessively grinding their hips together and swallowing each other's moans. Eventually he gets Tommy on his back, insisting on giving His boyfriend a blow job.

“Evan, you don't have to if you want to.” Tommy says softly, the way he does when he doesn't want Buck to feel forced or like they have to rush anything.

“I want to.” Buck promises from where he's made himself at home between Tommy's legs and nuzzling his neck. He takes his time trailing kisses down Tommy’s chest, taking inventory of the places that make Tommy sigh and moan with pleasure, how his ribs are ticklish making him squirm and giggle, until he finally gets to the band of Tommy's army green briefs. He takes a deep breath and starts pulling them off of Tommy who lifts his hips up to help.

He knows Tommy isn't small, he's felt Tommy's cock a few times while they were making out and one memorable time when Tommy had been spooning him on Tommy’s big comfortable couch while they watched a movie. But seeing Tommy fully bare for the first time is… overwhelming. It's not like Tommy has some monster cock or something but he's definitely bigger than average. Just like the rest of Tommy, he is just big . And Buck has the terrifying thought of how in the hell would Tommy ever fit inside of him.

“Evan, it’s okay, you don't have too-” 

“I want to.” He insists, cutting Tommy off, “I just…” He stares, trying to figure out where to start, which maybe isn't the best plan with how Tommy is squirming nervously.

“Can I take yours off too?” Tommy asks gesturing to Evan's own briefs. “I'm starting to feel a little self conscious being the only one naked here.” He nods, swallowing thickly when Tommy uses his impressive core strength to sit up while holding onto Buck's hips, kissing him while slowly pushing the black briefs from his hips.

“You're beautiful, Tommy.” He finds himself saying without thinking, cupping Tommy's face between his hands. He likes the way Tommy is blushing and a little shy. He wants to make Tommy blush like that again and again. He wants to make Tommy feel beautiful.

“So are you, Evan.” He helps Tommy lay back and takes a deep breath. He takes his time pressing soft kisses and licking over Tommy's cock, trying to catalog what gets the most reaction out of Tommy while also gathering himself to overcome his anxiety about not being good enough for Tommy.

When he does finally wrap his lips around Tommy and begins bobbing his head, he gains confidence from the way Tommy moans and his hips twitch holding himself back from fucking up into Buck's mouth. It isn't perfect, he accidentally uses teeth at first making Tommy wince, and then he gets too ambitious trying to take Tommy deeper and winds up gagging. His jaw aches, but he likes this. He wants to keep going until he has perfected this new skill. He wants to make Tommy come in his mouth.

“Hey, come up here, I want to try something.” Tommy says gently tugging his hair. They wind up on their sides, Tommy spooned up behind him, fucking between his thighs while they worked together strocking Buck's cock to bring them both to orgasm. It's not perfect, not yet. But it's the best sex he's ever had, because it's with Tommy. 

“Spend the night?” He asks in the quiet of the bed after they've finished making love, laying in bed facing each other like two parenthesis trading soft kisses. 

“Of course.” Tommy answers without hesitation. It's earnest, like there is nowhere he would rather be than in this bed with Buck. The space between them closes as they curl up together, holding each other close, and trading kisses until they fall asleep.

It is, admittedly, the worst sleep either man has ever gotten. The queen sized bed was too small for both of them so they seemed to always be kicking each other. Tommy snores loudly, he runs hot, and can't sleep when he is. Buck is a blanket hog who likes to starfish out on his stomach in the middle of the bed. But he knows that he'd rather spend the rest of his life sleeping like shit as long as he is doing it next to Tommy.

Luckily, it only takes them a few more nights to figure out how to share a bed, which results in the best sleep they've ever had.

[necros-writing-stuff]

I discovered the cage scene today. My wolf PC was stuck on that random island for over 3 weeks (the RNG was not kind to me) after being thrown overboard by Zephyr’s crew. My poor PC spent the whole time being assaulted by islanders and cat people, being spanked by foliage, surviving off walnuts, and getting forcefully tattooed. We were crying about missing Eden the whole time, looking at our love locket picture of his grumpy face and bawling whilst setting up camp.

Finally, when my wolf PC made it off the island and back to town with that stupid spear thing—still wearing ceremonial rags and mask and all—we made our way through an alley. As my PC walked, they thought to themself: “I’ll just take this to the temple and immediately go back to the cabin. I can’t wait to see the forest husb- ❤️” They suddenly shudder.

We’re abruptly stopped by the “Someone is hunting you message” in bold red. I froze because I was not expecting it at all.

“Time to go home.” A familiar voice growls. Here I am thinking “Yay! Forest husband!” all the while Eden is angrily dragging us into a cage.

Needless to say, my wolf PC found the cage very therapeutic after being lost in the vast sea for weeks. The enclosed space really brought out their domestic side and gave them a sense of security. No worrying about survival and being ravaged by islanders, just spread your legs—tail wagging and belly presented—for forest husband and let him take care of you. ❤️ Tail wagging even faster every time he says “you have duties to fulfill.”

The collar also made them feel protected through Eden’s ownership. Wolf PC is never taking the collar off again. ❤️

I loved the event. I could honestly imagine my PC bawling their eyes out and hugging Eden so tightly when he found them. What would Eden’s reaction be if he were angry because PC went missing for too long, found them, but they just ran up to him and bawled their eyes out into his coat because something horrible happened to them? Would he calm down a bit if they did? Thanks for blessing the game with this scene though. My wolf PC and I enjoyed it. ❤️ The timing for it to happen was so perfect, I’m shook. 😂

I'm so honoured you loved it so much, it was a lot of effort to write!

Eden's reaction to PC coming up to him sobbing I'm guessing would be to get them away from the town first and foremost (you're going over his shoulder again. He's getting tears and snot on his coat about it but it's alright). The anger still wells up inside of him, because he warned you. He told you that bad things would happen if you left him, and you left anyway.

So he has to still punish you. You still have to go in the cage, you still have to do as you're told. You need to fully learn where is safest - and this is the best way.

Though he can't deny the anger that makes his skin itch at the thought of you being hurt. He wants to retaliate for you. He knows he can't. He can't burn the world for its cruelty. He's just one man.

[emgene]

maybe an enhypen reaction to their s/o being a clumsy person?

i’m such a clumsy person so…😂

alsooo i’ve followed you for a really long time, probably a little bit after i started my account and i just love your fics! my favorite i think is the enhypen reaction to them wanting their s/o to wear their clothes but they’re oblivious. ahhh i just thought it was soooo cute and i also want to make a reaction like that. it’s adorable!! i’m also very oblivious to those sort of things hahaha 🤪 so anyways i just want you to know that your a fantastical writer and you’re amazing!! 💕💕 i hope you have an awesome day/night because you only deserve the best ^^

HIHI sorry for this being so extremely late!! school was a wreck and then familial problems ensued, but whatever! thank you so much for your love and support, it means so much to me!! Love you!! <3

Enhypen With a Clumsy S/O

warnings: not edited, jay is dramatic, riki mentions you possibly falling into a pond... i dont think i swore?

Jungwon is constantly worried about you. He's always watching your every move. You keep him on his toes, he swears someday you're going to end up in the hospital 'cause you tripped over your own damn feet. He says that half of his paycheck is spent on bandages for you.

Heeseung finds it hilarious. He makes fun of you, too. You'll trip and for the next hour you'll hear him going "WHOOP-" and pretend to fall. You'll leave for work and he'll say, "Don't let the door hit you on the way out! Literally!"

You, sweetheart, are the reason that Jay will start greying early. You give him so much stress, he swears he'll go into cardiac arrest. He threatens to put you in a bubble, or wrap you in bubble wrap. It looks like he has children because everything is baby-proofed. Jay carries around a first-aid kit specifically for you.

Honestly Jake doesn't really realize how clumsy you are until he sees on the bruises on your legs. He questions you about it and you end up listing what each bruise is from. The table, the stairs, the wall... Only then does he notice just how frequently you tend to get hurt. He jokes around about having to get one of those leash backpacks for you.

Sunghoon is more... bewildered and amused than worried? You'll smack your head on an open cabinet door and he'll just sigh and chuckle before going to check on you. He likes to say that if it weren't for him and his "incredible" nursing skills, you would've irreparably injured yourself already.

Sunoo says you are the entertainment in his life. He almost makes you getting hurt into a game. "How many times will Y/N get hurt today?". He does this thing where, if he has to put a bandage on you, he'll let you put one on him in solidarity. Is it a waste of bandages? Yes. Does he care? Not really.

Ni-Ki... he causes many of your injuries. He doesn't mean to! He just forgets that you don't usually catch yourself when he "bumps" into you. He teases you a lot, just like Heeseung, if not more. You'll go to the park or something and he points out everything you could hurt yourself on. "Hey you could fall into that bush! or slip on the gravel! or get hit in the head by a soccer ball! Or-" "Riki..." "maybe someone will push you into the pond!" "RIKI!"

[ourlittleuluru]

_(:з)∠)_ It's a holiday today and even when I'm out for errands, Xavier still worms his way into my brain...

Ramblings about Xavier and his red collar ahead~ (story spoilers, be warned) Apologies first. I'm not the best with words or saying things out from my brain... so It might be a bit jumbled, or I might've missed some things <( _ _ )>

I'm not going to be talking about anything new. Theories and such be everywhere already, all that's been speculated is all out there ><;;;

It's just my brain, earlier in the day, decided to re-frame my thinking about the collar a bit and just letting all these thoughts out somewhere that isn't inside my brain... moving on ➡➡➡

So... what we DO know about the collar is that it's something restricting Xavier in some way. It's just not clear HOW it's restricting him.

Collar is also something of the Ever Company's property, most likely. Since there's an icon on the collar that belongs to Ever Company. At most, I would think it's from the Ever Company that is from the time during Anecdote 3. (What if... Xavier is the son of the Ever Company president in Anec3... 🤔 I mean he's got men in suits tailing him all over... but that's a thought for another day)

Up to today, my guess is that the collar restricts his use of his Evol, on top of other things. Restricting his Evol, in a way, makes him "weaker". Xavier is very good (I would guess) at using his Evol and it's powerful enough to cause huge light explosions too. So he's dangerous (to the people that wants to control him) and restricting him in that manner helps to keep Xav in check.

Unsure if the Evol Resonance here being strong is due to Xavier's Evol itself already being very strong... OR... that the two share a deep bond since times of yore and she was just able to resonate much easier and stronger with him.

Okay. Main thoughts and speculations down below 😂 I dragged this long enough, and I'm rambling on a bit much...

The collar, restricts Xavier's Evol and...

Xavier, always overdoes it and uses his Evol past the allowed limit.

It hurts him in return, but he usually doesn't care any ways. If it's to save people and MC especially, he WILL do it

He can choose to ignore the limiter, but it will only cause him to use even more of his Evol just to overcome the limiter AND do what he needed to do

So to explain, an example in terms of MP from RPG games: His Light Explosion usually costs 50MP. The Collar restricts his MP to be only 40MP. Now, for Xavier to use his Light Explosion skill again, he needs 60MP instead of the usual 50MP the reason for my above thought is simply because BOTH his Hunter's Watch AND Collar were warning him in his Myth

This makes him even more spent, makes him use 2 syringes to recover... and potentially speeds up whatever process is causing the BackTrackers on Earth to turn into Wanderers (???)

If he were to resonate with MC however, maybe he can bypass the limiter, me thinks. But obviously he is very aware that he can't abuse this.

There's a possibility that he will still get the side effects after that, maybe in a smaller amount... and it's also to protect MC herself

Uh... I feel like I had more thoughts to blurb out... but after this many hours I think I might've forgotten them... 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠

~+~+~+~+~

And... this is how many times (that I managed to catch, that is) his collar has flared up: 6 times

(it'll be 7 if one assumes that when we meet Xavier, and he's sleeping... during that time he has already overused his Evol which caused the Metaflux explosion and was sleeping to "recharge", that his collar definitely flared red at that time)

Who knows how many more times before the Main story at this point in time (22 May 2024. Dating this just in case lol. Tumblr doesn't really show timestamps on the dash) that he's used his Evol til the collar turned red... and how many more times he is allowed to keep using it like that...

This feels to me like an unbreakable cycle at this point for Xavier... T-T

Both him and MC being each other's greatest strength and their greatest weakness 😩🥺👌

Ughhhh I feel the MASSIVE AMOUNT OF FEELS AND ANGST COMING WITH THIS MAN 😭😭😭😭 Please let this bebe live!

[realcube]

˖°.𓆩♡𓆪 .°˖ CHARACTER GENERATOR for @isadollie

𓆩♡𓆪 part of my lovers level — 3k follower event

𓆩♡𓆪 chosen trope: best friends to lovers

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ YOUR CHARACTER IS...

TADASHI YAMAGUCHI

YOU: [video of one of those really tiny cats waddling around] TADASHI: LOL that reminds me of the cat i saw at the park the other day 😂 so cute YOU: what!? you went to the park without me?! 😭🥺 TADASHI: just on a walk 😓 we can go tomorrow morning if you want? YOU: yes pls! TADASHI: okay 😄 see you then!

the next day, at around 10AM, there is a gentle knock at your door. you knew it was yamaguchi because he texted that he was on his way over, so you were ready by the door, hurriedly pulling your shoes on while clumsily unlocking the door.

once it swings open, you flash him a brief smile, while yamaguchi is already beaming at you. "ready to go?" he asks.

exiting the house, you fumble with your keys a bit as you lock the door behind you, then stuff them into your bag again. "yes!" you nod firmly, happily skipping off to the pavement, and yamaguchi hastily follows suit.

"did you remember your phone?" he inquires with a polite smile.

your eyes widen as you frantically pat down your pockets, then rummage through your bag. thankfully you didn't have to poke around much before you found it, "yes, i did." you huff a faint sigh of relief out from your nose.

"that's good." yamaguchi knows that you like to double-check these things so it's become second nature to him to prompt you. not that he minds, in fact, he finds it pretty endearing how thorough you are. "anyway, the weather is perfect today. sunny but breezy and not too warm. we should go for walks more often." he muses as the two of you head down the street together, with the park in mind as the destination.

"and spend more time with you than i already have to? no thanks." you say, half-joking. because although it's true that you and yamaguchi are already together quite a lot — at college or otherwise — you didn't mind at all. he was your best friend after all and you enjoyed every second you spent with each other, but you liked teasing him even more.

tadashi furrows his eyebrows, and retorts, "you're the one who got mad when i went to park without you!"

"because how dare you!"

tadashi playfully rolls his eyes at you, and as you are approaching the park, he notices a bulletin board adjacent to the entrance, filled with fliers and posters about events happening in the surrounding community. changing the subject almost immediately, he says, "let's see what's there." and you hum in agreement.

you both approach the conjested board and search through the dozens of paper for anything that interests the two of you.

"look! for you and tsukishima." you jokingly motion to a promotional poster for the local boy scouts patrol.

yamaguchi chuckles, then goes back to looking through the board. "what about this for you?" he shows you a advertisement for a party entertainers company that is looking to recruit princesses for kids parties.

you start to laugh at the joke but it slowly fades away as you notice yamaguchi doesn't reciprocate. in fact, he is looking at you with gooey eyes and an soft smile that doesn't falter, which gives you the inkling that he might be serious "do you really think they'd hire me as a princess?"

yamaguchi shrugs, eyes shifting back onto the bulletin board, "yeah, why not? you're pretty and kind. those are the only requirements."

you bite your lips and furrow your eyebows, unsure of the sensations that stirred inside you upon hearing him call you that, but you try your best to brush it off for now.

though it's not long before yamaguchi turns to you again, showing you a new poster, "hey, look! our college is having bake-off."

you quickly peek over, excited at the prospect of a fun anf friendly competition where you get to eat dessert at the end. but your face soon dropped into a frown as you read the flier and realised, "tadashi, only couples are allowed to compete in pairs."

"i wouldn't mind entering with you." he immediately replies.

"i appreciate that," you smile gently, standing shoulder to shoulder with him and looking into his eyes, "but we shouldn't lie about being a couple just to qualify. that's silly. and if they find out, it'd be embarrassing."

"i mean— we don't have to lie—" tadashi gulps, wide-eyed with his gaze fixated on the board before him, unable to muster up the courage to face you, "—we could compete as a couple for real."

you stare wordless at the side of his face, where you can see a red hot blush creeping up his neck to his freckled cheeks. amidst the silence, he glances at you out of the corner of his eyes and tenses up, then splutters, "bu— but we don't have to if you don't want to! it was just a suggestion. i know we're friends and if you don't want to ruin that i understa—"

you lean forward and place a delicate kiss on his cheek, "i'd love to, tadashi."

for @isadollie: i thought bokuto or maybe terushima at first buuut cat reels, sweet treats and best friends to lovers is so yamaguchi coded it's unreal. anyway hope you enjoy <3

[deathsimage]

Finally Alone

Content: Price x reader (18+) minors dni, afab reader, short athletic reader, reader is a member of 141, reader is a sniper and close combat expert, reader is 20-25

Warnings: smut, sexual situations, language, fighting, jealousy, childhood trauma, age gap

Details: (y/c/n) = your field call name; (y/n) = your name (first); (y/l/n) = your last name

Note: for some reason during the fight scenes I was imagining Break Stuff by Limp Bizkit playing in the background 😂 and when the “good part” hits After Dark x Sweater Weather idk why but yeah. This shit is long btw, buckle up sluts. Not proof read! Lightly scanned over 🫢 enjoy Daddy issues squad 🫶🏻

8:00 AM

You yawn as you wake up to your alarm clock, rolling over to see your Captain who had spent the night with you last night. Nothing happened, just him being there for your comfort. Your depression was setting in and he could tell you weren’t in a good head space, it’s his job to notice those things. You tend to be worse when you’re alone, so he volunteered to stay with you overnight to make sure you made it through the night okay.

The team knew about your illness and your trauma, they could tell something was off when you first joined, and when you finally opened up to them they pieced everything together. They’re your family and they do anything they can to help, just as you would for them.

Price’s back was facing you, he was clearly awake from the alarm clock but he was entirely too comfortable to get up. You begin lightly grazing your finger nails up and down the skin of his back, making him shiver a bit. You giggle at the fact you have never seen him do that, and he rolls further onto his stomach so you would continue to lightly scratch his back. This would eventually become routine.

When he finally decided to get up and get dressed you couldn’t help but just watch the sleepy man, thought running through your mind…thoughts you didn’t want.

You were never protected. You survived on your own from the time you were 6, you took care of yourself and you protected yourself the best a child knew how to. In fact, all the things you seen and went through growing up, you shouldn’t even be alive, it doesn’t make sense that you survived. You never felt safe, ever. It was just part of your life..until now.

Tears began filling your eyes as you felt something you thought you would never have the luxury of feeling.

Safety.

Even in the field with bullets flying at you and bombs hitting the ground 10 feet away from you, if he was there..you felt safe.

(y/n)? You didn’t notice Price was now looking at you, already walking over to sit on the edge of the bed, his rough hand lightly placing itself on your cheek. “What’s wrong?”

Your eyes snapped up to look at him, starting to smile. “Nothing..for once..everything is okay.”

Price gave a sigh and a light smile, confident that he was the reason why you felt so content. Standing back up to walk to the door. “We’re in the sparring zone today, wear fighting clothes.” He said before leaving for you to get dressed.

9:00AM

You showed up in your camo cargo pants and a black tank top, seeing a few soldiers already sparring on the mat. Seeing your best friend Soap you smiled and went to stand next to him. As soon as you approached he got his usual goofy smile and wrapped an arm around your shoulders to give you that rough weird bro hug. “How ar’ ye feelin today?”

“Good.”

“Good. Price was worried about’cha so I was too. I think he’s got a crush on ya.” Soap grinned like he was getting high off of teasing you. He knew you liked Price, he seen the way you looked at him and the way you listened to him the way you listen to no one else. You’re fairly stubborn, only doing what you feel is right, unless Price says. Whatever Price says, you do it. Although you’ve never had a problem ignoring authority before now..something about his commands were just..right.

Ghost was standing next to the mat, seeming to be instructing the matches. You were a good fighter, you’ve been fighting all your life. Even if you were small, you found how to use it to your advantage.

“(y/c/n)” Ghost barked “on the mat. Men, this is why you can’t estimate anything, never let your guard down, always expect anything. Soap, demonstrate.”

You pushed off your boots and socks, stepping onto the mat, looking back to Soap with a shit eating grin. “Fuck Lt, why do I have to get beat up?” Soap groaned as he got onto the mat with you, rolling his eyes at your cocky smirk.

“Start.” As soon as the words left Ghosts lips you had Soap down on the mat.

“Dammit (y/c/n) give me a second to see you love first at least!” He yelled as he got back up, turning around to find you, but once again you already had his legs clipped from under him. Soap was one of the best fighters in any military, so was Ghost and Price, but you were something different. You went for targets larger men never looked for, so therefore never thought to guard. Before Soap knew it you were running at him, he braced himself to take a hit but he was completely caught off guard when you hit the mat and slid, grabbing his hands as you slid between his legs, making him fall face first. Jumping up behind him, you just walked over to him and sat on his head, causing him to aggressively tap the mat.

Ghost just chuckled over to the side of the mat, allowing Soap to go sit on the bench.

“Okay well if you think it’s so funny why don’t you go fight her?” Soap pouted. Ghost just shrugged in acceptance of the challenge, stepping onto the mat to face you.

After another embarrassing match of you easily slipping by each one of Ghosts techniques, ending up behind him before he could see you move, he was down on the mat face up, groaning as he cursed himself for letting you get by him. Wasn’t his fault, you just knew what you were doing, and it was different than what most men tend to work with.

One of the by standing soldiers decided to speak up, seeming that this small woman needed to be put in her place so to speak. “I bet she can’t be König”

Soap just looked up from the bench “I’ll wager on that. You by everyone a round of drinks if she wins. If she loses, I’ll buy.”

The other soldier chuckled and agreed to the bet, Soap shaking his head “I almost feel bad for doing that to him.”

Your 6’10” teddy bear walked onto the mat, shaking your hand before getting in stance, you both beginning on Ghosts command.

Normally König would be afraid of hurting you, but he’s fought you before..he knew he had to give his all even for this small mädchen who wasn’t tall enough to even reach the top shelf of her locker. It was funny actually, how indestructible she seemed, almost made of rubber. She would get bruised, but bounce right back, and hit you harder than the last time. She had fought to survive this long, her body just decided to keep up with her mental will.

It took longer yes, but you eventually had König on his stomach with his neck between your thighs and his ankle pinned under your arm. “Geben! geben!”

1:30 PM

You let go of König and got off of him, the both of you chuckling as he got up. He gave you a pat on the back, almost knocking you over, before nodding to Ghost and going back over to the side with Soap. Soap was grinning like he just won the lottery, the other soldier completely dumbfounded at the fact that a girl not even 5’6” could take down a mountain of a German man. The men decided to pile out of the sparring building to go get those promised drinks, not to mention they needed lunch. Soap turning to you “you comin?”

“Nah, I haven’t fought the captain yet” you grinned looking back to Price who was just now finishing a cigar. Price rolled his eyes and tossed his cigar aside, waving for Soap to go on without the two of you. Now, you and Price were alone.

Taking off his boots, Price stepped onto the mat with you, a playful smile on his face as he looked down at you.

“On your mark captain.” You beamed, wiggling your hips a bit in excitement.

Once the fight began you almost seemed to let your guard down on purpose, just so you could feel his hands on you; his body pressed against you. Feeling safe even while ‘fighting’.

“Don’t take it easy on my (y/n), I may be about 10 years older than you but I’m not that old.” He chuckled, now having you pinned beneath him, but you were quick to swing your leg back over him and throw him off of you, now on his lap holding his jaw to the mat while holding his arm twisted and pulled to you. “Never mind..” he groaned, making you giggle and let go of him. Mistake.

Now he has you, once again, pinned to the floor. Although this time, your wrists are pinned above your head, his thighs pressing against yours to press them back towards your body, practically having you in the missionary position. You both freeze, looking into each other eyes, his aqua eyes making you shiver the way he’s looking at you, as if you’re his..he could have you right now if he wanted, and the twitch in his pants let you know that he did.

Price had enjoyed your company from the moment you joined 141, loves your personality and the brightness you brought to the atmosphere. He wanted to protect you more than anyone else, especially after learning your traumatic background. He also had..feelings, that he thought he shouldn’t be having. Waking up in the middle of the night in a sweat with a tent under his blanket due to having dreams about you in ‘certain’ situations.

It seemed like hours had passed, but it was only a few seconds before his lips smashed into yours. He seemed..hungry..starved. He craved you and he finally had you. He was already grinding against you, his hard cock pressing a through his pants even through your own, it was obvious that he’s…big.

Wrapping your legs around his waist he began kissing down your jaw line, down to your neck. He wanted to mark you, make sure everyone knew you were his. You squirm beneath him as the electricity spreads through your body, the warmth that felt like fire burning between your legs with want and desire. “Captain..please..”

“Tell me what you want love..and it’s John.” He breathed against the soft sensitive skin of the love bite he had drawn to the surface with his teeth and tongue.

“I want you John..please..fuck me..” you panted, feeling his face leave your neck as he looked at your face intently, seeming to look for any sign of discomfort or regret. Your eyes were half closed, feeling drunk on just his body heat alone, inhaling his scent, feeling every bit of his body against you. He leaned up, unbuttoning your cargo pants, sliding the zipper down as he pulled them off of your legs, letting your thighs go back to resting against his own. Leaning back down, his lips once again connected with yours, his tongue slipping between your lips to dance with yours. His hands found themselves underneath your shirt, squeezing your breasts in his palms before pulling your shirt off, then his own. God…his body was ethereal, like he shouldn’t even be real. His face now only inches from yours, his lips a painfully short distance but not close enough to touch. His fingers slid down your abdomen, tucking under your panties. His middle finger slid its way between your slit. God, even his fingers were huge.

Rubbing his finger over your cunt to feel the slick he had produced from you made him smirk. “Already this wet for me darlin’?”

In response you bucked your hips up to push his finger further, but he just leaned up and pressed your stomach down with his other hand, forcing your back flat on the floor. “Needy little cunt eh?” He smirked, his breaths still heavy. Sliding his finger up to your clit, circling with the tip of his finger before flicking it, all making your body twitch and jerk, he continued to stare down at you in admiration. You were his..finally. Watching you get so much pleasure from just his kisses and his finger made him high, feeling that nothing could ever make him feel this good.

He slid his finger out and slid it into his mouth, tasting your slick, letting out a low grumbling moan, sounding almost primal as he tasted you. “Fuck you taste amazing..” he growled. Repositioning himself, his face was now between your thighs, kissing your bud through your soaked panties making your back arch again. He once again used his big strong hand to press you back down flat onto the mat, his other finger moving your panties aside to drag his tongue over your cunt, up to your click. Making you let out a loud whimper made Price growl against your pussy, the vibration of him sending stars through your vision. He seemed drunk off of your wetness, your pussy in general driving him insane; just as perfect as he imagined in his late night fantasies.

One hand still pressing against your abdomen to keep you in place, the other hand gripped your thigh. Sucking on your clit while working his tongue around it, his hand moved from your thigh to slide his middle finger inside of your wet cunt, making your legs shake at the double sensation. Didn’t take him but a moment to enter a second finger inside of you, pumping them in and out as a slower pace, curling his fingers up against that sweet spot. You only noticed for a second but Price was grinding his hips against the mat, trying to give his throbbing cock the least bit of friction. “J-John!” You gripped the hair on the top of his head as your legs lifted off the mat, shaking violently as you came on his fingers. Pulling his fingers out, looking down at your dripping wet cunt made a fire light in his chest that was already lit, but now it was roaring. He licked at your cum like you were the most divine thing he had ever tasted, sucking at your juices before pulling back to slide his two wet fingers between your lips, making you taste yourself. Licking and sucking your cum off of his fingers made him groan, leaning down to kiss you with his cum slicked mustache/beard. “Come on.” He slid his fingers from between your lips, wrapping his arms under your back, pulling you into his lap so your legs wrapped around him before standing up, holding you in his arms. You laid your head on his shoulder, eyes half shut as you were still high on your climax. He had carried you into the locker room showers. Sitting you down on one of the benches to push off his pants, his cock, so thick, making an obvious indention in his tight fitted black boxers. On sight, you immediately got to your knees in front of him, catching him off guard a bit as he looked a bit surprised as you wrapped your lips around the cloth covered erection, your hands massaging his balls through his boxers, a deep breathy moan coming from deep in his chest, his finger tangling in your hair. “Be patient love..I have other plans.” He looked down at you as he sat you on the bench again, leaning down to kiss you as he wrapped his arms around you to unhook your bra, laying it to the side. Pulling you to stand back up he knelt down to pull off your panties. You pressed your hand against his strong shoulders to step out of them, him giving your bare pussy a kiss before standing up and turning the hot water on in one of the showers, leading you to step inside. Your legs were still weak but you could stand. You enjoyed the warm water, not even noticing that Price was now standing behind you without his boxers, his naked erection pressing against your ass. You laid your head back against his chest, looking up at him with a loving smirk. He pushed your back forward, having your face pressed against the tile wall with your ass pulled to him. “Thighs together.” He commanded, making you quiver as you obeyed him. Pushing his thighs against the soft skin of your inner thighs, he slid his cock between your thighs, rubbing against your slit as he gripped your hips and began slowly fucking your thighs. “Fuck…not even inside you yet and I’m losing my mind..” he panted breathlessly.

Pulling back, his fingers wrapped around your waist to turn you around to face him, picking you up to wrap your legs around him. You both stared at each other like you were looking at heaven itself. One hand reached beneath you as he angled his cock to push inside of you. Fuck he was so thick..he may be around 7 inches but he was so..so fucking thick..

You whimpers, stuffing your face into the crook of his neck as the stretch of your hole was fairly intense.

“You okay love?” He whispered against your ear. “Yes sir..please don’t stop..” you spoke against his skin; pushing the rest of his cock inside of you until you were full, your toes curling at the fullness. “Yes..thank you sir” you barely got out through heavy breaths. He simply smiled as he started rocking his hips, his cock sliding in and out of the soft walls of your pussy. This would be easier if you were standing and his had your ass pushed back to him, but he wanted to hold you, look at your face, take in the emotions in your eyes. He loved you.

His hips began to snap faster against your own, you were finally able to lean back against the tile, pressing your hands against his broad chest as you looked at each other as he fucked you into the shower wall as the warm water ran down your bodies. The mixture of your moans was a song of your souls connecting in such an intimate way. Your bodies finally connecting as one.

His hips began to lose pace, getting sloppy as he was reaching his climax. “(y/n)..where do you want me to cum..?” He panted. “Inside..please sir, I want all of you.” Just those few words sent him over his edge as he slammed into you one last time, as deep as possible as his warm cum filled your cunt. Te sensation of his cum filling you sent you over your own edge, slumping down against his chest. Pulling out of you, setting you down, himself leaning against the wall to let the feeling come back to his body as you laid against him, your legs still shaking as he held you against his body, the warm water washing you both clean of your sticky. His head looked down, his lips pressing against the top of your head. “Glad we were finally alone.”

[eleanorfenyxwrites]

The Man From Y.I.L.I.N.G.

Chapter 11: "Fire & Water"

Things are getting significantly darker, but I swear there is a happy ending to all of this. Y'all know me 😂

--//--

JINLINTAI

As logic would dictate, Jin Guangyao begins at the beginning.

The first person responsible for the cruelties of Jin Guangyao’s life is, naturally, the father who sired him. No matter what had come after, no matter the choices of every other person in his life, the first sin that Jin Guangyao had ‘committed’ was being born the bastard son of Jin Guangshan, thereby sealing his fate before he’d even taken his first full breath to cry.

Jin Guangyao carefully dips a long, glinting blade into the concoction of refined upas tree sap he’d spent the night brewing and lays it aside well away from where he’s actively working to let it dry. He dips two others after it in quick succession, and a final fourth, just to be safe. While they dry enough to be sheathed, Jin Guangyao tidies up after his evening’s activities, diluting the rest of the poison with the water from boiling the bark of the same tree before dumping it down a rust-stained drain in the floor. By the time it reaches the river it’ll be perfectly harmless and untraceable, not that he thinks anyone will really look too hard into what could have killed Jinlintai’s masters. Whoever’s left standing in the aftermath will be too busy fighting each other for dominance in the days before Jin Zixuan returns to take his rightful place as the head of their operations, there won’t be time (or, he’d wager, the desire) for any kind of thorough investigation.

Still, Jin Guangyao hadn’t gotten where he is today by being sloppy.

When the knives have dried he sheathes them and straps them on with the confidence he’s had to fight his entire life to develop, and as dawn is just beginning to turn from deep blue-black into the hazy blue-gray of true morning he slips out of his own rooms, now armed and properly dressed, to return to his prowling.

For all the fuss he’d made about needing 48 hours to clean up Jin Guangyao’s ‘mess’, there’s no way Jin Guangshan himself has condescended enough to see it done personally. It’s really such a shame that Jin Guangshan’s ambition is so curtailed by clutching at his own shortsighted greed in one hand and laziness in the other. Jin Guangyao’s talents have long outstripped his miserable father’s, but then he supposes his filial piety has been something of a shackle around his neck for even longer than he’s known his father, so it’s not much of a surprise to find he’s finally outgrown him now that he’s decided to remove the weight of it.

Jin Guangyao walks through Jinlintai with his head held high and finds the time to send a quick, silent prayer to Meng Shi, an apology for failing as her son to carry out her dying wish — the only failure he feels he’s truly committed in this life. He’d nearly made it at least; he’d found his father and earned his way into living in his house, to being a valuable asset to him, to be considered (however unwillingly) part of the family. 

He just can’t do this for the rest of his life.

Perhaps her spirit would rest easier if he gifts her Jin Guangshan’s head on a platter. It’s not the most orthodox of offerings, but Meng Shi had always been an understanding mother. Maybe she’d understand that it’s the best he can do and forgive him for everything he isn’t.

Jin Guangyao muses on the question as he dodges guards sleepily walking their rotations almost as easily as breathing; after all, he’s the one who organized their shifts and their routes back when he’d first arrived. Madam Jin’s insistence that he do nothing save the work of a glorified secretary for his first few months in Jinlintai is paying dividends now, and he hopes she realizes her mistakes when it’s her turn for a visit.

He arrives at his first destination without trouble and is disgusted but unsurprised to find that he doesn’t even have to work in order to gain entry to his father’s lavish suite.

Jin Guangshan has long been infamous for his arrogance — in his business dealings, in his running of Jinlintai, in any and every way possible. Jin Guangyao, as his father’s unwanted right hand, has naturally seen that trait at play far more than anyone should have to witness, but never has it been clearer than this moment.

Jinlintai is a nest of ruthless, backstabbing snakes, and yet Jin Guangshan sleeps entirely unprotected. He doesn’t even share his quarters with his knife-happy wife, too fond of bringing prostitutes into his bed for her to stomach sharing a private space with her husband. Not that Jin Guangyao blames her, of course, though he still thinks it’s phenomenally stupid that neither of them seem to realize or care that this is a major gap in Jin Guangshan’s defenses.

The door isn’t even locked. Truly, Jin Guangshan is practically asking for someone, anyone at all, to slip into his room with the lightening shadows that herald dawn and slit his throat with a knife that’ll burn its way through his entire body before he’s done gurgling on his own blood. Jin Guangyao is careful not to touch the wetted blade glinting in his hand as he sits beside his father’s hip and ignores the man’s scrabbling at his own bloodied throat, his frantic wet gasps, the graceless thrashing of his limbs as the panic of drowning and the agony of the poison hit him nearly simultaneously.

He can see his own eyes reflected in the shining silver blade, black smudges in the dark dawn gray. He tilts his head until the splash of blood darkening the edge hides his eyes from sight, and only then does he turn to meet his father’s betrayed glare as he gasps through his final death throes and he thinks maybe he feels something like relief, though mostly he’s…numb.

This is not what he’d been raised to do.

Jin Guangshan thrashes in his bloodied sheets and Jin Guangyao remembers how many times his mother had told him, wistfully, sometimes with tears in her eyes, that one day his father would come back to Yunping and fulfill the promise he’d made to her. She’d told him that when he did come Jin Guangyao would need to be ready, to be the perfect son who would fit into his world.

Well. He’d become that, at least, though Meng Shi had never really known what world exactly it was her son would need to insinuate himself into. (He thinks, sometimes, that had she known the full truth she would have never asked Jin Guangyao to do this, but she hadn’t known and there’s nothing he can do to change that, so here he is.)

In his defense, he had become useful to his father as she’d instructed, he just can’t claim that he was very filial — not anymore. Not lately. Not when the tableau currently reaching its conclusion next to him is the fulfillment of far too many fantasies he’s entertained too many times to remember over the last few years.

Long gone are his desires to please his father, to be the perfect addition to his precious family business, to be useful to the man who abuses him at every turn, as his mother had wished for him to be.

His father has underestimated Jin Guangyao’s willingness to continue to roll over and show his belly. In his arrogance he’s forgotten that Jin Guangyao longs to survive more than he desires anything else, and with that no longer feasible under his father’s thumb then it’s Jin Guangshan who has to go, not Jin Guangyao.

Jin Guangyao sets the knife down beside Jin Guangshan’s crimson pillow and stands, dusting himself off and twitching his blood-spattered shirt straight as a pin before he leaves in search of his next target.

... -.-. . -. . / -... .-. . .- -.-

SUIBIAN - SOMEWHERE ON THE YILING RIVER

Lan Xichen knows that this is the height of foolishness, even without Lan Qiren’s parting remark to that effect still bouncing around his head. They know that Nie Mingjue has been compromised, it only stands to reason that Jin Guangyao has been as well. The sensible thing to do would be to leave them both to their fates, pawns that must be sacrificed to protect something far more important.

The problem is, Lan Xichen has never been very good at separating emotion and empathy from the necessary work that they do, which is why, prior to the Wens’ destruction of Cloud Recesses, he’d been quite content to keep himself at home and hone his abilities in ways that didn’t directly translate to people dying at his hands. In the normal course of things, it had been too difficult for him to forget that his targets didn’t exist in a vacuum; to put it out of his mind that someone, somewhere would miss them when they were gone, even the seediest and most miserable person he could imagine.

Wen Ruohan had forced him to change for the worse, as he had so many other people. It doesn’t matter that he didn’t do it with the torments in his Fire Palace designed to break the strongest of men, to make them forget who they are and what they should be in the service of what he needs instead — he’s a changed man and there’s no going back to what was. Lan Xichen has had to become hardened like his uncle has always warned him he must, though thankfully he (and Lan Wangji, who somehow managed to learn that lesson much more easily in spite of his rigid sense of morality) have both been too kind, or maybe simply too reticent, to tell him ‘I told you so’.

War changes a man, that much is true, and he accepted it — but it can’t change him in his very core, at least not in Lan Xichen’s case. He knows, logically, that the safest thing to do is leave his erstwhile partner-targets to their unfortunate fates and focus their energy on figuring out where things went wrong from within their own organization.

He also knows, logically, that his heart will never allow him to be so callous.

The speedboat he’d borrowed from the Jiangs’ fleet flies up the river at a clip that cools his cheeks and stings his eyes until he has to swipe tears away from the outer corners, and still he forges on as fast as he can against the current until the engine is whining and the water froths white in his wake long after he’s already gone.

In an ideal world (well, more ideal than the current situation), he would be able to force himself not to worry about Nie Mingjue for the time it takes to reach Jin Guangyao; he would feel unconflicted about who he chooses to fly to as fast as modern machinery can carry him; he wouldn’t concern himself if he’s betraying one to save the other and, worst of all, if his choice may mean that Nie Mingjue dies when he could have been saved had Lan Xichen only chosen to go to him first instead.

When Wen Qing’s distress message had come through and a course of action had needed to be decided upon, he’d said to Lan Qiren and Lan Wangji, “Wen Ruohan made Mingjue into what he is, he won’t be in a hurry to dispose of him,” with more confidence than he felt. “Jin Guangshan knows only how A-Yao’s competence suits him and his wants, he doesn’t understand how deadly his own son can be if pressed, nor that he is the one pressing him. We already know Mingjue has been captured and that Wen Ruohan will want to sharpen his favorite blade personally, but A-Yao has likely been overlooked and will not be closely monitored. He is the safer choice to stage a rescue for.”

His argument was logical and straightforward, and as such it was a solid reassurance that had given his family some peace of mind as he’d hurried away into unknown danger. But the logic of it sits like lead in his stomach, and every second he spends running further from Nie Mingjue is one he spends wondering if his not-quite-but-sort-of-fiancé is even still alive to hope for rescue or not.

Yet he knows that if he’d rushed to Nie Mingjue instead he would worry just as much for Jin Guangyao, constantly under threat and underestimated, a convenient target to be eliminated by the reckoning of everyone in Jinlintai. Even with Luo Qingyang in place to help him should the need arise, that’s no guarantee that she’ll actually be able to do so in time, considering she has her own cover to keep and should continue to do so even after the change in leadership in Lanling that Wei Wuxian is ultimately aiming for. He can’t truly count on her to save Jin Guangyao should he get into trouble, but he doesn’t even know if, after what he’s done, his help would be wanted —

Guilt, he decides, will just have to be his constant companion until he’s reunited with both of the men he’s developed feelings for far faster than (almost) anyone could have anticipated.

(“I realize this is all a bit pot-kettle-black and all, but it would probably be best if you didn’t sleep with them, Lan-da-ge,” Wei Wuxian had said to him when he’d come to East Yunping to give him his assignment. Like a fool, Lan Xichen had replied, with utmost confidence, “That won’t be a problem.” And while of course he hasn’t, not in the way his brother-in-law had meant it, there’s no denying that the feelings — the desires — are very much there.)

It’s a relief to finally be forced to set such distressing thoughts aside in favor of the undeniable present when the glittering spires atop the hulking mass of Koi Tower loom out of the blue-black predawn, glittering with sporadic clusters of lights and the occasional shadow of sentries making their rounds amongst the flared roofs and the layers of balconies and open-air catwalks as he drags the boat down to a crawl and drifts near-silently upriver, eyes trained on his goal nearly to the exclusion of all else.

“Hey.”

Lan Xichen is far too disciplined to yelp, but when he turns his startled gaze on Jiang Wanyin, just barely visible in the wan light, his friend has already raised his hands in surrender, palms out at shoulder height.

“What are you doing here? What’s wrong?” He drops his hands when he can see that Lan Xichen has recognized him and begins preparing to moor their boats together half-hidden in the reeds.

“There’s a rat in Yiling, Mingjue has been captured. I came to..Well. I was worried about A-Yao, and we’d had no word,” he reports as he pulls his craft alongside Jiang Wanyin’s, catching the rope the other man tosses to him to tie their prows together for a quick anchor.

“I haven’t heard anything since he went in, not even a shout,” Jiang Wanyin replies, looking more troubled than his usual perpetual frown makes him seem. “His cousin decked him when he got up there and had some guards drag him inside, but we’d planned for that. Mianmian also hasn’t given a signal that things have gone to shit.”

Lan Xichen knows that it’s as likely as not that things are going according to plan, but it’s growing more and more difficult to cling to his logic and rationality when he must face the very real possibility of losing both Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao in one night, before he’s even gotten a chance to properly apologize for deceiving them.

“You said Chifeng-Zun has been compromised?”

“Yes.”

“Where’s A-Qing?”

“Uninjured and on her way to Yiling as we speak, perhaps even already there. She’s safe.”

Jiang Wanyin exhales sharply with a nod, the only moment of visible relief he allows before he turns on his heel to look up at Jinlintai, assessing.

“I’m guessing you’re going in there.”

“Yes,” Lan Xichen agrees; there’s no point in lying, even if he were willing to do so.

“Do you want backup?”

“Did you bring Zidian?”

Jiang Wanyin snorts and ducks down to fish his whip out from the footwell beneath the wheel. He cracks it once out over the water to test its snap, startling a few waterbirds into flight from the marshy reeds a little further down on the banks. Lan Xichen darts a glance up at the ink-smudge figures walking their rounds, but none of the guards seem to have taken notice of the noise.

“Ready when you are.”

That seems to be something of an understatement when taking into consideration the 7-foot bullwhip Jiang Wanyin is currently coiling back up between his hands with the ease of years of training with his late mother’s signature weapon, but Lan Xichen lets it pass without comment. After all, he’s far more interested in finding Jin Guangyao as soon as physically possible, and so he simply jumps down into the ankle-deep water they’re moored in and sloshes the few yards to shore, Jiang Wanyin cursing and grumbling behind him about his nice shoes squelching in the mud as he follows.

His grumbling fades into silence as they climb the hill together, wary of putting a foot wrong or rustling too loudly through the underbrush and drawing unwanted attention to their movement as they move closer to the range of the sentries.

“You’re late. Or maybe right on time, depending on what you’re here to see,” a voice says out of the shadows just as they’re approaching a gap in the fence that surrounds the nearest section of the multi-tower complex. For the second time tonight Lan Xichen nearly jumps out of his skin and is saved from showing it only by his many years spent comporting himself with all the dignity of a Lan.

“Mianmian if you’re the rat I have no problem breaking your legs,” Jiang Wanyin growls at Luo Qingyang when she comes melting out of the shadows, dressed in her Wei black-and-reds rather than the Jin uniform she should be sporting.

“I’m only a rat if I’m allowed to jump ship, Jiang-gongzi,” she says with a little shudder and a glare over her shoulder up at the Tower. “This place is about to boil over like a hornets’ nest and I don’t want to be here when it happens if it’s all the same to you.”

“What do you mean? Where’s A-Yao?” Lan Xichen asks, fear and impatience itching under his skin. In spite of all of his comportment lessons as a boy he can’t help but fidget restlessly with the need to do something now that he’s here and in a position to help if someone would only point him in the right direction.

“Should be finishing up any minute. He’d already gotten Guangshan and the Madam when I checked about half an hour ago, should just be Zixun left to take care of. I was just about to go knock a few heads together so he can make a clean getaway when he’s done.”

“I’ll help with that, Xichen you wait for him out here,” Jiang Wanyin orders, and just like that Luo Qingyang hurries off with Jiang Wanyin in tow, the pair of them melting into the deep shadows between the buildings as the east begins to brighten with true dawn.

Lan Xichen waits a few tense minutes until he hears muffled grunts and the quiet thud of bodies hitting the nearest walkways overhead before he emerges from his hiding spot to loop around the main tower and begin climbing the stairs to the central courtyard. He keeps an ear out for any alarms or shouting to indicate that he’s been spotted, but none come.

The morning is strangely silent as he climbs, without even so much as a bird call to interrupt the low burbling of the sluggish river below. Lan Xichen measures his breaths with his steady tread up the stairs that feel never-ending, and when he finally reaches the landing he turns in a slow circle to survey what he can see of Lanling from such a lofty vantage point.

It’s got nothing on the views of mist-shrouded peaks from his old home in Cloud Recesses — or on Yiling sprawling out from the base of the mountain that contains the Burial Mounds — but then again Koi Tower only sits on a foothill of the range that rolls through Yiling before it dips again into the flat marshes of Yunmeng. Still, the view is beautiful in its own way as the sun rises over the plains below and gilds everything gold amongst the pale blue morning mists.

Lan Xichen turns back around to face Koi Tower at a signal deeper than conscious thought — the scuff of a shoe, a sharp intake of breath, registered and reacted to before his mind has fully caught up with what it could mean.

Jin Guangyao stands still as a statue at the end of a path that leads around the building into the gardens, and Lan Xichen worries for the space of a heartbeat that the blood spattered across his neck and face is his.

“A-Yao–” he chokes and steps towards him only to stop short when Jin Guangyao backs away from him, a graceless sort of stumbling half-step. Upon closer inspection it’s clear that there’s no way the blood is his when his skin beneath it is otherwise unblemished, but in the next moment Lan Xichen realizes that’s the least of his worries. Jin Guangyao’s eyes are a little wild, open so wide that Lan Xichen can see the whites all the way around, and Lan Xichen fears that to do this, to do as he’s been asked and kill the family he’d pledged his life to, he may have had to go somewhere Lan Xichen can’t follow.

He raises his empty hands in a clear sign of surrender, but it doesn’t stop Jin Guangyao staring at him like he’s seen a ghost. Lan Xichen can be patient though, now that he’s in sight, and so he stands as still as Jin Guangyao is and he waits.

Waits.

“Xichen-ge?” Jin Guangyao finally asks, a hesitant croak that Lan Xichen would very much like to never hear again.

“I’m here,” he soothes and sees some sense return to Jin Guangyao’s gaze, though he remains wary. Lan Xichen can’t fault him for that. “I was worried about you.”

Jin Guangyao blinks and, after a moment of visible dithering, steps closer with what looks like conscious effort. Lan Xichen flicks an anxious gaze over every part of him that he can see but besides looking a bit pale and holding that sort of nervous, cornered prey-like energy, he seems fine. (As fine as one can be under the circumstances, at least.)

There’s no polite or tasteful way for Lan Xichen to ask if Jin Guangyao has succeeded in murdering those of his family he was sent to eliminate, but he supposes that the evidence really speaks for itself. 

“Mingjue’s in trouble,” he says instead, and Jin Guangyao’s gaze sharpens further, his eyes narrowing as they dart northward for a moment, though of course there’s nothing to see from here.

“What happened?”

“He and Wen Qing were betrayed, we do not yet know by whom. She has returned to Yiling, but we’ve lost all contact with him. We believe it likely that Wen Ruohan will be attempting to re-indoctrinate him if he has not already killed him.”

“Da-ge is too valuable to kill,” Jin Guangyao dismisses, like to think otherwise is nothing but foolishness. Lan Xichen finds himself soothed by the fact that their instincts in this are the same. “Men like Wen Ruohan don’t cast aside a useful tool like him so easily, he’s still alive. He has to be, we just have to go get him.”

Lan Xichen breathes a silent sigh of relief; he still doesn’t know if Jin Guangyao will ever forgive him for what he did, but if nothing else they can at least work together to rescue Nie Mingjue, can’t they?

Still, even if they can it wouldn’t be right to do so without at least trying to make amends. “A-Yao…I’m so sorry.”

Jin Guangyao blinks and startles ever so slightly, little more than a curious tilt of his head, the movement too sharp to look entirely natural.

“Oh?”

“I never meant to hurt you.”

Lan Xichen feels his breath catch in his chest when Jin Guangyao’s expression cracks, just for a moment, into something…tender. It’s gone between one blink and the next, but even before he speaks it’s enough for Lan Xichen to know he’s been forgiven.

“I would have done the same, in your position. And…I understand. We all do what we have to.”

It’s a curious feeling, to be forgiven so easily by a man he knows trusts no one. It’s tempting to ask if that’s changed, if perhaps he might have earned the privilege of Jin Guangyao’s trust despite his own choices — but every minute they spend here is a minute they are not helping Nie Mingjue, and now that Jin Guangyao’s success is certain the urge to fly north is an inescapable need thrumming under his skin.

“Thank you, A-Yao.”

Against all odds and expectations, Jin Guangyao smiles, small but genuine with the sweetest hint of the dimples in his cheeks. 

“We should leave for Qishan,” he finally says after a few moments with another worried glance northward. “Da-ge is useful to Wen Ruohan but if he’s been caught red-handed attempting to kill him then he’ll have tipped his hand and proven he’s not nearly as obedient as Wen Ruohan thinks him to be. He’ll have pulled out all the stops to try to break Mingjue again.”

Suddenly feeling inadequate, Lan Xichen offers, “I have a Jiang speedboat.” It won’t be enough to get them as far north as they need, and sailing back to Yiling just to find other transport would be an unbearable delay. Thankfully, Jin Guangyao shakes his head immediately and gestures back in the direction he’d come, deeper into the complex.

“We’ll take a jet from here straight to Qishan, I just prepared one to fly to Yiling in case Jiang Wanyin was forced to return on his own without me but there’s more than enough fuel to get us all the way to Nightless City.”

“Flying? I can help with that!” Luo Qingyang calls; Lan Xichen turns to find her and Jiang Wanyin both running across the courtyard that connects the main complex to the buildings to the west with the particular haste of the closely pursued. “Time to go!”

“What have you done?” Lan Xichen asks, startled by the grim determination on Jiang Wanyin’s face and the tight-lipped worry on Luo Qingyang’s as they come to a stop that nearly vibrates with tension.

“Oh, you know, just stole some stuff, did some extra damage…Let’s talk about it in the air,” Luo Qingyang smiles, eyes wide, just as something explodes rather spectacularly from the direction they’d come running from, and finally there comes what Lan Xichen has been expecting since he’d arrived — shouting and the pounding of boots running to the source of the disturbance and, consequently, them.

“I’ll get the boats back to Yiling, Mianmian will fly you to Qishan,” Jiang Wanyin says just before they part ways, him racing headlong down the stairs towards the river and Lan Xichen following his other two companions on autopilot, his hand suddenly caught in Jin Guangyao’s as the man tows him along through the unfamiliar maze of Jinlintai.

“You certainly know how to make an exit, Miss Luo,” Lan Xichen shouts as they run amongst the chasing patter of erratic gunfire and he smiles a little when she shoots him another manic grin over her shoulder.

“Only when I hate somewhere as much as here!” she shouts over the boom of another explosion behind them — there’s no time to look and see where. “No offense, Jin-er-gongzi.”

“None taken, believe me,” Jin Guangyao replies, gentlemanly and sardonic at the same time.

They make it to the Jin hangar before the guards can catch up to them and, as promised, find the hangar doors thrown wide open and one of Jin Guangshan’s personal jets ready and waiting to peel out onto the runway. They race up the stairs to the door and Lan Xichen, boarding last, kicks the rickety staircase away hard enough that it rolls a few feet before it tips over, useless, as Luo Qingyang throws herself into the cockpit, the engines roaring to life instantly under her hands. Lan Xichen drags the door shut and joins her to assist in their getaway, though all she does is hand him a thick folder embossed with the Jin insignia and a computer disk in a soft blue plastic case to free her hands for take-off.

Luo Qingyang wastes no time getting them into the air just as a handful of Jins come skidding into the hangar to open fire at them, bullets glancing harmlessly off the body of the plane as they jet past.

Luo Qingyang is more than confident enough in the pilot’s seat that once they’re safely in the air Lan Xichen slips out of the cockpit to tuck the folder and the disk safely between the wine cooler and the wall of the galley on his way to join Jin Guangyao staring blankly out the window at the clouds racing by.

This jet is significantly more comfortable than the fighters they’d sent Wen Qing and Nie Mingjue to Qishan in, and as Lan Xichen settles into the indulgent comfort of a buttery leather seat across from Jin Guangyao he takes the time, finally, to look him over to his heart’s content and reassure himself that he’s truly uninjured, that he’s alive, and, most importantly, finally free of his father’s particularly cruel hatred.

Still, hale and hearty as he may be, there’s blood smearing on his cream-colored seat, and there’s finally time to do something about it. Without a word Lan Xichen leans back far enough to snag a cloth napkin and a bottle of club soda from the galley to wet it with and, thus armed, slides to his knees between their seats to start carefully cleaning someone else’s blood away from Jin Guangyao’s pale throat.

Jin Guangyao jerks a little, startled, but otherwise stays still to let Lan Xichen tend to him, nearly a mirror of when he’d allowed Lan Xichen to bandage the wound he’d received at the Jiangs’ warehouse. It feels as if they’ve lived an entire lifetime in the day that’s passed between then and now, and a glance at Jin Guangyao’s eyes hints that he may be thinking along similar lines. Certainly that night his eyes had held the same guarded vulnerability, the apparent disbelief that anyone would want to take care of him in this way, but also the desire to find out if he can have it anyway.

“You did well, A-Yao.” Lan Xichen folds the napkin to a fresh corner with which to begin cleaning some specks of blood from his cheek, gently, gently to avoid pressing too hard against a mottled bruise blooming across his jaw.

“You don’t know that.”

Lan Xichen hums, gentle disagreement, as he turns Jin Guangyao’s head an inch or two for easier access with a featherlight fingertip under his chin.

“I do, because I know that A-Yao always does his best, and that it is always significantly better than anyone else’s best could hope to be.”

Jin Guangyao visibly swallows and turns his head again to return to staring out the window with a sort of misty-eyed, focused intensity, lips pursed around whatever it is he clearly doesn’t want to say. Lan Xichen allows it, of course, and continues his careful cleaning until his hands are stained pink, there’s not a spot of white left on the napkin, and Jin Guangyao is biting his bottom lip hard enough that it’s turned pale under the sharp press of teeth.

“I have an idea for rescuing da-ge, but I don’t think he’d like it,” Jin Guangyao says when Lan Xichen stands to return the soiled napkin to the galley. 

“His survival is paramount, his comfort with the method secondary,” Lan Xichen replies, though something anxious twinges low in his belly. He squashes it with effort and a reminder to himself that no matter what else happens, he would trust Jin Guangyao with not only his own life, but the lives of anyone and everyone he cares about as well. He’d said as much to Lan Wangji and he’d meant it.

Jin Guangyao is silent for long enough that Lan Xichen finishes cleaning up and returns to his seat to face his partner, now bearing little evidence of his night’s activities save for the dark circles under his eyes and the patches of deeper black on his clothing where blood has soaked through and dried into the fabric. When he settles, Jin Guangyao glances at him out of the corner of his eye, nervous and not even bothering to hide it.

“If he hates me when we’re through, whose side will you take?”

The question aches to even consider. Lan Xichen finds himself uncomfortable with the lack of a clear answer, his own conundrum from a mere hour ago turned around again and repeated before he could solve it once himself. In the end, though, there’s really only one answer that Lan Xichen is capable of giving no matter how difficult it may be to put in practice, should it become necessary.

“I would find a way to choose you both. Anything else is untenable.”

Jin Guangyao hides a yawn delicately behind one wrist and shoots Lan Xichen an apologetic glance (that is, of course, completely unnecessary).

“How long to Qishan, Miss Luo?” Jin Guangyao calls towards the cockpit.

“Hours yet, Jin-er-gongzi! Midday maybe, could be later if the wind in the mountains doesn’t favor us,” she shouts back over the thrum of the engines.

“Get some rest, A-Yao,” Lan Xichen coaxes. “I’ll wake you when it’s time.”

It’s remarkably reassuring when, with no further prodding, Jin Guangyao simply nods and takes his words — his comfort — at face value. He turns to curl into a little ball on his seat and promptly falls asleep like that, facing the rising sun and the clouds shrouding the ground from view, looking more peaceful than Lan Xichen has seen him yet.

... -.-. . -. . / -... .-. . .- -.-

SOMEWHERE

There are voices nearby.

Nie Mingjue notices this through the murky sludge of his thoughts and promptly forgets it again until the next murmur snags his wandering attention, though there’s no way of knowing how long that actually takes.

He thinks, as he slowly begins to surface from..wherever, that something somewhere might have gotten a little fucked up. He’d followed Wen Qing into the tunnels that connect the hangar to Nightless City, that much he remembers. Long, unbroken walls of steel and concrete, flickering bulbs stretching for miles in both directions, nothing else but the sound of his boots, his breathing, the soft clatter of his guns in their holsters.

And then, he winces as the memory slams into him like a freight train —

Shouting.

Bullets flying close enough to whizz past his ears before shattering the concrete mere inches behind his head.

The thudding of dozens of boots on concrete, the lights dropping red with the whooping of sirens.

Fists banging on steel doors that won’t open and his feet pounding, pounding, pounding, running down hallways that seem to have no end. An endless maze under a mountain, burning red red red, trapping him, dragging him back under —

He’s been here before. His mind slides sluggishly between half-remembered escapes, running, running, running, and falling,

falling,

falling—

“He’s awake.”

The words come, clear as a bell. Nie Mingjue clutches them, a lifeline thrown to him in the whirling, nauseating rush of drugged memory threatening to pull him under and keep him there, caught in the rapids until he drowns in them.

A sharp crack across his cheek snaps him out of it with a gasp that shudders in his aching chest. He doesn’t dare to look down to try to remember the cause of the aching — in his periphery he can see that he’s been stripped naked from the waist up with dark bruises blooming under his skin already, and he highly doubts that his weapons have been left anywhere even remotely accessible.

Of course they haven’t been. Now that he’s coming around towards lucidity he wonders how he ever thought coming here, now, would land him anywhere else. 

This is, after all, Wen Ruohan’s Fire Palace, and the only one allowed tools with which to inflict injury are Wen Ruohan and his “doctors”.

Nie Mingjue breathes, sucking in lungfuls of iron-thick air and choking on the stench of rotting blood that permeates the walls, the floor. He always leaves here smelling like it, the tang of it in his hair and in his nose for days after he’s kicked the brown dust of it off his feet.

“Hold him.”

Nie Mingjue fights on instinct against the hands that clench around his wrists but before he can do anything more than snarl and flinch they’re not hands, they’re straps of leather biting into his flesh and crushing his bones, and his thrashing does nothing at all to stop the glint of a silver needle disappearing into his neck. 

Within a few too-quick heartbeats his body is burning, flames roaring through him in time with his rabbiting pulse. He’s lost in it again, unable to think beyond the flames licking under his skin and burning away every piece of him that dares to exist under Wen Ruohan’s tyranny.

It fades after a brief eternity, and when sense returns Nie Mingjue finds himself straining against his restraints hard enough to bruise, ankles and wrists aching in the dull way of too-tight manacles, and fighting hard for each breath that feels like fine shards of glass in his throat.

“Again.”

He barely has time to mumble a furious, “No!” before there’s another pinch in his neck, another wave of unbearable fire, as inescapable as it has been for nearly all of his life.

For a while, he’s sure he’s never known anything but this at all.

There’s no way of knowing how much time has passed since the first injection when he regains control of himself again, but the pain radiating through every nerve in his body has at least burned away the last of his confused lethargy and left him horribly clear-headed, everything sharp-edged and gleaming with the aura of a migraine he’s too overwhelmed to truly feel like he should.

His restraints loosen enough for him to be sat up by rough hands under his shoulders, and he’s unsurprised to find himself face to face with Wen Ruohan — the pair of them have sat here, in these exact places, far too many times for their old song and dance to change now.

“Mingjue, Mingjue,” Wen Ruohan chides in Nie Mingjue’s mother tongue – an insult from that mouth, here like this. “How many times must I remind you of your place in this world, hm? Your stubbornness will soon outstrip your usefulness to me; you’re going to force my hand and there will be no one to blame but yourself.”

Nie Mingjue takes great pleasure in clearing his mouth of the blood from his swollen, bitten tongue by spitting it right into Wen Ruohan’s eyes. He takes even more pleasure in having goaded Wen Ruohan into swearing as he swipes the back of his hand across his face — almost enough to make the consequences worth it.

Almost.

“Childish. Again.”

Nie Mingjue’s voice cracks around his shredding vocal cords as he screams loudly enough that it reverberates off the dingy tile on all sides, echoing back to him even through the roaring inferno of his heartbeat.

Time moves strangely, sluggish fits and starts that limp towards lucidity and yet somehow eternities pass in minutes, everything about Wen Ruohan just the same as it was before whenever he’s able to open his eyes again, even if something else has changed. Doctors in their white and red coats come and go, slipping through his fingers like minnows following a current he can only attempt to stand against. Wen Ruohan sits sneering at him, ordering unseen hands to torment him, and Nie Mingjue uses every remaining ounce of his unbroken will to not lose himself in it completely.

When he resurfaces enough for conversation he’s once again flat on his back, a leather band tight across his forehead and his manacles cinched as tight as before to pin him to the steel table more suited to dissection than the repose of anyone living.

“He’s awake.”

Nie Mingjue closes his eyes against the halogen glare of the lights overhead and can do nothing to stop the tears born of exhaustion and frustration that leak from the corners of his eyes to run down his temples into his hair. (Sometimes he thinks that the worst thing he can be in this life is awake.)

Quite as if their conversation had only paused for seconds (though Nie Mingjue is…reasonably sure they’ve been at this for at least a day or two, perhaps more), Wen Ruohan tells him, “You’ve been betrayed, Mingjue.” He says it with an audible air of indolence like he’s lounging back in his chair, a bored emperor sitting in his throne hoping torture might make his life a little more interesting. “I would usually assume that I wouldn’t need to tell you by whom, but it seems in this instance your foolish desires have clouded your judgment so thoroughly you can’t see the snake twining around your own ankles.”

Nie Mingjue breathes through the fury searing its way through his abused veins and glares at the ceiling despite the blinding light overhead. Of course Wen Ruohan believes Nie Mingjue has been betrayed — wasn’t that the whole point of Lan Xichen’s plot to deliver them to the Yiling Laozu? His plan hinges on Wen Ruohan believing that Nie Mingjue has failed him! He reminds himself that this is precisely what they’d intended, that this must be his punishment for failing rather than for betraying Wen Ruohan and returning to beard him in his own den which is the only explanation as to why he’s still alive in this fucking hellhole—

Unless Wen Qing lied to them all and led him straight to a trap she was perfectly positioned to set—

Or—

“Xiandu,” a smooth, mellow voice says and as hotly as he’d burned a moment ago Nie Mingjue feels his blood turn to ice in the next.

He stares up into the light overhead until he can see the filaments of the bulb, the glare of it filling his vision and leaving dark afterimages behind his eyes that he can’t blink away. The table he’s strapped to is folded in half with a screech of rusted metal, his head still secured in place so that he’s forced to sit up and face Wen Ruohan whether he wants to — is able to — or not.

His vision swims with pain, fatigue; the dark blotches the light had left behind hide the owner of the second voice for a long moment, but even without seeing his face, and even considering the relatively brief time their paths have aligned, Nie Mingjue would know him anywhere.

“Oh, you really weren’t expecting this at all, were you?” Wen Ruohan sneers. Nie Mingjue works to keep his breathing even while his vision clears against his will, and when he can see again he meets wide, dark eyes in a pale sweetheart face, a cruel smile he’s never seen before dimpling Jin Guangyao’s cheeks.

“He’s far too shortsighted for someone of your intelligence, Xiandu,” Jin Guangyao says smoothly, dispassionate and looking down his nose at Nie Mingjue in the particularly haughty way of the Jin. “Is such a blunt tool really worth the effort of sharpening?”

Wen Ruohan chuckles and it makes Nie Mingjue’s skin crawl, the easy back and forth, the way Jin Guangyao’s expressive eyes are full of disdain, the way Wen Ruohan is stroking Jin Guangyao’s hand laid on the arm of his chair with just his fingertips, somehow more salacious and proprietary than outright groping him would be.

“Perhaps not,” Wen Ruohan muses. “Perhaps his usefulness lies in entertainment, particularly if your idiotic father truly intends to give you to me.”

Jin Guangyao smiles again, dimpling and sweet as he sidles closer to Wen Ruohan. “My father was eager to be rid of me and I of him. My loyalty lies here.”

Nie Mingjue jerks once in his restraints, unable to stop the urge to at least make an attempt to get free and, if he’s lucky, loop his hands around Jin Guangyao’s skinny throat to squeeze the miserable life out of him.

But of course Nie Mingjue can never hope for luck.

Being betrayed by Lan Xichen when they’d thought Wei Wuxian to be their enemy had hurt, but somehow this is worse. He’d worried about Jin Guangyao, done what he could to comfort him, felt some small hint of his relief when his younger brother had been unexpectedly returned to him safe and sound. He’d been given an easy escape but he’d stayed with Jin Guangyao when his survival was uncertain, simply because he couldn’t stomach the thought of leaving him to face his fate alone.

Nie Mingjue had trusted him, against all the odds.

Jin Guangyao clucks his tongue in disapproval and steps away from Wen Ruohan’s side to approach Nie Mingjue and he jerks again, leather creaking and metal rattling as he fights to keep his eyes trained on the target his hands ache to crush.

When Jin Guangyao is close enough to touch, he strokes the back of his knuckle down the curve of Nie Mingjue’s cheek, and though Nie Mingjue tries he can’t even turn his head enough to attempt to bite the offending finger off at the joint.

“Mingjue,” Jin Guangyao chides, warm and patronizing, “has Xiandu finally succeeded in breaking your mind? You’re little better than a rabid dog like this. Perhaps I should let you follow in your father’s footsteps and simply put you out of your misery.”

Wen Ruohan chuckles with what sounds like genuine amusement, twisted as he is, and Nie Mingjue bares his teeth in a wordless snarl.

“Patience xiao-Jin, don’t you want to make it hurt?”

“Can he even feel pain if his mind’s too broken to string two thoughts together?” Jin Guangyao muses, a philosophical question that makes Nie Mingjue’s blood boil, enough that he finally finds the right muscles to spit blood at Jin Guangyao’s feet.

“This is your doing?” he snarls, clumsy on the bite-swollen tip of his tongue. “After everything—”

“Ah, he speaks at last! Truly remarkable after three doses of your Fire poison, Xiandu,” Jin Guangyao taunts with another caress down the side of his face, punctuating it with the tap-tap-tap of a fingertip under his chin, the drag of a single nail down the center of his bare, bloodied chest.

“Mingjue is far too resilient for his own good, he’ll need another few doses to calm down enough to be taken back to his cell. You and I have plenty of time to play together.”

“Mm so it would seem. Ah — careful Big Red,” Jin Guangyao tuts when Nie Mingjue jerks in his restraints again. “No damage unless I say so, don’t spoil our fun.”

“You fucking snake!” Nie Mingjue spits, venomous and bloody at Jin Guangyao’s feet. “Traitorous bastard, I should have drowned you in the river when I had the chance!”

Nie Mingjue registers the sharp crack of flesh a moment before his exhausted body catches up enough to realize it was Jin Guangyao’s knuckles across his cheek, and fresh pain (clean, honest pain, not the insidious venom of a needle under his skin) blooms red and black across half of his face.

“Disrespectful and arrogant, I would expect nothing less. Have you already forgotten who dragged whose half-drowned ass out of that water, you ungrateful—”

“Enough.” Wen Ruohan’s voice is sharp as a knife between the ribs, impatient for the first time Nie Mingjue has heard since he was captured. “I’ve no interest in your petty squabbling. Come here to me, Guangyao.”

Jin Guangyao turns and Nie Mingjue closes his eyes against the sight of him settling down primly on the arm of Wen Ruohan’s chair like he belongs there, like he’s some…pet for Wen Ruohan to play with.

He doesn’t want to know how many times his own brother has sat in that same spot, forced to play coy and meek to attempt to appease Wen Ruohan’s appetites long enough to survive. And yet Jin Guangyao goes to him willingly, sits at his side and lounges back, indolent, comfortable in his position. Nie Mingjue opens his eyes after a too-long moment of murmuring he can’t quite hear to see Jin Guangyao has turned to sling his legs over Wen Ruohan’s lap and bent down to speak directly into his ear.

“…even better poison than your Fire,” Nie Mingjue hears as Jin Guangyao sits up again to reach behind himself. “If you’ll allow this humble one to demonstrate, Xiandu. A thank you gift, for taking me in unexpectedly, hm?”

Wen Ruohan, smug and satisfied, simply smirks as he waves an indulgent hand, apparently in the mood to be generous to his newest torturer.

Nie Mingjue can’t take his eyes off the blade glinting in Jin Guangyao’s hand, carefully withdrawn from a sheath hidden in the small of his back. It’s long, he notes first, and obviously razor sharp where the thinnest of edges catches the glare of the single light over the table.

“It’s a hunting poison,” Jin Guangyao practically purrs as he turns the blade casually between his clever fingers, never straying from the hilt. “Harmless now while it’s dry, but once he’s wounded with it, and the wound exposed to air…” Jin Guangyao trails off meaningfully with a little smile, a tilt of his head. Wen Ruohan stares up at him where he’s perched just a few inches above him and Nie Mingjue’s lip curls with open disgust for the display.

Wen Ruohan tips his head to the side ever so slightly when Jin Guangyao stops spinning the blade long enough to press the flat of it to his cheek, a mirror of the way he’d caressed Nie Mingjue’s face, and Jin Guangyao’s smile takes on a strange edge, tilting higher at the left corner of his mouth.

“It’s faster than your Fire, I’ll admit, not much use for making him continue to suffer; but it’s quite effective for my purposes.”

“Your purposes,” Wen Ruohan repeats, amused. He tilts his head a little further and leans back, arm slung almost casually around Jin Guangyao’s hips to nearly pull him all the way into his lap. “And what would those purposes be? Revenge?”

“Mmm you could say that,” Jin Guangyao laughs, light and lilting.

His fingers blur and Nie Mingjue barely sees the moment he plunges the knife straight through Wen Ruohan’s chest.

Shock makes his entire body slacken and he can only watch dumbly as Jin Guangyao springs back from Wen Ruohan’s clawing hands, can only stare and stare and stare as his jailer — his tormentor, the bane of his existence — dies choking on his final breaths, hands curled uselessly around the hilt of Jin Guangyao’s knife like he’d intended to pull it out but simply died first.

“Mingjue, look at me.” Jin Guangyao is in front of him, bent at the waist to bring them eye-to-eye in an attempt to catch Nie Mingjue’s gaze. “Da-ge!”

Nie Mingjue sucks in a rattling breath and tears his eyes away from the corpse in the chair across from him with herculean effort.

“What the fuck was that?” he manages to ask, but Jin Guangyao doesn’t spare him the time to answer.

“I’m going to free you. If you kill me Huan-ge will be terribly upset with you, and be advised that he’s armed.”

“What the fuck did you just do?!” Nie Mingjue shouts. He strains against his manacles again until his right hand is freed and he can reach out to finally, finally get his fingers around Jin Guangyao’s throat and squeeze —

“Mingjue!!”

Jin Guangyao meets his gaze steadily and curls his fingers around Nie Mingjue’s to try to loosen their grip as Lan Xichen bursts into the room, a frisson of high-energy anxiety to cut through the murderous rage turning the edges of Nie Mingjue’s vision red. Every outburst he’s had (or nearly had) since the beginning of this mission has nothing on the fury raging through him now, and as Lan Xichen finishes removing the straps holding Nie Mingjue in place all he uses his freedom for is getting his other hand around Jin Guangyao’s neck as well.

“Mingjue stop it!” Lan Xichen shouts, sharp in his ear and cutting a narrow path through the haze. “Put him down, you’re killing him!”

“Good,” Nie Mingjue grits out between bared teeth, but between Jin Guangyao prying at his fingers and Lan Xichen’s unnerving strength yanking at his wrist he’s forced to drop Jin Guangyao the few inches he’d lifted him off the floor. The moment he’s free, he crumples, coughing and crawling weakly backward out of range as Lan Xichen steps between them.

Nie Mingjue is left with no choice but to focus on the other man, their even heights putting him in just the right place to see the steel in Lan Xichen’s gaze, the tense set to his jaw, the color high on his cheeks and his pupils dilated with what looks like pure adrenaline.

“He saved your life, Mingjue! If you kill him now you will find yourself answering to me, and I promise that you do not want to. Control yourself, we have to go.”

Nie Mingjue snarls and takes one step forward only to be held back by an iron bar across his chest – it’s not an iron bar, it’s Lan Xichen’s forearm pressed against him, but it certainly feels like iron, hard and utterly unyielding to the point of bruised aching as Nie Mingjue strains against him just to keep his feet underneath him.

“I will not be parted from either one of you, Mingjue, so control yourself, and we will all make our amends later! We have a job to finish.”

Nie Mingjue forces himself to take a deep breath in and hold it, his jaw aching with the force of his clenched teeth and his hands shaking where he’s got them fisted in Lan Xichen’s sleeves as if he’s going to force him away, though they both know he isn’t capable of doing so. Not now. He closes his eyes for a moment against the sight of Jin Guangyao’s eyes peeking over Lan Xichen’s shoulder, wide and afraid and innocent, with none of the cruelty Nie Mingjue had seen! No one is that good an actor, but there’s no trace of malice in him now, only concern and fear.

He’d seen it, but his mind is only barely his own and he knows that no one will trust what his eyes are telling him.

Not even himself.

Even still, Nie Mingjue isn’t buying the doe-eyed innocent act for a second, but Lan Xichen is right. They have a job to finish, and Wen Ruohan is dead. He opens his eyes again to find some of the ferocity has left Lan Xichen’s expression to be replaced by relief, and without sparing a thought for why he does it Nie Mingjue grabs his face between both palms to pull him into a kiss that’s more teeth than anything else, rough and demanding to try to burn through some of the energy he isn’t allowed to expel by strangling Jin Guangyao.

He feels like he’s fracturing, every emotion he could possibly feel flashing through him with no warning, everything dialed up to 11 and leaving him shaking with the need to do something, anything, to vent it.

“We need to go, Huan-ge,” Jin Guangyao calls from near the door. Lan Xichen returns one final brutal kiss before he withdraws and takes Nie Mingjue’s hand to tow him out of the room, through the labyrinthine hallways of the Fire Palace with a sense of purpose in his steps, a sense of direction. He doesn’t ask why Lan Xichen knows his way through the maze, he doesn’t ask why he trusts Jin Guangyao to lead them to safety rather than another trap, he doesn’t ask what happened or how long it’s been since he was captured, or why there’s no one here to stop them as they escape.

All he can do is follow, and when the tunnels begin to slope upwards he hurries along behind the others into fresh, clean air that doesn’t reek of anything but the faint whiff of sulfur-sharp smoke that clings to everything in Qishan.

They stop short at a few sharp claps from somewhere ahead and to the left, and when Nie Mingjue looks up it’s to find Wei Wuxian sitting on top of the wall that surrounds the Palace, one foot popped up on top of it and his elbow resting on his bent knee as he claps slowly, almost mocking, and offers them a little half-bow.

“A spectacular show from all of you, really. Well done,” he says, his voice colder than Nie Mingjue has yet heard it. “And now, I believe it’s my turn.”

[moonchild-in-blue]

Can we talk about Turntail? Like I knew Queen the First (fifth? Miss Birdsong? Do you have a nickname for her that I’ve misremembered…) obviously had the voice of an angel, but these RUNS she is doing on this song?! They are so convoluted but she sings them so TIGHTLY?!?! And PRECISE?!?? How do I get more heart eyes over her, holy hell what a talent

You know what. It's currently past 3am and I'm playing Zelda because I can't sleep (running on sick hours over here), so yeah absolutely we can talk about Turntail 😌 Also, I don't really have a nickname for her, I just call her Miss Ma'am hahaha. Miss Birdsong is great, I'll borrow that.

(okay it is now past 4am i spent WAY too much time gushing over them sorry lol)

HONEY. THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING. If you think she sounds amazing as a BACKVOCALIST, then you're in for a treat to hear her as a main vocal of her OWN BAND HELLOOOOO.

I remember a few months ago in one of their (live? Q&A? one of them) instagram things, someone was commenting on how great she sounded, and one of the guys was like "yeah, and she didn't even get training, isn't that so annoying?", it was hilarious 😂 Miss Ma'am is a natural - no wonder Vessel got her (and the babes) to back him 💅

Turntail is fantastic, I've had it on repeat since Thursday. Their music is so interesting and unique, and a great of it is because of her singing. She does this crazy runs and unexpected intervals like it's nothing, and her tone is so so SO clear and stable. Her lows??? Like, honey can go reeeeal low and smooth and real high and crystalline in seconds just like that??

This song in specific, I super appreciate the eerie, melancholic vibes. It's such a great successor to The Collapse (their previous single), but somehow even better. And can we talk about that sexy bassline??? Johnny boy went HARD on it (like he always does. Same with my drummer boy Matt, he's fantastic. Also he writes a lot of the lyrics alongside Lyns, he's fantastic). I love the breakdown bridge and that last chorus so SO much. And the piano??? They always have the most heart-wrenching, soul-crushing, beautiful piano melodies, and yet I get pikachu faced everytime. What can't the queen do. Also, this is the first time they're using a voice effect-tune-thingy so, interesting choice there. The babes sound beautiful as ever too 💖

While my favourite thing from them is still the 1st ep (The Thing With Feathers - please please PLEASE go listen to it. The Downpour and The River are my favourite songs of them, they're so amazing, please I am begging you, you'll love it), you can absolutely hear how much better they get with each new thing they put out. I'm so so excited for when they finally release a full length album, it's been a long time in the making.

If you listen to their latest ep, Dancing In The Face Of Danger, you'll see that they went for a more upbeat vibe (notable on Pyre and Ever The Optimistic), so it feels great to hear the Sad Vibes™ again. Nothing against upbeat stuff (Pyre is one of their best songs fr), but I am an emo at heart sooo... yeah. Miss Birdsong sounds like an elf or some other woodland creature - idk if its just me but you can hear traces of folk music in it and ugh what a combo.

Super super reccomend you hear them live. There are a few recordings on YT, and some of them do feature one or both of the Espera babes too.

(not gonna talk about how once again i missed their concert 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 it was today/yesterday 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 i'm fine really not salty at all 😃😃😃😃😃😃)

Also - do not sleep on their Diamond Eyes cover. Genuinely does NOT feel like a cover AT ALL. Covering Deftones is so daunting because of how unique a they are, and by god those beautiful bastards did it. I do very much prefer their version to the og, she really shines vocally there.

[roguemonsterfucker]

More TheHunter adventures!

Despite being EXTREMELY sick with allergies today, I made major progress in my game. I took the time to look at all the weapons so I could figure out how to be more efficient with my shots and also get higher scoring trophies. I doubt I'll ever get super high scores and that's fine, but it's kinda fun to have something to aim for (pun not intended).

Not sure why I didn't get any pictures of them but I farmed saltwater crocs a lot today and was able to get a Gold quality one. No special colors yet, but I have high hopes for my crocs.

I spent some time deciding where to set up my lion hunting camp and just as I was going to place a tent there... uh. Something special appeared.

Albino wildebeest!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH! Right where I was setting up my lion hunting camp.

This is my second rare color. Here's my two rare finds next to each other.

I also was finally able to hunt a raccoon dog! AND I got a Gold quality one!

I have high hopes for getting special colors of these guys eventually.

So pretty fun day, despite being unable to breathe because of allergies rofl.

Once again, y'all if you wanna play this game, it's SUPER on sale right now. Only $3 for the main game, but I do highly suggest the Master Hunter Bundle, which is about $14 and comes with some really good DLC. The best duck/goose hunting map is included in that bundle, as well as a few other good locations. Most of the DLC is at least 50% off, with many of them being 75% off. The only ones not on sale are the newest ones.

I think it's a super fun game, but I'm a weirdo who has liked hunting games since I was a kid despite loving animals. 😂 I just like exploration + seeing cool animals! And this game provides!

Also, if the game seems too hard... Just uh. Hit me up about mods/cheats. 😅 Personally I'm not "cheating." Just fixing a few accessibility issues. I still want hunting to be challenging. Defeats the point if I just spawn rare colors in rofl. But I have no judgement for anyone who wants to play whatever way and I'm happy to help folks make the game fun.

So yeah. Check it out if it appeals to you! It's got beautiful maps and beautiful animals. And it's multiplayer so you can join up with friends! I could take some folks hunting/sight seeing if they wanted so let me know if you get the game!

And you don't need all the map DLC to visit them! As long as the host owns a map, anyone they invite can come too. 🥰

[studentbyday]

me on monday: decided to make a merve-like study schedule so hopefully i can overcome overwhelm and procrastination. 🤓 "+" means any amount of bonus time if i feel up to it, but i don't *have* to do more than already specified here.

D-40 DAYS TO FREEDOM

me today: i really wish i didn't have to study today. despite the study schedule, i spent way too much time procrastinating in bed.

also i started using obsidian today and it's...basically like OneNote?? the learning curve isn't even that huge. maybe the confusion starts when you try to zettelkasten and use plugins. i like it (zettelkasten) in theory, but i don't think it's for my already overwhelmed (and highly unorganized and scattered) brain struggling to understand the info for the first time on a tight schedule 😵‍💫

study:

send biochem paper (1st draft) ✅ (it's not done, but the 1st draft is ungraded and i have bigger fish to fry today)

write biochem discussion post ���

1 section of mol bio notes (2 long sections total this week 😵‍💫) ✅ (why is it that accepting that i can't actually store in long-term memory all the new info they throw at us in the time they allot feels like giving up? i just got my midterm mark back and i didn't actually score that bad but i am exhausted just thinking that i have to do it all over again in december 😭 and then i'll wanna review the course content so that i don't feel so awful about myself not remembering things long-term, but this time at a more leisurely pace)

start mol bio assignment ✅ (and by that, i mean 1 tiny question 😂)

notes on 1 of 2 psyc ch from last week ✅

watch psyc overview + start 2nd ch from last week ✅ (thank god it's sm shorter than the 1st one 😵‍💫😌)

self-care:

physio exercises ✅

⏰: i expected the struggle but i made it to 5h today! i really need to take the breaks seriously tho, if i'm to last for longer...tmr i might have to try for 8 or so hours again, instead of the 4 planned above bc tHeRe'S sOoOo mUcH tO dOoOoOo (and i wanna finish them asap) 😵‍💫

[i-choose-the-danger]

Lesson Learned

Whoa, new fic alert! I'm surprised at how quickly I wrote this one. Don't expect that speed to become a habit though. 😂 This is a Hogwarts Legacy fic, so obviously if you play the game or plan to and wish to avoid spoilers, you should probably save this fic for later.

Summary: Ominis has offered to help the new fifth-year student catch up on learning charms. Sebastian gets volunteered as tribute to be the student's practice dummy, and also learns never to go behind his best friend's back again. Fic below the cut.

**A little background info for those of you who don't know anything about the characters but still want to read it and not feel completely lost:

Ominis Gaunt (yes of THAT Gaunt family) and Sebastian Sallow are 5th-year Slytherin boys and they've been besties since they met at school

Anne Sallow, mentioned a few times, is Sebastian's twin sister who became too ill to go to school any longer and now stays home

Ominis is blind, born that way (not something I made up, it's canon)

The other student is the "main character" aka the player in the game/story, and they've started Hogwarts as a 5th-year so they have a LOT to catch up on

For the purposes of this fic, the character is a female Slytherin and I've named her Kathryn

the "Undercroft", where this fic takes place, is basically a hidden room in the castle that only Ominis's family knows about... Ominis only shared this secret with Sebastian who then shared it with the main character when he shouldn't have

I think that's all the background info you need to know if you don't know the game's storyline. Time-wise, this fic takes places somewhere in the middle of the school year, after Sebastian told the other student about the Undercroft and I'd say not long before they start looking for the Scriptorium for those of you who know the storyline.

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Kathryn anxiously paced in a circle across the stone floor in a corner of the Undercroft. Her nerves getting the better of her, she fidgeted with the spell book in her hands and began to rotate it cover over cover as she walked. There was a lot of work she needed to do if she was to get her magical knowledge up to snuff with the other fifth-years before the O.W.L. exams began at the end of next term. The one subject she seemed to excel at was potions, which Ominis struggled with quite a bit. In exchange for tutoring him, he had offered to go over charms he'd been taught in his earlier years. Kathryn was about to give up on waiting when she noticed the red glow pulsing and growing brighter near the entrance gate.

"Oh good, you made it!" Kathryn exhaled. She smiled as the gate lifted and Ominis strutted underneath it as he extinguished his wand. She took a seat on the floor, folding her legs underneath herself and placing the spell book beside her. "I was starting to think that you'd forgotten." Her fingers buried themselves in her long dark hair and twisted around the strands.

"I promised you that I would come. You know I'd never break my word. I had to make sure there were no prying eyes around." Ominis furrowed his brow when he realized her voice came from below him. "Are you sitting on the floor?"

"It's usually how I study."

"Well, that will not do. You deserve better than cold stone. Just a moment." Ominis didn't need his wand to navigate the Undercroft. Having spent so much time down there over the past four years, the area was completely committed to memory. He disappeared around a corner and came back just as quickly pulling what looked like two large green velvet couch cushions behind him.

"Where in the world...?"

"I deserve a medal for being able to memorize and navigate Sallow's 'organized chaos', as he calls it, down here." He handed a cushion to Kathryn and dropped the other behind himself before sitting down onto it. "Much better. Did you have anything specific you wanted to go over today?"

"Madam Scribner helped me find a copy of Standard Book of Spells for first-years with braille and said I could keep it for the term as long as I bring it back in perfect condition." She placed the book on Ominis's knee and kept her hand on top of the cover until he took the book in his hands. As he started to flip through pages, she added, "I feel silly having to look through a first-year book and not knowing some basic spells and charms. I really do appreciate you offering to help."

"I don't mind. Sebastian brought you here to have a safe space to practice, so it only makes sense to utilize your time learning what you can."

"I still feel bad about that. If I'd known it was your family's private-"

"Nonsense," Ominis cut her off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "That fault lies with Sebastian, not you. I feel awful about snapping at you when I found out, so I suppose that makes us even."

"Fair enough. I got up to page thirty-two before morning classes started. I managed to spongify one of my books, which was fine until I realized I didn't know how to undo it and it bounced around every time I put it down." Kathryn huffed at herself, taking a seat on the cushion Ominis had given her.

"Ah, rookie mistake. Always learn a counter spell first." Ominis turned several pages in the spell book. "Twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two..." He brushed his fingers across a line of bumps on the page and let out a quiet chuckle.

"What?" Kathryn asked.

"It's an... amusing spell," he told her. Ominis leaned his head from side to side in thought. "It's not one you see used very often. I don't think I've ever seen it used during classes."

"Well, now you've piqued my curiosity." Kathryn craned her neck to try to read the page Ominis had the book opened to in his lap. She lightly tapped a fist against his knee. "Come on. I want to cram the past four years of your knowledge into my brain before Christmas break. What is it?"

"It's called rictusempra." Ominis grimaced as a small wave of embarrassment came over him. "It's a tickling charm," he added, angling his face down towards the book in his lap.

"I beg your pardon? You're kidding." Kathryn scoffed and looked up at Ominis, whose cheeks were now dusted a shade of pink. "You're not kidding. Is it that bad? What happens if I use it?"

"It's what one would expect. It hits you here," Ominis mumbled, bracing an open palm over his stomach. He stretched his fingers out and wiggled them around. "It feels warm and kind of fuzzy at first, but then it wriggles out and becomes increasingly unbearable. It tickles like mad and you have no way to block it because it feels like it comes from inside you, if that makes any sense. Ugh..." Ominis buried his face in his hand and could feel himself blush.

"You speak from experience. Sebastian used it on you, didn't he?"

"Oh goodness me, Sebastian knows better than to try something like that. He may be brash and completely reckless, but he's not suicidal." Ominis closed his eyes and laughed at a memory sparked from the conversation. He gazed in Kathryn's direction. "It was Anne, his twin sister. I can't remember why, but I was in a foul mood and they were having none of it. Sebastian tried to cheer me up and nothing helped. Then I heard her cast the spell and I reacted almost instantly." He shuddered and scratched around his torso as if he could still feel the effects of the spell. He felt a light squeeze at his ribs and jerked away from the touch with a gasp, swatting his hand out towards Kathryn. "Noooo no no. That's not wise."

"So you're already ticklish to begin with," Kathryn giggled. She thought for a moment and looked at the book that was still open to the spell page in Ominis's lap. "This doesn't say what happens if you cast the spell on someone who isn't ticklish though. Would it have the same effect on them or would it be useless?"

"You really do have a habit of making me think of things differently, don't you?" Ominis quirked an eyebrow while he thought over the question. "I actually don't know. And you're the first person I know to even ask. I suppose we'd have to find a willing practice dummy."

At that moment, they heard the gate open behind them and heavy footsteps echoing down the stairs through the chamber.

"Ahh, there you two are. I figured you had to be down here when I couldn't find you in the common room or Great Hall. I guess this means you're not mad at me anymore for letting Kathryn into the Undercroft?" Sebastian directed at his best friend.

"Of course not. I understand why you let her down here. Whyever would I still be upset?" Ominis's tone was less than sincere, but Sebastian didn't pick up on it. "You have excellent timing though, Sebastian. You're a perfect dummy," he added, smiling as he imagined the scowl Sebastian must be wearing.

"I am NOT dumb!" Sebastian put his books down on a nearby chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

"He means a practice dummy. No one is calling you dumb," Kathryn said, scolding Ominis by lightly backhanding his shoulder. "Ominis has been kind enough to spend time teaching me some charms and spells that you learned in previous years so I can catch up."

"Is that so? I can teach you spells that aren't in those books too. Just say the word." Sebastian felt a small pang of jealousy in that moment, even though he would never admit it. "So why do you need me to be your practice smarty?"

"Oh for Merlin's sake." Ominis groaned and rolled his eyes.

"This spell has to be used on a person and I didn't feel comfortable using it against Ominis. Besides, I wanted to test a theory." Kathryn stood and held out her wand towards Sebastian. "Odd question: are you ticklish?"

"What?!" Sebastian squeaked. He wrapped his arms tighter around himself and tried to remain calm as he took a few steps back. "I mean, of course not."

Sebastian glanced over at Ominis, who was wearing a smile that could only be described as pure evil. Ominis was fully aware of how sensitive Sebastian was, having heard him and his twin sister have countless tickle fights when they were younger.

"Oh, perfect! Let's see what happens then. Rictusempra!"

"No, wait!" Sebastian didn't have a chance to grab his wand and attempt to shield himself from the charm. A puff of silver glittery smoke shot out of the tip of Kathryn's wand and collided into Sebastian's torso. The boy gasped and instantly turned away from his friends as he doubled over, clawing at his vest.

"Did... did I do it wrong?" Kathryn asked.

"Not at all," Ominis replied in her direction. He stood and dropped the textbook back onto the cushion. "I suspect he's being stubborn and trying to fight it. What is he doing now?"

"He's kind of hunched over and jumping around like he needs to find a bathroom. I wish you could see him. It's utterly ridiculous." Kathryn clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle her own laugh as Sebastian squealed.

"Rictusempra is meant to weaken your opponent. The spell starts to dissipate once its victim is too weak to function." Ominis heard Sebastian starting to hiss through his teeth to suppress his laughter. "Sebastian, you're only making it worse for yourself. And you're not being very helpful to Kathryn either. Bad form," he scolded. He cleared his throat to hide a deep chuckle when Sebastian squealed again. "She needs to see how these spells work to understand them."

As if on cue, Sebastian's legs gave out and he fell to his knees. He couldn't fight the wriggling sensations against his ribs and stomach any longer and giggles rumbled in his chest before flowing freely from his lips.

"Okay-hay-hay-hee-hee! She see-hee-hees!" Sebastian's dark hair was a complete frumpled mop over his eyes. His shirt was untucked and his vest was twisted around his torso as he continued to claw and swat at the tickling sensations pulsing through his body. "Please! I ca-ha-ha-ha-han't!" He was laughing so hard that his eyes were tearing.

"If you actually feel pity for him and want to stop the spell, there's another that would immobilize him. Simply aim your wand at him and say titillando," Ominis told Kathryn in a hushed tone.

"And that'll stop the spell?" Kathryn was skeptical knowing what the incantation translated to, but she knew Ominis wouldn't teach her a spell that would hurt someone. It seemed plausible to her that a counter-spell would have similar terminology.

"You have my word." It wasn't a lie... exactly. Ominis could never lie to her, but he was still quite the cunning Slytherin when the need called for it. He was also still annoyed at Sebastian for letting Kathryn into the Undercroft without his permission. There's that old saying about payback...

"Titillando!"

"Oh my God, NO!" Ghostly transparent purple-tinted hands appeared around Sebastian and started tickling any spot on him they could reach. He no longer had the strength to hold back his laughter and outright screeched before bursting into cackles and curling into a fetal position on his side as he repeatedly kicked at the air. "Help meeeee! I can't brea-hee-hee-heethe!"

"Ominis!" This time Kathryn backhanded his shoulder with a force that nearly knocked him off balance. "He's going to pass out."

"He'll be fine. The little prat had it coming. Just give it a minute." Ominis continued to listen to Sebastian's deep laughter and occasional squeal, closing his eyes and laughing himself as it reminded him of happier times they had together before Anne had gotten sick.

"I do not want to be sent to Azkaban for murder! Call them off!" Kathryn tried to sound stern, but she knew Ominis could sense the amusement in her voice.

"Very well. Spoil my fun then. Finite incantatem."

As Ominis spoke the spell and aimed his wand at Sebastian, the ghostly hands vanished. Sebastian spread out his limbs, collapsing face-down on the stone floor and taking in gulps of air.

"Sebastian?" Kathryn bit down on her thumb and felt incredibly guilty as Sebastian lifted his head and turned it to face her. "Are you... okay?"

"Don't. Touch. Me. You two... are in... SO... much trouble... when I can see straight," Sebastian mumbled in between fleeting breaths and residual giggles.

"Me?! I just did what Ominis told me!" Kathryn glared at the blond. "You said that would stop the spell!"

"Did it not? I was truthful," Ominis stated with a shtug. A red light pulsed from the tip of his wand as he held it out and slowly stepped over to where he could hear Sebastian still panting. Crouching beside his best friend, he kept his voice low. "I thought you knew me better, Sebastian. I never get mad at you. I get even." Ominis extended an arm and felt around until his hand touched Sebastian's hair. He gave it a few semi-sympathetic pats before standing back up. "Although, I do confess that I may have gone a tad bit overboard."

"If you could see how destroyed he looks... Overboard is an understatement," Kathryn sighed. She offered her hands to Sebastian and helped him to stand.

"Overboard?! I almost died. I felt my soul leaving my body." Sebastian draped an arm around Kathryn's shoulders and leaned against her as his other hand massaged into his aching ribs. "I'll let you off the hook this time because you're learning." He glared at Ominis through the dark curls that were still matted against his forehead from sweat. "YOU on the other hand, you'd better sleep with one-" he caught himself in the middle of his own sentence as he realized what he was saying.

"Oh I dare you to finish that," Ominis hissed. He chuckled darkly. "Anne isn't the only one who knows your weak points. Perhaps I should teach Kathryn the body-bind spell next and you can show her how well it works."

"Perhaps you two can keep me out of your nonsense and just help me with my homework so I don't fail and watch you go on to sixth year without me," Kathryn interjected.

"Quite right. I apologize. We have work to do," Ominis admitted.

"I need a shower... and a nap now." Sebastian let go of Kathryn and stood up straight, wincing at the soreness in his torso from laughing so hard. "This is far from over though. Watch yourself," he added to Ominis as he passed by to head back to their dormitory.

"He's not serious, is he? I'm going to feel horrible if I started something between you two." Kathryn folded her arms over her chest.

"Not to worry. Our friendship is complicated, but solid." Ominis' jaw clenched as he thought about his siblings. "As I hate my actual family, I assume this is how real brothers would get along. He'll forget about it by tomorrow."

"I'll take your word for it. Let's go over a few more spells before dinner, hmm?" Kathryn sat back down and grabbed the spell book, flipping through pages. "Preferably some I can use in dueling. I have a feeling Sebastian won't go easy on me if Professor Hecat pairs us up again."

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The end! Hopefully y'all liked it. I have other Hogwarts Legacy drabbles knocking around in my head too. I love these two Slytherin boys so much. 😭 As always, likes and comments and reblogs are appreciated and encouraged. Thank you! 💗💗