#I'm awake but at what cost ya know?

[cxpperhead]

His pale chest rises and falls gently, so slowly and quietly that he appears more like a statue than an actual living, breathing being. The occasional flicker of movement in his eyes is the only sign that point to Copperhead being alive, his serpentine eyes perpetually open behind their clear scales as is known with all snakes. He's asleep, though vigilant even in rest, the assassin posed ready to strike in the event trouble crosses his path during this time.

[sea-of-dust]

MAKOTO YUKI x GN! Reader

Summary: Dating headcannons

N: I had this just rotting bro posting this with the event. Ik u don't read these angst jumpscare. Also DO NOT listen to Malice Mizer OR SWEET (p5) while reading fanfic or headcannons for this guy you'll cry 7 times

Hm? Is something your gonna hear alot. He notices everything. Sometimes he purposely doesn't push you to tell him, other times he's told by Yukari.

He knows when your troubled, you can tell when he knows what's going on as he tends to get a bit closer before going "hm?" You notice when he's trying to comfort you. Trying to be sneaky just makes it more obvious, it's even more odvious when he sneaks snacks to you near your door, like he isn't the first suspect.

"?" He lays his head on your shoulder slowly inching closer. "You look like you're fuming. Did something happen?" "Nothing much just a headache" "I see" you never feel his arms wrapped around while you as you stood next to him, soft hums comming from him.

Makoto tries to hide his affections in public. Limiting it to hand holding or subtle matching things you both had on your person. The fewer people the higher the chance of him taking a small snooze on your shoulder, you end up giving him piggybacks when he does this.

He let's you listen to music with him. At the cost of a small tease. "I wanna listen aswell..." You look away clearly flustered to ask this "and why would my dove want that?" "HUH" you look at him wide eyed seeing him smirk "BRO" "? I thought I was your boyfriend" and back to the straight faced s.e.e.s boy. This was his way of flustering you, calling you a random nickname and then acting like nothing happened, you always reset back to bro when he does this making it even better for him.

He wanders...alot. This guy would get lost in a supermarket and be like "oh I lost them..." and then find you calmly while you'd just panic about where he was. He always appears from nowhere when this happens. "I've looked everywhere jimpei I'm considering going into the fountain..." "you walk so fast" he burries himself into the nape of your neck, "I almost lost you again" you were so lucky jimpei was on the phone and not in person or you two would have never stopped getting teased when you got to school

If you ever wondered about s.e.e.s or ever wondered why he was always so tired, he'd act like he didn't hear you. "So what's s.e.e.s, heard it had something to do with some sorta time thing?" He'd be right next to you. You saw him peak up and just go back to staring into the void seconds later. "I know you heard me" you furrow your brows slightly but he just lays there for a bit moves his hair and then goes "huh?" "UGHHH" you're not getting him to budge

That would be the case if you didn't have a persona he'd still try to pretend he didn't know until you saved him from a few shadows. "How did you get knocked down by wind of all things imagine I blow and you and you get stunned" your persona deals with them easily while you help him up. "So what is this place my princess, my shawty bae, my-" "please...shut up" "nah baby girl you brought this on yourself" he sighs but he did enjoy the free piggy back ride so he pretended the wind hit him THAT hard.

"You're still carrying him around" Yukari cringes "he can barely keep his eyes open tho" "oh he'll live watch this" Yukari turns around "we're gonna go get a sna-" "don't say it infront of jimpei unspelled" he groans nuzzling back into your neck "told ya, get him off your back" easier said than done the guys like those theme park bracelets you'll never get him off. "Yukari let go of me" his voice a bit annoyed "no chance! Come on you gotta walk like the rest of us think of y/ns back!" You got him to walk...but he had to hold your hand and would almost drift off again if you haven't move away everytime you noticed. "Please try to stay awake were almost done" "...." You catch his head "don't lean on me, how about this you can rest once we get back to my room" he suddenly has enough energy to walk without leaning on you.

He loves whenever he goes to your dorm. It always feels so calm in there like some sorta checkpoint. Sometimes he gets there before you already laying there like it was his own room. "Welcome home" "oh minato- wait...howed you get in" "you left the door unlocked" "oh" he tries to use the 'just wanted to study with you excuse' nah the dudes there for every kind of sfw romantic thing you can think of. He's there to be called lover boy unironcally! "Funny how you aren't as sleepy during the night" you move closer to him "you're nocturnal" you joke playfully giving him a small kiss on the cheek. In actuality he had eaten a bunch of candy so he could stay awake with you.

Take him with you everywhere!! If you'd e-mail him about anything related to heading out you don't even have to invite him he'd just magically appear. You don't even have to say WHERE you're going. "How do you always know where I am?" "This place is small"

He'd know what your into without you telling him almost sniffing it out. "I thought you'd like this" he hands you a small gift watching you blush immensely. "Howed you know I liked this kinda stuff" "I figure stuff out quickly" he did have hints though. The way you acted the way you looked at things simular to it. it made it odvious you'd like one of those.

He hides when he's sick always trying to hold back coughs or sneezes he suffers in silence and would prefer it that way. Why? Because the first time he was sick infront of you or anyone else no one wanted to be around him incase it spread. You were willing to of course until Mitsuru put a ban on seeing him for the sake of everyone's health, you still got tests to deal with ya know! So now he just hides it trying to recover quickly. Can't say the same for you though "cough cough! Ah sorry I've had a really bad cold lately" all he needed to hear to have you carried back to your dorm after school. "When we're you able to manhandle me" "please take this" he hands you a small medicine cap expecting you to drink it from there. "It's just a cold" "colds don't have you coughing yourself into orbit for it to just be a casual one" sighing you gulp it down

He'll pretend to not know how to put on his ribbon and ask if you're able to help him. Then turn around pull it off and look at you with a "can you do it again" face. He just likes the way you tie it while you're on the train with him.

Fastest Emailer EVER. You'd think it would take him litteral years since he sometimes leaves people out to dry, according to jinpei, and then he'd respond at the speed of sound to you nearly as fast as the email sends.

You try to pitch his cheeks only to get him to revert to an angry cat. So you've resorted to softer smaller pinches, he dosent mind as much now just don't too it too often or he'll start pinching you too

He may like using yarn with you. Depends on how easy it is though. "What are you making?" "A heart bracelet a girl asked me to make for her and her boyfriend" he reaches for your hand "do you mind if I try this?" "Sure it's in the left drawer" he could barely make the heart at first but as soon as you got a clipboard involved it was a whole diffent story, he was a machine, you didn't know this at the time but you definitely accidently made a yarn bracelet monster. Must have found out they can be made into sp items. That's why there's a lock on the left drawer now, he never opened it without asking its just to keep him from getting ideas, it does the opposite

He has his flirtatious momments, mostly just because he wants to tease you. It starts with a perfectly silent momment, in the classroom when they finally let you sit with him, nearly asleep in a library, on very rare occasions tartarus, he'd smirk and then lock in for the absolute chaos he's about to cause. A simple lean into your ear whispering softly yet clearly "I want a kiss" your eyes would always widen but you'd also respond with a whisper back "now?" Clearly slightly baffled you kiss him on the cheek quickly. Oh but sometimes that isn't enough, sometimes he just wants to see you melt, rubbing his hand on your already flushed cheek he leans in drowsy eyes meeting yours "I want a bit more please" he does enjoy you cupping his face and kissing him. When he does stuff like that you thank the lord the sees memmbers split up or you two are pretty much alone together.

There are times he's tempted to kiss you and then act like he didn't do anything. Cheeks are his favorite you can barely see him comming,*chu*, and now he gets to tease you make you think he never did such a thing "stop kissing me while i study" "wadya mean" "you gotta study focus on that" "i wanna focus on you more" "huh?" Another quick kiss "you did it again" "i dunno what youre talking about" exhaling you kiss him under the eye "lets get back to studying before it gets too late" and then hed lean onto your shoulder. He wants you to catch him more often

"I bought a camera! Let's take a few snaps, just the two of us!, "I don't see why not" holding the camrea steady, you take a picture of the shell he found. *SNAP* a picture of him looking out on the beach. *SNAP* "Why are you taking so many of me?" "I want you to last forever" putting the camrea down and walking toward him, he reaches his hand out. "Oh sure" you give it to him and he holds it up, making sure you're both in frame. *SNAP* a picture with both of you smiling as the sun sets on the beach. Softly looking at your features, his eyes land on ur lips, then cheek, eyes, then back to your cheek again. Smiling to himself, he holds it up again "you mind if we take another?" "Alright" *SNAP* soft lips press your cheek the momment the camera flashes. "You mind if I get another, the picture might be a bit blurry" with a rare smile on his face he pockets the picture. You covering the cheek he had just kissed. "Sure..." still surprised you lean into him smiling as the shyness gets to you. *SNAP* another kiss, happy with the photo he turns to you. "Do you have any plans after this?" "No it's straight to the dorm for me" "perfect" "?"

As you two walk home after changing clothes, he seemed to be more bright than usual as you wondered why, you were happy you got to see him smile like that. "I have something for you" "really? Me too!" "I'll meet you in your room then" hugging you before he leaves to his room to pick up your gift you collect what you had gotten for him, a DVD, a small bag with candies, and a rare jack frost you had won that you've customized to look like him. As soon as he opens the door you try to hide your gifts behind your back. "I can see them" "No you cant" softly giggling to himself he closed the door and gave you a case with a small bag with it. "Well since you've already seen then" you slide over the minato frost with the other things on its lap. "I saw someone do it on the internet and wanted to make one of you..." averting his eyes afraid he may not like it. He grabs its hands, then it's crocheted hair "it looks just like me" he pulls its cheeks. "And this is what I got for you" giving you the case and small bag. You decide to open the case first. Inside was a pair of headphones and a music player the same model as his. "How'd you know I wanted one?" "You eye mine alot, so I just figured" without much thought, you kissed his cheek "I don't know if I could put into words how thankful I am" You kiss him again. Excitedly, you open the small bag, revealing a bunch of stickers. "I wanted to decorate this with you if you don't mind" "I don't see why not" you excitedly put the sticker on his face then the case almost 5 stickers later his face again. "You look so cute with them all over you" "right back at you" giggling at his joke, you cover the player carefully in stickers with him. He even showed you how he put his music onto them.

Eventually what nearly always happens when he's in your room happens, his soft eyes flutter shut while laying on your bed the frost that looks just like him in hand. *SNAP* *SNAP* the opportunity was just too good to pass up, one for you and one for him to wake up to. You lay next to him moving his hair as to see both eyes. "Sweet dreams" your eyes grow heavy as they close. Days were sweet after that though you did notice him being a bit more busy, you didn't even notice when January ended, and he was nowhere to be seen. You asked most of the people you knew that spoke to him but they just ended up near teary eyed or near unable to say a word about it. "He's in a coma" Jinpei finally is able to croak out, "we don't know what happened to him" you feel your heart drop at his words, near running to the hospital after school and laying by his side. He looked so peaceful, you'd wonder what he was experiencing. Holding his hand for what seemed like it could be the final time you left, it felt a bit scary walking home without him with you.

You put on the music player he gave you, all covered in stickers he helped you put on. "Burn my dread...full moon full life...memmories of-" you hault finding yourself at the dorm, you go in, putting your hands in your pocket, reminding you of him, accidently touching his spare key he gave you, your mind suddenly asked you to go into his room. It felt like snooping, but the thought just wouldn't let you go. Opening the door, you find something on his desk, a letter along with a few pictures. "I may have forgotten to ask someone to give this to you, but I hope it someday reaches you, I'm writing this just in case something bad happens to me, I'm gonna miss seeing you when I wake up and waking up before you. All those candies I ate from you because I wanted to stay up late, all the times I've gotten free piggyback rides around town. I'm gonna miss you above all. I'm sorry I took your camera" getting to that part you look at the pictures on the desk one of him sleeping with the frost you made him, one of you trying on his sees uniform. "To be fair you already seen most of them, I just thought that if anything happened you'd want some of me" scattering them multiple pictures of him trying on your accessories, pictures of him smiling widely at your favorite places, pictures of him trying diffrent hairstyles. "I've bought a replacement film in advance, if you need to you can take my jacket and the mako-frost. They'll keep you warm" You look at more pictures, pictures of you and him, the kiss at the beach, you napping on him, a picture of you crocheting. "If push comes to shove, don't forget about me, keep living on, Makoto ps: thanks for letting me get this close to you"

[4hournap]

Test run might continue this, might not (;-ω-)ノ

Twst NB/MR insert! I'll be using both terms interchangeably

Mexican inspired reader

Don't mind any spelling/grammar mistakes plz

Ah...my beloved, Beautiful flower of evil

You are the most beautiful in the world

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the best?

There is a person setting marigolds in a vase by an altar, the sound of galloping horses caught his attention.

“At this hour?”

Opening the rolling gate enough for them to slip out stepping into the street their eyes landed on the most peculiar thing.

“Un carro fúnebre?” looking around, the street was dead silent. No person in sight.

"Oye amigo, odio decirte esto pero…” Their words came to a stop as they saw, there was no coachman. Their eyes widened as they stumbled back a few steps.

'What in the white-chick, horror movie situation is this' they thought. Curiosity consumed the figure, they stepped closer to the carriage, as they did, a dizziness took over until everything turned

Black.

‘Perdóname amá’

Guided by the mirror of darkness,

If you ever so desire,

Take thy hand that lies within the mirror.

Flames that can turn the moon into ashes,

Ice that can freeze time,

Earth that can swallow the sky.

Show no fear to the power of darkness.

Come now, show me your power.

We only have a little bit of time left.

At all costs, do not let go of that hand.

Welcome to the villain's world.

Dark.

That was all they saw when they came to, everything was a blur and they weren't there completely. Nothing but darkness surrounded them. In that darkness came a sound.

"Darn it! People are coming soon! I have to get this uniform on fast!" said the voice

A voice?

"Unngh!! This lid is so heavy! If this happens... it might come down to, Ngghh...that's it!"

A sudden burning sensation woke them up, right out of their daze. Falling forward with a thud they groaned and looked around. There was a coffin that looked like it was blown open, which is where they must have been previously.

"Alright, here's what we're looking for!" the voice said again

They looked before them and saw a fluffy creature, it turned to face them and they both stared at each other for a few seconds before both of them let out a screech.

"GYAAA! You!? Why are you awake?!" it yelled.

"A talking raccoon dog?!" They stuttered.

"Who are you calling a raccoon dog?" said the flaming raccoon in an offended tone. "I am the great Grim, you know!"

"It doesn't matter. You, human! Gimme those clothes!" Grim demanded. "If not, I'll burn ya!"

"Clothes?" They muttered, looking down they saw that his previous attire was no longer on them. Instead, they wore a black robe with a violet lining, as well as gold accents along the hem. With the top, he had on black trousers and dress shoes of the same color. Looking up from their clothes to Grim they shook their head.

"A dream where I get burned alive by a raccoon? How wonderful?" They remarked sarcastically.

"I said I'm not a raccoon!" Grim roared in anger.

The figure scrambled off the floor and booked it out of there. They ran through hallways and courtyards until reaching the library. They placed their hands on their knees as they panted.

"Where am I? What kind of dream is this?!" They then saw blue as Grim appeared.

"Did you really think that you could run away from me? Now if you don't want to get burned gimme those clothes- FUGYA?! That hurt! What is this? String?" Grim cried

"That is not a string. It is the whip of love!" said a man with a plague doctor type of mask.

"A whip of what now?" They muttered to themselves.

"Ah, I finally found you. You are the new student, correct? Well, this isn't good, without authority you just went through the gate." the man continued.

‘No manches’

"And on top of that, you brought a wild familiar with you against the school rules." He then held up a squirming Grim by the scruff.

"Let me go! I'm not this person's familiar!" complained Grim.

"Yes yes, that's what they all say. Let's try to be silent now, shall we? Honestly, it's unheard of for a new student to go through the school by themselves." Crow man then sighed. "Are you this impatient?"

Hijo de- I was running for my life! I'd like to see what you would do when being threatened to become a barbeque! They huffed in their head as they held an 'are you kidding me' expression.

"Well, come along then. The opening ceremony started long ago. Off to the Mirror Chamber, we go." The man then started to walk away with Grim. Our main character would be lying if they said they didn't feel a little bad.

"Wait, wait, wait, new student you say?" They said as they darted next to the crow-like man.

'This has to be a mistake I was tending to our ofrenda a minute ago’

"The room in which you awoke in. The one with the coffins. Every student before you went through that door to come here. However," he paused. "Usually students don't awaken until we open the door with a special key but..."

"Does that mean the fire 'opened' the lid?" The outsider asked as they recalled the lid being blown off.

"So in the end it seems that the main culprit was that familiar huh? If you were the one who brought him here, then you must take responsibility for him." He explained

"Oh...This is not the time for a long talk. If we don't hurry we'll miss the opening ceremony. Come, come, let's be on our way." He said turning to the entrance of the library.

"I'm not a dog," They huffed "-wait, never mind that. Who are you if I may ask?"

"Oh? Are you not fully awake yet? Maybe your memory is distorted from magic transportation. Well, it does happen often. I will explain as we go." He said. "Well, I am quite kind after all."

The “new” student followed Crowley out of the library, down the hallway, and out into the courtyard. The bird-man coughed to get the attention back on him and began to explain.

"This is 'Night Raven College' a place where Magicians with Talent come together. Twisted Wonderland's most prestigious magicians training academy. And I am the Headmaster of this Academy, the board chairman, Dire Crowley."

"Magicians?" The shorter person asked.

"The only ones who can enroll in this school are those with exceptional qualities of a magician. And those who the 'Mirror of Darkness accepts', and those chosen are called to the academy through the 'door' from all over the world." Crowley took a breath before continuing. "But for you, I believe an ebony carriage came to pick you up,"

Grim then started to struggle even further, to this the headmaster paid no mind. "Now then, on our way to the opening ceremony."

[thecoffeelorian]

OC Sunday--Commander Miles!

(brief note: I kinda set this up like a Fandom.Com article, so please pardon me if it mimics the pages for canon Clone Troopers at certain points.)

FAST FACTS

Rank: Commander

Serial Number: CT-2589

Planet Of Service: Chandrila

Name History: CT-2589 once "borrowed" a training ship in order to see if there was anything on Kamino besides rain and metallic fortresses. Unfortunately for his longnecked minders, he made it exactly three miles away from Tipoca City before security caught up with him...and yet. Once the boys in the barracks got wind of his little joyride, that's when he found his name.

"You almost made it, Miles."

OC SPECIFICS

What would their favorite book be?

“ ‘Sunrise Over Saleucami’. It’s a sappy romance, I know…but a great distraction from the battlefield, regardless.”

What’s your favorite trait about them? Yes, just one. ;) 

“I’m always down for jumping into the thick of things! Er…maybe a little too much!”

What’s a weakness of theirs that they might not be aware of?

“You’ve been talkin’ to Sergeant Walters, haven’t you?! All right…ya got me. It’s rock collecting! In other words, I see a shiny piece of quartz, it’s MINE!”

What would they say is the most important thing in the world?

“Being there for your brothers, especially when they need you the most.”

What’s a hobby of theirs?

“Well…there’s the rock collecting, but sometimes I also stick little googly eyes on ‘em and leave them around the barracks for someone else to find. Don’t tell Ninety-Nine it was me.”

What would they order at Starbucks?

“Heh…I heard they don’t exactly approve of unionizing, so excuse me if I’ll take my Sergeant’s Insta-Brew instead. That one won’t cost me a single credit.”

Any scars/tattoos?

"I got Queen Apailana's face tattooed onto m' right shoulder, plus a kinda long scar across my nose from slamming my helmet on too quick. Think I'll let you all guess as to which one I'd remove if I had a choice." ;)

PANCAKE - what is their comfort breakfast? Since this is probably the SW equivalent of an Egg McMuffin, Commander Miles would totally go to Dex's Diner for some hot caf and a "Hungry Hutt" breakfast sandwich. Not only would it fill him up on the go, it's also supposed to be rather tasty, according to Dex himself.

DONUT - favourite sweet treat? Though wartime doesn't exactly give him time to enjoy a lot of new things, Commander Miles would probably enjoy hand pies such as the Corellian Ryshcate. Ya know, because it's warm, spiced, and delicious.

SLEEPING - do they fall asleep easily? what helps them sleep? Hoo boy, here's a tough one...ok! Given that he's in charge of at least one other Trooper (Sergeant Walters), I think he'd be a first watch kind of guy, meaning that he would stay awake during the first few hours that other soldiers would generally be asleep. Once that rotation was over, however, he would most likely be out in a matter of minutes, if my thoughts make any sense.

SPECIAL NOTES

G.A.R. Goth Night History:

Commander Miles came in expecting to try a few galactic liquors, learn some new dances, and maybe get a compliment or two on his outfit...what he got, however, was this:

Random Tie To The Bad Batch:

Miles might have witnessed a certain little blond girl crawling through the vents late one night...but then again, he might have just imagined her.

Romance On Deck(?):

I may/may not have received a little too much inspiration from Taika Waititi, buuuut I had once imagined Miles falling hard and fast for a male Twi'lek bartender on Coruscant. As I'm in the middle of other projects, there's a chance that this story might never be written...however, my vacation weeks are coming up, so we'll see how things go later on.

NPT:

@ladykagewaki @aurathebardwife @ordo-core @nocturius8015ficore @gun-roswell

@orangez3st @the-osborn-way @crosshairs-dumb-pimp-gf and anybody else interested in Original Clone Content!

[elswifee]

Jealousy Jealousy

Warnings: violence, drug!use, alcohol!use, future smut, flirty!ellie, dom!ellie, jealous!ellie, bsf!ellie, nerdy!reader, sub!reader, f!nger!ng (r!receiving), strap!usage (r!receiving), scissoring, angst.. I guess??

Summary: player ellie finally convinces her bestfriend's, y/n to go to a party after school, when she get jealous of people start looking at her with hungry eyes. Causing a scene, may cost her, her bestfriend.

A/N: umm so this is my first ever fanfic so please I apologize if any Grammer mistakes, and I will be including spanish words into all my stories bc that's my first language. But I obviously will translate what it means in English. PLEASE DONT BULLY ME!! Anyways, thank you angels. ♡

Part 1 | Part 2

●○•°●○•°●○•°●○•°●○•°●○•°●○•°●○•°●○•°●•°

It was 10 pm and you were reviewing your studies from your classes earlier. You had showered, changed into some pink shorts and a white tank top, and made yourself some tea. You were already in bed just going through some pages of your text book.

Knock, knock.

You grunt, getting our of your bed and walking towards your front door. Another two knocks emit from your door. "I'm going, jeez." You open the door to find yourself infront of Ellie. "Hey, doll. How you doin'," She says as she steps inside, pulling you in by your waist, hugging you, and pressing her lips on top of your head.

"Els, what you doing here?" You asked

"What, I can't come see my bestfriend anymore?"

"No, you can, but I was just abt to go to bed," you say, heading back upstairs to your room. Ellie tailing behind you. "Awh, already. It's bearly 10:30" She whines, taking off her leather jacket and converse. Jumping on your bed and getting under the sheets. Soon you join her covering yourself too. She grabs the remote and turns on the TV. "Soooo," she starts. "Yes, ellie?" You say, already knowing she is going to ask you something.

"There's going to be a party tomorrow at some fratboys house, wanna come?" She asks, but before you say no she begins to beg. "Please come, you never want to come. You'll make me really happy... pleaseeeee?" You roll your eyes. You aren't surprised, it was no secret that ellie was pretty popular in school because she is in the soccer team, but also really popular with the ladies. "I don't know Els, I have a test tommorow and I'm going to be busy studying and-" you were cut off by an annoyed sigh. "But you always study. There isn't gonna be any damage if you don't study for one night. Please y/n come tommorow." She whines, wrapping her cold, veiny hands around your waist. You had no bra on, making your nipples perk up due to the coldness of her hands.

You push up the covers up to your neck, covering yourself. Your turn to face her, your faces just about a feet away. You can see all her freckles, and those gorgeous green eyes. "Ugh, okay fine. I'll go." You finally give in, and ellie is squealing like a little girl. Chanting yes yes yes! Before hugging you again. "Okay, okay, ya Calmate!" (Calm down) Your Spanish coming out as she starts to tickle you. Soon she calms down, you guys lay next to each other you facing the wall and her facing your back, hugging you from behind. Your stomach erupts with butterflies as soon as she slipped her hand under your top. Drawing small circles against your warm, soft skin.

Soon you fall into a deep slumber, although in the other hand, ellie was still awake, trying to get as close as possible to you. Your scent of coconut and roses drove her fucking crazy. Her cold hand soon turning warm due to your skin. Your legs rubbing against her sweatpants . She enjoyed these moments. Being in your arms while you sleep. She feels so lucky to be your person. The truth is, Ellie has had the biggest, fattest crush on you, ever since you introduced yourself to her in biology class in 8th grade. She is just too pussy to confront her feeling to you, thinking it'll ruin yalls friendship.

Don't fuck up your friendship! Don't fuck up your friendship! DON'T FUCK UP YOUR FRIENDSHIP!

[chariclouds]

What if MC used the Night Dagger on themselves?

I've always wondered about what would happen if Simeon showed up a second too late? An AU.

Rest assured that I will make a happy ending 🥲

Spoilers: Lessons 35, 37-38

Warnings: intense emotions, bleeding, death

Characters: Lucifer, Mammon, Leviathan

A/N: This pained me so much to write 😭

Lucifer

Lucifer was right there when the dagger was thrusted into your chest.

He froze, shocked and saddened. He felt his memory returning, but at what cost? MC's life?

He stared down at your lifeless form at his feet, the floor spattered with red.

Luci collapsed onto his knees next to you. Tears started forming as he fought to keep them in. He looked at you and gave up, tears pouring like rain down his cheeks.

How long had it been since he cried? Why was it after MC's death?

Lucifer returned to his room after a while, eyes red from crying. MC was gone. You were gone.

He could never forgive himself. He was right there, holding your hand, but why didn't he stop you? "This is all my fault..."

The Morning Star, Avatar of Pride, Diavolo's right-hand man, Lucifer, had lost his one and only pride; you.

He couldn't bear face his brothers after what had happened, although no demon blamed him.

Lucifer buried himself in work, so he could focus on something else other than you. Or so he hoped.

He visits the underground tomb every single day, praying with all his heart that you could forgive him, and for you to find happiness wherever you go, just like Lilith.

Mammon

Mammon rushed over to your room after hearing the news.

His heart stopped when he saw you lying on the floor, red stained floor and all.

He could barely process everything. Just yesterday they were playing cards and having fun, now you were gone from his life.

"MC... MC!! No...no, nononono! This can't be happenin'! Ya can't leave me now! Ya can't! Ya just CAN'T!!"

No being in the three realms had ever heard Mammon scream so loudly. His whole body was shaking as he tried to shake you awake. As if some miracle would happen and you'd come back to life...

Nothing, you were gone.

He was devastated. He had no reason to keep making money if you weren't around. Who could he show Goldie to now? How could he be the Avatar of Greed?

Mammon locked himself in his room, the door never opened during the daytime since that faithful day.

Only at night would that very door be opened, silently making his way to the underground tomb.

He had taken your favorite flowers, and placed them beside your resting place.

"MC... I miss ya so much..."

He whispered those words every time he was leaving, after he told you about his day. Mammon puts a note in every bouquet of flowers he gives you, each one saying a similar sentence; "Please come back to me..."

Leviathan

Once Levi saw in the group chat that you were gone, he immediately froze.

What happened to you? How? What? Why?!

Why did it have to be you? His Henry, his Player Two, his Normie! It isn't fair!

He went over to Henry 2.0, whispering about what happened to the little goldfish.

"Henry, MC... You know them? That human who comes over sometimes. They're, gone..."

Leviathan sighs, and stares at his monitor. The script for "With Me" is on the screen. A photo of the one he gave you.

He hurries over to your room, picks up the script, and displays it on his favorite shelf.

Placing Ruri-chan figurines next to it, he sighs once more.

"I'm just a worthless shut-in otaku, MC wasn't. Why did it have to be them?!"

It takes Levi a lot of self-control not to summon Lotan, but he leaves a short remark on the script.

"To my Henry, my Player Two, my Normie. This one's dedicated to you."

[luvyuki0]

Amber ── .✦02.

✦ Summary: In which Esme and Hoseok fall in love but of course with love comes trouble especially when you're dating an idol.

Series masterlist| previous| next

 

 "BEEP BEEP!" I hear my phone alarming me to get up.

    I groan sitting up straight while rubbing my eyes taking in all my surroundings, I stretch my body and grab my phone from its charging pad. I check the time "5:04" it read; I unlock my phone responding to any missed texts from people then go on checking my socials eventually watching a few TikTok's during the process.

"Lemme get up" I speak to myself getting up off my bed and heading to my bathroom to take a shower and do my skincare once I'm done, I go into my closet to pick my airport outfit, wanting to wear something comfy but won't get me overheated.

After choosing what to where I put on the clothes, put my boho braid in a wrapped bun, and do light makeup.

Once I'm dressed and ready I decide to go Jasmine's room to make sure she's awake and ready. As I get closer I hear sexyy red blasting, "LANCEY LANCEY I'M GHETTO AND I'M FANCY."

"Jaz what time is Yoongi picking us up?" I yell over her music.

"6:30, oh shit we have to go." She checks her phone.

"Ight get ya stuff so we can head out," I say as I make sure that I have everything on me.

Jaz meets me at the door and we head downstairs to the front of the apartment complex to meet up with Yoongi.

"Hey baby, hey Esme get in" he greets me and Jaz, kissing her on the cheek in the process. I noticed that the other dude he mentioned that would be joining us wasn't in the car.

"We're meeting up with my friend at the airport," Yoongi says taking notice of me looking around.

TIME SKIP

   "Ok guys we finally go to the airport and we already did all the procedures and stuff, so now we're just waiting for our flight to be called". I say as I hold my camera in front of me.

    "That boy over there is fine" I look to where Jaz is looking, and I see it's Yoongi.

"Girl that's Yoongi," I say looking at her with a deadpan expression.

"I know that's why I said sum, LORD my man is so fine!!" I look at her with disgust and as I'm about to say something I hear Yoongi's voice.

"Esme this is Hoseok the friend I said was coming on the trip with us". I look over to see a tall guy in a black hoodie and sweatpants with a mask on.

"Nice to meet you" his deep voice fills my ears, and before I can respond the airport announcement of our flight is being heard.

We grab our things and head our way to the boarding area, I look at my ticket trying to find my seat, and as I make my way over to my seat I see that it's Hoseok, yoongi's friend sitting on the seat next to mine.

   I say excuse me to him as I make my way to my window seat. once seated I take out my blanket, neck pillow, laptop, and AirPods trying to get as comfortable as possible so I can edit the video from yesterday, but before I begin I turn and tap Hoseok's shoulder. He looks at me taking one of his earbuds out.

   "I didn't get to greet you back so I just wanted to say it's nice to meet you too! And um, also I have a quick question um I'm a YouTuber and I'm gonna be recording some clips I just wanted to ask if that's ok with you?" I awkwardly ask.

   A smile forms and his face. "Yeah of course as long as my face is censored or not In the frame, I'm cool with it!"

   "Oh okay, great i hope we can become friends during the trip!" As soon as I got his approval I take out my camera to update my fans on what had happened so far.

   "Okay, guys so we boarded the plane already and we all met up and since it's a 10-11 hour layover plane flight I might get airplane food before I go to the next one, I might record if I feel like it, but other than that I have my little set up to edit the video yall probably gon see uploaded already and yes I'm in business class cus I wasn't gon pay for no first class this trip already cost an arm and a leg but yeah that's it for the update, BYEE!" As I finished talking I felt a pair of eyes watching me so I glimpsed to see where it was coming from and I saw that it was Hoseok staring at me. I ignore it continuing to act natural.

   I get comfy in my blanket, put my Air Pods in, and take my laptop out so I can edit yesterday's video and post it by today.

HOSEOK'S POV

I watched her talk to her camera just admiring her beauty, I stared for so long that I didn't even realize she had finished talking and had already put her camera away. I know Yoongi said he was bringing one of Jaz's friends along but I didn’t think she would be this gorgeous.

I open my phone to text yoongi.

Gramps#2👴🏻

Hoseok: BROO

Yoongi: What happened??

  Yoongi: and hurry up I'm tryna enjoy my time in first class with Jaz

↳Hoseok: y'all in first class??

Yoongi: Yea, you thought I wasn't gonna treat ME and MY girlfriend to first class on a trip that was originally for USSS??😀

Hoseok: ok see ntm she invited me and I accepted cus who the fuck do I look like declining a trip to Hawaii??😒

Yoongi: ...

Hoseok: yeah oh ok ANYWAYS why you ain't tell me jaz friend was fine??

Yoongi: Cause I have a girlfriend, and I don't even look at esme in that way

Hoseok: But anywas she asked me if I minded that she was recording for her YouTube😛

Yoongi: That's it ..?

Yoongi: go kys .😐

3RD PERSON POV

Hoseok chuckled a little after reading the last message Yoongi sent before closing his phone and deciding to sleep till the flight was over.

ESME'S POV

"Now Landing!" I hear the second flight intercom say. I stretch my arms Waking up from the nap I took after I finally finished editing my video and posting it because I procrastinated on the first flight.

I grab my things and get up from my seat waiting for people to pass so I can leave.

I see a text from Jaz that Yoongi and her are waiting at the food court for me and hoseok so we can all eat a quick little meal before heading to our hotel. I notice everybody's left the plane by now and I look down to see Hoseok still sleeping which was crazy to me because he slept the whole time during the first flight, I shake him a little to wake him up and he jumps up a little.

"Hey get up everybody left," I tell him.

   "Oh my bad." he apologizes.

"It's alright, I didn't wanna just leave you here for the flight attendants to wake" I respond doing one last check to make sure I have everything, then we make our way out to meet Jaz and Yoongi at the food courts.

"What took y'all so long?" Jaz says looking up from her phone.

"Hoseok was sitting next to me and fell asleep so I had to wake him up" I explained to her.

"Yall were sitting together?" Jaz asks slyly with a smirk on her face.

"don't evenn," I say not even entertaining Jaz because once you give her an inch she turns it into a mile.

"what should we get?" yoongi asks as he and Hoseok make their way back from wherever they were.

"Wing stop!" Jaz and Hoseok shout.

"Ok let's go" I responded as we made our way to the restaurant and then got into the line.

As we get in the line waiting for our turn Jaz whispers to me, "Think it was a coincidence that his seat was next to yours for BOTH flights?"

  "Yes..? Jaz I know what you tryna hint and I'm not falling for it."

  "Girl he's probably single and think about it we could be best friends dating BESTFRIENDS like that would be so cute." she gushes.

"That would lowkey be cute-"

"SEE I CAN ALREADY SEE IT!!"

"girl I'm not even ready for a relationship" I roll my eyes at her.

yeah, I'm not ready for a relationship last thing I need is a 2.0 version of him...

By the time Jaz was done gushing to me how cute it would be if I and Hoseok dated before I knew it, it was our turn to order, we took turns saying our turns telling our orders, and eventually, it was my turn and I say what I want.

"Will that be all?" the cashier asks me. "Yeah that's all let me just get my wallet," I say as I look for my wallet but I can't seem to find it which would be embarrassing, I panic a little looking over at Jazmine who purposely didn't bring her card knowing that yoongi would pay for all her expenses.

As I was about to speak I heard a voice speak up before me. "I'll pay for her." I look over at Hoseok with a shocked expression. He hands over his card to the lady and he looks at me and I whisper a small "thank you" feeling a little embarrassed that a guy I barely know is already paying for my meal.

   We all go and make our way to a cleared table and sit down and wait for our order.

   Yoongi and Jaz start conversing between themselves, leaving me and Hoseok in an awkward silence.

"Thanks for paying for me you didn't have to. I decide to break the silence by thanking him.

   "It's alright your order wasn't even that much anyways, but if you really want to thank me, thank me by giving me your number so if I'm ever in a situation I know who to call," He says with a smirk

   I can see what he's trying to do but I exchange my phone with him anyway putting his contact name as "Future sugar daddy🤪"

   As this whole exchange is going on jaz and Yoongi are silently watching which is never good.

"Here's your order" We look up seeing the lady bring all of our orders handing each one to their person. Immediately jaz takes out her iPad that Yoongi bought for her to watch a show on Netflix, and Yoongi joins her shortly after. I look to my right seeing Hoseok texting someone, and I decide to take my camera out trying to get as much footage as I can.

"Ok guys we just got off our last flight its late as fuck but we decided to eat cause were hungry and now we're eating, oh and this's what I got." I turned my camera showing hoseoks face a little before quickly putting my camera down to show my food.

when I'm done recording, I put a mental note to edit an emoji over his face.

HOSEOK'S POV

OT7

Hoseok: I GOT HER NUMBERRRR😍

Taehyung: who's number??

Hoseok: oh I ain't tell yall BUT I'm talking about yoongis girlfriends friend

Hoseok: when I tell y'all she is so fineee wait till I find her socials matter of fact yoongi send over that @

Jin: why I ain't get invited to y'all vacay🥲

Hoseok: Your literally in Korea??

A/N: I combined this chapter and chapter 3 just because the ending on this chap felt chopped 😁 and don't forget to like and comment!! (Ignore the corny tweets💀😭) Words:2108

[warrenwitches3]

Chapter one

The maiden fair and wise opened her eyes to be greeted by an old looking mirror, holding flame of green like wild trees.

Ah, my dear esteemed benefactor…

‘Huh, who’s speaking?’

My proud, beautiful flower of evil.

‘Is it..the mirror’

You are truly the fairest one of all.

‘Where am I, is this one of Barons tricks?’

O magic mirror, thy wisdom I entreat…

Reveal unto me the visage I seek…

‘It sounds like it’s casting a spell

You, whose image the dark mirror did beckon forth…

If you heart buds it, take the hand of the one reflected in the mirror.

A hand reached out from the reflective surface willing the swan to hold it dearly

‘I have a desire to hold this hand’ and hold it she did, the two hands male and female grasped each other in an embrace of strangeness and curiosity. The mirror flickered.

As flame refuses even the stars to ash.

It showed a fire, burning of destruction and comfort.

As ice seals away even time itself.

Ice that holds a memory of fear and desperation.

As great trees swallow even the sky.

Earth swaying with beauty.

Fear not the power of darkness.

The hand held her tighter and her skin seemed to ache.

Common now, show me your power.

‘I have none but this curse I’m afraid’ all her words became trapped in her mind as her voice would not bare to interrupt the stranger.

We only have a little bit of time left.

All started to fade.

At all costs, do not let go of that hand.

She gripped it tighter fearing for if she lets go she would fall into a place much worse then now.

The soft fabric of the cramped space gave the girl a small amount of comfort, the thing she was in was very small not giving her room to extend her arms nor twist her body.

‘Whats going on.. where am I?’ She tried to push forward on the enclosure that was trapping her but nothing moved, not even allowing a crack of light to enter her space.

“I better hurry up and find that uniform before someone spots me...” a voice spoke from outside of her imprisonment, a squeaky voice.

“A, child..?” She let out a murmur her, voice coming of a bit starchy from not using it and squawking.

“Urgggh... This lid weighs a ton! Try this on for size! Mya-ha!” Suddenly hot steaming blue fire, one she’s only seen the dark sorcerer Baron use, had blown the lid of her confinement. She stumbled out with the flames only slowing their heat to touch her for a moment, leaving no traces it was ever there apart from the smoking lid.

“Fire!? Dark magic fire!” She panicked but all she saw was a weasel cat like creature.

“Now to grab the good- HEY! You ain’t supposed to be awake!” It yelled at her from its place on the ground. The thing had a grey coat of fur and white fluff in the middle with blue flames emitting from the ears, and a tail that looked like a pitchfork.

“The weasel talks..” she stated to no one but herself, her confusion, shock and a small amount of fear all mixing together to make an unnamed emotion settle in her.

‘Why am I shocked..? I turn into a swan when dawn makes her presence’

“How... How DARE YOU! I am no WEASEL! I'm Grim, sorcerer extraordinaire! Tch. Whatever. You...human! Just gimme your uniform, and be quick about it!”

‘And it wants to undress me as-well.. does this thing have no manners?!’

“If ya don’t your gonna regret it” he seemed to be ready to strike her down, even if she made no offensive moves towards him.

“You don’t even know if I have any under clothes on and you ask me to undress?!, how impolite” her tone held words used only to defend herself yet this animal went in for a strike of flames, and that’s when she realised that maybe being rude to another dark sorcerer while already being cursed isn’t a good idea so she ran.

Running hasn’t left her breathless in along time so she arrived to what appeared to be a library holding and ever continuing amount of books, like actually ever continuing, some books just kept coming through with no one there to restock them.

“More magic..” she felt dread in her. ‘What if I’m in a sorcerers lair? What if that animal back there was a henchman of Baron, what’s going on??’ The poor girl was left confused until said animal burst through the doors after her and her clothing.

“Foolish human! Did you really think you could slip away from ME?” the little beast had found her and cornered her inside the library. “Now, unless you wanna get burned to a crisp, take off that—“

Something suddenly wrapped itself around the cats neck halting it from further aggression.

“YEOW! That hurt! What gives!” It started strangling around in its capture wanting its previous sense of freedom.

“Consider it tough love.” A man with a crow like mask that covered half his face appeared reprimanding the beast.

‘Now he definitely seems like a dark sorcerer’ everything thing in past experiences was telling her to run but she couldn’t move, especially not when the man set his eyes on her.

“Ah, I've found you at last. Splendid. I trust you're one of this year's new students?” ‘New student..? I’m not a student, is this an academy?’

“My, were you ever eager to make your debut. And bringing a poorly trained familiar with you? That is a clear violation of the school's rules.” He tugged at the rope that bound Grim the creature, who seemed aggravated by being called a familiar.

“Oh sir, he’s not mine I don’t-“

“As if I'd serve some lowly human! Now lemme go!” Grim struggled uselessly against his restraints once again not changing the fact that he was captured.

“Yes, yes. Rebellious familiars always say that. Do be quiet for a bit, won't you?” The crow man did not seem to be very pleased when he turned to the girl with a tired look.

“Dear me. Of all the students I've dealt with, you're the first with temerity enough to open their own gate and step out of it.Does the very notion of patience elude you?No matter. Your orientation has already begun. Let us return to the Mirror Chamber.”

The girl was now experiencing only one emotion in the moment, confusion. “Gate..?”.

“You awakened in a room full of gates, did you not?” If he meant the floating coffins then she nodded.

“All of the students here at the campus arrived by passing through such gates. Although typically the students have restraint enough to wait until I open them before waking up.”

“So the floating coffins are the gateways..?”

“The design is intended to symbolize a parting with your former world, and a rebirth into a new one.”

‘Rebirth into a new life..is my curse really still untaxed then, it’s only night so I really can’t tell, but..’ how she hoped it was true.

“But now is not the time for such prattle. You've a student orientation to attend! Go on, now. Make haste.” He turned away from her to walk before she spoke again.

“First can you tell me where I am?” She knew it was risky asking a sorcerer such type of question but she would like to know.

“Hm? Have you not fully regained consciousness?The timespace teleportation must have addled your memories...” he trailed off “Well, these things happen, I suppose. I shall explain it to you while we walk. Truly, my graciousness is boundless”

‘He makes it sound like he’s the king of the world’ the maiden gave a subtle roll of her eyes and walked forward with the man.

“This is Night Raven College.” ‘College?’ “It is an institution for students the world over who demonstrate a rare aptitude for magic.” ‘So I was right this is something of great sorcery’

“It is the most prestigious academy of its sort in all of Twisted Wonderland. And I am Dire Crowley. Having been entrusted with its care by the chairman, I serve as headmage.”

“An academy of magic..?” Her face was drowned in confusion and she kept swimming down the river called fear.

“Only those who the Dark Mirror perceives as having a talent for magic are admitted to the college. Those who are selected are summoned to the campus through those "gates," which can appear anywhere. A black carriage bearing one such gate should have come to meet you.” Headmaster Crowley answered her.

“I do remember a phantom carriage with no rider and only horrific horses..” she still remembered the splash of water when she hit the ground, or the door opening with no one to greet her but a coffin.

“That black carriage serves to receive a student chosen by the Dark Mirror. It too bears a gate that connects to this campus. And as you know, sending a carriage to meet someone on a special day is a time-honored tradition.” Grim started to talk in a muffled sense although drowned out by his restraints.

“But I bare no magical talent headmaster Crowley-“ he seemed to not hear her and went in his way.

“Now then, let us attend you orientation” and off they all went, in a silence that left unattended questions in the air.

NOTE: yay! Finished chapter one so I hope it’s to people’s liking this is not like edited as I’m doing this all my self and I’m confident it makes sense. I’ve also decided with the help of someone that Malleus will be the final love interest as I does make more sense. I don’t really have an update plan as I sometimes lose motivation for things but I’ll try to attest have one chapter a week it’s not a promise though, I’m quite exited to write yuu in her swan form, I think I’m still gonna make her a student so imagine a swan showing up to a potions class trying to learn. I think it’ll be funny, also gonna have to get someone like silver to translate for her since he’s good at talking to animals, anyway I don’t wanna spoil much but have a nice day everyone!!

[kismetologyy]

Forgiveness

---<3---<3---<3---<3---

Heyyy, I'm baaaack <3

I just finished my other fic yesterday and I'm already making another one👀

This is gonna be a continuation of my last fanfic "Late night swim" so please read the first part first!

Content under the cut!

——————————————————————

Notes: Legend x reader; Non-binary reader; fluff; kiss; Legend being cute; reader is taller;

 

Ever since you and Legend have been caught, Legend has distanced himself from you even more, which left you as a total wreck. It looks like the others might even feel bad for you two.

It's been a few days ever since that happened, and it seems like he will avoid you for the rest of your life.

You were sitting on a fallen tree all alone, looking like a wet dog, as the others were building up their next camp when Twilight approached you and sat down next to you on the fallen tree. Both of you were silent for a moment before he started to speak in a soft tone.

"Hey, uhm... Sorry, I think I might've ruined ya moment back at the lake."

Twi let's out an awkward chuckle but soon stops as he sees your gloomy expression.

"It's okay..."

You answer quietly, but you know he doesn't believe you one second.

"I'm truly sorry. I didn't think it would end up being so bad. I should've known his reaction wouldn't go so well." he tries to apologize.

"I said it's okay. You didn't know it would turn out like this."

Twilight then lets out a guilty sigh and stands up to help the others.

You soon spot Legend sitting somewhere in the forrest all alone, as always. You contemplate for a while if you should go there or not, but then you decide against it.

Everyone was dead silent while eating Wild's cooked dinner. Maybe because they were all having a bad day, maybe because Twilight caught you and Legend swimming togheter naked. You're not sure.

It was getting kind of boring sitting in silence this whole time, but everyone went to sleep soon, except for two people.

You and Legend were still lying awake, lying as far apart as possible, but why? What did you do to make him so upset? Or does he think you're just embarrassed?

After a while of just laying awake doing nothing, you get yourself together and trust your gut. You need to talk to him.

No, you need him.

Taking a deep breath, you stand up and start to quietly make your way over to Legend. It felt worse than you thought, walking to the person that avoids you at any cost while it's freezing cold.

You eventually sit down next to him, wanting to say something, but nothing comes out of your mouth. Legend just stays still, contemplating if he should say something, but you catch him looking at you quite a few times. Looks like he's trying to say something, his face having a red tint from the cold, which just makes him look even cuter.

After what felt like hours of silence, he sits up and tries not to look at you as you two sit next to each other.

"Hey, uhm... I'm sorry. I might've gone too far last time.."

You try to start the conversation. Legend just gives you a confused look mixed with surprise.

"What?"

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable back at the lake." You try to explain again.

"Why? I'm the one who did it first." He states as he turns to face you. He seems to be a bit nervous.

"Well, I guess thats true, but... Why did you avoid me?" You ask quietly, hoping to get an answer. He doesn't respond.

But after a while of awkward silence, he asks something that most people can't answer.

"What are we?"

That question felt like a punch to the gut. What are you supposed to say?

"... I don't know."

You felt somewhat guilty for not being able to give him an answer. He already looks so troubled. The both of you fall into silence yet again.

Legend decided to get himself together and just say it.

"Would it be weird if I told you that I love you?"

This situation was just getting worse. Or better, maybe?

"... To be honest. It's not even that bad." You respond as you try to make sense of what's going on.

"Well... I love you. I don't know why."

You felt your heart speeding up rapidly. Was this an actual confession? Or was he just playing tricks on you?

"... And?" Legend asks you hesitantly, his voice quivering a little.

"Do you really love me, or are you just trying to make me feel better?"

Your question has somewhat upset him.

"You think I'm lying?" He sounds offended by your question.

Why is it so hard to do this?

You both fall into silence once again, guilt painting all over your face.

"I'm sorry."

"You need to stop apologizing." He's right, but it's just who you are, always taking the blame for everything.

"But I really should. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

This just gets more and more awkward. You didn't want it to turn out like this.

"Do you love me, [Name]?" He asks into the silence, but you can see him steal a glance at you.

"I... I do. But I'm really not worth it." You tell yourself, but Legend immediately corrects you.

"You are worth it. You just don't believe in yourself, like me."

Both of you fall silent again. Shocker, huh?

You stare off into the distance before feeling something weighing down your shoulder. You look at what's causing it and see Legends head resting on your shoulder.

It makes you smile, just seeing him get closer to you again.

Legend feels someone's eyes on him and looks up at you, making the both of you blush and look away.

"What?" He finally asks you and looks back up at you, a bit nervous what your reaction might be. But it still seems like he just can't take his eyes off for you.

"Nothing." You say and turn your head to face forward again.

"Please stay like this."

As you wished, both of you stayed like this, sitting together while leaning against each other.

You feel his hand creeping onto yours before you decide to interlock your fingers with each other. It gives you a warm and welcoming feeling, something you've always wanted.

And before you know it, both of you are sleeping soundly, cuddling next to each other.

 

You feel the morning sun shine down on you through the leaves. But that's not what wakes you up. It's the faint giggling of some people.

Your eyes flutter open before you're met with a few pairs of eyes, all giggling and smiling.

You're still processing what's happening as you feel Legend moving next to you.

His eyes open. It takes him a moment to wake up properly before he realizes what's going on and just freezes for a good second before his face becomes tomato red.

"Uhh... Just shut up!"

He stumbles upon his words as the others try to hold back their laughter.

"Alright, alright, you lovebirds. Breakfast is ready in 20."

Wild speaks up before walking back over to his cooking pot.

The small crowd around you two slowly dissolves, leaving you and Legend alone. After a few seconds of sitting together in silence, he sits up properly and shifts away from you, creating a small space in between.

It makes you sad, seeing how much he avoids showing love when others are around. Well, you don't really like PDA either, but a little bit of affection won't hurt.

You get up and just look at him for a moment, contemplating if you should go through with your plan or not.

Legend looks up as he notices you moving. He was just about to ask what you're doing before you just throw yourself on him, making him grunt on the impact of your body squishing his.

You know he was annoyed for you just falling onto him, but he still felt a bit flustered at the close proximity.

"What are you doing?"

Legend says in a bit of an exaggerated tone while you make yourself comfortable on his lap, feeling quite giddy from just this interaction.

You shift your position a bit to get comfortable and look up at him with a smirk.

"You don't mind, do you?"

"... No."

It made you happy, filling you with a new sense of energy, knowing you just made him blush and even admit to like your shenanigans.

Without thinking properly, you lean towards him and give him a kiss square on the lips, making him flinch just a little from your sudden boldness.

"W-what was that for..?"

It was the first time you've ever heard him stutter, let alone be the cause of it. You have no clue how you pulled out so much energy just from a simple morning waking up next to him. You just smile at him like a little kid without ever giving him an answer, leaving him confused and curious.

—————————————–————————

AHH OMG IM FINALLY DONE🥳🥳

This has been in my drafts forever and now I finally decided to finish it!

I don't really have much to say except thank you for reading this!

I hope it wasn't to cringe for you all.

Bye Bye!

[punkrockisafulltimejob]

Ya know what sucks?

I've always been a nighttime showerer. I love showering right before bed and getting all cozy and not having to worry about sleeping with the grime of the day on me.

I don't have that option anymore. My fatigue and energy levels have made it impossible to shower at the end of the day. Whatever I did during the day, whether it's work or errands or whatever, it leaves me so worn down and depleted that the thought of standing up and having to go through all the effort of washing my hair and body makes me want to cry. I'm trying to decide if I wanna get a shower chair but what does that do when my arms get tired after scrubbing at my scalp? Not to mention if I'm holding the shower head to try and rinse off, that tires me out too.

Showers are required by society. There's no other options. But I cannot justify using energy before work/errands to shower first thing in the morning to ensure I have the energy to finish my shower.

Disabilities take more from you than ableds can ever imagine. Every time I tell an abled coworker that I barely have the energy to get through my five hour shifts despite sleeping 11 hours the night before, they're quick to blame my sleep. Clearly I slept too much, otherwise I'd be feeling awake. I should have cut myself off after 8 hours, forced myself to stay awake at all costs. I drink coffee and Red Bull just to get by, just to have the slightest energy to get through. Not even to wake up, just to make sure I don't crash and burn after a fucking hour at work.

My disability took so much from me already. And now it's taking my ability to get clean on a regular basis.

What the fuck are we supposed to do when disabilities take everything from us?

[quinloki]

Roronoa Zoro - Sweet

Requestor: @sunshinegat0r Reader Vibes Requested: AFAB she/her CW: Hospital, injuries, references to a car accident, loads of guilt

Notes: Ahhh... I'm realizing I wrote this in the Wrong AU - Gat0r I'm so sorry, I hope this is okay. I wrote this in the Mafia City AU, and not the Grandline Metro AU >.< Mega Oops on my part.

Please note in this AU the Reader is the adopted daughter of Edward Newgate (who is Law's Father's Father, making them Aunt and Nephew.) This AU was used in Family Ties and Family Practice (the reader is not adopted in that one, but it's the same world and Reader)

This is heckin' embarrassing I can't believe I confused my own AUs 😅😵‍💫

“Whaddya mean-!” Zoro couldn’t believe his ears, he pushed back on Law reflexively before he managed to calm down.

“… She… she doesn’t remember me?” The question is in disbelief, and Law’s never heard the rough-edged fighter sound so broken before, or look it.

“It’s barely been a full day since the wreck, Zoro-ya.” He answers, moving to physically put his face in front of Zoro’s and get his attention. “It’s a miracle she was awake in the first place.”

Understanding crosses his features and he steps back from the doctor and the door to your room. He’s quiet for a moment, taking in the sounds of the hospital, and the steady beep from your room.

“Is it… safe for me to see her right now?”

“Safe, how?”

“Will she… will it hurt her to see me?” He questions, brows furrowing. “I don’t want to go in there for myself if it’ll… I don’t know, upset her, to see me.”

“… She’s sleeping for now. If you don’t stay too long you can see her.” Law answers. “I can text you when she’s up tomorrow, I still have to break the news to her brothers.”

Zoro nods, stepping around Law and moving into your room. You looked peaceful, despite the bandages and wires hooked up to you. It was almost impossible to believe you were actually awake.

It was hard to believe you were alive.

You’d picked up extra shifts to help him with the busy season and the two of you were running solo for the last two weeks. Hell, all six drivers Zoro had were running solo just trying to keep up with the need for the holidays.

It was a hit and run, and he hadn’t been there.

He could have been, though. If he had been willing to have everyone work a little longer, he could’ve paired people up the way he preferred. It wasn’t the law to have two people in the truck, but it was the usual process for him - for his business.

And the one time he decides different, this is the cost.

Sitting by your bed, Zoro puts his head in his hands, trying desperately to keep his spiraling emotions in check. This can’t be about his guilt, not so soon, not until he knows. If you don’t recover properly, if your memory doesn’t return, then he’ll cut himself out of your life of his own will. He won’t let you risk yourself again, not because of him.

The burden of this will be his to bear alone.

He can take it.

He can’t trade places with you, so ensuring he’s never the reason you hurt is a small price.

You’ve got dozens of brothers, adopted darling of the Newgate family. No one in this city would purposefully hurt you, and hells, that might be the reason the driver fled the scene in the first place.

Not that such an act would save them. You made friends with Doflamingo accidentally, and there’s no way someone so well-connected would let the culprit get away.

If only Newgate and Doflamingo would turn their ire on him. Even if you recover fully what he did was-

“You’re ‘pose’ta read to someone in a coma,” you mutter, lips and body heavy from the aches and exhaustion. Zoro looks up, wide-eyed and agog to the point of it being comical. “Or confess about how much you love ‘em,” you add, giving him a weak smile.

“Wha-.” He stares. “Law- The doc said you’d be asleep for a while.”

“Docs worry too much,” you reply, giving him a small smile. “You okay?”

“Am - Am I okay?” He nearly barks. “Are you kidding me right now?”

You shake your head. “You look like hell, Marimo.”

“Have you seen- wait,” Zoro freezes, on his feet, hands on the railing on the side of your hospital bed. “Do you… remember me?”

“I’ve known you most of my life, how could I forget you?” You grunt, the words nearly a grumble.

“What… what do you remember?” He questions, sitting back down. You can see the blood already starting to drain out of his face.

“What do you mean, what do I remember?”

“You couldn’t remember your name earlier.” A gruff voice says from the doorway, as Law walks in. He seems to be glaring at Zoro, but Law’s default face was kind of glare-y. He covers the distance from door to bedside quickly and is already shining a very annoying light in your eyes.

“I don’t remember being up before now,” you growl, squinting against the light. “I should’ve stayed asleep if you were just going to blind me.”

Law moves the light away an frowns. “What’s your name?”

“… (Y/N), Newgate (Y/N) since Pops adopted me, making me your aunt.” You answer, flipping him off even though the action made your arm ache.

Law continued to ask you a series of questions, and you knew most of them were because he had to. You must’ve really worried him the first time you supposedly came around, even though you couldn’t remember it, cause he laid out all twenty questions.

Zoro went through an impressive number of emotions, trying desperately to maintain his composure and not interrupt Law. It was cute on the one hand, but if he had been afraid you’d forgotten him, well, that would explain his earlier behavior.

Law leaves the two of you once he’s satisfied, and even offers to have a cot brought in so Zoro can stay the night.

Zoro’s head is back in his hands, and you give him a few moments.

“If I hadn’t,” he starts, voice shaky. “We should’ve…” He shakes his head. “I shouldn’t had put one driver to one truck. This is my-.”

“It’s the driver’s fault.” You interject. “I had,” you wince a little trying to sit up and Zoro moves to help you, adjusting the bed as you talk. “My high-vis vest on and everything. They cut down the alley so fast, there was no helping it.”

You chuckle a little, pained and short. “If I hadn’t jumped,” you shake your head. “No, never mind. I’m here… so… stay with me.” You reach out and he takes your hand without hesitation. “I’m lost without you, Zoro, so please… please don’t take a guilt trip and leave me alone.”

Hanging his head he snorts, shaking his head enough his earrings chime. “That was terrible.”

You smile. “It was perfect.” You tighten your grip on his hand. “Promise me.”

“I promise.” He says, kissing your fingers gently.

“Every other delivery company runs one driver to one truck.” You continue to push. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“… I did one thing wrong.” He insists. “I should’ve hired on more help. I shouldn’t have compromised how I run my business.”

You sigh. “I suppose I can accept that.”

The two of you stayed that way quietly for a few long minutes, the steady beep of your heart monitor and the quiet din of activity in the hall the only sounds for a little bit.

“Zoro?” You prompt and he looks at you after kissing the top of your hand.

“Yeah?”

“If… If I ever do forget, don’t… don’t let me, okay?”

“Huh?”

“No matter the circumstances, promise you’ll help me remember.” You assert. “Everything. All of it, every time… please.”

“Every time.” He promises, kissing your hand again.

[handsome-jacks-toy]

Hindsight

"You know Rhysie? I'm so friggin glad you talked me out of that endoskeleton plan."

Jack stands up from his desk, one of two now in the large office, and walks over to Rhys.

"I mean, look at us! I have a new body. You're Co-CEO of Hyperion. And quarterly profits are through the friggin roof baby!"

Rhys chuckles at that. "Yeah Jack, not airlocking half the R&D department every month will do that."

Jack throws his head back and groans. The kid has a point, but it doesn't mean he has to like it.

"Yeah well, I still say the numbskulls had it coming."

~~~

"Aaaand that'll do it."

Jack closes the Hatch on Rhys' arm and gives it a pat for good measure. The kid lifts his arm, inspecting it this way and that.

"What, ya don't trust my handywork cupcake?"

Rhys tilts his head at him. "Nah, it's not that. I'm just, kinda surprised you know how to fix it? I know you're more of a programmer than an engineer."

Jack can't help but laugh at that one.

"Did you forget I used to be code living in your cybernetics pumpkin? The first thing I did when I got access to Hyperion systems was learn how to repair you. Couldn't have you breaking down on me."

"Helps that you got the top of the line stuff too. Holographic palm interface. Echoeye with AR overlay. 200 year internal power supply. The works. Must have cost you a pretty penny."

Rhys slips his shirt back on as he nods, "Yeah, it definitely wasn't cheap. Cost my entire yearly bonus. I was eating instant noodles for months." He shudders at the phantom taste of noodle before looking Jack in the eye.

"It was worth it though. Without it I never would have met you."

~~~

"Hey cupcake, do you remember the time you first trusted me? When you let me into your subsystems?"

Rhys pauses from reviewing the contract and looks over at him. "Yeah, how could I ever forget? It's still the most terrifying, yet exhilarating, thing I've ever done."

"More terrifying than facing down a hoard of bandits and psychos in a race to the death?"

"Oh for sure. I didn't really have a choice. I could watch my friends die, or trust you. And let's be fair, your reputation preceded you. I mean, when you woke up, the first thing you tried to do was strangle me."

Jack couldn't help but grimace at the reminder. He'd never admit it out loud, but there was a lot he regretted about how he'd treated the kid in the early days.

"So why do you ask anyway?

Jack looked back down at the contract he was writing. "Just thinking about how far we've come, you and I. And this business deal were working on feels like that moment. For me it was pure exhilaration. It was then I knew that we could do anything, and I mean anything, if we worked together. We make an amazing team pumpkin."

Jack looked up to see the fond little smile the kid had. He was directing those at him more and more these days.

Jack clapped his hands together. "Alright, no more sappy shit or I'm gonna get a rash. Back to cracking skulls and writing loopholes."

"We're not cracking any skulls Jack."

"Hey, a man can dream can't he?"

~~~

"Wake up Jack. It's time to get up. Today's the big day!"

Jack rolled over and cracked an eye open. Ugh, he'd fallen asleep with the mask on again. Sometimes he wished he hadn't opted for it on his new body, but he just didn't feel like himself without it. The man before the mask was dead and gone, and he wasn't coming back. He was Handsome Jack now.

Rhys snapped him out of his introspection with a small shake to his shoulder. "Jack, come on. You gotta get up. The meeting's in an hour."

Right, the meeting. The most important one of his life. Jack was definitely awake now. As he sat up he realized he could smell greasy goodness wafting in from the kitchen.

Food was one thing he never took for granted anymore. Go for as long as he did without a sense of taste or smell, and you really learn to appreciate the little things.

He padded into the dining room and Rhysie turned and smiled at him.

"I know you were up late working on last minute revisions, so I made you breakfast. I hope bacon and eggs are alright. There's a pot of coffee brewing too."

Jack sat at the table and took it all in. Sometimes he couldn't believe this was his life. He never thought he'd be so domestic again.

"You're a godsend cupcake, you know that? I could just kiss you."

Rhys froze as he was plating the food, before setting it in front of Jack with a smile.

"I'm glad you like it. Now hurry up, we have a busy day"

Jack dug in gleefully. It was the best thing he'd ever tasted.

~~

"Looks like everything's in order. Pleasure doing business with you gentlemen. We'll talk again soon."

Rhysie turned towards him as the holo-call ended, business facade broken. The kid was downright giddy. It was contagious if he was being honest.

"We did it Jack! We really did it! I can't believe it!"

He thought the kid was gonna faint he was so hyped up. Instead he did something Jack never expected. He reached up, grapped his lapels, and pulled him foreward into a kiss.

Jack froze in shock, before melting into it. This was better than anything he'd ever imagined. Rhysie was a surprisingly good kisser. Finally they ran out of breath and pulled away.

"I can't tell you how long I've wanted to do that. Now just felt like the right time. We made this deal together Jack. Can you believe it? Hyperion is now the biggest company in the univer-

*CRASH*

Jack's eye flew left and right, searching for the source of the noise. He couldn't see anything though, and the mic wasn't picking up anything else. It must have just been more wreckage from Helios setting.

Jack hadn't seen another living soul since the crash. It'd been years, and he didn't want to think about how many more it could be.

That daydream was nice though. He wished it hadn't ended there. But he could always start over again. Wasn't like he had much else to do.

He flexed the arm again, trying to reach the eye, but it was a futile effort. Just like every other time. He couldn't help but look again at the scattered remains around him. The eye had long since rotted and fell to the ground. The bones were all he could really see. Everyday, reminded of his greatest mistake.

"God, I miss you Rhys..."

[yankstrash]

a thunderstorm while gabe is on a roadie and he literally spends the entire night on facetime with meels making sure she’s okay, phone on full volume just in case she wakes up because he feels so bad that he’s not there

amelia instinctively reached beside her at the first crack of thunder

unfortunately, gabe wasn't there.

he was away on a roadie

amelia sighed when she didn't feel her boyfriend beside her

she tried falling back asleep, but the thunder only got louder as the minutes passed

"for fucks sake" she mumbled to herself as she grabbed her phone off her nightstand

the picture of she and gabe on her lock screen was enough to make her eyes start watering

she wanted gabe so badly.

she opened the facetime app and clicked on gabes name, praying he was still awake

after a couple rings, he picked up

or someone picked up.

"it's too late for a booty call amelia"

"gabe's not done with his boys trip, please call again in a couple days"

ryan and will joked

but amelia was not laughing.

"where's gabe?" she said softly

ryan shrugged, "what's it to ya?"

"ryan, where is ga-"

"the answer to that question will cost you $20" will said

normally she would go along with their jokes, but she was not in the mood tonight

"guys, i'm serious. where is gabe?"

"not telling youuuu" ryan sang

more thunder erupted from the sky, making amelia more scared and more upset that her boyfriend wasn't here and his friends were being assholes

the boys continued to laugh and joke, causing the tears to start falling from amelias eyes

at the sight of her tears, they shut up immediately.

"meel? hey, we're just kiddi-"

"who's on the phone?" she finally heard her boyfriends voice

ryan and will both went stiff as they handed gabe his phone

gabes face fell when he saw his girlfriends teary eyes and flushed cheeks

"what's wrong princess? what happened?"

amelia sniffled and pulled the cover over her head as the thunder continued

"i-it's thundering.."

gabes heart ached at her words

there was no worse feeling for him than when it thundered while he was on a roadie, knowing he couldn't be there for his girlfriend

"meels-"

"can you please come home? p-please?"

more heart ache.

he wanted to be there with her so bad.

"baby i can't, i'm sorry. i can stay on the phone with you though, how does that sound?"

"as long as you're on the phone and not freaking ryan and will.." amelia grumbled

gabe turns around and glares at his teammates

"did you say something to upset her?" he asks them

ryan and will give each other a scared look

"we didn't know she was scared..." ryan said

"i asked you guys multiple times where gabe was and you wouldn't tell me and kept joking around." amelia sniffled

"well.. i.. we.." will stuttered

gabe was not happy with them

"don't worry baby, they wont say another word for the entire night. right?" gabe asked, still glaring at his teammates

they both nodded their heads

"ameliailoveyouandimsorry" ryan said in one quick breath

"i am also sorry and i also love you" will said

amelia pouted her lip at her boyfriend

"quiet, please." gabe said "close your eyes and go to sleep baby, i'm right here. i'm not hanging up, i promise."

gabe turned his volume all the way up in case she woke up again

"i love you." amelia whispered with her eyes closed

"i love you sweet girl, i'm right here."

gabe stayed true to his word and stayed on the phone with amelia all night, making sure she was safe

[catty-words]

notes on a haven (2024) listen

a/n one: i was reading the fidlar wikipedia page recently (as one does) and this pitchfork quote really struck a chord with me - "[the band doesn't] make music you'll grow old with...but that's not really the point."

reading that, my mind immediately leapt to marianas trench.

i started listening to mt's music in 2021, when i was deeply unhappy, in need of escape, and barely cognizant of either of those things. their music brought me much joy for the way it was endlessly fun and danceable and facilitated the imagining of scenarios for my favorite fictional characters. but lately - before haven (2024) had been officially announced - i'd been thinking that i wouldn't grow old with them.

i came into this album asking it to prove me wrong and it didn't and that broke my heart a little bit. my listening experience is forever colored by that first impression.

a/n two: i presuppose that the fundamental tension in all of marianas trench's discography is between sickness and love, where the sickness is both literal & the drive to perform selfhood and the love is both a person & the audience consuming that selfhood. you can disagree, but then explain why my masterpiece theatre (2009) breakdown did numbers?

"a normal life"

- marianas trench openers have a history of setting the tone and soundscape of their album with impeccable flare, but that's just not true of "a normal life". it's giving generic film score. it's giving netflix YA property script quality. it's giving self-consciousness about how hard it is to sing the word 'normal' prettily.

- i can't say it doesn't accomplish its goals entirely, though, i find a lot of thematic richness in the chorus.

the voices in the night evoke mental illness but also suggests the inability to stop writing lyrics, to stop chasing the performance. for five years, our protagonist has been living inside normality (or at least without performance), but something innate to him can't settle there.

- the final verse and outro, too -

- drive home an idea of compulsion. the need to create means lack of stability.

"lightning and thunder"

- a second's faster than we thought gets to me. i haven't come to any meaningful conclusion as to why, i'm just kermit-nodding.gif about it.

- i am a sucker for the way the energetic rhythm of the pre-chorus contrasts with how effing dark the lyrics are.

what we got is a compensation. the performance (one last show) is costing him his heart.

- the chorus suggests that coming back to this performance (after a couple years of [feeling] estranged) is fate, is a force of nature. but honestly? given how much of this album sounds bored with itself, sounds like it was forced out at every step of the creative process, i simply cannot take the premise of the song seriously. and it's even a highlight on the album for me! woof!

"i'm not getting better"

- a bop. thank god. this album suffers from a lack of certified bops.

- why is the opening instrumentation serving "blank space" by taylor swift, though.

- see??

every piece of the album so far has highlighted the way performing - the creative voice in our protagonist's head, being on stage for one last show, the dance he needs to leave - is unhealthy. to get better, our protagonist has to walk away from all this.

and my overwhelming reaction to this through line is. SO GO. the music certainly isn't making a compelling case as to why we need you to hang around.

- anyway, this song is also critical in establishing that the grand love in the protagonist's life is still A Person. i know, i know by the sound you make / you've been around, 'cause your heartbeat keeps me awake / i know, i know i should stay away and all that.

"down to you"

- this has been my main grower track. it's gotten stuck in my head the most, its the place where the campbell inspiration does the most work (reading the song as the narrative speaking to its protagonist makes all about you, with or without you a very chewy refrain), and i had to admit to myself that it belongs on a ship playlist that is near and dear to my heart.

- HOWEVER. because it's also explicitly about the protagonist's love object - a broken heart and stay with me tonight and you're all i want - it sucks ass. this demonstrates exactly zero progress toward self-actualization or seeing porcelain as anything more than a fix-all for our protagonist's life. GET A JOB. STAY AWAY FROM HER.

"now or never"

NO

a reaction that works both in the context of the love being a literal person and the love being the audience. do not give yourself up to keep serving either of us, that's not what we're asking you to do.

"into the storm"

- on the other hand, i find this a really powerful commentary on the protagonist's relationship with his love:

he chose to immortalize versions of both of them forever in his art, and they can't escape those versions because they're always on the radio. that's as bitter as it is romantic. that's haunting, a la phantoms (2019).

i also really like the way the of mine ambiguously applies to either the broken record or the radio. the cadence of the delivery sells the former, though, and i am gnawing gnawing gnawing.

"ancient history"

- okay, but.

we just did this in the last track? and it was much less on the nose??

- i will admit to being emotional over the toronto name drop, though. maybe it's because the have a piece of american dream lyric looms large in my brain, but i often feel like mt avoids being so explicitly canadian. i like that we've been given a setting to imagine a wistful re-encounter with love, and that setting is toronto.

"stand and fight"

- a track where the campbell inspiration feels like it's doing the least! what are we fighting? why do we need this generic pep talk? this would be cheesy regardless, but it would actually mean something if we'd built a concrete enemy to stand against!!

"turn and run"

- i have similar issues with this track as with "stand and fight" but i will admit that the dramatic turn in the instrumentals does hit for me.

- though the more fantastical setting (the edge of where the world drops) comes out of nowhere, i can't say i hate it. i kind of wish this energy had been present throughout the album. i wish this album had a more concrete identity and understanding of itself.

"worlds collide"

- i hadn't yet clicked with this track, but okay. i guess with a title like "worlds collide" it Would be about reconciling those voices in the dark (i.e. the sickness, the need to live in the spotlight) keeping our protagonist from his normal life (i.e. settling down with his love). i can get down with the intent to weave together the established threads.

the repetition of several key lyrics from this album really brings home that intent, too.

- and i obviously love that they chose masterpiece theatre (2009) lyrics specifically to include in the repetition section.

it corroborates my read that haven (2024) is taking up the mantle of performance costing the protagonist something essential at the same time that it is something essential to their selfhood.

- BUT. i find the music and the production uninspired. it's simply not a song with a strong identity of it's own, which honestly kind of fucks thematically speaking since the protagonist is struggling mightily to marry the contradictory forces of nature on his life, but i don't want to have to engage with this primarily as text for it to fuck. i want it to be good music first, and it's still mainly serving me generic film score.

"nights like these"

- bored.

"remember me by"

- a bop! thank god! this album suffers from a lack of certified bops!!

- since this album is supposed to have a narrative - even if that narrative is a meta-narrative about the shape all myths take - this necessarily feels like regression. we're back to talking about how the protagonist and his love first met? why?

- whatever. like i said: a bop!

- you've got me burning like a dive bar cigarette really does it for me in terms of similes. there's skeeze! there's an unhealthy element! there's a 'hot and quick' implication that really works! i fuck with this so hard!!

- also, the i'll give you something to remember me by sitting in the shadow of "into the storm"!!! he gave her an inescapable musical legacy! FUCK!!

"haven"

- unlike the album opener, "haven" does live up to the mt legacy of closing tracks Going Hard. i feel like it picks up the fantastical, gritty edge from "turn and run", which sets the closer in a distinctly storybook land. it also folds in the rain/water/force of nature motif that has otherwise not done much for me through the rest of the album's run and makes me care.

- ooh ooh OOH this part

just landed with impact for the first time. in the beginning, the protagonist was kept from belonging by the voices, and here, the pairing of but i try to belong here and i'm trying to be gone here suggests that the voices are a kind of coping mechanism insomuch as he isn't present on purpose in order to belong. EATING THAT SHIT UP.

- still don't think this song has any right to evoke "ever after" though, the narrative album that upstages haven (2024) in every way. like, why are you reminding me that you've done this better already? embarrassing for you.

- and then, of course, i still hate the way the resolution claims that this life of constant tension with performance fits our protagonist better than anything else. it's cheap and happens so quickly as to be disingenuous and - ONCE AGAIN - the quality of the music is not making a case that this is something at which the protagonist ought to keep salving away. a break (more permanent than a five-year lapse between albums) might be a relief for everyone.

- not to mention, the literary nerd in me is driven up a wall by this because when the hero returns, he's not supposed to fall easily back into his so-called normal life. he's supposed to be too changed by his experience to reintegrate. and i guess you could make the case that haven's protagonist started out ill-fit to his normal life, so slotting into it neatly in the end is still indicative of the you can't go back story beat.

but you know what? no!! the bitter-sweetness is what makes that part of the monomyth resonate with me. journeys - be they literal or emotional - leave lasting impacts. you're never the same person at the end in a way that's painful but Correct. this twee sentiment wrapping up the album sells that out in favor of maintaining the status quo.

self-actualization when, king?

[that1emowitch]

Fire #5 (Jason Todd & Child!OC)

Summary:

Jay's going off the deep end, Tim and Dick try their best to save him, Batman finds Jason.

Rating: Teen & Up Audiences (there might be some swears and graphic descriptions of violence)

Word Count: 2760

A/N:

writing this made me cry i hope it does the same for you :)

Chapter 5: Falling Apart

With a heavy heart and conflicting emotions, Jason quickly donned his Red Hood armour and snatched his helmet, the cold metal feeling like a desperate grasp at some semblance of control. His mind was a whirlwind of torment and confusion, memories of the Lazarus Pit creeping into every corner of his thoughts. He wanted to believe that going on patrol would help, that the adrenaline rush would drown out the haunting echoes of his past, but he knew deep down it was a temporary respite. 

I just need to blow off some steam, he tried to reassure himself, praying that he would feel better later.

As he made his way to the bedroom to grab a few essentials, he found Nile sitting on the bed, wide awake with worry etched on her young face. His heart ached at the sight of her, knowing that she had witnessed the turmoil he was going through. "Jay? Ya OK?" she asked in her innocent, three-year-old voice.

He mustered a small smile for her, though it couldn't hide the pain in his eyes. "I'm okay, sweetheart," he whispered, pulling her into a comforting hug. He felt guilty for burdening her with his emotional struggles; she was just a child, after all. "I'm just gonna go out for a while, okay? I'll be back soon."

Nile didn't look convinced, her concern for him evident. "Ya g'na stop more bad guys?" she asked, her trust and admiration for him shining through.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth at her innocent faith in him. "Yeah, imma kick their butts!" he replied with a hint of a smirk, trying to maintain the brave façade for her sake. "Try to get some sleep, okay? Goodnight."

"Good night, Jay-Jay," she said, using her adorable nickname for him.

His heart swelled with a mix of emotions as he left the room. Jason knew he couldn't keep burdening Nile with his troubles, but at the same time, her presence offered a sliver of comfort in the darkness he was drowning in. He wanted to protect her, to be the person she could look up to, just as he had looked up to Batman all those years ago.

As he prepared to head out into the unforgiving night of Gotham, he felt a tug in his heart—a conflict between the vigilant protector he was now and the broken boy he once was. He wished he could shield Nile from the pain of his past, but he knew that ultimately, he needed to confront his demons and find a way to heal. It’ll be better after I find a release. I’ll be fine.

As he made his way out to a rooftop, he couldn't shake the feeling of mental instability plaguing him. The memories played on a loop, like a never-ending nightmare he couldn't escape. Rage and despair battled within him, leaving him vulnerable and exposed. He grappled with the conflicting emotions of anger at those who had hurt him, fear of losing control, and the overwhelming desire to protect Nile at all costs.

With a flick of a switch, he activated enhanced security in his safehouse, his protective instincts overriding his own mental well-being. Nile's safety was his priority, and he couldn't afford any distractions or lapses in security. The weight of his responsibility weighed heavily on his shoulders, amplifying the turmoil inside him. He wondered if he was capable of being the guardian she needed, especially when he was struggling to keep himself together.

"JASON!" Dick's voice echoed through the apartment, filled with urgency and concern, as he knocked on his brother's door repeatedly. Beside him, Tim furrowed his brows, trying to find a way to bypass the enhanced security that Jason had set up. They had been standing outside for what felt like an eternity, worry gnawing at them both.

"Something must've happened to him. Tim, have you found a way in yet?" Dick's eyes darted to his younger companion, hoping for a breakthrough.

Tim shook his head, frustration evident in his expression. "Jason's gone all out with his security protocols. Hacking into this might take some time, we might as well try breaking through the windows."

Dick's face brightened with determination. "Why not? Let's go for it." He didn't wait for Tim's response and launched into action, delivering a powerful kick to one of the windows. The glass shattered, followed by a loud crash, as Dick gracefully entered the apartment through the broken opening. "TIM! I'M IN!"

Tim sighed, partly exasperated and partly amused at Dick's impulsive nature. "Coming," he muttered under his breath and followed his mentor inside.

As they entered the apartment, they found no sign of Jason anywhere. "He's not in the living room," Tim noted, his concern mounting. The small space of the apartment limited the possibilities of where Jason could be hiding.

Dick, ever the optimist, headed towards the closed bedroom door, hoping to find his brother peacefully sleeping. However, when he opened the door, he was met with a surprising sight. There, on the bed, was a small figure huddled under the blankets—a child. Nile.

The sight of the small girl tugged at Dick's heartstrings. He had heard about Jason taking care of a child, but seeing her in person made the situation even more poignant. He quickly assessed that Nile was safe and unharmed, which eased some of his worry.

"Hey there," Dick said gently, crouching down to Nile's level. "I'm Dick, and this is Tim. You remember Tim, right?” She didn’t answer him, she seemed extremely cautious. What happened to her that made her so on-the-edge? 

Tim stepped in. “He’s also Jason’s brother, just like me. Is Jason here with you?"

Nile looked up at him with big, curious eyes, her expression tinged with uncertainty. "Jay?" she asked softly, as if seeking confirmation.

Dick smiled reassuringly. "Yes, that's right. Jason. Is he here?"

Nile shook her head, her small voice barely audible. "No... gone."

"Gone? Where did he go, sweetie?" Tim asked, trying to be as gentle as possible.

Nile hesitated for a moment before answering, "He’s angry... he went to find bad people."

Dick exchanged a worried glance with Tim. Jason was out on patrol, fueled by his inner turmoil and memories from the Lazarus Pit. His unstable mental state was a cause for concern, and they knew they had to find him before he did something reckless.

"Your name’s Nile, right?" Dick started, giving her a warm smile. She nodded. "You're safe with us. Can you tell us more about what happened?"

Nile seemed to brighten up a little, sensing the comfort and support from the two older heroes. 

"Jay—Timmy and Con left, then Jay-Jay was crying and screaming, then he was really quiet.. Then he came and said he's g’na kick some bad guy’s butt. He said I should go sleep again… He said he was OK, but…" Nile's voice choked up with tears, her small hands clutching at her toy mammoth, Milo, for comfort.

Dick kneeled down to her level, trying to be the comforting ‘big brother’ figure she needed right now. "Hey, hey—don’t worry, okay?" he said softly, wiping away a tear from her cheek. "He’ll be okay. We'll find him, make sure he’s fine. I promise." But even as he spoke, he couldn't ignore the gnawing concern in his heart for Jason, knowing how unstable he had been lately.

He picked up the escrima sticks he'd laid on a nearby table, ready to jump back into the night and search for Jason. "Don't worry, Nile, we'll find Jay-Jay together," Dick reassured her, his eyes filled with determination.

But Tim chimed in, "Dick, I—I don’t think it’s the best idea to leave her alone here. I'll stay with her." He could see the worry and fear in Nile's eyes and knew she needed someone to stay by her side.

Nightwing nodded in agreement, his gentle demeanour giving way to a more focused and authoritative presence. "You're right, Tim. Nile needs someone here with her. Contact Oracle, let her know what's going on. You two can support me on your computers. Try to find Jason everywhere you can. Also, don't forget there are still assassins after Nile. You might need to protect her from the League. Call for backup if you need it—Orphan and Spoiler, maybe."

Tim nodded, appreciating the trust his brother had in him to handle the situation. "You got it, Nightwing. We'll be fine. Now go! Find Jason and bring him back."

In the darkness of the night, Red Hood moved with the agility and grace of a predator, his senses sharp and attuned to the city's heartbeat. It didn't take long for trouble to rear its ugly head, as he spotted three lanky men lurking in the shadows, their predatory gazes fixed on two scared teenage girls they were surrounding. He could practically smell the malice in the air, and it ignited a fiery rage within him.

With a calculated leap, he traversed the rooftops, closing in on the scene below. His heart pounded in his chest, fueled by a mix of adrenaline and fury. These thugs thought they could take advantage of innocent girls, but they had no idea who they were dealing with. He was Red Hood, and he didn't take kindly to those who preyed on the vulnerable.

As he landed with a dramatic flourish, his guns cocked and ready, the men's bravado wavered. Hood’s very presence exuded an aura of danger that sent shivers down their spines. He positioned himself in front of the frightened girls, becoming a barrier between them and their assailants.

"Back off," Jason's voice was cold and filled with a wrath that dared anyone to challenge him. The men tried to intimidate him, hurling threats and profanities his way, but he brushed them off with a dismissive snarl. The safety of the girls was all that mattered to him at that moment.

He didn't need to see their faces to know the emotions swirling in the young girls' eyes—fear, relief, and a glimmer of hope. "Run," he commanded, his tone unwavering yet carrying an undertone of protection. Without hesitation, the girls seized the opportunity and fled into the night, seeking safety from their tormentors.

He turned back to face the rats. Everyone knew Hood, and his reputation. The assailants chose the wise choice to run away and hide, but Hood wasn’t in a generous mood tonight. He needed to blow off some steam.

Hood was quick to shoot all three men in their kneecaps, disabling them, possibly permanently. Ignoring their pleas for forgiveness, he grabbed the one closest to him and brutally bashed his head against the nearest wall. The constant green hue in his vision seemed to get brighter as Batman’s voice filled his head. “You’re too volatile. Not good enough.”

He screamed, punching another man in the face with all his power, hearing a satisfying crunch of bones as his head caved in. He shifted to see the third man desperately trying to crawl away, and his anger flared once more. These rats don’t deserve to live.

“You’re not good enough to be Robin.”

He marched over and grabbed him by the neck, letting out as much anger as possible into breaking every possible bone in the man’s body.

“RED HOOD!” He heard a very familiar voice shout, but he paid it no heed, continuing to bash his enemies to death instead.

Strong arms pulled him off the bloody body against his wishes. “HOOD!”

His heart pounded in his chest, each beat reverberating in his ears like a constant reminder of the nightmare he was trapped in. It was as if the Lazarus Pit itself had resurfaced, pulling him back into the abyss of torment. The Joker's maniacal laughter echoed through his mind, a haunting symphony that threatened to drive him to the brink of madness once more.

His surroundings blurred, the city lights dancing like distorted shapes. Reality and hallucination collided, and he struggled to distinguish between the two. The laughter taunted him, mocking his vulnerability, and the pain of his past felt fresh and raw all over again. His throat clenched, leaving him choking.

“You’re not good enough to be my son.”

He fought against the tight grasp of his attacker, desperately trying to get away, trying to breathe. 

“You should have stayed dead.”

His grip on reality slipped further, and he stumbled, his knees hitting the ground as he clung to the present with every ounce of strength he could muster. Yet, the Pit was relentless, its grasp tightening around him, suffocating him with memories he wished he could forget.

The world around Jason swirled in a disorienting haze as he struggled to grasp onto reality. His helmet was unceremoniously pulled off, leaving him exposed and vulnerable. Through the fog of his torment, he recognized a figure in the familiar black-and-blue costume, shouting desperately in an attempt to anchor him back to the present. I can’t trust him! He ripped Batman’s hand off of him as fast as he could.

“JASON!” Another familiar voice joined Batman’s. Nightwing.

The urgency in their voices pierced through the cacophony of his mind. For a fleeting moment, concern flickered in the Dark Knight's eyes, genuine worry for his lost and tormented son. Nightwing stood a metre away, concern crossing his eyebrows. But the Pit's relentless hold tightened its grip, and that worry twisted into something darker. A flash of sickly green tainted Batman's expression, and the caring fatherly figure morphed into something else entirely.

 “Little birdie~ come and play~”

The voice was hauntingly familiar, taunting and malicious, as the Joker's presence invaded his hallucinations. Jason's heart pounded, torn between the voice of reason and the devilish allure of the man who had brought him so much pain.

“JASON, LOOK AT ME!”

“You’re such a let down, ya’know? I expected you to be my good soldier, but— you died. And came back all wrong.” He couldn’t tell if Bruce had really said this or if the Pit was making things up again.

“Jason, whatever’s happening, it’s not real. You need to come back!” Nightwing's voice rang out like a lifeline, but he knew he couldn’t trust him. I refuse to fall for that trap again. The lines between hallucination and reality blurred, and Jason couldn't distinguish one from the other.

The world tilted, tilting him further into the abyss of his own mind. He tried to reach out, to find something solid to cling to, but his grip on reality was slipping like sand through his fingers. The pain, the confusion, and the weight of his fractured soul were overwhelming.

I can’t do this anymore… Nile deserves better than this stupid fucking mess I’ve become to take care of her.

The thought of his daughter completely cleared his mind for a split second, and he was finally able to take in reality.

Batman and Nightwing were trying to bring him back, it looked almost like they… cared?

“I wish I’d never taken you in,” Bat’s voice rang in his head. “You’re my biggest failure.”

“NO!” He screamed his throat raw, clawing at his own face, trying to block out the voice. This isn’t real!

As the pain of the Pit intensified, Jason's body seemed to disconnect from the world around him. His senses dulled, and the cacophony of torment that had assaulted his mind slowly faded into an eerie silence. It was as if the universe had granted him a momentary respite from the overwhelming chaos.

The world around him seemed distant and surreal, as if he was observing it from the confines of a dream. The physical agony he had endured for so long now felt like a distant memory, as if his body had taken refuge in the numbing embrace of unconsciousness. 

The voices in his head and desperate pleas from his ‘family’ were muted, reduced to a faint echo in the recesses of his mind. He couldn't process the words or the emotions that had been thrown at him like a whirlwind. Everything felt surreal, disconnected, and far away.

His body slumped, falling into a state of weightlessness. It was almost a relief, the sensation of floating, of being untethered from the pain that had become his constant companion. He embraced the quiet, the stillness that enveloped him. The torment won, and his world faded into darkness as he lost consciousness. The battle was far from over, and the fractured mind of Red Hood remained adrift in a sea of memories and pain.

A/N

IT HURTS ME TO HURT MY BBY JASON BUT HE'LL GET HIS COMFORT. THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE NOW IS ~ SHOULD I LEAVE THIS AS A FAMILY FLUFF FIC OR SHOULD I ADD JAYROY?

Up Next

Chapter 6: Harper

[yaoi-life96]

Monsters Within

Summary: After complete radio silence from nosy Reporter and informant Freddie Lounds and a mysterious email, Detective Will Graham is sent off by his boss to investigate her disappearance. The investigation leads him to the Murkoff Corporation and their involvement in the Mount Massive Asylum, which has been shut down before being reopened to house the criminally insane. Will heads to the asylum in the hopes of finding the missing Reporter. If only he knew what monsters lie inside...

CHAPTER 1

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A groan escapes a man with dark, curly hair as he walks down the sidewalk. It was far too early to be awake.

The man looks to his phone, 6:47 taunted him. He should still be sleeping, his shift doesn't start him nine!

But then again, his boss is an ass.

He makes it to a tall building, entering through a door with a sign on it.

'Detective Jack Crawford: Private Investigator'

The dark haired man enters a large room with a long table with chairs, as well as a small coffee station.

Where a woman with long dark hair was fixing a cup of coffee.

"You're up too, Bev?" asked the man.

The women, Beverly, just gives a tight smile before sipping her hot beverage.

"Morning Will, ya, Jack called us all in, something must have happened." said Beverly.

Will Graham, Detective Crawford's profiler and 'Prized Bloodhound'. Prized because of his empathy disorder.

Will's empathy allows him to walk through the crimes and as through the eyes of the criminals. It's also thanks to this gift Jack was able to get his detective business off the ground. Not to mention work murder cases.

"What's happened, thought we were working the Museum case." said Will.

Beverly just shrugs when the door opens, revealing a large dark skinned man. This man was the boss of this building, Jack Crawford.

"Good, you're both here, sit down." he ordered.

Will looks longingly at the coffee but sits down anyway. Beverly takes her own seat, sliding over a cup to him.

The dark haired smiles happily at her, picking it up to drink.

"So what's going on, was the there a breakthrough on the museum case?" she asked.

"No, we got an urgent email, and it's an emergency." said Jack.

Will puts the empty cup down, wiping his mouth to look at his boss.

"Who's the email from?" he asked.

"Freddie Lounds, she may be dead." said Jack.

The room goes deathly silent, Will looking at Beverly in shock.

He and Freddie never got along, him finding her news articles tasteless. Not to mention her love of invading people's privacy.

She also tried to write a article on him, but thankfully Jack put a stop to it before she published it.

Though she did become their mole during cases.

But to hear she as killed, that was quite the shock considering she was skilled at getting in and out of many situations.

"How do you know she's dead?" Beverly asked.

"Late last night, I received an email from her." said Jack.

He passes a copy to both his employees. The email wasn't long, just short and quick.

'Detective Crawford,

This may be the last you ever hear from me. I was investigating a new story and I got too deep.

It's bad, really bad!

The truth has to come out, this can never be allowed out. You're the only one I can trust, the only one who can finish what I started.

I don't have much time, they're almost in. This is my final good bye.

BEWARE THE RIPPER, AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T LISTEN TO THE MONSTERS INSIDE!

Freddie Lounds'

"Ripper, what does she's mean by Ripper?" asked Will.

"And monsters, where the hell did she go?" wondered Beverly.

"I don't know, but we need to figure it out, whatever she was trying to uncover, it cost her life." said Jack.

"I get that, but what about the museum case, it's high priority." she said.

Jack looks over, his gaze resting on Will. The dark haired man looks around before shaking his head.

"No, why me, I'm not a Detective, I'm just a profiler." said Will.

"Well, this can be your chance to become one, Will, I need your imagination on this." said Jack.

Will just shakes his head. The last time Jack used him for a murder case, Will lost himself in the killer's mind, even bringing something back with him.

"Jack might have a point, while we're busy with the museum case, you can try to retrace her steps." said Beverly.

"Yes, we can join you after we finish the case." said Jack.

Will looks at them, but sees he won't be getting out of this. He sighs deeply, wishing he had stayed in bed.

"So where should I start?" he asked.

"Try her apartment, it's on fourth street, she gave me a copy in case anything happens." said Jack.

He moves to his desk and shows off a small key. He hands the key over, Will reluctantly accepts it.

"Bring a video camera with you, no offence Will, but your handwriting is bad." said Jack.

Will just nods, eying the key as he wonders what he got involved in.

'Hopefully it's nothing as bad as that murder case I worked.' thought Will.