#So that if anyone comes poking around my lair they know who to look for

[yurinaa-world]

Platonic Dan heng, jing Yuan, welt yang with a teen reader that's like lyney :3

Characters: Dan Heng, Jing Yuan, and welt yang platonic! x Gender-neutral Reader

Synopsis: with reader that's like Lyney

Warnings: Fluff, spelling mistakes,

𝒟𝒶𝓃 𝐻𝑒𝓃𝑔

Honestly, he’s blank about how he feels, but if you're happy, he’s chill; he’s read a lot of books about magic tricks, and they are just deceptions to his mind, but March and you insist on making an entire show about it. literally making a talent show with curtains and everything and taking everyone the express has to sit down and let curtains unveiled to see the new magic tricks that you've been working on for a couple of months (no wonder you’ve been stuck in your room for a while).

Only one to drag away because it’s getting dark. He knows you like to entertain kids and all, but since you’re a kid yourself (a technically teen), you should worry about your own bedtime (which is 10:30 PM, buddy).

“(Name)… What are you doing hanging the roof of my room..it’s 3 am?” “Pick a card~” “Get out.” Why are you so weird? he asks himself. If you want him to see your magic tricks, just ask like a normal person (no one is normal on the express).

He does your make-up for you since you don’t have a stable hand to do your magician look (have you seen his red eye makeup? He knows what he’s doing) and also tells you to stop moving around so much just because he might poke your eye out with the eyeliner.

𝒥𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒴𝓊𝒶𝓃

Ha… Aren’t you such a trickster, playing the audience with suspense and making their hearts drop in a moment with your tricks? “Magic,” you say, but it’s just tricks; nothing can fool him, so go ahead and trick Yanqing; he’ll tease him about falling for it.

“The great magician is here to wow your world!” You smirk, appearing at the restaurant stage (where the band would be on), making this whole scene while he’s meeting people; he can’t get mad at you or anything since the restaurant owner asked you to be there!! “Keep your eyes on me since I’m the greatest magician, and no one else.” Well, you got to work on that personality, but good performance.

He gives you a little gift on your birthday that's magic-related, especially a new outfit for you to wear. He can’t have you looking shabby on the stage you've been waiting for so long (he’ll also get you on stage to perform).

Are you a dirty lair playing innocent, like he doesn’t see you cheating while playing chess together? You could fool anyone with those glitter magic tricks or birds coming out of your hat, but did you forget who you were against? Maybe you should’ve thought about it more thoroughly, hmm, don’t you think? A child is nothing against an adult in strength or brain.

𝒲𝑒𝓁𝓉 𝓎𝒶𝓃𝑔

Your biggest support, he always claps the hardest whenever one of your little magic shows is over, and! I’ll give you advice on what to change, like real advice to make your audience feel better suspense. No matter what you're doing, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats is something every magician should do.

“Mr. Yang! How do you do it? Would you like to see it??” You smile, dragging him away to your room (with magic trick tools all over the room), hyping up your show until it fails and you mess up, which makes you sulk. “How could it not work?!” He comforts you, telling you you could get to work next!

if you liked this, consider tipping me on ko-fi! it'd mean a lot!

[regretisstoredintheme]

Indulgent thoughts? Indulgent thoughts. 

I was told that if I ever had indulgent thoughts (about Leo specifically???? What 😭😭😭) I had to share them, so… *sighhhhh*

YOU TWO. (@soradragon and @milks-thoughts) ASKED FOR IT.

Disclaimer that most of this was improv.

For context: I had this really bad interaction with Celina’s Yan!Leo ai, (I had tried to correct it but I ended up having to just delete the convo.) Anyways, after I had recovered from it, it got me thinking abt a post the aforementioned mutual, @pianocat939 made. I realize how much of a bad idea it is to @ her, but I’m already exposing myself, so WHY NOT 😀 

HI CELINA 👋👋 IM ON TV!! IM BEING A BRAVE BOY 😀😀😀 

Anyway

—

The idea is that you— or I guess me?? Ehh I’ll put it in a ‘Y/n’ format so it makes more sense. (Tw for Yandere behavior) 

Y/n had been held captive by a version of Yandere Leo that was a lot more— physical, ig?? and who felt completely content with making them feel like the scum of the earth. He had violent mood swings, and picked— no, more like dug at any insecurity of theirs he could find. (The Ai made it clear he was like a wolf in sheep’s clothing 😒 a wolf on the hunt. and by “made it clear” I mean it literally could not stop mentioning it lmAOHDJAHAHA—) 

This is where my au comes in. 

So what does Y/n do? They start being reckless. Looking for any way to escape. There weren’t many times the brothers left on missions, so when they finally did, they had a plan to investigate around. They walked up to Donnie’s lab, and started poking around at things. They figured the purple-clad turtle would have something they could use. Something dangerous, perhaps? 

Unfortunately, (or fortunately..?) they found one of his prototypes. 

This prototype was meant to bend reality, it was an experimental design since it was his first attempt at mixing tech with mystic. but since they poked around at it’s draft, it couldn’t help but act unexpectedly. 

And sent them into another dimension entirely. 

The canon dimension. 

With no Yanderes, no captivity, and none of that fear they were so used to. 

They were .. free..? 

They looked around the streets cautiously, looking for any signs that it was a hallucination or illusion. Were they really back in the streets of NYC? After having been in that godforsaken lair for years? How many years they had no idea, their guess was 2, but they couldn’t be sure.

They sat in waiting, cautious. They couldn’t go to the police, but they knew they had to stay out of sight. The prototype of Donnie’s creation had come with them, flashing every few seconds.  They didn’t know how to turn it off, only how to hide. And they did it pretty well, holding a home base for a few days. 

Everything tipped them off, but they were beginning to calm down, that was before they realized Donnie’s invention was probably still on. After finally finding the switch, they flipped it, the light finally powering down. They sighed, eyebrows furrowing in relief— but it wasn’t over yet. 

Hearing a sound, they flipped around in surprise, running to hide before lifting their arms up, a feeble attempt to guard from whatever was walking out of the alleyway.

From the shadows, the only slightly familiar face of Foot Lieutenant, his mouth curved into a dark smile. Y/n had only seen him once, when they had attacked the turtles, but they seemed— different somehow..  “I do believe that was a tech signal from a certain purple, mutated turtle..” he turned to Brute with a sinister chuckle, gazing down at a jagged piece of equipment. “We’ve got them now..” 

Y/n could hardly breathe, but they kept a hand over their mouth, determined to be as quiet as possible. From their many failed escape attempts, they knew Donnie had a tracer on his tech. Anyone who used it without authorization would have his ‘tag’ on them for quite a while. It was easily traceable. So if these people could trace that signal..

“Wait, I’m picking up something else!” Lieutenant looked back at the equipment, “it’s.. some sort of residue..” he hummed, then turned in Y/n’s direction. 

They felt their heart stop, eyes wide as they went to check around the corner. Was there a way out of this? Were they gonna leave one captor only to walk into the hands of another? 

Just as they began to spiral, a bright light illuminated from below them, encasing their cheeks gently in its blue hue. They didn’t have any time to react, the ground opening from below them as they fell into the abyss of neon. 

They felt the world spin around them as arms circled their back and legs, bridal style, as if their ‘savior’ had twirled flamboyantly once he caught them. 

Their eyes opened gently, before a gasp left their throat. The blood drained from their face, looking upon none other than Leo.

Normally they knew at least a few things to expect from him when they tried to escape, but they had never made it away for more than an hour before… 

They had no idea what he was gonna do. 

To their surprise, he was chuckling, not like he usually did— not with that — edge of maliciousness that reminded you why you couldn’t trust him. It was genuine, and weirder yet, he smiled at them. 

“Hey, need a hand?” He cheesed, quirking a brow. 

Y/n felt their bones nearly crack just at the sound of his voice, and found themself kicking at his plastron scrambling to put distance between them. Whatever manipulation tactic he was trying this time, it wouldn’t work on them. 

They gave him a terrified look, their eyes narrowing slightly as they braced for whatever he had planned. “Get away from me!” They yelled, baring their teeth. They had no way to fight back, and yet couldn’t stop the angry tears that piled in their eyes. 

“Woah— woah..” Leo seemed to shrink, making himself smaller as he showed his empty hands, keeping them where you could see them. “I know I look a little different but I assure you I have no intention to harm you..!” He gave a small laugh, as if he’d never seen this visceral of a reaction before. 

“That’s what you said last time!!” Y/n practically shrieked, hands up in defense to cover their face, that cold blooded liar would have to kill them before they allowed him to take them back to the lair. 

“Last time..?” Leo’s hands sunk a little, brows furrowing in curiosity. He’d never met this person before… 

Right..? 

—

THATS IT THERE YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANTED 😔😔😔😔😔😔 

Bonus: 

the art I made on a whim that inspired this

anyways.. Tell me if you want more of this silly lil au or something 😒😒

[turtlecleric]

I'm in Hell

SPOILERS FOR SYMPHONY CHAPTER 22 - THIS POST IS LONG YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

I'm so Unwell. I have never had any misunderstandings like the thing with Donnie, but I have been betrayed by someone who was my best friend for years, so this chapter... it's hitting me really, really hard.

---

When Leo first met Vi, he was studying her a lot. Remember the near-physical weight his scrutiny had felt like? You feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. ... like a pinned rabbit ... you see an obsidian edge beneath his smile that feels a little sharp as you lean into it.

And then later in her apartment:

[Leo talking] “…You know what really got me interested in talking to you?”

“What?” you ask, tilting your head. 

“Donnie came back from talking with April and he was talking about you."

This is literally Vi and Leo's first time meeting - I don't think Leo started to really hate her until after she started coming to the Lair and he saw how Donnie reacted to her presence, but he mentions that Donnie talked about her already. It's framed within Vi's mind as him being careful with his family. He's the leader, he's careful around new people, he wants to make sure she isn't a threat, etc. But even though this is before the touch thing started, there could've been the seed of hatred already there depending on how Donnie spoke about Vi to Leo.

---

He [Leo] peers at you like he can read your life story where it’s written on your soul. ... “…You don’t have a lot of friends, do you?” he asks, his voice soft and yet cutting you all the same.

and this:

[Vi talking] “I had a lot of fun tonight. I’d… like to have more nights like this one. To. To have a family. If I can.” “You can,” he [Leo] says

He knew from the first fucking time he met her that she was lonely. That she wanted friends, wanted a family, wanted to belong. He knew that better than anyone else in the family, not only because of her saying this to him but also because of how well he reads people and how much time he spent with her. He's the only one who has seen her in her apartment, too, caught her in those few vulnerable moments in her home. I'm so fucking angry.

There are so many times in the fic that... I can't even articulate... here's some quotes early on -> "you hate how much you like this guy [Leo]" and "you smile when you see [the text notification is from] Leo" and when Vi is sick in the store she says "I miss Leo" and on and on. And that whole fucking time! He was!! UGH!!!

---

When Vi agrees to make Leo some bread so that maybe he can get some of Donnie's apology cookies he texts her "ttyl i gotta go rub this in donnie’s face" and yeah that's him being a little shit as always, but it's ALSO proof of him using EVEN THEIR PRIVATE TEXT CONVERSATIONS as ammunition rile up Donnie.

---

Hey look! Bits that hit different/hint at more going on/might be Leo's mask slipping!

“How long do we hafta wait before she ain’t a guest anymore?” Raph asks, causing you to snort a laugh. 

“That’s up to Donnie,” Leo says, voice heavy with an undercurrent of meaning you’re not picking up on, causing you to look at him with a raised eyebrow. He smirks, reaching over to poke your cheek with his finger. “Y’know. He’s the one who met you first, and all that.” 

…Something tells you it’s more than that, but he’s good enough at hiding it that you don’t feel comfortable calling him on it in front of the others.

...

you have no idea how you fit in [to the family], and Leo had all but told you that the space is here, ready and emblazoned with your name on it. You don’t quite see it yet, even if he apparently does.

...

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. It’s complicated,” Leo says easily, and it’s only just, but you pick out the thread of iron bars in his tone, ready to come crashing down if you push even a little too hard. So, you don’t.

“Okay,” you say easily, causing him to get that piercing look he gets sometimes, the one when he feels more like a ninja than a funny turtle man who tries to see how many cookies he can shove into his mouth at once and sends you pizza rat memes at four in the morning. “…Dude, we’ve been friends for like, a week. It’s cool that you aren’t ready to spill your guts yet, you know that, right?” 

His eyes go sharp, but then he hums and smiles. You feel like you did the night you first met him, like there’s a test here and it’s in a language you don’t understand. It’s a bit uncomfortable, prompting you to grab your own drink and swallow a healthy bit of it just to have something to do.

...

[Vi talking] “…He [Donnie] seems lonely.”

Leo hums under his breath, cutting a portal that feels a little like home. “Well, lucky he has you, then.”

...

“Uh, I met her first,” Donnie says, scowling, while Leo just gives him a smug look. 

...

You do, however, lean in while the others are occupied, whispering to Donnie, “So, ten dollars, which one of them tops?” and laughing when he chokes. You catch Leo’s eyes and give him a devious grin, spying him look to Donnie with a curiously blank look before shifting to a catty smile of his own when he looks back to you

...

“One portal home for a lovely lady,” Leo says as he steps through, his face going a little flat when he looks over your shoulder to Donnie behind you.

...

Leo is… astonishingly quiet for a moment, his face blank of anything for you to read as he stares at the piece hard. Then he looks up at you, and you see an unusually capable person that doesn’t feel like your best friend, even as much as it feels like the real Leonardo, here for the first time for you to see.

...

[Vi talking] “I don’t… I don’t like keeping secrets. Or lying. Not from people I care about.” 

The weight of Leo’s eyes is almost physical. It makes you remember that he’s asked you to keep secrets, and your eyes snap to his, wondering if that’s the reason why he’s gone still like this. “I—I haven’t told anyone. About the ninja thing, or the Krang thing. I’d never—”

“I know,” Leo interrupts, threading his hand through your hair so he can cup your nape and press your forehead to his own. “I trust you.” You release a sigh of relief, nodding. “I’m just… thinking it might be time for us to repay that back.” 

You blink, gaze darting between his eyes. “I don’t… what do you mean?”

“We’re a pretty close-knit family. There’s a lot of… baggage. A lot of history. A lot of stuff we haven’t told you. And it’s… it’s starting to feel a little disrespectful,” he says, looking a bit displeased. “You’re one of us. It’s only fair.”

---

We all know about the constant comments Leo makes about being Vi's "favorite turtle" and "best friend" in front of the others/in the group chat. He talks in Chapter 22 about purposefully draping himself across her and pulling her close, hugging her, scenting her, touching her in front of Donnie to piss Donnie off. But there's all these other little things that seemed so innocent at the time and now I'm losing my mind wondering about each of them, wondering - is that something he did with malicious intent? How many nice things were ONLY done to piss off Donnie? There are so many times that he compliments her - for example:

“What? I can’t compliment my bestie and her fine legs?” Leo coos, reaching over and flicking your nose gently.

“Leonardo,” Donnie warns, folding his arms.

And I remember, during my second read through after I finished Chapter 20, being so happy and grateful that Leo was pretty consistently giving her compliments, because she deserves to be complimented and taken care of and loved, because she deserves good friends who hype her up, and this WHOLE TIME-

(Side note - that time that Leo complains she smells like Donnie's lab, he shoves her away and she falls to the floor. First read, it's just Leo being playful. Second read, I wonder... is that a little bit of his frustration getting out of him in a physical way? He shoved her to the fucking floor, and then, once Donnie shows up, Leo pats the cushion next to him for Vi to sit by him. Then he wraps his arm around her and pulls her in close to smell her. But that's only after Donnie shows up.)

When Mikey takes Vi's So-Shell profile picture -> “Wha—?” you start, only to feel Leo leaning in to smoosh his cheek against yours, the distinct feeling of bunny ears brushing the back of your skull. Once again, this is in front of Donnie. Plus it's for her profile picture, so that means every time Donnie sees her So-Shell profile he'll see Leo in the picture, too. Leo was also famously the first like on her first So-Shell post and gets her to always leave nice comments/emojis on his thirst traps.

When she comes to the Lair to practice with her viola, Leo offers up HIS room first, and only once she declines does he -> “Ugh, fine, you are so boring,” he says, and removing his arm, he shoves at your shoulders hard and pushes you through the portal. (Pushing her onto the floor, pushing her through the portal... he's kind of rough with her in the beginning, and I figured it was just because he's haha silly funny turtle man, physical comedy, joking around whatever but... again I wonder. Is he letting himself be a little rough as a way to express his true feelings?)

God, all these little things that... might have an ulterior motive and might not.

It's around the time Vi gets bruised up by that guy at the coffee shop that Leo seems to start actually acting like a real friend, in my opinion. “…You don’t even get how incredible you are, do you?” he asks, causing you to roll your eyes. “You seriously don’t see it.” 

The very next chapter he gets a glimpse of her being anxious over not being able to play, while she notices that he looks tired, invites him to listen to music and lets him sleep on her back, and in that chapter it says: you sit, quiet, letting him use you. My second read through, this line hit me hard because I KEPT noticing that she really does nothing but GIVE and I feel like she's constantly doing things to be useful to others. And now, as I'm skimming through a third time, it turns out that... yeah. Yeah. He was fucking using her. In Chapter 22, Leo says "then you reach out and touch me in a way no one has. You’ve helped me, even though I was just using you" and I'm thinking this is the moment that that really started. When she first let him sleep on her. And that's also the first time he churrs with her. After that, he gets her really nice sushi, and she thinks he's guilty for drooling all over for her, but I think maybe he was guilty because he's starting to realize how nice she is and how shitty it is that he's using her like that, even though he does continue those manipulative behaviors.

---

He sighs, his face going openly affectionate. “…You’re so…” 

What he thinks you are, you don’t know, as he chooses instead to pull you into a hug. You go easily, seeking the comfort of his embrace, hoping he can feel in your arms that you truly do mean what you said. 

“You know, instead of sorry, you should say—” Leo says, though as his face gets close to your throat, his mouth snaps shut and he goes still in a manner that reminds you a little of Donnie. 

“…Leo?” you ask, going to pull back from the hug to look into his face only to feel his hands go tight on your back, holding you close while he dips his beak to your skin and inhales. When he does pull back, he’s got a look of shock on his face that he quickly schools into something more neutral, but barely. 

This is where he smells Donnie on you for the first time, and the guilt he was starting to feel, the actual genuine affection he was developing for her, may have then been interrupted/overshadowed by his anger.

Vi was right to say she isn't gonna go back and examine every detail, because it's so fucking MUDDY! There are glimpses of true softness from him sprinkled throughout with him ALSO still hanging over her and doing shit that pisses Donnie off on purpose. And then of course the scene with Leo in the kitchen when he scares her, where we get the first big glimpse into his true anger about the whole situation, where we see him being sharp and cutting and dismissive and- I'm not going to paste in that whole scene, but he's so, so, SO angry. When she has that visceral, terrified reaction, he feels so bad (I do think he was genuinely, truly horrified that he scared her), but then he finds out that Vi and Donnie are (as far as Vi is aware) dating, followed by her telling him that Donnie misses touching his brothers, misses hugs, followed by Leo deciding to tell Vi about all the family secrets... so he's wrestling with this rage and jealousy, but he's also starting to really accept her as family (I think, since he shared the info about the Krang, about Lou Jitsu, about Casey, since he asked for her help)...

It kills me that, after that, he saw her trying so hard to help, like when she went to the library and got books on PTSD and fell asleep taking notes and she wakes up with a blanket covering her and a little blue heart on a note - he saw her doing that, on top of everything else she CONSTANTLY does for other people, for his family, and HE STILL, EVEN AFTER THAT, DOES SHIT THAT'S MANIPULATIVE. THE 4TH OF JULY PARTY, FOR EXAMPLE. “What she said,” Leo purrs, his fingers fluttering on your stomach as his eyes cut off to the side. He has a sharp look to his features that you’re a bit too drunk to dissect, so you just ignore it. He HAS to be looking at Donnie, here.

(Side note - we still don't know what Leo was doing when Vi was in the shower getting ready for the party... if anything. Maybe he really was eating cookies.)

It's at the end of the party that he smells sex on Vi, I think, for the first time. And the following chapter is when he starts avoiding Vi, and she goes to confront him and he says he's "Thinking about things. About what I want.” And THAT'S when he finally stops his bullshit. Ch 22 - "I stopped. Completely. After we talked in my room.”

---

I'm still working on fully re-reading Chapters 17+ until I make it back up to 22 and putting more thoughts into that post, but. Dear God. Sam is a genius and I'm so angry at myself. I had been so confused and angry with Donnie, when in reality he truly DID NOT KNOW about the misunderstanding between him and Vi. Meanwhile, as I'm fawning over Leo and so happy Vi has him and so grateful he's been such a good friend to her... he was the one using her, this whole time. I cannot believe it. I'm SICK with rage. I can't imagine how Vi could possibly... I can't... FUCK dude

[marybeatriceofmodena]

❤️ Christine Daaé

Honestly I would have added more but I had to stop at some point lmao

Rebecca Caine: She has a voice that can actually rival Carlotta's, and her Christine was every inch the romanesque, passionate heroine and you could totally see why the Phantom and Raoul were both in love with her. And she is PISSED in the Final Lair, and it's glorious.

Patti Cohenour: AN ACTUAL ANGEL. Graceful, kind, compassionate, airy, without ever coming off as a deer in the headlights, and with a golden voice to boot and a Think of Me cadenza of her own.

Julie Hanson: Look, I don't like Susan Kay's take on Christine for a variety of reasons. Julie Hanson took one look, removed everything about Kay!Christine that was annoying, gave her a nice little spine of her own while keeping the childlike quality which all culminates in a haunting finale where you can tell she'll be traumatized for life, and it takes the tragedy to another level.

Rachel Barrell: She felt very Victorian to me? Could be the looks since she has a very "Victorian" face, if that makes any sense. And if anything, I know people will disagree with me but I remember my first impression of Christine reading the Leroux novel was pretty much like how she portrayed her in the musical - yeah, Leroux!Christine was scared shitless, both at the situation and what she could end up doing or being forced to do, but she also had a backbone of steel, she had anger about the whole situation and wasn't afraid to show it, and she didn't take any shit from anyone. Rachel embodied that perfectly.

Kristi Holden: A dreamy but nervous Christine, who's still able to overcome her fear of the Phantom to give him the scrap of love he needed so badly in order for the good to overcome the bad, and who was somehow even better in the World Tour than in Las Vegas (and she was already quite good there).

Anna O'Byrne: Her voice can be a little all over the place, but she basically took the tormented side of Christine and upped it to eleven. And she's absolutely gorgeous to boot.

Samantha Hill: Not the strongest vocal-wise, but she basically thought every single gesture up to the last without ever over-acting, all the while being an adorable little ball of charm.

Elizabeth Welch: If I had to sum up her Christine, all the odds are against her, and she decides to be even kinder as a result. I wouldn't say her Christine is in love with the Phantom (granted, I haven't seen her with Jeremy Stolle yet and Hugh Panaro doesn't really lend to a more romantic take on the story), but it makes her kindness for Panaro's little asshole of a Phantom (affectionate) all the more poignant.

Valerie Link: Her Christine is an adorable puppy person who likes everyone and can be genuinely shocked and hurt when people are, say, mean to her (which makes Nicky Wuchinger pushing around people who are rude to her all the more satisfying, because, really, HOW DARE YOU)

Lauri Brons: Imagine if Anne Shirley was in Phantom of the Opera. That's it, that's Lauri Brons's Christine.

Lisa-Anne Wood: Another nervous Christine, who gets frightened pretty easily, is the shy side, but push her around, and she will let you know how much she DOES NOT LIKE IT, which gives for a nice little character arc.

Mary Michael Patterson: Subdued but with lovely facial expressions, she plays a Christine that seems humble, calm and shy at first but who has a backbone of steel if you poke her too much.

Tamara Kotova: Gorgeous voice, lovely facial expressions - she's basically the Russian Rebecca Caine in some regards, because you could totally see why the Phantom and Raoul would be as besotted as they are with her.

Emmi Christensson: She improved SO MUCH from the West End to Stockholm, intelligent and mature but with a nice arc of her own.

Meghan Picerno: I personally liked her better on Broadway than in the World Tour, where I was kind of meh about her, but her take-no-shit Christine worked pretty well with Ben Crawford's crazy ball Phantom (who I'll admit can be a bit of an acquired taste) and John Riddle's serious but loving Raoul. Plus, opera voice!

Sybille Glosted: I made no secret of how great the Copenhagen revival cast was, and she was no exception. Beautiful voice, detailed, thought-out performance that just tells a narrative with gestures, responded to her fellow actors instead of just going through the motions.

Holly-Anne Hull: So many interesting details I've never seen with Christine before, plus, she's adorable.

Kanisha Marie Feliciano: Beautiful, beautiful voice, and such lovely facial expressions that give her a bit of a cinematic quality - I could easily see her transfer well from stage to screen.

Send me ❤️ and a role in a musical and I’ll give you my favorite performers in the role.

[thecountoflondonfansite]

The two got out of the van and approached Henry’s car. Rachel looked through the windows and spotted said car. “There it is. I’m sure Henry must have left it there by accident. He tends to forget his phone sometimes.” Rachel remarked. She had thought she saw some faint scratches around the keyhole on the door but just shrugged them off. Henry really didn’t have anything worth taking. He kept all his valuables in strongly locked containers and cabinets. “Well that was easy.” Two Brains exclaimed, feeling happy and relieved they accomplished both tasks at once. “I’ll still take you back to my lair, Rachel, since you want to thank the Henchmen.” Rachel nodded in agreement. “Yes, I do. Thank you.” Dr. Two Brains got back into his van while Rachel went into Henry’s car. She followed the mad scientist back to his lair. Meanwhile in another part of town, Jenkins, Joe, Alex, and his girlfriend Roxanne were all at Archie and Sunshine’s home. Fluffy was happily munching on his lunch of dead insects. “I mean it’s still shocking to believe. Someone being able to split their own soul in half.” Roxanne remarked when she and Alex along with Sunshine heard what happened. To say they were shocked was an understatement. Jenkins nodded. “I know, it’s like something out of one of my horror films, like Dracula or the Wolfman. Also it turns out werewolves exist as well apparently.” Jenkins exclaimed. “I’m honestly not as surprised by the werewolf thing as I am about the soul splitting thing and the fact that Emily and her siblings are more than meets the eyes.” Sunshine spoke as she set down a bowl of chips. “Though I assume, you two already knew about it.” Sunshine spoke in a non accusatory tone towards Alex and Roxanne. Alex let out a sigh. “Yeah. I knew Gene back in High School. Even back then, the clone thing was a secret. Only Rebecca and I knew outside of Gene’s family.” The alien hero explained. “Only I knew Rebecca mainly because I was friends with her and another girl named Carrie. I didn’t know Gene well and only recognized him after his accident because Alex explained things to me. Even then I didn’t know about the cloning. Everyone else assumed his dads had a surrogate or something.” Roxanne added on. Jenkins had a puzzled look. “Who’s Rebecca? I never heard of her before.” Alex and Roxanne both had pained expressions, though Alex had a more darker look. “Rebecca Fuller was Gene’s best friend ever since they were six She became the heroine known as Stargirl. She…she was brutally slaughtered by Maddrix during the massacre. Gene found her body after his own parent killed her.” Alex explained in a steady tone. Jenkins, Archie, and Sunshine looked horrified and angry. “Poor guy. No wonder he’s so protective.” Archie exclaimed. Jenkins remained silent for a moment before speaking. “He named Becky after her, didn’t he?” Jenkins asked. Alex nodded solemnly. Roxanne let out a watery laugh. “She always hated that nickname, Becky. She would punch anyone who would call her that. Only Gene seemed to get away with it.” The reporter woman exclaimed, holding back some tears as she reminisced about her old friend. Sunshine approached Roxanne and gave her a quick but firm hug. Roxanne returned it, very appreciative. Sunshine then turned to Alex. “So, how are you feeling right now?” she asked her friend. Alex let out a deep sigh. “I hate what happened to Athena but she honestly deserved it. She made a mistake poking the same bear again.” Alex felt horrible that Athena suffered a gruesome fate and hated that Gene and Victor were forced under their blood curse again, but he knew she had it coming and put herself on that line. He was glad that he had at least made up with Sunshine. Suddenly Archie bolted from his seat. “Holy shit, I remember him now!”Archie exclaimed loudly. Everyone looked at him with confusion. “What are you talking about?” Jenkins asked. “Gene, I now remember where I knew him before his accident." @unhingedexperimenter

Though someone this Miss Ito did know Henry Jekyll. Did his brother's new boyfriend get this woman to look into him? If so, why didn't this man just ask Dr.Two-Brains about himself? This raised more questions than it answered. Maybe Henry didn't have the courage to look into his brother after he gave him a little 'friendly' talk. Yet the thinly veiled threats Victor had made shouldn't have been enough to get the teacher looking into Dr.Two-Brains. There was also the fact that Henry had no idea that Victor could find out who was hacking. Perhaps the man was intelligent enough to have the heat on someone else just in case they were found out, but he didn't seem like the type to do so. Especially to someone he had entrusted The Society to. Victor was going to have to get a few agents to take a little trip to check out why they decided to hack like they did. Maybe Robert Lanyon had someone to do with Miss Itos hacking. It would be expected when the man's father had been murdered. Perhaps he wanted to make sure that Henry was safe. Maybe this man was protecting Henry from someone who was threatening him. This could've had the culprit retaliate against the doctor by going after Henry or Robert could be responsible for his own father's murder and for Mr. Carew's attempted murder. The reason both Mr. Hyde and Henry left could be because Robert was threatening one and framing the other. Victor felt a headache coming on. For now, he was going to find out exactly where Robert was. If he wanted to take over The Society, he would've easily done so. Yet he didn't, instead only oversaw important business. He couldn't scratch any of his theories out just yet. He didn't know what was going on, but he was going to find out. He didn't realize that Eris had finally gotten home. He didn't notice the sound of the apartment door opening and closing. “Victor, are you okay? You look like you're stressed about something.” He expressed his concern, brows furrowed. “Eris! I'm fine. I was just overthinking some things.” Eris went over to Victor and placed a kiss on his temple. “Get some rest, my sweet. You'll be able to figure things out better with fresh eyes.” Victor smiled at his boyfriend. “You're right. I'll take a nap. If you'll join me.” Eris smiled at that. He found Victor endearing. The toymaker closed his laptop. Meanwhile in another part of the city, two people were arguing. “Must you stalk these people? I would rather not have the police sniffing around if they take legal action.” The woman shook her head. “It is necessary. I must save that girl from that horrid man. Who knows what he could do to them. I'm doing what is right.” The blond man shook his head. “You admitted that you were interested in our plan.” Calvin frowned at that. “I didn't do anything too crazy. I promise.” Athena muttered under her breath. Athena began to pace a bit. She wanted Dr.Two-Brains to break and admit who he is. “You're making me dizzy, cousin.”

Athena gave a weak glare towards Calvin's rudeness. "You know I can't help it. I haven't been the same after what that demon did to me!" Athena snapped back. Calvin merely huffed. Deep down, he couldn't help but feel some intimidation from the mouse man, especially when he knew what that abomination was capable of. At first, Calvin was shocked to hear what the man did to his cousin. He had always viewed Steven, or Gene, or whatever it called himself, as a sniveling worm with goody moral ethics. He never thought that the man was capable of doing something that heinous, even with his paternal instincts heightened. Things made much more sense to Calvin once he learned of his former coworker's family background. "Very well. Continue with your plans. I have other matters to attend to." Calvin exclaimed in a haughty tone, waving off Athena's anger. Athena gave him a suspicious look. "What are you planning that is more important than my mission?" She inquired. "Well why you have been playing vigilante stalker to a babysitter and her charge, I have been looking into the reason for the Mad Science League's sudden movement here." Calvin explained. Athena looked surprised at that. "Adrian Barton is here?" The B.E.A.W labs' leader has expressed interest in the mysterious Mad Science League. A small group of scientists lead by a self proclaimed immortal man whose made it his mission to fight against tyranny and corruption of the higher classes. Adrian Barton and his associates had proven too slippery for capture due to the man's chaotic and unpredictable movements. Athena was curious and confused as to why he came here of all places. "We don't know why he is here or what business he has, but for some reason he has made himself more open in public though he has maintained a cautious guard. I last saw him talking with Professor Doohickey, though I highly doubt the reason he came to this city was to help the man's predicament." Calvin answered as if he seemed to understand what his cousin was thinking. "Do you think it has something to do with the murder of Mr. Hastie Lanyon?" Athena asked as she recalled hearing about the murder. Calvin shook his head. "I doubt Barton was behind that. He has a clear hatred for the rich and elite, but he would have been more subtle in killing that man, actually making it look like a robbery in progress that went bad. There is another reason why Mr. Barton is here. One in which I intend to find out. So hopefully your antics won't interfere in my mission. Good day Athena." Soon Calvin walked away, leaving the deranged woman to her own thoughts and delusions. "Blimey! Those cleaners know how to clean out goop stains. It looks brand new." Hyde exclaimed in a joyous tone once he received his outfit from Rachel. "Yep. It appears people getting their clothes ruined by goop is a common occurrence around here. So they developed a new way to remove the stains and residue even thought it takes a lot of time. It's definitely well worth it. I must say." Rachel replied with agreement. Hyde ginned widely at his clean outfit. He then looked back towards Rachel. "So, anything happened while ah was gone?" Hyde inquired. Rachel quickly shook her head. "Not really. Like I said, we waited a long time at the cleaners. Also Wordgirl showed up trying to stop a robbery caused by Lady Redundant Woman. She gave a wave to Amber before she flew off. Amber got a little fussy on the way home, but it was likely due to us being out for so long. She's fine now." Rachel explained. Hyde nodded but the usually grinning blonde had a serious expression as he thought back to what happened and what Whiskers admitted to him. "Did Wordgirl seem okay to ye?" Hyde inquired. Rachel looked confused by his question and expression. "She seemed alright to me. Why do you ask?" Rachel was surprised to hear Hyde express genuine concern for anyone that wasn't Amber, herself, or one of the lodgers. Hyde let out a sigh and proceeded to explain what happened today with Two Brains and his sister. @unhingedexperimenter

[clan-of-reaching-stars]

@skydancer-tsuni

For the record, this is Tiapa’s grand-daughter, (White/Indigo/Platinum) who managed to score second place in the Arcane Hunger Games, beating even her own sister, and thirty-three other dragons. (It was a thirty-six dragon game.)

[boldlyvoid]

helloooo I thought of this idea of spence + reader being together/secretly married and neither of them say anything until after reader does something rly badass and impressive on a case and reid outs their relationship with the john mulaney type of “that’s my wife!” ? idk if that’s a blurb/what you write so if not pls feel free to ignore but I also love your writing so much thank you for bein you :)

thank you this was so fun to write <3

spencer was good at 2 things, his job and keeping secrets.

he was constantly being told things he needed to pretend he didn't hear, he was great with government secrets and even better at keeping secrets from the government. one of the best secrets he ever kept, however, was his wife.

for years his team has pestered him about his love life, asking why he never went home with anyone and why he never mentioned girlfriends or boyfriends to them. they were the same age, met in the academy at the same time and work in two completely different units with different last names, and no one knew they knew each other.

not even Penelope, who's asked Reid why he was listed as Married on all his information, to which he lied and said it was a joke the other cadets pulled on him that he cant get reversed. She believed it because she knew all the other times he was bullied at the academy, all the times before Y/N started saving his ass.

it was right after JJ had Henry that Y/N was brought in, filling her spot in the field while JJ continued her media work from Quantico. Hotch had always thought Y/N from over in Andi Swan's unit was a great Agent, he's tried to get her to join their team for years... and after 7 years of marriage, she finally takes him up on the offer.

they became "friends" on the team fairly quickly, smiling at each other a lot and constantly picking petty little fights with each other just for fun. she loved to bother him, to tease him and move his things around, and he loved to poke her where he knew she was ticklish and sneak kisses in the break room and hold her hand under the briefing room table. they had fallen asleep together on the jet, snuggled into one another under spencer's little blanket and the photos were eventually sent back to JJ and Penelope thanks to Emily's inability to sleep on the plane.

everyone teased them for having a "crush" on each other, Derek was constantly trying to get spencer to ask her out or take her home... he had no idea just how spencer took her at home.

they keep it a secret for a while, and then they stop trying. Going home at the same time, in the same car, coming back to work the next morning together... going home from the bar together after a few drinks and spencer's wandering hands, sharing rooms on cases and listening to all the whispers of how they were secretly dating. it was rather amusing to them.

it wasn't until Y/N had to go undercover, all miced up and under surveillance in a warehouse all by herself. Spencer was sitting beside Derek in the van, communicating with Hotch and Garcia back at Quantico who were also watching the feed. she was the best at undercover-ops, used to doing everything in her power to bring children home to their families, now she's tip-toeing around a serial killer's lair, looking for a grown woman who found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

spencer was anxious, not because he didn't have faith in her, but because they didn't know how this was going to go. they believed in her, but the unsub was unpredictable and Y/N had no idea where he was inside of the warehouse. she was just wandering in the dark through long corridors with her guns and her intuition.

they heard the shots on the monitor before they could understand what was going on. the unsub was running down the hallway towards her, missing her with 6 shots before he did so. but Y/N stands there calmly, ducking under his swing and using his arm to swing herself up and over his shoulder, snapping his neck on the way down but landing on her feet.

she checks his pulse, nothing. "he's down, I'm going to find Sandra, might as well send medical in too."

"my wife is so hot," spencer shakes his head, whispering to himself with a growing smirk.

"wife?" Derek turns to him, ".... wife?"

spencer just nods, "I've been married to her longer than I've known you."

Dereks so shocked, his mouth drops open and words struggle to make it past his vocal cords, but spencer knows what he's asking. "I kept it a secret cause it was more fun thinking you thought I was some virgin loser and not married and a father."

"I'm going to pass out if you keep telling me this stuff," Derek just shakes his head. "what the fuck.. I mean I'm so happy for you but I never saw this coming."

[chiliiscereal]

Okay, apparently my brain has nothing better to do, so I got a SINGLE prompt for ya. U ready?

...✨Living with the turtles✨

Rottmnt headcanon: living with the turtles

———

-living with the turtles is both fun and... not XD

-lets be really, Mikeys an early bird!

-you simply can’t sleep in past 8 there’s just no way

-Mikey wakes up every morning like it’s Christmas

-“there’s stuff to do today! You can’t be a slug and stay in bed! Move move move!”

-lots of jumping on your bed until you wake up

-usually everyone eating breakfast together is not a thing, as everyone is usually doing their own thing

-but if you cook anything you better be ready for all the turtles to ask for some

-you’re also now the honorary judge for literally every single competition

-need someone to judge who can do the best kick flip?

-you’re their human

-need someone to see who can balance more fridge items on your chin?

-there you are

-lots of working with splinter in that field

-you’re also the one who anyone else goes to for validation

-for some reason you can’t understand, they can never compliment each other’s work

-“hey I need you to look this over, tell me if there’s anything wrong with it, possibly-.”

-“compliment you about your work?”

-“well, if you insist.”

-will drag you to his lab or drag his lab work to you so you can admire it

-doesn’t matter if you’re reading or sleeping

-when he’s ready for you to see it then you’re ready to see it

-“it’s literally 1 am.”

-“come on get up I need you to compliment my work!”

-“alright just stop pulling on me!”

-as for GIVING attention he’s not very good at it

-he’ll try, that’s for sure

-but heaven knows he won’t compliment you to your face

-the only physical affection you receive is if he goes to you first for help

-“I only need you because I need you to hold these wires and you have more fingers than you know what to do with.”

-it’s not just Donnie though.

-it’s Mikey as well

-“look at what I drew!”

-“wow this is awesome! How long did it take?”

-“oh... about an hour?”

-“that’s really good!”

-“really?”

-will even ask you to put it on the fridge

-you give in and get a bulletin board in your room for him to pin all his work

-it’s covered with his drawings by the end of the week

-needs lots and lots of hugs

-randomly jumps on your back for a piggy back ride

-you gotta be ready for him at any given moment or else you’re both gonna end up on the floor

-and who could forget Leo

-not you that’s for sure

-he’s make sure you’d never forget he needed attention

-Leo’s definetely the type of guy to get ready to pull a stunt and dedicate it to you before doing it

-“for Y/n’s honor!”

-“Leo you’re gonna break you’re neck if you do that!”

-“it’s for your honor so it’s okay!”

-jumps out from every corner to scare you

-can never seem to get you to flinch

-this boy’s gonna get you to jump one day though

-don’t be surprised if he walks up next to you and just casually rests his elbow on your head or drapes an arm over your shoulder

-will randomly poke your side just to see you jump

-Raphs no better than his brothers in the attention department

-especially with weight lifting

-“5...6...7 *notices you walk in* 37...38...39...”

-he doesn’t go around giving affection like Leo and Mikey though

-his love language is helping with anything you need, such as as helping you reach a high shelf

-very comfortable just picking you up and moving you out of the way

-doesn’t matter if it’s to get you out of danger or if you’re blocking his way to the pizza that just arrived

-only responsible roommate out of the four

-only one that washes the dishes

-video games all the time

-you can’t live with the turtles without liking video games

-you and Mikey bake and cook all the snacks for video game night

-of course, Leo also has a rivalry with you

-not one like the old rivalry between Leo and Raph in other versions no no

-it’s the playful “hey wanna take me in hockey? I bet I’ll wiiiiinnnn~” or “I’m gonna best you at this and you’re gonna go crying to splinter!”

-winner gets bragging rights

- you also can’t live in the lair without being besties with April

-come on, she’s cool as hell!

-she’s the one you talk to about human problems or just complaining about the turtles in general

-nosey boys

-very very nosey

-there’s no way to have secrets in this lair

-you have a diary?

-expect Leo to go through it in one night

-you read fanfiction or write fanfiction?

-oh Donnies keeping tabs on each chapter

-he’s updated all your tech, he can definetely see what you look up and access it from his computer

-hey, living with them isn’t always going to be sunshine and rainbows

-you’ll always find Mikey in your room admiring any decorations or books

-he’s constantly borrowing your stuff and not asking

-Raph is probably the only one that understands personal space

-...unless it comes to him worrying about you when you leave the lair

-will text you all the time, asking if you’re okay, even if you’re just hanging with a friend or going to the store

-since they always invade your privacy, they always know if you aren’t feeling okay

-the moment you step foot in the lair they’re asking what happened

-and if you try to say there’s nothing wrong oh ho ho ho you’re in for it

-Donnie is pulling up articles, Mikey is bugging you, Leo is trying to activate his face man powers, and Raph is sitting in front of you and asking what’s up

- the only privacy invading they do that you actually enjoy is when you’re in your room at like, midnight, watching a movie

-you’ll be watching peacefully and then Mikey just appears in the doorway

-he’s got blankets and he’s got snacks

-you just wave him over and let him sit on your bed

-then Leo shows up, no offering other than his presence

-don’t bother trying to push him away he’s gonna watch that movie with you and Mikey even if it kills him

-once you three are settled, Donnie shows up with a movie projector so you don’t have to watch on a tiny phone

-he ends up staying, even though he denied that he would

-Raph shows up with pillows for everyone, the only turtle to actually ASK to join

-you can’t say no to the giant teddy bear

-you may have started off by yourself in your dark room but you ended in a giant cuddle puddle with your roommates

-sometimes though you don’t have time to hang out with them

-school

-school happens

-you have to deny them because of homework

-Mikey will help you with flash cards, decorating them so they’re fun and make learning interesting

-Donnie studies with you and probably knows the material better

-he’ll help you so it’ll be over faster

-Raph is simply your company

-he’ll sit quietly in your room and play relaxing music, offering any advice or comments he had

-Leo just tries to convince you to ignore it

-it’ll still be there tomorrow! As of right now, he needs you to watch the skating tournament with him

-once you’ve got everything done you’re immediately dragged into whatever shenanigans they’ve got going on

-you’re also the self appointed camera man, using your phone to capture every harebrained plan AND failure

-living with them isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, but it sure is never boring

Sorry this is all I got!

If anyone has any headcanon or oneshot requests send em my way!

[arloelilly]

Okay, so I love your stories and I'm glad I found you! I'd like to request one for Leo, Raph and Mikey. How would the turtles react to their brother talking about his s/o while he's on anesthesia? Or maybe his s/o walks into the room and he falls in love with her all over again.

This is gonna be a fun one lol! Thank you kindly for the ask!

Leo

His brothers couldn't help but chuckle and smile at their eldest brother as he babbled on about random things. You were heading down to the lair from work to pay him a visit and see how things were. "Whooooaa!" You watch as Leo's eyes widen slightly when they landed on you. "Who's that?" He pointed at you and looked a Raph for an answer. "That's your girlfriend, bro." Mikey piped in. Leo looked at his youngest brother, eyes wide as saucers and mouth gapping while he pointed to himself. Donnie started snorting as him and Mikey laughed while a huge grin made it onto Raph's face. You giggled at Leo as you walked over to him. "How you feeling?" You ask and give him a big smile. You then lean forward when Leo gestured for you to come closer, "These guys are saying that you're my girlfriend." He whispered as if trying to be secret about it. "I am your girlfriend." You nod. Leo's hands dropped and his eyes widen for a moment before he tilted his head a bit to look behind you. "Can you do something for me?" He whispered again. "What?" You smile and glance behind you and back at him. "Turn around." He moved his finger in a circle as he said this. Raph busted out laughing as you looked pleasantly surprised as your boyfriend. Raph was laughing so hard to the point he had to leave the room to calm down while Mikey and Donnie were holding their stomachs laughing. "I love you." Leo said dropping his head to his pillow and stroking your face with the back of his hand. You giggle and cup his hand, "I love you too."

Raph

"Do you know her?" Raph asked, his eyes half-lidded from drowsiness. "Yes, we all know who Y/n is, Raph." Donnie smiled at his older brother has he checked on him again. "Don't tell her I said this....but..." Raph looked down at his hands while they lifted as if he were cupping something before he spoke again, "Fat. Ass." He said, looking back up at Donnie and did a groping motion with his fingers. Leo spat a bit as he choked on his drink. He had been leaning against the bed Raph was laying on to keep him company and was sipping away at his drink. Donnie laughed at Leo, walking way to organize some devices and canisters. "D-damnit!" Leo coughed and covered his mouth as a smile pulled at his lips. "That's what I've been saying!" Raph spoke with a wide eyed expression, his arms raising a bit while he shrugged. Mikey was grinning endlessly at his older brother, completely amused. "I'm here!" You call sweetly from the living room. "Shit-that's her. Sh! Quiet." Raph hushed his already quiet brothers before staring at the doorway intensely. As soon as your head popped through the door, a dumb grin stretched across Raph's face. He stretched his arm out a bit in a way to tell you to come here. You smiled and gladly took his hand when you made it over. "How've you been?" You ask. "We've been having a party!" He replied before his face turned to one of utter disbelief. He went silent for a moment and looked down at his lap. "I didn't get you a present." His palms found the side of his head, his expression not changing when he looked at you. You stifled your laughter, hearing Donnie having a snorting fit as he tried to do the same. "Hey, don't worry bro, I got you!" Mikey whispered and nudged his brother's arm. "You got a gift for me to give to her?" Raph asked with a shocked look and pointed at you when his eyes met his brother's. "Okay, I won't tell her." He whispered back when Mikey nodded.

You then covered your mouth as you and Leo laughed when Raph then looked back at you and gave you another dumb grin as if he and Mikey didn't have that conversation in front of you.

Mikey

His brows furrowed as his blue eyes scanned you before he poked his cheek and spoke, "Am I in heaven?" He looked at his eldest brother, Leo, with a confused expression before looking back at you. "Am I in heaven-Are you an angel?" He pointed at you, his elbow resting on the mattress of the bed he was on. "You're not in heaven, Mikey." You smile at him and entangle your fingers in his and press your cheek to the back on his hand. He focused on you, his brows still furrowed. "Did Donnie send you?" He asked and only received a giggle from you. "If so, you-you are eye candy! You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." Mikey rambled, looking straight ahead of him as he spoke. You all smiled at him. Mikey's head then darted back to you. "Are you seeing anyone?" He asked, his finger poking your cheek. You nod and smile more as you caress his forearm. "Awe, man! I missed my chance Raph!" He said, looking at his brother with a disappointed look. Raph rolled his eyes and chuckled, "She with you numbnuts." He spoke as his arms crossed over his chest. "Oooh." Mikey went quiet for a moment as if he were in thought. "You're cheating on me?" He asked in an astounded tone. "No-" You laugh and drop your forehead to his bicep. "She's cheating on me bro!" Mikey looked to his red-banded brother. "No, Mikey. She's not cheating on you. She's seeing you, her boyfriend." He smirked in amusement. "Oh...I love you too!" Mikey smiled at you innocently.

[britishassistant]

I'm curious: how did the rest of the villains find out that Crowley is Yuu's bio dad? Did Azul/Leviathan let it slip during the next villain's meeting (I have a feeling some also use it on occasion as an excuse to complain about certain heroes and it's one of the few times they don't fight/argue with each other) since Crowley only seemed to make that "don't tell anyone" threat to the twins? How would they have reacted to this revelation and how does Crowley either deal with it or twist it into his favor?

“I want to tell the other six.”

Azul stops and stares at the reporter. They keep walking, hugging their arms close to their body.

“A-are you serious?” He sputters.

“Yes.” They turn and fix him with a level stare. “It’d be better for them to just hear it from me straight, rather than if they find out during a more high stress situation where people could get hurt.”

“Of course, because there’s no way the situation wouldn’t get out of hand once those guys hear about this.” Azul mutters sourly, walking so he’s alongside them. “It’ll go just as smoothly as one of our League picnics.”

He accepts the gentle nudge to the side that earns him as they continue their journey to the exit.

“It’s not like I’m going to tell any heroes, the civilians, or Great Seven forbid, my boss’s boss. I’m not stupid.” The reporter looks down at their shoes. “It’s just. Better for them to hear it from me than to hear it from him.”

“From hi—?” Oh, they have to be joking. “Yuu. You can’t be suggesting that you’re willing to expose a secret of this magnitude to the people who could view you as a rival to their ultimate ambitions so recklessly, just because you dislike Crowley-sama.”

The reporter’s expression twists. “It’s not just ‘dislike’. Besides, do you know what he’s probably doing to Jade and Floyd right now?”

He shoots them a suspicious glance. “And what, pray tell, is that?”

“The stupid bird’ll be finding a way to twist this whole thing into a way for him to blackmail you, rather than the other way round.” Their steps become more akin to stomping, shoulders rounding as they hunch in on themself. “That’s what he always does. It’ll never be his fault, never his problem, he’s just soooo kind and sooo gracious, it’s always your fault for daring to try and make something of yourself outside of his plans for you, you’re the selfish one, you’re the ungrateful one, you’re the self-destructive one, exposing yourself to all those dangerous supervillains that he’s just trying to protect you from!”

Azul can only blink in befuddlement as Yuu exhales harshly at the end of their rant. The reporter must catch sight of his expression, because they sigh and begin again in a slightly calmer tone of voice.

“That’s one of the things the old bird tried to use to control me, you know. After he met me for the first time in twenty-two years.” Yuu scoffs, bitterly. “He claimed that you all were guaranteed to find out about me and kill me, or worse, to take my place as his successor. That is, unless I abandoned everything I loved and worked for to go ‘live’ under his protection and ‘defend my birthright’, as he put it.”

Azul’s mouth works silently for a moment.

He wants to deny it vehemently, to sputter at the sheer audacity of Crowley to think that Azul could do such a thing to Yuu—

Except, whispers a small part of his brain, would you have really been so kind, back when all you knew of Yuu was that they were a cute reporter who poked their nose into supervillain business? If you knew that cute, nosy reporter could be a threat to your ambitions back then, can you honestly say you wouldn’t have done your best to get them out of your way by any means necessary?

He doesn’t like the answer.

So Azul just swallows to try and find his voice again. “He...he may have a point, you know. With some of the others. Maybe not all, but. Some.”

“I know.” The reporter keeps rubbing their arms, like they’re cold. “But hey, at least it’ll beat the suspense of waiting to find out!”

Azul blinks, trying to digest that sentence and the false cheer that accompanied it as they near their destination.

“You’ve—you’ve been scared of that all this time, haven’t you?” He mutters, as they stop in front of the door to the outside. “Whenever you got kidnapped.”

The reporter lets out a suspiciously wet sounding laugh, dabbing at their eyes with the sleeve of their jacket. “It was worst with my first kidnapping by Royal Flush, back when all this started, because I had no idea what he wanted from me. At least when I got into snooping around on everyone else’s schemes later on, I knew you guys’d be more likely to kidnap me for that rather than anything else.”

Azul massages the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He thinks he can practically feel his blood pressure rising. “I thought you were supposed to be the stable one out of all of us.”

That actually gets him a real, honest laugh. “With how little sleep I get? Azul, please.”

They linger at the door for a while, until they hear a car pull up outside and honk it’s horn.

“You’re really going through with this?” He asks them, resigned.

The reporter swallows, hands trembling slightly, but nod, resolute. “Yes. It’s the best option for everyone here.”

“We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one.” He grumbles. “Just. Promise me. Promise me you’ll tell me when and where you plan to do this.”

Yuu blinks. “Why wouldn’t I? I was planning on asking you, Jade and Floyd to come with me anyway.”

“I won’t accept you being stubborn over this, I’ll draw up a contract if I have—” Wait, hold on, what had they just said? “What–but–why–what??”

“Well, you haven’t exactly being trying to make a contract with me so that you can become the heir instead, or murder me for it on the way out.” Yuu glances up at him, almost...shyly? “I figured that meant I could trust you, at least.”

Oh Great Seven, please don’t let his heart explode from this. It’s pounding so fast in his chest it feels like it might.

“A t-terrible decision really.” He hears himself say, and wants to bang his head against the wall the moment the words are out of his mouth.

Yuu laughs again, almost gently. “Well, I am known for making those. I think I can live with this one.”

And on that bombshell, the reporter slips out of the lair’s door and into the taxi that will hopefully see them safely home.

Azul watches the car pull away, and then closes the door. He turns around and goes to find the first pair of minions he can, ordering them to tail the car and call him immediately if any of the other six supervillains show signs of trying to stage a kidnapping en route.

Azul then strides further into the lair, mind whirling with all the favors he can call in and strings that he can pull.

If he’s going to be ensuring that his naive little reporter is able to go through with this insane plan safely, then he needs to be prepared to be able to defend them against the six potential threats they’ll be up against.

[vigilantetendencies]

Pspspspsps

Hero with cat powers and a villain who loves cats.

“You have a tail,” he squeaked, eyes so wide that they might have popped out of his head. Bengal stepped backward, glaring.

He was still wearing boxers, but they didn’t exactly have enough room for him to tuck the tail away like his hero suit did.

“Yeah, cat powers. I have cat things. I think we’ve been through this- Don’t come closer!” Bengal pulled out the claws again, stopping Volt as he stepped forward.

Volt and Bengal weren't strangers; Bengal had been a new hire at the hero agency when Volt first began to terrorize the town and thus the two had been pitted against each other from the get go. 

They'd battled multiple times, Bengal more often than not failing due to his clumsiness. Volt adored him, however. He adored the quips, Bengal's snarky attitude, and his body was rather nice to look at. Bengal's hero suit was bland and tight, leaving little to Volt's imagination as he threw him and zapped him. How many times had he invited Bengal over now to try and cop a feel? 

Invited was perhaps the wrong word- How many times had he tried to force Bengal to come to his lair? And now...He couldn't believe his eyes; There he was, Bengal! The hero!! In his lair!!! What a moment! And Volt was not going to let it go to waste.

"How does it feel to be the very first hero to see my place?" Volt asked, rising from his throne and gesturing grandly.

All he could see with Bengal's annoying helmet being on was his mouth, pulled down into frown.

"Shitty," Bengal responded dully, standing before the throne with his hands bound behind his back. "Can I go home now?"

"Before you've seen the break room and the had martinis in the hot tub? No way!" Bengal stiffened.

"Hot tub?"

"Yeah!" Volt strode up to Bengal and paced around him, cape flowing behind him. He liked to be able to take his time and really inspect Bengal; He really had no idea what his powers were or, honestly, what use he was to the agency at all. That and...maybe he liked to look at his butt.

Just a little.

"No. No way, I'm not having martinis with you and I'm not going in your hot tub." Volt was surprised when Bengal was suddenly free of his binds, narrowly avoiding a punch to his face.

"C'mon, Bengal!" He shot electricity at the hero who dodged and climbed up one of the walls with ease.

"Nope," he called down, climbing until he got to a landing area up above. Volt huffed, not liking his answer, and threw a ball of electricity into part of the landing. Bengal yelped as the floor gave out beneath him and he fell face first onto the ground next to Volt, groaning.

Volt took a moment to mourn the broken balcony, but it would be easy enough to fix. Losing his favorite hero was not his favorite option.

"Your name is Bengal. Shouldn't you like...land on your feet or something?" He asked, squatting down next to the hero and poking his helmet. He ignored Bengal gasping for air (the force of his fall knocking it out of him) in favor of rolling him onto his back. "Why would the agency give you that name if you're this clumsy?"

Bengal swallowed and cleared his throat.

"Yeah, I don't know. You're right," he agreed, trying to get to his feet. He got as far as his knees before Volt knocked him backward harshly. The helmet clanged against the floor, jarring slightly and cracking from the earlier impact.

"Here, kitty, kitty~" Volt whispered suddenly, making Bengal look his way- and then his helmet was torn off.

"Oh my god!" Volt held the helmet up as if it were a trophy, looking down at Bengal with a large grin. He could see his face, a nice tan tone to his skin, his hair- black and brown and the strangest patterns in the curly mess.

But what really got him was the ears.

Two large cat ears were standing at attention on his head, green eyes wide and revealing slitted pupils as he began to panic.

"What are you doing!? You are crossing a line-!!" He screeched, scrambling to grab the helmet back. Volt jammed his hand against Bengal's forehead, shoving him back down while his ears flattened.

"You dirty little liar, I knew it!" Bengal withdrew his hand for a moment, fingertips exposed out of the tops of his gloves. Claws protruded from them suddenly, making Volt giddy. "The fingerless gloves make so much more sense now! They were a choice, but at least they were a functional choice!" He didn't register the implication before the claws slashed at him, four scratches on his arm and suit torn. He dropped the helmet in his pain and Bengal shoved him off, rolling over and scrambling to grab the helmet.

He succeeded, though a foot came down on his wrist and pressed into it painfully.

"It's about time!" Volt huffed, cradling his bleeding arm as he looked at the henchman who was pinning Bengal with their foot.

"Apologies, sir."

"Send gauze to my room and take Fluffy to the holding cell."

"You are dead," Bengal promised, glaring at Volt as he walked past them and picked up the helmet. Volt only smirked back at him, waggling his fingers and exiting the room.

"No, I'm the proud new owner of a sweet little kitty cat," Volt corrected gleefully. "And he better behave if he knows what's good for him."

Bengal looked up from his spot on the floor, baring his teeth as the henchmen slapped cuffs on him and picked him up by the back of his hero suit to drag him off.

Bengal escaped, without his helmet, and went straight home with to pout in the bathroom mirror. It was embarrassing being...this. The agency wanted to capitalize on his feline parts but he hated them- His hero suit was designed to hide every part of him that resembled a cat because he asked for it to be that way. If Volt started telling others then what would happen? Calls of, “Here kitty, kitty,” and quips like, “cat got your tongue?” would never end.

Never!

He solemnly sent the agency a request for a new helmet along with the information that his face had been revealed before he climbed into the overly plush bed in his room, curling up and closing his eyes.

The next time he saw Volt he was ready to knock the daylights out of him, still stumbling with nearly every punch.

“So it’s just the ears, huh?” Volt slammed Bengal down, snickering as he watched his slightly feline friend adjust his helmet quickly.

“You’re such an ass hole,” Bengal told him, trying to get to his feet before Volt kicked him in the side.

“I’ll take that as… a no,” Volt decided, watching as Bengal rolled from the force of the impact and hit the tire of a car. He dug into the pocket of his suit, trying to hide something from Bengal as he stood up. He lunged at him, yanking off the helmet and cupping his hand over his face.

Bengal struggled harshly, claws coming out as he grabbed at Volt’s hands and arms, scratching and scratching and scratching and- Something was in Volt’s hand and-...

Bengal slumped in Volt’s arms, eyes half lidded as his tongue lapped against the inside of Volt’s hand.

Catnip.

“Holy shit it worked,” Volt whispered in amazement, beaming as he lowered Bengal to the ground. He was so docile! So...not trying to kill Volt. And as mentioned once before, Volt did not waste opportunities. He gently tangled his fingers into the man’s soft hair, scratching at the base of his ear experimentally and, sure enough, Bengal pressed the side of his head to Volt’s hand.

Then, like something scared him, he perked up and smacked at Volt’s hand, falling onto the ground in an attempt to get away from his touch.

“What is wrong with you!?” He yelled, face redder than last time. He looked at his arms and saw that some of the catnip bits had fallen there and, without hesitation, began to lick them off.

“I reallllllllly like cats,” Volt informed him, looking like a child on Christmas. “I don’t even care about the bomb anymore, the detonation code is 1337, I just-” Volt reached for Bengal’s ears again which only made him hiss and back away, realizing that he was licking himself in front of his nemesis- And anyone could see them here! They weren’t exactly hidden.

“I don’t like you, okay!?” Bengal got to his feet, wobbling a little. “So stop bothering me!”

Bengal grabbed up his helmet and sprinted off, climbing over garbage cans and cars to escape Volt.

“Gauze, sir?” Someone asked over his headset. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think he’d let you down so harshly-”

“Are you kidding? All cats are like that. You just gotta reel them in.” Volt stood and tucked the pouch of catnip back into his suit. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, gauze would be nice.”

There was no fighting today.

He had gotten himself all ready to go, hero suit and new helmet (with locking buckles) on, when he got the message from the agency.

[Bengal, we need to review your employment with us. For the time being you are on suspension. You will be paid for your time, imagine it like a vacation!]

He glared at his phone. A vacation? A vacation that was going to end in his termination, probably.

He threw the helmet onto his bed and moped about the message until he felt about as numb to it as he could feel. He was so distracted being angry at the agency that he didn’t notice the shape outside his window, stripping the tight top of the suit off and stretching before he started peeling off the bottom.

The window opened and he whipped around, hissing at it and letting go of the pants of the suit to use his claws.

“Whoa! Hey, easy!” It was Volt.

Of course.

He slid inside and stood near the window.

“Where have you been!? I didn’t ask to fight Echo, do you know how hard it is to fight a guy who sees, like, everything!?”

“He’s blind,” Bengal deadpanned, and Volt gestured wildly.

“DO YOU SEE WHY THAT’S AN ISSUE FOR ME!? No one told me and-” He huffed.

“Sorry that I was the perfect disappointment,” Bengal muttered, turning around and stripping off the rest of the suit. “The agency is reviewing my employment. Probably because I keep losing to you. So you better get used to Echo, Kuso, and Jumper.”

Volt didn’t respond and Bengal thought for a brief moment that he had crawled back out the window. He turned around and found Volt looking somehow happier than he had over the last few fights.

“You have a tail,” he squeaked, eyes so wide that they might have popped out of his head. Bengal stepped backward, glaring.

He was still wearing boxers, but they didn’t exactly have enough room for him to tuck the tail away like his hero suit did.

“Yeah, cat powers. I have cat things. I think we’ve been through this- Don’t come closer!” Bengal pulled out the claws again, stopping Volt as he stepped forward.

“Can I touch it!?”

“No! No you can’t touch it! Get out of-” Bengal watched Volt dig into the same pocket as last time and hissed loudly. “Don’t you fucking dare!”

Volt grinned and ran at Bengal, ignoring his hisses and screeches while he chased him out of the room and through his apartment.

“Hereeee kitty, kitty!” He chased him to the balcony, watching as Bengal climbed up on it and balanced without issue. “Your tail! That’s why you’re such a grade A klutz!” Volt smacked himself on the head. “Duh! Man, I can’t believe I didn’t think about that!”

“Why do you care!?” Bengal looked honestly upset, and that immediately put Volt off. He lowered his hands.

“What do you-”

“Are you going to go and tell all of the other villains? ‘Just bring catnip and he’ll be distracted long enough for you to kill him,’ or grab my tail and pull and it’ll really fucking hurt-”

“Why would I tell anyone any of that?” Volt raised a brow. “The only thing people talk about is how off balance you are, you know.” Bengal seemed to calm down, crouching on the railing.

“Just..leave,” He muttered, and Volt gestured for Bengal to come down, showing that his hands were free of catnip.

“Walk me out?”

“Fine,” Bengal huffed, slipping off of the railing and walking back to the bedroom. There was a moment where he truly believed that Volt was trying to give him time alone- And then he yanked backwards, Volt sitting on his bed and pulling him into his lap.

“You son of a-” Volt grinned at him as he began to scratch just above Bengal's tail. He held back a delighted squeal as Bengal leaned into him and purred.

"I’m going to kill you," Bengal mumbled into his neck, kneading his fingers into his shoulders.

"You have to keep your job, first.” Volt ran his hand up Bengal’s tail, feeling him shudder. “Or you could come have martinis in my hot tub, the invitation’s still open.” A pause. “Am I just not inviting you right?” He leaned closer to the ears on Bengals head, watching them twitch in irritation. “Pspspsps?”

Thank you so much for reading! Find more heroes, villains, sidekicks, civilians, and reporters here on my masterlist!

If you’re able to take a moment and Buy Me a Coffee I’d be so grateful! But no pressure, my content and my characters are free to enjoy!

I love requests and prompts, so don’t be a stranger! Thanks for supporting me!

[beetlegoose01]

Frostbite (Casetello)

AN: do these two have a ship name? Caseytello? eh whatever it’s casey x donnie and they’re gay

special thanks to cal for reading this for me and saying i should post it <3

There were quite a lot of things Casey Jones loved. Hockey, pizza, riding his motorcycle, video games, beating the crap out of his opponents. Normal teenage stuff. Lately he had been doing the latter, ever since he and April officially joined the 'Unofficial Turtles Team' , helping alongside the teen mutants on patrol. Goofing off with Mikey and Raph were the highlights, but he couldn't deny spending extra time with April was also a benefit. Even if they barely got a single word out- too busy fighting off random mutants scattering the city, it was still nice.

But what wasn't nice, downright unpleasant about patrol...was Donatello. There was an unspoken, mutual loathing that the pair shared that even quick glances at each other led to glaring and arguing. Leaving them together in the same room was never a good idea. Casey hasn't understood why the purple genius was so hostile towards him at first. But the reasons became obvious the first time he caught him staring helplessly at April, fumbling his words and blushing profusely. Not that Casey didn't feel similarly, heck, that was the problem. Both were attracted to April. Obviously Casey had the upper hand, being human. A turtle and a human girl in a relationship was built for disaster.

But their hatred didn't stop there. It wasn't just about April.  Eventually, everything about Donatello annoyed him. His whiny voice, his love for using complicated words to sound superior, soon every little thing bugged him.

Things were easier if the two stayed as far apart as possible.

Of course, fate seemed to work in mysterious ways.

It was starting to get late, the moonlight illuminating the sky. The group stopped on a rooftop, perched by the edge. Leo halted them silently, then turned around.

"Why'd you stop, Fearless?" Raph asked.

"I think we should split up. We'll cover more ground. If you see any sign of trouble, use your T-Phones." said Leo.

"No way dudes!" Mikey squeaked. "I saw this scary movie last night where the team split up! And then..." He paused for dramatic effect. "They all got taken out one by one. Starting with the cute funny one!" He trembled, hiding behind Donnie, who rolled his eyes.

Raph smirked, always prepared for a sassy remark. "Which means, you'll be just fine since you're neither of those."

"Hey!"

"And you'll be in pairs." Leo crossed his arms. "I've got it all planned out. Raph and April. Mikey and me."

"Mikey and I." Donnie corrected under his breath. Casey fought the urge to whack the smart aleck turtle with his hockey stick.

Leo ignored him. "Donnie and Casey-"

Casey involuntary let out a loud groan. Just his luck.

Leo narrowed his blue eyes, unamused. "Something wrong, Jones?"

"Er..." His eyes darted to Donatello, who seemed stoic, but equally frustrated with this predicament. On one hand, he wanted to argue and beg to be with literally anyone else. On the other, he didn't want to deal with the leader in blue getting annoyed with him.  "Nah Leo, that's fine by me. Right, D?"

Donnie huffed. "Yeah, that's alright."

"I think this will be good for you both." April grinned.

"Of course, April." Donnie agreed.

"No problem at all." Casey smiled through gritted teeth. When she turned away, they both shared an equally menacing glare.

"I knew I could count on you two." April smiled softly, though even she didn't look entirely convinced.

This was going to be a long night.

~•~

Turns out, Casey had underestimated the scrawny (ugh, svelte) turtle. In what Donnie lacked in muscle, he gained with his speed, mobility and of course, his mind. It was practically impossible to keep up once Donatello had leaped from the first building, tumbling and landing with ease, while Casey was coughing his lungs out as he ran desperately after the brainy terrapin.

"Okay, now you're just showing off." He panted irritably, nearly collapsing once he finally caught up with him.

"Are you coming or not?" Donnie gave his trademark gap tooth grin as he turned, slowing down.

"I am! You're just moving too fast!" Casey complained. "I thought turtles were supposed to be slow! I didn't even have time to get my grappling hook."

Donnie shrugged, ending the conversation with one simple movement.

They walked side by side, neither wanting to say anything. They both knew it would only end in arguing.

"Can I just say-" Casey started.

"No, you can't."

"I didn't say anything!"

"Exactly."

"Listen, Gap Tooth, I don't like this either!" He flicked a stone off the roof with his shoe. "But we have to ..." He swallowed. "work together, right?"

Donnie said nothing. He looked deep in thought.

"Is it because of April? Because it's not my fault she...y'know likes me more."

At the mention of April, Donnie turned away, eyes flashed with hurt, which only filled Casey with that annoying feeling of guilt.

"It isn't about her."

"Alright." Silence. "Sorry, let's just-" He cleared his throat. "Let's just work together, we don't need to be friends. Just get through the mission. After that, we can go back to hating each other."

"That was...surprisingly mature, Jones. Glad we can agree on something." Donnie quipped. "And for once, you're right. This mission is more important than our petty squabbles. No matter how insufferable you may be."

"Now you're just making up words."

Donnie fought the urge to roll his eyes. "So, that's two more hours of this."

Casey scoffed, but couldn't help but chuckle. Quietly of course. Last thing he wanted was for Donnie to think he was actually amusing.

"So...deal?"

"Deal." Donnie said, then added: "Cave Mouth." Which made Casey shove him lightly.

For a brief moment, they seemed to share a mutual understanding. The silence that followed wasn't awkward or forced, it was comfortable. Well, as comfortable as they could possibly be.

Donnie paused, startled by something. Lifting his bō carefully, he tried to follow whatever the sound was.

"What the-" Casey raised an eyebrow.

"Shh!" He hissed. "Do you hear that?"

"No?" Casey scrunched his nose, listening closely. It sounded like a...buzzing noise? Like a fly or mosquito. Irritating, but not dangerous. "Chill Don, it's just a bug or something."

"No, listen!" The turtle looked frantic and alert.

The buzzing became louder. Then, it was followed by the sound of snapping wood. Deliberate and exact. Casey gulped, taking his own weapon.

A massive shadow flew over their heads and landed in front of them. Donnie yelped in surprise, stumbling forward.

"Ah, shell." He swore, lifting his head to face the hideous insectoid mutant with acid green eyes. Scumbug spread his deformed wings, antenayes raised, prepared to strike.

"Well, I was right. That definitely is a bug. Scumbug! Wicked! This'll be fun!" Casey sneered.

"Which makes no sense, considering stag beetles aren't even bugs! They're insects!" Donnie spun his staff like a propeller, hitting the mutant face on.

"Not the time!" Casey tackled Scumbug, who roared, jostling him aside like a ragdoll. He smacked the floor with a sickening thud, directly on his arm. He fought back a scream of agony.  "Do you- gah- seriously have to be such a know it all, all the time?" He looked at his arm, which currently looked seriously messed up.

Donnie looked affronted. "I am not a know it all!"

"Yes you are!" Another whack of his trusty hockey stick, followed by a knock to the ground, face first. He wiped his mouth from the metallic taste of blood.

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you- Donnie, look out!" Casey shrieked, sounding less manly than he intended.

Scumbug, now furious, had efficiently used his enemies' bickering to his advantage. Before he could turn around, a spider web twirled from its appendages binding Donatello to the ground, who kicked and struggled furiously.

The mutant now crouched over the captured turtle, prepared to strike with his signature acid spit.

"Hang on, D! Casey Jones is here to save the day! GOONGALA!" He bellowed, racing towards Scumbug and latching onto him like a demented parasite. It was hardly the most graceful of moves, but it distracted him briefly.

He raised his hockey stick, poking him hard in the eye in an attempt to gouge them. Eyes were sensitive- he remembered Splinter telling him that.

With the extra time, Donnie reached for his bō, ripping the web apart with the extended naginata blade.

Scumbug, now looking more disheveled and horrifically disfigured than normal, retreated blindly into the misty air.

"I didn't need your help." Donnie said bitterly.

"Aw, is that any way to say thank you?" Casey retorted. "I just saved your shell." He poked his plastron roughly. "I think I deserve a little appreciation for my heroism."

"I had it handled."

"Did you? Because you looked just about ready to be eaten by Scumbug."

Donatello scowled, moving closer. "And he got away. So your heroism didn't exactly work, did it?"

"Would you rather have acid stuck to your face?" Casey growled. "You'd look even freakier than you do now. Next time you're a little 'turtle in distress' don't expect me to come save your-"

"I didn't need saving." Their foreheads pressed together, any moment ready to face each other on.

Casey gritted his teeth. "Sure, whatever you say. I didn't help because I actually cared about you or anything."

"Then why did you?" Donnie snapped, pulling away. "You could have left me."

"Because I- you- argh!" Casey felt his temper rising. "Because I'm not a monster, alright? We're a team, and we help each other. That's the deal." He wiped his chapped lips again, the disgusting taste of blood still lingering. He winced, clutching his arm.

"I can patch you up at the lair." Donnie said softly. "It just looks sprained."

"Mm." Casey grumbled, still pissed. Stubbornness was taking over any injury he had. He'd rather have his arm stay at this awkward angle than admit he was hurt in front of his rival. "I'll just wrap it up at home. I'll be fine."

Donnie sighed, raising his palm to his face. "Don't be so stubborn, I can help you."

Casey didn't look convinced.

"To repay the favor?" His warm brown eyes looked surprisingly sincere. "You did help me, after all. I'd probably be toast if you didn't."

Casey snorted. "You got that right."

A beat. Donnie looked unsure, as if he wanted to say something else. But whatever it was, it was holding him back.

"So...we should go back to the lair then?" Casey suggested, easing the awkwardness.

"Huh? Yes, of course. Totally. " Donnie nodded. "Naturally."

"Alright then."

"Jones?"

Casey turned, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say...thanks."

"Hey, no problem. But don't tell anyone I saved your ass."

"Deal."

~•~

Casey never expected to be sitting in Donnie's lab table, in between Timothy the blob-organ filled mutant and several bunsen burners, but life tended to be weird that way. He also didn’t expect to be pouting on said table like he was at some freaky doctor’s office. The rest of the team returned shortly after them, and seemed surprised that Donnie was actually willing to fix Casey's arm- and not begrudgingly.

Donnie returned with a first aid kit, setting it on the table. He hummed a familiar tune to himself, as if to fill the empty air of any more awkwardness.

"I've seen these before." Casey said, poking the bunsen burner tap, immediately then swatted away by Donatello. "At my school's science lab."

Donnie nodded, rolling up Casey's sleeve to examine his bare arm. Casey flinched, not comfortable with the random act of touching. "Hey don't!"

"Do you want your arm fixed or not?"

"...yeah."

"Then let me work my magic."

Casey frowned, staring at the bottle the turtle was holding. "Your magic looks like antibiotics and advil."

Donnie's lip twitched.

After his arm was treated somewhat, Donnie wrapped him up gently with a clean bandage. The slow movement made his heart race increase every time Donnie's fingertips brushed his arm, but he ignored it.

Don't be weird, Jones.

"That should be good. Don't put any pressure on it." said Donnie, passing him the advil. "And take this, it'll soothe the pain."

Casey pretended to look offended. "Here I thought you were gonna kiss it better."

Donnie rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. "Don't push it, Jones. We aren't there yet."

Casey laughed. "Yet. Thanks for fixin' my arm, D. You...aren't so bad, I guess. But let's go back to hating each other, alright?"

Donnie smirked. "Whatever you say."

[thebookreader12345]

From Real Wife to Work Wife

Pairing: Jay Halstead x reader

Summary: Y/N and Jay, who have recently gotten married, must now discover how to leave their relationship at the door of the district when they become partners in the Intelligence Unit

Requested: Yes, by anonymous

Warnings: kidnapping, mention of guns and killing, light swearing

Word Count: 2,025 Words

“Ugh,” I groan as Jay and I stopped in front of the district. “I hate this stupid ‘leave your relationship at the door thing.’ Why couldn’t Voight keep Hailey with you instead of pairing her with Vanessa?”

Jay shrugged. “Don’t know, but come on, I know you’ve wanted to be my partner since the day you got up here.”

I laughed and pushed my satchel higher up on my shoulder. “You wish. I’ve been partnered with Kevin since starting in Intelligence, and I love it with him.”

“Uh-huh. All right, give me a kiss,” Jay said and opened his arms.

I smiled and fitted my body in the space between Jay’s outstretched arms. Jay pulled my body closer to his chest, wrapping his arms around my waist as I tugged at his shirt to bring him down closer to me. As I pressed my lips to his, Jay strengthened his grip around me, and our lips moved in sync with each other. When we finally disconnected our lips, Jay held me close to him, resting his chin on top of my head.

“Well, I guess it’s time I become your work wife instead of your real wife now,” I declare, causing Jay to laugh.

“I guess so. Lets get to work,” Jay stated.

Inside of the district, Jay and I walked up the stairs side by side without holding hands, which we usually would have done, but not couldn’t because Voight said so. The only thing that kept me from getting through this was the fact that Voight said Jay and I would only have to be partners until Vanessa had gotten used to being with the team. When I entered the bullpen, Kevin was waiting for me, and he extended a cup of coffee in my direction.

“Thanks, Kev. You’re the best,” I confess and give him a hug. Kevin was way taller and bigger than me, but that made our hugs even better. It almost felt like I was being smothered, but in a good way.

“Anything for you, Y/N. Hey, any word on when we’ll be partners again?” Kevin asked me.

“Not yet,” I reply. “For now, you’re stuck with Adam and Kim and I’m stuck with Jay.”

“You make it sound like that’s a bad thing, which it isn’t,” Jay pointed out and took a seat at his desk.

“I know, but I liked the way things were before. Kevin and I have the same connection you have with Hailey. We just work,” I say.

“Hey,” Adam spoke and poked his head out from the hallway that led towards the stairs and garage. “Voight wants everyone to suit up.”

“Copy that. We’ll be right there,” I respond.

...........................................

Jay held his radio up to his lips. “Anyone got eyes on our suspect?” he asked.

“Negative. Rojas and I are going to check out the side entrance,” Hailey replied.

“I’m going to make my way towards the middle of the factory. Maybe Mike is hiding out there,” I inform Jay.

“Okay. Be safe,” Jay told me, giving my hand a small squeeze.

“I will,” I say and emerge from my hiding spot with my gun raised, scanning the surrounding area. So far it was quiet, and from what I could tell, there was no one here. Maybe we had the wrong location? I continued walked into the factory, and soon, I was out of everyone’s sight. Just then, someone came up from behind me and slapped my gun from my hands, causing it to clatter against the cement floor feet away from me. I went to call out for backup, but Mike wrapped his arm around my neck, pressing his forearm against my throat. With his other hand, he covered my mouth and began to drag me away from the direction of Jay. I kicked and struggled in the arms of my captor in an attempt to get away, but nothing worked. That’s when I came up with a plan, but it wasn’t a good one. I bit the hand that was covering my mouth, and Mike cursed, shaking the pain out of it.

“Jay! Help!” I scream out into the abandoned factory. I was really hoping that Jay or someone would hear me because I did not want to be taken by our suspect, who, by the way, was a serial killer. As Mike was distracted trying to cover my mouth again, I managed to free myself from his grip and lunged for my gun. However, I came up short, and as I went to reach for my gun, our suspect grabbed my leg and dragged me back towards him. 

“Get off of me!” I shout and kick at his body as he got me back into the same position as before with one of his arms around my neck.

“No can do, lady. You’re my ticket out of here,” Mike admitted. At that moment, Jay came around the corner, and when he saw the position I was in, he aimed his gun at Mike, who tightened his hold on me/

“Let her go,” Jay spoke.

“You’re going to let me out of here,” Mike stated. “Or else I’m going to blow her brains out.” That’s when I felt cold metal being pressed against the side of my head, and I knew it was a gun. I could see Jay strengthen the grip on his gun, his finger hovering over the trigger. “I would think twice about firing” Mike said and clicked the safety off on his gun.

“Jay, its okay. I’m okay. Just put your gun down,” I say.

“Y/N, he’s got a gun trained to your head. I’m not putting my gun down,” Jay explained.

“Please,” I beg. “Just put it down.”

Jay sighed, but followed my order, placing his gun back in his holster. “Now its your turn,” he told Mike. Mike did the same and placed his gun away, but kept his arm around my neck. “Let her go, Mike.”

“No. She’s coming with me. Lets go,” Mike snapped at me and started dragging my body towards the back entrance, the only entrance that was unguarded at the moment since Hailey and Vanessa had moved to the side of the building.

“Y/N,” Jay called out after me, but it was too late, because Mike had already yanked me out of the building.

Jay’s POV

“Voight, Mike’s got Y/N. I’m going after her,” I explain over the radio.

“Halstead, you can’t. What did I tell you? Leave your feelings at the door. We’re going to get her back, but you chasing after a psychopath with a gun is not going to help Y/N out. Stay put,” Voight asserted.

“But Sarge,” I protest.

“Stay put, Halstead,” Voight demanded.

Y/N’s POV

“Where is everyone?” I mumble and glance through the bars of the cage I was sitting in. Mike had taken me back to his “secret lair”, which was in the basement of some other abandoned factory. Then he had taken anything off of me which could, according to Mike, “prove to be harmful.” That meant he took my handcuffs, pocketknife, and for some reason, my jacket and shoelaces. What made things worse was that he used my own handcuffs to keep me situated in the cage.

At that moment, Mike walked into the room with a backpack and started packing his things up. He grabbed clothes, money, and all sorts of other supplies, meaning he was going to run. I just hoped the team could find us before Mike took off.

“Hey,” I announce and rattle my handcuffs against the cage bars. “You said that I was your ticket out of that other factory, so why haven’t you let me go yet?”

Mike turned to face me at the sound of my voice, and he smirked. “Sorry sweetheart, but things change. I’ve got other plans for you now. As soon as I’m done packing, I’m going to have to kill you.”

“W-what?” I stutter. 

“I’ve got to tie off loose ends, and you are one big loose end. If it makes you feel better, I’ll let you choose how you go out. Would you prefer to be shot, strangled, or stabbed?” Mike asked me.

“None of those sound very appealing,” I grumble as I recounted that those methods were how Mike had killed his previous victims.

“Well, I’m done packing, so either you choose, or I’m going to choose for you,” Mike informed me.

“I’m not choosing. You’re not going to kill me,” I say.

“Stabbing it is,” Mike spoke and reached for the knife next to him before kneeling down in front of the cage I was in. When he opened the gate, I backed myself up as far as I could go, which wasn’t far seeing as the cage wasn’t that big. As Mike reached for my foot to drag me towards him, I slipped my foot free of his grasp and kicked him in the face. “You bitch,” he spat and lunged for me.

With my hands cuffed behind me, I was at a severe disadvantage, and I knew that if I didn’t do something, I was going to die down here. “Help!” I scream at the top of my lungs, still kicking at Mike to keep him at bay. “Help!”

“Shut up,” Mike barked at me and grabbed me by the leg, tugging me towards him.

“Let me go!” I cry out and attempt to get out of his grip. But it was no use because Mike now had me pinned down, the knife twirling between his fingers.

“Drop the knife. Drop it!” Jay shouted and appeared behind Mike, his gun trained at the back of Mike’s head.

Mike growled, and instead of putting the knife down, he stabbed it down towards me. That’s when I heard a gunshot, and just before Mike could reach me, he fell limp in my lap. I kicked his body away from me, but not before the blood had already stained my jeans.

“Hey. Are you okay?” Jay questioned as he went around the back of the cage to uncuff me.

“Yeah. I’m good. I’m fine,” I answer. Right when Jay uncuffed me, I climbed out the cage and threw myself into his arms. “Thank you for saving me.” Jay rubbed his hand up and down my back as I inhaled his familiar scent, and that’s when Voight walked into the room.

“Jay, I thought I told you to wait out back,” Voight chided and looked around the room, spotting Mike’s body almost instantly.

“Look, Sarge, I know you want Y/N and I to leave our relationship at the door, but I can’t. We can’t,” Jay clarified. “She’s my wife, and I would do anything to protect her.”

Voight sighed. “Okay,” he finally said. “I’ll lift the ‘leave your relationship at the door’ rule. But if I do that, I need you both to promise you won’t let it get in the way of work.”

“We promise,” I confirm.

“Good. Jay, take Y/N to the hospital to get checked on, and then head back to the district once you’re done,” Voight ordered.

“With all due respect, Sarge, I’m fine” I challenge. “I’m not hurt.”

“Knowing how Halstead is with hiding his injuries, I’m sure you’re not. You’re bleeding,” Voight pointed out and gestured to my leg. I looked down, and sure enough, I had a gash on the front of my right leg. I must’ve gotten it when defending myself from Mike. “Hospital. Now.” Voight demanded.

“Yes sir,” I say and take Jay’s hand, leading him out of the building.

“So are we heading to the hospital?” Jay asked me as we climbed into his truck.

“Hell no. I can just bandage this up at home. Voight won’t know the difference,” I respond.

Jay laughed and started up the engine. “You really are the best wife ever. Did you know that?”

I smiled. “It may have occurred to me once or twice. Now, lets get home. I don’t want to bleed all over your seats. I know how much you love this truck.”

“Yep. Best wife ever,” Jay stated.

______________________

Tag List:

@prettypyschoinpink @securityfriendly-jay @scarletsoldierrr @lorenakaspersen @virtualreader @carnationworld @caitsymichelle13​ @dreamingmanip @campingmonkey @winterberryfox @nevertoofarfromivar @anotherfan07 @giagma @mrspeacem1nusone @i-like-sparkly-things

[vore-scientist]

Like A Good Neighbor (sfw safe vore)

[M/nb vore with fearplay. safe soft oral non-sexual]

A tale of the Mystic Woods! Featuring Yonah HaEsh and Myran the Dwarf Witch and many other fun characters!

A story of bad first impressions and making new friends! Lots of GT, and a cute little adventure at a magical farmer’s market!

Warning: Careful there are references to Fa.tal! An example would be “ogres are far more likely to eat smallfolk than giants!” (implying that said actions are deadly). That is the extent of such references!

Other warning: mild harm during the immediate post-vore scene. Yonah just goes a little too far in scaring Myran.

——/——////——

“Did you hear?”

“Have you been told?”

“A new resident!”

“I haven’t checked it out myself! But Ms Zukkar told me-”

“A wizard!”

“Didn’t there used to be an old sorcerer there?”

“-new guy’s a witch!”

“So, hear about that new giant!”

“A giant wouldn’t fit in that tower! And wizards is all human!”

“A criminal, on the run they say”

“Maybe a magician? They like towers sometimes!”

“His Majesty wouldn’t hire a criminal!”

“-supposed to be evil?”

There were so many rumors being flung around that the dwarf witch Myran Gamadin decided to see for themselves and set out to investigate. Undoubtedly there was a new resident. The story was that he was a Mage, and a criminal, but also just expelled from The Academy of Wizardry. And a giant? That was strange, the old tower was much too small for a giant! Even if it was magic it was only 10ft taller than your average giant in the first place. However… they did hear about the trial of a giant recently… stuff that happened in the civilized court didn’t really concern those in the Woods.

“Why would you go to see a villain? You’re not evil!”

The World’s Largest™ Maine Coon cat trotted alongside the handsome young dwarf, looking more like an oddly fluffy pony than a cat.

“It’s important to know your neighbors! Even the evil ones!”

Siv flicked his tail up into his witch’s face.

“And he’s got to be just a young man! So young and the expectations on evil mages is so high! He will appreciate a friendly face!” Myran had done the math. If this Mage hadn’t even graduated from The Academy, he was at most 23. Unless he started his education late. But they doubted this.

“Why are we walking! You have your broom!” the cat complained.

“That’s for the tower, Siv. It’s one of those designed by assholes who think it’s clever to have the only entrance be the window at the top.”

“Hrfff,” said Siv.

“Do you think he will appreciate the house-warming gift? I didn’t really spend much time on it…”

“Fresh fish would be better.”

“Maybe if he were a cat. This is for a Mage.”

“Clippings of magical plants? Maybe for another witch. This is someone who was studying Wizardry.”

“Wizards use magical plants too!”

“Yeah, they buy them from witches!”

As the pair stepped out of the trees, they froze.

“I think he’ll like the gift,” Siv admitted as he And Myran stood in awe at the largest magical garden either of them had ever seen.

It wasn’t even finished yet! Plots of earth were freshly turned, and piles of wood, half built into beds that lay in patterns across the clearing. And massively spread apart. At least 3 meters between plots. And the finished ones. Well. They already had some amazing specimens. Even if they were just sprouting. Myran noticed the Twisted WyrmFern and harpy’s breath; delicate, but common magical plants that were being used to test out the soil. It was working great.

The garden did make Myran worry a bit.

Maybe this wasn’t a wizard at all! It could be a witch. And he could be very evil indeed. Even evil witches treated their gardens with the utmost care and attention.

But they had come this far. And the tower that looked over the garden was calling to them. Well. Not really. The green-black thorny vines screamed “STAY AWAY!” But when one had a flying broomstick, one didn’t need to heed such warnings.

Flipping their broom around like a baton, they sat side saddle and Siv hopped on the end, somehow managing to balance his prodigious fluff. They took off. And flew into the window.

“WOAAAHHH!”

It was like hitting an unexpected and large wave on a boogie board, but a magical one that flowed through the body! And Myran had never been to the ocean, so it made their brain swim.

The room, which from the outside looked normal, was anything but. The rumors of this being a giant were not just rumors.

This place was HUGE!

And yet, it was much too small.

Growing up, Myran had visited some giant villages with their family. They hadn’t been THAT much smaller then, but the houses and items in the village were definitely much larger. While giant mages certainly existed, they had their own traditions and made their own supplies.

This looked exactly like the workshop for a young wizard, with additions for the wizard being a giant. It was wild to see some of the common arcane tools at such an immense scale.

Flying over, Myran saw that the resident Mage had an ancient book under a magnifying glass, and had been translating it, with notes and commentary. Spell equations and diagrams were additionally copied in a dedicated smaller notebook.

While it was surely a fascinating read, they could tell at a glance the notes were somewhere in the middle of an involved spell, and they didn’t want to be the reason the Mage lost his place. The workbench had plenty of other diverting materials.

Siv had no interest in such things and curled up against the base of the magnifying glass. The sun hit the metal through the window, making it quite warm.

Myran put their broom down and explored the desk. There were several magical tombs! Rare ones! They flipped through and saw fresh handwritten notes tucked inside. Smart, this mage did not want to tarnish the original pages. There was also an open notebook and a few spell components laid out.

They stepped carefully back onto the notebook to get a better idea of what this wizard was up to. The notebook was written in giant, which Myran wasn’t fluent in but got the gist of. So this was indeed a giant wizard. Fascinating.

That’s what they were thinking until...

FEE FI FO FUM!

Myran nearly jumped out of their boots.

No longer fascinating. Very bad. Very dangerous! They’d heard stories that quoted these lines, classic, even amusing. However, hearing them bellowed by an actual giant nearly stopped their heart. These words were so loud and so immediately panic-inducing, especially when accompanied by thundering footsteps.

I SMELL THE BLOOD OF THE-

There was a pause and maybe a stutter

DWARVEN KIND!

The trap door off center in the room burst open and a giant with a mane of black hair, a trimmed goatee, and a wizard’s hat, climbed out. He was smiling, snarling, showing off impressive fangs.

USELESS TO FLEE, USELESS TO FIGHT, FOR YOU WILL BE MY MEAL TONIGHT!

Eat them!? Oh No. Myran scrambled to their feet as the giant advanced.

Siv had gone catatonic, or nearly, and fled behind the mirror. But Myran just stood there. The next thing they knew, they were in the giant's fist… AND THEN IN ITS MOUTH! There was a brief moment where they thought the giant was going to bite them in half… but no. Worse than that, the giant fulfilled his promise to make a meal of Myran by swallowing them whole.

Never had Myran imagined themselves in this predicament. Witches, as far as they knew, were not prone to being eaten by giants! Giants ate thieves, slayers, adventurers! Though... giants were known to occasionally eat random people that happened to be rude to them as they went about their business.

Myran had not been rude! They just hadn’t had a chance to be polite! This giant had no business eating them.

Not that any of this was actually going through Myran’s mind. Oh no. Myran’s thoughts were preoccupied with panicking about their impending doom!

First, they tried to stop the giant from swallowing. But the teeth threatened to crunch their limbs if they dared to try and find purchase! So, failing that, they tried to slow their progress down his esophagus.

The problem was the walls were too damn slippery! They knew that their slow progress was merely due to the tight fit, as they couldn’t stretch out. The flesh was too tough.

Right before they started to worry about suffocating, they were deposited into a large chamber, sliding into a puddle of nasty smelling fluid. They took a regretful breath of the rancid air.

Yonah sighed as the dwarf left his throat and settled into his stomach. Small yet still filling.

He patted his stomach lightly. “A bit disappointing. Dwarves don’t taste nearly as good as most other smallfolk, but I’m not complaining.” His prey thrashed and yelled but didn’t seem to be coherent.

YEOWCH!

Something bit his hand and he waved it violently. Whatever it was released and smacked into the wall that the desk was up against, crumpled into a motionless pile. Curious and momentarily forgetting his snack, Yonah investigated.

A cat!? And still alive but unconscious. Why had a cat attacked him? Then he saw the abandoned broom next to his notebook. And his stomach twisted.

“You’re— not a thief!” Technically, he could eat anyone he wanted, he wasn’t restricted to adventurers. He was still figuring out what kind of villain he wanted to be. Such self exploration would take time, time the person he ate didn’t have.

“I’m a witch!” He heard them squeak.

“A witch? Invading the lair of a wizard? Are you stupid!” He poked at them. They didn’t like that.

“Let me out!!”

So Yonah spat them up, sooner than he would have liked to, and leaned over them with a frown and glowing eyes.

The moment the witch hit the desk, the cat woke up and was between him and the witch as it hissed.

The witch was shaking and coughing, glancing at him with wide fearful eyes.

“If you’re a witch then what the fuck were you doing in my tower?” Yonah demanded.

The witch was still in shock but recovered enough to speak. “I’m… Myran! I wanted to introduce myself!”

“A likely story! Why would anyone want to introduce themselves to me?” Yonah wasn’t really in the mood for conversation, but figured he could use the practice at evil banter.

“You’re… new to the forest” they coughed.

“What’s it to you?”

“I’m your neighbor!” they said,

Yonah narrowed his eyes, “The forest is constantly moving, no such thing as neighbors.”

“I figured I’d try to be friendly!” they continued as if he hadn’t replied. “Everyone was talking about the new mage in the tower, but no one had any definitive stories.”

Another mistake. The giant snarled.

“You are a fool then! I don’t want any friends!” He hesitated briefly as he said it, not sure of the truth, but recovered fast. “But I don’t want you spreading rumors about my mercy either…” he picked them back up. Gripping them hard and getting their right arm between his teeth. He didn’t bite their arm off, but broke the skin with a fang and pinched their hand. They yelled.

“Stop! Stop! I won’t tell! I won’t tell!”

He dropped them and they sat, crying, holding their bleeding arm and hand which was turning a plum purple.

“Good,” he hissed steam in their face, scalding the skin red as his eyes glowed bright orange. “Now get the fuck out before I eat you for real!” He flicked the broom at them. “And if you ever show your face around here again, I will.”

Finally, they listened to him. They got onto the broom along with their cat and with a burst of magic kicked into the air and fled out the window. Yonah watched until they disappeared, then sat down. His hair hadn’t been smoking before but it was now. Additionally, his eyes still glowed.

His first visitor in months wasn't an adventurer and he’d eaten them without a second thought! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Maybe this was his destiny. For years he’d trained himself to be restrained. Keep his anger in check, Keep his half giant identity a secret and become a wizard. But that had all gone to shit when he’d been discovered not as just a half giant, but as a half fire witch. Chased out of the academy but captured by the authorities of Orr.

Forced to sign a contract with King Ben to become his new pet monster! So why not be a monster!?

But he still wanted friends… his friends from the academy weren’t allowed to visit him. His tower of magic and wonder was so empty. He put his elbows on his desk and buried his face in his hands.

~chink~ his elbow brushed against something.

He looked down and saw a broken clay pot, the soup spilling out and a seedling now helpless and exposed on the desk.

Quickly yonah dipped his fingers into a pouch at his side and licked it, saying a spell. With a puff of smoke he stood on his desk, a mere 8ft tall, and he knelt down.

With his more appropriately sized hands he gathered the soil and with a wave of his hand and another mutter the pieces of the pot shook and flew back into their original places. The pot was… functionally repaired. The proper repair spell required materials to fuse the pieces properly. So it wouldn’t hold water, but it could hold soil.

As he scooped it back in, a piece of paper fell from the loose soil. Curious he dug it back out of the pot and cleaned it off enough to read:

“Welcome to the Mystical Woodlands new neighbor! This seedling is from my own garden. A special cultivation of Frozen Thyme.”

The moment he read it he was instantly planning where this would go in his garden. But… this gift. Did he deserve it? He’d eaten the one who brought it. He chased them away!

He couldn’t accept this gift but he couldn’t just let the seedling wither and die. It didn’t deserve that. And thus, his brain rationalized a way for him to keep the gift. So now what?

Yonah’s brain was too full of rage to do any proper work, so he decided to take it out on the garden, which was still in a state of construction. He’d already torn up old dead pieces of the overgrown mess left behind by the predecessor. Now he was digging spots for flower beds and what would hopefully be an orchard. There was even a designated spot for herbs.

The reason this was slow going was he refused to use magic. For the most part. Thankfully, being giant made digging and construction easier. Now that he had the thyme, he prioritized the herb beds. It was with a sour pride that he completed one as the sun started to go down.

A large wooden box that curved in a lovely arc close to the tower. The wood was specially imported from his The Blue Sky Mountain Giants Tribe in the Implausible Mountains, the smell of it reminding him of home. The frozen thyme seedling was given enough space to grow. He even gave it some friends that he knew would be compatible.

With his mind a little more at ease, he managed to get himself to sleep.

And awoke the next morning with an ache in his heart and a new plan in his brain.

For the first time since he arrived in this prison of a forest, he ventured beyond the boundaries of his clearing. Yonah knew he was allowed, a certain distance from his tower, to walk the forest. It had just seemed pointless. Not wanting to draw too much attention, he wore his gardening outfit: a pink plaid button up and light blue overalls. He had a straw hat that he recently wove to be a wizard hat, as well as his wizard staff. He couldn’t really leave that behind.

The trees in the forest were shorter than back home, but still very large. Thankfully he didn't have to duck so much to avoid branches. In his mind was a list of ingredients he needed to find. Foraging in the forest might seem like a fruitless endeavor, but when you have the keen nose of a giant, tracking down wildberries was a simple feat.

What a bounty! A huge patch of bramble with perfectly ripe berries. He didn’t need a giant’s amount and they would just get squashed if he tried to pick them at his normal size so once again he shrank down. He retrieved a basket from his hat and started to pick berries.

About ten minutes in, the bush began to shift! A section opened up and out ran a gnome with a garden spade. It smacked into his hand mid berry pick.

“Stop! Thief!”

SMACK SMACK!

Yonah was so startled he backed away and returned to his normal size, the basket of berries spilling over.

The gnome yelped. “Giant!” They dropped the spade. “Don’t eat me! Take berries! Don’t eat me or family!”

There was something satisfying about the gnome’s fear and Yonah grinned, “While you would make for a nice little snack,” he said, “I’m not in the mood for gnome today.”

The gnome shook and took up the spade again, pointing it at him as if that would help. From inside the bushes, Yonah heard rustling, and smelled more gnomes. This must cover their burrow.

“Put that away, or I might change my mind!” Yonah growled, showing his fangs. The gnome complied, tossing it aside.

“But you are also in luck. I am not interested in being a berry thief. I have more honor than that. If you would permit me to buy some of your berries, at a discount for me not making a meal of you and your family, I will leave you in peace”

The gnome gulped and nodded, “Am… sure we can make a deal.”

“Pick up the ones I already picked, will you?” Yonah ordered.

The gnome scrambled. “You will need more?”

Yonah nodded. The gnome whistled. And a troupe of younger gnomes carefully came out of the bramble.

“Kind giant has offered to buy some berries. Exchange for not eating us!”

The kids looked nervous and their fear didn’t spark the same kind of joy as the adults. But Yonah had a reputation to build! And he had to admit, it was still a bit fun.

He watched as the gnomes gathered berries until the basket was full and the adult gnome put it down in front of where Yonah had sat down. He picked it up and took off his hat, dropping it in and noticed the gnome’s eyes get wide. Storage space items were not uncommon, but storage hats were tools of professional mages, not common folk.

“That all?” the gnome asked.

Yonah stroked his beard thoughtfully, “Yes. I think so.” He reached into this hat. While he didn’t have a lot of money, Ben had supplied him with funds should he need them, and he had distributed the rings between his various pocket spaces. He got out a large wooden dowel upon which hung many metal rings. Small ones and large ones. With a pair of tweezers, yonah removed a few silver rings and one gold ring and put them into his palm, placing it up in front of the gnome.

Who did not take it.

“Do not insult me by refusing my payment,” Yonah insisted but the gnome did not move.

“More than we charge normally… You wanted discount: berries, a silver a pound!”

Yonah blinked. He still wasn’t good with smallfolk money. When purchasing as a giant, you purchased such large amounts it always cost at least a gold.

“Oh? Er-” he didn’t want to actually exploit these gnomes. “I'm not taking it back! Take the money Or I’ll eat you!” his voice faltered and the gnomes looked a little confused, and a little more relaxed.

“Leave us alone then, yes?” The gnome reached out a hand. Yonah nodded. The gnome finally took the money, giving each of the kids a silver ring. Any fear the kids had was gone as soon as they studied their rings and looked at Yonah with excitement. It was hard not to let the warmth in his heart at their expressions show on his own face.

“Actually!” Yonah announced as the gnomes started to back away into their burrow.

The adult stopped and looked nervous again. Yonah huffed. “I’m not going to eat you, I never was. I just have a question.”

The gnome ushered the kids away, not trusting Yonah, before turning back to the giant. “And if don’t have a good answer, you won’t eat… right?”

With a sigh Yonah shook his head, “No. I won't.”

“Then ask.”

Yonah took a breath, “I am... looking to get some ingredients. I… lashed out at someone recently and I very much regret it, and want to make some amends. I have giant ones back home but… giant sized ingredients do not taste as strong as small ones. Do you know where, or who, I might be able to look for?”

The gnome smiles, “Yes! Mystical Market. Sell our berries there. Open today, also gnome holiday.” They gave Yonah the instructions on how to find the market.

“Thank you- er…” Yonah put a hand to his chest and bowed.

“Kalle” said Kalle.

“Yonah,” said Yonah. The gnome bowed as well, “Don’t be flaunting riches, mysterious half giant. Marketeers take advantage”

Riches!? He did not have endless funds. He would have to be more careful with his spending.

“I am also looking for… Er... Shit!” he exclaimed and was glad the kids were no longer outside, “I don't know their name. Dwarf witch.”

Kalle considered, “Know them. Likes almond cookies. Sorry. Market easier find than people. That all?”

From their tone of voice, Yonah knew the gnome desperately wanted to get back to their family. It was a holiday after all. Yonah stood up and nodded, leaving without subjecting them to any more conversation.

Almond cookies? That changed things. He had only made almond cookies once! He needed a little more help. However, he did not backtrack to the tower. He knew that if he went back, he would lose motivation. Locating the market was his current task.

Unfortunately, it took some luck. According to the gnome, it was a special place that one happened to come across, just by wanting to be there. The more familiar you were with it, the better chance there was of that happening. Yonah really really wanted to be there. So he gathered his will and set off in a random direction.

After an hour of walking yonah felt a weird tingle all over his arms and legs. Like his hair was standing on end and all pointing in the same direction. Had he entered some magical field? No matter, he was fairly immune to passive magic.

Then he took another step and a jolt of magic electricity surged through his body, causing him to freeze up. Before he could collapse, he felt as if a giant hook had caught around his middle. There was no physical hook, but it still yanked him back, pulling in through the forest.

Eventually it stopped and finally Yonah fell over, breathing shallowly as his heart raced. He rolled onto his back and stared up into the trees.

“What’s the big idea!?” Someone kicked him in the side and he sat up. “You’re blocking the way!”

An elf!

Yonah frowned. “You’re so bold for someone I could crush with a finger!” To tease the elf, he poked them in the chest.

“YEOWCH!”

For the second time that day, Yonah got bitten. This time, it was the elf who sank their fangs into his finger, letting go before Yonah pulled away.

“Don’t get sassy with me! Messing with smallfolk isn’t allowed in the market, you'll be banned!”

Yonah looked around “The market?”

He had assumed it was the Mystical Market because it was in the Mystical Woodlands. But now he realized that the name was rather accurate. An entire marketplace incorporated into the forest itself. Stalls and restaurants built into the trees, with carts parked in between. The trees here were also… there was no other word for it: majestic. Larger and older and, compared to the forest he had been exploring before, more deliberate spacing. He couldn’t even see all of it. The forest stretched on for a while, and thus was obscured by the very trees that made up the shops.

There were even buildings in the branches so that ogres, trolls, and giants did not have to bend down to make transactions. He even spotted a few trolls. Amazing! Trolls (and ogres) were much more likely than giants to eat smallfolk. Giants mostly threatened unless the person in question did something really, really stupid.

And yet, there was a troll, large with brown fur and green spots, purchasing a roll of fabric from the elevated section of a gnome shop.

“Yes you idiot, the market! And my cart won't fit through any other path! Move your giant ass or I’ll get the guard to move it for you!”

His elation at having found the market was in conflict with his pride that was being so insulted by this little creature.

“Apologize for biting me, and I’ll consider it!”

The elf looked indignant. “You threatened to squash me! MAGEN!!” they yelled.

Thunderous footsteps were heard and Yonah turned as a proper, full blooded giant, made her way through the shoppers, somehow avoiding stepping on anyone. She was maybe 17, but full grown and taller than Yonah by at least ten feet. Her skin was a light greyish pink and her eyes were a dark red. She wore a lovely headpiece of woven flowers and vines to look like hair, which full giants do not have.

She knelt “This man bothering you?”

The elf nodded. Yonah threw his hands up, “Hey! I don’t mean any trouble!”

“He threatened to squash me!”

The giant glared at Yonah, who glared back.

“How largefolk deal with smalls outside of the market is their own business,” she said. “But inside the market we do not even threaten to squash, or kick, or stomp, or eat!”

“I did not intend to and I did not know I was in the market! I have never been before!” Yonah stood up so that he was not at such an extreme height disadvantage. Magen was a rather short mountain giant, only 35ft tall.

She nodded, “I can believe that.” She stood up. “I would have remembered you for sure.” She sniffed and said in implausible Giant: “You are from the blue sky tribe?”

“Yes! I am.” he answered, also in Giant. “I just moved to the forest. I was looking for the market but… I must have… hit something magic. I sort of fell into here”.

The elf took the opportunity to weave their cart around the giants’ feet, disappearing into the market.

“Ah, the seller seems to no longer push this issue. My name is Magen.” she introduced, bowing.

“Yonah HaEsh,” Yonah answered in return.

“HaEsh! I know the name. Fire man who helped save the Implausible Mountains from the Society of Wizards!”

“That’s my dad,” Yonah said, a little embarrassed.

“Mom told me the story! How exciting!”

Yonah brushed himself off and glanced around, “So... What are the rules here, then?”

Magen shrugged, “Just don’t start fights, alright? All sales are final, so don't go making a fuss if you haggled wrong or think you got cheated unless you believe your items are defective. There are ways to deal with fraudulent goods, but we cannot risk collateral damage.”

“Does that happen often?” Yonah asked, “I only mean to buy food, I can tell if that’s fresh”

“Oh, you have a giant’s nose then. Good. It does not happen often. Makes my job easier. And I usually manage to break up confrontations before they get out of hand.”

Knowing he could likely sniff out the stalls he needed, Yonah asked if Magen could show him around and help him find all the items on his list. She happily agreed. He had to walk behind her as there wasn’t room for two giants to be side by side.

As she carefully led him, she took glances back and down Yonah who was getting a little nervous. It had been a while since he encountered other giants. He was watching his feet to make sure he didn’t hurt anyone, and he was stopping constantly to look into the shops and stalls and carts.

“What is it like, being half giant?” Magen asked, who somehow managed to walk without looking at her feet very often at all. Maybe Yonah was being too careful and people here knew to stay out of the way of largefolk's feet… Still, he didn't want to take chances.

“Er… I have hair, I guess?” he said.

“I was wondering if that was natural or a wig.” Magen brushed the vines spilling from her head.

“But mostly, things were just a bit inconveniently large for me. I still managed.” Then he countered. “What’s it like being a guard in the market?”

“The shopkeepers pool money to have me stand around, mostly. Smallfolk behave when an angry giant is within earshot.” She grinned with all her fangs.

“I thought you said giants couldnt mess with smallfolk here?” Yonah inquired.

“You can’t. It’s my job to interfere,” Magen retorted. “I haven't hurt anyone… badly. I’ve only worked here for a year. But I know everyone and everyone knows me!”

They stopped at a stand selling nuts and Yonah purchased the almonds he needed. The seller seemed a bit disappointed that he bought so few.

“Shopping for someone small?” Magen asked.

“Er- yeah.” Yonah said. They both had to back between trees to let a trio of trolls go by. One was only 10 feet tall and barely came up to Yonah’s waist, but another was nearly 20 feet! They carried baskets and bags on their furry backs, and even had some tied to their tusks!

Before they continued, two elves leapt from the tree nearby and onto Yonah’s shoulders! He was about to brush them off when Magen stopped him.

“Don’t! They are just hitching rides!” At that, he spotted more elves on her head. “You need honey, yes? I know the best shop!”

He followed Magen around the market, which was much larger than he had realized. The elves had no qualms about leaping on and off him and other largefolk shoppers and eventually he ignored them. Magen even helped him avoid making a bad deal for oat flour, saying she couldn’t believe the nerve of the shopkeeper trying to take advantage of a new resident.

Before Yonah left, he wanted to properly thank Magen. “If there is anything I can do to show thanks. Perhaps er-” he looked around.

“You know, the juice stand behind that tree has new flavors I’ve wanted to try. How about you buy me a drink? You should get one too. It’s very refreshing!”

“They make them giant sized?” Yonah asked.

“Oh, they are made by ogres!” Magen replied, rounding the indicated tree.

Ogres, kin of trolls and even more dangerous due to their magical powers. Typically smaller than trolls, but that was not the way to tell them apart.

An entire family of ogres were operating a massive open storefront. Jugs hung from branches or were strapped to the trunks of trees and fruit swung in baskets. Behind the counter was an elaborate prep station operated by two large ogres. Around the entire display were platforms sticking out from the nearby trees. Smallfolk sat on stools enjoying drinks and food at an elevation that made it easy to be served by the ogres. Magen walked up to the counter, which was not at an ideal height for her but was easily manageable. She spoke to an ogre with straw colored fur, blue spots, and large horns.

“Edna! I’d like two passion fruit smoothies please! One giant sized and one…” She glanced back at Yonah. “Full Troll sized!” She stepped aside and pointed at Yonah. “He’s paying”

Edna nodded and passed on the order.

Yonah stepped forward. Bowing “Yonah HaEsh”. She bowed back, “Edna Baneclaw. That will be a gold bracelet for the giant and half for the full troll”

Yonah’s heart nearly stopped. A gold bracelet and a half !? He looked at Magen who flashed her fangs mischievously then back at Enda.

Edna smiled as well. “We don’t have enlarged passion fruit, not in high demand by largefolk.”

With another glare at Magen, Yonah fished into his hat. He didn’t have gold bracelets but he had rings. 10 silver to a gold. Rings to Rings. Bracelets to Bracelets… 10 gold rings to a silver bracelet… 10 silver bracelets to a gold ring. That’s 100 gold rings to a gold bracelet (he had really overpaid the gnomes for the berries... A holiday gift he supposed), but this was not money to spend on frivolous fruit drinks!

Too late, however. The drinks were ready, and he carefully removed golden rings from silver bracelets. 50 gold rings and 10 silver bracelets exchanged for two smoothies. They came in wooden cups with bamboo straws.

This better be fucking worth it. Yonah took a sip.

His eyes widened as the cool icy tart concoction hit his taste buds and he took a long drink. Finally, he looked at Magen and then Edna. “This is incredible!” he exclaimed. Magen grinned and sipped hers as well. “Yeah. Too bad we’re the last two to have some for at least a month!”

“What do you mean?”

“That took all the passion fruit we had,” Edna informed. “Won't get more for a while”

“Worth it! Suck it smallfolk!” Magen teased the people on the platforms, a few looked a bit annoyed, but most didn't seem to care. She didn't seem to care either.

“Well it was nice meeting you, Yonah. I hope to see you again. Oh, and by the way, you can return your mug to the ogres for a silver bracelet, even if you take it home today!”

Yonah glanced at his drink. “Oh! Thanks for letting me know. But where are you going?”

Magen sipped at her smoothie loudly before answering. “This was my break, silly, I need to go back on proper duty now, and you have all your things.” Magen held out her free hand and Yonah shook it, bidding her goodbye. It was getting late in the day now and he wanted to get to work on the almond cookies.

Wait… which way was back to the tower? How could he be so stupid wandering off like this!? His mom taught him better than that. Forest ranger rule number 1: DON’T GET LOST. ...okay, so that wasn’t really a rule. It was supposed to imply that you paid attention to where you were going so you could get back. This was not so easy in the Mystic Woods.

The moment he had walked far enough away from the market, he turned forward and then back, and it was already gone. He had nowhere to go but forward.

It was to his great surprise that only a minute later, he exited the dense trees and found himself in the clearing. The tower was on the opposite side. While he was elated to have made it back safely before dark, there was a distinct absence of any gladness to be home. This was not his home, after all. It was his prison.

Yonah HaEsh climbed up the tower and back into his prison. He took off his hat and sat down at his desk in the workshop, staring into the reflection on the large, ornate mirror that rested upon it.

To do this right, he needed help. Professional help. So he activated his mirror. Or at least… tried. He stared at his own reflection, then spoke. “Mirror Mirror on the desk,” he faltered, “Could you please connect me to Shoshana at the academy?”

The mirror snorted. “You think politeness will work after all this time? I don’t make exceptions. This is why your friends think you’ve forgotten about them! Put in the effort! Ask me properly or don't at all.”

“They’ve called me!!” Yonah insisted, but the mirror said nothing in response. Just like he would do when he got calls from his friends. Yonah growled and snorted back at the mirror, fogging it up. “Mirror Mirror, oh magical vanity, I wish to call Shoshana, at the wizard academy”

There was a whistle from the mirror. “Now that’s how you do it!” it praised. The fog cleared and for a brief moment, he saw his own face again before the reflective surface turned grey. Another moment and the face of his friend Shoshana emerged.

“Yonah!!!” she exclaimed. “You called! I cannot believe it!”

Yonah’s face turned a bit red. “I’ve… been distracted.”

Shoshana waved her hand, stopping any further excuses. “You’ve been through so much! I was worried! Since we graduated, you haven't called at all!”

/I never called before either... / Yonah thought. /It was always you.../ When Grand Master Sean reinstated him as a wizardling student, his friends would call regularly to work on homework and their theses, as he wasn’t allowed to actually attend the school in person. And while he attended the graduation…

That wasn’t a happy memory at all and he didn’t want to think about how he sat behind all the students in the amphitheater in magic chains looking more like a beast one of the adventuring tract students had wrangled for their final than a student.

“I need a recipe!” he said.

Shoshana raised her brows “That’s it!? First call in over a month, and it’s to get a recipe! You don’t want to catch up at all?!” Yonah’s eyes flickered and Shoshana backed off. “Alright, I can see you’re not in the mood. But please, we’re all missing you so much. We’d assumed you embraced the evil hermit wizard life.”

“I… haven’t meant to. But it’s surprisingly easy,” he admitted, grinning awkwardly. “I’d rather not go full hermit, of course.”

“Well, then dont go a month without calling your friends!” Shoshana chided. “Or make some new friends! The forest is full of interesting people, right?”

Yonah looked away, but his eyes were probably glowing orange now.

“This… is for that.”

“Oh!” Shoshana exclaimed, “I should have figured! Of course, I will give you whatever recipe you’d like.”

Yonah got out his ingredients to show Shoshana and explained what he wanted to bake. She nodded and made some suggestions for ingredients and spices to really make these cookies great. He did not have all the supplies she suggested, which led to some back-and-forth as Shoshana pointed out some substitutions for what Yonah bought or already had in his tower.

“Got that all down?” she asked, as she watched Yonah scribble out the final lines to the recipe.

“Yes!” Yonah exhaled in relief. “Thank you so much, Shosh!”

“Next time, we will catch up properly, but I had fun designing this recipe!” Shoshana chirped. “What a challenge. I wish you had called first, before just buying random ingredients.”

“I was already in the forest, Shosh.”

“I know, I know.” Shoshana blew Yonah a kiss and the mirror flickered back to his reflection.

It was time to bake! Which he did after shrinking down.

By the time he was done baking his jam print almond cookies, it was past midnight. He needed sleep and didn't think finding the witch at night was a particularly wise idea, especially since he was getting tired. That meant he was extra likely to be grumpy and irritable. So he placed the cookies in a special cooling rack to keep them magically fresh, then went to bed.

It was right after breakfast that Yonah HaEsh left the tower and, for the second time, entered the forest.

Once again, he had no direction, not that one could in the Mystic Woods. It wasn't even possible to have a map unless it was incredibly magical. Still, he was determined and willing to wander the forest for days if he must! But he’d do so at his full size, which would allow him to cover more ground.

That’s… That’s a witch’s hut! He hoped it was the correct one. It was more of a mound than a hut, with one side covered in rocks and moss and the other a more sheer side with windows, plus a flatter side with a door.

As he approached, a garden came into view and he heard a yelp before watching a small figure dart into the hut and close the curtains. The door opened briefly and a hand hung a sign that read “NO SOLICITORS”

That was the evil giant! Why was he here!? Why did the forest let him find the hut!? Was he here to eat them?! To finish the job!? Could they take on a giant fire witch?! Myran was a damn skilled witch, and at least 15 years the giant’s senior by their estimate, but they were quaking in their boots.

A knock sounded at their door. It didn’t sound forceful enough to be a giant. Siv was in front of them, hissing at the door. Thinking it better to be safe, they peeked out the window, then ran to open the door. Just a crack.

Red faced and holding a basket was… the giant. Only he wasn’t giant. Not exactly. He now stood at about twice Myran’s height. A little less actually. Right. Wizard. Giant wizard.

“May I come in?”

“Depends… what’s in the basket?” They narrowed their eyes. “I don’t want any nasty surprises.”

The wizard’s face got redder as he removed the cover. They opened the door and stood aside. They took the basket with their right hand… Yonah hesitated. Their arm had a massive scar from shoulder to elbow, but the hand was unbroken. The Dwarf noticed and gave him a hard look as he crouched low to get through the dwarf sized door, Siv still hissing at him in warning.

Myran put the basket on the kitchen table and motioned to the couch. “Please, sit.” Yonah did. The couch was small for him but it took his weight. “I’m going to be honest.” Myran leaned against the kitchen table and crossed their arms. “This is quite the unexpected visit.”

“Oh?” Yonah said. Of course, it made sense. He chased them out. Why would he then try to find them again?

“You bit me!” Myran reminded him harshly. “You broke my hand, and you said if you saw me again, you would eat me. Again. And kill me.”

/Ohhhh/

Yonah’s breath caught before managing to say. “I did… didn’t I?” He looked down at his feet.

Myran. sighed. “Yep. Though eating me at your current size would be an impressive feat. So... What the fuck are you doing here? Besides bringing me cookies to fatten me up.”

“I’m not-!” He looked back up to defend himself and saw their cheeky grin. “I didn’t come here to eat you…” They raised an eyebrow in sarcastic disbelief. “I want to apologize. For what I said… What I did. After I ate you. I was so angry. I still am, though mostly at myself. I shouldn't have hurt you. It wasn’t right.” He was almost crying. Dammit, he’d gone nearly a month without crying!

“And for eating me?”

“Huh?” Yonah was thoroughly confused.

“You’re sorry for what happened after you ate me, but what about eating me?”

Yonah bit his lip, “I’m… I’m not sorry about that.”

The witch raised both eyebrows now, genuinely curious as to the workings of this monster’s thoughts.

“I’m supposed to eat people! Especially those who enter my tower unannounced. It’s part of my job! And… And I like it!” He startled himself with that statement. He liked his job? He didn’t even want this job!! He was forcefully employed by the King under threat of death! Being evil had never been his plan and he didn’t want that. Did he?

The witch didn’t look completely satisfied with this answer. But they didn’t get to inquire further as Yonah’s curiosity got the better of him.

“Er- your hand…”

Myran smiled “It was rather mangled by your jaws yesterday. Luckily, I am a very good healer, and well-known in this forest. If you had killed me, you would have had a lot of angry forest residents after your head.” Myran began preparing a pot of tea as Yonah Processed that statement. “You’re a lucky giant aren’t you?”

“What?” Yonah voiced. “For not killing you and putting a target on my back?”

“Yes, exactly. And that was curious. It is rare that evil giants are merciful.”

Yonah looked away, “I’ve only been evil for a few months. I… you’re the third person I’ve eaten at all. And I dont… I haven’t yet… killed anyone.”

That surprised Myran. “I guess I do not know the frequency that giants normally encounter adventurers… but what I meant was you’re lucky that you even get to eat people. Most giants like the taste of smallfolk but they don't actually eat them. It’s rather rare.”

“You said it yourself. Evil Giants eat people,” Yonah pointed out. “Which I am one. I guess it’s… nice that I get to eat folks. But it comes with a cost… It’s only a matter of time before slayers come after me.”

“Most evil giants kill their victims, right?” Myran asked.

Yonah shrugged “I met another one once. Said it depended on his mood.”

“Fascinating… though if you keep up your more merciful streak, perhaps you are less likely to attract slayers?”

“Perhaps…” Yonah had not considered that. He just felt he wasn’t ready to kill anyone yet, but maybe there were other perks than just a clear conscience in continuing to let his snacks go.

“Cracked some sort of code then?” Myran inquired. “Getting to eat people without attracting too much attention? Not that this would stop all slayers,” they added. “I expect you would kill a slayer?”

Yonah nodded, sniffed, and wiped his nose. In that case… Guess he was lucky. Indeed, he’d gotten to taste plenty of smallfolk. Plenty of giants did. It was unique that he’d had his human dad while growing up. But all of the smallfolk in the village knew that when giants kissed their hands, the giants were getting little tastes. Sometimes giants would lick a friend playfully or freak someone out. He’d had a few elvish and human friends growing up, and they sometimes let him and the other giant kids lick them during games of Jacks and Giants. And his academy friends were quite amused by his affections. He very much missed them. It had not taken long for him to get used to living amongst human friends, not just because he got to taste them. And so quickly, that was taken away from him. Friends…

As tears welled in his eyes he couldn’t look at Myran any longer. He closed his eyes and turned his face away. Should he keep talking? Shit, how much of that had he said out loud!? The words continued to come out regardless.

“I know I said I didn’t want any friends. But I do! I need them. And I know I can’t be your friend. You came to me and I fucked it up. But I beseech you to not tell everyone else in the forest to avoid me. I already went to the mystical market and-“

“You… how did you find out that I liked almonds!”

Yonah looked up. They weren’t looking at him but reaching into the basket for another cookie. They munched on it thoughtfully, not a crumb falling into their beard. The tea was ready and Myran poured it with magic, leaving their hands free to hold more cookies. They walked over to Yonah, the tea cups floating with. He took the larger one out of mid air. It was very hot! And he drank. It was… It tasted like tea he’d had at home. His village had alway gotten various teas from the dwarves. New tears came to his eyes.

“You alright?” Myran asked, offering a handkerchief. “You’re a very emotional evil giant.”

Yonah took it and dried his eyes. “The tea is… really good.” That wasn’t the real reason but right now he couldn’t process all of his emotions.

“It’s my grandma’s blend,” Myran said. “I’ve tried to replicate it using my garden, but you just can’t replicate those tunnel grown fungi.”

They dipped one of the cookies into the tea. From their expression, it wasn’t really a mistake but likely didn’t improve the experience. Still they munched thoughtfully.

“I’ll be your friend.”

Yonah’s jaw nearly hit the floor and he almost dropped his tea. It was a few seconds before he managed to pick his jaw back up. Were they serious? They walked over to him, placing their much smaller hand over one of his. Then they smiled most disarmingly.

“Just don’t eat me again.”

Yonah smiled.

“I think I can manage that”

[FIN]

——

(You can imagine that Yonah got to hug Myran before he left, probably a little too tight but dwarves are tough!)

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[eternally-writing]

chain reaction 02 | jjk

genre: fluff and angst 

rating: PG 

pairing: Jungkook x reader

theme: college!au , enemies to lovers, series 

word count: 4.6k

warnings: light swearing

synopsis: A semester with your mortal enemy, Jeon Jungkook, as your lab partner was bound to be an experience to remember. 

banner by me!

read part 1 here! 

 If you want to be tagged in future parts, send me an ask! 

--♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡--

When you had imagined what Jeon Jungkook’s apartment would look like, you had definitely thought it would look something like an evil lair (except messy, because Jungkook definitely struck you as the messy type). 

However, upon stepping into his surprisingly well-finished apartment, you found the exact opposite case. Before this, you had planned to make a ton of jokes based on whatever you would find in Jungkook’s apartment. And the truth was, you still could. 

Jeon Jungkook was an absolute neat freak. You watched the way he subtly shuddered as a fleck of dirt from your shoes travelled off of his doormat and you took note of how his kitchen counter was so clean you could probably eat directly off of it (which was especially rare from someone in college). If he had a roommate, there was no trace of him right now, as the apartment pretty much looked like a showhome.

“I didn’t know you were such a clean freak, Jeon,” you said with a smirk.

For the first time, you saw Jeon Jungkook look the slightest bit timid. 

“I like to keep things tidy, I guess,” he said while rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand. 

He gestured for you to enter his quaint but somehow spacious living room as he sped to the kitchen to grab you a glass of water (he may not like you, but he’d be damned by his mother if she found out he let a guest into his place without giving them a beverage).

You had a very clear game plan when it came to entering Jeon Jungkook’s apartment: Enter. Talk about the project (and nothing else). Grab the chemistry notes from the class you missed on Monday. Leave. 

It definitely seemed like an easy peasy 4 step plan  -  except that all seemed to flow out the window once you saw the photo Jungkook kept on his coffee table. From what you could decipher, it looked like a high school aged Jungkook in a music studio, right in front of the mic, with some of his friends around him. You had never seen Jungkook smile as big as he was in that picture, and it even managed to pull at your heartstrings.

Before you could open your mouth to ask about it, Jungkook had already come over to you and slammed the picture to be face down on the table, leaving smiley high school Jungkook out of sight. 

“An invitation into my apartment isn’t an invitation into my private life, Y/N. Don’t get it twisted.” he said coldly, dropping the glass of water hashly onto a coaster by the picture frame. 

To be fair, you kind of deserved that (and looking into Jungkook’s personal life definitely wasn’t part of your 4 step plan to seeing him today), but he didn’t have to be that mean.  As a peace offering you moved as far away from the photo frame as you could.

“Let’s just get this over with, Jeon. I have a pilates class in an hour on the other side of campus.”

Now Jungkook couldn't pass up that opportunity to make a joke. 

“Pilates, mmm.”  He let out an overexaggerated moan to make his point. 

“ Think you can slip my number to the hot girls there Y/N,” said Jungkook with a smirk. 

“In your dreams Jeon. You’re lucky if any girls will still want your number if you fail organic chemistry, which is what you’re going to do if we don’t work on this project.”

“I think you’re forgetting Y/N.” he said as he bent down, bringing his lips to your ear - “if I go down I’m taking you with me sunshine”. 

Ignoring how his close proximity to you was making your heart race (it was probably due to anger, right??), you jumped away from him and pulled out your macbook.

“Our group contract is due tomorrow so let’s just finish that up and then I’ll be out of your hair okay?” you said with an air of desperation and potentially sexual frustration.

For the most part, you and Jungkook worked in silence besides the occasional sound of you typing or clearing your throat. Looking at the live google doc in front of you and the progress you both were making, you were starting to think that working with Jungkook might not be the worst thing in the world. 

Jeon Jungkook and Y/N L/N : CHEM 251 LAB PRESENTATION CONTRACT

Topic - Green Chemistry 

1. Answer all communication from your partner (emails, messages) within 24 hours

2. Complete all portions of assignments at least 1 day before it is due. 

3. Any changes to your availability should be communicated to your partner. 

4. Y/N will handle the background literature and introduction of the presentation. 

5. Jungkook will look for future applications of Green Chemistry and direct applications of course material in the field of Green Chemistry. 

6. Don’t fall in love with your partner. 

As soon as you saw Jungkook type the last point on the document, you glared at him beside you on the couch. 

“Seriously Jeon? I forgot you have the mindset of a 13 year old boy,” you muttered as he looked at you cockily. 

You took a deep breath as your internal monologue started to run: 

Okay, Y/N. you’re not here to let Jeon Jungkook mess with you. 3 strikes and you’re out of here - there’s no reason to need to keep up with his bullshit (especially since at least the first part of your project was over).

Jungkook had then had to add more rules to your group contract. 

7. Y/N will give out Jungkook’s number to any hot girl at her pilates class. 

You groaned and hastily deleted off the document. 

That was strike 1 for Jungkook. 3 strikes and he’s out. 

Jungkook was still relentless in his attacks. 

“Seriously though Y/N, do you really not think I’m attractive at all? You really don’t want a piece of this?,” he said as he wiggled his eyebrows and gestured to his body all too suggestively. 

“Cut it out Jeon, I’m not dealing with your shit today,” you hissed, your eyes shooting metaphorical lasers into Jungkook. 

Strike 2: He’s getting close. 

“C’mon Y/N, what’s the chance that you’ll ever be able to bag someone as hot as me. I mean, look at me and look at you!”

Strike 3: you were DONE  with Jeon Jungkook today.

Not even stopping to put on your shoes fully, you took one last glance back at him before you walked out the door. 

“Fuck you, Jeon Jungkook.”

The glass of water he got you sat untouched on his coffee table, drops of water spilling onto the photo frame beside it due to his apartment shaking from you slamming his door.

Mirroring the new droplets on his coffee table, you found tears starting to drop across your face as well. 

--♡--

Even though you loved your chemistry lecture, you’re not sure why chemistry labs had such a bad vibe to you. The most obvious explanation for this would be having Jeon Jungkook as a lab partner (especially after your last meeting, the situation speaks for itself). But what could be is probably at least part of the reason is because of what happened in your first year 8AM chem lab. After getting through a grueling 3 hour titration (that you messed up and got no results for in the end), you walked back to your dorm to find your (now ex) boyfriend Jimin in bed with your roommate, Soomi. 

Needless to stay you left that day with one less friend, no boyfriend (and you had also gotten 16/30 on that lab… yikes), so chemistry labs did leave a little bit of a bad taste in your mouth. 

It had been months since that incident, but even after getting a new lease and cutting any ties you remotely had to Jimin, you still carried the insecurity that Jimin instilled in you by cheating on you with someone who you thought of as a sister. 

You had yet to run into Jimin against post-breakup, and had managed to successfully avoid him, until now.

“Y/N?” 

You knew that voice all too well. Turning around, you were met with the sight of your ex, Jimin. As if that wasn’t bad enough, as you looked him over you noticed your old roommate, Soomi, hanging off of his arm. You had no clue that they were still together (you had lost all contact with anyone remotely related to Jimin), and somehow seeing them together hurt you even more. 

Jimin looked even prettier than you had last remembered him; his prince-like hair shone in the afternoon sun, his charming smile seemed even brighter. Knowing Jimin was still with Soomi made you feel that he didn’t even feel a pang of regret for cheating on you, like he didn’t need to take some time by himself to reflect (like you definitely did) or stop to grieve your relationship. From your point of view, it seemed like you never even mattered to Jimin. 

You suddenly felt self conscious of everything under the judgmental gazes of Jimin and Soomi. Those baby hairs that you didn’t bother to pin down with a bobby pin this morning now felt like they were sticking straight out of your head and the pimple that was poking through your concealer on your forehead suddenly felt like a volcano. In your mind, compared to Soomi, you looked like a hot mess.

Your brain was on autopilot for all the small-talk you made with the two of them, and you didn’t snap out of your trance until you heard these words from Jimin. 

“I only wish the best for you Y/N”

You internally scoffed at this statement. Who the fuck was Park Jimin to say that he “wishes the best for you”. You took months to get over him and the hurtful words he said to you. Every mean comment and snarky comparisons he made to you felt like it was tattooed onto your skin and stuck with you forever. But now he was standing in front of you like nothing was wrong?

In a different world, you probably would’ve slapped Jimin across the face. But instead you rose above like your mom taught you to. 

“You as well Jimin.” you said courtly with a nod, trying to stop the tears that were pricking at your eyes from escaping your tear ducts. 

After receiving a small nod from Jimin as a response, you turned around as if you had somewhere to be (in reality, you didn’t have class for another 2 hours).

Getting as far away from Jimin was all you could think about at the moment, and you moved as far as your legs could take you in whatever direction you thought would take you out of your college’s quad, even as the tears falling from your eyes blurred your vision.

You didn’t know how to feel. You had imagined what seeing Jimin for the first time after the break up would look like; maybe he would grovel at his knees and beg to have you back (it’s not that you wanted to date him again or that you had feelings for him, but it would feel nice to feel wanted), maybe you would just throw a drink in his face and walk away like a bad bitch, maybe you could’ve flashed a new boyfriend in front of his face. 

All of a sudden your phone started to ring.  Your first fear (and somewhat hope) was that it would be Jimin calling you, but little did you know that it was something so much worse.

Incoming Call: Jeon Boy 

“as if this day couldn’t get any worse,” you thought to yourself as you pressed decline. You had yet to talk to Jungkook since that day at his apartment (you didn’t even call to congratulate him on his 

Incoming Call: Jeon Boy 

You groaned and hit the decline but at the speed of lightning again.

Incoming Call: Jeon Boy

Seriously, could this guy not take a hint? You were tempted to turn your phone off all together, but settled for hitting the decline button again.

Incoming Call: Jeon Boy

You realized that for whatever reason, Jungkook was not giving up, so you either had to answer him or listen to your ringtone of “Love Killa” by Monday X play every 10 seconds. Praying that your voice wouldn’t betray you, you took a deep (albeit shaky) breath and tried your best to wipe your tears before clicking “answer”.

“Look Jeon, I’m - uh - sorry but I really can’t do this right now okay? I’ll call you later.” you choked out, your voice obviously wavering as you tried to be as professional as possible. 

Before you could press the “end call button” you heard Jungkook’s concerned voice through the speakers.

“Y/N, wait, you don’t sound too good. Are you okay?”

Ah yes, “are you okay” - probably the most loaded question a person could ever ask. 

You probably could’ve kept it together if he had asked any other question, but his “are you ok” truly pulled at your heartstrings.

You felt your chest tightening but you tried your best to help the feeling subside. You had yet to show weakness about how Jimin had affected you to anyone, and you sure as hell weren’t going to start with Jeon Jungkook. Clutching at your chest and taking a few deep breaths in an effort to calm your racing heart, you continued on. 

“Is that genuine concern I’m hearing from you Jeon? Be careful, you’re losing your bad boy persona,” you said as you tried to make a joke to distract him. 

“Y/N, no. I’m serious. are. you. okay.”

You couldn’t handle it anymore. Sobs broke free from your chest and you heaved into the phone, your whimpers and whines striking Jungkook on the other side of the phone. 

“I, I can’t- I just-“

The words barely broke through your sobs. Your chest was tightening and you could barely hear Jungkook through the ringing in your ears. 

“Y/N where are you, I’m coming’” said Jungkook. You could hear the jingling of his car keys and the rustling of him putting on shoes. 

As if mother nature felt your pain, the rain started pouring down on you at the same time.

You barely got out any more words to Jungkook,  but he didn’t hang up on you. He just kept whispering comforting phrases, trying to calm you down from afar as you could hear his car engine roaring in the background (in another world, you definitely would’ve yelled at him for using his phone while driving). You barely even registered that Jungkook was there at all. Every memory of you and Jimin seemed to reopen like a fresh wound, and you couldn’t feel anything except the pain. All you could do was sit on a random curb by the edge of campus, your wails probably reaching the sorority houses nearby. 

You felt broken. The sound of the thunder overhead mixed with your cries as the rain pelted you, soaking your thin sweatshirt. You don’t know how much time passed there. In your head, it felt like time was frozen, while for Jungkook it felt like he was wasting hours zooming through campus (he truly was zooming - a month later he found out that he had accumulated 3 speeding tickets trying to find you, but he would never tell you that).

“Oh, sunshine,” he murmured, voice laced with pity and concern as he pulled over his car on the curb in front of you. 

You and Jungkook hadn’t even said a word to each other since the feud at his apartment, and you had absolutely zero clue how he even managed to figure out where you were through your jumbled phone call. But all you knew is that right now you needed him. You needed someone to give you a bit of comfort, and Jungkook was somehow here to do that for you. Despite everything between you twom you couldn’t hide the feeling of relief that ran through your body as you looked up and saw Jungkook in front of you.

Coming to your side, Jungkook crouched beside you. 

“Jungkook”, you wept as he pulled you into his chest. It was probably one of the first times you had actually addressed him by his first name, which came as a surprise to him. 

Holding you closer, Jungkook couldn’t help but feel protective over you. He couldn’t help but hurt with you as he saw your fragile figure shaking in his arms. 

“You’re gonna be okay now Y/N, okay? I’m here. I’m here for you. I’m not going anywhere.”  

And in that moment, on a dirty curbside off campus, you weren’t Jeon boy and little miss sunshine,  mortal enemies and chemistry lab partners. Instead, you were just Jeon Jungkook and Y/N., and nothing else seemed to matter at the moment.

--♡--

To your surprise (and the surprise of anyone else who knows you), you and Jungkook had not been stepping on each other’s toes as much. What had started out as extreme, extreme dislike had turned into a mild dislike (maybe even a very slight enjoyment of his presence, although you weren't about to admit that anytime soon). And of course, you both refuse to acknowledge the “Jimin incident” that had occurred a week ago and you both refuse to believe that it may have had something to do with you and Jungkook not hating each other. Your emails stopped being signed off with “do your part Jeon, or else” and instead now usually started with “Hey Jeon!” and “Thanks, Y/N”

That brought you here, in your apartment on a Friday night, eating old pizza in an old sweatshirt, no bra, and some comfy shorts that had definitely been through the wash one too many times. Researching for your chemistry project, you chuckled at how much of a londer you would look to an outsider. Sending off the articles you found on Green Chemistry to Jungkook, you closed out the email with some casual pleasantries and then turned to continue rewatching episodes of your favourite kdrama. You definitely weren’t expecting a response from Jungkook until Monday. You were sure that someone like him was at a frat party (was he even in a frat? You had no idea). Either way, Jungkook probably was lounging around in some party house with like 6 girls on his arms, while you were doing quite the opposite. 

Surprisingly, Jungkook was actually doing quite a similar thing to you. Instead of watching kdramas, he was watching Iron Man (for what was probably the 50th time), and was huddled under a makeship blanket fort like a child and scrolling through reddit. Don’t be mistaken though, Jeon Jungkook was definitely a partier, but he also knew when he needed to give his head (and liver) a break.

He saw his phone chime with a gmail notification. He took a brief scroll through the articles you had sent over to him (those were definitely work for another day since there was no way he could digest academic jargon without at least 3 cups of coffee in him), but he was pleasantly surprised with what you had come up with. 

At the same time, the Facebook tab he had open on his Macbook also lit up. 

It’s Y/N L/N’s birthday today! Leave a message on her wall to celebrate!

Jungkook’s jaw dropped. 

It was your birthday and you were sending him chemistry research papers?? Jungkook chuckled because he could already think of 1000 bad jokes to make fun of you, but he also felt some other feeling that he couldn’t quite place.  

Jungkook’s mother had always taught him that it was important to celebrate birthdays, and that is was bad luck that it was  He wasn’t sure if it was just a farce that his mother had come up with to make sure that he still attended those family-wide facetime birthday celebrations once he went to college, but either way, he still believed it to some extent. 

He had no clue why he was doing this, or how he even got here, but somehow Jungkook found himself in sweatpants and a hoodie in front of your apartment door at 10pm on a Friday night, cake in tow in one hand, his other hand out ready to knock on your door. 

On the other side of the door, you were equally astonished. It almost felt like you were seeing a hallucination, as if your email to Jungkook had somehow summoned him to your door. You couldn’t help but rub your eyes in disbelief, just to make sure he was actually there. 

“Jungkook?”

Bashful Jungkook seemed to make an appearance again as he tapped his feet in anxiety. And before he could stop himself, words were already tumbling from his mouth”

“Happy birthday?” he said as a question , posing it as if he didn’t know whether facebook was just playing a prank on him (which he honestly didn’t know). “Can I come in?”

You didn’t even really know how to process this situation, but all you could mutter was a “uh, thank you?” in a similar inquirable tone and gesture for him to step into your apartment. If Jeon Jungkook showed up at your door at 10pm on a Friday night, he probably deserved to be heard out.

“You can make yourself comfortable on the couch. Sorry, I wasn’t expecting company otherwise I would have cleaned up a bit.”  You were sure that Jungkook’s neat freak brain was probably frying itself into overdrive based on the empty now-empty pizza box sitting on your coffee table and stray utensils and crumbs on your kitchen counter. You felt a little embarrassed that he had to see this.

Mirroring Jungkook’s hospitality last time you were at his place, you brought him a glass of water and hoped that this evening would go a LOT better than the last time you and Jungkook were alone together in an apartment. 

Jungkook’s cake was still held in his hands. It was a little cake from the 24/7 cafe on campus; he could only find one that said “happy” with little sunflowers and smiles, so hopefully the “birthday” part of it was implied. 

“I, um, I brought cake - for you. I mean your birthday.”

You sat down across from him. 

“Oh you didn’t have to Jungkook, uh that’s really nice but you didn’t have to do that,” you said as you leaned further away from the cake, as if it was an item that scared you. “I’m not big on birthdays anyways, just usually me chilling in my apartment!” 

However, Jungkook was not planning on taking no as an answer. He tried his best to plead with you, but was still getting nowhere. 

“you… you have to do it for my mom!” he said as he thrust the cake even closer to your face. 

You tilted your head in confusion at his statement. 

“I mean uh-, my mom says that it’s bad luck if you don’t blow out candles on cake on your birthday and that if you don’t do it then you won’t live to your next birthday. And um- i know we’re not friends Y/N but I’d rather see you alive next year”.

 Jungkook tried to look as nonchalant and cool as possible, and when he realized his statement was a little too thoughtful he followed it up with a “i mean you could do whatever you want i don’t care it doesn’t matter to me”. 

You were beginning to like this side of Jungkook, the one that was more thoughtful than he was a selfish, inconsiderate dude.

Taking the cake softly from his hands, you muttered a soft “thank you”. At this point Jungkook didn’t know whether you took it from his hands to throw it on the ground or actually use it for its intended purpose. As you leaned over to grab the lighter by your candles on your coffee table, Jungkook let out a breath of relief. 

Throwing open the cake box, you lit the candle in the cake and stared patiently in front of it. 

“Well Jungkook, I believe if I am going to be blowing out candles there should be singing too, no?” You joked with a silly smile on your face. 

Knowing he had no way out of this (and to be honest, he secretly wanted to anyways), he began to sing. 

You had never heard a more beautiful rendition of happy birthday in your life. Jungkook turned the most mundane song, one that you didn’t have many happy memories with, into a tune that made your heart start to swell with joy. You wished the song was longer, because as he stopped to sing you wanted nothing more than for him to keep going. 

“Make a wish, Y/N” , he whispered. 

You didn’t know what to wish for. There were a lot of things that needed to be fixed in the world, and lots of things that you needed too (like a new toothbrush, or the experience of true love). It seemed fitting that since you were only blowing out these candles because of Jungkook, you should at least dedicate the wish to him. So all you wished for was for you and Jungkook to get along just like you were in this moment. 

You looked up at Jungkook from the cake, and from there all you could say was a sincere “thank you”.

The moment was all too sincere, and you and Jungkook could feel the atmosphere shift to one that was all too intimate and friendly for your relationship. As moving away from a hot flame, you both picked up your phones and mumbled excuses to move away from the situation. 

Jungkook was the first to break the ice again. 

“I don’t know how good this cake is going to be, the expiry date was at least a week and a half ago”

“Well Jeon Jungkook, if you brought an expired cake into my apartment, it feels like a right of passage that you have to try this cake with me.”

You couldn’t stop yourself from picking up a piece of cake on a fork and shoving it into his mouth. Immediately, his face scrounged up in disgust, and you could pretty much see him gag. 

“That cream is… very creamy to stay the least,” he said as he thickly swallowed it down, grimacing the whole time. 

His expression made you chuckle. There was something about the way his naturally fluffy hair seemed to move as he swayed like a piece of seaweed on your couch (a mannerism that you had picked up on quite quickly), that made you feel warm inside.

“Considering me sacrificing myself to this cake as a birthday present to you, Y/N” 

The laugh that bubbled out of your chest almost made that gross cake worth it to Jungkook. And some words of sincerity slipped out before you could hold them in. 

“Best birthday present ever, Jungkook, thank you.

--♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡--

Taglist: @apollukee , @mrcleanheichou , @monvieesdaebak 

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 If you liked what you read, please interact/follow! Thank you for reading♡

- Emily

[apinklion01]

Going Angst Week

Day One: Birth/ Creation

Shawn couldn’t imagine a day without his friend Johnny. As much as people joked that the skinny teen had the worst luck, he considered himself lucky to know him. 

Countless times in and out of school, Johnny would pull Shawn out of trouble, and Shawn would do the same in return. It was like a silent agreement. Neither would ever dream of leaving the other behind. Shawn might as well consider himself Johnny’s brother for how often they hung around each other.

And then junior year of high school started.

Shawn caught Johnny staring toward one girl. From rumors, he heard her name was Katheryn, but she just called herself Kitty. She looked about as pretty as any other girl his age, but Shawn knew that this one was the one Johnny wanted.

Today they were sitting on some benches, and right across the quad Shawn already spotted Kitty among her friend group, but so did Johnny.

“Earth to John,” He spoke, waving his hand in front of his friend’s face, which wasn’t easy when Shawn was around 5’2” compared to his buddy who was 6’1”.

The teen gave a yelp. “Shawn, what was that for?”

“I saw you lookin’ at her,” Shawn replied.

“What? Johnny spoke, already rubbing his hair nervously. “Looking at who? I’m not looking at anyone.”

Shawn gave him a knowing look.

Johnny groaned. “Okay, so maybe I was. What’s it to you?”

“You should ask her out,” Shawn spoke, giving a smile.

“Wait what, are you crazy?” Johnny said. “I bet she already has a line for whoever wants to take her on a date.”

“Well then if you won’t, I’ll do it for you,” Shawn spoke, already getting off the bench.

That made Johnny frantic. “You’re not into her, are you?”

“Nah relax, haven’t found anyone yet, not that I’m interested. Let’s just see how it goes.” 

Shawn took his time to walk over. One of Kitty’s friends nudged her shoulder, and the girls stopped talking right after.

“You’re Kitty right?” He asked, completely chill.

“Yeah, why are you askin’?” Kitty spoke.

“My pal Johnny’s wonderin’ if you’d want to go out with him.”

Kitty looked behind him trying to spot Shawn’s friend. “You mean the guy in the coat comin’ right behind you?” 

Shawn chuckled as he heard some shoes streaking to a stop. “That’s him.”

After a moment, Johnny came up from behind.

“H-He didn’t say anything rude to you, right?” Johnny asked, 

“Nah, he seems like an honest guy,” Kitty spoke. She looked him in the eyes. “Hmm, you look pretty cute.”

“You’re practically a gem,” Johnny blurted out, his blush very visible.

Kitty paused before giving a laugh, blushing lightly.

“Now I’ve seen everything,” She spoke, putting a curl of hair behind her ear. “You’re lucky today, Johnny 13. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like you. You’ve got yourself a date.”

Johnny’s mouth dropped open before Shawn gently nudged him to close it. “Really?!”

“Yeah, we can talk where, if your friend doesn't mind,” Kitty gave a nod to Shawn.

“Nah, Johnny’s my best friend,” Shawn scoffed, waving away the compliment. “You two talk things out right now, I’ll be waitin’.”

And from there, they became three. Kitty was fine with letting Shawn tag along on some dates since he was respectable when she and Johnny wanted some alone time. Other times he even helped them dodge or deal with any trouble. 

Yet Johnny was still his friend true and through, risking his skin for Shawn whenever things got heated. The trio thought it wouldn’t end.

Until the cops called and told him Johnny was gone.

Dead gone.

Shawn’s throat was dry during the funeral. It was the worst thing that could’ve happened. Johnny and Kitty were out on a joy ride on a motorcycle, but some bozo cut their lives short.

Now he was alone. 

A shadow without someone to follow, to laugh along, to lean on their shoulder as they knew he would’ve done the same.

He didn’t remember much of the graduation except the two empty chairs at the front of the students, where two lovers should’ve been locking arms, resting on each other’s shoulders, smiling, kissing. 

Shawn thought about them every day. Some days were easy to smile out, but other days the shadows of the city were darker than usual. 

He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t realize he was by a construction site, or that one of the workers was yelling at him to move out of the way.

He didn’t get the chance to look up either.

He was in a lot of pain.

He couldn’t remember how he got to the hospital. Or who the doctors were telling him were his family members. 

Was that a bad thing? He didn’t know if it was.

He didn’t remember the names of anyone they found on his wallet. He didn’t recognize Shawn, or whoever they were showing a picture of.

The pain in his head hurt so much.

He felt everything going dark.

Johnny, Kitty. As soon as those names were brought, he felt happy. He managed to remember them in his mind. Johnny’s stutters, Kitty’s voice.

A person tried calling for his attention. He felt everything getting muted from the roar of blood in his ears. It was getting so hard to focus on anything except those two names.

He thought of a picture of three people. Two were undoubtedly Johnny and Kitty. But who was the one in the middle?

He heard something beep from some sort of machine. Even the sound of an ambulance grew dim, as well as the room…

Johnny didn’t know what to make of the ghost he found in his garage. Sure there were certainly a lot of strange ghosts, but this one took the cake.

It looked like sheet cloth but black, staring at him with bright neon green eyes. Yet unlike the regular blob ghosts that Johnny easily scared away, this ghost was larger and didn’t want to leave nor attack him.

“Do you mind if you get a bit further a-away from my cycle?” Johnny asked the ghost. 

The cloth blinked before crawling away from the seat of the motorcycle and onto the floor. It paused before going further away near a few paint buckets.

Satisfied, Johnny put down the broom and began getting down some cleaning equipment.

“So... Soorryyyy,” He heard.

Johnny whipped around. He didn’t think the ghost could talk. It.. no, he was gazing at him with saddened eyes.

“You from a-around here?” Johnny asked. The ghost paused, his brows lowered in thought before shaking his head. 

“A new ghost then,” Johnny muttered, rubbing his chin. “Do you got a name?”

The ghost was quiet, before attempting to speak.

“Sha… Shaaaa…” He seemed to be struggling to piece together his name. The ghost’s voice wavered as he attempted again with no luck.

Johnny wasn’t one to give many ghosts pity. After all, it took a lot of what he would call luck for him and Kitty to claim this house as their ghost lair in the Zone.

But he remembered someone else who seemed a bit like the ghost in front of him.

Johnny remembered spotting the kid under the lunch benches when they were little, clearly wanting to make friends, but had some trouble speaking.

“You got a name?” He asked the kid.

The kid looked at him with big eyes that looked like he had been crying for some time.

“Sha… Shaa… Shaaaa...” He stuttered.

“You don’t know how to say it?” Johnny asked, ducking under the bench. It was hot anyways, and he didn’t mind the dirt at the bottom.

The kid shook his head.

“Do you know how to spell it?”

The kid paused before he began to poke the dirt with his index finger. The letters were shaky, but Johnny made out the word: Shawn.

“Maybe I could h-help you learn them,” Johnny figured, leaning towards the ground to write something out. “Try saying my name.”

Shawn looked at the name on the ground before scrunching his face.

“J… Jo…”

“Say it with me,” Johnny encouraged the kid. “John.”

“John?”

“Now say ‘ny’.”

“Ny.”

“Now say it together.”

“Joooohny?” Shawn guessed.

“Y-Yeah, you did it!” Johnny cheered, giving a smile, one of his front teeth missing.

Shawn’s eyes opened wide in surprise before giving a huge smile in return.

Johnny hadn’t seen Shawn in the Ghost Zone, and hoped he wouldn’t come here until it was his time. He figured he was far from Amity Park, and felt guilty for not being able to find his friend.

But this ghost reminded him of his buddy. 

“Do you… know how to spell your name?” Johnny gently asked.

The ghost shook his head, tears starting to fill his eyes.

“Hey, hey, don’t cry,” Johnny comforted the ghost, trying to hush him. “Why don’t I give you a name?”

The ghost looked up and gave a nod. 

“Let’s see… you’ve said Sha… how about Shadow?”

The ghost’s eyes seemed to sparkle as he heard the name.