#I’d only use it for Rabbits & Squirrels (if I even get chances on Squirrels) but it interests me so badddd

[yorkiegregg]

Woke up in the middle of the night with the inexplicable urge to carve a bow

[treesap-blogs]

FIREKEEPERS DAUGHTER REVIEW! A few days late and I wrote it late at night still emotional and processing the book with minimal revisions made since then lol please have mercy

Greetings, Tumblrians! I can say with complete confidence that this account has for sure become a book review account! Aaa. Not what I anticipated, had to change up my bio order a bit. This book, Firekeeper’s Daughter, is the first thriller that I’ve ever read(beginning to end at least), which made it a bit of an intense one to get through (especially when 100 pages in I’d forgotten most of the summary, thought I was reading a romance and got confused, and then the character I’d gotten the most attached to got murdered lmao?!?!).

Now first things first, this is probably one of the only books (that I’ve read) that I can call a page-turner! I have ADHD, so my attention span is a little faulty when it comes to reading or watching stuff unless I’m super invested in it. A lot of books that reviewers say are “impossible to put down” were unfortunately ones where I could do literally just that, even if the writing quality was admirable. (Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is one of the only other ones I can think of that goes against that, finishing it within 2 November days was what kickstarted my love of reading again! Without it I would not have this blog💕.) But within a week(actually, a little less than that if I’m remembering correctly), I was about halfway through! Daunis’s integration of her heritage and the Ojibwe teachings passed down to her into her investigation, as well as the richness of Boulley’s writing and my genuine investment in both Daunis Fontaine and the meth-related rabbit hole she found herself in, was what kept me trudging through all of the difficult content throughout. Then, the period in which I’d borrowed this book had expired, as this was meant to be something to read for my free time in ELA, but the teacher had a very strange schedule with trying to be both easy on us and get our current unit done so it meant that we couldn’t finish our choice books. Thus, I hadn’t actually had the chance to pick it up in months, the last time I’d read some of it being in about October of 2022. So this is probably the one with the strangest reading schedule of my current covered stories.

Also, some people are gonna be indifferent to the “Secret Squirrel” stuff, others are gonna hate it, I was in the former crowd. The gimmick got predictable after the first few times but considering this was the first time I’d read a book that was this font of intense, I didn’t mind it that much.

It definitely also gets more intense the further along you go. That’s where I began having some issues with how, in the midst of all of the serious topics covered in this, SA was written and described?? Not that it was glorifying anything, it certainly was not, but.. in the case of Grant, it felt like just a way to make him seem more like a villain(and therefore, one other character, whose mention would technically be a spoiler but they’re directly related). While those scenes were (thankfully) brief, and weren’t gratuitous(but they did..get particularly graphic), it was distressing to see them included. I do wish that this was one of the books I’d read that had trigger/content warnings on the first page for that reason(some of the ones published in the last 3 or so years, like Iron Widow or Blood Scion, have done that). It leaves a bit of an icky aftertaste in my mouth.

To change topics! I did like how Daunis’ struggle of secrecy, as well as her kind of living a “double life'' at multiple points was handled. Particularly, the conflict within her family was written really well. A lot of the guilt she had surrounding her parents and how they turned out due to her conception and life hit me hard??? There’s a line that really gut-punched me on page 394: “Children are never to blame for their parents’ lives. Parents are the adults; we are the ones responsible for our choices and how we handle things … If I’m in limbo, it’s because I chose to remain there. Even inaction is a powerful choice.” (Boulley, 394.) (Okay, fine, maybe I just wanted to have an excuse to quote that.)

WE’RE ENTERING SPOILER TERRITORY NOW! Parameters will be marked if you want to skrrt around it.

I don’t know how anyone else felt about the romance between Daunis and Jamie (I’ll make sure to check out some reviews afterwards!), but it just made me feel uneasy? I get that Jamie was supposed to be a (young) rookie investigator, one making up for the dent left in his record at that, but it was incredibly unprofessional for him to start a relationship with a (slightly) younger woman he was meant to only work alongside (and also had to technically teach how all the FBI things worked due to her being really new to this and only there for this specific investigation). Not that there was really much of a mentor-trainee dynamic there, Boulley made it pretty clear they’re on similar levels intellectually, but..still. Felt a little sketchy! I could understand Ron’s concerns, and I’m glad Daunis addressed some of those issues towards the end of the novel.

Anyhow! Some people in the reviews I’d read halfway through felt that Daunis’ recurring grief didn’t really feel impactful, as they didn’t feel emotionally attached to Lily, but I..actually did? She was the character in the first paragraph of this review I was mentioning vaguely. Perhaps I’m biased, due to some stuff I was sorting out emotionally at the time, but I do feel like it could be justified with the writing itself; We got a good idea of her personality, her importance to and relationship with Daunis, and some of her past(which would be part of the plot later on). And it doesn’t feel rushed(at least in my opinion); the first 100 pages or so of this book is meant to be a lighthearted introduction to our main character and her life, not the mystery we as the readers are about to be entangled in along with her. Yet. (And when shit hits the fan it feels like the kind of whiplash our protagonist got hit with.) While Daunis was a fairly reasonable person and so was Lily a lot of the time, Lily had a more upbeat and sarcastic part of herself that contrasted with her friend(and made their dynamic really work, I think). The pair interacted basically like sisters. I could see why Daunis was left emotionally and mentally scarred after what had happened to her. (And I did tear up a little bit at that brief scene in the afterlife.) (If anyone who’s read the book is reading this now though, please let me know what you thought!)

Last bit of criticism I have: For the final reveal of the masterminds behind the drug distribution inside the trailer, I felt it got..a little bit too “villain monologue”y? Fine, it’s a staple of the mystery genre, but the way that there’s just. Snide remark after smirk and every step of the timeline spelled out in a very know-it-all manner by Mike got annoying after being placed in an extremely serious story that grounds itself pretty intensely in reality. (I think it’s mildly funny that Levi was quite literally the “weakest link” though, and that one argument after the party didn’t just have an insult thrown in out of nowhere kshdhfomefo.)

Also, were the deaths of some of the other students ever explained??!! Was it a side effect or intentional? I can’t remember if that thread was left unresolved or if there’s something I’m forgetting.

END OF SPOILERS! 

So, in conclusion, would I recommend this book? Most likely. Just be careful about the kind of story you’re going in for, and the kind of content that will be included. I feel it’s a little packed; it’s like Boulley really wanted to use this novel as a way to talk about not just some of her own experiences as an indigenous woman, and help people outside of her culture learn a bit more about it, but also tackle issues within her community; all within a narrative that already has a lot of elaborate threads going on(with the family drama/history and the mystery itself)! It is her debut novel, however, so she’ll have the chance to continue to grow as an author(and this was a well-written book albeit not without flaws!).

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

Paz, signing off!

(Book trigger/content warnings: SA in both frequent mentions, and scenes on page 226-228 and 370-371(latter is worse in content), racism, including 2 instances of slurs(used by indigenous characters themselves but aren’t reclaimed), grief, PTSD, typical thriller stuff like drugging and kidnapping.)

[bonny-kookoo]

Carrots and Whiskers (JJK x Reader) 💜🔞🐾

🥕 Pairing: Rabbit!Jungkook x Wolf!Reader

🥕 Genre: Hybrid AU, fluff, smut because why not amirite-

🥕 Warnings: stereotyping, mild mentions of past bullying, fluff, oh god they’re so cute, Dom!Jungkook despite being technically food for Sub!Reader, Dirty talk, it’s sweet though he ain’t calling his baby a hoe don’t worry, unprotected sex because in this hybrid universe they’re unable to conceive due to their different species, please keep that in mind thank you, sweet sweet lovemaking, aftercare, buff boi JK, Big dick JK but what’s new I guess, yeah I’m done now

🥕 Summary: He’s the prey and she’s the predator. So why does she feel like the roles are reversed?

This is a oneshot! If you have any ideas for future content in this universe, feel free to send in asks or requests!

A reputation could easily define your entire life it it was bad enough.

Both sides knew this; Jeon Jungkook, being depicted as the cowardly prey hybrid he was, and Y/N, the bad bad wolf with always malicious intentions. However, none of these depictions were actually true.

Jeon Jungkook was an actually pretty rough and brave young man, never really backing down from a challenge, uncaring on who was in front of him. He got into trouble often as a kid, as a teenager, and now as a young adult.

Y/N was soft spoken, a caring yet quiet hybrid who liked to stay hidden, the spotlight being more of a fear than a goal for her. She loved the simple things in life, liked to be by herself or surrounded by people she trusted and loved.

And she also got a major crush on the bunny in her art and music class.

It was quite cliche really, yet it also wasn't- it was as if she was stuck in a bad joke, never to make it to the punchline. She knew for a fact that he probably didn't even knew who she was, and the worst part about it was that she couldn't even blame him. She loved to not be seen, after all.

"Uhm, excuse me?" Said the voice, forcefully hitting her as she looked up, her own eyes meeting the big brown orbs of-

wait.

"I eh, we're supposed to choose partners for this project, and I know for a fact that you can draw so eh, wanna be partners?" He asked, and she simply stared. Was he- talking to her? "I mean, Its okay if you don't want to-" He started, the squirrel hybrid girl behind him already perking up at her chance, making her swallow a bit.

"N-no, I uhm.. I'd like that." She squeezed out, voice quiet, but he thankfully still heard her. He smiled, brightly and so awfully cliche as his bunny-like teeth showed, sitting down next to her as he pulled out his sketches. "So uh, what did you have in mind.?" She quietly asked, and he talked away, as if he'd always known her.

"Well since we weren't given much other than the theme and colors, I made some small sketches. You know, I get Ideas that are pretty neat sometimes but then I forget them easily, so I have to draw or write them down right away, otherwise I'll wanna bite my own ass later on." He rambled on, gently moving the rough sketches towards her, his eyes watching her as she looked at them, carefully studying his lines.

"This- this one would fit, I think.." She mumbled, tapping on one of his more detailed drawings. He grinned again, nodding, seemingly in agreement. He attempted to say something as the bell rang, students around them both scrambling up to get out as soon as possible, either to catch a bus or to drive home on their bikes.

"Hey do you-" He stumbled, his foot catching on a stray chair as he almost fell. "Do you wanna meet up on the weekend? That way we can finish faster, you know, time to sleep in class." He said, and she simply nodded, until he held his hand out. Her head tilted to the side, ears flopping a bit as he chuckled, mumbling. "cute. Your phone, so I can give you my number?" He explained, and she blushed, stepping back a bit as she placed her bag down on the table next to her, pulling out her phone, charms on the device dangling, making him smile. She really was adorable. "Alright." He said as he took it after she'd opened the phone app, his fingers typing away, before he gave it back to her. "Do you take the bus home?" He asked, and she nodded. "Oh really? I thought the pink bike outside was yours actually." He chatted away as she walked next to him, now a bit shy.

"I actually.. well, I can't, you know, ride a bike, so.." She mumbled, and he laughed for a moment, until he went quiet, sensing that she was serious.

"I eh, I could you know, teach you, if you want?" He asked as he unlocked his own bike. "I mean, not now but like, this weekend?" He asked, and she looked a bit hesitant. "I mean, you don't have to. But I promise I won't let you get hurt." It seemed odd maybe, for a prey hybrid to say that to a predator, but for her, it seemed like the most cheesy and romantic thing she'd ever heard. So she smiled, and nodded. "I uhm.. I think your bus left-" He pointed out, making her ears droop as she watched the vehicle drive off without her. "I can bring you home. It's kind of my fault you missed it, after all." He said, scratching the back of his neck as he suddenly rumbled in his backpack, pulling out a zip hoodie, before folding it, and placing it on the bag of his bike. "My'lady." He offered, and she giggled, making his ears flinch in excitement.

She'd been unaware of him for long enough, and after a talk with his fellow friend Taehyung, he'd decided to finally act on his interest in her. Even though he did get some odd looks from his classmate Jimin, he didn't care about what she was- he cared more about who. Her drawings were always so detailed in a way that would show exactly what she'd though while creating each line, something he always found remarkable. She also had a talent for photography, a hobby he had for himself as well.

"Hold on tight okay?" He said, and she nodded, her arms moving around his waist, redness creeping onto her cheeks as she felt his toned body underneath his thin shirt and loose jean jacket. She held a bit tighter as he finally pushed the bike forward, paddling at a decent pace that made her hair flow a bit with the wind. She couldn't help but enjoy the moment; the way his smell calmed her, the scenery around her, and the fact that it seemed like everything was finally working out for her.

"I'm gonna let go now and you'll just-" He started, but she suddenly grew anxious, her wide eyes immediately finding his.

"no no don't let go I'm gonna fall-" She scrambled out, scared as he simply laughed, one hand on her back as he kept the other on the bike for now.

"I promised, didnt I?" He hummed into her ear, and she blushed at the gentle tone of his voice. He was everything she never thought a prey hybrid would be; he was cunning, brave, and confident in himself. He wasn't after attention at all, simply trying to live his life yet he pulled everyones gaze on himself wherever he went simply by nature. His ears seemed too soft to be legal in her opinion, black and white tuft of fur that was his tail seemingly completely out of place; the rest of his body was toned. It showed that he knew how to take care of himself, it underlined the way he held himself wherever he went.

He was the complete opposite of her it seemed.

She liked to hide in oversized clothing, hybrid features the only thing really giving away that she wasn't just a mouse in disguise.

To him however, it was an entirely different story.

She was so sweet, always trying to help, and always trying to not be a burden. She had so much talent, a unique way of seeing the world, and a gentle way of always looking out for others. It also didn't ease his crush on her that she was absolutely beautiful in his eyes; shorter in statue than him, surprisingly, but he was pretty tall for a rabbit hybrid, he had to admit. His mother had once told him about the different subspecies of wolves when she'd noticed his crush on the girl; her best friend having been a wolf hybrid as well when she'd still been in school. Apparently there were different subtypes for them; alphas, betas and omegas. He guessed that the girl on his bike was an omega, maybe, as it would explain all her characteristics.

"You're doing so great!" He said, bunny smile making her feel more confident as she noticed he only held her by her back; she was actually riding a bike. "See? You can do it!" He happily exclaimed as he helped her off, seat a bit high for her to get down herself. "Lets sit down there and exchange some sketches, yeah?" He offered, and she nodded with a smile, walking next to him as they both sat down on the grass, after Jungkook had put down a small blanket he'd taken with him. "Okay, hit me." He playfully shot her way, as she pulled out her sketchbook, simply sliding it towards him as he opened it, looking through the pages she'd opened for him. "Uah, these are great! I'd use a bit more color on these ones, but the rest is awesome!" He mumbled in thought as he proceeded to change the page, his eyes widening at a familiar pair of eyes, when two delicate hands held his wrist in place.

"Pl-Please uh, that's not for the project eh-" She stuttered, panic evident in her voice as her red face and tilted ears gave away her embarrassment. He simply stared for a moment, before his other hand simply loosened her grip on his wrist, freeing himself without much force. He slowly turned the page, revealing multiple rough sketches of..

Him.

It was him, not very detailed, but clearly visible. Small scenarios were drawn on the page, him staring out the open window of the classroom as he talked to friends, him at the sidelines of his basketball game as he'd taken a break, or him asleep on his desk during class. He studied the drawings, noticing how she'd not cared much about his clothing, or the background; even the desk or the window weren't really drawn very realistically, simply a fast sketch. What did stand out was.. well, his face. The way the sun reflected in his eyes, how his ears had been slightly damp from the slight rain outside, or the tiny things he would've never thought she'd notice about him, like the tiny beauty mark under his lower lip, the slight scar just above his cheek, or how the sides of his eyes crinkled when he laughed, nose scrunched up.

As he looked up she was looking down, hair hiding her eyes as her ears were flat against her skull, tail in her hands, which nervously fiddled with the fur. "I-" He started, before he began to open his own bag, ruffling around in it as his own ears lowered themselves while he tried to find something. "Hah!" He exclaimed in victory, hands sliding off the rubber band of his own folder which kept his messily organized sketches and finished works. He rummaged through them, before he started to lay some of them out in front of her, one by one. Slowly, her ears turned, attention on what he'd put down in front of her.

He always had a different way of drawing things, not really putting a lot of effort into the outlines or sketches themselves; but he had a way of coloring things, a unique style that made things feel almost alive. In every picture, he'd dedicated most of his effort to color the fur of her hybrid features almost perfectly- he also payed special attention to her postures in every picture. He never drew her eyes however- which she noticed. "I uhm.. I've never got the chance to see them up close, so I had a bit of trouble with them.." He explained. "I've noticed you pretty early when we shared our first classes together.. But I never really got around to talk to you. You and Namjoon-Hyung always seemed so close, I thought.." He revealed, scratching behind his own ear as he suddenly felt a bit bashful.

"You.. I mean, Joonie is a good friend but we uh.." She started, voice a bit low as she laughed a bit.

"I know, I know, he told me-" Jungkook answered, now chuckling. "Thats why I immediately took my chance when they'd announced the group project." He said. "It gave me a chance to you know, get to know you better. Get closer, you know?" He explained, and she nodded. "So uh.." He mumbled, before he smiled at her hopefully. "Wanna uh- get cake together today? Like a date?" He asked, and she nodded, making him suddenly jump up as he fist bumped the air, making a passerby elderly couple laugh. "Yes!"

"Carrot cake?" She asked, an almost teasing smile on her lips as he looked at her.

"What? Don't judge puppy!" He said, making her scoff scandalized.

"Hey, I'm a wolf, not a dog!" She explained as she stirred her milkshake with her pink straw before grabbing the spoon from her small metal plate.

"And I'm a rabbit, not a bunny. So guess we're even." He said, before his smile faded a bit, eyes stuck to the spoonful of whipped cream which made its way inside her mouth, tongue darting out to lick her lips clean before she noticed his gaze. He snapped out of it, suddenly the one growing a bit shy. "You uh.. wait, lemme just-" He mumbled, hand moving to wipe the corner of her mouth as he licked his finger clean himself, making her eyes widen before she mumbled a 'thanks' under her breath. He grinned.

"So uh-" He asked, pushing down his small cake fork to pick up a piece of cake, holding it out towards her. "open up?" He asked, and she hesitated a bit, before leaning forward a bit, lips parting. He placed the piece into her mouth, watching as she closed her lips, accepting his offering of food before she nodded her head approvingly. "See? Don't judge before you try!" He exclaimed, and she giggled at that.

He was right.

"I'm absolutely beat." He suddenly exclaimed, falling down onto the mattress laying on the ground in the corner of the new, unfurnished bedroom. The wolf hybrid sat down next to his sprawled out form, gently moving his blonde tipped hair away from his eyes. He'd dyed it months ago, his roots more than visible at this point, yet he'd simply decided to let it grow. "Come here~!" He playfully demanded, hands reaching out for her as he pulled her down with him, happily humming when she was laying on his chest. "Can you believe we're actually gonna live together from now on?" He asked, and she shook her head, moving around a bit so she straddled him, sat on his thighs as he suddenly watches her with hooded eyes, hands on her hips as his thumbs move in circles over the skin underneath her sweater- his sweater. "Hm.. I mean.." He offered, suddenly moving to sit up, changing position as she's now underneath him, his hair tickling her face slightly when he begins to kiss against her pulse. "I was about to ask if we should at least put up the bedframe, but having a mattress on the floor.." He started, hands wandering underneath the clothing of his she wore as he continued in a low voice. "..means I can't break the bed this time." He said, and she giggled at that, remembering the time their time together had been roughly interrupted by the weak frame of his old bed breaking. "Oh, my puppy thinks that's funny?" He wonders, making her grin as he kissed her deeply.

Moments like these made her almost forget the stereotypes she'd grown up with during her live- since Jungkook was nothing like the typically depicted rabbit hybrids. Because right now the roles seemed completely reversed, as he mouthed at her neck, feeling her pulse race as he continued to map out her body with just his hands, no need to watch where they were, able to seemingly paint a picture of her by touch at this point. Clothes suddenly seemed to tight, itchy, as if bitten by a mosquito. She whined as he chuckled darkly, helping her out of his sweater as he immediately grabbed her breasts, kneading them before he continued to undress her, making quick work of her shorts as he pulled down her underwear as well- her already glistening center clinging to the damp fabric of her underwear as she squirmed, making him humm in appreciation. He pulled his own shirt over his head as well, revealing his body to her as the sun outside painted glowing stripes onto it, the blinds drawing patterns on her skin as well. He finally freed himself from the confines of his own underwear as well, standing proud and ready as she became restless.

"Hm, puppy wants to be filled up yeah?" He asked with a teasing undertone, proudly making use of the privilege to be able to call her that- since she hated it when others did it. It was the same the other way around however; typically, being called a 'bunny' was an absolute insult to him, but for some reason it seemed like a cute nickname coming from her. Maybe he was just whipped. Or maybe she was just privileged as well.

He entered her slowly as he sighed alongside her, not wasting any time as he fell into rhythm, hips thrusting forwards as her hands reached for his, intertwining their fingers as he felt his soul warm up at the gesture. He felt so loved, so cherished, it made him fear for his heart, as he swore it stopped every time he was close to her like this. He felt complete, like he'd found his soulmate, his other half- it didn't matter to him what she was. Sure, his parents were a bit dissapointed since they couldn't have kids naturally because of this, but they both could always adopt in the future. Thinking about it made his heart swell as he thought about her, caring for their kids, making this small apartment into a family home one day. Maybe it was instinct, but he'd already been driven nuts by the way she'd helped him choose furniture and wallpaper for the small living space they'd be sharing; the simple fact that she wanted to make their apartment into a home feeding his inner instincts to build a home to keep her safe in.

He felt her legs shake a bit as he shifted a bit, making her whine as he suddenly picked up his pace, sweat already slowly beginning to coat his skin as he didn't seem to notice how the sound of skin against skin still echoed in the almost empty room since it lacked furniture- but it didn't matter for now anyways. They'd both fill it with things and memories of the both of them, and he couldn't wait for it. He huffed a bit as he moved, leaning down a bit to rest his forehead against her neck as she bared it for him, a natural instinct of hers to submit to him even if he was of another species with no need of such gestures. He'd adapted to it however, gently biting the skin as he felt her shiver underneath him, a sign that she was getting close. "Hm my baby wanna cum?" He asked, gently beginning to tease her as she nodded, eyes closed in bliss. "You want a knot huh?" He asked, and she shook her head no, as he chuckled. He'd felt a bit insecure the first few times around as he knew how things worked for canine hybrids, worried that he maybe couldn't give her what she wanted or needed, yet she'd always reassured him. Now it was more like a teasing thing for him, and a way to tickle a praise out of her- a way of reminding himself that she loved him just as much as she did her. "No? You don't?" She shook her head again, her fingers holding his hands tighter. "What do you want then, huh?" He asked with a grin as she whined.

"You- you, only want ngh.. only need Kookie-!" She pressed out, and he hummed approvingly, his thrusts beginning to grow sloppy as he neared his end.

"That's right, only me, only mine, yeah?" He asked, and she nodded, suddenly opening mouth as her head buried itself into the mattress below her, clenching around him as he groaned out, burying himself deep inside her as he spilled. "Thats it, take it like a puppy- good girl!" He praised, making her whine as he leaned his body down, kissing her neck, her throat, and then her lips as they both calmed down from their highs, breathing slowly growing more and more even as he moved a bit to grab a box as he slid it towards him, rummaging through it before he took out a roll of kitchen towels, grabbing a few as he slipped out of her, carefully catching his release and her own juices as to not make a mess. He had a gentle smile on his face as he carefully cleaned her up before he stood, walking towards another box where he pulled out a large pillow and a few blankets, instincts taking over as he began to cover her now rapidly cooling body in soft fabrics before cuddling up next to her, pulling another blanket over his own form as he made sure his partner was comfortable. She slipped out of her makeshift blanket burrito to invite him in, making him grin his signature bunny smile as he held her close, skin on skin as he closed his eyes, the only light in the room the streetlamps outside.

This already felt like home.

[demisexualgeralt]

A gift for @jaskierbatey for @thewitchersecretsanta. I tried to fit as much of your wish list in as I could. Happy holidays, and I hope you enjoy!!!

--

Geralt walked into the saloon and let the giant centipede’s mandible thud loudly on the floor. The chatter in the room stopped, except for the soft sounds of banjo strings, which belonged to a young man who either had a death wish or simply couldn’t take a hint. Regardless, the saloon owner rushed over to inspect Geralt’s offering.

“There were three of them,” Geralt grunted. “Your land should be fine now. No more disappearances.”

“And...the missing?”

“Their bodies are there. You can do with them what you wish. Though I wouldn’t send those with a weak stomach. Sorry.”

The man nodded solemnly and pulled a coin purse from his side. Geralt took it from him and counted out the coins carefully, ensuring the amount was all they’d agreed on. When he determined it was satisfactory, he nodded and turned on his heel. The sooner he could find an inn and get centipede guts off of him, the better. 

The next day, he woke early and prepared to get back on the road. A witcher’s life was certainly not a sedentary one, and with so many people traveling West and fucking up the natural wildlife, it had become unusually lucrative. People were desperate and while Geralt didn’t normally like to capitalize on those too down on their luck, he was happy to take the coin of those whose own greed led them to do stupid things like building a town next to the burrowing grounds of a bunch of giant centipedes.

He finished getting Roach ready and was leading her out of the stable when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. He tensed and turned, wanting to see what unfortunate soul decided to try and rob a witcher.

“Oh! That...is a big sword. I’d ask if you were happy to see me, but, ah, you don’t seem the type to buy into that kind of humor.”

“Hmm.”

“Who am I, I hear you asking! My name is Jaskier and-”

“Don’t care. Fuck off.”

He started to walk away, but heard determined footsteps behind. “You should care. I feel if we put our talents together, we could both come away very rich.”

“Not interested.”

“You seemed very interested in that coin purse earlier.”

Geralt rolled his eyes and turned to face the man. “What I’m interested in is getting paid to do my job. Not whatever hare brained scheme you’ve cooked up. I kill monsters. I get coin. There’s nothing you can do to help with that.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, witcher. See, I have acquired a good deal of stories in my time, and witchers are full of stories. But people don’t like witchers, do they?”

“If this is what being liked gets me, I’ll take my chances.”

Undaunted, the man continued. “I could help you! Spread word of your tales, sing your praises. Increase your coin. You think you got a good deal from that saloon owner? There’s dozens out there like him, just as stupid, who would pay double that for the same job, if only they had a little nudge from yours truly.”

Geralt scoffed. “You’re how old? What would you know about people?”

“Quite a lot, thank you very much! And I’m 19. But I listen. People aren’t that difficult to read when you learn how to listen.”

“And you do?” Geralt asked, leaning against the side of the stall.

“I have to. It’s part of the trade.”

“Hmm.” Geralt eyed him, taking in this strange man in front of him. Eventually, he turned back to Roach. “Fine. Come along. It’s your funeral.”

--

Months passed and somehow, it was not Jaskier’s funeral. Geralt assumed he would get tired of walking, of not having a warm bed at night, of only having Geralt for company, but some stubbornness must have edged out his discomfort. And Geralt knew he was uncomfortable- he complained constantly, but each night, he settled around the campfire, playing softly while rabbit or squirrel cooked over the fire and listened while Geralt told his stories in halting, sporadic thoughts. 

He hated to admit it, but it was nice, having someone to share the road with. Most of the time.

Whenever they traveled into town, however, he was reminded of what an absolute pain Jaskier could be. All he wanted was a drink before heading back to the inn they were staying at and preparing for the next day’s hunt. Instead, he was treated to the sight of Jaskier making himself at home next to a group of women close to the bar. It shouldn’t bother him. It didn’t bother him. It was Jaskier’s job to ingratiate himself to whoever came along, charm them. Jaskier told him time and time again that what he had with those people was never personal, strictly business.

It was easier, then, to understand that what he and Jaskier had was also strictly business. It shouldn’t bother him. And yet, every time he saw Jaskier spend the night with another, only to return triumphant with an expensive trinket or swiped bundle of coins, he felt an ache deep in his bones.

It hurt, to be just another transaction. A means to an end. He might not pay Jaskier, or afford him any trinkets to sell or hoard, but he provided shelter, food, companionship between beds. That was all he would ever be.

He made his way over to the bar, grunting his assent when the barkeep offered him a drink. As she handed it to him, she leaned her elbow on the counter and looked at him.

“Drowning your sorrows over something in particular, witcher?”

“I’m drinking alone.”

She snorted and he glowered. Not many humans were willing to provoke him (except Jaskier), but she had clearly seen enough rough folk to not be cowed by him.  “I can see that.”

“Hmm,” he intoned, hoping she would take the hint and end the conversation there. Unperturbed though, she pressed on.

“Seems you don’t have to. That one keeps glancing at you.” She inclined her head slightly and he could see that she was referring to Jaskier. He rolled his eyes.

“He’s a friend.”

“Just a friend?”

“Mmm.”

She nodded slowly. “See, I’d believe that. But I’ve tried to make enough men jealous myself to know the look.”

“Hmm.”

She clicked her tongue. “Not the chatty type. I get it. But think about what I said.” She turned back to other patrons and left Geralt to ruminate on what she’d said. 

Eventually, the night wore on and he decided it was time to take his leave, before the truly unruly patrons started to act up. He glanced back at Jaskier, who gave him a smile before turning back to his latest conquests. Satisfied that he would be fine until morning, he headed back to the inn to try and get some rest.

--

He did not, in fact, get the sleep he was looking for, but instead sat and restlessly tried to avoid thinking about the barkeep’s words. There was no reason for Jaskier to try and make him jealous. If he wanted Geralt, he had plenty of opportunities when they were alone to make a move. He wasn’t shy about going after what he wanted. Geralt thought himself in circles, but they all led to the same conclusion. 

Sometime before the sun rose, he heard Jaskier fumble in. “Geralt? Are you awake?”

“I am now,” he grumbled, despite not actually being asleep.

“Good, good. Do you want to see what I got?”

“No.”

“Wonderful.” 

He sat heavily at the edge of Geralt’s bed, shoving his feet aside to make room. He smacked Geralt’s leg until he looked at him, practically punching him in his fervor to show Geralt the ring on his finger.

“Are congratulations in order?”

“No, you ass. But it is pretty, isn’t it?” Jaskier looked down to admire it. It was simple, adorned with a modestly sized opal.

Geralt sighed. “Stealing people’s weddings rings seems like a new low, even for you.”

Jaskier scoffed. “I didn’t steal them! I can’t help it that people like to give me nice things. Besides, if you’re mean to me, I won’t give you your present. Close your eyes.”

Geralt did so against his best judgement and felt as Jaskier put something small in his hand.

“Okay. Open.”

He opened his eyes and found a small gold band in the center of his palm.

Jaskier’s eyes shone. “Just think. If we wear them and act like we just got married, they might give us a free room! Or...a room upgrade at least. It’s great, right?”

Geralt swallowed.

“Or…” Jaskier backtracked. “We could melt it down? I’m sure we’d get money for the gold?”

“Fine. Whatever you want to do.”

“Geralt? Did I...offend you?” He bit his lip. “Look, I know you would never actually marry me. This is just...a con. But, if even the thought of it offends you, I’ll...I won’t bring it up again.”

“It’s fine.”

Jaskier tapped nervously on his thighs. “Geralt, please. I don’t want this to get in the way of our friendship. If you want me to go…”

“I don’t.”

“Okay. Well, that’s a relief. Then why won’t you look at me?”

Geralt sighed. He wasn’t like Jaskier, couldn’t say what he wanted to say and make it all fit together somehow. His words were stilted, difficult.

“I don’t want to pretend.”

“I already told you, Geralt, we don’t have to do that if you don’t-”

Geralt moved forward to kiss Jaskier, who just let out a surprised ‘oh’ against his mouth. He didn’t pull away though, relaxing into Geralt’s touch. After a moment, he pulled away, looking for something he couldn’t name in Jaskier’s eyes. Acceptance? Joy?

“That...yeah. We can...you want to? With me?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be the wordsmith?”

Jaskier glowered at him. “The man I’ve been hopelessly in love with for months just kissed me. Forgive me for not recovering immediately.”

“You- months?”

“You didn’t know? Geralt, I’ve been making moves for months? You really didn’t notice?”

“...no.”

Jaskier huffed a laugh. “Well. Then let me make myself abundantly clear. I like you. I would like to do this and other things with you in the future. If you would like.”

“I would...like. That.”

“Perfect,” Jaskier said, leaning in to capture Geralt’s lips again. 

After a while, Jaskier lay on Geralt’s chest, and Geralt felt the first threads of sleep calling him. Before he could though, he heard Jaskier speak up again.

“So, does this mean that we can do the marriage con?”

“Go to sleep, Jaskier.”

“Fiiiiiiine.”

[rrickgrrimes8]

Normality is Death

Chapter Two ~ My Current Existence

masterlist

My eyes darted across the room as I woke, rather abruptly, in a cold searing sweat. The whole room was matted in darkness and the lantern I had lit the night before had not soon gone out. I sighed hopelessly and pushed myself out of bed sliding my combat boots on as I did. I looked outside to see the break of dawn just highlighting the horizon - it's early then I concluded. I stretched and yawned as I left my room locking the door right after - just to be safe. 

A lot has happened since Mom, Shane and Carl left me in the forest that day, too much has happened really. It's been around 3 months since I last saw my family and although I'd like to stay hopeful, I can't shake the feeling that they're dead or hurt in some way. But regardless I need to forget them. They left me. End off - period. My family abandoned me and I have to live knowing that and they have to live knowing that they played a hand in what they think was my death. I know it sounds cold, brutal even but I tried, I really did. I looked for them everywhere. I did everything a 14-year-old girl could possibly do in a world like this and I almost died countless times trying. So I gave up. I gave up not only to protect myself but because I realised that they probably wouldn't be looking for me. Hell, they think I'm dead right? 

Since everything happened in Atlanta the government had been completely radio silent. Lots of people think it's because there's no one left to send a signal. I, however, believe that that's extremely morbid and I guess I'm still holding out hope that someone will swoop in and save us all. It sounds very fairy tale I get that. It's just I'm a 14-year-old girl and I'm so sick of this world already. To the point where I couldn't even think about living any longer in a world like this. 

Sometime during the second month of what people like to call the turning, I met some people. They took me in gave me food, a shelter, some water. Basically, they gave me essential shit I was definitely lacking. Something they also did was train me. I'm not the best, but I do have pretty basic training in hand to hand combat, the basic workings of a gun (thanks to my father mostly) and I'm pretty good with melee weapons. They protected me is what I'm saying. They are my new family - a better family I could ever ask for. 

Our camp consists of 2 houses, housing 4 or 5 people in each. Mitchell, our leader, oversees any newcomers and basically keeps law and order around here. I met them after getting trapped in Atlanta and getting cornered by a dozen or so biters. Mitchell and a few others came in and massacred all of the living dead and took me in.

"Yoohoo! Jacey get your ass up it's your turn to hunt!" my friend, Addie, shouted rudely to me as I walked down the stairs. 

"Jeez Addie, I'm coming don't get ya panties in a twist," I teased nudging her shoulder once I got close enough. She had her usual skinny jeans and a grey tank top on but her hair was styled in a pair of small buns rather than her usually high pony. 

At my reply, her eyebrows furrowed and her usually bright and beautiful eyes closed before sighing. "Do not jeez me, woman, you've got shit to do you're slacking!" she exclaimed practically pushing me out the door and into the burning sun. I promptly lifted my hands to cover my eyes from the brightness. 

"Oh my lord, I know it's your thing to be this emo vampire goth girl who only stays in her room away from people, civilization and oh how could I forget the sun. but this is ridiculous it ain't even bright out." Addie joked forcing my arm down making me embrace the scorching heat. 

"You call this civilization? If so you've got a warped definition" I said picking up a knife and gun from the armoury. 

"Just go before I get even more sick of you, Jace," Addie laughed as I rolled my eyes, gave her the finger and strutted away sassily. "And you be careful kid Mitchell went out yesterday and there were more biters then usual. He thinks a herd might pass through so don't use your gun and you know don't die?" She said almost seriously which was incredibly out of style for her but nevertheless, I smiled and walked off into the woods. 

She was right about the number of biters. After only being out an hour I've seen 16 in our woods alone and I haven't even ventured out in the city yet, which is notoriously worse but I only really have to go to Atlanta if we're desperate. I had only picked up 2 squirrels so far I guessed that the movement of the herd could be driving some of the bigger animals away, which sucks because once I tell Mitchell he's just gonna want me to go into Atlanta to gather supplies. I mentally groaned and sat down against some tree, wishing things were different. 

"Looky what we have here gentlemen." A husky voice called out from the shadows. I instantly stood up and gathered my findings and unsheathed my machete. 

"What the hell do you want?" I stood my ground as I saw a group of maybe 5 guys come closer. 

"Ooh she's sassy," the guy who looked to be the leader teased, "always liked a girl with a little spunk in her as long as she learns to shut up when daddy needs some pleasing." I could've thrown up right then and there if not for the guard I needed to keep up. 

"You're fucking disgusting," I stated unforgivingly, earning some laughs from the group. 

"You really are quite confident aren't ya?" I stayed quiet as he stepped forward, "I can always give you a lesson or two about respect and I mean clothing's optional." 

"How about you shut the fuck up before you really piss me off," I said calmly still showing my anger. 

The man in front of me however got furious over my words and brought his hand down to my cheek. I fell to the ground at the impact, "I told you to learn some fucking respect little girl." 

"And I said to shut the fuck up you creepy bastard," I got my machete out and cut into the guy's leg not giving any warning before punching him in the face, sending him towards the ground, "But you know speaking about respect. How about you learn some fucking respect for me or you know all of my gender?" I more ordered then questioned while striking the guy in the face again. "And next time, asshole, watch your tone when you speak to a woman," I smiled sweetly at him before marching off into the opposite direction. 

"Oh and if I see anyone of you anywhere around here, I'll chop each and every single one of your dicks off."

I arrived back home later that night after hunting another squirrel and a rabbit on top of my earlier findings. 

"So whatcha get for us tonight babydoll?" Mitchell said after seeing me walk up. Mitchell was a 25-year-old now-former English teacher who somehow became our leader. He wasn't extraordinarily brave nor was he an elite strategist but he was a good mentor, who had people that trust him - those people including me. 

"Just some squirrel and a rabbit nothin' special." Mitchell nodded as I started to walk away, "Any trouble?" 

I span around to him before saying, "always." Mitchell gave me an unimpressed look before taking my hunt and walking away. 

"Why am I not surprised?" he laughs while passing most of our group towards the fire. "Anything serious?" I shook my head before sitting on the rough log placed next to the heat. 

"Jus' some jackasses who thought they could take me. Guess I taught them a lesson in respect." Once again Mitchell laughed and sat next to me. 

"I know I don't need to tell you this every time you go out but you've got to be careful, okay? Your safety is my top priority and I know you hate to hear it but you're only a kid. And kids can get hurt pretty easily especially in this sort of life and I'd hate to see that happen to you." Mitchell wrapped his arm around me in a brotherly sort of way as I nodded. I understand he just wanted to help regardless of how much I hate to be called a kid. 

"I'm smart Mitchy. I'm not just some dumb kid. Plus haven't you heard I'm kind of undefeatable. Nothin can kill me," I boasted standing up and heading away from the majority of our group and back to my room. Before I left I saw Mitchell smiling then going off to talk to someone else.

I entered my room lighting a candle straight away and then dropping my bag. As soon as I entered all I could smell was the stenched of sweat and gore. I honestly don't think I've ever gone this long without a shower and I miss it so goddamn much. I miss so many things. I miss deodorant, a warm bed, fast food, soda and not to mention my mom's famous spaghetti bolognese. Just because I wasn't a fan of the woman does not mean I cannot love the food because damn she could cook. The only thing she couldn’t master, however, was pancakes but that didn’t stop her from trying. I smiled slightly reminiscing of the family meals we would have whenever we got the chance. We would all sit around the table talking, eating and just enjoying being around each other. But now they're gone so that's not going to happen anytime soon for me.

"What are you doing, Grimes?" Addie asked pulling me out of my trance.

"Nothin'," I spoke shortly before lying down onto my bed. 

"Don't seem like nothing. Talk to me, love." She walked over and sat next to me taking her hand into mine. 

"M' okay," I reassured her before closing my eyes. I felt Addie shift closer to me still holding my hand causing me to smile. 

Addie was the only other teenager in this group so we bonded pretty quickly despite her being 2 years older, "You don't have to be okay, Jacey." I couldn't help but shudder at her words - the same words I heard from Shane the day it happened. 

"Don't say that, please." I hadn't even realised the quiver in my voice before Addie sat up, bringing me with her. 

"Hey, it's okay, I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you," The brunette girl said to me. 

"It's not you i-it's jus'-" I couldn't finish my sentence before I started to sob. Memories of that night haunted me. I lost so much and so did everyone else but I couldn't understand how they were so okay with it. I lost my home, my dad, my family and my childhood all in one night. And I'm so sick of trying to be okay with that. "I just miss them so much." I finished while getting devoured by Addie's arms. I could hear her softly singing in my ear in order to calm me down and it soon did. I relaxed into her arms after a few minutes but neither of us made any indication that we were going to depart. 

"Who did you lose?" She asked gently. 

"Everyone," I could feel myself beginning to cry again but I pushed it away - I couldn't be weak any longer. 

"I'm sorry, Jacey. I hate seeing you like this. I wish I could take your pain away." 

I hummed shakily before looking up into her brown eyes, "Then do it." With that, she leaned in. Slowly I started to prepare myself to meet her lips but it never came. 

She pulled away from me and stood up, "We can't do this."

I sat up as well but remained seated on the bed, "Why?" She gave me no answer and just looked out of the window. "Addie, please, just tell me why not? For christ sakes, the world has ended. We've got nothing else to lose." 

"It's wrong," She said simply yet with so much emotion and left the room.

I felt the tears begin to return and I just let them fall.

"It's wrong."

That's all it took to break me -  2 words. 

"She's right."

[trillgutterbug]

ellic 4.0?

Tbh I'm like, there is Tanis fic?!?! Which, of course there is, it just never occurred to me to look for it 😅

there BARELY is tbh, and only one good nic/ellis fic (this one), which is really too bad because i ship it ferociously!!!! and i would love it if anyone wanted to come talk to me about it 👀👀 i really hope i finish this fic someday, but unfortunately doing so will require actually listening to tanis again lmao. i just did a whole relisten and barely survived it. (to be fair, i could just totally halfass the rest of this fic and that'd be about as canon-compliant as i could get, but i can't bring myself to do that.) anyway, it's set in season..... idk, 2...? whenever nic is working at pacifica, and so far it's all just ust.

(tw: aftermath of animal death)

At the end of Nic’s first break, Ellis stopped him on his way out the door. He was wearing his jacket again, zipped to the neck. His cheeks were flushed with exertion and he smelled of bright, fresh air. 

“Nic,” he said, hands tucked in his pockets. “I’d like to show you something, if you have a moment.” 

Nic hesitated, already gripping the door handle. “Okay… I’m just going out for my second period, though.”

“I know. What you need to see is in the woods. A discovery an employee just made.”

Something began squirming in Nic’s chest. A fluttering dread. “What is it?”

“I would prefer to show you.” Despite its gentleness, there was no room for negotiation in Ellis’ tone. His gaze was very direct, the position of his body next to the door as clear a message as the bright red EXIT sign above it.

Nic chewed the inside of his cheek, weighing his options. Without any surprise, he found the scales entirely unequal. As usual. “Alright,” he said at last. “Sure.” Taking his hand off the handle, he gestured Ellis forward. “After you.”

~*~

It wasn’t a long walk - seven minutes by Nic’s watch. Still, that was a third of his shift. He’d never known twenty-two minutes could fly by so quickly until he started this job. Ellis said very little, leading Nic down a winding series of trails that were vaguely familiar in the way every trail in these woods was familiar. The shades of dirt and trees, the shape of the land, were as recognizable to Nic as the quality of light in a Rembrandt.

“Where are we going?” he finally asked, when the quiet and the briskness of Ellis’ pace had worn through his last nerve. He'd turned on his voice recorder as soon as they left the facility, but so far it had mostly recorded dead air and a few birdsongs. 

“Just up ahead,” Ellis replied without looking back. 

“But what is it?”

“You’ll see.”

That was hardly a satisfactory answer, but, as it turned out, it was an accurate one. Nic knew what was coming before he even saw the clearing. Between one step and the next, he knew. His whole body seized. His muscles clenched like the hard involuntary shudder of incipient hypothermia. His feet dragged, slowed, and stopped. The Blur rushed up on him, snatching him under its thick cotton cloud before he could even consider fighting it. Distantly, through a high-pitched haze, he watched Ellis turn around. 

Ellis didn’t seem surprised he’d stopped. He regarded Nic with a calm, curious expression. “Nic? What’s wrong?” 

“I don't want to,” Nic heard himself say. His voice was low, firm. “I don't want to do this.”

Ellis took a step toward him. “What don't you want to do?”

“I don't want to see.”

Ellis watched him without speaking. It was unbearable, the inescapability of his gaze. Nic’s fists clenched. His heart began to pound. He thought about turning and running with an urgency so visceral his breath caught. If he was fast, if he was smart about it, he could get back to the facility before Ellis could stop him. He could get back to the road. He could run all the way back to his car, he could -

“It's alright,” Ellis said. “There's nothing here that can harm you.”

Nic shook his head. His chest hurt like his heart was going to burst through it. “You don't know that.”

Ellis came closer. He took his hands out of his jacket pockets. “Nic, what do you think I'm about to show you? What do you think is out here?”

Tears stung the back of Nic’s eyes. His mouth filled with the taste of salt.  “I don't know,” he whispered.

Another step. “Are you sure about that?”

Nic shut his eyes. “I don’t want to know.”

“I think it's important that you do.” Ellis touched Nic’s wrist. “May I?” 

Nic tried to say No, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. His throat had shut tight.

Ellis drew him forward with a warm, unyielding grip. “I'm right here with you,” he said. “I won't let anything happen.”

That was bullshit, of course. Even if Ellis had been trustworthy, he didn’t understand what the Blur was capable of, what Tanis could do. He just didn’t understand. But Nic obeyed the tug of his hand anyway. He followed, blind. 

It was only around the next corner. Nic nearly walked into Ellis’ back when he stopped, then stood as still as he could, holding his breath. If he didn’t move, it wouldn’t see him. It wouldn’t catch him. 

“Nic?” Ellis’ voice was very quiet. “Open your eyes.”

He didn’t want to. But he did as he was told. 

Ellis was standing between Nic and the clearing, but Nic could see it over his shoulder. He could see the corpses, the piles of fur and feathers, the guts and the bones. He could smell rot. And, as if that seeing and smelling was an inoculation, an exorcism, the Blur receded. It drew away like a wave sucked back down a long beach. Nic was left standing cold and sick in the woods with dead animals at his feet and Cameron Ellis next to him, alone in his own mind. 

“I didn't do this,” he said, before Ellis could speak. “I didn't.”

Ellis took a moment to respond. His hand, still on Nic’s, tightened. His thumb touched the bone of Nic’s wrist. “I’m afraid evidence suggests otherwise.”

The smell roiled in the back of Nic throat, churning his stomach. He turned his head to gag, but nothing came up except some sour spit. He breathed fast and ragged until he thought he could speak again. “What evidence?” he asked. It emerged as a croak. 

“The test results for the blood swabbed from you on Friday,” said Ellis. “It's all animal. Birds and small mammals, some reptiles. The scraping from under your nails contained fur and feather keratin.” 

Ellis’ soft words permitted no misunderstanding, even though Nic very badly wanted to misunderstand. He chanced another glance over Ellis’ shoulder. It was no less horrific this time, but he forced himself to keep looking, to comprehend what he was seeing. The eviscerated birds dangling from branches, the heaps of sticky flesh among the roots. Flashes of white bone, piles of feathers, torn flesh and fur. The flies. The flies were buzzing so loud. 

“I couldn't do this,” he said. Even to himself, it sounded more like a question, a plea for agreement. “How could anyone do this?”

Ellis didn’t reply. He was looking at Nic, not the carnage around them. 

Nic swallowed, twice and then three times. He began to shiver. “You don't think I did this. You can't think that.”

“I think…” said Ellis, measuring his words, “that you were not in your right mind when you were involved in what happened here. Whatever that was.” There was nothing judgmental in his gaze, only concern. Nic wanted to shrivel beneath the weight of it, recoil like something delicate and wet withdrawing from the sun, scalded by perception. “Do you remember anything at all?”

Nic shook his head. “No. No, I -” He trailed off, distracted again, aghast. “How would someone do this?” He felt like a broken record, the needle of his mind trapped in this one deep, gouged groove. “How would someone even catch…” There were crows, sparrows, squirrels. He saw the dull stretch of something spotted and leathery, a frog or salamander skin. A rabbit’s head, attached to the stump of its spine by a thin string of flesh. Was that the bloody, disembodied leg of a wolf, or was it... 

His voice cracked. “How would I even catch all these animals?” 

“I don't know, Nic,” Ellis said. “That's what we were hoping you could tell us."

[skyeknight-hyperfixations]

Written in the Wings

"C'mon Aster, I promise! I'll try not to freeze your tail this time by accident."

The rabbit scowled, "That ain't a promise, ya twit, especially if ya pair it off with a 'try.'"

"But I'm so bored!" Jack groaned, falling back mid air, his wings fluttering to keep him from hitting the ground. "And I've already bothered Ryder with his Animal training with the newer fairies."

Aster raised a brow, paws on his sides and foot thumping on the ground repeatedly. "Now ya decided to bother me?" He huffed, "How 'bout workin' on your Frosting instead? 'm sure there are a bunch of windows, plants and frozen lakes that are gonna need that."

"Please, I'm the best Frost fairy around. I don't need the practice." Jack snorted, "Just let me ride you to the border and see the mainland animals from the Autumn woods cross over!"

"And why the bloody hell can't ya just fly over yourself?"

"I'm running low on Pixie dust and restock isn't till next week. But I have enough to spare if I just fly going back."

"How about walking then?"

"C'mon bunny! You owe me!"

Aster scrunched up his nose, "Aye?" He snorted, "How do you figure?"

"Okay, you're going to owe me." Jack corrected himself, "Because if you don't let me come along, I'm not going to tell you about a particular someone's very particular prank."

Aster groaned. "Ugh, I hate it when I have to visit winter woods to monitor the animals crossing over." He said. "you're a pain in the arse always. All right, all right, I'll take ya."

"All right!"

"But ya ain't coming anywhere near the border line itself. They're bad for your wings." The bunny warned.

"Aw bunny, you do care."

Aster rolled his eyes, "And no need getting them Spring Fairies into any of your trouble."

Jack made a mock-offended gasp, "When have I ever been in any sorts of trouble?"

"If ya want me to answer that, it's gonna take a while."

Jack shrugged, conceding to that and flying over to rest on the rabbit's back as he hopped along.

Back at Spring valley of Pixie Hollow, the fairies were taking their time preparing for their season since Winter was just about to start in a few weeks. Over at the Tinker fairy village, the Tinker fairies were preparing baskets to be sent to the winter woods.

One of these fairies, Hiccup, was riding a lizard. A carriage made of twigs and leaves were loaded with thinner strands of leaves.

"Look sharp, everyone!" Gobber hollered, "The Snowy owls will be arriving to take the snowflake baskets to the Winter woods." he smiled before scanning the area, and his eyes fell on a fairy lounging about. "Milo, stop reading all day and start tinkering."

Jim looked up from where he was weaving a basket with Ben, an anxious squirrel who's a bit more nutty than the ones he eats. "Funny how they're called snowflake baskets," The Fast flying fairy hummed, "when they're not made of it."

"Don't you start now, Jimmy."

"It's Jim, Gobber!"

"That's head tinker fairy Gobber to you, kid!"

"And a mouthful." Jim rolled his eyes, "you should be glad I'm using my free hours helping the tinker fairies out."

"Actually, he should be glad you lost a bet against me and had to help us." Hiccup quipped, and with a mechanism resembling a fishing pole, he reeled another batch of leaf strands from a lizard. "Is that the last load, Toothless?"

The lizard grunted, giving him a gummy smile.

"Thanks, bud. Again, wouldn't hurt if you used your words once in a while."

The freckled fairy hummed, before flying over to Jim and Ben.

"Am I doing this right, Hiccup?" Ben asked, "I can only see in shades of gray, so was all the strands I got the color a leaf should be?"

Hiccup smiled at the Squirrel fondly, "It's fine, Ben." He said. "I think Merida was looking for you, something about baby squirrel training."

The special animals of Pixie Hollow help the animal fairies nurture regular animals brought from the mainland. Usually, in seasonal rounds to the mainland, Animal fairies encounter abandoned baby animals. Not all infant animals end up abandoned, but those that do, they bring to Pixie Hollow to care for. Some of them, once grown independent enough, are brought back to the mainland. Those that aren't, they keep in Pixie Hollow.

"All right, I'll see you around then." Ben nodded, "See you, Jimmy."

The Fast flying fairy waved the animal off, before sighing. "I'm never getting rid of that nickname now, am I?"

"Morning Jim," Hiccup smirked, before settling the thin leaf strands, "this should be enough to finish my batch of snowflake baskets."

Jim looked over, "If you say so; you know about this crafting stuff more than me."

"I still can't believe we make these things but don't get to take them to the winter fairies."

Jim mimicked his tone, "I still can't believe you guys are calling them snowflake baskets."

"Dang it, Jimmy, if ya got a problem with the way I name things, just say so!"

"I am saying so!"

Hiccup rolled his eyes, before nudging his friend and giving the older fairy a placating wave. "Go easy on Gobber. He's a more easy going head fairy than yours, after all."

"I guess that's true," Jim conceded, "Don't let Gogo hear you say that though, or tell her I agreed with you. She already doesn't like me very much."

Hiccup chuckled, "Not that you care about what she thinks of you much," he quipped. Jim shrugged, "Seriously though, wouldn't you want to go into the winter woods?"

"Between you and me, I rather keep my wings since I enjoy flying with them than on Dragon flies." Jim deadpanned.

Hiccup grinned cockily, "Which is why you lost that bet with me." He teased.

Jim snorted, shoving his friend. "Anyway, you know they wouldn't last a day in that cold, never mind us." he said, "So don't you start getting any ideas."

Hiccup made a look of mock indignant, "I assure you, I don't know what you're talking about." He said innocently.

"Yeah, don't even try," Jim rolled his eyes, "your ideas are trouble. Remember when you almost delayed Spring?"

Hiccup scowled, pointing at the fast flying fairy crossly. "Hey, that was as much the fault of Snotlout poking on my self-esteem as it was mine." He said.

"Funny how you didn't deny having a fault on it too."

The two fairy friends continued to tousle each other more, till Gobber yelled at them to quit fooling around.

"Anyway," Hiccup rolled his eyes, starting to weave a new basket. "Since when were you afraid of a little risk?"

"Since it's more than just a little, and I believe I mentioned flying." Jim hummed as he finished up the one he was doing, until a familiar voice was heard calling out his name. "Ack, although, if not flying meant getting him off my back..."

'Him' was referencing a certain dust keeper fairy, who was just flying towards Tinker fairy village with stock delivery of pixie dust.

Hiccup snickered, "Just go out on that date with him already." he said. "What's the harm?"

"He's annoying."

"Yes, yes, that's why you always end up sitting beside Dimitri instead of your own fairy group, or me, whenever Queen Anna has an announcement or during any of our events." Hiccup drawled, earning him another nudge from Jim.

Jim glared at his friend, "Well, that just means they're more annoying than him." He said, "You know, fast flying fairies are very competitive and can be jerks at those times."

"Don't I know it." Hiccup mumbled.

Dimitri flew over to the two, grinning widely... Mostly since Jim was there. "Hey Hiccup, here's your batch," he handed over a leaf pouch to the tinker fairy, before turning to Jim. "And here's yours..." Then, he lowered his voice and puckered his lips a bit. "But you know what to do to get an extra batch."

"You know that's against the rules." Jim deadpanned.

Hiccup grinned, "No, last I check, kissing wasn't against the rules."

Jim hits him in response to that.

"And you know I have my ways," Dimitri said, as if Hiccup hadn't spoken, "and accept them anyway... Every. Time." he smirked, sending Jim a wink.

Hiccup raised a brow, giving his friend his own smirk. "Every time, huh? But if this happens often..." He then feigns a gasp, "So you had gone out with him already!"

"Ack, I told you to keep that between us, you dimwit. I have a reputation to maintain."

"Is that reputation pretending you don't like me? Because I got news for you, it's not well maintained," Dimitri smirked, "Jimmy."

Jim scowled, "Oh for the love of... Give me that." He huffed, grabbing both pouches and hiding the extra one in his jacket made out of butterscotch daisy petals. It didn't really work with the Fast flying fairy purple color ensemble, but Dimitri had given it to him and that was the color of the Dust keeper fairies.

Honestly, Hiccup was still at a lost why Jim pretended nothing was going on with him and Dimitri when clearly, everybody and their Head fairies could tell there was.

Then, a horn sounded, announcing the incoming arrival of the Snowy owls. The three fairy friends looked up in wonder, and see the aforementioned creatures coming in. Gobber's voice is hollering something along the lines of activating the pulley.

Another tinker fairy did as told, and the baskets were brought up by a conveyer system developed by Hiccup. The mechanism brought the baskets in time for each owls to grab each one in their talons. A frozen tablet floats over as well, and Gobber flies over to check the message of remaining orders needed.

"That's it for the first shipment," The large fairy called out, "But according to this, they still need a lot for tomorrow's. So don't start dawdling now! Milo, put those books down already and help!"

Hiccup grinned, using Gobber's distraction as a chance to fly higher to see where the owls were going after taking a basket; off back to the winter fairy territory. Despite his earlier arguments, Jim flew after him to get a good look as well followed by Dimitri.

"It's like a whole 'nother mainland," Hiccup sighed, "I'd give up all the lost things I've collected to see what they've got over there."

Jim raised a brow, "Does that include all your tools made from lost things?"

"Okay, maybe the ones that are only for display so far." Hiccup conceded.

Dimitri shrugged, crossing his arms. "Not that you'd have to, either way." He said, "I'm not one you'd say is by the book..."

"Really?" Jim drawled sarcastically.

The Dust keeper fairy continued, ignoring the sass. "But the 'No crossing the border' rule is there for very good reason." He said. "Bad things happen to those who disobey it."

"But if no one's ever done it, how bad can it be?"

Jim sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, do you have a death wish, Hic?"

"And what makes you think death's the 'bad thing that happens', hm?"

This time, both Jim and Dimitri groaned.

"No, no, come back here you naughty kit!"

Startled by the urgent cry, the three looked down to see Ben chase after a younger squirrel, that started going through the quad of Tinker fairy village, disrupting the work in progress.

"Oh Ben," Jim shook his head, noticing Hiccup's invention and thought of an idea. He hurried back down, taking the device to help Ben, literally, reel in the frenzied kit. "Gotcha!"

The squirrel lets out a sigh of relief, "Thanks, Jimmy. Always a life saver."

"It's Jim." The fast flying groaned, handing the device to Hiccup. "At this rate I'm going to forget the real name."

Dimitri laughed, "Well, I like both." He said.

"Yeah, you would."

Hiccup started to unbind the kit from the string around it, as Ben placated the kit, patting its head.

"Now c'mon, little guy, Merida will be waiting for us already with your brothers and sisters at the border." The older squirrel said. "We have to hurry if you're going to join them."

"Oh, you're taking them across the border today?" Hiccup grinned.

Ben sighed, "Trying to, and it's a long way still," he huffed, "Feels even longer since this guy's such a handful."

"Need some help?"

Jim and Dimitri grimaced, exchanging looks with one another.

"It should not feel like such a chore being someone's friend," Jim shook his head, "Fine, if Hiccup's going I'm coming along too."

Read it here

Hoping to get more readers this way. Hehe.

Edits done by Jasmin Abarca (@jasmin_abarca) Thank you again for it!!

[cowboisadness]

Hang ‘Em High {Arthur Morgan x FemOC} Chapter 9

Pairing: Arthur Morgan x FemOC Summery: Belle Hawthorne is high society looking to escape her mean husband. A robbery by the Van Der Linde gang could be her chance. Can she escape his cluches and possibly discover what love should feel like?

Warnings: None

.....

The strong, bitter smell of coffee filled my nose and woke me. My back aches and eyes sting when trying to open them. The faint morning glow stabbing the back of my eyes. A noise from beside me wakes me further. That's when I realised I was laying against something apart from the log at my back. Opening my eyes I'm met with the smouldering fire ahead and Arthur laying right beside me, my head against his shoulder and his head propped up against mine. Arthur stirs and Pearson comes into view, adding a few more sticks to the fire and checking the coffee pot. Groaning from the intense headache and pain in my neck as I sit up, waking Arthur fully as I do so.

“Morning folks. Coffee is ready, no doubt y'all need it.” Pearson grins at us as he pours the coffee into two tin cups.

I look to Arthur, hungover evident in his features as he scowls and lets out a groan. We look at each other, smiling shyly and slightly embarrassed at the whole situation. Pearsons hands us the steaming cups and we murmur our thanks, not even prepared to move ourselves from the floor. We sipped our coffee in silence for a few minutes. Wishing for the intense headache to subside soon and hoping the unease in my stomach won't be the alcohol trying to make an appearance.

“I wanna die” I murmur into my cup

“Me too.” Arthur murmurs back

“I’ve never been that drunk. Does it always hurt like this?”

“More or less” He takes another sip of his coffee

I groan, wondering if this feeling is going to last all day. If so, today is going to be fun, to say the least. I’d love nothing more than to curl up on some bear hides and sleep till dusk.

We sit in silence for a while, as the others slowly wake, some looking just as much of a sorry state as we do. After our second cup Dutch calls for Arthur from his tent and he leaves with a groan to see what he wants. I stayed seated on the floor, not daring to get up as every movement inflicted some variant of ache and the threat of my stomach emptying its contents.

“You look worse than I feel” That Irish tone appeared from nearby at the fire. Sean pouring himself a cup.

“I’m trying not to vomit.” I grinned weakly as I looked up to him. He nodded in understanding, sitting on a crate nearby.

“So, tell me more about how your Knight in shining armour saved you.”

I couldn't help but giggle, my hand shooting to my stomach to ease the sudden and threatening twinge.

“My husband is one mean bastard…”

“You're married?”

“Unfortunately. Arthur, Dutch and Hosea were in the process of robbing him. I got caught up in it. Got out of the gunfight that ensued and asked, well, begged him to take me somewhere else. Passed out due to a few broken ribs and woke up here.”

“Damn what a shit show. You got somewhere you'll be moving onto, or will you be staying with this bunch of degenerates?”

I look around the camp, everyone now up and preparing for the day. Little Jack playing with a bunch of flowers, tongue out in concentration. Abigail watching over him as she collected clothing to be washed. Hosea and Lenny sat at the table playing what looks to be a very competitive game of dominoes. Pearson preparing today's breakfast at the food wagon. Sadie sat on a rock at the edge of the overlook, taking in the views and seemingly lost in thought as the morning sun beams down onto her. Mary-Beth and Tilly stitching garments in their hands, sharing a few laughs between them. Javier sat on his bedroll sharpening and cleaning one of his knives, all his attention on the task in hand. Strauss with his book in hand, that thing seems to be in his grasp as often as a bottle is in Uncles. Arthur stood at Dutches tent, talking about whatever jobs that need doing or what their next move should be to gain more money no doubt. Dutch is rambling on as Arthur listens, hands resting upon his gun belt, nodding along to whatever Dutch is saying to him every so often.

“I think I’ll stay.” I say unsure if I was answering Sean’s question or telling myself.

------

After a few hours of chores and making myself busy around camp, the hangover slowly began to ease. The distraction and the emptying of my stomach by one of the trees in the outskirts definitely helped. It was at that moment I vowed never to drink that excessively again. Lesson learned.

I sat with Jack, watching him play with his two wooden horse toys. He was bored and Abigail had become restless with his constant need for attention and questions so I was doing my best to entertain him to give her a few moments of peace and to complete whatever tasks Miss Grimshaw had asked her to do.

Watching Jack as he played out the story he imagined for his little horses Arthur came over to us. A slight smile on his face as he watched the boy play contently.

“Whatchu up to?”

“Playing”

“Anything fun?”

“I guess”

“You wanna come fishing with me?”

“Fishing?”

“Sure. It’s about time that you started to earn your keep.”

“Okay.”

“Good. Go get your pole then. You do have a fishing pole don't you?”

“I sure do! Uncle Hosea made me one.” Jack stood, little horses and their story now forgotten about in the dirt.

“Well go get it then. Let’s catch us some fish.”

“Yeah!” He almost shouted, running off into the direction of his tent.

We both watched as he went with a little skip in his step. Excited about having something new and different to do.

“You, er, wanna come with?” Arthur said, going through his satchel to pull out his cigarettes. Lifting one to his mouth and then lighting a match with the bottom of his boot.

“Sure. I don't have a pole though. But I could catch a few rabbits or something while there.”

He nodded then made his way over to his horse, giving him a brush down while he waited for me and Jack.

Thankfully we didn't need to go far from camp as the Dakota river was only a minute ride away. Jack sat in front of Arthur and I kept up beside them listening to their conversation. Asking if Jack was feeling better from recently being ill and Jack mentioning a storybook he left back at the camp in Blackwater.

We all dismounted at the riverside, the two boys making their way to the water to ready their poles as I readied my bow. Telling them I won't be far before making my way towards the gathering of trees nearby but far enough away from the dirt roads that noise shouldn't be an issue. It didn't take long to find a few Black-Tailed Rabbits hanging around the area, as well as a few squirrels running through the bushes and up the trees.

I knelt in an area void of sticks or piles of dead leaves, skimming my eyes over land ahead of me, waiting for that unsuspected rabbit to place itself in my line on sight.

Four rabbits later I returned to the boys at the river. Jack now sat nearby, flowers in his hands and a pile at his feet. A child that age doesn't seem to have the attention span for something like Fishing, something that takes a little patience. We should have known he would have gotten bored of it quickly.

“Catch many?”

“Uncle Arthur has!”

I smiled at Jack and walked over to Arthur who was currently battling a fish as we speak.

“Can I borrow your knife to skin these? I still don't have one.” I said as I held up my catch.

“Sure. It's on my belt.” He pulled on the rod, seeming to get frustrated that this stubborn fish wouldn't give up.

I sat a little aways from Jack, glancing over to see him delicately chain each little red flower together. His tongue sticking out from intense concentration.

For a few moments, it was quiet and peaceful as I skinned and salvaged the usable meat. Arthur muttering praises then whispered curses to the fish he finally reeled onto dry land. Holding them up to get a good look before throwing the back into the river.

“Hey, look at this.” Jack proclaims, holding up the completed chain of red flowers as far as his little arms to reach.

“At what?” Arthur says, kneeling in front of Jack to see his creation.

“This necklace I made.”

“Necklace?”

“For Momma. I made one for you too Miss Bella.” He grabbed another chain of red flowers from his side, handing it over to me.”

Putting down the knife and rubbing my bloodied hands on my pants I then reached out to take it. A smile beaming on my face and heart swelling twice its size at this adorable and thoughtful gift. “Thank you, Jack. It’s beautiful.” I place the necklace over my head for it to lay around my neck as delicately as possible. Worried that I might pull it apart accidentally. Thankfully I don't. A necklace like this is more valuable than any gold or jewels and should be treated as such.

In these few moments, we are seemingly so distracted by what is going on that none of us noticed two men appear nearby on horses until one of them speaks.

“What a fine young man…” One man says as he strides towards us, dressed in fine clothing. Bowler upon his head and a badge on his lapel. “And in such complex circumstances. Arthur, isn't it? Arthur Morgan?”

The other man dismounts his horse and cocks his rifle. Not saying a word but striding towards us too. Weapon rested on his shoulder. A badge adorning his lapel also.

The three of us stand to the attention of these unwanted strangers. Arthur ushering Jack to stand behind him. “Who are you?” Arthur says, an air of confusion and wariness in his voice

“Yes, Arthur Morgan. Van der Linde’s most trusted associate. You've read the files, typical case, orphaned street kid seduced by that maniac's silver tongue and matures into a degenerate murderer.” He turns to his friend beside him, both nodding in agreement.

“Agent Milton. Agent Ross. Pinkerton Detective Agency seconded to the United States Government.” They finally introduce themselves, taking slow but sure steps closer towards us. My heart starts racing, cursing myself for leaving my gun back at camp. I look down to the knife still on the floor beside me along with the rabbit remains. I’m sure Arthur could deal with them himself if it came to it but with Jack here it was too much of a risk. There is no way I could bend down to pick it up now with both their beady eyes on us, watching our every move. If I went for it when and if shooting started that would leave Jack more in the open and more at risk. Instead, I keep it in my sights and hope it doesn't come to that.

“Nice to finally meet. We know a lot about you.”

“Do ya?”

“You’re a wanted man, Mr Morgan. Five thousand dollars for your head alone.”

“Five thousand dollars? For me? Can I turn myself in?”

“We want Van der Linde.”

“Old Dutch? I haven't seen him for months.”

“That so? Because I heard a guy fitting his description robbed a train belonging to Leviticus Cornwall up near Granite Pass.”

“Oh, ain’t that a little old fashioned nowadays?” He huffs a laugh.

“Apparently not. Listen, this is my offer, Mr Morgan. Bring in Van der Linde and you have my word, you won’t swing.”

“Oh, I ain’t gonna swing anyways Agent, um…”

“Milton.”

“You see, I haven’t done anything wrong aside from not play the games to your rules.”

“Spare me the philosophy lesson, I've already heard it. From Mac Callander.”

“Mac Callander?”

“He was pretty shot up by the time I got to him so really it was more of a mercy killing. Slow. But merciful.”

Arthur fling the pole he was still holding to the ground, losing his composure but still trying to keep some sort of calm when given this information. His fists balling at his sides but keeping one close to the holster at his side. Jack jumps and gasps at the sudden outburst so I grab his shoulder with one hand to gently guide him to stand behind me.

“You enjoy being a rich man's toy do ya!?” There is a low growl to his voice, fury slowly pooling out with every word.

“I enjoy society, flaws and all. You people venerate savagery and you will die savagely! All of you.” The Agent gets up closer to Arthur, pointing his finger in his face to try and be imposing towards the man that is twice his size and could possibly snap him like a twig.

“ Oh, we're all gonna die, Agent”

“Some of us sooner than others. Good day, Mr Morgan.” With that, he turns and walks away. It wasn't till now that I realised the other Agent had his rifle up and aimed at Arthur and by the looks of it, Arthur might not have noticed either as he kept his eyes on the one now with his back turned. The other man starts to back away keeping his eyes on us but slowly lowering his weapon to the ground.

“Enjoy your fishing kid. While you still can.” It's all he says before turning as well. Both of them mounting their horses and riding off. Neither I or Arthur took our eyes off the two men until they were clearly out of sight.

“Who were they?” A little voice pulls us back, Jack now moving from behind us.

“No one to worry about, no one at all. Come on, let’s pack up your things and get home.” Arthur places his hands on Jack to steer him away. All of us collecting our belongings and mounting up as quickly as possible.

My heart began to slow as we mounted and made our way back but I had questions and it seemed Jack had a few too. He has a bounty on his head? And five thousand dollars no less? It can't be true. How would he get a bounty of that sum? I was told by Mary-Bath that they all lived near Blackwater before having to leave quickly but she never said why. I never had a reason to ask. I always knew travellers and outlaws moved from place to place quite frequently and some were known to be right bastards that needed to be hanged for the horrific crimes they committed but...this gang ain't like those, they don't hurt and kill for the simple fun of it. Maybe I should ask him at some point. My logic being if I am to stay and live amongst them I should know what to say or how to act if the Pinkertons come around again. I should know what I’m truly getting myself into.

We made it back to camp quickly, Arthur looking around us momentarily to make sure we had not been followed. He let down Jack before dismounting and making his way over to Dutch with urgency.

Whatever questions I have, they could wait for now.

[ominousunflower]

(toi)let me in

Written for the APS server’s first birthday! Thank y’all for creating such an amazing and fun space. 

Summary: One lesson Adrien Agreste should have learned by now: Never ask what are the odds when you have the luck of a black cat.

Rating: G Word count: 1767

Read on AO3

__________________________________________

Adrien Agreste is wide awake.

He’s been lying in Marinette’s loft bed for ten minutes now, one arm slung over Marinette and his chin tucked against her shoulder, sure that if he just waits, he’ll fall back asleep.

This isn’t the first time that he’s sneaked into her room as Chat Noir and slept beside her. In fact, ever since they found out each other’s identities two weeks ago and started dating, it’s fairly commonplace.

It is, however, the first time he’s woken up desperately having to go to the bathroom.

He doesn’t want to disturb her, and what’s more, he doesn’t really want to risk going downstairs. What if someone sees him? The chances are slim, but then, Adrien’s never had the best luck.

Adrien groans and squeezes his eyes shut, trying to ignore the ache in his bladder. It’s no use, though: despite the grogginess in his head, he can’t fall back asleep, and there’s no way he’s going to last until morning.

With a sigh, he eases the covers back and crawls out from under them. As he does, Marinette mumbles and rolls over to face him, her fingers tugging at his shirt sleeve.

“Where’re you going?” she asks, words slurred by sleep.

“Bathroom,” Adrien whispers. “Go back to sleep. I’ll be right back.”

He smooths back her bangs and kisses her forehead, then crawls to the foot of the bed and descends the ladder. Walking lightly so that the floor doesn’t creak, he crosses to the trapdoor and opens it ever-so-slightly.

Holding his breath, Adrien listens for the sound of voices or footsteps below.

Silence greets him. Satisfied, Adrien eases the door open and lowers his body through it.

He can get there and back in less than a minute. The chances that either one of Marinette’s parents will also decide to go to the bathroom in the forty-five seconds it takes Adrien to pee—well, the chances are so low, in fact, that they might as well be nonexistent.

And so, moving as silently as his superhero namesake, Adrien creeps downstairs toward the Dupain-Cheng bathroom.

*** *** *** *** *** ***

Tom Dupain awakes with a need.

He had a feeling he shouldn’t have chugged that bottle of water before bed, but what’s done is done; now he is awake in the middle of the night and forced to deal with the consequences.

With a heavy sigh, he rolls out of bed and drags himself to the bedroom door. Sabine’s quiet snores fill the room, assuring him that at least he hasn’t woken her up.

He opens the door and steps outside, moving as quietly as his weight will allow—and that’s when he sees a figure standing outside the bathroom door, frozen with its hands raised in surrender.

The stranger is too tall to be Marinette, but too small to be an adult. Nonetheless, adrenaline courses through Tom’s veins, and he takes a threatening step forward. “Who are you?” he asks. He reaches toward the wall and taps the light switch, bathing the room in dim amber light.

The stranger doesn’t say anything, but Tom’s question is answered: because standing in front of him, hair sticking up, eyes wide, is his daughter’s classmate Adrien Agreste.

“Adrien Agreste?” Tom says.

Knowing the intruder’s identity does not make things any clearer. Why is a teen idol who lives several blocks away standing outside Tom Dupain’s bathroom at three in the morning? Is this a dream? And if so, why is Tom dreaming about his daughter’s crush breaking into their apartment in the middle of the night?

“I, um…” Adrien’s eyes flick toward the kitchen window, almost as if he’s considering that as an escape route. “Our toilet is broken.”

Tom stares at him, not sure he’s heard correctly. Maybe there’s too much wax in his ears again. “What did you say?”

“Our…toilet broke, so…I came here?”

As the parent of a fourteen year-old, Tom Dupain is well-acquainted with teenagers and their bizarre excuses. On a scale of one to ten, he ranks Adrien’s a three. While a broken toilet is not unheard of, there are too many holes in this story: how did Adrien get in, if their front door is locked and everyone is asleep? If Adrien lives in a mansion, shouldn’t his father be able to afford twenty-four-seven toilet fixing?

And the most unbelievable part of all, which is how Tom knows for a fact that Adrien is lying: there is no way the Agrestes only have one toilet in their house.

“How did your toilet break?” Tom asks, narrowing his eyes.

“Uh.” Adrien clears his throat. “Water…rabbits.”

“Water rabbits.”

“They’re not actually rabbits,” Adrien says. “They are bugs. That…eat metal. And toilets.”

Tom squints at him. Maybe this is a dream. Isn’t Adrien supposed to be at the top of his class? This excuse is so disappointing that Tom is tempted to call Adrien’s father, just to tell him that Adrien needs to work on his improvisation skills.

“Water not-rabbits ate your toilet, you say,” Tom says. “Do I look stupid to you, Adrien Agreste?”

“No!” Adrien says. “They just got in the pipes. And…” He grimaces. “Okay. I lied. I clogged the toilet.”

Ah. Tom was once a teenage boy who did not understand how to use toilet paper in moderation. He’ll give Adrien the benefit of the doubt, although two questions still remain. “And you only have one toilet in that big mansion of yours?”

“There’s something wrong with the tank in the downstairs one,” Adrien says, his voice steadier than before. “It overflows if you flush it, and we can’t get someone to look at it until tomorrow morning. There is another one in my father’s room, but I didn’t want to wake him up to tell him that I clogged the toilet. He’s gotten mad about smaller things.”

Tom’s stubborn parental streak rears its head, and he fights the urge to spontaneously adopt Adrien Agreste. He can’t do that, of course. After all, Marinette can’t date Adrien if Tom adopts him, and since Marichat doesn’t seem to be happening yet, he supposes Adrienette is the second-best option.

Of course, Tom knows Adrienette won’t last. Especially not if Adrien is the type of boy who breaks into people’s homes and attempts to surreptitiously uses their toilets.

Which brings Tom to his final question. “Why our toilet? And how did you get in?”

“Oh, um, well…” Adrien rubs the back of his neck. “I texted Marinette, and she was kind enough to let me in. And she didn’t see a need to wake you up, since she was sure you would say yes!” He smiles tightly, eyes wide. “Um. You would have said yes, right?”

“I would,” Tom says, leaning forward. Adrien cowers slightly, and it occurs to Tom that maybe his stature is a bit intimidating.

Good. Let all teenage boys (or girls) cower before him. Tom Dupain doesn’t need a shovel talk; his body will be the shovel talk.

“But where is she?” Tom asks. Adrien’s excuse is approaching an eight or nine on the scale, but some loose ends remain. “Why didn’t she wait down here with you? My daughter is responsible. She must have known this would look bad. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were…”

And then it hits Tom: it looks an awful lot like Marinette sneaked a boy into her room in the middle of the night.

OCCAM’S RAZOR, his mind booms.

Adrien flinches, and that’s all it takes for Tom’s Papa Senses to start tingling. “Adrien,” he says, his voice low. “Did my daughter—”

“No!” Adrien says. “No. Marinette would never do something like that. Neither would I! I—I’m not like that. I’ve never even seen Marinette’s room! Or, well, I have—but only once, when we practiced for that gaming tournament. Technically twice, since it was on TV that one time—”

“Where is she?” Tom repeats. He can practically feel his mustache trembling with suppressed fatherly rage.

“Oh! Right.” Adrien’s throat jumps as he swallows. “She just, uh, heard something skittering around upstairs, and thought it might be a mouse, so she went to—”

“There are mice in my bakery?” Tom bellows.

“No!” Adrien says. “Or, I mean, I don’t know. Maybe it was a squirrel!”

“That’s still a rodent!” Tom says. His concerns about Sabine’s sleep evaporate, and he turns to pound on their bedroom door. “Sabine! Wake up! There are rodents in our bakery!”

“Maybe there aren’t!” Adrien says. “It’s probably cockroaches—no, wait! Dust mites! I’m sure it’s just dust mites. I’m sure if you had enough of them they could make some noise—um, actually, could we continue this conversation after I’ve gone to the bathroom, please?”

And then a familiar figure appears at the bottom of the stairs, yawning as she tugs at one of her pigtails. “Adrien,” she says, “when are you coming back up? You’ve been gone for more…than…” She trails off, eyes widening as they focus on Tom.

Tom feels like his eyes are glowing red, and judging by the look on Adrien’s face, they very well might be. “You were upstairs, were you, Adrien? That’s strange. There’s not an entrance to our house upstairs.”

Adrien’s eyes dart to the bathroom door, then to Tom, then to Marinette—then, again, to the window for some reason. His hand creeps toward the bathroom door, fingers curled to clutch the knob.

“Don’t you dare,” Tom says.

Adrien pauses, hand lightly grasping the handle.

Tom glowers at him, a low growl building in his throat.

“Adrien,” Marinette squeaks. “Please don’t leave me to explain this by myse—”

“I’m sorry!” Adrien yelps. Fast as lightning, he wrenches the door open and ducks inside.

Tom lunges forward, hand grabbing the knob—but it’s too late. He hears the tell-tale click from the other side as Adrien locks himself in the bathroom, and the knob refuses to twist.

“You can’t hide in there forever!” Tom says.

“Tom,” Sabine’s voice says, from behind him. “What’s going on? Did I hear you say something about rodents?”

“Rodents?” Marinette echoes.

In a desperate display of strength, Tom twists harder at the knob, and harder—until it pops right off the door with a cracking noise.

“Oh my god,” Marinette says. “You sealed him in.”

“He did what?” Adrien’s voice cries.

“Enjoy our toilet, Adrien Agreste,” Tom says, with his most menacing voice. He raises the door knob like a sword. “Enjoy it, because this is the last time I let you near my toilet—or my daughter—ever again.”

[ninjakasuga]

Sonal Celebration: Day 5

Day 5 of the Sonic & Sally celebration hosted by @boundforfreedomsonsal and here is my contribution to the ‘Alternative Universe’ prompt, ENJOY!!

Alternative Universe:

[Author’s notes: Gonna be using the Reboot Archive-verse for this one; hopefully, you all will find it as good as my preSGW Archive-verse stuff. Minus one or two bits of altered history, there’s very little changed compared to my compulsion to exceedingly alter things in the preSGW timeline. Also, this one will push the PG-13 a bit (mostly due to constant nudity and implications), but I promise to keep it as tasteful as possible but the set up for this is too good to pass up.]

The first rays of sunlight managed to cut through the drawn white almost-see through curtains of the room. Small sunbeams touching a large bed in the middle of a moderately high-end hotel. The rays of light finally touched the face of a blue sleeping hedgehog, whose soft snoring slowly came to a halt as the light was enough to make his eyelid twitch and then finally open. The single eye narrowed before a hand reached from under the covers, and fumbled around at the nightstand, looking for something. Finding the object, a remote; a push of the button caused a thicker curtain to slowly draw close via a mechanical track system. Thus quashing the annoying light rays of the sun. Satisfied, Sonic placed the remote back on the nightstand and curled back into a comfortable position and tried to return to dreamland.

Yet a new sensation prevented sleep from returning to him. His sleepy brain at first had trouble deducing what was going on, he just knew his left ear felt wet- wait a minute. Blinking his eyes open, Sonic craned his head and glanced upward, finding a familiar chipmunk nibbling his ear gently. “Good morning Sal, must you do that every morning?” He softly grumbled in his greeting of the one sharing his bed.

The Princess softly giggled and merely began to ‘groom’ the fur around his ear. “I’m just indulging an innate urge native to my chipmunk and squirrel heritage.” Her playful tone oozed a mix of sass and snark, but also a tenderness only he and one other got to hear. “Is it wrong of me to love on or groom my boyfriend?”

With a sleepy yawn, Sonic managed a smile, “No, nothing wrong there, but can’t you do it when I’m not sleepy?”

The sassy Princess just smirked back, not backing down, and in retaliation, just held his ear between her teeth, causing him to shudder. “I can’t help it, it’s fun to tease you, plus it is almost noon.”

The blue hedgehog reached back his hand bumping her hip as he tried to reach for her fluffy tail but Sally angled her body so it was out of reach. “D-dirty pool Sal!” He squirmed as she started to chew on his ear again. “R-really dirty, didn’t you get enough lovin’ last night?”

Sally was not relenting and slid her arms around his chest, keeping him pinned as she held his very chewable and cute ear hostage. “I diiiiid, but that doesn’t mean I can’t just do this because I love you and I ca-aaaaaaaaaaaaaannn!!” She suddenly yelped and released his ear as she felt a hand grasp her fluffy tail and squeeze softly. Her yelp transforming into a partial moan as the hand continued squeezing and playfully toying with her fluffy appendage. “Aaah! N-Nicole?”

At her name, a third party in the bed slid up from her ‘hiding spot’ in the covers, appearing behind Sally. As if to mimic Sally, Nicole softly nipped at one of her ears, while still keeping a hand on her tail. “You rang Sally-sweetie? Sorry, but I saw you harassing my main Hog’ and I had to save him.” After a slight pause, she playfully added with a crooked smile. “Also this tail was wagging in my face, bad Princess. You know it makes Hedgehog’s and Lynx’s pounce Chipmunk’s.”

Pumping a fist, and now free of Sally’s nibbling, Sonic rolls onto his other side to face the two, smirking as he holds up his hand in the air. “Nicole my sweet cyber-lady gimme some love!”

“Always my main man’.” She happily returned the high five with a free hand, before their fingers latched together in a handhold.

Feigning hurt, Sally pouted with a quibble of her lip. “Et tu Nicole? I thought you were my girlfriend?”

Releasing Sally’s tail and bringing that arm around to tilt her chin, the Lynx leaned in to kiss her lips. “I am, but I’m also his girlfriend, and you were being a Princess bully.” The matter-of-fact way the line was delivered, made Sonic snicker and Sally roll her eyes.

“I am not a Princess bully, and I’ll remember this next time he picks on you.” Arms crossed, Sally huffed, but a quiver of her lip hinted she was being playful and barely held back snickering at her own BS.

After releasing Nicole’s hand, Sonic put that hand to his chest as he sat up in bed. “Moi? Pick on Nicole? For shame Sally, why would I do that? She’s still getting used to her bio-nanite body, I’d be cruel to use my advanced knowledge of pranking on her.”

Both females stared at him with raised eyebrows and expressions unique to each other, that spoke volumes of how much they did not believe him. After a few moments of staring, the trio breaks out into sputters and then full-blown laughter. As their laughter died down, the three gave each other a hug, a kiss and then climbed out of bed.

Stretching, Sonic picked up the remote and had the thick curtain drawn to let sunlight in and so they could see the view outside. As he started to do a few post-wake-up stretches his mind wandered a bit, musing on recent events. After the Dark Gaia/Planet Break incident had been dealt with; the United Federation and other agencies against Eggman, helped the Freedom Fighters tow the Freedom Stormer to a coastal city where a G.U.N. controlled harbor and shipyard were stationed. As a thank you, for their efforts in helping fix the planet and stop Dark Gaia; G.U.N. offered the use of the shipyard to repair the Freedom Stormer. In the meantime, they would be set up at a hotel, on the U.F. 's tab with meals comped on top. Rather generous but none of the Freedom Fighters saw a reason to turn down the offer.

Tails and Rotor often would go to the shipyard to continue repairs, either by themselves or with Nicole or in some cases, help from the shipyard staff depending on what part of the flying vessel was being worked on. For the two tech-savvy inventors repairing the Stormer WAS a vacation, especially as they could get parts to do upgrades they had been pondering installing for a time. Oh, they still took some time to relax at the resort, but they were very content working at their craft. 

Bunnie and Antoine decided to use the free time to have as they put it ‘extended honeymoon’ as their original one got cut short thanks to Eggman’s scheme of the week at the time. A sentiment everyone supported and so the two were spending most of this ‘mini-vacation’ by themselves for obvious reasons.

Big simply enjoyed being able to fish from the docks or the local beach. Give the big guy a chance to fulfill his pastime and he was content.

Amy went to visit her cousin who they found out was in the next town over. Some guy named Rob whose wife had just delivered their firstborn and Amy was keen to see the new baby. Cream and Cheese went with her, the young rabbit eager to see the newborn herself and enjoy the free time with one of her favorite people.

As for the three of them; well they would help with the Freedom Stormer repairs sometimes; especially Nicole as she would download herself back into the Stormer’s systems and help figure out what still needed fixing or simply help. Other times she would be helping Sally with her workload. 

Speaking of Sally, she did what Sally did best when she wasn’t helping with getting the Stormer up and running, she was multitasking. Updating her Father, the King on what was going on, hosting holo-calls with allied leaders to discuss how to deal with Eggman while he was licking his wounds from this recent defeat. While Sonic usually found the ‘diplomacy’ a snore-feast he had to admit he enjoyed seeing Sally fired up and showing she had the chops as future Queen. Heck, she’d been pushing for the alliances to all really start some ‘info campaign’ to make sure the world knew just how far Dr. Eggman went since he was behind the whole planet breaking apart. Some stuff about ‘weakening his supporters' faith in him’ and stuff about ‘getting those still apathetic to the cause to see what will happen if they don’t all unite to stop the Eggman Empire’, etc, etc.

As for Sonic himself, when he wasn’t running, or doing what little grunt work he was capable of with the ongoing Freedom Stormer repairs; he was enjoying some needed downtime with Sally and Nicole. Especially since the three of them were keeping their ‘more than friends’ relations on the mum. Looking back at the two women who were gathering their discarded clothing items, he felt his cheeks redden at how things changed last night. In a really nice way, but well after focusing on saving the world and not being a werehog at night anymore, Sonic had not given things getting more intimate a thought, and they didn’t even go all the way last night. Just a lot of touching, kissing, and sleeping together without pajamas.

Then again when you nearly die for the umpteenth time and given how ‘close’ this last adventure was; in a way, he understood the need for something more. Whether or not they might cross the ‘next threshold’ anytime soon he didn’t know, but he wasn’t going to rush things. Some things were better taken the ‘slo-mo route’. Yet he doubted he would deny either of them if they sought more and everyone was in agreement. It was just one of those, see what may come situations with this three-way relationship.

Moving towards the window, he stared out at the lovely view facing the beach and a small stretch of beachside near the resort. The sun was up, and the world looked at peace, at least for the time being. One wouldn’t think the planet was in pieces last week. His smile slowly eased into a frown as a forlorn expression washed over his face as he recalled the ‘sacrifice’ made to fix everything. Okay maybe sacrifice was overkill, Chip wasn’t dead, he was just stuck inside the planet. Even with his assurances he could ‘feel and see’ them through the planet itself, it didn’t remove the sense of loss Sonic felt since the spirit returned to his duties. It hadn’t been that long Chip had been with them, but he left an impact and he’d become fond of the little guy.

“You gals think Chip’s okay? That he ain’t alone where he is?” He spoke suddenly, as he stared out the window. His words causing both Sally and Nicole to turn his way, their expressions almost mirroring Sonic’s as the loss of their friend hit them. Yet they each also carried concern for the blue hedgehog, since he was the one taking Chip’s return to the planet hardest. “I know he said he could, ‘feel’ through the world now that the Light and Dark Gaia were in balance and harmony was restored; that he wouldn’t be lonely like he was before; but… I worry he just said that to make it easier for us.”

He felt two pairs of arms wrap around him from behind, not an easy task with his quills, but Sally and Nicole seemed to have picked up the best way to go for a double hug without any quills jabbing into him. After a sigh exhaled from his throat, he rested a hand on each of theirs. “Sorry, don’t mean to be a downer, I just miss the little guy.”

Placing a kiss to his right cheek, Sally warmly nuzzled him as she craned her head so their eyes met. “It’s okay to feel that way Sonic, we all miss him in our own ways, and out of all of us you bonded to him the most.”

“You got him excited to see the world to understand the planet he was meant to protect and serve in his role. Not unlike how two certain someone’s did so for me.” Murmured Nicole as she rested her chin on Sonic’s shoulder, her fingers curling in his chest fur, a habit Sonic noticed that the lynx had picked up. “You inspired him to be the best he could, to find the courage inside he felt he lacked. Take it from me Sonic, even if he’s stuck within the planet, he knows he’s not alone and that he has you, and the rest of us as his friends.”

“I hope so, I really hope so Nicole.” As another sigh left him, the hedgehog slowly began to smile again as he leaned against the two women in his life. “Then all the more reason to kick Eggman’s keister so Chip doesn’t have to fret about some other horror being unleashed, and maybe, when all’s clear we can see him again.”

“That’s the spirit Sonic.” Cheered Sally as she squeezed him before taking his right arm and nudging him to follow. “Come on, the three of us should clean up, and that shower should easily handle three Mobian’s given it’s designed with humans in mind as well.” Her blue eyes twinkle with a bit of mischief as she smiled more. “I wash your back, you wash mine?”

“I call dibs on the tail!”

Laughing at Nicole’s outburst, Sonic shook his head, before giving the lynx a grin. “Fine you get the tail I’ll get the top!”

“Deal!” The lynx clasped hands with Sonic, a deal was struck.

Feeling a bead of sweat start to roll down the side of her face, Sally suddenly started to regret her suggestion. “Uh guys, WHA-?!” She cried out as she was lifted up into the air, Nicole holding her up by her feet, while Sonic held her up with his hands grasping under her arms. “N-now we shouldn’t get crazy the others will start to wonder if we’re late-.”

“Assuming they ain’t sleeping in themselves after all this is a vacation as much as recuperation from all the fighting.” The lynx sing-songed with a cheerful hum as she helped Sonic carry Sally to the bathroom. “We’ll behave and stick to just washing.”

“Maybe.” Sonic mused, earning a giggle from Nicole while Sally rolled her eyes, but smiled warmly.

“I love you goofs, and since you’re adamant, very well your Princess awaits her washing!”

The three share a laugh as Sonic uses his foot to kick the bathroom door shut. The worries of the future put aside as the three opted to share what time they could in this sort of blissful state. At any moment Eggman or his Egg Bosses could start a new incident and put their moment of peace out of commission. Sometimes, you just had to live a little.

[Author notes: Not very originally using the Post-SGW Reboot setting; but every time I tried to create some new alt-verse or one something of the prior ones; it just… Wasn’t working. So I decided to give this a go and rather enjoy it.

Also, I shamelessly do not regret my Sally/Nicole/Sonic shipping of the Reboot verse. So I decided to use it; and while in-story I didn’t explain it as to avoid killing the pacing here’s the 411 on Nicole having a ‘bio-nanite body’.

After restoring her hand-held, learning of her origins and stopping Phage, Dr. Ellidy before the crew left his lab revealed he had one other project that was to coincide with Nicole’s original purpose of being the digital repository of his daughter Nikki’s mind and memories. A pod containing a cluster of bio-nanites coded with Mobian Lynx DNA, that when given a brain to link with, could create a solid, actual living form. Granted it would still be a blend of natural and artificial but you’d have a living being able to experience the majority of the living experience. While still at odds with his feelings for Nicole; he feels Nikki would want Nicole to have all the chances to ‘have a full, and wonderful life and experiences’. So he gave the pod to the FF, and after some tinkering, Nicole downloaded herself into it and later emerged. Nicole was herself still but now with a body beyond hard light holograms. Yet she was still able to digitize herself and return to cyberspace and come back. Cue all the happiness.

As for the menage a trio, I may….revisit this and give them a fuller story and explanation. Hope it was good and sorry for the fatty A/N I just felt having to go over all this in-story would kill the pace.] 

[browneyeddevil]

Underground

I can’t believe he’s actually gone. Because no matter how hard I try to wrap my head around it - sitting here, staring at the blank grey walls of the compartment I share with my sister and mother, the actual acceptance of the fact that he’s dead is avoiding me. Slowly, I manage to sit up, and the whole world looks disjointed and wrong. How can there ever be a world in which I exist, and he doesn’t? Where I crave his arms of sanctuary, but he’s not here to provide it anymore.

When I look around I can almost bring myself to believe that it is better this way, he would have hated it here, the blank, uninspiring, and sterile walls the only thing to draw or paint. But then again they wouldn’t have allowed him to paint, just like Haymitch isn’t allowed to drink, and I’m not allowed to hunt, they would have had him training and doing propos. Just like the rest of us, being paraded around again. Little puppets, attached by unbreakable strings.

I miss the outside world, but I’m not allowed to go up there anymore. Not after I tried to run, whilst on an authorised hunting trip with Gale. The little weasel stopped me, he used to talk about running all the time, I guess priorities change. I know mine have, and I see now that his have to. Our hunting trips were never authorised or monitored or tracked. They are now, and I know for a fact that the old Gale would have seethed at the fact, he just plays along now. He once implied that I was the Capitol’s lap dog, and by extension President Snow’s. Now he’s practically sucking the dicks of every official here, he tells me it’s because he wants to keep our families safe. I don’t believe him. The irony is not completely lost on me.

I shake my head then, and a slow sad smile graces my face. Who am I kidding? Not me, not anybody here in this wretched place. I want him here, I want him, more than I want to breathe. I guess he is here, lying cold, stiff, and unmoving on a sterile stainless steel table, naked. I saw him myself, they had to drag me out of there because I refused to leave. They told me I was in shock, Johanna told them that it was because I’d never seen him naked before, Haymitch laughed bitterly and I told them both to shut the fuck up, before bursting in tears.

Guess all that time I spent pushing him away was a waste of time. Nothing could have prepared me for the pain I feel right now. It might even be worse than the sorrow I felt when my father was blown to bits in the mines. A sense of loss; for something I never really had, never fully got the chance to grasp onto. It hurts differently. When I miss my father, I can think back on simpler times, to comfort me and help me get through it. Now, when I’m missing him, it cuts deep like a knife, because I have to wonder to myself if any of it was even real. And I know that I did that, I filled us both with so much doubt of each other, and maybe a little resentment.

I resent him a little, for leaving me here. Trying so hard to survive the shit show we created. Lucky him, he gets to be lowered into the ground, whilst I’m left here. Crying about something I never really had in the first place, something I never will have. Part of me wants to curse him, for letting me push him away, and then pushing me away himself. But I guess that’s a me problem.

When Prim started to brush my hair, I lashed out. I wasn’t my mother, not yet anyway. Then I cried, and started to panic because it felt like the world was crashing down on me. Almost as if some of the realisation hit, that he was gone now, forever. That it was my fault. Fear, that it was always going to feel like this, like the world was drab, grey, and pointless without him. Dread, that I might actually turn into some sort of version of my mother, or worse, Haymitch.

Haymitch cornered me today, said we needed to talk. He took me up, above ground. We spent the first ten minutes walking in silence, I don’t know whether he was trying to come up with something to say to me, or if he was just letting me take it all in. The twittering birds, bounding rabbits, scampering squirrels, and the tall pine trees. After so long underground, it’s a relief to inhale air that hasn’t been processed again and again and again. To see colours, even the grey ones that indicate a harsh winter to come. It occurs to me that he will forever stay underground, buried under six feet of earth.

“It gets easier, you know,” Haymitch tells me, his face looks pained. Paired with his sallow  looking complexion, it’s not a great look. I’m reminded of the youthful Haymitch I saw on a screen, fighting for his life in an arena with double the contestants. It feels like a lifetime ago, when I sat curled up in Peeta’s arms, hurtling to our deaths a second time. Is it normal to feel so old? I have to remind myself I’m seventeen. That’s right. My name is Katniss Everdeen. I’m seventeen years old. I’m the Mockingjay. Peeta is dead. It’s better this way.

“I know,” I tell him. Everyones telling me so; that it gets easier to live with the pain, the loss. My mother told me so on the first evening of knowing, I just ignored her. The image of his pale, bruised skin, and ashen matted curls, branded into my mind.

I look at Haymitch, who’s busy patting himself down for his now non-existent hip flask. I have to wonder who he lost. I guess I’ll never know, to be honest I’m not really sure I want to. I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to care. Instead I take another look at our surroundings, we’re moving further and further into the woods. Haymitch has a surprisingly agile and quiet step. The little forest critters barely register us here, they aren’t animals that are used to being hunted. So trusting of us, unbothered by our disruption, that I’m sure even Peeta could have walked through here without scaring the whole animal kingdom away.

Watching these animals attend to their business, preparing for winter, I’m reminded that life goes on. Will go on. With or without him. The whole world will one day forget he ever existed, maybe I will too. Forget the small details about him that send a crippling pain into me whenever I think about it. Maybe that’s why it gets easier, we forget, and the pain becomes more manageable because there isn’t as much to miss.

“Did drinking make it easier for you?” I ask.

“No,” He replies, “It just numbs it, the pain. You know you should be feeling something, anything, but you don’t. By the time you figure out what’s making you feel so empty though, it’s too late to stop.”

“Oh,” Is all I can think of to say.

Haymitch sighs sadly, scrubs his hands over his face, before grumbling something about heading back. I nod dejectedly, and follow him as we head down the stone steps, further and further, until it feels like the whole world is towering above me. Crushing me. And I want to scream that it’s not fair, that it wasn’t supposed to happen like this, that I can’t go on. But I have a duty to these people now, a duty to finish what I started. So I continue to put one foot in front of the other, continue to gulp down the processed stale air. And make Peeta one last promise that he won’t ever hear.

I will make sure that the feeling of pain and terror is the last thing President Snow ever feels.

[davidedwardking]

My dog was lost for three days. What came back wasn't my dog.

As a kid, I was raised in a small fishing community on the Eastern side of Canada, surrounded by the gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Boreal Forest. The entirety of the land was close to 4000 foot square with an even smaller number of residents sprawled out over "main street", the main road running straight through our little town, and farming houses spread widely between areas of trees that were changed to domestic residential homes when agriculture stopped being profitable. In total, our community is surrounded by a vast expanse of ocean, and a seemingly endless barrage of trees that's spread over 55% of Canada's entire country. I spent most of my life hunting in those woods, so you can imagine my joy when my parents got me a "hunting dog".

Sandy was a Shetland Sheepdog, and while they were more fit to be herding and tracking sheep over grassy plains rather than rabbits and deer through dense forest, it didn't stop me from taking him with me on every excursion I possibly could. Sandy had been by my side for enough hunting trips that he'd grown accustomed to waking up just before breaking daylight, and on a few occasions helped track down small game like squirrels and rabbits through considerably large areas of forest.

Sandy wasn't my property, and wasn't treated like he "belonged" to me. Sandy was a member of the family, my best companion, and my truest friend. I think fondly back on all the times he'd sit in the front seat of the truck without being told, ready to go for a walk in whatever part of the forest I took him to. I can honestly say that there will never be a dog that will fill the void Sandy left in my life. I find that dog lovers relate to that sentiment more than others.

It was October 30th, the first day of deer hunting season. I had been talking with my family about taking Sandy, my hunting gear, and some essentials to one of the cabins my Grandfather owned in his heyday off an unmarked road a few hundred miles into the wilderness for a few days. This was met with a lot of protesting, but nothing could stop me from getting in some time looking for wild game in an area that wasn't already picked clean by illegal hunters earlier on in the month. Everything was packed into the old blue ford, Sandy included, and a few hours of driving later we were setting up camp in one of my Grandfather's secluded old cabins.

Here's where things got fucked up. Sandy, I'm so, so sorry.

I had spent most of the time of my life being in the wilderness. There were only a handful of times that things had gotten weird for me, but usually everything can be explained with scientific reason. That's why I brushed off Sandy's weirdness on the first few nights, chalking it up to the nervousness of a dog that's capable of hearing the far off noises of various coyotes, wolves, bears, and moose. This was untouched territory, of course. There had been plenty of time for wildlife to set up camp here, too.

The first night was fairly normal. I had set up Sandy's bed in the corner of the living room, next to the T.V. that looked like it came out of the early 90's. I figured I'd give Sandy the option to have someplace to lay down for a while, despite the fact that he slept curled up with me nine times out of ten. Close to 10 at night, Sandy looked straight at the wooden door and whined. I figured he needed to piss, and opened the door to let him out, not worried about having my best friend stray too far from me. Instead he sat just inside the door, looking out at the forests edge beyond the path. I too stood and looked for a few minutes before deciding he had just heard an errant critter close to the cabin. The rest of the night was fairly normal, and Sandy slept with me fine.

The second night, I chalked the weirdness up to Sandy's stress. Earlier in the day, we had been walking a few miles through the woods beyond the house, and I thought I heard the sound of twigs cracking under something heavy. I hoped it wasn't a moose, because my shotgun wouldn't have stood a chance, but something changed in Sandy that I didn't pay close attention to at the time. He hunched himself on his hind legs, his front pressed close to the ground. His mouth pulled up over his teeth, and he growled towards nothingness. I figured we'd try hunting again later, if whatever it was had left and should he be feeling up to it, but once we were inside he didn't want to move. Even when I tried to get him to go outside and do his business, he sat at the door and cried, wailing at me to let me know he didn't want to go out there. I didn't pressure him. If he pissed on the floor, so be it. Sandy never acted up before. I could excuse an accident or two, if he really didn't want to be out there. It must've been a bear, I thought, before locking the door and calling it a night.

The third night is where things went to hell, /nosleep/, and I still don't fully understand what happened.

Sandy didn't eat all day. I managed to shoot a rabbit in the early morning, when Sandy decided he didn't want to be outside any longer than he had to, and retired inside for the day. I cooked it up, threw a little gravy on it, and gave it to my dog. I didn't do this all the time, but I figured now was a special occasion, and maybe a treat would put him in a better mood for another walk the next day.

Sandy didn't touch it. He didn't so much as sniff it. Instead, he sat at my side on the couch, watching the doorway intently. I tucked him under one of my arms, and he laid his head on my lap, eyes still locked on that door. Close to three hours of watching grainy VHS tapes on an outdated television set, Sandy started crying, hugging himself close to my body. This is where my judgement took me down the wrong path for the first time of many.

It must sound silly, being my dogs protector rather than my dog being mine, but this was my family. I figured if there was something out there that was scaring Sandy so bad, then it was my job to do something about it. I loaded my 4.10, opened the door, stood in the doorway and waited.

I must've waited at least a half hour, staring into nothing. There was barely any sound, save for the faint buzz of insects and leaves rustling in the cold autumn wind. Moose aren't elegant creatures, and if it were a moose, I would've heard it coming. Around the 40 minute mark, Sandy took off like a shot, into the darkness of the trees beyond the path, barking wildly. I started to get worried, despite my knowledge that my dog isn't entirely helpless in the wilderness. There were still bigger animals that would've liked to take a bite out of him if there wasn't a lot of food for the winter.

I heard Sandy's bark fade away in the distance, and then stop altogether.

I waited hours standing in the doorway with my shotgun cocked and ready to put down whatever it was that was waiting in the woods. I waited hours for Sandy to come back to the house. I waited until the sun was cracking through the trees, and then I waited until that night, sitting on my porch step, feigning off sleep deprivation to see my dog come back.

Sandy did come back, but not for another three days.

Fog had rolled in at that point, and it was getting darker, the night painting the sky a navy blue. Tracking over the last few days proved futile, and I started to get worried that I'd need to leave and find more provisions to last me the next few nights. I couldn't leave Sandy up there, lost in the woods, cold and probably hungry. The thought that he might be waiting out there for me to find him and bring him back home was distressing enough. I was packing the bag that hung on the coat rack next to the door with what I'd need for the next day's trip. I figured tomorrow would be the last day before I'd go into town and see if my Father would help me find Sandy. He was a retired, graying man, but I was sure if I brought up Sandy's name he'd be more than willing to help me search for him. Thankfully, Sandy came back before I'd even finished that train of thought.

I saw him from the window, on the path that lead down to the main road, a few dozen feet away from the house. Normally I'd hear him scamper to the doorway and paw at the door a few times, eager to come in, but this was different. I could see the reflection of his eyes as green pearls in the murky fog that had swamped the house. For a moment I thought it might be an animal, but the outline of his body in the wisps of thick low-lying clouds was unmistakable. Still, despite myself, I hesitated. There was something different about his body language. I stared out the window for a few more moments before reason overcame my gut instinct. Sandy could be hurt, I thought. Or worse.

I flung the doorway open, but he didn't come right away. Instead he stood there, watching me intently, and when he didn't move I whistled to him. "Here, Sandy," I coaxed him towards the house. "here, boy".

The way he moved was... different. It was as though his hips had been dislocated, and the angle of his paws changed direction with every step, as though he'd forgotten how to walk properly. His head was bowed to the ground, but his teeth weren't bared. He didn't seem aggressive. The only way I could describe the look he gave me was "sheepish", like he'd just gotten into something he wasn't supposed to and I yelled at him for it.

I thought he might hurt himself hopping up onto the elevated step if he'd dislocated his hips, but he did just fine. His back half swung a little, oddly enough, and his paws almost folded underneath himself, but he didn't go sprawling. He sat on the step and didn't take his look off me. It wasn't until I had moved from the doorway completely, opened the door wide and waited for him to walk in that he moved.

Straight to his bed. He didn't stop at my hand and sniff at me. He didn't wait for pets or jump up on me like used to. It was straight to his bed, where he sat and watched me for quite some time afterwards.

I returned to the movie at hand. I called to him a few times, but he didn't respond. His ears didn't so much as raise to the sound of his voice, or the pat of my hand on the worn out couch beside me. I had missed my buddy, but I wasn't about to move him physically towards me. There was something about him that said I shouldn't have let him in, but I chalked it up to silliness, and a few hours later I went to bed. The more I think back on it, I don't recall him blinking once. He sat there like a statue, and when I turned off the light, I could still see the reflection of jade green following me as I went into my room and shut the door.

I could have sworn I heard him walk in the night, the sound of nails clicking against the wooden floor coming up to the door of my room, but they were slow and deliberate. They weren't like the quickness of Sandy realizing I'd gone to bed and coming to curl up. I heard the noises stop outside of my bedroom, but I didn't hear his whine. I thought nothing of it and fell into a deep sleep.

When I woke in the morning, I figured it must've been a dream. Sandy was still sitting in the upright position I left him in when I went to bed. It was as though he didn't move a muscle the entire night, and when I said good morning, he didn't so much as wag his tail.

He did follow me into the kitchen, but he paused at the doorway when I put his bowl down on the floor and filled it up with supermarket dog food. Once again, his back half moved weirdly as he slowly made his way towards me. There was a nagging feeling that something was off putting about the way he looked that day. It was like he had gotten a little longer overnight.

Sandy hunched down again, like when he was walking to the door the night before. He didn't come into the kitchen. I figured he must've been hungry being out in the wild for so long, but he eyed me like he was waiting for me to come a little closer rather than touch the food. It goes without saying, but after a few moments of a staring contest between me and my unblinking dog, I called off that foolishness and called his name out loudly. Not even a flinch. I didn't want to move closer to my dog to leave the kitchen door, but this was my Sandy, and the most damage he'd ever done was eat flies. Sure enough, as I passed him, he turned and his body swayed unnaturally, but he didn't move towards me.

When I left that day, I couldn't find anything. The deer tracks in the mud were made a few days prior and went cold off naturally made trails through the woods. I couldn't hear bugs, or birds, or even the howl of a nearby coyote. The only sounds for miles away from the campsite were my own breathing, and the sound of crunching leaves underneath my feet. When the sun started to set, I started making my way back, but I should've just packed my shit and left.

Just behind a cluster of trees, with the house just visible beyond the rise, I figured I found out the reason why the animals had abandoned this place.

Generally, when there are mass animal deaths, that usually means that something is wrong in the area of the slaughter, and wildlife are usually smart enough to get the hell out of dodge. Even cats are bred instinctively not to like drinking from water that is close to where their food is, because if you saw a dead animal close to a stream, you'd figure the stream was tainted and find another source of water.

Hundreds of squirrels were disemboweled and strewn across the grass in an almost perfect circle. Most of them were skinned alive, but when I turned to heave up all the contents in my stomach, there were a few dozen that were inside out. I couldn't help but vomit repeatedly as I tried my best to walk around the circle of tiny organs and mashed up bodies, not just over the sight, but because the smell was ungodly. I don't know how long they'd been out there, but if I'd stumbled across this sooner, I'd have left with Sandy in tow immediately after. Gradually, the bodies stopped, and delved off into a random dead squirrel here and there. The biggest thing I managed to find, just a few feet off the unholy feeding ground, was a deer.

It looked as though something had decided to skin it alive from hide to neck, and draped some of the skin over a branch like someone was tanning the hide. I don't know how long it had been there, but it smelled like it had been dead for quite some time, despite the fact that there wasn't a single fucking fly. The head had been cut off clean just above the shoulders, and when I realized the organs had been removed, I moved from a walking pace through the forest to a jog. Thankfully the cabin wasn't too far off. I heaved one final time, wiped my mouth off on the back of my sleeve, and looked up to the house to see Sandy watching me from the window.

I tried to reason with myself, and tell myself Sandy's odd behavior could've been trauma. I know it's stupid to think of it now, but at the time, it was the only reasonable explanation I had to keep myself from going insane. The elongating body could've just been the loneliness getting to me. Sandy had realized there was something up with this place, and the second he noticed it I should've taken this warning and taken off back into town.

Once the door was shut behind me, I started packing the food and essentials back into boxes, moving quickly to try and get my things into the truck before night came. It'd be dangerous to try and maneuver my way through the trails at night, as the hills off Kelly's Mountain were steep, and in pitch darkness with my only companion being my headlights, it would've been easy to slide off a ravine and never be heard from again. I didn't want to stay one more night, but I had no choice. I had gotten back to the house just moments before the sun finally receded past the horizon, and we were bathed in a navy blue sky once again. I didn't pay attention to Sandy. He just sat at his bed and watched me pack. I figured no harm no foul, I'd throw his stuff in the truck in the morning and we'd be back in town before night the next day. Glancing at him for just a moment, it was a passing thought that he was looking a little longer today, and when I went to bed, it was a hard time getting to sleep for the next few hours.

It must've been close to 4 or 5 in the morning when I heard it.

The sound of whistling. The same whistle I used to call my dog. I broke out into a cold sweat when I realized that whoever slaughtered those squirrels, hung the skin up, left what he didn't need, could've very well broken into my house.

The door to my room didn't make a sound as I opened it slowly, thankfully. I waited a moment, listening to someone call my dog for a few more seconds before I dared poke my head out from the door frame to get a good look and whoever it was that could've hurt Sandy.

The outside door was open. All I saw was the back half of Sandy, too long and lanky, almost coiled around the back of the door. His front half was outside. Whatever it was that had impersonated my dog, it was whistling slowly, calling for Sandy.

When I could've sworn that it had hunched down to the ground again, and said "Saaaannn-deeee" in the most ungodly voice I'd ever fucking heard, I closed the door just as softly as I'd opened it.

I don't know how long I waited with my back pressed up against the door. I knew I left my gun in the bag on the coat rack. I know I didn't sleep. I waited until I saw the sun break over the horizon, and then I waited some more, until it must've been mid-day and I finally got the balls to open the door again and make a break for the truck. I wouldn't die in that place.

"Sandy" was gone, and the door was open. His food was untouched, but the fridge was open, and all the meat was gone. I didn't bother packing his stuff. I just threw my bag over my shoulder, made my way to the ford as fast as I could, and turned on the ignition. I can't describe the feeling that overcame me as I realized that I'd have to leave Sandy in this place. The thought that he could be dead was never a thought in my mind. I don't think I could cope with the knowledge that whatever I allowed in my house, whatever disemboweled those animals, could've done the same with him.

I made my way down the winding paths and roads as fast as I possibly could without veering off the cliffs. I felt like I was turning in circles down this labyrinth that would take me back to that house, but when I reached the pavement on the stretch of road back to town, I felt relief wash over me, thinking I was safe.

Just as I was pulling off onto the cement, I felt something hard hit the back windshield, sending broken glass into the passengers seat. I only got a glimpse of the deer's decapitated head catching on unbroken glass and tumbling into the back seat. I cried for most of the way home, hands clenching the steering wheel so hard my knuckles were white.

I wish I could leave this off with a positive note, /nosleep/. I wish I could tell you that I found Sandy at home, waiting for me. I wish I could tell you that was the end of it, a traumatizing experience in the woods that I'll get over with time.

Last night, I found it hard to sleep. I kept replaying the entirety of my trip to Kelly's Mountain in my head. I figured I wouldn't be sleeping for a while, and laid there, listening to the wind through my open window.

I could've sworn I heard the whistle I used to call my dog with, coming from the forests edge.

[peaches-of-1]

Peachtober | Day 31: Masquerade

Summary: It’s been two years since you and your love Namjoon met. Another year, another Masquerade Ball. However, this year is a bit differnt. Joon-ie is acting different. He’s still your’s, right?

Warnings: Angst, smut at the end, cheating(?), fluffy smut, breeding kink (let me know if I need to add more)

Also, the answer to all my weird questions: @hobis-baby-prince @therealredraven @dimpled-rapper-stan

You and Namjoon had been seeing each other for almost two years. The 25th Halloween Ball is what both of you called your first date even though it was by chance. It wasn’t soon after that everyone knew you as the girl probably dating Namjoon because you were in fact dating him. Four months after meeting, fans had created a ship name for you two: Squirrel and Tree because he was so tall and you were so cute and brown.

It had been your boyfriend’s idea to start a Lovestagram for all of your couple photos instead of putting your couple photos on your individual pages. Those were more for who you were as people and more about careers and friends and life outside of the partnership.

You had been performing as Eurydice in Hadestown which was literally one of the best roles you had ever gotten. It was nearly a year of you playing that part. However, the internet was calling you an unfaithful gf because of how you would kiss another man that wasn’t your boyfriend. You loved Namjoon more than you did Kim Woosung no matter how silky his voice was in comparison to Joon-ie’s natural growl.

Woosung had taken up acting with most of his group serving right now, and it just so happened he was playing Orpheus with you. Today’s show was no different. He made his lovestruck eyes at you and asked Hermes (played by Shinhwa’s Hyesung) if this was a real deal or not.

Then we walked single file on the moving platform, me trying to console him from behind, but not getting through to him.

“Orpheus, you are not alone. I am right behind you. We're all behind you, and I have been all along. We have been all along…The darkest hour Darkest hour of the darkest night Darkest night comes right before the- Right before the--”

Just as Fate had dictated, he turned around to face you, making you gasp in response. He wasn’t supposed to turn around. The thought of the audience was one.

“It's you…” He says with a smile, glad you were actually there.

You nodded, “It's me…” and sang his name one last time starting to cry. “Orpheus~…”

His eyes were so full of hope as he sang back, “Eurydice…” with all the love in his heart...before you’re taken away.

He didn’t hold up his part of the deal. You had to go back. You screamed and he reached as you were pulled back into the darkness by the workers. Then you all had two more songs to do while everyone in the audience was crying even if they had watched it a thousand times before. Hope tended to bring people more tears than tragedy. This show had both.

A moment of silence and then the crowd cheered. Flowers were tossed onto the stage as everyone finished up everything and soon enough, you were back in Namjoon’s arms. He hugged you.

“You did a great job, 공주님. As always.” His smile was hidden behind his mask, but made his eyes smaller as they were pushed up by his cheeks.

You kissed him once you were done with the stage door, “Thank you, 왕자님. Where to for dinner?”

“Our apartment. Pizza and 치맥 are waiting for us.” He said.

“Let’s go!” You said and pulled him along in your matching sweaters that you took pictures of this morning before he dropped you off at work.

There was a couple simply standing in front of your door, both in white diamond encrusted masquerade masks. The two of you instantly froze and prepared to run. Your hand was already reaching for the pepper spray when they both bowed. Rabbit and a Butterfly.

“Please don’t be afraid. We are only here to deliver this year’s invitations.” The taller one said.

Namjoon nodded, “Right. Almost forgot. Please, come in if you have the time.” and moved to open the door.

He unlocked it. You knew who the Rabbit was, but you weren’t sure about the other. Butterly was Namjoon’s Mentor, his Guide. Yet you had no clue about her identity except she was well revered in k-pop history. Your guess had been someone from SNSD. You weren’t allowed to know, however, so you would spend many years wondering.

Once inside, you jabbed Heechul’s arm, “I hate when you show up unannounced, and you know that.” no longer in awe of everything he was. You were too close of friends for that.

“Ouch. Don’t treat me like that. I’m working.” He chuckled and then pulled out a five colored envelope from his pocket.

Your name was on the back. Namjoon was handed one by his Mentor with his own stage name on it in neat hangul. You received the letters with both hands and thanked them.

“That’s not all.” She said, the Butterfly. “You have to wear this too.”

Medium sized boxes that most likely held your masks.

They then told you “Happy Halloween” before leaving. There was something strange about the look she gave your boyfriend. You weren’t the jealous type. You swear! It just stuck out for some reason. Seemed, unnecessary.

Both of you opened your invites away from each other and called the ones who had just been in there to set up an appointment for your fittings. You looked at your invitation.

Emerald. Green. It seemed as if the invitation really was made of the gem itself what with the way it sparkled and all. After about half an hour of conversation, you two snuggled up with animal night masks in matching pajamas to eat cold pizza and watch the latest episodes of Jin’s and Taehyung’s TV shows. Even Yoongi was a judge on a singing competition nowadays.

You had described your dress to Heechul saying you wanted to show off your legs. This wasn’t the Christmas Ball held by him each year, so you could be a bit less covered. Ruffles too, but not too many. You looked at your card again and what had come in the box. Your mask, yes, but also the emerald choker you’d be wearing.

Emerald. With these Masquerades, you let yourself be a bit extra and ignored the rules of fashion a bit. Today was your off day after all, so you followed the Rabbit’s tracks to the tailor’s shop on the outskirts of Seoul. You and Namjoon would find out each others’ color on Halloween Day. This cast of Hadestown had a less famous understudy, and you wondered if she was going to be invited or not. You kept a close eye on your phone to see if it’d be cancelled that day.

Heechul was in his rabbit mask the whole time you were being fitted, giving comments as you were done up and beauty was stitched around your frame. He also asked about your makeup.

“Sparkling and green, both eyes and lips.” You replied. “I might even do some green highlighter, but I feel like I’d be stepping into Elphaba territory if I do that so perhaps silver? To match the accessory?”

He nodded, “You gain a bit more fashion sense every year, a bit bolder.”

I chuckled, “Well, it’s never consistent. I always want to be talked about for being stunning.”

“And you are, even if the fans don’t know your name.”

“Absolutely. It’s a fun guessing game, and sometimes I realize that I’m wrong when I guess who’s behind the mask.” You replied before changing back into your regular clothing and heading to the museum with Namjoon.

Six days until the ball and the two of you would be leading some middle schoolers through some American Fairy Tales. You dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood while Namjoon was the wolf. The young teens loved it and saw it as a learning experience for their culture class. 

Five days until Halloween arrived, and you spent time working on your outfits for the ball before you had to go in for the show. You put on your many layers and boots and then did your makeup. It was really simple makeup for everyone, so you didn’t need anyone to do it for ya. Taehyung showed up today, surprising you with a kiss on the cheek and some flowers.

“You’re so sweet~” You said. “We’ll go out to eat after the show.”

“I have stuff to film today. I’m gonna be late because I wanted to watch your show, so maybe next time.” He replied.

You smiled, “Lunch on Halloween? We can invite the others out for ice cream with us.”

Taehyung asked, “What kind of ice cream would you get?”

“Matcha probably. I love the color of it. Maybe mint.” You tapped your chin. “What about you?”

“Lemon. Something with citrus.” He smiled his boxiest smile. “Have a good show, (Y/N). I can’t wait to hear you, my Little Songbird.”

So he would be wearing yellow for the ball. You wondered what jewel that coincided with as it was 10 minutes until curtain. One look over your makeup and outfit and you got checked by the costumer. She said it was done correctly and that you had everything. The cast be recording for the Original Cast Album after tomorrow’s show.

You were the one who really pushed for this before the original Hades aka Super Junior’s Siwon officially retired from the entertainment industry to just chill with his family and show up on variety shows every once in a while.

The ball was in four days, and here you were in a binder, leather overalls, and a brown belt with holders on it while singing your solo.

What I wanted was to fall asleep Close my eyes and disappear Like a petal on a stream, a feather on the air

Lily white and poppy red I trembled when he laid me out You won't feel a thing, he said, when you go down Nothing gonna wake you now

Dreams are sweet, until they're not Men are kind, until they aren't Flowers bloom, until they rot, and fall apart

Is anybody listening? I open my mouth and nothing comes out Nothing, nothing gonna wake me now

Flowers, I remember fields of flowers Soft beneath my heels Walking in the sun, I remember someone Someone by my side, turned his face to mine And then I turned away, into the shade

You, the one I left behind If you ever walk this way Come and find me lying in the bed I made

You sniffled at the end and let out a huge breath before smiling and showing off a red carnation in your hair. It was the only one they were video recording for you today since everyone already did the wall song earlier.

Your dress was nearly finished as the spooky romantic holiday was three days away. They no longer needed you to come in since all they had to do was add the sparkle to the skirt and torso. You hugged the tailor and told him you were excited to see his finished project. His partner was there too and she’d be helping, but she didn’t like physical contact all that much. So you simply bowed and said the same thing to her.

Hadestown wasn’t performing today after yesterday’s two shows, so you all went out and helped to hand out candy and visit children at a hospital while we dressed up as our characters but in a more traditional sense. You were a glittering fairy. The kids were interested in your curly hair and some tried to grab at it, but you told them it was better to ask first if you let them touch it at all.

It was hard to say no to such cute faces, though.

Two days until the ball, and Namjoon seemed rather…secretive? He had been going out a lot lately and not telling you where. However, BTS was currently on a break so it couldn’t have been for work. If he was working while he was supposed to be relaxing, you were going to fight him.

“Doubt Comes In” played in your mind as you tried to stay strong and trust him. You did. More than most of your own family members if you’re being completely honest, but that was because he would always communicate with you. He wouldn’t usually leave while you were sleeping without leaving a text saying he had gone out. Namjoon didn’t always tell you what he was doing, but it just seemed so very uncharacteristic of your lover.

Halloween was tomorrow, and you two were doing a Vlive together as you usually did on Wednesdays. It was the two of you cooking a winning recipe with fans as they could watch from three different cameras. Today was an American Korean fusion dish of black bean alfredo pasta with some sweet cornbread as a side.

He cuddled up behind you and gave you a back hug, “You mix that cornmeal so well.” he purred and kissed your neck.

You giggled and bit your lip, “Aren’t you supposed to be boiling pasta?”

Namjoon knew your weak spot, and you knew he wanted something. He was teasing you in the most innocent of ways since you were live.

Your prince hummed, “To think, maybe one day, we’ll be doing this stream with a crying baby in the background or a hungry tike pulling on one of our aprons.”

You stopped stirring to look at him, “You gotta marry me first.”

He winked, “I’ll think about it.” and gave a shy chuckle as he went to go finish his end of things.

Then you two ate with fans watching and answered some questions. Doubt was still nagging at the back of your mind, but you smiled through it knowing he would never betray you or your heart. You loved each other more than anything in this world.

He waved his hand in front of your face, and you focused on Namjoon’s smiling face as he chewed. Then he chuckled.

“You were staring~.” He said in a sing song voice.

“I love you so much.” Was your reply and kissed his nose.

Your Joon Bug scrunched up his face with affection and then you two went back to eating. They wondered if you were having kids or getting married any time soon.

“We’ve talked about getting married.” You replied. “But not as much recently. We’ve just been so busy. Maybe on his next break, we’ll have our wedding. Who knows?” you laughed.

He started singing, “‘You take me in your arms and suddenly there's sunlight all around me. Everything bright and warm, and shining like it never did before.’”

You chuckled and blushed, “You never sing on streams.”

Namjoon shrugged, “I love you so much. Also, guys, make sure to get tickets to Hadestown and watch my wife in the lead role.”

Your fork dropped onto the table, “Wife?” you asked as he used the term 여보 which was mostly used by already married couples.

“They were just asking about marriage, so I wanted to try it out.”

You put your hand on your cheeks because you were blushing so hard, “You. I don’t. I need a minute. Ah, my heart!” you went away from the camera and did a little happy dance.

Just him saying that word and referring to you was enough to make your heart race a thousand times in a second. To actually be his wife. To be the one he wanted to spend his life with. That was a moment worth more than your weight in gold, or diamonds, or emeralds. Or amethyst. Namjoon’s invite was on the coffee table, and you were just barely able to make out the words.

Today was the day when you got to wear your dress to the Halloween ball. Your mask was in your hand while Namjoon was looking in the mirror trying to put on his Jewel, a choker matching yours but made of amethyst.

He froze the moment he saw you in the reflection, “Wow…you look. You’re stunning, Y/N, and here I thought you could never be more beautiful. You’re literally glowing.”

“You say that every year, 왕자님. Need help with your necklace?” You reached out as he nodded and handed it to me.

“Maybe I should’ve put the mask on last instead.” He chuckled.

You smiled as you could reach his neck better at this angle, “Your eyeshadow looks great.”

“Yours too. Hopefully, it won’t melt by the time we’re back at the hotel.”

“Hotel?” You asked. “What hotel?”

He smiled, “Surprise. Since we live quite far from the venue, I decided to book a hotel for the night.”

You gave him a cheeky grin, “Is that so?”

“Mmmmhmm~”

“Can’t wait.” You whispered before grabbing both of your invites and taking a moment to admire how Namjoon was only wearing a purple velvet blazer with dress pants and black Oxfords.

There was no vest or dress shirt under the blazer. Guess he must’ve heard your thoughts about showing more skin and wanted to partake in the look as well. You had your right leg out as well as your own shoulders to make sure the Jewel stood out. The two of you had matching feather and acorn earrings with a matching gem stud in opposite ears.

Your lips and eyes shone just as much as the choker. Namjoon had put on simple but still bold shadow. Both of you had decided to wear colored contacts in the other’s given color scheme. It was fun to wear purple contacts.

The two of you joined arms and went into the sapphire colored limousine that had the other guys and their dates waiting inside. Hobi had been lucky enough to also get emerald and wore a green and black Gucci suit while his boyfriend was in an ombre purple ball gown. It seemed they had been given matching brooches. Taehyung was in a golden yellow suit and waved, showing off his yellow citrine bracelet which matched his gf’s blonde hair which cascaded over a bold ruby red gown.

Yoongi and his partner were both in amethyst tuxes. Jin seemed to be whispering sweet nothings to his darling love as he was in his ruby embroidered blazer and they tucked their neon pink hair to show off their emerald earring. Both Jimin and his hunk of dark chocolate were in blues which made me happy because he looked best in that color.

Jungkook said hi as he adjusted the leaf shaped emerald brooch on his white cravat which peeked out of his silk green vest. He looked like a prince with his banana dressed gf by his side, both showing off their tattoos.

It had been a while since they had all been together like this, about a month or so because they had all gone home. Now you were all in the back of a limo and having a good time jamming to music and chilling to random music, featuring some of your vocals since the Hadestown album was coming out bit by bit.

“Ah, you’re such an angel, (Y/N)-ssi. You’ve grown so much since you were in Hamilton,” Jimin said. “We’re so proud of you.”

You blushed, “Thanks, guys. It helps that I was able to get a vocal coach after the ball that year. I had a bunch to choose from.”

Soon enough, you were at the rather large mansion where this ball was being held. All fourteen of you did makeup touchups before securing our masks on. Jungkook and Neveah were first out of the limo, followed by Tae and Imani. Jimin was helped out of the car by his boyfriend Evan who had gotten his hair lined up nice for this event. Yoongi and his boyfriend kissed each other’s cheeks after they got out, and Jin was the perfect gentleman helping his partner out of the car as well. Next were you and Namjoon who were then followed by Hobi and his bf Sara. 

There. You walked the ruby red carpet and posed for the cameras. The air of mystery of who was dating who even though the world knew who you were without the masks on. You greeted the livestream, and he kissed your lips before we headed in. You would be entering from the top of the stairs into the main room.

However, both you and Namjoon were stopped before and given matching crowns. Not small ones or light ones either. Real heavy crowns that had all the jewels placed in the framing. You asked what this meant, and the woman who placed it on you simply smiled and said that was for later.

She seemed to have the same build as Namjoon’s mentor but it was a different mask. It was a relief that you didn’t have to work during the ball this year and sing for attention to boost your career.

Your friend Zuzu had come to Korea to spend it with her girlfriend Amber. There were rumours about their relationship, but nothing had been confirmed. Then again, she said that they were going to go public December 1st. They made such a cute couple. Both were were wearing red. Zuzu in a dress that matched the streak in her braided hair and Amber in a crushed velvet blazer and matching pants, large rings on their fingers. Zuzu’s dark brown skin went so well with the silken gown making her appear as a volcano of affection.

She came and hugged you tightly, “OMG, you are slaying that dress gurl. Lookin’ like an expensive ass avocado.”

“Ok, Miss Bell Pepper lookin’ goddess.” You said in response getting her to laugh. “Nice to see you again, Amber.” You smiled in her direction.

“Hey Y/N, you look great.” She said in her red suit with glitter lapels.

You asked with a playful tone, “Where’s your dress~?” not even able to finish the sentence before laughing.

“I only wear a dress for certain people when we’re doing certain things.” She pulled Zuzu back by the waist and kissed her cheek.

Sara asked who Amber was with shyly because they looked so good together. You introduced Hobi’s boyfriend to the sapphic couple and they were able to hold an easy conversation while you continued to dance with Namjoon who you knew was starting to feel a bit neglected.

“You could’ve talked to them longer.” He said.

You shook your head, “I mean, I could have, but we don’t get much time to be together. You’re the one that I love in this world.”

Namjoon blushed, “I love you too.” and he kissed your forehead before spinning you around a bit. “How many children do you want?”

“More than two. Only children usually grow up wishing they had siblings.” You replied.

“Hmmmm, if we were to get married, where would you want the wedding?” He asked.

You smiled, “Anywhere you are...as long as we go to someplace really fun for our honeymoon.”

Joonie grinned, “Note taken.”

Then you got a very pleasant surprise.

Chan’s girlfriend and one of your best friends, Jay, showed up in matching sapphire looks. The media called them Chay while all her friends called them Cray because they were crazy in love. Also, we used his English name. She hugged you and you complimented each other on your outfits.

She was in a tight fitting evening gown with a lace cape. Her Jewel was a blue monochrome brooch that was clipped onto her waist. Her hair was put into a sleek ponytail. Chan had the biggest professional crush on Namjoon, and it was so obvious especially with his red ears so close to his blue blazer and pants. His brooch was on his left side, over his heart and shaped like a dragonfly. He had a layered cravat the color of cream.

Jay talked about the book she had written. Chan bowed to his sunbaenim Namjoon and the two men talked about what the younger would be doing for their next comeback.

“I actually wanted to ask you a huge favor.” She said, her Korean having a bit of a Dutch accent to it.

“Anything for you.” You replied.

She shoved a small packet in your hands, “Learn this in like an hour and then perform it real quick. It’s to promote the musical I’m making out of my book. If you just do this one favor for me, then you can have the lead. Nay, you can have any part your heart desires. Please please please? I just finished writing it this morning or I would have gotten it to you sooner.”

“I swear to God, Jay. I better get to help design costumes.”

“Anything. I love you so much.” She said and then put her arm through yours. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

For about an hour and a half, you studied the lyrics she wrote along with the beautiful melody. She admitted that it was based on one of her old fanfictions before she dated her current idol bf about “an introverted young man working as a barista in a book cafe where every day the girl of his dreams drops by. But what would a girl like her, beautiful and cool, want with a nerd like him?”

It was originally about Jungkook, but she got the book deal after she changed the names away from idols and towards “regular” names. She kept the lead as a Korean male, however.

And then you were rushed on stage with the music packet in front of you on a music stand just in case you needed it. Sara and his love Hobi were in the front row with Namjoon rushing to make it to see you as he was a steady source of strength.

Jay stood up on stage and smiled at you before addressing the audience, “Hello, I am an internationally acclaimed author R.R. Valravn. Pleased to meet you. My friend Y/N is up here ready to sing a song from my book because it is being turned into a musical set to debut in 2-3 years. Until then, here is a taste of what’s to come.”

She stood off to the side and had her co-writer play piano while you sang the song she had written. *

“Day in day out soft mellow tunes / accompanied by the warm scent of coffee / and the tales of others to protect / fill the hours at a distant  of a young man with a dreaming mind. / Often I wonder how the world looks / through eyes filled with fantasy / yet there is no courage to ask / for fear of waking him / for killing those dancing lights / ignorant of reality. / So I let him dream, / hoping one day the imaginations / are no longer creative ghosts / and the world is his story.”

*(Read Down the Rabbit Hole by TheRealRedRaven on Tumblr)

Everyone watched as you slowly opened your eyes to see Namjoon’s mentor whispering in his ear and then wiping her lipstick off of him. A small fire flared up inside of your stomach. She was trying to make him cheat on you. You could just feel it. You could feel there was a secret between them, and it pissed you off!

Because you didn’t want to be seen as the angry black woman, you smiled as you, Jay, and the pianist bowed together before leaving the stage.

Namjoon came over to congratulate you, “Hey, you did such a great job, Princess.”

“Don’t you princess me. Why don’t you go chat it up with your Mentor about whatever is going on between you two?” you pulled your arm away and huffed.

You found yourself in the fall tinted garden. Orange leaves were lit by amber lighting encased in black iron. False ghosts and real spider webs decorated the area. And you found yourself running into an empty gazebo that overlooked the city.

Why was he keeping secrets from you? What was so scary that he couldn’t tell you, the one he supposedly loved? You trusted him! You loved him! Did he no longer feel the same? On your two year anniversary of dating? And here you thought you were going to marry him.

“Y/N! Princess, what are you doing? What happened?” His concern sounded so truthful, making it sting even more as he tried to catch his breath.

“You tell me! I’m not blind. You’ve been sneaking out lately, when I’m sleeping. Where do you go? To see your Mentor?”

“Yes, but--”

“WHY?” You didn’t want to yell, but you did. The word reverberated off of the marble poles. “Why are you going behind my back to see that woman? I don’t even know who she is!”

“Ailee. It’s Ailee. We’ve been friends for a long time. She took me under her wing, but none of that matters.” He was so upset and confused that you couldn’t look at him.

You instead responded, “Then why are you sneaking out to see her? Without telling me when or at least why.” with your hands tightly gripping the banister. He was so good to you but it pained you to look at him.

“Because, Princess, she’s been helping me do something...for you.”

You rolled your eyes and scoff, “What do you--?”

There was a smile in his voice as he said, “Turn around and find out.”

“What the h…” The rest of the words forgotten as you turned and didn’t see Namjoon until you looked down.

He was on one knee in front of you and holding out a ring. You shook your head trying to understand…

“N-Namjoon?”

“Y/N, I’ve spent the last month trying to find the perfect ring to do this with. Ailee has been helping me because I would rather fall off this mountain than ask you to choose your own engagement ring.”

“Don’t say that; you might actually do it, you klutz.” Different tears started to build behind your eyes.

He took a deep breath, “My Princess Y/N, my love of my life, my past and my present state of being belong to you. Will you be my future, too?”

“J-Joon. Joon-ie, I…”

“Will you marry me, Y/N?” He actually said it.

You nodded and covered my mouth as tears started to cascade down my cheeks, “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes! I’ll marry you, Namjoon. Of course I will!”

He slid the ring onto your brown hand, the orange light of the gazebo becoming softer in the moment.

Namjoon kissed you and held you tight around the waist as you hugged him still crying.

“I’m so sorry I got so suspicious. You know I didn’t--”

“Shhh, I know, Princess. I know. I just wanted it to be a surprise. I’m so sorry I made you doubt me, 여보.” He said.

You grabbed his face, “Call me that again.”

“여보?”

You kissed him, “Again.”

“여보.” Smooch. “여보.” Smooch. “My lovely wife.”

When I went back inside with the others, Jay approached me with Zuzu and Sara. 

Jay was excited, “I just got like 25 different people saying they wanted to try out for my musical or saying they wanted to fund it. Thank you so much, Y/N I owe you big time, lass!”

“Where were you two?” Sara asked, fixing his necklace.

You held up your hand, “Getting proposed to.” and showed them your ring.

They all squealed and the congratulations started. Then the boys found out that you had said yes and congratulated you. Heechul took off his mask and hugged you, saying he better be invited to the wedding.

“This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you, asshole! Of course you’re invited!” you giggled.

And then Ailee approached after she hugged Namjoon and kissed him on the cheek. You went over to bow and apologize.

She just smiled at your offering, “I’ll forgive you on one condition.”

“Anything.” You replied.

“Be a good wife for Namjoon and a good mother for the children you two will raise. Work together with him and be happy.” She held my shoulders.

You nodded and giggled, “Done and done.”

“Then you’re forgiven.” The brown haired idol said, hugging me tightly.

So that’s what the crowns were for. You were Halloween Ball royalty having met and now being engaged at the party. They had known. Why would they not? You and your husband to be Namjoon danced in the middle of the ballroom until it was time for you all to leave.

Your car with him went to the hotel he booked. The small bags of luggage were already in the Lovers’ Suite. The two of you began to get out of the super formal clothing and into the more comfortable nudity.

“여보~” You said. “Can you help me out of this dress?” The question came out of your mouth as your arms were already out of it.

Namjoon came over after tossing his blazer on the plush chair and unzipped the gown, and you let it fall to the ground. You were still in your undergarments as you hung up the dress and set it on the other chair before swinging around the stripper pole that was in the room.

“Really, Namjoon. If you wanted me to give a show, you could’ve just asked.”

He was blushing, “I didn’t know it had one of these. I--”

“Mmmmhhmmmm~”

You faced the pole and then tried to climb it, but Namjoon didn’t want you getting hurt by any pole that didn’t belong to him. As soon as he kissed your neck, your legs nearly gave out and you let out an airy moan.

“When did you wanna get married?” he asked.

“Now.” You responded in your lacy mint colored lingerie smiling at him.

He chuckled and began to grope at your breasts, “Do you think it would be too much if we consummated before the wedding?”

You smiled and turned around, “No.”

Your lips met his and you unbuttoned his pants as he unclipped your strapless bra. The heat between you two increased as you became more and more undressed. You loved him. You loved him so much, and you made sure he knew that.

“I don’t deserve you.”

“I was about to say the same thing, and yet somehow you’re mine.” He said as he laid you down on the bed, your choker jewels clacking against each other.

You giggled, “It’s been a while since I’ve had you in a collar.”

He licked your ear and purred, “I could say the same to you.”

You moved your leg to rub up his crotch, making him gasp and whimper as you made contact, his brown eyes fluttering for a moment before they focused on you. Namjoon didn’t hesitate to kiss all over your chest. He sucked on your nipples making you mewl in pleasure and grab his head as he went lower and lower. His long fingers played with your clit and soon he sunk two digits inside your folds.

“Baby, you’re so wet.” He purred.

“Only because I love you, idiot.” You gave a breathy moan that hitched in the middle as he took your pert dark brown nipples between his teeth and tugged. “Ooooh, Joon-ie~ I can’t, oh, I can’t wait.”

Namjoon swirled his tongue around your chocolate areolas as he added another finger inside of you. His fingers still had several rings on them, making the texture even more enjoyable for you pussy which began to pulse at the added stimulation. Your fiance had a silly rule for having sex with you, one of the few he had. You had to orgasm at least once before he fucked you loopy. He was a gentle lover, sensitive and sweet and considerate until he got inside of your heated cunt. Then he lost all of his reason and just wanted to fuck you.

It was so cute when he got so needy. Even when he was domming or during simple sex, he’d ask for your permission to cum. Sometimes you were the one begging for release because it felt so good and you lowkey forgot which role you played for the night.

You blindly reached for his cock and began to rub it making Namjoon bite his lip and moan with his eyes closed. He was already very sticky from his own leaking precum as well. You turned the tables so that you were on top and lined up his cock with your hole and began to sink down.

“Babe, what, ah~ what about the condom?” He hissed and held your hips.

“Ah, ah, oh shit. Don’t need one tonight.” You said, stretching to fit his thick dick inside. “I’m gonna be your wife soon and we should get a head start on making babies.”

His eyes lit up, “We’re gonna have such beautiful kids. With a mother like you, oh fuck Y/N! How many kids?”

“As many as you can fuck into me.” You bit your lip and bounced on him. “Use your hips, you gorgeous idol you.” You giggled.

Namjoon lifted his hips to connect with yours, making you squeak. He smiled up at you and you clawed his chest as his cock reached deeper and deeper inside of your wet heat. Your moans filled up the room, but it was a waste to be in the lovers’ suite and not use any of the toys. You grabbed the scarf you were going to wear tomorrow and told Namjoon to tie your hands to the stripper pole.

He did and just watched you squirm for him as he searched for something for himself. What he found was a vibrating cock ring that kept him hard as he plunged into you again as you faced him. A connections of eyes and a shared smile led to a kiss deeper than his dick could ever go. So tender and yet so rough that both of you teared up.

“I love. I love you. I love you so much.” You said.

“Me too. I love you too. I can’t wait to be your husband, Y/N. Kim Y/N, my wife. Oh god, I’m gonna cum.” He said lifting your leg over his shoulder.

You gripped the cold metal made hot by constant friction, “Let’s see if we can get some twins out of you? Kiss me.”

“Always.” Namjoon thrusted his hips into you more and more and felt you melt on him as he painted your insides white with his cum.

A moment of hard breathing and your legs began to shiver as your third orgasm of the night washed over you no matter how dry it was. You could feel Namjoon’s cum leaking out of your pussy. He scooped it up and pushed it back inside you.

“Can’t have twins if you let them seep out of you.” He kissed your shoulder and laughed. “What the fuck did I just say?”

Both of you began to laugh and then he untied you and you used your mouth to clean off his dick before both of you hopped into the shower. Then you and your husband to be cuddled in the large bed before falling asleep in each other’s arms. You couldn’t wait to be his wife.

A note from the author:

Thanks to everyone who read along with my updates and requested reactions and moodboards! Since October is nearly over, we’re gonna start getting ready for Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hannukah! Feel free to start requesting for that even thought they will not come out until December.

Also, make sure to answer the survey that was posted right before this. Remember that all past prompts and writings can be found in my Masterlist, located in my bio.

[mobius-prime]

121. Knuckles the Echidna #22

Dark Alliance (Part One of Three): You Say You Want a Revolution…

Writer: Ken Penders Pencils: Jim Valentino Colors: Barry Grossman

So fair warning - this arc is very politics-heavy. I've already criticized the inclusion of politidrama plotlines in the comic before, despite my own personal interest in them, so I won't go over it again. What I will go over is that this arc also includes quite a few tasteless references to the Nazi regime of World War II, starting with the intro page. See, every issue in this arc begins with, rather than the traditional intro page that recaps past events and introduces plot points to come, instead a speech or quote relevant to the current story. This one is a parody, if you will (though played completely straight) of the "First They Came" poem by the German pastor Martin Niemöller, referring to how many people stayed silent while the Nazis oppressed and enacted genocide upon groups that those in silence didn't belong to. In this altered version, "Anonymous" claims that Robotnik came for hedgehogs, squirrels, rabbits, and foxes first, during which the speaker stayed silent as they were an echidna and didn't want to get involved, and so by the time he came for the echidnas there was no one left to speak up for them. Of course, quite aside from the fact that this is completely disrespectful to the real-world situation that the actual poem describes, that's not even how the Robotnik coup went down. Robotnik, upon dethroning King Acorn, pretty clearly just started roboticizing all Mobians indiscriminately without regard to their individual species. Not only that, but he didn't even get a chance to start on the echidnas, as all of them were either contained in their pocket universe on the Floating Island, or hanging out in Albion, which it appears Robotnik never even knew existed. I don't know, the whole thing is clearly an attempt to seem really intellectual and deep on Penders' part, but it just comes off as insensitive instead.

Anyway, onto the actual story. We open in the house of High Councilor Pravda, who appears to be the main political leader of the city. In the dead of night, Pravda is awakened by a window smashing downstairs, and angrily stomps down to confront the intruder, believing it to be "dingo trash up to no good." Instead, he is dragged out of his house roughly by several Dark Legionnaires, while the leader, called Kommissar (her title, not her name), admonishes him for his apparent hypocrisy regarding his anti-technology stance.

Well, she seems lovely! As she has her people drag him away, we pan to Haven, where Knuckles is demanding answers from his grandfathers on his father's whereabouts. To his credit, Sabre is genuinely apologetic to Knuckles, believing that they should have been a lot more forthcoming with him a lot sooner, but Knuckles really isn't having it, and can you blame him?

As a side note, this is about the point in the comic where the eyes of characters such as Knuckles and Tails, formerly depicted as black pupils as in the classic games, start to gain some color. We already saw it with Tails a little while back during the Sand-Blasters two-parter, and it's very inconsistent between issues (for example, you'll notice his eyes are blue instead of purple up there), but you'll start to notice it in screenshots from here out before their designs finally stabilize to their modern forms, similar to their designs from the games.

While Knuckles continues to demand to see his father, we ourselves see Locke, who is dropping off Remington, Julie-Su, Lara-Le and Wynmacher back in Echidnaopolis. Remington asks him how things went with Lara-Le again, and Locke acts like he's all regretful that he couldn't woo Lara-Le back to him or something, which like, really man? You're divorced and haven't spoken properly in years, and she has a new fiancé now, did you really expect to just manage to sweep her off her feet again and get remarried? Julie-Su tries to approach Locke to thank him for saving the whole group, and finds herself recognizing his appearance somewhat. Upon asking, she's shocked to find out that he's Knuckles' father, and asks him about Knuckles' whereabouts. Remington ushers her away before they get a chance to speak further, probably to protect Locke's privacy, and as he jokes with her that it seems like she actually cares about Knuckles, Locke muses to himself that his son is likely furious with him, which, yeah, not far off there buddy. He has an idea of where his son might have gone, and as he speeds off in his air vehicle, we jump over to the Kommissar, who has by now dragged her captive all the way back to the Dark Legion's current hideout… and oh boy, inside we get to see a familiar f- …uhh… okay, well, I won't call him a familiar face, because we've never seen him looking quite this messed up before, but it's Dimitri, okay? It's Dimitri back on his BS.

Guess he had to have some, uh, extensive reconstructive surgery after his rather literal fall from grace. And unfortunately for everybody who doesn't want to be ruled over by a cyborg'd up monstrosity of a dictator, he's got a new takeover plan in mind for the city!

Back in the more civilized areas of Echidnaopolis, Remington is having his driver take Wynmacher and Lara-Le back to their apartment when they find the streets blocked by a protest from dingoes, agitating about their lack of housing and accommodations within the city. Remington tries to resolve the situation peacefully by requesting that if they must protest, to at least let traffic pass while they do, but at that moment a giant flaming fireball comes out of nowhere and starts wrecking the place, and the whole thing devolves into a big brawl between the protesting dingoes and the watching echidnas.

Remington calls Haven for backup, and while I'm not sure who exactly in that nest of grandpas he expected to go rushing out of there for something as simple as a protest gone wrong, luckily for him he mentions Lara-Le over the comm, and Knuckles immediately enlists Archimedes' help to poof him out there to help his mom. Meanwhile, we get to see that Locke has completely, thoroughly misjudged where Knuckles would be hanging out at this moment, having thought for whatever reason that he would be brooding inside the Chaos Chamber next to Mammoth Mogul's ugly frozen mug.

Now this is some well-appreciated character development from Locke. I've been heavily criticizing him this entire time for how he's handled his interaction, or lack thereof, with his son, and I'm glad to see that Lara-Le's admonishments seem to have gotten through to him. While he won't get a chance to catch up with his son right at the moment, at least we know the big talk isn't that far off in the future.

Knuckles and Archimedes poof into the fray on the streets, and Knuckles begins throwing punches at whoever gets close enough, which as everyone knows is the single best way to end a violent brawl - by participating! Despite being an echidna himself, he doesn't hesitate to throw punches at other echidnas in the bunch, with Archy adding some of his own fire breath into the mix. If anything, I'd say he accurately judged the situation, which is that the dingoes were peacefully demonstrating and it appears to have been an angry, racist echidna who threw the first molotov. General Von Stryker makes his entrance, and despite him predictably acting aggressive and blaming echidnakind in general for the dingoes' treatment, Knuckles actually agrees with him that the echidnas are being really crappy, and offers a truce so they can discuss what went wrong and how to resolve it. Meanwhile, back in hell - I mean, the Legion's hideout…

This is probably the single most disturbing page in the comic so far, if you ask me. This guy is begging, screaming, for mercy and they put him under like nothing's wrong and start doing surgery without his consent (obviously) on his brain. Dimitri, watching the proceedings, starts mwahaha'ing to himself about the whole affair, as apparently Pravda is the direct descendant of Menthor, the councilman who denied his and Edmund's proposal to use the Chaos Syphon all those centuries ago. He's determined not to get careless with his power again in the future, and now that he's defeated death by old age through the sheer power of adding more and more cybernetics to his failing frame every time something goes wrong, he's ready to get his long-due revenge.

In another part of the city, Knuckles and Archimedes poof right into the middle of the Chaotix, who are pleased to finally see him and hopefully get a chance to catch up. As he explains what was going on with the protest, Julie-Su arrives and gives him the "why" he was looking for, which is that, naturally, Pravda was kind of a racist ass and wasn't working very hard to ensure the dingoes would have housing built for them in a timely manner. However, elections for the position of High Councilor are coming up in a few days, and Pravda has ever-so-mysteriously been missing since the previous night, with his traumatized wife too messed up to be able to talk about what she saw. She slyly mentions when questioned that "a little birdie" gave her all this information, leading Vector to rather rudely blame her for "having friends in low places" and generally acting as distrustful of her as ever. Seriously, Vector's been kind of a jerk to her ever since she left the Legion, and you just know that situation is gonna come to a head sooner or later. But enough of them - let's head back to the Kommissar, who's having her people reenact Kristallnacht in the streets of Echidnaopolis! (Told you this arc is full of tasteless references to WWII…)

She reports in to Dimitri, who is pleased to hear about her progress on the senseless property damage and random citizens she's beating up for no reason. Like, the regime seems cacklingly evil enough to want to do this kind of stuff, sure, until you hear Dimitri's actual plan for takeover this time - he's implanted control chips into Pravda's brain, and is going to use him as a mouthpiece for the Legion's ideals in the upcoming election!

So, wait. You want to get your new mind-slave to cast your organization in a positive light, and at the same time you're having one of your main commanders go around smashing windows and beating people up in alleys? How is this master plan of yours supposed to work, exactly? That entire Kristallnacht page could be removed from the comic and not only would it not impact the story, it would make it make more sense than it currently does. I seriously think that it was only included to draw more parallels to the Nazi regime, because there's just no way it makes any real sense otherwise. Sigh, Penders. Why do you have to be like this?

[son-of-alderaan]

Watership Down – An interview with John Boyega

Who do you play? I'm playing Bigwig. A rabbit with a dark past - a lot of wars fought, a lot of scars to show for it. A rabbit who is tough, stern and has a really deep sense of family. He’s a great character to play and, for me, the strongest and the coolest of the bunch.

You must have been excited to join the project? I was excited because I had no clue as to what the production team were going to do with this. When I first heard about it through my agent I didn’t know it was going to be CG, and I didn’t know that it would have this amazing British cast attached. Actors like James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, and Daniel Kaluuya - all great actors who are doing really well at the moment and, for me, it was a great opportunity to join them. I was also curious as to how they were going to do this, because the 1978 film was in 2D and it was devastating. I was devastated, I can’t lie. It was too much - it was bloody and looked a bit strange and as a kid taking that in was very scary. But this version, whilst still animation, looks a lot more real now, and it’s so interesting to take that approach. With CG you can add a sense of reality, which increases the emotional stakes for those watching it.

How do you prepare for a role like this? You have to have a deeper sense of imagination when performing, because you’re in a booth - you're not there on a set, and you’re not able to react off anything. And in Watership Down the characters are consistently constantly moving, so you have to imagine whether at any one point you're running through a lake or crossing a road when a big car comes by, for example.

For me, it’s playing. There are certain types of roles in which you can just play, and for me this is one of those roles. You just use your imagination. So I’m pretending to choke in a snare, or if there’s a scene where Bigwig’s eating I'll get a bowl of grapes and do the scene with lots of grapes in my mouth. I try as much as possible to re-enact what the character’s going through.

And on top of that, it all happens with the animators. They do all the magic, and our voices breathe life into the magic they do.

How does Bigwig differ from other roles you’ve played? I’d say that I always seem to be playing characters who haven’t found their path just yet. You meet them at a point where the film starts and they haven’t found their part or their place. Whereas with Bigwig he kinda knows where he belongs, but he just discovers more about himself through his connection with Hazel and the other bunnies. He finds his leadership, but has to go through a whole journey to discover that. It’s quite a bit different to the other roles I’ve played. Finn: Stormtrooper. Jake: Jaeger pilot. Bigwig: rabbit. I'm versatile, man!

What attracted you to Watership Down? I wanted to be part of a great animation. Animation is something that I’m quite passionate about, and this for me was the chance to be part of a sophisticated story with a great team - and also to be part of a story that I remember growing up with. I like to be a part of things that have had an effect on me growing up. That’s why I’m part of Star Wars and Pacific Rim - it’s my way of being a part of that again.

What sets this adaptation apart from any previous ones? I think because this Watership Down is told across four episodes you’re able to really discover and get to know the intricacies of the characters in a really intimate way. It just allows the audience to really get into that world. And the TV format makes you excited about watching the next episode of something. This is accessible to everyone on the BBC, and it's a new version of an old story with an obviously phenomenal cast. It gives a great new take on an old tale.

Why should BBC One viewers tune in? It’s a nice opportunity to sit down with the family for an evening of Christmas animation, which is also something a little bit serious. There’s a great balance there. The whole family can watch it and all get something out of it. If I had kids I’d definitely sit down to watch Watership Down with them. To watch them cry…! No, I’m joking. It’s a fun family adventure - it’s got great VFX and a great cast of actors with recognisable voices, and it’s something I think everyone will enjoy.

What’s made the story of Watership Down so successful over the years? I can only speak from the British perspective on this one. If you go out to the countryside, you'll see a hare or a squirrel roaming around, and for me anyway there was always that curiosity of what’s it’s like for them in day to day life. I think the journey they’re on intrigues a lot of people. The story is timeless, too. Yes it’s a story about rabbits, but actually what they’re going through resonates on a human level.

Watership Down starts Saturday 22 December 2018 on BBC One at 7pm.

[readyourimgaines]

Hi! Saw your post and I would love to request some Aralas, there isn't enough of it! Anything modern AU would be awesome, but I haven't been able to let go of the idea of camper Aragorn and forest/park ranger Legolas ever since it popped into my head. Thanks for your time and work, regardless of what you end up writing for anyone!

This isn’t very long so I might do a part two. I’ll see what else I think of. Thank you for the request, friend! -Freddie 

Legolas sighed as his radio went off. Another camper in a restricted area of the camp ground. Yes it was a state park, but also, those areas were closed off because they were dangerous.

With annoyance heavy in his chest, Legolas made his way over to the restricted area. He had, at some point, been chosen as the one to go and clear campers out of the areas they weren’t supposed to be in. One of his coworkers told him it was because he was the lightest on his feet of any of the workers. If anyone was least likely to find an improperly capped mine or something by falling into it, it was Legolas. 

Legolas followed the tracks of who (going by the weight) he assumed was man. The last thing he expected was to find a man collecting flowers from a patch under a tree. He was usually chasing little kids trying to follow a squirrel or rabbit out of the area. Every once in a while it was lost hiker.

“Excuse me, sir? You’re not allowed over here. There’s been reports of landslides recently so this area is closed off until it’s deemed safe,” Legolas explained. 

The man with dark wavy, shoulder length hair turned to Legolas and the blond was shocked with how attractive he was. His eyes were a combination of teal and silver that he’d never seen before. The man’s chin had light stumble and his skin was lightly sun tanned. 

“I know. This is just the best place to find this kind of flower. I almost have enough and then I’ll get out of your hair. I’ve been gathering herbs and roots from this area for years. You don’t need to worry about me.” The main tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. “I told the man at the gate who I was. He must have forgotten.” 

“And who are you?” Legolas often got annoyed with these “hippies”. At least this one wasn’t smoking weed back there like the last one was. 

“Aragorn. I’m a holistic healer. Rather than ordering the herbs I use, I find them locally. People with colds, fevers, infected wounds, and so on come to me. There are many more skilled than I, but you have to drive for a couple of days to get to the closest one better than me.” 

“You heal people with plants?” The park ranger raised an eyebrow. 

Aragorn stood, holding the collect of flowers in his hand. “What’s your name?”

“Legolas.” 

“I’ll tell you all about my occupation if you let me buy you a drink after your shift. A friend of mine showed me a pretty fun inn not too far from here.” 

“Your friend owns an inn? I knew there were still pubs, but inns are pretty rare.” 

“They’re trying to keep it older fashioned to keep traditions. The building was built almost 150 years ago. Other strengthening the building and cleaning some things up, it hasn’t been remodeled. Trust me, it’s a site to see.” 

“Alright. I’ll see your friend’s inn.” Legolas smirked a little. “I get off at five.” 

“I’ll pick you up then.” Aragorn smiled.

*****

“So you’re from the area?” Legolas asked Aragorn. They were sitting in a booth at the Prancing Pony, each of them with an ale. 

“I live in the area,” Aragorn corrected. “I’m actually from a number of states over. I always like this area better. The people are kinder, business is better. Some of my family moved east so it’s closer to them as well.” 

“I see. I’m not from here either. I came here for college- Forestry major- and fell in love with the area.” 

“How much do you know about the woods in the area. Being a park ranger, you’ve got to know quite a lot about the plants and things.” 

“Not really… I mean, if you want to know what trees are good for climbing, I can make you list. Other than identifying poison ivy, and a couple different kinds of berries, I’m lost.” 

“I’ll have to show you some of the herbs that grow in the area, these. Athelas grows heavily around here. It’s great for slowing down an infection so you can safely find the cause of it.” 

“Kingsfoil?” 

“As the locals call it, yes.” Aragorn took a sip of his ale. 

“So what else do you do in your job?” Legolas asked. “Other than risk your life in dangerous, closed of locations, of course.” 

“Well, there’s a lot of doing that,” Aragorn nodded and got a laugh from the blond. “Instead of treating illnesses and such with antibiotics, I simply use the medicinal properties of plants. Teas, compresses, soaks, politics. There are countless things you can do with plants. And yes, you can treat anxiety with more than lavender oil.” 

“What sorts of things have you treated?” 

“Colds and flus, mostly. Once in a while someone comes in with constant migraines or women have lady troubles and wanting an easier time of it. Sometimes some pulled a muscle or they aren’t getting enough iron. Nothing drastic or fancy. There are times when I have to send someone to a usual doctor because I can’t remove appendixes.” 

“That sounds more exciting than my job.” 

“Oh? What do you do most days?” 

“Walk around putting tickets on cars that don’t have a pass, telling people to stop leaving their burnt out cigarettes on the ground. I spend a lot of time chasing people out of restricted areas. Most of the time it’s a stray kid, some idiot smoking drugs. On time some got stuck in a tree and screamed for help. It’s never ended in me getting a drink with the person, though.” 

“I’m glad I could change up your routine then.”

“Where’s your office? Or what’s it called?” Legolas wondered. “I might stop by and see what you can do the next time my allergies kick up.” 

“A park ranger with allergies? That’s just cruel. It’s 819 Red Jacket Drive. I’ve got a number of things to treat allergies with. Don’t worry. I’ll even give you discount.” 

“Is that allowed?” Legolas chuckled. 

“Well, I own the business, rent the building, and write the rent off on my taxes. I’d say it’s allowed. I give my friends and family discounts. Same as any other business does.”

“You’re a generous and caring person,” Legolas nodded. “Teach me what these herbs look like and I’ll collect them for you when I’ve got nothing better to do.” 

“I’ll even pay you for what you bring me.” Aragorn suggested. “Before long I might be able to hire you as my assistant.” 

“I don’t know about that.” Legolas leaned forward slightly over the table. “I you hired me as your assistant, I don’t know how your patients would feel about you maybe dating your assistant.” 

“I’m the only chance in town that the anti-vaxers moms have. I’m not all kinds of worried about losing business over having a boyfriend.” Aragorn grinned. “I’m sure we can figure something out.”