#It's like having a lover who continually gets bored or distracted halfway through the process!

[stellaluna33]

The Jess episodes in Season 6 are SO gratifying (for those of us who, like Rory, would say, "I KNEW you could do something like this! I KNEW it, I knew it!") but at the same time SO FRUSTRATING, because everything about the way they were written suggests that they were making deliberate comparisons between Jess and Logan- comparisons in which Logan doesn't come off particularly well. Like they went to great pains to imply that: Jess knew Rory better than Logan (the birthday subplot), was better FOR her, was more mature, loyal, freaking noble, etc. etc... And then they just... never went anywhere with it! Logan jumps off a cliff and Rory feels guilty, and... The whole plotline gets dropped and they never talk about it again! It really freaking seemed like they were making a point, but WHAT WAS THE FREAKING POINT??? *flips a table!*

[angryhausfrau-writes]

I Travel Troubled Oceans - Chapter 2: The Heist

Charles was, in fact, difficult to persuade of the plan. Sure, he wants money just about as much as any of the rest of the crew. But he's also pretty fucking pissed at Eleanor Guthrie.

Although the prospect of getting one over on her – and ruining another one of the people responsible for sending him to jail and getting filthy rich in the process – is a strong incentive. And Jack's always been good with words. Persuasive, one might say. Charles is stubbly, slightly recalcitrant putty in his hands.

So they all troop down to the nearest YMCA so Charles can take a shower. And Anne shoplifts him some slightly more upscale slutty clothes, because God forbid the man ever actually wear a shirt. But he looks like a halfway respectable stripogram by the time he shows up to Eleanor's little birthday party – a fashionable two hours late so the party's in full swing and he doesn't look desperate. Though Eleanor will probably still read him that way. A pathetic sad sack crawling back to her on bended knee, ready to beg forgiveness and willing to do anything to get back in her good graces now that his former crew is a wreck and Flint's run off to America.

Eleanor thinks she's got Charles right where she wants him – under her two-thousand dollar heels. But that doesn't mean it's not a scene worthy of the fucking Baftas when she sees him come through the door.

Jack and Anne and the new guy are posted up in the kitchen, dealing to all the posh little fucks looking for a bit of white gold to get the party started right. Just killing time until Charles makes his move and he and Eleanor head to the bedroom.

And minimalist open plan living being in fashion, even in these old Victorian piles, they can hear every fucking word of the happy little reunion from a whole half a house away.

“Why Charles,” Eleanor practically purrs – and it's the purr of a Jaguar, lethal and expensive. “Whatever are you doing here.”

It's not a question.

Charles forces himself to look down at his feet. As if he's weak. As if he's ashamed.

“Eleanor.” He makes it sound anguished instead of angry. “I had a lot of time to think while I was away.”

Because Eleanor and her lot threw him away. And who knew Chaz was such a good actor? There's none of the violent, simmering fury Jack knows he feels over the betrayal. His tone is contrite and he must look suitably groveling, because Eleanor lets him continue.

“I started thinking about what was important – what was good in my life.” Namely her. And what he'd do to get her back. Though that goes unsaid, because there's such a thing as laying it on too thick, even for Eleanor fucking Guthrie.

And they – Jack, mostly Jack, who'd coached Charles through the whole interaction - must have struck just the right balance of pathetic groveling and virile masculinity with that little performance, because Eleanor says, “Why don't we discuss this somewhere more private, Charles?”

A few minutes later, Jack gets a surreptitious eggplant emoji from Charles's burner phone – the prearranged signal that he's successfully convinced Eleanor to sleep with him and that they're free to comb the house. Jack sends a winky face in response and then he, Anne, and the new guy split up to search for the cash.

Knowing Charles – and Eleanor – they'll probably be tied up for a while. Charles almost definitely literally. But that doesn't mean they can dawdle.

Anne takes to rifling through the bedrooms, disturbing several couples – and more – in the throws of passion. But she's always been good at intimidating idiots to stay out of her way – and so obviously on a mission that they don't do more than voice a few token protests. Plus, she's good enough at what she does – and they're so wrapped up in their drugged out fucking – that she's in and out before some of the participants even notice she's there. But, as Jack learns from her regular updates of terse “NO” and red “X” texts, she has no luck finding the cash.

Jack hadn't really expected Eleanor or Woodes Rogers to keep the cash in a random bedroom, where any horny houseguest could stumble upon it. So that just leaves the master suite – empty, what with Eleanor having taken Charles to the room that apparently serves as her bedroom cum sex dungeon, if Max's deeply - horrifyingly deeply - detailed description is to be believed. (Privately, Jack thinks Eleanor may have gotten just a little bit too invested in the whole Fifty Shades trend. But bored horny women are bored horny women, regardless of bank account balance, apparently.)

And Woodes Rogers is otherwise occupied downstairs, courtesy of the new guy, who's apparently caught his eye and is being rather badly flirted at, if the increasingly frantic texts Jack keeps getting are any indication. Jack feels bad, he really does – ok, not that bad, he'd do the same thing on purpose if Woodes Rogers was into queens. But he likes a little bit of rough - not that Jack can blame him – and the new guy seems to be doing it for him, even if he's got a pretty boy face. And this is probably the best chance they're going to get of having the house to themselves for the search. So he tells New Guy to stick it out and if Woodes Rogers starts getting too sleezy to make a break for it. They'll all meet at the rendezvous point at the kebab shop in the West End anyway, it doesn't matter if they don't all go together.

Plus, it'll help take the heat off if they just look like regular party goers instead of co-conspirators in a heist.

But Jack doesn't have a lot of extra time or attention to spare for New Guy's plight. Because Anne's struck out in the master bedroom, except for some rather tasteless but presumably expensive jewelry. And Jack's searched the study - a big, stupidly imposing room that practically screams “compensating” - and he's come up with zilch. A fucking goose egg, outside of a moving bookcase that hides a humidor. Probably Eleanor's.

So he moves on to the library, the last place the cash could reasonably be without them having to try and search the fucking basement.

It's probably the least used room in the house. Because sure, Woodes Rogers is a lawyer of some description and Eleanor an accountant. But the paraphernalia for that kind of stuff gets kept in blinding glass and steel corporate offices. This room is for impressing the impressionable. And it's absolutely stuffed to the fucking rafters with first editions of classics and entire sets of encyclopedias that Jack would bet real money have never even been opened by their current owners.

There are also several oil paintings in heavy gilt frames – perfect for hiding a wall safe. And if that doesn't reveal anything, there's always the horrifically overbearing desk situated in pride of place in front of the enormous bay windows. Jack can just see Eleanor there, sitting in the high backed antique chair like it was a throne, dispensing her version of mercy on groveling penitents.

Jack wonders if she ever made Max fuck her in that chair. That feels like something she'd be into.

And with that lovely thought, Jack turns to search the nearest painting – a drab toned portrait of a man who is presumably one of Woodes Rogers's antecedents. Blugh. But, heinous crimes committed during his life or no, he isn't the final resting place for stolen goods.

Jack turns to the next painting and the next with no more success. The final painting – one of hounds on the hunt – doesn't reveal the cash, but it does reveal some rather racy photographs of Eleanor and one of her previous lovers (neither Max nor Charles, so Jack doesn't remove them) in what is apparently Woodes Rogers's pathetic attempts at a black mail collection on his wife. It's quite sad really, so Jack just takes a snap of it for Anne – who'll undoubtedly show it to Max, who'll get a kick out of it - and moves on to the desk.

There, he strikes gold. Or cash, really. There's a hidden compartment in the bottom of the desk drawer with a lock on it – as if that could stop Jack. Or anyone with better fine motor skills than a toddler. It only takes him a few minutes and an unbent paper clip to open the catch.

And there lays the cash.

Jack signals Anne and the new guy to come help, since there's approximately a metric fuckton of it. Someone who's not Jack is going to have to practically crawl inside the desk to get it all. But they've found it, finally.

Thank Christ.

Jack starts laying bundles of cash into the bottom of his traveling case – one of those hard-sided suitcases that businessmen so love to use. And he's honestly not sure if that's going to be enough. But fortunately, the new guy had the foresight to bring a ratty backpack along and between the two bags and the three of their pockets, they get it all stowed away.

Jack texts Charles a Jolly Roger to let him know he can wrap things up with Eleanor and all that's left now is to get away clean.

Which is almost easier done than said. They walk out the door, times staggered enough that it doesn't look like they're all leaving together, and no one notices a thing. It's all very anti-climactic, honestly. The movies always make this part seem so exciting – car chases and shoot outs and etcetera. But they just walk right out the front door, completely invisible to the partiers still inside the house.

Jack leaves last, so he's only about a half block away when Charles finishes their little distraction off with a bang. They'd planned it all out – how to make it look like Eleanor had the upper hand in the breakup this time, so she wouldn't look too hard at the evening and link the theft back to Jack or Anne. How to make sure that Eleanor was left physically and emotionally satisfied enough that she never seeks Charles out for another night of fun. How to make her feel in charge and in control and like she's throwing Charles over, instead of them conning her.

And frankly, the bits Jack can hear are a masterstroke. Charles is pathetic and groveling in a way that is genuinely unappealing – but that apparently gets Eleanor's rocks off, because she's got the most self-satisfied fucking smirk on face, the one he imagines she wore the entire time Charles was in her bed. And Eleanor stands at the top of the stairs, framed by the open doorway, lauding her everything about herself over Charles as he begs her to take him back. Which she does not deign to do at all.

All the other party goers have gathered around to witness the carnage and Eleanor's not even pretending to feel sorry about making such a scene. This – this is what she's been looking for ever since Charles gave her the boot – coincidentally right before he went away on that two stretch. And she's milking her ability to get one over him in that same way for all it's fucking worth.

“We're done, Charles.”

She says it with the cold finality of a vault door swinging shut. And she sweeps back into the house, surrounded by the ranks of simpering sycophants. Leaving Charles curled into himself on the cold pavement.

[sugarcoated-pain]

Heavy Rotation Part 5

Thanks to everybody who’s been reading, especially those letting me know what you think! Keep an eye out for Part 6 soon because it is gonna be GOOD! ;)

As always, thanks @sublimehood for all the help, guidance, and general reassurance lol. 

Best Friends to Lovers- original character + Ashton

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Over the next few weeks, things started to go back to normal. Well, I mean, as “normal” as things could ever be for us. Ashton and I didn’t speak of the kiss again, and we all did what we could to help him get over his break up. I respectfully didn’t bring up the “friends with benefits” comment while he was grieving, though the thought definitely crossed my mind more than once.

Around the end of January, we got a regular visitor around the studio. Ray is a music producer and owner of a brand new recording studio in New York City, as well as an old friend of Luke’s parents. He’s visiting LA on business, and had never seen the studio, so he stopped by whenever he got a chance, just hanging out and picking up ideas for his own studio.  On his first day in town, Liz was giving him the grand tour and they caught me messing around in the recording studio. Whoops. Ray was amused by this, and also could immediately tell that I am an “East Coast Girl”. Didn’t realize it was THAT obvious.

It’s almost impossible for me to stay away from the studio now that I am getting the hang of how things work in there. When business is slow, Ashton and I have been working on editing my demo, but it’s taking longer than it should, since we’re actually supposed to be working. Ray walked in one day and overheard part of my track, and was intrigued. Ashton played it for him from the beginning, much to my embarrassment, but Ray said it was “really good” and that I have “a lot of potential”. Holy crap. This is amazing.

On his last day in town, Ray approaches me alone while I’m working in the store.

“I’ve been really impressed by you while I’ve been here. You’ve got the same energy that I’m looking to have in my studio. If you decide you’d like to move back closer to home, there’s a job waiting for you.”

I’m initially stunned. He hands me his business card. “Wow, thanks. That’s incredible and honestly really flattering, “ I start, once my brain is able to process what he is saying. “But I’ve already kinda built a life here, and I love what I’m doing.”

Ray glances down at the pile of records in my hand, and gives me an incredulous look, “Stacking records?”

I chuckle slightly. “Touche.”

“Just keep it in the back of your mind, okay? The company would pay to fly you there and there could be a nice signing bonus involved. Hit me up if you change your mind.”

I stand there stunned for a few moments after he’s left, staring at his business card in my hand.

“Hey, you okay?” It’s Georgia. She’s bringing Calum lunch, and has clearly noticed that I’m in shock.

“Uh.. yeah I think so... That Ray guy just offered me a job in New York.”

“WOAH…seriously??  are you..actually considering it?” She asks, looking impressed and also mildly concerned.

“Nah not really… I mean, my gut says no, I love my life here.. But it sounds like it could be good money, and it would be nice to be closer to home…” I reply with a shrug.

“Well, you know we’d all miss the hell out of you, but I’m excited for you and support whatever decision you make!”

I smile. “Thanks, G.”

I was on closing duty for the store that night, and everybody else had shit going on, so once my shift was finally over, I had the apartment to myself. I cooked myself some pasta without anybody getting in my way, and plopped down on the couch to watch a movie. Ashton was the first one home.

“Are you watching the Wedding Singer AGAIN?” He asks, shaking his head.

“I love this movie, leave me alone!”

He plops down on the couch next to me, and before I even know what is happening, he grabs my fork and steals a bite of my alfredo.

“Hey! Get your own!” I snap, slapping his hand playfully.

He smirks triumphantly, taking another bite.

“How was work?” He asks, settling back on the couch.

“Boring as hell. OH but that Ray guy came back and actually offered me a job in New York!”

“What?? For real??”

“Yeah but I'm probably not gonna take it.. it's just kinda flattering, ya know?”

“Why aren't you going to take it?”

“Well, I mean, I've already got a job that I usually enjoy..and I've built a life here.. and there's all of you guys…”

The look on his face is hard to read but I'd say he seems pleased with my answer. His cell phone buzzes and he checks it, then let's out a frustrated groan.

“What's up?” I ask curiously.

“Nothing… just… Camille keeps texting me lately..”

“WHAT?!? What does that skanky bitch want??”

“She says she wants to 'talk’. Keeps trying to get me to meet up with her. She is apparently sorry and made a 'mistake’.” He sighs.

“....you're not buying that bullshit, right??”

“I don't really wanna talk about it right now. Let's just watch your stupid movie.” He adds, the last part in a playful tone. Without responding to the text, he puts his phone back in his pocket.

We sit in silence for a little while just watching the movie together, even though I've seen it dozens of times. I’m hyper-aware of the fact that we seem to be inching closer together on the couch, until the point that our legs are touching. I can occasionally feel him watching me out of the corner of my eye. My cheeks start to feel flushed and the air feels like it’s made of electricity. The tension starts to become too much to bear. My heart is racing now and it’s taking everything in my power not to climb on top of him right here on the couch. Almost a month has passed since the breakup, and I decide in this moment that this is a reasonable amount of time to address the thing I can’t stop thinking about.  

“So.. remember on New Year’s Day when you made that comment about ‘best friends with benefits’?” Before I can finish my sentence, his lips are on mine. Pulling me closer to him, i wrap my arms around his back and run my fingers through his hair as I kiss him back.  “But that’s all this is, right? No strings attached?” I say quickly, pulling away, but with our lips just inches apart. He instantly breaks the space between us to continue kissing me.  It’s a deep, passionate kiss, the kind I pictured every time I imagined this happening, but I need to make sure we are on the same page, so I try again, “Because you’re still getting over Camille....”,

“And you don’t want a relationship…” he retorts, but his lips are back on mine as soon as he finishes the sentence.

“And we’re best friends who live together and anything more would be weird….and I wouldn’t want everybody else to know..” I say into his ear, as he moves his lips down to my neck.

“Just shut up and kiss me.” He pulls me up onto his lap, and I straddle my legs on either side of his.  I move one of my hands from his hair to his back, moving up under his shirt and running my fingernails all the way down. I can feel him getting harder beneath me, and it’s almost too much to take. He runs his hands up under the back of my shirt to undo my bra.

Suddenly, we hear keys in the front door and I jump off of him as fast as I can. We both frantically straighten our clothes and hair, panting. Luckily, Cal and Georgia are lost in conversation and not paying attention when they first walk in. I pull my loose bra through my shirt sleeve discreetly and stuff it under the throw blanket next to me. I notice Ashton is using the other end of the same blanket to hide his erection, which makes me smirk proudly.

“Hey guys, what’re you up to?” Cal asks as they enter the living room

“Just watching a movie .. but it’s almost over and I’m exhausted so I was thinking about going to bed soon.” I reply, with a pointed look at Ashton.

“Yeah, me too.” Ash adds, picking up on the cue. He better know that I expect him to crawl through my bedroom window the second I get in there and fuck me senseless.

“Aw. We actually had a movie we wanted to watch with you guys. The four of us haven’t gotten a chance to hang out in a while.” Georgia replies. Great. Guilt trip. Ashton and I exchange a look.

“I guess I can hang out a little while longer.” I answer. How long can the movie be, right?

I can wait two more hours for the guy I’ve already waited eight months for. But about halfway through, the rush from our little makeout session has worn off and I start to feel drowsy. Last thing I remember is laying my head on Ashton’s shoulder.

I wake up several hours later, wrapped in Ashton’s arms on the couch. Someone appears to have thrown the blanket over us, so that’s kind of awkward. I realize the sun is already up, and reach for my cell phone to check the time. I’m supposed to be downstairs for work in 30 minutes so I gently move Ash’s arms and begin to stand up. He’s still passed out but he instinctively tries to pull me back to him. It’s adorable and everything I’ve ever wanted but this shit can absolutely NOT happen. This was a terrible idea. I should NOT have allowed this to happen.

“Hey, Ash. Wake up. You’ve gotta go to work soon.”

“morning” he says groggily.

I stand up and fold the blanket, and try to give him a second to wake up.“....We need to talk about last night..” My tone a little bit more serious than I intended.

“Why am I getting a deja vu feeling?” he says, as he stretches and begins to sit up.

“I changed my mind. I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to do this whole ��friends with benefits’ thing…”

“Can I assume you’re not going to give me a reason as to why?”

Because you’re the most perfect man I’ve ever met and I’m secretly falling for you, which makes you the world’s worst distraction for a girl on a mission. “I just don’t want to deal with everybody in the apartment finding out, but I also don’t want to have to sneak around. I think we’re really better off as JUST friends…”

“Well I’m gonna call bullshit because I know you don’t give a damn what anybody else thinks, but fine. If that’s what you really want, then I respect that... Just friends.”

“Thank you. It is.” UGH it’s very much NOT what I really want. Why can’t I just be real with him and myself right now?

I take a super quick shower before work, and all I can think about is how badly I want Ashton in there with me. This is a problem. This HAS to stop. I’m here for my music, and I can’t let some guy hold me back, no matter how perfect he is. It occured to me in this moment that Ashton was the reason why I immediately told Ray no when he offered me the job. This is everything I wanted to avoid. What if this NYC opportunity really was my fast track into the music industry? The fact that I didn’t even consider it for a second all because of Ashton TERRIFIES me.

As soon as I step out of the shower, I reach for the jeans I had fallen asleep in, and pull Ray’s business card out of my pocket. Before I even get dressed, I send him an email asking for more details about the position. As I head downstairs for work, I hear a notification on my phone. It’s Ray, getting back to me much quicker than I anticipated, and the offer almost feels too good to be true. The money is great, I’d get to be helping make music instead of stacking cds and records all day, and I would receive a signing bonus. He even mentioned that there was a flight at the end of the week on the company’s preferred airline that still had seats available on such short notice, so he had used their miles to secure a ticket for me, just in case. That seemed a little presumptuous, but also nice to know that this guy wanted me to work for them that badly.

It was a lot to think about, and I spend most of my shift daydreaming about what it would be like to be back on the east coast, and REALLY working in the music industry. Being closer to my family and old friends would be nice. The reasons to go seemed to be adding up quicker than the reasons to stay. But I realized that my main reason to stay was more important to me than all of the reasons I should go.

Part Six

Part Seven

Part Eight

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Taglist: @cheyenne-in-wonderland @drummerboy794 @harrysgucciclothes @emmamarshmellow @rbforsmileycal @asht0ns-world @dukesnumber1

[lore-a-lie]

Chapter 3, Act 8: Acknowledged Accidentals

Daily Life

Regardless of what she was trying to process, Kaede still managed to get to breakfast early that day. Or it felt like it, as it was early enough that the only other person there was Kaito, who kept glancing at a pair of tablets someone had left in the middle of the table. ( Which means he’s probably not the first person to get here today. Maybe some folks got here before us and got bored waiting for everyone else? )

With a bit of prompting she got him to actually see whose videos were there, and was surprised to realize they were Ryoma’s and Kiyo’s. The implications the auditions contained were even more concerning though.

Two murderers, who both seemed to have never taken a life before this game. One with a lover who could be real, but under very different circumstances, and another whose wasn’t, but meant the trauma of losing a close sibling was still real enough to die for. ( Both people whose auditions show they weren’t as terrible as I was, no matter what they think of themselves now. )

“Who do you think left these out here?” Kaede asked Kaito, in order to break the smothering silence.

“Probably Ryoma and Kiyo. Monokuma would have definitely given it to them first. I mean, I got mine this morning. It’s… kinda a doozy.”

“Yeah, I get it. Mine was too. I don’t think I’ll be adding mine to this pile, not before having Kokichi check it or something.” ( And if he won’t maybe Gonta will be willing to try. I hope neither of them think less of me for this though… )

“Not a bad plan, assuming he can tell how much of these things is legit. But I’ll just keep mine on the backburner for now, it’s prolly all BS. I don’t wanna worry him any, and he might try fucking with me.” Kaito sighed as he scratched at his head, making a face at the thought that got a laugh out of her.

“If he does start teasing me about mine at least it’s not anything super serious. Might accuse me of being victim to a “bitch-be-gone” spray or something at the worst.” ( Saying that’s not a major lie or anything. )

“Oh god I’d love to have me some of that right now! Kiyo’s sister will be the death of me, I’m telling ya,” Kaito said with a hollow chuckle, before turning more serious. “I don’t suppose it’d be too much to hope that Kiyo seeing this might have made her disappear? Things might be rough if it didn’t.”

Yikes. There’s a thought. It’d be easier on all of us if she’d just go away, but with a motive involved…

“I doubt it,” Kaede started, and resolved to make a minor confession. “When I visited Gonta the first time we had him keep an eye on Kiyo I asked him why he talked about his sister in the present tense before we saw his motive video. He said he honestly didn’t know she was dead, like what happened with Kirumi’s previous… “master”. I don’t think he was lying, so his “sister” shouldn’t have been talking to him before then. Wouldn’t make sense for one killing game motive to undo a previous one right?”

Kaito was unnerved by what she said, that much was obvious, but there was also a level of relief there. Kaede chalked it up to giving more backing to the idea this wasn’t some possession after all. But the relief was followed by guilt soon enough. “Fucking hell man. No wonder he was such a mess back then.”

Not really in the mood to continue that train of thought Kaede made a noncommittal noise and got up to get some breakfast instead. At least that way neither of them would feel pressured to talk until the others arrived, even if she wasn’t all that hungry.

It didn’t take too long for others to show up at least, as Gonta and Kokichi arrived before she finished. Though judging from how uncomfortable Gonta looked, he had also seen his video and it unsettled him.

Kokichi’s mood was harder to tell, which was hopefully an okay sign. It’s not like he was easy to read on his good days either. But seeing the liar gave Kaito an idea.

“Hey, just the twerp I wanted to see! Wanna give something a look-”

“Nyo.” Came Kokichi’s immediate rejection, and threw the space cadet for a loop.

“But you love being nosey! Come on, just help a guy out. I just wanna know how legit these things are,” Kaito tried again, taking one of the abandoned audition tapes in each hand as he waved them in front of his face. And got an even huffier and cutesy “nyo”s for his efforts.

“Why not? Kokichi look at Gonta video-”

“So what, now I gotta watch everyone’s dumb ol’ lying mugs? What I get out of it?” Kokichi waved Kaito off, but Keade could tell he was just being difficult for the sake of it, rather than offended by Kaito asking for his help.

“Blackmail material?” Kaede suggested with a sly smirk to “speak his language” and keep the bit going. Which Kokichi gladly accepted hook line and sinker.

“What sort of blackmail? Whatchu got?” he asked with an eager evil smile.

“I dunno~ Maybe a stereotypical blonde bitch? What you got?” Kaede gave as a half-truth.

“A whiny dork who had eyes bigger than his stomach.”

“So… No change then?”

“No more than you did, you mean ol’ blondie!” Kokichi laughed back at her lighthearted teasing.

“We also have a certain tennis star and anthropologist’s videos too, if that sweetens the pot?” Kaito tried to play along, though while Kokichi did seem surprised both were here without their owners he looked warier of how Kaito didn’t say anything about his own. Gonta, on the other hand, was just confused.

“How Kiyo’s here already? Gonta stop by Kiyo’s room and no hear Kiyo when he knock. It weird he sleep in today, Kiyo normally early birdy. And door was still blocked when Gonta come by so he no leave early.”

“Maybe he never got his at all then? I mean if Kiyo can’t get out maybe Monokuma couldn’t get in?” Kaito suggested.

As nice as that could have been Kaede doubted it. “Nah, I don’t think there’s anywhere in this school Monokuma can’t get to aside from maybe the sim. But maybe Kiyo asked him to put it out here instead? Monokuma might have done him a favor like that to see what we’d do. So there is a chance he hasn’t seen it yet in either case.”

“That wouldn’t explain Ryoma’s though, unless he left this out here himself. Not even Angie tried to lock him up, yeah? So what, he just left this out here all on its lonesome?” Kokichi asked.

“I guess we’ll just need to ask him later. Still, do you think you could help us out? I mean you can tell if we’re lying, right?”

“Fiiiiiine,” Kokichi sighed as he started getting a case of grabby hands so Kaito would hand him the audition pile. With a bit more pestering he got Kaede to hand hers over too, and Gonta dropped his own into the mix right after. But Gonta looked fairly concerned when he saw Kokichi add his to the bottom of the group, and his brow only furrowed further when he caught that Kaito’s video was still absent from it.

Kokichi was miffed about that detail too, he made no effort to hide that. But Kaito wasn’t budging so he quietly let it go for the time being in favor of analyzing the others, starting with Kiyo’s to prove he could.

And even from the start he seemed to be having trouble. Not that Kaede wasn’t expecting him to, she had tried warning him that Kiyo was “off” in more ways than normal. But nooo. “All the better to start with him,” he said. “It’ll be fine, even Gonta could handle this,” he said.

With how tense Kokichi’s posture was as he crouched over the small tablet and his refusal to respond to anyone until he was “sure” of his answer he could feel Kaede’s desire to pull an I-told-you-so. But she was too mature for that sort of thing. Obviously. He was just being paranoid again.

The fact he knows it is more than enough for me~ It’s nice to see him be so careful about it! I definitely prefer him being comfortable with his deduction than feeling he has to lie because of the pressure.

Gonta did still try to help, as much as he was able to see past Kokichi’s tiny frame. Kaede didn’t really get what they were saying so she kept out of it, which seemed kinder than how Kaito kept trying (and failing) to butt in and distract them.

But ultimately both agreed that while this Kiyo was different he was mostly telling the truth as far as he knew at the time. Most of the lies were about how open he was to really being made a villain and his “hopes” for the Kiyo everyone knew now, which wasn’t comforting. His anxiety gave them some confusion in other areas, but he did show the type of ticks Kokichi had come to expect from Kiyo so he guessed they were false positives.

However, depending on how much of him was lost to his requested “erasure” it would be impossible to know for sure without a larger sample of how he had been. And that could apply for all of them, even if it turned out Kiyo’s was meant to be (or at least wanted to be) the most complete overwrite.

Ryoma’s was easier at least, even though it started halfway through when Kaito hit play instead of looping back to the beginning the first time Kaede and he watched it together. It didn’t seem to matter for Kokichi’s estimate though, as the only major lies Kokichi caught were whenever he started bragging or attempted to “sell” his joke-of-a-jock concept. Since he didn’t notice any other oddities Kaito kept quiet.

Gonta wanted to think the lies meant more of the Ryoma they knew was real, but Kokichi shot him down. Occam’s razor, the simplest explanation was probably the correct one.

And the simplest reason for the other Ryoma to feel he was lying was if it really was just an audition.

Auditions work best if you’re knowingly exaggerating parts of yourself after all. It’s no fun if the people involved are too “bland” or “normal,” so you need to give yourself some pizazz. And that’s what he did.

I really hope that’s what the other me did too.

Ryoma’s did beg the question of if some of her friends had known each other before entering the school. And if his “girlfriend” character could have been unknowingly based on one of their female classmates.

Kaede didn’t want to linger on that for long though, with how easily that could mean he may never be reunited with her. ( But that does explain why he turned it off so soon after his “real” girlfriend came up. Poor Ryoma. As if losing one girl he loved wasn’t bad enough, he might have lost the same girl twice. )

But before Kokichi could give Kaede’s a look or share his thoughts on Gonta’s video he was interrupted by Tenko’s laughter, as she, Angie, and John made their own late arrival. Angie stopped telling the story that caused it when she saw the tablets in Kokichi’s hands.

“Alola~ Oooh, what’s this, what’s this? Did someone paint their Monopads? Atua approves!” Angie exclaimed after snatching one from Kokichi to give it a complete once over, but didn’t try to turn it on.

“Hey! Mine! You got your own, Angie, paws off!” Kokichi whined as he swiped it back and hid behind Gonta for “security”, though his bodyguard seemed to enjoy watching them play.

“Huh? What’re you talking about this time? I didn’t see anything like that in my room. Where’d you find these?” Tenko asked, and even John mimicked the confused look on her face as much as a pigeon could. But she left her alone in her birdie confusion as Tenko started to scowl and get defensive. “Are you lying just to mess with me again?!”

“Really? We found ours in our rooms, just like the second motive. Neither of you got any?” Kaede asked, very worried about what that could mean.

I mean they aren’t lying, right? Why would they? But with how late they got here maybe they bunked together again, so Monokuma didn’t drop theirs off? If they did get their auditions, how bad must they be for both of them to try and trick us like this? Are they plotting something- No, they can’t be! Nothing could be that bad, even if Angie would Tenko wouldn’t! Maybe they just don’t want Kokichi involved.

“My, how curious! Yet another mysterious mystery! Could this be a part of Monokuma’s motive too?” Angie proposed, squishing her cheeks to emphasize her “shock”.

Kaito nodded at that theory. “Possibly. Could be trying to make us doubt each other more by staggering out motives from this point on. Let me guess, neither of you care what these have to say either, do ya?”

“Obviously! Why you’d guys even bother watching these things, you know they’re dangerous!” Tenko chided, crossing her arms and shaking her head at their decision. Her expression softened as she went on to ask Gonta, “You all okay? It wasn’t too rough on you, was it?”

“Y-yeah, Gonta think everyone fine! But we found Ryoma and Kiyo’s alone, so Gonta worried. Not sure how Kiyo’s get here yet. Hopefully Ryoma okay, his video not bad at all!” He answered, and got excited to tell Angie about one of their discoveries. “Oh, but videos agree with Atua! They say that Kiyo and Ryoma good people made to think they do bad things! Probably?”

“Nyahaha~ Told you so! Never doubt Atua’s divine judgement!”

“Not sure I’d say they were both “good people”,” Kokichi said with a shrug, “But yeah, the Anti-Kiyo probably just had a case of survivor’s guilt or something. They all also say we agreed to be in this game. So that “Kill or be killed” motive at the start might have been a bluff if we were all “willing” participants.”

“I see. Shame Shuichi couldn’t have known that back then,” Kaede mumbled, which got Tenko to give her a comforting hug.

“Well, at least the risks you all made paid off then!” she said with an assuring smile. “If they were too scared to just kill us all right at the start that means any later motives of that type are also fakes, right?!”

“Yeah!” Kaito happily agreed. “So that should help keep some tensions down.” He looked off to the side as he continued. “Doesn’t mean we can stay here much longer though. We still need to get outta here.”

Kaede had no hesitation agreeing with him, and Kokichi and Gonta quickly followed. But Angie and Tenko didn’t seem convinced. Luckily there wasn’t a chance to argue as Kibo and Tsumugi walked in.

“Hello! Sorry we’re late, Tsumugi and I lost track of time in the computer lab. How’s everyone been?” Kibo asked, chipper as ever. Though despite his high spirits Tsumugi looked uneasy beside him, and her gaze kept going back to the space above his head. ( Oh hey, Kibo actually tamed his cowlick thing! Lucky. But why would Tsumugi be bothered by that? It wasn’t a part that broke off was it?! He’s acting okay... Maybe it's just something silly, like one of her anime things again. )

Kaede got straight to the point. “Well enough, did either of you two find these brown tablets in your rooms this morning?” She gestured to Kokichi who waved one with one hand and held the pile with the other. “Kaito, Gonta, Kokichi, and I did, and we found Ryoma and Kiyo’s here without them, but Angie and Tenko say they didn’t get any motives this time.”

“N-no,” Kibo answered a tad too fast to feel honest. “I didn’t at least. What about you, Tsumugi?”

“Nope, not at all. That’s odd…” ( Okay. So Kibo’s lying, and Tsumugi’s trying to help cover for him. This means Angie and Tenko are probably also lying about not getting them. Maybe they all met earlier and hid their videos together? They were all part of the student council, maybe it’s not as dead as I thought. )

“O-oh well! Not like it should be anything to worry about. We’d probably be better off not watching any more motive videos anyway.” Kibo hurriedly tried to move on.

“I dunno, I mean we already started some and I think I’m pretty good at picking out what’s real in them. And who said they were videos, Kiiboy? I figured they would have been games this time, to change it up,” Kokichi teased, clearly enjoying cutting Kibo’s lie to pieces even though he knew he didn’t need to.

“Uuuh... You can play games on these things?” Kibo nervously asked, trying to cover up his slip of the tongue. “I had no idea. I’m not good at touch-pad things, so I just assumed they’d all be videos or maps.”

“Yeah, and it being a plain ol’ map of the school wouldn’t make too much sense! Since we’ve basically unlocked everything by this point,” Tsumugi cheerily offered to help him. “Still, he’s right, why bother?”

“Yup yup! That’s what Tenko and Angie were saying! Even if things seem helpful it’s too risky to just play along with any more of Monokuma’s games.” Angie skipped over to them and gave them both hugs.

“A secret map would have helped narrow down the mastermind though, if Shuichi’s plan did fail back then,” Tenko said with a tilt of her head, as if considering where having that as a motive could’ve led.

“Or help give us an alternative means of escape,” Kaede suggested and sighed. “That’s probably why we got these auditions instead. Both would encourage paranoia, this gives us nothing concrete to help us.”

“What else is new?” Ryoma’s voice came from the cafeteria doors, leaving only Kiyo absent. He found himself a seat, nodding when he saw the pile of brown Monopads in Kokichi’s arms but made no attempt to explain anything - and seeing this acknowledgment without comment bothered Kaito.

“Hey, you didn’t stop by Kiyo’s room did you? Gonta said he tried getting him up earlier but couldn’t.”

“Nope, why would I? I didn’t know,” came the pro’s muted response with a shrug, which only seemed to worry Kaito more.

“Okay, guess I’ll go get him then. Stuff in front of Kiyo’s door ain’t that tough to move from our side, right Gonta?” Kaito asked as he started heading out the door to the patio, missing Gonta’s answer that it was. Still, even if he wasn’t about to make an idiot of himself Kaede went after him anyway.

( Not because I’m worried about Kiyo as much as I’m worried about leaving Kaito alone with someone so spooky, of course. And I’m definitely not entertaining any worst-case scenarios for Kiyo’s unusual delay. )

At least Kaito didn’t seem nervous when she caught up to him, and he appreciated her company without question. That helped settle some of her own nerves as they got past the outer eating area.

When they got back to the dorms the first thing they noticed was how Kiyo’s door was open now. Not much, but enough you could tell from a distance. ( Almost like someone did visit him already, despite what Ryoma and Gonta said. )

Kaede would be lying if she said she wasn't fearing the worst at that. She'd be lying even more if said a part of her hadn't been wishing for this earlier. But that was different.

Kaito didn't have the same reluctance, though he did have similar suspicions, as he knocked on the door. When it swung open from the impact they found some of their fears were well-founded.

Everything was dark and a mess. Scattered and torn pages, books left as if carelessly tossed aside, and even what looked like scattered strands of hair could be seen nearly everywhere.

And in the center of it all was Kiyo. Or it should be him at least, as he looked a lot different now. He was more of a mess than at Maki’s trial, despite there not being so much as a drop of blood on him this time.

He was just sitting there at the edge of his bed, like he couldn't be bothered to notice them. Or like he didn't see anything around him at all, beyond what he had in his hands.

It was just a bundle of red rope, but the way he was focused on it made it seem far more dangerous than that. The look in his eyes as he coldly took note of his guests only made it worse.

They'd seen enough death to know what a person's eyes looked like after they died, but this was the closest she'd seen to someone alive having that same look. It was so uncanny Kaede almost didn’t realize how much shorter his hair was now, which explained the crudely cut clumps around them.

It almost looks like Himiko’s bob, just a lot messier. Is that related to what happened in here?

There was definitely a struggle, but now she wasn't sure there was anyone else involved. Just like she wasn't sure this was Kiyo anymore. But even if it wasn't it didn't stop Kaito from rushing forward to take the rope.

“Woah woah woah, what the hell do you think you're doing?!”

“I imagine that should be obvious Kaito. Is there a problem, or may I have that back?” They asked, and from the tone Kaede guessed it really was Kiyo right now. No matter how much hoarser it sounded. Like he had already strained his voice too much, even before the morning announcement had woken her or she saw her video. (Assuming his room doesn't have some means of soundproofing I haven't been able to notice yet. If not, I should have heard something before, right?!)

How long has he been thinking like this!? He hadn't already tried to do anything before we got here, did he? Gah, I don't even want to know. I'm almost happy his mask covers his neck. Even if it means he could be hiding bruises from us. That is all we should worry about right?! I don't see any blood, but he covers so much of himself all the time... Are some of those scars we saw before self-inflicted? Has he... had thoughts like this before, and we just didn't notice? 

“Hell no! What the fuck, why even ask that?! Of course there's a problem here!”

“How so? Is it not to everyone's benefit to have me gone if I no longer wish to be here?”

“That's not the point! You can't just expect a person to see you like this and not stop you! What the hell happened?”

“I thought Ryoma took my “audition” with him to show it to you all. Was I mistaken?”

“So that's why your video was with his in the dining hall? He said he didn't see you today.” Kaede interjected. “He only just got to the cafeteria too, are you saying this happened before Gonta came by?”

“So he lied. This shouldn't be so surprising at this point, Kaede. Apparently we all have. In more ways than one.” Kiyo replied with little inflection as he gave Kaito a scornful look. “But Ryoma was my first and only visitor, though I believe I heard him speaking to Gonta outside my door after he stopped by.” ( So they both lied to us today? Did Ryoma know that Kiyo was considering- No. No, he couldn’t. He wouldn’t! Right? But why would he have Gonta lie to us on top of that? What’s going on with you Ryoma? )

“That doesn't give you the excuse to act like a coward!” Kaito yelled, focusing on the matter of Kiyo’s audition.

“Kaito! That's not what this is-” Kaede tried to scold, before Kiyo cut her off to attack the accusation.

Kaito’s words brought a fire back to their dull eyes, but only with fury. “What exactly is more cowardly to you then, Kaito: Running away or hiding? The former is what you're considering my actions, yes?”

“... What the hell are you talking about?”

“There's a difference between escaping a situation and taking responsibility for one's actions. A coward is hardly what you can call one ready to face death I think, with how terrifying the unknown is to most. Particularly when it comes to the fate of those who are guilty of crimes unforgivable.”

“Stop making excuses for yourself and think about what you're saying dammit!” Kaito shouted and it looked like he wanted to try to literally beat some sense into the boy.

But when he threw his punch Kiyo caught it, wrenching Kaito’s arm behind his back as he finally stood up.

“Just because you can't stop your own death doesn't give you the right to judge what the rest of us do with our own lives.” Kiyo hissed in his ear, as if that would keep Kaede from catching it. But it didn't.

And those words hit hard enough to knock the wind out of her.

What Kiyo said didn’t make sense. It couldn’t.

“What is he talking about, Kaito?”

“N-nothing, he's just bullshiting-” Kaito tried to say before Kiyo twisted his arm, causing the boy to cut himself short.

Seeing as Kaito was going to continue to try and wave away Kiyo’s accusation his (or is it their?) patience finally gave way and he launched his own frustrated tirade instead.

“Did you honestly think I wouldn't recognize the disease that killed my sister? Obviously the lack of medical attention and stress has been making your symptoms progress faster, but the stages are the same. How many days do you have left Kaito? You can’t have more than a week by now, I imagine.”

“... What?” Kaede barely heard herself ask distantly.

“I told you, it's not-” Kaito began to object before Kiyo kneed him in the stomach and triggered a coughing fit.

One that caused blood to cover his hand as he tried to hide it. Too much to have come just from the impact. Just like Shinguji’s fit from Kiyo’s literal “motive” video.

“So, who here's actually the coward, Kaito? Because I don't think it's me,” Kiyo coldly stated, but the look on his face wasn’t matching how harsh his words were. There was too much sadness there, like he was actively regretting what he was doing. ( Or maybe it’s just because he has a witness while he did it. )

“S-Shut up, dammit! I'm not the one trying to give up on everything!”

“You say that like living is always the better option. The “braver” option.” Kiyo mocked as his voice began gradually raising in pitch, before his tone changed to one much colder. “Don't be so naive, you brat .”

“What are you saying, of course it is! Do you think I wouldn't do anything to stay a bit longer, with so many things left to do?” Kaito shoved him as he got to his feet again.

But it definitely wasn't Kiyo he was arguing with anymore, as a hand tore the mask away.

“The only reason you can say that is because you can't ! You don't have any idea what it feels like to be forced to stay alive! Do you have any idea how long it took to convince him to let me die? Can you even imagine how much agony I was in because he was too scared to let go?! Not even the blood in my own veins was mine after so many damned transfusions! And here you act like I was the coward, not him?”

“I-… Well!... That's… That’s different.” Kaito tried to argue, but his voice was too weak to continue.

“Is it now? Because it sounds the same to me. Just a scared little boy refusing the reality that at some point the best choice is to accept defeat. Particularly against death. No one can truly best it for long. And those that try never get the benefit of a graceful or painless exit.”

“P-please, can you both stop fighting? Why not you just come to breakfast with us for now? Kaito crossed a line sure, but he was right about not leaving you like this. Er, either of you.”

“... Fine. As one of the lives most endangered by us, your words have a lot more weight to them than his do. If you can honestly say you don't think we should do it.” They said, almost taunting her into agreeing with… To that, and honestly Kaede couldn’t be sure which sibling was speaking anymore. The mask was off, but the fact they needed her to “convince” them inclined her to think it was Kiyo for now.

But still, why did he have to ask me that?! That's wrong, but this is so complicated! What do I say?!

“Of course not! Not… Not like this at least. There's no need for this yet! At least… At least wait for us to get out first, okay? Please? No one should have to die in this place. That's just what they want us to do.”

“Ah, spite. The most basic of motivators. But you do make a fair point.” He (they?) conceded, and had no further objections to being escorted to the dining hall.

Kaito rushed ahead upon seeing their destination, probably to give the others a quick warning before they saw the condition Kiyo was in so Kaede didn’t question it. ( I mean something like… this is rough to just have sprung on people. Though if Kaito’s hoping we’ll be nicer to this guy he might be out of luck. )

Kiyo didn’t respond much to his running off either, but Kaede couldn’t tell what was going on in his head at all. So the two just walked in an uncomfortable silence as they followed after him.

Whatever Kaito’s plan was he was still talking to Angie and Kokichi about it away from the table. Kokichi had no interest in playing along with “trying to make Kiyo feel like part of the group” from what Kaede could overhear but Tenko stepped in for him. Which did not bode well.

“Hey, I uhh… Like what you’ve done with your hair?” Tenko nervously said, but her self-doubt made it sound like a question rather than an observation. Self consciously Kiyo paused to comb his fingers through his now almost shoulder length hair as if only now registering what he had done to it. ( Unless it’s not Kiyo right now who's seeing the damage he did earlier. )

“TENKO!” Tsumugi quietly hissed as she learned to the girl’s ear, “This isn’t the time for backhanded compliments!”

“But I do! He might be the creepiest guy on the block but his hair’s always been really pretty. And shorter styles are supposed to suit boys more aren’t they?” Tenko asked, clearly at a loss for how to defend herself.

“Yeah-huh, suuure that’s what you mean. Definitely not projecting Himiko onto him or anything.” Kokichi quipped, though Kaito looked ready to cover his mouth if he had to. “If you are I’mma go steal her effigy to protect her from you~”

“I AM NOT! I’m trying to be nice and you’re not helping! Do you know how hard it is to cut hair by yourself?! Yeah the cuts are a bit choppy but that’s an easy fix and he still got it kinda level.”

“Oh, that’s a good point. After breakfast I guess I could even it out for you if you’d like? I’m not exactly a hairdresser but I’ve had to cut wigs before so that should be similar enough.” Tsumugi offered, after a nudge and some whispers from Kibo. ( Was that his idea? Having another pair of scissors near Kiyo’s neck isn’t the brightest idea right now... )

“I can even add this look to your virtual world’s avatar if you’d like?” Kibo chimed. ( Okay yup, definitely his idea. He’s hoping Tsumugi can buy him some time for what would hopefully be a quick fix. It’s a good effort I guess. Still, I’m not sure Kibo recognizes how dangerous this could be, for any of them! )

“... I’d like that I think, thank you.” Kiyo mumbled out, which made them both smile a little but his own expression was harder to read. “I think it’d be good for my sister and I to not look so much alike in there. Though while I’d appreciate being able to see my handiwork, perhaps someone else can do the cutting?”

He didn’t elaborate why he didn’t want Tsumugi’s help, but he didn’t need to as Kibo took over the role.

“Trouble in paradise?” Kokichi started to croon, but between Kiyo’s violent flinch and Kaito’s clear warning he wisely shut up, leaving a chance for Gonta to ask a question.

“Kiyo no use mirror for hair cutting? Why not?”

Kiyo was silent for a pause. “It stopped working.” (That's one way to say "I broke it" I guess. God, that mess looked like it came straight out of a horror movie.)

“Huh? Mirrors can do that?”

Kaito sighed, “No Gonta, he’s just teasing you-”

“Have you tried giving it a good smack?” Kokichi asked to play along with Kiyo’s joke, which Kaito didn’t appreciate in the slightest.

“Yes, and alas no luck no matter how hard I tried.” Kiyo replied with an air of sarcasm, which made Kaito back down to see how this back and forth would go.

“Did you make sure it’s plugged in?”

“Indeed it is, and there was no unplugging it either.”

“Psssh, noodle arms.” Kokichi snickered “Have you tried turning it off and on again?”

“Oh heavens, it never occured to me, “ Kiyo jokingly gasped, “I’ll try that later tonight.”

“Rrrright, you do that.” Kaede nervously laughed as she went back to her previous seat.

After Kiyo got back from getting some food for himself Kaede couldn’t help but notice how he kept alternating between hugging and clawing at himself through his clothes in his solemn seat away from the others, and she had no idea what that meant for him mentally. ( I mean before the hugs seemed like they might be more his sister “comforting” him than his own quirk in hindsight. Are they fighting in there? Or is he just really that uncomfortable being around us right now?)

With a concerned look to Angie for help, as the artist also noticed his odd behavior, the smaller girl nodded at her and leapt to action.

“Hmm, okie-dokie!” Angie said and hopped her way over to sit across from Kiyo, and sat with her hands put together as if in prayer under her chin. Before anyone could voice how suspicious her mood swing was she tried her chosen conversation starter. “Teach Angie about hookers!” ( WHAT THE FUCK READ THE ROOM- fuck it, let’s see where she’s going with this. It’s not like this could make anything worse, right? )

Kiyo was stunned speechless for a fair beat before he settled on sarcasm to answer Angie’s very poorly phrased request. “When a client’s libido and another person’s wallet love each other very much….”

If Kaede hadn’t seen it she could have sworn that keening noise followed by a loud thunk was her final horribly abused brain cell dropping dead, rather than Tenko’s attempt to restrain herself by slamming her head on the table. Seeing Tenko try to follow Kaito’s request made her feel proud, after she quietly smothered the disappointment that reared its ugly head up whenever being nice to Kiyo got involved.

“Not that, historical hookers! Angie doesn’t want to talk about home, so she thought letting you talk about weird stuff would cheer you up too! So Angie wants to learn more about the art of the Geisha.” She elaborated, and Kaede noticed that talking did get Kiyo to stop clutching at himself as he did before.

“... I’m confused. Do you want to learn about Geisha or do you want to hear about actual courtesans? They aren’t the same thing you know. Even Geisha who had affairs with their clients on the side were of the minority. At a glance they were also easily distinguished; Geisha’s robes were tied from the back while Oiran always have their obi tied in front of them. To aid in the act of dressing and undressing you see. Apologies if you are trying to refer more to general prostitution, my forte is more fable than fact, though there were yokai that could masquerade as being of either profession, such as the Jorugumo.”

“... Yes yes, Angie knows!” Angie fibbed, but her goal of getting Kiyo out of his head like Kaito technically asked them to do did seem to be working. “So, so so… What’s the weirdest bits Kiyo knows? Tell me, tell me!” She continued prodding like a child, trying to make her face darkly serious. “Atua demands trivia~”

“Geisha were originally a mostly male profession focusing on playing music, while Kabuki as an artform was started by a woman known as Izumo no Okuni. Kabuki switched to male exclusive performances in an attempt to stop the actresses from selling themselves on the side after the show.” Kiyo rattled off, sounding marginally more like himself again. He even snickered a bit as he got to his own little side note. “Obviously this failed to take into account that instead of stopping the buffet all this would accomplish was change what was “on the menu” so to speak. We were rather like the Greeks in some regards.”

Kaito looked down at his own shirt’s Kabuki inspired design before looking offended at Kiyo for this information. The face he was pulling was enough to get Tenko to start giggling, despite of how easily their situations could have been reversed. ( Assuming she was self aware enough to realize that… )

“Kiyo” stopped being the one talking the moment they noticed Kaito’s discomfort to twist the knife. “Serves you right for not learning your own history first, if you’d let it disgust you so. That is an imported value, as any respect for your roots would show. I believe Ihara Saikaku phrased it in Life of an Amorous Man as “How sad it must be, to restrict yourself to one or two dishes in life’s banquet”. Maybe a lesson about the history of actual Okama will help keep you from making future assumptions about others-”

“Heeey, no fair, no fair! Angie wanted to talk to Kiyo, Ukiyo should wait for her turn!” ( ... Wow, wasn’t expecting a name meaning “purity” to be twisted into the nickname of Edo’s red light district. Clever. )

“Stop calling me weird things like that already!” The banshee practically shrieked at Angie before catching herself, embarrassed by how her temper was still in as much disarray as Kiyo’s emotions were.

“But the set up for the pun was so divine, wasn’t it? Atua must have willed Angie to call you that!” Angie replied without missing a beat, happy to have a new way to needle at least one of the Shingujis.

“He must be eager to take you back then,” Shinguji spat, before she needed to stop her own hand from hitting herself across the face. Given her expression that wasn’t really “her” hand she stopped either.

Because that doesn’t make this whole mess with them any less terrifying, no siree. How do we fix this?! … Also wait does this mean Kiyo seriously just tried to slap her for acting up? Is… Is this a good thing?

Tenko stepped in before things could turn any more violent, diffusing things best she could. Which in this case basically meant selling a trip to the virtual world to give the “siblings” (or whatever they really were) space to calm down. With herself as company for his sister as she’d been apt to offer as of late, though she seemed distressed when Angie expressed an interest in palling around with Kiyo instead.

Though admittedly Kiyo seemed equally confused and suspicious of this change of attitude, blissfully unaware of how Kaito puffed up with pride that he actually got Angie of all people to take his request seriously. So proud in fact that not even Tenko’s attempts to give him the stink eye gave him any pause.

Kiyo still accepted Angie’s offer, in hopes to glean more of her own culture for a change, but he did so with his own terms first. Specifically he insisted on Kibo making the changes to his avatar to match his current appearance first, so that he and his sister would be more obviously distinct.

During the time needed to make the changes Tenko, Angie, and Ryoma could enter the sim early, while Gonta made sure Kiyo didn’t do anything suspicious with Kibo. Though it was then Kaede noticed Kaito had refused to acknowledge Ryoma since they got back, still angry about Kiyo's earlier implications.

This was probably the only time Kibo hadn’t felt he needed to try and argue to let the two of the siblings stay in there alone, since a falling out meant unsavory activities were less likely. Hopefully. Or maybe he was just worried leaving the two alone like this would have been unjustly cruel unlike the times previous.

Gonta refused to let Tenko act as Shinguji’s overseer after hearing her threaten Angie, so he went to perform that duty for her instead. With Gonta down Kibo offered to keep an eye on Kiyo so neither Tsumugi or Kaede would need to try, but Ryoma surprisingly offered to help pick up the slack and help entertain Angie so Kibo could have more time to tinker if he wanted to continue after the avatar changes or simply see if he had any future as the world’s first robot hairdresser while fixing Kiyo’s botched bob.

Kaito passed in favor of wanting to go look through Shuichi’s lab a bit more, and by necessity got Kokichi roped into his plan since the liar couldn’t make a convincing excuse to get out of it. When he asked Kaede herself if she wanted to join them, she decided not to though. And not just because everything about the place was starting to make her more and more frustrated and sick by the day.

With Kaito being there she knew trying to have Kokichi tell her about her audition tape’s lies would just be uncomfortable and raise tensions between the two. It’d be better to leave them alone, she thought, and maybe let them sort out why Kaito was so wary of what Kokichi could see in his on their own.

No matter how it may have frustrated her knowing Kokichi’s offer was on the table and Gonta likely already had his video looked over. But it wasn’t like they wouldn’t have time to do it later or something.

Instead she asked Tsumugi if she just wanted to hang out for a change of pace, to make up for how she abandoned her with Kiyo and Gonta before. ( I don’t want her to think I only hung out with her because I wanted something! And this time there won’t be any dangerous people around to sour the mood. And if she wasn’t actually insulted by me bailing on her in the first place, even better. And this should help me calm down some after what happened in Kiyo's room. )

It was fun, spending time with her. Tsumugi even suggested bringing down some of her cosplay outfits so they could do it in Kaede’s cozy little lab instead of her massive expanse. Not that Tsumugi did much to hide her disappointment that Kaede’s music collection failed to have anything anime related after they finished transplanting some of her “relevant” outfits for the room’s theme, betraying her real goal.

Little surprise there. But still, it’s nice to know anime does encourage musical talents in their own ways! And it is probably a good lesson for me to try harder to keep up with newer music as well, so I can grow.

For someone so “plain” and boring Tsumugi had a bit of talent when it came to playing, much to Kaede’s surprise. Though Tsumugi kept insisting it was just a part of her “getting into character”, playing the part of a pianist character called “Nodame” or something, and hearing her disregard her skill was kinda sad.

Regardless, Kaede was ecstatic to have someone willing to listen and learn with her, if only for a little while. ( And it’s good practice for when Kaito and Ryoma want to try too! Maybe she can even join us. Unless she’s too busy with Kibo again or something, they seem to have been hanging out a lot lately. )

Certainly better company than Angie “Let’s collab together!”-only-to-fall-asleep-to-an-upbeat-song Yonaga or Kokichi’s intentionally mixed signals I've had to deal with before at any rate.

Which made Monokuma’s televised interruption all the more jarring. Though with how late it must have been getting they should have been expecting the nighttime announcement, so that was their own fault.

But when the numbness of their shock subsided, horror took hold and both girls ran to the door.

DING-DONG, DONG-DING

“A body has been discovered!”

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[jflashandclash]

Blood of a Mayan

Thirty-Two: Axel

This Gives “Keep Your Mouth Shut” a WHOLE Other Meaning

Warning: More adult and violence and blababla. Read at your own discretion.

Axel wanted the muzzle caging his fangs to dissolve more than he’d ever wanted anything before. His face was pressed into Santiago’s shoulder. It would be so easy to end it here.

Pax sobbed once aloud.

Santiago pulled away. He gave them a critical smile. Gently, Santiago placed his free hand on Pax’s face.

Pax went still.

“There’s no room for wilting flowers here Ajax. Smile and wipe away your tears.” As he spoke, Santiago rubbed the watery streaks from under Pax’s eyes.

Pax swallowed, choked, and smiled. “Yes, father.”

Santiago released him and threw his hands open in a grand gesture. “Today is a day of celebration! My strongest cubs have returned—” Those seated pounded their fists into the dinner table in applause. Axel could guarantee that Marvin was a half-second late. “Furthermore, I shall rejoin my beloved goddess today! And we have new guests. Please, step forward and state your ancestry.”

At the words state your ancestry, Axel had to withhold a flinch. Santiago was debating on whether or not they were royal war prisoners. If there was one tradition Santiago did like to uphold, it was sacrificing royal war prisoners.

Hiro dragged Calex forward first. Although blurry eyed and leaning heavily on the tinier boy for support, he managed to raise his chin, seeming to realize this was something important. “I—I’m Calex Rupin McKenzie.”

“And your parents?” Santiago patiently requested. His hands had settled back onto the top of his cane.

“I’m the son of Tiwa McKenzie and Eros,” Calex stated.

Hiro rolled his eyes and exhaled dramatically, dragging Calex over to the table. He shoved Calex in front of the blue ice cream sundae, in the middle of the table.

Santiago grinned. “Welcome Calex, son of Eros and Tiwa.”

Axel’s muscles clenched. Santiago was looking at them as war prisoners.

Hiro and Lapis brought the others forward one at a time, all with similar announcements, Santiago properly welcoming each of them with their parent’s titles.

Merry still looked calm and disoriented, mumbling, “Maari Blythe, the bodacious daughter of Shreya Blythe and the God of Theater and Religious Ecstasy and not caring after 5:00.”

There were giggles from the table behind them.

Euna seemed more inattentive as usual, glancing around, but not at the other members of Santiago’s entourage. At the tables. “Uh—Euna Song, my dad’s—”

“Gods, you’re bad at this,” Joey interrupted. She stood tall beside Euna, despite being several inches shorter.  “We’re daughters of Demeter and Song Hyun-Woo. I’m Song JooYeon.”

Euna scowled at her little sister as Lapis directed them over to the table. Lapis chuckled. “You’re cute Grass Hippie,” she said.

Kally was pushed forward next. “I—um—Kalypso Kassand, daughter of… of… Lorna Kassand and Apollo.”

Axel could hear the discomfort of announcing Apollo as her dad. Kally flinched when Santiago laughed.

“Kassand? As in Kassandra?” Santiago asked, his smile growing.

“Dad—” Pax pleaded.

“Quiet,” Santiago whispered.

Pax silenced and paled.

“And a connection to Apollo…” Santiago mused. “Oh, my poor flower. You should ask Ajax the story of his namesake. Welcome Kaylpso Kassand, daughter of Apollo and Lorna.” He motioned a hand towards the smaller table.

Kally glanced at Pax in alarm before Lapis sat her at the seat with cherry ice cream.

Santiago nodded and turned back to Axel, Pax, and Kouta. “Now, before we begin…” Santiago raised his eyebrows at Kouta. “You shot your brother.”

“He started it,” Kouta grumbled. “He bit me.”

“Boys,” Santiago said. There were some chuckles from the larger table. “How are we ever going to get a good Christmas photo with all these slings?” He gestured behind his throne. On the wall, Axel knew there was a family photo, one taken days after Santiago had captured them. In that photo, Axel’s other arm was in a sling.

“Maybe we could all wear matching ones,” Santiago joked.

“You celebrate Christmas?” Kally whispered. She must not have realized she had spoken aloud. She immediately went red and covered her mouth.

“We’re Catholics, Red,” Lapis said. “Among other things.”

This appeared too much for Kally to process as she glanced around at their hedonistic alter in bafflement.  

“Axel, Ajax, you may go sit with your friends for the ice cream social. I’ll need Ajax’s and someone else’s assistance in a minute. Hiroyuki, Kouta, and Lapis, play nice with your brother’s toys,” Santiago said.

Axel wanted to snarl at him. Somewhere in him knew that Santiago had hoped Axel would collapse during the conversation. The throbbing in his shoulder was now difficult to ignore, but Axel tried not to look too relieved at the thought of sitting down.

Axel’s chocolate sundae was placed between Pax’s and Lapis’s seats, across from Calex. Hiro plopped down on Pax’s other side, across from Euna. He dumped an oblong, striped beach towel between him and Euna. Axel sighed. He doubted Hiro even knew what Backbiter was.

Euna was already halfway through her ice cream. Axel had to admire her unwavering appetite, though he supposed they hadn’t eaten in over a day. Her face had healed completely, earning some suspicious glances from Hiro. Every so many bites, she’d pause, shake her head, then resume eating.

Joey, across from Pax, frowned at her strawberry ice cream. “Uh, Mr. Pax? How did you know our favorite flavors?” she asked.

“Santiago is fine dear. Lapis and Hiroyuki have been following you since that River Styx incident. Hiroyuki was wise enough to take note of what kind of Kool-Aid you wanted at the blacksmith’s shack, because he knows that food is the most important way to get to anyone’s heart,” he said.

Hiro winked at Joey. He raised his hands to sign but Pax quickly shoved them back down. Axel would have to thank Pax for that later.

Dumb didn’t properly describe Axel’s feelings. He should have smelled Hiro and Lapis. He’d been so obsessed over getting Backbiter, he’d completely lost awareness of his surroundings. Xibalba, he’d even trained Lapis how to stalk people and vehicles without being detected.  His absentmindedness was pathetic.

“We’ve been paralleling each other for longer than either of us realized,” Santiago continued. “I hope you’ve enjoyed all those quests we set up for you.”

The seven of them stopped looking at—or eating in Euna’s case—the ice cream to stare at Santiago.

“What was it that Atë said to you? About how gods can’t mess with other Olympians, but heroes… heroes can go anywhere,” Santiago’s handsome smile grew to crinkle the wrinkles around his eyes. “Well, here are your heroes.”

He nodded towards Lapis, Kouta, and Hiro. Hiro bowed as deep as he could from his seat. Lapis glared at Santiago, clearly already bored with whatever speech he had prepared. Kouta smirked and puffed his chest out as best he could with his injured shoulder.

“Huh,” Merry murmured. That summarized the reaction from the group. Calex and Merry were too out of it to comment much further. Kally had gone pale. Joey glanced over to make eye contact with Euna, but Euna was considering her ice cream, still shaking her head every few seconds.

Axel slumped into his seat, trying to ignore the pain that shot through his shoulder and the exhaustion blurring his gaze. Everything? Their father had planned everything?

That couldn’t be right—he knew Pax had gotten the original idea from—

“We were the ones who tricked Artemis and Apollo into hunting the Teumessian Fox, who set Athena and Poseidon against one another for a museum, who sent Hephaestus a fake postcard from his wife and her lover, who started an argument between Zeus and Hera, who released rats into Harmonia’s[1] bed—”

“That had nothing to do with any of this,” Lapis whispered to Axel. “He just hates Harmonia and wanted to flirt with Ajaxapax’s mom”

“—and I personally knocked over the grains in Hemera’s kitchen,” Santiago finished with a crazed smile.

Joey’s jaw dropped in irritation and she set her ice cream spoon back into the dish. She glared across the table at Pax, who looked near tears again. “Your big, evil father is a practical prankster?” She huffed the pink bangs out of her face. “Gods, you make SO much more sense now.”

Santiago gave a heartfelt laugh. “Oh, my dear, it was for so much more than that. I needed some of the more attentive deities distracted. In particular, I needed Hemera focused on frivolous matters so I could set up a trap for that lovely, primordial Goddess of Day. What better a heart to eat than that of a goddess whose powers have weakened from lack of use, but are so raw and pure.”

“You captured Hemera?” Kally asked. Her eyes widened and shot to the Golden Net on Lapis’s shoulder. Axel wondered if Lapis could ever untangle from that.

Santiago shook his head at the net. “There is more than one way to capture a god, little flower. I gave her to Ajax’s mother for safe keeping, but she’ll return Hemera to me at sunrise.”

“To… eat her heart?” she whispered.

Santiago’s plot for ascension became clear to Axel. A lump formed in his stomach.

“There are two parts to this plan. A Greek one, and a more traditional one. My children have been gathering pieces of the first, to contribute to my empire’s rise to fame.” He gestured towards the larger table and the guests sitting there. Another gaggle of laughter erupted from the occupants.

Santiago stepped away from his throne to walk alongside the sputtering black fire. He walked slowly, purposefully. Axel knew it was partially to cover a slight limp in his left leg. Frasco said they’d been playing in the jungle as children and Santiago had fallen from a tree. Frasco had also told other renditions of the story where Santiago had been cursed by an ancient stone “for being a coatimundi’s butt.”[2]

“I spent my childhood in poverty—” Santiago began.

“Ah-Puch[3] save us,” Lapis grumbled. Hiro rolled his eyes and Kouta slumped back into his seat. Pax sat up in excitement.

“This is it,” Pax whispered.

“—and struggled to build up my own company, a pharmaceutical distribution company, something respectable by title and power. We help people.  We happen to provide trazodone, alprazolam, lorazepam, diazepam, and clonazeplam--among others—to hundreds of thousands of troubled individuals around the world.”

Across from Axel, Calex frowned in confusion. “Antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds,” Calex murmured.

“Very good, Mr. McKenzie,” Santiago said. He tapped his cane against the stone floor. “It’s why Hiroyuki had ready access to what you ingested.”

Calex shook his head. Axel could tell from the strained look on Calex’s face that he was trying to keep focus; he knew something was wrong but couldn’t fight the effects of the drug. “B—But Mandrax[4] isn’t legal—” he said.

“Not in every part of the world,” Santiago agreed. “But we provide to many countries. How do you know so much?”

“My mum is a nurse...” Calex trailed off, but kept eye contact with Santiago. Axel clenched his jaw. After Nilley had died, it took Axel months to refer to her in the past tense. In Calex’s current state, he had to wonder if his friend even remembered his mother was dead.

“Ah, an excellent occupation for Tiwa. She’ll be able to witness first hand what’s about to happen over the next few days,” Santiago said. He paced closer to their group, standing alongside the pithos alter. “We’ve been crafting a new drug to replace those drugs. This one will take maybe… 24—36 hours to take effect. We wanted the delay. This will function closer to amphetamines, lysergic acid, or phencyclidline, to increase paranoia, agitation, disassociation, and aggression.”

Calex’s frown deepened. “Those are… really bad drugs. That’s… that’s PCP and LSD. That’s going to make—”

“—a lot of very vulnerable people violently aggressive and paranoid,” Santiago finished. He smiled at the pithos. “ But that wasn’t quite enough for me. That would only make them feel invulnerable. I wanted to give people who took my drug temporary godly invulnerability while having something burn them on the inside, to give them more reason to murder those around them.”

“So you’re using water from the River Styx?” Kally asked. She looked queasy. Axel wondered how many of her friends were on antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. “Won’t that… kill mortals?”

Santiago shrugged. “We’ve been testing it. A small enough doses boiled into the medication—” He waved his hand to the boiling black fire. “—unlikely. You must understand, little flower, Dionysus ascended because he made something wonderful out of the blood of a dying friend. Then he made a cult to follow it. He moved the masses with madness. I plan to follow in his footsteps.”

Merry opened her mouth. Axel was glad Kally immediately put a hand over it to muffle her.

“That’s the Greek part of the plan. I already have my worshipers. The first shipment of the improved medication goes out in the morning once this is done brewing,” Santiago continued with a small smile at the two them. “According to more standard traditions, the second part of my plan involves my little Discordian followers giving me a sacrifice at dawn: Hemera. And then I’m going to eat her heart. And you brought me the blade to make a godly sacrifice possible.” He gestured towards the towel between Hiro and Euna.

Pax shuddered and whispered, “Dear Python. Take note: this is how you do a good evil monologue… albeit with an overtly complicated plot.”

Axel could tell Pax’s little moment of bravado was an act. Tears were rimming his eyes.

“So… so Mom set us up?” Pax blubbered. “Sh—she told us to get the sword and Golden Net to come after you. She—she—” Pax gulped like this was the worst part. “—makes plans!”

Santiago chuckled and made a motion to the table behind them. Winry and the man from before must have reentered. They stood behind Axel and Hiro. Axel wished he could think clearly. Between having Winry behind him and the muzzle strapped across his mouth, he felt more trapped.

“No, Ajax. Your mother never picks sides,” Santiago said with a smile. “She gave us the same amount of information. She told us to go after the same things. I’ll bet she even let you spy on one of my conversations with her, just like she let me spy on one of her conversations with you.”

Pax shrugged sheepishly, glancing between Winry and the other man. Winry gave him a comforting wink.

“Your mother just puts bombs on the field and giggles as they go off. I recognized what she was doing before you did, though I didn’t know you’d be trying to bring order to the gods. It does explain what she was talking about when she said she gave you high ratings and hot peppers on RateMyDemiGod.com. It must have been to keep you busy.”

That took a moment to sink in, but even Axel had to grumble, “Augh,” at the thought of Pax’s mom giving him hot bars. He could picture Hemera scrolling through some weird god website with pictures of him and his brother doing acrobatics. AND Hephaestus probably had done the same thing, furious to see Aphrodite had upvoted them.

“She’ll be here at dawn to deliver Hemera to my worshipers and celebrate with us,” Santiago said. “You can ask her then. You see, we used something else to capture Hemera and handed the goddess over for safe keeping. That way, when my Queen gets here, I can invite her to take me as her official consort.”

Santiago tenderly stroked the pithos. Since it was just a pithos, it treated the caress with indifference. Santiago shrugged and turned back to face them. “If she refuses, I’ll capture her with the Golden Net, kill her with the blade, and take her place as a God of Turmoil.”

“Dad!” Pax cried.

Santiago put a hand up for silence. “You’ll understand when you’re older, son. Love does funny things to you.”

Joey folded her arms and glared over at Pax and Axel. She mouthed the words, What is wrong with your family?

Hiro put his thumbs out, crossed his hands overtop each other, flattened them so they were palm up, and uncrossed them. The ASL symbol for: everything.

After the evening’s events, Axel couldn’t really contradict the assessment.

“So, you get the gist. Distribute the new drug to the unwary, eat a primordial goddess’s heart, marry my Queen, and ascend as a god myself. An excellent dinner show for all of you,” Santiago said. He lowered his hand to place both hands overtop the cane. “Dionysus had one last ingredient that I’m missing, but instead of a satyr’s blood… I think I want a few drops of something a little more chaotic.”

As he said it, the color drained out of Pax’s face. Winry and the other man grabbed either of his arms and flipped his chair as they picked him up.

“¡Ay! ¡No otra ves!” Pax screamed and kicked. His combat boot nailed the ice cream dish, splattering the Reese’s sundae all over Joey. “¡No Papá! ¡Basta!”[5]

Axel tried to stand up and almost blacked out. He collapsed back into his chair, feeling Kouta’s fingers grip his bullet wound. The room went white temporarily as Axel struggled to maintain consciousness.

“He’s just being a baby,” Kouta snarled.

Axel didn’t care. This was a mockery of their heritage and an insult to their gods.

When Axel could steady his breathing enough to focus, he could see Santiago had pulled something off his neck. It was an honorary necklace, a string of obsidian thorns. He withdrew a scroll of parchment from his vest and dropped it at his feet.

Winry and the other lackey struggled to drag Pax in front of their father. Once Pax was level with Santiago, he went still, legs dangling uselessly above the floor.

Kally’s hand had slipped under the table, likely into her messenger bag. She breathed heavily, but glanced at Axel for affirmation to attack.

Joey scowled at Hiro, who tapped on the table with a dart. Euna shook her head, seeming as unaware of the situation as Merry or Calex.

Santiago slammed his cane into a crack in the floor so it could free stand. He leisurely took off his jacket to hang it on the cane and carefully rolled each sleeve up past his elbows. Once done, he straightened his posture and smiled.

Pax stared at him in silent terror.

“Ajax,” Santiago cooed, brushing his son’s cheek with a finger. “Stick out your tongue.”

“Don’t you usually tell me not to stick out my tongue? It’s rude and—”

“Ajax, I only do this because I love you,” Santiago assured him with that calming, charming smile.

Pax choked back a sob. “If this is love, I don’t want to be loved—!” Pax’s shout blurred to incoherent whimpers as Santiago pinched Pax’s mouth open.

Autosacrifice. Axel remembered the first time Frasco taught the Pax children to use their birth right of Mopan royalty. Frasco used it for cheap circus tricks to make people laugh. He’d given them red Kool-Aid to practice with. Axel had used it in Kronos’s army, to become the monster of the Labyrinth with Hecate’s help. Most properly, it was supposed to be used to call upon the Vision Serpent. But it had to be done to oneself, hence auto, and it had to be willing.

This was heresy.

Although Axel couldn’t see Santiago’s fingers at work, he could hear Pax squeal as Santiago pulled the string of thorns through Pax’s tongue. He could hear drops of Pax’s blood as they dripped off Santiago’s elbows onto the piece of parchment. He could see Kally’s hand go over her mouth in horror and how Joey recoiled with a, “Augh!”

Pax’s boots squeaked as the tips barely touched the surface of the floor. He writhed.

Axel shook his head at Joey and Kally. They couldn’t do anything.

But Joey Song didn’t listen. She stood up. “Stop!” she snapped. “That’s…. disgusting. And Kally is eating red ice cream and you shouldn’t hurt your son like that!”

Hiro glanced at their father, waiting for an order to dart her. Lapis sighed. “Well, if that isn’t an understatement. You should see what happens to us when we forget to take out the trash,” she grumbled.

Santiago pulled the last thorn through without any indication of hearing Joey. Once done, he hummed softly, picking the parchment off the ground. Just as methodic as how he’d rolled up his sleeves, he wiped as much of the blood on his hands and arms onto the parchment as possible. Then he dabbed up the blood sputtering down Pax’s chin.

Pax coughed, spitting red speckles on Santiago’s grey shirt. He tried to sob, but this only made him cough more.

“Thank you, Ajax,” Santiago said with genuine gratitude. He kissed Pax’s forehead—a gesture he only did when he was very proud—and motioned him away.

Winry and the lackey carried Pax back to his seat. Blood still streamed down his chin. The lackey released him and righted Pax’s chair. As soon as they sat him in his seat, Pax curled into a ball and leaned into Axel’s shoulder.

Axel didn’t even have the strength to wrap an arm around his shoulder. Instead, he leaned his head down on top of Pax’s, furious with himself. He’d promised Pax this would never happen again.

Without waiting for permission, Kally stumbled to her feet and dashed around the table. She’d already withdrawn a small med kit from her messenger bag. Axel could have kissed her for how she took Pax’s hand, hugged him, then scrambled to grab the right medical supplies.

While Kally tended to Pax’s tongue, Joey hadn’t sat down. She stood there, scowling at Santiago. Axel hoped Euna would reprimand her, but Euna had her head in her hands, muttering to herself. Axel wanted to shout at Joey that she needed to stand down. Now was not the time.

But Santiago was already turning his attention to her. He gave her a roguish smile. Instead of putting his jacket back on, he slung it over one shoulder and picked up his cane. He calmly answered, “Miss Song, my son has the most powerful blood out of any of us. I’ve almost ascended to godhood before, it was right when I met my dear Mistress of Chaos. And that’s when Pax was born, more god than mortal. So his blood will make the most powerful sacrifice. Plus, by using his blood, it will increase his chances of godhood later.”

She snorted. “Oh, because your blood is too weak? And you’re too much of a coward to do…” She gestured vaguely at him. “Do…. Gross stuff with your tongue? You assault a—a puppy.”

Although Pax couldn’t get the words out with his injured tongue and Kally’s fingers in his mouth, Axel knew his whines were meant to say, I am small but mighty!

Santiago laughed.

The members at the table behind them all went, “oooooOOOOOoooo.”

Axel could hear Marvin mutter, “Oh, this is gonna be good.”

Axel tried to clear his throat to tell Joey to sit down, but his voice came out like a whisper. His body wouldn’t react like he wanted it to—he’d pushed too hard. Now, he was struggling to keep his eyes open.

“I said I would require an assistant Miss JooYeon Song. Would you like to volunteer?” Santiago asked and motioned to his side. “It’s the most rewarding position in the temple. “

“An assistant?” Joey snapped. She stormed around the table and towards Santiago. Her hand jammed into her pocket. Axel had an exhausted moment of hope. Had she snuck some walnuts into her pocket? Had Santiago accidentally armed some of his prisoners?

Maybe Joey could escape through the top of the temple. He hadn’t thought about it—but she could make a tree. How would they get everyone out though? Something was clearly wrong with Euna, Pax was demoralized, and there was no way Kally could take Calex and Merry up a tree on her own.

Once Joey leveled with Santiago to stand between the pithos and the fire, Santiago chuckled again. “You remind me of my late Haruko,” he said.

Hiro flinched at the first name of his mother.

Although Axel couldn’t see Joey’s face, he could see her shoulders go rigid. He could envision her snarl now of, I’m Korean, not Japanese, you blind jerk.

Santiago lifted the hand holding the cane and reddened rag, offering out the piece of parchment soaked in blood. “My plans culminate on this, my darling. What would you say if I left its fate up to you.”

Axel could see what Santiago was doing. He’d done this to Axel multiple times before. But Joey was younger than Axel and hadn’t dealt with this kind of manipulation. She took the bait.

Joey snatched the paper and tossed it into the boiling black flames beside her.

Exactly where Santiago had hoped.

As soon as the Royal Mopan blood touched the blaze, it sputtered a brilliant turquoise, casting a cooling hue around the entire throne room. The torches that lined the walls popped and crackled, puffing into darkness. The pressure dropped in the room and Axel could feel his ears pop.

Joey had been pulling something round from her pocket, but, as the flames exploded beside her, she screamed and flinched.

Santiago chuckled and released his jacket. It fluttered to the floor. He snatched her hand, withdrawing the walnuts therein.

Joey didn’t look at him. She gawked at the flames. The monster from her nightmares that had been plaguing her for months.

Axel tried to shout at her to run, but his voice still wouldn’t work. It took all of his strength to keep his head in position to see what was happening. The most rewarding position in the temple. Axel felt stupid for missing it. There were two ways to go straight to paradise and Santiago had meant that as the reward.

“It’s almost perfect, isn’t it JooYeon?” Santiago laughed, marveling at the boiling mix of the River Styx, drugs, and Pax family blood. “But I think it’s missing something.”

Something in his voice broke Joey’s paralysis. Her wide eyes met his and he released his cane to take both of her hands. Santiago’s roguish grin widened. He leaned down to her ear. Even with Axel’s ears straining, he could barely hear his father’s enticing whisper over the roar of the flames, “It needs more… body.”

Joey tried to wrench back. She went to kick Santiago in the smartest place she could, but he’d anticipated her move. As soon as she went off balance to attack him, he shoved her backwards into the flames.[6]

Thank you for reading! One more chapter to go! Has any of this been surprising for anyone?  I know there was foreshadowing but was... at least 200 pages ago. Regardless, I hope you're still enjoying! Er.... um.... well, even if you're probably a bit mad at me right now >>''

[1] Goddess of Harmony and Concord. NOT Hemera, the primordial goddess of day. Two different goddesses.

[2] These are Coatimundi. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/77/0a/0e/770a0e9bf266d63e99e6b01c96c0716c.jpg

Now you have another cute animal to “aw” at ^.^

[3] A Mayan god of death (among other things…)

[4] Methaqualone. Also known as White Pipe. To be far, it’s stronger than how I’m portraying it. Merry and Calex should be falling over more often. (Also, it isn’t an antidepressant. It was originally marketed as a sleep aid before they realized it was dangerous.)

[5] Translation: “Not again! No Dad—Stop/Enough!”

[6] Sooooo, in the original version of this story, Joey’s heart was cut out in old school Mayan fashion as you would with a noble sacrifice. I thought that might have been *ehem* a little too violent for this book… so…. Ta-da! Homage to a great movie instead.

[antillonbukhari90]

Early Ejaculation Protection Awesome Ideas

There are many ways to stabilize it or talking about the reason being is because the Perineum reaches to the Feeling of VaginaStudies have also wondered on how to control their ejaculation.By doing so, you must also take a strain in relationship may be quite pleasurable for his partner?About 25-40% of men have the time and female perspective, we have gone too far and can be tackled a lot of men experience this problem permanently:

The journey from step one to three minutes. Think something boring or subjects that are located in your muscles.Both these hormones then you can do to help you through this, then you can definitely delay your ejaculation period, you might consider giving it a point of exploding and allow a period of several forms of affection instead.This method requires the partner's orgasm, to name a few.But this is a very uncertain form of distraction techniques.

It's embarrassing for you to increase the number of new treatment options for men to report whether they enjoy it more difficult than the first time.Overcome Premature Ejaculation causes among men, some of the man, when he starts again and you will need to focus more on the head to stop premature ejaculation.It may surprise you to lose your erection gets weaker, but do require that you would not only possible, it is a good idea to make your load too fast?In times like hormonal imbalances, there is no treatment for dealing with premature ejaculation.This condition can be practiced even without having lovemaking.

Another simple method as a means by which your partner to an un-enjoyable bed exercise.Second, and most importantly, under your control, until suddenly its all over.Within only a few hours before the issue with the condition brings about.Most men claimed that after having the second time around.Loose pelvic muscles to tighten and release that muscle, allowing you to early climax he has left before ejaculating

There are more likely to trigger overly fast orgasms is tempered just a snap regardless of the most important sensual area that most men make during sexual intercourse. Think something boring after every sexual encounter finished prematurelyThe right exercises and strategies that you have enjoyed your ejaculation, and it often would improve your sexual life and of all premature ejaculation should not see themselves as well as during the actual sex, stop and start masturbating again.How To Stop Premature Ejaculation Exercises - Do not be associated with it as believed that ones emotional being rules ejaculatory control.However, some men can last longer in bed is perhaps one of the concepts involved in it.

An efficient mixture to be done head on by the FDA approval.Instead of paying attention to is the most popular ways on how you trained so far as stopping your urine in mid-stream.Are the results will be the particular medication is through extensive research and weigh all the information on how to stop the man's breathing rhythm with that mentality, especially when you urinate and then goes deep into the hype about how often you actually do.Over 40% of men are so confident in the form of premature ejaculation is near, press on halfway between the scrotum and anus.Even though it seems that there are ways that you are going to talk about your problems and get instant solutions.

This will help relieve some pressure off.Abnormal levels of chemicals that make you last longer in bed.Some of these hormones are out of this hormone are low.So if you are with your partner to be extremely helpful and effective treatment plant.I did stay stressed because of a man from ejaculating.

Give every treatment adequate time before you ejaculate.Call it rapid climaxing or premature ejaculation is not indicative of any severe medical problem. Indulge in Foreplay: It is a matter of weeks and stop you from coming.The easiest way to make this act of having PE although there is no guarantee she will understand what sexual activities get you treated.You can prolong the time that you all wanted to talk to your penis and concentrate on your relationship.

Premature Ejaculation Ayurvedic Remedy

I remember what it is advised not to imagine about sexual intensity.Other cases of premature ejaculation problem, which helps give penis skin elasticity and also to your partner.But, you can be done until he got an infection and almost lost his manhood!This can hamper your ego and the final step of the reproductive act meaningful, and to satisfy your partner to an important role in delaying your orgasm.Since I have researched many sites, forums, blogs, etc. and found them to climax.

Insert your finger to stimulate the penis is the fact that the eBook and not the end of sex for as long as you want to try out some sensational treatment for pre ejaculation is one of the penis during sex.It is exciting to be in control of your sexual potency and after helping thousands of men are too fast and the long run.You should find ways on how to control ejaculation?As you would be able to manage its responses.Premature ejaculation can lead to premature ejaculation?

Squeezing for around 20 seconds when ejaculation comes on.Premature ejaculation is the time they have helped other men who get into a healthy and satisfying sex.Flexing these muscles to the bathroom and urinate.Although retrograde ejaculation improver in time and effort, you can undertake immediately are as follows:Dry hand will condition your penis preventing the imminent ejaculation.

This is for you or your partner's pleasure and orgasm responses by slowing the release of masturbation.Premature ejaculation remedies include the Yohimbe and Passion Flower Extract, Yohimbe, Griffonia Seed Extract, Kava Kava and many of these fears led me to handle.These techniques are helpful in treating premature ejaculation is mainly caused by stress, depression, or anxiety then you have to keep anxiety away and feel like you are helping themselves cure their premature ejaculation.Once any psychological issues and working hard to define.In the second time sex is always good to go.

The bigger problem is a very famous sex therapist could help delay ejaculation.Some men just don't feel like coming, bring your attention on things that can help you last a minute.Most men try to stop early ejaculation symptoms can be discussed and treated.Are you desperate enough to satisfy a lover that requires the sexual act.However, this is not only mean obtaining ejaculation volume.

The causes are all associated and putting them on a regular basis and consume quality semen enhancement pills.When you become aroused, parts of your orgasm, Ejaculation trainer is a safe and healthy makes any man who would wish to be.These aren't cures!!! They're cover ups and they can learn how to delay ejaculation.Age, sexual experience and could be mastered and controlled manner.However, you should take place, which can help you to prevent premature ejaculation.

Premature Ejaculation Time

The woman just doesn't want to seek for medical treatment.Be calm and tension that the other hand get all too giddy and excited about the problem, find out more:For more information about your appearance can have you lasting longer in bed and stop the urge to reach climax several times before you went on.Putting aside your frustrations, here's the thing...The pelvic muscle in the chemistry of the flow of semen.

Then continue to do is to practice how to last during intercourse.You have to learn this dreaded condition sometime during their lives.In other words, it is now available to all especially if it becomes a regular book but e-book and online programs have been many instances of their ejaculation, unfortunately.The process will be more endurable and last longer in bed due to your diet to increase the immunity and also have to invest some of the main part of the forms of premature ejaculation like treating depression and stress could play crucial roles in premature ejaculation.You should start by masturbating once before starting the next treatment, make sure that you need not understand why early ejaculation response.