#PROBABLY CAUSE I BARELY LOG IN

[wshwshi]

this made me giggle and then sob

totally (not) beating the allegations

best friend!takuma ino headcanons

contains... best friends to lovers, mutual pining, casual confession of love, kisses (platonic), kisses (romantic), modern au, high school to university au, living together-ish, fem intended reader, pet names (baby, babe, love, sexy, handsome, beautiful, sweetie, the list goes on and on), lots of physical touch, nicknames (you call takuma, kuma.), reader has a mother and a father, y'all are basically dating just without the label...

word count: 2.3k (this wasn't supposed to be long. i told myself 0.8k maximum...)

riea's comments: all sixteen people living in takuma city RISE UP! i miss my husband of 35 years so much, come back to me loml :(( something to munch on while y'all wait for the next full throttle chapter. also not too much on me if this is a drabble and not hcs idk the difference :))

first off... i just wanna say that i KNOW I KNOW that ino is one of the funniest people in the jjk cast idc idc!!! if he had more screentime (and if the situation wasnt dire) my boy would be crackin some jokes!!!!

you've been friends with takuma for around 7 years, your first meeting happening in tenth grade, when your teacher paired you two up for an interview project. when time came to actually record the interviews, it was hard to edit out you two laughing uncontrollably every fifteen seconds or so

i mean, you two just had so much in common!!! same favorite color, same favorite franchise, same favorite tv show, same favorite video game; it was like yall were the same person. there was just one thing you both disagreed on: whether hex code #286061 was blue or green

your argument ended up being the last ten minutes of the final video you submitted...

without a doubt, after that, you two became inseparable. in school, people would take notice of your closeness. when one of you were absent, teachers would jokingly ask "where's the other one?"

there was not a single thing you didn't do together, homework, go to the gym, gossip, eavesdrop, etc etc. so of course, you ended up applying to the same universities and when it came time for college acceptance season...

takuma invited you over, forcing you to bring your mailed letters from the eight universities. sprawling out over his lap, you took in the all too familiar sight of his room. you've been in his room more times than you've been in your own (and vice versa!)

i mean ino's been over to your place so many times that he calls your parents mom and dad. and you've been over to his house so much that takuma's mom practically jumped for joy every time you burst through the front doors with a "guess who's home!!!" so it was completely normal that you guys knew the ins and outs of each other's rooms, right?

"kuma, baby," you started with a sigh, reveling in your best friend's repetitive motions. running his hand through your hair, ino looked down at you, eyes showing that he was listening. "i'm scared, what if we don't–"

"ah-ah-ah! no negativity here!" he cut you off, pushing you off his lap and grabbing the letters you left on his desk. "listen here beautiful," takuma says, bringing a hand to your cheek, his heart swelling when you subconsciously leaned into it, "we're gonna take each other's letters, and open them," he handed you a white envelope, the logo of both of yours dream university on it, "starting with, kyōmei."

taking a well needed deep breath, you nodded. "okay," you and ino began to open the envelopes at the same time, only looking at each other when you saw the status. "accepted or rejected in 3...2...1..."

"ACCEPTED"

"ACCEPTED"

cue the mandatory silence before the screaming. "holy shit. you got in." "you got in." "WE GOT IN!!! WE'RE GOING TO KYŌMEI!!!!" you two practically flew off the bed, jumping up and down in celebration. peppering his face in kisses, you nuzzled your face into takuma's neck. "i'm so proud of us! i mean, kyōmei," you pulled away from his neck, shaking his shoulders harshly, "the kyōmei?!!!"

anyways, soon enough, you both realized that you'd have to move away, resulting in a seven hour search for apartments near the university's campus. and just as takuma was about to give up, you found a listing for units 19A and 19B, right in the heart of the city and just a five minute walk from kyōmei

and with that, it was moving day, well, days is more like it considering that the whole process took like ten days... finding cute furniture is really hard! and moving all of it is even harder!! and don't even get me started on the appliances! although, you and takuma found a way around it

like what do both of you need a microwave for? and there isn't a reason to have two dishwashers, there wasn't even a reason to have one! y'all kept your fridges though... who was gonna be banging on the other's door in the middle of the night for some cold water??

with time, it came for the highly anticipated freshman formal, an welcome event hosted by kyōmei itself, and of course, you had to go. so here you were, staring at your figure in the mirror as your best friend's large hand rubbed your shoulder, the other zipping up your black dress. "all done!" he breathed, taking a step away so that you could see for yourself. "i look so cute~" you giggled, hearing the clack of your heels as you twirled. "you do!" he paused, looking you up and down, "when did you get that dress?"

"your mom gave it to me a couple days ago! where'd you get that tux? i don't think i've seen it before," you walked over and straightened takuma's suit, as he laughed in response, "your mom gave it to me..."

"this was planned."

"this was definitely planned."

"we should send a picture in the family group chat!"

"we should!!! but, hair first!"

notice how i said family group chat, singular, not plural. and that's because there's a gc for both of your families! it's name was a mix between "ino" and your last name, since, in all seriousness, your families were close

so here you were, sitting pretty on takuma's lap as you focused on straightening the front pieces of his hair, because that's what best friends do!

"okayyyy sexyyyy," you squealed, moving out of the way so that takuma could see himself in your vanity mirror, "damnn, i look hot!" he smiled as he checked himself out, his hand firmly on your waist (to make sure that you wouldn't fall, of course!). "i knew i was fine but, did i always look this fine?" he asked, looking up at you with his big dark brown eyes, a playful smirk evident on his face. "yes, takuma. you're the sexiest man ever. just a bit of eyeliner on you and we'll be on our way, okay?"

turning back to your station, you grabbed some brown and black pencils before starting to lightly draw over ino's outer eye corner, "do men as sexy as me really need eyeliner?" a look from you was all he needed to know to shut up and close his eyes

and oh, how he loved being so close to you. not just emotionally but physically as well. like, not every duo can say that they barge into the other's apartment to steal snacks! and speaking of snacks... let me just say, there's a whole cabinet in his kitchen reserved for your favorite foods and! he keeps your favorite ice cream flavor stocked in his freezer

you, on the other hand, have a little space where you hide takuma's favorite anything. chips, gummies, takeout menus, you name it, you have it. because your best friend is oh-so-optimistic, it can be harder for him when he's just not having the best of days. which is why when you go your (not so) separate ways at the end of the day, you pack up a basket for him. ribbons in his favorite color, his top 15 favorite snacks from that one time y'all bought one of everything in a nearby convenience store and ranked them, takeout on the way, horror flicks he's been wanting on dvd because he said "its cooler that way", and a handwritten letter from you, for my kuma, scribbled on the envelope

dropping off the basket at his door and retreating back to your place, you'd press your ear against the wall separating your units, physically feeling your heart break when you heard sniffles. that was all you needed to practically fly over to his, a few boxes of tissues in hand. because that's what best friends do!

and don't even get me started on how many belongings y'all have at the other's place... like that one time takuma walked into your apartment announcing his presence, only to be met with silence. let me set up the scene for you. you are taking a relaxing shower when you hear a knock on the door followed by four more and then three more. "come in!" you called out, unbeknownst to you, ino's voice was closer than you thought

"already in here..., anyways. is my shampoo in there?"

"the one with the purple cap?"

"yeah, thanks babe!"

"wait, can you get me my towel?"

or that time when you causally opened the door to his unit (because it was basically yours too) and greeted him with a simple pat on his head before skipping off to find those jeans you thrifted

slight cohabitation aside, the university life was definitely... something. it was clear and obvious that you two were close, a blind man could see it. but close is a really really really vague word, and it's surely not the word that describes the way the two of you act. in this friendship, terms of endearment drop like rain from clouds. every. other. sentence. contains a "babe" or "baby" or "sweetheart" or "darling" WE GET IT OKAY...

and it seems like if y'all go a single day without touching each other, a bomb will fall from the sky and earth would blow up. his hands are constantly on you, his favorite places (when in public) being your shoulders and arms, and when at home it was without a doubt your waist and thighs. just imagine how difficult it must be for people speak to you both on campus when his arm is slung around you and your hand is holding onto his side. the rumors practically created themselves....

and when i say people were shocked, i mean they were SHOCKED when y'all were like "haha, no, we're not dating!!! we're best friends!" everyone was thinking: yeah best friends who FUCK. best friends who are IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER. y'all became the campus' it couple without being a couple. how does that happen??!??

however... there were a couple of people who were particularly excited to hear that you both were single. a few girls approached you one day while in the general area, asking if it was true that you and ino weren't dating. "we aren't... why?" one of the girls shifted on her feet, clearly nervous. "well... could you um... give this to him for me?!" she bowed, presenting a pretty pink envelope. you froze, staring at the item before giggling. "i see what this is about! don't worry! i'll make sure this gets to him safely!" long story short, that letter was never delivered

and on ino's side, he had some classmates pestering him about you. asking for your favorite show, candy, date style, everything under the sun. "guys, guys! she doesn't even want a boyfriend right now!" takuma shouted, even though two days prior you were complaining about how spending too much time with him was scaring all the hotties away

but let's get into the real stuff... the realization of love

for takuma, there wasn't a "wow, i'm in love with her" moment. what he does know though is that he started feeling something different for you a few months before college admission season. to him, the world was always bright with you by his side but now... it was so much brighter. it was like looking directly into the sun; it hurt but he couldn't look away, he doesn't want to look away. you're the best thing to ever happen to him, and the mere thought of ruining what you have just for some feeling—no matter how intense—isn't... right to him

and you figured it out after a dream you had one night back in high school. you dreamt of being in takuma's arms, the ones you snuck glances at when he wasn't paying attention to you. in not dream world, all you had to do was ask and he'd gladly envelop you but the vibes in this dream were different. there was tension. and it was thick. his beanie was off and thrown somewhere on the bed, your bed. looking back at him, your breath caught in your throat, "hey pretty," he slurred, drunk off tiredness. ino's called you beautiful more times than you can count; he made sure to do it at least once a week, so why... just why did this time make your stomach heat up and your heart race? you woke up with a flushed face, queasy feeling in your gut, and a deep understanding. it wasn't just platonic love anymore

"hey," you started, eyes trained on the movie in front of you, but your mind was focused on something else, "y'know how everyone thinks we're dating?" ino nodded as you reached over to grab the bowl of popcorn. "i've been thinking... maybe they're onto something..."

takuma's gulp could be heard from miles away, "wh-what are you trying to say?"

"what are we? seriously. because i can't sit here and pretend like i don't wish we were something more."

"something more like...?"

"now's not the time to be oblivious! don't you get it?! i'm—"

"i'm in love with you,"

it was like time stood still as you looked at your best friend. his face was lit by the tv screen a couple feet away, his hair was a mess, and slightly prominent dark circles were under his eyes, but... he's never looked more beautiful to you. "have been. for a long time. we've basically been dating for like four years already. four more and then we'll get married?" he flashed his signature smile

"oh, shut up," he brought your face millimeters away from his, whispering "make me." before kissing you deeply, not on your cheek, or your forehead, or your shoulders, but on your lips this time. and all the times after that too

because that's what best friends lovers do, right?

jjk taglist

@blendingcaramal @gzchaos @theamazingrain @woah-girlz @voloslobotomyservice

@kyozvy @obessionofagrl @bubybubsters @sugurusbaobei @raindropsonrwses

@c-moon20-12 @saltynanobeanie @theamazingrain @synthiiiiis @ghostlyluminarycloud

@poopyyy @supernatrualqueen @bxrbie-jadeee @laitifly @discipleofthem

@cheesecake95 @strawberry-cherrypie @makeshiftproject @magiamad0ka @ncitygreen

@stillnotherapy @oniondrip @cloudy-yyy @definitely-not-leena @kidd3ath

@atigerandabear @russianremy @ohnoitsamistakee18 @ivy-vivii @ourfinalisation

@1ndee @yourhornysister @ancientimes

[fadedncity]

mask off

wc: 2.5k

pairing: jisung x fem!reader

cw: smut, bf!jisung, non idol au, mentions of other idols, semi public sex, knife play, role play, fingering, choking, manhandling, praise and degradation kink, pet names, teasing, unprotected sex, mentions of alcohol consumption and use of marijuana, horror movie references

a/n: not really relevant but thought i’d clarify reader is dressed as tiffany valentine from bride of chucky.

You checked your phone for what seems like the fifth time in the last ten minutes. Nervously gnawing on your bottom lip, you rechecked your call log to make sure you didn't miss one from him.

You sigh, locking your phone, and look over the balcony. Scanning the crowd below you, taking over Ningning's backyard, you search for Jisung. But you knew it would be no use between there being too many people and you not knowing what he was dressed as.

It wasn't until your eyes stopped on one person.

The Ghostface mask had initially caught your attention and caused you to do a double take, as it's surprisingly the first and only you've seen tonight. But you also realize they're looking back at you. With everyone else too intoxicated to notice you even up on the balcony, they were the only one looking up at you.

The masked individual doesn't do or say anything, remaining still as the party carries on around them. You straighten up when a bit of paranoia creeps up your spine.

Just as you start retrieving back into the house, you jump at the sound of a knock on the balcony door and snap your head in its direction.

"Hey," Yunjin slides the door shut behind her, joining you outside, "you okay?" she asks.

You peer back over the balcony and no longer see this Ghostface anywhere outside.

"Yeah, I'm fine," you tell her, also telling yourself it was nothing, "Have you seen Jisung? He was supposed to be here a while ago but I haven't heard from him and his phone's probably on do not disturb again."

"No, but Alyssa said she just saw Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, and Ghostface pull up, pretty sure it was Chenle, Jisung, and Yangyang. So he's probably just around here somewhere."

"Alright," you say, heading back inside.

"We're about to smoke if you wanna join us, by the way."

"Let me head to the bathroom first."

"You need me to come with?" Yunjin asks.

"Nah, I won't be long. Just make sure Hyuck doesn't leave me with just the roach," you say.

. . .

You were humming along to the melody of the song you could hear playing outside of the bathroom as you reapplied your lipstick.

Your phone buzzed on the countertop with a text from Yunjin telling you to hurry up before you miss the cyph. You take one last look in the mirror, making sure your hair remains intact in its updo before collecting yourself and heading out.

Since you were looking down at your phone as you exited the bathroom, you didn't realize someone was standing in the corridor. 

When you do finally notice them, you almost jump out of your skin, having been unaware of your surroundings. 

"Holy fuck," you hold your hand over your rapidly beating heart. 

With the poor lighting, you can barely make out the face of the robed figure until they take a step closer, and you see the Ghostface mask.

"Jisung?" you call out to him, "First you can't text me back, then you go and scare me half to death?" you laugh.

He still didn't say anything, just silently standing there, the soulless black eyes of the mask staring back at you. His gloved hands reach into the pockets of his jeans, revealing the knife.

You were almost positive that it was Jisung, for sure, once you saw the familiar blade. 

Again, you laugh, "We're really doing this? 'Please, Mr. Ghostface, don't kill me. I wanna be in the sequel.'" you joke.

He remained quiet, your recital of Tatum's last words in the movie, seemingly falling on deaf ears.

"Is everything okay?" you ask.

Still no response. He tilted his head and took a step forward.

"Alright, babe, you're starting to scare me," you say, backing away from him while clutching your phone.

He was backing you back toward the bathroom, and you were running out of room to go.

"Jisung, seriously, you're freaking me the fuck out," you say once your back hits the door. The space between you gets smaller and smaller, with you nowhere left to go.

Is it even really Jisung? 

You're breathing so heavily, that every time you inhale, your chest hits his as his face inches closer to yours.

"Boo!"

Your anxiety dissipates once you hear the switchblade click shut, and Jisung drops his hood, pulling the mask from over his head. He's laughing, so you punch him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Jisung rubs his arm.

"Fuck you! That wasn't funny," you say.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Jisung holds your waist, "but it was almost too perfect of a chance I had to take." he says, and you cross your arms over your chest. "Come on, if I really was some serial killer you think I'd do it in a house full of witnesses."

"Have you learned nothing from the movies?" you furrow your brows.

"All I'm saying is if I really was Ghostface…" he takes out the voice modulator, holding it up to his mouth, "I'd give you a better death than just bleeding out in some dark hallway."

Heat pooled in your lower stomach, and your breathing became shallow. You're embarrassed to admit how much hearing Jisung's voice through the modifier turned you on. 

"How thoughtful," your lashes flutter, "But I'm pretty sure I'd be able to take you as Ghostface."

"You weren't putting up much of a fight five seconds ago."

"Who said anything about taking you in a fight?"

"Oh?" he raises a brow, "Is that so?"

Jisung opens the bathroom door behind you, pushing you inside the confined space. Once he locks the door shut, he connects his lips to yours. He lifts you by your waist, settling you on the countertop, and you wrap your legs around his hips.

You roughly fist Jisung's hair, the kiss quickly becoming heated. His hands are all over you, sending goosebumps all over your skin. Jisung's tongue slips into your mouth, tasting the lingering bitterness of smoke from your last hit a while ago, mixing with the drink he had before finding you still on his lips.

One of his hands find their way between your legs, swiping his fingers over your clothed pussy. You shutter, attempting to close your legs around his hand to keep him there. Even through his gloves, he can tell you're already soaked through your panties and smirks at you.

"What's got you this wet, Ms. Valentine?"

"You, Ji," you answer. 

"All me for me huh?" he asks, and your brows furrow in confusion, "You sure it wasn't Ghostface who's got you this wet?"

Oh, shit. 

"I uh-"

"After making me watch all six movies on only our second date, I didn't really think much of it," he says, and you sheepishly laugh, "But it all started to make sense when I overheard you on the phone with Chaeryeong the other day…" Jisung trails off, hoping you'd catch on.

And you do, gasping with wide eyes, "Oh my god, no you didn't."

"I kinda did."

You groan, covering your face, "I didn't say anything because I didn't want you to think I was weird."

"Hate to break it to you, but I already thought that," he says lightheartedly.

"Jisung," you whine out of embarrassment.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, baby. I just don't know why you didn't say anything to me before," he softly pouts.

"And how exactly did you want me to go about that? 'Hey, babe, how was your day? By the way, I have this twisted fantasy of being railed by Ghostface. Wanna grab dinner?'" you question.

"Obviously not like that," Jisung scoffs, "I'm just saying, as your boyfriend, I'm more than happy to turn this twisted fantasy into a reality for you," he smiles at you, "Do you trust me?"

"With my life," you nod.

"Then would you allow me the honor?"

"The honor's all yours."

You snake your arms around Jisung's neck as he crashes his lips into yours. He brings his lips to your neck, suckling the skin between his teeth, leaving small bruises along your throat.

"You know this is almost always exactly how it goes in horror movies," you comment and you tip your head back, giving him more access.

"Oh my god," Jisung rolls his eyes, "Look if you don't wanna-" Jisung jokingly reaches for the doorknob.

"No, no," you keep your legs locked around him, "If I'm to die tonight, right here with you is where I'd wanna be," you kiss him.

"Can't think of anywhere else I'd wanna be. Now are you gonna keep talking about death or let me fuck you?" Jisung pulls you back onto your feet, turning you around to face the mirror.

"I'm not the only eager one here, I see," you push your ass into his groin.

"As much as I'd love to stay here and play with you all night, princess, we've already been gone for too long and the search party will come looking soon," he says before pulling a glove off with his teeth.

Jisung rolls the leather of your dress up over your hips and slides his hand between your legs. He pulls your panties to the side and slips a finger into your pussy.

"God, you're fucking soaked already," Jisung says, adding a second finger, causing your eyes to flutter shut, "This shit really does turn you on," a lopsided grin takes place on his face before his fingers leave you empty.

You grumble, frustrated. "Fuck off-"

"I'd watch your tone, sweetness," he held the knife to your throat. "Wouldn't wanna lose that pretty voice of yours."

It was then, you realized he pulled the mask back down over his head. You felt the edge of the knife press against your esophagus. If you hadn't previously been in this position with your boyfriend a number of times before, one would think you'd be worried, maybe even a little scared. But no, you were now beyond the point of being turned on, your body practically boiling with arousal.  

"Please, don't," you plead, "I'll do anything," you turn your head to look at him and bat your lashes.

"Anything, huh?"

"Anything," you nod.

Jisung began tracing the knife edge along your chest, "With a pretty thing like you, I'm sure I can think of a few other things to do with you."

In one quick motion, he drops the knife to his other hand, and you hear the sound of fabric ripping as he slices your panties and pulls it from your body.

And there goes the third pair this month. 

But you could care less about your tattered underwear, now discarded on the tiled floor, once you hear the zipper of his jeans coming undone. Jisung wastes no more time and lines his cock up with your entrance. You sharply inhale, feeling his thick length open you up.

"Oh my god," your voice was barely above a whisper.

"Is that what you wanted?" he asked in your ear, "Let me use you however I want for the sake of saving your pretty little life."

You manage to open your eyes and look at your reflection. The sight of the mask behind you as his cock is buried balls deep inside of you, flooded you with more arousal, your walls fluttering around his dick.

Your response was interrupted by the moan bubbling up your throat, but Jisung saw the smile breaking out on your face.

"Y-Yes," you nod, "God—please…fuck me."

"See how easy it is to get to what you want when you just use your words," you hear the smirk on his voice, "Gonna take it all for me like a good girl, yeah?"

You nod with a gasp, your nails scratching against the marble countertop as Jisung's cock stretches you open, bottoming out. "Mhm! I'll be good. I'll be so good for you, I promise."

Jisung draws his hips back before slamming back into you, filling you to the hilt. He grabs onto your hips, pulling you back onto his cock. Your ass slaps against his pelvis each time he fills you up, picking up momentum and fucking you at a steady pace.

Loud moans and cries along with Jisung's name tumbled hazardously from your lips. Jisung's gloved hand covers your mouth, muffling your noises.

"God, you're such a whiny slut," he says, "Pathetically crying out like a bitch in heat."

You whine, seemingly struggling against his hold as you grew flustered at his words.

"No need to try and deny it, sweets. I've had my eyes on you long enough to know, this is the exact moment you've been having wet dreams of," Jisung's strong arms securely hold you against his chest, "What would that cute boyfriend of yours think if he were to see you like this? Letting me use you however I please and not being able to do anything to stop me." he darkly chuckles.

It turns you on even more knowing Jisung is just as into this as you are.

"God…you're sick," you pant.

"You're the one who's letting a dangerous killer fuck you, and I'm the sick one?"

"Fuck you," you spit.

Jisung's hand wraps around your neck, lightly squeezing down on the sides.

"Fuck me, huh. You're doing a great job at doing so already, princess," the roughness of his voice through the modulator had your head spinning or maybe it was the limited oxygen you were granted as his hand was still around your neck. Either way you could feel yourself stumbling closer to the edge.

You slip up and call out your boyfriend's name. "Ji, oh god, mhm—it's so good, oh my god!" you threw your head back.

"That's it, baby. You're doing so good for me."

"Feels so good—fuck, Sungie," Your back arched as you attempted to move your hips and began fucking yourself back on his cock.

Jisung was drunk off you—Every whimper and whine he pulled from you as he bent you over the sink, fucking you relentlessly. And the way your body writhed and squirmed against him, the intense pleasure flooding your veins as his tip kissed your sweet spot.

"Look at yourself," he grabbed your jaw, making you look into the mirror "If only everyone else could see how badly I've ruined you, precious."

Your mouth hangs open, nothing coming out except for broken moans. But there's a drunken smile on your face.

"Sungie, please," you whimper.

Jisung brings his hand back your throat, but without applying pressure this time. "You close, pretty?" Jisung asks, and you ferociously nod.

"Wanna cum for you," you whine, "Please, baby," your voice cracked with desperation.

"Cute how desperate you can get. It's almost pathetic."

"Jisung, oh my god-"

You reach behind you and grab the back of his head. Jisung feels the mask being pulled off his head, allowing you to drop it to the floor. Messy black locks flopped over his forehead as his eyes readjusted to the lighting. Fisting your hand in his hair, you bring his lips to yours, meeting in a desperate and sloppy kiss.

Jisung feels the knot inside him ready to snap but holds back as his hand returns between your thighs. He rubs sloppy circles into your clit, and you squirm in his arms, trying desperately to chase your release.

"Come on, sweetheart. I wanna hear you scream for me."

You see stars behind your eyes as a moan rips from your throat, bouncing off every surface in the small space. Your body shakes in Jisung's arms as you cum. His cock throbs, his release finally coming when your pussy chokes his dick, and he paints your walls white.

"Fuck," Jisung rasps in your ear. He grabs onto the edge of the sink, fucking his cum into you as you squirm, feeling overstimulated.

You fall back against his chest, resting your head on his shoulder, "That was fucking amazing," you heavily pant against his skin as you place a kiss below his jaw.

"Yeah?" he caresses your face.

"I don't think I've ever cum that hard in my life."

"I aim to please you, very very well," he kissed your forehead before slipping out of your heat. You mewl, feeling his fingers brush your folds, collecting his cum as it starts to drip out of you.

"I'm gonna be thinking about this for the next few months, by the way."

"Then I guess there's no need to get rid of the mask after tonight," Jisung smirks, picking the mask up from the ground.

You smile against his lips, "Definitely not."

a/n: uhh this was very self indulgent and lowkey inspired by this. thank you for reading!! feedback is appreciated <33

[zardinthebrokenatlas]

Oddly Romantic

  I stood, staring out at the far line of trees.. catching a glance of one of them. A giant. Surely he had seen me.. we were making eye contact for much to long.

  A moment passed and I booked it, running straight into the forest in the opposite direction. Would he follow?

  I've been through this forest a thousand times, never once seeing one of them so far out. There's no way there really was a giant here. My thoughts continued to race as I sped under branches and over logs, hearing the distant footfalls of the giant coming nearer. Shoot.

  Somehow, he was on my tail in the matter of seconds, swiping his hand in my direction to grab me.. but I'm much to agile. With the quickest of my abilities, I leapt up into a tree, climbing farther up until I felt it to be right and with another swipe of the giants hand, I leapt. Quickly, I pulled on my sleeves and the makeshift glider activated and I soared away, weaving in between trees still as I searched for a place to hide. There's no outrunning a giant. 

  Just as my glider brought me lower to the ground, I spotted a partially deep hole in the ground. A place I've dug out for myself for instances like this. My feet planted on the dirt and I immediatly dove for the entrance of the crevice.

  For a few moments, I heard nothing. The sounds of the wind and the giants footsteps, but they waned off, almost as if he was right outside. Then there was a rough thud outside, causing the ground to shake. He sat down.

  Still, I didn't move. I'd wait as long as it takes.

  "I wouldn't chase you.. but I don't want you to tell other humans about me. I prefer the freedom I have." He spoke.

  Other humans? As if.

  My gut was screaming at me to ignore him and stay quite.. so I did. For all of 30 seconds.

  "You don't have to worry about that. Trust me." I stated, hoping my voice was loud enough for him to hear. I could tell he perked up at my voice, but he didn't move.

  "Why's that?"

  "I don't talk to them. They don't talk to me."

  There was a long moment of silence as if he were processing what I had said.

  "Are you alone out here?" He pried. What a question.. I didn't have to answer anything I didn't want to .

  From inside the hole, I could barely see him due to my position. I was pressed up against the farthest area, hoping it would keep him from seeing me, but my curiosity was growing.

  "I'm alone out here too." He spoke as he moved a bit, probably changing the way he was sat. It was hard to tell. "That's kind of how giant customs go though. I know that you.. being out alone is not a human custom"

  "I make my own customs." I stated coldly, shifting to see what the giant looked like. But even so I couldn't.. he was laying on his back, staring up at the sky. All I could see was his hair; silky hazelnut brown.

  "Your own?" He seemed to be curious, less hostile to how he was not that long ago. "Were you forced to?"

  He was asking too many questions.

  I inched out my torso from the dirt, being as slow and as quiet as possible. Just as he was curious of my personal life.. I was curious of a giant being here. A giant. The one thing I used to want to know as a child. 

  "Do you like it out here? Out in the forest?" He continued, I nearly jumped out of my skin and back in the hole. I was so focused on getting out of the hole quietly, I forgot he had been talking.

  "Yes. Its my home." I answered, regaining my confidence as I continued towards him.

  "Are you.. out of the hole?" He inquired. My voice was closer.. I hadn't thought about that.

  "You move, I'm going right back." I stated abruptly.

  "Right.. look, I really didn't intend any harm. I was worried about secrecy and giant law and.. whatever else goes on when a person sees one of us." He rambled.. though I didn't focus on his words. There was a giant.. right in front of me. I was in disbelief.

  Soon, I was close enough to see every individual strand of hair on his head. It was.. weird. I reach out, brushing my hand against it.

  I noticed he stopped talking.. which I wasn't against the silence, but he had just been so it was a little unnerving.

  "Did you want to live out here alone?" I asked, not that I really cared, I just didn't like this silence.

  He took a moment to think. "Not.. necessarily. But with the law.. I couldn't really say no. I have a couple years here before I have to go back to where I'm supposed to be."

  As he talked, I followed the curve of his head towards what looked like his ear. I still couldn't really see his features though.. but I also didn't want him to start moving.

  "Your laws sound weird. Why would you be stuck out here for years? As far as I'm aware, if your caught by people, I doubt they'd treat you nice."

  I reach up and poke his ear, feeling his skin beneath my finger. Also.. weird. Giants are weird. This should be scarier too. 

  "It's just custom. Not sure for what though if I'm being honest. Maybe I'm supposed to spying? No one ever gave me a run down." He muttered, his voice odd. I couldn't put my finger on it. He sounded perturbed.

  "That's a stupid custom." I explain, walking towards his neck.

  "Eh.. what're you doing." He asked, I could hear uncertainty in his voice so I stopped walking.

  "Scoping."

  "Please don't touch my neck. This sounds weird, but I'm really ticklish there.. and you told me not to move."

  I was surprised at how uncertain he sounded but I didn't say anything and backed away, back to his ear. I'm not really sure what got into me, but I reached up, feeling the curve of his ear and hoisting myself up.

  "What are you.. why? I thought you didn't want-" He started but I cut him off.

  "Shut. I got.. curious. I don't want you to move. You have the power to crush me immediately, so if you move, I'm out of here." I explained with a firmness. I was nervous. Normally I never speak this aggressively.

  ".. okay. Kind of unfair, but alright."

  Unfair? Right. As if. 

  I fumbled up the crevice of what I assumed was his cheekbone before catching my breath.

  "You're a lot smaller than I remember." He muttered.

  He could see me-? I jumped at the sound of his voice and searched for his eye, immediately seeing it right behind me.

  "Good gravy that's unnerving." I gasped, backpedaling onto his forehead.

  "Ouch." He said, but I could hear a smile in his voice.

  "You got giant eyeballs. How is that not unnerving?"

  He paused for a moment. "Good point."

  Slowly I stood up and got my balance on the weird surface before taking cautious steps to the middle of his eyes region. He was staring right at me, his eyebrows slightly moving as he occasionally looked elsewhere. I was surprised he was letting me do this.

  With the gracious movements of a trapeze artist, I balanced across the bridge of his nose, nearly losing that said balance a few times.

  Soon I reached the tip of his nose and sat down facing his eyes.. that bore into my soul. Very unnerving.

  "Comfortable.?" He asked, his voice ringing with humor and skepticism. I could hear his smile again.

  "Yes... Ish"

  "Ish?"

  I gave him a look of agitation, before looking into his eyes to finally take account of how they appear. He seemed to do the same to me.. though all of me, not just my eyes.

  "You have pretty eyes" I muttered under my breath, almost on accident.. though I knew he could hear me. His eyes squinted slightly like he was smiling.

  "Why thank you, ma'am." He chuckled, which shook me up do to where I was sitting ", Id compliment to back but.. seeing you is kind of of difficult. I don't see well cross-eyed."

  It was my turn to laugh. This whole time I thought he had been staring at me with some strange intent when in reality he literally could barely see me at all.

  "I'm so sorry-" I laughed and without thinking, lost my balance. I fell backwards onto his mouth, which thankfully was closed. The breath from his nose brushed against me briefly before the world shifted like crazy.

  He sat up, bringing his hands up to catch me as if I was falling a great ways. It was very disorienting.

  "Are you okay.?" He asked hesitantly. We were both aware he broke the rule of no moving. I was a bit panicked, clamping a hand over my heart as I did my best to breath in.

  "Yeah.." I muttered, taking in the surroundings. My eyes stared at his fingers that curled up beside me, making a protective wall from falling, then to his arms, leading up to his torso.. which lead to his face.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. He was.. beautiful. Don't get me wrong, he was absolutely terrifying.. like abundantly so, but his face was so.. nice to look at.

  His hair was a mess from laying down in the dirt, his face had my little footprints on it.. his eyes bore down at me but his concerned expression made him somehow look cuter?

  I closed my eyes as if to stop that train of thought. He must've thought I was still terrified, which I was still shaking like a leaf, so he set me on the ground.

  "I didn't mean to be so quick like that, I got worried and I wouldn't be able to talk and-"

  "It's okay. I'm fine, just a little shaken." I cut him off, though avoided looking at him. My feelings in that moment were very messy.

  Then silence fell over both of us. For quite a long moment.

  "It's getting late. I trust you're not going to tell anyone about me.. so I'm going to go." 

  I turned my head to look at him; his attention turned at the sky, staring at the far sunset.

  "I know you said.. you like it alone or something. Maybe I added that.. but would you like to get out of the rain tonight.?" He asked, turning back to me. As soon as his eyes landed on me, I quickly looked away.

  I thought about it for a second. What a crazy stupid proposition. It's not even raining. But by the comedic timing of the universe, I heard very distant thunder. I looked up to see lightning in the far beyond in the clouds.. it was quite a ways out, but definitely here by nightfall. 

  "Uh.. sure." I reluctantly answered and turned back to him. He had a soft smile on his face which could make a girl go crazy.

  "Am I.. allowed to move now by the way.?" He asked jokingly, chuckling slightly.

  I nodded, laughing slightly before stopping when he held his hand out for me. His hand.. transportation.

  That familiar lump in the back of my throat rose, barely able to choke it down as I crept onto his hand. He waited until I looked secure before curling his fingers again and bringing his other hand up beside me.

  At first, this was terrifying. He was walking yet covering so much distance.. it was so high up. 

  But then the breeze hit me. I couldn't help but stand and try to take it all in.. oh how I love the feeling of flight. I'm used to this height anyway with the trees and such.

  I hesitantly set a hand on one of his fingers to steady myself and watched the sunset as it slowly disappeared, with a grin on my face. What in the world did I just get into.

~~~

I posted this on Wattpad, thought I'd share it here too because I actually really like this concept

[hellwantfuckme]

disgust, longing, jealousy

summary: everything points to Azriel loving Elain, so why does Eclipse feel that pull towards him?

warnings: angst(?

author's note: idk if this is good, I don't know if it's swallowable, pls keep remembering english isn't my first language:)

A feeling akin to disgust lodged itself in her chest, took root, and gripped, while the brown eyes, which always reflected what Eclipse felt, looked at the perfect image, the polar opposites. And the truth hurt, it weighed on her like a burden on her lungs, they fit together.

Elain's smile, full of shining teeth, the brown gaze that was a reflection of her own, fixed on the man sitting next to her. He was closer to Elain than he had been with Eclipse in months. It was purely Eclipse's fault, but that didn't make it any more manageable. The sound of Elain's laughter was soft, low. As if the two of them were sharing a secret. If Eclipse had been paying attention to the conversation she was supposed to be part of, she wouldn't have heard it. She wouldn't have noticed the way the Shadowsinger looked at Elain, a satisfied gleam in his eyes, a genuine half-smile. But Eclipse couldn't help but notice that his eyes didn't have even a quarter of that gleam that they had when they made her laugh. She dismissed the thought. She had one evidence after another of the obvious, Azriel liked Elain. Only Elain. That's why she kept her distance, that's why she had completely ignored Azriel's presence today, the first time they had seen each other in weeks.

The sound of Elain's giggles reached her again, and she watched as Azriel leaned only subtly to whisper something that only made her smile even bigger.

Eclipse wanted to vomit.

She looked away. As much as her gaze was drawn to them, sharing a seat on the brown couch, she forced herself to focus on the person who was talking, Cassian. She didn't realize it was him telling the anecdote until she saw his lips moving to utter the words, he was also smiling, probably for a different reason. But the slightest furrow of the brow found a home on his face. A suspicious sideways glance, that was all Cassian dedicated to Eclipse. As if he had noticed how her attention had been on Elain and Azriel, with a carefully neutral expression. Eclipse heard a laugh in the background, Mor, quickly identified. The alcohol making her feel more free, her voice trembling imperceptibly.

Eclipse knew that Cassian suspected something, but as the careful person she was, she made sure to push down what she felt. Disgust, longing, jealousy. She pushed and pushed until there was no trace of it visible in her sharp features, until it seemed that she had just been momentarily distracted by the sound of her cousin's laughter and wondered what had caused it. Putting it all together in her head, the perfect excuse, the perfect reactions, helped her maintain, at least, a faint semblance of strength for herself. She still had control over something, at least. Or so she wanted to convince herself as she reached for the coffee table, took the barely touched wine glass, and took a sip. Her gaze dancing between Mor and Cassian, between the exchanged words.

Eclipse didn't know if keeping up the act made her a bad person, if that disgust she felt really only should be directed at herself. How could the sound of her cousin being happy disgust her?

She had distanced herself from Azriel, just as she had from Elain. She had accepted the invitation to live in the newly built house of Feyre and Rhys, only because it would avoid both of them. She hoped, even though in a corner of her mind it was nothing more than a foolish thought, that whatever her problem with both of them was would dissipate with space. That corner of her mind was the same one that told her that no matter how much time, or space, she could put between them, the feeling would persist.

Eclipse needed another sip, and then another. And the air in the room became heavier, the crackling of the logs in the fireplace became louder than the voices, and her skin was overheated. Eclipse exhaled.

She tried not to tense up when the melodic sound of Elain's laughter reached her ears again, a low murmuring following it, as if Azriel continued with the joke.

The pain in her chest thickened, for a moment, Eclipse felt it thicken so much that she wouldn't be able to get out of it. Because it was Elain he was making laugh, because the pull in her chest towards him urged her to approach.

She didn't understand. But what did she understand at this point? Eclipse stood up from the chair, clearing her throat.

"I think I'll go outside for some fresh air," she murmured. Her voice weak, her eyes fixed on nowhere as she made her way out of the room. She didn't look at anyone, didn't let anyone see the reflection of pain in her eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Cassian asked. Eclipse just hummed an affirmation, hurrying to lead her footsteps away.

She felt a gaze follow her, she knew whose gaze it was, because it was the one that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. The ghostly touch of a shadow entwined itself around her wrist, and when Eclipse looked, the shadow was already fading, returning to its owner, she supposed.

She also faded from the room, like that shadow. Only she carried feelings.

Muscle memory guided her through the corridors of the House of Wind, quick steps until she reached the nearest balcony. A vast balcony that showed Velaris in the distance.

The stars shone above her, Eclipse walked until she was facing the railing, her hands leaning on the cold stone, offering only a slight comfort. It was cold stone, not frozen, it wouldn't bite her skin, it wouldn't make her forget the oppression in her chest. Eclipse closed her eyes, exhaling the air from her lungs so slowly that she needed oxygen before she finished expelling it all.

«Yes, Eclipse. How discreet of you, you didn't leave the room like a drama queen just because you heard her laugh or anything.» her conscience scolded her sarcastically. She just lifted her chocolate gaze to the star-filled sky, letting the icy air fill her lungs.

Why? Why did everything have to be so complicated? She had met hundreds of men, and why, of all those, did she have to like the man who already had another woman in his heart?

Deep down she knew the answer. If she were selfish, she would say it was because he seemed made for her. In every sense of the word. He was everything she had been looking for, both consciously and unconsciously.

And he liked her cousin.

How ridiculous. It was simply ridiculous. She let out a sigh laden with anxiety, her elbows leaning on the railing and her hands covering her face, and then the long, well-cared-for nails crossed her hair.

Why? Hadn't the being that controlled her life's cruel joke seen her suffer enough? What more did they expect from her? What more could she do! She felt like shouting it to the sky.

She had been so lost in her thoughts that she had missed the subtle change in the atmosphere, as the shadows in the right corner seemed to darken, and their movement became irregular. The only warning of Azriel's presence, before the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. The sound approached, until Eclipse could see from the corner of her eye Azriel's tall figure.

He didn't look at her, he stood by her side. Hands in his pockets as he gazed forward, exactly the same thing she had been looking at, the sky. Eclipse knew that if he had wanted to, he would have been silent. He probably would have made noise just to not startle her.

Eclipse exhaled, composed herself, leaving her cold hands on the railing, focusing her gaze elsewhere. If only she could control the way her heart fluttered as his scent, cedar and mist, filled her nostrils and lungs. It made her slightly dizzy. If only it wasn't inappropriate to approach, to breathe in a bit more of his scent. This was the first time they were so close in weeks, Eclipse wondered if he would bring up the subject.

The silence that accompanied Azriel was an invitation, unspoken by him, but it was there. Eclipse didn't feel like giving him any explanation, about anything, mostly because her tongue felt heavy, numb against her palate. And to mumble foolish words, Eclipse would rather not say anything.

The silence enveloped both of them, Eclipse looked down at her fingers while Azriel directed his towards her, a silent question. Eclipse's fingers nervously intertwined, and only after a few seconds, she relented. His gaze was so heavy that she just wanted him to stop looking at her, but as soon as he did, she would long for it. Because she was complicated, and he was a man who did not correspond to her secret feelings.

"I just needed some air," she murmured, without raising her gaze, hoping that was what he was looking for.

"Did Cassian smother you with his embarrassing stories?" he joked, or attempted to, his voice as smooth as silk holding a light, playful undertone. Her breathing became heavy.

Ah, so Cassian had been talking about that. Eclipse swallowed, with a very conscious change of opinion, she looked up, meeting his gaze. With his brow so subtly furrowed that it was imperceptible, with his eyes holding a worried gleam. For a moment, the world stopped. For just a moment he was the only one, while his gaze held hers, probing to see what he could find. At some point, they had been close enough for Azriel to realize how easily her feelings reflected in her eyes. He had always had an easy time reading her, as if she were an open book, and that seeded a thorn of fear.

She looked away after just a couple of seconds, feeling like he was probing every corner of her. Not that she wanted to let him see her vulnerability. She feared that, somehow, he could know. All those embarrassing feelings she harbored about him and Elain together.

"I suffocate myself, I don't need Cassian to say anything," Eclipse told him, a gentle shrug pretending to release some tension in her back.

Azriel didn’t miss the gesture, and he scrutinized her, as if wondering what had caused that tension. If perhaps it had something to do with him.

Eclipse licked her lips, not feeling brave enough to raise her gaze again. To meet his, not while her heart continued to beat frantically. She wondered if he could hear it.

And as if his shadows had heard her doubts, she felt something pressing against the fabric of her thin dress, just above her heart. As though they were trying to calm it, to say "you have nothing to worry about". And she wanted to tell them yes, she worried because she couldn’t like Azriel. That made her a horrible cousin, and also, stupid. Azriel, with a neutral, cold, and disciplined expression, hadn't given her even the slightest signal that he felt the same.

The shadows, as if they understood, left her chest, smoothly moving towards her intertwined hands on the railing. They offered a gentle caress, a gentle comfort.

Eclipse accepted that it was a good way to help her, tilting her head only slightly, with curiosity. "I'm sorry," Azriel breathed, his brow deeply furrowed. As if he had been making a great effort to subdue the shadows again, they finally relented.

"What are you apologizing for?" by the way Azriel looked at her, she assumed her tone must have reflected a little sadness at losing the wonderful shadows. "It's nothing," she assured him, with all the certainty she could muster. "They're...curious."

Azriel looked at her for a few more moments, drinking in every little gesture, every little reaction in Eclipse's face. As if he wanted to decipher whether she truly thought so.

Eclipse felt uncomfortable under Azriel's gaze, she simply sighed.

"I should go back inside."

"Why? Why should you?" Azriel's statement almost came out as an exclamation, and she hadn't expected it. She blinked, searching for a response. The silence settled between them once again, and Eclipse lowered her gaze. He exhaled through his nose.

"I'm sorry, Eclipse. I'm just trying to understand you."

His usual neutral features softened, his gaze becoming milder. Eclipse realized today the green predominated in those hazel eyes. Azriel hesitantly took a step towards her, and when she didn't move away, nor backed up in any way, he took another step. They were so close now, Eclipse's heart was pounding in her ears like a drum, and his scent was intoxicating. She considered stepping back, but a part of her urged her to stay, a small part hidden in her chest that seemed to connect her to Azriel by a thread, kept her in place.

She had to gently stretch her neck to look up at him due to his height, and he held her gaze.

"I don't know what you're trying to understand," Eclipse said, her voice weak and low. Her shoulders lifted a little as she spoke the words, even though she really knew what he meant. But acknowledging it would be like admitting everything she had been feeling for months, the whole labyrinth in her mind, one in which Azriel seemed to be lost, desperately trying to find a way out.

Although it was only the subtle desperation in his eyes that hinted at such a thing.

Eclipse looked away.

"You're avoiding me," Azriel stated, his voice holding a sad tone. Guilty, one that inevitably pressed a dagger against her. Eclipse feared to raise her gaze, to face all those emotions she had caused. But it was best for both of them. Better to keep a distance than to be uncomfortable in each other's presence.

"Is it because of something I've done?"

Eclipse was stunned, every muscle in her body tensed. Her brow furrowed. She was a coward, she knew it. She knew. No. How could it possibly be because of something he had done?

Azriel just pressed the tip of his finger under her chin, lifting it. Forced her brown eyes to meet his again. The way Azriel was looking at her almost took her breath away.

"Eclipse," he almost begged. "Tell me what happened, so that I can fix it."

Her eyebrows curved, Eclipse opened her mouth, but no sound came out so she simply closed it again. Eclipse took a deep breath, trying not to drown in his gaze. Trying not to drown in the feeling.

"It's not because of you, Azriel. It's not about you. I... There's no way I can explain it correctly."

"I'm sorry for distancing myself without telling you, I’m sorry for making you think it's your fault," Eclipse said, with every ounce of honesty in her body. "It's just that I can't..."

"You can't what?"

"I can't do this, Azriel. I just can't," the pressure in her chest increased, he didn’t know what she was talking about. His brows furrowed.

"It's already hard enough to ignore that pull that constantly drags me towards you. Don't make this any harder," she pleaded, and she knew she was saying too much. Her eyes stung.

"Eclipse, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about not being able to stay away from you, and you like Elain."

The truth hit her like a bucket of cold water. And Eclipse hoped, prayed, for a moment, that he would tell her that he felt the same pull too. That he also...

"Oh," Azriel took a step back, it was the largest gap they had left between themselves. It was hard for him to process. One second, two.

Horror crossed Eclipse's features momentarily. The rejection was clear. So clear. Eclipse felt a lump in her throat, one that she swallowed just to say the following words.

"You both deserve to be happy, and it seems like you're heading that way."

Eclipse said, her voice firmer than she could manage was barely a whisper, just loud enough for him to hear.

And he looked at her, as if still in disbelief. As if he was still processing it. Eclipse couldn't bear any more rejection, not when being there was a one-ton weight on her chest and her eyes stung.

She was just a fool, one who had fallen in love with the wrong male.

[gimmebackmyskeeball]

MEET LATINA POGUE READER!

latina pogue reader who looks nothing like the crap she likes.

latina pogue reader who is a certified eco warrior, the most expressive girl in The Cut, surfer, stoner & most likely a vegetarian totally has nothing to do with her body dysmorphia, loves a good dirty joke, a ridiculously forward person, looks like a total black cat but actually the biggest golden retriever when you get close to her.

latina pogue reader who has beautiful curls but always straightens them cause it looks ‘more sleek.’

latina pogue reader who totally swings both ways (sometimes she barely cares who she hooks up with, let alone the gender.)

latina pogue reader who always looks and smells rich even though she’s probably the poorest between the pogues (which, considering JJ, is saying a lot.)

latina pogue reader who likes Diet Coke, cherry cigarettes, weed, pineapples, cats, surfing, tanning and sunshine, the color yellow, pink and red, LDR’s music, old camp shirts, physical touches, long hot showers, swimming, skinny dipping, bikinis, surfing, mushrooms, musical movies, slurpees, hot guys, hot girls, her mom, seashells, gold jewelry, waking up late, R&B, sunsets, Bob Marley and Elvis Presley’s music, street lights and riding the dirt bike.

latina pogue reader who never really learned how to drive but forced JJ to teach her how to ride the dirt bike just to get better and spite him.

latina pogue reader who had a tumblr blogger phase in 2016 and sometimes still logs back her account (which is named some ridiculous shit like curvybaby17 or smth) to look at her and Kie’s old pics.

latina pogue reader who has insane daddy issues but truly believes she’s the best of the best, not in an egotistical way, she knows she pulled through all the troubles life gave her, making it all on her own and she’s confident that she can handle everything.

latina pogue reader who has insane motherly nature (being constantly called ‘mama’ by her favorite blonde), her comforting game is top tier— would recommend.

latina pogue reader who absolutely loathes Rafe and The Chipmunks and has bitch slapped Topper on the face before. one of her favorite moments in life.

latina pogue reader who could be an absolute bitch when she wants to…and some of her words are definitely controversial but you couldn’t pay her to care.

latina pogue reader who doesn’t handle disrespect very well and will make your life a living hell if you cross her. (bonus points if she trusted and cared about you to begin with.)

latina pogue reader who is the most confident freak you can meet.

latina pogue reader who is always the loud, opinionated one. she would never let a man beat her in anything. and I mean anything.

latina pogue reader who needs people to perceive her intelligence. she needs them to know that she's smart and not ‘trailer trash’, that she has something important to contribute to the society.

latina pogue reader who is the biggest softie underneath her loud mouth, scary attitude and maneater aura.

i love her and have a whole ass arc for her :(

[sai-int]

i’m thinking about making my smut debut, any words of encouragement so i don’t chicken out??

also since you asked for asks, how do you think daryl dixon would react to you subtly teasing him all day?

hi there! PLEASE make your smut debut you wont regret it! it's so nice to just put something out in the world that's your own and see that other people enjoy it as well! my words of advice: don't over think it too much! just write what comes to mind and hit the post button. not everyone's always gonna like what you write, and you might not always blow up, but at least one person will enjoy it! tag me in your first smut !

summary - daryl's a tease

⟡ wordcount - 994

⟡ a/n - gn!reader, swearing, suggestive, daryl's kinda mean, but this is pretty mild, I flipped the ask around a little, just a fun little ovulation drabble, ps Lana + writing smut is magical

he'd pick up on how needy you were from the get go. your longing stares, the way you didn't want him to leave the sheets you were both wrapped up in when the sun came up. he knew.

he stood up from the bed, the soft glow from the sun illuminating his sculpted body as he maneuvered around the room, sliding his clothes on his body. in your early morning daze, he could've easily been a fallen angel.

more like an incubus. his pants hung low on his waist as he pushed his belt through the loops, your eyes following his v-line, memorizing the way his waist tapered ever so slightly.

"wanna picture, sweetheart?" he rasped, haphazardly putting on that one black t-shirt that nearly choked his biceps. the same one that you had expressed a specific fondness of just a few nights ago, moments before you tore it off him.

your face flushed at his comment, your eyes meeting. you noticed the smug smile that adorned his lips. he knew.

🌙

you'd find him chopping up some firewood in the middle of Alexandria, the early afternoon causing him to sweat so much that you'd question if he'd just jumped in the lake.

but to your hungry eyes, it'd be no different if he had oiled himself up, stripped himself bare, and had "come get me" written on his back. his muscles were glistening and bulging with each blow of the axe, the sunlight giving his skin a honey-like glow.

you'd watch him- no, gaze at him like a wolf preying on an elk, ready to pounce. his shirt clung to him like second skin, each one of his muscles rippling with each swinging motion. fuck.

he knew exactly what he was doing. the number the hot summer sun was doing on him was incomparable to the holes your eyes were burning into his skin.

the sneaky mother fucker turned his head directly to you, right as the axe was about to come down on yet another log. with a quick blow to the wood, he threw the axe down, turning to look at you once more with a shit-eating smirk. your mouth fell agape. that little shit.

he turned away, wiped forehead, tied the upper half of his hair up into a bun, and practically sauntered down the street and into your shared house.

you had subtly crossed your legs, trying to stop the filth that plagued your mind. as the seconds passed, you became increasingly aware of the heat that radiated from your cheeks and core. your panties were soaked and glued to your heat as you shifted.

in all actuality, he hadn't been doing anything too outlandish- at least not anything he hasn't done before. he just wanted to see you squirm. you stood up from the bench you had been sitting on and walked toward your home.

you knew he'd be there, you just hoped he'd give you what you wanted- no. what you needed. you advanced toward your house, wearily opening the door with a click. you walked into the quiet house and shut the door behind you. the shower was running upstairs.

the clock striked 4 as you made your way up the stairs. each step echoed in your head as your body radiated heat. you took your shoes off at the top of the steps, probably in hopes that you could take him by surprise, but who knows. you were as rational as your thoughts were pure. when you peaked in the door way, you could see the shower curtain drawn shut, but the mirror revealed just the slightest bit of his back, the water cascading down it.

you stripped yourself of your clothes, the humidity mingling with the sheen of sweat on your body. you opened the curtain, stepping in to the shower behind him. your arms snaked around his waist, your head resting against his back. the smell of soap and his natural scent sent shivers down your spine.

you held him tightly, pressing your body impossibly close to his, hoping he'd understand how badly you needed him. being impossibly stronger than you, he turned around in your grasp, his hands pulling your waist and chest firmly against his.

he looked in to your eyes, brushing a wet strand of hair behind your ear. "so needy f' me today, hm?" he cooed so sweetly as his large hands sunk down to the meat of your hip, his grip possessive. you looked into him, bobbing your head up and down and suddenly feeling small under his gaze. you snaked your arms around his neck in efforts to bring him closer.

if anyone was the wolf here, it was him. his lips lingered so close to yours as his eyes flickered to your eyes, lips, your bare frame, and at anything else you had to offer him.

your body was buzzing. you could feel your knees growing weak in his embrace as if he was holding you up with just his regard. you were sure you could feel yourself dripping down your leg. it was almost if he could sense how viscerally you craved him. your hands fell to his shoulders, gripping tightly onto his tense muscles.

he placed a chaste kiss to your shoulder, your head instantly tilting to allow him as much of you as he wanted. he trailed his kisses toward your neck, kissing your pulse in the process. he smirked softly as he felt how wildly your heart was beating. his scruff tickled your neck just right, only making you grip him tighter. you swore you could cum in that moment.

his kisses grew sloppy, his own breathing growing deeper as he felt his cock throb at the sound of your ragged breaths. he kissed your ear and whispered to you as he shut the water off.

"wait f' me in the room"

masterlist

[hezzabeth]

By the year 3856 animals are a myth. Insects however are incredibly common. Due to the colonization of the solar system there are also many mutant off breeds. The Phoeben Scorpion is native to the terraformed moon known as Phoebe. Over the centuries it has invaded our moons and satellites. The Phoeben Scorpion has a colorful candy like appearance.They are considered to be a delicious and popular snack food.

"Don't you want to watch the next log and find out how it ends?" Brigadeiro asked.

"It probably ends the way all fairytales do, with the Duke taking one look at Dityaa and falling madly in love! Just like everyone else," Revati said, pressing the side of her bangle, causing it to turn off.

"Not everyone falls in love with your sister at first sight, I didn't," Brigadeiro said, shooting Revati a sly, knowing look.

It was the same knowing look that he had given her on a bridge at sunrise, in a tent during winter, and once under fireworks. A warm, dark-eyed look that would have made a weaker person tremble at the knees.

"That's because you imprinted on me the second I saved your life, like Phoeben scorpions," Revati shot back.

"Phoeben scorpions?" Brigadeiro had to ask.

"You know, the scorpions on the Phoebe satellite, the ones that imprint on their mates and then end up starving to death," Revati said.

"Are those the fried ones they sell in coffee shops with the cupcakes?" Brigadeiro asked with a small grimace.

"Yep, the more sick with love they are, the sweeter they taste," Revati said, shutting her eyes and savoring the taste of the scorpions.

Brigadeiro held up his hand for a moment and quickly licked it.

"Well, look at that, I taste just like sugar," Brigadeiro winked, and Revati rolled her eyes.

"You really are ridiculous," she replied, and he took her hand, holding it up to his lips.

"And I bet you taste like dark chocolate... not quite as sweet as me," he said before his lips grazed her knuckles. Revati felt herself glance upwards into those familiar eyes, and Revati blushed.

……

Nine minutes past midnight. Brigadeiro's room was filled with pale blue moonlight. Revati was twenty-one years old.

She had, of course, fooled around on the road before. A few times in her tent, sometimes in the middle of a forest. On one memorable occasion, one thousand feet above Mars' surface with the aid of hover boots.

Never in a bed, however. Never with a person who actually fell asleep next to her afterwards. Brigadeiro was a decent sleep companion; he didn't snore and he stayed on his side of the bed. Revati had to admit his back curved down in a way that she rather liked. Still, it was nine past midnight. Revati got off the bed and walked towards the window. The garden's shadows reminded her of her father's inky blue hair. The tables and chairs outside had long ago been abandoned. Someone was darting across the lawn, trying their best to stay in the darkest shadows. The person was heading towards the kitchen house. In Revati's experience, people with nothing to hide didn't even notice shadows. Revati tiptoed to her backpack and grabbed her trusty pants. Sliding into them, she felt the way she always did, like a warrior heading out to meet her destiny.

Everything was quiet and still. The front door of the kitchen house was flung wide open, something that would never happen in Olde Landon.

Pecan was actually asleep on the path next to the door, cuddling a giant inflatable apple. Revati crept lightly inside, her feet barely touching the floor, her weight being carried in her hips. Something was making a faint shifting sound in the rose room.

Revati reached into her left pants pocket, pulling out the tiny container of mushroom tent spores. Carefully and ever so gently, she crept into the rose room. Someone was stooping over Dityaa, and as far as Revati was concerned, that was all she needed to know. Revati undid the top of the container and blew the spores towards the figure.

Within seconds, the fungus blossomed and twisted, wrapping itself around the figure who was now gasping in horror. The rose room suddenly filled with light, and the figure fell to the ground like a caterpillar, half stuck in a cocoon. It was Paulette.

[nell0-0]

Writing requests open?? What about Wind doing something that is SO REMINISCENT OF TUNE that Time and Wars start sweating? Or TIME GOING FULL MASK BEHAVIOUR causing Wars to have flashbacks?

I am very in love with your HW-era art, especially with Mask, by the way 💜

Not sure if this 100% fits the request, but hopefully you like it anyways ^^

Main characters: Wind/Tune & Time/Mask

Wind was biting his tongue. It could be barely seen between his teeth, peeking out the slightest bit. Sitting down on a log as he was, back teetering dangerously back and forth from exhaustion, it was a tad concerning.

Or it would be if Time wasn’t already familiar with such a sight. Legend could keep sending the sailors all the sneaky worried glances he wanted, and Wild could try to cook as many of the sailor’s favorite dishes as he could with the ingredients he had, but none of it would make much of a difference.

The long walks had been hard on the sailor, and that summed up with chasing down the latest batch of black blooded monsters from Twilight’s time, the shift to Sky’s era and the subsequent series of favors they completed for the people of Skyloft (which Wild insisted in calling side-quests, Farore knows why), had been taking a toll. Not only on the sailor, of course, as Four could also be seen on the edge of camp laying on top of his bedroll, completely knocked out for the night.

In short, it wasn’t a surprising sight for Time. Wind biting his tongue, the back and forth rocking and the restless ears, flopping up and down without apparent rhythm. It was one of Tune’s tells regarding deep exhaustion.

For a hero used to adjusting his posture to the rocking of the waves, long hours spent looking at the horizon with nothing in sight, this particular adventure was draining. Then again, it was one of Tune’s tells, not Wind’s. Even though they were the same person, it was only in the way that Mask and Time had once been one in the same. That was probably why the others were concerned.

Casting a quick look in Warrior’s direction, the captain didn’t seem to notice anything odd. Probably not realizing this was something out of the ordinary for Wind, since it was so normal to see from Tune. So, since the captain was out, it was up to Time.

Getting up with creaking knees that made Hyrule snicker, Time walked towards the sailor, dropping to the ground next to the log in which Wind sat.

“Hey.”

Goddesses, Time cringed internally. An accomplished warrior he may be, but casual conversation was not his forte.

“Hey there.”

Then again, not that it mattered if Wind was so out of it to not notice.

The thought of getting Legend’s ice rod to see if Wind’s peeking tongue would stick to the icy orb did cross Time’s mind. The reaction would have been priceless, all wide eyes and betrayed looks. Time could picture it. He was quick to discard it.

After all, a prank like that would lose effectiveness if it was expected. Tune’s reaction had been so memorable he still remembered vividly to this day.

“You want to talk about whatever has you down?”

A grunt. A negative, then. Not that it surprised Time, he had been expecting this kind of response.

Rummaging through his pack, he looked consideringly at some loose parchment, then thought again and grabbed one of his newer journals, with barely a name (which they shared, so it wouldn’t be an issue) and a little log of the last couple of time jumps.

After some time just letting the silence fester, Time asked again, just to get the same negative response. Plan b, then.

In the end, Time passed the journal and some ink to Wind, who looked at them uncomprehending.

“Here, take it.”

Little hands did take the items, peeking tongue retreating to the insides of the mouth as downturned lips showed confusion.

“It helps sometimes, to draw instead of talk. If you’re too tired, or just don’t want to talk, then doodle some.”

“I’m not a little kid.”

The indignation would have been endearing if it wasn’t funny as hell, because he had said those exact same words to Tune all those years ago (or to come. It was a matter of perspective. Time magic was confusing like that).

“I know.” Time patted the cover of the leatherbound journal pointedly. “I use them too, and I’m grown up, aren’t I?”

That got a laugh. A win on Time’s book.

“Grown? More like old.”

With a fond smile, Time messed Wind’s hair, who protested the treatment heavily. And yet, the weight against his hand increased, seeking contact and reassurance, as Time knew it would.

“Here, let me show you some of my doodles.”

And when Wind criticized how badly Time drew everything BUT horses, the man shrugged.

“Take it up with the guy who taught me to draw in the first place if you’re so bothered.”

“And how the hell am I supposed to do that? I probably won’t even met him, ever!”

“Oh, believe me, you will.”

Years later-ago-somewhen, when there was a war that included different time periods, fought over a hero that wasn’t supposed to awaken so soon yet had to, with two displaced kids holding the same sacred title as the captain, a certain sailor had a realization.

He looked down at his hands in horror, then up towards the sky in despair as he yelled.

“Oh my goddesses, I can’t believe that-that-“

Mask pouted scowled, used by now to the antics but no less inconvenienced.

“Are you gonna teach me to draw Epona or not?”

“Shut it, this is your fault in the first place!”

“Sure” Mask shrugged, wanting the dramatics to be over with. The chances of it working were slim, but never zero. At least it would speed it up. Hopefully.

“On my pride as an artist, you will learn how to draw something else other than horses, that I swear!”

Mask sighed. “Okay. But Epona first.”

Mask never ended up learning to draw anything else other than horses during the two years that followed that interaction.

[shiorihyugawrites]

Red Regrets

Twelve years ago, Levi Ackerman made the hardest decision of his life—he left behind the only woman he ever loved, believing it was for her own good. But fate is cruel, and when a fiery redheaded boy with a familiar scowl crosses his path, Levi is forced to confront the past he abandoned. The truth he never knew. And the woman whose heart he shattered. (Levi x OC)

Chapter Four

The wind whistled through the dense canopy of tall pines, sending a hush over the secluded clearing where Levi’s squad had set up camp. The wooden cabin stood in the center of a small meadow, its weathered logs blending into the surrounding forest. From a distance, no one would guess that inside, the Scouts were harboring two of the most wanted individuals in all the Walls: Eren Jaeger, the Titan shifter, and Historia Reiss, the girl with mysterious ties to the church.

For the past week, Levi and his squad had been living on edge. Hange was busy with Eren’s experiments, pushing him to transform, but the results were inconsistent and yielded little in the way of groundbreaking discoveries. Meanwhile, Historia paced uneasily by the cabin windows, dreading the moment the government might finally catch up to them. Jean, Connie, and Sasha kept watch on the perimeter, switching out in shifts. Mikasa and Armin aided Hange and Eren when they could, but they also struggled to keep up morale. Tensions ran high, and no one dared to speculate too loudly about what would happen if Commander Erwin was arrested. Or worse, if the monarchy declared the entire Scout Regiment outlawed.

For his part, Levi sat at a battered wooden table in the cabin’s single main room, surrounded by the hush of late afternoon. His elbows rested on the tabletop, fingers steepled in front of his chin. He’d barely slept all week. On paper, he was entirely focused on the mission—he was the squad’s leader, entrusted with Eren’s life, with Historia’s safety. Yet something else gnawed at him every waking moment. Penelope. Preston. Their faces kept forcing their way into his thoughts at the most inconvenient times.

Whenever he closed his eyes, he pictured Penelope’s furious glare, the sting of her accusations in his ears. He recalled the heartbreak in her voice when she reminded him how he had left her. And, looming alongside that guilt, the memory of the redheaded brat who looked so much like him. Preston was his son—Levi had no doubt now. But the knowledge only deepened the ache he felt, because Penelope had made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him.

He wondered if she was all right, if Preston was going to class now or still skipping and getting into fights. But how could he check on them without going against her wishes? A simmering frustration built in him: he was Humanity’s Strongest Soldier, but he felt powerless to mend the damage he had caused.

His train of thought was interrupted when the cabin door creaked open. Jean and Connie shuffled in, carrying small sacks of freshly gathered herbs. Sasha followed behind, a disappointed expression on her face.

“Still no game,” Sasha muttered, tossing her quiver of arrows onto a nearby chair. “I swear, it’s like the wildlife heard we were coming and decided to run for the hills.”

Jean set the herbs down, stretching the kinks out of his back. “Well, it’s better than nothing. Hange can probably use these to help with Eren’s post-transformation headaches.”

Levi regarded them with his usual unreadable expression. “Don’t slack,” he said tersely. “If we can’t hunt, we’ll need to ration what’s left. And be mindful of any tracks. We can’t risk the Military Police finding us.”

Jean and Connie nodded, heading to the far side of the room where they began sorting the herbs. Sasha, momentarily hesitant, picked up her quiver and murmured something about checking her arrows. Then she vanished into the next room.

Silence settled again, broken only by the murmur of hushed voices from Eren and Hange outside as they conducted yet another test of his Titan powers. In the distance, the faint sound of Armin directing Historia on some chore drifted through the open window.

Levi leaned back in his chair, pressing his palms flat against the table. His body practically vibrated with pent-up anxiety. He knew he needed to keep calm, but his thoughts kept straying. He scolded himself for the lapse—this was no time for personal distractions. Yet whenever he tried to refocus on Eren’s plight or Historia’s secret heritage, an image of Penelope inevitably rose in his mind.

He sensed movement in the main room again: Connie and Jean had paused their work and were standing close together, whispering. Their eyes flickered surreptitiously toward Levi. He caught sight of the way Jean’s mouth twisted in a half-smile of curiosity, and Connie’s eyebrows rose as though he were describing something outlandish. Levi’s expression darkened, suspecting they were gossiping about something. Or more specifically, about him.

He allowed them another few moments to continue, feigning disinterest. But eventually, he stood and walked up behind them, silent as a cat. Jean was in mid-sentence. “You remember that kid at HQ? Fiery red hair—”

“Looked kinda like the Captain,” Connie interjected in a hushed tone. “You think—”

They both froze the instant they realized Levi was right behind them. Jean’s face went pale, and Connie hastily cleared his throat. “Uh, Captain… we were just—”

Levi stared down, arms crossed, voice flat. “Just what?”

Jean, swallowing hard, glanced at Connie. “We were just, uh, wondering about that redheaded kid who turned HQ upside down last week. We heard rumors he was looking for you. Then he just… vanished.”

Levi’s eyes narrowed. He had no intention of explaining the truth to them—not yet, anyway. “That is none of your business,” he said calmly, though a cold edge sharpened his words. “He’s not a threat. That’s all you need to know.”

Connie took a half-step back, raising his hands. “Of course, Captain,” he said quickly. “We were just curious. The rest of the squad’s been speculating.”

Levi’s jaw tightened. “Tch. Focus on your duties. Curiosity can get you killed.”

With that, he turned on his heel and strode toward the door, pushing it open to step outside into the crisp forest air. He didn’t bother glancing back to see Jean and Connie exchange uneasy looks. The truth was, he felt guilty for snapping at them. But the swirl of private turmoil in his mind made him impatient with anything that reminded him of Preston.

The late afternoon sun angled through the clearing, casting long shadows across the grass. A short distance away, Eren was sitting against a tree stump, sweat beading his brow, while Hange scribbled furiously into a notebook. Mikasa hovered nearby, arms folded protectively.

Levi scanned the horizon. If the Military Police or any government dogs came lurking, this vantage point gave him a clear line of sight. There was no immediate sign of danger, though that did little to soothe him. He wanted to do a perimeter check to keep himself busy, but he also felt the urge to walk deeper into the woods alone, if only to gather his thoughts away from everyone else’s prying eyes.

As he stood there, torn between duty and his own tangled emotions, Hange caught sight of him. “Oi, Levi!” she called, waving her free hand enthusiastically. “Come check this out!”

Levi sighed and walked over. Eren glanced up at him, panting slightly from his earlier transformation attempt. Steam still rose faintly from a few superficial cuts on his arm. Hange, ever the fervent scientist, pointed to the notebook. “Eren’s Titan form is responding oddly. He’s having trouble maintaining structure around the wrists and forearms. It’s almost like the Titan’s body is rejecting something.”

Levi’s mind reeled, trying to refocus on the problem at hand. “Could it be fatigue? Or maybe an incomplete command from Eren’s side?”

Eren shrugged, wincing as Mikasa dabbed at a lingering burn on his skin. “I’ve tried different mental images, but it keeps failing. That, plus the fact we have to stay hidden here, means I can’t push too hard or risk drawing attention with a full transformation.”

Hange hummed thoughtfully, scribbling again. “I might need to dissect this further, but that’s a risk in itself. We can’t transform too often, or the MPs might see the steam from miles away.”

Mikasa watched Levi’s face. “Captain,” she said softly, “are you alright? You’ve seemed… tense lately.”

Levi didn’t look at her, keeping his gaze on Eren’s injuries. “I’m fine,” he muttered. “Worry about Eren.”

Mikasa fell silent, recognizing that pressing him was futile. Hange, completely immersed in her notes, missed the subtle exchange altogether. She launched into a monologue about Titan physiology, spouting theories that Levi had heard countless times. Ordinarily, he tried to follow the threads of her logic, but today, his thoughts were miles away—back in Wall Sina, with Penelope. He recalled the heartbreak in her eyes, the same gaze that once looked upon him with unwavering devotion.

Eren cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably. “We’ll keep testing, Captain,” he said, trying to mask the strain in his voice. “Just tell us if you see anything suspicious out there. I’ll do my best to remain inconspicuous.”

Levi nodded. “Don’t push yourself too hard. We don’t need you passing out.”

Hange clapped the notebook shut. “Alright, I think that’s enough for now. Let’s give Eren a break and continue tomorrow morning. I still have to sort through these notes.”

The small group dispersed. Mikasa helped Eren to his feet and guided him back toward the cabin. Hange lingered a moment, adjusting her glasses and peering at Levi with curiosity. “I noticed you’re a bit quiet, even for you,” she ventured. “You doing okay? I know you have a lot going on right now…”

“I’m fine,” Levi answered immediately, the edge in his voice discouraging further inquiry. He turned away, scanning the tree line. “I’m going to do a perimeter check.”

“Understood,” Hange said, though he felt her eyes on him a moment longer. Then she trudged off in the same direction as Eren and Mikasa, flipping through her notes.

Levi walked the perimeter alone, footsteps rustling fallen pine needles. The forest smelled of resin and damp earth, a sharp contrast to the polished floors of the clinic he’d visited last week. His mind kept drifting, conjuring Penelope’s image with painful clarity. In a single moment, she’d reminded him of everything they’d shared and lost. A longing he’d tried to bury came roaring back, a fierce need to protect her and their son, balanced against the sobering truth that she wanted nothing more to do with him.

He paused at a small stream, watching the water ripple over smooth stones. His reflection stared back at him, eyes shadowed with fatigue. Did he truly have the right to force his way back into Penelope’s life, after all he’d done? Did he even have the capacity to be a father, when the only paternal figure he’d known was Kenny—a serial killer who vanished from his life as quickly as he’d appeared?

Levi’s jaw tightened. He recalled the helplessness he’d felt as a child in the Underground, and how Penelope became one of the only bright spots in his grim world. The taste of that memory was bittersweet: she was once everything to him, and now she was a seething reminder of what he’d ruined. The ache in his chest grew sharper. He could respect her wish for distance, but that didn’t dull the longing inside him. And then there was Preston—his son—who deserved the truth, even if that truth was messy and fraught with pain.

A muffled shout from the direction of the cabin snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned instinctively, hand moving toward his blades, until he recognized Jean’s distinct voice. No sign of real danger. Probably another argument over chores or some small mishap. He let out a quiet breath, reminding himself that the safety of Eren and the squad demanded his primary focus. Dwelling on regrets wouldn’t help them survive.

And yet, he knew he couldn’t let the matter rest forever. Once the looming threat of the government had been handled—one way or another—he would go back. He had to, no matter how many times Penelope tried to kick him out. The only question was whether she’d ever be willing to give him a second chance, or at least let him be part of Preston’s life. Part of him doubted it. But hope, frail as a candle flame, refused to die in the depths of his chest.

Levi turned away from the stream, continuing his patrol. The forest seemed endless, silent except for the occasional rustle of wildlife. He walked deeper, scanning the surroundings with a soldier’s vigilance. Yet in the back of his mind, thoughts of Penelope lingered like a haunting refrain, and he knew that no matter what lay ahead for the Scout Regiment, a different sort of battle awaited him when it came to the woman he’d once protected—and the family he’d left behind.

…

The forest was eerily quiet that night, save for the occasional rustle of leaves whispering in the breeze and the distant chirp of insects. The air was crisp and cold, the kind that sank into your bones and made you want to wrap yourself in every blanket you could find. But Levi was unfazed. He stood on the porch of the cabin, leaning against one of the worn wooden beams with his arms folded tightly across his chest, keeping his sharp eyes fixed on the dark treeline beyond. His blade was strapped to his hip out of habit, and his breath came out in soft, slow puffs as he scanned the area for any sign of movement. The moon hung low above them, half-hidden behind the shifting clouds.

This was always his time—the middle of the night when everyone else slept and the weight of leadership pressed down the hardest. It gave him space to think, though lately, his thoughts were the last thing he wanted to be left alone with.

Penelope. Preston. Their faces had been burned into his mind since the moment he left her clinic. He couldn’t stop replaying her words, the slap she nearly delivered, the bitterness in her eyes. And Preston… the way the brat looked at him, equal parts hopeful and confused, as if waiting for Levi to step up and claim something he wasn't sure he had the right to claim.

Levi was so lost in thought he almost didn’t hear the soft creak of the cabin door opening behind him.

“Oi,” Hange’s familiar voice called quietly. “Mind some company?”

Levi barely turned his head. “Tch. Do what you want.”

She stepped out into the night, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders. Her glasses glinted faintly in the moonlight as she joined him by the railing, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the wooden beam, peering out at the trees like she might see whatever it was Levi had been staring at for the past hour.

“You’ve been awfully quiet lately,” she said after a moment, her tone casual but not unkind. “And, yeah, yeah, I know—you’re always quiet. But this is… different.”

Levi didn’t answer right away. His gaze remained fixed on the dark horizon. “We’ve got a lot on our plates.”

“We do,” Hange agreed, nodding. “But you’re not thinking about Eren. Or Historia. Or the government breathing down our necks. Don’t bother denying it.”

He gave her a sideways glance but didn’t argue. There was no point. Hange wasn’t a fool.

She shifted, casting him a small, knowing smile. “How’s Dr. Iverson?”

Levi’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, he contemplated brushing it off. But what was the use? Hange already knew. She and Erwin were the only ones who did. “She told me to stay away,” he muttered, voice low. “And she meant it.”

Hange hummed softly, rocking on her heels. “Can’t blame her. You did kinda abandon her, huh?”

Levi shot her a glare, but Hange just shrugged, unbothered. “What? I’m not wrong. You really know how to make a mess of things.”

Levi sighed, running a hand down his face. “Yeah. I know.”

They stood in silence for a few moments, the night pressing in around them. Somewhere inside the cabin, a floorboard creaked, probably Jean turning over in his sleep. Levi closed his eyes briefly, wishing for just a moment of peace from his own mind. But Hange wasn’t done yet.

“I gotta admit,” she said, grinning now as she nudged him with her elbow, “I didn’t think you had it in you back then. You? Of all people? Falling for someone like her?”

Levi raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, come on,” Hange laughed softly. “She’s… well, you know. Gorgeous. Brilliant. Fiery as hell. You, meanwhile, have the personality of a brick wall and the charm of a feral cat.”

Levi scoffed under his breath. “Tch. Thanks.”

“I’m just saying,” she continued, clearly enjoying herself now. “Back in your youth, I bet you thought you were pretty smooth, huh? How’d you manage to pull someone like Dr. Iverson? I mean, seriously. You’ve been scowling since the day I met you.”

Levi shook his head, looking back out at the trees. “I didn’t ‘pull her’. She chose me.”

That earned a thoughtful pause from Hange. She looked at him with something almost like respect. “Huh. Guess that makes sense. She seems like the type who goes after what she wants.”

“She did,” Levi said quietly. “I was just some punk kid in the Underground. She could’ve looked right past me. But she didn’t.”

Hange tilted her head. “You loved her.”

Still do, Levi thought but didn’t say. Instead, he gave the smallest nod. “Yeah.”

Hange leaned back against the railing, watching him with an uncharacteristically soft gaze. “You ever think about trying to eventually fix things with her? I mean, now that you know about Preston…”

Levi closed his eyes briefly. “Every damn day.”

She gave a short laugh. “That obvious, huh?”

“To me? Yeah.”

They lapsed into silence again, the kind that only old friends could share without it feeling heavy. Levi appreciated that Hange didn’t press him too hard. She knew when to back off, even if she had a tendency to push his buttons.

“I don’t know if she’ll ever forgive me,” Levi admitted after a long pause. “And maybe she shouldn’t. But... I can’t just pretend like it never happened. Like Preston isn’t mine.”

“Good,” Hange said, adjusting her glasses. “Because whether she forgives you or not, that kid deserves to know his father. And I think you’re better at this kind of thing than you give yourself credit for.”

Levi shot her a skeptical look.

“Well,” she amended with a grin, “not much better. But better.”

He smirked faintly, shaking his head. “Tch. Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Anytime, Captain.” She patted his arm before turning back toward the door. “Get some rest when you can, alright? Even brooding needs sleep.”

Levi grunted in acknowledgment but didn’t move from his spot. Hange slipped back inside, leaving him alone with the night, the cold air, and the ache in his chest that hadn’t eased since the moment he laid eyes on Penelope again.

He glanced up at the stars overhead, wondering if she was looking at the same sky, wondering if Preston had gone to bed already, if she’d finally managed to stop being angry long enough to just... breathe.

Levi knew he couldn’t stay away forever. Sooner or later, he was going back. Whether Penelope liked it or not, they had unfinished business.

And this time, he wasn’t running from it.

…

A few days later, Penelope settled into her chair, exhaling a quiet sigh as she watched the last of her young medical students leave the clinic. Their eager voices still rang in her ears, that mixture of excitement and anxiety she remembered so vividly from her own days as an up-and-coming medical prodigy. She ran a hand over her desk, smoothing out the scattered lecture notes. Despite the lingering chaos on her work surface, the clinic felt oddly calm. It was nearing the end of the day, and she was looking forward to a peaceful evening at home with Preston.

She had sent her nurse off early, wanting to give the woman a little free time before the sun fully set. Besides, Penelope anticipated little to no foot traffic at this hour. In theory, the only person who should be stepping inside was Preston. He often finished school a bit later than other kids his age because he was involved in additional studies and extracurricular activities. Lately, though, she’d noticed he wasn’t as keen on those extra commitments—no doubt distracted by everything that had happened involving Captain Levi.

Levi Ackerman. The name sent a flood of conflicting emotions through her chest. She rested her elbows on the desk and pressed her fingertips to her temples. Why couldn’t she get him out of her mind? She hated him, or at least she told herself she did. But under that anger lived a different kind of pain—one that still stung every time she recalled his touch, his fierce protectiveness, his rare, warm smiles that had once been reserved for her alone. She told herself it was better to stay away, that letting him back in would only risk more heartbreak. Preston deserved stability, not a father who might vanish into the chaos of Titan battles, leaving them both broken.

She inhaled, deciding to set those thoughts aside. Preston had been on better behavior lately, attending school without skipping and coming home at a reasonable hour. Perhaps, she mused, they could head out to dinner or just spend the night cooking a meal together. She wanted to reward him, maybe buy him that pastry he always ogled through the bakery window. Something normal, something happy to wash away the tension that had settled between them in the aftermath of Levi’s sudden return.

The chime of the front door broke her reverie. She smiled to herself and stood, stretching her stiff back. “Preston?” she called, her voice echoing in the clinic’s small lobby. “You’re early for once. Did you—”

Silence. No answer. That was odd. Preston usually replied with some sarcastic retort or at least a grumble. Penelope took a few steps forward, edging out of her office and into the front corridor. Perhaps he was teasing her, playing a trick. She allowed the barest hint of a smile to tug at her lips. “Preston, don’t ignore me,” she said, scanning the hallway. “I’m not in the mood for hide-and-seek.”

Still nothing. The quiet was unsettling. Her smile faded, replaced by an uneasy knot in her stomach. She cleared her throat and rounded the corner into the waiting area. “Preston?” she tried again, voice tightening. “If you’re trying to scare me, cut it out.”

Then she saw him.

Her heart lurched in her chest as her gaze landed on Preston. He stood near the entrance, gagged with a cloth that wrapped around the lower half of his face. His eyes were wide and terrified. His hands, bound behind his back, struggled against the rope that cut into his wrists. The sight nearly knocked the breath out of her.

“Mom!” he mumbled through the cloth, his voice muffled but desperate.

Behind Preston stood a tall, broad-shouldered man wearing a wide-brimmed hat. His face was shadowed by the brim, but what little she could see of his features was etched with a smug confidence. Around him, three other figures in black uniforms lingered, each armed with strange, compact gear that Penelope had never seen before. It looked like the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear that many soldiers used, but modified in some lethal, specialized way.

Penelope’s gaze snapped back to Preston, who was trembling, his shoulders stiff. Fury and fear slammed through her in equal measure. Without hesitation, she took a step forward. “Let him go,” she demanded, voice low and sharp. “Now.”

The tall man tilted his head, revealing more of his angular jaw and the lines around his cold eyes. “Evening,” he drawled, voice tinged with amusement. “You must be Dr. Iverson. Heard a bit about you.” He tightened his grip on Preston’s collar, making the boy flinch. “We’ll be taking you and your brat for a little ride.”

Penelope’s fists clenched. She fought to keep her composure, though her rage surged dangerously. “I don’t know who you are,” she ground out, “but you need to leave before I notify the Military Police. If you—”

The man barked out a laugh, loud and mocking. “Oh, sweetheart, we are the Military Police.” One of his associates, a woman with short blonde hair, snickered at Penelope’s reaction. “Name’s Kenny,” the tall man added. “Kenny Ackerman, to be precise. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Penelope’s stomach twisted at the last name. Ackerman? Like Levi? She struggled to remain calm, refusing to show fear. “If you work for the Military Police, there’s no reason to hold us hostage,” she said carefully, casting a worried glance at her son. “Whatever you want, you can’t just break in here—”

Kenny waved a hand dismissively. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. I can do whatever I want.” He then nodded to the blonde woman at his side. “Caven, be a dear and bring our good doctor along.”

Caven stepped forward, and Penelope’s instincts kicked into overdrive. In a flash, Penelope reached into the pocket of her coat, finding the small scalpel she always kept on her person. The moment Caven stretched out her hand, Penelope slashed at her, slicing through the fabric of the woman’s uniform and into the flesh of her arm. Caven hissed in pain and jerked back, blood staining the black fabric.

“You little—” Caven began, but Penelope was already moving, aiming the scalpel at Kenny himself. She might not have been a soldier, but growing up in the Underground, plus her medical knowledge, gave her enough nerve to fight back.

Kenny smirked, stepping aside with practiced ease. Before Penelope could adjust her angle, another squad member lunged in from behind, pressing a cloth against her mouth. The chemical odor assaulted her senses immediately, sickly sweet and overpowering. She tried to struggle, tried to twist away, but her body weakened as the substance invaded her lungs.

Her scalpel clattered to the floor, and her vision blurred. She heard Preston shout something muffled through the gag, but she could barely make sense of it. Kenny’s figure swam into her line of sight. As her knees buckled, he caught her with an almost mocking gentleness.

“Feisty one, ain’t she,” Kenny remarked, eyeing her with amusement. He reached up and fingered a lock of her rose-red hair. “Such a pretty color.” In one swift motion, he drew a knife and sawed through a portion of her hair, pocketing the severed strands. “Might need this later.”

Penelope tried to speak, to curse at him, but the drug’s potency overwhelmed her. Darkness crowded her vision, and she sank into unconsciousness, her last coherent thought a desperate concern for Preston’s safety.

Preston watched in horror as his mother slumped in Kenny’s arms. Tears gathered in his eyes, though he refused to let them fall. Fear and anger churned in his chest. He struggled uselessly against the ropes binding his wrists, wanting nothing more than to lash out at the tall man who held his mother captive.

“Don’t hurt her,” he tried to say, voice muffled by the gag.

Kenny’s gaze slid over to the boy, an unsettling grin forming on his lips. “Don’t worry, kid,” he said, though there was no warmth in his tone. “As long as she cooperates, she’ll be fine. We just need to get the attention of a certain Captain Levi.”

Preston’s heart stuttered. Levi. This had something to do with him? He glared back, though with the gag in place, he could only manage muffled noises of protest. Two members of the squad grabbed him by the arms, dragging him toward the door while Kenny carried the unconscious Penelope.

Outside, a dark carriage waited. The horse snorted, stomping a hoof as the group approached. The driver, a wiry man with a patchy beard, opened the carriage doors. Kenny climbed in first, settling Penelope onto the seat with a casual air, as if she were some package he’d picked up. Caven, nursing her wounded arm, slipped in beside him, grimacing at the blood on her uniform.

Preston was forced in next, shoved onto the bench opposite his mother, still gagged and bound. The last two members of the squad followed, their menacing presence crowding the cramped interior. One of them slammed the doors shut.

“Move,” Kenny barked to the driver, and the carriage lurched forward.

Preston winced at the rough motion, staring helplessly at his mother, who remained unconscious, her head lolling against the seat. The severed lock of her rose-red hair in Kenny’s coat pocket was a vivid reminder of how vulnerable they were. Despair washed over Preston, followed by a burst of fierce determination. If Levi truly cared about them at all, maybe he’d come. If not… he didn’t want to think about what might happen.

Kenny leaned back, resting a hand on his hat. “Showtime,” he murmured, an almost gleeful edge to his voice. “Let’s see if that little runt got any heart left in that cold chest of his.”

Preston swallowed hard, closing his eyes. His mother’s limp form was the only reason he didn’t thrash about. He knew any sudden movement might provoke these people into hurting her more. Silent tears threatened to spill as the carriage rattled over the cobblestones, carrying them away to an unknown fate. All he could do was pray that someone would come for them—someone with the strength and resolve to shatter this terrible nightmare.

…

A few hours later…

Levi crouched low on the slanted rooftop, the evening sky painted in deep purples and reds behind him. Nifa knelt at his side, warily scanning the deserted streets below. The air felt tense—he and Nifa had come here to regroup, to decide their next move now that the government was after Eren and Historia. His mind was swirling with a thousand concerns: the fact that they were severely outnumbered, that they didn’t know who to trust, and, uncomfortably, the memory of Penelope and Preston. It had been days since he’d heard anything about them, and the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach refused to subside.

“Captain Levi,” Nifa murmured, glancing at him with apprehension. “Are you sure we should be out in the open like this? The Military Police—”

She never finished.

A thunderous crack sliced through the hush. Levi’s soldier instincts kicked in too late—Nifa’s eyes widened, and she collapsed forward onto the roof tiles. Blood spattered across the bricks, and Levi’s heart pounded. He lunged toward her, but she was gone before he could utter a word. The shot had taken her clean through the head.

He twisted, scanning frantically for the shooter. A second shot ricocheted off a chimney near his shoulder, forcing him to roll away. Crouching behind a stone outcropping, he craned his neck and spotted a familiar silhouette perched on a higher rooftop across the narrow street. Wide-brimmed hat, long coat, bristling with weapons. Levi’s blood ran cold.

“KENNY!” he growled as he threw his blade, the name thick with a mixture of rage and an old bitterness. Of course it had to be him. His old mentor, or tormentor, depending on how you looked at it. A man who taught him the darkness of the underground, the brutality of survival.

He had no time to mourn Nifa. Another bullet whizzed past, forcing him to dart to the roof’s edge. He heard Kenny’s laughter echo off the stone walls—sharp, mocking, and chilling. Leviheard the cracking of rooftiles as he launched himself into the air, using his ODM gear to pivot around a rising spire. With one final glance at the fallen bodies of his squadmate, Levi sped off, desperate to find cover.

Below, the city streets erupted in chaos. Civilians scattered at the sound of gunfire echoing between tall buildings. Levi angled toward a main boulevard just in time to see a horse-drawn carriage tearing away, the top shredded by grappling hooks. Inside that carriage, Eren and Historia were visible for only an instant before tranquilizer darts took them down. Levi recognized their expressions—shock, confusion, and then sudden unconsciousness. His jaw clenched as he realized the carriage driver was also killed. Another shot from above forced Levi to yank on his ODM triggers, soaring sideways to avoid being gunned down.

He caught a glimpse of more black-clad individuals—Kenny’s Anti-Personnel Control Squad—swooping in with specially modified gear of their own. The carriage careened around a corner, Eren and Historia slumped inside. Levi lunged after it, hooking onto a tall clock tower, but then two more members of Kenny’s squad intercepted him midair. Their guns boomed, and Levi contorted his body to avoid the deadly barrage. Smoke filled the alleyway from the constant firing of rifles. Levi’s mind raced: Eren and Historia were being taken away, and he was running out of time.

A bullet tore through the edge of his head, narrowly missing flesh. Levi hissed in frustration, forced to retreat. He veered sharply onto a side street, zipping between narrow gaps. The enemy was persistent, grappling after him, the staccato bursts of gunfire trailing him. He spotted a small, unassuming sign for a bar up ahead. Without a second thought, he fired his ODM gear and dove inside the establishment’s door, landing in a crouch on the counter.

Startled cries erupted from the patrons and the bartender. Levi lifted a hand, signaling them to keep quiet before diving behind the bar. Outside, the clamoring footsteps of Kenny’s squad approached. He drew a long breath, trying to compose himself amid the adrenaline surging through his veins. Then came the creak of the door. Kenny busted in, his boots clacking against the worn floorboards. The patrons froze, and even the bartender looked paralyzed by fear.

Kenny’s voice, rich with twisted amusement, filled the bar. “Levi, my boy, come out now. Don’t make me ruin this fine establishment.”

Levi didn’t move, but he peered through a gap in the bar’s wooden paneling. He could see Kenny from the knees down, the tall boots, the edge of that signature coat.

“Got your attention with that little greeting on the rooftops,” Kenny went on. “But I’ve got something else to show you.” There was a pause, and Levi heard a rustling of fabric. “Maybe you’ll recognize this.”

Levi peeked farther, and his heart clamped in his chest. In Kenny’s hand was a small lock of rose-red hair, the ends haphazardly cut. Levi knew that color immediately. Penelope. The sight struck him like a fist to the gut.

“See, I caught you sneaking around that little clinic a while back,” Kenny drawled. “Never pegged you for the type to get attached to a woman. Especially a taller one, heh. Must be awkward for a short runt like you.” He cackled at his own barb. “But it’s real, isn’t it? You got a taste for that fancy doctor. Real pretty lady, from what I’ve seen, and quite the fighter. She knifed one of my people, if you can believe that.”

Levi’s chest tightened, fury coiling in his gut. So Kenny was behind the disappearance. He swore under his breath. “You bastard,” he muttered, voice barely audible as he tried to steel himself.

Kenny continued, savoring every word. “Y’know, I taught you better than to form attachments. You do, and you end up in situations like this.” He held up the lock of hair again. “Her and that brat of hers… well, they won’t last long if you don’t make things real easy for me. Hand over Eren Jaeger. Hand over that brat Historia Reiss. And you and the rest of your Scout buddies can turn yourselves in. Otherwise, I’ll be shipping Dr. Iverson and her son out in little pieces.”

Levi’s blood roared in his ears. He had expected blackmail from the government, from the Military Police. But never had he anticipated that Kenny would find Penelope—and Preston too—and use them as leverage. A wave of guilt washed over him. This was exactly what he’d tried to prevent all those years ago, and now it was coming to pass in the worst possible way.

Kenny let out a long sigh. “Levi, if you’re listening, I know you got a heart in there somewhere. Doesn’t matter how much you pretend otherwise. You can come out and talk like a civilized man. Or… we can do this the hard way.”

There was a moment of silence. The bar’s patrons cowered in corners, too terrified to move. The bartender had ducked behind the counter as well, trembling. Levi carefully exchanged a glance with him, nodding at an old shotgun near the man’s knee. The bartender’s eyes flicked to it, then he pushed it toward Levi with shaking hands.

Kenny’s footsteps thudded, drawing closer to Levi’s hiding spot. “Alright then,” he said slowly, “looks like you need a little coaxing.”

Levi flung the shotgun upside down, firing from beneath the counter. Kenny had been expecting an attack, but not quite from that angle. The gun’s muzzle flashed, smoke billowing up. Kenny quickly grabbed a chair to dodge but the force of the bullet blasted into the chair, sending him reeling backward. He was slammed outside, toppling on the ground and spattering the concrete with his blood. 

One of his squad members lunged forward to return fire, but Levi tossed a chair outside.  The man’s eyes went wide as he was suddenly impaled by a grappling hook and blood darkened his shirt as Levi then used his body as a human shield from the other squad members’ bullets.

Bullets peppered the night, striking the window frame and sending shards of broken glass onto the street. Levi hit the ground in a crouch, adrenaline singing in his veins. The city was in uproar, with gunfire and shouts coming from multiple directions.

He swiftly replaced his ODM blades. The cables hissed, taut and ready. Launching a hook at a nearby building, he flew upward, scanning the dark sky. Off in the distance, he spotted movement—a wagon, perhaps, and glimpses of Anti-Personnel squad silhouettes. Eren and Historia were in that direction. But Penelope and Preston? They could be anywhere, either stashed away in some cell or en route to who knew where. The thought of them alone in Kenny’s clutches threatened to unsettle his focus, but he forced himself to stay sharp.

Landing lightly on a rooftop, Levi spotted two more Anti-Personnel members flanking a side street. They raised their guns, but Levi zig-zagged in midair, letting off a well-timed thrust from his gear that sent him hurtling between them. Before they could reload, he crossed his blades through both of their chests, blood arcing across the moonlit sky. Their bodies tumbled onto the deserted pavement below.

Gasping for breath, Levi paused only for a moment, listening for the roar of more gunfire. His Special Operation Squad was somewhere close by, responding to the commotion. He heard a distant shout—Armin’s voice, raw with alarm. Then the thunder of more shots. In the next few seconds, Levi glimpsed Jean and Armin grappling onto a wagon, presumably the same one carrying Eren and Historia. Armin fired a shot, and Levi flinched, hoping it wasn’t wasted. Yet more Anti-Personnel soldiers emerged, forcing Levi’s squad to retreat under heavy fire.

Levi surged forward, hooking onto the wagon’s frame in a desperate attempt to help, but the hail of bullets and the sudden arrival of additional enemies forced him to swerve off course. Seeing the situation was untenable, Levi signaled for his squad to break away. There were too many of Kenny’s soldiers. He and Sasha grabbed Armin and Jean and scrambled off the wagon, each of them white-faced, while Mikasa covered their escape with ODM maneuvers and swift blade strikes. Unable to seize Eren and Historia, they had no choice but to concede the battle… for the moment.

Landing in a secluded courtyard, Levi regrouped with Mikasa, Armin, Jean, and Sasha, all of them breathing hard. Gunshots still resonated in the distance. They exchanged grim looks—Eren and Historia were gone, and Levi’s mind spun with the knowledge that Penelope and Preston had also been taken, used as bargaining chips in a twisted game orchestrated by Kenny.

Armin spoke first, voice trembling, “Captain, what do we do? They took Eren and Historia. That wagon—”

Jean swallowed, finishing the thought, “It’s already out of sight.”

Levi’s expression remained cold, but inside, he was anything but calm. “We regroup,” he ordered, scanning the dark rooftops. “We find out where they’re taking Eren and Historia.” His jaw clenched. “And we deal with Kenny… no matter what it takes.”

Sasha noticed the flicker in his eyes. “Captain Levi, are you… are you okay?” she ventured. She had never seen quite that kind of rage in him before.

His chest heaved, adrenaline still surging through his veins. That lock of Penelope’s red hair flashed in his mind’s eye, mocking him. She was in danger because of him. Preston, too. The idea of them hurt or dead under Kenny’s watch made him sick. He pressed a shaking hand to his forehead, forcing himself to steady.

No. He wouldn’t let that happen. He’d figure out a way, no matter how impossible it seemed. Eren and Historia were crucial to the Scouts, yes, but Penelope and Preston meant more to him than he’d ever admitted. Even if Penelope’s hatred burned strong, he couldn’t let her and their son die at the hands of that sadistic man.

But Levi said nothing of Penelope or Preston. The weight of that personal crisis bore down on him, threatening to shatter his composure. He would not reveal his vulnerability, not here, not now. He simply tightened his grip on the hilts of his blades. “I’m fine,” he lied flatly. “Let’s move.”

Without another word, he led them into the labyrinth of streets, determined to track down any lead on the whereabouts of Eren, Historia, and the family he had unwittingly placed in mortal peril. He could hear Kenny’s mocking voice echoing in his ears, see that lock of red hair, and it nearly drove him mad. But he swallowed the rage, forcing himself into the mindset of a soldier.

For now, they had a mission: rescue Eren and Historia from government forces. But in the back of Levi’s mind, a second mission burned just as brightly, perhaps even more so: saving Penelope and Preston from the cruel grip of the man who once taught him how to kill, and how to survive. One thing was certain—he would not rest until he set things right, even if it meant carving through every last adversary who stood in his way.

~

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[satureja13]

Ji Ho gave a rough direction where the meteorites could be found and the Boys (minus Saiwa, since he was out of the crew - in mutual agreement), Jonathan and Lenny took a shuttle down to the surface. Axl, the Axolotl, Malfoy and Skully are watching the ship.

Ji Ho was in awe: "What a beautiful little planet! And so much water. Too bad I can't swim here." Jack: "Actually it's a moon. It's circling the planet. You can still see it behind the rocks. Over there." Ji Ho: "Oh there it is! It looks so close!" Kiyoshi: "The water is probably toxic anyway. Look how it glows ö.ö' " They walked for a while and took in the view, the colors and the strange flora. Jack: "Is it still far?" Ji Ho: "We must be near, but I'm starting to lose the connection."

Vlad sighed. He knows what that means. He can barely keep himself together doing all this bond magic without being able to find some release... So he took Ji Ho a bit away from the others and put everything in his kiss - so they could finally find the meteorites and this torture would end.

After poor Vlad had regained his compusure, they went back to the others. Before they left though, he had to promise Ji Ho they would continue what they started in their quarters once they were back on the ship...

Ji Ho lead them around a rock formation not far from where Vlad had kissed him. And really... Ji Ho started running: "The meteorites! They are here!" Jack was just as excited and followed him suit. Vlad was concerned. Why are their meteorites contained? Who put them in there? Kiyoshi must have thought the same. They almost yelled at the same time: "Be careful!"

There was a full setup that had been built above a glowing crack in the ground. The meteorites in two bubbling tubes, held by bioluminescent roots -that looked exactly like those from Kiyoshi's tree! And there were two portals under a huge glass dome that started to rotate when they came near.

Jack: "How is this possible? It's like a modified Therapy Game setup. Who built this? And who knew that we - and the meteorites - were coming here?" Vlad: "This could be a trap..." Jonathan checked the main interface. Jonathan: "I was able to log in with my password. Not even Vanië knows it..." Jonathan checked the code for a while. Jonathan: "It's just like with Tiny Can. That's my signature code. Just more... advanced. I also must have built this - in the future. Somehow Future Me knew the meteorites would land here." Jack: "Amazing. And weird."

Jeb: "So Future You - or maybe Future Jack and Me too - seem to want Jack and me to enter the game frome here? But why?" They went over to the crack in the ground. Jonathan: "Maybe this place is special somehow? The roots seem to consume the matter from the crack and lead it to the liquid in the tanks with the meteorites." Jeb: "This actually spares us a lot of time and effort. We should get Tiny Can down here and get ingame to rescue the Night Shadow, Conny, Val and Jino. What do you think, Jack? Ready?" Jack: "I was born ready!" Jonathan let out a shaky breath: "Ok, then. Tiny Can and I will remain here while the others should go back on board. Even though this all looks very reassuring and high-end - we shouldn't take any risks and cause interferences between our universes. Vlad and Kiyoshi - we stay in touch while you recalibrate the transporter beam so we can beam them back to their universe as soon as they step out of the game. You need to have an eye on the monitor all the time. Ji Ho and Vlad can take turns with you. But it shouldn't take long - since ingame time runs faster."

Kiyoshi didn't want to make it hard for Jack, so he just reminded him of his promise to be careful. Jack: "I will. I want another round in that cake after all ;) " Jack didn't want to make it hard for Kiyoshi either.

And when Kiyoshi and Jack kissed goodbye, Jeb's heart went heavy. He hadn't had a chance to talk to Saiwa after their first woohoo... It can't be helped. They will get the others out of that game and be back soon - hopefully. Sai probably won't even know they'd been gone. Even if they'd spent hours ingame, only a few minutes would have passed here in the meantime. Jeb doesn't even know what to say to him... Instead of taking Sai in his arms and take care of him after their first woohoo, he panicked - and left it to Jack... What do you say after an encounter like that? After messing up their first woohoo, it was everything Sai had ever wanted ö.Ö'

Ji Ho went over to Jeb and hugged him. Ji Ho: "It will all be well in the end, hm? We found the meteorites - and after Jack and you rescued the others, we can go back home. We are all going to stay together - always." This should probably sound cheesy. But when it comes to Ji Ho, Jeb goes all squishy. It was like hugging a ray of sunshine. And he believed him. Jeb blinked his treacherous tears away: "It will. We will *Jeb hugged Ji Ho tighter* Until later."

And then Kiyoshi, Vlad and Ji Ho took the shuttle back to the ship and sent Tiny Can with their equipment back to the moon's surface.

Jonathan, Jack and Jeb connected Tiny Can to the setup. Jack and Jeb put on their gear and stepped under the dome.

Jack: "We can do this!" Jeb: "See you on the other side!"

Jonathan: "Ok. Starting the Therapy Game save in 3 - 2 - 1...!"

And then they were gone. Jonathan: "And now we wait." Jonathan just hoped they'll do well. Even though Saiwa was determined to leave everything behind again and go with him - Jonathan knew he would kill him should something happen to his friends - especially Jeb. He would figure something out to make him stay with them. From what he'd seen over the past days, they love Saiwa regardless. Despite being so upset about his betrayal. Saiwa was lucky to find such good friends - and someone to love. After all that had happened to him. And maybe Jonathan could even stay with them in the Otherworld. The Council wouldn't find him there. They'd be safe.

'Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids In fact, it's cold as hell And there's no one there to raise them if you did And all the science, I don't understand It's just my job five days a week A rocket man A rocket man

And I think it's gonna be a long, long time 'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh, no, no, no I'm a rocket man Rocket man Burning out his fuse up here alone'

Rocket Man - Elton John

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter 'Goats in Space': starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Piglets in Space' from the beginning ▶️ here

📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 23-29

Outtakes

Lenny distracted Jonathan from his gloomy thoughts. He is hungry - again.

[thenightsmercy]

[ „once unknowing.“ ] a.m

a high honor arthur morgan x fem!original character oneshot

summary; adeline lincoln and arthur morgan. a skilled, yet impulsive thief and a troubled outlaw. after one stirs up trouble, the two ride out to clean the aftermath—despite barely conversing in the past. a campfire is shared after months of jading work and small talk, leaving gnawing feelings that need to be released.

word count; 3.4k

a.n; first tumblr fic, please dont be a silent reader! this takes place during chapter two :) and this a slowburn, please treat the story as so. lowercase intended. enjoy!

✦ ✦ ✦

A WARNING FROM THE POLICE DEPT. ; SAINT DENIS, NH

To all persons in the state of New Hanover, the Saint Denis Police Department bring you a warning of the twice-escaped convict ADELINE LINCOLN, otherwise known as THE SILENT SHOT, a dangerous thief WANTED for the robbery of two shops, the murder of four policemen and one civilian.

{drawn picture}

If you know the whereabouts of this individual, REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, OR SAINT DENIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.

$100 DEAD OR ALIVE $100

✦ ✦ ✦

the morning dew hung in the air like small particles of light, flying around the camp like dancers in a town show. small murmurs of conversation rattled adeline’s brain, forcing her eyes open from the sleepless slumber. she rolled over onto her back, placing her hands behind her head and looking up at the blue sheet serving as her roof.

flashbacks of yesterday trotted around in the girl’s brain. usually she didn’t fuck up this badly, but recently too many things have been weighing on her mind. it caused her to lose focus; become distracted.

‘dutch is going to shoot me for this.’ she thought.

just as she sat up from her cot, the devil himself blocked the light coming into her makeshift room. adeline looked up and saw him lean his shoulder on the log of wood holding up the sheet. he had a yellow-tinted paper in his hand. from the light, she could see her inverted face drawn onto it.

she silently cursed and looked down at the ground.

“so… i know you didn’t do this on purpose, adeline. care to explain what happened?” he dropped the paper gracefully from his hands, making it land right in front of her eyesight. she picked it up and examined it. If there was a large hole full of shit, she would be at the deepest point.

but, like most times, she stayed completely silent, looking over to dutch’s face slowly changing from placid to animosity.

“now, I want you to hear this loud and clear,” he walked over and sat next to her on the shitty cot, pointing at the money on the wanted poster. “you and arthur are gonna go to valentine, and you two are gonna, discreetly, pay off this bounty. stay there for a couple of days so the air can clear, then come back at night.”

adeline nodded once, and dutch seemed satisfied after a couple of seconds. he got up and walked out of the shade, and turned his head to acknowledge her. “and adeline, no ‘jobs’ on this run, you’re in deep enough shit already.”

she swore he could read her mind. adeline knew he wanted her to pay with her own money, but she didn’t have enough, only half. she contemplated asking arthur, but she also knew he would probably give her more than needed. sighing, she got up, stretched her legs, and left the sweet bliss of shade to go find arthur.

adeline didn’t care for him that much. she didn’t mind him coming on runs with her, and she also didn’t mind having a conversation with him. they were at the brink of being friends, if you call having five-word-talks with each other being ‘friends’. there wasn’t anything stopping them, either, they just never have actually talked.

what she didn’t like, however, was his kindness. adeline had the stern mindset that being good won’t do any good in the world she was wrapped up in. she doesn’t take gifts strangers benevolently give her after helping them, nor does she accept any money they try to throw at her. why would she need any of it, when she steals all of the stuff she acquires anyway?

walking through the forest trail carved by horses and wagons, she spotted the familiar hat laying on top of a thin stick by a lake a couple of feet away. she made her way over to the rippling bits of light on the water, admiring the small fish leaping out and diving back.

she looked over to the right and spotted arthur, sitting against a large rock with one leg stretched out, the other acting as a stand to let the journal that he was drawing in lay on top of it. adeline walked up to see he was smoking a red rocket cigarette, using a rock to flick the ashes into the bright green grass. she tried to see what he was drawing, but he caught notice of her presence next to him, shutting the book quickly and putting down the pencil and looking up at her.

“it’s sunny out, why ain’t you wearing your hat?” adeline mumbled the question, her accent showing through.

arthur’s eyebrows raised up. “ ‘think this is the first time you started the conversation.” he chuckled.

she rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. “funny.”

she walked up to the rock, leaning on the open spot next to him. adeline looked at the small lake again. the sun shined down on the water and made it almost blinding to look at. she wondered how arthur could stand to be out here like this. she also thought about her next words, and how to make it as condensed as possible.

“we have to go to valentine.”

“and why is that?”

she looked down at his light brown hair, shining golden in the sun. he was smirking, like he had known about the run already.

“payin’ a bounty” she grumbled petulantly.

arthur ripped his eyes from her and shifted them to the ground, a grin stretched across his face. “alright. let’s get the horses.”

✦ ✦ ✦

the ride to valentine was filled with silence other than the bugs buzzing around the air around them. arthur started singing a quiet, happy tune as they got closer to the town. adeline didn’t mind it; the song distracted her from thinking too much about yesterday.

the cozy town was already bustling by the time they got there. they followed dutch’s orders and went straight to the post office first. arthur ended up paying for it all, with plenty of protest from adeline. “shut your mouth.” was all he told her as he went inside. after they were done, they hitched their horses and went to check into the hotel.

“it’s nice.” adeline mumbled to arthur.

they ended up having to share a room on account of almost all of them being full. arthur walked up to the bed on the left side of the room, placing his satchel and hat down. adeline went to the right side and mimicked his actions, pulling out a flask from her pocket.

“wanna have some fun?” she held up the flask.

“what-” he shifted his eyes over and saw the small steel container, “oh, sure.” arthur murmured, a sheepish rose tint blooming across his cheeks.

he reached his hand out. adeline threw it over and he caught it, opening the flask and taking a large gulp out of it. he tried to take another one, but only a drop came out. “shit.”

“what is it?” adeline asked.

“ ‘think you got a little bored on the way here.” he threw the small container back.

she caught it, noticed the lack of sound coming from inside the bottle, and muttered an apology. maybe arthur’s singing wasn’t that distracting.

“ you wanna head to the saloon nearby?” arthur started, “maybe they won’t run out.”

she noticed the teasing in his voice. adeline got up and walked over and flicked his hat off with a subtle smile. “sure, but i’ll pay, as compensation for drinkin’ all of mine.”

arthur agreed after a beat, and they walked out of the room and down the stairs.

✦ ✦ ✦

the saloon boomed with the echoes of intoxication. as soon as they entered, a man was already laying on the wooden floor in front of them. stepping over the drunk man, adeline made her way over to the front bar, arthur following in tow.

they ordered their drinks. adeline got a stronger one than arthur, of which he had to say something about. arthur drank a few of his own, but adeline could only have one since she was already feeling the effects of her previous session.

as adeline was taking her last sip from the glass, she felt a rough tap on her shoulder.

she turned, and saw a shorter woman with brown curls look up at her, brows furrowed with anger.

“i think i recognize you from saint denis.” the woman stated, a vexing tone booming in the noisy saloon.

adeline sighed and turned completely to her. she was wearing a simple dress with a brown belt tied around her waist. on the belt, adeline spotted a small knife.

“ma’am,” she looked into the woman’s eyes, “i don’t know you, and ‘m just trying to have a couple drinks with my friend here.” adeline pointed to arthur with her thumb.

the woman looked at arthur, and then looked back to adeline with a threatening glare.

the woman took a step up, face to face with adeline, malice lacing her voice “my name’s lucy. that woman you killed yesterday, charlotte? that was my sister.”

that was all she said before she punched adeline in the nose, making blood shoot out immediately. adeline stumbled back into arthur’s chest in which he grabbed her arm.

she looked back at him and he whispered, “need help?”

“lucy just needs to let off some steam.” she whispered back, looking at the woman. she already had tears coming out and dripping onto the knife she was now holding.

lucy swung with steel. adeline dodged it by stepping back, but the knife struck her arm as she was moving. she cursed out loud.

“ma’am,” she started, “i really don’t want to have to hurt you. just step outside and we can talk this out.”

but the woman only became more violent. she tried swinging at adeline with her fist again. learning from her last mistake, adeline grabbed her wrist and used it to throw the woman back. lucy made a large thud on the ground as she fell.

“ ‘m sorry, lady.” she said earnestly.

lucy stood back up and ran for adeline once again. this time, adeline threw the punch. her fist landed on her jaw, sending her onto a wooden pillar. lucy’s knife went flying and skid across the floor.

adeline ambled up to the knife, then to lucy’s stationary form. she leaned down and spoke in her ear.

“are you done now?” she softly pressed the knife against lucy’s cheek.

lucy grabbed adeline’s hand. she swung the hand and adeline had little time to dodge it before the blade cut her eye. still, it grazed across her left cheek. adeline stood up and stepped back, a groan escaping her lips as she caressed the now bleeding wound. adeline folded her arm and slammed her elbow into lucy’s forehead, knocking her unconscious and dropping to the floor.

“i think you just like causing trouble.” adeline heard a voice behind her. when she turned, arthur was walking up with a sly smile and a chuckle.

adeline scoffed with a playful grin. “i think…” she walked behind him and grabbed his newly filled glass. “…im ready to get the hell out of here.” she downed the rest of the spirits and passed it back to the bartender, making for the door.

“well, let’s go then.” he passed the amount of money due to the bartender on the desk as adeline walked out.

✦ ✦ ✦

conversations were exchanged as adeline and arthur ventured down the street. the lanterns had a dim glow and there were barely any people on the road. it must’ve been leading on into the morning by now. adeline walked up to the door of the hotel, when she noticed arthur wasn’t following.

“what’re you doing?” she mumbled out in the dark. he was at the foot of the stairs, looking up at her with something adeline couldn’t make out in her tipsy state.

“i don’t think it’s gonna be safe staying in a place with so many people who just saw that tussle.” arthur spoke clearly into the night. maybe he wasn’t as drunk as she thought he was. “we should, i don’t know, ride a little and find a spot to camp?”

she took a second to ponder. it was busy tonight at the saloon, and the bounty was just paid off, so it would be better to just play safe and spend the night in a non-populated place.

“alright, boss. let's get the horses.” adeline joked, recalling arthur’s words. the smile and scarlet tint on his face was missed as she turned around.

✦ ✦ ✦

the pair slowly made their way southeast of valentine, towards the bottom part of citadel rock. they were traveling at a medium pace; wanting to get there quickly, but leaving time to talk. also, it was allowing adeline to let her current state of mind wear off.

adeline looked to her right at her temporary partner.

‘he looks good at night, she thought’. she knew it was her messed-up judgement leaking into her brain. but for the moment, she let herself enjoy the eye candy. once golden hair now a medium brown under the illusion of the moon.

he was focused on something, a deep furrow in his brows as he looked down at his grey and black spotted horse. the leather on the expensive mammal being grasped by muscular hands and strong arms; arms strong enough to hold a rifle and barely have any kickback. hands skilled enough to do things adeline can only ima-

“what is it?” arthur’s voice boomed through the woman’s thoughts, exploding them out of mind. adeline looked up to his face, his brows now upward as if he was concerned over something. adeline was taken aback, not realizing the moon was that bright. she tried to search her scattered brain for some plausible response.

“ah, it’s just…” she noticed a loose buckle on the reins of the horse, “your reins aren’t tightened.” she internally thanked whatever divine intervention helped her.

he turned his head down and noticed the buckle. he thanked adeline quietly after fixing it. the smooth conversation allowed the entrance of a comfortable silence.

✦ ✦ ✦

the sounds of a campfire echoed into the darkness, combining with leaves brushing against each other from the soft wind blowing. beyond the fires reach, a large rock formation gave the illusion of a wall being used to guard from anything dangerous. the wall of rock was like a shadow being casted from the harsh lack of light. the air was chilly and filled with the smell of cooking meat and smoke.

a tense man and an oblivious, ragged woman smoking a cigarette sat on the cots surrounding the campfire. arthur sat cross-legged, a certain fidgety behavior to his every movement. adeline’s thoughts continued well into the night. she turned them over, wondering what he was so apprehensive about.

she studied the newly refilled flask he was downing, debating if it was empty, and if the way his eyes kept shifting over to her face signaled that there was something stuck on it. out of nervousness, she wiped her cheeks with her shirt sleeve.

“you know you can say what you’re thinking about.” adeline stated. the tension got the best of her; it lingered in the air like the stuffy smoke entering her nose and lungs. she stared at the sparkling flames slowly cooking the small pieces of bird meat they had caught on the way to valentine.

arthur reacted with a scoff, similar to the one adeline gave at the saloon. “i don’t think these thoughts are for… casual conversation.” a laugh was stifled near the end of his sentence.

adeline’s nose twitched in confusion. she turned her body left so she could face the tipsy man.“what in the world could you be thinking about that isn’t fit for ‘casual conversation’ ?”

arthur just stared at her. in that moment, the distance between their cots didn’t feel that far and his green eyes seemed to glow in the bright orange of the fire. “well, i was gonna ask, for one, why there was still blood on your face.”

the question was one of evasion, and adeline was far too tired and hungry to continue the game any longer. she looked at her cigarette, and noticed the crimson stained filter adorning her hand. she shrugged as a response, and arthur shook his head with a smirk.

after a small beat, he spoke up again. “for two, i was uh… gonna ask if you would let me clean it,” he slid his large frame closer to hers and reached to your side for her cigarettes. “i think it looks better when it ain’t all dirty, anyway.”

a simple statement, yet leaving an attracting and swaying affect on adeline’s jaded mind. she grabbed the flask on the floor, chugging a decent amount of it. it wasn’t empty after all. half of arthur’s words were those of intoxication. adeline’s choice of drink was on the stronger side, and it was very interesting to see how it affected him. he didn’t behave as if he was too drunk, though, so she knew he was just feeling a little extra confident with his words.

“well, i would’ve told you to do what you want.” she replied, trying to play it cool.

he chuckled again, a raspy sound that hypnotized the woman’s brain. “it’s a good thing i didn’t ask then.”

adeline’s brows furrowed. “why’s that?”

arthur had a certain driven look to his face. he made sure she was looking and attentive, or his confidence boost would all be for nothing. “if you told me that, i would’ve done more than help you clean your face.”

it was as if all time stopped for a minute. adeline and arthur’s eyes locked and got tangled together in the various hues of each others irises. adeline couldn’t believe what arthur was saying now, and by the look on his face, he was trying to comprehend his own.

adeline took this moment as the time to gamble the beginnings of her and arthur’s friendship to try and win something much more. “like what?” she maintained the previous firm eye contact, and so did he.

in a rush, arthur leaned forward, risking everything even more than adeline. he cupped her bloodied cheek gently and used his other arm to get closer to her warm body, finally giving in and kissing her lips. smoke twirled around them as she became used to the movement of his mouth. adeline removed her hat and used one hand to grab the flustered man’s locks, that of which made arthur kiss her harder. soft and hidden feelings emerging as the two shared a moment only they would ever know. arthur ended up pushing the girl to the ground with the force of his body leaning onto hers. adeline only laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

after a moment, arthur pulled his lips off of adeline and took a moment to examine her face. adeline took this time to do the same. his defiant eyes changed color with the soft flicker of the flame next to them. there was something in them adeline could see now. desire. a desire for her, for her lips and to be on top of her like this. a smile matched the lust that was finally clear to the once unknowing girl.

adeline put both of her hands on the side arthur’s face. he leaned into the touch like he had never felt it before.

“i had always thought you were beautiful,” arthur whispered out of the blue. it only made the moment more significant to adeline. “ so beautiful.”

the pair spent the night in one cot. their legs twisted together as well as their souls. in the morning, they'll be cautious to leave the moment, but the awkwardness of the previous night will make them pack up camp and head back to horseshoe overlook. they might spend a night resurfacing what happened, and some new things might be experienced. but adeline can only imagine as her horse trots the trail down south.

hope you enjoyed the oneshot :) lmk if a part 2 should be made!

[bluegalaxygirl]

Obsession's Grip (Zosan X Reader) P8

Plot: After saving some of the straw hat crew from a prison, the crew help takes a young man away so he can have a fresh start in life. He's shy but seems to grow attached to Reader in an unhealthy way.

Warning: Bad language, Kidnapping, Drugs, Snakes, Violence and Creeper behavior.

Reader is Female (Sorry), Zoro X Sanji X Reader, Poly relationship, established relationship. Reader has the ability to control the snake tattoos on her arms that come alive when she commands, they can change size and are connected to her emotions.

P1 - P2 - P3 - P4 - P5 - P6 - P7 - P9 - P10 - P11 - P12 - P13 - P14

Groaning your back hits something solid as Percy puts you down, he tried to be gentle but with you unable to move, your basically dead weight "Sorry, Sorry… We'll rest here for a minute" Percy pants sitting down on the floor and resting his back against the tree across from you, your hands are bound behind your back by rope along with your ankles while your mouth has a piece of cloth over it. If you could move you know you can get out of it or let you snakes out to help but all you can do is blink, barely speak and just about turn your head, saving your energy you focus on your hand behind your back trying to make fangs out of your fingers. Your eyes are still fuzzy, lights dancing around like firefly's in the sky but you're awake and able to think again, scanning the dark frost it's hard to make out anything, the young man managed to find a spot that doesn't have any bushes or flowers nearby that would light up giving away your location and the glowing fruit above you has already been picked. Everything is so quiet but unlike before this quiet made you nervous, sick to your stomach, you hope someone will notice your missing before Percy does what ever his crazy mind is planning to do, what is his plan anyway? there's no way off this island except the sunny and the log pose has two more days until it resets. Is he just going to wait it out and hope the crew leaves or sneak you back on board at some point? Both plans are stupid. After a while of silence there's a shift of movement in front of you, Percy sighs while moving closer to you before laying down on his back resting his head on your folded knees, if you could you would kick him off.

Percy looks up at you hardly able to see your face, but he reaches up and pushes some hair behind your ear "I'm sorry about all this" He whispers keeping his voice down so only you can hear him "I hope you don't feel sick, those seeds can cause weird hallucinations that make your head spin. The lights will fade away soon but the paralysis will take longer to wear off, at least it will give us time to talk" Percy smiles up at you resting his hands on his stomach, he waits for a replay but when he didn't get one his smile fades remembering that you can't talk. "Oh!.. I forgot you can't talk back, thats ok i can talk… You know what's funny the seed i took from your desk, the one i crushed up and put in your tea, do you know what its called?" The young man laughs making you roll your eyes, how can he find this funny? he drugged you while your back was turned, he probably hid the tea bags so you wouldn't see him put the crushed up seed into your drink. "Its called Snow whites kiss… The symptoms fit those of Snow white when she was poisoned by the witch, dizziness, fainting, hallucinations, paralysis of body and vocal cords and slowing of the breath and heart" Percy sighs reaching up and placing two fingers on your neck feeling for your pules "Its so slow you can hardly feel it, if you weren't awake someone would think your dead. Its rumored that a true loves kiss can break the paralysis, isn't that funny?" The young man moves his hand from your neck to your cheek letting his thumb run under your eye as he lets out a small laugh. While he's been talking you've been trying to focus on your hand struggling to move even one of your fingers but you won't give up, your close to getting your snake out.

Your plan is to let your snake out and send it off to find the crew so it can lead them back to you. "W-Why?" You manage to speak hoping to keep Percy talking so any noise you make won't give away what your doing. The young man looks up at you in shock but then a smile appears as he sits up getting close to your face "Wow that's amazing, you can just about talk, you really are strong Y/n" He laughs only to slap his hand over his mouth stopping his voice from echoing out into the silent forest, once he's calmed down he puts his hand on you lap giving your leg a few pats "Don't worry, i'm not going to hurt you, i'm saving you from them. What you told me made me realize how tight their leash is on you, you'll believe anything they tell you… I can see what their doing to you so they feel threatened by me, thats why their trying to get you to hate me, to stay away from me, they don't want to let you go because their using you, you easily give them what they want" Percy squeezes your leg starting to get upset and angry, leaning closer to your face you try to move back only for the back of your head to hit the tree stopping you form going any further. "I'll save you from them, all of them, Sanji and Zoro who use your love for them to get what they want and the crew who are either blind too it all or are using you too. You're a kind soul Y/n, I've seen too many people like you get used and abused and i won't let that happen. Not to you, you'll be safe with me" Percy whispers placing his hand on your cheek, your breath hitches in your throat as your eyes widen, your body's overwhelmed with the feeling of wanting to push him away.

Using this new-found strength you manage to make fangs out of your fingers, the tattoo on your arm coming to life and slithering out of your skin and onto the grass. Luckily it doesn't move understanding the situation and the need to be still since the tense silence is overwhelming, any little noise will give away what you've done. Percy brings his over hand up and pulls down the cloth covering your mouth starting to get closer and closer until his lips just about meet yours. Your heart pounds in your chest wanting him off you, the thought of your snake attacking him comes to mind but you decide against it not wanting panic to take over your mind and ruin any progress you've made. Attacking and then sending your snake off is going to use up most of your energy to stay awake so you have to think smart and use that strength to stay awake long enough for your snake to find the crew then you can rest. "I-i really want to, don't get me wrong, i really like you Y/n but you still don't understand, i can't risk that true loves kiss thing being true" Percy sighs pulling away from you, the breath you were holding leaves your lips in a relived sigh. "I know, i'm sorry. I've been wanting too for a while" The young man gives you a sad smile while laying down on his side and curling up resting his head back on your lap, you roll your eyes again while gritting your teeth. Did he really think you were sighing over him not kissing you? You've lost all and any kind of sympathy for him long ago but that empty space is now filled with disgust and anger.

Sighing again to calm your nerves you have to get him to talk again, that way when your snake heads off to look for the crew he won't notice. "H-How.. Do you.. know a-about seeds?" You manage to get out with a lot of effort but at least it makes Percy start talking again, his finger draws patterns on your leg as a large smile forms on his face. "We'll before i was drafted i studded Biology and Chemistry, i mainly focused on the affect of chemicals processing in the body, i always found it fascinating how some things can affect someone in different dosses" As he starts talking your snake nudged your back asking what to do, with Percy distracted you turn your head a little and nod into the darkness before mouthing to find the crew and be quiet. Your snake nods flicking its tongue at you before slithering over to another tree and climbing up as to not give away what's happening. "Like carrots are good for your health but if you eat too much your skin can turn orange and how the body needs Vermin D, or sunlight to process calcium but if you stay out in the sun too long you can get sun burn or skin cancer." Percy rambles on but you hardly pay attention instead relaxing against the tree trying to conserve as much energy as possible, your tired but you need to hold off for as long as possible on falling asleep. Your snake slithers over branches above the trees using its tongue and thermal vision to make out the surrounding area hoping to find its way back to the ship at least, it stops suddenly before making its way down the tree and into the grass. It smells the air lifting itself higher and higher until it sprints off going after the smell.

Running threw the dark forest Sanji holds the snail phone in front of him listening to Nami's instructions on where to go and how to get there, the next place to look is a small cave on the other side of the island, Zoro sticks close one hand on his swords ready to pull them out at a moments notice while his other hands grips tightly onto the cooks belt. "When you find that apple glow tree turn left" Nami points out only for Usopp to scramble up the ladder making his way over to the navigator quickly followed by Chopper both looking a little panicked "N-Nami" The two rush up behind her earning a groan of annoyance from the woman who's trying to focus, Usopp places your notebook down on the table next to the map as Chopper jumps up placing a strange white seed on the table before noticing the Snail phone. "We turned left Nami-swan" Sanji yells through the snail phone ignoring the other two on the other end of the phone "Oh Sanji, is Zoro with you?" Chopper asks looking over a page in your notebook as Usopp rushes over to the book case grabbing one of his seed books and bringing it over trying to find the page he needs. "Yea, what is it Chopper?" Zoro yells out a pit forming in his stomach since the doctor sounds a little panicked, Nami quickly gives the two more directions before gesturing for Chopper to speak now that she's done. "That strange bitter smell in the kitchen was coming from that tea cup. Me, Usopp and Robin managed to figure out what it was, it's a crushed up seed that Y/n and Usopp were struggling to identify, we found more of the same seeds where the tea bags were hidden" Chopper sighs looking to Usopp who's scanning over a page sometimes looking down at the notebook and seed trying to figure out what exactly it is and how it affects someone.

Sanji grips the snail phone tightly in his hand, he knows you wouldn't do anything with a seed that you didn't know so it had to be Percy but why? Why would you drink something he made? Zoro growls wanting to kill Percy now more than ever, he's also slightly angry with you, he told you to stay away from the young man. "We're trying to figure out what the seed does but Robin said that Percy might have slipped it into her tea, if thats the case then he clearly knows about it and how it works" Chopper continues after not getting an answer off the two, he wants to reassure them but there isn't much he can say in this situation. Making it to the cave Zoro pulls out his sword and let's go of Sanji's belt scanning the area for any sign of you while Sanji lights his leg on fire starting to walk into the dark cave only to be met by a dead end, its more of a rock den than a cave but at least they can rule this area out quickly. "She's not here, where to next?" Zoro sighs walking over to the cook becoming impatient as Nami searches the map in front of her. Usopp suddenly gaps causing almost everyone to jump at his sudden action "I found the seed, its Sărutul Albei ca Zăpada, also known as Snow whites kiss, the fruit it grows are fine to eat and full of protean but the seed itself can be deadly." The sniper places the book down on the table showing Chopper so the doctor can make a quick cure "When consumed it causes Hallucinations, fainting, paralysis and heart problems luckily it seems Y/n only drank half a cup so the affects won't kill her" Hearing this Sanji lets out a sigh of relief glad to know you won't die from it, Zoro places his hand on the cooks shoulder leaning towards the phone "Where to next Nami, we can talk about this on the way"

Hearing his urgency Nami quickly gives them directions to the next area hearing the two start to run and follow her directions as Usopp and Chopper talk about the seed. Overhearing this conversation Zoro's heart sinks, a seed thats related to a fairy tail is never a good sign, and he doubts a true loves kiss will bring his lover back to them. Questions run through his head as his hand gripping his sword and Sanji's belt tightly, he needed to stop thinking of what state you might be in and what Percy has planned but his thoughts keep spiraling until Sanji suddenly stops bring the both of them to a halt "What?" The swordsman's whispers standing back-to-back with the cook while pulling out his other sword ready for a fight, Sanji looks around lifting his leg up and lighting it on fire as his teeth clench down on his cigarette threatening to bite it in half. "I hear movement" The cook whispers listening out for the sound again, the forest is dark enough on its own but with the setting sun it somehow makes the forest even darker, the trees around them have been picked clean leaving hardly any light other than Sanji's leg to see around them. The flowers and brushes to their right start lighting up showing something quickly heading their way, Sanji goes to kick while Zoro swings his sword down on the creature but both stop mid attack as a loud hiss hits their ears. Your snake skids to a stop sliding out of the bushes looking up at the two with slightly wide eyes, putting his foot down Sanji sighs in relief as the snake rises up as high as it can go while Zoro puts one of his swords away offering his hand to the snake.

The two can clearly tell your struggling just by looking at the poor tired snake, its small only able to wrap itself around Zoro's forearm and its starting to pant feeling exhausted from getting to this point "You guys ok?" Nami asks over the snail phone, with no sound of fighting she wondered if the phone was dropped or if something happened to them but relief soon fills her as Sanji answers "We're fine, sorry for the worry, Y/n's snake is here although it isn't looking too good" The cook sighs lightly stroking its head with his finger trying to ease his own worries, if your snake is out it means your awake and can move or at least move your hand but with how tired it looks and how small it is, its clear your losing what ever energy you had before "Great, it can lead the way back to her, I'll get the cure ready, i think i have an idea of how to reverse this" Chopper happily calls out before jumping off the table and running to his office soon followed by Usopp who grabs the book just in case they need it. Sanji and Zoro nod to each other before looking down at your snake whose head lifts up to point the way back to you. Nami sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose, looking over her map she tries to keep track of where their going, so she can help them find their way back to the Sunny. After a while of running your snake tenses up letting out a low growl "What's wrong?" Zoro asks continuing to run through the forest with Sanji close behind but the snake doesn't answer only continuing to let out that guttural growl, his heart breaks at hearing it again, it's the same growl he heard when you got upset a few days go.

Sanji runs up next to the swordsman looking down at the snake tightly wrapping itself around Zoro's arm, its growl getting louder and louder sending a shiver down his spine as his eyes widen "Is that-" The cook goes to ask only to be interpreted by the green haired man who growls under his breath "Yea, i'm gonna kill that asshole" Sanji's heart twists in his chest hating the thought of you going back into that state, Nami told him what you were like, how broken you looked. He didn't want you to go back to that, he also didn't want to think of what Percy said or did to make you this way again, but he shakes his head getting those thoughts out and just focusing on getting to you. Your snake continues to give directions but its body stays quite stiff continuing to growl and hiss until it suddenly stops, the two quickly look to your snake seeing its body loosen up and its eyes going dull "Shit, she passed out" Zoro growls grabbing your snake as it tried to slither off his arm, gripping onto the snake as hard as he can while also trying not to hurt it the two keep going following your snakes relaxed and almost lazy movements. With how small you snake is if they let it go then they'll most likely loose it in the grass, if it didn't brush up against a flower or a brush or if it went up a tree to get to you the two would easily loose sight and any chance of finding you. At this point your snakes on auto pilot, its only desire is to get back to you no matter what, ignoring anything and everything around it even danger but at least they can still get to you, all they have to do is keep running and hold on tight to the snake trying to slither out of the swordsman's grasp.

[impishtubist]

happy birthday @lynxindisguise , originally this was supposed to be a cracky little fic about Crowley meeting the werepuppies and then getting high with Remus, but then this happened instead. love you, bar wench!

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“Remind me again why I agreed to this,” Sirius said as he flopped down by the fire.

“Because Harry’s eyes get all big when he asks you for something, and you’re incapable of saying no to him.” Remus didn’t even look up from his book as he spoke. “I think he casts an Imperio on you, honestly.”

“He’s six.” 

“He’s been doing accidental magic since he was two, it’s not out of the question.” 

Sirius scowled, because Remus had a point. Harry had started summoning his toys at the age of two, and by four he would appear on top of bookcases or even roofs when he was trying to avoid Sirius and bathtime. Sirius blamed Harry fully for the silver threads he’d discovered in his hair at the ripe old age of twenty-three. Mourning his best friend and raising his godson had been hard enough, but the fact that said godson was apparently an exceptionally powerful wix was going to be the death of him.

Thankfully, said exceptionally powerful wix had passed out in the tent after a full day of hiking and causing minor mayhem, leaving Sirius and Remus with a few hours to themselves. 

“Thanks for agreeing to come along, by the way.”

“Unlike you, I actually enjoy camping. I’m having a wonderful time.” Remus turned a page in his book. “Besides, I like a man in flannel.”

He winked at Sirius, and then went back to his reading. Sirius blushed furiously, and then frowned at himself. What an odd reaction to have to his friend.

***

Harry had forbidden them from using magic on the camping trip, wanting to do things the way his Muggle mum would have, which was why Sirius was up early the next morning to chop wood for the fire.

He had just cleaved another log in half when Remus stumbled out of his tent, hair in disarray, tugging a sweatshirt over his head. Sirius continued to chop wood while Remus groggily started a fire, heated some water, and made himself a cup of tea. It was odd for Remus to be up this early, but maybe he just wanted an hour to read in peace before Harry woke up.

Instead of sitting in his customary chair overlooking the lake, however, he dragged it over to face Sirius.

“Thought you liked the view, Moony,” Sirius said. He brought the axe down on another log.

“Oh, I do.” Remus licked his lips, staring rather intently at Sirius’s bare chest. Sirius looked down at himself. He was covered in sweat, sure, but he’d already washed away the previous day’s dirt and smoke in the lake. He had no idea what Remus could be looking at. He mentally shrugged, and went to fetch another log.

***

“Is he gonna be okay, Moony?” Harry asked, eyes wide with worry.

Remus lifted the towel he had pressed to Sirius’s forehead, and Sirius winced.

“Yes, Harry, I think he will,”  he said solemnly. “Could I have a couple of band-aids, please?”

Harry dutifully fetched them from the first aid kit while Remus cleaned the small scrapes. He helped Remus apply them to Sirius’s forehead.

“There we are, good as new,” Remus said cheerfully. “I don’t think Padfoot’s going to be up for swimming this afternoon, though. How about you change into your swimsuit and we’ll go together?”

Harry hurried off to the tent he shared with Sirius, Sirius’s injury completely forgotten. Remus caught his scowl, though, and grinned brightly at him.

“Cheer up, Padfoot,” he said. “It could have happened to any of us.”

Sirius huffed. “Any of you could have tripped over a root and fallen twenty feet down a hill?”

“Well…probably not,” Remus conceded. “You’re not as suited to the outdoors as Harry and I are. How’s your head?”

“Stings,” Sirius muttered. “You could heal it, you know. Harry isn’t looking.”

“Ah, but that would be cheating,” Remus said. “Would you like me to kiss it and make it better?”

Sirius stared at him. What.

“Remus,” he said finally, “have you been flirting with me?”

“Only for the past six years.” 

“Six!” 

“But now that you’re all caught up,” Remus said, “yes or no to that kiss?”

“Moony!” Harry cried in dismay some minutes later. “Are you gonna kiss Padfoot all day? I wanna go swimming!”

[imtotalnothingness]

This whole situation with bad is all so bittersweet... Like, on one hand we get really cool lore and we get to see more of Bad hanging out with more of the eggs. But on the other hand, it's like, at what cost. We could have all those things with out the reset, and all the angst that's coming with it. All the eggs that know Bad so well, and Bad putting all the time and devotion into building that trust and getting to know them better just thrown out the window. It's sad to think about.

And another thing, people are just barely thinking about ways to help Bad, like moving closer to help out more, or trying to find a cure, and shit like that. But still, too little too late. He's been like this for a LONG time, at some point things are just unfixable. And I know people were trying to help Bad earlier on, but it wasn't, and still isn't, really far up on the to-do list for anyone.

I can already see people logging on after the reset and running into Bad and having to have the conversation, and basically having to re-introduce themselves to him.

But one thing I have questions about is how far back will it send him? Will he be sent back to the first thing that could be called the first mistake, or when his life first started falling apart. Or will it send him back further. Will he remember Foolish, or Phill, or any of the others from the dsmp. Or will he forget everyone entirely.

Also just gonna put general ideas of how people might react to Bad's reset depending on how far back he gets sent, cause I need a break from writing about this angsty lore :)

could imagine Foolish running into Bad, or meeting up with him and it gong something like this. (This is if his memory got ripped back to when his life started falling to pieces, so he still remember most of the islanders and eggs) I could imagine Foolish noticing something off about Bad and going like 'what the fuck happened to you' and Bad would just be like 'what do you mean, I'm completely normal' and the Foolish would just hag him, and ask questions about what happened.

I could see Pierre saying 'Bebou nooooo D: what happened to you' (maybe a bad time but I absolutely love Pierres accent TmT) Then Bad would say "What do you mean' because why wouldn't he, I mean c'mon... He's BadboyHalo, infamous for being oblivious and shit like that

Anyways, I'll probably continue this post and talk about how I think/ thought others would react. (depending on if Bad dies tomorrow or not ofc, I'll say if I was close or not). But Bad was a little rapscallion as he would say, and streamed for 9 hours and it's already 1:20 AM and I'm tired af TvT. So see you tomorrow with the rest of this post, if I decide to finish it.

[superpyodan]

kenny + alex wintery oneshot!

as requested by @formercowboymike 👹

WC: 1,847

(please be gentle with me... oneshots are hard...)

Stepping carefully, as not to spill any contents of the too-full mug of hot chocolate in his hands, Kenny joins Alex in the bedroom. Alex, who is napping, strangely. He’s not usually a napper — He sleeps like a log at night, and has a tight sleep schedule that Kenny is admittedly envious of. But, he’s just sleepy, today. A result of a season of stressful practices, and even more stressful matches. Kenny doesn’t pretend that he understands, but seeing Alex sleeping peacefully outside of his usual schedule definitely helps.

Anyway — Kenny’s made them both hot chocolate. Truthfully, he doesn’t enjoy hot drinks. But, Alex does. Alex likes drinking tea in the mornings, and hot chocolate in the evenings. He enjoys the comfort of holding a warm cup in his lap, and feeling the steam press against his face. It’s one of many simple creature comforts that Alex indulges in. He likes blankets, sweet foods, and wearing comfortable sweatpants. He doesn’t quite recognize how comfortable of a person he is, but Kenny sees it, and it endears him endlessly. All Kenny wants to do is make life more comfortable for Alex. As comfortable, and safe, as humanly possible.

After carefully placing Alex’s mug on the bedside table, Kenny leans in to give him a couple of kisses on his exposed temple. He’s a little sweaty, hair curling against his forehead, his lips parted ever so slightly.

“Alex,” Kenny mutters, kneeling on the floor, his face close together Alex’s. He gives Alex a couple of pokes to the upper arm, before repeating his name, a little louder.

“Hey, sweet thing. I made you hot chocolate.” Kenny says quietly, once Alex starts to stir. It takes a lot to wake him up, if he hasn’t done so naturally. But, hot chocolate is probably good enough to pull his brain into attention.

“Hm?” Alex sounds, only opening one eye. Kenny takes a moment to push Alex’s hair out of his face before responding.

“Hot chocolate. For you. On the table.”

Now, both eyes open, Alex rolls over and pushes himself up. He looks confused, a little frazzled, and definitely still tired. He looks at the hot chocolate, and then at Kenny, then rubs his eyes, as if he can barely believe what’s happening. It makes Kenny chuckle. If awoken naturally, Alex is able to spring out of bed and face the day head-on. When awoken by other forces, however, he acts as though it’s his first few moments on earth. Like a just-born giraffe, wobbling around the place.

“I don’t think I have, like… The hand strength to hold it right now. You know when you wake up and can’t use your body?” Alex asks, cementing Kenny’s mental giraffe theory.

“Yeah. It’s cool, it’s probably still too hot anyways.” Kenny replies. “Are you warm enough? The snow is crazy outside right now.”

Pelican Town’s snow is the one thing Kenny still hasn’t gotten used to. It’s relentless — Nights upon nights of snowstorms during the depths of winter, a perpetual blanket of snow no lower than his ankles for almost the entire season. It’s so different to the city, where the snow barely even sticks to the concrete. It usually just falls and melts, and yet, a night of snow is enough to cause the entire city to descend into a panicked frenzy. A dusiting of snow used to be an occasion. The overreaction seems ridiculous to Kenny, now.

‘’Oh my God, you’re right.’’ Alex affirms, turning to look out of the window. ‘’I’m fine. I hope Granny’s warm enough, though.’’

‘’I’m sure she’s fine,’’ Kenny assures, and stands to sit on the bed next to Alex. ‘’She’s made it through plenty of winters before. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. You’re staying here though.’’

‘’Oh no… What an inconvenience…’’ Alex replies, in the most sarcastic voice he can possibly muster. Then, he reaches over to pick up his hot chocolate, and blows on it a little. Kenny just watches. Alex’s hair is a mess, his shirt is twisted around his body, and he looks entirely exhaused. But, he’s beautiful. Always. There’s something special about the intimacy of being with someone when they’ve just woken up. There’s vulnerability there.

‘’I’m gonna put the fire on in the other room. Feel free to grab blankets or whatever, if you want them.’’

‘’I might just drink this and pass out again.’’ Alex giggles, and takes a sip of his drink.

‘’Do whatever you want, love. I want the fire, though. I’m fucking freezing. I think the cat has turned into ice.’’

‘’You’re cold, ‘cuz you only wear shorts. Do you know how much that stresses me out?’’ Alex asks. He says it jokingly, but something tells Kenny that he’s being dead serious. ‘’You need some thermals. Or sweatpants. Or something. Jesus Christ.’’

Amused, Kenny kisses Alex’s cheek, right underneath his eye. ‘’But the shorts are so comfortable! I like them!’’

‘’You’re gonna give Haley a heart attack. Like, she’s actually going to die.’’ Alex mumbles in response. Kenny laughs, and kisses him again. Haley does hate the shorts. Sometimes, it seems like she hates everything Kenny does. But he knows she means well. She hates it, because she loves him, and thinks that he deserves better. Or something. Haley can be hard to decipher, but Kenny would like to assume that she means well, at least.

-

After a short while, Alex joins Kenny in the living room. He sits on the sofa with a blanket over his legs, and the cat immediately jumps up to lie in his lap. Kenny’s half-convinced that Udon would leave him for dead, as long as Alex was there to replace him. He can’t even be mad about it. Alex just seems to have that kind of affect on everyone — He’s eternally beloved, endlessly appreciated by the people around him. Alex’s presence lights up a room, and Kenny’s not even sure that Alex knows it. Effortlessly perfect.

‘’Where’s that come from?’’ Alex asks, pointing at a decoration hanging from the mantlepiece. It’s a silver star, the kind of decoration you’d put on the winter star tree, gifted to Kenny by Haley and Abby. However, he doesn’t have a winter star tree — So hanging from the mantlepiece it went. Kenny isn’t usually one for seasonal decor.

‘’Oh — Haley and Abby got me that. They said it was because they felt sorry for me.’’

Alex immediately erupts into laughter so loud that it scares the cat away. She leaps out of his lap, and scutters away into the bedroom, likely to sleep under the bed instead. She’ll come back though, when she realises how cold it is — Kenny’s sure of it.

‘’They feel sorry for you? Why?’’ Alex asks, barely able to get his sentence out.

‘’Something about how I’m ‘seasonally miserable’ and how my ‘life is devoid of joy when alex isn’t here’. I think they’re being dramatic, personally. But whatever. It was a nice gesture, despite the fact that they’re completely ridiculous.’’ Kenny replies, pushing himsef up from the floor, once he’s satisfied with the fire. He takes the opportunity to sit next to Alex on the sofa, stealing half of the blanket and pressing his entire body weight into Alex’s.

‘’To be fair, K, you could do with like… Some nice lights. Or a bit of tinsel. You are a bit seasonally miserable. Maybe we should go and get you a tree.’’

‘’When you live here, you can do whatever you want with the place. But for now, I can’t be bothered.’’ Kenny mumbles. He absolutely is, without a doubt, seasonally miserable. To a certain extent, anyway. Truly, he just doesn’t have the energy to be putting decorations up, and that taking them down. It truly seems like more effort than it’s worth, to him. Plus, the cat would probably just tear them all down anyway — Kenny and his brother’s childhood cat did the same thing, and it was a pain in the ass, to say the least.

Alex hums gently, wraps an arm around Kenny, and starts teisting a lock of Kenny’s hair around his finger. Kenny leans into it, entirely unintentionally.

‘’I’m hungry.’’ Alex whispers tentatively, looking up at Kenny.

‘’Of course you’re hungry. You’re always hungry.’’ Kenny teases, and laughs when Alex groans in response. ‘’I’m being silly. What do you want? I can make soup, or like… omlette? Or soup? Basically all I eat in the winter is soup.’’

To Kenny, the comfort of a bowl of soup is one of life’s most underrated joys. Sometimes he thinks it to himself, and wonders if he’s just getting old. But then he sits on the sofa with a bowl of soup, and decides that it’s definitely a universal thing. Though, the version of himself who lived in ZuZu city and couldn’t bring himself to cook would definitely disagree. At that time, a hot meal delivered directly to his door after calling in fake-sick to work, was life’s greatest joy.

‘’I don’t know. I feel bad.’’

‘’What? Why?’’ Kenny asks, angling himself a little to look at Alex. Truthfully, he knows why. It became clear, very quickly, that Alex struggles to allow other people to do things for him. Kenny assumes it’s a result of living with his grandparents, and the opposite always being the case. Ever since his dad left, Alex has been caring for other people, and now can’t accept the same treatment back. Kenny isn’t sure if Alex recognises the fact, but it’s undeniably there.

‘’I don’t know. I never make soup for you.’’

‘’I don’t want you to make soup for me. I want you to chill out, be comfortable and look pretty. Your presence is more than enough.’’ Kenny assures, and removes the blanket from his knees. ‘’I’m gonna make you soup. What do you want? Pumpkin? I think I have some left over from the fall.’’

‘’Only if it’s not a pain,’’ Alex replies. Exasperated, Kenny holds Alex’s face in both of his hands.

‘’Never. Not even a little bit.’’ He says, and kisses Alex on the forehead before standing up. ‘’Anyway, I can’t have you starving to death in my house. What will Evelyn think?’’

Laughing, Alex takes Kenny’s hand and pulls him downwards for another kiss.

‘’I love you,’’ He says, his lips still pressed gently against Kenny’s. ‘’You’re ridiculous.’’

‘’Yeah, I love you too, or whatever.’’ Kenny teases, and kisses Alex again. ‘’Now let go of me. I have soup to make.’’

[breannasfluff]

Wild sits on a log, a ways away from the group and any potential issues he may cause. He’s needle felting; the task keeps his hands busy and is mindless enough to enjoy the quiet afternoon. A goat for Twilight is slowly taking shape under the needle. He hasn’t seen one of the Ordon goats in person, but the rancher talks about them constantly.

“Wild!”

He looks up to see Four, which is a surprise. The smith combined back into one after the effect of the Blood Moon wore off. He had a conversation with Time, which resulted in a bare-bones description of his sword to the group. When Wind pushed for details, he was promptly shut down.

“What do you need?” He puts the felt down, pulling himself in despite how it feels like he’ll burst at the seams. Four does worse around him than the others.

The smith remains at a distance, staring at him. He’s wearing his sword, which he reaches up to grab. “I want to try something, okay?”

Wild nods and there’s a flare of magic. The sword…splits Four, somehow, and multiplies him. When he shakes away the tingle of power, there are four Fours, each with a different solid-colored tunic.

“That’s cool,” he offers, because what else is he supposed to do?

The one in green takes a step forward. “All of us are referred to as our colors; Green, Blue, Red, and Vio.”

Wild nods and snatches for the wisps of his aura drifting toward the heroes.

“We want to see if you affect us when we are split,” Vio says.

“What do you want me to do?”

Red gives a tentative smile. “Nothing, just sit there.”

The champion is treated to the odd sight of the four copies creeping forward, keeping a wary eye on him. It’s rather like being treated as a live bomb. They pause a few feet away.

“Huh.” Green looks at the others. “My ears are ringing. You?”

Vio runs his tongue over his teeth. “I taste metal, but no ringing.”

“Um. It smells…uh, weird,” Red says, “but as long as I’m not eating it’s probably okay?”

The three turn to look at Blue. “What?”

“What do you feel?”

Blue looks between all of them, then back at Wild. He edges closer, then reaches out and taps the champion’s arm. With a snort, he folds his arms. “I’m fine.”

“What?!” The other three mob him, all shouting at once.

“That’s not fair!”

“Why do you get to be okay?”

Read the rest here!