#I will never let go of that idiotically smart strategy of distraction

[phoenix-flamed]

Me, reading Morphy's reply from Otto:

My muse's immediate reaction: go for it, Otto. I can take Kupka's men if they come calling back

Me: ............ can you not, sir

[ladynestaarcheron]

Eat or Bed - Part 3

ao3 master post

so first and foremost thanks to @skychild29/@that-golden-lyre (the same dadrie in two different accounts) for beta-ing.

second thanks to all of you for support and encouragement!!

now. as i have mentioned this is my first time writing smut and i'm the girl who wrote a whole-ass nessian novel where they have three kids and no sex scene so this is like a big deal for me. so as a fair trade if you like it please let me know!!

okay enjoy!!

---

The thing about Cassian, Nesta learns, is that he is the most brilliant person in the world, but sometimes he acts like an idiot. Not because he is one, but because he likes to. Enjoys driving her absolutely spare with her antics. A quiet place to regain some sense of self the House of Wind is not.

Almost everything he says to her, he says to infuriate. She's constantly lashing out at him, and he bites right back, taunting her to decibels she's never reached in her life before. And when it's not to turn her mad, it's teasing. Nesta picks up on his pattern quickly: when she is quiet and distant, when he fears she will fade into her pain and memory and drift away, he attacks. Anything to draw her out. But the teasing, the sexual inneundos and too-lingering gazes...those are when she is better. When she has enough presence of mind to focus on a book, when she comes back from a peaceful luncheon with her sisters.

It's entirely unnerving, to learn just how clever he is. To have all of that military strategy focused on her. She feels him clock her every move, file away hesitations and stammers and hisses and quietudes to dissect. So it does not take her long to find a house of her own.

It's in a small neighborhood outside the city proper, closer to the sea than the river. There aren't any families at all, mostly people living on their own, a handful with a partner, content in their solitude. The shops are all in the city, but Nesta can pay for delivery so she doesn't have to venture out if she doesn't feel like it.

Feyre helps her design it to her liking, picking mostly blues, reds, and purples to decorate. She paints her a landscape of the view from the house they grew up in as a housewarming gift. It hangs over Nesta's living room couch, across from the fireplace she never lights.

When she opens the window and the breeze is strong enough, Nesta can smell the sea. It's quiet and comfortable and wouldn't be too bad a place to call home for forever but Nesta's had a taste of what else is out there. So most nights, Cassian comes over.

She's gotten a bit farther in her progression. She orders lacy nightgowns to Feyre's house and sneaks them out in a bookbag to her house. Cassian's favorite is burgundy. The first night she wears that one, it stays on, but he keeps his hands on her rear instead of her thighs. Even later, when she remembers what he had whispered to her, she turns red. He has next to no decorum, and it's only to torment her.

He never leaves without telling her, kissing her gently at dawn and whispering that he has to go. Rare are the occasions when he can stay with her till late, and he rouses her the same way, and they spend longer in bed. Sometimes the nightgown comes off.

So it's good.

Too good, sometimes.

Like when he tells her he wants to take a bath with her. She panics each time anew, choosing different tactics--I'll wash your hair or you wash mine or picking a fight so he leaves, but the problem with Cassian is that he's smart. And he realizes, he knows, she knows he knows, that she won't sit in the tub.

He wasn't there when she told Feyre. He doesn't know. And her sister is too busy or distracted or...well, she has forgotten. So Nesta remains with her buckets and washcloths and honestly, it would be fine, if not for Cassian.

He doesn't say anything. But he notices. He's too brilliant not to.

One morning he knocks on her door at the unholy hour of seven.

"I think I let you sleep in late enough," he snaps at her when she rips open the door, snarling.

Well, I didn't sleep well, she does not say, because it is her fault. She didn't sleep well because he was not there. Because she picked a fight.

He makes her dress quickly, ignoring all her further attempts to fight some more--and ushers her outside. They take off flying before she is settled fully into his arms.

"Are you trying to kill me?" she demands.

But he doesn't answer, jaw locked. That's Cassian's determined face. He's on a mission. She knows that face well--she's generally the target.

They do not fly east to the city, though. They fly north-west, and he doesn't stop until the sea comes into view again.

"It's too cold for the sea," she hisses at him, trying, for the umpteenth time, to bait him.

This time he does answer her--but Nesta wouldn't go so far as to say it works. For he only grins down at her, and says, "Trust me, sweetheart, it'll be plenty warm we're going."

There's a short walk. Inland, and not towards the sea, as he said, but Nesta is still irritated. He could have dropped them off exactly where he wants them. Why bother with the walk?

"You could use the exercise. It's not healthy for you to sit and read all the time. Plus, I want you to work up a sweat." He winks at her.

It's a good-natured wink. It's to tease, not to anger. Nesta pauses. Is he not angry anymore? What is he planning?

"Not far now," Cassian says loudly, over the rush of freshwater. Quite loud, actually, but Nesta can't see a river past the crags and copses. "Here," he says, holding out hand, to help her walk through a thicket.

Nesta gasps as he leads her into the clearing. It isn't a river at all--it's waterfall. She's never seen one before, only read about them. It falls in a white streak from about fifty feet up, but rather small, only five or six feet across, and falls into a pool not big enough to be called a lake, but perhaps too big to be called a pond.

"Come on," he says, grinning at her.

"Oh...I...can't swim."

"You're not going to," he says, pulling her along. They stand next to a boulder that might've fallen off the side of the mountain once, and he grins at her again before reaching over his head and pulling his shirt off.

Nesta glances around. They're hidden in this clearing, trees and rocks surrounding to give them something of a wall, but he can't possibly expect...they're outside, for goodness' sake!

"It's far too cold--"

"It's a hot spring."

She knows he's right, she can feel the steam coming off the fall.

"We're in public. Anyone could show up."

"No one will," he says, confident.

"You don't know that."

"I've been coming here for centuries. Never seen anyone here."

"Well, I'm not..." she trails off.

He only shrugs at her, kicking off his boots. "Suit yourself," he says, hands going to his belt buckle.

He can't be serious. He can't be serious. Nesta turns away, cheeks burning. He's incorrigible. They're outside.

He tosses his pants onto the boulder, next to where she stands. Nesta keeps her back to him, waiting until she hears the splash, but it doesn't come. After a few seconds, she allows herself a look.

He's standing under the waterfall, eyes closed and head tilted upwards. His wings are spread wide open, droplets sliding off them and hitting the pool like rain.

She's never seen him like this before. He nearly never wears shirts to bed, but he always keeps on pants or underthings--probably more for her comfort than his. But he's entirely nude now, and she's...it's so she can look at him. That's why he's--he's waiting for her to join him. And she's so distracted by her mess of thoughts of if she should look and where that she can't waste any of her head on the fact that he's probably figured out she won't sit in water.

Slowly, giving her ample time to turn away, Cassian tilts his head down and opens his eyes.

Her hands move to the clasps on her dress before her brain tells them to. She lays it on the boulder where Cassian had carelessly slung his clothes, takes off her shoes, rolls down her stockings, and despite the cold, takes her time with her bustier. She likes to tease him like that. It's not scary and makes her feel powerful.

Nesta swallows as she inches towards the waterfall. Her body craves the warmth of it, craves Cassian, too, but the water...

She takes a deep breath. She can do this. She can do this. She can at least try.

Another deep breath, and one step. She keeps her eyes wide open, and--

Nothing.

There's no fear, no panic. It's...it doesn't terrify her. It just...doesn't. It's not sitting in the bath.

But now she's standing naked with Cassian--in public. Is she out of her mind?

"Glad you decided to join me," Cassian says, voice lower than usual.

He does not, she notices, share her qualms about looking over the other. But it's different for him. He's seen her undressed before. Seen a lot of people undressed before. And she's...

But this is Cassian. He wants her. She's allowed to look. There's nothing dirty about seeing him or touching him or wanting him--well, they're not married, so perhaps that--no, no, they're not getting married, she doesn't want to get married, not yet, maybe not at all, well, maybe one day, but she shouldn't think about that--

Cassian breaks her train of thought, pulling her towards him and kissing her deeply.

"How do you always manage to think about other things when you're with me?" he says in her ear when they break apart.

"I can multitask," she says calmly. She is not calm. She and Cassian are entirely bare before each other, he is holding her against him--she is anything but calm.

Cassian snickers and kisses her again. As usual, his hands stay on her waist until hers move.

His chest first. Always his chest, and each of his tattoos. Standing under the water makes her feel different--maybe braver, maybe hidden--and her hands go to his nipples. She runs her fingers over them lightly, unsure of what he'll like--but he huffs against lips, so she takes it as a good sign.

He moves his hands then, far more sure of his path than she is. First to her rear and then to her breasts, fingers dancing all across the flesh there. Laying his hands against her ribcage, he pushes her against the cliffside, and she moves an arm to his shoulder, hooking her leg at his waist. She makes a small sound as he shifts and she scratches her back against a rock jutting out, and he breaks apart. He opens his mouth--to ask her if she's all right--but he still has a wild look in eyes, a look that she put there, and he's hardening against her bare body, and his muscles and wings in tattoos under the water, and all of this comes over Nesta, and she leans forward and does what she's been fantasizing about for months now: she licks her way from a tattoo on his left pec and swirls around his nipple.

Cassian swears loudly, making her jerk her head back and look up at him.

"What the fuck was that?" he says, unchecked delight in his voice and eyes thrown open in shock.

She blushes. It's a little ridiculous to blush, she thinks, when he's the one who brought them to a public place to--to cavort under a waterfall, but she can't help it.

"I wanted to," she says, tinging redder.

Cassian loves this response, the evidence of his feelings pressed into her thigh. "Well, when is it my turn?"

"I wasn't aware you were that gifted a contortionist," she says, snide.

Cassian does not waste time smirking. He grabs both her thighs, lifts her back is straight against the wall and legs wrapped at his waist, and he does take his time in working his mouth at her breast.

Nesta gasps aloud at this and her legs go limp. Limp, like some kind of...oh, she can't think of a word. She can't think of anything. Just Cassian's mouth on her breast and his tongue, his tongue, his tongue, and she wishes they were lying down so he could use his hands, too, but instead he has to hold her up so she doesn't slip and fall into the--his tongue.

It's too good then, and she lifts a hand to push his head back. He looks up at her wildly, ferally, grinning like something of a madman, and says in a rush of air, "Nesta."

"Cassian," she answers automatically, and he is at her other breast before she can say anything else. He splays his tongue on the underside, pulling his head up and closing his lips so her nipple is inside his mouth. With his tongue rolled around it, he strokes and strokes and then sucks and she has never wanted anything so terribly in her life, him, Cassian--"Cassian, Cassian--"

He pulls his head back to laugh at her--of course he does--and she blurts out, "You have to stop."

"Why?" he demands. "You like it." He shifts against her again, drawing attention to her arousal, as though proving his point. "And so do I," he adds, grinding himself into her.

She bites her lip to keep from making a sound, but surely he can see the look upon her face as she shudders. Still, while this was a fun experiment, it's over now. She grips onto his shoulders as she lowers her legs off of him and regains solid ground. Oh, she can feel the absence of him like an ache. She clenches her fingers to keep from reaching out to him, but there's no cure for that delicious lightness fading away, leaving reality in its place. No cure but him--and she can't have that now.

"We should go back now," she says, crossing her legs and awkwardly shifting her arms to cover her breasts. She doesn't want to make it look like she's hiding herself from him, but there isn't a way to cover one's breasts unassertively, is there? She tries crossing her arms, but that only pushes them up and frames them, so she drops them to her sides.

"Why, Nesta?" he asks, and he's--ugh--disappointed and sad. Like a kicked puppy. He's not even doing it on purpose, that's just how wide his eyes are. "Did I do something...I thought you liked it."

"I did," she says, turning her head slightly--but, no, he deserves for her to look at him head on. "I do. I just...don't think I can continue."

"Why not?" he asks, not letting this go. "I...did I make you uncomfortable?"

Nesta almost laughs. As though she'd allow the impropriety of stripping down with a male in a public place, licking each other, and then be made uncomfortable by...the manner he licked her in? But he's caring at his core, and can't bare the thought of having hurt her, so she takes a deep breath and says, "IlikewhatyoudidtomebutIcan'tgomuchfurtherwithyou."

He blinks. Frowns. "You're saying," he says, bringing a hand to run it through his dripping hair, "that you...don't want...oh! You don't...Nesta, you don't have to...touch me...if you don't want--"

"We can just go," she says, flushing crimson again. She turns to leave, but he holds out his arms to keep her against the wall.

"Now, hang on," he says, teasing back in his voice. "You were saying you were enjoying it when I used my tongue on you, weren't you?"

"Yes," she snaps at him, not yet returning to her natural color. She crosses her arms--she knows it only draws attention to her breasts, but it's out of habit, and she can't drop them now. She'd look weak.

"And you're just," he continues, clearly enjoying himself with his faux-nonchalance, "not yet comfortable enough to get me off."

"Yes," she hisses. Why does he have to torture her like this?

"Well, that doesn't mean we have to stop." He draws his hands closer, till they both hit her waist. Leans in close. "I can take care of myself." His fingers dance up her side, tilting her head back so he can kiss her. "We'll stay a while longer," he says against her mouth. "It's what we both want."

Oh, gracious, but she wants to. She desperately wants to. And it's not like she thinks Cassian's going to be upset if she doesn't--ah--touch him after he touches her--but it doesn't seem very...friendly. To act that way.

But if it's what they both want...

(Pathetic, she knows, but giving into temptation is only too easy when the temptation is Cassian, naked and flush against her, pleading with her to let him make her come.)

"All right," she breathes back.

He exhales sharply, victory brightening his hazel eyes. He makes quick work of her, kissing her neck like he knows she loves, like he did the first time. With his tongue and his teeth and it's even better when his hands are at her breasts, at her thighs. He's taking care not push his hardness into her now, she notices--she's never going to be able to say anything other than hardness, no matter how many romance books she reads, at least, not until she...is comfortable enough to get him off, as he said--and she wishes he would. But maybe it's...uncomfortable for him? If she's not going to...so she stays where he keeps her, content with his hands.

"Nesta," he says, when he's kissed his way up her neck. Then again, quieter, more reverent. "Nesta, Nesta, Nesta." His right hand slips down as he says her name, down and in, to her thigh, then her sex. "Nesta," he says again, thumbing her folds. He says her name again, this time with a groan. "Remember all those times I wasn't graphic?"

Nesta can hardly speak, her pulse is so fast. "Yes," she manages.

"How're you feeling about that?"

How is she feeling about--his thumb.

"You can be...a little graphic," she gasps.

It's as though she pulls a stop out of his mouth. "You're so fucking wet."

Nesta wrinkles her nose. "Well, that's what you wasted it on. And it wasn't even that graphic." She curses mentally for saying that.

"Well, how's this for graphic?" he asks, sliding another finger next to thumb. "I'm going to make you come so hard you see stars."

She tries to keep herself emotionless. "That was fine."

He snickers--she must not do a very good job.

But then his finger slides into her, and she doesn't care to snap back at him. Her hands clutch his shoulders tightly, holding on in case her legs give out again. He moves slowly, slowly slowly, and he's only about halfway in before he glides his thumb upwards and brushes against her clit.

"Cassian," she blurts out, unable to stop herself.

But he doesn't laugh or even smile. "Good?" he says, somewhat quiet.

"Yes."

"Good," he says again. He moves his finger back, then in again, working together with his thumb. Deeper, with a brush, then out, and then again.

After a few sounds break their way out of Nesta's mouth, Cassian curls his finger inside her, and she can't quell the moan-gasp that comes out.

"More, Nesta?" he asks her.

"Yes," she says, voice a hideous whine she might one day again have the presence of mind to hate, but not now. Not while Cassian has his fingers inside her.

For he moves in a second finger, and it stretches her farther apart than she's ever been before. And for a second, it might be too much, but just then he brushes against her clit and that's all she can feel.

They lean in to kiss each other at the same time, and she hitches her leg at his waist to give him more room and oh, gracious, she can feel him, she can feel his finger inside her, she can feel his tongue in her mouth, she can feel the muscles in his shoulders, and his thumb, and--

"Yes," she says, in that same gasping moan.

Cassian curls his fingers again, and drawing the same sound from her, completely out of her control. "Like that?"

Now there is a smile in his voice.

"Yes," she says again. "Like--yes."

"Perfect, sweetheart," he says, but she can barely hear him. He speeds his pace, going just above that spot, just below, and then curling into it. His thumb moves in circles around her clit now, and--and--

"Please," she says, barely recognizing her own voice, shifting herself upwards. "Cassian, please--I want--"

"Good, Nesta," he says, and she can't tell if he means it as a question or in praise. He doesn't stop his push and pull of his fingers, brushes against her clit again, finally, but it's not when his fingers curl and that's what she wants, that's what she needs--

"No--yes, I do--just--like that, please, and with your thumb--"

But he knows, he knows what she wants and that's why he's laughing.

"Is now when I make you come, sweetheart?" he purrs.

"Yes," she says, in a full moan now.

He laughs again. "Well, you asked so nicely." He kisses her again, deeply, hungrily, moving his fingers inside her and not quite touching her clit the right way--again--and then again--

He breaks apart, eyes boring right into hers, right into her soul, as he curls his fingers exactly how she wants, and then teases her clit, and then again, and then--together, once, twice, again, again, again--

Her orgasm hits her as though she has not been expecting it, as though she hasn't been moving herself on Cassian, begging him for more. The world disappears, but he remains, all around her, inside her. As he promised, she loses sight, loses everything except the feel of his hand as she comes onto him. They both moan this time. Cassian doesn't stop with his thumb or his fingers, them against her, inside her, and it's--oh, it's so good, to feel herself coming have him keep drawing it out, until her chest is heaving and she can see clearly again.

He is looking at her like he never has before. It's a new kind of want, now, now that he's had a taste. She imagines she's looking at him the same way. They are silent as he slips his hand out of her, only taking each other in--he's just so beautiful and he felt so good and she wants more.

He speaks first, and it is only when he does that she hears the waterfall, that she realizes the world has not stopped while they had their moment.

"That was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life."

He holds her gaze, and she doesn't even want to shy away. She only wants to kiss him--and she can. So she does.

His hand wraps around her waist, the hand that was inside her, that brought her to orgasm so completely. He pulls her closer, closer, but it is not close enough. Nothing will be close enough, now that she has come with his hand inside her.

And Nesta feels something she's used to feeling just then: rage. Such strong, overpowering, violent rage, that even Cassian breaks apart from her.

It takes her a moment, so lost in her ire, to realize what she is mad about.

Not Cassian. Not...of course not. Not after he...how can she ever--sex is not everything, she knows, but perhaps it is more than she thought. Perhaps touching someone...perhaps for Nesta...but that is not what she is thinking about.

She is mad at herself. And Hybern. And--that man--though she will not think his name when Cassian has brought her to her brink, when he is flush against her. And everyone, everyone, everyone but Cassian, because she wants him so badly and this body and mind and life have limited the ways in which she can have him and it's not fair--

"Hey," he says, hands now upon her face. "What's...the angry tears are not nearly as sexy as the orgasm tears."

Nesta brings her hands to her face. Then she looks through her fingers. "I...what?"

He grins, despite himself. "It was so fucking beautiful, Nesta. I hope you tear every time."

Every time. How confident.

"Come on, sweetheart, what happened?"

Nesta bites her lip, wiping away her tears. Angry tears, apparently. She hadn't even noticed that she had...but no matter. "I," she says, struggling with her words. "I want...to go faster."

It's pathetic. She knows that. But he doesn't look at her with pity. Only...care. Something stronger.

"Hey," he says again. He kisses her. Sweetly this time, not deeply. "I happen to like our pace. I don't want you to be mad at yourself for it."

She looks up at him. It's hard not to cry, but she does her best to keep her voice from breaking. "I want...to be in control of my own body."

He studies her. "You will," he says finally. "It'll take patience. But I promise you, you will. I can help you learn it. I promise it'll happen."

He's strong and beautiful and sure and everything in the world, so she believes him even though she thinks it can't be true. It's Cassian. He's always true.

---

The next day, he tells her to meet her sisters for lunch.

When she arrives back home, water is running in her bathroom.

Cassian stands there, under a newly-installed...waterfall. Spilling out from overhead, into the bathtub, dropping like rain.

He gives her an easy grin. "Join me?"

She does.

[fanmoose12]

Levihan Week 2021

Day two: Confessions

Summary: Confessions are to be made in the right place, in the right time.

"Confessions are to be made in the right place, in the right time."

It was an advice that Erwin once gave him, during one of the rare instances when the late Commander allowed himself to shrug off his heavy duty and act like a normal human.

Back then, Levi didn't understand the meaning of his words, didn't realize how this philosophical remark could be related to his question about “that red-haired lady that visited our barracks with Dawk today”.

But time went on, and the words refused to leave Levi's mind. Watching his fellow scouts, his friends and subordinates, he couldn't help but remember Erwin's wisdom.

Confessions are to be made in the right place, in the right time

The more Levi thought about it, the more he started to believe that it was a universal truth. Blurt out the wrong thing to the wrong person or in the wrong time, and you create a misunderstanding, tension or even a conflict.

Blurt out the right thing to the right person but in the wrong time, and you can very well destroy the relationship that was so treasured.

Levi saw examples of this everywhere - drunken soldiers slurring the admission of their love to their equally drunken comrades, heavily injured soldiers whispering the words of love on the verge of death, forever breaking the heart of the subject of their affections, angry and tired soldiers screaming out those dangerous three little words in the moments of frustration and resentment.

Love made people stupid, it made people reckless. It was dangerous and unwelcome in their line of work. He couldn't allow his heart to grow attached to someone else, couldn't let his eyes wander in the search of them during battles, couldn't let someone else's voice and laugh distract him from his duties.

Levi scoffed at the soldiers who waxed poetic about love, he rolled his eyes at the displays of affection, he pitied the fools who dedicated their hearts not to the indestructible idea of humanity and its future, but to a single, mortal person.

And then, out of nowhere, in the midst of battles, losses and rare moments of peace, he himself became that very same fool. During battles, his eyes searched for the shrieking idiot, his heartbeat slowing down only after he saw them alive and well. During late evenings and sleepless nights, he sat in the stuffy, dusty laboratory, listening to unending ramblings about titans, the outside world and the hopes of bright future.

He was more focused with them by his side. He slept better when they were curled up around him. Even his food was more delicious when they shared it with him, shamelessly stealing bits of his dinner.

It wasn't love, Levi had tried to assure himself. Love was dangerous and stupid, love was making people weak. But this— this bond, this comradery, this friendship, it wasn't making him weak. It was making him stronger, it was making him fight even harder, to ensure that this hell would end with both of them still alive. This bond, it was making him feel so... happy.

Love made people do stupid things when their other half was injured or in danger. But Levi's person, they were strong. Almost as skilled as was he, and twice as smart.

On the battlefield, they were quick and graceful, invisible, they did not make him worried. Whatever danger they were facing, they always managed to defeat it.

But then, then Kenny came back into his life and then they went after him straight into that fucking cave, and Levi's heart had stopped, it almost crushed when he heard their scream and saw them fall.

And blood, there was so much blood on their shirt, in front of his eyes. And that's when Levi realized - he became attached, he fell in love.

Confessions are to be made in the right place, in the right time

It was the first time he remembered these words in a very long time. He thought he would never need this advice. But that night, when they returned from that cave, when Levi stayed by their side, watching them hiss and wince as doctors bandaged their injured shoulder, he almost blurted it all out. Scared out of his mind, he wanted to grab their face and scream at them how he almost lost his shit during the fight, how even the thought of losing them was making him absolutely terrified. He wanted to press their forehead against his and whisper, so quietly than only two of them would hear, how much he loved them.

But they had a battle waiting for them first thing in the morning. Both of them were exhausted, both of them had too much on their minds. It wasn't the right time and it wasn’t the right place.

So he simply gripped their healthy hand and said, "You looked like a fucking amateur back there, four-eyes. Try to focus next time, alright?"

The answering laughter was quiet, but cheerful. It mended Levi's heart.

Then there was Shiganshina, and Levi's previous fears started to look like an overreaction. He thought he was afraid before, he thought he was close to losing them before, but last time, he could at least see them twitch and groan out in pain, he was somewhat comforted by the knowledge that there were people looking over them.

But now, now, there was no one. There was an explosion, a big, thundering explosion, and after it, there was nothing, nothing at all.

And Levi— Levi couldn't go there and check if someone was still alive. He couldn't even stop and make sense of what he was feeling. Everything was moving too quickly, and he could only follow that swift flow, trying his best not to get drown in it.

And, as he continued moving, never faltering, his eyes were wet - with sweat, with blood, with tears - Levi couldn't spare a second to wipe all of it. He could only continue marching forward.

Confessions are to be made in the right place, in the right time

It wasn't the right place, certainly not the right time, but his desperate, relieved "Hange!" could probably count as a confession. It certainly disclosed the feelings that otherwise he would never let out.

But the current kept moving forward, and both of them were struggling to keep their head afloat. There was no time for words of love, no time for being stupid and reckless.

After the utter disaster that was Shiganshina, they returned home, and the place was right, but the time wasn't, as both of them were still dealing with the losses they've endured. Dumping even more revelations onto them seemed unwise, cruel even, so Levi stayed silent, remained at their side, loyal and faithful.

When they finally arrived at the sea, it seemed like the place was right, and the time was right. And as Hange dragged him from one end of the beach to the other, shoving seashell after seashell into his face, Levi even prepared a romantic, touching speech, the kind of soft confession that his love deserved. Something along the lines, "you're more precious than the sea in front of me".

But that peaceful day was over before he could master the courage to let the truth out in the open.

And after that, after that, the time and the place were never quite right. He could not confess in the midst of thousands official meetings, strategy planning and war councils. He couldn't confess when they had to meet with the Marley volunteers, he couldn't confess when they went to explore Marley itself.

He couldn't confess before they went to retrieve Eren's stupid ass. Although, he wanted to, desperately so. But when he grabbed their shoulder before they boarded the airship, he could only tell them, "Don't die. I'd hate to be in charge of this circus."

He didn't know if his true meaning was clear enough, if his voice was tight enough to translate his curt words into their intended point.

Don't leave me alone. I don't know if I can do this without you.

It only went downhill from that. He had no time to speak with them after they came home, he had no time before he went to the forest with Zeke, the place and the time just weren't right.

When Zeke had escaped, when the explosion had almost killed him, Levi thought that he had lost his chance. He had hesitated for too long, and the moment was lost forever. But the explosion didn't kill him, Hange saved him.

And this time, the place was right, it was perfect, a quiet, dark forest where nothing and no one could get to them.

Maybe, the two of us just should live here together. Right, Levi?

He wanted to say yes, wanted to scream "let's leave this fucking hell behind and grow old together". He wanted bury his face in their neck and whisper "I love you, more than anything".

But he didn't.

The place was right, but the time wasn't.

The place, the time, they were never right.

After they got out of the forest, things were spending up and up, leaving Levi behind and unable to catch up. He was always at the back, watching but not doing anything, too weak to even talk. And they were at the front, leading everyone towards their noble goal.

As he watched them move forward, leaving him to fight the Yeagerists, discussing plans with their allies, as he watched them slip through his fingers like a morning fog, those words were at the tip of his tongue, ready to spill out.

But Hange never stopped, they had no time to hear him out.

And then, Hange finally stopped. Then they decided to become the one that was going to be left behind. And in the process, they left behind Levi.

He thought about it so much, for so long, he was carrying these feelings for almost a decade. But he never figured out just what words to use to explain the matters of his heart.

Confessions are to be made in the right place, in the right time

He was so focused on these words that he forgot about the most important thing. Confession had to be done right as well. But he had no time to ponder and search his mind for the fitting words. He had no time, Hange had no time, and in that last moment, when his heart was breaking and his mind kept chanting "please, don't leave me, not you, please, not you", the only thing he could get out was, "Dedicate your heart."

The confession was clumsy, too roundabout, but his feelings probably were clear enough. He hoped so, at least.

Before they went, before they left him alone, Levi wanted them to know, wanted them to remember just how loved they were.

As he sat in that plane, his mind going crazy with grief, he remembered the words spoken to him in the middle of the night, by a man who refused to feel the pain of loss, who shut himself away from affection and love.

Confessions are to be made in the right place, in the right time

Perhaps, Erwin was wrong in that regard, Levi realized. Perhaps, there was no such thing as right place and right time. There could only be right person.

And Levi had just lost his.

[hanibalistic]

#ACEDAD | KIM SEUNGMIN.

genre | gentle angst, faint fluff

word count | 1815

warning | mild violence between friends ​

note | wanted to write after the music video! just me kind of rambling about love and truth

seungmin was your last boy.

it was not your job to be the relationship counselor (not that there was any relationship for you to counsel to begin with, unfortunately). stranding alone as a high school student who has never been in a relationship nor been loved, or secretly loved, by anybody before, you were in no place to give out relationship advice (again, not that there was any relationship to advise for in the first place!).

but what you do have were friends. good friends, close friends, best friends—yang jeongin, han jisung, and kim seungmin. under some kind of unfortunate yet miraculous coincidence, all three of them fell in love with the same girl, and all three of them collectively got their heartbroken, albeit on different days, after finding out that she has a senior boyfriend, who you found to be mediocre in personality but very good-looking, nonetheless.

what began as the perfect strategy of giving them space and silence to nurse their teenage heart back to life turned out to be one hell of a foul plan. they did not get better, they only got worse!

jeongin was visibly upset all the time, which was unheard of to you. jisung actually started studying as a form of fail distraction, which even the teacher haphazardly pointed out with fear after seeing the ninety percent score on his math test. seungmin has got a mean streak running along his mouth even during the worst times, such as student council meetings, which wasn't weird but quite downright terrible for everyone around him.

a bunch of idiots were what those three have become, leaving you as the only sane, intelligent, logical, empathetic, perfect friend in the friend group. unfortunately for you, though, as much as you enjoyed being (even more) superior to your friends, your complete lack of healthy bodily functions would not let you curate the strong backbone suitable to sustain such a title, so there was only ever one way to end this.

you got to smack some senses into the three of them, and seungmin was your last boy.

he was the tricky boy. he was smart and quick-witted, and when push comes to shove, he would be more than willing to ignore your presence entirely as he blatant disagree with everything you say. and, as you knew, there was nothing more frustrating and annoying than people who choose to remain ignorant despite their knowledge, people who choose to not care simply out of spite.

"you need to back off of everyone around you, lover boy," you said with a leisurely smile, leaning back against the chair and putting yourself in the most impolite sitting position you could muster.

seungmin could feel your feet atop of his. that was how you got him to sit down even after the student council meeting ended—brute force. he tries to move even an inch and the heel of your shoes goes through his feet. how violent, it was exactly the way you liked to do things, and he always had a lot of say about that but he never did. there was no point fighting a battle he wasn't skilled in.

"i don't know what you are talking about," he muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed that he was forced down to have this conversation with you.

jisung and jeongin both told him about your endeavor to talk to all of them about their sudden change after their love fell through. they warned him about you; about how insensitive you could be, how your priorities were set everywhere else but on their broken hearts, how you were more here to threaten them than to help them. they also told him how he could lie through his teeth to get out of the situation—just pretend he was fine and go along with everything.

but seungmin hated pretending he was fine. he wasn't the type to go along with things he disagreed with. therefore, if he has to sit here with your feet stuck on top of his, ready to plummet his bones whenever it called for, he would. if it meant he could somehow win this conversation, to show you that everything you were doing serves to be useless, he would sit here and bicker with you.

"i am talking about your useless, mean streak, seungmin," you said. "you should back off from it. irrationality makes you even more pathetic than you already are."

"you're one to talk about being pathetic," he raised his brow and nudged your feet once, "you're the one talking to a hopeless case."

you hummed. his face was unreadable now, and the only thing you could be sure of was that he has no intention or want to be sitting here when he could go home and swallow in his romantic sorrows. regardless, though, your point here wasn't to cater toward their emotion but their words and ideas. your next approach would remain the same—brutal and honest.

"you're not a hopeless case, yet," you said with an amused smirk. then you sat up slightly. "it's not like you, seungmin. you don't seem to be the type to fall apart so badly just because of one girl."

he mirrored your smile sarcastically. "then i suppose you don't know me that well."

"and there is only you to blame for that," you said. "i never asked you to be closed-off. it's your fault."

seungmin gulped down a knot. he hasn't heard enough of that recently—his fault, everything was his fault.

the reason why the student council was in a mild shambles right now, the reason why his grades slowly began to slip, the reason why the girl he secretly loved didn't even know his name, the reason why you were stepping on his foot right now, the reason why you knew very little about him despite being a close friend of his. it was all on him and not a third party. it wasn't the unrequited love, it wasn't the girl—him. it was all him.

it was such a terrible truth to bear, but some truths would always remain clear and unable to be altered. no matter the way you put it down, the core of its message remains a knife to the throat, the core of the truth remains a sin you could never erase no matter the number of halos you put around it. the truth remains the truth no matter the lies you plaster around it, always.

seungmin clenched his hands together; he knew he was at fault and he knew he has changed for the worse, but deep down he also knew he wanted this. after losing so much control of himself to love someone who didn't even know him, these brutal attacks coming from his mouth was the only way for him to regain some sense of identity. perhaps choosing violence as an identity wasn't the best idea, but he didn't know what else he could do with such deep sadness and regret boiling inside him.

he loved, he loved so hard, and it was all for nothing. love doesn't care, love doesn't let you say goodbye, so why should he?

"it hurts, doesn't it?" you said suddenly after a moment of silence. "especially more when you try so hard to contain the pain."

seungmin looked with you, confused. you moved your feet away from his own and tapped the side of his shoe, then you forced your way underneath his feet so your positions were swapped. now he was stepping on your feet, and you positioned yourself carefully underneath him before smiling.

"people outside aren't going to let you grieve. as much as i hate to admit it, we're all some kind of selfish. not entirely, but to a degree, and that's enough to be bad," you said. "but i'll be nice today and let you be angry. i am your friend, after all. i have the obligation to tolerate you, at least."

seungmin shifted slightly, feeling the small shape of your feet under his and immediately feeling a sense of dread over him. he couldn't do it, he felt. he could throw terrible words around, the repercussions of that were easier to deal with than visible damage. to truly injure someone physically... he likely could never muster up the guts to do that, unlike you.

"i..." he paused for a moment, and his voice was hoarse. "i really like her."

and he still does even though the love serves him nothing but pain now, even though the love no longer gave him giddiness and daydreams now. he still likes her, and he wasn't ready to like her for the last time yet, he wanted to hold onto it more.

you laughed in response, then you sighed, looking far ahead at the tabletop.

"you fall in love again," you mentioned. "you fell in love, it hurts you, it leaves, you grieve, and you think this time that you will finally stop doing it, but you fall in love again."

you always fall in love again.

even after jeongin, who drew you a portrait of yourself as a birthday gift, who has a smile as bright as the sun and so big that you wanted to crawl inside his body and die in him, who fell in love with the girl in your class.

and then jisung, who excitedly played you verses of scrap songs he never fully polished on his brother's secondhand guitar, whose cheeks were plump and kissable when they become red with endearing shyness, who fell in love with the girl in your class.

and lastly, seungmin, who spent hours looking for you under the rain after you overslept on the bus and ended up on the other side of the city, who was responsible and strict but well-mannered and well-intentioned, who fell in love with the girl in your class.

you always fall in love again, like the blood gushing out of your slit throat, like the flat skin of your fallen heart. you gave everything each time and you always fall in love again, because that was all that was left for you to do. 

love doesn't let you say goodbye. it doesn't let you say hello either. it just comes and goes as it pleases, and you let it. you always let it.

"please trust me, seungmin," you said, smiling at him fondly with the leftover affection that you always forgot to finish off. "you always fall in love again."

there was a chill down his spine, he wasn't sure why. he has never seen you like this; vulnerable and honest, in a way that encapsulated beauty differently than how he used to think of it. and when it was time for him to hurt, when it was time for him to release his anger, his feet couldn't move.

[heliads]

The Football Player (Part One)

Based on this request: “Bucky is a football player and you are a fan of the team but you're also really shy. Secretly Bucky also developed a crush on you. He sees you getting mocked by some idiots and he gets in between to stand up for you. Later then he asks you for a walk and he kisses you.”

masterlist / part two

According to every ounce of common sense still left in your body, you should be paying attention. You’re in school, might as well actually learn something, right? You have a test next period, and if you were smart or wanted to pass at all, you should be focusing right now, tracking every single word that your professor is saying. The only problem is that you’re not doing this whatsoever. No, your gaze is instead directed out the window, where a certain football team is just beginning practice.

It’s not like you were intentionally trying to get distracted. You had come to the classroom right on time, pencils lined up and notebook out, ready to start the day. Your gaze just happened to accidentally shift to the window instead, and when you saw number seventeen in red and gold, well, how could you focus on math at a time like this? You’d seen James Barnes around the school many times, but he never ceases to amaze you.

Honestly, even talking about him tends to light a fire behind your cheeks. You’ve seen this movie dozens of times before: shy, studious girl falls for the football player, hijinks ensue. However, this isn’t a Hollywood blockbuster. Bucky is a star member of the team, and you’re just a fan of your school’s football games. Whenever you do icebreakers in class and you’re forced to describe yourself in one word, you always reach for ‘bookish’ or ‘smiling’. Certainly never ‘superbly athletic’ or ‘on Bucky’s radar in any way’. Those aren’t even one word.

However, you never quite seem to let yourself be brought back to reality. Time and time again, you don the red and gold colors of your school- Mid-Capital University, or MCU, ready to go cheer on the team and your favorite player especially so. In fact, there’s a game tonight, you’ll be going with your friend. No matter how many times you laugh at yourself, though, you can’t shake your crush. You doubt it’ll be going away anytime soon.

The night is young, the shouts loud. You cheer with your friend and the rest of the school as the football team runs out onto the field. Their manager, a Mr. Stark, watches from the sidelines, yelling directions or complaining about how much the equipment is going to cost. The team jogs over to their captain, Steve Rogers, to huddle up and discuss final strategy. Steve is a senior, and you’ve heard rumors that he’s chosen Sam Wilson to take his place as captain next year. He’s Bucky’s best friend, so you’ve heard, although they pretend to fight often enough that you’d think they were rivals.

Bucky is here as well now, eyes glinting from underneath his helmet. He’d had long hair for the longest time, but when he’d cut it over the summer there had been more than a few desolate sighs from the cheerleaders. You had to smile at that- at least you weren’t head-over-heels enough to give up your crush based on his hair. You weren’t that bad yet.

As you watch, the team takes their position. They’ll be playing their rivals tonight, the Hydras. Steve heads to the back, Bucky and Sam on either side of him. Further along the team, you can begin to recognize other players- Scott Lang, a kid who’s scrawny off the field but seems to grow twice in size the second he puts on his gear, Peter Parker, the freshman who managed to make it on the team within his first few days, and Natasha Romanoff, the one girl on the team who’s got a death stare promising she’ll tear any objectors to shreds.

The whistle blows, and the teams are off. You watch with bated breath as Bucky darts left, right, catches the ball from Steve and takes off down the field. Apprehension grows across the student body until at last- touchdown, your school! You rise with the others, cheering in unison. Maybe you’re just being silly, but you could swear Bucky looked at you with a smile just as he started off back towards the line.

The rest of the football game is a breeze. Your school wins easily, and Bucky definitely did his part to secure the victory. The next day, everyone is still buzzing over the catches and near misses with their friends, not wanting to miss a single moment. You suppose it’s still on your mind, which is why you’re frozen in your tracks when your new lab partner sits down beside you in biology.

It’s Bucky. Of course it is Bucky. Of course, the one time you have to have a new lab partner in class, your teacher manages to have the terrible luck to place you with the one person who reduces you to a blushing mess every time he steps within ten feet of you. Bucky slings his backpack down beside his chair, offering you an easy smile like a flyer, free of charge.

“I’m Bucky.” He says, and you remember yourself. “I know. I saw the game, you were really good. I’m Y/N, uh, by the way.” Bucky’s smile grows even wider when you mention the game, if that’s possible. “You saw the game? That’s so nice of you.” You feel like you can’t form a coherent thought. “Yeah, I went with my friends. Your team won.” You want to slap yourself in the head- of course he won, he was there. You’re stating the obvious.

But Bucky doesn’t laugh at you, or act like you’ve said anything strange. He just nods, shoulders slumping slightly as he thinks about last night’s game. “It was hard. I guess every time you go against your rival school the pressure’s just ten times worse. It took a lot to just run out on the field.”

He stiffens slightly after he says this, like he wasn’t intending on sharing that secret just yet. However, you’re just grateful that you’re not the only one saying whatever pops into your head. “I can’t blame you. If it’s worth anything, though, I thought you were great.” Bucky’s beaming smile is back, brighter than ever. “It’s worth a lot from you.”

Maybe this sudden seating arrangement won’t be that bad after all.

Your friend catches up to you the second you leave the biology room behind. She looks back and forth between you and Bucky’s retreating form, something in between astonishment and a teasing grin lingering on her face. “Tell me I didn’t just make that up. Tell me you’re actually the lab partner of the one and only Bucky Barnes, the guy you’ve been crushing on for, like, forever.”

You shove her slightly, although you can’t help but smile. “It’s true. I don’t know how, but it’s true. Guess the bio teacher really liked me that period.” Your friend loops an arm around your shoulders. “It’s not just him who really likes you. Did you see the way he was looking at you? All through class, he kept stealing glances. I think Bucky Barnes has a crush on you.”

You stop in your tracks. “That’s impossible. He would never.” Your friend crows in victory. “But he did! You don’t stare at somebody like that unless you’re hopelessly in love with them. It’s the same way you stare at him.” Indignation rises in you like a spring. “I don’t stare at him. I just observe, casually.” Your friend snorts. “Well, you casually observe him a lot. Honestly, I just see this as a success. If you can get the star football player to fall in love with you, then I think I can win the lottery or something.”

Even after your laughter rises and dies away, you can’t help but think about what your friend said. Surely it’s impossible- Bucky would never so much as talk to you outside of class, let alone have a crush on you. But your friend wasn’t exactly lying. You had seen Bucky out of the corner of your eye, the way a smile lingered on his lips when he glanced over at you. That wasn’t just nothing, right? Honestly, this whole lab partners deal might be more pressing than you ever thought possible.

The only way to move on is to go through the next day, and the next. After that, however, you have biology again, and that means finding your place next to Bucky Barnes and pretending like your heart rate isn’t skyrocketing the second he smiles up at you, saying he’s glad to see you again. Your friend keeps stealing glances your way, eyes wide and thumbs raised in an expression of impressed awe.

As it turns out, your friend isn’t the only one to see something between you and Bucky. You make your way out of the bio room, unable to hide a smile, although your happy outlook disappears the second somebody blocks your path across campus. This somebody just happens to be Mandy Fleming, bottle blonde junior who thinks she owns the school, and her entourage of preening followers.

Mandy folds her arms over her chest, considering you. Her lip purses. Evidently she finds something lacking. “You know, I don’t think we’ve had a proper conversation in a while. We need to make a few things clear.” You force a smile, trying to step around her. “Can we do it later? I have places to be.” Mandy curls her lip. “I don’t wait. This can’t wait. See, you’ve developed the unfortunate habit of spending too much time around Bucky Barnes.”

You raise an eyebrow. “We’re lab partners. What, you want me to ignore him?” Mandy’s eyes narrow. “That would be preferable. Next class, you’re going to go up to the professor and tell him you want to switch partners. Make something up about wanting to be closer to the board or something, I’m sure he’ll believe it.” You can barely listen to her. “And why would I do that?” Mandy takes a step closer. “Bucky is mine, not yours. I’m going to need you to back off.”

You stare at her. “You want me to switch lab partners all because a boy you’re not even dating is sitting next to me?” Mandy’s head rears back. You’ve obviously struck a nerve. “Listen here, honey. This isn’t an issue about me, it’s an issue about you. What, did you really think Bucky would ever even give you the time of day? You’re a nobody, a nothing, somebody not even worth a fraction of his time. Honestly, I’m doing him a favor by getting rid of you. He doesn’t want to see you, not for a second.”

With every word, you can feel your confidence plummeting. Mandy notices this, a smirk burning even deeper into her lips. Sometimes, you swear she can smell fear just like an animal. “You’re worried because you know I’m right. You’re pathetic, really, and Bucky Barnes wants nothing to do with you.” Just as you feel like you want to go back to your dorm room and never see the light of day again, a voice rings out from behind you. It’s a voice you recognize instantly, and one that Mandy does too, as she shrinks back the second she hears it.

“You couldn’t be more wrong.” Bucky steps forward, taking a place next to you. Mandy forces a smile. “I, uh, don’t know what you’re talking about. Y/N and I are just having a little chat about homework. We had homework, right, a textbook reading and-” Bucky cuts her off coolly. “I heard every word. If you think I’d want to choose you over her, you’re wrong. She’s a hundred times the girl you’ll ever be.”

Mandy stammers, fishing around for words but coming up with nothing. It’s almost cathartic to watch. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, Y/N and I have somewhere to be. And if I hear you trying to talk to her like that again, believe me when I say that this won’t be the worst I’ll say to you.” Bucky offers you a hand like a proper gentleman, and you take it, letting him steer you away from Mandy and her followers, who are still gaping at your backs.

The second you’re out of earshot, Bucky turns to you, apologies and regret written all over his face. “I’m so sorry about that. It’s all my fault- she’s been trying to flirt with me all semester, and I finally gave up and rejected her, and now she’s taking it out on you. I wish none of this ever happened.” You manage to force a smile. “Trust me, it’s fine.”

Bucky looks at you, concern still lingering in his eyes. “Are you sure? I can talk to them again if you think they’ll bother you.” You laugh at that. “Don’t worry about me. I’m perfectly alright.” Bucky smiles at that. “Well, if you are perfectly alright, I was wondering if you were busy this Saturday. I saw this new park that opened, and it looked really interesting, but if you’re busy or something we can totally do something else, or nothing at all, whatever you-”

You cut him off, unable to hide a smile at his rambling. “I think that sounds excellent. I’ll see you there?” Bucky’s face lights up. “I’ll see you there.” He gathers his courage one last time, then leans forward to kiss you. He flashes you one last perfect smile before disappearing around the corner, leaving you with a smile and the memory of his lips on yours. When you look up, you see scores of jealous girls staring at you, but for once, the attention doesn’t bother you. Why should it? You have Bucky at last, and he doesn’t want anyone but you.

marvel tag list: @mycosmicparadise​

[eleventhdoctorsangel]

Where is the real me

Summary: Ever since quirks became the new normal the US decided to try to recreate some powers from the movies such as Marvel and DC. I happen to be one of those people that they recreated powers on. I was the lucky or unlucky one depending on how you look at it that got scarlet witch powers. I've was recently got accepted into UA college.

A/n: This is an aged up fic. The UA students will be college age. Since I decided to make this story a love triangle between the reader, bakugou and Dabi and since bakugou and the reader would be a early age teen in the original story I didn't want the FBI to be breaking down my door so aging them up was the way to go.

“What’s the matter you two? You guys look scared. You dodged the attack so you can still fight can’t you? Come and get me.” Bakugou said. I started to walk slowly over to him. “You need to stop this right now. You acting childish.” I said. “Oh I’m the childish one. Here you are helping the team. Didn’t you tell me that we were a team?” Bakugou said. “I’m making sure that the damage you are trying to cause doesn’t affect the weapon. Because if this was real and we were guarding a real weapon with would have gone off by now.” I said. “Come in what’s the situation.” Midoriya said. “Are you ignoring me again? I’ll get your attention.” Bakugou said. “Bakugou. Use that stored-up power again and I’ll stop this fight. Your team will lose. ” All Might said through the loud speakers. “Huh?” Bakugou asked. “To employ such a strong attack indoors is inviting the destruction of the stronghold you should be protecting. That’s a poor strategy whether you’re a hero or a villain. The penalty would be a massive loss of points.” All might said. Bakugou let out a frustrated yell. “The pillar by the window. Get there now!” Midoriya said. “Fine. We’ll fight hand to hand.” Bakugou yelled and used his quirk to launched himself towards Midoriya and I. But before I could do anything to stop him he out stretched a hand at me shooting a blast at me. Just like before I caught it within my energy and kept it contained. “Come on you got to be kidding me.” Bakugou said. But this time the blast seemed a bit stronger than the last one I stopped. It had caused me to fall down on one knee. By the time I stopped that blast I heard two more go off. Son of bitch he distracted me. “Here it comes nerd! The famous right hook you were whining about!” Bakugou yelled. Bakugou slammed his right hand against Midoriya side as he grabbed his arm using his quirk to turn himself around. “Stop!” I yelled. “Deuk! Don’t you ever forget what you are! You’re a weakling!” Bakugou yelled as he flipped Midoriya over his shoulder slamming him on the ground. Midoriya was quick to get up and started to run away standing on the other side of the room. “Why won’t you use your damn quirk against me? Still think you can stop me without it?” Bakugou asked. “That’s not it.” Midoriya said. “You’ve been hiding your true power for years. What’s the deal Deku? Did you think you were better than me this entire time?” Bakugou asked. “That’s what you think? You idiot. You’ve always been stronger Kacchan. I know that you’re better than me.  Can’t you see? That’s why I wanna beat you. Because you’re amazing!” Midoriya said with tears in his eyes. “You’re even more of an idiot than I realized. Come at me!” Bakugou yelled. Then the two of them started to run full force at each other. Bakugou got ready to throw another blast while I saw Midoriya’s arm start to glow. “I said stop!” I yelled. I watched as my red energy start to make its way over to the two of them. “Both of you stop!” All Might yelled. “Uraraka now!” Midoriya yelled. Right as my red energy reached the two of them Midoryia got the full force of Bakugou’s attack while his went up into the ceiling. I started to stop Midoriya’s attack but I was struggling. It broke through the ceiling causing debris to start raining down. I kept the debris in its place. I started to hear the windows start to break. I let out a scream as the ceiling start to fix itself and I could hear the glass start to fix itself too. I started to feel lightheaded I dropped my arms to my side as my legs gave out from under me sending me to the ground. 

“This was your big plan. From the very beginning wasn’t it? You were playing me this entire time you bastard.” Bakugou said. “I wasn’t going to use it. Because I can’t control it. My body just can’t handle the backlash of my power yet. Mr. Aizawa said I’d be useless. But this was all that I could think of. This is the only was I had a chance at winning.” Midoriya said. “The hero team wins!” All Might yelled. I heard the sound of something falling to the ground. I looked up to see that Midoriya was now on the ground.

I wanted to go over to see if Midoriya was okay but every time I tried to get up my legs gave out from under me. “Your indoor combat training is over.” All Might said. A few minutes later All might came into the building. He went to check on Midoriya first. He ordered some medical robots from the nurse to come and get Midoriya. Then he came over to me. “Are you okay young Y/n?” All Might asked as he kneeled down. “I’m fine. I just never used that much of my power before. I just need a minute. But you might want to go check on Bakugou looks like he having some sort of panic attack.” I said. “You seem to be right young Y/n.” All Might said as he got up and went over to Bakugou who by then had started to breathe heavily. Bakugou seemed to be lost in his thoughts to notice All Might come up to him putting a hand on his shoulder. “Young Bakugou cool your jets. Let’s go review your work. Whether you win or lose you can always take something away from an experience like this. As long as you’re open to learning.” All might said. I tried to get up my legs were still a bit wobbly but other than I could walk just fine.

Bakugou, Tenya, Ochako and I followed All might back to the watch room where the other students were watching the fights. “Well despite the results. The MVPs of this exercise is Young Iida and Young Y/l/n!” All might said. Wait a damn minute. Wait a damn minute. “Huh?” Tenya asked confused and I was right there with him. “Shouldn’t it be one of the heroes instead since they’re the winners?” Tsu asked. “Mm! Valid question. Why didn’t I choose one of those two? Who has a guess?” All might said. “Sir! I can tell you why! Iida embraced this challenge. He was the only one who truly adapted to his assigned role. I’ll explain. Bakugou’s judgement was clouded by a personal grudge against Midoriya. As you pointed out earlier launching a large scale attack indoors was a foolish move. It could have been disastrous. Similarly Midoriya’s  plan was also poorly thought out considering the amount of damage that he received. He rendered himself helpless. Not smart. As for Uraraka… She let her guard down mid battle and her final attack was far too reckless given the hypothetical stakes. If she’d treated the fake weapon as though it were real she never would’ve risked using such an imprecise move. As for Y/n she managed to keep any damage that Bakugou and Midoriya would have caused to a bear minimal. She tried to make Bakugou stop but when he didn’t she didn’t force it on him but made sure that the weapon wouldn’t have gone off if it was real. “Iida was fully prepared for his opponent’s arrival he had a strategy and never lost sight of his mission to protect the dummy weapon even if he was foiled in the end. Technically the hero team won yes but they took advantage of the fact that this was training. They didn’t respect the spirit of the trial.” A girl with long black hair explained. “Yes well you over looked a few things. Young Iida could have relaxed a little bit in the exercise but otherwise you nailed it!” All might said giving a thumbs up. I laughed a little as I shook my head. “One should always start with the basics and devote themselves wholeheartedly to learning. That’s the only real way to become a top hero.” She said. Everyone looked at her in shock. “Now then. Time to blow this joint. Let’s move on to the next match! Think about everything was saw and discussed as you tackle this training for yourself.” All might said. “Yes sir!” All the other students said. All might drew the next to team which was B for the heroes and I for the villains.  I started to get a little dizzy again. I decided not to say anything as I watched the fight.

I watched as one of the boys on Team B walked out of the building while the other who was the boy I sit front of stay inside. Then the whole building was covered in ice. The room also got cold fast. I looked around to see almost everyone shivering. But Tsu was asleep. Which seem a bit odd. “He incapacitated them without compromising the weapon of his teammate. Take close note of his technique students.” All might said. “Woah he’s so strong!” A male voice said. I watched as he place a hand on the fake weapon. “The hero team wins!” All might yelled. Just like that all the ice melted away. “Holy crap.” Another male voice said. “That guy’s kind of intimidating.” Another said. “He got in on a recommendation so he must be good.” Tsu said. “I say if there’s enough time that he and Y/n should got against each other now that would be an interesting fight.” One of the guys said. “Moving on! Time to gather round for a review of the second match. After that we’ll jet on over to our next battle.” All might said. “Yes sir.” Everyone said.

Soon all the matches were over and they were pretty interesting to watching. Expect maybe with the kid that was with the black hair girl. He acted like a pervert so I will have to be careful around that one. The last battle ended just a few minutes before class was about to end which made almost everyone groan since they really wanted me to go against the guy on team B. We walked back to the entrance of the training area. There were a few students talking which made All might blew his whistle. “That’s a wrap! Super work. You really stepped up to the plate and we didn’t have any major injuries expect for Midoriya. You should be proud. Excellent first day of training all around!” All might said giving us a thumbs up. “it’s nice to hear some encouraging words after our homeroom class. Mr. Aizawa was kind of a buzzkill.” Tsu said. What have I missed? Whatever it was is probably a good thing. “I’m happy to bring such staggering positivity to my alma mater! That’s all for now folks. I should go and check on Young Midoriya’s progress! Now watch how a pro exits. Like he’s got somewhere to be!” All might said then ran off leaving a cloud of smoke behind him. “Okay you guys that is a hero.” One of the boys said. “Aw I’ll never be able to run that fast.” Another boy said. “Super awesome!” Another one said while putting a hand to his mouth and that one was the pervert.

All of the girls started to walk out and I followed them. “So Y/n is it?” One of the boys asked. I stopped in my tracks and turn back around. “Yes?” I asked. “Is it true that you were experimented on when you were younger?” A boy with red hair asked. “Sorry Y/n I didn’t mean to tell everyone.” Tsu said. “It’s fine Tsu I don’t mind. Yes I was experimented on when I was younger.” I said. “She also mentioned that your quirk was recreated from the superhero movies and it looked really familiar but couldn’t remember who’s was it?” A boy with blonde hair with a black lightning bolt streak in it. “It was the scarlet witch.” I said. “A real babe come to life.” The perverted boy said. “Yeah I have problem ending you.” I said pointing at the boy who looked scared to death. “Yes ma’ma.” He said. “That also goes for the other girls. If you make a perverted comment about any of them I will make you go through your worse fear.” I said. “Yes ma’ma.” He said. “Good.” I said turning back around to follow the other girls back to the locker room.

Once we walked into the locker room a girl with pink skin pulled me into a hug. “Girl thank you. He’s been making so many comments since yesterday.” She said. “Yeah no problem.” I said hugging her back. “Yeah thanks a lot.” The girl with black hair said. I nodded. “You’re pretty strong too.” A girl with purple hair said. “So are you guys.” I said. “Yeah but none of us could go up against Bakugou like you did.” Ochako said. I guess what Ochako said was kinda right. “What are your names?” I asked. “I’m Mina Ashido.” The girl with the pink skin said. “I’m Momo Yaoyorozu.” The girl with black hair said. “I’m Kyouka Jirou.” The girl with purple hair said. “I’m Toru Hagakure.” The girl was completely invisible said. “Well it’s nice to meet you all.” I said. “We should all get changed we wouldn’t want to be late don’t want to make Mr. Aizawa mad.” Momo said. We all got changed out of our hero costumes and back into our uniforms. This is something I will have to get use to.

A/N: I will be taking possible super hero names at this time

Taglist: @flowersgirl02 @jazzylove

[shinymooncolor]

hey! you don’t have to answer this, but i know close to nothing about hockey and my family and i have never really watched it and i’m starting to get very interested, but i have no idea where to start 😅 what do you think i should focus on first, as a newbie? what should i absolutely know as a fan? what teams are pretty good in your opinion? again, thanks for your help if ever you see this p.s: i really love your posts and they bring a smile to me face, so thank you for your hard work! <3

Hi!

Ohhh well. First of all. Welcome to the nerve wracking, nail biting, jaw clenching, gut wrenching, heartbreaking and utterly incredible world of (ice) hockey. Angry muscle machines on skates chasing a tiny rubber puck in the nhl and their goddess equivalents in wnhl - what’s not to love?

You’ve decided on a hell of a year to join. Due to Covid, the normal system was paused and a recent bubble playoffs series played and later won by Tampa Bay Lightning a few weeks ago. The new season would’ve begun last week but is currently expected to start around December.

I’d say the best starting point would be to watch some games - YouTube has a lot of highlights, game compilations etc. and browse hockey tumblr. Hockey tumblr is a great combination of hockey gossip, game reviews, fans sharing their love, passion and (hateful) opinions about players, clubs and the sport in general.

My personal team faves are a handful - you see, the league is “split” into two conferences - east and west and within here a few other divisions dictating who the teams will play on a more recent basis. The clubs in the nhl being split over North America and Canada means a lot of ground to cover and therefore it’s split like this - time zones, distance and whatever. So maybe decide on a conference first? East or west.

I’m an eastern conference gal meself, but the west sure has its merits too.

So. Teams. You’re about to start a rumble here 😂

I am a personal fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins 🐧 they play good hockey, in spite of their idiot general manager (I’ve got posts detailing why he’s an ass hat extraordinarie). They’re captained by Canada’s hockey savior, Sidney Crosby: hockey robot, yellow crocs enthusiast , triple gold member (youngest captain to get all three?) and the goodest boy in the league. He’s been heralded as the next great one yada yada since he was about 5? And shot pucks into a dryer back in Canada - with that came a lot of shit for the poor guy who, in his own words, just wants to play hockey. And he’s good. He’s got his team of French Canadian d-men (letang, dumo), a whole lot of goalie drama which seems to be a pattern and his Russian (husband) assistant captain Evgeni Malkin who’s got the cutest kid, a really cool wifey (seriously her insta is 10000 better than geno’s own) and a wicked sense of humor which he conviently hides behind his “English big bad today” excuse to avoid media on a daily basis (he’s played this card since his wild escape and temporary defection from Russia back in 2006) seriously google it. It’s wild. They’ve won three cups since 2009, they’re contenders in the playoffs most years and their pr department provides some hilarious videos of captain Canada and his Russian (husband) A. It’s a true love story. Sue me. We’ve got an intense rivalry with philly and the caps. Seriously. That orange flyers jersey is intense - even if philly’s mascot is the next president.

Funnily enough, my strange obsession with Russian hockey players have led to the most disturbing but developing club crush on the Washington capitals who are the penguins’ nemesis.

I mean, this club led by the one and only gr8 8 mr Alexander Ovechkin is a rollercoaster of emotion and hot daddies in skates armed with sticks and a murder Swede.

So. Washington caps used to be a joke in the league until they went and drafted mr ovechkin first overall, brought him to the capital and let him do his thing. He’s got a rep for being a hell of a lot of fun on the ice (if you’re on his team) and one of those players that people love to hate (even if they can’t take away how freakishly good he is at hockey) - look up his impossible goal(s)! He’s an exuberant, fun loving Russian with a heart of gold and a missing tooth. In 2007, the caps went shopping for a center just for ovi who needed a playmaker and a slap shot feeeder - they went and drafted the Swedish angel (maybe assassin) (Lars) Nicklas Backstrom - and the purest hockey marriage was forged. The actual words (we needed a center for ovi and ovi wanted backstrom) have been said. Yes, these two Are now famously the mama and papa of the caps and they have a roster of unruly (and handsome) hockey babies with the fighting menace Tom Wilson, bird impersonator and Russian cat Evgeni Kuznetzov and a whole army of other adorable (albeit hockey playing menaces) babies. Most recently they had the leagues daddiest daddy goalie Mr Holtbeast as the fun and handsome canadien cowboy uncle but he’s ventured to Vancouver to adopt a new group of hockey babies. To compensate, the caps went shopping in New York and brought the one and only king Henrik from the crease in msg to be the goalie mentor for baby Russian caps goalie and to keep the daddy energy flowing.

(Seriously why are Swedish players part time models? Their national team strategy is to be so handsome the other teams are distracted. It’s a thing. Look it up)

I also love a handful of other players on other teams (I really don’t dislike any team in particular - but you’ll meet some dedicated and strong minded fans here)

Erik Horse Johnson, Cale Makar and Nikita Zadorov (Colorado Avs - zad have recently been traded to the blackhawks (not sure how I feel about that). Phwucking fun team. Who needs teeth anyways.

Marc Andre Fleury (Vegas now but hell always be a penguin to me)

The Russian gang in Tampa - and giant Swede victor Hedman (seriously he’s massive)

The canes (Carolina) and their collective of Finnish and Russian babies (aho, svech) with chaotic Marty and former penguin Baby Staal as captain

And a whole lot of others too. It’s hard to choose.

The Dallas stars and the most precious bean of them all (Russian) dobby - Anton khudobin their backup goalie turned playoffs hero and fashion icon. The man said we’re not going home and threw the entire team on his back and dragged them to the final. And their homoerotically charged captain and his alt captain and their Hollywood epic soap worthy relationship. Stallions, people, Stallions...

Btw we like to project our brash queerness onto this league. You’ll learn why quickly. There’s only so much talks about hot hands, slick moves, eternal love for teammates and quite frankly obscene (sexy) amounts of kneeling, roughing (let’s face its it’s just aggressive cuddling) and teammates honorably defending teammates.

Anyways. I love hockey. He. Sorry.

Fun fact I’ve dragged @canesinthecrease kicking and screaming into the hellhole that is the caps and I’m working on convincing @dontpuckwithme about the incredibly sexy thing that is Russians and Canadians being secretly married in Pittsburgh.

Great, sexy, amazing, cool, smart and wonderful hockey ladies to follow for even more amazing content on more clubs (the hurricanes - also a team I’m starting to love). They’re my queer sherpas and emotional support network.

Hope you can use this dear (new) hockey friend and mutual 💖🐧

[downwiththeficness]

In the Bond-Chapter 7

Summary: Lilah often wished she’d never said yes to working with the Gecko brothers—usually while dodging gunfire. At no time was she regretting that decision more than when she’s hanging upside down from the ceiling, staring down a group of hungry culebras and one (1) extremely powerful sun god.

Word Count: ~4,600

Warnings: None

A/N: This is an AU of my Story In the Blood, which can be read here. Basically, this fic explores what would have happened if Lilah had met up with Geckos before she met Brasa.

Taglist: @symbiont13

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Fucking customs.

She hated going through customs.

Lilah’s hands were cuffed behind her as she sat on a heavy metal chair. The air conditioner was running full blast and she was shivering. Lilah was suddenly wishing she hadn’t stuffed her sweatshirt in her carry on bag. In only a camisole and shorts, she felt the effects of frostbite weren’t far away.

There had been a traffic jam on the highway and the cup had been reported stolen before she could get on the plane. Lilah could plan for a lot of contingencies, but an overturned semi hauling innumerable packages of ramen noodles would be filed under ‘freak accident’. It would take many, many years before Lilah would be able to smell the beef flavoring without thinking of being hauled gracelessly into this little room.

Seth had been third in line behind her, Richie having already cleared security, when they popped her for the theft. And, here she sat, waiting for one or both of them to break her out. They were smart guys, but this was an airport. Lilah was not going to count on rescue being quick. She settled further into the unforgiving metal of the chair, and waited.

The airport staff were likely running her passport, a fake, and her prints, which she could not fake. Lilah put it at about ten minutes before they figured out she was wanted in three states, an hour or two before she was extradited to one of those states.  By noon, she was going to be behind bars. If she had it her way, they’d jack the car she was being transported in. Quick, easy, low chance that there would be security they couldn’t handle.

They’d lose the cup, though, which was not acceptable. It would sit in evidence somewhere until she was tried for the case—a trial that wouldn’t happen. Lilah did not like the prospect of getting the thing out of an evidence lock up. No, the best thing would be for her to get out of the cuffs, sneak out of the room, grab the cup on the way out.

The idiots who’d cuffed her left her purse on the table. In it was a burner cell phone. The plan was as follows: Get out of cuffs, use cell phone to call Seth and relay plan, sneak out, get cup, haul ass through the South exit, meet up with Seth, haul ass out of the country by car as opposed the plane.

The problem wasn’t the plan. The problem was that she was cuffed. Lilah was a very good thief, but she couldn’t steal with her hands behind her back. Not even she was stupid enough to take that boast on.

A low whir told her that the a/c had kicked on again and Lilah glared up at the vent. This was a far cry from where she’d been not a few days before, sitting on a soft, overstuffed couch and discussing strategy for how to expedite shipments to the club.  He was feeding more and more of his people, and supplies were remaining stagnant. Lilah would very much would like to be curled up on that couch with Brasa, soaking up the heat from his body. Instead she was...pissed off and cold.

The conversation was one of the few that hadn’t ended in either ambiguity or frustration. Lilah had actually enjoyed sitting with him, arguing points back and forth, problem solving. He’d challenged her ideas, prompting alternatives that she found herself agreeing with. And then, when the conversation died down, he’d simply taken her hand and pulled her into his body.

Lilah had rested against him for awhile, soaking in the his warmth and letting him run his palm over the back of her hand and up her arm. Over and over, a deeply soothing motion. And then, with little preamble, he pulled her thumb between his lips nipping it with a lowered fang. She’d felt a pinch of pain, and then the venom slid into her veins, sending little zings of pleasure up her arm to settle in her chest.

Brasa had repeated the process with each of her fingers, watching her carefully. He’d agreed to continue exposing her a little at a time, and Lilah felt her cheeks warm as she thought about how very sweetly he’d kissed her before she’d left. Though she’d reached for him on the couch, he’d been adamant that she lay back and enjoy the feeling running over her nerves.  Afterwards, he’d ensured she could stand steadily before allowing her to make her way to the door.

Smiling a little, Lilah tapped her sneakered feet against the tile, waiting for the first of what she assumed was two agents that would be responsible for questioning her. This was the hard part, the waiting.  She was already bored, not even her ire was enough to keep her distracted.  

Eyes closed, Lilah tried to keep herself calm and relaxed. The agents would be watching for anxiety, for signs of fear. When they got her details, they’d be expecting a professional who knew they were caught.  They might want to negotiate for her partners.  That meant she had leverage. She could buy time for Seth to get into position.

God, she was cold. Goosebumps were peppered all along her arms. As soon as she delivered that cup, she was going to wrap herself up in Brasa until he melted her down to her bones.

“I will be happy to accommodate.”

Lilah flinched, eyes flying open. Brasa was leaning against the wall on the other side of the room, smirking at her from behind gold rimmed glasses.

“What are you doing here?” She hissed.

He pushed from the wall, circling around the table between them. After pushing her purse to the side, he sat back on the table, gloved hands folded in front of him, “I felt you.”

She gaped, “You felt me?”

Brasa nodded, “I felt you wanting me. Here I am.”

Her eyes narrowed, “You can do that?”

“Apparently.”

Well...that was an entirely new thing that she now had to figure out how to deal with. While handcuffed. In what she could only assume was federal custody. Shit.

“We really, really have to iron out the details of the bond,” she muttered, shaking her head.

“Yes, we do,” an agent said as he stormed into the room, a file in one hand. “By my count, you’ll be up to a couple million by the time we’re done with you.”

Lilah watched him cross over and sit in the chair opposite her. She had to resist lifting her gaze to gauge Brasa’s expression. The agent looked completely unaware that they weren’t alone. She didn’t want to tip him off that anything might be awry.  

“No response?” The agent asked, brows lifted.

He was blond, average build, mid-fifties. The cut of his suit was off the rack, but he was wearing very nice cuff links. His haircut suggested ex-military. He wasn’t wearing a tie. Consultant. She put it at about twenty minutes since she’d been cuffed. He was already on site. If he had a partner, they would be there with him, he was working alone. The file was bullshit, a prop. Whatever he knew, he’d just read off the net. She could work with that.

“I’m Agent Rollins,” he offered with a smile.

Lilah stared at him, waiting.

“You’re a very popular woman.”

“And?”

Brasa shifted to the side, moving to stand behind her, his hand resting on the back of her chair. She ignored him, focusing on the agent. Rollins reached over and dumped her purse, finding her cell.

“If I hit redial, who will this call?”

A burner phone. Seth might answer it. That would work in her favor.

“Do it and find out.”

His smile was coy, as if he’d been let in on a joke she hadn’t told, “I think I’ll wait for the authorities to arrive.”

There. She could manage him with that. There were others that had more power. He was looking to make a deal, hoping she’d be scared enough to talk. He wanted something to boost his profile.

“Then, I don’t need to say anything else to you,” she quipped, slouching in the chair, “You’re not important enough to waste the effort on.”

His jaw ticked, “You know, I can get those cuffs off you.”

“I’m good with them where they are,” she said, pacing the answer to come off flippant as opposed to brash.

“Are you?” came a voice at her ear.

The heat of him was distracting, but Lilah managed to ignore him, “Why don’t you go tell your boss to come in here. We can talk turkey.”

“What does a turkey have to do with it?” Brasa said, in time with Rollins’, “I don’t have a boss.”

“You’re going to have to stop talking for a minute,” Lilah bit out, her chin tilting in Brasa’s direction as he leaned into her space.

Rollins sputtered, “You don’t want me to stop talking. I stop talking, you go to prison.”

Lilah held her tongue, her attention diverting to the way Brasa was dropping a kiss on her exposed shoulder.

Rollins took her distraction for fear, he leaned forward onto his elbows, “I can ensure you get minimum security.  A woman of your skills can get out of that, no problem.”

That was true. She could swing that. But, she wasn’t going to get that far. Lilah was going to walk out of this office with the cup. And that was that. She’d be doing that a lot faster if Brasa wasn’t nosing along her temple, mouth skimming her skin.

She took a breath, trying to steady herself as Brasa ran his gloved fingers along her collarbone, “You need to stop.”

Brasa chuckled, “Why? You’re enjoying it.”

“Ms. McNamara,” Rollins entreated, “I’m trying to help you.”

Lilah shivered as she felt leather trace over the back of her neck, the weight of his hand resting there.

“You’re not the one cuffed to a chair,” she bit out.

Rollins, mistaking her meaning, nodded and reached into his pocket.  Lilah could not stop the way her body tensed, too many knives pulled on her in just so casual a manner. Behind her Brasa let out a soft growl, but he moved, his eyes watching Rollins’ every step.

Leaning down, Rollins looked her in the eye, “As an act of good faith, I’ll un-cuff you. Fair warning, there’s an officer watching through the glass over there. You make any wrong move, and we’ll hog tie you until your transfer is cleared. Understood?”

Lilah smiled, “Understood.”

Rollins leveled a long look at her before he leaned down and slipped the key into the lock. Lilah felt the cuffs give way and drop into his hand.  

“Now,” he said as he stood, pushing the cuffs into his pocket, “Do you have something to say?”

Lilah dropped her eyes and pretended to think, her jaw working, “Look up Mary Westmacott. Hard to find, but that should give you something to go off of.”

Rollins sneered a little bit, disappointed that she wasn’t giving up more, but she saw him process the name.  He’d run it through all the normal archives—FBI, CIA, Interpol—but, he’d come up with nothing. It would buy her maybe twenty minutes to get out of the room, get the cup, and get out the door.  She could do that.

When Rollins was gone, Lilah breathed deeply and looked over the contents of her purse. Rollins had taken her cell, but she had…gum, a pen, her wallet (sans ID), and mace.  The idiot had taken her cell and identification, but left mace.  She’d give him that it was disguised as a tube of lipstick, but it wasn’t even that good a disguise.  Lilah liked to carry it, just in case, but she never bought the expensive stuff—had to ditch it before security, anyways.

She kept her body relaxed, but couldn’t help but to watch Brasa as he sauntered around her to return to his position atop the table.  He was smiling.

“Oh sure,” she murmured, “Come on in, shove my purse aside, sit there, and smile at me. I still have to get out of this room.”

Stupid pleased smile. Stupid pretty face. Lilah shifted uncomfortably, trying to think of a strategy that wouldn’t get her shot in the back as she ran from the building.

“How can I help?” he asked, palms turned upwards.

Lilah sighed, “Hand me that mace, we’ll call it even. It looks like a lipstick.”

He leaned back a little, grabbed the little tube and held it up for her inspection.  When she nodded, he tossed it to her. Lilah caught it and pushed it into her back pocket for safekeeping. She’d picked it up at a gas station just outside the city when they’d landed, a quick sleight of hand while Seth paid the cashier.

“Thank you,” she said, with feeling.

With a soft sound of entreaty, Brasa dropped to his knees, a move as startlingly fast as it was graceful.  Lilah flinched, scooting the chair back a bit.

“What are you doing?”

With deliberate slowness, Brasa pulled the glasses off and tucked them into the inner pocket of his jacket. Then, he settled his weight back on his heels, big brown eyes looking up at her. Lilah’s hands curled around the legs of the chair, the cool metal grounding her against the heavy beat of her heart.

His gaze scanned the length of her body, along her shoulders, her breasts, hips, thighs, and down to her ankles. She felt leather encircle her calves, heat sizzling over her skin.

“You’re always wearing these thick sweaters,” he said in a soft, easy tone, “Is this what you wear to work?”

She huffed, shaking her head, “Its in the carry-on.”

He hummed a little bit, eyes roaming, “I like this change. You should do it more often. Especially the shorts.”

At this Lilah rolled her eyes, flexing her leg a little to tap her foot against his knee, “Says the man who wears nothing but black.”

Conceding the point wordlessly, Brasa leaned forward and up a little so that his chest was pressed against her knees.

“What would you have me wear?”

Though the question seemed innocent enough, Lilah caught a little bit of strain in his eyes. He was asking because he really wanted to know what she wanted, as if he’d wear whatever she suggested.

After a few seconds of hesitation, she simply said, “Wear whatever you whatever you want. Whatever you like.”

He laughed, a cutting thing that made her push back a little in her seat. Still laughing, he dropped his head into her lap, drawing in a breath that grazed her inner thighs. Lilah swallowed and resisted the urge to put her hands in his hair, a reaction she didn’t know quite what to do with.

When he’d calmed, Brasa’s head rolled to the side and he looked up at her from beneath his lashes, “You are impossible.”

She blinked, “You keep saying that.”

“I mean it,” he shot back, his hands sliding up her legs to rest on the tops of her thighs. Rising so that he knelt on his knees before her, Brasa’s expression was soft, “You ask for my opinion. You listen to me, you talk to me without condescension.” He took a breath, “You ask me for nothing. You won’t let me, but what I want is to serve you.”

Her jaw was hanging open. Lilah knew that. She absolutely could not help it. No one had ever said anything quite so to the point to her before. Not ever. She searched his face for insincerity, finding none. He was being completely earnest.

The door swung open and an angry Rollins strode in, red faced. There was sweat on his temple and a swagger in his step. He’d moved pretty fast, faster than she anticipated. Hardly five minutes had passed. He must have started with Google, rather than the government databases. Damn it.

“And then there were none,” he pronounced, hands on his hips.

Smirking, Lilah gave him a reluctant nod, “You got it.”

At her feet, Brasa growled. Lilah kept her eyes on Rollins, but relaxed her hips, letting his weight fall forward between her knees. Rollins clocked the movement his sneer deepening to disgust.

“Don’t think that’s going to work with me,” he warned, as he stepped closer.

Feeling the man between her legs tense to stand, Lilah squeezed her thighs a little to keep Brasa right where he was.

“Just wanted to see if you were an idiot, or not,” she quipped.

Rollins pointed at her, “Don’t play games with me. I’ll put you in a cell so fast—,”

“Of course you will,” she cut him off. “What you won’t do is cuff me again.”

She watched him get more angry, allowing herself to smile sweetly as he dug in his pocket. When he pulled out the cuffs and took another step forward, Lilah shot up out of the seat, her hand subtly falling to rest for a fraction of a second on Brasa’s shoulder. He remained kneeling, but his hands ran up and down the length of her legs before gripping her hips.

Rollins pushed into her space a little, grabbing her hand.  She struggled, arm waving out to pull his attention while she pushed three fingers into his pocket and slipped the keys out. A hand reached up and pulled them from her fingertips, deftly putting them in her own pocket while she continued to fight with Rollins. Eventually, she left him cuff her hands in front of her, while she pretended to pout.

Stepping away, Rollins continued to glare at her, “You just sit there and wait. We’ll see who does what.”

She shrugged.

“You know, you keep talking to yourself. Make it easy for me and say something incriminating.” He reached down and jerked the mace out of her pocket, “I don’t know what kind of magnetic pull line you have on this, but don’t think we’re not watching you.”

When the door closed again, Lilah slumped a little. That was really, really easy. Aside from him confiscating her only weapon, that went pretty much how she wanted it to. Rollins would leave her alone now. Secure in the knowledge that she was bound and locked in a room, he would be watching the windows for the authorities. She forgot about whoever was watching through the glass, but that could be dealt with, eventually.

Looking down at Brasa, she lifted a brow, “Tell me, have they always been like this?”

He smiled, rising to stand next to her, “Some things never change.”

“Good to know.”

Lilah was stuck with the same problem she had a few minutes before—she needed to get out of the room, get the cup, and get out. Her brain worked around it, her mouth screwing up in concentration.

“What can I do?” Brasa asked, and Lilah smiled. She had it.

Fixing him with a conspiratorial glance, she said, “How do you feel about making the guy on the other side of the glass pee his pants?”

Face opening up into a bright smile, Brasa nodded. Lilah turned her back to the glass and pitched her voice very low, “You can move stuff in the room. They can’t see you. Ergo, they thinks its me moving it. Let’s keep them thinking that.”

Catching on, Brasa stepped away from her, hand hovering above the table, waiting for her cue. Lilah gave him a subtle nod and waved her hands. With a harsh shove, he swept everything off the table, including her purse. Lilah laughed.

I like this game.

She did it again and he upended the table, throwing it to the wall with the barest of touches. The sound was loud enough that she knew she’d draw a bit of attention, so she waited, listening. Brasa eyed the door, moving closer to her. When it remained closed, Lilah pointed at the chair, waggling her eyes at the two way glass. Another arc of her arms and the chair flew into mirror, cracking it.

Straightening her shoulders, Lilah strode over to it and carefully pressed her finger into the bullseye where the chair had hit the hardest.  She added a little more pressure, smiling when an audible crack sounded.

“Can you see me?” She asked, peering hard at her own reflection, “Want to see what else I can do? I’m gonna break this glass right in your face.” Lilah strode away, adding, “You might want to take a step back.”

As she crossed the room, Brasa moved into place, a low chuckle rumbling, “You are enjoying this.”

She beamed at him, ��What’s life if you can’t show off once in a while?”

Lilah jerked her hands forward and he slammed his fist on the cracked mirror, shattering it. She laughed, stepping towards it as she dug the key out of her pocket. While she removed the cuffs, Lilah craned her neck to see the security guy (front line, hourly, untrained), cowering on the ground and attempting to use his chair as a shield.

“Hi,” she called out, leaning into the room.  

On the desk was the guard’s discarded jacket.  She grabbed it and used it to cushion against the glass so that she could vault over the barrier and into the little observation room. It was significantly warmer on the other side of the glass and Lilah felt herself scoff internally at the interrogation tactics. She smiled at the guard.

“So, I just need you to be very quiet. Give me your cell phone.”

Shaking, he handed her the cell. She nodded her thanks and dialed.

“Who is this?” Seth answered brusquely. “We don’t do ransoms.”

“Good to know,” she shot back. “Listen, I’m out of the room. Gonna get the cup and be out of here in about ten minutes. South entrance. Be there.”

Hanging up, Lilah opened the timer app, “I’m going to set this for ten minutes. If you make so much as a peep between now and then, I’ll use that power you saw in there to melt your brain through your nostrils. And, you don’t make enough for that shit, do you?”

The guard shuddered, “No.”

“Good,” she paused, “You see where they took the package I had?”

He nodded, “Its in Agent Rollins’ office.”

She smiled, “You’ve been very helpful.” Handing him the phone and standing, she added, “Don’t be stupid.  Stay here. Stay quiet. Ten minutes.”

Catching sight of a taser on his belt, Lilah snagged it, clipping it to her belt loop. After another moment of thought, she reached over the desk and grabbed the jacket, shaking it out.  This would do as a disguise, for the moment. And then she was heading out, moving down the hall.

“He didn’t pee his pants,” came the comment from behind her.

“Yeah,” she murmured as she checked for others. “Damn shame.” Casting him a flirtatious look, Lilah said, “Next time.”

“I look forward to it,” he replied, his step a leisurely saunter in comparison to her intentional stealth.

Lilah found Rollins’ office fairly quickly. The door was closed. She could hear him on the phone. Probably boasting about capturing a thief, caught red-handed. Her lip curled. Ear pressed to the door, she listened for her opening.

Warmth enveloped her from behind, gloved hands landing on either side of her head. Lilah’s eyes closed briefly and she turned to look up at him. He blocked out the light of the florescent bulbs above them.

“What’s the plan?” He asked cordially, as if they hadn’t just wrecked the interrogation room and scared a guard shitless.

She shrugged, “When he’s done with his phone call, I’m going in there, using the taser on him, taking the cup, and walking out to the south entrance.” She pointed to her left, “Its just over there.”

He didn’t spare the exit a glance, merely continued to look at her with something like pride shining in his eyes. The conversation in the next room continued in a low drone. Lilah leaned against the door and relaxed while she had the time.

“Thank you for the help back there,” Lilah said, reaching up to touch the lapel of his jacket.

Brasa smiled, pleased, “You had it under control.”

She did, but Lilah definitely appreciated the assist.

She shook her head, “For the record, I’ll always sign on for a little theatrics.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

He looked like he was going to say something further, but his head turned to the side. Eyes down, he appeared to be listening.

Looking back at her, he simply said, “I need to go.”

She nodded, blinking, and then he was gone. Leaning hard against the door, she struggled to keep the smile off her face, her hand coming up to cover her mouth.  Behind her, the conversation slowed to a stop and she took her cue.

With a little swivel, Lilah turned and breezed through the door. She targeted the cup on his desk, ignoring his question of what the fuck she thought she was doing. Quick as she could, Lilah raised the taser and fired, catching him dead center on his chest.  He made a sound like a drowned cat, hitting the floor. With her free hand, Lilah shut the door and kept her finger on the trigger for a few more seconds, just to be sure.

Grabbing the cup, Lilah shoved it into the roomy pocket of the jacket, leaning over the desk to make sure Rollins wouldn’t get up too fast. Judging by the drool pooling beneath his mouth, she had a few minutes, at least.

The rest of the plan went smoothly, and Lilah was throwing herself into the back of the car, Richie cackling as he dropped into the seat, Seth cursing as he pealed out of the lot. They raced through the security gates, helpfully disabled by Richie, and out towards the highway.

Lilah held up the cup in victory, smiling as she reveled in the satisfaction of a job well done.  And then she frowned, sitting up so quick her eyesight blurred.

“How are you out here? In the sun?” She nearly screamed, her hand gripping the shoulder of Richie’s suit jacket tightly.

Richie shifted around to look at her through the seat, eager to explain, “Okay, so weird perk of completing a bond, right? I don’t become extra crispy in sunlight.”

She stared at him, trying to wrap her mind around it. Richie took her expression as categorical awe.

“I know, right?” He exclaimed, pushing his glasses up his nose, “Its the number one reason culebras try to initiate bonding—I mean, outside of the other stuff.”

Her brows drew together, “Other stuff?”

“Increased strength, faster healing, telepathic connection, and—oh, the feeding is,” he touched his fingers to his mouth in a chef’s kiss.

Lilah continued to stare, connecting dots, her throat dry, “What about, um, Kate? What does she get?”

His smile widened, “That’s the best part. Immortality without having to convert her.”

Immortality…

Lilah found herself turning inwards even as she nodded along to Richie talking about comparative situations in fandom—oddly landing on Vulcan mating practices, which she was not going to get into with him on anything but a superficial level.

Immortality…

How the fuck was she going to deal with that?

[fuckinuchihas]

PART ONE

Continued...

“That was...intense,” Sugawara says, a chaotic fire in his eyes. 

You try to hide a smile, but he notices the tiny uptick at the corner of your mouth and it warms him up inside.

It was the first time you were able to play imposter together and you had it won before they could call the second meeting. Sugawara was really good at following your cues even without talking to one another and two double kills in a single round was nearly unheard of but you managed to pull it off. 

“Want to play again?” he asks, and you nod in agreement. 

He’s getting really good at this. 

“We should do something fun this weekend,” someone says, Suga isn’t really paying attention beyond a vague understanding. He’s busy looking down at his phone and trying to bite back his smile. 

“We could throw a party!!” 

“No…” Daichi says, immediately shutting that train of thought down. 

“Aww c’mon man!” 

“No way, you idiots get too out of control with stuff like that…” 

“We could have a-” 

“Kageyama we’re not having a weekend scrimmage game for fun,” Tsukishima says, adjusting his glasses. 

“That’s not what I was gonna say!”

“Oh really? Then what did his majesty have in mind,” he says, his smirk growing wider the longer Kageyama tries to come up with something, anything else. 

When Kageyama can’t find a replacement Yamaguchi actually buts in. “We could play games together online…There’s this new one I’ve been playing it’s actually kinda neat. It’s called Among Us.” 

Sugawara’s head pops up and his grin goes a bit feral. “That’s a really good idea Tadashi.”

“I’m not very good at video games,” Daichi says, rubbing the back of his neck. “But if it’s something everyone can agree on-’ 

A chorus of excited yesses follow and Sugawara feels a thundering excitement under his skin.

He shoots off a quick text and hopes you don’t have any plans for the weekend.

The team decide to play in clusters. All ten people sitting in one room were bound to cause issues, even if they all played on their phones...plus Sugawara knows that some of them are terrible losers and he doesn’t want any backlash for you, or himself.

He asks if you prefer your place or his and you shrug and answer that it doesn’t matter to you either way. He decides to use the opportunity to invite into his space and you agree easily enough.

The night of, he starts to feel nervous, anticipation swirling under his skin as you show up at his front door. He lets you into his small but comfortable apartment and the edge of your lips tug up just a little but he feels pleasure thrum through him at that tiny reaction.

He’s a little flustered when he takes your jacket but you just ignore it.

“I have some snacks and stuff if you want something but I thought we could order pizza later?” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“I like pizza,” you say, reassuring him a little. 

“So what would you say if I told you I pregamed a few strategies…” 

You raise a brow in interest and smirk at him. “Just what did you have in mind?” 

He goes over the plan and you feel adrenaline coursing under your veins. 

It’s not just that you will help one another out, he actually put together ideas on how to distract each and every teammate. You’re impressed to say the least. He’s also made a list of the order in which to kill if at all possible...Tsukishima is at the top; Daichi second. Both Yachi and Kiyoko are last resorts, but he doesn't think they’re going to end up playing anyway. 

It’s a lot. 

You love it. 

“This is really well thought out,” you say, looking over things. “I’m surprised Kageyama isn’t higher on the list…” you question, he might not be very smart when it comes to classes but you imagine he can handle himself with logical things.

“I’m pretty sure this will be the first time he’s ever played a video game...it’s going to be a learning curve for him. He can move up the list later if we think he’s catching on but you can always use Hinata to distract him if we get in a tight spot. 

“Oh okay cool...that sounds like a good plan,” you reply and nod up at him where he’s nervously bent over the notes he made for you. “You know, we could just play to have fun…”

Suga’s face tightens a bit, “But don’t you want to win?” 

You shrug, “I mean winning is nice, I like it a lot really.. but these are your friends right?” you ask, heart thundering in your chest. “It could be kinda cool if they liked me, y’know?”

He freezes a little, just a moment before looking at you with wide sparkling eyes and holding back what you know is a coming laugh. “You’re worried! That’s so cute,” he teases. 

‘Am not.” 

“Oh you are, you want them to like you, you want them to looooove you,” Suga teases more, as you fight off the heat threatening to spill over onto your neck and cheeks.

“No I don’t,” you say, slapping his hand away gently when he tries to poke you on the nose. “I’m going to murder them...I’ll murder every single one of them. I don’t care if they like me or not.” 

He’s still holding back some laughter but he bites his lip and smiles. “Yeah you will. Trust me, they’ll like you more for doing your best than they would for taking it easy on them,” he says, pinching your nose playfully before letting that super sweet side of his persona slip away just for a moment “Besides...I want to win.”

 The first game starts out well, you are both crewmates but you figure out quickly that Yamaguchi and Kageyama are the imposters because Tobio accidentally vents in front of literally everyone and Tsukishima has successfully lived through two rounds. 

Apparently everyone except Yamaguchi would kill Tuskishima first.

The next dozen games go smoothly as well and you start to get a feel for how people are going to play. 

Hinata is so excited to murder that he rarely pays enough attention to his surroundings and gets caught almost immediately.

Kageyama dies quickly or yells into the mic that he’s hit the wrong button again when someone calls him out for venting, or the one time he’s tried sabotaging something. He called lights when everyone was already in electrical...Daichi had it fixed in half a second and Kageyama’s little blue pod person was in the back overtop the vent yamaguchi’s body at his feet.

Tsukishima got imposter the next round, Kageyama was first blood.

Actually, every round Tsukishima got imposter Kageyama was first blood...even that one time when he had to get caught by killing him in front of Hinata who’d offered to ‘buddy up’ with him. 

Tsukishima is vindictive to absolutely no one’s surprise...Yamaguchi doesn’t die as much after that.

Noya is ruthless and the one time he’s matched with Tanaka as imposter everyone is dead before the first body is found. 

You’re actually more than a little impressed.

Ennoshita goes quiet as an imposter and though he only got it once...he seems to call 02 sabotage fairly regularly. 

The other second years had to work the second shift at their job.

Daichi is pretty good, though it takes him a bit to catch on. As an imposter he’s patient, methodical and knows how to twist things around on other people. As a crewmate, well...he never forgets where he saw you or who you were with and that makes it incredibly difficult to get away with things. Not to mention that everyone trusts his judgment and ‘Daichi said so,’ is plenty of reason to get your ass kicked out. 

Asahi has been watching over Noya’s shoulder all night trying to get a ‘feel’ of the game before he plays. 

No one expects him to play a single game. 

As for Sugawara and you, MVP third imposter trophies all around. The chaos feeds you and you have a field day the few rounds that Noya gets imposter because he has a tendency to keep calling electrical and instead of doing your tasks you end up cackling as you flip over every switch they just  flipped as they try to ‘fix’ the lights. 

It was entirely dark for one full game. 

The first time you and Sugawara both get imposter, everyone immediately suspects Noya and Tanaka. There’s four bodies before the first meeting is called and you have both spent a significant amount of time following Daichi around ‘doing’ tasks so he’s not as suspicious of you. 

Hinata says he thinks it’s you because Kenma has a similar style but it only bites him in the ass because Kageyama joins you and Suga in voting for him simply out of jealousy. 

All in all, it’s more fun than you’ve had in a long time and Sugawara’s plan was entirely on point. 

You lose count of how many rounds you guys play but only once was the defeat screen showing for both of you and that was just unavoidable. Tanaka and Noya are the dream team of imposters. Mostly the only time you lost is when you helped the other person out as the imposter.

When you decide to call it quits for the night, part of your anxiety comes back but before the discord voice chat ends, Daichi invites you to play with them again sometime and you can’t contain your smile. 

Suga accepts on your behalf and you throw a chip at him for outing your smile and awkward flushed look. “I hate you.” 

“No you don’t.” 

“No I don’t.” 

He kisses your forehead and chuckles. “That was fun.” 

“It was,” you nod in agreement. 

“So you’d want to do it again sometime?” he asks, looking strangely nervous. 

“Yeah of course,” you say, like it was even a question...pfft. 

“Like as a date?” he says, eyes not meeting yours. 

‘Oh..uh, yeah I mean I guess...it was fun and stuff,” you say, suddenly a thousand times more nervous than you’ve been all night. You didn’t expect this, though part of you hoped he wasn’t just being friendly with you. 

“Cool.” he says, smiling and giving you a thumbs up. 

“It’s whatever,” you say, shrugging as you drop your face down and to the side where he can’t see how flustered you are. 

“Oh you like me!” he says, an excitement in his voice that you recognize. 

“No I don’t, I don’t like you at all,” you lie, but he sees right through it. 

“You do! You like me soooo much,” he says, teasing you again. 

“Nuh unh...I’m going home,” you say, reaching for your backpack but he gently grabs your hand and spins you around until your facing him, staring up into those gorgeous grey eyes. 

“It’s okay...I like you too,” he says, face inches away from yours. 

You swallow hard, feeling heat climb up your neck as he bends even closer. 

“Can I kiss you?” he asks, and you nod shakily because speaking seems impossible.

It’s just a light press of lips to yours but you melt against him.

It feels like more than you ever hoped for and when he pulls away you’re both flushed and embarrassed but grinning like idiots. 

  MASTERLIST

[doodlingstuff]

Neil’s (fake) B-day

Let’s celebrate my boy’s birthday with some fluff :)

All likes, shares, kudos and comments make my day shine. Thanks for reading ❤

***

( Chapter 14 of Comeback)

Andrew was definitely allowing himself to get carried away by Neil’s joy, otherwise, there is no logical explanation as to why he is driving the pipe dream towards the stadium instead of Fox Tower after he got Abby’s clearance to get back to classes. They could be using each other time’s in more pleasant ways, but then again, Neil loves his newfound family and all their nonsense. And Andrew is no one to take that away from him. Even less after everyone thought they’d lost him for good. Twice.  

Matt’s massive truck and Allison’s hideous atrocity are already there when they arrive. Neil is still too unsteady to walk that much from the parking lot to the court on his own, and he is too stubborn to use any walking aid, but Andrew has proved his talent as a reliable walking stick, so he lets the striker hold to his arm and squeeze it all the way.  

As Andrew knew beforehand, the lounge is covered with streamers, balloons, confetti, and an enormous Happy Birthday sign.  

Every Fox approaches Neil with a big smile. Some dare to pat him on the shoulder and Matt ruffles his hair. Almost everyone gives him presents and of course, the boy looks lost. He turns to see Andrew, but it wasn’t his idea, so he won’t make it easy, although there is the faint ghost of a smile trying to break free as Neil gets more and more confused.  

 “Happy birthday kid.” Coach is the last one to approach and the striker finally finds it in him to talk.  

 “Thank you? It’s-It’s not my birthday, tho”

  His comment is received by a well-deserved couple of pairs of eye rolls.  

 “Some things never change, do they?” Aaron asks. Her cheerleader shushes him with an elbow on the ribs. Maybe Andrew doesn’t hate the woman that much after all.  

 “Sweet baby, don’t tell me you forgot your own birthday,” Nicky says.  

 “It’s March 31, Neil! We promised you a party!” Matt follows with one of his brightest smiles.  

 The auburn-haired turns to look at Andrew as if he’d had any part in that. He was only the driver and his attention is drifting away from the happy reunion as he eyes the big cake on the back. That may be worth the bother.  

 “Told you my birthday was in January,” Neil says, clearly uncomfortable.  

 “And you were getting killed then.” Allison goes on. “You deserve a birthday party. Even if it’s not your real birthday.”  

 “But-”  

 “Lookit this way,” Nicky interrupts. “You get to celebrate twice every year. Sounds like a dream.”  

 Neil looks like he wants to keep arguing, but  Wymack   steps in before. “Shut the fuck up before I get sick. These morons made you a party. Enjoy it and stop looking like a stray cat for once.”  

 The next argument in Neil’s tongue dies as everyone starts to roll food around. They are smart enough to restrain themselves from singing and the cake finally arrives. Since the junkie is happy talking to everyone and watching wide-eyed all his presents, Andrew can distract himself by seeing how many slices of birthday cake he can eat before getting sick of it. As if that was possible. It’s easier for Kevin to die from diabetes just by watching.  

 "Alright. Time to get serious.”  Wymack   is clapping to get everyone’s attention after they all are stuffed and ready to pass out. It takes almost fifteen minutes for the team to clear their heads and gather in the sofas around their Coach.  

 “As you know, we are too far away to have a normal championship, but after how things unfurled for the Ravens,” He spares a brief glance towards Andrew that the twin dismisses “They decided to get them back to their original district. That said, championships will be only a single round of deathmatches to be played on the same day. Winner teams will be qualified by points scored. The two best go directly for the championship and the rest can wait until next season.”  

 “I still don’t know which team we will be facing but from now I tell you that for once, it doesn’t matter the score. This year had brought a shitload of problems I hope I never have to face again, but we made it to this round, so  let's   take the chance as best as we can and keep showing we are not a joke anymore.  

 Wymack   is faster to keep talking before his shortest striker speaks “As for you Neil, don’t even expect to play more than five minutes. You are allowed back to practices, but I will strangle you myself if you pull another fucking stunt in the court. Depending on how you do and in the remote chance we pass, I might think about letting you play the full final match. Doubts?”  

 Everyone shook their heads or deny. Andrew can’t take the perspective of getting back to practices, but Neil is radiating energy only with the perspective of five minutes on a match, so he abstains from complaining as Kevin starts talking endlessly about every single plan and strategy he’s plotted during the past months.  

 Andrew can’t wait to get out of there, but if Neil is happy, he can stay a bit longer.  

 Campus is swollen by darkness when they get out of the gathering. Nicky spends the short ride speaking, as he always does, and Kevin is making a tantrum from traveling in the back. Andrew can’t care less. If he doesn’t like it, he can walk to Fox Tower or catch a ride with the rest.  

 When they arrive at the building, Andrew takes Neil’s duffel bag and motions towards the elevator. The junkie is about to protest, but he is finally learning to tell when he’s tired and the night hasn’t ended for them, so he steps into the elevator.  

 Andrew has the door of the dorm open for Neil. They step in and the blond makes way to the bedroom. He dumps the duffel bag on the bed and looks for the things he stuffed in there before heading out.  

 “Wait.” There it goes. The cogwheels inside the junkie’s brain finally move. Nicky and Aaron pause their silly game to see “This is not my dorm.”  

 “It is now.” Neil looks for the lie in Andrew’s eyes and then he sees Nicky laughing as bills pass between him, the other twin, and even Kevin.  

 “You are such a cute thing. Andrew kicked Aaron out as soon he knew you weren’t dying.”  

 Neil  looks   startled from Nicky’s gigantic smile to Andrew’s shrug. They had shared enough nightmares and had slept together so many times for it to be a scandal, but it was until then when the blond realizes he didn’t ask. He just acted out of spite because he wanted to have Neil close.  

 A big smile spreads on the striker’s face and then he follows Andrew to the roof.  

 After three cigarettes, Andrew still can’t find how to get this over with. They had talked about bigger demons before. They had  shared   more intimacy. It shouldn’t be a big deal. Still, his voice is almost scared when he talks.  

 “Enjoyed your party?”  

 Icy eyes send a wave of shivers down his spine. “I guess. I’ve never had one.”  

 “And you won’t ask me why I didn’t get you a present?”  

 “Do you want me to? I don’t need presents. And you had given me much more.”  

 “Then shut up.” He says and finally drops the contents of his pocket in Neil’s hands.  

 Minutes pass before the striker can talk again. “My phone and keys.”  

 “You left them on purpose.” There is a hard swallow traveling down Neil’s throat.  

 “Told you I never thought I’ll stay. And... I couldn’t be Neil Josten in the Nest. If I took these, they would’ve been more reminders of the life I couldn’t have anymore.”  

 “You have it now.” The official IDs sent by Kengo are still unbelievable to Neil. He nods as he grips the objects in his hands. The proofs that he is real, that he didn’t come out from Andrew’s drugged mind and he will stay. Probably.  

 “And this is your present.” The blond drops a packet of cigarettes in Neil’s lap. He looks bewildered and attempts to give them back.  

 “Abby says I shouldn’t smoke again.”  

 There is no point in explaining things to the pretty idiot, so Andrew settles for looking at him until he opens the damn box and takes out a couple of pieces of cloth.  

 “You want me to sew your socks?”  

 “Don’t be stupid,” Andrew replies while pulling up his sleeves. Maybe Neil can get the hint that way.  

 “Armbands?”  

 “It’s already hot as fucking hell and you keep wearing long sleeves.”  

 Realization crosses fast through his face. If the junkie thought Andrew wouldn’t notice he didn’t want the scars on his wrists on display, he was even dumber than how he looked.  

 “Thank you,” The red-haired says while slipping the pieces of cloth through his hands.  

 Words are burning Andrew’s throat worse than the smoke of his sixth cigarette. He doesn’t want a      no    , but he knows he won’t be in peace if he doesn’t ask. “Will you stay now?”  

 “I haven’t gone anywhere.”  

 The blond only spares a glance at Neil. He doesn’t want to explain. However, as silence stretches, he knows he needs to make sure the point is understood just in case Neil is indeed stupid or Andrew hasn’t been clear enough.  

 “Last year I told you to give me your back and stay. You ran away and did the exact opposite. You’re not in danger anymore. The promise stands. I’m just asking again.”  

 A wild river clashes with sweet honey. For the first time in a long, long while, Andrew can’t tell what hiding those eyes are hiding. He is the one with the blank expression, not Neil. Silence keeps growing between them. The blond is sure he talked too soon. He is expecting the dream to vanish because it has been a big strike of consecutive good weeks and nothing lasts forever. He doesn’t forget that.  

 “Your memory isn’t so perfect after all.” Andrew is startled by the comment. Of course, it is. A fucking burden he never asked to have. A good thing when it comes to Neil and the bright  smiles   he gives. The twin starts digging if he had any other slips like the room swap without asking first, but he can’t find any. “I said yes. Always yes.”  

 “It was a different question.” Relief spreads as he speaks.  

 “But the answer is always yes.” The blank stare is quickly replaced by a big smile.  

 Andrew knows he has to tell him that always can’t be his answer for everything, that there will be times when it’s no, that he will respect any change of mind, that he doesn’t want to force it, that he is afraid everything is still an illusion, but Neil is so close and he has talked so much, that the only thing he manages is a soft growl as the striker´s lips are near his neck, and then, every objection gets drowned in a kiss.  

“One condition,” Neil says when they part. “You don’t protect me. We protect each other.”  

Every complaint dies even before Andrew can voice it because it is true.

Before Neil said it, he gave his life willingly for Andrew, and the blond had turned the world upside down in a week to keep the pipe dream safe. The promise was fulfilled before it was made.  

Regardless, it’s the first time someone says to him anything like that, and it fills his chest with something so powerful and strange that he isn’t sure if his life is really this good. Perhaps he died in juvie, or in Thanksgiving, or in Easthaven, and this is all a weird fantasy created to bear the boredom of being in hell.  

When they return to the dorms, neither asks before getting inside the same bed to fall asleep with their fingers intertwined.  

 If always feels like this, Andrew can get used to having it.  

[burningember0802]

Someone Like Me

summary : first, once again, i suck at summaries. Kaz meets a friend of Nina’s that he didn’t know about who is more like him than anyone else he’s ever met and that scares him more than he’d like.

It's a relaxing evening at the slat, or at least as much as it can be in Ketterdam. All the crows were sitting around a table talking and having a great night, even Kaz. He won't show it but he enjoys nights like this more than he'd like to admit. Nina and Jesper were laughing and talking about who knows what while Matthais sat with a loving smile on his face, Wylan and Inej sat talking about his newest tests, and Kaz sat just listening and watching, enjoying the time with his friends; his family. "Oh, Kaz! My friend is supposed to stop by tonight and drop off some things I asked her for so don't be surprised if we get a knock soon." Nina mentions. "You have friends?" He sarcastically said. "For a matter of fact, I do. She's amazing, I think you should meet her. She'd be a great addition to the crows. She's a fabrickator, both a Durast and an Alkemi. She is also the smartest person I've ever met, and the best fighter too. I've watched her and Matthais spar and she took him down in seconds easily. She's insanely good, Kaz. She'd be a great asset to the team. I think you'd like her too, she has similar interests among other stuff." She explains. Kaz thought for a moment before responding. "We'll see if I agree with you once I meet her." Nina thanks him with a smile and goes back to her conversation.

Kaz wasn't sure how he felt about the thought of bringing someone else onto the team. It was another person who could betray him, another person he could get attached to, another weakness. Not just anyone can join the crows, they had to earn it.

About half an hour later there was a knock at the slat door. Nina excitedly hopped up to get it. "It's her!" The heartrender almost squealed. The door opened to a girl, probably about 5'6 who has (H/L), (H/C) hair. She was gorgeous with a button nose that supported her thin-rimmed glasses, full lips, striking (E/C) eyes, and a curvy figure. She was wearing a tight green turtle neck, black pants, boots, and carrying a satchel on her shoulder. Kaz swears he almost felt himself stop breathing. The feeling he got when he saw her, despite not knowing her, scared him in a way he didn't like. He decided to push it down and continue on with the night.

Nina invited the girl inside with a smile that was returned by her. The girls walked back to the table where the rest of the group sat. "Y/N, the crows, the crows, Y/N." She introduced them all. Multiple greetings were heard around the table from everyone except Kaz of course. Y/N shyly waved with a soft smile. "I brought those things you asked about," Y/N said quickly changing the subject. She opened her bag and pulled out 3 boxes and set them on the table. She opened the first one which held a seemingly normal knife. "Here's the knife you asked about with the poison injection abilities. There are three vials in the box and there's one in the handle already. It injects a few drops upon impact, it’s potent so it will kill someone with just a few drops." Y/N said showing how to open the handle and where the vial was. She proceeded to open the next box that was full of bullets. "These are the bullets that explode upon impact you asked about." She said before setting them back down. You could see Inej eyeing up the knife and Jesper doing the same to the bullets. She finally opened the last box which revealed 7 sets of earpieces. "These are the earpieces, they have microphones in them to communicate from long distances." She almost mumbled, obviously nervous around all the people. Kaz had been watching the girl in shock the whole time she spoke. Nina didn't lie, she was insanely talented and would be a good asset.

"You're the best Y/N!" Nina exclaimed, making a quick movement to go to hug the girl. She quickly stopped when Y/N flinched slightly. No one else besides Y/N, Nina, and Kaz had realized it with everyone else too busy looking at the new gear. "Shit, fuck I'm sorry Y/N it was a mistake." Nina started apologizing profusely. "Nina, it's fine. Mistakes happen. I'm just a freak anyway." She said quietly. Kaz felt his heart clench at that. She was like him, she was anything but a freak though. "Anyway, I should probably get going." She said, staring at her feet. "You should stay for a while, meet everyone." Nina tried to convince her. Y/N was obviously apprehensive. "You should stay," Kaz said before he could stop himself. Both Nina and Y/N turned towards him quickly. Nina had a shocked look on her face, surprised that Dirtyhands would ever suggest that he wanted someone to stay. She thought for a second and smiled slightly and nodded.

The girl sat down at the last empty chair at the table, which happened to be next to Kaz. She immediately pulled into herself out of habit, bringing on her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around it, making herself as small as possible. Jesper and Inej immediately started asking questions about their new tools to which Y/N answered gladly. Kaz watched them contently, especially Y/N. She looked really happy talking about what she loved. Soon the conversations turned away from solely her after the crows had their fill of integrating. "Kaz, Y/N is the most knowledgeable person I've met about books, you guys have that in common," Nina mentions. Y/N glances at him with a soft smile. Everything about her made Kaz's fight or flight kick in. She was weirdly comforting but at the same time kicked on every instinct he had. He felt the need to run but also never move again. "What's your favorite genre of books?" Y/N asked the boy. Kaz missed having someone to talk to about interests like this, the rest of the crows weren't into things like this. Trying to make him comfortable she answers first. "I tend to read realistic fiction or fantasy." Kaz studied her face constantly looking for any signs that she wasn't genuine. "I like fantasy or mystery books." He answers. She gets a huge smile. He liked that, she had a genuine smile, that's rare in the barrel. Her smile was slightly lopsided and full of joy. "Mysteries are the best, I'm always on the edge of my seat. Sometimes I feel like I can't put the book down even when I have stuff to get done." She laughs. Kaz almost felt himself smirk. "Those are the best ones." He answers genuinely. "I just finished this amazing book, it's about the story of Achilles but from the point of view of Patroclus. It's called the song of Achilles and it's amazing." She says with a smile. "I'll have to borrow it sometime." He says. At that moment the two of them weren't even paying attention to the crows around them anymore, so they didn't see the knowing look from Nina.

The group all continued to talk and have a good time. Everyone liked Y/N a lot. Nina was accurate in her description of her. She was super smart and sweet. At one point they were talking about combat strategies and she was asked "What's the quickest way to win a fight?" by Jesper. Matthias let out a loud snort at that question, knowing the brunette's skills. "Are we talking immobilizing or killing? Those are two different answers." She says with a smirk. The girl had come out of her shell within the past hour and had grown more comfortable around the group. "Both?" Jesper said, confused. "For immobilization, the quickest way is to slice their Achilles tendon on the back of their ankle, if you do that they're not moving. Also, you always go for the eyes, nose, and groin, and if you use the bottom of the palm of your hand you can shatter someone's nose since that's the strongest part of your hand. Besides the Achilles tendon, the other easiest way if you know how to do it is there's a nerve on the side of your neck that if you squeeze right, knocks them out. Then if the purpose is killing you go for the neck, wrist, or thigh because that's where your main arteries are." She said matter of factly. Kaz almost laughed at how the girl said it.

That was the start of it all. Shortly after this first meeting Y/N started coming around more and more and everyone loved her, including Kaz. Kaz had started having more than friendly feelings towards her a couple months after meeting. The crows were eventually able to convince her to join so she was now living at the slat, making Kaz’s life a living hell. He felt like his heart was beating out of his chest constantly, and he knew that Nina knew this too with her heartrender skills. Nina was constantly giving him knowing looks and all he did was glare back at her. Kaz was drawn to her like no one else.

The two of them had become close over the last year, closer than most. They would often sit and talk for hours, a lot of times about books or anything else that came to their minds. Y/N was often like lightning in a bottle, constantly moving and going a million miles an hour. She seemed hyper and impulsive on the outside but Kaz knew she was very strategic and methodical. She was insanely smart, which she often used to her advantage to beat Kaz in chess to his dismay. Both parties had developed feelings for each other but both were too scared to tell the other because they’re idiots but the universe was going to find a way to get them together.

The heist the crows had tonight was insanely important. The group was supposed to go to a merchant party because while the merchant and everyone else was distracted they were going to steal a necklace that was held in the wife’s vanity room. The necklace was worth an insane amount of money so the crows took the task right away.

The only problem with the heist was that Y/N and Kaz had to be the two who had to fake being a couple at the party to keep the merchant distracted so the others could get the necklace. “We have to do what?” Y/N exclaimed when she found out her role. She felt her chest clench at the thought of being around that many people. “I need Inej on the roofs, Jesper on the ground as backup, Wylan as a waiter ready to cause a distraction if need be, and Nina and Mattaius getting the necklace so we’re the only two left.” Kaz grumbles, obviously not happy about the situation either. Both of them sucked it up for the money.

The night of the heist Y/N was the last to be ready since she had to wear a dress and makeup. She stepped down the stairs to where the crows were waiting. As soon as she stepped into the room there were joking whistles and screams from all the crows except Kaz. Kaz stood there in shock, his breath taken away. Emma was wearing a black dress with stars on it, a simple pair of black heels, several pieces of silver moon and star jewelry and finally topping it off with a few moon and star hair pins pinning back some of her hair. She looked gorgeous.

As they got closer and closer to the party both Y/N and Kaz became increasingly more nervous. “We don’t have to touch.” She says breaking the silence between them as they were dragging behind the group. “We have to and we both know it. If we don’t touch like a couple they’ll become suspicious. I know neither of us like touch but we’ll have to deal with it.” Kaz quickly responds, his voice rigid. She just nodded, not wanting to make this night worse.

Everyone got in their positions as soon as they made it to the house, leaving Kaz and Y/N near the entrance. Kaz hesitantly grabs her hand; he was shocked when he did. He didn’t panic as much as he thought. Kaz’s aversion was worse than Y/N’s for sure since hers was mainly quick movements and things related to abuse but Kaz’s was any kind of touch. All he felt was Jordie when he touched anyone, the stench of the air, the cold water around him, the stiff body he was clenching on to. He didn’t immediately drown touching her though, he felt the waters come up but they stopped, going no further.

As the two of them continued through the night the touches became easier and more frequent, it almost felt...real. Both of them deep inside wished it was. They wished the other loved them back. The two of them got many compliments throughout the night on how cute they were and questions about how they met among other things. The way Kaz would wrap his arm around her waist made her heart stop, the way Y/N put her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him did the same to Kaz.

Once Nina and Mattaius got the necklace everyone made their way back to the slat. Everyone was happy and ready to celebrate a successful heist except for Kaz and Y/N. They had a tension that wouldn’t go away. Both knew they’d have to talk about it or it’d ruin further heists but neither wanted to make the first move. So once they got to the slat both of them lingered at the door after everyone else. “Can-” “We should-” they both went to say at the same time. They couldn’t help but laugh at how in tune they were. “We need to talk about things.” Y/N says. “I know.” Kaz says, anxiety in his voice. “I like you Kaz.” the girl states plainly, shocking the bastard of the barrel. He couldn’t say the words he wanted to but he had to say something. “Yes.” was all he could manage out. It would sound stupid to anyone else but to Y/N and Kaz they both knew what that meant. “I can never touch you like you might want though.” He says anxiously. “Kaz, I have just as much of an issue with touch as you. Physical affection isn’t something I need in a relationship. If we really want to, we can work on our aversions together.” She answers with a comforting smile. Kaz nods,knowing she's right. “So together?” Kaz questions, trying to confirm that she is his and he is hers. She nods with a smile.

That was the start of it all. The start of the King and Queen of Ketterdam, taking it over together.

[zuffer-weird-girl]

"Kai-" You whined holding the box up "Please love I never once played this in the forst place!"

"Is a game for kids (Y/N), we are adults." He showed with his palm at both of you, arching one eyebrow up "See the difference? So that's still a no."

You sighed in defeat, holding the box in one hand while getting up from your bed to quit the room.

"Where are you going?" He more demanded than asked, but the feeling was still there.

"Tell Kurono and Irinaka that you aren't going to participate." You pointed innocently at the direction of the living room.

He deadpanned at that explanation... no, no they didn't just...

"They agreed on playing... this?" He pointed at the box in your hands while you nodded.

"I gave them the idea and Irinaka's words were- wait a minute," you lifted one of your fingers up before coughing " 'HeLL YeAh A BiT oF FuCKinG FUn On ThIS DaMN HoUSE!' While Kurono just sayed 'Yeah sure why not?'"

Okay, first; he had to bite the inside of his cheek to contain his chuckle at your own immitation of Mimic's voice.

Second... did the most trustful commurates of his accepted on playing such a childish game? WITH HIS ANGEL WITHOUT ASKING HIM FIRST?

Oh not fucking happening.

"There is no way that you're going to give up on playing this, right?" He sighed in annoyance before you shook your head.

"I never played 'Jenga'..." you pouted and made those puppy eyes once again in a last attempt of tagging your boyfriend along "Please my devil?" You cooed "I promise I will play with you all the rounds of Shogi with you but please just this once?"

He hated those puppy eyes with such passion. Not because they were disgusting or anything related, no, it was because he couldn't say no to them. He just COULDN'T.

He sighed through his mask and llacedd his gloved hands on the inside of his pocket while walking towards you.

At least he got a time alome with you after, and as a bonus his favorite game, which he not only admired by the rules but he could see that adorable pout of yours whenever you losed.

Which was almost all the time.

"One round. And we call it night. Understood?" He rolled his eyes at your happy expression as you thanked him with a kiss on his mask, surprinsing him for a bit.

"Yes Kai I did brush my teeth and showered..." You huffed while he sighed a relieved 'thank god'.

~

"You three better not use your quirks on this I swear." You mumbled as you positioned the pieces together, ignoring Mimic's snickering.

"My quirk is not exactly suitable for this, and I am not in the mood to be killed or to be screamed over later." Chrono said pointing at on one his arrows in his head.

"Can't say the same for me though. These things are smaller than a fridge so-"

"So you better shut your mouth Mimic, and do not dare to enter those things." You and Chrono snickered at the way Mimic flinched at Chisaki's tone of voice as he stared at you building that tiny little tower.

"Ridiculous..." he mumbled through his mask before pushinh you to sit on his lap instead of the cushion.

You blushed at the avtion awhile Chrono and Mimic only satred for a couple of seconds in disbelief and yet finding that scene extremely hilarious.

"Any words spoken about this that left of either of you two mouths expect that your bodies will be found in nine dofferent countries." He said darkly before tapping your thigh. "You start."

"A-Ah! Y-yeah I forgot!"

~

Ok, he had to admit it. This game was way tense and stressful than he thought bit incredibly at testing your physical habbilits.

He also lost count of how many times you send him a look whenever he threatened to use his quirk when he thought the tower was just too trembling and at the point of falling.

"Shit. Why you bunch of people leave the harddest for me?" Hari complaimed as he eyed the atrocity of the tower, thinking of how and which one he was going to push without being prejudiced by it.

"Hurry arrow haired you got only one minute left." Mimic said between laughter as he holded the timer.

"Shut the fuck up Irinaka." He mumbled in response as you giggled, the vibrations hitting Chisaki's chest in the most glorious way.

Huh... this was actually kinda nice.

"Twenty seconds blockhead." Kai said monoustly bit with a hint of arrogance and teasing om his voice.

Which happily you were the only one that got it.

"Kai he is your childhood friend. Don't be so cruel." You whispered to him with a smile whole he arched one of his eyebrows.

"I am being realistic and he is being a idiot, there is at least 45 per cent that this thinh will fall." He whispered lowly back in your ear while you mumbled 'is that so?' With a evil smirk.

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6-" you counted along with Mimic, whoose was almost dying from laughter.

"Oh screw you (Y/n)." Chisaki's hold on you tighten as his eyes narrowed at Kurono in a murderous way.

"What did you just said Chronostasis?" He went to take his glove off before you stopped him with a smile.

"Relax, is just a game and I poked him. It happens."

"That doesn't mean he has the right on talking with you like that." He growled before Kurno just mumbled a 'fuck it' a d just took one alleatory block of the tower.

Which didn't fell.

"SUCK THAT MIMIC!" Kurono almost throwed the block on Mimic with his enthusiasm while Irinaka just looked at the tower with a look that screamed 'I'm fucked.'.

"See why I prefer Shogi instead? It isn't this loud." He said numbly as he secretly carresed your hair from behind, se ding goose bumps onto your whole body each time his gloved fingers touched your scalp.

"Ah come on!" You turned your head to look up at him from his shoulder "I caught you smilling when you were passed without destroying the tower and not using your quirk." You said the last part in a joking manner as he rolled his eyes before both of you jumped at the shout Irinaka just gave it while throwing the block on Kurono's head.

Yeah, he didn't back down.

"My turn!" You chirped as you eyed the tower, choosing the best one to not ruin it for your victory.

While Kai was mentally expecting that things fall, Kurno and Mimic were being very... vocal about it before Chisaki sended them a glare.

Hypocrite.

You successfully and slowly took one of the blocks away with a 'yes' as Kai carresed your side as a reward bjt still a bit dissapointed that it didn't fell.

"Your turn boss."

Chisaki arched his back a bit, covered chin almost resting over your shoulder as he analyzed and prepared his strategy with the little time he had.

The base was a totally forbidden area, the sides were too unstable, and the top completely destroyed ... he looked more carefully until he noticed a piece in the middle that could easily be removed without the tower falling... he smirked underneath his mask and went to pick, already claiming his victory because there was no way that Kurono could take another piece without making the tower fall.

You three weren't even surprised at that, Kai was way too smart for these things but still was fun, and in your case cute and hot as hell, seing his concetrate face.

Before he could even push it from out of there a voice echoed on the room.

"What is going on here?" Pops asked with curiosity but still smirked at the sign.

This took Chisaki's concentration away and he accidentally let the tower fall... making him, Mimic Chrono and you go wide eyed as you three jaws almost hitted the floor.

Did... did Overhaul just... lost?

"HoLY SHIt ThIS Is FoR ThE REcoRd! OvErHaUL JuST LoST!" Mimic broked the silent while screaming in laughter, making you and Chrono crack into your owns as Chisaki stared at it... disbelief lrinted on his face.

"I swear I never once saw that this day was even going to become reality holy shit!" Kurno said between laughter, not caring about the death glare he was receiving from Chisaki.

"W-what-" you tried once "What did you say about this being a game for kids my devil?" He pinched your side and one of your thighs for that, bit you only muffled your laughter on his neck, feeling the vibrations while he growled in irritation.

"Place that thing back together again, it didn't count."

"It didn't count my-" Chrono punched the back of his Mimic's neck before he could say any thing as he mumbled a 'sure'

"Will you four mind if I join you? A bit of distraction is never a bad thing." Pops asked while taking a sit between you and Irinaka, since you had gotten off of Chisaki's lap for respect at the old man.

Pops participating or not, he was going to crush his enemies mercilessly...

Ah, he felt your hand on his gloved ones... adorable but that wont save his angel.

[cousinmarcustalkswrestling]

Best WWE Matches of 2020 15-11

15

Asuka vs Sasha Banks - Raw Women’s Title - Summerslam

They had a banger at Extreme Rules with an idiotic WCW 2000 level ending. Asuka finessed her way into challenging Bayley for the Smackdown title and Sasha for the Raw title on the same night. Sasha distracted Asuka and Bayley was able to roll Asuka up and retain earlier in the night. Sasha came in immediately targeting the leg that Bayley worked on in the earlier match. They end up on the apron and Sasha delivers a BRUTAL sunset flip powerbomb to the floor. The sound of that was straight up sickening. From there, they abandon anything they were gonna do with the legwork and just go to a high impact, G1 like sprint. Abandoning the legwork isn’t exactly good, but their chemistry is so strong but the remaining action is able to overshadow that flaw. The creativity in their counters is silky smooth and Sasha sells her ass off for Asuka’s hard striking. Bayley attempts to interfere, but she’s unwilling to take the shot that Sasha took for her earlier, so Asuka backfists her off the apron and makes Sasha tap out to reclaim the title. This was the clear match of the night of a mediocre Summerslam.

14

Charlotte Flair vs Rhea Ripley - NXT Women’s Title - Wrestlemania 36 Day 2

In my infinite optimism, I initially supported Charlotte winning. I thought it set up a potential series between these two and gave Charlotte some fun NXT matchups where should give the rub to the next generation and eventually drop the title to Rhea or whoever else had star potential. Hindsight proved me wrong. Her matches with Bianca and Io Shirai underwhelmed, we never got a Rhea rematch and she wasn’t even pinned in the match where she lost the title. She was the only person who gained anything from this. But at the end of the day, thats everything after this match. And this match was great!

 Rhea was kinda weird in the beginning when she acted like Charlotte attempting to punk her was a lowlife move instead of….something that a Flair would do. Charlotte kicks out the Riptide super early and snaps Rhea’s leg over the rop rope to give us the main story of the match. Charlotte relentlessly went after the leg and Rhea sold the hell out of it the entire time. He was super resilient with her comebacks and they built to some great high impact moments and nearfalls. In the end, Charlotte’s legwork paid off and Ripley tapped to the Figure 8. Charlotte’s entire NXT return needs a full rebooking, but I’d be lying if I said this match wasn’t a banger.

13

Drew McIntyre vs AJ Styles - TLC Match - WWE Title - TLC

This was building up to be the best one on one TLC match I’ve seen until the wackiness at the end. AJ had a pretty subdued 2020, but he delivered when he popped out for big matches. He smartly goes after Drew’s leg early in the match and they smartly don’t make it AJ’s entire strategy, but its the jumping off point for it. AJ creatively locks in the calf crusher with Drew’s leg wrapped around a ladder and a chair. Drew consistently does two things brilliantly in the ring; One, he sells extremely well and two, he has creative ways of displaying his strength. He hobbles basically the entire match, but still some great power moments like instantly countering an AJ suplex into his own deadlift suplex and countering a Phenomenal Forearm attempt into a belly to belly on the ladder. AJ’s bumping, Drew’s selling, and their creativity was making this a great match. Then Miz & Morrison came out to cash in the money in the bank briefcase and things broke down in a bad way. AJ’s bodyguard Omos scared off Morrison and the pace that was built by it by AJ & Drew was just derailed. Nevertheless, Drew retained like he should have and first two thirds was high level working.

12

Sami Zayn vs Jeff Hardy vs AJ Styles - Ladder Match - Intercontinental Title - Clash of Champions

Put three old broke down dogs in a ladder match and what do ya get?? A damn great Ladder match of course. Sami Zayn’s body has been breaking down for the last 3 years, but I’ll be damned if he doesn’t still go crazy here and take some hellacious bumps. By the end of it, his back is red and welted to shit. There are no fancy athletics here, its just a wild gritty brawl. The prettiest thing here is AJ going for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Jeff swings a ladder at the same time and knocks AJ out the sky. Things kick up on the outside, with AJ hitting Jeff with the moonsault DDT on the floor. The big holy shit spot is Jeff swanton bombing Sami through a bridged ladder. Sami’s dastardly deeds really kick this match up a notch as he recovers from the swanton and handcuffs Jeff’s EAR to a ladder on the outside. Back in the ring, AJ beats the hell out of Sami, but Sami handcuffs himself to AJ and AJ eventually starts brawling with Jeff WHO STILL HAS THE DAMN LADDER HANDCUFFED TO HIS EAR!! While they’re brawling, Sami pulls the key out of his mouth, rehandcuffs AJ to the ladder and retrieves the title. Great brutal action and a hell of a dastardly performance from Sami Zayn.

11

Becky Lynch vs Asuka - Raw Women’s Title - Royal Rumble

Hey remember Becky Lynch? She was great right? Becky was about 9ish months into a dominant title reign and it was time to even the score with the woman who beat her at last year’s Royal Rumble. This match had a different feel from that super scrappy brawl, but a great sequel to it. This was intense as hell from the start and never let up. Becky knew the danger of Asuka, so she had to be creative, locking in the Disarmher through the ropes, delivering a top rope rock bottom, and trying to take things to the apron numerous times. Her fears of Asuka were very smart because when Asuka took over, she picked Becky apart with strikes to the point that the ref considered calling the match. In the end, Becky made a valiant comeback, counters Asuka’s mist attempts and gets the submission win.

[tibbinswrites]

How about Dean/Cas #33. Canon or AU. All is good to me. 🙂

Hiii!!!! Thank you so much for your request! So this one has taken me so long and it’s not super on topic with the prompt. I had a plan but got very distracted and this happened instead. Hope you like it ^_^

I’ve now done prompts for: #1, #2, #4 and #16, #9, #10, #33, #77, #78, #170 and #502

I also have 2 prompts waiting for: #20 and an addition to #170 and after I’ve done these I will be closing prompts for a little while. Sorry! I’ve joined up for a Big Bang which I’m super excited about and I’ve never done before so I really need to turn my focus to that at the moment.

ANYWAY! On with the fic!

Prompt #33. Tomorrow

In this life there was never a guarantee that you would get anything more than what you had right now. There was also never a guarantee that you wouldn’t lose what little you had. This was a lesson that Dean had learned too many times to count. Could it be counted as loss if your hold on it was tenuous at best? What about a dream? A wish? A distant maybe? Those were never certain, he’d never had them, so why, when they were on the brink of vanishing forever, did it feel like grief?

Watching Cas leave had felt like that. The anger gloated in his gut while the rest of him mourned. He hated that the one constant in his life now was his rage. It hadn’t always been this way; back when hunting had been enough for him, before John had died. That was then the anger had really come into its own, he thought; solidified from all the disappointment and potential for closure that would now never come. He might have been able to say a final goodbye to his father the previous year, but there had been so much still left unsaid between them and Dean hadn’t decided if the John that had appeared had even been the John he knew, or just something conjured as part of the wish. Questioning the reality of things in Dean’s life was ‘in’ at the moment.

He was working on it, he was. In between Purgatory and worrying about Jack and looking for ways to kill God and meeting his alternate self he was working on self-improvement. He’d apologised to Cas and that had worked out. He was trying to joke with the guy more, make him laugh, or at least ease the worried crease between his eyes a little. It hadn’t worked so far.

But now, Jack was sobbing at the kitchen table, apologising over and over for every slight he’d ever made. He had his soul back. And Cas and Sam were gathered around him, forgiving him each time he mumbled a ‘sorry’. Dean went to fill a glass of water and placed it in front of the kid before stepping back. Sam rubbed Jack’s back soothingly while Cas kept up a stream of affirmations and comfort but Dean could only watch. He’d been working on his anger, but the wound of what had happened to Mary Winchester was still raw, tangled up in a bunch of other feelings like the mess that was their phone charger station. Dean wasn’t sure he’d forgiven Jack yet, but seeing how sorry he was… well… that helped.

Jack had looked up at him a few times, blue eyes wet and shiny with remorse as though he wanted Dean to say something. Dean knew that he should, he knew that he should swallow his pride, kneel down to eye-level and tell Jack that he still cared about him, that he was still family. But he knew that wasn’t what Jack wanted to hear and it would eat him up to mutter a forgiveness he didn’t feel, even if it might be the only thing that Jack really wanted to hear.

Cas sent him a couple of pointed glares, but he retreated instead, leaving Cas and Sam to calm the kid down. Sure, the first few hours of having his soul back would be messy, but once he adjusted to having feelings again he’d be okay, or at least as okay as the rest of them were. Besides, Sam was the one with first-hand experience of losing and re-gaining your soul, he was the best person to be in there right now. Dean just awkwardly standing around wouldn’t make any of them feel better.

Xxx

It was a few hours later that Cas came to find him.

“He’s still very upset,” he said by way of a greeting when he walked into the garage. His voice was hard, almost accusatory. Dean didn’t turn around. “We could have used you there.”

“I’m not exactly good at that whole… area of things, Cas. I’m sure you and Sam did a better job than I could have.”

“It’s you that Jack needs forgiveness from,” Cas fired back. “And more than forgiveness he needs reassurance that you don’t hate him. You disappearing doesn’t exactly alleviate that fear.”

“I don’t hate him.” Dean said, uncomfortable. He was working on Baby, nothing major, just inspecting every inch of her to make sure his and Sam’s alternate selves hadn’t done any damage. They hadn’t, but the work got his hands greasy and kept his mind calm and that was all he needed right now. Meeting himself from that other world had thrown him, probably more than it should. Thinking about it now, maybe sending them off to Brazil hadn’t been the best plan. They weren’t exactly done defying God, having a couple of decoys could come in handy, and if they were loaded enough to afford a private jet, two sets of pilots, top-shelf scotch and whatever the hell they’d been wearing they couldn’t be completely useless as hunters. The other John Winchester might have spoiled them (and if that thought didn’t just sit in his stomach like sour milk), but if he’d started HunterCorp and it had gone international, they had to have done a decent job of proving themselves, because he was pretty sure that any John Winchester in any world still had to be a ball-busting hard-ass when it came to hunting. Plus, they were still alive.

Then again, they couldn’t exactly stay here. If Chuck did come to check up on them then their usefulness as stand-ins was blown. Plus… it would just be weird. There had been a strange mix of relief and jealousy when they had talked about their life back on other-Earth, a bit of longing for that kind of ease and lightness that he knew he’d lost years ago, but then again, they had come through the rift alone, no Cas, no Jack, no family, and despite their toasts to their father, the grief there had been perfunctory at best. Their whole world was gone and they had barely seemed to care. So their lives might have been shinier and easier, but at least his life was full.

“Maybe you should tell him that.” Cas grumbled with all the heaviness of a parent who had been trying to comfort their child for the past several hours. Then, in a tone much sharper, “and I’m not an idiot.”

Dean turned. Cas was glaring at him, which Dean wasn’t exactly surprised at, but the glare contained something else too, a spark of real fury, not the watered-down version Cas more often than not used.

Dean folded his arms. “On this particular day, you were.” He insisted, folding his oil-streaked arms across his chest. “Going to the Empty, Cas? Really?”

“Oh, like going to Hell was a better plan.”

“Me and Sam didn’t have to die to get there!” Dean heard his voice get louder with each syllable.

“I didn’t—” Cas began.

“Almost is too damn close,” Dean interrupted. Dropping his arms where his hands balled into fists.

“Well my plan is the one that worked.” Cas said. Dean watched as his shoulders pulled back, Cas was gearing up for a big fight. Well fine, if this was the hill Cas wanted to die on, that was just fine with him, ’cause this time he was right, dammit. “You and Sam walked right into Jo’s trap while I got the location of the occultum.”

“You think this is about results?” Dean asked, his voice deadly quiet now. “You think I give a crap that it worked?”

Cas frowned. “I don’t understand.”

Dean let out a breath and dragged a hand through his hair. “You really are an idiot.”

“Stop calling me that!” Cas advanced on him, blue fire in his eyes. “I was the leader of a garrison of angels. That means I was the best. And I got there because I am an expert strategist. I understand how wars are fought and won. I saw the flaws in Jo’s story when you didn’t and I took steps to make sure that your mistake didn’t cost us the occultum and ultimately gave us a fighting chance in this war. I procured the thing that returned our son’s soul and still you call me stupid, you belittle me, you refuse to respect my choices. Why do you insist on trying to make me smaller than I am?”

“Why do you insist on trying to leave me every damn chance you get?!” Dean shouted back, though Cas’ words had hurt. Not least because they were true, or at least, they would certainly seem to be true, if you didn’t have access to the inner workings of Dean’s head. “Did your great intelligence factor in what would have happened to us if you hadn’t made it back, what would have happened to me? You keep doing this. You keep throwing yourself away as though you’re some kind of red-shirt. So yeah, you’re an idiot. Because you might be smart and you might be an expert in strategy and you might be the size of the goddamn Chrysler Building but one thing you’re not is disposable. And I don’t care that you were right. I don’t care that your plan worked. I don’t care that we got the occultum because of your hunch. All I care about is that you died today, and you seem to think that that’s an acceptable risk.”

“It is,” came Cas’ immediate response, though his tone and his eyes had softened a little during Dean’s tirade. “Dean, the world is at stake here. Of course I will give my life for it.”

“You don’t have to be so freaking eager.”

“I don’t have a part in Death’s plan,” Cas said, as argumentative and stubborn as ever, despite the bitterness in his words. “Just as I didn’t have a part in God’s plan. You, Sam and Jack are the ones who will get this done. But I will not just stand back and let you fight it for me. This is my fight too!”

“So fight,” Dean said, stepping forward so he and Cas were almost chest-to-chest. “Don’t give up. Don’t go diving headfirst into the Empty without a proper plan that we all agree on. It’s because Billie hasn’t factored you in that I am terrified, Cas. I can’t lose you again, I can’t do it. I barely made it through last time. Hell, technically it’s only because of Billie and her plan that I lived to see you again. But if she says that you don’t have a part, screw her. You’re with us. You’re with me. To the end of this thing and not a moment before.”

He was so close. Cas’ eyes mere inches from his own, his tongue darted out to wet his lips and Cas looked down to track the movement. And it was then that Dean knew, knew what he had been so scared to know all along: that feeling in his chest when he looked at Cas, the glow that drew him in, he knew in that moment that Cas felt it too. And it suddenly didn’t matter that they were fighting, it didn’t matter that Dean had all kinds of issues about his being into guys thing. It didn’t matter because Cas didn’t care, and Cas cared about the important stuff. So he leaned closer, his eyes slipping closed as he did so. Because tomorrow would bring with it more problems, more plans, more arguments; because Cas was brilliant, he was smart, he was resourceful, he would do what he thought was right whether Dean approved or not. He was fierce and so, so soft and he was right there.

He felt a hand on his chest and he blinked. Cas’ face was right next to his, something painful but determined in his expression.

“Not a moment before.” He whispered against Dean’s lips before he took a step back.

And if those words held an extra significance, Dean couldn’t fathom it, but they were an apology and a promise rolled into one, and they were more than Dean deserved at the best of times. He nodded an apology of his own and reached up to trace the line of Cas’ cheekbone. Cas leaned slightly into the touch.

“We’ll talk?” Dean asked. Because Cas was a sneaky bastard and he was hiding something, something that he wasn’t quite ready to say just now.”

Cas sighed heavily and nodded.

“Tomorrow.”

[thousandbirds]

hatake kakashi’s tropes ( as seen in canon ) are as follow :

--- the Ace. someone who is ridiculously good at what they do, whatever that happens to be, and everyone knows it. people look up to them, envy them, and are in awe of them. they have a reputation for doing the impossible, and may be Shrouded in Myth, as people are unable to separate their real accomplishments from unfounded rumors. they'll probably be extremely talented at everything they try. in direct relation to this, he is also affected by the Broken Ace trope. he's tall, charming, strikingly good-looking and extremely skilled, but underneath all that his inner self is a mess of self-hatred and parental issues ( more on the Broken Ace trope later on the list ). 

--- Always Someone Better. the character who is the best-of-the-best with a supporting cast that Can't Catch Up. more powerful than the super hero, or more skilled than the ninja, or smarter than the professor, and so on.

---  Achilles' Heel. any seemingly Nigh Invulnerable character will inevitably have some key weakness that can and will be exploited. in kakashi’s case, this is his massive stamina issues, exacerbated by the use of his sharingan, which demands a ridiculous amount of chakra when used. almost all of his major battles have ended with him fainting or bed-ridden for over-expending his energy.

--- Badass Bookworm. these characters are quiet, smart, and seemingly physically unimposing, but with Hidden Depths of formidable physical and practical skills. naruto calls him as smart as shikamaru, which, combined with his status as the most elite ninjutsu specialist in konoha, would make him this easily.

--- Badass Teacher. they are just a regular teacher, until you threaten their students. after that you might want to start praying to whatever god is out there for mercy. you do not mess with their students. also related to the Sink-or-Swim Mentor, as seen in his bell test, which doubles as a Secret Test of Character for his students.

--- Bishōnen. the term bishōnen simply connotes a really, really attractive male. it is seen as somewhat of a gag through the manga, but the truth is that an unmasked kakashi is seen to give nosebleeds, provoke swooning, blushing, and in general cause strangers to stop and stare. related to this is the Even the Guys Want Him trope, as both the few females and males who have seen him unmasked are, well, very impressed to say the least.

--- Blessed with Suck. when a character is given a special ability that seems to cause nothing but trouble for them. because he isn't an uchiha, he can't deactivate the sharingan and it rapidly drains his chakra reserves whenever he uses it, leaving him bedridden after extended use. he keeps the eye covered when he doesn't need it in order to prevent this. the mangekyō sharingan, in particular, places a great strain on kakashi, and precipitated the deterioration of his vision until eventually his eye went blind during the fourth shinobi world war.

--- Broken Ace. kakashi talks about his broken past to sasuke, to try and convince him that revenge isn't everything and that living with the pain of his losses, while difficult, is possible. it doesn't work. later, in the battle against kaguya, kakashi tells obito that losing obito, rin, and minato all within the span of a year all but completely broke him, going on to state that there was nothing stopping him from completely sinking into despair except for the fact that obito had entrusted his sharingan ( and thus, his dream of seeing the future together ) to him. given the amount of characters that turned to darker paths for similar reasons, it's a bit of an eye-opener as to how close kakashi could have been to completely losing himself as well.

--- Child Prodigy. as youngest genin and chunin, kakashi graduated at 5 years old from the academy and went on to become the most accomplished shinobi of his generation.

--- Cool Teacher. team 7 was the first team that he ever passed, because they're the first one to catch his lesson on putting each other's safety ahead of the mission. look underneath the underneath.

--- Deadpan Snarker. always has a straight face on, no matter the absurdity of the situation. the mask probably helps in this department. [ kakashi: naruto, you can't kill the client. that's not how it works. ]

--- Despair Event Horizon. the line that, once crossed, destroys any last remaining sense of hope. it could be for a cause, a person, a situation, or simple survival. a character has given up on it, and there is no going back. it can lead soldiers to despair — or even suicide, if they don't simply lose the will to live. it can turn an ideal hero into an anti-hero or an outright villain. it's in his time in ANBU ( during and after the kyuubi attack ) that kakashi was dangerously close to this after the death of his sensei, leaving him the last living member of his team. it's implied that the reason why kakashi wasn't a big part of naruto's life until he became a genin was because he was so mentally anguished that he couldn't be trusted around small children, even if they were his sensei's son. he was barely able to take care of himself ; there is no way he would've been able to handle taking care of a baby jinchuuriki at the same time. it took a lot of time and support for him to move past this, and it wasn't until he was assigned to team 7 that he really began to heal.

--- Everybody's Dead, Dave. his backstory can be summed up in this one trope. when sasuke threatens to kill someone close to him so kakashi can understand his pain, kakashi replies that everyone he cares about is already dead.

--- Failure Hero. this is how he sees himself after watching his childhood team die and later on when he failed to talk sasuke out of defecting.

--- Friendly Rivalry. proud partner on the ultimate rivalry with maito gai, lasting from their early childhood, up into adulthood, and still very, very intense and showing no signs of slowing down.

--- Generation Xerox. this trope takes following in your parent's footsteps to a whole new level. they haven’t just inherited their parents' character traits and superpowers — they've inherited their entire life story. kakashi was mentioned to greatly resemble his father sakumo hatake, Konoha's White Fang, which made his enemies tremble in fear of him even when he was just about 13 years of age, mistaking him for his father. he's also a generation xerox of jiraiya. he lost his teacher, lost his student to the dark side, his closest childhood friend turned into one of the most reviled criminals in history and was indirectly responsible for their teacher's death, and has a near pathological Heroic Self-Deprecation as well.

--- Heroic Self-Deprecation. he literally calls himself trash when talking to obito. learning that his childhood friend obito, his idol and hero, the person who kakashi has modeled his entire life after, is responsible for nearly every tragedy that has befallen him over the years, starting with their teacher's death, all but broke him completely — the amount of self-hatred he felt after that revelation was almost insurmountable.

--- Hidden Depths. from naruto's point of view, he has this generally cheerful, constantly tardy teacher who is a Flat Character, someone he doesn't really think or worry about all that much. however, during the fight with obito, it turns out that that same tardy, cheery guy who's been protecting naruto all these years is indirectly responsible for creating the main villain of the story, and he has one of the worst background stories of all the characters in the series.

--- I Let Gwen Stacy Die. specifically, he killed rin himself... because she chose to jump in the way of his raikiri rather than become a Trojan Horse and be the catalyst of her village’s destruction. 

--- Instant Expert. they are almost universally capable of instantly figuring out how to use their stolen powers, typically to the same level of skill or effectiveness, or even a greater level, as the character who had the power first.

--- The Leader. even though his students outclass him strength-wise during the fourth shinobi world war, kakashi remains their leader. sasuke tries to take over, but his strategies against kaguya fail miserably. kakashi comes up with an alternative plan in minutes, making use of his students' skills as well as his own, and it instantly succeeds. afterwards, even the Sage of the Sixth Paths compliments his leadership ability.

--- Mask Power. is never seen without a mask on. and in fact, he’s never seen with his whole face revealed. not for eating, not for drinking either. some distraction or accident will suddenly occur so that his face remains private. team 7 is shown trying to see under kakashi's mask but when they finally get him to remove it in front of them, underneath is... another mask. according to pakkun, he hates being photographed without it. when he becomes hokage, his face on the mountain still has the mask on.

--- Obfuscating Stupidity. kakashi is first shown as a goofy teacher who falls for one of naruto's unbelievably idiotic pranks, but he soon reveals himself to be badass. his enemies do know he's dangerous, and treat him as such, but he's far more dangerous than most of them have been led to believe. he makes deliberate misleading first impressions, which cause people to underestimate him, and then makes uses of that fact to his advantage.

--- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right! in the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, that's true, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum.

--- Shell-Shocked Veteran. he lost his father to suicide, his childhood friend to an enemy attack, his teammate rin, who he himself killed, and his mentor minato to the kyuubi. the reason kakashi was always late for his training sessions with his genin team? every morning he spends hours just standing in front of the konoha memorial to honor his comrades' memory. in immediate aftermath of rin's Heroic Sacrifice kakashi suffers Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. he keeps seeing rin die by his hands, having nightmares, and as a result becomes far, far more withdrawn. due to the trauma he couldn't use his chidori anymore since he kept thinking of rin. it's stated that during his time in ANBU, kakashi became so depressed that gai literally begged the third hokage to either allow gai himself to join or to release kakashi from service altogether. it was only after his jounin instructor transfer and with gai's persistent friendship that kakashi's mental health started to improve for the first time in years.

--- Shrouded in Myth. a Living Legend, mysterious and untouchable. rumors and hearsay seem to surround their every word and deed.

--- The Stoic. probably the hardest character to get a rise out of in the entire series, except when the Icha Icha series or his dead childhood friend is concerned.

--- Team Dad. the opposite to the Team Mom, more often than not the disciplinarian, lead-by-example-kind of character. he tends to be strict and gruff, but he never hesitates to put his life on the line for his team members. sometimes the facade might even crack and he'll show undisguised pride over his kids.

--- Wise Beyond His Years. kakashi graduated from the academy at five, passed the chunin exam one year later, and became a jonin not much later. all through his childhood, people remarked how mature he was, an outlier from his peers.

--- Wishful Projection. kakashi is a strange case in which his projection was on someone who he thought was dead. obito, who is the one death he has never managed to move past. somewhere down the line, he went from deceased childhood friend whose last wishes I need to honor, to idol whose memory and ideals I need to live up to. a lot of kakashi's baggage stems from his over-idealization of obito ; some part of him genuinely believes that obito always would've succeeded where he failed. kakashi is subconsciously projecting his prodigious abilities and genius reputation on to obito, since it was his sacrifice and ideals that kakashi lives on for. learning that obito became the Big Bad almost broke him, but it was also the event that contributed to him seeing obito as a person again and finally being able to move on with his life.

[amnachil]

The College Society Chapter 4 Part 4

Okay I’m slow... Had a lot of things to do.

Anyway, the next part is here!

Also, I’ll no post any uptade for To the Perfection for a while, because I realised the timeline is already in april there, while we’re still in March in the College Society. The two story taking place the same year, I’ll wait a bit to make them even.

Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey Monday March 25

The junior knew he wasn't someone calm. Some people would call him cantakerous. That was because they never met him when he was mad. Totally, literally, completely mad. How come Nancy had found nothing about the abject pitiful rug rag of a bitch who dared to defy him ? Archie had stopped three hunters who tried to catch the baboon. Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey had managed to restrain four others. Well, that wasn't the worst. No, something had made him going bersek. He thought he had lost his mind. When he had called Zack, this smart boy told him the solution was obvious. He just had to reveal he was seriously dating the baboon. Me ?! Revealing to the whole community I'm dating someone for real ?! Admit I'm becoming a satisfied hunter ?! There's no way it'll happen ! I would rather go in hell than admit I lost to Liam. Because yeah, the truth was, he tried to hunt the baboon and got caught by him. He had fallen in love instead of made Liam fell in love. This is my total disgrace. Anyway that won't stop the hunters. Only sex could but he respected Liam to much to do something now. And his mother who decided to warn his father ! It was a matter of days before the old fart would show up in person to yell at him or call until he answer. But there is no way I let him endanger my relationship with the baboon. Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey would protect his boyfriend. God be his witness, nobody would put an hand on him.

When he arrived in the student union office, he was still beyond angry. He slammed the door and looked at the people gathered for the occasion. The council of the community, with all the best and oldest hunters. Archie was easily noticeable, not only because he was tall, but he gave off some strong sexual vibes. He had his feet on the table, wore a tank top despite the cold and sported a grin which said everything about him. Next to him was Theo, smug smile like frozen on his face. Then, there were Gabriel and Matthew. The first was busy putting some lipstick, which obviously made some other stare with envy. The second looked really happy to be there. Well, it was his first time in such a meeting for high member of the community. He was replacing Sophia, who was... unavaible for a unknown period of time. Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey looked at Lucy. She was acting all hight and mighty, this braindead whore. Sat very close to her was Miranda. Another slut, who hide pretty well her game until now. Samy was already bored to be there. She had her eyes closed and was sighing from time to time. Lastly, this asshole Jolenne smirked when he looked at her. She was so full of herself, acting like if she owned the place. Summer had done quite a good job reuninting all of them, even if she wasn't invited herself. Only one dude missing. Not so bad.

"People." he said. "I won't say I'm happy to see you because I'm not."

He sat on his place. Now he had their attention.

"I'll be straightfoward : is someone here the idiotic wretched foolish jerk who put a price on my prey's head ?"

Jolenne chuckled.

"We don't have to answer to you." she claimed. "You being the best hunter doesn't mean you can boss us around. Well, I'm not even sure we can continue to consider you the best ?"

"You weren't so cocky when you were begging for my dick bitch." he retorted.

"Oh c'mon." intervened Miranda. "This vulgar attitude of yours doesn't scare us anymore. We know you too well."

Yeah we bonded when you sucked my cock jackass. He knew this assembly wouldn't be easy. They were so arrogant.

"You grew some balls." he ironically congratuled. "But don't think for an instant we're all here on the same foot. Most of you are excuses of hunters. Look, this is a friendly advice : do not defy me."

"I won't." stated Theo.

It made the girls laugh loudly.

"Sure you won't." exclaimed Jolenne. "You already failed miserably because you're lame Theophile."

"Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey and you lost this hunt ages ago." added Miranda. "I mean, what is your strategy your Highness ? Playing friend with the prey ? Doesn't seem to work bro'."

"Maybe he isn't interested in boys at all ?" laughed Lucy.

They're... I don't know. I can't find a proper word to qualifiy such pathetic weaklings.

"Anyway, we don't have to listen to you right ?" interrupted Matthew. "I mean, it's D.R who controls the hunters isn't it ? So we can all hunt the prey and get the money since the bounty hadn't been forbidden."

"Newbie please." sighed Gabriel. "And you girls, listen to yourselves. If Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey himself failed to catch the prey, what makes you so sure you'll succeed ?"

I didn't fail ! I'm his fuckin' boyfriend ! The junior took a deep breath. They were getting on his nerves already.

"The noob is right." suddenly intervened Samy. "The 5000$ bounty is valid. As long as the hunters respect the rules of the community, they can hunt the prey. He's not Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey's exclusive prey. Of course, this is unprecedented but as long as D.R doesn't put an end to this, we are all in the game."

So she wanted to hunt the baboon too ? What a bunch of retards.

"You heard that fallen king ?" laughed Jolenne. "You know what ? You should prostitute yourself. With your skills, I'm sure you'll earn more than 5000$ in no time and..."

"Shut the fuck up." grunted Archie sharply. "You're getting on my nerves."

His tone was autoritarian and they all went quiet. He glared at her with so much anger, she shivered. Yeah, that's my heir for you bitch ! Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey took advantage of the sudden silence to talk.

"Listen you morons. I don't care what you think or what you want. This prey is mine to begin with. I'll find the stupid idiot who think he can defy me like this. And I'll destroy him. And every single hunter who try to steal my prey will face the same fate."

"Still, D.R didn't say anything yet." insisted Samy. "You can scare us as much as you want but in the end, she decides."

"If you have a death wish bitchy dickhead, that's your problem. D.R won't protect you all from my anger, count on me for that."

He left after these threatening yet satisfying words.

Because of this meeting, he arrived late and frankly pissed to his date with the baboon. It didn't take long before this one noticed something wasn't right.

"Hey Dami, is everything okay ?" he asked. "You look worried..."

The Dean's grandson grunted. He just had too much on his mind to truly enjoy the moment. All these fucking hunters, his damned family and Zack's stupid suggestion... Even sex couldn't distract him well. (He had tried very hard).

"Is it because of me ?" whispered his boyfriend.

"What ? How the hell did you come with such an absurd idea ?"

The baboon looked away. Oh c'mon.

"I know I'm not very good at listening and seeing things..." mumbled Liam. "You're pissed because I don't give you enough attention right ?"

"Baboon please." sighed Damian Nicholas Smith Carrey. "It's true you're a daydreamer but seriously, I prefer you like this than clingy."

Without even noticing, the junior grabbed his boyfriend's arm and put it around him. He huddled on his soft yet firm side.

"I just have a lot of things in my mind." he confessed. "But I'm always feeling better when I'm with you. I swear."

The younger lad smiled, seemingly reassured. Damnit. He's cuter each day. I live for these fuckin' sweet moments. How pathetic. It was weird, but all his anger had faded away. He was indeed feeling better with his baboon around.

Liam Tuesday March 26

The loud music made him cringe. When Colton had invited him to this party, Liam had agreed without thinking. But now, he was regretting. There were a lot of people. The bright light reminded him of a beacon. Since Nate wasn't here, the chestnut lad stayed in a corner with Nick. (His bestfriend was usually the leader in parties.). (But for now, he was with Archibald.). His roommate was busy playing at his gameboy. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Dami had strongly forbidden him to dance ever again since the red panda incident. He was considering leaving when Rebecca came to him.

"Hey Liam." she greeted. "Want a drink ?"

"No thanks." he smiled.

He didn't want to let drunk Liam take control. It would be a disaster. The runner girl smirked.

"Would you like to come with me and my friends ? You must be pretty bored here with Nick..."

His roommate utterly ignored them. I just want to go to sleep. He was about to decline when he saw her. The witch was all smiles, standing next to the exit. Damn. She's very persistent. What was her plan this time ? (Liam was a courageous young man but... The witch looked very scary !). (Nobody would be chilled facing someone like her !). He had to save time until a hero like Dami came. I'll text him once I'm safe.

"Okay Rebbie, I'm coming." he replied consequently.

She led him to her bedroom. Much to his surprise, there was a man half naked laying onto her bed. Another girl was sat next to him, and she smiled to the newcomers.

"Hi there."

I have a strange feeling about that... Liam smiled, a bit confused by the situation. Rebecca offered him a fragrant donut.

"Let's talk between friends." she said. "Please, relax Liam."

The young man did as told, especially because the donut made his mouth salivate. He ate it pretty fast and she gave him another. They're luscious ! They taste like Ms. Liliano's goods.

"I was sure you would like them." the man said.

Only now, Liam recognised him : it was Matthew, another swimmer. The chestnut lad felt reassured. His teammate wasn't someone bad, right ?

"They remind me of home." he confessed while chewing a third.

The girls chuckled. Next to them, Rebecca talked for a sec with Barbara. Then, she closed the door, apparently because it was too noisy. Liam was pretty sure she asked the petite blonde to stand guard outside, but he could have hallucinated. (Because he was sometimes seeing weird things...) (But the unicorns were real, even if you think otherwise !).

"Here." wispered Matthew.

He offered a umpteenth donut to Liam, who gladly took it. He loved the sugary but fruity flavor. The firmness was mushy and sweet. Suddenly, the sophomore put an hand on his belly. It made the chestnut lad jump a bit, but Rebecca attracted his attention with another donut. (Liam wasn't a total naive but it wasn't the first time someone wanted to touch his tummy either.) (Some people were just touchy-feely right ?). It continued for a little while, before the hands found his way to a lower area. Uh... I can tolerate some hug from friends but we are going a little too intimate here. The freshman stood up.

"I'm sorry." he said. "But I don't want to do... this kind of things."

Liam left before they could argue his decision. (But he took the donut's boxes with him !).

He managed to avoid the witch and get out. When he arrived in his flat, he bumped into Nate. His bestfriend was in their shared bedroom, reading a book. When he noticed Liam's package, he raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Donuts ?" offered the chestnut lad while he sat down close to his soulmate. "I hum... stole them from the party next door."

"No thanks. What did you left so early anyway ? Even Nick is still there."

Liam opened a box and licked his lips in advance. He already felt slightly bloated, but it won't stop him now.

"Well, Rebecca and her weirds friends tried to... you know, sleep with me ? At least I think..."

It made Nate tremble. He winced and took several deep breath.

"I guess it's no surprise." he managed to mutter. "You're offcially available and hot..."

The freshman frowned. He swallowed his donut and looked at his bestfriend. This one was shivering. Something was weird. He seems... terrified.

"You refused their advances right ?" he asked. "I mean, you won't let a nobody have sex with you without your consent ?"

"Of course not ! I want to sleep with Dami at some point but... eerh that's very embarrassing."

Liam wasn't virgin. Kilian and him had already done it. (And to be honest, his first time was with a girl). But for now, he didn't feel ready for it. He wanted to know his boyfriend better before entrusting him with his body. (He was already really happy to see how clingy Dami was when they were together. His hero of a boyfriend was always initiating contact !).

"I think Dami is very attractive." he whispered. "And I'm sure he's very talented since he has... experience. But I won't let him do anything before I'm trusting him fully. And myself too."

Nate nodded. This statement seemed to calm him a bit.

"So you'll never seek sex only for fun ? And follow what people say about it without giving it a second thought ?" he asked. "You'll never let them chose for... "

His words got stuck in his throat. Nate sobbed suddenly. Liam forgot about the donuts and hugged his bestfriend.

"I'll always be prudent." he assured.

It's like reawakening bad memories... Does it had a connection with what happened this eventful night ? Liam didn't want to draw any hasty conclusion but... I don't like this. I don't like this at all...

Nicolas Friday March 29

< Imagenius : Sorry I'm late !! >

< TheSavior : hurry we don't have much time before i n2g for my lesson >

< Abeautifulwomen : i bet it's your hunter stuff again ? Shame >

< Imagenius : Maybe you won't believe me but i fucked and became a hunter dude ! So yeah i was with my friend who showed me the rules of the community cuz they're not some barbaric heartless hunters lol >

< TheSavior : can we focus on the game ? >

< Abeautifulwomen : wait wait chief ! So Ima, you made it in the hunters lol ! You know things abut this big hunt you were talkin' ? >

< Imagenius : nothg yet :/ my friend said i shuld wait a little before going for it. Apparently, he know what he's talkin' abut becuz he's kinda famous lol. For now, i have to learn D.R's rules >

< Abeautifulwomen : wait. What ? You're in the same college than D.R ? >

< Imagenius : you know it ? My friend didn't explain shit abut it >

< Abeautifulwomen : not it dumbass but she. She's famous btw. And idk her personally but my boss friend does. He's in the same college than you lol. >

< Imagenius : wow talk abut coincidence ! So your boss friend is a hunter too ? >

< Abeautifulwomen : obviously duh. Ima hey seriously can I give you piece of advice ? >

< Imagenius : what ? >

< Abeautifulwomen : just don't go for the special hunt. This is not worth it. >

< Imagenius : you kiddin right ? My friend told me it was very big i dont want to miss my chance lol. It's just abut having sex with someone who apparently is playin' hard to get lol >

< Abeautifulwomen : becuz we're friend i will tell it another time : don't go for it bro. It'll only bring troubles trust me >

< Imagenius : wait a second... you know what is the special hunt don't you ? Tell me lol ! >

< Abeautifulwomen : no. Just listen to me okay Ima ?!?! >

< Imagenius : that's not funny at all ! Why you don't tell me !! >

< TheSavior : Guys im losin' patience here... get your ass on the game or i swear i'm gonna yell >

< Abeautifulwomen : right away sir ! >

< Imagenius : Coming ! But Beauty, don't think this conversation is over ! >

Nick was almost at the pool when he encountered Pete. It had been a long time they havn't met. The law student hadn't changed much. I wonder why he left the swimming club... Well, it probably had something to do with Theo.

"Wow Nick I almost didn't recognise you !" said the blond lad.  "You're... somewhat fatter than before."

You must be kiddin' me ? I mean, Pete is fat. The economic student sucked as he could in his gut. Sure he had gained weight, but not enough to be teased by fatties right ?

"Oh don't get it the wrong way." laughed Pete. "Someone who doesn't do any sport like you, it's pretty normal you gain some weight."

"Are you sayin' I'm lazy ?"

"What ? That's not what I... oh and fuck it... well yeah. You got the paunch to prove it man. Maybe lay off the beer for a while ?"

Nick decided to not answer. They are all annoying today. Even his virtual friends ! He just went inside the pool to join Colton. At least his friend would never judge him for anything !

To be continued

Finally we met them all, the famous and dangerous hunters... All going for Liam’s ass. The big hunt... even Nick’s virtual friend are in this. If only we knew who they were!

On another note, I didn’t know if the trigger warning was relevant for now. Nate didn’t say anything, even if it’s kind of implied. He needs help, and he will get it.