#THEY PRETENDING TO BE AN AID TRUCK

[sunnywalnut]

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[snrland]

I don't think our teachers are allowed to get too political but we were told at uni yesterday that:

"Morality in religion is complicated. You can't kill but when someone else attacks your land, you have the right to defend yourself...... just like how Hamas attacked Israel and now they're defending themselves. But the West is reluctant to even call Hamas terrorists."

Meanwhile Israel throws bombs that look like canned food at the population they've deliberately starved out.

The West should be calling Israel a terrorist organisation.

This isn't the first time. Last year, the IDF would leave behind explosives disguised to look like toys (they did this in Lebanon as well)

[broareweabouttoviberightnow]

CW! needle n blood mention!! nothing graphic!! Just the sillies!!

When Darry pulls up in front of the house, the living room windows are thrown wide open. There's a breeze shifting the curtains gently back 'n forth 'n he can can just quietly hear the sounds of Dallas, Soda, Steve, Two, 'n Johnny from inside. Darry cuts the engine 'n rests his head against the truck door, window still rolled down.

He liked doin' this now 'n then. Pullin' up 'n just listenin'. Though Pony had accused him of bein' nosy, 'n it had come in handy a few times when Steve 'n Pony had gotten into fights since Pony was incapable of recountin' events without makin' himself sound better 'n Steve often acted like Pony was committin' a cardinal sin just by existin'. However, more often than not, Darry just liked to listen to 'em foolin' around. He was like his mama in that sense. She'd always loved just bein' in the kitchen when he would be horsin' around with the boys in the living room. Darry had never got it back then, but he could understand now.

'N then there were times like today.

"OUCH!" Pony hollers at the top of his lungs, followed quickly by Soda shushin' him.

"Oh hush, you're fine." Dallas dismisses the kid but Darry's already out 'n slammin' the truck door.

"Oh shit, was that Darry?'

"Pony shh you're fine-"

"Shit that's a lot of blood, is it supposed to bleed that much?" Darry throws open the front door 'n is greeted with the general sounds of all five boys rustlin' around.

"What the hell is goin' on here?" Pony's half crawled up in Soda's lap, starin' resolutely at the wall away from Darry. "Pony lemme see right now."

Pony glances over at him 'n Darry feels vomit crawl up his throat, throwin' his fist up in front of his mouth like he could push it back. Pony's got a needle juttin' through one nostril, blood pourin' down his face. Once Darry's gotten a look at him Pony immediately gives up the facade 'n throws himself at Darry.

"It huuurts!" Darry grabs him by the shoulders 'n holds him at arm's length. It's really not all that bad, if Darry has to guess they just managed to stick a vein 'n that's why he's bleedin' like a stuck pig. He pulls Pony in, adjustin' his head so he's turned to the side.

"Anyone wanna explain?" 'N now that he's really lookin' at them he realizes somethin' else.

"Uh, Darry?"

"Hey, man-"

"So, the thing is-"

"Oh my God." Soda's got a piece of ice chipped off the ice box pressed to his ear, where a silver stud is glintin'. Steve tries to tilt his face away but Darry catches the matchin' one in the top of his left ear. Two grins twistin' the ring through his lip. Dallas wiggles his eyebrow 'n then winces, the bar they've shoved through apparently still sore. That only left-

"Johnny. Do I wanna ask?" Darry fixes him with a stern glare 'n Johnny pales, glances at Dallas, 'n sticks out his tongue where they've managed to jab yet another earrin' through.

"Oh my God!" Darry digs his hands into Pony's shoulders 'n Pony winces. "Dallas Winston, you get that needle out of his nose, I'm gonna get the peroxide." Darry spins Pony around 'n gives him a none too gentle shove towards Dallas. He's grabbin' the first aid kit from the medicine cabinet when he hears Pony howl again 'n this time he doesn't feel nearly as bad.

When he returns to the living room they're all lined up, (mostly) shamefaced. Johnny's starin' down at the carpet, occasionally stickin' his tongue out to push the piercin' against his teeth 'n furrow his brow. He's rubbin' a hand between Pony's shoulders as Pony pouts Soda's twiddlin' his ear between his fingers 'n tryin' hard to not laugh. Steve's got his ears pinched between his fingers, moanin'. Two's still smirkin' a little 'n bitin' back on a snort every time he catches Soda's eye. Of the bunch, the only one without the decency to at least pretend to be remorseful is Dallas. Of course.

"Anyone wanna fess up?" Suddenly the walls, celin', 'n floor are infinitely more interestin' than usual. "Fine then, I'm gonna enjoy this. Pony, c'mere." Pony reluctantly shrugs off Johnny's hand 'n Soda 'n Two send him salutes like he was walkin' to the gallows.

Darry rolls his eyes, takin' him by the shoulder 'n guidin' him to the kitchen sink. "This is gonna hurt, sorry kiddo." He tilts his head over the drain 'n pours peroxide onto the pinprick hole through his nose. Pony wails like he was bein' shot. Darry lets out an almighty sigh.

"Glory, Pony, is he skinnin' you in there?" Two cracks 'n Darry leans back so he can see him through the doorway.

"You watch it or you're next, Two-Bit Mathews." Two throws his hands up in mock surrender 'n Soda stifles a laugh.

"Hey, a man just wants to know what he's got comin' to him."

"A kick in the ass if you don't shut up." Two clutches both hands to his heart 'n swoons into Soda's arms. Soda, who wasn't prepared even a little, immediately drops him. Steve howls. Darry rolls his eyes again 'n focuses back on Pony.

"Now hold still." He wets a paper towel 'n makes quick work of cleanin' up the dried blood. Pony pouts but doesn't fight back. "Now whose fool idea was this?"

Pony bites his lip, darts a glance into the living room. "No one." Darry whacks him a good one around the head 'n Pony whines again.

"Well, no one is about to earn everyone an ass kickin'." Pony hmphs but doesn't look like he's gonna offer any other explanation so Darry grabs him by the ear 'n leads him back into the living room, droppin' him unceremoniously on the couch. Steve chuckles 'n Pony flips him off.

He takes another good look at them 'n clocks Soda's still bleedin' a little so he snaps him up next 'n marches him to take his place at the sink.

"RIP Sodapop Curtis." Dallas mutters 'n Two 'n Steve snicker.

"Lilies at my funeral guys, Lillies." Soda calls over his shoulder 'n Darry gives him the same clip he gave Pony.

"You got anythin' to add?" Soda blinks up at him from where Darry has him craned down in the sink.

"You're lookin' mighty tired, maybe your favorite brother could offer you a back rub 'n we could pretend nothin' happened?" Soda tries for his best charmin' grin 'n Darry raises an eyebrow.

"Wrong answer." Darry pours the bottle out again 'n Soda hisses. "I expect you to use your head, lil buddy. Maybe I'd reckon this from Two or Dallas." He raises his voice a little so the offendin' parties can hear 'n they both make the huff indignantly.

"But you should know better. Pony too. 'N Johnny."" Pony whines wordlessly from the couch 'n Darry barrels on. He doesn't mention Steve. Though he'd expect better from him alone the two followed each other into trouble more than out of it. Darry pauses, pulls Soda out of the sink, pushin' his bangs away 'n studyin' the piercin'. Now that he thinks of it, he hasn't heard anythin' from Johnny.

"You ok, kid?" There's half a second ok silence 'n then both Two 'n Dallas crack up.

"Uh Dar, I think the kid's havin' some trouble talkin'." Both Darry 'n Soda lean dangerously far back to see Johnny through the doorway. The kid is frantically noddin', dark curls boppin' across his forehead.

"I'm good." He answers but it comes out closer to thood. He immediately sticks his tongue out, silver bar gleamin', like the word tastes bad in his mouth.

The room, minus Darry, clingin' to seriosity by his fingertips, instantly dissolves into laughter. Darry snorts 'n quickly muffles it behind a cough. He releases Soda 'n points a finger to the space beside Pony on the couch. Soda plops down, takin' Pony's face in his hands 'n turnin' it this way 'n that.

"Think it'll scar?"

"I'd be more worried about the mark Darry's gonna leave on your ass if I were you." Pony shoves him off but Soda just laughs.

"C'mere, kiddo." Darry beckons a finger to Johnny 'n he pales. "I ain't gonna hurt you, hon. Ignore Soda." Soda gasps 'n Pony chucks a throw pillow at him.

He sits the kid down at the table 'n reaches into the ice box, breakin' off a chunk of the crystals around the sides. "Put that in your mouth. It'll stop hurtin' after a while." Johnny takes it gratefully. Darry watches him a moment more before returnin' to the living room. "Alright Dallas, get in here."

He makes quick work of the final three, who shed no further light on the situation. By the time he's got them all back on the couch he's gettin' dangerously close to stringin' them all up 'n callin' it a night.

"I'm goin' to take care of Johnny 'n if by the time I'm done y'all don't have a better answer to what compelled you all to this foolishness none of y'all will be steppin' out of this house but to go to work or school for the next two weeks, y'hear me?" The group nods sullenly 'n Darry turns on his heel back to the kitchen. Glory, he hopes they come up with somethin'. Havin' all six of 'em crowded in for that long might actually be more of a punishment for Darry.

"Alright kid, ready?" Johnny's lookin' a little sick but he nods again. Darry hands him the last dregs of the peroxide. "Don't swallow it, alright? Just swish it around for a minute 'n then spit it out." Johnny takes it, dutifully puttin' it in his mouth 'n wincin'. Darry tilts his head forward so he doesn't choke. He can hear the others frantically whisperin' in the other room 'n hopes for a good sign. Johnny's eyes keep dartin' back 'n forth between the doorway 'n Darry.

After a minute Darry hauls him up 'n leads him to the sink to spit. The second his mouth it empty he whips around with wide eyes.

"It wath my id-uh." Darry's jaw falls open 'n Johnny barrels on. "I'm thorry! I though it would be thuff. 'N Da-th-as already had the th-erwlry I'm thorry!" He stops solely to stick his tongue out again like he couldn't get used to the feelin'. He's still blinkin' at Darry with big eyes, bitin' at his lip like he's worries he's gonna pop him one. Darry's silent for a long moment before he can't help it anymore.

"Johnny Cade, what the hell am I gonna do with you." 'N he's suddenly laughin' so hard his ribs hurt. When he finally manages to stop howlin' the others have filed into the kitchen, Dallas has an arm slung around Johnny's shoulders 'n Johnny's lookin' only microscopically more relaxed.

"Well, that's that huh!" Two pulls the ice box open 'n pulls out the cake Soda had made last night.

"Oh absolutely not it isn't. Y'all are still on lockdown for the next week for not usin' your heads."

"Aw Darrr-"

"C'monnn-"

"Darryy-"

"Oh no, I won't hear anythin' about it." Dallas elbows Two in the ribs 'n they both get convinin' grins on their faces.

"Well, at least you'll be trapped in here with us." Soda hoots 'n Steve grins 'n they exchange a mischievous glance like they're already cookin' up some scheme.

"Oh, no siree. I'm gonna be out havin' myself a good ol' time without you bunch." Pony shrugs a shoulder 'n shoots him a dismissive scoff.

"Then whose gonna make us stay here 'n behave?" Steve elbows him hard 'n Pony yelps.

"Well," Darry reaches over 'n cuts himself a heapin' slice of the cake. "Johnny's your ringleader now, dealin' with y'all is punishment enough!"

[mamawasatesttube]

tell me about tim hitting on supernova and being a whore 👀

also asked by @derp-a-la-sheep !!

"tim drake hits on supernova. whore.docx" is some futurefic identity shenanigans. i.e. tim drake, hapless civilian that he is, visits his sweet ol country boyfriend conner kent in metropolis, and the two of them say huh, it'd be fun to go down to that park and check out all the food trucks and little market stalls this weekend! and tim drake, since he's a nice boyfriend, offers to step into the bank on the way over and get some cash at the atm, which would be all well and good if a bunch of wannabe bank robbers from out of state didn't also step into the bank in the interest of cash.

what this turns into: oh no!!! 😱 there's some guys with guns!! in the bank!!! ...yes, seriously, some people tried robbing this bank with guns, regular old normal guns, in superman's city. don't worry guys, supernova's got this, as soon as he can stop laughing, anyways.

so we have tim, stuck on the inside of a hostage situation, pouting. because he could have handled it himself if he had his costume on him. but noooo, he has to play the scared rich prettyboy from out of town because it's keeping the robbers attention on him and not the other people stuck in the bank. ugh. he hates having to sit around pretending he's helpless. he's so mad!!!

and then we have kon effortlessly scaring the shit out of the bank robbers, clearly having a great time, making a bunch of bad jokes. and tim is just like. oohhhh im so mad. i need to go make out with my sexy boyfriend who just disintegrated 15 guns and maybe then i won't be as mad. the worst part of this is that tim ISNT even hitting on supernova. he's just staring at him like 👁️👁️. and then someone next to him goes "yeah. dreamy, isn't he?" and tim's like. um. (how would a civilian from out of town who has never actually grabbed that butt react to this.) y. yes? yes. dreamy. yeah. totally?

and of course that means when kon is getting him "to safety" he's like. wow, you think i'm dreamy, citizen? and tim goes :/ i have a boyfriend. and kon, giggling in midair, is like, oh yeah? is he cute? and then, because i make memes about my own wips instead of writing them sometimes, we have a visual aid for the choice tim suddenly finds himself facing:

anyway its just lighthearted shenanigans and a look at what kon's ttk looks like to "outsiders" and people on the ground. and also kon making fun of tim when tim is ALREADY pouting about being stuck as a civilian during this whole incident. shouldnt actually be too long if i can just... write it... ough!

[becausebuckley]

michelle's buddie fic recs: week 38!

some more fics!! it’s been an excellent reading week!

this is a mix of fics with all ratings, so some include NSFW content. please take a look at both the ratings and the fic tags before reading!

if you come across something you like in this list, remember to show some love to the author by leaving kudos and a comment!

all you're giving me is friction | hammersmiths/@henswilsons | 7.9k | T

Eddie is new, and married, and Buck won’t stop flirting. 5+1. excellent team vibes and such a fun twist!!

family feud: first responders | Princessfbi/@princessfbi | 3.2k| G

The FireFam go on Family Feud. hilarious lovely fic that was so nice to read in 911 family feud week <3

ice cream before dinner | cloudydaisies | 58.6k | T

gerrard messes with the team's schedules and eddie 'i just drove my son to flee the state' diaz is the only option to watch mara and jee-yun after school on tuesdays, which, shouldn't be a problem at all, right? this made me cry. eddie and jee and mara <3

i'm here (i'm yours for the taking) | farfromthstars/@doeeyeseddie | 19.1k | T

at the winter wedding of an old friend, buck and eddie pretend to be married to each other. the plan has no weaknesses, obviously, not even mistletoe or anyone’s secret feelings… using this as a blanket rec for this author because i've been slowly making my way through all their fics and every single one of them hits the spot <3 but this one in particular has a lovely lovely pretend relationship and it's so good!!

invisible string (tying you to me) | bookinit/@bookinit02 | 5.3k | T

buck, eddie, and the intimacy of a properly-tied shoe. buck's acts of service <3 i love fics of buddie doing Totally Normal Friend Things hehe

i've only known you to keep your word | thisissirius/@thisissirius | 4.4k | M

buck's lonely and eddie knows. i love fics that go no no this man's not gonna be lonely anymore and this is exactly that <3

no thing defines a man (like love) | timeshareindestin/@timeshareindestin | 12.3k | T

the buckley parents are visiting LA for jee's 4th birthday. which is fine, except they don't know two things: 1. buck has hearing aids again, and 2. he's engaged to eddie. hard of hearing buck series my beloved <3 i love eddie's interactions with the buckley parents and the maddie convo!!

a reservoir in your eyes. | dylaesthetics | 7k | M

the Buddie roommates fic where Buck’s apartment burns down, Christopher teaches him Gen-Z slang, and Buck finally snaps. the buck and chris slang bit never fails to cheer me up!

You Ran Outside and Caught the Moon | yoddream/@yoddream | 47.8k | M

Eddie wants to tell him that it only happened yesterday, but then he thinks about quarantine, and when Shannon died, and when she left for LA after he was discharged, and when he found out Chris was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and when Shannon told him she was pregnant, and when he was ten and his dad yelled at him for crashing his new truck because his mom was in labor and nobody was around to take her to the hospital. He thinks about how he wanted to disappear every time, wished for something to kill him so that he didn’t have to face his fears, deal with reality. It hits him like his dad’s truck hit the tree. mind the tags for this one but it's such a fantastic character study and exactly the fic i needed this week <3

[mixtape-timeout]

This is the last post I will be making on this topic. Since gimmeurtmi is back and posting again, here is yet another reminder for you that she is a Zionist. She is trying to spin the story and claim that people are witch-hunting her for being Israeli, which is just another excuse to deflect from her disgraceful behavior. Since she wants to say that we are spreading misinformation, please look at the screenshots in the link. These are screenshots of posts SHE made herself. Not my words, just hers. Read her posts without any of my commentary, and come to your own conclusions about her beliefs. Her posts speak for themselves.

((More below))

She can say she's Pro-Palestine all she wants, but her actions do not reflect that. I can't prove if she is attending peace rallies like she says she is, but what we do know is that the things she says and does are in direct contradiction of this. Please look at the tags of the original callout post and see the sheer number of bloggers (including other authors) she had blocked for being Pro-Palestine. She claims she blocked people for being Anti-Semitic, but what she perceives as "Anti-Semitic" is anything Anti-Zionist. The testimonies from people who used to follow her and used to be very close friends with her all say she is a very manipulative person who always makes herself the victim. She has repeatedly made Zionist posts, deleted them, pretended to change her views, post "Pro-Palestine" things, then go back and show her true colors once the accusations blow over. She had reblogged fundraisers for Rafah weeks ago on her blog @stuckonspidey after being called out that are now nowhere to be found. She is a liar and a manipulator who has repeatedly said things that contradict her actions just to save face.

If she's Pro-Palestine, why does she make posts sympathizing with the IDF? Why does she support the occupational force that kills Palestinians for fun, undresses hostages to humiliate them (including CHILDREN), beats hostages to death with hammers in their captivity, disguises themselves as HUMANITARIAN AID to kill hundreds of refugees, takes pictures with hostages/dead bodies and posts them on social media, steals Palestinian women's underwear and takes pictures with it after killing them/ransacking their houses, targets journalists and humanitarian aid workers, straps injured Palestinians to their trucks and uses them as human shields? This is the army that fired 355 bullets at the car that 6 year old Hind Raghab was in while she was surrounded by her dead family members, KNOWING she was in there. They are a depraved, violent occupational force that kills and tortures civilians, and one of the most basic pillars of being Pro-Palestine is opposing the IDF. You cannot be Pro-Palestine and have sympathy for the army that is killing and oppressing them. You cannot say you stand for Palestinian liberation and peace, yet mourn for their oppressors when the resistance fights back. There is proof all over the internet of the IDF's war crimes because they post it themselves. Here are a few links if you don't believe me. LINK LINK LINK LINK. Please research it yourself, too. You'll find no shortage of it.

If she is Pro-Palestine, why does she refuse to acknowledge it as a genocide? Why does she call it a "war"? Why does she call the International Court of Justice's decision to take Israel to court for its war crimes "questionable"? If she believes what Israel is doing is wrong, why would she criticize it being held accountable for its crimes against humanity? If she is Pro-Palestine, why would she call an Israeli propaganda movie that paints Arabs as barbaric savages her all time favorite and complain that it's getting RIGHTFULLY negative reviews for its blatant racism, glorification of war criminal Golda Mier, and historical misinformation? Her excuse was that "she posted about a movie because she likes movies." That is an absolutely pitiful reason and being deliberately obtuse to distract from the actual issue. When you say it like that, of course it sounds harmless, but the CONTENT of the movie matters. For example: Would you call "The Birth of A Nation", a disgustingly racist white supremacy propaganda movie your favorite? Absolutely NOT. And if you did, people would rightfully question you for that. If she's Pro-Palestine, why didn't she boycott LMB when there are two Zionists on it? One of which (Johnny Goldstein) is a former IDF soldier and attends Pro-Israel events? If she's Pro-Palestine, why would she use the well-known Zionist talking points, conflating Judaism with Zionism, and saying that when people say "Zionist" they really mean "Jew"? If She's Pro-Palestine, why would she have such an issue with Stays trying to inform Felix about the Coca-Cola boycott and say they are bullies? Do you notice a pattern here? Her labeling ANY attempts at calling out Zionism to be "bullying" or "Anti-Semitic"? This is the exact rhetoric Zionists use. Once again, she can say she's Pro-Palestine, she might even actually believe that she is, but her behavior does not reflect this. Saying "My posts aren't Anti-Palestinian because I'm not Anti-Palestinian" proves absolutely nothing. Someone who can't even call the genocide a genocide is not an ally to Palestine.

She continues to hide behind "Anti-Semitism" despite me and many of my friends who called her out being Jews or of Jewish ancestry ourselves. If you look through my blog, you will see a majority of my posts are dedicated to dismantling the idea that Jews = Zionists. I have worked so hard in my community to do this in real life, and it's incredibly frustrating to see her perpetuating this harmful stereotype when us Anti-Zionist Jews are doing everything we can to separate Judaism from Zionism. She is also saying we are racist against Israelis, which is an absolutely ludicrous claim. Israeli is not a race, just like American isn't a race. Israeli is a Nationality. 75% of Jewish people are Ashkenazim, meaning European/White, and about 50% of Israelis are White. Nationality =/= Race. Her claims of racism are, again, her using terms of discrimination to distract from her blatantly Zionist posts.

Furthermore the claim that we are attacking her simply for being Israeli is not only wrong, it makes no sense. I was not aware that she was Israeli before suspecting her of being a Zionist. A huge chunk of Zionists are actually Western Christians who support Israel for Anti-Semitic reasons, and I would NEVER sabotage a fellow Jew for their identity. I went out of my way to emphasize this in the first post. Gimmeurtmi was called out for Zionism that me and several other people in the community recognized, point blank period. We are not "painting her in a specific light", we are bringing attention to harmful, dangerous things SHE said. If I presented her posts to you without commentary, even in context, you could come to the same conclusion. The original callout post was edited many times with many additions as new screenshots/information came forward, and it was through the comments from other people talking about their experience with her that we found out that she was Israeli and had made those Anti-Palestinian posts on October 7th (which she deleted). It was her thinly-veiled Zionism that originally raised our suspicions, the knowledge that she's Israeli came after.

I know gimmeurtmi will continue to see herself as a victim no matter what. I know she will keep pretending she's being attacked for her identity just as all Zionists do. This post is just to disprove her accusations that we called her out on the basis of "racism", when the callout for her was a result of HER racism herself. I never had any problem with gimmeurtmi before she blocked me, I enjoyed her fics and looked up to her, as many others in the community did. She gave me no reason to dislike her before this. The only reason my friends and I put that post together was because we felt it was imperative that someone like her, who uses her SKZ blog to normalize Zionist ideology amidst a genocide, gets de-platformed. I cannot tell you what to believe, but I urge you to be careful and understand what a manipulative person she is. I urge you to read the screenshots of her posts for yourself and come to your own conclusion.

[gothlcsan]

Puppy Rockstar ; CHOI BEOMGYU

PAIRING rockstar!beomgyu , fem!reader

GENRE SMUT 18+

SYNOPSIS beomgyu is the bassist of your band, he’s always been clingy with you and he would do anything to make you his

WORD COUNT 4162

WARNINGS switch!gyu, kissing, spitting, fingering, choking, biting, improper use of instruments, cock slapping, angst, swearing, beomgyu is EXTREMELY possessive, let me know if i missed anything > <

♫ our song - ella mai

a/n day twenty of kinktober. i missed yesterday so i decided to make this one a little longer. i hope you enjoy. this was briefly proofread so i apologize for any mistakes! if you enjoyed please consider liking and reblogging! > < ~ ♡

The first day you met with the band, you instantly became aware of Beomgyu’s existence. Which was hard to miss considering the way his eyes fixated on you the very moment you walked into the little garage. The band had money considering they were gearing up to start a small world tour but they claimed staying to their roots kept them grounded, meaning you’d practice in the small garage that smelt just as old as it looked. Their previous drummer has quit only a week prior, not giving you much time to learn and perfect their songs but they had faith in you and your talent, you nodding at Beomgyu as you settled behind the drums. The stool was a bit shaky, having to plant your feet firmly onto the ground to steady yourself. Going through the set list and tweaking things as you went, you sigh in relief as the practice ends a few hours later, feeling the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Glancing up you see Beomgyu staring at you who’s been doing so for nearly the entirety of practice, coining him in your head as a doppelgänger of Death Note's L.

“Hi?” You slightly dragged out the word, trying to hint that you were confused and slightly weirded out by his intense stare. He raises an eyebrow in response, smiling faintly, and turning around to put away his bass and bid everyone goodbye before leaving. You shrugged with a slight shake of your head deciding he was a strange one, attractive, but strange.

Tour begins and it’s chaotic but better than you had imagined. You were getting used to being on the road in the tour bus, the tiny bunks that nearly trigger your claustrophobia, becoming accustomed to using Beomgyu’s snoring to aid your sleep. However, one thing you hadn’t expected was to accidentally overhear Beomgyu relieving himself underneath you. His tiny moans being just the slightest bit muffled (presuming by his hand), your body going stiff as you hear him sniffle, your name rolling off his tongue. You try to convince yourself you misheard him, that you were exhausted and sexually frustrated yourself that’s why you heard your name. Hearing your name a second time causes your entire body to inflame into a blush, covering your mouth to stifle the surprised and turned on moans that threaten to expose you to being awake. The lewd sounds of him chasing his high makes the hair on your arms stand up, body radiating heat due to your flushed skin, eyes squeezed tightly shut to ground yourself. You go stiff when you hear him carefully getting out from his bunk, relaxing both your face and breathing to not give yourself away by the slight chance he’d check to make sure you weren’t awake. He doesn’t do so, hearing the small door to the bathroom open and shut, the sound of the sink running giving you enough time to let out the breath you were holding in. Moving to lay on your side you nearly laugh out of shock at the reality of the situation hitting you like a truck.

The next morning to pretend nothing is out of the ordinary, well as normal as you can considering every time Beomgyu would glance at you, you’d look away just as fast. His gaze suddenly felt heightened due to last night's accidental invasion of privacy (not that you meant to listen but he did moan your name so is it really your fault?) Practice goes smoothly, trying to ignore Beomgyu as much as possible, focusing on Taehyun who stood in front of you, swaying back and forth on his feet leaning on his microphone stand.

“After tonight’s show do you want to grab drinks? The bar seems to have pretty cool drinks in honor of us gigging there.” Taehyun asked, you gasping as your reply is caught off by Beomgyu yanking him by his jacket collar. You watch as Taehyun is dragged away, looking over at Soobin and Kai who only shrug and go back to packing up their gear.

“What the hell is wrong with you, dude?” Taehyun yelled as Beomgyu threw him against the wall, his arm pressed against Taehyun’s throat. Beomgyu’s expression was deadly, his voice practically a snarl as he spoke.

“Don’t you ever flirt with her again, you understand me?”

“What? Beomgyu seriously-“ Taehyung is cut off by Beomgyu pressing his arm firmer against his throat making him flinch in pain.

“I will choke you out with my guitar string, don’t try me.”

Beomgyu lets go of Taehyun who drops to the ground gasping for air, Beomgyu kicking water in his direction before going back into the bar, walking past you to grab his case and head to the tour bus without a word.

Whatever they argued about before the show seemed to have settled as you all prepared for the show, doing the last and final soundcheck. You kept a close eye on the two of them deciding if you had to break up a fight you’d take one for the team. Getting to the last song, Taehyun comes over to you whilst singing, smiling up at him and giving him a wink which he returns. You jump as Beomgyu turns his amp up, now playing louder than Taehyun’s microphone, glaring at the two of you. Taehyun walks over to Beomgyu and tells him to turn it down, not being able to hear what they were arguing about over Soobin and Kai still practicing. You watch as Beomgyu yells at Taehyun to fuck off, walking off the stage to the break room, you running after Beomgyu saying you’ll handle it. Knocking on the door you let Beomgyu know it’s you when he says to screw off, the door nearly getting ripped off it’s hinges when he swings the door open.

“Can I come in?”

He doesn’t give you an audible reply but he steps out of the way for you to get inside, closing the door behind himself as he leans against it watching you.

“Is something bothering you?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Gyu, I can tell something is bothering you. You’re on edge and it’s not common to fight with everyone, especially Taehyun like you’ve been doing.”

He goes to accuse you of being on Taehyun’s side instantly shutting that theory down stating you weren’t picking sides, you just wanted everyone to get along and put on a good show. He’s quietly staring at his boots and you knew he felt sorry for his actions, telling him to come sit down on the couch with you. Sitting down you give him a firm hug telling him to take a second to breathe and then you’d both go back out and he could apologize to Taehyun. He hesitantly agrees, you telling him he did a good job, your fingers instinctively playing with the ends of his hair as you hugged him. A tiny noise from Beomgyu sends you back to reality apologizing as you let go of him, his tiny laugh bouncing off the walls as he replied it was fine. He asks if you’d braid his hair out of his face, agreeing as you told him to face away from you. Running your fingers through his long hair to get it to sit away from his face, you massage the scalp, fingertips scratching the back of his ears. A satisfied moan comes from him which makes you instantly think of the night prior, your hands freezing as a flustered blush blossomed on your cheeks. Quickly regaining your composure you start braiding his hair, securing the end with the hair tie that always sat around your wrist, giving his shoulder a soft pat letting him know it was finished. Beomgyu studies it in the small mirror giving you a smile saying it looked great, then saying he was ready to head back if you were. Agreeing, you stand up and turn off the lights on your way out, smiling as Beomgyu apologizes to Taehyun, both of them agreeing there were no rough feelings.

“Oh my god, what is that Gyu?”

You walk up to Beomgyu after you had changed into your show clothes, eyes fixated to the prong collar around his neck. He lets you touch it, your eyes and fingers steady as you asked him if it hurts, shaking his head saying it would probably only hurt if it got yanked on.

“They really have you looking like a mutt.”

Your eyes widen at your own words, going to apologize instantly, changing your mind as you notice the blush on his cheeks, looking back down at the collar.

“Not that it’s a bad thing, of course.”

He chuckles at your sudden shyness, letting you stand straight up and walk to your drum set, placing your sticks against your forehead as you tell yourself to get it together. Luckily enough the show is a great distraction from everything until it wasn’t, Beomgyu eyeing you up and down every opportunity he had. His blatant flirting as he walked towards you, mouthing the suggestive parts of the songs, giving you winks before turning away to work the crowd. After the show and meet and greet, you ask Soobin if he’d put your drums away, you’d pay him back later you just had something you needed to do. He tells you it’s not a problem, thanking him sincerely before marching up to Beomgyu. He notices you giving you a smile before his eyes fall into confusion asking you “what” repeatedly as you grab him by the collar, making him gag.

“Follow me. Now.”

He does so, practically all but running to match your pace as the collar tugs into his skin. You slam the break room door behind you, pushing him into the dark room hoping he made it to the couch. Flipping on the light you stared at Beomgyu who looked at you, rubbing his neck where the collar has pinched.

“What?”

“No Beomgyu, what the fuck was that?”

“I’m not following?”

You scoff, a frustrated laugh coming from you as you point your drumsticks at him.

“I pretended to not hear you when you moaned my name last night, I tried to act oblivious to you hating anyone who seemed a little too friendly with me, what is your fucking deal?”

Beomgyu is frozen, his expression a mix of horror, shock, and excitement? He doesn’t reply to which makes you groan in frustration, just desperately wanting an answer to your questions. However, he doesn’t speak, your grip tightening around your drumsticks as you match up to him. His eyes don’t falter from yours as you raise the sticks up meeting them back down against his crotch making him gasp in pain. He doubles over on the couch, your brain snapping back into reality instantly asking him if he’s okay, Beomgyu looking up at you with a smile.

“That hurt you know.”

He catches his breath, sitting up and looking down at his jeans, throwing his head back with a sigh.

“Beomgyu did you seriously just?”

He nods, your face turning red as you turn around fast. Beomgyu had just cummed from you hitting him, and why did that fact excite you? Going to apologize, you tell him to not speak, needing a moment to wrap your head around the situation, taking a deep breath as you turn around on your heel.

“Let’s talk later, yeah? I’m tired.” You said, letting him finish up as you walked to the tour bus, waving at fans as you got ready for bed. You laid awake, staring up the ceiling of your bunk as you heard the other members climb into theirs, not yet hearing Beomgyu get in. Soft whispering pricks your ears as you move to get a better listen, chewing on your bottom lip as you recognize Beomgyu’s voice. You couldn’t tell who he was talking to, maybe Yeonjun? Lying back down quietly as you hear them exchange good nights before heading to their bunks. The soft rustle of Beomgyu settling in makes you hold your breath not that you need to, closing your eyes in hopes of heading to sleep first.

“I’m sorry.”

Beomgyu’s voice is barely an audible whisper, choosing to not respond hoping he’d go to sleep if he figured you weren’t awake. The sound of his rustling puts you at ease taking that as he is heading to bed, having to cover your mouth once more as you hear the softest sighs coming from him. Heat burned in the pit of your stomach listening to him, Beomgyu saying your name as if it was nothing to him, clenching around nothing at the sounds. He sounded delicious, your hands trembling as you greatly considered sneaking him into your bunk, imagining his long slender fingers replacing your own fingers that found their way into your shorts. You stayed quiet and still as possible, thanking the bumps in the road that hid your shaking limbs as you pumped your fingers in and out of you with each moan that came underneath you from Beomgyu.

“Fuck, need you so bad.” Beomgyu whispered, the heat running down your legs at his lewd confessions. Considering the consequences of sneaking into his bunk bed, you swear under your breath, turning to face the wall whispering Beomgyu’s name. He falls silent before faintly replying with a breathy, “yeah?” You tell him to make room, checking to ensure everyone’s curtains were shut, slipping down from the bunk quietly, crawling into Beomgyu’s fixing the curtain. The space was small for one person, the two of you being nearly sandwiched together sharing the tiny space. Sudden shyness falls between you two, quickly breaking it by pulling him into a kiss, he returns it with a smirk, a moan vibrating from deep in your throat. He tasted sweet, slightly salty and bitter, sighing against his lips as his hand greedily started taking off your pajama shorts. You giggle as he kisses down your throat, his fingers rubbing slow circles against your clit.

“So wet for you.” You whisper into his ear, gaining a possessive growl from him, his selfish and greedy nature stuffing his dick into you. Gasping into his neck you moan into the soft flesh as he grabs your ass, using it to help him thrust into you, deeper with each stroke. He felt incredible dragging against your walls, his girth making it difficult despite already having had prep yourself, biting his shoulder as he slowly picked up pace. Your vision blurred as you got lost into it, your moans being muffled into his skin and kisses, clinging to him in hopes of getting more. Beomgyu didn’t disappoint in the way his thrusts reached places you didn’t think were realistically possible, your head thrown back as he kneaded your ass like fresh dough. Wrapping a hand around his throat, you added enough pressure to make him groan, his dick twitching in you causing a surprised moan to fall from you. You matched his thrusts, your hips sore from gyrating them, hand tightening instinctively as the red hot heat deep in the pit of your stomach grew.

“Need to cum, please.” Beomgyu begged into your ear, you nodded fast telling him to cum on your thighs, Beomgyu pulling out and painting your thighs, the sight making you blush. His fingers push past your messy folds, long slender fingers hitting your reeves until you clench around them thighs convulsing as you cum around the pretty digits. Both of you are doing your best to hide your panting, sharing soft kisses as Beomgyu helped you put on your shorts after cleaning you up with spare wipes he had. Poking your head out to check if the close is clear, you bid Beomgyu goodnight before sneaking back into your bunk.

The next several stops you find yourself sneaking into Beomgyu’s bunk, sharing kisses as he takes off your edge, a slight pain growing in your chest. You loved the sex, you didn’t love how much you loved it, the friends with benefit pact you two had unspokenly formed making you ache. It was becoming impossible to ignore that you were slowly (well.. not too slowly) gaining feelings for Beomgyu but it was hard to tell if he felt the same. At the very least he didn’t make it unbundling clear if he had feelings outside of the late night sex.

You were resting your head against the booth table, the other members deciding on getting burgers next door, you wanting something more soupy. Beomgyu had agreed to go with you so you weren’t by yourself, listening to him sit next to you finishing his ramen. Paying for both your meals, you tell Beomgyu to finish up, you want to step outside for some fresh air. He tells you to be careful and he’ll meet you out there, telling him not to rush as you walk out. The cold air hits your face which you welcomed, leaning against the brick wall, planting one foot against it to keep yourself in place. Thankfully it was later in the evening so you didn’t have to worry about fans potentially running up to you, most likely heading to the venue for the concert. Checking the time on your phone you knew you guys had two hours until concert time, popping a piece of gum into your mouth as you relaxed waiting for Beomgyu. A few minutes later the bell on the restaurant door goes off, opening your eyes seeing Beomgyu walk up to you, asking if you were reading to head back to the venue. Nodding, you send a text to the band chat along with your manager, walking in silence next to Beomgyu. He stops randomly in his tracks, looking at him with a confused expression as you ask him what’s up. He asks for a piece of gum, going to fish out the half empty pack out of your pocket as he tells you not that kind.

“Well, this is all I got. Beggars can’t be choosers.”

Beomgyu slowly walks towards you until your back is flush against the wall, you gasping as your back hits against the brick.

“What are you doing?”

Beomgyu places his fingers around your chin, bringing your face closer to his, not breaking eye contact once.

“I want the piece in your mouth.”

Staring at him you tell him to stop being a dumbass, laughing until you realize he was serious about this, going quiet.

“You’re serious?”

Beomgyu responds with a little smirk accompanied by a nod, you swearing under your breath as you wrap your arms around the back of his neck. Clasping your hands together you press your lips against his, the kiss is nothing special as you pass the gum into his mouth, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand when he pulls away. He smiles in triumph turning away as he continues to walk down the street, you following close behind shaking your head.

The show goes off without a hitch but you cannot shake off your feelings from earlier. Bidding everyone goodnight as you head off to the break room to grab your bag, you make note of Beomgyu following close behind. He shuts the door behind himself and you ignore him as he talks, his arms wrapping around your waist as he whispers in your ear.

“I missed you.”

“We literally just played a show together.” You muttered, grabbing your back and moving to leave. He stops you, nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck.

“That’s not what I meant, silly.”

Beomgyu kisses up your neck, biting down on your lip before the emotions coursing through you snap, angrily pushing Beomgyu away from you. You ignore him as he calls after you, accidentally shoulder checking Yeonjun who comes out of the bathroom, roughly pushing the exit door open as you mindlessly step out into the pouring rain. You didn’t care where this alley led to, you just needed to get away from the venue, away from Beomgyu. Seeing a lit up bar sign you decide on your destination stopping in the middle of the alley as Beomgyu yells at you.

“I love you, you know?”

You whip around giving him a glare, sarcasm thick in your voice as you yelled back.

“Yeah, love you too.”

Turning back around you go to take another step, Beomgyu telling you to stop moving, his voice barely audible over the heavy rain.

“No, I’m in love with you.”

Facing him again your face is a mix of hurt, confusion, your shoulders hanging in defeat as you shake your head. You weren’t in the mood for this, not for his pity, not in the mood for the lies he’d try to take back the moment the two of you were in the tour bus and he got what he wanted. You watch him as he sprints up to you, throwing his arms around you as he pulls you into a kiss, your body relaxing into his naturally. Part of you wanted to shove him away but he was warm, his lips molding with your own, curling your fingers around the soaked ends of his hair.

“Tell me this isn’t a lie, please.”

You needed reassurance, needed to know you weren’t going to make the worst mistake of your life on a shred of hope. Shaking his head he promises he isn’t pulling a joke on you, laughing against his lips as he says he’s obsessed with you. Telling him to prove it, you squeal with a laugh as he lifts you up, your legs wrapping around his waist as he pins you against the alley wall, kissing you with such vigorous you almost swore your lips would be ripped off. Keeping your fingers tight in his hair, you jump as you hear hooting and hollering from down the alley, Beomgyu pulling back to tell the band mates to fuck off, you groaning in shyness into his shoulder.

“Let’s head to the tour bus to grab dry clothes. We have an off day tomorrow, let me grab a hotel so we can be alone.”

You feign being hurt, shaking your head accusing him of only thinking with his dick, Beomgyu smacking your ass as he carries you back into the venue.

“No, I meant we can be alone so we can makeout without the guys mocking us the entire time. Clearly you’re the one thinking with your dick.”

You look at him with a “oh really” type of expression, Beomgyu calling you cute as he opens the door, pushing past the guys and manager who just shakes his head, telling the guys to shut up and get onto the bus. Thankfully the bus pulled closer to the venue than earlier, climbing onto the bus long enough to grab extra clothes and necessities, blushing the entire time as the members poked fun at you and Beomgyu. Listening to the painfully embarrassing “use protection” talk by your manager you pull Beomgyu by his wrist telling everyone goodnight as you two grab a cab, leaving to head to the hotel.

The hotel itself is nice, the blush on your cheeks not fading as Beomgyu wraps his hands around yours, guiding you to the elevators. The ride up is quiet, humming as Beomgyu presses tiny soft kisses against your neck, telling him to behave himself.

“Yes, ma’am.” He says with a proud smirk, walking down the long vitrified tiled hallway to your door, unlocking it with the keycard heading inside. The room is massive, definitely much more than the two of you needed. Nonetheless it was beautiful and modern, stripping out of your wet clothes instantly to fall into bed, giggling as Beomgyu came behind you to smack your bare ass. He calls you a tease, hooking his finger around the thin band of your panties, snapping it back against your skin causing you to flinch, calling him a jerk for doing so.

“You know you like it.” He replies back, stripping down to his boxers before climbing into bed next to you, allowing you to cuddle into his side. You were spent from the emotionally taxing day, yawning loudly as you lay your head against his chest. Beomgyu runs his fingers through your hair, returning the favor by rubbing small circles against his stomach using your thumb. His warmth radiating off his chest against your own makes you hum in satisfaction, doing your best to cuddle closer craving his body heat. Being able to relax with him solely without the extreme confinement of a bus bed makes it easy to nod off, Beomgyu telling you goodnight as you faintly snore against his chest.

Waking up realizing you have the prettiest boyfriend, being the drummer of a super successful band, how could you not be the luckiest girl in the world?

[thebisexualdogdad]

Summer road trip with the batfam (batfam x GN!reader)

● so Bruce rented an RV for the batfam to go on a three month coast to coast road trip

● no crime fighting, just family time

● with you, Bruce, Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian, Barbara, Duke, Cass, Stephanie and of course Haley and Ace it was a bit of a tight squeeze

● Alfred was back at home taking a much needed work free staycation

● Kate was also invited but she refused to be stuck in an RV with ten other people all summer, she and Alfred are happy having breakfast together once a week

● Bruce drives the entire time with Damian as his navigator

● mostly because Damian and Jason would kill each other if they weren't separated

● Jason has purposely instigated fights with Damian by eating his snacks clearly labeled 'Damian' on them

● and sometimes Jason gets accused when it was actually Cass who took Damians snacks

● Barbara has every kind of first aid or bug repellent you can think of

● you stop to go kayaking and she pulls six different kinds of sunscreen out of her bag

● Cass is the one delegated to documenting the trip

● and she takes her job very seriously

● she never not has her camera in her hands either taking pictures or videos

● Stephanie "no Cass we do not need photos of the gas station bathroom"

● and she has photos of everyone sleeping in weird positions on the rv

● and a video of Jason snoring to prove to him that he does in fact snore

● you all take turns on where you guys sleep

● there's one queen sized bed in the back that fits three and the two couches turn into a bed that fits another three and the rest are in sleeping bags on the floor

● Ace and Haley however always sleep cuddling someone in the nice comfy queen bed

● Tim has researched every single place you guys are stopping at

● Bruce thought it would be fun to just wing it and see what happens

● but Tim would not let that happen, he has the entire trip planned out down to what towns you would need to stop in for gas

● places everyone requested to go that Tim denied

● Bruce: the world's biggest ball of yarn because it's a classic road trip must see

● Dick: the corn palace

● Jason: vegas

● Damian: probably like a sword museum in the middle of nowhere that he somehow knows has an authentic ancient sword the museum thinks is a replica

● Barbara: the mothman museum

● Stephanie: Roswell

● Duke: the first taco bell

● Cass: dinosaur world

● you do stop at multiple national parks

● going hiking and swimming in little lakes with their own waterfalls

● Jason tries to sneak a snake he finds back onto the RV

● Duke "Oh no, absolutely not, get that thing out of here"

● Damian "you afraid of a little old snake Thomas?"

● Duke "that thing is not little, it is a deadly creature and I do not want it anywhere near me!"

● the RV breaks down outside a town in Wyoming with no cell service

● you all argue about who has to walk the five miles into town to get help

● Bruce and Dick are the two that end up having to do it

● when they return Damian has Tim in a headlock and Cass is taking video of it

● the random guy with the tow truck they brought back "uhh are they okay"

● Bruce "Oh yeah this is normal for them"

● you and Stephanie ended up breaking the no crime fighting rule when you went into a convenience store for more snacks and walked right into a robbery in action

● you two kicked their asses with ease, tied them up for the cops and bought your snacks like nothing happened

● Barbara back at the RV "Y/N is that blood on your face?"

● "nope don't worry about it!"

● Dick brings lots of board games to play while on the road

● Tim and Damian go way too hard trying to win which you have to play mediator for before they try to throw each other out the moving RV

● Jason still loses even though he cheats

● and Stephanie pretends not to know the rules just to mess with Tim and Damian

● you also stop at a bunch of campgrounds, telling ghost stories and having s'mores around a fire

● Barbara "has anyone seen Jason?"

● Dick "I'm pretty sure he said something about being excited to finally cross off peeing in the woods off his bucket list"

● Duke "he has the weirdest bucket list"

● a lot of you are big readers so there's books packed everywhere

● Duke "ooh we should have a book club"

● Jason "absolutely not you're lucky I even participate in Grayson's lame board games"

● Damian "for once I actually agree with Todd"

● you guys finally make it to the west coast and you all stumble out of the RV

● Tim "thank God this trip is finally over"

● Bruce "Tim we are only half way, we still have another month of driving back to Gotham"

● Stephanie "I should have stayed home with Alfred"

[blackcoldcrackedheart]

Don't ask me why ask me why I wrote this.

But enjoy!

(I think I just got emotional over the parents dropping their kids off for the first time for their first day of school 😭)

The stupid fire was too much for any of them. It had been burning for over 4 days now and Tommy couldn't help but feel his stomach drop as he realized the fire had demolished the row of cabins that were scattered around the woods.

He and his team had managed to save a few people, sadly there was one family that Tommy's team could save except for the infant.

"Having a child is like having your heart walk outside your chest"

It was something he had heard Evan say when it came to Jee and Chris.

He understood it, he had had his own nephew, two nieces, and one God daughter.

He just never experienced it.

Until now.

At first he thought it was because it was out of guilt, they couldn't save the parents in time. And then he thought it was because the baby (he looked maybe 1 or 2 years old) had a port wine birthmark. A reminder of Evan, but unlike Evan the birthmark covered nearly half of the baby's face; just stopping shy of the boys nose and left ear. His hair was dark, as well as his eyes- the opposite of Evan. But Tommy couldn't help but think the kid looked like how Tommy did when he was little.

Or maybe, it had to do with the fact that the kid was deaf. Tommy noticed the hearing aids when they were loading the kid into the helicopter.

-

"Mr. Kinnard, you okay?"

Tommy smiled politely at the nurse and social worker standing outside of Lucas's door.

In the following days since his team had saved Lucas, Tommy had learned a few things 1) Lucas was 2 years old, he was indeed deaf and knew some ASL, 2) he had thankfully came out of the burning cabin with no burns but minimal smoke inhalation and 3) they had found some of Lucas's family- but unfortunately due to financial reasons and location, the family members couldn't take the toddler in.

Yeah, that broke Tommy's heart into pieces because the kid deserved to be with family.

Tommy knew some ASL, he had learned some as a child thanks to his next door neighbors daughter teaching him in the case Tommy wanted to say hi to his neighbor. He had picked more up while in the military during downtime but not enough to carry a conversation. So he had relied on the ASL interpreter when visiting Lucas.

"God, he's adorable." Buck cooed as he kneeled down on the floor where they had a blanket out for him, Lucas, and Tommy. They had decided to buy Lucas some cool toy firetrucks since Lucas had told everyone at the hospital that he was best friends with firefighter Tommy and Buck.

(Tommy would forever remember the moment when Lucas tried to stand up on the hospital bed, excitedly pointing to himself and then at Evan, signing something so quickly that the interpreter had to ask Lucas to sign again for her.

"What did he say?" Buck smiled, letting out a chuckle as Lucas went in for a hug.

"He said you look like him.")

"You know, Tasha said that they're going to begin looking for foster parents for him pretty soon." Tommy tried and failed to sound subtle, they had spoken about having kids in passing. It wasn't a number one priority for them, but it was something they did talk about.

Buck didn't even pretend to look shocked or surprised.

"Uh-Is that your way of talking about becoming foster parents for this cutie?" Buck smiled brightly, he looked at Lucas and signed "Hungry?"

Lucas signed "No." Happily going back to playing with firetruck. He pushed the truck into Tommy's knee, signing to the older man "Look!"

Tommy signed back "it's so cool."

(It surprised absolutely no one that Buck had immediately started to watch ASL videos the moment he learned about Lucas.)

"Are we really doing this?" Buck asked excitedly, he looked at Tommy hopefully. Tommy could see the excitement but fear in his boyfriend’s words.

"Yeah." Tommy nodded, "I think we really are." He smiled back, "We should talk to Tasha, see what we need to do."

Buck nodded, heaving a sigh as he remembered what Hen and Karen had gone through with both Nia and Mara. He wasn't sure if he could handle losing Lucas, but ever he had met Lucas he felt like had finally found the last missing puzzle piece of his heart.

"You ready for this?" Buck asked his boyfriend, he had noticed how attached Tommy was to the kid the moment Tommy had brought him to Buck after returning from his strike team deployment.

Tommy paused to look at Lucas, running his finger gingerly through the boy's dark curls. Lucas looked up and smiled lovingly at Tommy who reciprocated.

"I'm terrified to be honest with you, but I'm ready." Tommy admitted, "it's exciting and terrifying to hope we can become a permanent family."

Buck nodded in agreement. "So we're gonna keep our expectations low then, baby steps through out all this then. Right?"

"Right."

Buck squeezed Tommy's hand in reassurance. "So let's talk to Tasha then.

(Tasha had been ready for them, without a word she pulled a heavy manilla folder from her backpack, "I was wondering when you two would finally ask me about taking Lucas in." She told them excitedly.)

[ratgrinders]

Every Rat Grinders/Bad Kids Interaction

Alright, here’s a compilation of every single Rat Grinder/Bad Kid interaction so far this season, mostly made for my own reference. This only includes meetings the characters have directly, either via magical/technological means, talking, or seeing the character face-to-face. This doesn’t include times information about the Rat Grinders was revealed without the Rat Grinders themselves being present, such as times the Bad Kids only mentioned the Rat Grinders in passing. Under the cut, because its LONG.

Episode 3: Not All Who Wanda Are Lost

The Bad Kids meet Kipperlilly in the morning, signing up for class president, where she reveals she had passed rogue classes for the year and that her platform is based on fairness.

She points out Ruben across the courtyard where he is getting swarmed for autographs.

Fig goes to bard class disguised as her new emo girl persona “Wanda Childa”, pretending to have a crush on him. After she gets kicked out of class she comes back in later through the window, this time not disguised. Ruben sneers at her, then when Fig sees he has a call from Lola Embers he says “I have to answer that later.”

Episode 4: Under Pressure

Fabian gets a Nat 20 to search for Kipperlilly in the cafeteria and while he doesn’t see her, gets a “twinge of some kind of sense”.

Mary Ann tries out for the Owlbears, seeming nonplussed. She absolutely demolishes Gorgug with a tackle, made possible through some sort of enchantment magic. She makes the team and leaves unceremoniously, uninterested in hanging out with them further.

Episode 6: Party Politics

Oisin, Ivy, and Buddy are all seen at the party at Seacaster Manor (Kipperlilly is not seen, but the Bad Kids discuss the possibility that she was there, just invisible).

Buddy is off to the side of the party with a cup full of water, “positive but deeply judgmental”. The Bad Kids approach and talk about how Fabian’s father is in hell now, how Kristin was the chosen of Helio and defected, and how Buddy feels about the rest of his adventuring party.

Oisin and Ivy are playing beer pong at a table when Adaine walks up and talks to him, with Ivy occasionally interjecting. They discuss how they shared a glyphs class in Freshman year, how he got buff over the summer and that’s why no one recognizes him, how his family is rich and he could provide her with money if she needed it, and how his tattoos function as a conjuration aid. After Adaine leaves, Oisin misses every single shot, which Ivy makes fun of him for (later revealed to be a calculated ploy, as seen in episode 17).

Ivy calls out to Fabian razzing him about his ping-pong table, and when he says “fuck you” and she responds “is that a threat?”, he runs away.

Fig disguises herself as Lucy Frostblade and hides a distance away, catching the attention of Ivy (but not Oisin). Ivy seems surprised and makes a hand motion asking if they should meet, but when Ivy excuses herself and starts to come over Fig runs off and skateboards away.

Ivy comes up to Fabian’s room where the Bad Kids are investigating, and when Fabian lies about doing snuff asks if there’s any for her. She also asks about Fig’s fishnets and if she skateboards. When Mazey comes up and asks if they should play Twister, Ivy insults her and Mazey looks crestfallen. Fig offers to play Twister with Mazey which intimidates Ivy into silence, while Fabian stays with Ivy and blows off Mazey. While everyone else is downstairs playing Twister Kristin stays in the room with Fabian and Ivy third-wheeling, until Oisin comes up to the room and says that he and Ivy have to go.

Episode 7: Stress Tested

Kipperlilly has hired a bunch of food trucks for her campaign and is giving out food at lunch in the courtyard. She’s standing on a platform with Mary Ann next to her handing out flyers. The Bad Kids walk up and talk to her, with Kristin wearing a salsa hat that Kipperlilly is unimpressed by. Kipperlilly says that she wasn’t at the Bad Kids’ party because she was studying, and when Kristin asks why she was studying since the rogue teacher found her and she passed all her classes, Kipperlilly just stares at her in silence. When Kristin mentions her goddess died, Kipperlilly responds really loudly “how can you cast spells?” in an attempt to discredit her, and the other Bad Kids jump in to cast a bunch of spells on Kristin and counteract this.

Fabian clumsily reaches out to Ivy at school and Ivy is snarky and cold to him, saying “You missed your shot, Playboy” since she knew Fabian has been recently hanging out with Mazey. 

Episode 8: Fracas at the Frostyfaire Folk Festival

Ruben is performing at the Frostyfaire Folk Festival, with the other Rat Grinders conspicuously absent.

Ruben disguises himself as an old man in an attempt to get the Bad Kids to do drugs, but is caught. He then leaves to go do his set with his band, “My Clerical Gnomance”. As he is playing however, he is interrupted by Principal Grix showing up and casting disintegrate on him. Ruben continues to play while the Bad Kids fight Principal Grix, giving out bardic inspirations to the Bad Kids, and especially to Wanda Childa who he sees in the crowd. He’s written a song just for Wanda and dedicates it to her in the crowd.

Episode 9: Vulture Clash 

When the Bad Kids come out of the Vulture Dimension Ruben is being kept in a hold person spell by Principal Grix, poised to strum down on his guitar for an incredible piece of bard magic. When the Bad Kids break hold person Ruben strums and gives everyone a bardic inspiration. Fabian jumps up on stage and says “I’m actually a huge fan” before leaping off and destroying Grix.

Fig as Wanda Childa begins to leave in a minor illusion bus, and Ruben frantically runs after her. After this, he is nowhere to be seen at the festival.

The Bad Kids discover the body of Lucy Frostblade near Lake Shimmerstone, with a rune in her chest preventing her from being resurrected. Kristin uses her clerical magic to free her from being trapped in the cursed domain of this deity, and Lucy and Yolanda hold hands as they move on to the domain of Cassandra.

Episode 10: Cursed Out

All of the Rat Grinders are seen at the school assembly talking about the death of Yolanda and how all clerics will be moved to pass/fail. Most are unconcerned and/or bored.

Fig disguised as Wanda Childa catches Ruben on a bus, where she talks to him about a true crime podcast that’s discussing the death of Lucy Frostblade. Ruben really wants to see this podcast and Fig asks for Ruben’s email address so she can email him the podcast using a burner email. Ruben says he has to leave because he’s getting mobbed for autographs even though he and Wanda are the only people on the bus, and Fig dimension doors away. 

Kristin talks to Buddy in the hall about the recent pass/fail news for cleric class and about how chill Buddy is, that he leaves the wrath to Sol. Buddy is concerned about Kristin’s brother Bucky being led away from Helio like she was. He says his grandfather Bobby can come and teach the cleric class so they don’t move to pass/fail. Kristin leaves to go check on her brother and gets protective when Buddy says he can do that if she can’t. Buddy needles her about her dead god, and Kristin responds that she’s coming back for the second time, and Helio only came back once.

Episode 11: A Very Merry Moonar Yulenear

Fig enters Ruben’s dream disguised as Kipperlilly, shaping the environment to look like the crime scene of Lucy Frostblade, and says to him “you need to take the fall for this”. Adaine appears ethereally next to her as the Elven Oracle. After Fig says this, Ruben puts a hand to his mouth and from between his fingers what’s described as blood is squeezing out.

Episode 14: Dawn of Justice

In the cafeteria while Kipperlilly is doing a campaign presentation chants in support of Kristin break out. Kipperlilly walks by the Bad Kids’ table to confront them, and when Kristin needles her about devil’s honey Kipperlilly breaks composure and insults her, “It's really nice how charmed everyone is, by how little you fucking care.” A fight almost breaks out with Fig, Fabian, and Gorgug squaring up while Ivy and Oisin try to calm them down. Riz hisses and Mary Ann comments on it, Fig messages her that she could do better and Mary Ann doesn’t know what she means. She asks Gorgug if he has mango soda and Gorgug gets mad. Buddy tries to calm them down and that they should walk in the light of Helio and Kristin says “he’s almost right”. Kristin tries to give Mary Ann a stuffed squishmallow, but Mary Ann already has that one and that she’ll donate it. Adaine says she thought the wizard was cool, and gets a Message from Oisin just saying “sorry”, and the Rat Grinders leave.

Buddy is the student volunteer proctor for the Bad Kids’ Last Standard Exam, set to revive them if any of them die. The Rat Grinders protest saying he’s biased, but the proctor doesn’t budge saying that Buddy has sworn an oath that will strip him of his connection to Helio should he refuse to revive them.

Episode 15: The Last Stand

Kristin is teleported up on the ledge next to Buddy thanks to Adaine’s Scatter spell. Buddy turns to her and says “This is remarkable”. When Kristin eats the Eye of the Vulture King and is granted True Sight, Buddy asks “Everything all right?”, and behind him, aiming a crossbow at the proctor, is Kipperlilly. Kipperlilly sees that she’s been caught, smiles, and slits Buddy’s throat before being teleported away by Oisin. 

Episode 16: Untapped Rage

10 minutes after the Bad Kids leave the Last Stand, Buddy is approached by a 15 foot tall figure who violently revives Buddy back to life with a red gem in his chest, with Buddy saying he worships a nameless god of rage now. Then both Buddy and the figure vanish.

Episode 17: The Name 

Fig tries to enter Ruben’s dream but cannot interact with him directly, though she does see his house and feels that his dream is violent and enraged, but also scared. She also sees a version of Ruben, before his shift to an emo aesthetic, walking scared into the Far Haven Woods.

Fig, disguised as Wanda, goes to Ruben’s house and knocks on the door. She doesn’t get a response but a window opens, though it is unclear who is in the window. Fig as Wanda gets shot with a crossbow by Fabian and Kristin Two in the bushes and pretends to be dead, and after some time passes Gorgug with Enlarge cast on him retrieves her body.

Fig goes to Porter’s office and attempts to give him a fake version of the dead god’s name, with Riz, Adaine, and Gorgug hiding nearby. Through a combination of Riz’s blindsense and Adaine’s detect thoughts, it is revealed an invisible Kipperlilly had been hiding invisible on the lockers the whole time, the same way Riz was hiding.

At Fabian’s birthday/election party, just as his home and everyone in it are lifted into the sky thanks to a cloud rider engine, Oisin telepathically messages Adaine to say “You didn’t see the storm coming? Must not be a very good oracle”.

Episode 18: Rock the Boat

Oisin is heard in the distance chanting in another language, and soon after multiple dragons begin encircling Seacaster Manor, currently aloft in the clouds.

Oisin's dragon ancestor shows up, with Kipperlilly, Oisin, and Jace Stardiamond on her back. All are invisible, but are seen by Adaine and Gorgug thanks to their See Invisibility and True Seeing respectively. Both Oisin and Jace cast a spell, Gorgug makes two wisdom saving throws, and then Kipperlilly breaks a Rune of Recall teleporting all three of them away.

[matan4il]

Update post:

Today, there was an attempted terrorist attack at the Meggido junction in Israel. The hammer-wielding terrorist was thankfully caught before he managed to carry out his planned crime. He's 17 years old, and you can bet the anti-Israel crowd will use his age as "proof" that Israel arrests and jails kids, without mentioning what these minors are being imprisoned for, instead of condemning those who brainwash children into carrying out terrorist attacks. Just one reminder out of many such attacks, in 2018 a 17 years old Palestinian terrorist killed a 45 years old Israeli man, so please no one pretend like minors are harmless, or ignore that when teenagers commit harmful crimes in other countries, they're arrested there, too.

It was obvious that some people have made up their minds about the incident with the WCK workers even before the investigation started, so I expect its conclusions will get perverted and ignored, too.

That same anti-Israel crowd will also ignore (unless they'll use it as ammunition against the Jewish state, by actually claiming that Israel, a nation still reeling from the genocide of Jews, and the continued killing of its citizens by antisemitic terrorists, is intentionally killing its own, because there's just no cartoon villain crime they don't think they can pin on the Jewish state) the fact that there's another IDF investigation that's been released today, which said Efrat Katz was accidentally killed by a helicopter rocket while trying to stop the Hamas terrorists who were kidnapping her into Gaza. The helicopter pilot didn't realize at the time that there were hostages in the car as well, this was only deduced later, from the testimonies of other people kidnapped by Hamas. In other words, as horrific as this truth is, accidents do happen during war. The worst, most tragic ones, and we can't undo them, no matter how much we want to. But they happen to every army, and are not actual evidence of intentional killings, or intentional war crimes. Just like someone having been killed is in general not enough to prove a murder took place.

This is 68 years old Efrat Katz.

The WCK incident report is now out, and I am linking the source publication, so that no possible bias can be attributed to re-phrasing by journalists from any side.

As was the initial impression (for those who don't simply want to believe in every evil, dehumanizing lie about Israel), it turned out to be a tragic accident, that entailed many factors, first and foremost misidentification, in part due to Hamas. As I've pointed out more than once, Hamas steals humanitarian aid. Due to this, the WCK operation had hired armed guards to protect it from looting. Tragically, one armed guard was identified without question on one of the WCK's trucks, and was mistaken for a Hamas terrorist, while at least one other armed terrorist was also identified and thought to be in the convoy's private cars. The vehicles did have the WCK sticker on their roofs, but at night, that wasn't visible to the IDF soldiers. Since the whole convoy was misidentified, the drone fired more than once at more than one vehicle, but this is linked to the same single mistaken identification. It means that even though this shouldn't have happened, the soldiers who fired at the convoy really did believe they were targeting terrorists, which is their mission.

The IDF has expressed sorrow over this incident more than once, has taken responsibility, has conducted an investigation, and following its results, two high ranking officers have been removed from their posts, and two more were severely reprimanded, which means this will be in their file forever, and will influence any future decisions made about their service.

This is 72 years old Nadjda Astreks.

She lives in the southern town of Ofakim with her husband, Alexnder. In the above photo, she's pointing to the bullet holes in her kitchen, left by the terrorists on Oct 7. The couple don't have a bomb shelter in their own home, so they had to go out to a public one when the rocket attack began at 6:30 in the morning. When they returned, is when the terrorists shooting at the buildings began, and the confused couple didn't know what to think or do at first. They went out, and saw the girl from across the street falling. Alexander approached her, only to see a pool of blood, and realize that she had been shot to death. A soldier who was running in the direction of the terrorists told them to go back to the neighborhood bomb shelter, where they ended up hiding for hours, without food and water, or proper toilettes, without knowing what's going on outside for a big part of that. It was fellow residents from their neighborhood who faced the terrorists and saved the people there, but the first ambulance for the injured was only able to make it there at three in the afternoon. Nadjda said that even much later, she's still having trouble eating, whenever she thinks of everything that happened on the day of the massacre.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[eretzyisrael]

In world affairs, the strategy of “just pretend it isn’t happening” has an extremely poor track record. Nor is it true that, as the chief of medicine on Scrubs once put it, “if you don’t look for a mistake, you can’t find one.”

Now that the world has been forced to admit that there is no famine in Gaza, it has been made clear that Israel is letting plenty of food aid into the strip. Which means it’s time to admit something is happening to that food, and it isn’t Israel’s fault. From the Wall Street Journal:

Officials from the United Nations, the largest distributor of aid in Gaza, say that people are looting trucks when they reach Gaza, making it unsafe for their employees to deliver aid. By midafternoon on Monday, no U.N. trucks arrived to pick up aid from the Kerem Shalom crossing, where on Sunday Israel began a daily pause to fighting from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. along a key north-south road used to deliver aid throughout much of Gaza. The Israeli military said 21 other trucks picked up supplies on Sunday. “We need to keep people safe,” said Scott Anderson, the Gaza-based director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, a key group tasked with managing aid distribution in the Strip. An official with the World Food Program, another U.N. agency that delivers aid to Gaza, also cited looting en route to WFP warehouses as hindering deliveries.

So UN trucks are allowed into Gaza, it’s just that the UN drivers don’t want to go because they fear Palestinian violence.

Read more: Here

[sunflowersandsapphires]

Self-Indulgent HCs

pairing(s): Frank Castle x fem!Reader, Matt Murdock x fem!Reader, Michael Kinsella x fem!Reader

summary: How each of the boys would care for you when you were sick, headcanons bc i am tired

warnings: non-graphic, general descriptions of sickness (just cold/fever, not covid)

a/n: this month was already rough on my allergies but i came down with quite possibly the worst cold I’ve ever had. (It’s literally so bad i had to use PTO instead of WFH days? I am literally dying.) I wrote this when I was feverish and couldn’t sleep to make myself feel better. I hope someone out there likes it 😭

Frank

I think Frank would worry a lot when his partner was sick.

He’s lost so many people and he doesn’t have a huge circle so i think it takes him by surprise a little.

But he’d do his best to hide his worries by going about his day and comforting you.

He’d get fresh produce from the store and make you delicious soup, pick up tissues and medicine for you, threaten anyone who tried to make you go into work

“Your boss still pullin’ that shit? Gimme the phone, let me talk to ‘em”

He loves being your big spoon anyways but he would not let you go if you looked or sounded ill. You’d be nestled carefully against his chest while he stroked your back until you fell asleep.

He’d keep you entertained by reading to you or watching whatever TV your fever-ridden mind is craving.

Above all, he wouldn’t leave your side until you were feeling better.

The smile on his face the next time you take him out would be brilliant. He’s just so happy that you’re here with him and feeling better.

Matt

Personally, i hate the idea of getting people sick more than actually being sick sometimes but i think this would especially be the case with Matt

His senses are so delicate, I wouldn’t want to fuck with him by being gross and loud or by getting him sick.

But there is no way this man isn’t the biggest self-sacrificing-mother-hen when someone he loves is sick.

He’d sense your illness before you would, and encourage you to take it easy and sleep a bit extra that week (above all, he’s a hypocrite.)

Of course, he’s a bit embarrassed of everything he can do, or maybe you don’t know the extent of what he is capable of, so he plays it off as “you’ve been working so hard lately, sweetheart, you need to take it easy.”

A day or two before the bug hits you like a truck, he’d come over with a bag from the pharmacy that’s just chock-full of DayQuil and Tea and cough drops and like a single bandaid

He poorly plays it off as “uh, your first aid kit was low, remember?”

Once you’re well and truly sick, he’d be stubborn as a mule if you tried to keep him away. You lock him out of your apartment? You wake up from a nap wrapped in a Devil-shaped blanket to find that someone picked your window lock.

At that point, you just cave and let him stay because you are so cold and he’s so so warm.

Mikey

Not afraid of using his puppy dog eyes to get you to stay home or in bed.

Also not afraid of crying wolf and pretending that he’s not feeling well to make you take a break

“Sorry, pet, my head is hammerin’. Think we could lay down fer a bit?”

Combined WITH the puppy eyes? You don’t stand a chance.

Though you usually take care of the housework while he’s dealing with his family’s business, he wouldn’t let you lift a finger until your temperature was normal and your voice came back.

It’s as if you’re the only person that exists to him, he’s running around trying to anticipate your every need.

It’s been a while since he’s dealt with the real world so he might ask Birdy for advice on how to care for a sick person.

Lots of home remedies (idk just vibes.)

He would have you lean against him in a scalding shower to clear your sinuses or draw you a nice bath.

Keep cool water and a cloth by the bed to bring your fever down.

Hand you cup after cup of tea until you have to threaten to tie him to the bed.

“Just lay with me, please”

“Of course, pet. Anything fer ya.”

[princelylove]

Good day your Highness,

I come forward to humbly ask for your opinion on what would happen if each of bruno’s gang members found out their respective darling were cheating in them. (also *what* kind of cheating would hurt them the most, physical/emotional) I’m betting that that one darling isn’t going home with their whole body intact *cough* *cough* narancias

Hope you have a wonderful weekend *it’s friday when am writing this*

Hii, peon. Sure.

You're suicidal, huh. That's a shame. I'm going to exclude Giorno and Trish in this, since Bruno's group is already five whole people and I'm too detailed for my own good.

Leone already has a jealousy problem, proving he has every right to be insecure and doubtful is... not good. He hates himself so much that, somehow, it's not your fault. He'll do better. Please don't leave him. He goes through a depression period before he really reacts- yeah, of course you would cheat on him, he's the worst, he deserves it, sure. It really hits him like a truck after a week or so of pretending it's all in his head and not happening.

He spirals either way, it doesn't matter if you actually had sex or if you were just flirting with other people. What's wrong with him that you sought someone else out? Why isn't he good enough?? How could you do this to him??? It's a great way to get him to actually argue with you, normally Leone just backs down and takes whatever you've got to give. Yell at him, call him names, it kind of does something for him, honestly he just wants the disagreement to be over and will do anything to essentially 'yes' you to death- but cheating on him and expecting him to just take it? Fuck you.

Have you ever heard a grown man yell before? They get pretty loud. And deeply personal. Usually he isn't one for personal insults in an argument- usually. He's still in love with you, but he's hurt.

And he'll come back to you, because he's too obsessed to let go. He's just clingier. And more attentive. That's how you keep your partner, right? Forgive him for whatever he did. Please.

Guido kills himself on the spot is pretty hurt. He takes physical cheating the most personal. He's the type of guy to not care if his darling already has someone else, hey, he can play support, but if his darling chose him first and then went out of their way to seek someone else.... he's sad. Truly, he's just sad.

I mean, come on. He may not be the most handsome guy out there, but he's pretty well endowed. Are you just greedy? He understands if he's not giving you enough attention, but he's got a moderate libido, you could've just told him you wanted it more often.

His eye kinda twitches when he finds out. You've never seen Guido not smile- something in his brain only lets him wear two or three expressions near you- but it's slowly dropping. It's not a frown, it's not disgust, it's nothing. Gears are turning in his head, and honestly, he's not liking where it's going. He feels like he's not enough even with plenty of reassurance- hey, we all have our insecurities- but this? He's pretty hurt. Guess you weren't his dream partner after all.

It's kind of different if he catches you. He's always going to think that you're being assaulted before he thinks you're willingly touching someone else. Guido rushes to your aid- he's quick to beat your assaulter- but if you defend them, try to get him off of them... well, Guido's always had impulse control issues, and he's already got the gun in his hand.

Oops.

Pannacotta tries to wrap his head around it. He doesn't snap on the spot, it's actually quite frightening how not-personal he takes it- he just has a few questions. With who? When? How many times? Was it personal, did you have a relationship?

It's so he can spiral over it later, but accurately. He just can't get it out of his head- he can understand physically cheating on him, maybe he wasn't to your tastes, yet- people, especially women, seek the mates they think suit them the best- but he's supposed to be good with words. He's well spoken. He understands your needs, emotionally and otherwise. And it still wasn't good enough? You're impossible.

Pannacotta prefers a challenge with his darling. He likes someone that he can break in. Maybe he just didn't get there with you yet? His operant conditioning has been going well- what did he do wrong to make you do something like this? God, you're such a brat. A spoiled brat. (His fault.) He's been too easy on you, you're clearly a dick hungry whore that can't help themself. Maybe he should just condition you to seek him out for those things? He wasn't going to, yet, but it might be appropriate if you're so... needy.

He won't leave you for it. No, no, the opposite. It only encourages his delusions that you need him- you're just sleeping with anyone, aren't you? Or you're stupid enough to believe someone other than him loves you the way you need it most. Siiiigh.

He's not mad, he's just disappointed. He'll handle his own feelings when he's alone. In a room with no fragile objects.

Bruno stares blankly at you while you admit it. He's not blinking. He does, eventually, but it feels like forever until he does.

Honestly, you should've expected him to slap you. He'd usually prefer to lightly tap your wrist- but a nice, clean, open-palm slap is your reward for confessing.

He'll get you an ice pack later.

You shouldn't be relying on anyone else emotionally. He's your man, isn't he? There's nothing that he can't take care of, that's why he's your husband. Infidelity is a sin, you know. Not that he's particularly religious- Guido is more so the person you should ask about those sorts of things- but he's not too keen on it. It'd be cause for divorce if he wasn't so forgiving.

You'll have to earn his trust back, the old fashioned way. Stay at home. Take care of your children, that you got from him. Don't answer the phone when it rings, don't do anything he didn't tell you to do. Start greeting him when he comes home.

If you're well behaved, he'll genuinely forgive it. If not, well. Stressing out that man is the most obvious form of self harm I've ever seen.

Narancia isn't the one to do this to. At least the others have some sort of survival rate- Narancia thinks the ultimate betrayal is seeing another man. Or woman. Or person. You get his point.

You shouldn't need anybody other than him- he's your provider. Duhhh. What's your fucking problem??? There's nothing wrong with him.

The second Narancia finds out, he snaps. He's bent on making you hurt like you've hurt him. He's always been an eye for an eye kind of person- but he doesn't have any interest in cheating on you. He'll just stab you until he feels better, until it's allll out of his system.

The chase is pretty fun. It's always been pretty fun- but instead of playing tag to get you ready for bed and all tuckered out, it's Narancia actually running at full speed and jumping over whatever furniture you throw in his way.

You always thought that small pocket knife Narancia carries would be the death of you- and it will be. Nothing is safe or sacred- your chest, your throat, your face, your abdomen, your thighs, absolutely nothing will be salvageable once Narancia stops.

He just sits there, huffing and puffing while straddling your corpse. Taking in the sight.

Then he cries. A lot. Why did you have to make him do that????

[xtarmanderx]

Because I’m feeling generous today and also a little evil, here’s a snippet of my soulmate AU!

-

Buck rubs his thumb against the mark on his opposing wrist, over and over again until his skin feels raw. From the corner of his eye, he sees Eddie tracking the movement and has to make a conscious effort to release himself. He splays his fingers over his thighs and drags them down, resisting the impulse to start tapping them against his knees. When he peeks a glance at his best friend, Eddie is no longer looking at him. His shoulders come down from his ears a little as he takes a deep breath. They're about five minutes out from the fire and he needs to focus. If he's being honest with himself though, the soulmark is the only thing that's distracted him from his recent breakup. The vibrant blue line on his skin has been the reminder that he does have a soulmate out there. Somewhere. And their name isn't Thomas Kinard.

"All right, the 217 was first on scene which means Captain Rodriquez is IC." Bobby says over the headset. Buck pretends not to notice three sets of eyes move in his direction. If there's any kind of god out there, he prays that Tommy is not on scene. He knows he can be professional on scene if he stumbles across the man he loves - loved, he corrects himself - but he's still not ready to see him. Doesn't know if he ever will be. Their truck pulls to a halt and he's the first one out, taking a deep breath and regretting it as smoke fills his lungs.

The factory before him is fully ablaze, flames licking at the sky and stretching wherever they can. It's a monster with claws and fangs and will consume everything if they can't contain it. Buck pulls his mask on when he's informed there are three workers still inside and he's sent along with Chimney to aid in the rescue operation. Edwards from the 217 passes them with the first worker, gesturing back and giving directions on where he'd left Tommy searching. Buck's throat clenches at the sound of his name and he has to take a deep breath. Chimney must be giving him a look under his mask, but Buck can't be bothered to care as he calls out for anyone who needs help. Further in, he can hear someone calling back in response.

It's a joint effort rescuing the man that's pinned beneath two barrels, but they get him out. He sends Chimney out with him and continues on, calling out for anyone else in the vicinity. Two seconds later, a voice comes across his radio letting him know it's time to evacuate. The last of the workers has been located and there's the threat of a structural collapse. As he rounds the corner, his eyes fall on a familiar frame and he nearly stumbles. "Tommy." There's no way his whisper was heard above the roar of the flames, but he swears Tommy's head snaps around nonetheless. The older man waves him on and as Buck starts to step past him everything turns to shit.

[eris-snow]

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Tags: Revelation (Deku's birthday series 2024), izuku x fem!reader, revelation, stabbing, blood, angst, no fluff, sorry, pain, this is late, ft bakugou and ochaco,

Masterlist

15th July: Doomsday.

--

Class starts off normal. Yeah, that’s it. Cool, normal, totally not like your childhood best friend is burning holes into you like you were going to get slammed by a semi-truck at any minute.

Izuku’s eyes are pools of crystal lakes. Like Narcissus looking into his own reflection, Izuku’s eyes compelled you to look his way. Maybe it was sorcery or witchcraft—his eyes seem to sparkle, and they’re mesmerising beyond any precious jewel.

I get it. It’s your birthday. Doomsday.

And maybe, you were just the slightest bit peeved at his actions. All through yesterday, he’d been avoiding you like a plague. Wouldn’t talk to you, speak to you, hell, he wouldn’t even look at you. Then all of a sudden, he decides that he wants to shower you with his gaze and attention, or peer at you with those fucking eyes like he hadn’t been avoiding you these past few days.

You thought you knew dense, but this? Izuku was a fucking mineshaft.

Just as you’re about to address his intense gaze during homeroom, Aizawa calls you out for the second time in the span of one week. You pretend you don’t feel all eyes on you as you exit the classroom. There’s a certain aloofness you can never mirror from Kacchan. There isn’t the “I’d die for you in a heartbeat” mentality ingrained in your bones just like how it is for Izuku. You wish to emulate both of them, for a trait special to your personal, but when you stop to think about it, you draw a blank.

Ugly, ugly, plain and boring, you remind yourself, as you step out the classroom to meet Aizawa. You’re getting called out so often because you can’t even act fine correctly.

There’s a hand in your face before you know your mouth is open. “My turn first,” Aizawa says, dead serious. “You aren’t in trouble, and this isn’t about Midoriya.”

Your mouth clangs shut, and your throat constricts. What else would he want to talk about?

“An opportunity has been presented to you,” Aizawa says, trailing off a little. “By Star’s former agency in America.”

The world tilts sideways, and you actually stumble to keep yourself on your feet because of the floor’s disequilibrium. “W-What…?”

“One of them wants you there as a sidekick.”

America?

That’s more than, what, 6000 miles to the great wild West. The land where dreams came true (supposedly).

“Ever since you aided Stars and Stripes in her last battle, the agency’s been keeping an eye on you. There’s an interview, and paperwork, and a contract but I suspect those are simply formalities.” Aizawa says nonchalantly, but you can see the pride in his eyes. The pride of a teacher, when his student has soared high. That battle was intense, but it was ashes compared to Izuku’s heart-moving victory that had saved the world.

“B-B-But…” You stutter, “I-I don’t think I’m the best candidate! Won’t they want one from the Big Three? Did they get the wrong person? Ask them to double-check because I don’t think—”

Aizawa gives you an unnerving stare, and his words that come out flat. “Kid, they phoned me 14 times. Pretty sure they got the right person.”

Hesitation lines your face, as Aizawa pats your shoulder. “More details will be given should you accept. They want you from next year onwards, which I am willing to compromise for as long as you have fixed times with you to revise the necessary topics. You, Bakugou and Midoriya have finished most of the syllabus, correct? Should you feel necessary, I possess revision materials and suitable dates should you want to take the final exam earlier.”

It’s a beautiful opportunity. A ‘I-found-a-golden-ticket-in-my-chocolate’ kind of opportunity. It was so tempting to take.

But…

You were just 17. A teenager that won the lottery, who now had to deal with consequences. What about family, housing, language, oh God, your English was so bad you would die before they asked you ‘dine in or take out?’ And besides…

Aizawa sees the look on your face, and sighs loudly. How many times are you going to stupidly throw your life away for Izuku?

You can’t keep doing this, but clinging to Izuku and this ever burning love you have for him is all you ever know. Running of to America? You don’t think you could comprehend the distance across oceans paired with the distance of time. Aizawa stares at you and shakes his head in disappointment. “Give it a thought. It’s okay to be selfish sometimes, L/n. Don’t let anyone hold you back from chasing your dream.”

You swallow thickly. It’s all you’ve ever wanted, someone wants you, and you’re being called to help other people, be a real heroe and drop the ‘in-training’, to fight crime and kick as in a country with crime rates so high they could rival the Empire State Building.

You’re a terrible mess, and when you think about it more, the more miserable you get.

It’s my dream to be a hero, but what if my dream is you too?

—

“We need to talk,” Izuku’s voice is gentle, but it’s plush pillows wrapped up in caution tape. Assessing him doesn’t take too long, because by the way he grips your wrist as your foot is halfway out the door, he wants to tell you something, and it’s urgent.

Shrugging his hand off, you fold your arms and project aloofness, although it’s not very convincing. You feel your lips threaten to break into a false smile, and mentally slap yourself when it almost flits across your face. Izuku had caught up to you on that ever since his fragmented memories started returning, so you’d tried to stop.

Bad habits and sticky fingers.

“What is it?” You try to soften the edge of your voice like sandpaper, but you still see the way he flinches at your voice. Patrol is in half an hour, and if you don’t book it, you’ll be late. “Oh, and if this is about your birthday party and how you don’t want it, too bad, Mina already bought silly string and Sato bought ingredients for the cake, so you can’t—”

“It’s not, about my birthday.” He insists, shoving the topic aside. A hand runs through his curls, as if trying to soothe his nerves, but you can see the way he has to forcefully drop his hands to the side and avert his gaze. His outer shell had slowly crumbled off the longer he was around you, little fragments chipped off until gone is Hero Deku, and underneath is a more human Izuku, with nervous habits and mistakes.

“Look, I’m sorry I haven’t been…around.” He says, trying to phrase it nicely. It does him no favours. “There were a couple of things I had to figure out and rearrange in my head, it’s just—”

He looks desperate, and you’re feeling bad. Emerald green washes over your eyes, mirroring the calm of a forest even though he’s nothing but.

“I’ve gotten hold of how the Quirk Accident happened, and-and a way to lift the Quirk, but…” He swallows thickly, before his eyebrows furrow. “Are you even listening to me?”

Your eyes had strayed to a clock, thoughts wandering, but you jerked back to reality when a scarred hand tugged your own. “A way to lift the Quirk?”

It’s only when you repeat his words do you really understand the weight of them.

Joy bubbles up and exudes from you like an air freshener on crack.

Hey, aren’t you excited? The little child that always hoped for another way whispers, tugging your arm with a beautiful smile. Izuku’s gonna remember you.

But the logical side of you, the side with squandered hope and broken dreams makes you think through your feelings. The longer you think about it, the more it doesn’t make sense.

If Izuku had found a way to lift this curse, then why hadn’t he done it yet?

The clocks tick, and the minute hand moves. How many minutes do you have left until he forgets?

“Yeah, but that can wait.” He says in a rush. “There’s some guy I met—on the streets! He’s related to my Accident. I don’t think he’s the exact person, but close, brother, probably, since he said ‘Nii-san’—”

“What?”

Your heart rate spikes and colour drains from your face. Chisuke and Izuku made contact, oh God, and you didn’t even know. Now that you see it, you can’t unsee it. The redness on his neck, like he’d been held at knifepoint. Worry blossoms in your voice.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone? Why didn’t tell Sensei?”

“I just met him yesterday,” Izuku defends, eyes blazing. “And he’s not targetting me like you thought, he’s targetting you!”

Time slows. The declaration was like a veil lifted from your eyes, a shiny revelation that stares at you in the face. The target…

Is me.

Your eyes flicker back to Izuku’s face, huffing and puffing like he fought a bull to stand down. You stare at him. He’s all muscle, baby fat thinning, freckles sprinkled across his face like stars in the sky.

“It’s me?” You whisper, voice small.

Izuku watches you look at him dumbly, words caught in your throat.

“Please,” He whispers, features lined with worry, the same worry you once felt for him now reflected right back at you. “Don’t go for patrol, stay here, where it’s safe. Starlight—”

The name feels like ants on your skin.

“You’ve done so much already,” he takes out a hand, the same one as in that dumb, snow-white hospital room when he got concussed from pushing himself too hard.

I’ve done nothing.

“I…” He swallows. “I don’t want to lose you when I’m this close to figuring it all out.”

The last time you’d taken his hand it tasted like victory. Everything felt perfect, as if fireworks had painted the sky a vibrant colour shows, an artist’s masterpiece for all to see. But now, as you lock eyes with his hand, you can’t help but wonder if it really mattered anymore.

It doesn’t matter if Izuku remembers or forgets—Chisuke would still be hunting you down, looking for a way to wipe your emotions until the heroes lock him up.

All the memories, flashes of moments he’s gained from agony and tears—they’ll be locked behind reinforced walls by the stroke of midnight.

The karma of this exact day, 7 years ago is finally catching up to you after all this time. What will Chisuke do this time? Cut you up? Drown you in your blood? You taste ash on your tongue, throat clogged up.

If it really comes to it, maybe it wasn’t completely undeserved.

Isn’t that for the best? Someone whispers in your ear, voice a whispy and taunting.

Because this entire fiasco is because of you.

The minute hand ticks again, and your phone buzzes. Your patrol, your shift—

Izuku’s still there, waiting for you to take his hand.

Walls constrict on you, and feel your ribcage squeezing the air out of your lungs.

You’re gonna die, you’re going to flatline, you’re—

You only hurt when you let it hurt, and it all goes away when you don’t think.

Don’t think.

The answer comes to your hazardous grappling, and you’re so desperate to stop spiralling, you do something that you haven’t done since Izuku started talking to you again.

It comes as easy as breathing, as you let that rope snap. Up goes the walls, and gone your thoughts.

Don’t think.

Dissociate, detach, let go, don’t cry, you can’t start now.

Eyes flash upwards, and you force yourself to steel. Stars aren’t supposed to break.

“Move.”

Izuku’s eyes widen at your shifted demeanour, and his legs carry him out of my way as his face collapses with confusion. “Starlight, what’s wrong with you?” He whispers, pleading for you to listen. “Starlight—”

“I’m going for patrol,” You exhale sharply, looking at him with dull eyes. Expressionless, head empty, come on, just a little bit more, don’t break now—

“I’ll be careful out there, and I’ll come back safe.” Maybe.

“Starlight, you’re not listening to me—!”

“You never listen to me either, so I guess we’re both even!” You shout, swinging the door open.

The anger is foreign at your fingertips. You’ve felt disappointed, sad, longing and desire, all shrivelled up in balls of tissue paper as you wake up screaming at night. But anger? It was fresh, a band-aid ripped from raw skin.

“We’re both shitty teenagers who want to do what we think is the best for each other, and there’s nothing more to it,” You whisper, rubbing your eyes at where the tears start to leak out. This is bad, you’re out of practice, and the mask is peeling off so quickly.

You’re just so, so tired.

“Leave me alone, Midoriya.”

Hurry up and get your memories already.

“I’m not worth it.”

Haven’t I waited long enough?

Tears prickle Izuku’s eyes, pools of green watering. He’s always been such a crybaby.

Voice shaky, he echoes. “You’re worth it.”

A terrible, unsightly smile crawls up your face, and the laugh that drops from your lips is bitter and humourless.

“Goodbye, Midoriya.”

The door slams shut, and Izuku’s tears bubble over. What hell of a birthday is this?

A shadow creeps up on him, and, oh look it’s Kacchan. He messed up big time, of course he blew it with you. Furiously, he wipes his tears away and sniffles. He has no right to cry.

“God, dammit nerd, what the fuck was that?”

“I know—” He sobs, as Katsuki punches him in the face. The burn is well deserved, as the blond yanks him by the collar and spits in his face. “Good job, dumbass! You lost someone who’s been chasing after you for fuck knows how long. How’d you manage that?”

Katsuki’s voice is like a slap in the face, one he knew he very much deserved. “What, you gonna sob about this like a baby? Fucking man up, Izuku! You have a game to play, asshole. Ball’s in your court, so what’s your move?”

His mind whirls, gears turning. You’re probably halfway to the station, he knows how fast you run. Especially from him, always, always him.

“Oi, shitface!” Katsuki spits, red eyes blazing with fire from the Underworld. “What’s. Your. Move?”

A sharp bolt stabs his cornea, making him writhe in agony. Kacchan’s yelling recedes into the background, his mind sprouting words like it was trivia night on Saturday.

White lies, eyes, smiles, laughs—

He squeezes his eyes shut, pain blooming.

Starlight, Zuku, Secrets—

He gasps, unable to breathe.

Sketcheswillowtreesforgetmenots—

His mind glitches, and images flash. A lush forest that’s always lathered in colour, beautiful branches like streamers with a lake as pure as waters from springs.

Almost instantaneously, One For All crackles from the ends of his hair to the tips of his toes. Izuku tosses himself out of Kacchan’s grip, eyes wild and frenzied. “I need—” He cuts himself off. “I need to go.”

He zips past Kacchan, and bolts out the door.

Fuck the bus, he’d get there faster on foot. He knows exactly where he’s going, because he’s going back to where it all started.

Back to the memories that resided in your glade.

—

The overcast sky greets your gaze as your hero partner frowns. “Oh, man, it’s gonna rain!” She wails, lamenting the bad weather. You look up, watching the sun disappear behind the curtain of grey clouds.

What’s a little bit of pain without a little bit of rain?

—

Izuku never ran so fast in his life. He’s probably a flying, leaping safety hazard, but he doesn’t care. Stormy clouds roll in, as the sun bids farewell for the day. The news drones on about the rainy forecast prediction. 

Yeah, no shit. He thinks, as one drop lands on his jacket.

Not a minute later, it pours.

Trespassing seems like a small feat too, as he leaps over the fence and stumbles. He doesn’t fall, though The rain makes everything slippery, so it’s a fight for balance as he reroutes his way to his destination like his body is a satellite.

The voice, your voice, gets louder and louder as he nears the clearing. It’s splitting his skull in half, and he’s fighting to keep himself from doubling over.

“Save you—”

“I’m so sorry—”

“Come back to me—”

Gritting his teeth, his hand brushes past the leaves that reveal the toneless clearing that you’d adored so much. It’s so bare, without its colour. A step forward is all it takes for his legs to buckle, forcing him to kneel as his hands trace the willow tree’s rough bark.

“Who are you?” “I’m Y/n! What’s your name?”

“Race you!”

“I’ll call you Zuku! It’s shorter, and nicer!”

Wax on bone, flesh peeling and blood dripping. He screams, loud and broken, the pain more than he could ever imagine.

“I’m not a transfer, I’m not a stranger—”

“Izuku, please—”

“I love your eyes.”

“I love your smile.”

“Don’t leave, Zuku. Stay here with me.”

“I love you.”

The world is burning, and upside down, right? The cool pitter-patter on his skin feels like acid, oh, make it stop, please make it—

Tit for tat, this for that. A brother for a brother, and pain for bits and scraps.

You want to find your memories? I understand. My Quirk is simple, very simple. Pain is not worth the weight of knowledge.

The world goes dead silent, as his heartbeat thumps in his chest. Erratic, frantic, as the world seemingly explodes. Izuku isn’t so sure if he’s dying, though it certainly feels like it.

“I love you.”

The words thrum in Izuku’s head like a martyr, echoed in your voice at all different ages. Fragmented across different timelines, the world stops, and along with it, silence engulfs his being.

He blinks, and he’s standing in front of the wall again. It’s fragmented so badly, his breath hitches at the beautifully ugly sight.

In the silence’s place, is the faint but distinct sound of a heart monitor beeping.

Izuku looks up to see the wall crack once more, and shatter in front of his very own eyes.

Your trade is sufficient.

In return, I’ll return you everything that was once yours.

—

It all happens instantaneously. Suddenly, someone dials the decibel level back up to max, and Izuku’s memories arrive like a mountain avalanche. 

He jerks his head up, the ringing in his head fading as he’s thrown back into the world of senses. The rain pours, and the thunder booms.

His mind feels comfortably full, sharper, and he’s horrified he didn’t realise how empty it was in the first place.

“Oh, Starlight,” He whispers, voice wobbly as he sorts through the different years. So many things make sense now, from your words to actions and your expressions that always screamed help me. A hand comes up to cover his mouth as he lines the memories with gold. He’s been so daft this entire time, and you—

Guilt rises to his mouth and it tastes awfully like bile. It’s getting very difficult to breathe.

How could I ever forget you?

Arms wrapped around himself, he lets out a strangled cry, shame chewing him up more and more because this? This was what you went through? 7 years of obliviousness, white lies, and a whole-ass relationship that he was never meant to have with Ochaco. 7 years of putting up to him, clinging to him, oh gosh, this year was such a dumpster fire—

“I love you.” Your voice rings in his head, and his words pile on top of each other in his throat. The revelation is warm sunlight in the cold shower of rain, and he sobs when he finally understands the gravity of them. 

I love you, even if I can only have different facades of yourself.

I love you, so I’ll chase you as long as I have to.

I love you, even though you will never love me back.

“I love you too,” He whispers brokenly, gathering up the pieces of his ruined memories in scarred hands. “I’ve always loved you.”

It was always meant to be you, that’s why nothing ever felt right.

From the times you brought him your bentos in middle school when the bullies would throw his own away, to the times you sat there with him for hours. Those times you never said anything but just listened to him, made him feel heard and respected and—

loved.

Izuku knew he was whipped the moment the nickname ‘Zuku’ sprouted from your mouth in that sandbox all those years ago.

Can’t even survive a Quirk Accident right, some love, he scoffs at himself, staggering as he pulls himself to his feet.

Your trade is sufficient. The voice at the back of his mind reminds him, causing blood to drain from his face. There’s only so long that you can overlook one factor, and this one was a ticking time bomb that got his brain throbbing and searching hungrily for the answer.

What exactly has he traded?

His phone alarm blares in his pocket, causing him to fumble with it as it automatically starts to play the latest news.

“—Currently facing off against a villain! Two of them, although it’s difficult to see as one of them has a wind manipulation Quirk. It seems he’s at least partially responsible for the storm right now. Hero/n and Everblaze continue to push for the capture of the villain behind the recent cases police cases of officers found waking up unable to feel joy—”

All colour drains from his face. There’s nothing more that needs to be said. He pockets his phone, fires up One For All, and leaps for the city.

Izuku’s lost you once. He refuses to lose you again.

—

Seeing Chisuke tastes like shit. Not that you would know or anything, but this is how you’d imagine shit would taste like.

Izuku was right, of course he was.

Chisuke was here for you.

You dodge the incoming blow swiftly, back to back of your senior. The rain pours, but it doesn’t stop the attack, because you’re a lighthouse in a storm.

“This lot is targeting you, Hero/n, what did you do?” Everblaze grits, flipping her smoke bomb of to buy time.

“Something stupid that involved crashing into a man at age 10.” You mutter, hands lighting up with your Quirk.

She curses, before reporting to comms. “Hero/n and Everblaze on the scene, requesting for backup now!”

“The guy with the knife, get him first.” You say, a strange calm settling under your skin as you navigate through this with professionalism and detachment. “He’s the most dangerous, in terms of long-term setbacks.”

You never know when he’s going to strike. A warped version of Toga, but at least Toga loved her victims. This person…he just liked stabbing people and getting revenge.

With the precision of a neurosurgeon, you toss the man sneaking up on you over your shoulder pinning him to the ground.

Cold blue eyes stare up at you, with a twisted smirk framing his face. He’s older than you last saw him, stubble growing fuzzy under his chin and hair shaggy in the rain.

“Starlight, I found you!” He breathes, cackling you when you twist his arm behind his back. The laughter will forever haunt your nightmares. “I finally found you…”

“Don’t call me that,” you hiss, digging your elbow into him even more. Everblaze’s voice is radio static in your ear.

“Deal with Knifey, I’ll manage the Whirlwind!”

“Copy,” You grit out, struggling to hold him down. “Backup ETA?”

“10 minutes, counting!”

A flash of silver flickers in your peripheral, and you lunge back the minute he takes a swing at you. Water makes you slip, and he contorts his body, pulling yours forward as he lifts up his knife and—

Your thoughts evaporate like steam over a hot pot. He wedges the dagger between your shoulder blade, and its acid corroding your bones. Grunting, you yank his knife out of your shoulder, tossing it to the side. 

You look back just in time to see him pocketing a vial of your blood.

“Two more to go!” He cackles over the thunder as he brandishes a shiny new knife.

Dread pulls in your gut as you clasp your shoulder. Water makes the blood runny, and if it weren’t for the adrenaline, the pain would have exploded like fireworks on the 4th of July.

“Backup 8 minutes!”

The rain drones on. Donning dirty clothes and an ugly smile, he looks feral, crazy, and the determination behind his voice rivals yours.

“Pay your price, Starlight!” He yells, eyes gleaming. “Give my brother back!”

What comes around goes around. The tables have turned, and the roles have swapped. The water blurs your blood into a murky red, and you grind out your response.

“No can do, Chisuke.”

You don’t have the heart of gold Izuku does. The heart to understand, to hear him out or try to empathise. Maybe for other villains, but this was too close to home.

You move expertly, but with his wild knife swings that looked random but were deadly accurate, you’re forced on defence and the back-burner. Kacchan would be so mad because you aren’t moving well. Your defenses are sloppy and the rain makes everything worse. You feel like you’re back in year 1 again, still a fragile bird learning how to fly.

Even still, you’re wearing him down because of the puffs of his breaths that are ragged and rushed. Good, you think, just as the knife lunges too close.

Oh, shit–

There’s another stabbing, and you kick him off just as he grazes you with his knife. Blood drips from your cheek, and you bite your lip when the pain flares.

“That’s two!” He beams, knife dripping red.

“Back up ETA 5 minutes!” screams the voice in your ear.

I don’t have five minutes, shit I don’t even know if I have one! You want to scream, but you know you have to pull this out. Quickly surveying the field for something useful, you hastily grab a discarded metal rod from a broken fence just as he’s about to plunge the dagger into you. It collides with a clang, and now that you see his face up close, you see the myriad of emotions flashing across his face like a light show. 

You squeeze your eyes shut, and refuse to feel a thing.

No feelings, no pain, no feelings, no pain—

“You should be grateful,” He whispers, eyes wide with light. He genuinely believes that he’s helping you. “I see it in your eyes, that agony and sorrow…you want it all gone, and I can help you with that.”

Panic shoots up your legs like it’s water from a fire hydrant, but you hold firm. It’s difficult to see in the pouring rain, but his expression is too hard to miss. “You don’t have to hurt anymore, isn’t that great?” He says, rain falling like confetti on someone’s birthday.

“You don’t have to love anymore.”

You hate how deep his words cut.

Don’t think, don’t think, don’t think—

Pain explodes in your abdomen as your eyes widen. Chisuke deflects your rod with ease.

It isn’t his knife in your chest.

“Three.” He whispers, smile widening further.

There’s a small body behind you, one lithe and quick. The face doesn’t even look at you. “Got her, boss, just as you said.”

It isn’t the Whirlwind guy.

There was a third? You think helplessly, staggering as the knife is drawn from your chest. Maybe if you’d had been more observe, better prepared, you would have caught it.

But you weren’t and now, you’re paying the price

Not vital, of course not, he doesn’t want me to die—

Your hands burn with blisters, and when you look down, they’re coated in red.

“No—” You lunge forward, but your legs buckle beneath you like your body is nothing but lead.

The ringing in your ears blooms, along with the pitter-patter of the rain. “What did I tell you, Starlight?” He coos, fingers locking around the final vial.

“I don’t miss twice.”

—

Izuku arrives on the scene and sees you drenched in blood.

“Sir, please, I need your ID—oh! Deku—” The police officer stumbles over his words in surprise, apologising profusely, but his eyes never leave your frame.

His heart rate racks up, and he’s staggering to your lifeless body with his world falling apart around him. No.

He starts to run, slipping on wet tiles as he stumbles to your side, your blood tainting his hands.

“Starlight,” He whispers, checking your pulse in a desperate attempt to convince himself you are alive. It’s weak, but it’s all he gets and isn’t a cause for celebration. 

You don’t look fine at all.

Red soaks your entire body, battered up and bruised as your shoulder twists at an awkward angle.

“No, no, no…” He yanks his jacket off and covers the nasty gash on your stomach. There’s water running down his face, but it isn’t rain.

“She’s still alive,” calls a voice. Izuku whips his head to the source, and finds himself staring at smug blue. “It wouldn’t be any fun if Starlight dies from this.”

The whole world is painted red.

Chisuke looks at him, pearly whites glistening as the rain dampens his ragged hoodie further.

“Do you like my birthday present, Izuku?”

He may be in Quirk cancellation cuffs, being sentenced to a hell worse than his brother but he looks so happy.

“Why would you do this?” He whispers, pulling you closer. His voice is wobbly, soaked to the bone in rain. The last time he felt this defeated was when he lost Kacchan to the League over two years ago.

Look at this, a voice in his head whispers.

You’ve lost Starlight too.

“If you wanna say anything to her, you should do it now!” He yells from the police car, getting shoved in. “I hope you like my gift.”

Izuku’s breathing is all that he hears, as he stares desperately down at you and your wounds, your face, everything, everything, everything—

This is all my fault.

“Zuku…?” You cough, eyes wandering and searching for his. His heart jumpstarts to life. “Hey, don’t say anything,” He shushes, trying to project a smile. It’s too shaky to pass off as one.

Your eyes find his, and a lazy smile spreads across your face. “Hey, it’s you,” You whisper, eyes so bright they could be stars in the sky. “You’re Zuku.”

Raindrops splatter around you, diluting your blood and hiding your body. Izuku almost breaks on the spot. 

“Yeah, it’s me.” He says, holding you tightly in his arms. “I’m back, Starlight.”

The smile on your face doesn’t widen, but the tears that fall are painfully washed away. You’ve done such a good job all these years, always his ray of sunshine. Now, he’s seeing all your feelings suppressed underneath. 

“Welcome back,” You wheeze, as if it’s difficult to speak. It probably is.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

This isn’t how it was supposed to end.

Your trade is sufficient.

In return, I’ll return everything that was once yours.

Izuku shakes his head, a sob bubbling against his throat.

“I never meant for this to happen.”

You force out a laugh, and then wince in pain. Izuku misses your laughs. “I’m the one that got stabbed, so stop crying, you crybaby.”

“But you were never supposed to go through this.” He whispers, cradling you gently, but hugging you tight. “I’m so sorry, Starlight. For not knowing, for not trying to know, just…oh God, when I think about it, I want to slap myself so hard, get Kacchan to Howitzer Impact me a couple of times too when we get back. I didn’t know, and I hurt you so, so badly.” He inhales, looking around, eyes surveying his surroundings. Frustration builds, and his desperation grows. “Goddammit, where’s the ambulance? Why aren’t they here yet?”

Hurry up, save my Starlight.

“Zuku, it isn’t your fault,” You rasp. His first love is someone strong enough to move hearts on the daily, and has patience that spans as wide as the Pacific Ocean. His first love is someone extraordinary, even though no one will acknowledge it as deeply as Izuku will.

“Starlight—” Izuku chokes, watching your eyes go glassy. “I love you.”

I love you so much, please, please, please, please—

There, where the wind blows strong, and Izuku’s eyes spill tears, you reply with a breathtaking smile.

“I love you too.”

His lip trembles, and he does his best to shield you from the rain.

“Zuku?” You whisper, voice cracking like spoilt leather.

“I’m tired.”

The life is slipping from your eyes, and Izuku shuts his eyes and tries to find the right words to say. “I know, Starlight, just hang on a little longer. You can do it.”

Your voice is thick with a sob. “I don’t wanna stop loving you.”

There’s a fire that lights in Izuku, as he clenches your body tighter.

“Then don’t go,” He says, voice a whisper. “Stay with me.”

The tables have turned, and now it’s his turn to say those words. Please don’t go. Stay.

Your eyes shift upwards to the sky. Even through the rain, stars peek out from behind the clouds, mapping out a land unknown.

“The stars,” You rasp. “They’re so beautiful tonight.”

Izuku’s laugh is endearing, clogged up with snot. “They are. You’re prettier, though.”

You look at him, eyes pearling with tears. “I’m sorry you had to see me like this,” You heave, eyes ever-gentle and love everlasting. “But it’s so nice to see you again.” You murmur, breath shaky.

“ ‘m love you, Zuku,” you whispers, breath floating out from your lips like an angle from above. Your eyes shut, and you don’t reopen them to meet his gaze.

The sobs that are jamming in his throat bubble over, and he weeps, and cries and screams because you were never meant to be coated in red like this.

Your trade is sufficient.

In return, I’ll return everything that was once yours.

“Why?” he wails miserably.

Why did I have to lose you to find me?

—

Your heart beats steadily, as someone screams in the background.

And then all of a sudden, a rope snaps.

A torch snuffs out, and plunges the world into darkness.

—

The trip back to U.A is a beaten path. It’s 2 buses from the Central Hospital and a hundred metres from the school entrance. You open the double doors to dorms, only to be bombarded by your classmates whispering sentiments of worry and concern.

“Oh, Y/n, thank God you’re okay!” Ochaco fusses over you like a second mom, and the others all give you relieved smiles and offers to help you catch up with homework.

There’s a boy edging the group, barely inside your peripheral. He’s a boy with green eyes and a heart made of gold, someone you’re supposed to care for very, very deeply. Your mouth opens as you lock eyes with him, drawing up feelings that you knew were once your entire world.

You draw a blank, and grasp at nothing.

“Welcome back,” Izuku says quietly. You look…better, albeit after being brutally stabbed. Your eye bags are slowly disappearing, and you look lighter than you had ever been before.

Your mouth shifts upwards to a smile, and it feels genuine for the first time in a long time.

“Yeah,” You say, giving him a half smile.

Ochaco drags you over to the couch and distracts you with food. You hold his eye contact for a moment, before breaking it in favour of food.

Huh, you wonder, the weight of love dispersing into the soil down, down below.

What a strange, foolish person I was, falling in love with him.