#I'm so much more brave when rope climbing

[owlthex]

I do not like it when men are like "you're not too short for this bouldering route, you just have to be creative."

Broski. The guy who set it was 6'0". I'm 5'4". To make it work, I have to make two dynamic movements. This is a V1. I should be making no dynamic movements in a V1. For me, this is a V4. And the fact there are no real V1s for me at the gym because every route setter is at least 6" taller than me is a problem. I cannot get any better if there is nowhere for me to start!

[yuri-is-online]

I feel like Octavinelle would all respond pretty well to you being lonely tbh

Azul: Bullied, lonely child? Only two friends made because he was "fun" enough and felt at risk of losing them? If you talk about being lonely he MIGHT bring up a contract, but I could also see your honesty being met by the most clumsy olive branch of him stammering that HE could be your friend... since hes so generous, of course (liar he wants a friend too)

Floyd: What?! That's no fun! Being lonely almost as bad as being bored! He kind of thrives on attention/entertainment so I feel like his solution is just to drag you wherever he goes. YOU have to be the one to say that no, you have to go to your own class not his.

Jade: While I do think he would be most manipulative if you told him you're lonely, I think it would be tame - akin to "hey eat this weird mushroom" or dragging you on a hike you are NOT experienced enough for as his "requirements" for companionship. He wouldn't stop hanging out if you refused, he really just likes seeing your reactions. I also don't think he'd ever kick you out of a room he's in, and he'd do his own thing while you do yours

I'm so glad you sent this because I was just thinking while I was settling to sleep that I had a lot more to say but was worried a separate post might be too much.

All Three

If there is one thing Twisted Wonderland does really well it's acknowledging the inhuman aspects of its characters. Malleus has so much magic he fails to solve problems without it, Ruggie has really sensitive hearing, Leona talks about smell a lot etc.

Point being the trio has a bunch of things they find weird about life on land. They're not really going to make fun of Yuu for feeling out of place. Assuming they don't trip and fall a whole bunch, that's just too easy.

They're technically new up here too yeah? Let them show you the ropes.

Azul

He's surprisingly soft with Yuu during events. Especially if you pick dialogue options that show intelligence or planning.

^ this happens if you get why he's selling salad cups I think?

^ and this one is if you assume you'll be using the bell of salvation to destroy the flowers

My one amendment to your idea is that I don't think he'd be shy about it at all. He'd be putting forward a show of confidence because of how he was slighted in the past. He would think your friendship was the most natural conclusion in the whole world.

Your smart. He's smarter. Together you could make some real magic! And maybe play some board games. He could use some time to relax.

Floyd

Completely right. I already talked a lot about him in my original answer, but I do think he enjoys hanging out with Yuu when he's in the mood to be social.

He's got all of that extrovert energy Idia's so afraid of, and if you start indulging him, you won't get to stop. I think he'd be really happy to have someone go along with what it is he wants to do no matter how outlandish it gets. Even better if you look like you're having fun!

I could see him say that you "owe him" for hanging out with you when he wants some of your food though.

Jade

Oh? You're lonely? What a shame. How horrible. Terrible really.

That must mean you'll have no problem signing up for his club right? Because that's very much what I could see him doing. He really wants another member to order arou- I mean enjoy the mountains with.

^ If you tell Epel you will be "Here for whatever [the team] needs." When he asks you to help run the Pit Stop, Jade immediately decides this means you will commit a crime for him. Which to be fair-

I would object to the bit about taking you on a hike you're unqualified for though. He tells you not to try climbing Mount Moln until you've done an easier one first.

Obviously I agree about the sketchy mushrooms. If he's brave enough to walk into the Culinary Crucible with them, what's Ramshackle?

Him coming to the Ramshackle guest room to sit quietly while you both do your own thing is something he'd really enjoy. You make much more interesting faces when he gives you a break from his teasing.

[geddy-leesbian]

A carved oak table tells a tale, of times when kings and queens sipped wine from goblets gold, and the brave would lead their ladies from out of the room to arbors cool. A time of valor, and legends born. A time when honor meant much more to a man than life, and the days knew only strife to tell right from wrong through lance and sword.

fantasy + cowboys + don quixote variety pack for Serennedy week

plus little snippet of a princess Luis story:

It's the moment of truth. Leon has hacked and slashed his way through what felt like endless waves of monstrous wolves and gigantic insects, navigated through a maze of a garden lined with thorny bushes, and solved a few puzzles. Finally he's reached the base of the tower. If the stories he's heard are true, there's a beautiful princess up at the top waiting to be rescued.

Scaling the tower isn't too bad. There's hardy vines growing on it, that Leon is able to use like a rope to climb up to the lone window at the tower's top. His heart races as he heaves himself through the window. There might be a beautiful princess in the room. A princess so beautiful and special that Leon will actually be attracted to her without conscious effort, and she'll be so grateful to finally be rescued that she'll agree to marry him right away.

Or the room will be empty, and Leon will just have to make peace with the fact he's going to die alone, because this whole “find a princess to rescue” thing was his last ditch effort after years of trying and completely failing to court women the normal ways.

Shutters magically snap shut behind Leon, covering the window, trapping him. The room is lavishly furnished. At the center is a large canopy bed, with intricately carved wood posts and lacy fabrics. And there's a figure in a dress laying on it. Success. It isn't until Leon gets closer that he realizes: It's a man. He approaches stealthily, dagger drawn and presses it to the man's throat.

“Oye, what the hell are you doing?! Barging into someone's bedroom, putting a knife to their throat?”

“There's supposed to be a princess here. You've got her dress. Where is she? What did you do to her?”

“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there is no princess here. Never has been. Just a very charming prince who happens to enjoy wearing his mother's dresses.”

“You're kidding.”

“No, you have the wrong castle, hero boy. But, while you're here… Untie my hands?”

“I can't believe this,” Leon complains, rolling the man over and using his dagger to cut the rope tying his hands together. “I went through hell to get here expecting my soul mate, and instead I get you.”

“Easy, easy. I may not be the princess you expected, but I'm not nothing either! Can the handsome and amazing Prince Luis Serra know his savior's name?”

“Leon.”

“Thank you, Sir Leon,” Luis purrs, before breaking Leon's brain a little bit by boldly going in for a kiss. “Now let's get out of here. Just a few flights of stairs, no more traps. Oh, and there's a dragon at the bottom of the tower that you'll have to slay.”

“Of course there is. Whatever.”

[howlingday]

swashbuckler au pyrrha flashback episode where she is saved by the long blade and swears to marry him when she was a few years younger with jaune having no idea she was serious or who she was .... why does that make her more interested!?!

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Aquadian Romance

It was supposed to be a simple tour. The rising star, Pyrrha Nikos, would tour across Remnant with her friends and rivals in order to maintain favor in her coming years. "Nothing would go wrong," she'd told her worrying mother.

But it did go wrong. Her team was trapped inside their room as the hotel was locked down by a roving gang of thugs. When they were denied entry, they got violent. When the guards came to apprehend them, they were beaten back. Suddenly, she was held against one of them, a knife to her neck.

She tried to be strong, but she couldn't help but cry. She saw cameras within the crowd and everyone could see her tears. The tabloids would eat this up like the vultures they are. Once the guards backed away, she was tossed away and the hotel was shut and locked.

Nothing happened for the rest of the week. Food was getting scarce, and she noticed her captors staring at them longer each day. She'd tried to maintain her exercise routine, but the reps lessened each passing day. Until...

"Psst!" Came a hiss. A hushed whisper. "I'm gonna get you out!" A hopeful chance. She made her way to the door, rousing the others on her way.

"Wh-Who are you?"

"I'm..." The voice trailed off before returning with confidence. "I'm La Lama Lunga."

The Hero of Aquadia?! Pyrrha had heard the legends, but to hear his voice was shocking! There was so much she wanted to warn him of, but his footsteps had already moved swiftly away from the door.

Thirty seconds passed. Nothing. One minute. Still nothing. Time slowed and Pyrrha's heart thundered. Could this be it? Could she be saved at last?!

"Look!" One of the girls whispered. Outside the window, a segmented rope softly swayed in the night air. Arslan took hold and gave it a few, firm tugs. With a nod, she bravely climbed outside. Slowly, one after the other, the rest of the athletes climbed out of the roof.

Pyrrha was the last woman out. Halfway across the room, the door exploded into splinters. Fear made her look back, and fear made her slow. She was pinned down, a weight placed hard against herbody.

"HELP ME!" Sobbing out as she tried in vain to be hear. A strike to her head made her quiet, though she continued to sob. Moreso when she saw the rope retract to the heavens.

She'd been abandoned. A casualty of a horrible circumstance. She alone was left behind. She could hear cries of rejection, though they were din to the agony she had felt. She was betrayed by those she'd called friend, and by the Hero of Aquadia.

"Oh, don't feel so bad." The voice said with sick intentions laced over it. "We don't need them. Long as we got you, we can have all the fun we want." She wanted to scream, but a roving hand to her chest choked the air out of her lungs. Hoisted to her feet, she was dragged to the window. "C'mon, let's see the pretty sights and get to know each other."

Pyrrha shivered. Was this how her life would be? Trapped in a foreign hotel, her dreams of becoming an international athlete as well as her dreams of maintaining her chastity to one she truly loved both quashed in a single, horrible night of abhorrent circumstance? Now, she was alone, and it was thanks to the Hero of Aqua-

"YIPPIE-KI-YAY-MOTHER- OH SHIT, DUCK!"

Pyrrha leaned forward, freeing herself as the rope returned, carrying a masked hero on the end of it. Boots pointed like a spear, the hero thrust into the room, heels cracking in the face of her captor. She was freed! Her life itself saved by this hero of insurmountable bravery!

"Um, a little help?"

She looked up to see him dangling, his boot caught on the balcony frame. She hurried and carried him down. When he was brought down to the floor, she gazed into the eyes behind his mask. They were as blue as the waters of Aquadia, and twice as kind.

"Th-Thank you..." She whimpered.

"Don't thank me yet." He said, taking hold of the rope. "Here. Climb up to the roof. Your friends, and the real heroes are waiting for you up there."

Pyrrha began to climb when she heard shouting. She looked down to see her hero nearly fall out the window. She wanted to call out, but he shouted over her voice.

"PULL UP THE ROPE!"

Pyrrha ascended, much to her dismay. Before she knew it, she felt arms grab hers, and she was lifted into sobbing hugs. On the roof, she was met by her friends and rivals, the city guards, and... the Hero of Aquadia?

This one, however, was completely different. He was much taller, more muscular, and had a pointed beard. He looked like he was in his 30s or 40s, whereas the man who saved her was closer to her age. He walked over to the rope and released it with a swick of his blade.

Pyrrha thrashed against those around her, but it was too late, and the rope lay helpless on the ground.

"But what about-?!"

"He's fine." The timbred voice waved off. "This was his idea, so he should know how to get out of it."

At this, Pyrrha finally freed herself. She marched up to him, jabbing a finger at him. "AND WHERE WERE YOU?!" She screamed, feeling the others hold her back. Tears filled in and flowed from her eyes. "WHY WAS IT ONLY HIM WHO SAVED US?!" In response, the supposed hero made a face of mild discomfort, like a cat that ate bad fish.

Before this could go further, there was cheering from the ground. Everyone leaned over and saw the real Hero of Aquadia walk out of the hotel. From the roof, he didn't look bad, but in the papers the next day, you could see the battered hero as he was.

The next few years that followed, Pyrrha went on to win regional and even Kingdom championships, lucrative sponsorships, and even a scholarship into Beacon. She was going to become a huntress, and hopefully, meet her hero again one day. The tabloids noticed her increased perserverance and tenacity, calling it, as they put it, "like she was steel to be tempered." Though this angered her that they would make light of and even glorify her trauma, she chose to ignore it and swallow her pride.

A buzz from her scroll caught her attention. It was from her friend, Ruby. And it would be the call she had been waiting for her entire life.

[wanderingjedi77]

Bo Katan x Fem!Reader (Scars)

Summary: Getting injured was not part of the plan.

It had been a few months since you had seen Bo, and when she had come home from her latest mission; she had suggested a little rendezvous away from the castle, just you and her and some climbing equipment. Bo wanted to show you and incredible view on one of the cliff faces, well at the same time keeping up with your training on how to be a Mandalorian.

You leaned back to look at the ocean behind you as Bo waited for you at the top of the cliff. The ropes holding you in place swayed slightly, but you weren't too worried. This wasn't the first time Bo-Katan had taken you rock climbing.

"Pay attention and keep your footing, the next time we do this your free climbing." Bo-Katan called down to you. You looked up and saluted her with a smile, and she huffed, annoyed.

"I'll be fine. You worry too much Bo." You call back, and put your hands and feet back on the rocks, making your way slowly up the cliff.

"I worry because I don't need to carry you back to base again." Bo shakes her head, and you laugh.

"Look, I know what I'm doing!"

"You need to be careful, you're getting overconfident." Bo says. You look at her, and she motions her hand to her ear. Listen.

"I'm okay." You yell up at her, and move up a little faster when you lose footing. The rope yanks on you hard, and then starts to move away from where it's being held on the cliff face-

"Bo!" You scream as the rope comes loose and you slam into the side of the cliff, your ankle slipping between a gap before the rope pulls you back out and down. You yell as your ankle twists, and then feel a sharp intense pain up your leg.

"I'm coming to get you." Bo says suddenly, and you look up to realise she's above you, scaling the cliff with her bare hands. She reaches for the rope, still loose but not coming out of the wall as you feared. By the time she gets to you your trying to keep yourself from crying from the pain, and she wraps an arm around your waist to pull you against her.

"You could have died y/n." Bo scolds you, and you sob. "I thought I was going to lose you." You can hear the agony in her voice as she pulls you both up, and by the time you reach the top of the cliff your sniffling, trying to wipe your eyes of the tears that threaten to fall.

"I'm sorry-" You tell her as she unhooks you and lays you on your back. "Bo-"

Bo shakes her head, and looks at you with concern. "Just relax." She tells you, and pauses. "Can you stand?"

You shake your head no desperately. "No. I think it's broken." You tell her, trying to reach for your leg. Bo waves your hands away and pins your arms down to your side with a shake of her head.

"Can you please stay still y/n?" Bo snaps at you. You can hear the worry in her voice and see it on her face, even though her tone is angry, so you listen and stay still as Bo let's you go, and looks down at your leg laying at an awkward angle.

"I think it might be too." Bo replies, and she winches as you whimper in pain and a few tears escape from your eyes. You don't want to cry, you hate crying, but it hurts so bad-

"I won't be able to set it until we get home." Bo tells you, and she looks up; reaching over to wipe away your tears. "I know it hurts, but you're being so brave for me, my love."

"Thanks, Bo." You sniff and leaned into her touch. Bo gives you a gentle look, and kisses your cheek as she pulls her hand away.

"I'll have to carry you okay?" Bo explains, and you nod your consent before she picks you up in your arms; your head resting against the armor on her chest. "It's at least an hour back to home."

"I'll make it." You tell her, and she smiles grimly down at you. "I'll be good, I promise."

"I know you will my sweet girl." Bo replies lowly, and she starts to walk back to your palace home on the shores of Kelevala. It feels like more then an hour to you, as much as Bo wants to keep you steady, the rocky and grassy hills around you don't make that easy, and you try to keep quiet as ever jostle sends pain up your broken leg. Bo tenses the closer you get to home, and you can tell that the journey is taking it's toll on her, no matter how strong she is.

By the time she whisks you away inside, to your room she's breathing a little harder, and she let's out a sigh of relief when she lays you down in bed. You reach out and brush your fingers against her wrist as she pulls away, and she pauses; tilting her head down at you.

"I'm alright." Bo says to you, and she turns her focus to removing your boots and helping you change into your pyjamas, sleep shorts and a top so she can get better access to your leg. Your ankle is swollen and purple, and you bite your lip as her hand moves across it. Bo steps back and moves around the room, gathering bacta, a splint and wrapping. It doesn't take her long to set your ankle, and she steps back after she makes sure it elevated with a pillow, nodding to herself.

"You'll feel better in a few weeks." Bo tells you, and she sits down next to you on the bed. You watch her carefully, trying to see if she is still upset with you; but she reaches out and laces her fingers in with yours. "I'm sorry I got mad, I was scared."

"It's okay. Thank you for apologising. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." You apologise. Bo brings your hand up and kisses the back of it with a tired smile.

"It's alright sweet girl, we can work on teaching you to become a better listener later." Bo tells you, and then yawns.

"Will you stay Bo?" You ask her and she looks thoughtful.

"Do you want me to stay?"

"Please." You answer, and Bo nods at you. She excuses herself and steps into the fresher to change, coming back out soon in a set of sleeping pants and tunic. She crawls under the covers with you, and wraps her arm around you to pull you're head against her chest.

"I missed this." You tell Bo, and she kisses you on the head.

"I'm sorry I've been away so much." She tells you. "I don't mean to be...but-"

"Mandalore comes first, I know Princess." You reply, and glance up at her.

"You come first." Bo corrects you, and she holds you a little tighter in her arms. "You always come first my love." She squeezes you, and you snuggle closer.

"Do you promise?" You ask sleepily.

"With all my heart and soul." Bo replies, "I swear to you, you are mine and I am yours. Always."

[omgsquee2001]

We Are All Connected: Feelings; Part 1: Hunk

If there was one thing Hunk knew for certain, he was not cut out for the amount of physical strength and exercise that living with the Omatikaya People demanded. He was desperately trying to catch his breath, watching as Pidge continued to climb. His eyes landed on the Omatikaya female leading the group. He then looked around at the Omatikaya People. Seen the strong connection between them, reminded him of his own family back on Earth. He missed them everyday, even more so now that he was at Home Tree. He slowly and carefully clambered up one of the branches, following [Y/N].

Hunk was breathing hard, standing next to Pidge on a large branch, watching the Omatikaya. [Y/N] stood up, facing them, gesturing to hammocks that looked like they were made of vines or rope.

"This is where we sleep. Do not worry about falling. The vines are strong." She said. [Y/N] let the Paladins observe how the Omatikaya gracefully descended into the hammocks. She turned to them. "I will help you first, then, you must learn on your own." She explained. Being the most daring and brave, Shiro stepped forward to go first. [Y/N] held out her hand to him, which he took. [Y/N] helped steady the Paladin, lowering him into the hammock. Once Shiro got situated, he looked up at her and gave a friendly smile.

"Thank you." He said. [Y/N] smiled and gave a nod. One by one, the other Paladins, with the help of [Y/N], descended into their hammocks, slowly nodding off to sleep. Hunk was the last one, still hesitant, his mind still on Shay and the Balmera. He missed Shay a lot. He remembered how she talked about never seeing having seen the sky before when he first arrived. Now that he was looking at Pandora, Hunk wanted to share this experience with his friend. [Y/N] turned to look at the Paladin, turning her head in curiosity.

"You seem distracted." She said. Hunk looked up at them, then sighed.

"I have a family, a big family, back on Earth, where I'm from," he then looked down. "Granted, my family isn't as big as Lance's, or the Omatikaya, but still pretty big," Hunk explained. He looked around at the People. "Seeing the Omatikaya People, they remind me so much of my family at home." He said sadly. [Y/N] looked at him in sympathy.

"What is your family like?" She asked. Hunk looked at her.

"My family? Where do I even begin?" He then started to describe his family. From his mother, to his niece and nephew. [Y/N] smiled as he finished describing his family. He suddenly didn't feel as homesick anymore. [Y/N] smiled.

"Though your true family may be far away, you may think of the Omatikaya as your family for now. Family understands, loves, and protects." She said. Hunk smiled at her gratefully.

"Thank you," he said. He held out his hand, ready to make the descend. [Y/N] gave a bright smile, taking his hand in her's. Tan skin contrasted with dark blue, glowing skin. [Y/N] lead the Paladin over to his hammock, gently lowering him. Hunk lay on his back, surprised at how sturdy the hammocks actually were. He looked up at her. She smiled. "Good night, [Y/N]." He said. [Y/N] smiled.

"Sleep well, Hunk." She responded. Lance sighed and closed his eyes, ready for what the day would bring tomorrow. 

//Sorry if Hunk's is very similar to Lance's. I really couldn't think of anything else.//

[weilongfu]

Literally anything with more Fox!Mork and Nymph!Pi.

"Stop glaring," Pete said to Tutor as he set down a woven basket of his peaches and handed one to Pin. "You're not going to scare Mork off that way anymore. Pi made his choice."

"Uncle Pi is happy now?" Pin asked, juice already all over his little face from the first three bites.

"Oh he's very happy now, see?" Pete pointed to how Mork curled his body over Pi's and guided his hands in the braiding and knotting of the hempen ropes he'd gotten for Pi. Pi's cheeks were just the slightest pink, but his ears were bright red as Mork nuzzled the side of his face and whispered in his ear.

"Rotten, mangy, the absolute worst," Tutor mumbled under his breath in contrast to the way he wiped Pin's face down gently.

"But Uncle Tor, Uncle Pi is happy! That must mean Mork is a good spirit!" Pin offered Tutor the last half of his peach and Tutor accepted if only to stop his nephew from smearing more juice over his face.

"He better behave, just like you," Tutor said as he pinched the tip of Pin's nose which caused Pin to object and Tan to whip his head around from the other side of the clearing. Tin, unfortunately, stopped his son from running over and forced him to continue focusing on his own tasks. "Or I'll feed him to the wolves, formalities be damned."

"But that would make Uncle Pi sad!" Pin tugged on Tutor's tunic. "I don't want Uncle Pi to be sad. His flowers smell so much prettier when he's happy because Mork visited that day or came to help him babysit all of us."

"So he's been visiting while your uncle babysits hmm?"

Pin blinked. "But Uncle Fighter visits you when you babysit us all the time."

Pete coughed and Tutor's ears turned red. "That's different! Uncle Fighter and I are... mates," Tutor said weakly.

"You can't even say the word consistently, Tor," Pete teased as he watched Pi tie the braided cords onto Mork's wrist and press a small kiss to the underside of Mork's wrist. Mork's expression turned completely besotted and Pete approved. "We should be proud our little cousin has finally gotten brave. Maybe he'll start making his flower crown soon." Pete thought for a moment. "Mork's gotten brave too I suppose. It's not often a fox is willing to sit calmly around a bunch of wolves."

"You made Ae talk to all of them," Tutor complained as he sat back down and let Pin climb onto his back and make little braids out of the hair on top of his head. Pi and Mork had moved on to comparing each others bracelets.

"Maybe. But Mork did also talk to them, make a few offers for his safety to be here to see Pi. He's quite clever, even for a fox," Pete said as he combed Pin's hair with a wooden comb. "No no, don't braid your uncle's hair like that, Pin. You'll put knots in it."

"Ok papa."

Fighter approached in wolf form, mouth still damp from being washed in the river, and gave Tutor a look. Tutor pat Pin on the leg and Pin climbed down and ran to the other side of the clearing to play with Tan at last. Pete only giggled and walked off to find Ae.

"Fine, you can have a kiss," Tutor said as Fighter immediately changed forms to press kisses all over Tutor's face. "I said one!"

"Don't worry so much about other nymphs and their mates," Fighter said as he continued. "Just worry about me."

Meanwhile, Mork clung to Pi a little more tightly, causing Pi to object.

"Why are you squeezing me now?" Pi reached around to pinch Mork's side, but the fox contorted himself to dodge.

"I'm just happy I get to hold you," Mork said before feinting a nip at Pi's neck. Pi jerked to the side and Mork took the opportunity to kiss Pi's shoulder instead. Pi pouted, but did not complain. "I'm happy I get to be here with you."

"For a fox that makes so many deals with others left and right, you're awfully pleased with so little."

"That's a lie." Mork pressed his face in to the space between Pi's shoulder blades, enjoying the warmth of skin warmed nymph silk and the smell of Pi's flowers. "You're worth more than anything I could trade to any other nymph, spirit, or human."

"So you own me now?"

"Never." Mork moved and rested his chin on Pi's shoulder. "I'm young, but even I know I can't own a nymph."

"So then how would you describe us?"

"Not yet mates, more than friends, but more special and important than either and both."

Pi's mouth twitched into a small smile and Mork felt his heart leap. "You're stealing words from humans now too?"

"It's not stealing. A human traded me a book for some shiny rocks again. And I asked one of the other humans to read it to me in exchange for some herbs deep in the woods." Mork shrugged. "If it keeps making you happy to hear such things, I'll have to learn more of them for you."

"It's not the words," Pi said softly. He reached for one of Mork's hands and Mork obliged by holding Pi's hand. "Just be with me. It... It's enough."

"Then I'll be with you," Mork said before pressing a kiss to Pi's cheek. Pi's eyes fluttered shut and Mork pressed another kiss to the curve of Pi's neck. "And I won't leave unless you say."

"And if I never tell you to leave?"

"Then I'm here, with you, forever."

"Is forever in the nature of foxes?"

"Of young foxes? No. We don't often live long enough for such things. Fortunately for you, I'm older and smarter. I know what forever is."

"You just had to brag, didn't you?" Pi complained, but there was no mistaking the smile on his face or the curve of his closed eyes.

"I'm sorry, sweet nymph. That is, unfortunately, also in the nature of foxes."

[legy]

random game roundup

Wand Wars - $11

Included in Bundle for Ukraine

this is pretty neat. wand wars is a party game about being wizards shooting a magic orb at each other and the last one standing wins. this has to have far more staying power as a multiplayer game but, alas, i am by my lonesome. i didnt love the control scheme (does really feel like it wants to be a twin stick shooter and not something played on keyboard). also it really bugged me that the projectile wasnt pixellated when everything else was. wand wars kinda fits the niche of a good boutique board game IMO, fun to break out with nerd friends at some nerd gathering

Baldi's Basics Plus - $10

Included in Bundle for Ukraine

my commitment to the premise of this project being vastly outweighed by how much i dont actually want to play baldi's basics. i could have hit random again and nobody would be the wiser

so i guess my take is roughly that im in the exact nostalgia bait audience for baldi's basics (i played tons of these edutainment games in elementary school) but its specifically aping so much of its aesthetic and presentation from sonic's schoolhouse which i cant imagine had a widespread school computer lab adoption. if someone made a off-color video game inspired by Disney's Adventures in Typing with Timon & Pumbaa or smth that would probably actually get somewhere. for me. also i hate jumpscares and YOU DONT EVEN SOLVE MATH PROBLEMS IN THIS ONE???? WHATS THE POINT

this is not a good review for baldi's basics sorry. i like that the camera controls are vertically locked even tho the game makes a lot of other concessions for a modern audience. and there really is nothing else in its genre that looks like this

Valfaris - $24.99

i cannot for the life of me figure out why i own this game.

ok first things first the art direction in this fucks insanely. it feels like a ps1 game in a way many other ps1 throwbacks don't. i really enjoyed looking at valfaris.

however this controls like SHIT and not in a way that i think would be fixed by a controller. i spent a couple minutes rebinding my controls so it isnt arrow keys to move and q/w for main attacks (this randomly reset to default at some point so that was cool) and i was still fighting for my life to actually accomplish what the game wants me to. there's a segment only a few seconds into the first level where you need to climb on ropes over some evil dogs to cross a ledge but 1. the dogs can jump up and attack you and 2. you can only aim your gun straight down. and the dogs respawn infinitely so you cant jump into the dog pit, slaughter them all and continue on your way. i legitimately could not get past this section because the controls were so ass. really unfortunate.

also the game has "wishlist the sequel" as one of its three menu options which: lmao

Thou Shalt Be Brave - $1

Included in Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality

this is a micro-rpg that is imo unfortunately hamstrung by its gimmick (the really small resolution). theres some really bad readability issues happening in this game. there is a manual on the itch page which helps a lot in combat but its really hard to excuse the "you sease lok s" message you see constantly.

this is pretty light on gameplay also but its generally a pretty fun timewaster. you explore the woods and fight guys and the ultimate goal appears to be maxing all your stats. i just wish i wasnt examining every button like it was a cryptic glyph to decipher

Planets Under Attack - $11.99

you know its bad when ive had this game on steam for over 10 years and have no idea what it is

i'm not sure how to describe planets under attack. it's a very minimalistic strategy game about spending resources to take over planets in each map. it seemed pretty chill but i did kinda feel like i was wasting my time playing it. the presentation is really competent and overall i think this is the strongest of the five games i played today

[waitingforwinterwinds]

ASOS; Steel and Snow: 30 JON IV (pages 406-413)

Several teams climb the Wall, as Jon watches on, and some of them even make it to the top.

-

Here, thought the top of the Wall loomed eight hundred feet above the forest floor, a good third of that height was earth and stone rather than ice; the slope was too steep for their horses, almost as difficult a scramble as the Fist of the First Men, but still vastly easier to ascend than the sheer vertical face of the Wall itself.

I'm just. imagining half way up the climb, Jon hears something odd, looks over, and there's just a mountain goat licking the ice wall, just, doing that gravity defying bs toehold thing mountain goats do.

Also: insert appropriate joke about horses from Skyrim here.

In the Seven kingdoms it was said it marked the end of the world. That's true for them as well. It was all in where you stood. And where do I stand? Jon did not know.

Ain't that a huge metaphor for so much of this series and fandom. matters of perspective.

Jon's having his own identity stuff, on the heels of Sansa and Arya facing a loss of identity in different ways, here's Jon facing what this undercover mission has done to him, and who he wants to be. It makes me want to bully Robb a little bit, ngl.

... make shift climbing gear!

Jon was watching them inch along when he heard the sound - a sudden crack that seemed to roll along the ice, followed by a shout of alarm. And then the air was full of shards and shrieks and falling men, as a sheet of ice a foot thick and fifty feet square broke off from the Wall and came tumbling, crumbling, rumbling, sweeping all before it. Even down at the foot of the ridge, some chunks came spinning through the trees and rolling down the slope. Jon grabbed Ygritte and pulled her down to shield her, and one of the Thenns was struck in the face by a chunk that broke his nose. And when they looked up Jarl and his team were gone. Men, ropes, stakes, all gone; nothing remained above six hundred feet. There was a wound in the Wall where the climbers had clung half a heartbeat before, the ice withing as smooth and white as polished marble and shining in the sun. Far far below there was a faint red smear where someone had smashed against a frozen pinnace. The Wall defends itself, Jon thought as he pulled Ygritte back to her feet.

Holy shit.

So in the show, Jon, Ygritte and Tormund are all part of the climbing team, and it's blizzard weather. Jon and Ygritte are the bottom two of a four man tether with Tormund up the top when the crack happens and wipes out the NPCs, Jon has to bravely swing to the side to catch the ledge before some dickhead cuts the rope dropping both Jon and Ygritte to their deaths.

The book scene is far more impactful, just imo. D&D really want Jon to be the Big Action Hero, and he's just, he's not? D&D genuine do not understand what genre the books are, or they didn't care and they just wanted to make adventure mans in pseudo magical medieval times.

... also if you want to make this less emotionally tragic: Pinnace, noun (geology): an individual column of rock, isolated from other rocks or groups of rocks, in the shape of a vertical shaft or spire. Pinnace, noun: a small boat carried on a large ship, used to carry goods and people from the ship to the shore.

The dead were burning when Grigg the Goat reached the top of the Wall. By the time Errok's four joined them, nothing remained of Jarl and his team but bone and ash. The sun had begun to sink by then, so the climbers wasted little time. They unwound the long coils of hemp they'd had looped around their chests, tied them all together, and tossed down one end. The thought of trying to climb five hundred feet up that rope filled Jon with dread, but Mance had planned better than that. The raiders Jarl had left below uncasked a huge ladder, with rungs of woven hemp as thick as a man's arm, and tied it to the climber's rope. Errok and Grigg and their men grunted and heaved, pulled it up, staked it to the top, then lowered the rope again to haul up a second ladder. There were five altogether.

That's genius, much smarter than having everyone try to climb a single rope or the Wall itself. Also lends itself to impress just how large the raiding party is, versus what D&D gave us. They really tended to do everything smaller except the number of naked women and swear words. and blood pack allowance.

"Can you feel how cold it is?" "It's made of ice," Jon pointed out. "You know nothing, Jon Snow. This wall is made o' blood." ... "Don't be frightened." He tried to put his arm around her. Ygritte slammed the heel of her hand into his chest, so hard it stung, even through the layers of wool, mail, and boiled leather. "I wasn't frightened. You know nothing, Jon Snow."

YKN,JS = 🥛🥛

[seradae]

I was asked to write a lesbian bondage story. I dunno if this is really what the requester wanted, but I wanted to write a soft, loving, non-sexual story as soon as I heard that prompt. Not all bondage is/has to be sexual, and I'm just in A Mood ™️. I'm sure I'll be slutting it up again soon, but ... Enjoy?

I cleaned the bedroom and made the bed to your exacting standards; I didn't want a single thing out of place to stress you out even in the slightest. Then I went to our toy chest and pulled out a few bundles of rope, uncoiling them and setting them up with care. I lit the candles and told Alexa to turn the lights down low.

Once everything was prepared, I came up to you in the living room and gave you a gentle kiss. "Come with me baby, I have a little surprise for you." You gave me a quizzical look but followed me to the bedroom.

Upon seeing what I'd set up, you turned to me. "What is all this...?"

I gave you another kiss and hugged you tight. "I know it's been a really hard few days and I wanted to do something special for you. Make you feel truly safe so maybe your anxiety fucks off for a little while."

I held you even tighter when the tears started and you said meekly, "thank you so much mistress. I love you."

A short time later, I took you by the hand and led you to the bed, laying you on your back. I climbed on the bed and kissed my way down your body, all the way to your feet, then grabbed a rope and began tying your legs together.

I brought your wrists together in front of you and kissed you again as I bound them with another length of rope, leaving a long tail. Then gently rolled you onto your side, facing away from me, and passed the tail between your thighs. I pulled your feet towards me and tied the tail to the ropes on your ankle, immobilizing you.

Once you were fully tied, I stood up to strip off my dress and underwear and climbed back onto the bed. I pulled the blankets up and moved behind you, spooning you; feeling the ropes and your skin on my skin. I wrapped my arms around you and kissed your neck. "You mean the world to me and I love you so, so much. This is our sanctuary and nothing can hurt us here. Nothing. I promise, babygirl."

I could feel the sobs before I heard them, and I held you closer, moving a hand up to stroke your hair. "That's right, baby, let it out. I know you've been such a brave girl and I'm so fucking proud of you."

Once the crying subsided, you let your head roll back onto my arm, whispering, "thank you mistress. I love you more than I can ever say. I didn't know how bad I needed this..."

I kissed the back of your head. "It's my responsibility for me to know; thanks for trusting me. Now, just relax." I asked Alexa to play our sleep playlist and just laid with you, utterly content.

[storieschats]

Fourth Wing Book 1 Update 2

Where I am: Page 207 of 516

She's just been chosen by two dragons and found out that her and Xander's dragons are...married or mates or I don't know something. Last sentence I read, she and Dairn kiss. And that's it, he's starting to annoy me.

What I think so far: I'm genuinely enjoying the story now! I want to know what happens next!

Positive points:

Dragons!!! The dragons are the best part of this story by far! They're hilarious and their relationship with human beings piques my interest. I'm also curious to learn more about their secret culture. I loved the dragons!

The romance is still nice for now. I loved the part where he was supposed to be just an observer but was willing to break the rules to go and help her. Heart pounding not gonna lie, it was very romantic. And uhh their dragons are married, I'd like to say I think it's cringe buttt it kind of works for me sorry not sorry.

Her school friends are finally starting to seem like real people instead of people shaped cardboard forms put there to fill out the story and that gives a different flavour to the world! Go Rhy and Ryand(?? The funny one).

Negative points:

The writing continues to irritate me xd and now I've come to the conclusion that it's not because it's melodramatic because I even tend to secretly like more flowery writing “look how wise and deep i am says the author”, but I don't think I like this one because I find it repetitive and to a certain extent a bit... childish even but I think the main problem is really that it's repetitive.

Look, why do we have to kill, like, three quarters of everyone on this course?! Makes no sense! These people are useful especially in a pre-industrial society, especially in a war. These guys are throwing away people they could use as canon folder if nothing else. If I were in this world I'd still do challenges but instead of being fatal challenges, the losers would just be put in the regular army and the only deaths would be in an attempt to bond with the dragons and the challenges would have the task of trying to reduce the number of deaths as much as possible by “eliminating” the weak from appearing in front of the dragons. More soldiers, same number of riders! I'm not particularly clever, anyone in real or imagined life would have thought of this! And from a storytelling point of view it wouldn't change anything, the danger would still be there, we could even add that those who left would be sent to the front line and almost certain death. Same story, much more sense!!!!!

Hate the fact that I solved the problem of the steep climb before Violet. Characters in books are supposed to have more information about problems than I do, so when I solve them before them, they seem dumb. And the one about the rope for christ sakes, oh wow I wonder what I can do to get up something steep, I think as I go down the hill on a rope after failing, oh wow how to get up something steep, uhm if only there was something to use for exactly this, I think as I grab onto the rope to get down.... Eye roll.

I think Violet is becoming a bit too special, two super important dragons wow I hope there's a reason other than she's super hyper mega smart, brave, honorable yada yada because.... I like her, but come on.

Stars I'd give: 3 stars

What I think will happen: Her friends are going to drop like flies cause drama. Drain will continue to get more insufferable. But what I'm most curious about is: the old rider of Train’s or whatever the old black dragon names is supposedly died trying to save Brannon but if Brannon survived then did he survive too?! But if so, is the dragon connected to him and not to Violet?! No wait, I bet he did die, but he managed to sort of resurrect Brannon back to life. Yeah ok that's what I think!

After a voicemail from my friend: Uhu excited for her to become friends with Xander's friends really that's going to be cute! And I'm glad to feel that I'm not the only one who thought it was stupid that they were killing people willy nilly. The problem she was having she solved with the rope but that was only the penultimate task, the last task that she had never been able to practice because she had never gotten past the first one whose solution was, I repeat, a rope, she solved with the knife.

[blackenchanting]

Welcome to ravens borough episode 12

Somewhere in the unheard of town of Raven's Borough…

The contents of this story are nsfw therefore not for children

The Chevelle drove down the interstate going slowly with Eva and Rob in the back and a twelve pack of jack in the passenger seat. While Ameilas air freshener shaped like a bee that said I'ma beeatch! slowly rocked back and forth

"How did we get roped into a road trip?" Rob asked.

"No idea." Eva replied as they cuddled in the back.

"Motion detected in the kitchen" a voice says from Ameilas phone.

"That's one of three things." Eva said.

"It's Murrrph" Ameila said

"Motion detected in the dining room" the voice says Ameila taps her phone pulling up a video as she taps her finger on the microphone button.

"Murrrph Murrrph baby come to mom" Amelia says. A few seconds later they here a jingle as a Bengal cat jumps up on the counter and climbs up to the camera

"Haai Murrrph!" Ameila says as Murrrph rubs their face against the camera making a noise that could only be described as the reason Ameila probably named it Murrrph

"Adorable." Rob said.

They drove as a pair of yellow and red service lights came into view behind him

"Oh lordy." Rob said.

"Rules of the road and what not" Ameila said moving over. as a gmc c5500 vendor truck drove past them that said Orion's twenty four hour roadside assistance and repairs. Featuring the blonde hippie duel wielding a pair of wrenches on the side

"Oh look, he's mobile." Eva said.

"Oh darling Ava, My sexy , My brave , The perfect companion. Sunsets are red, Violets are blue, I like good looking girls, But not as much as I love swinging with you!" The radio sang

"..oh the horrible horrible irony" Amelia said as they could hear the rumbling of the Chevelles engine and feel it beneath them. it clearly had some power but Amelia refused to use it.

"You're way more cautious than me." Eva said.

"Well I'm older wiser and drunk" Ameila said

"And we let you fuckin drive." Rob said.

"Yes you did" Ameila said keeping the car perfectly straight despite being drunk there wasn't a slight hiccup in her driving

"I'm concerned you always drive drunk now." Rob said.

"You're just now coming to this conclusion?" Ameila asked

"That explains way too much." Rob said.

"I was drunk when I dropped you off. I'm drunk every time we talk at the bar." Ameila explained while rambling on and on

"You just can't tell" she added the wheels of the Chevelle rotated as they drove past the sign that said welcome to foggy rock usa population seventy

Thudnk the sound of the chevelle rolling over a rock as they drove towards the small town fog now covering them as Ameila slowed down to drive even safer. soon they were in foggy rock as they drove through the fairly empty streets turning onto a street called school drive as they drove into an empty area and stopped In front of a abandoned bus station named silver oak university bus station

"Interesting." Rob said.

"Not interesting.." Ameila said getting out as she pulled the seat forward. They stepped out into the empty lot as they stood in the middle watching papers get blown around the area.

"So what're we here for?" Rob asked.

"You wanted to know my past, you wanted to know what I'm hiding.. why I'm all fucked up in the head. Well here you go" Ameilas said looking around

"Ah. Silver Oak… doesn't ring a bell." Rob said.

getting smacked in the face by a paper

"You don't want to know" Ameila said as Rob looked at the paper which said have you seen me Kai Merron

"Well that's… definitely not great." Rob said grabbing and looking at the paper. He soon realized every paper blowing in the lot was a missing person poster

".. i came here to start a new life. To leave you and everyone else behind and live a more fulfilling life where i was happy i think i wanted to be a doctor.. i don't remember" Ameila said respectfully putting kais missing person poster back on a pole

"Ah. Yeah that's understandable I suppose." Rob said.

"Everyone that went to this school that year is dead.. besides from me my friend and the killer " Amelia said sitting on the hood of the chevelle

"I… holy shit." Eva said.

"That's… that's definitely a lot to live with." Rob said.

"And the worst part of it.. is it's my fault. They were killing everyone to be close to me and instead of saying something to authorizes i played the silent game and watched Rob.. Kai.. all those other students and teachers be killed off one by one.. until at the time i just thought it was me and them" Ameila said

"Ah, yeah… that's… that's definitely not great." Rob said.

"And explains a couple of things." Eva said.

"Yep and if you open the glove box in the chevelle you'll find a revolver that i was gonna kill them with. But i let the killer live for reasons i still don't understand.. i let them live.. and yes you've met them i won't say where and i won't say when but you've met them" Ameila said

"Fair enough… why exactly haven't you done anything now, after all that?" Rob said.

"Do you remember what i told you that night in the bar. That's your answer" Amelia said

"Ah. Fair enough." Rob said.

"You wouldn't understand. Because you weren't there. This is all the information you need to stop prying into it" Ameila replied

"Yeah that makes sense." Eva said.

"Now if we can just drop the questions That'd be great" Ameila addedat." Ameila said.

"We appreciate that you told us, and we'll quit digging. You're a strong woman Amy." Rob said.

"That's my aunt's name… I'm not ready for that arc that's ones gonna be chaotic" Ameila said standing up from the chevelles hood

"Fir enough" Rob said

"Alright I'm drunk it's late let's get flapjack's" Ameila said cracking her neck, and opening the door to her car

"Ooo pancakes sound good." Eva said.

"I can go for some waffles right now." Rob said.

"You heretic, pancakes are superior." Eva said.

"Yeah sure, but have you ever heard of pancakes being able to be cooked in a toaster, or a pancake iron?" Rob asked.

"Bitch, pancakes are way more versatile, I'm absolutely gonna make you bacon pancakes later and I will change your mind." Eva said.

"You can try my love, you can try." Rob said.

"For Sapphire sake get in the car before i force you both in there" Ameila said as they quickly got in, allowing her to follow. the Chevelle engine turned over and rumbled as it took off down the street disappearing into the distance

End of act 1

[rosiehunterwolf]

rainy days

Prompts: Storm

Word Count: 10,561 (i KNOW i'm sorry)

Characters: Jay, Nya, and Lloyd

Timeline: Snapshots throughout the series

Trigger Warnings: Brief mentions of nightmares, brief PTSD, Grief/Mourning

Summary: There are many reasons why people may dislike storms. Maybe, like Kai, they find few things worse than being cold and wet. Or maybe, they dislike the eerie sounds of the whistling wind and booming thunder, like Cole. Or maybe, like Zane, they are concerned about the safety hazards. But for the other three members of the ninja team, storms offer a much more pleasant experience.

Read on FFN.net

Read on Ao3

Tumblr work under the cut (RIP your browser, click at your own risk XD)

Jay should have been sleeping.

He didn’t know what time it was, but it was late. The rest of his team had gone to sleep hours ago. He could tell by the sounds of their breath- Zane’s clear and even, Kai’s with a rougher edge that came from years of breathing in smoke at the forge, and Cole’s deep with a light snore to it.

The sounds brought him comfort, and Jay felt the tension in his shoulders from hunting down Serpentine all day ease up. It was funny, how, less than a year ago, he had slept in a trailer home in the middle of the desert, no one but his parents for miles around, and even then he had slept in his own room. But now, he was crammed in a small bedroom on the Destiny’s Bounty with three other teenage boys, and he couldn’t imagine life any other way.

Although, that life also included waking up early every morning and spending the better part of the day training and hunting Serpentine, meaning one ought to get a full night’s rest.

It wasn’t that Jay didn’t want to sleep. It had been a long day, and he was tired.

But he couldn’t. It was one of those nights where the wind whistled in the trees and the rain pattered against the windows. There was a dull ache in his left shoulder, the one that usually alluded to-

A flash of light illuminated the room, casting long shadows across the wall for an instant before it grew dark again.

Jay smiled. Lightning storm. Never failed.

Now he was even more awake though, the hair along his arm standing up. He sighed, pushing himself into a sitting position and dangling his feet over the edge of the bed. Groaning, he rolled his shoulders, and they popped. Making his way over to the ladder, he climbed down and tiptoed across the room, easing the door of their room shut behind him.

Thunder rumbled from outside, and as Jay reached a window, lightning lit up the dark ship again. He smiled, feeling excitement bubble in his chest. Storms had always given him an odd elation- although he guessed it wasn’t so weird now, knowing he was the Master of Lightning.

Not that he had succeeded in summoning any lightning without the Golden Nunchucks yet, but the point still stood. This was his element. This was where he was meant to be.

Peering out the window, he saw the rain looked to be fairly light, and decided to go outside. I’m already awake, why not?

As he walked down the hallway towards the doors leading out to the deck, he paused as voices filtered towards him. Curiously, he stepped forward, and froze at the sight of two figures.

Nya had a bath towel in her hands, wrapping it around Lloyd as she tried to dry him off. The kid was scowling, attempting to pull away from her and grumbling something about buzzkills.

“What are you guys doing up so late?”

“Jay!” Nya jumped, dropping the towel and giving Lloyd the opportunity to slip out of her grasp. “You scared me.”

“Sorry. I couldn’t sleep, ‘cause of the…” he waved his hand at the window, “‘cause of the storm.”

She smiled. “Me neither. And apparently,” she added with a grimace, “not this little guy either. Found him standing out in the rain looking like a drowned rat.”

“I did not look like a rat!” Lloyd insisted, stomping his foot.

“Oh, so the drowned part was right then?” Jay snickered. Lloyd shot him a hot glare, and Jay held up his hands. “Geez kid, I’m just joking.”

Lloyd huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “I just wanted to be out in the storm. I like watching them.”

“I get that,” Jay told him. “I love watching the storms too. Especially when there’s some killer lightning bolts. I’ve got some great lightning pictures I’ll have to show you sometime.”

Lloyd’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“He can show you tomorrow,” Nya insisted. “It’s two am, and it’s way past your bedtime.”

Jay winced. Geez, he really was going to be tired tomorrow morning, wasn’t he?

“But I didn’t even get to see the storm!” Lloyd whined. Turning to Jay, he added, “You’ll let me watch it with you, won’t you?”

Jay laughed nervously. Great, now the kid was trying to rope him into this to gain an advantage on Nya. No thanks.

…He did have a point, though. From the sounds of it, this was a big storm, and Jay wasn’t going to be able to fall asleep until it passed.

Nya must’ve guessed what he was thinking, because she sighed loudly. “I’ll let you stay up for half an hour more if you watch it from inside.”

“It’s not the same!” Jay and Lloyd burst out at the same time, then froze, glancing at each other. Jay broke into laughter at the look on the kid’s face, and, after a moment, Lloyd tentatively joined in too.

“C’mon, Nya, I’ll be with him. The Bounty is mostly sheltered, anyway. We’re not even flying! Let him out for a little while.”

Nya glared at him. “I don’t know how you talk me into these things.”

“Alright!” Jay whooped, high-fiving Lloyd.

“If he comes down with a cold, I am never forgiving you,” Nya muttered, reaching for her rain poncho. She handed Lloyd a spare one of theirs. “At least wear this.”

Lloyd wrinkled his nose at her, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Wear it, or don’t go at all.”

Lloyd sighed, slipping it on, and Jay had to bite back a laugh. The poncho was much too big on him, coming down to his ankles like some sort of strange dress. Lloyd didn’t look very happy about it though, so Jay refrained from the teasing.

As the three of them trekked out onto the deck, gentle rainfall pattered across their ponchos, and Jay immediately felt himself relax, the stiffness in his shoulders easing. Lloyd perked up too, skipping over to the railing to peer over the side, trying to spot lightning in the distance. Even Nya began to smile, tilting her face up towards the rain.

“See?” Jay teased, elbowing her. “You like it too!”

“I like the rain,” she told him. “It doesn’t mean I have the sense to stand out in the middle of a thunderstorm.”

“I told you, we’ll be fine! It’s perfectly safe here! Stop being such a grouch and come on!” Hooking her by the elbow, he pulled her over to where Lloyd was standing at the railing.

“See any cool bolts, Lloydster?” Jay asked, leaning his elbows on the railing next to him.

Lloyd narrowed his eyes. “Not yet.”

“Well, keep looking. It’s when you’re not watching carefully that you miss all the cool ones.”

Lloyd’s eyebrows furrowed as he squinted at the sky, almost as if he was commanding it to do something. Jay laughed. “You have to be patient, Lloyd.”

“Lloyd doesn’t know what that is,” Nya snorted.

Lloyd bristled at that. “Hey!” he snapped as Jay burst into laughter. He elbowed Nya, hard, and she flinched back with a whine.

“Ow! Kid, that hurt!”

“Hey, don’t think just because I’m smaller than you, I’m not strong!”

“Duly noted,” Nya muttered, rubbing her side.

Lightning crackled down not too far off, leaping across the sky in spindly strands, the flash blazing across the sky. Lloyd’s eyes widened, but he didn’t flinch, not even as thunder boomed loudly, practically shaking the Bounty.

“Never seen a big storm like this, bud?” he asked, grinning up in awe at the light blazing in the sky.

“We weren’t allowed to go out without permission at Darkley’s. And the teachers never let us go at night. Some of the older boys snuck out anyway, but they never let me come with them.” Lloyd sighed, resting his chin on his hands. “I missed all the best storms.”

“Well, you’re in luck, bud, because I come out here to watch storms all the time! And you can join me anytime!” Nya shot him a look, and he quickly amended, “Well, before a reasonable hour, at least. This is a special occasion.”

Lloyd had an odd look on his face, but he smiled tentatively. “Thanks, Jay.”

“You’re pretty brave, out here in the storm like this. When I was your age, I remember always running to Kai’s room every time there was a storm.” She smiled, but her eyes were sad as she gazed off into the distance.

Lloyd shrugged. “I dunno, some of the other young kids at Darkley’s were scared of storms and tried to hide it… but I don’t think that’s me. I’ve never been afraid of them. I can’t really explain it, I just feel a connection.”

Something odd tingled in Jay’s chest, and he sensed a spark coming from the boy, a warm glow, like a soft, green-

Jay blinked, and the sensation passed. He must’ve just been imagining things again. Maybe it was his supposed “elemental powers” reacting to the storm. Jay didn’t understand what the point of feeling them was if he still couldn’t use them without his Golden Weapon.

“It’s dumb,” Lloyd muttered, kicking the ground sullenly.

“Hey, it’s not! I feel some sort of pull to the storm too!” Jay assured him.

“But you’re the Elemental Master of Lightning! That makes sense for you.”

“What about Nya?”

Lloyd turned to look at her, gaze questioning. “You feel it too?”

Nya closed her eyes. “The rain- it calms me. It patters across my skin, wiping all my thoughts and worries away, leaving just me and the storm, the gentle rumbles of thunder filling my mind.”

Lloyd smiled shyly at her. “You do get it.”

“I never thought it was an elemental thing, anyway,” Jay told him. “I’ve always felt this way- long before I found out I was an elemental master. Granted, we didn’t get many thunderstorms in the middle of the desert, more dust storms than anything… but when we did, it always felt special. Every time it stormed, I would always run to sit on the steps of our trailer- my mom wouldn’t let me go any further- and watch the lightning. I had a notebook, where I would sketch it, and once I got a little older my mom got me a camera and I started taking pictures. By the time I was seven, I could name pretty much every type of lightning formation and storm there was.”

Nya smiled. “I remember being pretty intrigued as well. Like I said, when I was young I was scared, but after a little while I realized that the things I feared were the things I didn’t understand. I checked out like, pretty much every book from the library on storms. And I made those little raincatcher things to measure rainfall, and placed them all over the place whenever we travelled to the city. Kai got annoyed whenever I dragged him all the way down there again the next day to check them all. He never understood my “experiments.” I mean, technically it was more of an analytical study, but… tell that to him.”

Lloyd looked out at the storm again as another lightning bolt flashed. “I wish someone had taken me out to see the storms when I was little.”

Nya elbowed him lightly. “You’re still little, silly.”

Lloyd puffed out his chest. “Am not! I’m getting taller and taller every day, and-”

“Okay, okay,” Nya laughed. “Cool it, big shot.”

Shortstack, Jay mouthed above his head, but apparently Lloyd still caught it, he realized quickly, as he was delivered a kick to the shin.

“Ow,” Jay whined. “Will you stop doing that? It’s a good thing you’re not a ninja, sheesh, or you’d be pummeling all our enemies before we could even get them to speak.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, I’d be a great ninja!”

“Let’s not put that idea into his head,” Nya said hastily. “What I was trying to say was, your childhood isn’t over yet, Lloyd. We can take you out to see storms now.”

“Really?” He perked. “Like, all the time?”

“Well…” Nya hesitated. “A good night’s sleep is important. But it’s okay to stay up late once in a while.”

“Aww, I’m gonna get to watch so many cool storms from here! It’s a way better view than my tiny window back at Darkley’s. Or trapped in the Serpentine tombs, I couldn’t even see the sky then. Or when I was alone in the city streets-”

Nya and Jay exchanged a glance of horror. Jay swallowed. “Hey, um, Lloyd, maybe now isn’t the best time to discuss, uh… childhood trauma?”

Nya facepalmed, and Jay shot her a glare. Like you can do better. Sure, he knew he had all the tact of Kai high on Venomari venom, but what else was he supposed to say? ‘Sorry your childhood sucked so bad?’ Somehow, he didn’t think Lloyd would appreciate that.

Lloyd didn’t seem to be listening to them anyway, still babbling on even after Jay and Nya finished their intense glaring match. “D’you think Kai would like to watch the storm with us?”

Jay snorted. “Hard no, bud.”

Nya grinned. “He hates getting wet, Lloyd. You couldn’t lure him out here with the green ninja gi itself.” She paused. “Well, maybe you could with that. But not with anything else! He wouldn’t like it. And he would complain about it until you wanted to chop your ears off.”

“The others aren’t too big on storms,” Jay told him. “Kai’s a hydrophobe, Zane would just spend all his time harping about ‘safety’ and ‘taking proper shelter’ during a storm, and Cole complains that they’re too loud and throw off his focus, although- and you didn’t hear this from me- I think he’s just a big ‘fraidy cat.”

“In short, they think we’re weirdos. It’s their loss though, they’re missing all the cool views from out here.” She waved her hand at the sky as a barrage of lightning bolts showered down across the horizon, paling the sky as Lloyd gasped in amazement.

“Oh, that’s a sweet one!” Jay whooped, raising his phone and snapping a picture with it.

Nya eyed him. “Jay, if you keep that out in the rain, you’re going to end up wrecking it.”

“If I put it in my pocket I might miss all the cool pictures!”

Nya rolled her eyes. “Okay, but I’m not buying you a new one.”

“Can you show me all your lightning pictures when we go back inside, Jay?” Lloyd asked, dangling his arms over the edge of the railing.

“Can I? Oh man, I’ve got hundreds in there to show you-”

Nya cleared her throat, and Jay glanced down at the time on his phone. 3:12? Had they really been out here for over an hour already? He grinned sheepishly at Lloyd. “Maybe just a couple photos tonight. We can look at more tomorrow.”

“Alright, but you hafta promise to show me all the good-” Lloyd broke off in a big yawn, revealing his small, gleaming fangs, and Nya smiled softly at him.

“Think that’s our signal for bed, kid.”

“No! No, I’m not tired at all-” Lloyd slapped his hand over his mouth before he could yawn again.

“Hey, we let you stay up way past your bedtime, mister. You don’t get to complain now.”

“But I’m gonna miss the storm,” Lloyd whined, although he let Nya drag him back towards the doors by the arm.

“The storm’s beginning to pass now, anyway,” Jay assured, stretching a hand out as the raindrops began to lighten. “It’ll be back though, eventually.”

Lloyd grinned at him. “And we’ll be ready to watch it?”

“That we will, bud.” Jay reached forward, ruffling Lloyd’s hair. “That we will.”

---

After long days of stifling, dry heat, the evening rain came as a relief to everyone. Lloyd sat on the roof of the Brookstone residence, watching and feeling the rain pour down. He hoped Mr. Brookstone wouldn’t mind him sitting up here, he had been kind enough to let them stay with him until the repairs to the Destiny’s Bounty were complete, and Lloyd didn’t want to overstep his boundaries.

Lloyd felt like this cool summer storm was just what the city needed, not only because of the dryness, but because of the darkness that had scoured the streets here only nights before. The Overlord was gone- he had made sure of it- but he couldn’t shake the feeling of grime left in the city, and hoped the rain would be enough to cleanse it.

“We thought we’d find you up here.”

Lloyd glanced behind him to see Jay and Nya gingerly picking their way across the rooftop behind him, before plopping down into a sitting position beside him.

“See any cool lightning?” Jay asked.

“Not yet. All I’ve heard is a little thunder. It seems to be mostly rain.”

“Good,” Nya sighed, turning her face up to the sky as rivulets streamed down her face. “We need it.”

“How you doing, bud?”

It took Lloyd a moment to process that Jay was talking to him, and he turned to him, blinking. “What?”

Jay grinned. “Y’know, great and mighty ‘Master of Gold’ and all that- or have you already gotten over that? Too insignificant for you?”

“It’s ‘Golden Ninja,’ not ‘Master of Gold,’” Lloyd grumbled.

“Yeah, whatever. How you doin’? You just fought like, the biggest battle of your life a few days ago. You can’t tell me you’re not at least a little tired.”

“Speaking of which,” Nya frowned, tapping lightly at his bandaged leg, “You’re still supposed to be resting that for another two weeks. You shouldn’t be climbing up here. Or letting the cast sit out in the rain.”

“Here.” Jay pulled off his jacket, tossing it over Lloyd’s cast to keep it dry. “That’ll help. That way, you can stay out here for a little longer.”

Lloyd shot him a weak smile. “Thanks, Jay.”

Jay didn’t return it, watching him carefully. “You sure you’re okay?”

Lloyd lowered his head. “I’m fine. It’s just a lot to take in.”

“Sure is,” Jay whistled, rubbing at the gold silk of Lloyd’s gi. “It seems like just yesterday you were a little bratty, messy haired kid we were dragging, kicking and screaming, onto our ship.”

Lloyd rested his chin in his hands. “Feels both like yesterday, and a million years ago. So much has changed since then. I feel like a completely different Lloyd, now.”

“One thing hasn’t though.”

He looked up at Nya. “What’s that?”

“You’re still our heart-of-gold little brother.” She slung an arm around his shoulder. “Nothing, not some prophecy, not the tea, not the Overlord, not even your special, shiny new powers are going to change that. Ever.”

“I know,” he whispered, leaning into her. He felt Jay wrap a hand around his other side, and, for a moment, just let himself be held.

“We’re proud of you,” Nya murmured after a moment. “I know it hasn’t been easy getting this far, but now, thanks to you, all of Ninjago is safe.”

He leaned back slightly, elbowing both of them. “Yeah, well I couldn’t have done any of it without you guys.”

“You big sap,” Jay laughed, ruffling his hair.

Lloyd felt a grin split his face, shoving Jay’s hand off. “Well, it’s true! If it weren’t for you guys, I’d probably be in Pythor’s stomach right now.”

Nya choked a laugh. “Thanks for that grim reminder.”

“What, you forgot about Pythor?” Jay teased.

Nya shrugged. “I didn’t forget, just… compared to the Overlord, Pythor seems much less intimidating, now.”

“That could partially be due to the fact that he’s probably half-digested inside the gut of a giant, dead snake.”

“Ewww!” Nya jabbed him, hard. “Lloyd, that’s disgusting. Ugh, now I’m not going to be able to get that image out of my head all night.”

“Hey, better him there than here,” Jay said, leaning back to lay on the roof, letting raindrops sprinkle his face. “After all the training and fighting we’ve done over the last few months, I just want a break from villains.”

Lloyd shot him a glare. “We’ve done? Last time I checked, it was me doing most of the training.”

Jay sat up again, sputtering. “Hey! The rest of us weren’t exactly sitting on our bums, were we? Back when you were just a little sprout, we were the ones busy saving Ninjago! And who taught you everything you know, hmmm? You weren’t an easy student, you know that, right?”

Lloyd laughed. “Okay, buddy.”

“Don’t you ‘okay, buddy’ me! If it weren’t for me, you’d still be shattering all our lightbulbs! Remember who taught you to control the lightning!”

Lloyd blinked at him, pretending to look thoughtful. “I thought that was Nya.”

“Nya?! I’m the Elemental Master of lightning!”

Nya laughed, knocking her leg gently against his. “Stop messing with him, dude. Let him have this one.”

Lloyd mockingly rolled his eyes. “Yeah, alright.”

Silence fell between them, but it was a comfortable one. Lloyd closed his eyes, cherishing the feeling of rain dripping through his hair and the warmth of his friends at his side.

It was funny how something so horrible had brought him to these people, this moment- something he would never give up for the world.

“Do you think the Overlord’s really gone?”

That remark earned him two very shocked glances.

“Where did that come from?” Nya spluttered.

“Why wouldn’t he be?” Jay agreed. “You defeated him. We all saw it.”

Lloyd shook his head. “Yeah, I know, it’s just… if the Overlord’s dead… my father is cleansed of the venom… and the Serpentine are good now… where does that leave us?”

Jay and Nya exchanged a glance. “What do you mean?”

“Things are so different, now. I’m not even the green ninja anymore. I’m wearing-” he tugged at his golden gi, “this. Being a ninja is the one place I’ve felt like I really belong, but if the world is at peace now, where are a bunch of ninja and a Samurai supposed to fit into it? It’s crazy, how we’ve spent the last months- the rest of you guys, over a year- training for this one big moment. And now it’s over. What happens next? What happens to us?”

“There’s no way to tell the future, Lloyd,” Jay murmured. “We won’t know until it’s here. The world is going to change around us- people will change, circumstances will change, our lives will change. But do you know what won’t change? Us. We might look different in the future. Act different, live different, I don’t know. But this group- this family- is never going to change. This-” he gestured at the sky above them, “is never going to change. Do you remember how, before your green ninja training got so intense and demanding, we would always go out to watch storms together? And yet, even after all those months, your first instinct was to come back to it again. Those kinds of things don’t just go away.”

“Jay’s right,” Nya agreed. “This is always going to be our special thing. Just like we are your special people. Time can’t erode memories. It can’t erode love.”

Lloyd smiled, as lightning cracked across the sky in the distance. “You’re right. The future is open to us. No matter what happens next, nothing can change who we are.”

---

Nya flopped over on the armchair, sighing.

It had been a long night.

After a villain had been defeated, Nya always looked forward to coming home, back to the Bounty, and just sleeping for about fourteen hours straight.

That hadn’t happened this time.

Even just coming home to the Bounty hadn’t been as warm and welcoming as it usually was. The hallways had felt empty, desolate, the rooms lifeless, and their bedroom bare except for the few things her and Lloyd had left behind- the rest of the guys’ beds made unnaturally neat and spotless, as if no one had slept in them for months.

Which, they hadn’t.

As the guys had filed in, she had tried to focus on the fact that they were here now, not the emptiness they had left behind in those months after Zane had died. Even Lloyd, who had been the only one to stay with her, had felt distant and standoffish in those days, hardly speaking to her or anyone else.

Ushering everyone off to bed had been a whole other fiasco. All the guys that had left had taken a moment to adjust back into the Bounty again, but Zane had been the worst. He had spent a long time just walking around the ship, staring at things and saying nothing. Poor Lloyd had been shaken about losing his father- after a while, Cole had insisted on sitting with him instead so that she could go check on Kai- who had still been trembling from Chen’s staff. It had taken her hours to get him to drift off.

She knew that she better head to her bed soon- if she didn’t sleep herself, Cole would come to chew her out- but she wanted to make sure everyone was staying asleep before she did. It would be just like them to get out of bed as soon as she was asleep.

She must have drifted off at some point though, because when she blinked open her eyes again, the gentle patter of rain sounded against the side of the Bounty. Lightning illuminated the room, and she stretched, getting out of the chair and walking over to the window.

As she reached out to close the curtains, though, she noticed the deck lights of the Bounty were on. Frowning, she pulled open the doors and walked outside.

Jay and Lloyd were leaning on the railing, staring at the sky. Neither of them spoke, but their elbows bumped together comfortingly. Nya felt a flash of frustration that Lloyd had managed to sneak out of bed already.

“Hey, I can’t believe you guys came out here without me,” she teased, walking over to stand on the other side of Lloyd. “This is our thing.”

Lloyd shrugged. “Sorry. You were sleeping.”

Nya narrowed her eyes. “You were supposed to be, too.”

“I was-” he yelped at the glare Nya shot him. “I swear! I was! But the storm woke me up.”

She sighed, letting it drop. For now.

“What are you guys thinking about?”

Lloyd shifted on his feet. “My dad-”

“Griffin Turner,” Jay said at the same time.

Nya and Lloyd looked at him. “...What?”

Jay blushed slightly. “The Elemental Master of Speed? From the Tournament?”

Lloyd snorted, and Nya rolled her eyes. “We know who he is, Jay. Why are you thinking about him?”

“Speed is a dumb element. Y’know, I wouldn’t even really consider it an element. Like- he can run fast. So what? The elements are supposed to help you create stuff. Speed isn’t a tangible thing you can make.”

Lloyd laughed. “You’re still upset about that, Jay?”

“What? It doesn’t make any sense! Like, speed isn’t an element, it’s an ability. Like, you know how Cole’s the Elemental Master of Earth and has super strength, right? Makes sense. So, shouldn’t, say, an Elemental Master of Lightning, be super fast?”

“Oh, I see what this is about,” Nya grinned, leaning over to poke Jay in the arm as Lloyd dissolved into giggles. “Someone’s jealous.”

“I am not jealous! I just think that it makes a lot more sense that an elemental master who possesses the power of lightning, which is made of light, literally the fastest thing in the universe, should be the fast one, not some random dude who claims his element is ‘speed.’ Like, that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard! He’s not a true elemental master if you ask me.”

“Someone’s still upset about my father saying he wasn’t special,” Lloyd whispered loudly into Nya’s ear, and she slapped a hand over her mouth, trying to contain her laughter, as Jay kicked Lloyd’s ankle.

“It is interesting, though,” she admitted after they had all calmed down a little bit. “That there are others like you. I thought you five were the only ones in the world with powers like this… but elemental masters of Shadow? Metal? Nature? It’s crazy to think how many people there were that were just like you guys living in Ninjago with us, and we never even noticed.”

“Well, not just like us,” Jay muttered. “We are the four elements of creation… and Lloyd’s the Elemental Master of Energy, so we’re hardly comparable to their sub-par elements…”

Lloyd elbowed Jay in the ribs, and he yelped. “Yeah, it is kind of crazy… and it makes me wonder. Did every elemental master in existence decide to come to the tournament? What if there were more, ones that saw through Chen’s tricks and didn’t attend?”

Jay’s eyes widened. “Oh, I’m sure there aren’t more-”

Nya grinned, winking at Lloyd. “Oh yeah, wouldn’t that be awesome? What do you think they could be? Maybe Master of Space? Wood?”

“Maybe Silver! Or Plasma! Water?” He paused, frowning. “Actually, I’m surprised there wasn’t a Master of-”

“Let’s not get outrageous, here,” Jay insisted. “What do you need those for? Lightning is plasma, and frankly those others just sound useless-”

Nya snapped her fingers. “What about a Master of Crystal? Or, I know, a Master of Thunder!”

“Okaaaay, people, now we’re just laying it on me!” Jay snapped. “Thunder is stupid! Storms are my thing!”

“I dunno, Jay, I think it could be cool. What do you think, Lloyd?”

“Oh yeah, that would be awesome-”

He was interrupted by a loud bang of thunder, and Lloyd and Nya burst into laughter.

“Looks like the universe agrees with us, Jay!”

“Are you kidding? If anything, that was showing that it disagrees with you!”

Lloyd smiled, slinging an arm around his shoulders. “Relax, big shot, we’re kidding. No one could ever replace you.”

“Hey, you don’t get to call me that! Only we can call you big shot.”

Lloyd looked at Nya, and she nodded. “He’s right. You’re the only big shot around here.”

Lloyd whined. “You guys keep saying that like it’s a good thing but I feel like it’s supposed to be offensive.”

Nya laughed, and Jay ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, big shot.”

Lloyd narrowed his eyes at him. “Stop that.”

“Make me.”

Nya pushed the two apart as they broke into a scuffle, rolling her eyes. “Guys, stoppit, you’re going to miss the lighting.”

They stopped at that, turning their gazes up to the sky as a bolt shot across the night, fizzling out at the end. Smiling, the three of them leaned forward on the railing, watching as the light show commenced.

---

Nya loved the rain.

The rain was carefree, playful- it took away a need for words, for thoughts, for worries. The rain didn’t bother with such frivolous things. It just was.

She hadn’t understood the tingle under her skin, however, every time rain was about to come, the slight ache in her bones leading up to every storm. These things had finally been made clear when she had found out that she was the next Elemental Master of Water- but everything else had become foggier.

Now she didn’t know who she was, what she was meant to be, what was supposed to become of Samurai X, if she would ever be able to truly fit in with the ninja group-

And most of all, she didn’t know how she was going to get her little brother back.

Right now, she hated the rain.

It was cold and heavy and grim- it only served as a reminder that she had failed. Her element was the one thing that could get Lloyd back, and she couldn’t even control it.

“Hey. I’ve been looking for you.”

Nya jumped nearly a foot in the air at Jay’s voice, and he put a hand on her shoulder, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” The smile quickly faded as he got a better look at her. “Geez, Nya, you’re trembling.”

“Am I?” She hadn’t even noticed.

“Here.” Slipping off his jacket, he wrapped it tightly around her, before pulling her into a hug. For a moment, Nya let herself relax against him, the steady beat of his heart soothing her.

“How’s Cole doing?” she asked after a moment. She had hoped her talk with him earlier had helped- although the Earth Ninja had still seemed to be upset about his new, ghostly form. Not that she blamed him.

Jay was quiet for a moment. “He’s hanging in there.”

Nya squeezed her eyes shut. Wasn’t one teammate to worry about more than enough? Why did destiny seem to throw everything on them all at once?

“Hey, you’re wearing your gi.”

“Huh?” Nya blinked her eyes open, glancing down at the maroon and blue garment she was wearing. “Oh. Yeah. Sensei said I should wear it now.”

Jay grinned. “I take it your training is going well, then?”

Nya shrugged, looking away.

“Hey.” Jay took her hand. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s going okay, I guess. I’m a lot better than I was. But I’m still nowhere near the level of you guys.”

“Are you kidding? We wouldn’t expect you to be! Nya, it’s only been a few weeks since you started training. Me and the guys have been at it for years, and were training for several months before we even got a decent handle on our powers. You’re doing great so far.”

“Yeah, but, it’s not enough. And we don’t have months. I need to be a good Master of Water now.”

Jay’s expression softened. “Nya… we’ll find a way to save him. With or without your powers.”

“I just…” she stopped, gulping back a sob. “I just wish I could be more useful.”

“Me too.”

Lightning spit the sky overhead, followed by a mighty rumble of thunder. They watched it, but there was no joy in it this time around.

It wasn’t the same without Lloyd.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when Jay wrapped an arm around her, murmuring, “Nya, you’re freezing. Let’s get you inside.”

She went without any protest. After all, the storm had nothing to offer her, anymore.

---

The storm that night was gentle, which Lloyd was grateful for.

Nya and Jay had assured that they’d be perfectly fine not going out- in fact, they didn’t want to- a lie, they just didn’t want Lloyd to feel left out.

They thought he didn’t want to go out. They thought he was forcing himself to go just because he wanted them to go and he wanted to go with them. But that wasn’t the case. Lloyd really did want to go outside. Morro had stolen so much from him- his family, his mind, his control, his own body- he wasn’t about to allow him to take his love for the storms, too.

So what if storms were filled with the same howling winds that reminded Lloyd of him, the sensation of the breeze reminding him of the chill across his spine as the ghost slipped into his body?

Lloyd wanted to do this. He really did.

He was just… scared.

“You sure you wanna do this, green machine?” Nya’s voice, a hand on his shoulder.

Lloyd nodded stiffly. “If I don’t step out of these doors now, I never will.” Without giving himself any time to change his mind, he leaned forward and pulled open the doors.

Immediately, he was sprinkled with rain, and stepped further out, letting the droplets wash over him.

Then a breeze hit him, and he clenched his teeth, curling his fists into balls.

It’s okay. You’re in the rain. The rain will protect you from ghosts. Jay and Nya are here, too. They will protect you from ghosts.

As if to solidify his point, Nya slipped her hand into his, and he squeezed it back, forcing himself to take long, slow breaths- in and out, in and out, in and out.

“Bud?” Jay put a hand on his back. “You good? You don’t have to do this. We can go inside. Try another time.”

Lloyd shook his head. Breathing out slowly, he took a shaky step forward- then another, and another. Winds tickled past him as he walked, but he ignored them, every step his confidence building until he stopped in front of the railing of the Bounty.

He watched the dark sky, holding his breath, waiting.

Nothing came.

He bit his lip. He needed this. He needed to know that the spark was still there, that Morro hadn’t taken it away-

Suddenly, a blazing warmth glowed in his chest, and Lloyd smiled- just as a mighty burst of lightning shattered the night sky.

He still had it.

A warm weight pressed in on either side of him as Jay and Nya joined him at the railing, the lightning illuminating their faces so that they almost seemed to glow.

They were here now. They would keep him safe.

Things weren’t okay, not yet. Far from it. But he had taken a step today. And he would continue to take steps until things were okay again, and his family was going to be beside him every step of the way.

Morro was gone now. It was about time Lloyd stopped letting him win.

---

Lightning flashed.

Nya, in his arms, limp and weak, the light fading in her eyes. The green venom splashed across her dress.

Thunder boomed.

Nadakhan, standing over him, laughing as he waved the Djinn Blade at him- the one that had trapped all his friends, the one that had left him all alone. He was the last one left.

No, he reminded himself firmly, squeezing Nya’s hand tighter. I’m not alone. Nya’s not dead. She’s right here next to me. All the others are safely sleeping inside the Bounty. I stopped him. He’s gone now.

Nya glanced at him. “You okay?”

He sniffed, wiping at his nose with the hand that wasn’t firmly gripping Nya’s. “Honestly? Not really.”

Nya looked up at the sky. “Me neither.”

“I’d thought I’d lost you.”

She turned back, letting her fingers skirt his jawline. “I know. I’m sorry. But you didn’t. I’m here now. It’s all over.”

Jay breathed out, leaning his head on her shoulder. For a long time, they just stood there, staring out at the storm, saying nothing.

“Beautiful night for a stargaze, isn’t it?”

He turned to see Lloyd walking towards them, grinning as he gestured at the stormy skies above them.

Nya rolled her eyes at him, and Lloyd tossed his head in her direction, his sopping wet hair spattering her with water. Not that it made a difference in all the rain.

“Normally I’m the one who has insomnia-inducing nightmares and doesn’t sleep,” he teased, pushing his way between them to lean on the railing.

Jay caught Nya muttering something about “joking about childhood trauma” and “we should all go see a therapist,” and the alarmingly cheerful grin Lloyd shot her made Jay think she might have a point.

“Who told you we had nightmares?” Jay asked.

“Jay, most people don’t come outside in the pouring rain, in the middle of a thunderstorm no less, at three am in the morning just for the fun of it.”

Jay grinned. “Yeah, well we’re not ‘most people.’”

Lloyd shook his head, smiling. “It’s okay, you don’t have to talk about it. I just thought I would join you.”

“What about you,” Nya probed. “Why are you up this late?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” he said simply, his lips popping on the p. When they stared at him, he blinked. “What? It’s because of the storm!”

Nya rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”

“Hey, If you don’t have to talk about it, I don’t either. Besides, that wasn’t a complete lie. Look.” Lloyd held out his arm for them both to see. It looked like a perfectly normal arm to Jay, but Lloyd was looking at them expectantly. “Feel it.”

Nya raised an eyebrow at him.

“Just do it,” he insisted.

Jay reached forward, pressing his fingers against Lloyd’s forearm-

And promptly jerked back as it vibrated beneath his touch.

“Woah.”

Seeing the look on his face, Nya quickly reached forward, her eyes widening as she pulled back. “What is that? Why are you buzzing?”

“I think it’s the storm,” Lloyd said. “My powers must be reacting to it. Sensing the lightning.”

“Does it hurt?” Jay asked.

He shook his head. “No, just tingles a little bit.”

“I didn’t even know you could do that,” Nya whispered, running her fingers along his arm again.

“I couldn’t. Not up until recently. This only just started happening.”

“Woah. Like a built-in storm sensor. Now you’re like us! I can feel a bit of a tingle when there’s a lightning storm on the way, and I know Nya can feel the rain coming. Ours aren’t quite as obvious as yours, though.” He gestured to Lloyd’s arm.

Lloyd examined his arm. “That’s awesome.”

Nya snorts. “Not so awesome when it wakes you up every time there’s a thunderstorm.”

Lloyd gave her a gentle shove. “Stop trying to blame it on that. I know you were already awake anyway.”

Nya snorted, looking away.

Lloyd frowned. “You guys sure you’re okay?”

Jay nudged him. “We’ll be fine, green bean. We always are.”

Jay watched him, wondering if he would probe further. But he simply nodded. “Okay. I trust you.”

Jay smiled. That was one of the things he liked best about Lloyd.

Sometimes, silence said more than words.

---

Rain pattered against the glass doors. Lloyd glanced up from where he was sitting on the too-large bed.

The royal family’s hospitality was greatly appreciated, but the room was so big. Lloyd wasn’t used to having so much space, or such fancy things- he wasn’t even used to having his own room. The six of them crowded into the little cabin on the Destiny’s Bounty was the only thing he had known for a long time.

He wanted to get out.

Walking over to the balcony doors, Lloyd pushed them open, quickly pulling them closed again behind him, so as not to let the rain in.

Walking over to the railing, he hopped up, sitting on it and letting his feet dangle over the edge. The bedroom might not have been his taste, but the view of the city from here was absolutely breathtaking. Lights were scattered throughout the dark landscape like reflections of the stars above, and the rain created a light, pooling mist that shrouded the city in an air of mystery and wonder.

He couldn’t have been sitting there for more than half an hour when Jay and Nya suddenly dropped in next to him from seemingly out of nowhere. Lloyd jumped, gripping the railing below him tightly as he narrowly avoided falling the very long drop to the city streets below.

“Geez, guys, don’t sneak up on me like that. How did you even get here?”

Nya winked at him. “It’s a ninja’s secret.”

Lloyd felt his nose wrinkle. That doesn’t make any sense. “I’m a ninja, too. Doesn’t that mean I should get to know the secret, too?”

Nya shook her head. “Sorry, green machine, that’s not how it works.”

Lloyd sputtered at her. “What do you mean that’s not how it works? How else would it work?”

“That part’s a secret.”

He threw up his hands. “You’re impossible.” “Nya Smith,” she grinned, shouldering him playfully. “Tormenting brothers since the day I was born.”

“I’ll say.”

“Hey, you weren’t even there for most of it! Kai had it way worse than you.”

“Trust me, you’ve more than made up for it.”

“Oh, come on, I know I’m actually your favorite sister.”

“You’re my only sister.”

“Ouch. Hit it where it hurts, why don’t ya?”

“You walked right into that one, and you know it.”

The three of them burst into laughter, and even as the sounds faded, they still sat with massive grins on their faces, swinging their legs back and forth gently, occasionally kicking at someone else if their feet accidentally knocked against each other. Jay got a little too aggressive in one of his attempts and nearly knocked Lloyd off the balcony for the second time that night. Lloyd shot him a glare, and Jay at least had the sense to look sheepish.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve done this,” Jay murmured after a while. “Just the three of us, standing out in the rain, watching the storm.”

Lloyd sighed. “Yeah, well, it’s been a long couple of years.”

“You can say that again,” Nya agreed.

They fell silent again, and Lloyd felt bad for pitching the air into a grim mood. He was struggling to think of something more lighthearted to say, when Jay suddenly spoke up.

“So… about the princess…”

Lloyd immediately changed his mind. The grim mood was fine.

“What about her,” he mumbled, even as he felt his face turn cherry red.

“Oh, he totally likes her,” Jay gushed, reaching a hand behind his back to give Nya a gentle shove in the shoulder. “I told you!”

Nya snorted. “Have you even talked to her yet?”

“A bit,” he insisted, indignantly. Then, realizing he had answered too defensively, he quickly amended, “But it’s not like that.”

“Suuure,” Jay laughed. “That’s what they all say at the beginning.”

“She’s the princess! Even if I did have feelings for her, it’s not like something could ever work between us.”

“Yeah,” Nya agreed. “The stuffy, rich type? Not a fan. She’s probably not good enough for you. You can do better.”

“What?” Lloyd sputtered. “No, that’s not what I meant- not like that! I mean, she’s not like that!”

Jay snickered at how flustered he was getting, and Lloyd elbowed him in the ribs.

“How do you know? You’ve known her for like, what, a day?”

“Ooh, she got you there, green machine.”

Jay’s remark earned him another jab in the ribs, and he yelped. “Would you stop doing that?”

Lloyd ignored him. “It’s not like you’ve known her any longer than I have. You have no more idea what she’s like than I do.”

Nya shrugged. “All I’m saying is that she’d have to be one hell of a girl to even come close to being worthy of you.”

“Nya!” Lloyd cried, ducking his head as both of his friends went for a hair ruffle. “Stop it, you guys! I’m not a little kid anymore!”

“You’re right, you’re not,” Nya sighed. “I could hardly believe my eyes when I got back from searching for Master Wu. You were a good two inches taller than the last time I saw you, at least, and your hair was longer, done differently-” “Don’t forget his deep, manly voice,” Jay chimed in. “I’m so upset I missed the voice cracking phase!”

“I’m not,” Lloyd muttered.

“Jay, look at this boy,” Nya gushed, grabbing Lloyd’s face between her hands. “Can you believe this is the nine-year-old we snatched up off the street all those years ago?” “Never in a million years,” Jay laughed. “Look how handsome he’s gotten.”

“Guys!” Lloyd cried, pulling away from them. “Stop being embarrassing!”

“Lloyd, you’re our baby brother,” Jay teased. “It’s our job to embarrass you.”

Both of his friends leaned against him, laughing- only to jerk back a moment later with a yelp.

“Lloyd!” Jay shrieked. “What was that?”

Lloyd blinked at him. “What was what?”

“Didn’t you feel that?” Nya stared at him with wide eyes. “It was like we were shocked or something!”

“Oh.” Lloyd lifted his hands up from where they were resting on the railing, holding them up for Jay and Nya to see- revealing the small zaps of green energy sparking from them, occasionally arcing between his fingers. “I guess that was me. Sorry.”

Jay blinked owlishly at his hands. “What the… you’re not doing that on purpose, are you?”

Lloyd shook his head. “It’s happened before, while you guys were gone. I think it has to do with the storm.”

“Your powers really are getting stronger,” Jay murmured, taking one of Lloyd’s hands- prepared for the small shock this time- and examining it.

“And your eyes,” Nya breathed.

They both looked at her. “What about them?” Lloyd asked.

“They’re flickering.”

“What?”

“Lemme see.” Lloyd turned his head to look at Jay, and the blue ninja sucked in his breath. “They are.”

Lloyd frowned. “That is new.”

“It’s cool,” Jay gushed. “I wish I could do that.”

Lloyd shrugged. “I’m not sure it’s really that great. Now I can accidentally shock all my friends, hooray.”

“But think of using it on enemies! You’d be like, a human taser!”

“Jay, you’re our human taser.”

He grinned. “Oh. Right.”

“It does look pretty cool,” Nya admitted. “Kind of like those glow-in-the-dark star things you would stick on your ceiling as a kid.”

“I had some of those!” Jay yelped. “They were awesome.”

“Of course you did.” Nya rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “I wanted some, but we never really had a budget for it, so I checked out some star atlases from the library instead.”

“When did your eyes turn green, by the way,” Jay asked. “I had gotten so used to them being red.”

Lloyd shrugged. “I dunno, sometime while you were gone, I guess. I wasn’t really keeping track of the days.”

“How convenient for you.” Jay poked a finger near his eye. “Are you sure these aren’t just colored contacts? Is someone trying to bluff about his powers?”

“Jay!” Lloyd suddenly tried to lurch towards him, but he felt something grab him from behind.

“Run, Jay! I can’t hold him back forever!” “No one’s holding me back!” he muttered at her, but Jay was already vanishing over the roof’s peak, nothing but a blur of blue on the dark night sky.

“This isn’t over, Jay! No one calls me a fraud and gets away with it!”

“Settle down, Killer,” Nya giggled. “You know when you’ve been bested.”

“But I’m the green ninja,” Lloyd pouted.

“Yes, and you’re also the baby.”

“Am not!”

“Are so! Now, get to bed. It’s late, and you don’t want to be too tired to guard the princess tomorrow.”

Lloyd narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m too old for bedtimes. You can’t tell me what to do.”

“Maybe not, but you’re going to listen to me anyway.” Darting forward, she snuck in a quick hair ruffle before darting up onto the roof.

“That’s only because I care about the princess’s safety!” he called after her.

“Sure, keep telling yourself that.”

Before Lloyd could reply, the thunder boomed loudly, drowning him out, and by the time it passed, she was gone.

“Traitor storm,” Lloyd muttered, and the sky rumbled cheerily back at him.

---

The rain was heavy that night, so much so that Nya was soaked within seconds, her long, black strands of hair sopping wet, the dampness causing the ends to curl. Her dirty, worn, battle-stained gi was plastered to her skin, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.

After all, how could such a small discomfort even hold a candle to the scalding pain in her chest?

How could any of this had happened? How could she just have gotten Lloyd back from the icy grips of death, only to lose everyone else to those same, prying hands?

She hadn’t wanted to believe it. When Lloyd had come back, soaking wet and shivering from the rain, the most defeated look on his face Nya had ever seen in her life-

She had been angry with him, at first. How could he tell her something like that? How could he send her whole world crashing down with a single sentence? How could he have watched as everything had gone so wrong? She had known that it wasn’t his fault, not at all. But she hadn’t known what she was feeling or how she had been supposed to handle it.

And as quickly as it had come, the anger had vanished, giving in to horrible, nauseating despair. They were gone. They were really gone.

She had hugged Lloyd tight, crying into him until Misako and Pixal had dragged them away, bringing them to a small, abandoned warehouse where they had spent the night. And the next night. And the next.

Not that time really felt to be passing anymore. It was so quiet, with only her, Lloyd, Pixal, Misako, and Dareth- and Pixal and Lloyd had hardly spoken a word, to her or anyone, since that night.

She knew they were grieving too- but maybe the thing they all needed most right now was someone to talk to.

She tilted her face up slightly, letting the raindrops slip down her face and mingle with her tears, washing them away.

“You shouldn’t be up here.”

Nya glanced over her shoulder, letting out her breath. “Lloyd.”

“We’re trying to stay hidden, remember? We can’t risk standing up here and being spotted by the Colossus or the Sons of Garmadon. You should come inside.”

“I will in a minute.”

They stood there in silence for a moment, nothing but the sound of rain splashing against the concrete and the distant rumble of thunder between them.

“Come here,” Nya waved at the empty space beside her. “Watch the storm with me.”

Lloyd hugged his arms over his chest. “Nya, we really shouldn’t be up here.”

“Just do it for a minute. Then we’ll go inside, I promise.”

Lloyd sighed, before reluctantly walking over to join her, resting his elbows on the railing of the rooftop terrace. The view of the storm wasn’t anything special from here- in fact, it was rather poor, with several tall buildings blotting out the view of the sky- but they weren’t really in a situation to be picky.

She liked this better, anyway- looking directly at the storm would be too painful.

“How can you do it?”

Lloyd’s voice startled her- based on the way the last couple days had been going, she hadn’t expected him to speak to her unless absolutely necessary.

“What?”

Lloyd grimaced, as if he was anxious to elaborate. “Why do you still want to be out here? Why do you still want to watch the storm?” He dropped his gaze, carefully avoiding her as his voice faded to a soft whisper. “Everything just reminds me of them.”

Nya turned her gaze back towards the city. “Exactly, it reminds me of him.” Softer, she added, “It’s all I have left.”

Lloyd was quiet for a long time after that, and when she finally turned her gaze back to him, his eyes were hard. Pushing back from the railing and blinking back tears, he snapped, “Jay’s gone. Forever. They all are.”

Before she could respond, he was darting back inside, and Nya put her head down, sighing.

Jay, I wish you were here. You would know how to make him feel better.

But he wasn’t. Lloyd was right, they were gone. All he had right now was Nya, and, standing there, drenched and shivering and pathetic, she wasn’t sure how much help she could really be to anyone.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and Nya glanced up. She hoped, if he wouldn’t listen to anyone else, he would at least listen to the storm.

---

Three pairs of footsteps drummed against the deck of the Destiny’s Bounty. Jay leaned his head over, letting the wind blow his wet curls, as he whooped happily, his cry echoing in the night air.

“Aww, girl, it’s so good to have you back,” he sighed dreamily, brushing the side of the ship with his hand.

Lloyd grinned at him, rolling his eyes. “Alright, Jay, we’re as happy as you are to have the Bounty back, but don’t make this weird.”

“He’s just anxious for the next repair,” Nya laughed. “He’s been driving me crazy trying to fix random things around the Monastery. The training bots, the mechs, even the toaster. And nothing’s even broken! He’s just making it worse.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault there’s nothing for me to do! I’m not just going to sit around and do nothing.”

“Well, hopefully, she won’t need any fixing for a long, long time,” Lloyd said. “The Bounty’s been damaged enough to last a lifetime. After the Colossus, I thought she was gone for good.”

“I know,” Nya agreed. “I’m so impressed that the city was able to rebuild it exactly the same!”

“Well, I’m sure it’s not exactly the same,” Jay argued. “There’s gotta be some issue somewhere, right? Something I can fix?” Nya waved a hand at him, laughing. “Don’t worry, Jay. We’ll find something for you to do.”

“Well, it will have to wait until later,” Lloyd announced, pointing towards the clouds in the distance that were sparking with lightning. “We’ve almost arrived at the storm!”

As they got closer, Nya locked in the steering, and the three of them headed towards the front of the ship as the Bounty sailed deeper into the storm.

Quickly, the rain began falling harder, and thunder echoed in their ears.

“Now this is how you stormgaze right!” Jay cried, laughing as rain fell on his face and lightning illuminated his bright blue eyes, his powers sparking between his fingers.

Glancing back at Lloyd and Nya, he saw both were sporting large grins. Lloyd was also sparking, his green eyes glowing, and as Nya reached her arms out, raindrops swirled around her.

After a bit of the adrenaline had worn off, Lloyd leaned against the railing of the Bounty, throwing his head back to toss the strands of wet hair out of his face.

“The others are not going to be happy about us taking the Bounty for a joyride right through a storm when they’re trying to sleep,” he laughed.

“It’ll be the last time they sleep in the Bounty for a while,” Nya agreed. “I bet they’re wishing they decided to stay back at the much more peaceful Monastery right about now.”

Jay put a hand over his mouth, sniggering. “I bet we only have like five minutes before Kai comes storming out here, demanding that we turn the ship around this instant.”

Lloyd shot him a sharp grin. “No, he’d never want to come out here and get all wet.”

Nya giggled. “Yeah, he’ll just stare at us through the windows, giving us death glares.”

Lloyd choked so violently that he doubled over, grabbing onto Nya’s shoulder for support. The water ninja tried to help him, but she was laughing hard herself. Jay grinned at them, struggling to breathe in between laughs.

“Can… you… imagine… the look on his face?” he wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes.

The hair standing up on the back of his neck was the only warning Jay had before a lightning bolt whizzed down less than ten feet away from him.

Shrieks sounded from the others as they leapt back, just as the edge of the Bounty burst into flames. Nya quickly directed two jets of water at the fire as Lloyd and Jay scrambled out of her way. When the last spark was gone, she stopped, breathing heavy, staring at the burnt area in shock.

Suddenly, she whipped around, glaring at him. “What the heck, Jay? You were supposed to be warding off the lightning!”

“It’s not my fault!” he shrieked. “You’re the one who distracted me!”

While the two of them shot each other smoldering glares, Lloyd walked over to one of the storage crates being kept on the deck, and pushed it over to the burned area, trying to cover up the charred floor the lightning had left.

“If one of us gets struck by lightning,” Nya warned, “Zane will never let us outside again.”

Jay waved her off. “It’s fine. I’m probably like, immune to lightning or something, and I’m willing to bet Lloyd is too, since he’s shown connections to my powers and the storms in the past. So long as you don’t get struck, we’re probably fine.”

Nya rolled her eyes. “Well, that’s reassuring.”

“Yeah, Jay,” Lloyd agreed, scratching the back of his neck. “There’s a few too many ‘probablys’ in that statement for my liking.”

“Oh, come on,” he grinned. “I’ve already got Zane and Cole on my back about everything 24/7. You guys are supposed to be the fun ones!”

“Hey,” Nya said, “I’m not making you do anything. You’re a young man. You can do what you want. Just don’t blame me if you end up comatose in the medbay because your brain got fried by lightning.”

“That would be ironic,” Lloyd snorted, and Jay elbowed him.

“You’d at least visit me, right?”

Nya shrugged. “Maybe. If you were stupid enough to get struck by lightning, I don’t know if you’d deserve that.”

Lloyd laughed. “Better luck next time, buddy.”

“You shut up. You could jump off the side of the ship right now, and she’d spend a week crying over you.”

Nya bit back a smile. “Maybe. But don’t,” she added quickly, pointing a finger at Lloyd.

He stared at her incredulously. “How dumb do you think I am?”

“Mmm… depends on the day.”

Jay burst into laughter, and Lloyd shot him a glare. “Thanks, Nya. That was a rhetorical question, by the way.”

“If you didn’t want an answer, you shouldn’t have asked the question.”

Lloyd stuck his tongue out at her, and Nya stuck hers back. Jay laughed, elbowing her. “Real mature. I’d expect that kind of thing from Lloyd-”

“Hey!”

“But you?”

“Like you’re any better yourself, sparky. Don’t you still sleep with that weird zebra thing-”

“His name is Mister Cuddlywomp, and he’s a bear-”

“Guys!”

“What, Lloyd?” Jay snapped, turning towards him. “Can’t you see- woah.”

Lloyd was pointing towards the horizon. Dark clouds formed in swirling shapes, gently disturbed by the winds of the storm. Arcs of lightning flashed between them in an almost rhythmic fashion, casting a gentle light on the clouds that made them appear to glow. It was like something out of a fantasy.

“Holy crap,” Nya breathed. “It’s beautiful. How lucky is it that we get to see this?”

“It’s because we’re willing to come out so late,” Lloyd smiled, bumping against her shoulder lightly. “The others may be warm, dry, and cozy in their beds, but they’re missing out on this natural beauty.”

“Their loss,” Jay said. “It’s the most breathtaking thing I’ve ever seen. And we’ve been all around Ninjago- even in different realms- so that’s saying a lot.”

“That’s okay,” Lloyd murmured. “I like doing this, just the three of us.” He glanced at them. “It’s our thing, y’know?”

“Aww, Lloyd,” Nya smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Yeah. It’s our thing.”

“It’s special, in a way the others wouldn’t understand.” Jay beamed at him, throwing an arm around his shoulder. “I wouldn’t trade these moments for the world.”

[honeytama]

Emergency Contact

Spinner (Shuichi Iguchi) X Fem!Reader

A/N: This was so fun to write! I’m loving the idea of phone sex right now, but also the idea of subby Spinner. So why not both? Here’s another fic about my favorite! Tagged: @knifeewifee​

Summary: Spinner phone calls his sweet girlfriend late one night to update her on his trip. The next morning, he gets a surprise visit.

Warnings: Smut (18+), established romantic relationship and pet names, cussing, praise kink, JOI (jerk off instructions), masturbation, oral (giving), riding

Word Count: 4.3k

Spinner lays against a plush comforter on the bed of a private hotel room with a throw blanket wrapped around his sore legs soothing him to relax after a long day of fighting. Although, the bed still feels less warm without his most favorite person in the world there with him. His favorite person even compared to the man that inspired him to fight for a greater cause; the entire reason he was away from you right now.

He sticks his neck out every day for his comrades and the people around him so that they’ll eventually have a life better than the one dealt to them. And you’re on his mind the entire way through. He slings his arm over his face, resisting the urge to call you and risk distracting him from the League’s current mission.

Spinner lays thinking about how your body would feel against him, how you would probably be eating room service dessert with him right now, and then seducing him with whipped cream upon your lips enough to get him fucking your supple body into the memory foam mattress. He could even imagine you ordering a breakfast spread the morning after; knowing you so well.

These thoughts that flood his head and warm his face convince him to dig out his cell phone from his sweatpants’ pocket. He taps to your contact and calls, hoping you would pick up soon. There isn't any time difference, right?

—

You sit at your desk working on an assignment for your job, your face leaning in your palm as you click through tens of slides. Honestly, you didn't have to be working that late into the night, but it felt better to have a task to distract yourself from your best friend and lover is away. Within the time you’ve been an item, this incident has only come up a couple times, so it's been difficult to understand the empty feeling you experience in bed each night passing.

Suddenly, your phone starts to buzz against the hardwood of the desk. Picking your hand up from your computer mouse, you flip the phone over to check the contact. Your eyes widen and your shoulders perk up to the name written across the screen. You immediately hit the answer button and lift it to your ear.

“Hi, love,” a smile beaming across your face. “Are you alright?” your excited expression slightly falters when you realize he might be calling as an emergency. Maybe he’s hurt?

“Yeah, yes, I’m just fine, sweetie, hey,” he responds quickly to ease your nerves. “I just wanted to call and catch up while I can. I miss you so much, Y/N.” His voice dancing through the speaker directly into your ear makes him feel closer than he actually is. It’s lower than usual, so probably a mix of the microphone filtering and exhaustion from a long day. Either way, the vibrations of his gruff tone send waves of satisfaction down your spine.

“It feels so good to hear your voice, babe.” you lower your voice to a comforting whisper. “So, what’s up, how’s everything going?’ You move from your desk chair and shut off your computer, deciding to move all of your attention to him.

“It‘s been a lot of work, but everyone here is putting in their best effort,” you hear him say as you climb into your shared bed to rest against the mountain of throw pillows stacked across the headboard. Spinner feels his throat tighten recognizing the sound of the rustling sheets beneath your body. His attention being interrupted by the thought of watching you crawl across the mattress in those mini pajama shorts you usually wear to bed. The cups of your ass showing proudly to him as you sway your hips to tease him before you lay close together. “Actually, speaking of them,” he continues. “We were put up in a hotel for the night and I actually got a suite to myself. Could you believe it, baby?” he laughs softly.

You position yourself snugly into your usual side of the bed. It feels more comfortable to leave his space open, especially when you can still smell his scent on the pillows and favorite blanket beside you. “Oh my god, the League of Villains gets to spend a night in a swanky hotel! That’s so nice, love. I hope you’re enjoying it, I wish I could be there with you,” you gush.

“I know, it would be so amazing if you could come along with me. But, I don't want you to get hurt over my job. That would kill me,” as always, you hear the compassion in his voice that comes whenever he talks about protecting you from his actions.

“I understand, cutie, it’s okay,” you smile. “But, you know I am strong enough to take on some of the people you fight, even without huge muscles like yours,” you tease, your subconscious pushing you to change the subject to something more erotic. You silently hope you could ease his tensions about his dangerous lifestyle. Being alone gives you way more time to wonder about what will happen once he returns, but sometimes it’s even more fun to be impatient.

“C'mon,” he groans. “Don’t say it like that, sweetheart,” laughing as his hand runs through his loose hair. “I still have a few more days out here without you. And, uh, tonight’s the only night I have privacy… It’ll be the only time I’ll get to, ya know…”

“What, I totally wasn’t coming onto you? I wasn’t trying anything, I swear. I was just complimenting the talent of my hard-working boyfriend,” you tease, waiting to pull your favorite reaction from him.

“I definitely wouldn't mind having you come onto me right now,” your touch starved boyfriend says in a low voice, slightly embarrassed by his forwardness. Since being experienced before you, an ounce of attention towards his hormonal brain sends him wanting loads more.

Jackpot.

“You would love it if I came onto your face, huh, love?” you breathe out, a wide grin holding residence on your face.

“Holy shit, yes baby,” he chokes out. His empty hand is already roaming down his abdomen in anticipation.

“Or, my slick easily running down my thighs onto you after both of your cocks stretch me to my limit…” you tantalize, testing the waters for how far he wanted to go.

A low, long groan sounds into your ear. Spinner slowly rocks his hips upward in frustration, his palm finally reaching the top of his prominent bulge.

“If you’re wearing it, pull your tank off, Shuichi,” you gently command.

“Shi-,” he attempts to pull his top off with one hand, but the action taunts him when he realizes to pull it off with both. Removing his hand from his pants, he pulls the tank over his head and shucks it to the corner of the room. The second his attention is back on you, he turns his phone to the speaker to set it on his pillow. Both hands are fully free now. “Love, what are you wearing right now?”

“One of your extra tanks and some soft teeny shorts. Why?” acting oblivious to the actual meaning of his question.

“God, those shorts, I might have been thinking you- in them,” he breathes out. “Could I see? Send a pic, or we could video call. Fuck, anything,” he groans impatiently.

You smile to yourself as he admits to being needy, and it only encourages you to brave up and push into the mood more. “If you’re a good boy, I’ll send you whatever you’d like. Right now you’re just going to listen to my voice and follow exactly what I say for you to do. Deal?” You drop your voice into a sultry tone.

“Deal. I’d do anything,” Shuichi whines.

“Ok,” you pull away from the phone to take deep breaths before continuing. “Relax and lay back.

Are you comfortable?”

“Mhm.”

“With one hand, massage your hard-on over your pants. And with your other… pretend it’s mine as you trail over your stomach,” you instruct sensually.

Spinner follows your words carefully as he grinds his palm into his groin. His fingers wrap roughly around the circumference of the prominent outline in his pants trying to add friction to his prick that rests underneath layers. His other palm slides against his abdomen to lightly caress the muscle beneath it.

Imagining him in such a position, you pull your hand to one of your breasts and roll a nipple between your fingers. The thin material of the tank top is the only thing stopping you from feeling the soft skin of your chest. You set the phone down on the bed on the speaker, and continue your ministrations. “My hand is running against each of your abs, my fingers tracing the intricate grooves made by your scales. You have the hottest body, Shuichi,” you moan into the phone as you begin to pull your shorts down your legs.

“Mmm,” he moans involuntarily. “Ah- tell me, are you- touching yourself, too?”

“You’ll find out eventually,” your tease happily. “Tonight’s about you, and I'm sure you're following my instructions to the letter. Right? Because if not, remember, you won’t be getting any proof of how wet my pussy is tonight.”

“Shit, when you talk like that, I- I can’t- I can’t handle it, Y/N,” he whimpers.

“Well, I really want to see how long you can last, Spinner,” you say pulling your top over your head. “So, you can take your cocks out, now.” He groans as he quickly tugs his sweatpants down his thighs. Both weeping pricks springing free from against the right waistband. Precum clings to his pants creating thin, sticky ropes of a clear liquid that make a mess of his lower stomach. “I'm sure they kinda hurt from throbbing against your pants, aching for some relief. Would you like some relief, sweetie?

“Yea-yes, Y/N,” he stutters.“Please, let me touch myself.”

“Hmm, you may, but just one. Don’t dare try to wrap your fist around both of them.” your voice is low. You lay in bed in only your underwear and quietly pull them to the side to give your clit some relief of its own.

“Ahh, Y/N,” Shuichi moans while stroking his thick cock languidly, tossing glances at his other cock leaking precum against his pubis. “You would give me head if you were here right? You know I can’t stand the teasing when we’re face to face. This feels so- so different. God, you’re so- ah- hot.”

Both of you, especially Spinner, are usually shy about sexual advances in person, so trying this new way of sending sexy messages felt so good. “Mmm, Shuichi,” you breathe out. Your fingers lacing through your slicked folds while you listen to the clicking of each of his jerks through the phone. “Just for that, go ahead and start stroking both together.” You hear him spit into his palm as he attempts to push both throbbing pricks together into one steady hand.

The late-night and the emptiness of both of your rooms are only filled with each other’s moans and pining words calling for each other’s bodies. Your hands move together as your eyes shut to deepen the illusion of his presence.

“I’m- close, I’m gonna,” Spinner grunts out.

Your eyes shoot open. “Wait! I have something for you,” snapping out of your sultry voice as if in an emergency. “Give me one sec.” You pick up your phone from the bed and angle the camera towards your body before sending it off as a text.

Spinner fumbles around with his phone, lacking to be grossed out by his own saliva covered hand as he opens your message. “Ohh,” he grunts. The photo showed the position you’d been pleasuring yourself in; legs spread wide showing off your dripping cunt and fingers resting on your clit. “Fuck! You- you look so gorgeous. God, please let me cum!”

“Go ahead, baby. I wish my fingers were you right now,“ you offer.

“Fuuu- uhh. I'm coming, I'm-” his voice catches before he let out a stream of muffled moans. Both of his cocks shoot ropes of his load onto his abdomen, emptying him until he’s completely spent. Spinner takes deep guttural breaths before letting out a sigh of relief.

“How was that?” you ask nervously, you decide not to go for your own orgasm.

“That was great, I had no clue you could do that! Did you learn that from that one otome game?” he says, genuinely curious.

You laugh and cover your hand with your face in exhaustion. “I’m glad you liked it, but now I’m getting sleepy. I’m gonna get some rest, Shuichi.”

“No problem, you're the best, ya know,” he smiles, exhausted. ”Goodnight, sleep well,” he says lovingly.

“Goodnight,” you smile.

Ending the call, your next action would either be the best decision or one you’d regret. You scroll through your contacts before calling your mutual friend, who also was away on the same mission. The phone rings against your ear as you wait, but it picks up only a few seconds later.

“Hey, sorry if I woke you up, I need the hotel information of where you all are staying. I need Spinner’s room number, too,” you request.

“Aw, do you want to come and visit him? So cute! Fuck off, don’t call me this late again, Y/N.”

—

You walked down the sidewalk of a city a few hours away from your home in one of your boyfriend’s tee’s, leggings, and a tote clutched to your side. It’s early in the morning, you’d caught the train around 7am and prepared a plan while sitting alone in the carriage. You finally made it to the entrance of the hotel with your cell phone in your hand to double-check the room number you’d easily convinced Twice to send you. Walking through the lobby, your shoes echo off the marble floor. You softly say “good morning” to the concierge before walking to the elevators at the back of the room and tapping the up button.

Your stomach turns while you walk down the hallway of his floor. What if he's bothered by you being there? What if the plan doesn’t work out? Either way, he responds, you had at least planned for a sweet day date with him away from his team. With a hopeful expression, you knock on his suite door and shift your feet on the hallway carpet waiting for him to respond.

The clicking of locks opening behind the door elevates your mood before the door is swung open. Your boyfriend in pajamas grins wildly as he pounces on you for a hug. “Y/N!” he exclaims, pressing his snout down into your shoulder. You squeeze him close to your body with both arms thrown around his back, surprised at his forwardness. “What are you doing here! Oh, uh, haha, come inside.” You follow him into the living area part of the suite, closing the door behind you.

“Honestly, I wanted to see you in person after our call from last night,” you admit. “So, I got Twice to share the information with me, I hope that’s ok. I know you don’t want Tomura to find out, but I couldn’t help myself,” you explain.

“No, no, I- I like that you came to me, that’s the nicest thing ever, babe,” Spinner says, pulling your hand into the sleeping area. “But, check this room out! I had a whole queen bed to myself, flat-screen TV…, and a desk!”

You watch him swing his arms around the room to show you as much as he could before he had to check out later that afternoon. His excitement for things he’s passionate about always made you love him more. You lean into his side and place a kiss to the side of his snout. He halts his show-and-tell before turning to look into your eyes, a smile growing on his face. His cheeks are blushing.

“You stole a kiss from me?” He questions. “You know what happens when you do that,” Spinner turns on his fake villainous voice before taking your chin in his hand. And then, starts to tickle your neck.

“Shuichi! Ah, no!” You walk backward into the edge of the bed trying to escape his grasp. You fall over onto the soft mattress when his hands roam to your sides and your thighs, continuing his attack. Always being careful with his sharp nails. “Haha ah! C’mon, Mr. Villain! I promise- I won’t steal another!”

Now, his body is hovering above yours, his long, strong arms holding your body like a vice. He stops to stare at your pretty face that's laughing and smiling because of him.

You stare back while locking eyes with his. Wanting to make the move you’d traveled there for, you rush to the front of his snout and lock your lips with his. Tracing the precise shape of his jaw with your fingers. Your bodies come together, noses nuzzled against the others’.

His strength helps pull you both up toward the middle of the bed. Once reaching a more comfortable spot, you use your own strength to push him onto his back. You straddle your legs over his hips and lean down to kiss his neck. Pressing your hot lips against his skin, you let your tongue slip out before sucking the spot he usually hides under a scarf. You whisper sweetly, “I told you I was stronger than you thought, handsome. How would you feel for me to use you like a toy?” Lifting your head, you watch his blown out eyes in anticipation.

Sunlight pours into the room in rays from the large windows at the side of the room while thin curtains give some amount of privacy. Luckily, you were on a high floor. His brown eyes show amber flecks as the sun hits them. He searches your expression for any sign of a lie or joke. “You want to have sex?” he asks, oblivious.

“I want you to fuck me, love… if you’d like that of course" you whisper.

He can’t believe the love of his life just traveled several hours to do something so sinful with his body. His eyes darken a shade in arousal, hoping you’ll dominate his every move, just as you’d done the night before. “Shit, yes. I need you-”

You raise your shirt over your head to throw it over your shoulder before reaching for the edge of his own. Spinner raises his arms above his head and lets you pull it off of his torso. You kiss his nose before sliding down his body eagerly, taking the waistband of his pants with you. Kissing the lines leading down from his Apollo’s belt, you close your eyes in comfort. When you finally open them again, a flutter of your fingers moves his cocks until they’re hard and straining against your hand.

“Please, suck me. I need your tongue, you’re so good,” he stammers. His index finger is pinched between his teeth as you lick up the full length of his sleek shaft. Once you bring your mouth to his tip, the swirl of your tongue against his hole makes him squirm against the sheets. “Ah, so sensitive,” he whimpers.

You lift your mouth from his dripping prick and smile upwards at his blushing face. “So, you don’t want me to blow you, babe?,” you tease as you stroke him slowly in one hand.

“No, no, no keep going!” Spinner yelps trying to sway his hips in your moving hand for friction.

Your head dips back down to the cock in your hand and you wet your lips before taking an amount of his thick length in your mouth. The taste of his bittersweet precum grazing your palate. He groans as you continue in a bobbing motion reminding you of the night before. Your inner thighs rub together to give friction to your hidden cunt.

You continue to bob your head up and down, pressing your tongue against his shaft. His moans motivate you to take both of his cock tips between your lips; you’re still learning how to completely pleasure both of his members equally. You drag your tongue back and forth along his weeping tips in a swiping motion and watch his reaction from underneath your lashes. The size of his eyes and raised brow make you giggle against him; it gives you even more encouragement to keep going. Giving a kiss on the inner part of his muscular thigh, you sit up and pull your leggings off.

Your boyfriend does a double-take when he realizes you're not wearing anything underneath. “Baby, you’re gonna kill me,” he throws his head back against the pillow. You giggle and climb back up his body while Shuichi’s hands pull your hips into his lap to straddle him again. He rocks your body back and forth easily making your slit slide along the length of his shaft. The ridge before his cock tip hitting your clit with every turn.

“Ooh,” you repeat with every time his hard tip skims your engorged pearl. “I wanna ride your cock, babe,” you moan above him. Spinner’s face flushes as he nods and picks your hips up from his body. He ogles your arousal covering the entirety of his cock before allowing you to take it in your small hand to line it up with your entrance. His focused gaze switches from watching you prod your hole to the lewd expression on your face. Your lip being held between your teeth, you lower yourself onto his cockhead. “Ahh,” you gasp. Your chest quickly rises at the sudden development. The built-up arousal causes your body to fall onto his dick in full. You both groan at the abrupt stretch and tightness of your drenched sleeve wrapped around him.

“Y/N, you’re so beautiful. How am I so lucky?” he gushes. You smile down at him and start your back and forth movements, holding onto his broad shoulders for guidance.

Shuichi caresses your thighs as you ride him sensually. You reach down and run your fingers through his hair as you moan. You continue to roll your hips as he closes his eyes and presses his forehead to yours, "Enjoy yourself. Take me all you want.” Spinner groans at your slow movements; the nails of his forefingers sinking into your ass like lead as he tries to thrust up into you impatiently. You put your entire weight into him as you press his chest down into the mattress; you forbid him from moving without your permission. “You make me feel- ah- So. Fucking. Good,” he grunts with every smack of your ass against his thighs as you bounce on his dick. His other cock lies beneath your spread thigh; it gains pleasure from the fiction caused by you bouncing and grinding.

You breathe heavily above him. The stretch you feel from his textured cock is heavenly, but once he reaches to poke into your cervix it’s difficult to control your rhythm. “Oh fuck! Right there!” The feeling makes you fall from your posture above him to his level. Your arms circle his neck as your chests are pressed together to continue. The curved tip of his cock slides repeatedly into the soft, ridged spot inside of you as he thrusts upwards into your body now. Forgetting about your assertion about taking control, he pistons his hips forward from the mattress into your sopping cunt over and over again; he’s only trying to get you to your climax now. The feeling of your pretty little hole tightening tells him your close to coming undone.

“Fuck, yes, just like that! Please, a little more,” you groan into his shoulder. You whine after each of his thrusts into his neck. Your words of praise becoming mush as he plows through your body.

“Fuck, I can feel you-. You’re all mine, ugh, you’re pussy is all mine, huh?,” he grunts into your ear. “Cum on my cock. I want it, baby, please- Give it to me!” he says in rhythm to each one of his thrusts as he holds your hips down into his groin.

A large knot in your stomach tightens abruptly and your throat catches before you feel the snap coming. His words encourage your body to let go as your face the orgasm you had denied yourself the night before. You let out a flow of whines and “yes’s” riding your high on his pulsating prick. The next moment, you watch as Spinner’s snout turns upwards and his eyes roll back into his head as he unloads thick strings of warm cum into your cunt. Your exhausted walls unable to give him more before his slippery cock slides out; it lands on his abdomen with a smack in a pool of cum from his other cock.

Shuichi holds your hips above him as you both come down from your highs. His fingertips gently sliding over the indentations from his nails on your ass cheeks and thighs. You place a long kiss on his snout and cheek before throwing yourself to his side on the bed. You both let out deep sighs in pleasure as you both turn to look at one another in awe.

“So,” you laugh. “I planned a cute breakfast date out on the town, but this feels so nice,” you say, smiling.

“A date, with me?” You giggle and nod. His face is flushed, but he responds to you in the same amount of contentment, “I still want to experience the room service, so let’s clean up and I’ll order whatever you want.”

[multifandom-girlie]

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮

Imagine requested by @theshyprincess : Can you do a Jeremy Gilbert birthday smut.18. Jeremy's and readers birthdays are on the same day.

Pairings: Jeremy x reader

Warnings: Very smutty. Fem!Dom

A/N: I did follow your request as much as I could but I already had a plan before knowing you wanted them to lose their virginity but it's as close as I could make it. This is my first request but I hope it's okay.

Every year I've been with Jeremy he's always told me, he doesn't want me to get him any presents. But it's not everyday a guy turns 21, luckily he's not much of a drinker so it's a good thing I wasn't planning on taking him drinks.

Although thanks to alcohol he did reveal some...fantasies of his...you know for in the sheets. Now he doesn't remember that night at all but I wasn't really drinking at the time, I didn't tell him because it was only a couple of months ago and that's when I started planning his birthday present.

I got changed into my special outfit, his favourite lingerie. I never wear it just cause he won't ever let me go if I do. Plus he always wants to make sure I'm ready before we do anything considering I've only had sex with one guy and it wasn't Jeremy and it's not fair if I tease him with it. I got a cab over to his house payed the driver and walked in. As I did I heard the shower turn off upstairs. I knew for a fact only he was home otherwise I would not be doing this....here.

I walked up there and opened the door.

“Happy birthday handsome.”

He walked up to me and gave me a passionate kiss. I smiled at him when he was already moving his hands down and stopped his hands, I pushed him backwards towards the bed and as soon as he got the edge his towel dropped. Man have I been waiting for this. I eyed his large cock impressively but also I couldn't help but feel a little worried I wasn't going to be brave enough to take it, but it's to late now. No turning back.

I strutted over the door slowly and locked it before turning around and seductively undoing the rope of my coat. His eyes widened and I already knew it was because he saw yellow, I only having 1 pair of yellow lingerie so it was obvious. I dropped the coat fully but not before sneakily sliding something out the pocket and hiding it behind my back. 

He crawled back more till he was at the headboard and crawled over and pecked him on the lips and as soon as he got the idea it turned into a full make out session and whilst that was happening he was to interested in our lips meeting and he hadn't realised the handcuffs I had put on him and the headboard to make sure I fullfilled his fantasy.

I started of with teasing. The slight breath of mine on his torso made him shake with pleasure. I saw his member rising and and I already knew what I was going to do. I kissed down until I got to the base of his cock. My breath circling the area like animal stopping escaping prey.  

I used my tongue to lick the underside of his shaft slowly until I reached the tip. My mouth opened and I took his cock into my mouth and highlighted the head with the tip of my tongue and began to suck a little.

Once I let his cock slide out my mouth as I pulled away I climbed on top of him and saw him with a smile on his face as he looked up at me. I leaned down and started to kiss him lovingly. My clothes pussy grinding against his enlarged cock as I was doing so. As I pulled away he smiled again as I grinded more viciously, the desire for some sort of friction so very strong.

I slowly took the bottom half of my outfit on and pulled off the top and discarded them on the floor.

I used my hand to line his cock up with my entrance and I slowly sat down on top of him. He met my spot instantly. I started to move and I could see the desire for him to want to move as well but he's knows he can’t. I starting moving up and down on him and I could feel my orgasm rapidly approaching. So I started to speed my pace up and bounce up and down on his cock, my juices making it easier to do. 

I could feel Jeremy twitching inside me, aching to cum  but I knew he wouldn't because even though he felt euphoric. He knew we were not ready for a child of any sort. So I got off of him, the loss of his cock making me feel empty. He opened his mouth, like he did every time he wanted a taste. So I crawled up his body peppering little kisses all over him as I did so. I finally reached his face and positioned my pussy a little away from his mouth. I was going to tease him until he blew a hot puff of air, so I didn't hold back anymore. I rested my pussy lightly against his lips and he opened them and used his tongue to lick my clit until he finally pushed it inside my entrance and I couldn't hold back anymore. My juices dripping in his mouth and all down his chin and neck.

I went back down to his cock gradually and saw he was still throbbing just more aggressively now. I took his whole cock in my mouth and sucked on it hard, the pressure tempting his release. That's when I felt his hot seed trickle down my throat and swirling around my mouth. He kept going and I swallowed it, the creamy flow of his cum sliding down easily.

I crawled beside him and laid my head on his chest but not before quickly undoing the handcuffs and putting them on the nightstand. I kissed his chest and I covered us with the blanket. 

“Don’to get me wrong Y/N I enjoyed it but when did you learn that ? I thought you were only with one guy.”

I giggled a little, whilst wrapping my arms tighter around his waist.

“I have only had sex with one guy but my last boyfriend wasn't very confident in bed. So I adapted not that we had sex alot. I didn't want to go to crazy with you though, I just wanted to test the waters. Also I knew you liked it because you told me once when you were drinking. Happy birthday Jer.”

“God, I love you Y/N !”

He rolled us over so he was hovering over me.

“I love you too, baby.”

“How about this time we see who's better at being dominant.”

I giggled and he the leaned over to the nightstand the next thing I know my hands are cuffed. He's never used them before. But I'm definitely excited.

MASTERLIST

[canoncannon]

i'm not sure what you mean by "or otherwise" and i hope i am not too impudent but... hypothermia, sharing body heat, unexpected boners? *runs away and hides*

Don’t mind me, just answering prompts from months ago…

Tied hand and foot, guns to their temples, Paul has to admit this mission is not going well so far. He and Daryl had been scavenging rusty old boats tied to the small, rotten dock of a frozen lake when three Saviors surprised them, pointing rifles from the shore before Paul even realized they’d been spotted.

These Saviors aren’t soldiers, that much is obvious by the fact that they’d tied Paul and Daryl’s wrists in front of them. It’s also obvious by the fact that they seem lost about what to do next. One had walked back to the shore and up the road with her radio, trying to reach someone at the base for direction. The others pace the dock nervously, guns in hand. Paul’s hands are nearly free already, and then he just needs one of the guards to meander a little closer to him and they’re golden.

Glancing over to signal Daryl, he finds the other man in some kind of fugue state. Usually the archer is almost stupidly brave, but kneeling and bound, Daryl’s chest is heaving, his eyes are closed, and sweat is visible on his temple despite the icy wind.

“Hey, Daryl. Daryl, you alright?” Paul asks immediately, trying to scoot closer.

“Shut it,” one of the Saviors barks, kicking him viciously in the side. Paul slumps over onto the decrepit dock and feels the knot at his wrists give. He carefully holds the rope in place and begins flexing his ankles in tiny circular motions, not bothering to sit up again.

Daryl is still panicking, his breath audible over the wind and creaking wood. Paul’s reminded vividly of when he’d turned the corner at the Sanctuary and seen-

Right. Shit. The Sanctuary.

Daryl must think these oafs are going to take him back to Negan, that he would end up being tortured in a dark and dirty cell again.

Still flexing his ankles, Paul sits up again quickly, getting close to his friend. “Daryl- come on. Breathe. We’ve been through worse,“ he says in a low voice, keeping an eye on the Savior that just lashed out. Daryl meets his eyes, just a glimpse of blue through dark, overlong bangs. He’s blinking rapidly, still hyperventilating. Paul isn’t even sure the other man understands him. "Remember when that little prick stole our truck? And he somehow got on the roof?” he rushes to say, because the Savior is coming his way fast. “We survived that-”

The Savior cracks him hard across the mouth.

It doesn’t matter, Daryl got the message. He nods once, trusting that Paul has some kind of plan.

His breath is still coming too fast, though.

“Daryl, come on. Time your breathing with mine,” Paul says softly, ignoring the goon standing over them.

Then the prick kicks out, sending Paul sprawling backwards, and all hell breaks loose.

The rotten wood beneath them gives way, followed by the ice, sending Paul and the Savior both tumbling into the lake. The freezing water hits him much harder than the Savior’s blows, but Paul keeps his wits and gets his hands in the cretin’s hair.

It only takes a few moments for the Savior to stop kicking and yanking at his hold. Then Paul can’t get his head high enough to see what’s happening to Daryl, and every time he reaches for a piece of the deck to pull himself up the wood comes away in his hand. A gunshot echoes across the lake and he’s  shouting Daryl’s name before he can stop himself, voice high and unnatural.

Another gunshot sounds. Paul loses two nails trying to claw his way to the deck before a hand wraps around his wrist.

“Calm the fuck down,” Daryl scolds, holding his wrist still while holstering his gun with his other hand. “These three are dead, but who knows if that bitch got reinforcements on the way before I shot her.”

Paul only realizes that his body is shaking violently after Daryl hefts him out of the water and he tries to stand. Of course he topples immediately, barely coordinated enough to throw his injured hands out to break his fall. His fingers are bleeding from at least three or four giant splinters but he can’t feel them.

“Shit, man, you’re turning blue. Let’s get you outta here.” Moving closer, Daryl looks ready to put Paul in a fireman’s carry.

“Check the bodies. Weapons,” Paul manages to choke out, clumsily shoving him away.

“We need to get you warm or you’re gonna to lose a toe,” Daryl argues, forcing his way close and half-dragging him down the dock.

“Need guns more than toes.”

“Fuck’s sake. I’ll get you in the car, then I’ll come back, alright? Now quit bitching at me and try to move your legs.”

—

“Last winter weren’t this bad,” Daryl says in an accusing tone, as if Paul controls Virginia’s weather.

Still shaking, Paul doesn’t respond. His head feels foggy.

“Gonna have to hole up pretty close to here, we need to get you warmed up. I’ll keep watch.”

“The Saviors- reinforcements-”

“You got hypothermia, and I don’t know how bad. Quit arguing with me.” With a tiny smirk, Daryl adds, “’Sides, you’re too frozen to fight back, so you’re gonna do as you’re fucking told for once.”

Glaring through strands of sopping wet hair, the scout slumps back into his seat, resigned.

—

They return to the same cabin they’d stayed in the night before. It’s not safe—far too close to the dock where they’ve left three murdered Saviors—but Daryl won’t budge.

Paul really is too cold and tired to care all that much. It’s all he can do to get his boots off while Daryl lights a fire.

“You know the treatment for hypothermia?” Paul asks nervously. Daryl merely glares at him. “Ok, ok, sorry. You seem like the ‘shoot the messenger’ type. Just… the fire’s probably enough. I don’t think we really have to-”

“You’re seriously getting shy? You?” Daryl replies, chuckling. “Months of acting like you want to get me naked, and now you’d rather lose a foot?”

“Graduated from a toe to a foot now, huh?” Paul answers, because he doesn’t know what else to say. Acting, Christ. If only.

Turning back to the fire, Daryl snorts. “Sorry, asshole, but this ain’t no time to be a blushing belle. Now strip so I can set your out clothes to dry.”

Still shivering, Paul follows orders, curling up under their two blankets immediately after. Despite his don’t-give-a-shit attitude, Daryl undresses out of view and crawls under the blanket slowly, like he’s expecting Paul to spring a trap.

Hell, Paul probably would have sprung something if it weren’t for the hypothermia. There’s a warm, surprisingly gentle Daryl pressing against his chilled skin, and he can distinctly feel the heat of a soft cock against the small of his back.

The hypothermia is the only thing keeping him from embarrassing himself.

“Try to sleep for a couple hours. I’ll wake you up and we’ll move on if you’re feeling better.” Daryl wraps his arms around Paul’s chest and pulls him closer.

“Not how I’d hoped to get you naked,” Paul slurs, drowsy. He can almost feel his fingers again.

“Hush, Paul,” Daryl says quietly, right in his ear.

Paul shivers.

–

Paul wakes up to Daryl thrashing around violently. Then he really wakes up when he realizes why the other man is trying to escape like an animal caught in a trap: Paul’s rock-hard dick had been pressed against some unknown stretch of skin.

“Sorry!” Paul gasps, torn between horror and amusement. “Shit, Daryl, sorry-”

“Ain’t- ain’t that,” Daryl says, looking harried. “I fell asleep. No fucking clue what time it is, or…”

“Hey! Hey, it’s alright. If the Saviors had found us they’d already have done something about it. We hid the car, we’re alright, just… calm down. Relax. We’re good.”

Daryl seems to listen; at least he stops trying to fling himself out of the tangled nest of blankets. Instead he sits upright, fabric pooling in his lap and over his legs. Paul leans forward on an elbow, keeping his eyes firmly away from the top of Daryl’s ass and his broad, heavily scarred back. For different reasons, he finds he can’t look at either for very long if he wants to keep his cool.

“You thought I’d lose my shit over a boner?” Daryl asks suddenly, expression unreadable.

“Uh. Yeah, actually.”

There’s a long silence, during which Paul watches intently as Daryl’s ears, then his cheeks, flush slightly.

“Man, you know I’m- how the hell do you not know-” Daryl pauses, gathering himself, then blurts out. “I fuck guys, you know.”

After a startled blink and an undeniable thrill, Paul says, “Not right now you don’t, we’ve got to get back to Hilltop. Get your head in the game.”

The flush deepens from soft pink to technicolor red. “I didn’t mean-”

Paul heroically hides his grin.

Later, in the car, he’ll tell Daryl how much he likes him. For now he stands up from their impromptu bed, dick still half-hard, and enjoys watching that blush climb down Daryl’s neck to his muscled chest.