#OH WAIT I JUST NOTICED THAT SCENE IS STRAIGHT-UP FLASHED BACK TO THERE

[13eyond13]

screaming crying throwing up

[nayaesworld]

Rugged Whiskey

Warnings: Mentions of killing, smut, toxic behavior and situations

—

Terry Richmond X OC!Khia

Part 2

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|Future Wifey: If you can find out where I’m at in the next hour this pussy is yours again daddy 😉

Terry sprung up from his couch and headed out his door, he had no time to waste and he had a lesson to teach. There was no telling where she was at the moment but Terry had a few places in mind he would look, Hide and go seek for pussy huh? She just knew he would come running, and here he was scrambling his brain like eggs neurons firing off with thought after thought of where to search first.

Her voice stuck inside his head like the call of a siren to a lonely pirate.The black ski mask and leather gloves inside his glove compartment would finally see the light of day again. Terry was flying around the city desperate to leave no stone unturned. The park,the grocery story, the bar, her favorite spa place. All places left him no closer to Khia than he was when he first left home and it was nearing nightfall. An annoyed growl left his lips as he slapped his steering wheel, he was frustrated and starting to feel anxious. His left eye began to twitch and his palms rubbed constantly on his black jeans trying to calm his bouncing leg. He already owed her one for blocking him, and now she was making it worse for herself not being easily accessible to him.

His phone vibrated in his console and he snatched it up to see a new text from her. She was taunting him.

|Future Wifey: Did you give up on me daddy? I don’t see you anywhere.

A picture attached to the text message made him lean up in his seat. A sliver of her face shown in a failed attempt at hiding her background from him. At first nothing about the tiny view of her surroundings looked familiar, until he noticed the orange neon sign in the background. Sensual, a popular lingerie store located in the mall, he now had her location and it was time for the real games to start.

By the time he had reached the parking lot of the mall the sun and moon had exchanged places in the sky, and only a bold white moon lit up the night. Ski mask rolled up on his forehead and leather gloves on he started the trek into the mall. She could be anywhere in there now. His all black attire had him gliding through thick crowds of people, like a scene straight out of Halloween he glided slowly through the mall. His eyes sliding slowly left to right surveying his surroundings carefully. He just needed one flash of her.

He rode the escalator up to the second floor of the mall and found the lingerie store, he had to check inside it first to be sure.

“Hi, welcome to Sensual. Is there anything I can assist you with today?” A chirpy voice greeted him from behind the counter and he glanced at the tall brunette.

“Good evening…I was looking for my wife. She was just here but I seemed to have lost her.” He pulled out his phone and showed the woman the photo Khia had just sent him.

“Oh yess I remember her, she bought a few items but left shortly after… she said she had an Uber to catch.” She drifted off the last few words as she glanced at the leather gloves on his hand, eyebrows scrunched with worry. Noticing her change in demeanor immediately, he knew it was time to cut the convo short.

“Ok thank you, have a good night.” He turned on his heels and headed for the escalators. He had to get back to the front of the mall asap and now he knew she didn't drive her own car there he needed to be quick on his feet. He was itching to touch and squeeze flesh..her flesh.

Reaching the entrance of the mall outside he finally saw her, and that was almost enough to make him nut just from relief alone. She stood waiting with her shopping bag faced away from him, mindlessly tugging on the necklace around her neck . The grey sweats and jacket hung off her in an oversized fashion and he couldn’t wait to tear them from her. Dark natural curls blowing slightly in the wind made her this picturesque beauty and he knew he couldn’t wait any longer to bring her home.

Gloves tight on his hands and ski mask pulled down, he approached the dark shaded area she stood in. It was perfect cover and no one would notice him dressed to the nines in full out burglar gear. Slow quiet paces made him invisible to her, and when he finally stood behind her he slid a hand over her mouth and wrapped his other arm around her waist. Anchoring her to him with nowhere to run. A gasp and a small scream exited her mouth as she thrashed around in his hold trying to get a look at the creep that had his hands on her.

“Stop all that screaming shit, save it for later. Now walk…and don’t try no funny shit. I won your little game fair and square.” When he finally let her go he saw her eyes were slightly damp and reached out to wipe them.

“Aww I scared you baby?… good don’t have me out here looking for your ass. I’m sad too but I’m not crying.”

He watched her scrunch up her face and roll her eyes. “I’m not crying, and I definitely wasn’t scared.” He didn't buy her little act, he knew a genuinely stunned face when he saw one.

“Mm yeah yeah, now walk. You know what I drive.” With a nudge he pushed her into the parking lot, taking her bag from her hands to carry it and toss in his truck.

__

The drive was silent and Khia had no idea where he was taking her. A slight downpour had covered the truck on their drive and the sounds of the windshield wipers against the glass was the only sound available. Terry was eerily quiet. She expected him to gloat and nag her but he was just silent, an unnerving silence.

“Are you gonna take off that mask?” The ski mask was still pulled over his face and she was getting hot from it.

His head glanced her way then back at the road before he answered her. “Why you scared..?”

“No, and where are we going, your apartment is in the city. We’re on the outskirts of town?” He put a finger to his lips signaling for her to shush and cut on his radio. She sat back in her seat and huffed loudly, maybe she should’ve just stayed her ass home and kept him blocked.

“You good… you got something you wanna share? Sit tight and chill out we almost there.”

“I don’t wanna chill out, I wanna know where we’re going, all this blowing up my phone and stalking me for nothing…I never should have texted you back.” She sat in the passenger seat face frowned up from pure impatience. He was annoying her and she wasn’t holding her tongue.

“Oh you just a mouthy little brat tonight ain’t you…if I tell you to close your mouth again trust me you won’t like what comes next.” A big hand laid on her thigh in warning and she finally sat back and stayed quiet.

Terry made a sharp left turn onto a rural back road. It was dark and the only thing she could see was miles and miles of field. She sat up in her seat trying to gauge where she was but nothing looked familiar and she’d never been this far out of the city, she had no reason to come way out here. He made another left turn and this street sign she caught a glimpse of. Stone Hill road? Was he being serious right now?

The eerie dark road had been the chosen spot for a link of murders. Each body made its way to Stone Hill road and was disposed of, only to be discovered months after they’d been killed and buried. The person was never caught but everyone knew to steer clear of the road. Yet Terry had just pulled to the side of the road, parked and turned off his truck.

“Terry, why are we here?”

He threw her a squinted look before answering. “Why do you think we here?”

“Haha very sarcastic, but did you pick THIS road specifically…don’t you know what happened here?”

“Yeah I know, that’s why it’s perfect. It fits the occasion…lil bit of serial killer dick never hurt nobody.” He mumbled the last part more so to himself but Khia swore she caught the tail end of it.

“What?… Terry what did you say?”

“I said a lil bit of scary dick never hurt nobody…what did you think i said?” His green eyes peered into hers in the dark cabin of his truck.

“I-I don’t know..just forget it. I think I’m just tired.” She gave him a small nervous smile and pushed a curl behind her ear.

He snatched her up by her jacket and pulled her in close, pressing his soft plump lips to her ear. “Don’t question me again, I’m in charge..you know that.”

Her chest rose and fell quickly. She was more and more turned on as the seconds flew by and her clothes began to feel completely uncomfortable on her hot skin.

He needed her in the worst ways right now. And more importantly he needed her out of those clothes and on his dick. He pulled off his ski mask and leather gloves and placed them in the armrest, long fingers reaching over and stroking her thick thigh.

“Dig in your panties and let daddy smell that pussy… mm mm don’t act shy now, do it.” He watched her breathe shakily as she slid the sweatpants past her ass and slid her hand into her pink panties, fingers moving slowly in her panties gathering her juices on her fingers. She lifted her fingers from her panties and put her index and middle finger under his nose.

He gripped her wrist and inhaled her sweet scent, nothing in his life smelled better than it. A smell so intoxicating and raw it made his most primal thoughts and feelings rise to the forefront. He wanted to own her and fill her head with his own thoughts, but she had to be somewhat willing. The tangy taste of her juices made his taste buds tingle and mouth fill up with water. Pussy definitely made the world go round and there was no denying that fact.

“Come sit on daddy’s lap, let me feel you.” He patted his thighs and used the automatic button next to his seat and pushed back along with reclining it a bit for more space. She kicked her shoes and sweats off and crossed the console to sit on his lap letting him pull off her jacket and t-shirt. He came out of his black denim jacket and tossed it on the dashboard along with her clothing, his urge to feel her made him feel like he’d absorb her into his skin. He gazed into her damp brown eyes as he rotated her hips in a circle on his bulge, his pants slowly finding their place down his ankles.

Their breathing picked up and they grinded against one another at a quicker pace. Her bare chest on his clothed one as he pulled her closer into him, his hips lifting up to meet her soaked center every time, loud grunts and growls jumping from his mouth. The dry humping had them drunk on lust. Mouths sliding hungrily against each other's faces in a rush to assert dominance over the other. His low moans had her pussy clenching around nothing in her panties and she was sure she would combust from the feeling beneath her. She slowed her hips and looped her fingers around the hem of her panties and threw them aside. She needed him badly.

“Baby I need you to touch me please…look how wet I am for you. Put your fingers inside me, make me cum.” She leaned back against the steering wheel to give him a view of the mess she was making in his lap, and watched him drag a lone finger down her slit before he slowly pushed into her.

“Tj you make me crazy… I thought about you everyday I had you blocked.” He let his finger speed up slowly adding a second and pushing in until only his knuckles showed.

“That’s because I’m daddy, and I told you that. You gonna block me again mama?”

“No Noo I promise, I’ll never do it again daddy..that’s my dick.”

She threw her head back and bounced slowly on his fingers. Her pussy had his lap wet with her arousal and his wrist was working overtime between giving her good penetration and clitoral stimulation.

“What you gonna do for this dick tho baby, tell daddy what you willing to do for it.” She leaned forward into him nuzzling her lips against his ears, sucking his earlobe into her mouth.

“I’ll catch a charge behind this dick, it’s mine and nobody else’s. I’ll beat you and any bitch that doesn’t get that.” Terry let his Hand come down on her ass cheek hard, and quickly pulled his shirt from his body.

Her tongue slithered across his chest and to his neck.

“Oh yeah, you fighting about this dick?..you gonna fight daddy in the backseat and ain’t no running back there.”

__

Terry's hand wrapped around Khia’s throat as he drove his hips into hers. He had her folded up in the backseat of his truck feeding her inch after inch of hard dick. She had nowhere to run.

“Daddy it’s in my stomach…mm fuckkk please just cum already I-ahh.”

Terry pressed his hand onto her belly watching his bulge form behind her skin in and out. “That's where I’m supposed to be..right mama. Mhmh fucking this pussy, my pussy!”

“Tj my pussy…my pussy is yours, and that dick is mine.” She reached between them and held onto his dick as he sped up splashing her cream onto his seats. He’d get it detailed sometime soon to cleanse his truck of their sex.

The windows in the truck held a slight fog as the temperature inside it kept rising. Body temperatures collectively turning their fuck session into a homemade sauna. He glanced down at Khia watching her whimper, a glazed film over her eyes as her breathing slowed. He took his hand from around her neck to slap her cheek lightly.

“You better breathe.. I can’t believe this dick got you about to pass out!” She breathed in a large gust of air and reached forward to pull him into her body.

“Because you’re fucking me daddy, you fuck me so well.” The helpless look on her face mixed in with the sentiment had him exploding internally, if she said one more thing like that he wouldn’t last any longer.

“Fuck..fuck say it again. Tell daddy what he’s doing to this sweet pussy.” Praise was one of his kinks and she was playing right into it. His head dropped to her chest to suck on a plump nipple and his hips rolled slowly trying to hold back his release.

“Tj you're such a good boy…you found me and brought me back with you..you did so good. And now I feel it coming, you about to nut daddy..please cum Tj.” Her honeyed tone weakened him and had him sucking breaths in quickly to make himself sane in the moment. But her pussy was constricting him. Her tight hot walls suctioning him in further resembling a racing heartbeat. He had to fight against it and pull out hot slimy coats of white jizz covering her belly and breast.

She dozed off quickly after he sat her back in his passenger seat. Spent body curled against the door using his jacket as a blanket. Terry was fatigued but pushed back towards the city to his apartment, they needed a hot shower and food. He woke her up and grabbed her stuff from his backseat, swiping his keycard to get into his building. She trudged behind him, yawning and stretching as they made it inside his apartment. Clothes stripped off again for the second time that night. The two stepped into the spacious shower together. She slid her hands around his waist locking her fingers as she held her head against his chest. A thudding heartbeat echoing in her ear. Warm shower water pouring onto them in gentle pulses.

“You ok mama..what’s on your mind?”

“You are, I loved tonight, and I love your body. You’re like an Adonis.” He felt the feather-like touches slithering all over his back and meeting together in the front to explore his large biceps and toned abdominal muscles.

“Mm thank you my baby I try, but have you seen you, you stacked lil mama. Really ain’t ever seen anything like it… that’s why I can’t let you out my sight.” They continued exchanging compliments and exchanged kisses as they washed each other's body from head to toe.

Freshly washed and moisturized, they chatted in his kitchen. Khia sat swiveling left to right on his bar chairs, body covered in a red and white polka dot slip watching Terry’s naked back as he cooked up a mini brunch for them. He placed a few crispy edge pancakes on a plate for her along with a fried egg and breakfast sausage. She drowned everything in syrup and sipped on her cold glass of orange juice tucking into the sweet and savory late night brunch. Conversation drifted onto the two of them discussing being hit on in the workplace and Terry let his resolve slip once more.

“So what would you do if you saw me flirting with another man, it’s just a little flirting can’t be that bad right?” He watched a sneaky smirk form on her face and enlightened her with a matching one.

“I’d kill him…simple, just to make sure you get the memo that is. You want his life taken from him, then go ahead and play in my face.” She laughed loudly and waved him off, hand in front of her mouth just cracking up at him.

“Terry you can’t say stuff like that, that’s crazy.” Hadn’t she caught on yet? That’s exactly what he was.

“Of course I can, and I can mean it too.” He stuffed the last piece of egg into his mouth before moving to wash out his plate.

“You would kill for me Tj?” Her voice came out low and sultry and he whipped around to stare at her, dark brown eyes low but expressive.

“Fuck of course you would… you’d do anything I asked you, right daddy?” She continued speaking to him in that tone, breaking him down further and placing her in the driver seat of his body. She leaned onto the island titties jiggling from the low cut of her slip.

“Good boys get all the pussy in the world when they listen…are you a good boy Tj?” Terry was under her spell lock and key. He shook his head quickly, he was a good boy and he would do anything she asked.

“Yes I’m a good boy mamas…haven’t I shown you that though?” He rounded the island to stare down at her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She pulled him down to her face by his ears, gripping and rubbing them. She placed chaste kisses behind his ear lobe.

“Yes you have baby but I want more, can you do something else for me…so I know it’s real? Can you do this one thing to solidify us…make us one?”

“Yes yes anything, name it now.. you got it I swear…I want us to be one. Tell me what I have to do to earn you?” She sucked a hickey onto his neck, a warm hand down his grey sweats stroking the head of his dick softly as he breathed harshly in her ear. Terry was putty in her hand, his brain on autopilot as he turned into a living breathing ventriloquist dummy right before his own eyes. Worshipping wasn’t enough for him, she was goddess-like. She could snap her fingers and like a dog he would do what she said when she said it.

“Can you make someone disappear for me…I want you to be the last person he lays eyes on before you take his life, plus you're a beautiful sight who wouldn’t wanna die to your face daddy.”

Terry fell apart from that alone, spongy tip and her hand covered in webs of cum. She played with it some more on her hand before she stuffed the sticky fingers into her mouth. Making a scene of the milky white slime sticking to her lips. He gripped her chin and sucked her tongue into his mouth, he didn’t give one fuck about her having a mouth full of his nut.

“Count him as dead already, give me his address and workplace..let me prove how badly I want and need you.”

__

A/N: And that praise kink? IMMA WRITE IT. I hope yall enjoy these cuckoo birds as much as I do🫶🏾 I tried to tag everyone but if I missed you my bad!

@venusincleo @grlsbstshot @yassbishimvintage @avoidthings @pocketsizedpanther @writingsbytee @melodichaeuxx-lacritquexx @simplyzeeka @zillasvilla @blowmymbackout @kimuzostar @playgurlxoxo @kumkaniudaku @megamindsecretlair @theereina @keyaho @brattyfics @hotgrlcece @henneseyhoe @starcrossedxwriter @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @uzumaki-rebellion @blackmoonchilee @invisiblegiurl @blackerthings @19jammmy

[chvoswxtch]

hi my love, my sweetness!! congrats again on 4K you deserve it so much and I love youuu!!

I know the cafe is technically closed but I thought maybe if I flirt a bit with the owner, who’s such an amazing lovely person who writes excellent fics, I thought I might be able to order a drink or two (only if there’s time and of course fine if not<3)

so could I order a macchiato over ice for Frank or Hotch. how would they be/react if they saw you in their clothes? I think both are so territorial and like daddies and if they saw you just in their sweatshirt or jacket or whatnot in a completely innocent situation they’d lose it. Let’s not even get started on at home or bedroom related

love you thank you for sharing your writing with us <333

SWEET BABY D!!!!

oh i've missed you so. thank you so much my sweet. you can order anything you want <3

sjdkshdsjkd do you know how absolutely feral hotch would go if he came home after a shitty week & saw you wearing one of his dress shirts bc i'm going feral just thinking about it so let me paint you a lil picture

as a reminder, over ice means it's spicy ! (minors dni)

headcannon below the cut

aaron hotchner likes you in his clothes

let me set the scene for ya. it's been a long week for our bau daddy, dealing with narcissistic psycho killers & keeping all his kids in line (the rest of the bau), & the frustrations are high when he finally steps off the jet. he doesn't even stay back to handle the mountain of paperwork waiting for him, that's how fed up he is

when he finally makes it home, it's well after midnight, & he's so tired he doesn't even wanna take a nice hot shower like he usually does to unwind. he just wants to fall into bed & let the exhaustion take over

but when he passes by the kitchen, he instantly freezes, bc there you are standing by the counter, having a lil midnight snack (eating ice cream straight out of the tub), wearing nothing but one of his dress shirts. and when I say nothing, I mean hotch can tell you are wearing absolutely nothing underneath

his eyes quickly darken with pure lust & his cock is already half hard when he stalks over towards you with determined steps

the spoon is still in your mouth when you notice him, a smile stretching across your lips around it before you lick off the sweet remnants & slip it out of your mouth

"hey, how was the c-"

you don't even get a chance to finish that sentence bc hotch cuts you off by grabbing the back of your neck to capture your mouth in a heated kiss & he does not hold anything back as he pushes you up against the counter

his kiss is aggressive & needy, & the muffled moan that escapes you tastes delicious on his tongue. his fingers make quick work of unbuttoning the few buttons you'd had done, but he doesn't push it off your shoulders. oh no, he wants you to keep it on

his hands roam over your newly exposed skin, greedily grabbing at your breasts to squeeze them roughly, his thumb & index fingers toying with your sensitive nipples knowing it'll get you all riled up for him, & the sounds you make let him know it's working

he grabs your hand & guides it to his belt, & without hesitation you follow his silent command, your nimble fingers unbuckling it while he sheds his suit jacket & tie

in a flash he swiftly spins you around & bends you over the counter, bunching the bottom of his shirt up around your hips, & he spreads your legs further apart with his foot

he wastes no time pushing forward, burying his cock deep without warning, his hand quickly covering your mouth to contain your sharp moan. his other hand has a bruising grip on your hip as he leans forward & hisses in your ear

"be quiet."

the sensation of your warm, tight walls completely enveloping his cock makes his brain go blank. he can't focus on anything else other than how good you feel. he immediately begins snapping his hips, fucking you hard & fast while grunting in your ear

with every powerful thrust, the stress & tension built up in his body from this week starts to fade, & the pleasure rapidly builds. even though he's chasing a much needed release, he's not selfish, so he slips his hand between your thighs & begins to strum swift circles over your clit with two of his fingers

he lets out a quiet, wrecked groan in your ear when he feels your pussy start to contract around him, the muffled moans against his palm only heightening his arousal. as badly as he wants to hear you fall apart, he doesn't wanna wake up jack

when he feels your body seize up as you come, hotch squeezes his eyes shut & lets out a strangled groan, gripping your waist tightly with both hands as his hips start to stutter

"fuck fuck fuck."

he comes hard, spilling deep within your snug walls, emptying himself completely. the way your cunt continues to contract around his cock milks him of every drop he has to offer, & it makes him let out a shuddering breath

placing both of his palms down on the counter to steady himself, he buries his face into your hair, panting heavily. if he wasn't exhausted before, he sure as hell is now, but he's definitely more calm. a breathless laugh leaves your lips before you speak

"well, hello to you too."

letting out a breathless chuckle of his own, hotch smiles & wraps one of his arms around your waist, pressing a soft kiss to your neck

"sorry, hi."

reaching one of your hands back to caress his face with your hand, you hum softly with a grin

"missed me that much, huh?"

leaning into your gentle touch, hotch's smile turns into a full blown grin

"always. but I have to say, I love your choice in pajamas tonight."

glancing down at yourself, it clicks that seeing you in his shirt is what set hotch off, & a devilish smirk spreads across your lips

"i'll keep that in mind. sir."

in conclusion if you hear screaming from across the world it is me

[ducktoo]

Syncing Dream [Aespa x M!Reader]

32. Whipupulashu

Note: ….I want them all to kabedon me with those looks-

Masterlist here

The studio buzzed with excitement as aespa dove into preparations for their next album, Whiplash. The girls were seated around a large table, scribbling down notes, lyrics, and potential ideas for their upcoming songs. The atmosphere was intense but filled with anticipation.

Y/n leaned against the doorframe, taking in the scene. The shift in aespa’s style was immediate and bold—darker, edgier, with a mysterious allure. The title track was already sending chills down his spine with its haunting melody and fierce beat. It was still very "aespa," but something about it felt… elevated.

He stood at the back, trying to focus on logistics, but something else kept grabbing his attention:

The black lipstick.

(AAAAAAAAAA-)

The girls were experimenting with their new stage looks, and the black lipstick, combined with their sleek, all-black outfits, was hypnotic. Especially on Winter. Her bold new appearance, complete with a sharp bob wolf cut that framed her face perfectly, was hard to look away from. The dark, edgy makeup made her already striking features even more intense.

Winter caught his eye as she casually adjusted her outfit. She had always been beautiful, but this was something different—a new kind of allure, one that had Y/n feeling like he was seeing her in a whole new light.

He tried to focus on the meeting, but his mind kept drifting back to the way Winter looked with that black lipstick. She caught him staring more than once, and each time, she smirked, clearly noticing his flustered state.

"Y/n," Karina’s voice snapped him out of his daze. "Are you okay? You’ve been kind of... spaced out.”

“Wha—oh, yeah, I’m fine,” Y/n stammered, standing up straight as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

“Uh-huh,” Karina smirked, her eyes flicking toward Winter, who was now looking at her reflection in the mirror, adjusting her wolf cut. “You sure it’s not something else?”

Y/n quickly looked away, pretending to be engrossed in his tablet. “It’s fine. Just a lot on my mind.”

Giselle, always quick to jump in, chimed, “I dunno, looks like our idiot’s been daydreaming again.”

“I wasn’t daydreaming,” Y/n muttered defensively, though his flustered expression only made the girls giggle.

Winter, sitting across from him, smirked but didn’t say much. Her eyes, however, lingered on him just a bit longer than usual. “Do you like it? The black lipstick? The hair?” she asked, her voice soft but teasing.

She’s doing it on purpose.

Y/n gulped. He could feel his face getting warm as he nodded. “Yeah. It’s definitely a bold look.”

Winter’s smile grew into a playful smirk. “Bold, huh? Good. I like bold.”

Karina leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, clearly enjoying Y/n’s awkwardness. “Careful, Y/n. You might get hypnotized if you keep staring.”

“Tsk. I’m not staring,” Y/n said quickly, trying to hide his embarrassment. He shifted his gaze back to his tablet, but even as he pretended to check something, his mind kept drifting back to Winter’s new look—the bob cut, the fierce aura, and that black lipstick.

It reminded him of that night in the dorm, the way she’d pinned him against the wall, bold and confident.

A few moments passed, and Winter finally broke the silence, glancing at Y/n with a glint of mischief in her eyes. “I think you’ll like this concept. Reminds you from that night, huh?”

Y/n nearly choked on his own breath. He turned bright red, his mind flashing back to that night she had cornered him during the prank. The girls had laughed it off, but Winter’s lingering gaze and the way she had brushed it off as a prank had left him wondering ever since.

Karina looked between them, her smirk growing wider. “Oh, what’s this about a night?”

Giselle gasped dramatically, acting as if they weren't the mastermind of that event. “Wait, did I miss something?”

Winter shot Y/n a look as if daring him to explain. He waved his hands defensively. “Ya, you guys planned it and got me by surprise. Of course I am flustered.”

“Yeah, flustered because his childhood friend kabedoned him, pff.” Giselle said with a grin, causing Karina to burst out laughing.

Winter just shrugged nonchalantly. “Meh, I was being serious back then,” she said coolly, her eyes locking with Y/n’s again, teasing him further.

Karina sighed dramatically, interrupting the moment. “Okay, okay, enough teasing our poor manager. He’s got work to do.

Y/n chuckled, grateful for the change of subject. “Right. I’ll leave you all to it,” he said, walking over to the whiteboard and trying to look busy.

But the truth was, he was distracted. The darker, more seductive vibe of Whiplash was throwing him off his game. The girls were already powerhouses on stage, but this album… this would be something else.

And the black lipstick? It was… dangerous.

As the shooting moved forward, Y/n kept sneaking glances at Winter. She was focused, switching her poses as the photoshoot went on. But every now and then, she’d catch him looking and smile—just enough to make his heart do that weird flip again.

Giselle noticed it too. "Are you sure you’re with us?" she asked with a grin. “You’re acting all spaced out today.”

Y/n forced a smile. "Totally! Just thinking about logistics and how to make everything work," he said, though in reality, his mind was nowhere near logistics.

Had she really meant what she said back then?

-

Weeks later, aespa’s schedules became even more intense as the comeback release day of Whiplash drew closer. In the midst of their promotion schedule, the group was set to appear on a popular variety show, and Y/n was roped into joining them for the games.

At the back stage, Y/n stood off to the side, still grappling with his growing feelings for Winter, who, to make things worse, was standing right next to him, leaning in far too close for comfort. But it wasn’t like he minded. It was just… confusing. Especially with the way she’d been acting since the “prank.”

"You okay?" Winter asked, her voice soft but teasing. "You’ve been fidgeting all morning."

"I’m fine!" Y/n replied a little too quickly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Winter raised an eyebrow. “You sure? You’ve been acting weird ever since…”

Y/n’s face flushed, and Winter just smiled knowingly, stepping back before she could tease him any further.

“I love these kinds of shows,” Ningning said, bouncing on her heels as the production crew set up. “It’s fun, and we get to mess with each other.”

Y/n, finally got himself together, wasn’t as enthusiastic. “I’m just here to make sure you all don’t cause too much mess,” he joked, though there was a hint of nervousness in his voice. He knew these shows could get wild, and being the manager didn’t exempt him from being dragged into the games.

Karina shot him a sly look. “You think you’re safe, but just wait until they pull out the mystery box challenge.”

Y/n paled. "I’ve seen what’s in those boxes. No thanks."

And so, there he was, sitting next to the girls on set, trying not to look completely out of place. The show started off with introductions, and immediately, the teasing began.

“So, Y/n, we’ve heard that you’re quite the… viral sensation,” the host said, grinning widely. “You’ve danced to Supernova and made quite a splash online, haven’t you?”

The girls burst into laughter, with Karina practically doubling over. “You mean Supernova boy? Oh, he’s famous for that now!”

Y/n tried to hide his face behind his hands, groaning. “I swear, that video’s never going away.”

Winter leaned over, smirking. “It’s legendary. You can’t escape it.”

“Looks like we’ll have to get you to dance again today,” the host teased.

Y/n’s eyes widened. “Wait, what—”

The first game was a relay race, but with a twist—everyone had to balance a spoon with a ping pong ball in their mouths while running. Karina, Ningning, and Giselle were naturals, but when it came to Y/n’s turn, the ball fell within two steps. The girls burst out laughing as Y/n scrambled to pick it up, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Ya, you’re really bad at this,” Winter teased, grinning as she watched him struggle.

“I don’t see you doing any better,” Y/n shot back, but he was smiling too. Despite the nerves and the growing heartbeat, he was having fun, even if he was making a fool of himself.

The next game was the dreaded mystery box challenge. One by one, the members reached inside the box to guess what was inside, their reactions ranging from giggles to screams. When it was Y/n’s turn, he hesitated, eyeing the box warily.

“It’s not gonna bite, Y/n,” Karina teased, pushing him toward the box.

"Yeah, but it might move," Y/n muttered, reluctantly sticking his hand inside. He flinched when something soft brushed against his fingers, and the girls erupted into laughter as he yanked his hand out.

“Is it… a stuffed toy?” Y/n guessed, still looking horrified.

Winter smirked, crossing her arms. “You’ll never know.”

While the girls took the challenges in stride, Y/n was clumsy in every task, much to the delight of the audience. Every time he fumbled, Winter couldn’t help but laugh, but she also threw in the occasional reassuring glance, as if to say, Don’t worry, I’ve got your back.

The chemistry between them didn’t go unnoticed by the other members either. Giselle nudged Karina, whispering, "You see how Winter keeps looking at him? Something’s definitely going on."

Karina smirked. "Yeah, but do you think Y/n even realizes it?"

"Absolutely not," Giselle snorted. "The guy’s clueless as f-."

After the show ended, the group gathered backstage, laughing about the day’s events. Y/n slumped into a chair, exhausted but content. “I survived,” he muttered.

“You did more than that,” Giselle said, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder. “You were the highlight of the show.”

Karina grinned. “I think the fans will love seeing you on screen again.”

Y/n groaned. "Great. More viral moments to haunt me."

-

After the variety show wrapped up and the group headed back to the dorms, Y/n found himself alone with his thoughts again. Winter’s playful teasing and the stolen glances during the show replayed in his mind, making it impossible to focus on anything else.

Was she serious? he wondered, thinking back to that kiss. Every time he tried to convince himself it had just been a joke, her lingering looks and gentle touches made him question everything. And it wasn’t just him—Winter seemed to be making subtle moves too, like how she’d started sitting closer while waiting for her turn or how she’d casually brush her hand against his when passing by.

As the rest of the group relaxed in the common area, Y/n paced back and forth, trying to gather his thoughts. The weight of his feelings was heavy, and he wanted to talk to the girls, but he wasn’t sure how to start.

He found Giselle and Karina lounging on the couch, chatting animatedly about their favorite variety show moments. Ningning was nearby, flipping through her phone.

"Rina, Aeri, Ning, can I… talk to you guys for a minute?" Y/n said, his voice tinged with anxiety. The girls looked up, their expressions curious.

"Sure, what’s up?" Giselle asked, setting aside her phone.

Y/n took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "It’s about Minjeong… and me."

Karina raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "What about Minjeong?"

"Well…." Y/n started, "I’m…starting to realize that my feelings for Winter are more serious than I thought. And I… I don’t really know what to do about it."

Ningning walked over from the kitchen, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, you mean you like Jeong-unnie as more than just a friend?"

Y/n sheepishly nodded. "I'm still figuring it out…but I guess it's heading towards that direction."

Ningning and Giselle exchanged glances, while Karina leaned back, crossing her arms. "Are you asking for our advice or…?"

Y/n nodded. "Both, I guess. I want to know if I’m doing the right thing, and also, if you guys are okay with it. I…don’t want to cause any weirdness between us or make things uncomfortable."

The room fell quiet for a moment as the girls processed what Y/n was saying. Finally, Giselle broke the silence with a soft smile. "Honestly, Y/n, if you really like Minjeong and you’re being genuine about it, then we’re all for it."

"Yeah," Karina added. "Winter’s a grown-up. She can make her own decisions. If you like her and she likes you, then who are we to stop it?"

Ningning, who had been watching the exchange closely, gave Y/n a reassuring smile. "We all see how happy Winter is when she’s around you. It’s pretty clear she likes you too. Just be honest with her."

Y/n let out a sigh of relief, his tension easing. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it."

"Plus, you guys took too long." Ningning groaned. "You're too obvious, Y/n-oppa."

"Eh?"

"She's right, you know?" Karina followed. "You think we didn't notice how you like messing with her and acted differently with her? Sheesh, we girls especially paid attention to those."

"uhhhh…" Y/n scratched his head. Now that they pointed it out, the manager noticed that they had been more than obvious than they thought. "Surely, Jeong just think of it as childhood friend thing-"

"Y/n," Giselle stood up grabbed his shoulders. "Trust us bro and go for it."

"…right. You're scaring me, Aeri."

Giselle chuckled. "Just make sure you’re not a bumbling mess around her. Winter deserves someone who can handle her as well as you handle a crisis."

"Hey!" Y/n protested, though he couldn’t help but laugh. "I’m not that bad."

Karina winked at him. "Right. And don’t mess this up. We’ll be watching."

Y/n grinned, feeling more confident about the situation. "Got it. I’ll keep that in mind."

[multiversefanfics]

Wishful Thinking

Pairing: Derek Morgan x Fem!BAU!Reader Warnings: cussing, playful teasing, minor violence Summary: You joined the BAU 2 years ago, it started off very normal, you learned about everyone super quick, except one person who didn’t seem to care that you were around. Derek.

It was one of those days, you didn't really want to go to work but staying home didn't pay the bills. You strolled into the bullpen with Penelope "Girl I know you saw Derek working out yesterday I could see the drool, dripping from your chin" You giggled, elbowing her arm a bit "Of course, he's a beautiful goddess of sculpted chocolate thunder” You both parted ways, Garcia went to the kitchen to make her tea and you went to your desk “Good morning, baby girl .”

You looked up when you heard Derek’s voice, you wished he’d call you that, but you know that is reserved for Garcia, you watched as they exchanged pleasantries until you heard someone clear their throat, you look over and it was Spencer “Why don’t you just tell him you like him?” You raised an eyebrow at him "I don't like Derek." Spencer tilted his head at you and walked away stirring his coffee

You noticed that Rossi’s door was open and decided to pay him a little visit he was your uncle after all, you softly knocked on his door earning a ‘come in’ You closed the door behind you and sat down in front of him. “Hey, Y/N what can I help you with?” You gave him a look which meant it was family time, not work time. “Alright, kiddo, what’s wrong?” You shrugged your shoulders and leaned back in the chair

“I see the way Derek interacts with everyone else but when it comes to me he can’t even look at me, he kinda gives me the cold shoulder” Rossi sighed and leaned forward on his desk “Derek has a hard time trusting people, he’ll come around I promise.” Just then there was a knock at the door, he told whoever it was to come in, JJ peeked her head in flashing a case file in her hand you both rolled our eyes and followed her to the round table room, you sit down in the only available seat which was next to Derek.

You saw him look over at you, but you kept your eyes forward listening to Penelope describe the case soon she was done, and Hotch said his favorite line. “Wheels up in 20” You truly believed he waited all morning just to say that. Spencer stood next to you stirring his coffee, you already knew he was about to say something about Derek again. “What Spencer?” He looked over and shrugged “Oh nothing, just patiently waiting.”

You groaned and walked out of the building and onto the jet, where you find it’s just you and Derek, he’s never on the jet this early, you take your seat which happens to be the farthest away from him. “Hey, Y/N why don’t you come sit by me?” You looked up and saw Derek staring straight at you, as if into your soul. You shrugged and walked over to sit next to him.

By now everyone was on the plane. While the plane was taking off, he showed you the music he was listening to and the magazine he was reading to try and help calm you down. Planes were not your thing; you’d rather drive than fly on a plane but it’s much faster that way. Suddenly Derek leaned over and whispered

“A little birdie told me you have a crush on me.” Your body tensed up, and your cheeks started to turn red, but you mentally shook it off and looked over at him leaning inches away from his face “In your dreams.” You turned your head back to Hotch who started figuring out the game plan, of course, you got paired up with Derek, you knew it would be a ride, but you were ready for it.

You landed and went to the crime scene with Derek, the two of you walked the scene with the detective as he explained what they found and how they think the unsub did what they did. As the two of you were walking, Derek's hand brushed against yours, you didn't know what was going on usually your mind was so sharp but there was just something about Derek that drove you crazy.

You chose to ignore it, you’re on the job and this was no place to flirt or try to figure out feelings that may or may not have been there. You listened intently to the detective explaining the case and what they found, but in the back of your mind, all you could think about was holding Derek's hand.

The rest of the day seemed to go by quickly, you, Spencer, and JJ were in your hotel room trying to figure out why the unsub picked certain victims. "So, you and Derek got a little cozy on the plane." You groaned and threw your head back "Not you too." JJ raised an eyebrow "What do you mean?" You looked over at Spencer who was smirking while stirring his coffee.

"Ahh, well how do you feel about Derek?" You sighed and flipped a page of the file. "I mean yeah I think he's handsome, he's funny, charming, and also an ass which I like, I guess I like Derek." JJ and Spencer smiled at each other then looked back at you "About time you admit it, when are you going to tell Derek?" Just then Derek walks into the room "Tell Derek what?" Your eyes widened.

Main Masterlist - Derek Morgan Masterlist

A/N: This has been in my drafts since August '23, I'm trying to clean out my drafts, I hope you guys like it I wasn't planning on it being a series but here we are. If you would like to be tagged in future fics, you can either fill out this form or just message me, or comment on any fic and you'll be added to the taglist. 🥰

[rascalentertainments]

Wish Granted 🌟👩🏾🎶 (Wish Reimagined)

Chapter 5: Welcome to Rosas

Chapter 4

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

We transition some time later as the trio run through the forest...

Asha had finally made it. Back to the place she never thought she would fight to return to: The Kingdom of Rosas.

"All right, there's no time to waste. Think you can speed up, Star?" she asked her now aquatic friend.

"I'm on it!" Star chirped. He quickly gained speed as they headed straight for Rosas, with a duo of fellow dolphins by each side. The sun slowly rised as shined on the magnificent kingdom.

We cut back to the cliffside where some of the guards that got knocked over by Turtle!Star earlier on finally caught up. One of them struggled to take his tightened helmet off, but finally managed to do so. "I'm sorry your Highness!" He replied. "The girl got away from us. We were ambushed by, um....."

Amaya raised an eyebrow. "By what?" Her tone was flat.

"....a flying turtle." The other guard finished, nearly embarrassed even saying that.

This was highly unexpected. The star Magnifico waa searching for wasn't just a simple ball of light. It could change its form, it could think for itself. And the girl it was with wasn't a fool either. They outsmarted her. Was that girl the one that brought the star down? Her husband probably wasn't going to be happy someone beat him at his own game.

"Clearly you've been outsmarted by a mere reptile." She replied as she approached the two guards on her horse. "You're a team of skilled soldiers and you couldn't even catch a mere teen and a small animal?" her voiced was raised.

The guards were too nervous to even defend themselves. The king held their wishes in his hands and he could take them away with a snap of his fingers.

Amaya sighed. "It doesn't matter this point. We just need to return to Rosas at once and I'll warn the king, who knows what that thing can do with a power like that? We must protect our kingdom!"

The guards agreed in unison. Amaya called for Sabor and he finally caught up with the rest of the group. He quickly tossed the ball of yarn in the ocean to avoid further embarrassment and joined his beloved owner on the horse.

The scene shows Amaya and her soldiers running back to Rosas' as the sun began to rise over trees.

We then go to the main port of Rosas where Star stopped swimming. Asha grabbed Valentino and gingerly stepped onto the dock. She looked up at the towering city before her, mixed with feelings of both joy and fear. Her thoughts were interrupted by small splashes of water.

Star had turned into a dog and was rapidly shaking himself to dry off.

Valentino belated in annoyance, but Asha found it pointless to complain. Star did help them get there after all.

Once Star was done, a yellow flash of light appeared and he was back to his human appearance. "Now that was fun! Aside from being chased by a crazy queen, I'd say that plan was flawless!" he said with a laugh.

Before Asha could speak, she heard some squeaks and clicks coming from the sea. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Star realized and ran towards the end of the dock. He saw the dolphins that guided them to the castle cheering for him.

He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Thanks for the cool water show and for guiding us here! Oh wait, I mean-" he stepped back and spoke dolphinese as he waved goodbye.

The dolphins returned it in joy and at the same time, the whale reappeared to wave with its large fin to Star as it dove back into the water. "Oh yeah, ThAnK yoOouUuUu tOoOoO!" he said with his tone going up and down dramatically. "Almost forgot I could speak whale!" He smiled. It faded a bit when he finally noticed the sun rising.

Asha stepped up beside him. "You've never seen a sunrise before?" she asked.

"I've seen the sun hundreds of times, but...never like this." He said, nearly speechless. "Is this how humans see the sun?"

"Yep, everyday in fact." Asha replied as she watched with him. "And it never gets old."

"Its....incredible."

Asha found her gaze leading to Star's face, who's expression was still in awe, but yet relaxed. He was always incredibly happy and cheerful, but this was the first time she'd seen him so at peace. It was....a nice thing to see. Asha was sure the bright sun was making her face warm and certainly nothing else. "All right, let's get back to the mission." She said abruptly.

"Right, right. So now that we're here, what's next?" Star said as he and Valentino followed her.

"Next we need to see Flazino. He's the apprentice to Magnifico and he knows his way around this place as much as the royals themselves. He should know where the wishes are kept. Then he can help us plan to how to stop Magnifico."

Star was silent for a moment. "This Flazino guy is a friend of yours right? Is...that all he is?"

"Well, more like an acquaintance. We only see each other once a month when he brings supplies to the people. Its helped us a lot these past couple years." she answered as she looked around for an easy way in.

Star felt a bit guilty for asking. "Well, I can't wait to meet him, he sounds like a nice-" his mouth got covered by her hand.

Asha pointed over to the entrance which had a young sleeping guard leaning against the wall. Clearly he hadn't gotten much shut eye last night. "Follow me, but don't make a sound. We have to get in before there's people everywhere."

Star nodded and followed her lead. The three of them walked swiftly passed the guard whom upon a closer look was actually a teen in training to be a guard. Asha looked around for a place to start, when the large bell tower started to ring loudly, starting the day.

"SHOOT." Asha seethed. She frantically looked around and finally saw a path that led towards the inner parts of the city. "This way!" She told him as she ran forward. Star flew behind her, and they eventually made it to an archway that was hidden from the main square.

The trio waited a long while and people started to gather in the city. "We can't be in the city like this, especially not you. We're going to need some disguises." Asha suggested. "Oh, you mean like this?" Star asked. He then turned into a small goat looking similar to Valentino, but with a goofier face. "Now we look like twins!" He nodded Valentino. The goat looked offended by the suggestion.

Asha shook her head. "I'm pretty sure they'll notice a glowing talking goat." she let out a small laugh. "No, I'm thinking...." her voiced trailed off when she saw a young man beginning to place some laundry out. "Bingo." She finally finished. She told Star to stay where he was and return to his human looking form then she proceeded on, acting like she was a fellow Rosas' citizen, putting on a fake smile.

Once she reached the other side, she quickly grabbed two cloaks from the table while the young man wasn't looking and quickly took off. When the guy turned around, he noticed that two clothes suddenly disappeared. He looked around seeing where they could've gone, then the dust around him made him sneeze loudly. He figured the wind probably blew them away and decided to just go back to working on the rest of the clothes. Its not like they were taken away.

It then cuts back to Star and Valentino in the middle of talking.

"So that little outfit was made from your mom's wool?" Star asked curiously. The goat bleated and nodded. "I'm sorry, buddy. I promise I'll get you a new one, somehow." He patted Valentino's head from above. The goat looked at him surprised. This glowing weirdo stranger cared about his feelings?

A green cloak suddenly covered Star's view. "What's this?" He asked as he took the clothes in his hands.

"Its your disguise. This way you can walk around town without catching everyone's attention." Asha put her own cloak on, which covered enough of her head so she wouldn't be seen as easily.

"Hmmmm. All right, but green's not really my color." Star pointed out. He then used some of his stardust on the cloak and the color changed from green to black and gold. "That's more like it!"

(I actually found a cloak that fit perfectly for Star's disguise here! Asha's is pretty much the same as the film. I didn't mind it.)

"Yeeaaah. That reminds me, if we're going to keep a low key, you need remember three rules." Asha stated.

"Okay, shoot!" He said as put the cloak on.

"Rule 1: No flying or shapeshifting. You need to act as human as possible." Asha explained.

Star gently came to the ground. "Check!"

"Rule 2: No glowing whatsoever. As fun as it is to see you like that, we can't draw any attention to us." She continued.

Star took in some air, and gulped it down along with his glow. His yellow glow slowly faded and he put his hood up. "Check!"

"And Rule 3: Can you….do something about being yellow?" She asked honestly.

Star looked down at his own hands. "I….don't think so. Can humans change their color?"

The question caught Asha off guard. She never thought about it that way before. "Fair enough. Just keep the hood on and stick by me."

"Check! Now let's get all sneaky!" Star said enthusiastically.

The trio then proceeded onwards into the heart of city, as the camera slowly pans up from them to the one of the towers.

We go into the inside of the castle where the king had fallen asleep hunched over his study desk. The doors slammed opened and it woke the king with a start.

The queen had entered the room, out of breath and disheveled. Meanwhile Sabor just coolly walked in past her.

"Amaya darling, you're back!" Mags said with a smile. It faded once he saw her appearance. "What happened to you? Did the star hurt you?" His anger began to rise as he called the staff to his hand.

"No, no. Nothing like that. It hurts my pride to say that we were outrun by some peasant girl who's smarter then she looks. And the star…" her voice trailed off when her foot hit one of the many books scattered across the floor. "How long have you been up here?" she asked, concerned.

Magnifico looked at the floor and realized he had made a mess without even realizing it. "Admittedly, I may have lost track of time during my research, sooooo….perhaps a few hours?" He guessed.

"But that's not important right now. Tell me about the star! What did it look like? Could you feel its power?" He grabbed her shoulders in desperation.

Amaya sighed. She might was well tell him, he was too fixated on this. "As were chasing it, it turned into an assortment of animals. The last thing we saw was it as a dolphin." She finally admitted. "It can think for itself."

There was a moment of silence as Magnifico blinked. He slowly let go of her. "The star can transform itself? Not even we have mastered that kind of magic!" He raised his voice.

The queen looked concerned at his current state. "Darling…?"

The man began pacing the floor frantically. "That thing has a mind of its own! Who knows what its capable of? It can be anything or anyone. Absolute power is right under our noses and I won't let it get away!" The king began to sound paranoid.

His ranting stopped when his wife placed her hands on both sides of his face. "Pookie! You need to calm yourself. We will get the star, and we will have that power. You just need to relax." she said in a soothing tone.

She could see the anger and fear in his blue eyes be replaced with calmness as he breathed deeply. The king took his wife's hands in his and kissed them. "You're right, my queen. What would I do without you?" He whispered.

Sabor ran out of the room as fast as he could. He didn't want to see this. 😂

The two them opened the balcony windows. They had a perfect view of their victims citizens going about their day. "Look at them. They're in their own little world once they arrive here. They don't have magic. Even if they did, they're too stupid to know how it works." Amaya pointed out.

The view cuts an overhead shot of the town square where people were going about their day. A few of them looked lethargic, but carried on anyway. "So one peasant girl found the star before we did? Big deal. She's bringing the star right to us. Once she arrives, its all a matter of time before we rule everything." She finished with a chuckle.

A smile crept on the King's face. "Indeed. Its time we finally take our prize." He said with a growl. (At this segment the music starts to swell a bit.)

Amaya had stepped away. "But first take a shower, dear. You can't rule the kingdom and the world smelling like a Llama." then she went to freshen up herself.

Magnifico looked down at his attire and took a whif underneath his arm. Oof. She was right.

"Very well, I'll just put on the morning event to distract everyone." the king replied and he shot some blue magic on the nearby mirrors on the buildings, and the blue glow spread to the other mirrors all across Rosas.

We go back to the city where it was now flooded with people of all shapes and sizes. Stalls were up selling various foods, trinkets, instruments and art.

Seeing the large crowd made Asha uneasy. While these people had no idea they were being controlled by power hungry rulers and held their lives in their hands, she felt sorry for them. Meanwhile Star was losing his mind at the sight of the crowd. "So...many...people!" He exclaimed. His eyes began to sparkle and his smile grew wide.

"I know, there's way more people than I anticipated. we're going to have stick close to-" Asha looked to her side and saw the starboy was gone. He was instead running straight forward to the crowd in broad daylight.

"SON OF A-"

"BAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!" Valentino panicked and chased after Star.

Asha rubbed her forehead. "For crying out loud..." she had no choice but to run after them.

Star couldn't get enough of what he was seeing. The city was packed with people. Some of them looked tired, but it was still pretty early for humans to be awake so maybe they just needed time. He looked up and saw a man on stilts walking by him, towering over everyone as he proceeded to start cleaning a customer's windows. A little girl ran by flying a kite in the cool breeze. A young woman had placed carts of various flowers out to get some sun. Another woman was pushing a cart with a carriage sized pumpkin across the way. People chatting to each other about the day ahead, and other small talk.

The sounds, the laughter, the people, the smells, everything felt new to Star as he took it all in. He didn't feel alone on Earth, and he was going to enjoy every minute he was here.

The star then heard a loud noise and felt something pull on his cape/hood. He looked behind him and saw a baby goat pulling him back away from the crowd. "Hey, buddy! You want to see the cool Earth stuff too? Come on!" he happily picked up the goat in his arms and carried on.

Asha navigated the best she could in the crowd, looking for Star, when she suddenly heard Valentino's bleating in the distance, objecting to Star taking him along. Even the goat knew this was insane.

By the time she caught up with him he already had a ton of souvenirs in his arms, with a tired looking Valentino. He seemed to be looking at a tray of desserts. "Hey, what are thooose?!" Star pointed to a plate of cookies with baked in the form of the royals faces.

(Doesn't make sense they both didn't have cookies, so I remedied that.)

An Asian girl with a crutch approached the table. "Ah, I see you have a good eye! These are freshly baked sugar cookies in form of our sweet royals!" She said with a smile. "I did my best to capture their likeness, but even I can't capture the rich smooth face of our king." She said with a blissful sigh. (I feel weird writing this. 😂)

Star took one of the cookies. "I don't know what means, but okay!" This would actually be first time time eating Earth food, or any food really.

As he took a bite, Asha finally caught up. "Would…you….stop running off like…that?" she replied, out of breath.

"ASHA, YOU NEED TO TRY THESE THINGS, THEY'RE INCREDIBLE!!" the star exclaimed. He didn't even realize he had run off and worried her.

The girl's name caught the baker's attention. "Asha…. wait, have we met before?" she asked.

Oh no.

"Uh, nope. nopenopenopewehaven't. Sorry, but we need to go, like right now!" Asha pulled Star away from the table and waved dismissively to her. "THESE ARE AMAZING, YOU'RE AMAZING!" He said as he was dragged away. "You mind telling me what heck you're doing?!" Asha scolded him. "I told you to stay close to me!"

(This isn't Stars design, but it fits for this scene. Everything is awesome to him, lol)

Star winced and put Valentino down. "Sorry, sorry. I just got so excited. Humans have the coolest things! Check this out, I found these flowers that made think of you," He gave her the flowers, surprising Asha.

(Fun fact, these are called Blazing Stars!)

"Oh and I found this thing! It makes music when you blow into it!" He started playing a few notes to demonstrate.

"And I got these things called cookies, and this cool hat, and this vase of some Greek guy-"

As endearing as he was, she knew had to stop him from drawing more attention. And bringing junk they couldn't carry.

"Star, I know you're really excited to see everything, but right now we have to keep a low profile and stick by me. Got it?"

After he put all his treasures on a nearby table (and the confusion of the jewelry there) Star noticed a couple walking past with linked arms behind Asha as they looked around the city. "Okay, got it!" Star suddenly linked his arm with hers, making them super close. "That way we don't lose each other. This planning stuff is really easy for me!" He chuckled.

Asha was caught off guard by the gesture, but oddly enough she didn't complain. The two of them (and Valentino of course) continued through the city. Luckily nobody was paying attention to them. "All right, now let's find Flazino. The sooner we find him-" Asha started, when a loud ringing interrupted her.

Another bell went off and this time a few blue fireworks appeared in the sky. Suddenly a bright blue flash appeared and all the mirrors in Rosas suddenly had the faces of the king and queen smiling. The giant mirror in between the statues of the royals had this image as well (and the instrumentals to "This Is The Thanks I Get" play in the background as music)

"GOOD MORNING ROSAS!" The two of them cheerfully greeted the city in unison. "Today is going to be another beautiful day, thanks to our wonderful king!" Amaya gestured to her husband. "Oh come now, darling. I can't take all the credit! Its your brilliant brain that helps me keep our fair city going!" Magnifico praised his wife.

(THERE'S THE TEAM ROCKET VIBES I TOLD YOU ABOUT!!)

Asha rolled her eyes. They can't even start the day without bragging about themselves...

"We're here to give you your daily reminder to always keep a smile on your face! All your wishes will come true, eventually!" Anaya continued.

"Trust in me, just in me! Just shut your eyes, give your wishes to us You can sleep safe and sound Knowing we are around!" Magnifico held out his hands and three wish bubbles appeared presumably safe in them.

"Don't forget to tell everyone about Rosas, for our goal is to bring as many people to safety and a loving home for anyone, anywhere!" Amaya then created a small example of little people around the castle, all in the form of blue sparkles.

Star noticed that detail. "Hey, they can make magic like me!" Asha sushed him before anyone could hear them.

"Hey, and if you mention my name to your friends, you'll get a room with a view!" Sabor then jumped on the table and blocked his view in front the camera. Mags pretend it didn't annoy him and gently patted him on the head. "Yes, yes and of course all animals and livestock are welcome!" He moved to the side so he could get back into view.

"And always remember," Amaya started as the camera pulled back a bit.

"Just keep wishing!" The two of them said in unison and all three of them gave a sharp wink. The blue swirl reappeared and it transitioned to some bright blue sparkling letters that read "JUST KEEP WISHING!" the music stops and little fireworks go off.

Asha groaned. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, and no one here even knew their lives were in danger. How could these two be so fake and cheerful in front of all these people? Meanwhile Star was applauding the show. "That was fun! Can they do that again?" He asked. Asha looked confused. "Does anything bother you?" A rock was suddenly thrown at the mirror between the statues and it created a large crack in the glass. The people gasped in shock and the two teens suddenly paid attention.

"No one wants to hear you squak every morning like roosters!" the voice came from a little person dressed in red who was holding a few more rocks in his left hand ready to throw another one. "One day these people are gonna wake up and see through your lies!"

"Wow, he seems grumpy..." Star whispered to Asha. (Like this:)

"Gabo! How many times do I have to tell you to stop damaging property?!" A male voice shouted to the left. Asha recognized that stressed voice anywhere! Flazino was already running towards the vandalizer.

"Yeah, good luck teacher's pet! You'll never catch me!" He mocked the boy and made a rather rude gesture with his hand. Gabo instantly took off before Flazino could get a hold of him. He was too out of breath.

"Its too early for this crap. Guards! Guards! Isn't there a guard anywhere?!" He looked around hoping for assistance.

"Don't worry, (yawn) I'll get him, Flaz." A large teen slowly made his way towards Gabo, took a stretch and finally picked up his pace. By the time he started running, Gabo was already far away and his laugh echoed in the distance.

"Oh great, greaaaaat. If Simon does catch him, he can snore him to death..." Flazino sighed as he rubbed his forehead.

"Flazino! Thank goodness you're here. We need your help!" She called over to him. The boy was happy at first but then his joy turned to panic. He quickly pulled the two aside and away from the crowd. "What are you doing here, are you crazy? Wait, how did you even get to Rosas?" The apprentice was about to go into panic mode.

"I know there's a lot to explain here, but it'll have to wait. Right now we need you to take us to where Magnifico keeps the wishes. I have a friend here can help free them." She gestured to Star.

"Hiiii!" The star smiled and gave him a small wave. "You're shorter than I thought you'd be!"

The boy just stared at him. "....How is this random guy going to help us? And...is your hair glowing?" he asked.

Star quickly pulled the hood down over his exposed hair. "Oh that! Its not glowing, its just, uh, freshly washed and its all shiny! Hehehe...." He laughed nervously.

Flazino stared at the star again. "And he's supposed to able to save the wishes...Where did you find this guy anyway?"

"Look, just trust me. We don't have much time. Everyone's lives are at stake here, and we need your help. We have to know where Magnifico keeps the wishes hidden and only you can guide us." Asha pleaded.

The boy was going to protest, but he just sighed in defeat. "All right, all right. But we'll need to go right now. Magnifico could come down at any-" Flazino stopped cold when he finally turned around. A large shadow seemed to cover the teens, and Star suddenly felt a chill for the first time. Valentino bleated in fear and hid behind Asha's legs as the shadow covered them.

Standing over them was King Magnifico himself. "What's the hurry, my apprentice? Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" his teased with a smug smile.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

FINAL THOUGHTS

And that wraps up another chapter! You know, recently I re-watched Enchanted for the first time in 15 years, and I nearly cried. Not only because it was an absolute masterpiece and great homage to Disney films, but it made me realize that Wish was going to be the new Enchanted. And all in 2D animation. I want to cry.

Anyways, this one took a while to do, so sorry for the delay. 😅 This chapter was originally going to be shorter, but my brain kept thinking of new things to add. Star going into Rosas in disguise is my favorite scene to read in these Wish rewrites. Him going all Ariel and being fascinated by everything is exactly what I wanted to do here. Really wanted to show how much he loves being on Earth and surrounded by people. And I did tell you we would start seeing the Teens! Originally it was going to be Star leading Asha to each teen in the city, but it was going to take TONS of time and I felt like meeting them all in one chapter would overdo it. So right now we get Gabo (who's more of a conspiracy theorist about the royals and later finds out he's right), Simon, Safi and Dahlia. The others will come in the next chapter, just need to plan out their introductions and make sure it makes sense. 😂 Also, yes I'm hinting at a couple things with Dahlia in this, but rest assured, your questions will be answered!

And Flazino…. I think I just wrote him always on the verge of a complete mental breakdown and I'm so sorry. Give him some tea. 😂 He stressed like every 2 minutes and with Magnifico looking for Star, HOO BOY. Wait till Star gets revealed, he's gonna freak and that's when the real power struggle will begin. And as for the evil duo, for those who are wondering just what their vibe really is, its this: In public they're Team Rocket. In private, they're Hades and Maleficent. Best of both worlds! I think the part I'm most proud of is the Royal Rosas commercial. Its part propaganda, part advertisement, and they both spell doom. 😂 Really wanted to emphasize how vain they are and provide more comedy as well.

One thing I'm setting up in Chapter 6 is that there's both conflict and parallels for the heroes and villains. Star's conflict with Magnifico besides the view on wishes is that the king puts into his head Asha called on him by accident, that she didn't actually need him for help.

While Asha's is her inability to trust others and make friends. Star's really the only new person she's trusted besides Flazino since coming to the Hamlet. Which will change once the Teens assemble and they work together. That conflict will be challenged by Amaya, who attempts to deceive her into think Star has ulterior motives, as well as the Teens. *Cough cough*

There will be a break for a while before I start on Chapter 6. Really want to plan things out and on the side, I'll reveal the redesigns for Valentino and Flazino and a DTIYS challenge. And I'll continue reading y'alls new chapters for your rewrites!

Thanks for reading!

@signed-sapphire @oh-shtars @annymation @chillwildwave

@uva124 @ishadow246 @tumblingdownthefoxden @your-ne1ghbor

@mythartist21 @gracebethartacc @emptyblog7 @spectator-zee

@lazytitans-world @emillyverse @flicklikesstuff @kenihewa

@snackara @wings-of-sapphire

[sea-of-dust]

Raise my head to the sky

Wanderer,Xiao,Wriothesley x GN! Reader

Tamaki like s/o with multiple fandoms (genshin version)

n: Imagine writing for wanderer, tried to get this out on Christmas but I fell asleep. Hope ya like this

Warnings: Ouran high school host club references, never expect proofreading

Part 1: Part 2: Part 3:

You tried to offer him a spot on the club. "Why my such a fair face! A stare that will devour others' hearts. " You continue to praise him your finger gently gliding itself down his chin. "Uh..." Noticing the small tint of pink on his face, you back off. "Appologies for frightening you my names y/n" "Kunikuzushi" it was a strange yet warm interaction to him, as he experanced more of the world he'd wonder If you still found him beautiful.

He only had to wait until everything he cherished got eviscerated. "I see you haven't changed much." Rose petals flutter through the air as he turns to see you, still that warm smile of yours. "What's with the face? Would you like to talk over tea?" He doesn't do anything. On one hand, he wanted to hug you tightly and tell you everything on his mind. On the other hand, he wants to strange you. Even though he felt close to you, he knew you were only acquaintances. There's no way you could have known what he went through. "Youu hoo, anything going on up there?" as soon as his focus shifts back to you, you've disappeared among the petals. He didn't like how out of everyone you're the one he wanted to see just once more

He got his wish, though he had to lose his memories for it to happen. "Petals?" "My my! Such a face I'd never forget, my dear Kumi!" "Kumi?" Your hands suddenly embracing his. "I'm glad I've gotten to see you again. How have you been?" He didn't know who you were, but as if muscle memory, he embraced you. "?" "Oh! There he is!" An annoyingly loud voice followed by a strange blonde take your precious aquantance Kumi away with them. Though it would only take a few hours before he'd rush back to you with a meaner look on his face similar to your second meeting. "You're the only person that's given that name a warm tone to it" sighing lightly, you walk with him. "Let's do some catching up, shall we"

He's never not by your side as you seemed to know most answers to his questions, explaining them gently and easy to follow. You're one of the few people he isn't outwardly antagonistic to. "That reminds me what should I call you." "You pick a name." "uhhh," you're lost in thought as you look at him. You thought hard narrowing your eyes. "How about this, you just call me Kumi" "but you abandoned that name" "I'm willing to hear that stupid name from you" "All right"

Your unnatural amount of stupidity, in his mind, didn't help either. In fact, the way you two started dating was because he mistook you. "So then I told em my backstory and all this" looking up at the sky as you listen to him you mutter "the moon looks beutiful tonight" "what" his eyes widen as blush spreads across his face. "I uh...wait, do you?" "Yea" it worsened his blush turning red "I didn't mean it in that context though don't worry" he sighs in relief "a smile phrase such as that can't describe how much I love you" he's punched in the gut. You've ended him. How could you do this. "You're such a fool" "is it idiotic to fall inlove with someone as beautiful as the person infront of me" as much at It would be cringy if he thought to hard he couldn't help but let himself hug you suddenly as if accepting your adoration.

He's heavy denying his feelings for you. But then again, you're kinda hard to not think about. "Damn, how am I gonna-" he couldn't think far before a flash of you holding your wallet and playfully winking crossed his mind.

He tries not to mind you being kind to others, but some of them get too dreamy eyed, of worse straight up say how interested they are in you. "Why if you were older you'd get everyone causing a scene!" "Thank you?" "They already cause enough of a scene" "k- Wanderer I got" he links arms with you "save it for later" he drags you away from the women not saying a word. "That's the third time" you sigh searching for your wallet in your pockets "what do you wanna eat" he smirks "maybe that fancy restaurant" "huh?!" "Oh relax nothing can burn a hole in your wallet unless it was litteral"

He had the displeasure of meeting your friend group. "Oh please they'll be fine after all you must doubt our club" "yes I do" you jolt hearing this slowly turning to him "have a bit of faith please" the only one he could atleast tolerate was the silent one. Sure he was tall but atleast he's not really doing much of anything else unless it's with "that sweet freak" as he calls them.

Hell, outright refuse to let you buy him gifts. Instead of being normal and buying them, he always finds out the hard way how you get some of these. "This is beautiful. How'd you get this?" "Why it was on sale" his eyes drop with an expression that tells you to go on. "OK I fought s whole cave of hilicurils. "Y/n" "I'm sorry, I just thought you'd love it," he does, but he doesn't want you to get hurt he does follow you the rest of the week with the president you gave him

He's illergic to showing affection while you're super happy to shower him with love. He wonders often what he deserves to deserve you for everything you do. Always leaning in when sitting near him it makes him miss you when paimon isn't screaming in his ear about something happening. He wishes you'd come out of nowhere and scatter petals at her so you two can escape.

Save him. He's not lasting a day with you. "Why adeptus Xiao if I may admire you?" he disappears. This would go on for days until you convinced him with almond tofu, "How about this and a game of genius invocation?" he grumbles but decides to accept. With you two paying until sundown eatch time you came over

He's warmed up to you and your challenges of the card game, even able to make small talk with him, even if he only responds in small uh huhs,ohs,and woahs. "And then he told me to sleep in because they delayed it after all the time I worked on that" "uh huh" "man and all the fancy tuna I bought for him...he's gonna starve" you think of one of your co-workers going back to the game. I may need to leave Liyue on officsl business. I won't be gone long, though. I suggest you prepare your deck." You grin after picking up your cards and shaking his hand, waving goodbye.

You didn't return for a single day but a day was all he needed to feel an empty feeling in his chest. He found your tales uninteresting but still missed the way your voice tickled his ears. Or the proud way you'd display your cards to him. He missed what became a daily part of his life. He found it annoying he missed someone he could have sworn he wouldn't be fond of. Maybe it was the almond tofu...

As soon as you returned not only did rose petals fly perfectly to dramatically introduce you, but you noticed a change in the adeptus. He's much more willing to engage in conversations and let's you know good spots around Liyue. He's grown fonder of you for sure just dosent tell you even though its obvious

Your co-workers definitely picked up on your afternoon escapades to the inn. They try to meet him only to get you stopping them near instantly by you. "Wait, wait! He's shy he can't handle too many people" "Then we'll go in one by one" "he'll disappear!" "It's fine," he puts his hand on your shoulder. "Woahhhhh" they all say in unison while one writes in their notebook. "You sure they can be a bit loud" "I'm sure you'll cover my ears" you blush a bit while introducing them, thankfully they weren't as choatic and rose petally as usual.

He recommended you when the lantern rite came along. "I say we should bring lots of food and-" they turn to xiao "we should bring the host club" "host club?" Rose petals quickly surround paimon and the travler as one lands on xiaos hair with a hand picking it up. "You've called?" Your voice more flirtatious than usual. "Who is that?!? Xiao must have made-" "you must be the flying child please lower your voice my dearest Xiao cannot handle loud noises" you lie though your teeth to get her to shut up. "Now what about this rite was I needed for" "they needed help because of low staff" you turn to him. "Why this is exactly our kid of job" you grab Xiao and disappear with the petals with him, the traveler and paimon unable to make anything of that interaction.

He watches you and your crew while in liyue noting things like stuff you usually do on your own with them so he can do them for you tomorrow. Sure, it means you'll probably come sooner, but it's more of a win for him. "It's crazy but someone did my commissions for me even the ones where it needed atleast one of my crew" you sigh "I'm worried for my career" "see of it as a gift" "yea but I wanna stab a barrel and explode too ya know" you attach a bandage to his mind "or atleast avoid them so I don't give myself away so easily" he watches you patch him up, confused on why you would ever. "Because I care about you" with a smile on your face, you continue mending to his wonds it was as if his karmatic debt lessened while you took care of him, in full honestly he wants you to keep touching him so he could fall asleep peacefully for the first time in forever. He did falling asleep on your shoulder and waking up on the roof of the inn with you.

So obvious he can't really stay away when you're around always making sure you're safe even though you have a vision. He just wants to make sure his "buddy" is safe. The same buddy that tells him to "rest up as beauty sleep helps the mind and the wonderful appearance of the person"

You'd jokingly flirt with him just to get his reaction. "Why dear adeptus, no need to" "don't start" "must you say that when you're eyes keep pulling me in" he narrows his eyes with a soft chuckle you stop teasing him, watching the view from the inn with him

Wondering if he was willing to try other things, you set off to fontaine to buy sweets and ingredients to make the recipes you've gotten. As soon as you get back to the inn, you ran toward him. " I GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU" you plop down a box in his hand. "I introduce you...to cake" Looking down at it, he inspects the box and opens it. The scent of the frosting took up the air around him quickly. You give him a fork and watch him take a small bite. "You're barely gonna taste it if it's a bite that small." he narrows his eyes at you, taking a bit more this time. "It has the texture of tofu" he gulps it down. "Well yea, it's tofu cake, caught someone advertising it" he smiles at the cake, looking at you. "Thank you"

"Wriothesley!!" "Archons forbid it's them, Sigewinne, it's that group you like." "YAY" Sigewinne runs out to greet you while Wriothesley rubs his temple embrassed and ashamed you've come again. "Why we provide entertainment for the people," he sighs ashamed of repesting that, pulling out a small card from his drawer

He didn't deny he had feelings for you, but he had a feeling you were one of those people that knew when someone had a crush on them. Sigwinne returns with gifts for him from you. The small hearts at the end of letters don't help anything either.

While writing one of those letters you forgot to finish, Sigewinne stumbled upon you. "It's just...how do I say I would like to join you for tea without making it sound like I'm making advances" "Why just ask him causally" "and how do I do that" you best belive Sigewinne connected the dots the day you two meet and just totally didn't tell you to "write what was in your heart" aka "write everything in detail you're gonna need more paper" the poor man read an essay about exact coordinates, exact time down to secounds and how every single bit of his flawless skin made him even more beautiful. "This is clearly a date." "Really, I didn't get that vibe at all." Sigwinne tries not to grin widely at her plans, coming to fruition

Little to say, you burst into his office the next day after receiving his letter. "WRIOTHESLEY!!" "Please don't open doors like that, " "appologizes. " You walk up to him and pull him toward you, unexpectedly lifting him. "But we agreed to meet earlier surely you haven't forgotten" the prisoners and guards got to witness you lifting him off to the spot you picked fortunately they didn't say anything about it the next day.

He's often with you in the Fortress. You sit next to him trying to help him with some work you did bring your coworkers sometimes, even though he didn't like how crowded it got in there sometimes, he won't lie they were really good at their jobs. "Alright, you two! Keep the boxers in check!" "Aye ei!" "You! Find the salesmen for this, and -" You give him a glance Wriothesley nodding his head. "Get three of these" you turn to two others and a shorter one "and you three...uhhh" you rub your temples "they could try helping Sigewinne" a bit confused you look at him "dosent she already have assistants?" "They're working on something else" "convenient, you three!" As you command the last three, you turn over to his desk. "Whatcha leave for me." "You seriously wanna work on this" scoffing, he kisses your hand. "Here out of all places" looking away, your voice suddenly a whisper. With a small smirk on his face, he kisses your cheek. "Wriothesley..." he loved this flustered part of you he didn't know how anyone could resist teasing

Despite the fact it was obvious you two were dating or atleast inlove. Infact, Sigewinne and your co-workers have been shipping you two for months to find out you've been together for years. "Strange I thought he didn't like the boss at first and then we found the buisness card" "he usually acts like that" Sigewinne grins ear to ear while explaining that he's head over heals but just can't handle your antics when you're actually doing your job. "We should count these and use them against him" they all huddle in a circle crotched while Sigewinne stayed the sole person standing. "That's so cruel. At least send me a card to test these theories"

You'd try to command your forces of coworkers sometimes forgetting you still had his jacket on from when you fell asleep from a workload. "That's a nice plan and all boss, but you smell like a grandpa's new car" "THAT ISN-" you smell his jacket, and suddenly, everything clicks for you, looking back at them slightly annoyed you only adjust it a bit. "Ignore how this looks and / or smells on me follow the plan!" "Alright I guess," the two twins say in unison before heading off to follow the orders. They dosent mean they won't tease you endlessly

You two have tea drinking contests to see who can drink it faster. Winner gets to choose the next date spots. They're usually quite intense, which leaves prineoners scared for their lives when they see some random boxing, another just to gain stamina for tea consumption

You help the Sigewinne prank him, pointing her to where the sticker able stuff is. Of course, you have to help take them off, but it was fun helping her and her friends paste cute stickers

It's rare being home alone with him, but when you do eventually drag him home with you, you're always in for him trying to treat you to meals or saying "I'll sleep on the couch" when your bed fits the both of you just fine. "I'm worried about the Fortress" "Relax a bit" you rub his cheek reassuringly. "Sigewinne and the club have it under control. Try to enjoy your break" "I hope you're correct." He kisses your forehead wrapping his arms around you drifting off into slumber

[simpforpeterp]

Lucifer Morningstar x OC

Just Like Heaven

summary: In the aftermath of a new accord between Heaven and Hell, Lucifer Morningstar finds himself pulled back into the past by the unexpected reappearance of an old flame from the beginning of time. In a big mess of concerts, big parties, and buried emotions, how could the King of Hell get her to not hate him?

warnings: none other than the usual hazbin stuff

word count: 3.16k

  After the battles had been won, the deals settled, Heaven and Hell had reached an agreement. Sinners can now be redeemed to Heaven. And with that, residents of Heaven are allowed to visit Hell. Most do not but there's a surprising amount that do. Especially now that Hell is coming up.

Seeing that they can get to Heaven makes a lot of sinners want to be better. But first, it's time to party. Hell has seen an economic boom with the economy having grown by 42% and everyone's looking for a good time. Everything is getting bigger and better which causes more problems for their King.

Although all of that sounds great, and it is, it also means he has to start working again. Hell is still shitty but cities expanded rapidly, spurred by a sudden baby boom among Hellborn citizens. He's been drowning in paperwork and appearances and bullshit that doesn't matter.

A lot more concerts have been happening. Music is big in Heaven so a few brave artists expand their tours to Hell in the very new arenas and stadiums in each ring. When Charlie begged Lucifer to get her and her girlfriend into the sold-out show tonight in their box, he agreed. Except he decided she deserved better than that and brought her straight to the floor.

The air in the brand-new VoxTek stadium is electric. Lights flash, music pulses, and the crowd buzzes with anticipation. Lucifer Morningstar, the King of Hell, stood amongst the throngs of demons, feeling out of place in his own realm. He had been reluctant to come, but Charlie insisted.

"You need a break, Dad," Charlie turns to him with a smile as security guards surround them. "This will be good for you. And me, I desperately need a break from all the new guests at the hotel."

"Yeah, they are pretty exhausting," Vaggie adds.

"Sinners suck." He whispers with a wide grin.

Despite his initial reluctance, Lucifer finds himself intrigued by the atmosphere in the stadium. The VoxTek Stadium, with its state-of-the-art design and acoustics that reverberate throughout Hell's depths, is a testament to the newfound cultural renaissance gripping the underworld.

As they make their way closer to the stage, Lucifer can't help but notice the vibrant mix of demons, angels, and redeemed sinners, all eagerly awaiting the performance.

"You're going to love this, Dad. She puts on an amazing show." Charlie nudges him gently.

"Wait, I didn't even ask, who are we seeing?" He asks.

"Oh, it's El-"

As Charlie is about to finish saying Elizabeth's name, the stadium suddenly erupts into chaos. The lights dim and the crowd begins screaming and cheering as loud as possible. Lucifer turns to the front as colors form across the stage and onto the big screen up front.

The lights cast a mystical aura over the scene. The crowd's screams and cheers reverberate through the air, increasing anticipation. Colors swirl across the massive screens flanking the stage, creating a mesmerizing backdrop that pulsed with energy.

As dancers begin to enter the stage, finding their spots around the center, people lose their minds. Lucifer stands with his eyes fixed on the stage as images flash across the screens—scenes of celestial beauty juxtaposed with fiery landscapes of Hell. Each visual goes with the rhythm of the music.

The air is filled with excitement as the music intensifies, reaching a fever pitch that matches the feeling of the audience. Then, as if summoned by the song, a figure rose from the center of the stage. She emerged slowly, bathed in a spotlight that seemed to gather all the light in the universe around her.

His stomach falls as soon as he sees her. He could recognize that face anywhere, those dark brown curls, those deep green eyes. The first notes of the song float through the air, and as she opens her mouth to sing, her voice, clear and ethereal, fills every corner of the stadium. The crowd goes wild, caught in the spell of her presence, but Lucifer remains rooted to the spot, his gaze locked onto her.

It was her—El, Lizzie, Liz, his best friend.

Memories flood back in a rush: their laughter under the willow tree, the stolen moments in Eden, when he fell. He would've never expected to see her again, not like this, commanding the stage with grace and power.

Lucifer feels a mix of emotions surge within him—longing, regret, and a desperate hope to somehow make amends for the past. He has to find a way to reach her. He immediately takes his hat off and begins to fix his hair nervously, as if it matters.

Stupid, stupid, there's no way she can even see me from here, he thinks.

She looks beautiful. She still looks just as young as she did when they met. Her eyes still have that youthful spirit and she looks exactly the same. When did he change so much? He watches her with stars in his eyes throughout the first three songs.

The only thing different is the way she's dressed. Since she's in Hell, she's wearing a red leather jacket, a red lacy top, and this little black skirt that matches with these platform black boots. Her eyes are just as striking as ever and when the first three songs are done, she walks over to a mic stand in the center of the stage. She's only a few feet in front of them now and he can really see how beautiful she is.

She takes a step back and teasingly takes off her jacket, handing it to a dancer. The crowd goes wild and it makes her laugh as she goes up to talk. And if he didn't know it by now, that laugh of hers tells him that it's still his same old El.

"Hi, everybody, I'm Elizabeth," She says and once again, everyone starts cheering. "But after tonight, we're gonna be so close, you can call me Liz."

"It's so cute that she says that as if people don't know who she is." Charlie leans over to tell him.

"And I would like to take this incredible opportunity you've given me to say, Welcome to the Long Way Down Stadium Tour." She says proudly holding her arms out.

"I know her!" Lucifer tries to tell Charlie.

"What?" She yells and he knows she can't hear him.

"A little fun fact for all of you beautiful people in the Pride Ring," She continues, her voice ringing out confidently. "This is the first time anyone has been able to play three back-to-back shows in this stadium. Thank you so much for that. And thank you for joining me for the very first show in Hell for night one in Pride!"

The crowd erupts into cheers and applause, Liz smiles, soaking in the adoration and excitement.

"I've been dreaming of this moment for so long," She says, her voice softening just a bit. "To bring my music to all of you, to share this experience in a brand new setting."

Lucifer watches her intently, his heart aching with a mix of pride and sadness. This was the same Lizzie he had known, yet she had grown into someone even more remarkable. And he missed out on all of it.

"And tonight," She continues as she takes the microphone off of the stand, now having a red microphone, "I want to take you on a journey through my life, my friendships, my heartbreaks. Is everyone ready?"

The crowd roars in agreement as she turns around to walk away with a big smile and the music swells once more as Lizzie launches into the next song. The stage lights dance around her, creating a mesmerizing display that enhances the magic of her performance.

Seeing her up there shining the way she does makes this feeling go through his chest. He stands there like a ghost at the end of the hallway as he watches her. He needs to see her, he needs to talk to her. He's the King of Hell, for fucks sake, he can find a way to get backstage after the show.

After five costume changes, thirty songs, and a lot of dances, Liz reaches the end of the show. As the outro starts Liz steps back to the center of the stage with the microphone in her hand as the dancers begin to exit.

She begins introducing her band and her dancers for the second time before they all come together for a bow. She's glowing up there and Lucifer hasn't taken his eyes off of her for even a second.

"Thank you everybody for coming out tonight," She smiles widely. "You all have been an incredible crowd and once again, thank you!"

She then bows by herself just before the stage begins to lower her back down all while confetti is blasting in the stadium.

"I know her, I need to go meet her." Lucifer places a hand on Charlie's back as he talks closer to her ear.

"You know her? Since when?" Charlie yells.

"Since forever, I gotta go, you coming with?" He asks as people begin to walk out.

"Vaggie, come on!" Charlie squeals happily as Lucifer begins to walk away.

He takes the lead as he begins rushing to the side of the stage. The first couple of guards let him through because he's the King and he finds his way to the backstage door.

"I want to meet Elizabeth," Lucifer says calmly but firmly.

"I mean, I can let you back there, Your Highness, but she's already gone." The guard says nervously.

"What do you mean she's already gone? The show just ended." He says quickly.

"She has a house here in Pride and she throws these big parties after every show. I'm headed there after my shift, I can write you the address." The guard practically gulps.

"Thank you, that would be great." Lucifer immediately conjures a pen and paper before pushing it to the man's chest.

The guard quickly scribbles down the address, hands shaking slightly as he hands the paper back to Lucifer.

"Here you go, Your Highness. Just...be careful. Her parties can get pretty wild."

"Thanks," Lucifer says bluntly, taking the paper and turning back to Charlie and Vaggie.

"What's the plan?" Vaggie asks.

"We're going to this party," Lucifer replies, determination etched on his face. "I have to talk to her."

"Why are you so obsessed with this girl?" Charlie laughs. "I mean, I know she's hot but-"

"I've known her since the beginning do time, I met her before your mother was even created. She was my best friend." Lucifer tells them and they both go quiet.

"Oh...shit." Charlie coughs.

"Let's go then, let's find her." Vaggie nods and then so does Charlie.

The trio makes their way out of the stadium, dodging groups of concertgoers still buzzing from the performance. They manage to flag down a taxi and give the driver the address, settling in for the ride.

As they wind through the neon-lit streets of the Pride Ring, Lucifer's mind races. He hasn't seen El in centuries, and now she's back, more vibrant and powerful than ever. He needs to explain himself, to apologize, to make things right. But how? What can he possibly say to make up for the years of silence and pain?

She knows exactly what happened to him, she was there. And he wasn't exactly considering her in any of his actions when he should've.

The taxi pulls up to a grand, sprawling mansion, it's exterior pulsating with colorful lights and thumping music. Even from the outside, it's clear that the party is in full swing. Lucifer takes a deep breath and steps out, followed closely by Charlie and Vaggie.

"We're gonna go get a drink, you go." Charlie gently pats his back.

Lucifer nods as he turns to face the party. His eyes nervously scan the room, desperately looking for her. The scene inside is nothing short of chaotic. Demons, angels, and redeemed sinners alike fill the rooms, dancing, drinking, and reveling in the spectacle of it all. A few members of the hotel are sitting by a big table so Lucifer heads there first.

"Angel, hi." He stands beside the spider demon.

"Hey, I didn't know you'd be here." He smiles.

"Do you know where El is?"

"Who?"

"Elizabeth? The girl throwing this party?"

"Oh, I didn't know she was throwing this party. I haven't even seen her around. Apparently, she does these in Heaven too and she's rarely even there. Maybe she's here tonight though, I'm hearing a lot of whispers." Angel shrugs.

"Whispers? Whispers about what? What kind of person throws big ass parties they don't attend?" He asks.

"Who knows about that last question, but apparently, she's got a whole mystery vibe going on," Angel says, leaning back in his chair. "I've heard whispers that she's been seen in multiple places at once. Some say she's got an army of doppelgängers, others say she's got the power to teleport. There's even a rumor that she doesn't really exist, that she's just a legend conjured up by the desperate and the damned."

"Okay, none of that is true," Lucifer chuckles. "Wait, so no one knows where she is?"

"I'd ask Husk. He's upstairs gambling, money only, no souls." He shrugs.

"Thanks, Angel." Lucifer nods and Angel just hums as he walks away.

He then turns to the large staircase. It's grand and beautiful. The more he looks around though, the less the house feels like her. Not the Lizzie he knew, anyway. He turns the corner and his heart stops when he sees her right beside Husk at the table with a smile.

"Blow on my dice, Liz?" He chuckles.

"Come on, Husk, I wanna throw 'em." She giggles and he immediately hands her the dice.

Lucifer begins charging through the crowd like a bull but he can't get to her. People keep moving in front of him, trying to crowd her. They immediately block her, his height is no advantage. He tries to push through but it's no use. The crowd around her cheers and he groans as he tries to get to the front.

After a minute or so of pushing he gets to the front but she's not there. He practically falls to his knees to pray that he'll get to see her. It wouldn't work but he'd try anything at this point. When he sees Adam standing on the edge by the railing of the stairs, he cringes.

He swallows his pride as he walks up to the first man.

"Adam, hey...man." He says awkwardly.

"What do you want?" He scoffs.

"Do you remember Lizzie?"

"Of course, I do. She's hot as fuck, we've hooked up a few times." He smirks smugly and Lucifer wants to strangle him for a moment.

"Did you see where she went?"

"She doesn't want to see you."

"How do you know that?" He asks.

"She hates you."

His stomach drops for a moment. He believes it, he did a lot of stupid shit. But he still wants to see her. After all, he built his life around her and what she wanted without even thinking about it. He realized right after building this life here, building his own home, that he made it in the image of her dreams.

"I need to see her, Adam." He says more vulnerably than ever.

"Why do you want everything I want?" He turns to face Lucifer.

"It's not about that, it's just- you know our history. If you know where she is, please just tell me." He breathes out.

Adam thinks for a moment, his foot tapping as he leans on the railing again. He sighs for a moment before looking back at Lucifer.

"If she's anywhere, she's on the roof." He tells him.

"Thank you, Adam, really. Thank you." Lucifer smiles before immediately turning to the balcony.

When he pushes open the door at the top, he's greeted by a cool breeze and the sight of the city's neon lights stretching out into the horizon. He turns around and there's a small ladder that leads to the roof. He goes to climb it without hesitation and that's when he sees her. She has a water bottle in her hands and when she looks down to see him, it falls.

The small green bottle begins to roll down the roof but he catches it.

"Hey." He says softly as he places both feet on the roof and walks to sit beside her, offering the bottle.

"What are you doing here, Lucifer?" She sighs.

"I had to see you, I just saw your show. It was incredible," He says, his voice wracked with emotion. She looks stunning with the wind blowing her hair just right. "It's been too long, El. I needed to find you, to talk to you."

"Talk? After all this time? Why now?" She crosses her arms.

"Because you're important to me. And I made some dumb decisions but-"

"Don't minimize it to that. I warned you what would happen, I was stupid enough to stick by your side." She sighs. "You piss me off. You made me look stupid...weak. I loved you."

"I- El, I loved you too. I swear I did." He breathes out.

"No, you don't do that to someone you love." She shakes her head.

"Elizabeth, you knew me better than anyone." He starts.

"And now I don't. We haven't spoken in millennia, Lucifer. I'm okay with just being a part of your origin story and you being a part of mine. I'm okay with all of our memories being just stories. You should learn to be okay with that. I heard you have a daughter now— good for you." She sighs before taking a sip of her water.

"You were my first love." He turns to face her.

"Grow up, Lucifer." She laughs.

"I remember when I was 'Lu' and 'Luci' instead of just my full name." He sighs.

"I waited for you. I was convinced you'd return and tell me about the crazy journey you went through. And then I found out you got married and had a kid and I moved on. It's bad enough I had to hear about your every damn move knowing you never heard about me. You didn't have to go through that torture of watching me change." She leans back and looks up at the sky.

Before she can say anything else, she stands up and brushes herself off.

"Take care of your daughter. Don't make the same mistakes again." She says as she begins to walk away.

He watches her as she walks away with this feeling in his heart. He needs to make this better, he needs to fix this.

[sandcobangevent]

I Got You

by cup1ds_lover and @atlitudes

John notices the absence of the steady weight in this jacket pocket as he’s chasing Sherlock (who’s chasing a criminal) in a dead sprint down the Thames bankside.

He can feel his heart beating in his temples, in time with his shoes pounding into the damp cobblestone pathway. The chill of the night air numbs his fingers and the ends of his ears sting red.

The case had been a long one, following unreliable witness accounts, blurry security footage, and the tedious paper trail of jewelry smugglers moving valuable gems through the prop department of the Globe Theater– an engaging adventure for the listeners for sure. This is what John had been thinking of, imagining how worth it this all would be when he realized.

He couldn’t believe it. He forgot. He forgot the mic.

The worst part is that he knows exactly where he left it. He can see it in his head, sitting on the curb outside the theater where he and Sherlock had paused before the detective suddenly spotted their primary suspect, back to revisit the scene of the crime.

Said primary suspect has just… jumped into the river. And oh– ohhhhhh Sherlock is going in after him into the pitch-dark water.

“Sherlock! Sherlock! Hold on a second–  oh dear god–”

Bollocks.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Tell me why you thought it would be a good idea to jump into the bloody Thames?”

Sherlock’s clothes are sopping wet as he speaks with a shiver he’s clearly trying (and failing) to suppress. The thin blanket the Yard handed over when taking away the smuggler is not doing him any favors. The flashing lights of the police vehicles bounce off the wet cement and illuminate the distant figures of officers in the dark.

“Well Watson, our suspect intended to get away.”

“You look like a cat that’s been forced into the bath.”

“ Watson!”

The detective’s offended expression fails to cover for his fond smile. John chuckles to himself, reaching into his pocket to address the–

“Bugger. I forgot the mic outside the theater, maybe we could–”

Sherlock shivers pointedly and pulls the blanket further over his shoulders. The water from his clothes has started soaking through, leaving damp patches across his back, and dripping where he steps.

“--Err yeah, no chance it’s still there. I’ll call and see if the theater picked it up tomorrow, or get a new one altogether. Besides mate, we need to get you warmed up.”

“Please.”                        

Comfortable silence accompanied by two sets of footsteps fills the space around them as they make their way back to 221B. John peeks his head into the flat below to see the lights out; Marianna wasn’t waiting on them, good. He stops suddenly at the foot of the stairs. 

“Alright, you wait here and I’ll grab you a towel, then you get straight in a warm bath. I’ll have tea ready when you get out, we can’t have you getting hypothermia.”

He looks back, half expecting some form of stubborn protest from Sherlock, only to see him meekly removing his shoes and socks without a word. Good.

Bounding up the stairs as quietly as he can, John quickly walks into their shared bathroom, grabs a towel, and runs the faucet, putting the thermostat up a couple of degrees before padding back down to Sherlock, who’s sat on the first step, curled around himself. His eyes snap to John as he lands beside him, and a shaky dark hand meekly reaches out for the towel.

“You alright mate?”

Sherlock doesn’t respond immediately, standing on shaking legs before hobbling his way up. John follows at a slower pace, concern growing for the state of his friend. After checking that he made it to the bathroom, John moved into the kitchen to put the kettle on.

Two mugs from the second cabinet on the left above the stove. Sherlock had seemed… oddly despondent. Two tea bags into the mugs, one of which was taller than the other to accommodate longer hands more prone to fidgeting, a dash of milk into each. The least John could do was provide some warmth and some sort of congratulations– they had solved the case after all. He reached back into the pantry, and with an affectionate eye roll grabbed a bag of marshmallows, sprinkling a few in the first mug and leaving the bag clipped on the counter in case more were required. Coasters set out on the coffee table in front of the couch, both stained with the vague chemical residue of Sherlock’s experiments that couldn’t be washed out.

John was bringing their two favorite blankets out of the closet and arranging them into their spots on the couch when he heard the shower shut off. He wandered into Sherlock’s room, grabbing a clean pair of his most frequently worn sweatpants and fuzzy socks, and a sweatshirt from his own room– Sherlock found them comforting, for whatever reason– with the seams adequately worn down. He knocked gently on the bathroom door before cracking it open, setting the clothes down on the counter, returning to the couch, and putting on the Discovery channel.

A Mythbuster’s rerun had returned from a commercial break when Sherlock wandered out into the lounge and unceremoniously flopped onto the couch and began to make his blankets into a sort of nest.

“Kettle’s on.”

“Mmm.”

“This the one where Adam burns his eyebrows off?”

“No. That’s the Hindenburg.”

“Ahhh, yup, the Hindenburg episode. That’s a good ‘un. Classic.”

Sherlock was leaning his head on the arm of the couch, lazily watching the screen with tired eyes.

“You warm enough yet mate?”

“Getting there.”

The kettle reaches a whine from the kitchen and John starts to stand.

“Don’t fall asleep yet, alright? Got a little bit of a treat for you.”

Hearing a faint “oh?” from Sherlock’s swaddle, John retreats to the stove and pours their tea. When he returns, Sherlock is upright, turning off his phone to watch John eagerly when he returns and presses the warm mug into his hands.

When he sees the marshmallows he almost looks surprised at the thought of the gesture, blinking for a moment as John sits back down beside him and wraps his blanket around his shoulders, before smiling, and looking at his companion beside him.

“Watson?”

“Oh? What’s up, mate?”

“Thank you. For looking after me.”

It’s now John’s turn to be surprised as Sherlock’s head comes to rest on his shoulder. He can feel the warmth of his arm against his own as Sherlock presses insistently into his side. He responds after some seconds of quiet:

“Of course. Anytime.”

He rests his cheek atop Sherlock’s head, the soft silk of his bonnet smooth against his smile lines.

------------------------

Two empty mugs sit next to each other on the coffee table, and the TV has long since gone black when the thump of Sherlock’s footsteps coming up the stairs wakes John from sleep.

He’s still on the couch– at some point in the night, he and Sherlock laid down, with Sherlock’s head still nestled into his shoulder, both of their blankets covering them. At some point though, his companion had risen, and as John blearily blinks his eyes open to their dim lounge, he sees Sherlock set a package down on the table. 

“You forgot your mic. I uh– I got you a new one. Varying modes, extra strength casing. Warranty in the event that it gets damaged. Figured you might be in need of an upgrade. Priority shipping, of course, can’t be missing any new adventures. Receipt emailed to Marianna.”

He has the gall to almost look sheepish, his smile small, and his hands fidgeting in front of him.

John beams.

“Ohhhh you big lug, get back over here.”

And he does.

___________________

Check it out on AO3 too!

[honeygrahambitch]

Will grabbed a bottle of soy sauce and two ginger roots like Hannibal had asked him and lined up in the queue.

He had to go to the asian store to grab some emergency items which Hannibal needed urgently for dinner so of course he had asked Will to get them. He would have gone himself but he needed to take care of the rest of the food which was still cooking.

Will was not thrilled by the idea. They had been busy with a nasty murder last night and he thought he would be able to sleep during the whole afternoon. But those plans had been shattered when Hannibal had walked into the doorframe of their bedroom with a serious look on his face.

Will had been worried at first but the sentence which came next made him lift an eyebrow.

"I am in urgent need of soy sauce and ginger, Will."

So that was the reason why he was now waiting in the queue. There was just one cash register and she was quite slow.

Two young girls were sitting in line in front of Will, gossiping about "some hot dude at school". He was cranky anyway, the loud chatter and giggles only pissed him off more.

"No, no, no, he doesn't have a girlfriend. He is flirting with the whole school. Especially with the freshmen." One of them said and laughed loudly.

"I'm pretty sure he has. He posted a picture of himself and a pretty girl. Older than us though." The other one replied skeptically.

"Oh, shut up, Beverly, don't ruin my day!"

Will could not hear the rest of the conversation. His mind went blank as soon as he heard the name.

Her severed body flashed before his eyes and then their last conversation. He had replayed it in his mind for many times. It was the crime Hannibal had commited but her blood was not on his hands. It was on Will's.

"Sir?"

He had zoned out so deeply that he didn't realize he was right in front of the cashier. He mechanically paid for everything and left the store.

As soon as he got outside, his mind went back to the crime scene. To him, it had been one of the worst crimes Hannibal had ever committed. Right next to Abigail's. He had taken a good friend away from him.

She had been the only one ready to risk her job and life in order to look for evidence for him. Because he had kept pushing her. He had insisted and insisted until he had killed her. He felt something between rage and deep sadness towards Hannibal, but he felt even more rage towards himself. He shouldn't have let her get that close.

And for what? Her death had been in vain. He and Hannibal were almost engaged at that point. All the struggles to catch him had been reduced to nothing. Will felt like the biggest hypocrite. He ended up exactly like him. Beverly would have been disgusted if she knew what she had risked everything for.

"Will? Is everything alright?"

He had dissociated on the whole way home and didn't even greet Hannibal when he came in. He just left the paper bag on the kitchen counter and then he walked straight towards their bedroom.

"Will?" Hannibal insisted and followed him.

Will didn't even notice his attempts. It felt as if the floor was simply pulling him in as the walls of the room kept spinning. He hadn't thought about Beverly in a few years now. He had repressed everything so deeply that it felt as if a train had hit him.

He came back to his senses when he felt Hannibal's thumb on his cheek, wiping away a tear which escaped from his eye.

"It seems like you entered some dark rooms." Hannibal said referring to his mind palace.

Will nodded shortly as more tears ran down his face.

And in a matter of a second, the rage, the blame, the guilt, the sadness and the regret were replaced by something else.

He missed her.

She had been his friend and he was missing her. The adrenaline rushed so fast to his veins that he had to allow himself to sit on the floor, followed by Hannibal.

"I miss her" was all he said before he couldn't speak anymore and broke down in tears.

Hannibal wrapped his arms around him, as gently as possible, grateful that he did not push him away this time. Will pressed his face against his chest to muffle his sobs and look for some sort of comfort. Peculiar, to seek peace in the arms of the one who had caused you pain. Even more peculiar, to be able to admit that he loved him more than his own life.

Hannibal tried to figure out who he was talking about. Abigail? Hopefully not Molly, God. Alana? Even worse if it was the case. He doubted it was Abigail, he would usually get pretty cold towards him when it came to Abigail.

The Will he was holding now in his arms needed physical touch. Needed to consolation. Needed sweet words.

However, one thing was certain. He was the reason for Will's pain. It was certainly someone he had taken away from him that he was grieving now. If he could, he would bring back to life anyone, only to sooth his pain.

"I am so sorry." He had said as one of his hands ruffled his dark curls.

In reply Will sobbed even harder to the point where Hannibal wondered if he could breath properly.

Will kept crying in his arms until there were no more tears left. Until he could not feel a thing anymore. Not towards Beverly's death, not towards Hannibal and nor towards himself. He felt as cold as he would usually feel when he would take away someone's life.

He lifted his head and for a few seconds he and Hannibal looked at each other. In contrast to his, Hannibal's eyes were full of emotion. He wanted to help, to make it a bit better.

Will simply got up, turned his back to him and left the room, letting him on the floor alone with his regrets and apologies.

[deathsplaything]

Birds, Why Does it Have to be Birds? || Alistair & Jade

TIMING: Current LOCATION: Near The Beak PARTIES: @highoctanegem & @deathsplaything SUMMARY: Jade and Alistair are going about their days when the demonic birds decide to strike... something interesting happens. CONTENT WARNING: None

It was always super fun when Jade had to deliver anything in Harborside. And by super fun, she meant that she got to feel the breeze on her skin and appreciate the view. And by ‘appreciate’ the view she meant getting front-seat tickets to the anomaly offshore being a drama queen. The giant beak. (And sure, technically front seats would involve being on a boat somewhere but, she preferred the dry kinda seats for the spectacle) (In this case, at least).  

Once the greasy goods were delivered to the couple down the street, Jade sat on her bike, waiting for a new order to come through. A fine rain fell on her, which was like, totally romantic in aesthetics. She probably looked super hot like that, right? And how come nobody was around to capture the moment? Well, she was around, so she decided to take matters into her own hands and picked up her iPhone. She knew Regan would appreciate a rain soaked selfie. The wetter the better and all that. 

Except, she barely took one selfie, cause from the camera she noticed something wacky was going down in the ocean. (And character development dictated she was supposed to have her priorities straight, not gay). She slid the phone back into her jacket and climbed off her bike to get a better look at… huh. Birds? Well, they looked like it. Flocking in massive quantities around the beak like a spooky spiral. She knew they weren’t really birds, cause she’d been tipped already. They were demons. 

This wasn’t her jurisdiction, to be fair. But like, she did promise Eve to keep an eye out for the ‘geological anomalies’ around town. And demons and undead were probably like… distant cousins in a way. More than shifters or fae, probably. Anyway, if someone sat down and did the math, they’d realize lots of common denominators between the two species, which made her somewhat of an authority in the matter. (Emphasis on the somewhat).

Looking over to her side, Jade registered another set of footsteps approaching the scene. Oops. She probably shouldn’t be encouraging anyone to stay around, but people were nosy by nature. (Or was that just her?). She flashed a confident smile at the person, pointing at the beak. “The anomaly, huh? I bet they’re probably testing some fancy tricks for the public. They should totally milk it and build a theme park, I say”. 

—

Walking Brutus in the rain was awful, Alistair thought. But Brutus waited for no one, and they weren’t about to make Tommy walk with them in this horrible weather. So that’s how Alistair found themselves walking a new route with Brutus leading the way, ears pinned back from the wind but tail wagging all the same. 

Now the anomaly wasn’t something that Alistair really knew what it was. They hadn’t bothered with the going ons of the town for some time, more focused on Tommy and his schooling and therapy than anything else. Tommy was all that mattered, as far as they were concerned. Still, there was no denying that something odd was going on, something that was bound to get worse if it wasn’t dealt with, and soon. 

They hadn’t registered there was someone nearby until she started talking. They recognized the voice, that slayer from the cemetery. Well, they were in a new body, right? They could play it off, pretend they didn’t know anything— “Oh yeah, it’s totally an attraction and not a flock of birds sent here by gods only know what in order to kill us all,” Alistair spoke in a grumbly voice. 

Their gaze looked past Jade, over her shoulder instead of meeting her eyes. They didn't smile in return, not having known she was doing so in the first place. It was in that moment that the demonic birds started to fly a bit closer. Too close for comfort for Brutus, who’s tail stopped wagging and began to growl in warning towards the creatures that dared to get too close to him and his human. 

“Brutus, you’re not winning against the birds,” Alistair admonished. “Stand down.” But Brutus didn’t stand down, instead he kept his tail down and ears pinned back as the birds flew more erratically. 

—

There was a weird familiar vibe about this whole encounter that Jade couldn’t exactly pin down. Like, a forgotten filler episode you didn’t think would become relevant until you saw it in the recap at the start of the episode. Cause… she didn’t know this person in front of her, but their dog? She definitely remembered the dog. And she did cause he was beautiful and adorable and on a mission… just like he was the last time she saw them. That’s right! Where was that? Wasn't it when they defeated Kevin the spawn? But… the doggo had been accompanied by somebody else. The spellcaster with the rockstar vibes. Oh, what if he had two parents? That was always a possibility. 

The stranger’s cadence was also definitely a little bit familiar. But again, it also tracked. Assuming everybody in charge of the dog lived under the same roof, they were bound to rub off on each other. (Like, for example, how she was totally picking up an Irish lilt, right?). And ugh, Jade really needed to try the whole secrecy thing, definitely, but when the person clearly seemed to be in the know about it, what was the point in gaslighting anybody? (Well, the fun of it all) (But her duty kinda outweighed that this time). She sighed, conceding with a headshake. “Alrighty, fine. I mean, I had to try at least…” That was what Eve would’ve wanted. But the jig was up before it began, so now the real mission was ensuring this person had no plans of getting closer.   

“But, yup. It’s pretty bad. I hear it’s just how it goes around here though, nothing to really worry about. If we get picked up for another season, they’ll just vanish eventually. This is just…” Jade's eyes danced from the stranger back to the beak. “Raising the stakes,” she shrugged, thinking she was so freaking clever and funny for continuously sneaking the word stakes whenever she could. And oh! Brutus (which was apparently the doggy’s name) was definitely not a happy camper with the demons’ performance and was sure to let it be known. “I think maybe it’s best for you guys, especially my buddy over there, if you walk toward that park down the street? It has a cute little gazebo too, he can smell the flowers and all, way better than…” the flying demons flew past the shoreline, which definitely ruined a few people’s leisure strolls, but more importantly, they were flying towards them. Uh oh. 

Jade, knowing she had a calling to protect humankind, and also had a request from Eve to find whatever info she could on what was going on with these wannabe gremlins, wasted no time before opening the delivery box strapped to the back of her motorcycle, pulling out her trusted crossbow from it. She loaded the bolts into the quiver, eyes trained on the sky. This was never how she envisioned playing ‘Duck Hunt’, but she was totally rolling with the punches. Unfortunately, to her left… the human and their furry buddy were still there. “Come on guys, safety first!”

—

Jade talked a lot, this was a fact that Alistair had resigned themselves to upon their first interaction. The more she kept talking, the more they found themselves spacing out further. Then, they heard the sound of wings getting closer. Alistair didn’t need to be told twice to get a move on from Jade after they heard it, with Brutus barking and whining before listening to Jade and tugging his owner along. 

It was a quick realization that they were unarmed, and unable to do much of anything without something dead around. It was terrifying enough to be unarmed, it was made even worse by the fact that Alistair couldn’t see what was going on. “Shit,” they grumbled before dropping Brutus’s harness so the dog could get to safety, which of course, he didn’t. Brutus stayed fixed to his owner’s side, barking and snarling at the encroaching bird demons. 

“Tell me how to help!” They shouted as the flapping of wings and sounds of cawing grew louder. “I can’t do much until one’s dead.” He then said, frowning. “You know me. We’ve met before,” they said, more in a ramble than a true explanation. “Different body, but that’s a long story we don’t have time for right now. Shoot one down, and I’ll do what I can.” 

—

So, full disclosure, since she was big on admitting her wrongs these days, Jade totally miscalculated just how big the demons were in the distance. Like duh, she knew they had to be a total nuisance for everybody still out there trying to catch some beach breeze. But she’d thought they would be like, seagull levels of annoying. Nope! the more they approached, the more she realized they weren’t just a nuisance, they were also! Huge. Bigger than her at least. (Which normally wasn’t a good measuring standard, but when it came to demonic birds? It was the best to compare it to one small person). 

Well, crap. The birds circled them for a beat, all ominous and stuff, probably trying to decide who looked yummier or something, and that was when Jade noticed neither the human nor the dog had dipped to safety. Ugh. But whatever grievances she wanted to air out were immediately forgotten when the other asked how to help. Cause wasn’t leaving, finding a place to stay safe way more helpful than whatever they could do out here? Unarmed? She didn’t say anything about that, though cause then came the biggest revelation so far: Jade actually knew this person. “Wait… hold up, you?” Alistair? Was that the name? It was definitely the name. Cause she remembered thinking how fitting it was for a necromancer to be called that. Stop it, enough tangents. Alistair was a necromancer! They could actually do something about the demonic birds. So this whole thing got pushed down from the big finale boss category to the level two villain. Whew.

“Amazing!” Jade beamed at their plan. They were on the same wavelength, thinking the same thing. (Just… in like a more convoluted way, probably) (She didn’t think Alistair had an epic OST playing in the back of their head) (They should, though). But right, plans. She could take ‘em out and Alistair could like, turn them against their own. It was a pretty ideal team-up. (Like imagine being stuck in this sidequest with a baker or something? How would that be useful? That only worked on The Hunger Games) (Sorry, tangents). She raised her crossbow, trying to aim at one of the flying demons. It was pretty hard cause of the whole… moving thing, but Jade kept the sight set on a particular one. This was nothing she hadn’t faced before. She just had to avoid getting pounced! And or kidnapped. This was like, easy mode.

A flock swooped down on them, all sharp talons and sharp teeth, but Jade braced herself. Being in such proximity to danger kinda made her go into hyper-focused mode (something, something, hunter training), which was so convenient for everybody involved. The first bolt, she put through the skull of her target, a cocky grin spreading across her face when the demon’s flight halted abruptly, flopping onto the pavement two beats later. It began seeping black goo from its head, the same type of goo from a season ago. Jade wasn’t sure if the bird was dead, dead… cause…demons, but she was positive it wasn’t alive anymore. Or it wouldn’t be flying so soon again, at least. “Can you do your… green strings thingy on it?” Jade asked, noticing another demon diving, aiming for the pup. Nope, not allowed. Her movements were sharp as she fired another bolt at the offending creature. It sank past the feathers in its chest, the force of the impact deviating it from the dog. It screeched, flying erratically around, then above them, before sinking down to try and swipe the crossbow from her hands.     

—

Admittedly, and not at all surprisingly, Alistair did not have a soundtrack playing in their head as the demonic birds descended upon them. No, instead it was internal screaming as the large birds got closer to Brutus through their sight. “Brutus, get out of here!” The necromancer shouted, a strong need to protect their companion surging through them. Brutus, ever the surivivor, decided (for once) to listen to Alistair and run off, leaving Alistair without any aid to their sight. That was alright, they could do this. They listened to the sounds around, them, the loud flap of wings, the sound of a crossbow firing, the thud on pavement. 

As soon as she asked for assistance, Alistair knew it was time to act. They quickly began to pull from the magic around them, and the ‘green strings’ as Jade so eloquently put it, began to form around the beast, green tendrils of smoke commanding it to rise from the ground and act. Form the sound of it, Jade was the one in trouble, so that’s where they aimed their attack. The dead demonic bird would take flight and lunge at the other demonic bird, talons ripping and tearing into the beast as it cried out in pain before turning into a black ooze that Alistair couldn’t see. 

A third demonic bird came flying toward Alistair to interrupt the magic, only for them to send the bird they were controlling flying back toward the sound of wings, repeating the process. “How many are there?” They asked, voice insistent and harsh as they concentrated on their spell. They could hear Brutus barking in the distance away from them, running around to dodge demon birds and just generally freak out (Alistair vaguely wished it could be them). 

As soon as Alistair relinquished control of the dead demonic bird they were controlling, it too, turned to the same black ooze, and Alistair frowned when they couldn’t grab on to anything in order to cast their spell. “What’s happening?” They asked frantically, brows knitting together in worry.

__

Jade didn’t mind that she was tussling with a demonic beast that was almost her size, she didn’t even care about the sharp talons slicing her jacket while she tried maintaining the grip on her crossbow. Nope, the most important thing, was that Alistair’s doggo finally decided to obey and ran off from imminent attack. She hoped the audience was cheering for that, cause she was, in spirit. But like, those talons did hurt, to be fair. These demons did not care for manicures, that was for sure. Jade twisted her body away from the continuous attacks, keeping her weapon tucked away from the bird’s grasp. “Stop it!” She swatted her hand, using her arm to cover her head as best as possible. She actually had lots of experience on this, having four siblings who loved to take toys away from her so she’d focus on training. And… she didn't have to worry about the bird for much longer, cause from her peripheral vision she clocked the green smoke Alistair was famous for, taking hold of the demon Jade had already shot. She sensed it fly in her direction, crashing against the demon trying to take her crossbow. And welp, she jumped away from that mess, watching the two monsters have a go at it. Yikes.

There was black ooze everywhere on the pavement after Alistair’s puppet came out victorious. And if this was the same kinda black goo that trapped her and a few others in that building not too long ago, then Jade definitely didn’t want that anywhere near her. There was no time to make all the witty jokes she wanted to make about the situation, cause she was locked in on this sidequest. She reloaded the bolts in the quiver, getting ready for another charge of demons. At Alistair’s question of numbers, she realized that Brutus being at a safe distance also meant… their Bluetooth vision had disconnected. Shoot. But hey, they were still being a total badass with the spell? It was super cool. “Three more flying directly our way…” she called with trained measure, lifting her weapon to aim. She looked over to the beak, just to make sure more of them weren’t preparing to take off too and sneak attack them. But she didn’t see any demon birds. She just saw the structure in all its majesty, except for a small (from where she stood, but… perspective) impact near the bottom. Parts of the material crumbled down to the ocean and… wait, was that already happening when they got here? She really should’ve been paying more attention. “I think that’s it for now!” she tore her eyes away from the erosion, just in time to see Alistair order their puppet demon to attack one of the incoming threats. 

They weren’t counting on Alistair’s spell to fail when the bird dissolved into goo, just like the one who had tried to steal her crossbow. So that meant… they could only have control for like, a short amount of time, right? They had an expiration date. As long as Jade took out one more that should be enough for Alistair to do their thing. Sadly, this surprise finding had completely derailed her attention span by the time the demons swooped on them. One surged directly toward her, tackling her to the ground. Ouch. The crossbow flew from her hand and bounced away from her grasp, but Jade actually had no time to worry about that small problem when a set of sharp teeth was coming for her. She used her free hands to push back against the monster’s beak. “Noooo…Not the face!” The bird shrieked at her, which sounded a lot like ‘bitch’, but she managed to finagle her body in a way that allowed her to pluck a dagger from her belt. She wasted no time, plunging the blade into the demon’s neck. (Neck?) (Neck). Black goo oozed from the opening, and Jade shrunk just before it dripped onto her face. Nope, bad idea. It went into her hair. Her hair. (How dare?) She screeched (and Regan would’ve been proud of the volume she reached), suddenly remembering she was strong strong, flipping and slamming the demon onto the ground. The dagger sliced its throat, but she was mindful not to avenge herself too hard. And risk melting the thing into full goo. She scrambled to her feet and dashed to her crossbow, trusting Alistair to do what needed to be done with their new minion.       

—

There were moments in which Alistair doubted their abilities without their eyesight. There were moments where flying blind really did raise their blood pressure to new levels as their anxiety sky-rocketed. Anything could happen, and they wouldn’t see it coming. No, They didn’t have time to think about this, to doubt their very existence. Focus. There are three more. As soon as Jade started shouting about her face, Alistair’s brows pinched together with worry, only for the sound of something stabbing the beast made itself known. Then she was screaming, which, okay. Sure. 

“Screaming about your face doesn’t help me!” They found themselves shouting back in frustration, but quickly took hold of the dead demonic bird thing and began puppeting it toward the other two, having it fly as fast as it could toward the other sounds of wings until it pierced into it, instantly turning it to goo. “One more!” Alistair shouted as their own corpse puppet turned to goo, splashing to the earth far below it. 

Brutus let out a low, warning bark as one of the birds came towards him, beginning to circle the dog and cry out, talons heading right for him. “Jade, don’t let them touch my dog!” Alistair cried out, uncharacteristic fear in their voice. When it came to their dog, that was their weakness. As the demonic bird swooped down, Brutus let out a loud bark and began snarling, bearing his teeth to the demon who showed no care for the dog’s warning signs. As the bird went to make contact, Brutus opened his mouth and bit down on the bird’s wing, causing it to cry out. 

_

It was a little rude of Alistair to say they didn’t care about her face (paraphrasing), but Jade knew they were both in a pickle so she wasn’t gonna take it too personally (this time). Cause, bigger fish to fry and all that. Or demons to fry, more like. These demons were dripping black goo everywhere they died, including the delivery box on her bike. That part did make her a little mad and worried, cause Roxie had been Onyx’s before it was hers and she’d promised him to take good care of it. (Just like she’d promised him she would become the best slayer in the family) (So she wanted to at least keep one of those promises intact). She just couldn’t lose Roxie cause of some ugly demons with terrible vibes. 

The good news was, Alistair could still do the thing without their doggy aiding them. They were still pulling their weight on this assignment. Which meant, there was only one last demon standing (flying) to ace this. Except this one had the nerve, the gall, the gumption to go after Brutus. Like a real villain. Jade heard Alistair’s warning and her heart leaped to her throat, fearing for the poor baby. The demon flew low, showing off sharp talons that it would totally use to hurt the cutest dog in town. Not on her watch! “I got it!” She said, even if she definitely didn’t get it yet. But she would, cause she had her crossbow back, and a fire in her belly ignited by that ugly monster coming for someone’s baby.

She couldn’t stop picturing her own babies being bullied by those demons, obviously. So her first instinct was to tackle the monster and quickly push it off Brutus. Go at it with her bare fists. That would be what any doting parent would do for their fur child. But she took a steadying breath, tuned out her heartbeat despite concern beating in her chest, knowing that she could be a lot more effective from the distance. She lined up her crossbow, aiming for the head, tracking down the movement as he swooped on Brutus. She felt the wind around them, estimated how it would skew the bolt, minimized every factor that might change the bolt’s trajectory. There was a life on the line. And Brutus, the good boy he was, had some fight in him too. Jade took advantage of him chomping on the bird’s wing, When she zeroed in on the demon’s head, everything moved at half-speed. She squeezed the trigger and trusted her weapon to deliver. The bolt flew across the air,  the way she wanted it to. It hit with precision. Headshot. The bolt oozed black goo in its exit and the demon shook before plummeting to the ground. 

Jade ran toward Brutus, kneeling to check for any signs he’d been hurt. “Thank you, you were so badass” she cooed, scratching the top of his head. “He’s all good!” She shouted at Alistair, and…as much as she was tempted to, she refrained from picking Brutus up. “We’re good. Well, I’m a little scratched actually, but scars are attractive, right?” And ouch, her jacket was actually torn, and she felt the sting on her skin to know those talons had gotten through her. The bird’s body twitched next to them, almost like it still wanted a rematch, but the goo pouring from its head said not today. (Not ever, actually, cause a second later it was a puddle). She stood, encouraging Brutus to get away from the goo and go meet Alistair. Just then, she exhaled in relief, brushing the strands of hair that came loose from her ponytail. 

In the distance, that beak was lowkey still acting up, leaking some of that solidified goo onto the water. But like, no demons were spawning from it anymore so… they had nothing to worry about, right? Huh. So, usually, when Jade felt there was nothing to worry about, there was definitely something to worry about. But what was it? Was the beak already leaking when they got there? She didn’t think so, but she had no way of— wait! The selfie. Jade reached for her phone, zooming on the photo she’d snapped right before the demons decided to make a big mess. And yup, sure enough, the beak was right behind her, erect and thick and positively beaky. More importantly, definitely not leaking anything sus. (So many jokes, so little time) (she was on the clock, she couldn’t). Jade moved closer to Alistair and Brutus, head tilted so her brain cells could rub together and connect the dots. If the demons were coming from the beak, and now a small part of the beak was disintegrating after they squashed said demons… Hypothetically, wouldn’t hurting more demons make the beak leak even more goo? “Oh,” two plus two, right? She was gonna have to get Alistair up to speed with her suspicions, but she thought she was cooking something here. She turned to the pair, hoping Brutus Vision was back on, so she could show Alistair her phone. “Okay, we should definitely tell someone about this”

[taleya15]

Will’s late birthday present

Will woke up right at 7:00 AM, making sure that he was ready to go to the airport. He debated whether or not to bring Mike the painting he made or not. He ultimately decided that he would. He wrapped it up gently in his hands and remembered exactly what today was. His birthday. He’s officially 15 years old today, and he’s more than excited to spend it with his best friend and his sister. By the time Argyle had shown up, all three of the Byers siblings were ready to go. On the way there, for some unknown reason Jonathan and Argyle hadddd to smoke on the way there.

But not even the terrible smell could dim Will’s energy. He was so excited to see his best friend. Especially since they haven’t spoken in a long time. He really hopes that Mike remembers what today is. By the time Mike’s plane lands, he’s anxiously watching the other passengers on the plane leave before him. He doesn’t know why, but the thought of seeing Will. He- he gives Mike butterflies in a way he doesn’t understand. During that first phone call he noticed something different. His voice in particular, it was deeper by at least three octaves.

He couldn’t find a reasonable explanation for why butterflies erupted in his stomach. That’s not why he didn’t talk to Will though. Joyce had gotten a telemarketer job. She’s always on the phone, Mike hates it. He misses his best friend, but at the same time. He’s been dreading this moment for a week straight. When Mike finally gains his courage to move he puts his sunglasses over his eyes and finally walks out.

The second he’s out, he spots El and waves to her and El instantly runs to him. She crushes him instantly in a bone crushing hug. He grunts before figuring out how to get her off him. He feels almost embarrassed? Especially that Will saw it.

“Wait stop you’re gonna squish your present.” She unlaced herself from him, to see the flowers that he had picked for her. Her smile reach’s her eyes as she looks at them.

“Yeah I picked these for you in Hawkins I know you like purple so I got some purple. But I also know you like yellow so I got you yellow- but actually now I’m thinking it’s too much yellow. I-”

“Mike. It’s perfect.” She smiles kindly at him and reads the note saying “from Mike.” She sighs sadly at that. But a now fake smile goes to her face and she shoves the disappointment down.

“Oh! Hey!” Mike finally addressed Will, and that’s when he remembered what today was. He hugged Will hard almost knocking him back. Mike gently whispered in his ear.

“Happy birthday.” They pull away and Will smiles brightly at him with a light pink blush brushing his cheeks.

“Thanks Mike.”

“I um- I got you something to.”

“Yeah?” Mike pulled out a comic book from his bag and handed it to him. It’s nothing special just a flash comic, but to Will it meant everything to him.

“Thank you Mike! I love it. Oh! I have something for you to.” Will got a confused look from Mike until he unravels his painting. He worked on it for almost a month now. He wanted it to be as perfect as possible, he created a DND scene with the party fighting a huge three headed dragon. Will was nervous about Mike’s reaction at first, but seeing the smile and eye twinkle made it all worth it.

“You painted this?”

“Yeah! Do you um like it?”

“Of course I do Will thank you!” Will smiled and Mike suddenly realized there were other people there as well. He addressed Jonathan simply and put his sunglasses over his head. The other man smiled at him and Mike nodded back to him.

“So, shall we go?” He addresses everyone, and they all make the move to leave. Mike subconsciously wraps his arm around El, and she leans closer to him. While Will is a few steps behind El.

“I have the entire day planned first we’re having breakfast burritos.”

“What? Burritos for breakfast?” El giggles before responding. Remembering how weird that sounded to her to.

“I know trust me!”

“No, I trust you it just seems a little weird.” Mike glances over Els head by accident, and makes eye contact with Will. He doesn’t know why, but it makes him instantly flustered. He looks down instantly and kisses El’s head. Pushing down the butterflies in his stomach. He’s griping the painting in his hand lightly, making sure nothing happens to it.

“Then of course we’re going to rink o mania!” Mike’s brought out of his trance at that sentence.

“Ok, what’s rink o mania?”

“It’s the most fun place in Lenora! It has skating games!”

“Oh, cool. Are your friends going to meet us there?”

“Friends? What friends?” Will piped in instantly at that. Neither Will or El has “friends” in fact El’s been getting bullied this entire time. El’s attention snaps to him. She instantly hits him in the stomach with her flowers.

“Ya know, Stacy and Angela.” She glares daggers at him but Will doesn’t care.

“Angela?” He questions back at her, his eyes are daring her in a way. So she instantly looks back down.

*Time skip to at the rink o mania!*

The crew sits down at the bench and they then notice that, Mike doesn’t have socks. Will speaks up and shows him where they are.

“Here I’ll go with you.” Mike nods instantly, and they walk over to the counter. In line is when Will finally addresses all the lies.

“El. She hasn’t been telling you everything.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“She’s not friends with Stacy and Angela. She’s actually been being bullied by them. Almost this whole time. And yeah, we’ve been to parties here; but for mom’s work. Not because of what she implied.” Mike’s face hardens and screws up into a scowl.

“Bullshit!”

“Have I ever lied to you before?”

“I-” whatever sentence dies in Mikes throat when he realizes what Will says.

“I’ll- I’ll talk to her ok? But let’s not ruin your birthday alright?” Will smiles and nods, Mike smiles back and Will heads back to El. He sits down in his original seat and just puts his skates on. Ignoring the questioning look of his sister. Just as he ties his last skate, Mike plops down in between them.

“So! I asked for vomit green, and I got vomit green. Isn’t that awesome?” Both El and Will chuckle at that, and Mike grows a proud little smile to his face. Not realizing that El is getting increasingly anxious. She doesn’t know what her brother said to her boyfriend, and scared that he’ll find out the lies she’s been spinning. She doesn’t address it though, and neither do the boys.

Somehow El had managed to keep the lies up. Not ever addressing it until the next morning. Except El didn’t get out of her room for breakfast. So Mike brought the now cold egos to her. Not noticing the sad sigh, that he gets from Will. Mike doesn’t remember it then but El wasn’t wrong when she wrote to him saying that the painting was for the person he likes.

Mike gently knocks on El’s door before walking in and setting the waffles down. “Hoppers cabin right?” She nods as he goes to sit on her bed.

“So, are we not going to talk about it?” She turns towards him confused.

“Talk about what?”

“The- well ya, know. The lying last night I mean.”

“I didn’t lie.” She stands instinctively feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.

“El. I could tell. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on? I’m willing to listen. I care for you so much! You know that.”

“Care.” El scoffs before responding back to him.

“But you don’t love me anymore?”

“Who- who said that I didn’t?”

“You never say it.” Instead of defensive, now El just feels hurt. In a way, Mike and El switched there emotions and Mike new feels as defensive as she did.

“I say it.” El scoffs again before going into a box that has all the things that Mike sent her. She pulls out a small pile of letters and starts reading the final greeting of each one.

“From Mike. From Mike. From Mike. From! From! From!” Her voice breaks at the last “from” And Mike finally stands up as well.

“El! Come on your being ridiculous, that- that doesn’t mean anything.”

“Then say it.”

“What?”

“Just. Tell me that you love me, please.”

“I- I.”

“Get out.”

“What? El, come on.”

“I said GET OUT MIKE!”

Mike feeling defeated leaves the room and goes down to the basement. There lives the only person who actually knows Mike. He walks down to see Will lying on his bed throwing a ball in the air. Mike enters the room and closes the door. That’s when Will notices him, and sits up to greet him.

“Oh, hey Mike! Are you ok?” Mike just sighs, and shakes his head before joining Will on the bed.

“What’s wrong?”

“El. We just had a fight, like a big one. Like one you can’t come back from, I don’t think.”

“Why? What happened?”

“I- well she wanted me to say something. But I just couldn’t.” Will seems to understand what he was supposed to say. Even though he’s never been in a relationship before, he’s seen quite a few of them to know what he meant.

“I think sometimes it’s just scary to open up like that, to say what you really feel.” Mike nods in understanding, not realizing what Will is actually talking about. They stay silent for a moment, until Mike dramatically falls back onto the bed. Will chuckles before laying back with him.

“Why are girls so hard?” Will chuckles again before answering.

“No idea Mike.” Will smiles to himself thinking of a gay joke. And if Will had enough courage he’d say it out loud, but sadly he does not. So they just go back to comfortable silence. Will thinks that they’re done talking, but in the tiny break of silence; Mike finally remembers EXACTLY what El had sent him about in the last letter.

In particular, what that painting meant. So with all the confidence he could muster, he asked the question that could completely change their relationship.

“Will- do you um- like me?” At first Will just chuckles, then it becomes a full laugh.

“No Mike, since kindergarten I’ve been pretending that I like you.” Mike’s lips curl up, his eyes were uncomfortable.

“Will. I’m- I’m being serious here.” Instantly Will prop’s himself up with his elbow. He’s looking at Mike confused, like he couldn’t understand what he was talking about.

“Mike, what are you talking about?” Mike at first couldn’t speak, he could only mirror Will’s posture. He couldn’t even look at Will from the neck up. All he could do, was memorize the plaid pattern on Wills yellow shirt. He was staring intestinally at his stomach, under Mike’s gaze Will started to feel flustered.

He started to fidget with his fingers, and look at Mike uncomfortably. “Mike.” Finally being able to snap himself out of his trance. He looked Will in his eyes.

“Do you- do you um have a crush on me?” Will eyes seemed to widen three sizes.

“I- what- what do you mean?” Will swallows the lump in his throat. In sync Mike seems to be doing the same. Mike without any once of control, he glances at Will’s lips. Will’s heart rate seems to increase, he’s almost frozen in place. Mike for a fleeting moment seems to get confident by how flustered Will became in the two seconds since he clarified.

“Do. You. Like. Me?” His voice lowers an octave, and a blush immediately tints his cheeks. Will can only nod in conformation. A blush this time hits Mike’s cheeks, and Will seems to smile.

“Do you um like me to?” Mike smiles and nods a little.

“Yeah, I- I think I do.” The boys smile, and in sync they subconsciously move closer to each other. Then without either of them thinking about it, they kiss. It’s barely anything, barely even a peck. But to both boys it was completely world changing. Even though Mike had been able to make out with someone for a way longer time. This kiss seemed to knock the wind out of him.

And for Will… even though it was his first kiss. He felt like he finally knew what everyone meant when they’d say when they felt like they were on cloud nine when they’d kiss someone. Finally for both boys, they felt as though they could live. Not just survive. It was the best late birthday gift, Will could’ve ever asked for.

Note!

I’d like to thank everyone once again for the 500 likes! And i hope you all like this one shot!

[skarkkk]

First;

I think it's cool that the triangle is over, and that Tristan is with Vivian and Max and Avery are together, but it also doesn't seem right. I don't see much chemistry in Max and Avery together, you know? Just the two of them, even though I like them just as I like Tristan and Vivian.Something is missing, and we know what it is.

Second;

I loved that a bunch of cool costumes appeared in the Halloween episode (Wolverine, Addams, Jack fucking Sparrow, Velma, etc.) and I loved Tristan being a fan of Halloween.

Third;

I liked that there was a bad experience there just with Tristan getting high, but he barely had it this episode so I don't know what to say, besides that I was really expecting something more serious precisely because of him bumping into Gomes.

Fourth;

Tristan extended his hand to Avery, then extended the other to Max, and the look that Max and Avery exchanged and then looked at Tristan, damn, there's no way this won't end in a threesome, right? Does everyone agree? I want a slowburn, an attraction and denial of feelings between the boys and I want Vivian to be happy, but maybe don't with Tristan because he already has a man and a woman for him.

Fifth;

yes fuck, long live lesbians, I was happy she didn't die and didn't lose her arm (even though I think she was pretty stupid for going into that cave, but what can you do, brave people) and it ended well for them.

Sixth;

I need the Captain to have daddy issues, please, because then I can use "A middle-aged man who is healing boy's daddy issues while also healing his own." for his relationship with Tristan because I found it so meaningful and cute that he let Tristan wear his uniform (even though he said it was because of the near-death experience, I know your type, sir he's not my son-he's my son) and I really hope she's right, because it would be awesome to see Tristan's Mommy Issues put aside while he creates a father-son relationship, you know? Because now I'm also curious about his father, who I don't remember if they mentioned it until now, but anyway, yeah, I need to know.

Seventh;

can we talk, as fans of Doctor Odyssey and 911, how easy is it for someone to do a crossover starting with the guy from the cruise who was also on Athena and Bobby's cruise? That blond guy who was in Flash too. Someone really needs to do this. Maybe an almost Eddie/Tristan that triggers Buddie and Avery/Max/Tristan... Just an idea (someone please do it)

Eighth;

I had said in the study of the other episode that I wanted to see Tristan in a near-death experience, coincidentally that happened, but I don't feel like it was enough. I need more trauma, more character development and more Max/Tristan because I love their interactions.

Ninth;

okay, like Jack Sparrow Max might have won, but Tristan got the better of Neptune there.

Tenth;

(oh my god, how did I almost forget this???) that scene with Tristan at the party, the first one where he sees Max with the same Neptune costume but also before that, when it showed his blurred vision and he almost bumped into people, you know? We all realized that the looks those men gave him were definitely Queer as hell, we also noticed his confused state, but still, it means something, right? What men on this cruise want him (totally understandable) and maybe he can want them back? Maybe a scene of some man hitting on him and Max kind of in that way that we readers like, Tristan realizing some things about himself, if he doesn't already know. Because, come on, mommy issues (seeking approval, probably a "what's wrong with me?" ) + running away to the sea (repressing himself, an escape) + medicine (self-demanding, pressure) + giving off that vibe? This boy may not end up with Max and Avery, but there's no way he's 100% straight, please.

Eleventh;

Still waiting for a mention of Brazil... Silva... please ABC?

[ananxiousgenz]

Part 3 OF THE HADESTOWN FLASH FIC

for anyone who is actually reading these in order: they are not in any real kind of order. I am simply writing as the inspiration comes to me so the scenes are all over the fuckin place. also if this isn't as good as the prior parts, i apologize, i am eepy and my brain isnt working very well

@smidgen-of-hotboy and @ceaseless-watchers-special-girl psppsps come get your juice (@urjover and @one-joe-spoopy and @waters-and-the-wilde you guys can come read this too!!)

part 1 and 2 are on my account somewhere

the world straighted up and took notice the day peter nureyev walked into that bar.

well, maybe not the world.

but fate certainly did. and so did juno steel. and maybe that's close enough.

it was another day like they had all been in that eternal winter: windy, overcast, and grey, with a kind of chill that doesn't nip as much as sink its fangs into your bones and never let go. he'd come into the bar for the same reason everyone else had, juno assumed, trying to get out of the wind and cold and warm up a little. but there was no warmth to be found here. no true relief from the constant cold that had been the norm for years.

spring had disappeared. and the world had never really quite recovered from its loss.

juno wasn't discouraged, though. he knew there had to be a way to fix it, and then it came to him while he was stacking crates out behind the bar a few days ago. a simple song popped into his head, and when he sang it. oh, when he sang it. it was like spring with all of its warmth and goodness and chaos had come back into the world for just a moment. and then the moment was over, and juno left with the knowledge that maybe, just maybe, he could fix things. the song needed work, certainly, but even as it was, it could fix a lot.

not everything, but a lot. he knew deep down some things could simply never be fixed.

he was musing about how to continue the song while wiping down one of the bar tables that seemed to be perpetually sticky with old beer and fading finish when the door creaked open, announcing a new customer. the work never stopped here, did it? no matter, he'd get to them in a minute when he was finished with this table and then he'd-

oh.

he glanced up at the new customer and suddenly found himself rooted to the spot, heart pounding and face flushed.

he was.... he was.........

wow.

this new customer was quite possibly the most stunning man juno had ever seen. his hair was mussed from the wind outside and his face was flushed with cold. standing tall and lean in an oversized traveling coat, features sharp and clever as he spoke with juno's coworker at the bar. a streak of dirt rested on his cheek just below his wire rimmed glasses as he wriggled his warm leather gloves off.

he was clearly tired. everyone was. hard times do that to a people. but this man wore the exhaustion like a fine diamond bracelet, made for him in a way that complimented his countenance perfectly.

he was beautiful.

and that made him dangerous.

not that juno cared. he was quite fond of danger.

the man finally sat down at a table and sighed deeply, propping his head up on his hand as he waited for the drink he ordered. juno simply kept staring. he wasn't quite sure what to do next outside of stare. a thousand words were flooding his brain and all of them were stuck in his throat.

rita, his coworker, noticed. "you really wanna talk to him, dontcha boss?"

juno could only nod. dammit, why couldn't he say anything??

"then go DO it, boss!! whataya waitin' for?"

he opened his mouth to make some snappy remark, but nothing came out, so he just closed his mouth and nodded.

"oh, and mista steel?"

"yes, rita?"

"don't come on too strong, okay? I know you get a little excited about meetin' pretty people sometimes-"

"oh gods, rita, that was one time!!"

"well, it still cost lil old rita about a week's wages to replace the whiskey bottles you shattered from bein' so clumsy, so don't do it again!"

juno rolled his eyes and grabbed the stranger's drink to set down on his table. it was only a few steps to move, but somehow it felt like crossing mountains and rivers. juno's hands were shaking by the time he finally reached the man's side.

"ah, thank you, darling."

gods. even his voice was stunning. low and even and smooth as glass.

juno didn't even realize he was staring again until the man looked at him, slight concern etched onto his features. "are you alright? do you need something from me? I'm quite sure I paid at the bar but if you're looking for a tip-"

"come home with me." the words were out of juno's mouth before he could even think about them.

the man's eyebrows shot up and juno felt his face redden. he was quiet for a moment before responding. "you want me to go home with you?"

"yes."

"i don't even know who you are."

"i'm juno. i'm going to marry you."

there was another pause and internally, juno cringed. the one chance he gets to talk to someone attractive and he can't even act like a normal human being. of course it would be like this.

the man studied him for a moment before leaning back towards the bar to look at rita, who had been studying this interaction with all the curiosity of a child watching rabbits in the forest. "is he always like this?"

rita nodded vigorously. "absolutely, mista stranger-guy."

the man nodded thoughtfully before turning back to face juno. "i'm peter. peter nureyev."

[lamaenthel]

"You Lied To Me"

[read on ao3][masterlist]Febuwhump prompt: "You Lied To Me."

Coronet City detectives Avana and Freerly respond to a crime scene where a gonk blew some poor Kiffar's head off. Once they get a hold of the datachip, they find out why.

Characters: Ailyn Vel, Sintas Vel, Mirta Gev, Boba Fett, Original Characters Wordcount: 1284

"So bomb squad's cleared it?" Avana slammed the speeder door, took one last drag off her t'bac stick, and tossed it. "Last thing I want is to get blown up by some leftover banthashit that nobody noticed."

"They been over the place with a fine-tooth comb." Freerly, her Rodian partner, poked her shoulder with a suctioncup-tipped finger as they walked to the crime scene. She brushed it away irritably with her lek, scowling. He was doing it to annoy her, he damn well knew she hated the marks it left behind. He snickered and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Don't worry, kid, your purple ass is safe."

"Yeah, yeah." Avana flashed her badge to the droid at the door and carefully stepped over the rubble. The apartment building was nice for the area. The damage was thankfully localized to their vic's apartment. Besides a few cracks in the wall she shared with her neighbor, the damage beyond was minimal. Broken transparasteel shards crunched under Avana's feet like spring snow as she picked her way over to the body. 

"Vic is Sintas Vel. Kiffar bounty hunter, came to Coronet City a few months ago. Born on Coruscant, hopped dozens of planets." Freerly shrugged. "You know the type."

"Yeah." Avana crouched and gingerly poked the ruined cavity of bone and meat that was Vel's face. "And the bomb was in a gonk?"

"Apparently. This was a straight-up assassination." Freerly moved out of the way of an evidence collection droid. "Forensics thinks they found a holotransmitter, though. They're trying to reparse the datachip right now."

"Detectives!" A Human man with tightly braided hair and large glasses waved at them.

"Speak of the Sith." Avana followed her partner to the technician's workstation.

"I've got what looks to be a holovid attached to a timer. When it ended, the gonk blew up." 

Avana's lekku jabbed into her spine. "Were you able to get the message?"

"Sure was. Here we go." The woman in the hologram was young and pretty, pale with a purple tattoo like a block made of three, thick lines that covered almost half of her face; it was a qukuff, Avana realized a moment later, a Kiffar clan marking. The girl was at least part Kiffar, she could see it from the way that she hunched in her chair, tall as a karking gundark. She had a toddler in her lap with thick line markings similar to hers painted on her cheek. "Hi, Mom," she said to the cam.

Avana and Freerly exchanged grimaces.

"It's been a rough few years for us, I know. Between the jobs and, and what happened with Makin…" the woman glanced in the direction of her child. "I thought I could find closure if I found him. If I found my father. And if I killed him for what you said he did to us." 

"Oh, shit," Freerly mumbled.

"You told me he was horrible. He was a cold-blooded murderer, a, a serial killer. You said that he terrified you, made you believe that he'd kill you if he left. You were his victim, and you were afraid he was going to murder me too." The woman shushed the irritated toddler wiggling in her lap. "Mama's almost done, Mirta. Just wait." She turned back to the cam. "So I decided I was going to do something about it. I'm good. I'm damn good. You raised me and trained me. And I'm not just your daughter, I'm Boba Fett's daughter. I can get him. That's…" She blinked again.

"She's crying," Avana said softly.

"I took a bounty out on myself on Tatooine. For return only, I'm not an idiot." She sniffed. "He picked me up within hours. Easy credits for him, right? I don't have the rep in Huttspace. So he picks me up and I don't cause a fuss, and that's when I ask him if he wants to share dinner with me before he turns me in. I had… I had a whole fucking plan. You know pepperleaf—the one from Kiffex, not Kifu, the one that's toxic to non-Kiffars—I had a whole roll of it in my bag, ground down 'till it just looked like the normal Kiffu stuff. I…"

Freerly let out a low whistle. "Uh oh."

"He bought some meat, then we went back out to the edge of town and made a camp. He didn't feel like dealing with the crowds, he said. I cooked that meat real well after I seasoned it." Her eyes unfocused. "I took the bounty out under an alias. But after we ate, he asked me my parent's names. Asked if I was really Ailyn. He knew who I was as soon as he saw the bounty. You know how he knew?" Her big brown eyes snapped back to the cam. "Because I have his eyes, Mom. I have his fucking eyes and you never bothered to tell me.

"There were a lot of things you never bothered to tell me, apparently. Like how my dad wasn't a damn psychopath like you made him out to be. That he almost always brought his bounties in alive unless it was a killjob. That the murder he allegedly committed on Concord Dawn was of the governor's son who got high on spice and raped you while he was at work." She was outright glaring at the camera now. "And you kicked him out for it. Forced him to stay away, convinced him that he was a monster that would end up getting me killed. So he did stay away. He stayed away my entire life because that was what you wanted, Mom. You know what else he did?"

The three investigators leaned forward.

"He made me a savings account. Completely legit, made deposits every single single month for seventeen years. I had no idea." Ailyn's pupils dilated. "You did. He told you about it and gave you all the information. Said it was for when I reached the age of responsibility. Almost a million credits in that account, Mom, not to mention what was in the safety deposit box. Remember about five years ago when you won the lottery?"

"Oh, shit," Avana said again, covering her mouth.

"I didn't bring an antidote. I didn't need one. I'm immune." Ailyn shuddered with the effort of holding back her tears, visibly haunted. "You lied to me. I killed my father for you, and come to find out all he ever did was love me and support me from afar. And then on top of that, you stole my motherfucking money." Ailyn wiped away the tears that had escaped furiously, then fixed the cam with a death glare. "Well unfortunately for you, Mom, I remember everything you taught me, and one of the first things was that you never fuck with a hunter's money, and here you are fucking with mine. And the second thing was to make sure that whoever fucks with your money goes out with a bang so that nobody else gets the bright idea." Ailyn raised the little girl up and shook her hand at the cam. "Bye bye, Mirta, say bye bye!"

"Bye bye gamma!" Mirta sang, waving happily.

Ailyn lowered her back to her lap. "Say hi to Dad for me," she said—her smile was wide, unnerving, and didn't go anywhere near her eyes.

The holorecording ended. The three stood still, silent, completely shocked for at least a minute. Avana glanced over her shoulder to the corpse being loaded onto a stretcher.

"That is one fucked up family," Freerly finally said.

Avana reversed the holorecording and paused on the little girl's face. She had her mother's eyes.

Taglist: @starwarsficnetwork, @febuwhump, @soliloquy-of-nemo Divider: @saradika-graphics

[ao3-rex1223]

Chapter 9: Crime of Passion

Twelfth Floor Intern Masterlist

Pairing: Miles Edgeworth x fem!reader

Summary: Your first full case with Miles begins and it seems fairly straight forward on the surface, but you are with the chief prosecutor now (in more ways than one, of course) and things are never what they seem in his cases.

Tags: Power Imbalance, Mentor/Intern, Miles wants you so bad but he's ethical AF now, No use of y/n, depictions of violence, Discussion of Rape, description of murder victims, adult murder victims, child murder victims, Eventual Smut, Happy Ending, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Vaginal Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Creampies, Loss of Virginity, Miles is the king of prosecutors but also the king of consent, Fluff and Smut, Romance, Blow Jobs, Nightmare about sexual assault, cross posted on AO3

You and Miles arrive at the crime scene; a park near a high density residential area. The trees are thick and in full bloom, a strategy by the city to cover up the lack of amenities in the so-called park. The foliage conceals a jogging path and a few benches with an old, wooden playground decorated with rusty nails. You sincerely hope all the children in the neighborhood have their tetanus shots up to date.

"Mr. Edgeworth, I'm a bit confused," Detective Gumshoe says as he spots you and Miles approaching the perimeter of yellow caution tape.

"Not unusual for you, Detective," Miles quips. You shoot him a disapproving glance. Gumshoe may not be the brightest bulb, but you have an innate soft spot for law enforcement. Be nice! you scold him in your mind. Almost as if he heard you, his eyes flash quickly to you, smirk included, and then back to the scruffy detective.

"I thought this little lady was with Mr. Payne," Gumshoe says with his brow quirked, gesturing to you.

"She was, but her advanced abilities require a mentor with a greater breadth of knowledge and expertise to assist her in unlocking her full potential," Miles begins and gazes proudly at you as a master does to a devoted apprentice. "My cases will challenge her to take full advantage of her underlying skill and support her optimal growth."

"Oh, right," Gumshoe replies. He turns to you and gives a placid smile. "I did hear really good things about you! Seems like you really had a good handle on that last case I saw you on with Mr. Payne. Great work cracking the defendant like that!"

"Thank you, Detective. Please, fill us in on what you know," you instruct kindly.

Gumshoe lifts the tape for the two of you, inviting you to follow. The crime scene processing is still in full swing. You hear the clicking of cameras and rustling of personal protective gear. Gloved hands carefully secure and collect evidence from the victim and her surroundings.

The body lies still and cold. It's a young woman…again, just like your first case. Her clothes are almost completely shredded, lying as threads and scraps near her lifeless form. A long piece of what looks like it was once part of her top is wrapped and knotted tightly around her neck. Her eye makeup has run down the sides of her face. She struggled while lying on her back. You wince but push yourself past your discomfort. You don't even notice Miles tensing his hands and arms next to you. It's a rare and subtle reaction from him that dissipates as quickly as it manifests. It goes undetected by everyone else at the scene, too.

"Twenty-five year old Suzanne Ozcar. She was found dead this morning by the groundskeeper for the city. Evidence so far seems to suggest she was sexually assaulted and then strangled with what looks like her own clothing. We'll get a better time of death from the medical examiner later but it looks like she was killed between eight o'clock and midnight last night," Gumshoe reports, his expression as grim as the story he just recounted for you.

"Witnesses?" You ask, surveying the area, looking for a lay person waiting next to a uniformed officer. You find no one.

"It doesn't look like it, but we're still trying to piece together what she was doing over here," Gumshoe says.

"Does she live in the apartments nearby?" You ask.

"She does, but I can't figure out what she was doing in this park late at night," Gumshoe answers. He looks around the park at its bland, monochromatic appearance. “There really isn’t much here.”

"Any valuables found on her?" You continue your questioning.

"Yeah, her purse was found next to her with her wallet still full of bills and credit cards," Gumshoe reveals.

"So, not a robbery," you conclude, referencing your father’s top three reasons for murder.

"Yeah, I guess so," Gumshoe agrees with a frown.

"Is she married?" You follow up.

"Not sure. She doesn't have a wedding ring but we're checking for any family she has, now," Gumshoe responds.

You realize her loved ones probably don't even know she's dead, yet. Your heart sinks thinking about it. Her poor mother and father.

You glance at Miles out of the corner of your eye. He's been uncharacteristically quiet, but his mind is never idle. He's either letting you run the show until you need him, or he's already leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else…or perhaps both. He watches you very closely and occasionally scans the area before returning to observing your every move.

You kneel down to get a closer look at the body. Her clothing looks like it was cut with something sharp, likely, a knife, but there aren't any stab wounds and there's no blood around her or on her body. Either the killer didn't mean to actually kill the victim or just really wanted her to suffer. You recall your father explaining to you many times that it actually takes a great deal of strength and time to kill someone by strangulation. 'Nothing like what Hollywood would have you believe,' he'd say. You scan the ground around her. It looks rather disturbed; shredded blades of grass mixed with dirt suggest a struggle took place here and probably her murder, too. Much like your first case with Mr. Payne, there's bruising around her legs and groin. She has no bottoms or underwear, but what appears to be the sliced remains of them lay near her.

You rise back to standing and Miles finally speaks, "what are your observations?" There is the slightest, almost imperceptible alteration to his usual cadence. He sounds…strained, as though he's fighting against something. If you hadn't spent so much time with him, you would never notice.

You give him a subtle smile and kind look in an attempt to soothe him, hoping the detectives don't notice. You see his eyes soften just slightly and you begin your report. "There was clearly a struggle here by the state of the ground underneath her. Her clothes look like they were cut, not torn. Interestingly, there doesn't appear to be any open wounds on her and there's no visible blood which tells me the knife probably wasn't used on her. Overall, given the state of her clothes and the bruising on her legs and groin, the rape is obvious," you let out a sigh but continue, "and it's pretty clear this piece of her shirt was used to strangle her to death."

Miles offers you a kind smile. "Very good. That was quite a thorough examination, especially given the limited amount of evidence we have available to us right now. There are two things I would like to point out, however. First, never assume the cause of death until the autopsy is complete. Yes, it looks very much like she was killed via strangulation, however, that can only be confirmed by the medical examiner. Second, I would encourage you to request one of the crime scene processing technicians remove the cloth around her neck and examine for additional details," Miles explains.

You do as instructed and ask one of the techs to remove the piece of fabric. There are several, superficial cuts revealed on her neck. Miles shows no visible reaction. He doesn't even smirk after seeing how right he was about the victim's neck. What's wrong with him? You start to worry, but continue with the investigation. "They could possibly be from a knife," you postulate, "but they're not deep enough to have killed her."

"What else should you consider from this, then?" Miles asks.

A twinge of revulsion surges through you as you catch onto his meaning. You sigh. "The knife was probably held to her throat while she was…assaulted," you conclude, wincing.

Miles' expression remains neutral. "Correct," he praises quietly. "Given all of this information, who are you looking for first as a suspect?"

You glance over the poor woman once more, as if she's going to tell you outright who killed her, then back to Miles. "A jilted lover, perhaps?" You reply. Miles nods. "Detective," you begin, calling for Gumshoe. He returns to you.

"Yes, Ma'am?" He responds.

"I think we could be looking for a boyfriend or perhaps an ex-boyfriend, possibly a husband," you announce. "Please, prioritize uncovering Ms. Ozcar's personal relationships. Have uniforms ask the residents if they heard anything last night. I'm not going to hold my breath, but it’s possible she at least tried to scream for help at some point. Maybe someone heard it.”

“Right away, Ma’am,” Gumshoe replies. He instructs the uniformed officers to do as you suggested. “Anything else before we have the body moved to the morgue?”

Seeking reassurance from Miles, you turn to him, unaware of anything else you might have missed that needs to be done before the body is moved. You blush slightly, hoping you’ve examined everything. He looks plainly at you and shakes his head, confirming your investigation of the victim is complete for now. There is definitely something wrong with him. Gumshoe noticed Miles’ confirmatory motion and gestures for the team to remove the body from the crime scene. You collect a preliminary report from the team on site and the list of evidence found so far before heading back to the office.

As Miles drives, he turns his head slightly towards you, though keeping his eyes forward, and asks, “our department has published guidelines on the prosecution of strangulation cases; have you read it?” His tone is cold and distant. Your worries intensify and you question if you’ve done something wrong.

“Yes, it’s one of the documents Mr. Payne had me read when I first started."

“Good. We will review it while we wait for the autopsy results and the rest of the crime scene report. There are a few points I would like to highlight for you,” he replies. His arms and hands are still tense; he grips the steering wheel tightly.

You return to the office and Miles opens the door for you, as usual. You step inside and begin speaking as he closes the door behind you. “You seem a bit off today; is everything…” you begin, but when you turn to face him, you’re cut off as you’re engulfed in his embrace. One arm wraps around your waist and the other reaches under your arm and up to your opposite shoulder. His cheek leans against the top of your head. He says nothing and simply holds you tight, trembling slightly. The pieces start falling together. The victim did bear a few similarities to you. Her hair color was close to yours, she was roughly the same size, and she was only a year older than you. Miles likely noticed these features as soon as he saw the body, about the same time his affect shifted. You wrap one arm around his shoulder and the other around his neck. Your hand gently caresses the base of his head, stroking the hairline as it meets the back of his neck. You can feel his labored breaths expanding and collapsing his chest against yours. ‘The worst cases are the ones with victims who remind you of the people you love the most,’ Dad always says. You are reminded of when you were kid and your father would come home after working a case that involved the death of a child. He reacted much like Miles is right now. He would say nothing, pick you up, and just hold you tight for a while.

Miles’ tension begins to relax and his breathing settles. His arms remain firm around you, though, not that you mind at all. You smile, your heart warming at the implication of everything you’ve observed from him today. You turn your head, still snug against his shoulder, and kiss his neck just under his ear.

He loosens his hold to pull back and look at you but keeps one hand on your back. The other comes up to softly cup the side of your neck, thumb stroking the skin just beneath your jaw. Your hands slide back, then gently rest against his chest. You gaze deeply into his eyes and give him a reassuring smile, reminding him that no matter what he saw today, you are completely unharmed. He looks more like himself now, his expression returning to normal. Smile forming on his own face, he tilts your chin up and drops his head to bring your lips together. It’s not his usual kiss, but what it lacks in sensuality, it has in passion, twofold. His mouth moves slowly, deliberately around yours, methodically confessing the emotional distress he’s endured to you through his touch where words are failing him. It’s not terribly surprising to you that Miles is loquacious when he's happy or even just content but reticent when under duress. You’re not so different yourself; a trait you inherited from your father. You return the kiss with as much fervor as he’s giving, imbued with your desire and motivation to ease his pain.

You pull apart and Miles leans his forehead against yours, soft, gray bangs brushing gently against your face. Two sets of eyes lock together, gazing with as much passion as the kiss just shared. You reach your hands up to cup his face, your fingers just barely teasing into his hair.

“May I ask something of you?” Miles finally speaks. You give an affirmative hum in response, keeping your eyes on his. “Don’t go anywhere alone, at least until we find who did this.”

“I’ll stow my subway card, but how am I going to get to and from work?” You ask.

“I think you know the answer to that,” Miles replies. You do.

After Miles reviews the prosecutorial guidelines for homicide by strangulation with you, you’re treated to another one of his Socratic quizzes.

“Given this, what are you going to want to ask the medical examiner after the autopsy?” he begins.

“First and foremost, I want to know if she was raped and if there was any DNA left in the body,” you answer, confidently.

“And should the examiner find any, who are you expecting to match to that DNA?”

“Boyfriend, husband, one night stand; whoever Detective Gumshoe finds was involved with her,” you reply.

“Couldn’t it be random?” Miles challenges.

“It could, but statistically, considering the combination of both sexual assault and homicide, I believe this is very likely the result of intimate partner violence,” you answer. The stats were both listed in the guidelines you just reviewed and mentioned in your classes several times. You pensively look off to one side and shake your head, again dismissing the random killer theory. “No, I think our most likely killer is someone she knew,” you reiterate.

“Very true, but don’t completely eliminate the possibility of a random attack until you are sure of your suspect.” He leans forward in his desk chair. “A possibility, however unlikely, is still a possibility. Keep it in your mind until it’s no longer possible.” He leans back. “What else do you want to look for in the victim’s autopsy?”

“Skin cells or other identifiable tissue under her fingernails. She might have tried to fight off her attacker.” You ponder for a moment, then look down once more, laying your chin on your palm. You let out a quiet sigh. “Then again, if there was a knife held to her throat…she may not have fought much.” You shudder and wince, imagining the sheer terror she felt in that moment, unable to scream for help, just praying her attacker would let her live.

“Very good,” Miles praises. “Now, when prosecuting a trial like this one, you’ll definitely want to consider expert witnesses. Who would you…” he’s cut off by his office phone ringing. He grabs the receiver. “Edgeworth.” Gumshoe’s voice is barely audible on the other line. “We’re on our way,” he says and hangs up. He turns to you. “She has a boyfriend. He’s being brought to interrogation. I think an observation would be beneficial for you.”

You feel a hot wave of anger wash over you. Good, you think to yourself. They've already caught the bastard. "I would love to see that!" You declare fervently. A smug expression decorates your face.

Miles gives you a curious look before rising from his desk and heading for the door, with you following closely.

You and Miles stand on the other side of the one way mirror, peering into the neighboring room.

Ms. Ozcar's boyfriend, Julian Gates, sits at the desk in the interrogation room across from Detective Gumshoe. He's a man of average height but quite well built. Certainly strong enough to have committed the murder, you notice.

Mr. Gates sits uncomfortably in the chair, fidgeting and shifting. Very guilty behavior, you think to yourself. Your eyes are glued to the scene on the other side of the mirror.

"Are you guys going to tell me what's going on?" Julian asks, sounding quite confused and frustrated.

"Do you know Suzanne Ozcar?" Gumshoe asks.

"She's my girlfriend. Why?" Julian replies.

"I hate to have to tell you this," Gumshoe begins, "but she was found dead this morning."

Julian's entire demeanor changes. His shifting and fidgeting suddenly stops, leaving behind a frozen shell. His jaw slides open and he stares, dumbfounded, at the detective, as if he doesn't believe or even understand what was just told to him. When it finally hits, he twitches. "No…it can't be…you have to…have the…wrong girl…" he struggles to form words. "No…no…no!" He shouts and breaks down in his chair. His head falls into his hands and he sobs. "This…this can't be happening! It can't be happening!" He yells. "No!...no…no…" his sobbing intensifies. "She can't! …what happened to her!?" He shouts.

"This won't be easy to hear," Gumshoe warns. "She was found in a park this morning. It appears she may have been strangled to death after being sexually assaulted."

Julian sobs harder. "Oh…my God! Suzy! My beautiful Suzy!"

"I know this is the last thing you want to do, but if we're going to find who did this, we need your help. Can you think of anyone who wanted to hurt her?" Gumshoe asks.

"No…no I can't think of anyone. Everyone loves her! She's always the center of attention!" Julian answers, tears drenching his face.

His reactions all seem genuine, but he has to be the murderer! Right? Who else would do that? You shift your weight on your feet as Gumshoe continues his investigation.

"What was she doing last night around eight PM?" Gumshoe questions.

"I don't know. I saw her in the afternoon; we went to lunch and then she left my place before dinner. She didn't really say what she planned to do last night," Julian explains, fighting to keep his composure.

"What were you doing last night?" Gumshoe probes. You unconsciously take a step toward the glass, eager to hear his alibi.

"I was at home. I didn't stay up too late. I had to get up to go to work this morning," Julian says. Your anger and frustration prevents you from believing him.

"Can anyone confirm this?" Gumshoe follows up.

"I…I don't think so," Julian admits. "I live alone."

You fold your arms in front of you, huff, and scowl at Julian from your hidden room.

"Are you willing to give us your fingerprints and a DNA sample?" Gumshoe asks.

"Sure, but why the DNA?" Julian replies and looks curiously at the detective.

"We are looking for DNA left behind after the…assault," Gumshoe admits. "We can use it to eliminate you as a suspect."

"Oh…uh…um," Julian's discomfort rises again, spurring him to return to his awkward shuffling. "You might…find mine anyway. You see…after lunch," he stutters a bit and tugs at his clothes. "We…well…you know…" Julian leans forward and stares firmly at Gumshoe. "But it was consensual! I swear! I love her! I'd never hurt her! You gotta believe me!"

"Hmph," you exclaim quietly. Miles shoots you a quick glance, then returns his attention to the interrogation.

"How was your relationship with the victim?" Gumshoe asks.

"It's great! Sure, we argue now and again, but doesn't everyone? I didn't kill her! I was…I wanted to marry her," Julian admits.

Liar, you think to yourself. Your scowl remains.

Gumshoe concludes the interview and escorts Julian to another room where his fingerprints and DNA sample can be collected.

"He has to be guilty!" You declare, still staring into the now empty interrogation room. "He has no reliable alibi!"

"Why don't we return to the office and we'll discuss this?" Miles suggests. You nod and both leave for the parking lot.

Upon returning to his office, you are all but fuming, ready to lock up Julian for killing his girlfriend. "How do we prove he did it, Miles?" You ask, determined to see this through.

"I'm going to be honest with you," Miles begins, looking directly in your eyes. "Your line of thinking right now is very concerning to me."

You take a step back, shocked by his comment. "What!?" You exclaim, looking angrily back at him.

"How convinced are you right now that Mr. Gates is the murderer?" He queries.

"It's obvious!" You snap.

"Is it?" Miles replies, keeping his tone and expression calm.

"Yes!" You answer, feeling like a coiled snake ready to lunge.

"Explain it to me, then," Miles challenges.

You huff and try to reign in your emotions. "First of all, he has no alibi that we can confirm. Second, he admitted that they fought! They could have had an argument, she may have threatened to leave, and he overreacted! The statistics back this up, Miles!" You argue, face reddened from your fury.

"Do you trust me?" Miles asks. He still eyes you with an even, gentle look.

"What?" You ask, confused by the sudden topic switch.

He steps forward and repeats his question.

Jolted from your anger by the dialogue shift, you calm slightly. "Of course, I trust you. What are you getting at?" You reply. You trust Miles with everything, all of you. Completely.

"Then I need you to listen to me, very carefully," Miles begins. You say nothing, but nod and continue to watch him intently. "If you learn nothing else from this internship, learn this: never get ahead of the evidence," he states with heavy conviction.

"But…" you attempt to argue but are cut off.

"Hold on," he interrupts calmly. "Allow me to finish. This is very important. Never get ahead of the evidence. Do not let yourself be swayed to one suspect with no other support besides your intuition. It is a helpful guide but you can't rely solely on it. If you let yourself decide someone is guilty before you have all the facts…that's how you end up like me." Miles holds your gaze in his.

Your mouth slides open slightly and you let out a quiet gasp.

"I will not let you walk this path. Trust me, you will not like what's at the end. It took me years to get myself out of that mindset. I do not want you to learn this lesson the hard way."

You step back and lean against Miles' desk for support. Regret, shame, and embarrassment flood into your mind like a raging river of crippling doubt. Your face turns red again, this time from potent self loathing. How could you lose yourself to such obvious prejudice? You want to follow the facts! You needed real justice! Your father would be very disappointed if he saw you like this, disgracing his honorable legacy.

"You asked me before what to do when you believe the defendant is innocent. I asked you what you wanted from your trials and you told me you wanted the truth. If you follow the facts and use logic, you will find it. If you get ahead of the evidence, you're chasing a victory, not real justice. I implore you, do not let yourself go down that road. I promise you will regret it," Miles explains.

"You're right," you begin meekly. "I got way too far ahead of myself." You look down at the floor, feeling incredibly self-conscious.

"I know you're probably feeling rather embarrassed, but trust me, that's a good thing," he begins. Your expression twists, again confused by his words. You flash him a quick glance then drop your eyes again. He chuckles. "It means you have a moral compass. Don't throw it away like I did. Look at me," he instructs gently. You obey and turn your gaze back up to him. "I was in the same place you're in, now. The only difference is there was no one to stop me, no one to pull me aside and guide me to where I should have been…and I paid for it." He steps closer to you again, his eyes remaining fixed on yours. "This…is the real reason I sought you as my intern. Yes, my cases are more complex, but you would have learned well enough with Winston…and I despise having interns." He smirks at you and you let out a weak laugh, still trying to absorb everything he's telling you. "Had I not seen the signs, I'd have left you with him, even considering your exceptional talents. However…I could see such glaring similarities between you and me and I was afraid you might be tempted by the same mentality I was. I knew I was the only one who could prevent that from happening. I refused to let someone else become what I once was."

You stare at him, processing his revelation. You're struck with an image in your mind of a bright-eyed, bushy tailed law student, not unlike you at the start of the summer, cowering because the poor intern has to be in the same building as you…and you, with a reputation as a brutal prosecutor willing to step on everyone else to get your guilty verdict…even if it's wrong. You're horrified.

You're snapped out of your trance when you feel Miles hands on your shoulders. "I realize this wasn't a fun conversation for you, but awareness will be your best defense. You and I are more susceptible than most; we're both arrogant," he adds, bluntly.

"You don't really seem that arrogant," you comment.

He drops his hands from your shoulders, returning them to his side. "I've learned to subdue it, but it rears its head from time to time, especially recently," he admits, the look in his eyes shifting to a more intimate gaze.

"Oh?" You reply, holding a blank expression. "When is that?"

"When someone, like Fredericks, touches you," he confesses with a smirk, speaking your professor's name with vitriol. He moves to lean against the desk beside you. Your eyes remain locked together.

"I think that's jealousy, Miles," you correct, your voice soft and sweet.

He shakes his head. "Jealousy would be desiring someone who isn't mine. It's my arrogance which argues that no one else deserves you and I find it difficult to contradict it. It rarely affects my practice as an attorney anymore, though."

"Sometimes I wonder if I deserve you," you confess with a sheepish smile. Confidence in school or even the courtroom has been relatively easy for you, but with men…you're in uncharted waters.

He gently tips your chin up to kiss you lightly. "Never question that," he commands and kisses you again. "Ever."

"But you do so much for me. I can't think of much I've really done for you," you argue with a tone of insecurity, wrapping your arms around yourself. Miles takes so much time out of his day to teach you, on top of that risking his reputation by secretly dating you.

He quirks his eyebrows. "Have you forgotten last night?" He retorts in a low, sensual voice.

You blush and turn away. "It doesn't count if we both enjoy it…" you reply quietly.

"Why not?" Miles challenges.

"It seems uneven," you answer.

"You underestimate how much I value our intimacy," he replies. He watches you blush further. "Let me ask you this, what is it you believe I deserve?"

You slowly return your gaze to him, blush in full force. You take a moment to think about how to describe what could possibly be enough for this incredible man. He should be able to wake up every morning feeling nothing less than deeply loved and adored. "Anything. Everything you want," you finally answer.

He cups your face and kisses you more deeply. "I already have it." He whispers. You nearly swoon. You gently place your hand over his that rests on your cheek and smile longingly at him. Your heart tingles as you gaze into each other's eyes.

You lean into his hand and whisper, "me too."

He slides his hand from your cheek and holds onto your hand. "We should return to the investigation. We have a murder to solve," he reminds. You nod and press your lips once more to his before both taking your usual seats.

"Let's discuss the alternatives to our current suspect. Let's assume everything he said is true," Miles begins. "What will you look for in the autopsy that will support his claim?"

You ponder what the autopsy might show. You run through Julian's interview in your case notes and look up at Miles when it hits you. "There will likely be two DNA samples found in the body."

Miles nods in response. "If not her boyfriend, who else might you consider as a suspect?"

"An ex-boyfriend?" You propose.

"That would be the best person to look at next. Hopefully Detective Gumshoe has already begun compiling a list of those close to our victim," Miles replies and you continue reviewing your evidence.

The day has been long and taxing. The fatigue is starting to wear on you, but you're no stranger to pushing yourself through it. Miles occasionally gives your hand or shoulder a reassuring squeeze as you navigate through your first case together. You continue to review the evidence, the interview with the boyfriend, and the reports from the crime scene processing team to begin narrowing your search for suspects, until the medical examiner calls reporting the autopsy is done.

Miles quickly walks to the couch and holds out his hand for yours. You take it and he helps you up; he must realize you're tired. He pulls you into his arms and kisses you before leading you out of the office to make your way to the morgue.

As you traverse the twilight lit hallways, your cell phone rings. You are ready to ignore it, but see it's your father. You're reminded that you've neglected your parents over the last several weeks and they're probably calling to make sure you're still alive.

You let out a sigh and answer with what little bright energy you have left, "Hi Dad!"