#Remember that time he was like “Me? Why would I ask Miss Nao to hit Sou? To retrieve something of mine?”

[buttercupdemon]

Kai is such a fucking dumbass

Kai: "Okay, so I can't let miss Sara know I was her stalker. Think of an alibi for what you were doing before the death game, Kai Satou."

Kai: "I was...doing laundry." At night??? And you complain about not being able to finish it?? When you've been kidnapped??? I fucking love this man

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 255: "Hospital”

Previously on BnHA: Aizawa and Present Mic found out their dead best friend Shirakumo was necromanced by All for One and Ujiko and turned into everyone’s favorite villain mom bartender M.D., Kurogiri! Gran Torino and Naomasa were all “hey you guys should talk to him and see if you can restore his memories through the power of friendship” and so they all sat down together to do that. Kurogiri was all “so tell me how is my son Shigaraki Tomura, I love him so much, he is so emo and I must protect him” and Aizawa and Mic were all “THIS GUY HASN’T CHANGED ONE IOTA” and Aizawa started crying and was all “SHIRAKUMO LET’S GET MARRIED AGAIN AND BE HEROES TOGETHER LIKE WE ALWAYS WANTED.” Oh and also we found out Aizawa only fake expelled his previous students and it was just so that he could PREPARE THEM FOR LIFE!! and afterwards they got to go back to U.A. again and live happily ever after. And so basically I’ve lost track of how many hugs Aizawa needs here now but it’s a lot.

Today on BnHA: Shiraguri’s brainwaves start going all wonky and everyone is like “OH SHIT IT’S WORKING” and Aizawa and Mic decide it’s time to shift this drama into overdrive, so they get right up against the glass and start shouting “YOU’RE OUR FRIEND!!” and stuff over and over until IT FINALLY WORKS!! and Kurogiri’s face shifts into Shirakumo’s. Somehow the effect is incredibly sad and moving rather than terrifying as fuck, but unfortunately all Kumo can manage to get out is “hospital” before his mind overloads and he passes out. Fortunately for our heroes, “hospital” is actually an awesome clue which can totally lead them to Tomura and Ujiko’s location if they play their cards right, probably! Or at least Hawks seems really psyched about it, idk. Anyway so the chapter ends with Ujiko going FULL MAD SCIENTIST and wreaking havoc on Tomura’s body in order to -- I’m pretty sure, anyway -- turn him into some kind of fully sentient ultimate high end Noumu. Welllllll shit.

so that sure was a fun little wrinkle last week, huh. the two biggest scanlators deciding that in the spirit of the holidays, they were going to stop translating WSJ series and instead support the official releases out of the goodness of their hearts and definitely not at all because Shueisha was eyeing them threateningly and making little throat-slitting gestures. that was a ride. these are interesting times lol

but at any rate, if this is how it’s going to be for now then I’ll adjust! it is nice to have everyone support the official release, and obviously the image quality is way better, and Caleb’s translations are by and large pretty good. and obviously we’ll get used to reading the chapter on Sundays instead of Fridays (hell, I remember when the SJ leaks still came out on Wednesdays, so it’s not like we haven’t done this same old song and dance before lol). but Friday did happen to be a more convenient day for my schedule personally, so it might take a bit of adjusting for me to figure out what my posting schedule is going to be moving forward

anyways so I’m sorry this recap is so ridiculously late, but here we go at last!

so the Tartarus guard, who by the way is very clearly Seiji’s dad (WHEN ARE THE SHIKETSU KIDS COMING BACK), is tapping frantically at his touch screen even though it’s not doing anything, and he says he’s detecting unusual brainwaves. omg

WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK IT MEANS, OBVIOUSLY THEY UNLOCKED THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP, MAN! THEY DID IT

omfg. the guard just says “he’s agitated.” I’m going to need you to have more hype than that my good sir. please

holy shit Nao

attention everyone, HAS ANYONE SEEN NAOMASA’S FUCKING CHILL, BECAUSE HE SEEMS TO HAVE FUCKING MISPLACED THAT SHIT. someone please explain to this man that there is a time and a place to play good cop bad cop and this is not it. “oh, Shirakumo is starting to recover his memories? well then [busts into the prison cell and grabs him by the collar and slams him against the wall] WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR!?”

(ETA: so apparently Nao’s detective instincts are cleverer than mine. he saw that Kumo was potentially going to emerge, but probably not for long, so he gave him the most important question so he could focus on answering that. good job! still not a lot of chill but hey.)

meanwhile Aizawa is all “if what they said is true I’m looking at my friend’s corpse”, while still crying by the way, and yeah, so MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE. this year Santa decided to change it up and just make everyone real sad. happy holidays

lord he’s leaping to his feet and shouting “WHO DID THIS TO YOU”

meanwhile I can’t stop staring at Present Mic with his tongue sticking out. why are you sticking your tongue out. why are anime characters like this. you know, Stain also used to stick his tongue out. Present Mic U.A. traitor confirmed

also!! so many people have beef with Ujiko, though! pretty soon they will have to take a number and get in line

oh no Kumogiri is malfunctioning

Aizawa’s all “ANSWER ME SHIRAKUMO” and OH MY GOD LOOK AT THIS

I HAVE NEVER SEEN AIZAWA SHOUTA SO INTENSE AND I CAN’T TEAR MY EYES AWAY FROM THE SCREEN AHHHHH

so there’s some more of “WE WANTED TO BE HEROES TOGETHER” and “YOUR NAME IS SHIRAKUMO OBORO” and all of that other “SNAP OUT OF IT ALREADY” stuff, and you’re damn right I am eating ALL THAT SHIT right up, hell yes. IT’S A TROPE FOR A REASON PEOPLE

oh my god

bwo...hh...?

(ETA: I feel like I should explain that although I have a subscription to Viz, I really hate how their chapter viewer is set up, so I read the chapter on one of the vertical scroll-to-read sites instead. I prefer scroll-to-read for a lot of reasons, but the biggest one is so that I can read the chapter slowly (since I’m writing as I go) without spoiling what’s in the next panel. that being said, this next page is one of the few where Viz obviously got it right, so I’ll be posting the full image.)

SDFLSDLFKHSDLKJGOISDJFOSK

（┐° o °  ┐） ( ｣｡╹o╹｡)｣

feelingsfeelingsfeelingsFEELINGS

(ETA: on a reread I am fascinated by the fact that that bandage on his nose actually seems to be A PERMANENT PART OF HIS FACE APPARENTLY lol what.)

READ THE FUCKING ROOM, DUDE. also look how tiny Gran Torino is. he thought we wouldn’t notice through all of our tears. but we did. would you like me to fetch you a box

ha ha ha so now back to the drama

heh so anyway, the fact that this smoke Shirakumo face still looks like a child is straight up destroying me. how are you guys. how is everyone. feliz navidad

FKSLDJSLK HOLD UP

IS HE TRYING TO SAY “SHOUTA”, I CAN’T, I’M?!?!!!!

ADSLFKJALSKDJW

(ETA: I think you can see Shirakumo’s eye rolling back here as he fights against the brainwashing omg. this chapter’s fucking art, though.)

YESSSSSS you keep on ticking off that checklist of clichés, Horikoshi!! I’m so weak for this shit it’s not even funny. actually that’s not true, this plotline is usually hit or miss with me, but I’ll tell you what though, if there’s one guaranteed way to have me freaking the fuck out rather than sighing and rolling my eyes, it’s to have AIZAWA FUCKING SHOUTA be the one pounding on the wall of glass and screaming at his former lover to fight the layers of conditioning waging war on his mind. ohhhhhh god

lol the brainwave detecting screen is losing its fucking shit also and beeping like crazy. this tension is so thick you could plant a flag in it yeesh

is this Kumo remembering stuff??!

(ETA: thank you to the anon who pointed out I posted the wrong image earlier lol.)

why do shounen characters always recall events from a third-person camera view. curse this ambiguous flashback

AHHHHH

HOSPITALLLL ahh what??? “SHOUTA, HOSPITAL.” oh my god. Shirakumo I commend you for not having your first words after dying and being brought back to life and brainwashed for 15 years and then waking up in a straitjacket in a prison cell be, “FUCK ME OH FUCKING SHIT WHAT THE FUCK.” you and I are very different people but I respect that

HOLY SHIT HIS HEAD EXPLODED

so now everyone’s freaking out and we’re zooming in on Kumo’s eye again. by the way this is going to kill me when it’s animated oh god

OH NO THE PANEL WENT BLACK AND IT GOT ALL SILENT

(ETA: hmm I don’t think Caleb Cook knows what “whump” means nowadays. whump is what I wish we had here. instead it’s just lots of hurt but very little comfort. JUST LOTS OF PAIN AND SADNESS.)

Horikoshi please have mercy oh lord. also I see their hands touching, you. they honestly should be gripping each other fucking white-knuckled, this is all very traumatic. I think that if Shouta was holding Mic’s hand while his other hand was pressed against the glass I would probably start sobbing for real

what the fuck

did they knock him back out?? they seem really calm and optimistic about all this lol

oh godddddd

HE’S NOT CRYING YOU’RE CRYING SHUT UP. GOD, MIC, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST GIVE HIM A HUG ALREADY??

so now they’re bidding farewell to Nao and Gran -- and HOLY SHIT --

okay hold up -- I just realized -- Kumo was trying to give them a hint about Ujiko’s location. holy shiiiiit. PLEASE START INVESTIGATING HOSPITALS, NAO AND GRAN. holy shit the Noumu arc is heating uppppp

Aizawa’s asking what’s happening with Kurogiri now, and I feel like he maybe should have asked that immediately after the fact rather than as an afterthought while they were getting ready to leave but okay

Nao says he kind of “short-circuited or something” and yeah that tracks with what we saw. though it sure does make that “THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY FOLKS, GOOD JOB BOYS, YOU GET A GOLD STAR” business just SUPER WEIRD though, but let’s be real, Nao has been swinging and missing with striking the right tone all day today

and now Gran is apologizing to Mic and Aizawa for the exquisite emotional torture he just put them through, but he says something is bound to come from it. WELL YEAH NO SHIT IT HAD GODDAMN BETTER

Aizawa apparently hasn’t run out of sad/tired/haunted expressions yet, if you can believe it

pretty soon everyone is going to be sad, tired, and traumatized! heh. it’s going to be so fucked up hahaha crying smiling emojiiiii

oh hey and we’re cutting to another flashback of AFO doing what he does best, being callously dismissive of human lives!

this guy. right here. is a rat bastard. for real. also Horikoshi sure picked a hell of a chapter to go all out on the art again, jesus. this is probably the first time I’ve looked at AFO’s fucked up face and actually thought “yep, that’s a mutilated human man” rather than “shouldn’t you be out floating in space with your asteroid friends trying to smash the Millennium Falcon?” so anyways yeah this panel is a big NOPE from me, thank you

but on the other hand, when Horikoshi uses those art powers for good, such as carefully penciling in every last individual hair of Aizawa’s perpetual five o’clock shadow, that I don’t mind so much!

yes. yes good

so now they’re vrooming off, and we’re hanging back with Gran and Nao for a minute

YESSSSS GOOD JOB NAO!!

looooool it’s ringing up the head of the HPSC and her phone’s buzzing and she’s giving it this hella dramatic look. like this is some patented Todoroki-level dramatic whooshing right here

that’s just how dramatic this entire arc is going to be, hopefully

WAIT WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW

IS THAT A CODED MESSAGE FOR HIM TO GO CHECK OUT THE HOSPITAL. AND HOW BUSY ARE YOU, HAWKS. ARE YOU THE “I AM IN SOME DEEP, DEEP TROUBLE” KIND OF BUSY, OR JUST THE STAYING-IN-CHARACTER KIND OF BUSY. YOU CASUAL BASTARD, WHO CAN EVEN TELL WITH YOU, I’LL JUST HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN TO SEE

oh hh my go

“LITTLE LATE TO ASK ABOUT THIS STUFF” so he comes from the Bakugou Katsuki school of tutoring, eh

I love that he actually followed through on explaining the PLF’s philosophy to Twice. and Twice is such a good boy. he’s studying so diligently. look, he didn’t ask to join a doomsday cult, it just kind of happened so now he’s just doing his best to figure it all out

and it definitely was a coded message, then. smoooooth, HPSC lady, smooth. so I wonder if the fact that she gave him a specific hospital implies a time jump. because I don’t think she’d have him investigate just any old hospital until they had a better lead and/or a more solid idea of what they were looking for

lol what the fuck

well I sure do not have any idea what this man is talking about

-- HOSDFLKJDLY SHIT WE’RE CUTTING TO UJIKO WE ARE CUTTING TO FUCKING UJIKO RED FUCKING ALERT!!!

HE’S TALKING ABOUT TOMURA I’M NOT CALMMMMMMMM AHHHHHH

FUCCKLKL FUCK THE WHAT HOLY SHIT WHAT DID HE DO

oh my god oh my god oh m

he made Tomura a Noumu. holy fucking shit that’s what he did. of course. so he’ll be able to possess multiple quirks, but because he benefits from Ujiko’s years of high end Noumu research, his sense of self will remain intact

AND DOESN’T THIS PROCESS JUST LOOK EVER SO PLEASANT. jesus christ. he’s not even allowed to lie down, for some reason this procedure can only be done while he’s hovering over the bed Exorcist-style with his mouth locked open in a silent scream (ETA: or is that actually his laughter we’re seeing?? because this panel wasn’t raw enough already I guess??) while random spurts of blood come chucking out all over the place. well that’s just

and Tomura fucking volunteered for this. how many scores of others didn’t?? holy fucking shit Ujiko. it’s not easy to be the most evil man in a chapter where a foil-wrapped potato with eye holes started waxing poetic about all the children he harvested and killed like some kind of bloodthirsty sommelier, but YOU FOUND A WAY. dancing a fucking jig while your so-called masterpiece is being gruesomely tortured in the foreground. man if there’s any justice in the world, we’ll find out in this arc that Ujiko used science to make himself immortal so that once he’s finally captured they can just keep killing him over and over again. I do not like him!!

so that’s it! we really are doing this thing, holy shit. Noumu arc here we come. see you guys next decade har dee har

[irisallenm]

Flying Away — Izuku Midoriya x Fem!Reader

Chapter #04/25 — Single Parenting Masterlist

Words: +1.2 k.

Warnings: Mention of abuse.

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Being a single parent is not easy, and when the world hates Y/N it is only a matter of time for everything to collapse.

When your mother found out your pregnancy test things went straight to hell,  you are force, not only to leave the love of your life, but everything behind and now happiness will not be easy to achieve. You are like cinderella before the magic, with more responsibilities and abuse of all kinds, and there is no ball in the small kingdom of the basement you live in, but sometimes there could be a glimpse of hope, one that calls you “Mommy”.

A/N: I cound’t upload last time, classes online are the worst. I’m gonna try but this week there are a ton of work and exams. Please take care of yourself and don’t go out if not necessary.

Keys to read:

Y/N: Your name.

L/N: Last name.

N/N: Nickname.

H/C: Hair color.

E/C: Eye color.

Tag List:

@xoxo-dede @adaydreaminganon​ @agustd54 (Ask to be add!)

When you arrived at the embassy everyone was dumbfounded, a missing girl send away and sold by her mother was seated in front of them, waiting to be sent home.

‘You said you are Y/N L/N, right?’

‘Yes’, there was a silence while he was writing something down, he was scanning you and the child in your arms. The trembling hadn’t stop, and for some reason there was fear in your eyes. What if they didn’t believed you? Or if Haru was not allowed to leave the country? What would happen if they send you back to the man who had you in his basement all those years? You once read about that online, how the authorities though the woman was crazy and she was send to the perpetrators house, and her life was worst. ‘Please, just take us home’.

‘Don’t worry, you are safe now’. The man stated, ‘we just confirm with your father and he says he is waiting for you’.

The stress leaved your shoulders, tears running from your swollen e/c eyes, hugging your baby boy thighly in your arms.

Thinking about your father made you happy, who knows what was send to verify your identity, but it didn’t matter, the only thought of going back to a “normal” life was more than enough.

‘We are going home, ‘Ruru’.

‘To the basement, mommy?I don’t wanna go to a place where you suffer’.

‘No, my love. We are going to a happy place and we are going to fly to get there’.

There was so much paperwork before taking you back, and after all that you just collapse on the plane, right next to your son. His happy face as the aircraft goes on the air, there were no more fear in those beautiful and, now, bright green eyes.

‘Look Mommy, there’s a cloud’. He grabbed your finger, his small hand containing new dreams and happiness. ‘We are flying above them!’

After the exhaustion hitted both of you there was just one thing to do.

Sleep.

Someone from the staff had covered you both with a cozy blanket, and it was the first time in the whole four-or-so years that you were warm. It was as if you could sleep for the rest of the trip, as if the movement of the plane was singing a lullaby and the safety was there, were he couldn’t grab you or took you back to the hell you were in just hours ago.

It was a long trip, and you couldn’t wait to go back… even if she was there.

When the aircraft landed and you were the last ones on board a police officer entered.

‘I’m officer Naomasa’, he presented himself. You knew him, he was there many times, when Izuku got in trouble at school and seeing an acquaintance was like magic. The tears started flowing again. ‘I’m here to help you out and get you safe at home’.

‘Nao— Naomasa-san’. You smiled at the man, Haru looking at him with curiosity and fear. ‘It’s so nice to see you again’.

He kneel.

‘We are glad you are back, everyone has been looking for you’, he couldn’t take his eyes from the little boy in front of him. ‘Everyone including Midoriya’.

‘Me?’ Haru was more intrigue.

You felt cold, the sweat running down your spine.

‘Well, that explains a lot’.

‘Naomasa-san’, your voice almost trembling. ‘That is a…’

‘Don’t worry, I won’t say anything if you don’t want to’. He gave a small bow to your child. ‘Come on, your father is waiting outside, I was just called to see if it was really you’.

When you feet touched the ground all the problems disappeared, and for the first time in long, you could breath with tranquility. The place was almost empty.

‘Mommy, is that round thing the moon?’ He asked you, his eyes not letting go. ‘It’s really big and white! And the sky is full with colors!’

‘Yes, baby’. Small droplets forming on your eyes. ‘Do you like it?’

You put him on your arms, enjoying with him. Haru’s face was gleaming in purple and orange, the sun setting, leaving behind the knightmare and bringing new emotions to his face. 

‘Y…/N’, you knew that voice and the tears started rolling again, ‘is it really you, my child?’

‘Fa— ther’, the whisper leaved your mouth and Haru raised his eyes to the big man in front of him. ‘I’m— I’m back’

Your voice was shaking, your body was like jelly and your arms wrapped strong on your child, protecting yourself from any kind of body contact. His face looked hurt but understood that he would have to wait, he raised his arms but put them down in less than a second.

‘Welcome back, honey’. He was crying as well. The feelings overwhelming his entire body, sobbing. ‘I’m so glad you are here’.

‘Who is he?’. His little voice was heard, even with all the crying. Your father was left confused, he knew there was going to be a child with you, but hearing you both in English was a throw off. He forgot almost everything since you disappeared.

‘This man is my father’, you explained. ‘your grandfather’.

‘Granfater?’ You giggled at his pronunciation.

‘Grandfather’, you repeated, ‘remember I tough you that? Stuff about family?’

‘Mommy, why are you speaking in japanese?’ He was scared. ‘What if he listens again and hit you?’

‘Don’t worry, here we are safe’. You took his hand in your. ‘Try speaking to him, nice and slow’.

‘My— My name is Haru’, he forced himself to smile. ‘Mommy says you are my grandfather’.

Your father looked at you, thinking the worst.

‘No, father’. You finally grabbed his hand. ‘He is not that man’s child, just look at his eyes’.

‘Is it Izu—’.

‘Yes, but please don’t say his name’.

‘Why?’

‘He still doesn’t knows it, and I want to be the one telling him’.

‘Mommy, I’m cold’, the tension was broken when the small child.

‘Don’t worry’, your father said. ‘I brought blankets, they are on the car’.

‘I— I…’ You couldn’t stood. ‘Is she…?’

‘She’s gone, looked up far away from here’. He smiled, he was not sad anymore. ‘She did a lot of thing so we got here in jail’.

‘We?’

‘Yes, me and He Who Must Not Be Named’.

You laugh and it catched both, child and men, by surprise.

‘We need to find a way of naming him’. You avoided talking about her.

‘Yeah, I think that’s a good idea’.

His screen was on, something weird because Izuku was never home, the news blasting with stuff that caught his attention. He read the titles “Missing girl return to home after five years of being hostage in a basement”. There was no images of the person in question, privacy issues, or so he tough.

‘Glad she is home’. he muttered while having some cereal. ‘What a nightmare that is, like a horror movie’.

The idea made him shiver and he felt cold, his neck hairs standing up.

“If only she could return to Japan…” His mind started drifting away, only thinking of the girl that he couldn’t safe. “If only she was here”.

NEXT

[ravenoftheskyes]

Mako-fam (a pq2 fanfic)

{Made another commitment to @thieves-in-the-palace so let’s go! (It’ll be a short fic I said, I’ll only hint at my ships I said. I might actually write a sequel to this focused on 20XX) Rated T, for strong language, “slight” (Ha, this thing is flooded with ship content) Okijuma, Yukichie, Souyo, Pegoryu, Annshiho, Yukamitsu, Junpei x Chidori and Akimina[just gonna shove a bunch of ships in here. I actually hit the tag limit.] and spoilers for Ticket 32}

Makoto Niijima, a girl with three families. One, the Phantom Thieves. Two, the Investigation Team. Three, SEES. Though she didn’t exactly know about the persona part. Until now.

They’ve just rescued the IT from Junessic land. Except for Yosuke. But they’ll have to find him later.

“Goro, can I speak to you for a second?” Makoto asks the brown-haired boy next to her.

“Yeah sure, in the theater?”

“Of course”

They walk over to the Kamoshidaman theater and plop down into the seats.

“FUCK, GORO! AUNT CHIE AND AUNT NAO HAVE PERSONAS?!”

“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!”

They screamed for about another five minutes before they calmed down.

“Okay so, we just have to act normal. We can deal with this. It’s just Aunt Chie and Aunt Nao.”

“Yeah, I mean what are the odds that Uncle Aki has one too?”

*A.I.G.I.S*

“Goro, can I talk to you? Please?!” Makoto almost yells out, letting the slightest amount of panic into her voice.

“Yeah... sure...”

As they walk back into the Kamoshidaman theater, Goro‘s eyes start to widen. He’s finally comprehending.

“UNCLE AKI HAS A PERSONA?!”

“FUCK, MAKOTO I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!”

“YOU THINK I CAN?!”

Another five (20) minutes of screaming later...

“Okay, so our entire family has personas. We can deal with this.”

“Makoto. Uncle Aki just used an honorific on you. He never does that. It’s always either Mako-chan or Makoto. Same thing with Aunt Nao and Aunt Chie. And the rest of the family.”

“...I still remember how proud Aunt Nao was when they started calling you “the second coming of the detective prince”. She literally screamed out “THAT’S OUR BOY” when you were on tv. She was so happy.”

“Ha, remember when on your 15th birthday Uncle Aki and Aunt Chie gave you brass knuckles? Sae was so pissed”

“And then they got me Steel-toed boots and taught me how to do a roundhouse kick!”

“Do you still have those?”

“I never go anywhere without them.” And she pulls the brass knuckles from her bag.

“We’ve just got to bite back a few nicknames, and we’ll be fine.” Makoto whispers.

“Yeah.” Goro says back to her, with a small smile.

*ticket 32*

Makoto’s talking to Haru.

“Mako-chan, you’ve got to be a little less reckless! I don’t have my grenade launcher here to protect you!”

“I know, Haru. It’s just that I can’t help it when I see someone hurt my family.”

“Hmm...” Haru says, with a contemplative look on her face. Makoto wonders how she got this lucky to have this beautiful and sweet of a girlfriend.

“I guess I have Ren to thank for that” she thinks

And then Elizabeth talks about a new special screening.

“Maybe this is our chance?” Akihiko says to Chie.

Oh god oh no oh fuck- Makoto thinks

“Huh?” Chie replies to him

“Remember what Makoto said?”

And suddenly, Makoto’s having a flashback.

“Makoto, learning close-combat battle’s all well and good, but you need to learn a proper diet. Don’t eat meat 24/7 like they do” Naoto says to a younger Makoto.

“Aw, come on Naoto! Steak’s delicious!” Chie fires back.

Makoto smiled, a rare occurrence since the death of her father.

“Hey, look! She’s smiling!” Akihiko said to the other two.

“Aww, you’re so adorable, Makoto!” Chie said to her.

“I’m 13! Not three!”

Akihiko laughed, and said “I think she’s been hanging out with Ken too much.”

“Now come on! Show me a kick that could punt someone into the stratosphere!”

“Chie-!”

“Watch me go, Coach!” Chie says, and Makoto’s violently thrown back into the present.

“Heh! My fists have been aching for some action. Time for a one-two punch into the finishing blow!”

“*sigh* Whatever you say. Let’s just get going for now.”

As they’re walking, Yukiko walks up to Chie.

“Chie, you’re starting to scare her. Calm down a bit. I mean, you barely know her and you’re calling her Coach!”

“I’m sure she’s fine!”

“...I still can’t believe you’re my Prince Charming.”

“Ha! No take-backs, Yukiko! You’re my princess and I’m your Prince!”

And then Yukiko falls into a laughing fit.

And right behind them, Goro and Makoto are having a panic attack conversation

“I can’t believe they’re asking you to train them. They taught you everything you know!” Goro says, shocked.

“I know!”

“...Don’t you already know their weaknesses?”

“Yeah, Aunt Chie moves just slow enough to sweep her stable leg out and if Uncle Aki gets riled up enough he exposes his stomach.”

“Then fight them!”

“That’s not actually a bad idea...”

“There it is! Let’s get in there and land the first strike!” Akihiko yells.

Goro rolls his eyes and says “There he is. I was wondering when he was gonna go battle crazy.”

“Roger that, I’m ready to learn from the best!”

“And there she goes...” Makoto whispers

“...Wait, there’s no road!?” Chie screamed

“Whoa!”

Goro was barely able to restrain his laughter

“Calm down, you two. First, we need to assess the situation. See the enemy’s orientation. Gauge it’s speed, movements, and position. Observe, then predict its actions.”

This time it was Goro’s flashback.

“Come on, Goro. You need to observe. Predict their actions.” Naoto whispered.

“She’s right. Now, come at me!” Akihiko told him.

“Wait!” Minato walked in. “Use this!” And he handed him a wooden rapier.

Goro’s eyes glittered. “It’s just like the ones heroes from those movies use!”

“Très Magnefique!” Mitsuru exclamimed. “A one-handed sword!”

“Babe, Mitzi, come on. You know that the best weapon is a pair of fists.”

“You’ve got Makoto, let us have him!” Minato said to him.

“Come on, Lances are the best weapon to use!” Minako said, as she walked in.

Everyone in the room shot her down.

“You have Ken!” Chie said.

“What about me?” Ken said as he walked in.

“Nothing, we’re just arguing about weapons again.” Minato said to him, with a small smirk on his face.

“Nothing beats a Katana!” Yu said as he walked in.

Yukiko said, “You’re all wrong! Fans are easy to hide, and they can pack a punch!”

“Yukiko. My princess. I love you, but you’re wrong.”

The squabbles between them brought a sweet smile to Goro’s face. He had a family.

“Okay, come on! This is how you use a sword!” Minato said, and Minato and Mitsuru did a demonstration on sabers and swords.

“Let’s go, Chie! I’ll race you!” Akihiko said to the brown-haired girl, just as Goro’s flashback ended.

Makoto backed up to join Goro.

“Think we should join them?” She asked

“Of course we should, Queen.”

And they both bolted off to join them.

*after the ticket*

“So, a special diet, huh? You know they’re gonna cave. Aunt Nao’s been trying and failing for years.” Goro whispered to her.

“I know, but I might as well give it a shot, huh?”

Meanwhile, in the background, Minato and Yukiko are chatting.

“God, why is she so similar to both of them? They never told us what year they were from... Do you think that maybe they left us for each other or something and had her?” Yukiko said to him.

“No... that’s crazy. At least I hope not.” Minato replied to her.

“I mean, if they’d be happier with each other, then I’d accept it. Because I love her too much to not see her happy.”

“Yeah, same.”

“Ugh, I’m weirdly jealous. I mean, it might not even be true.”

“Yeah...”

And a few more battles in ??? later...

“Ugh!” Yosuke said, as he collapsed in a heap.

“Partner!” Yu said, as he took out the shadow and bolted to Yosuke’s side. “Yosuke, are you alright?!” His voice going a few octaves higher than it normally would.

Makoto gets another flashback.

“Partner?” Yu asks a half-asleep Yosuke, as they watch a movie. “Come on, we’re with Makoto and Goro. Weren’t you the one who wanted to watch this movie?”

Yosuke plants a sloppy kiss on Yu’s cheek

“Yeah, but I’m tired. I mostly wanted an excuse to spend time with you.”

Yu had the tiniest hint of a blush on his face.

Makoto and Goro stopped watching the movie in favor of watching the romcom taking place right next to them on the couch.

“P-partner please there are children watching”

“Aw, getting flustered already?”

“Mako-chan! Behind you!” Haru screeched out

Makoto dodged it and kicked it in the face to kill it.

“Thanks, babe!” She yelled to her as she got back onto her feet.

Akihiko walked up to her, and asked “Are you alright?”

“Yeah thanks u- Akihiko-san”

Phew, that was close she thought to herself.

Meanwhile, back to the salty s/os...

“She cut herself off. She was going to call him something different. It seems more and more likely that Akihiko’s her dad.” Yukiko muttered.

“Earlier, I think she did the same thing to Chie.” Minato whispered back.

“I’m so fucking jealous”

“God, same”

“Ooh, my brother’s jealous, huh?” Minako said, as she popped in.

“Minako-!” He said back to her.

*back in the theater*

Hikari clapped her hands as she welcomed them back.

“Yeah! No sweat! Eff those shadows!” Ryuji said as he threw his fist into the air.

“I still don’t understand why you can’t just say fuck, like the rest of us.” Chie said to him.

“Well, you see...” Ren started. “My boyfriend here is a total momma’s boy. We love him for it. His mom told him to never say fuck, so he doesn’t. He loves his mom. And so do we. She’s basically all our mom now.”

“Yeah, I still remember the look of horror on her face when I said it around her!” Ann said to everyone else.

Ren planted a soft kiss on Ryuji’s cheek.

“Ugh, why is everyone so affectionate here?! I miss my sweet Chidorita...” Junpei exclaimed.

“Oh yeah, same. I miss Shiho so much. I should take her out for crepes when we get home.” Ann said.

And then

“Whoa, the room just got a bit colder...”

“I can feel it. Someone’s salty.”

“It’s coming from... over there!” And Junpei points to an obviously pissed off Yukiko and a Wildcard Mode Minato.

“Okay, what are you two so salty about?” Ann asks them.

And then Minato does his catchphrase. “I don’t care”

“Aw, are your s/os not paying enough attention to you two?” Ren teases.

Minato’s hand slightly curled and the other three protags show their shock.

“Guys! What has you all going insane?!” Ann screams out.

“That thing Minato did with his hand? That’s the wildcard equivalent of ‘I’m gonna cut a bitch’” Ren explains.

“...That little hand thing?”

“Yeah!!”

“Okay, but that still leaves the question, why?”

“That, I don’t know.”

“I’m just going to say it!” Yukiko says, with barely restrained anger

“Makoto, what were your parents names?” She asks.

“Wait! Hold the fuck up! If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, you’re wrong! I’m Ken’s age! I’m not the child of anyone here!” Makoto screams out in a single breath.

“Oh. Well now I just feel like an idiot.” Yukiko says.

Minato rubs the back of his neck with his hand and blushes just the tiniest bit.

And Makoto gets another flashback.

“Hey! Uncle Mina! Didn’t you say that Aunt Mitzi and Uncle Aki were teaching you french? Could you help me with my homework?” Makoto asks.

“I’m... not very good, but alright.”

“It’s just a reading assignment. We’ll be fine.”

Goro gives a small smirk from where he’s sitting on the dorm couch.

“What is it supposed to be?” Minato asks the girl.

“I don’t know, just read it!” She yells out.

“Okay, okay!” He chuckles as he starts translating it

“My love, your hair is as soft as a flower’s petals, yet your heart is thorned. Never to let anyone too close. I’m glad that you let me and everyone else into your heart. I never thought I had an eye for beauty, until I saw your face. I’ve traveled the world, and yet I’ve always wanted to come home to you. You’re a warrior. And I’d like to fight by your side until the end. So, will you be by my side forever? Love-” Minato choked on the last word. He dropped the letter and slammed his hands over his mouth. He turned around, not quite trusting his voice. There, Akihiko Sanada sat, blushing so hard that it seemed he might pass out. Minato thought a nod yes would suffice. It did. The entire dorm went up in cheers and everyone was excited for the newly engaged couple.

Makoto loved that memory. She always thought it was romantic, the way he proposed.

So when she saw them on the couch, Minato asleep on his boyfriend’s shoulder, she was happy knowing that a couple who fights together, stays together.

But there’s something more important to do, soon. After Minato wakes up.

After he does wake up, Makoto finally challenges Akihiko and Chie to a fight.

“A fight?” Chie asks her

“Well, a training bout.” Makoto says. “Both of you, against me.”

“If you insist.” Akihiko says, and he throws a punch that Makoto dodges easily.

“Too easy! Give me a challenge at least!”

Chie throws out a kick. Another dodge. And Makoto takes out her leg from under her.

“Huh!” Chie screams, as she collapses into a heap.

“Chie!” Yukiko screams from the back.

“That’s one down!” Ren screams from the back.

Another punch. Makoto pirouettes out of the way.

“That all you can do?!” She taunts him

Akihiko’s temper gets the better of him. Makoto smirks. He leaves his stomach exposed for a split second. Makoto throws as much force as she can behind a punch directly to his gut

Makoto shakes out her hand, as Akihiko goes crumbling to the floor.

“Damn. I’m impressed.” Mitsuru says from the back. “Are the two of you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine” Chie tells the redhead.

“Same here.” Akihiko says as he brings himself to his feet.

And then their eyes start sparkling. Makoto’s bombarded with questions.

Makoto and Goro have the same flashback at the same time.

“Alright, is everyone ready?” Minako asks the kids, who are holding wooden weapons. She kicks off a training match between Goro, Makoto, and Ken.

(Everyone knows Ken’s going to win, but it’s good experience for the others.)

Unfortunately, Ken forgets that this is a training match. He puts too much force behind his hits and accidentally knocks Makoto’s arm so hard that he dislocates her shoulder.

“Ow, damn!” She mutters out, not wanting to seem weak.

“Sorry, sorry!” Ken yells as he throws the wooden lance to the side and runs over to her.

Yukari runs over to her side and starts to examine it. She sighs in relief. “It’s okay, we just need to pop it back in.”

The entire dorm sighs in relief.

Yukiko plops down on Makoto’s other side, and grabs her hand.

“Look at me, alright?” She tells the girl.

Yukari pops here shoulder back in, which gives her pain for a split-second, until a cool, soothing sensation permeates her body

Looking back on it now, Yukari had probably used diarahan on her.

“-oach? Coach? Coach!” Chie’s voice snapped her back to the present.

“I’m sorry, I got distracted. What were you saying?” She asked the brown-haired girl.

“Makoto, are you feeling alright? You seem a bit out of it.” Akihiko asked her.

“I’m fine” she says. She’s a liar.

*another run in ??? later*

“Makoto-san, I’ve been wondering. How did you learn to be so good at riding a motorcycle?” Mitsuru asks her.

You taught me! She thinks

“Johanna taught me. She is a part of me after all!” Makoto quickly says, trying to act casual.

It seems to satisfy the red-headed executioner, as she walks away.

Flashback time~

“Mitsuru, I swear to god if you take her out on your motorcycle-” Akihiko starts

“She’ll be fine! We’ll be with her!” Yukari replies

“That’s what I’m worried about! Mitsuru, you once used a pileup as a ramp, and Yukari, you once took a sharp turn on an icy road so fast that we almost skid into another car!”

“Just because you can’t handle the way I drive-” Mitsuru starts

“You once told me ‘I paid for the whole speedometer, I’m using the whole speedometer!’”

“Exactly!” Yukari replied to him.

“...I’m not going to talk you out of this, now am I?”

“Not even close!” They both replied, in unison.

“You two are perfect for each other... just don’t get yourselves killed.”

And that was the day that Makoto learned how to ride a motorcycle like a maniac, with a crash course from Mitsuru and Yukari.

Makoto literally drives herself off a tree.

“Mafreidyne!” She screams, and takes out the shadows.

She returns her mask and walks with the rest of the group.

Surrounded by all three of her families, she thought that this alternate dimension thing might not be so bad after all.

[romansrgn]

{ghostin...}

Summary: A night of expected passion brings unexpected consequences for Roman Reigns.

Roman Reigns x OC, Jimmy x Naomi, Jey x OC

Warning: 18+ for SMUTTTTT, angst and infidelity

Word Count: 4947

“1..2..3” the crowd counted along with the referee.

“Braelin hits the facelift for the win.” MIchael Cole announced at his spot at the announce table.

“And still the Raw Women’s champion, Braelin.” Jojo announced.

Braelin rolled out of the ring to greet the screaming fans only stopping when she saw a poster of the four black horsewomen of the WWE: Naomi, herself, Sasha and Bianca. She grabbed the sign from the fan “This is what its about,” she said before kissing the fan on the cheek and headed back to the gorilla position where Stephanie McMahon was waiting for her.

Green eyes rolled “No botches, no wardrobe malfunctions and no one got hurt tonight.”

“I saw the match.”

“Well then there’s nothing for us to discuss.”

Stephanie fell into step with Braelin as she eyed the knee brace on her right knee “How’s your knee?”

“It’s fine. It’s practically made of steel.”

“I highly doubt that. Which is why you’re on a non official leave from the ring.”

That stopped the Raw women’s champion in her tracks “What?”

“You heard what I said. You still need time to recover and you can’t do that while wrestling every week.”

After injuring her knee over a year ago Braelin has worked her ass off to get back into the ring. She’s finally at a place where she wants to be career wise and now they’re pulling her? “So you’re stripping me of my title is that what your saying?”

Stephanie shook her head “No, you won’t be wrestling but you'll still be needed for any new storylines that may come up or even as a valet.

Braelin squinted “You’re joking right?”

“You don't see me laughing. I think this could be exactly what you need. It puts you in a position where you’re not over exerting yourself but you'll remain in the spotlight."

“Right! because you clearly give a damn about my health and what happens to my career.” Braelin laughed bitterly.

“Contrary to what you believe I’m not out to get you.”’

“Yea, I believe you.” Braelin said stopping in front of her dressing room. As far as she was concerned this conversation was over “Are we done here?”

Stephanie sighed “For right now. But I want—” she didn’t get a chance to finish what she was saying because the door was slammed in her face.

Braelin ran a frustrated hand through her hair and picked up her phone. She had six missed calls from her mother and five from her big brother. She bit her lip deciding if she wanted to be lectured before or after she had a hot shower and a drink. She bit the bullet and dialed her mom “Hey, momma. I just got back to my dressing room.”

“Are you ok? I just saw your match and it looked like you took a nasty fall on your knee.”

“The brace caught most of the blow. I’m sore but I’m not hurt.”

“You need to come home so I can take a look at it.”

Braelin rolled her eyes suddenly happy that her mother wasn’t there in person to see her do it, “Momma you’re a neurosurgeon.”

“Don’t you roll your damn eyes at me little girl.” Braelin’s eyes ballooned “Now get your narrow behind here so I can take a good look at you.”

Braelin knew better then to back talk her mother but she also knew how her mother was when she was worried about her “I have a show next week Saturday in North Carolina. I’ll come and see you then.”

Feeling placated her mother sighed “Momma loves you, Brae. You know that. I’m just trying to keep you safe and even if I can’t protect you from everything I can make sure whatever hurts, hurts a little less.”

Braelin smiled and wiped at the tears under her eyes “I know momma. I love you too. Give daddy a kiss for me and tell Keyon to stop calling me.”

Naomi looked at her watch “She’s late.”

Braelin laughed when she heard her mother repeat what she said to her brother before hanging up. She really did miss her family.  She pulled her wrestling top over head to shower. It was definitely time to go home.

Jimmy laughed “We’re early. Just relax, baby. Uce isn’t even here yet.” And just as soon as he said it Roman came walking up the arena’s exit with his bags in tow “Where’s Braelin?”

Roman stopped in his tracks and scanned the parking lot  “I don’t know. She’s not out here yet?”

Naomi shook her head “I’m going to go see what’s taking her so long.” she attempted to head back into the arena but Roman stopped her.

“You stay here.” he said putting his bags into the car “I’ll go find her.”

By the time he made it back into the arena there were fewer people in the building “Braelin.” he yelled down the hallway of her dressing room “Braelin” he yelled again and knocked on the door before entering

Roman looked around seeing her packed bags but not her. He heard the shower running and saw that the door was ajar, He knocked again “Braelin.” he pushed the door open when he didn’t get a response “Are you–”

“Roman,” Braelin yelled attempting to cover herself “What the hell are you doing?”

Roman swallowed and turned around.

Braelin wrapped the towel tightly around her body “I’m decent.” she huffed.

“Naomi, Jimmy and Jey are waiting for us outside.” he said with his back still turned to her. His jaw clenched slightly.

“Damn, I forgot. Ok, let me get dressed and I can meet you guys outside.”

When she finally came out of the bathroom she was wearing a pair of legging, a sports bar and a track jacket, Her long hair was still slightly damp  “I completely forgot we were all riding together. “

“Don’t worry about it. Just get dressed. I can wait for you out here.” he said picking up her bag and blindly handing it to her.

Roman shook his head not believing that shit for a second. Every second he waited for her to get dress and come out of the bathroom his anger mounted “Did you? Or did you take your sweet ass time because you knew I would come looking for you?” he stood walking towards her.

Braelin brows furrowed “I never asked you to come looking for me, Roman. And I sure as hell didn’t ask you to stay here with me either.”

Roman scoffed “Get your shit and let’s go.”

“I called my mom, we talked for bit and then I jumped in the shower. I must have lost track of time.”

Braelin narrowed her green eyes and walked passed him leaving Roman to collect her bags. By the time they made it outside she had a full blown attitude “Next time, don’t send him to look for me.”

Naomi laughed when Roman rolled his eyes “I didn't. He volunteered. What were you doing anyway?”

“How is she?” Jimmy asked climbing into the driver’s seat “I know it’s been a minute since we’ve seen her.”

Jey opened the back seat door and helped Braelin in when he saw her struggling to get in the truck “Is your knee still bothering you?”

Braelin promptly ignored the heated stares from everyone after that assessment, especially Roman’s “My mom is great. I’m actually going to see her after our show in North Carolina.”

Naomi nodded “You didn’t answer the knee question but I’ll let that go because I know how much you miss auntie, Brae.”

Roman cleared his throat loudly putting the last of her bags into the trunk before climbing in on the opposite side of her.

“I’m not talking about my knee anymore. Stephanie and my momma are both giving me enough shit for it. I don’t need it from you guys.”

Jey held up his hands “I know when to my mind damn business.”

Jimmy shared the same sentiment “But if you need anything, little sis. You’ll tell us right?”

Braelin nodded silently. She looked down at her phone seeing a text message from Roman.

we need to talk asap.

Braelin and Roman locked eyes briefly before she deleted the text message. Ignoring Roman’s slight growl she tapped Naomi’s shoulder “Hey, Nao. Turn that up.”

“AYEEEEE.” Naomi yelled hearing the sound of a train before the opening lyrics of “C’mon N’ Ride it” by the Quad City DJ’s came blasting through the speakers. “We use to cut up to this song when we were kids, remember Brae?”

“I still remember the dance routine we made up to this.”

Braelin and Naomi were cousins who did pretty much everything together. They ran in the same circles, went to high school and attended the same HBU despite the three year age difference between them.

Naomi was like a role model to Braelin growing up. Everything Naomi did she wanted to emulate. Naomi was the reason Braelin took dance classes and the reason Braelin didn’t become a doctor deciding to purse wrestling instead.

Her mother was still a little bitter about that.

Jimmy looked over at Naomi who was shimmying in her seat “You go show me that little dance later?”

Naomi winked “Maybe if you–”

Jey quickly interrupted making a face “Don’t nobody wanna hear that. Y'all wild.”

Everyone laughed.

Roman leaned in to whisper in her ear “I don’t know what the hell is going on with you but we are going to have that talk.”

Braelin shivered but said nothing.

At the hotel Jey started handing out room keys.

“We still down for tonight, Uce?” Kofi yelled in the lobby

All three cousins yelled “Yea.” causing Naomi and Braelin to shake their heads

“Who was he talking too?” Naomi asked clearly amused.

Roman gave a short laugh “Does it matter?”

“Alright, yall... I got 319. Jimmy and Nao have room 321. Uce, you got Room 325 and little sis you got 327.”

Braelin grabbed her key “Well, I’m going up to crash.”

Naomi tilted her head to the side feeling a little affronted “You’re not going out with us?”

Braelin shook her head “Nah, I’m good. Besides my knee is killing me.” she laughed rubbing her knee and limping to the elevator dramatically.

“Get your butt outta her Brae. What about you big dog?”

Roman was to busy watching Braelin exit the lobby that he completely missed her question “Whatchu say?”

Naomi folded her arms over her chest “You’re still coming out with us, right? You told Kofi you were.” She tacked on that last part for good measure.

Roman snorted “Yea, I just need a hour to chill, shower and change.”

Jimmy and Jey looked between Naomi and Roman suddenly feeling the tension there “Yea, let’s head up to our rooms. It’s been a long day and its finna be an even longer night.” Jimmy said grabbing Naomi’s hand.

By the time Braelin made it to her room she had already kicked off her shoes and turned off her phone. She had no plans to do anything outside of jumping into bed head first and just as she was on the verge of doing just that there was a knock at the door. She looked through the peephole and cursed before slightly opening it “What?”

“Let me in. We need to talk.” Roman said with his hands in his pockets.

“And I don’t feel like talking. So now what?”

Roman sighed at her being difficult “I don’t want to fight with you. I Just–” he ran a frustrated hand over his face “Just let me talk to you, please.”

Braelin stared blankly at him for a few moments before opening the door wider to let him in “Five minutes.”

Roman entered the hotel room and watched as she closed the door behind her. He sighed when she remained posed at door “First, I need to apologize to you for being a dick earlier. I just hate that you’ve been ignoring me. We use to be able to talk about shit but now it seems like we can’t even be in the same room together without other people.”

Running a hand through her hair she nodded “I get it. I hate not talking to you too. But I need time to not miss something that use to be mine.” Braelin knew she was leaving herself wide open by admitting this but she needed to get this off her chest. She just wanted this entire thing to be over “Even though we've been over for while now there are still times when I wake up in the middle of the night and I reach for you and you’re not there.” Braelin stepped a little further into the room “So this is me trying to get use to not having you and I can’t do that if you’re always around.”

Roman and Braelin met each other back in 2009 when Briyanna (Braelin’s big sister) through Naomi a birthday party and invited Jimmy and all of his friends and family. Roman of course attended the party and although they hit it off nothing stuck because at the time she had a boyfriend and he was dating his college sweetheart, Janelle.

Even though nothing happened romantically between them after the party they never lost contact with each other. In fact, they became best friends. They were there for each other during their eventual break ups with their respective other’s, Braelin’s decision to pursue wrestling, her training, Roman’s call up to the main roster and his first injury. Among other things.

Shortly after that things got serious back in 2012 when they made things official and started dating.

Everything was great for a good three years but then things started to change. Roman started pulling away from her and at the time she didn’t understand why. The sex between them was good, but when they were together it always felt like he somewhere else. Braelin later found out it was because he’d gotten back in contact with his college sweetheart, Janelle. She knew he wasn't cheating on her but she knew Janelle brought along unresolved feeling she didn't know he still harbored.

Braelin never had to spend hours agonizing about what was going on with him because she already knew. He was feeling conflicted. To Braelin there were too many people apart of this equation. If he loved her the way he said he did there was nothing to be confused about.

So she didn’t stick around to see what his choice would be. They broke up mid 2016.

Braelin found out from Jimmy and Naomi that Roman was engaged. He later married his college sweetheart Janelle at the end of 2017.

They’ve been married every since.

You would think after almost two years she would be over it. Maybe it was the bitterness of having to sit back and watch the man she love marry another woman without a single thought of her. Or maybe there was apart of her that thought he’s been waiting for Janelle the entire time while he was with her.  She didn’t know and maybe that’s why it still hurt so much.

Roman wanted so badly to pull her into his arms to kiss, hold and make love to her. He wanted to do whatever she needed to make this better for her but he couldn’t do that.

They both knew that at the end of the day another woman was sharing his last name. That kind of hurt will take a long time to heal and the only way she’ll be able to try move on was if she let him go.

“I love you, Roman and I don’t think there’s a part of me that will ever stop loving you. But I need–”

What happened next was beyond his control. Roman would blame it on the fact that he couldn't take hearing the words he was sure were seconds away from leaving her mouth.

Roman closed the distance between them his large hands cradling the sides of her face as he kissed her hard and deep and with the same amount of passion as two lovers reuniting after being separated from war. He pulled back licking his lips “One night. One night to be inside you. One night to fuck you or make love to you or both. I just need you right now, baby. Don’t deny me.”

Braelin looked into his eyes and as hard as she tried to ignore it she saw it as plain as day: that love, that need and that hint of desperation in those grey eyes she always got lost in “Make love to me.” she whispered removing her track jacket.

And as if he was trying to engrave how those words sounded coming from her lips he closed his eyes and savored it.

Roman once again captured her cupid bow shaped lips with his. She moaned wrapping her arms around his neck. His large hands slid down the curve of her spine grabbing handfuls of her ass missing the feel of her in his hands and lifted her into his arms urging her to wrap her legs around him as he carried her over to the bed.

Braelin moaned at the feel of his thick tongue licking a hot trail from her collarbone to her neck as gently placed her down on the bed. She pulled him up by his hair forcing him to look at her “This ends tonight. Do you understand?” she said pushing him off her so she could remove the sports bar she had been wearing.

Roman’s only response to that was the removal of his wedding ring before setting it on the nightstand next to the bed. A hint of guilt flashed across her beautiful features.

Braelin knew the right thing to do was to put the brakes on this entire thing before it went any further. But whenever Roman touched her she felt nothing but heat and any and all doubts she had melted like butter in a pan.

He reached down and tugged her leggings and soaked panties down her curvaceous legs. The feel of them in his hands were almost enough to make him cum “You had amazing legs baby.”

Braelin shivered “You have on way too many clothes.”

Roman laughed softly and pulled the shirt over his head. His large hands dropped to the waistband of his sweatpants. His eyes never leaving hers as she sat back and enjoyed the view.

Not at all surprised that he wasn’t wearing any underwear Braelin got a good look at how bad he wanted her. The thick muscle corded in veins jutted out long, hard and leaking precum.

Her mouth watered.

Braelin made herself comfortable at the edge of the bed pulling him closer by the hips. She gave the tip of his dick a experimental lick before relaxing her throat taking him in inch by tortuous inch.

Roman tilted his head back “Shit.”

She worked him with her tongue, mouth and the parts she couldn’t reach, her hand. Roman brushed her hair to side so he could see himself sliding in and out of her mouth “FUCK.”

Roman looked down at her with half lidded eyes and watched as she sucked his dick like a pro “What are you doing to me baby? SHIT.”

Flattening her tongue Braelin dragged it ever so slowly on the underside of his cock and that did it. Roman groaned deep shooting his load into her mouth.

Swallowing, Braelin stared up at him with a devilish grin on her pretty face. When it came to fellatio her head game was on another level even with Roman's stamina she always knew how to bring him to his knees “I still got it.”

Roman’s eyes narrowed tossing her to the middle of the bed. “Your little ass is getting it tonight.”

Roman kissed his way down to her hot core and inhaled “I love the smell of your pussy. I would know you anywhere.” he said before licking her from asshole to clit. His large fingers massaged her as he sucked hard on her clit.

“Oh my god.” Braelin moaned and fisted the comforter in her small hands. She couldn’t explain what was happening but her entire body felt like it was on fire. When she looked down at Roman his face was so embedded into her snatch that for a second there she thought she might be suffocating him so she attempted to pull away but his right arm displaying his polynesian tattoo proudly kept her in place. “Roman, please.”

Braelin propped up on her elbows watching as his wicked tongue danced along her bundle of nerves driving her closer to the edge. She didn’t know how much time has passed but she was done for the minute his tongue started repeatedly tap dancing against her G spot. She came instantly.

Lax and practically purring Roman climbed over her, his big body covering hers “Don’t fall asleep yet, baby. We’re  just getting started.” he covered her mouth with his inserting his tongue so she could taste herself.

Braelin felt him at her entrance and with the clever thrust of his hips he was buried to the hilt. She instantly tensed the hell up at the mixture of pain and pleasure. A year without any real kind of sexual activity would do that and Roman’s dick was a lot larger than her fingers and any of the toys she had.

“Are you ok?”Roman said with slight groan starting a slow rhythm. Fuck she felt incredible.

Braelin nodded wrapping her legs around his waist “Fuck me harder.”

Roman kissed her neck and started a new rhythm that was slow, hard and deep until he was pounding away “So wet. So tight.” he groaned loudly repeating it over and over again.

Sweat dotted her hairline and Roman’s forehead as he fucked her like a man on a mission determined to get them where they both needed go. Braelin attempted to match his thrusts with her own “That’s right. Take this dick.”

“I’m finna cum. Roman, shit. I’m finna cum.” she moaned.

Angling his hips just right Roman started in on her sweet spot “Cum for daddy.” he groaned rubbing her clit.

Her back arched and that tell all gush of liquid between her thighs let her know she just had the best fuck of her life.

Roman continued to pound into her chasing his own release until he came, hard. Every vein in his neck was on full display as one expletive after another flew from his mouth.

Coming down from his high Roman nuzzled her neck “Can I spend the night?” he said looking into her green eyes.

“Roman,” Braelin sighed “They’re expecting you and I told you--”

“I just want to hold you. I’ll be gone in the morning. I promise.” he said rubbing his thumb across her lips.

Braelin's small hand went to the hair at the nap of his neck and rubbed gently. That little action caused Roman to close his eyes “Ok.”

Roman gently pulled out of her warmth already missing the feel of her. Braelin laid on her side with her back against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. “I know nothing I say will change anything. But I wish things could have been different.” he said softly kissing the top of her head.

Silence.

“You’re right. It won’t change anything.”

That was almost a three months ago.

The hall of fame was next month and Naomi, Braelin and Briyanna were at the third fitting for their dresses for the hall of fame.

“Sunk it in Brae.”

Braelin huffed “If I suck it in anymore my ribs will fracture.  This is obviously not the one. I'm just going with the balmain one.”

Naomi shook her head “I don’t understand. You had a fitting with Alexander McQueen last month and this dress worked.”

Braelin rolled her eyes “Well, I’m feeling a little bloated.”

“Bloat doesn���t make you go up an entire dress size in a month.”

“Ain’t nothing wrong with getting thicker, stop.” Briyanna looked at Naomi.

“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it especially when I got what I got. But, Brae–”

“First of all, stop talking about me like I’m not here. Maybe I just won't go to the hall of fame, period.” Braelin tugged the dress down her body leaving her in nothing but a bra and panties.

“You have to go. We’re inducting Jazz.” Naomi said heading to the back of studio to switch out her dresses.

Briyanna got a good look at her little sister through the mirror. For her stature, Braelin was always a curvy little thing. Just like her if Braelin gained a few pounds she gained it in her hips and ass. But what Briyanna was looking at was a curve to her sister’s stomach and her face had gotten a little fatter.

She knew what was happening here and after giving birth to three kids herself she would be able to point it out when she saw it. But she still needed confirmation.

Braelin frowned slipping on her sweater and then her jeans “Why are you oogling me?”

“You’re pregnant?”

Braelin blinked “What?”

“Don’t what me? The weight gain, the mood swings, the occasional morning sickness that you claim is just food poisoning. Not to mention you have a whole ass baby bump, Brae.” she whispered heatedly.

Braelin tugged Briyanna to the side “Will you be quiet.”

“How far along are you?”

When Braelin remain quiet. Briyanna folded her arms across her chest “How far--”

“I’m 12 weeks today.”

Briyanna’s eyes ballooned. She opened and closed her mouth not knowing what else to say “How the hell did you manage to hide this?”

It wasn't easy. She’s been medically cleared to do in ring work for three weeks after their show in North Carolina but during the stint of their entire tour in the south she came down with what Braelin thought was the flu. So their agents sent her home so she could rest. But her flu had gotten worse and it turned into some weird stomach bug, it got so bad she had to go see her doctor. After running a few tests her doctor then informed her that she didn’t have the flu but instead she was in fact pregnant.

Braelin left the doctors office stunned and completely dumb founded. She didn’t understand how this could happen since she was on the pill. But of course her doctor informed her the pill wasn’t always effective.

The following week Stephanie informed her that she would be making her in ring return in a tag team match with Sasha against The Bella Twins. It wasn’t until then that everything started to sink in and she broke down.

Confused by the response she had gotten Stephanie had closed the door to her office so the could speak with Braelin in private. In that moment Braelin had no choice but to tell Stephanie she was four weeks pregnant.

Briyanna nodded suddenly everything was making sense “So it was Stephanie’s idea to milk this knee injury until…what? you’re ready to pop and then what?”

Braelin shrugged helplessly “I don’t know.. I just didn't want anyone to know.”

“Including your family? How long do you plan on keeping this from mo–”

“I’m going to tell her. I was going to tell you guys but I needed time. I’m scared shitless right now, Bri.” Braelin said in tears “I’m alone and I don’t know–”

Briyanna wiped the tears from her baby sister’s eye’s “Shhh, now. I’ve got you. You were never alone because I’m here, now. And you know momma, Daddy and Keyon will no doubt be there for you whenever you're ready to tell them. Naomi, you know she’s going to be by your side no matter what.”

Braelin nodded “I’m so scared to tell Naomi and Momma. I don’t want them to be disappointed in me.”

“Why would I be disappointed in you?” Naomi said now dressed in her nike jogging suit.

Braelin tensed but turned slowly to look at Naomi who was standing a few inches away “The reason for the weight gain” Briyanna rubbed comforting circles on Braelin’s back something she often did when they were kids “it's because I’m three months pregnant.”

Naomi’s only response was to engulf Braelin into her arms “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know. I was embarrassed, terrified but mostly it’s because I didn’t want you to be disappointed in me.” Braelin mumbled still Naomi’s arms.

“Brae, you have succeeded in everything you've attempted. There’s no way I couldn’t be anything less than fucking proud of you. You’re going to be an amazing mother.” Naomi held the small woman in her arms as they both cried.

Briyanna shook her head “I told y’all, y’all act more like sisters than we do.”

All three girls laughed as they hugged in the middle of a dress studio.

12 weeks pregnant? Could a married man be the father of her cousin’s baby? Naomi thought.

AN: Feedback, likes and retweets are always appreciated. I planned on writing only one or maybe two multi-chapters stories but the muse had other plans. Let me know if you want to be apart of my taglist. Until next time!

[roserozu22]

Chapter 2 of DRAMAtical Murder

Chapter 2: Data 01: Login

Notes:I’m sorry for the short prologue, and I hope you enjoyed it too. A massive thank you to my beta Shinocchi!! In my head, I feel like everyone is very protective of Aoba, as Sei is seen weak in health, I thought Aoba could be as well (due to his headaches)

Author note 26/08/2019: I’m sorry for any typos and spelling mistakes as this hasn’t been beta checked. You can find me on Tumblr: roserozu22.tumblr.com and on Twitter under @Roserozu1

Disclaimer: See Prologue

Warning: mentions of underage rape (it’s not graphic)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

It was morning in the Old District and a twenty-three-year-old male is running like his life is on the line.  His name is Aoba Seragaki. His civilian outfit consists of a navy long sleeved top, on top of that a white and blue jacket that has an image of a brain, on one of the sleeves. He also has a blue and black glove on his right hand and a coil on his left wrist. He is also wearing blue jeans with a blue studded belt.  He is also wearing matching shoes with dark blue leg warmers. Aoba’s hair is also waist-length and has a gold coloured eyes. Around his neck, he has pink overhead headphones and a necklace that looks more like a choker with a blue leaf that says ‘ Aoba’ .

♪♫ ◟¶(⁄•˅̥•∖)⁋ ♪♬

A few hours later, Aoba was sitting on a chair, that happened to look like a reception desk.  The phone then rang, after a few minutes of talking to some pervert, and ordering parts for some All-Mate, after the pervert hung up,  Aoba’s All-Mate Ren woke up.

Ren is an old type all-mate, he looks like a Japanese Spitz Dog, he also has blue fur that’s constantly fluffy, he also has a collar with a syringe that acts like a dog tag, and Ren's tongue sticks out like he’s panting and has black eyes.

“Aoba, did you have another call about your voice?” Ren asked with protectiveness in his voice.  Which only Aoba heard and thought ‘I hoped Ren would stop being protective of me .’

♪♫ ◟¶(⁄•˅̥•∖)⁋ ♪♬

A younger Aoba is seen walking down a street while holding Ren, the teenager in question is smiling as he won a Rhyme battle, but unknown to Aoba, the participant that Aoba fought against, is secretly following him until they reached an alleyway, that was empty stabbed Aoba and quickly ran away but didn’t very far as Ren bit his ankle, very painfully and caused it to bleed.

A few days later Aoba woke up and lost his memories of fighting Rhyme and Ren then became the protective all mate that he’s known for today.

♪♫ ◟¶(⁄•˅̥•∖)⁋ ♪♬

Then Aoba’s coil went off with some e-mail and as Aoba was about to open the e-mail, he got hit on the head with some kind of bat, and then he noticed three children.  The children are siblings (and according to Aoba ‘Little Brats’). Their names are Kio Kuniyashi, Nao Kuniyashi and Mio Kuniyashi.

“What are you doing here, you brats?!” Aoba exclaimed.

“We wanted to see you miss Aoba,” Mio replied innocently.  Mio is the eldest out of the three and wears a pink and white top that fits loosely on her form and matching shorts, and she also has freckles and a band-aid on her forehead.  Her short brown hair is always decorated with pink pom poms and clips.

Aoba sweatdropped after being called ‘miss’ by Mio.

‘Sure what if I'm too small for my age of twenty-three and have a slender feminine build and have long hair,’ Aoba thought.

“I’m a male though,” Aoba corrected.

“Nope!”The two boys shouted at Aoba. “You’re a girl”.  The two boys have the same personality but have different clothing styles. As Kio is always wearing a light green and white sweater that's cut off below his chest to reveal a green striped shirt. To stay consistent with the rest of his colour scheme, his pants are also the same type of green shades as his undershirt, and his hair is always covered with a black hat that looks like a teddy bear ears.  While the other brother Nao is always wearing an oversized jacket with a mouse's face as his hoodie, and light brown shorts. His sleeves are always seen covering his hands and his short brown hair always looks scruffy.

Then the entrance to the shop opened and entered the owner and Aoba’s boss Haga.  The owner of the shop has brown hair but he covers it with a blue cap that has a symbol of the shop.  Haga’s clothing is mostly a cream coloured long sleeve shirt with the logo of his shop that is slightly covered by his light blue overall, and an overall that has a large black belt holding a large colourful fanny pack.

“Did we have any calls this morning Aoba?” Haga asked his employee.

“The same as always boss,” Aoba reported .

Haga then noticed the children and decided for his mental health ignored them and asked Aoba.

“Do you mind taking this package to the delivery works?”

“Sure I don’t mind.” Aoba replied

“After you have delivered the package you can go home.” Haga said .

After the Aoba just left the shop he heard Haga shout at the kids and looked like fire sprouting from the shop too, after Aoba muttered something about the kids not learning their lesson, he put on his pink headphones while trying not to catch his choker on his headphones, started to walk while listening to a song called ‘AI Catch’ by a band called GOATBED.

♪♫ ◟¶(⁄•˅̥•∖)⁋ ♪♬

As Aoba was walking to go to Delivery Works, a friend of his noticed him and walked up to Aoba and one of his hands went to on to the right side of the headphones and Aoba’s music stopped, which then caused Aoba to notice who stopped him from listening to his music.

“Hello, Koujaku.” Aoba greeted with great reluctance.

Koujaku is 6’1 and has navy coloured hair, with a thick fringe covering his right eye. And keeping the rest tied in a ponytail in his ponytail, he wears a hair accessory and bears a large black neck cover with a red tassel hanging off of it. He has a muscular build, his chest and abs visible through his bandages. He is currently wearing a flashy red kimono, designed with decorations such as blue leaves, blossoms and birds, along with a golden sash to hold it up. He also wore black armbands with sandals to match and white bracelets on each wrist. Underneath his kimono, he wears a pair of black jeans, the only modern piece of clothing that clashes with his traditional outfit. On his body, he wears a sarashi and other bandages around his forearms, calves and feet. Although for some reason he carries a large sword on his back.

“Hello, Aoba,” Koujaku greeted back “I see that you're going to Delivery Works?”

“Yeah, after I delivered this package, my boss said that I could finish early.” Aoba answered.

“Well be careful, Aoba a lot of bad things keep happening,” Koujaku warned.

Aoba then left after two young women flirted with Koujaku, which made Aoba very uncomfortable.

♪♫ ◟¶(⁄•˅̥•∖)⁋ ♪♬

After arriving at Delivery Works, Aoba is talking to the owner. The owner of Delivery Works is a woman named Yoshie, she is a very stout, older-looking woman. She has a fair skin complexion and wears glasses. Her hair is short and styled neatly with a yellow pin stuck to the side. She wore a white work undershirt with a light purple blouse over it and a long black skirt.

“Aoba, you didn’t get hurt on your way here?” Yoshie asked .

“No,” Aoba replied puzzled . “Why would I be?”

“Well, I heard strange rumours that a Rib-team that only criminals are walking around the streets,”Yoshie answered.

Aoba looked at Yoshie in shock and was about to say something until he heard a female squeal, Aoba looked around and saw that Clara, Yoshie’s all-mate, sat next to Ren, while poor Ren looked very uncomfortable.

Seeing that Ren looked uncomfortable, Aoba decided that it was time to leave until he was roped into trying Yoshie’s homemade cakes.  

♪♫ ◟¶(⁄•˅̥•∖)⁋ ♪♬

As Aoba and Ren left Delivery Works, both were grumbling about Yoshie and her all-mate.

Suddenly, a group of Ribsteez surrounded Aoba.

“I like your Brain Nuts Jacket miss,”One of the members with blond hair said. “Can I have it?”

“There’s one back at the station,” Aoba said in a very annoyed and sarcastic way.

Hearing that tone in Aoba’s voice, Ren growled in anger and called for one of Aoba’s friends (more like family).  As the gang members made fun of Aoba for not being in a rib-team and at the same time explaining their own team.

Then, out of the other end of the alleyway, came a young man.  The young man in question is wearing a red shirt and a studded leather jacket in red and black. Additionally, he is also wearing fingerless gloves that have small studs on the knuckles, a studded belt, black leather pants, and red shoes. As he moved closer, the boys that were surrounding Aoba could see a  teardrop tattoo, located underneath his left eye. He wore two black and red earrings on one side of his ear and also had a white symmetrical tattoo on his neck.

“Oh, my fucking god!”One of the gang members shouted. “It’s Mizuki.”

After a quick kick and a punch by Mizuki, the boys ran away with tails between their legs. Mizuki then gently took Aoba to his tattoo shop and bought him a soda, while Mizuki himself was drinking Sake.

“Aoba, why were you going home down that alleyway?”Mizuki asked with concern in his voice.

“.....”

“Aoba wanted to find a quicker way to get home, and that alleyway was the quickest way.”Ren explained .

“Aoba, you should by now, not to go into alleyways,” Mizuki lectured. “I don’t want to see you hurt again.”

Mizuki looked at his honorary little brother and remembered what he and Koujaku found when Aoba was only seventeen.

♪♫ ◟¶(⁄•˅̥•∖)⁋ ♪♬

A younger Koujaku and Mizuki are seen walking down together after helping an old lady with her bags and hair (Koujaku is a hairdresser).

“Thanks for the help Koujaku,” said a very grateful Mizuki.

“Your welcome.”

Until they spotted a teenager that looked like the age between sixteen and seventeen leaning against a wall with a very worried All-Mate on his lap, as the young adults walked towards the figure they noticed it was Aoba.

“Aoba!” Mizuki and Koujaku exclaimed as they tried to help Aoba until they noticed there was blood and semen coming out of his bum. As the boys helped Aoba, Ren explained to them that Aoba, was playing Rhyme and lost, and the winner raped him and called him his prize.

And ever since then, Koujaku, Mizuki and the rest of the adults including Ren treated Aoba like a fragile flower, which caused Aoba to be frustrated.

♪♫ ◟¶(⁄•˅̥•∖)⁋ ♪♬

After being lectured by Mizuki and told how Mizuki felt about rhyme being more popular then Ribsteez and meeting up with his two supposed fans, and at the same time running away from a crazy and corrupt policeman while all of that suffering from a really bad headache.  Aoba finally arrived home.  

Aoba’s house is a three bedroomed house. Downstairs there is a kitchen, lounge and a downstairs bedroom for Aoba’s grandmother.  Upstairs there are two bedrooms, one has a king size bed (which was for Aboa’s parents before they died) that is always empty and one with a single size bed and has computer on the floor, a jacket and a cap hanging on the door, there is also a door that leads out to the veranda where Kajoku smokes.

After a quick dinner with Tae and another lecture by Tae but this time about closing the front door, when he leaves for work.  

Aoba went to his bed and quickly fell asleep while dreaming about a certain someone giving him the choker that he wears every day (and never takes it off).

The next morning, Aoba was seen at a familiar house and was forced into a rhyme game, with some person that dressed up as a rabbit, after a few hits Aoba muttered something disturbing  that sounded like "destruction and death.”

[fleetwoodmoth]

//Return

Continuation of this 

Naos belongs to @jorgancrath​        

 The soft beeping of Calypso’s jump ship was usually what lulled them to sleep each night, something ambient but non-intrusive, something to keep their mind off of all that they missed. But tonight was different; tonight Calypso tossed and turned in a feverish sleep, their head having felt foggy most of the day which had put them under nearly unwillingly. Something was wrong. Their first thought was Andal, he had been coming to them incessantly in their dreams, in their visions and nightmares. But tonight, it wasn’t he who they saw. It was her. Naos stood on the Moon, staring down into the Hellmouth, that confident stride of hers different than usual; it was nearly a march, stomping forward across the surface of the moon as she descended. This wasn’t just a dream, no, Calypso hadn’t had a true dream since before Andal was taken, and even then it was difficult to call anything the Thanatonaught experienced a ‘dream’.

            First it was Naos falling, endlessly, before meeting a sudden stop, a deafening crunch and then darkness. Then it was the Thrall in their numerous hoards, tearing at her flesh, devouring her until there was nothing left to resurrect. Acolytes firing on her until she’s overwhelmed, her barrier falling and crumbling against their forces. Each time Calypso knew that she was stronger than that, but each time the light drained from her they cried. But then there was the Knight. This knight was different than the average ones that guarded the entrance to the Hellmouth, this one was bigger, meaner, heavier than anything they had seen in a long time. Cocky and plated heavily in Hive armor he squared up with a faltering Naos. Crushed, impaled, strangled, disemboweled. Each time she fell Calypso started to realize why the visions, the timelines rather, were so intent on showing them this. Because this was closer to reality than the rest.

            Calypso jolted awake, the blanket slipping from their shoulders and onto the floor of their ship as they rolled off of their cot. Still groggy, their vision, something less to do with their eyes than their void abilities, wavered slightly. They stumbled to the control panel, dropping heavily into the pilots seat as Flidas and Athena, Andal and their own ghost, coming to curiously look over their shoulder.

            “What’s wrong? Another nightmare?” Athena asked, coming to rest on their shoulder as they kicked the ship on, lights and engines coming to life with the low hum they were used to.

            “Plot a jump to the Moon,” Calypso’s voice was rough with sleep, fingers deftly finding the controls.

            “What’s going on?” Flidas asked, a slight hopefulness to her voice.

            “Naos. I need to get to her,” Calypso replied.

            Both ghosts looked at each other as they started to move forward.

            “Is she in trouble?”

            Calypso stayed quiet, listening for the various responses on the control panel to indicate they were clear to make the jump. They felt the ship jolt before Athena spoke up again.

            “We’re on course, should I prioritize our landing?”

            “Yes.” Their responses were clipped, tightly restrained, focusing heavily on keeping themselves from crumbling.

            Naos’ deaths flashed rapidly through their mind, her blood soaking into the cracks of the Moon’s surface, her cries lost into a deaf sky. Calypso’s hands held tight to the ship’s wheel, knuckles gone a light blue against their deep purple skin. Finally another tone indicated they had left hyperspace, Athena’s weight leaving their shoulder to survey their landing.

            “Where exactly are we going?” She asked as Calypso nearly jumped out of their seat, still silent as they prepared for transmat onto the surface, their helmet sliding over their emotionless features. It wasn’t until they felt the tears smear across their cheeks that they realized they had already been crying. Anxiety buzzed heavily in their chest as they looked over at Athena and Flidas.

            “I’m not losing another,” they said quietly before the deep purple light enveloped them.

            They landed softly, feet padding gently across the surface of the moon as they summoned their sparrow, not wasting any time as they raced off in the direction of the Hellmouth. Even as they approached their destination, images in their head melding with their warped void vision, they felt like their skull was trying to squeeze their brain, their helmet feeling too small around their head as they continued on their trek. It wasn’t until they were nearly there that they realized the surprising lack of activity. Usually the moon had a certain presence to it, either other Guardians or Fallen, but now it was eerily devoid of activity. They shook the emptiness from their shoulders, refocusing as they nearly didn’t notice the lone figure making its way up the incline and out of the Hellmouth. Calypso’s heart jumped into their throat as they dismounted, breathing wild as they moved forward. It was her, they knew it, their head was humming as all the different timelines coalesced into a single tone, matching with that which was in front of them.

            “Naos?” Their voice sounded warped, raspy from the little use it had gotten.

            “Naos!” They called again as they broke into a sprint.

            Naos always looked different from the others after Calypso’s accident. Most Guardians looked like themselves, wrapped in light, like little galaxies of color that matched their various subclasses. But Naos? She glowed with a brightness that Calypso had yet to see anywhere else, maybe it was just their affinity for Naos. Maybe it was their connection. Calypso always believed that there was some kind of destiny between Guardians, if you were meant to be together your light would react. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. But now, as Calypso watched Naos fall to her knees they could see the light leaking into space, rays of it pouring from their body where she was wounded. Calypso reached her as she hit the ground, her body heavy with fatigue as Calypso slid to the ground next to her.

            “Naos? Naos no, please, speak to me.”

            Calypso’s voice never quite left their usual tenor, but now, now it was shaking like a child’s, high pitched and fearful as they tried to stop the light from escaping, like trying to hold air inside of a deflating tire. Calypso dragged her body up, turning her over to try and position her on their lap comfortably.

            “Can you hear me? Please, Naos, please, I’m—,” their voice dissolved into sobs as they pressed their helmet to Naos’, the Titan still and silent.

            “Get me home,” Calypso demanded, not moving from where their head was bowed, Athena coming to float beside them.

            “What?” The ghost asked, Flidas coming to rest on Naos’ chest.

            “They want us to go home,” Helios called as he came into view, taking a place next to Flidas.

            “She’s still alive, but the light is too stifled, I can’t… I’m sorry,” Helios’ voice was soft, far away sounding and Calypso could feel what he meant.

            “Take. Us. Home.” Was all Calypso could muster, their head spinning with too much, it was all too much.

            Purple light enveloped the two of them and there was a hiss as their suits adjusted to that of the inside of the ship.

            “I can fly us on autopilot but it will take a little longer,” Athena called from the cockpit.

            There was a pause as Calypso sat there, still bowed, still trying to calm all the images in their head. Finally the urgency was back, the wave of calm that had come over them receding as they jolted up, dragging Naos as close to the cockpit as they could.

            “I’ll get us home, I promise. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I left you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the words poured from Calypso as they did their best to make Naos comfortable, sliding a folded up blanket under her head as they maneuvered their way back to the pilots seat.

            “I’ll get us home,” they muttered like a mantra, over and over and over again as they programmed their flight pattern and Athena helped indicate their entrance and exit of hyperspace. As soon as they were in range Calypso hailed the Tower.

            “I have a critically injured Titan on board, I need immediate medical assistance in the docking bay,” they called, voice still shaking.

            “Calypso? That you?” Amanda’s voice came back over the line.

            “I need medical assistance, immediately,” Calypso hissed, not meaning to snap at her.

            “Alright, alright. What are we looking at?” Amanda asked, still as cool and calm as she always seemed to be.

            “Massive lacerations, uh, bleeding. There’s so much blood,” Calypso’s usually concise relaying fracturing, panic rising as reality had started to settle sickeningly in their stomach.

            “Okay, Calypso, please breathe, we’ll help you guys out, who do you have with you?”

            “Naos I have Naos!” Calypso snapped, not realizing they had started to yell.

            “Alright darlin’, we’ll get Naos taken care of, the medical team is already here, are you hurt?”

            “No, no, no.”

            “Alright, that’s good, that’s good. How close are you?”

            “We’re coming in now,” Athena spoke up.

            “Okay, good, then I’ll see you in a minute then.”

            Calypso left the pilots seat and returned to Naos’ side, pulling her hand to their chest as they sat there, waiting for the all clear.

            “We’re home, we’re home. We’re going to be okay. I promise. I won’t lose you, I won’t lose you like we lost him. I won’t let Andal down, I won’t. I won’t. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I left. I’m sorry,” their voice had petered out, becoming small and meek.

            “Calypso? You there?” Amanda’s voice came over their coms for a moment.

            “Please help her,” their voice was so soft, breaking heavily.

            “I know darlin’, we’re coming, can you come out?”

            Calypso took a moment, taking in Naos’ still body, labored breathing being her only movement as she was laid out in front of them. Finally they nodded to the ghosts who hung about in the air around them, light enveloping the two Guardians before they were no longer in the ship. Calypso didn’t quite remember the rest, it was all a blur of motion and voices as Naos was lifted from the ground and taken by a gurney, Calypso being allowed to accompany her until they were left in an empty hallway in the medical wing with nothing but their thoughts.

            Naos was placed in a quiet and dim room, the only noise was the beeping of the medical equipment beside her and occasionally a heavy tired sigh. Calypso dropped into a chair beside her, pulling their gauntlets free from their hands before taking Naos. They laid their head forward, eyes falling shut as warmth seemed to manifest over their right shoulder. They weren’t sure what it was, but instead of overthinking it, they fell into the peaceful image of Andal at their side, watching Naos sleep, waiting for her to wake up with them. 

[dr-awo]

talk is cheap | shinji | trial 1 | re: atsushi, ua, naruki | attn: nao

"'Nicely carved'...?" Shinji repeated Atsushi with some... bits of disgust hanging off the phrase.

Shinji hadn't had anything important to shout from his podium. A lot of the evidence that everyone had brought up were items that he and the people from his group found. His alibi would have to be important at some point, but it seemed like nothing he did looked helpful to the case?

"Mmh, fuck it."

Oh, alright then. Either way, Ua had missed him out of the kitchen round up list, and Shinji didn't want to be pointed at as some liar hiding truths in the crowd. He rose two fingers in the air after Ua spoke like a student waiting for the teacher to call for her, but spoke up anyways.

"Don't forget about me. I went with Kensuke to the kitchen at around 5:30. Jirou was there too, yeah. We all ate together with, uh... Atsushi and..." Clearly Shinji hadn't learned everyone's names yet, so he pointed to Mugen Kizaki before continuing, "Him too."

He tapped his fingers, continuing on with what happened later. "I went back to my room when 7PM hit, and I stayed there messing with my guitar the whole evening. Naruki came back a bit before 9PM."

To which, after knowing Kita's own alibi, he looked over to Naruki and asked him (or rather, bluntly stated), "Were you just... guarding the Rec? Who told you they were changing, my guy?" That would hopefully lead somewhere specific.

And then Nao said what was probably on a lot of people's minds. Shinji had the same train of thought for a while now, but he did not plan on saying anything yet as they were still putting things for everyone to mutually discuss over. Nao was the first to strike though, so it was something that they would have to discuss now.

"No, no, I'm pretty sure that's not right."

He gestured towards Atsushi's direction, bringing the discussion back to the carvings on their Professor's back. "You could say this is a matter of opinion, depending on your own skill level at art I guess, but let's cut the shit and say what's factual, and that's that the flowers were crude and messy as hell."

He leaned forward on his podium, now having a lot more to say.

"I don't want to over complicate this more than it is already, but bear in mind that being an artist- especially an otaku- doesn't mean that your first time carving into a human body would be clean and precise. However, I want to be certain that if Tomoe had ever decided to go and pull off some modern art on someone's back, it'd be cleaner and less chicken scratch."

To which he began making gestures in the air of 'drawing' while he continued on. "I've seen artists draw shit in front of me before. If it's shit that they're accustomed to drawing all the time, they won't need to draft so much. Which is why I find it really bizarre to imagine someone who's a mangaka to have left behind so much draft papers of drawings when leaving a letter behind to Sensei."

Shinji stayed silent for a moment. "... That is to say, if those drafts were the killer preparing the cute drawing before giving it to Sensei. When I looked at the papers that were discarded, they were just a bunch of unfinished drawings, so I couldn't tell if they were supposed to be what was leading up to the note or the carving on his back."

"It's gonna take a lot to convince me otherwise, but I'm sure that the killer specifically did this in order to make us believe that it had to have been Tomoe."

"But here's an idea. So far, from what I remember hearing," Shinji pointed to Ua, "They were at the vending machines, but I'll need an exact time," then Shinji pointed to Suguri, "She went to the vending machines a little after 8PM, but she didn't get anything," and then he pointed to Nao. "And Bun-chan saw you at the vending machines."

Shinji tapped his fingers on the podium as he explained, "There were two candy bar wrappers on Sensei's desk and they were both licked fuckin' clean. That puts anyone who bought anything and that can't be verified around the time of the killing to be suspicious."

[romansrgn]

{ghostin..} ch.2

AN: Thank you for all the love and feedback on this story!

taglist: @queenofthearchitect @calicina @never-sawft-princess @5dsinyourdirection @fancybarbii @aria725  @5ds-inmydirection

Roman checked his phone for what felt like the hundredth time in the last ten minutes. His wife and family were flying in from Florida in about two hours for Mania weekend and all he could think about was Braelin. They haven't spoken much since they slept together.

That night he had her five times before she so coldly told him it was time for him to leave. He wanted more time to talk too her, tell her that despite them no .

longer being together he still cared a great deal about her. But instead he opt to give her space.

He kissed her one last time, long and hard before leaving her hotel room around six in the morning. When he was out in the hallway he eyed his wedding ring deciding to put into his pocket and not back on his finger. For all the wrong reasons he just didn't want to wear it.

In the present time Roman knew Braelin's knee took another hit resulting in her not being able to compete until she was cleared. But despite not wrestling at the moment she was traveling with the group and was now a valet to her dear friend Finn Balor. He thought she would be in high spirits because she wasn’t sidelined at home.

But that wasn't the case.

Roman picked up his phone and dialed Braelin but once again only getting her voicemail. He growled “You cant ignore me forever, B. I thought we were past you giving me the cold shoulder after what happened between--”

“What between who?”

Roman looked up from his phone surprised to see his wife standing in the door of their hotel room.

Braelin threw her cellphone in the backseat after sending it to voicemail.

“Do you need something for your stomach?”

Braelin shook her head “No, I just need a few minutes. The morning sickness isn't as bad as it use to be so I think it's just the heat and the fact that I haven't slept properly in two days”

Naomi turned up the air conditioner “What did your doctor say about your fatigue?

“That it’ll be happening alot more.”

Naomi grabbed a water bottle from her bag and handed it to Braelin “Drink this. We don't need you getting dehydrated.”

Braelin opened the bottle before a taking a generous sip “Thank you. I'm feeling a little better already.”

“We'll be at the hotel in about an hour so you can just sit back, relax and catch up on some sleep.”

Braelin smiled a little “I'm so glad I told you. It was hard enough trying to hide my pregnancy but it was even harder keeping it from you.”

“I don't want you to think you can’t come to me Brae, we're family. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you.” she looked over at her baby cousin who was staring out the window “What I'm more put off by is that you still haven't told me who the father was.”

Silence

More Silence.

“Are you going to pretend like you don't already know? Or are you just waiting for me to admit it?”

Naomi shrugged “I already know but I want you to say it. I think you're making yourself sick by worrying so much. This can't be good for the baby.”

Braelin leaned her head against the window “Roman and I were over. We still are. He's married and I'm pregnant.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

That's the million dollar question she wanted to avoid until after she gave birth, if she could. Braelin didn't think it would make a difference either way because at the end of the day her baby daddy was a married man. But apart of her thought she could hide this for as long as possible without hurting anyone even if it mean’t Roman wouldn't be around to experience this with her.

“What would I say? Hey, Rome! You know that night you fucked around on your wife with me? Well guess what, dude? you also got me pregnant.”

Naomi rolled her eyes “Lose the damn attitude, Brae. You both had a choice in that hotel room and you both made the wrong one. And because of it... a child was made. You need to tell him.”

Braelin put her head down “I know. I didn't even know if I was going to keep the baby after I found out. I started thinking about the drama, the confusion and the heartbreak that people would have to go through once everyone found out. So I went to an abortion clinic in New Orleans and I sat there in the parking lot for an hour building up the courage to go in there and make this entire thing go away.” Braelin looked over at Naomi “But, then I selfishly remembered that I have something else to put my energy into besides wrestling. And that thought felt so good, Nao.”

Naomi had to admit she was a little surprised that her cousin decided to keep the baby but despite the surprise she was happy she didn't go through with the abortion. “You're worried about your knee?”

“No, I know my knee will never be the same. I have to wear a brace for the rest of my career and even with it on my career expanse is shorten. I need to start thinking about my future outside of wrestling.”

“And what about Roman? What about his future? You know how much family means to him. Having his own kid would mean everything to him.”

“I know. I just need time to figure out how to tell him without fucking up everyone's lives in the process.”

Naomi grabbed Braelin's hand “Get some rest. I'll wake you up once we're there.”

Roman shrugged putting his cellphone in his pocket “I was leaving a voicemail for Seth. He's bitching about me kicking his ass in domino's last night. Now he won't answer the phone.”

Janelle shook her head walking over to her husband “Babe, you promised you wouldn't play dominoes on the road. You guys get way to intense and with the way you play, you'll end up ending all of your friendships.”

Roman laughed “Nah, we'll be alright.”

“Wrestlemania season is probably my favorite time of the year. Mainly because I get to see you more.” Janelle wrapped her arms around the big man kissing him lightly on the lips.

Roman smiled down at his wife of two years “Even though we have to work a bit harder around this time of year there's a balance. I'm just happy to see more of my family.”

“What time is your mom getting in?”

Roman pulled out his phone, reading a text message from his sister “They're in the lobby now. I'm going to go meet up with them and get them settled.”

Janelle beamed “Let me go with you--”

Roman shook his head “You unpack and relax. We'll have plenty of time to chill with the family at dinner after the Hall of Fame.”

Janelle pouted “Fine, give them a hug from me.”

Roman went over and kissed her on the forehead “I will baby.” and left

“Braelin?”

Braelin turned around at hearing her name “Patricia, Summer and Myritza. How are you guys?!”

Patricia smiled warmly at the young woman “I'm terrific, honey. How are you?” she asked pulling her into a hug.

“I'm good. I'm taking it one step at a time.” she smiled before hugging Roman's sisters.

“Well, you look amazing.” Summer said.

“Amazing? she's practically glowing.” Myritza cosigned shaking her head in almost disbelief

Braelin scuffed feeling slightly uncomfortable. She took off her hat “Yea, this hotel always had fantastic lighting.”

All four girls laughed.

“What's so funny?”

Braelin stiffened at the sound of Roman's voice.

That didn't go unnoticed by Roman but he ignored it anyway in favor of giving his mother and sisters hugs “How was the flight?”

“It was good. Now all I want to do is shower and eat.” Summer said handing her bags to Roman.

Roman laughed “Your rooms are all set and of course you can order whatever you want.”

“Baby Sister.”

Braelin heard from behind her and rolled her eyes recognizing the voice “We're in a hotel, Keyon. At least act like you have some sense. Other people are staying here.” she said shaking her head.

Keyon grinned closing the distance between them and thumped her forehead “You act like I'm a barbarian.” he said before kissing the same spot.

“You aren't?” Braelin sassed and pinched his arm

“Ouch. Why you give me a big momma pinch?” he rubbed his arm slightly

Roman laughed at their antics “What's up, Uce!”

“Big Homie. What's good?” They did the handshake and shoulder bump that guys tend to do when they greet each other.

“Keyon, Where's momma, daddy and Bryianna?” Braelin asked looking around the lobby and not seeing them.

Keyon was too busy giving the rest of Roman's family hugs to respond too her instead he asked “Where's Uncle Sika?”

“He's flying in with Rikishi and the boys.” Myritza answered.

Braelin huffed causing Roman to smile down at her “They're at the front desk, baby.”

It should've bothered them both at how easy they fell back into old patterns. But neither of them noticed.

“Daddy.” Braelin squealed running over to her daddy and jumping into his arms.

“Can you act like you have some sense, Braelin? We're in a hotel.” Keyon chastised causing everyone to laugh.

Briyanna rolled her eyes.

“Hush, boy. Come and get these bags and take them up to the rooms.” Mama Carol said. She spotted Patricia and Roman's sisters and waved them over “Patricia, I see you went back and got that Alexander Wang bag after all.”

“You know they said this was the last one. I couldn't pass that deal up.”

“What did Sika say?”

Patricia gave Mama Carol a look and both women laughed knowingly.

Roman rolled his eyes.

Mama Carol hit Roman lightly on the arm “Don’t roll your eyes, boy. You and Braelin both have it bad doing that.”

Patricia smiled “That’s where he got it from.”

Everyone laughed.

 “How you doing Momma?” Roman asked kissing her on the cheek before giving her a big hug.

“I’m doing alright baby.” she said hugging him back and giving Summer and Myritza a hug as well “How are those beautiful babies you have doing?”

Summer smiled “They're doing great, Mama C.”

Richard hugged his baby girl tighter feeling her shake a little. She was crying “You missed your old man that much, huh?”

Braelin sniffed “I'm sorry, daddy. I'm just all over the place.”

Briyanna rubbed circles on Braelin's back noticing how tired she looked “The day is finally catching up with everyone. Let me take you up to your room, Brae.”

Mama Carol shook her head at her youngest “That child has always been a daddy's girl. I'm sure whenever she gives me a grandbaby they're going to be the same way.”

Braelin’s eyes snapped up to meet Roman's and his brows furrowed.

“Naomi just walked in with her mother, Sika, Kishi and the twins.” Briyanna said looking at the entrance.

Roman smiled at his cousins “Took y’all long enough.”

Jey snorted “We would've been here yesterday if we all just traveled with Nao and Brae.”

“We needed our girls time and we couldn't do that with y’all all up in ours.” Naomi defended kissing Jimmy on the lips.

“You feeling better, Brae?” Rikishi asked looking down at her “injured” knee.

Once again feeling put on the spot she changed the subject giving him and Sika a kiss on the cheek “I'm good. I think we should call it a night. We have fan access, interviews, Wrestlemania prep and the hall of fame to get ready for and we only have three days to do it.”

Jimmy who looked like he was on the verge of collapsing at the thought cosigned “Listen, I'm going to jump in the shower and then I'm taking my--” he looked over and saw Mama Carol and Patricia staring at him knowingly and waved “butt to bed. Hi, aunties.”

“Mmhmm what were you going to say?” Patricia asked obviously not fooled by the cover.

“Do you want me to go up with you to your room?” Naomi asked.

Braelin shook her head “No, I'm good. You drove all the way here. Go get some sleep.” She hugged Naomi's mom “I'm going to make sure mom and dad is all settled in.”

“Ok, call me if you need anything.”

“I will.” she grabbed her mother's hand “Let me take you and daddy to your room.”

Summer cleared her throat when she caught Roman watching Braelin “Where's Janelle? She told me she was going to surprise you?”

Roman smiled softly “She did surprise me. Right now she's upstairs unpacking and then she's going to chill for a while.”

Myritza nodded “Well, we know you two haven't seen much of each other lately. We're glad you guys get to have some quality time together before your schedule gets too crazy this weekend.”

Roman said nothing instead he rubbed the back of neck something he did when he was feeling a little on edge or tensed.

Because of that little move Myritza and Summer looked at each other. That’s when they noticed Roman's wedding ring was missing. This was definitely going to be an interesting weekend.

Later the next day

Braelin, Naomi, Myritza, Briyanna, Summer and Janelle were out getting their hair and makeup done for the hall of fame when they were suddenly approached by fans.

“Can we get an autograph and selfies.” the group of young girls asked.

Naomi beamed “Of course cuties.”

Naomi and Braelin took several pictures and autographs before continuing with their day.

“Kids love you guys. Especially the little girls.”  Janelle commented

“It's the best part of the job. We're surrounded by all of the glitz and glam but when we see kids and all the people in general who appreciate what we do every night. It's worth it.” Braelin said signing her last autograph for a little girl who was cosplaying her.

“When I see Rome with kids, I melt. It makes me want to have them even more.”

Braelin froze at hearing that but recovered quickly “You and Roman want kids?”

Janelle grinned “You know how much family means to him and how much he loves kids. We're in such a good place right now and I think I’m ready to start that next chapter of our lives. I was hoping we would start trying after Wrestlemania.”

Summer gasped “Oh my God. That would be amazing. I'm dying for him to give me a niece or a little nephew.”

“Are you ok, Braelin?”

Briyanna and Naomi looked over at Braelin who visibly paled “Brae, how about we go get some fresh air. It's a little warm in here.”

Briyanna asked pulling Braelin from her chair with Naomi close behind. By the time they made it outside Braelin ran to the public trash can emptied out the her stomach.

Naomi rubbed her back while Briyanna held her hair “Let it out. We gotchu.”

When she was done Braelin grabbed the water bottle that suddenly appeared in front of her to rinse out her mouth “I'm so stupid.”

“No you're not. You made a mistake. You're human everyone is entitled to one.”

“A mistake that I'm carrying with me for nine months. He's a married man Nao and I--- I fucked up.” She cried.

Briyanna looked between Naomi and Braelin “What's going on y'all?”

Naomi closed her eyes “Roman is the father of Braelins baby.”

Briyanna ran a hand through her hair. She wish she was surprised but she wasn't.

“I'm so sorry, Bri. I didn't mean for any of this to happen.” she sniffed wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Stop apologizing, Brae. I'm more concerned about you and your health. You're worrying yourself sick and it being this early on in your pregnancy that's not good for you or the baby. You need to get it together.”

 “I just---”

“Is everything ok?” Summer asked obviously concerned.

“I'm--” Braelin wanted more than anything to tell Summer what the hell was going on but she couldn't “I'm overwhelmed. It's Wrestlemania weekend and I'm not going to be able to wrestle and it sucks.” The lie flew out of her mouth so easily she almost believed it herself.

Brookyln Barbershop in Brooklyn New York

“Uce, you hyped about sunday?”

Roman laughed “Number six and counting. I’m ready to put it all out there.”

Jey knew the feeling. He and his brother were competing in their second Wrestlemania that wasn't the pre-show since being on the card and they were ready to show the world that this is where they belong.

“What’s the plan after mania? Are you and Janelle going on vacation?”

Roman didn't even think about that. Usually after Wrestlemania the house shows are put on hold for two weeks so the superstars can unwind. Around this time he would plan a trip for himself and Janelle to Bali but as of late he wasn't feeling it.

“I don’t know. We’ll see. I kinda want stay at home and chill.”

Seth looked between Dean and the Uso’s “Does Janelle know that?”

Roman snorted “As long as we’re together she’ll be alright. What about y’all? Got any plans?”

Jimmy planned on taking Naomi to Atlanta so she could spend some time with her family and Jey was headed to Hawaii with the wife and kids.

“You know I opened up that new Coffee lounge. So I’m going to be spending some time back home and later Dean, Renee and  I are headed to the mountains for some skiing.”

“And yall couldnt invite me?” he asked picking up his cellphone to send a text message to Braelin “I’m hurt?”

“We didn't know our big samoan like’s the snow.” Dean teased.

“I don’t. But it doesn’t mean I want to be at home for two weeks.” Roman laughed.

Jimmy’s brows furrowed “I thought you said you just wanted to chill. Staying at home and doing nothing is a requirement for chilling.”

Roman rolled his eyes and looked at his phone again. When he didn't get a reply back his mood suddenly shifted.

Seth looked at Dean and pointed at Roman who was texting away at his phone “Is the family alright? Janelle?”

Roman looked confused for second “Yea, everyone’s good. Why?”

“You’ve been on your phone all day so we’re just wondering.”

“On top off that you’re not wearing your wedding ring.” Dean added causing everyone to looked down at his ring finger.

“What’s going on uce?”  Jimmy asked noticing it for the first time.

Roman didn't know what the hell he was doing anymore. It’s been three months and he still couldn't get that night out of his mind. He didn’t know what it was but something about it felt different.

He roughly scrubbed a hand over his face “I fucked up. Three months ago, the night we all traveled to Chicago together.” The twins nodded “That night we were suppose to go out afterwards. I didn’t show up because I went to see Braelin. I wanted to talk too her. I wanted to get out friendship back on track but one thing led to another and we--”

“Damn.” Jimmy said shaking his head.

“No wonder things have been so intense between you too.” Seth said as if everything was starting to make sense.

“You can’t tell Janelle.” Jey said shaking his head “Nothing good can come out of this if you tell her, uce.”

Dean agreed wholeheartedly “You have more to lose now if you tell her.”

Roman shook his head “I can’t keep lying to her. That’s why I don’t wear my wedding ring, uce. It’s a lie. I fucked around on her and on top of that I dont think I’m over Braelin.”

“This is some real soap opera shit.” Jimmy laughed which earned a glare from Roman “I’m sorry big uce. But this kind of shit happen’s on TV.”

“Everything is so messed up right now. But I need to see where Braelin's head is at. I can't not, not make things right with her.” Roman sat back in his seat “I need to see her.” 

Neither of the guys said it but it was obvious that Roman was in deeper than he thought he was.

We said to act natural, Brae.” Briyanna said rolling her eyes at the theatrics.

"This is me acting natural. For the first time in weeks I don’t feel like I'm going to lose my breakfast. So please let me live." Braelin fanned as she continued on with her special hall of fame photo-shoot for wwe.com.

Roman whistled "Looking good, baby girl."

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Naomi asked from her spot in the makeup chair.

“Yea, but watching B do photo-shoots have always been my favorite past time.” he winked at the green eyed beauty in front of the camera..

“Emphasis on past. Hit the road big dog.” Briyanna said folding her arms across her chest,

Roman looked between Naomi and Briyanna “What’s with all the hostility? I thought we were cool.” he said playfully but he really was wondering what the hell was up with all the attitude lately.

Briyanna smiled “We are. You know we love you but do you really think this is the place you need to be right now.”

Then it finally dawned on him, they knew.

He held up his hands “Listen, Briyanna...you know I would never do anything to hurt Braelin.”

“You hurting her is not what I’m worried about--”

Braelin cleared her throat before Briyanna could say anything else “I need to talk to Roman alone, please.”

Everyone saw the seriousness of the situation and exited giving the ex lovers some alone time.

“I thought we were past you ignoring me.” Roman started without preemption.

Braelin found it a bit harder to look at him for some reason “I know. I just...I needed time to deal with everything and the fact that we’re lying to everyone. I’ve been lying to everyone and it’s not fair to you or too our--”

“Baby, there you are. It’s time to take our seats.” Janelle interrupted kissing him on the lips. She turned her attention to the small woman “Braelin, you look beautiful. Is this the Alexander McQueen dress you were talking about?”

Braelin’s green eyes widen almost realizing what she was on the verge of saying “Thank you and no, no it’s not. The other one didn’t quite fit me as well as it did a few months ago so we went with a different designer.”

“Well, maybe you can wear it next time.” she smiled.

“Maybe, anyway... I have to finish getting ready. You guys enjoy the rest of your evening.” Braelin looked at Roman one last time before leaving.

“You girls are making me so proud.” Jazz smiled.

Naomi and Braelin smiled at each other “That's what we were hoping. You and Jacqueline were our heroes as kids. So we're just glad we got the chance to induct you in this exclusive club of legends.”

Jazz smiled proudly “Home grown from, New Orleans. I saw and felt it the moment I saw you step in the ring for the first time. That level of confidence and pride about where you come from can't be faked. You represent us well, baby girl.” Jazz grabbed Braelin's hand “So I need you to remember that dealing with a injury can be tough but don't count yourself out. You're destined for greatness no matter what you try your hand at. Trust your instincts and make the right choices for yourselves and the people you love.”

Braelin shook her head in awe “You don't know how much I needed to hear that.”

“I'm pretty sure you've heard it before. Sometimes it just sounds bit clearer from someone else. You take care of yourself lil mama and thank you for everything.”

“No, thank you.” Braelin said hugging Jazz.

Roman walked in with Janelle on his arm “ Hey, baby. I’m going to get us some drinks. Why don't you take seat at the table with Dean and Renee and I'll be over there in a minute.”

“Ok, I want the usual.”

Roman kissed her lightly on the lips before heading to the bar wear Braelin was sitting. He eyed her a little before fixing his eyes at the bottles of alcohol on the back wall “No, whiskey?” I'm shocked.”

Braelin rolled her eyes but laughed “Trust me, I could definitely use one.”

“Coming right up.” Roman waved the bartender over “Let me get a shot of tequila with lime, and two whiskeys neat.”

Braelin held up her hand turning her attention to the bartender “I'll have a ginger ale, please.”

Roman raised a brow “The whiskey was on me.”

“Now, the ginger ale is on you.”

Roman stared at her for second to long which annoyed her “What?”

“You're turning down free alcohol?”

Braelin frowned “You make it sound like I'm an alcoholic.”

Roman laughed shaking his head “You know I didn't mean it that way. But you have to admit it's not like you.”

“You're right it's not. But I'm trying something new for a while.”

Roman looked intrigued “Oh, yea. What's the occasion?”

“I'm expecting.”

Roman leaned in closer because the DJ pick the right moment to start playing music so he couldn't hear her “You're what?”

“Roman, I'm--- I'm expected to drive home. Better safe than sorry. Besides I think I'm going to stay away from alcohol for the foreseeable future.”

He held up his drink “In that case.” and pushed it to the side “We can do it together.”

Roman spotted a little girl who couldn't have been know older then four staring at them. “We have company.,”

Braelin smiled “I think that's Honky Tonks granddaughter, Amy.”

“She's adorable. Hi, sweetie!” Roman cooed.

The little girl walked over and Roman dropped down to her level so he could put on a full conversation with the little lady. Braelin could only shake her head and laugh “You're really good with her.”

Roman grinned his eyes still on the tiny lady who was putting a flower in his hair “Kids have always been my weakness.”

“You're going to be an amazing dad one day.” Braelin whispered causing Roman to look at her.

“You think so?”

“I don't see why not. Put a child in front of the big dog and watch him turn into a puppy.”

“You hear that? she's trying to ruin my reputation.” he told the little lady who only giggled. She waved one last time at Roman and Braelin before heading back over to her family.

Roman removed the flower from his hair and placed it Braelin's “It looks better on you.”

The green eyed woman blushed shaking her head “We can't keep doing this. You're married and Im--”

“Scared. Everything's changing and I' don't know how to make that better for you.”

“It's not your job too. Not anymore. It was one night. Let that be it.”

Roman's jaw clenched “It's that easy for you? After everything... you can just walk away.”

“You did.”  Braelin whispered heatedly “Three years ago when you walked away from our relationship after “reconnecting” with Janelle. You gave up on us way before I did.”

“I didn't want walk away.”

“No, you did something much worse. You gave up on me the minute she came back into your life.”

Roman looked over at the bartender who was now watching them intently “I'm sorry ok. But I was confused and --”

Braelin held up her hand “I was never confused about whether or not I loved you, Roman. Too bad you couldn't say the same about me.”

Braelin placed a fifty on the bar top “The drinks are on me.” she said leaving the big dog alone.

AN: On two separate occasions Braelin was going to tell Roman  the news about her being pregnant but something got in the way lol. I think I'm going to have a little fun with this before the big reveal. TBH I did think it was too soon and since I'm all about angst we're going to have to go through it a little to get to that point. Braelin is still upset with the way things ended with them a few years ago so she's not all that eager to open up new possibilities for them so we'll see what happens there. As always thank you for reading and I’ll see you in the next chapter.