#TW Bloodsports

[bonefall]

do you think the clans could domesticate/keep animals? Not as pets, but, like, raising tadpoles or fish in secluded little ponds.

They absolutely can, in my side projects I even tried to work out which animals would be possibilities for some of my fanclans.

A really good place to start thinking about this topic is this famous video by CGP Grey, which provides brief yet thorough insight to why humans have domesticated the animals they currently have; but then you need to apply the logic on a cat-scale.

Something VERY easy to overlook is that humans domesticated most of these animals after inventing agriculture, when we had spare food waste laying around. If your clan has a long-standing history with gardening herbs, you can justify the transition to agriculture with your little carnivores.

Here's some easy animals that canon-compliant warriors could keep without much difficulty.

CW: It's mostly bugs!

Meal worms (Tenebrio molitor)

Easy to find all over the place, having been introduced to nearly every continent. Keeping them is as easy as having a big hole and a spare guy to make sure a bird doesn't eat everything. They're easily fed with all kinds of foraged foods, like apples, grains, berries, and they grow up fast.

Biggest problem with them is that the adults could escape, because mealworm beetles can fly. This is as easy as making sure they're well-fed and don't have a reason to leave.

2. Goldfish (Carassius auratus) and koi (Cyprinus rubrofuscus)

These things are surprisingly hard to breed in tanks, but raising these things outside is as simple as having a pond with an established ecosystem. You would not BELIEVE how invasive these two species are, ESPECIALLY koi. On that note-- goldfish are actually better for eating than koi, they were initially bred as food fish, where koi where first bred with aesthetic in mind.

Warriors can also eat roe, and it can be cured over time to make a delicacy. Aquaculture in general is also something that would be very likely for a RiverClan-like clan to adopt; it's an 'easy' way to keep fish alive until it's time to actually eat them.

Easy = You have cats willing to dig out a big project

3. Maggots (Various brachycera species)

Cats can't eat every part of a meal, and there will always be food waste. Collecting maggots from the crowfood pile is a viable option, so long as the prey being used as compost wasn't sick or poisoned.

It's also highly likely, as maggots also have a... gruesome use in medicine that I won't get into here. They also make excellent bait for fishing, and could be used to feed mice, or lure birds.

Why not mice?

Because they will run away, or chew through most natural materials. You need a lot more than a simple hole to keep mice contained; does your clan have access to big, plastic or metal human buckets? Maybe some simple stone-masonry?

If not, you're going to dig a hole and they're going to dig right out. You're also going to need lots of buckets and stone enclosures to breed enough mice to keep your clan well fed, and hopefully they're protected from rain else your livestock will drown.

Frogs?

Obligate carnivores! More trouble than it's worth to feed them, when you can just feed yourself with those bugs instead. Unless you wanted to sacrifice one of your mouse enclosures for some frogs?

It would be understandable as a nicety, if frogs were a delicacy of sorts. But mice are sooo much easier to feed, and can turn food a warrior can't eat (fruit, grains) into food they can (meat).

[allelitewrestlings]

Professional wrestling in its purest, rawest form. No bullshit, just wrestling, just blood and guts. Blood, sweat and tears, just bones cracking, just concussions, just the will to win… Just the greatest sport in the world.

[urakenbomb]

credit: taigaPhoto_pw

[ventriclealchemy]

Bloodsport

I want to roll the numbers

I want to feel my stars align again

Even if the earth breaks like burnt skin

And the heavens just won't open up for me

Would you invite me in again?

Won't you pay for your arrogance?

Won't you show me your weakness?

I made loving you a blood sport

I made loving you a blood sport

I made loving you a blood sport i can't win

I made loving you a blood sport

I made loving you a blood sport

I made loving you a blood sport i can't win

So let's play

And somewhere

Somewhere the atoms stopped fusing

I'm still your favourite regret

You're still my weapon of choosing

And out there stuck in a quantum pattern

Tangled with what I never said

You say it doesn't matter

I want to be forgiven

I want to choke up chunks of my own sins

Even if the sky cracks in mourning

And the heavens just won't open up for me

Would you invite me in again?

Let me pay for my arrogance?

Won't you show me your weakness?

Timelapse video

[random-dnd-minis]

(the) Suicide Squad dnd minis

i dont know why i got back into the suicide squad fandom but i do love a cast that feels like a dnd party

(mostly based on the 2021 film)

Harley Quinn 1

Harley Quinn 2

Bloodsport

Rick Flag

Peacemaker

Ratcatcher II

King Shark

Polkadot Man

Captain Boomerang

Joker

Edit: Amanda Waller

Extra

Harley Quinn (2016)

Harley Quinn (classic)

[razzle-zazzle]

Whumptober Day 26: sometimes i get so tired, i don't even know myself

Working to Exhaustion

2330 Words; Ouroboros AU

TW for violence, bloodsport, exploitation, murder, death

AO3 ver

“Next one’s heavy.”

Dion grunted as another box was dropped into his arms. “They’re all heavy.” He muttered, carrying it over to the shelf. But he didn’t have to carry it far, and it wasn’t that heavy. It was kind of big, though, high enough to press against Dion’s mask.

The other guy on unloading duty—Hunter? It was hard to tell, when they were all wearing the same plain white masks—whistled. “I swear, it’s like you never stop.” He commented, as Dion shoved the box into place. “The fuck did they feed you in your old life?”

“...food?” Dion pulled out his boxcutter to cut the box open.

Hunter chuckled. “A kid your age does not just handle heavy boxes like that.” He insisted.

Most people Dion’s age also didn’t have a body count, but that was besides the point. Dion rolled his eyes behind his mask.

There was always something to do in Ouroboros. And if Dion wanted to live, then he needed to be doing something. And he needed to live, no matter what—if Dion didn’t survive, then Mirtala would be the only Aquato in Ouroboros. And he couldn’t—he wouldn’t let her be left alone here. Not if he could help it.

(Mirtala didn’t deserve to be here at all, but there was nothing Dion could do on that front. His powerlessness would drive him crazy if he wasn’t able to at least provide for her.)

“Right, this one’s gotta be at least a little heavy to you.” Hunter grunted, slowly sliding the next box off the stack to pass to Dion.

Dion took the box, wincing slightly. Yeah, this one was kind of heavy—he wouldn’t want to carry that many boxes like it. But Dion knew how to handle heavy things. It was part and parcel of growing up in the circus, after all, from equipment to the other members of his family. Frazie was at least as heavy as this box, probably. Dion hadn’t had the chance to lift her in a while. Maybe she had gotten heavier, gotten the kind of muscle to make girls swoon over her.

(Dion swallowed that thought down. With any luck, he might never see Frazie again—which was for the better, because the day any more of his family ended up in Ouroboros was a day that Dion never wanted to see.)

Dion shoved the box into place on the shelf, pausing for a moment once it was in place. Still, it wasn’t that heavy.

(Queepie might have handled the weight better than Dion—

Dion shoved that thought away immediately. Queepie would be turning four soon; he should be nowhere near Ouroboros, ever. None of his family should, really—none of them but Dion.)

“Heavy, right?” Hunter prompted, already holding the next box.

Dion grunted, pulling his boxcutter out once again. So what if it was? He could handle it. He had to handle it.

Hunter shook his head. “Kids.” He grumbled. “You’re going to run smack into a wall with that kind of attitude.”

Whatever. Dion would be fine.

He had to be—there was no other way. If he slowed down for even a moment, if he let weakness show—

Dion took the next box. He’d survive.

No matter what.

+=+=+=+=+

Mirtala came back that night with a fresh bruise on her arm, her hair still damp from her shower.

“Tala—” Dion started. Stopped, his words catching on the knot of feelings in his throat. He reached out. Stopped.

Mirtala stared at him with tired eyes. She sat down on her bedroll, not saying a thing.

Dion looked away. What was he supposed to say? He didn’t want to encourage this. He never wanted Mirtala anywhere near the arena—she only just turned six. It was Dion’s job, his responsibility to take care of her—and every time she stepped into that arena, he failed.

What was he supposed to say? He didn’t know. He didn’t know.

(An apology might be a good start.

But Dion had always been a coward when it came to apologies.)

Dion’s jaw worked, his shoulders tensing. He should say something—

Too late. Mirtala laid down on her own cot, facing away from him. She huffed, curling up without a word.

I’m sorry. Dion wanted to say it. He needed to say it.

I’m sorry. The words got stuck in his throat.

Dion clenched his hands into fists, his eyes darting away from where Mirtala was lying—

Wait. “Um.” He managed, the sound of his voice surprising even himself. “Do you… do you want your unicorn?” Mirtala usually always grabbed it, when the light in their room started to fade. Dion couldn’t fathom why it was on his cot.

Mirtala rolled over, squinting at Dion. “Her name is Francis III.” She muttered.

“Oh.” Shit, when did Mirtala name it? How long ago? Wow, Dion felt like an idiot. His face was already heating up. “Well, do you want Francis III?” He really needed to apologize.

“No.” Mirtala said. She blinked, and yawned. “But you do.” And with that, she rolled back over, pulling the blanket tight around herself.

Dion swallowed. He grabbed Francis III, running his thumb over the felt strips making up the mane. One of the Wolves had gifted it to Mirtala when they had first gotten here—Dion looked over at his baby sister, who was the nicest person he’d ever known, and he could guess why. Even if she wasn’t his responsibility, he still wanted her to get the best that she could. Mirtala was just easy to spoil like that.

And yet he still couldn’t find the words to talk to her…

Dion looked Francis III in her beady little button eyes. He wanted to put the plush into Mirtala’s arms, adjust the blanket around her like he was tucking her in—anything to prove that he wasn’t an awful brother.

But he just sat there instead, choking on the knot in his throat.

Like a coward.

+=+=+=+=+

Dion looked up at the sound of footsteps, the mop coming to a stop.

He immediately looked back down, moving the mop again the moment he saw who was waling across the tiled floor. Oh, god, was this the end? Was he somehow mopping wrong? Or was it just fun to torment him?

Creed came to a stop not far from Dion, hands folded behind his back.

Dion continued mopping. If Creed wanted him to stop, he’d say so. Probably.

“Boy.” Creed started. Dion gripped the handle of the mop harder. “Look at me.”

Dion lifted his eyes to meet Creed’s dark brown. He paused in his mopping—he needed to rewet the mop in the bucket again, anyway—and waited to see what Creed would do.

Creed’s eyes flicked over Dion. He immediately felt like an ant confronting a boot—certain doom was all that awaited him, now.

“You’ve got a fight tonight.” Creed commented airily. “I’m sure you’ve had plenty of time to… recuperate.”

It had been a while since Dion had had a fight—he hadn’t been scheduled for the last two Death Pits. And he wasn’t allowed back into the regular fights—though Dion really didn’t want to think about that.

“Okay.” Dion said, hating the way it sounded so small in the empty air. “I’ll be ready.”

(He wouldn’t, not really—he never was.

But Dion didn’t survive by waiting until he was ready—he couldn’t. Either he got his head above water, or he drowned—and Dion refused to drown. He’d survive however he needed to.)

“Good boy.” Creed nodded. He turned around and began to walk away—

“Oh,” Creed paused, “And this next fight?”

Dion looked up at him. “Yeah?”

“Win it.” Creed growled. “Your opponent isn’t meant to make it out of that arena alive, you got it?”

Winning was what Dion normally did, though? Dion stared at Creed a moment longer, then nodded slowly. “Yeah.” He confirmed, still unsure why Creed felt the need to tell him this.

“Good.” And with that, Creed left.

Doubts and uncertainties floated around in Dion’s head. He was finally going back in the ring, and the notion terrified and excited him in equal measure. He could finally get ahead just a little bit more—but he’d have to kill someone to do so.

(Well, it wasn’t like Dion’s hands weren’t already covered in blood.

He would survive. He had to.)

Dion sighed.

Back to work.

+=+=+=+=+

Dion waited for the gate to rise. The bars of the gate casted shadows across him, the audience already a loud din outside. It sounded bigger than usual, too, which grated on Dion’s nerves. He watched as another gate opened and his opponent-to-be was forced into the arena, stumbling across the sand. His own gate hadn’t opened, yet—god, Dion hoped it wasn’t broken.

The announcer was saying something, now, trying to get the audience to chant—

“DEATH! BY! LION!”

Dion went rigid. Suddenly, the earlier interaction with Creed made a lot more sense.

But… why him? Surely Creed had more popular fighters, more capable fighters—

The gate began to rise. No more time to doubt. Dion walked out into the arena, out into the lights hanging down, the cage bars casting shadows across him—

The audience ROARED.

“AND THE LION MAKES HIS RETURN!” The announcer cheered. “Let’s see some BLOOD!”

Dion’s opponent stood, staring at him through their orange and blue Ox mask. They snorted.

“This is it?” They asked. “This is the big bad Lion?” Derision colored their voice. Dion’s face flushed behind his mask, his hands squeezing into fists. “You’re just some kid!”

“And you’re dead meat.” Dion snarled. It was him or them, and Dion had no intention of losing.

The Ox broke out into a charge, raising their hand. Metal glinted in the light, and they swung down—

Dion ducked out of the way, rolling to the side and using his hands to spring up onto a hanging cord. The “Jungle Arena” was full of hanging cords and bars, like some twisted trapeze, and Dion was quick to fling himself up out of the Ox’ reach.

You’d think I was the Leopard, with the way I’m climbing around. Dion thought to himself, coming to a stop halfway up the rope. He looked down at the Ox, considering what to do.

Him or them. Dion would survive, no matter what.

He was supposed to make a show of it, too.

The Ox bellowed, grabbing the rope Dion was on. They yanked—

And Dion twisted over to the next rope with practiced ease. He didn’t want to have a favorite arena—he didn’t want to be in the arenas at all, really—but if he had to choose, it was probably this one. So many things to climb, so many ways to fling himself around!

(The arena that Mirtala made her official debut was similar, but Dion didn’t want to think about Mirtala in any arena.)

The Ox couldn’t climb as well as Dion could—if they could at all, seeing as they weren’t even trying—so Dion couldn’t lead them on a merry chase through the ropes and bars. So much for that idea.

Still, how to make this look good?

The audience was chanting, jeering, roaring for blood and violence and death. It was either Dion or the Ox—and Dion intended to win.

“That might work…” Dion muttered, flipping over backwards onto one of the hanging bars. He lifted himself up so that he was doing a handstand on it, allowing his legs to hook onto another bar higher up. He let go of the bar and looked down on the Ox.

“Are you even trying?” He jeered, “Surely you can take out ‘some kid’!” He flipped over to a knotted rope, then flung himself with a forwards flip onto a sideways one. The tightropes back home were way narrower than this. Confidence filled Dion as he paced along it, the Ox yelling below him.

“Get down here!” They shouted. “You little shit!”

Dion laughed. The sound shocked him, escaping his throat before he even recognized what it was.

What was he doing? This was a life-or-death situation! The cage bars cast shadows across the arena. The audience was cheering, jeering, roaring. Dion’s mask pressed against his face.

Fuck this. Fuck putting on a show. Dion wasn’t here to entertain, for all that Creed wanted him to. He was in here to survive, dammit!

With a cry, Dion flung himself down. He rolled as he fell, kicking out as he landed to hit the Ox square in the back. The impact flung him away, and he rolled with the impact, springing up off the floor at the soonest opportunity.

The Ox whirled around to face him, snarling through their mask. Dion darted to the side, cartwheeling up onto one of the ropes. They charged, and instead of climbing up Dion flung himself onto their shoulders when they passed, locking his ankles together in front of their face.

The Ox reached up, trying to pull Dion off—

Dion squeezed his thighs together. The Ox’ hands scrambled against Dion’s legs, prying uselessly at his boots—

Crack!

Dion jumped away as the body fell, flipping over backwards. That probably looked cool, right?

The audience was cheering. The chant from earlier returned, harsh against Dion’s ears.

“DEATH! BY! LION! DEATH! BY! LION!”

Across the arena, the gate rose. Dion stared up at the audience for only a moment longer before darting back to the tunnel.

His hands were shaking. He needed to get his mask off right now. He needed a shower, he needed a drink, he needed to lie down and stare at the wall until he felt human again—

Dion stumbled, leaning against the tunnel wall. He'd just killed someone.

But he had survived. It was him or the Ox, and he had won.

Dion stared at his hands. He had survived. Grim satisfaction knotted in his throat, and he struggled to breathe around it.

Dion had survived.

He was more willing to pay the cost than he wanted.

[the-rockers]

CANT fucking tolerate the Tumblr aita blog because it's. Fucking not the same dude. Reddit aitas were, like, actual ethical dilemmas (even if most of them are fake) or at least a good read. Tumblr aitas are "am I the asshole for setting boundaries? So this person I know, let's call him Ted Bundy (13m), has been telling all my friends to kill themselves every hour on the hour and I don't think that's very nice. Aita? Note: I am not biased also he throws shit at them when he sees them."

[robert-the-greyhound]

“Don’t Split Hares. Coursing is Cruel.”

That’s the phrase printed on what is possibly my personal favourite placard. It’s the placard we held at this years protest outside Clonmel Racecourse during the Coursing meet. Last year we stood in the same spot, in horrific weather, the wind blowing under every hood, the rain soaking every gloved hand, chilled to the bone. But what is more chilling is the shrill, child-like shriek of a terrified Hare. This year, we got some sunnier weather, but the scene in front of us, unlike the weather, had not improved much.

Once again, dozens of cars piled into the Clonmel Racecourse carpark and watched Irish Hares run terrified from a pair of Greyhounds, all under the guise of “tradition” and “sport”. Once again, peaceful protestors stood outside the gates, bearing witness. Unlike last year, the Garda seemed legitimately neutral, and spent most of their time on traffic control, monitoring both the protestors and the coursing attendants, keeping some of the more rowdy in line. That’s not to say there wasn’t some trouble, on both sides. Pro-coursers threw insults, middle finger salutes and some dangerous driving tactics to try and scare those opposed them. Some of the Anti-Bloodsport protestors moved from the main body to stand on their own, much to the displeasure of some of the Gardai. Nothing illegal on either side, but certainly distasteful.

Many will shame me for speaking ill of people “on my side”, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think it’s important to call out the extremists on both sides. Protest should be Peaceful. It’s a vigil to the innocent animals suffering at the hands of humans. Causing trouble and stirring the pot does no good for the cause, and puts a bad taste in peoples mouths. If you want to make real changes, you have be the better person. You cannot condemn the abusers if you yourself turn around and abuse others, verbally or physically.

There was a few noticeable differences from last years protest, apart from the weather. There was noticeably more people on the Anti-Coursing side, especially those local to the area as a whole. Oftentimes, when protesting against a large event in the community, locals will be very vocally against it online, but feel unease about attending a protest in person. Why? It’s fairly simple when you think about it- You don’t sh*t where you eat. For many, this event is a once a year protest, one of many they choose to attend. For locals, once the day is over, they still have to live, work and socialise in the area. You don’t want to cause major strife with the people you have to get on with for the rest of the area. That being said, there was a big increase in local support this year.

There was also a big increase in foreign support for the coursers. The number of Northern Irish and UK Registration plates was noticeably higher than previous years. Since Hare Coursing has been banned in Northern Ireland and the UK, coursing enthusiasts are travelling down in droves to one of the last recesses for this barbaric “sport”. Iconic isn’t it, that the country that introduced the bloodsport to Ireland via colonialism, has banned the act, yet the former colony continues to claim that the sport is part of our culture.

For those unfamiliar, Hare Coursing is the pursuit of a Live Hare by a pair of Greyhounds to see who can cause the Hare to Turn from it's course first. Pitting an animal with superior agility against two with superior speed and strength. The animals involved have no concept of sport, the Hare does not understand that this chase is a game, nor do the hounds. For them, it's instinct, to run and to chase. It's only a sport for the humans watching, who derive some sort of pleasure from watching a small animal run scared from a pair of predators.

The Hares suffer immense stress and fear throughout the Coursing Season. The initial round up involves flushing the wild hares from their home into waiting nets only to be manhandled into boxes and transported across the country where they will be kept in unnaturally large social groups for a predominantly solitary animal. Pro-coursers claim that they care for the hare by providing vaccines and health checks, releasing any pregnant, old or injured animals and providing feed and shelter for them during the cooler months. But that's like arguing that just because SeaWorld feeds and provides Vet Care for their Orcas that it's justifiable to steal them from the wild and imprison them in tiny tanks. The Animals shouldn't be in that position in the first place. And not unlike the Ocras at SeaWorld, the Hares are then expected to entertain the masses by participating in the sport they've been captured for. Well, it's only a sport when both sides know they are playing, and for the prey animal Hare, the course is a life of death run from predator Greyhounds. The animal is terrified, fleeing from their pursuers. Pro-Coursers once again claim it's ok as the Greyhounds are muzzled now when they course, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a 4kg animal versus two 40kg+ animals at speed. The human equivalent would be a pedestrian against a bus. Hares are routinely hit, tumbled, turned, rolled, flipped, crushed, pinned and mauled by the Greyhounds, who will use their muzzle and claws as battering ram on their quarry. Those hares that are injured often have to wait to be treated or euthanised, with one coursing vet on record saying he will see to the hares AFTER his own Greyhound had coursed.

I would say that this classifies as the "unnecessary suffering" supposedly banned in the Animal Welfare Act, but wait! Don't you know Hare Coursing has a specific exception from those laws? Almost as if they know that what they are doing, the action of it, does not have the Hares Welfare at Heart. Pro-coursers claim that the Hare evolved to run from predators, that it's natural for them, but that doesn't mean that they aren't stressed and terrified when they are being hunted. Nature is brutal, foxes and hawks kill Hares daily, but they kill for food, matched up in an evolutionary niche. No animal should be purposely terrified in the name of sport.

The tide is turning on Hare Coursing, the support for this outdated “sport” is dwindling and public opposition is rising. It seems almost every few days there’s a debate or speech mentioning the plight of the poor irish hare. We can only hope that we as a people can finally come together to change the law around this sport, remove the exception of hare coursing from the animal welfare act and leave our wildlife in peace! Until such a day though, we will continue to speak up.

Don’t Split Hares, Coursing is Cruel.

[charliekingishere]

it rly feels like callout posts are less for 'accountability' and more for voyeuristic schadenfraude. some people don't give a shit about doing good, they care about APPEARING good.

i'm not gonna even get started on the appropriation of social justice language to use in petty online beef.

"person X is an abuse apologist, here's why" person x had a headcanon u hate abt ur comfort character. person x tagged their shit properly. person x has u BLOCKED how did u even find the post!?

[dearest-painter]

My little girl

summary:When your parents don’t care what you do,what you eat,what you say,what you wear,or how you look or throw you out in the cold with only slippers,a t shirt,and shorts you do anything to survive the world is Gotham especially little old Y/N. She is known to steal just so she can survive the streets of Gotham. Once you run away to New York and still have the same life you gain some attraction especially with hero’s,villain,anti hero’s,and vigilantes.

TW/CW:Yandere behavior, unhealthy behavior, unhealthy relationship,abusive behavior.abusive relationship,being force to grow up,Title from ‘Daddy issues by the neighborhood’,Y/N’s parents fully neglects Y/N to the point their basically homeless,SELF HARM,kidnapping,drugging,sedation,stalking,murder,death,villains being better parents then Y/N’s real parents,threatening,death threats,abuse

The coldness comfort you usually but now your running away from the only home you knew,Gotham city but you knew it was better to leave. Your parents never cared honestly and you knew it as they’ve thrown you out in the middle of the snow with barely any cloths,you had to steal proper clothes for you and the people who gave shelter to you. Sighing as you watched the places go by you saw all the heroes that didn’t do Jack shit for you when in need

It was always the villains that save you,Deadshot would always give you a ceral bar,the sirens would take you around town treating you like a daughter or sister,killer croc would let you sleep on his back while he went through the sewer,bloodsport would make you stay around him while he got you food and clothes. They were the best as they took care of you. Your parents didn’t care about your mental health or physical health but the villains did,they made sure you were always safe.

To you it felt like betraying your family yet you knew it was needed. “New yooork!” It was your area so you got up then walked out taking a look around. Everyone seemed confused at you but said nothing. You understood why because they were dressed for winter while you had a hoodie,shorts,worn out sneakers,fingerless gloves,a bandaged leg,many band aids on you,and a tank top plus your bag. It was like it was autumn to you. “Where do I go…” you thought everything out but you knew one thing,men were going to try and take advantage of you.

You took a deep breath then walked to a woman who looked friendly enough. “E-excuse me ma’am…do you have money you could spare so I can call someone on the pay phone. Sorry for the bother” the women looked at you,short red hair is the first thing you notice of her. “Of course,calling your parents?” You forced a smile. “Mhm! Lost my phone so I gotta tell them where I am” she nodded as she gave you money then you went to the pay phone.

Ring

Ring

Ring

Ring

Ring

Ring

Ring

Ring

Rin-

You hitched your breath. “Hello?” “Thor! You answered thank goodness! Your in New York yes?” “No I am not Y/N! I’m sorry!! Why do you ask?” “Damn it…I was gonna visit you but never mind! I gotta go!” You hung up then walked out plotting how to get by. Walking out the subway you just went with the flow.

New York was a bit safer then Gotham but something caught your eye. ‘Car for sale! Free!’ It’s as if something took pity for you. Running to the area where the car was you smiled wider then usual. “Ma’am! Can I have this car?” She puffed out air then look at you smiling motherly at you. “Of course sugar,I’m Charlotte harlot but may I ask. Where ya from honey?” “Gotham city ma’am” “oh dearie. Here the keys but do you know how to drive or have a job?” “Yes I can drive but no job” she looked at you sadly then took out a paper. “Here,my works hiring. Just say Charlotte gave you it” nodding you head she left and smiled. You got in then drove to a run down but safe parking lot.

You got in the passenger seat laying the chair plus your body down. Looking at the paper it was titled ‘villainously tastey’ it was definitely a restaurant but you sucked ay cooking and didn’t have any history with cooking extravagant food but only food for easy and quick food so being a waitress might be your job. Yawing it was time to sleep so locking the doors,getting protection the putting a sign up saying ‘I am fine! I am just resting as I’ve just moved here so I do not have a home yet!’ Then you brought out your blanket and pillow falling asleep in seconds.

[allelitewrestlings]

[put-a-banana-inyourear]

Tw: Blood, religious imagery, shadow of a knife(?), Carrie the Novel spoilers.

Okay so, I’m making two Carrie moodboards based on the book storyline, usually one line for each important bit of the story. I’ve only got Bloodsport right now, but the other one will be made later today!

[angstyandromanticwriting]

Harley Quinn X FemWerewolf!Reader Angsty, Cute and Fluffy Prompt with a somewhat cliffhanger ending

• Occurs after the events of the third film (The Suicide Squad - 2021) + there’ll be a part two at some point

!TW: Violence, jealousy, self-doubt, anxiety, separation anxiety, blood/presence of blood, weapon(s), swearing, threat(s), violent intentions, mention of nightmares/nightmares in general, murder/mention of murder, mention of a previous near death experience, self put-down(s), mention of being bullied, bullying, implied suffering from depression, implied swearing (‘curse’), insult(s), implied poor treatment by family, implied being close to death/wounded, mention of previously being abused by an ex, injury detail, implied nudity, mild blackmail, mention of an ambush, being assaulted, mention of hickeys, unconsciousness!

After a little while of having to stay in that overcrowded base for the whole day, Bloodsport had reluctantly managed to get Waller to consider allowing you and Harley more time with Cane and Bruce back at the new Birds of Prey base, and somehow she had found herself in good spirits enough to accept his suggestion, so you both found yourselves - the next day - waking up in the spare room that Renee and Canary had organised for you both. You’d woken up before her, or just managed to, and would frown when you found you could still pick up the man who she’d previously been with’s scent, tainting her sweet one, so you would try and quietly inch even closer to her without waking her up, wincing when she’d moved a little, but you would express relief upon noticing that she’d not fully woken up, despite her previous movement. You would then bury your face into her shoulder, your fangs unfolding whilst you did subconsciously; the wolf within you was dying to come out again, and change her, but you tried to fight it back to the best of your ability, whimpering quietly whilst you did, and were instead leaving little nibble marks on her neck, and shoulder, rather than digging your fangs into her; a temporary marking, because that’s all you believed you could do. Despite the fact that she’d told you before that she wanted you to change her, eventually, you found you couldn’t, not wanting her to have to live like you’d had to live; in fear of constantly being hunted, having to experience forceful and painful transformations on full moon nights, having to struggle to control yourself whenever in moments of overwhelming outbursts of emotion, and having to constantly have been on the run a few times. Also, it meant that she’d have to spend more time stuck on earth with you, and you believed she’d be better off remaining human for that reason, alongside the others ones. Once you’d finished, and had left several little marks along her neck and left shoulder, you forced yourself out of bed to make breakfast and coffee for her, Cane, and yourself, whilst they both began to stir awake.

🜚

Harley had managed to get herself awake before Cane, but wouldn’t get out of bed until she had, upon finding the little marks you’d left on her; they’d been paining her a little, ever since she’d woken up, and she soon found that a couple of them were bleeding a little bit, prompting her to wonder why you’d left them, and had evidently done so hurriedly. As soon as she entered the room, you faltered; you could still pick up the man’s scent tainting her’s, though you’d left the marks on her neck and shoulder, and it was painful for you to have to remember the night you thought you’d lost her; that she’d forgotten about you, and stopped howling because she hadn’t responded. However, once she’d gotten closer to you, and had her arms wrapped around your waist, you could finally pick up that your scent was mixing with her’s again, and it made you feel a little better. “Good morning, Alpha,” she cooed, and you would smile lovingly over at her, before noticing that she was wearing your shirt, and you would smirk, whilst your eyes locked with her stunning icy blue ones in the best way possible.

“Good morning, beautiful,” you returned, “is that my shirt?”

She winced, acting as if she hadn’t realised that she’d accidentally put your’s on, instead of one of her own shirts or t-shirts. “Shit, sorry - I didn’t realise,” she answered, and you would giggle, before shaking your head.

“Don’t apologise,” you replied gently, before turning around to face her, and lifting your right hand up to her left cheek, prompting her to melt into your touch subconsciously, “it looks good on you; a lot better than it looks on me.”

“I doubt that,” she remarked, and you then found yourself subconsciously glancing down at the marks on her neck which had evidently been bleeding, and you would falter, a pained expression on your face; you didn’t realise you’d been so reckless, whilst you had been creating the marks, “hey - what’s wrong, Alpha?”

“I hurt you,” you whispered shakily, your voice barely audible whilst you did, but she still hadn’t heard what you’d mustered, regardless, as Cane had now re-entered the room after briefly visiting the toilet to brush her teeth, “I’m so sorry, Quinzels, I - I didn’t realise-..”

She would then guess that you were talking about the marks, and would quickly shake her head, but you would move away before she could ease you into a hug, wanting to try and provide comfort to you, and reassure you that the marks weren’t bothering her, and hadn’t been paining her. “What’s going on-?” Cane questioned, suspicious, and Harley would wince, before looking over at her, after she’d been trying to look at the marks again, herself, whilst you were stood unnaturally still in the corner of the room, a pained expression on your face; you couldn’t believe you’d hurt her like you evidently had, and hated yourself for it.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it,” she answered, as if everything were okay, before she walked up to the nearest mirror to check the marks again, wondering if they’d gotten worse, as you’d reacted as if they had, but they looked almost the same as they did, before, when she’d first noticed them, except the blood which had been previously escaping a couple of them was now dried up.

You couldn’t help, but watch whilst she did, your eyes dimmer than they usually were; the tears within them weren’t even making them glisten like they sometimes did, whenever you found yourself crying for whatever reason. “What are you looking at-?” Cane inquired, and you would briefly look between both her, and Harley, before you stared down at your feet, allowing the smallest of the currently invading tears to escape, and slide slowly down your cheeks.

“Just a spider bite I got a little while ago,” Harley answered, before smiling back over at Cane, and you. “Don’t worry about it - Y/n’s just upset because she feels bad for not stopping it from happening-”

“Harley,” Cane interrupted, “I know when you’re lying to me - what happened?” She would then appear shocked, and disheartened, whilst she looked over at you, before looking back at Harley again. “Did - Did Y/n hurt you?” She questioned, and you would falter again, whilst your heart began to ache even more excruciatingly than it had been, before.

“Of course not,” she replied, “she’d never hurt me-”

“Harley,” you mustered, your voice close to a whisper again, and she would fall quiet, before glancing over at you, a pained expression on her face whilst she did; she hated seeing you upset like you evidently were, now, “there’s.. there’s no point lying; I’m so sorry, I’m a monster, I just-.. I couldn’t stand smelling - him - on you, a-and I hate myself for it.. If - If you could, m-maybe - find it within you to forgive me-”

“Don’t,” Cane hissed, before she reached for the baseball bat Harley had given her a little while ago, and snatched it up off of the table so she could throw it in your direction, but you would manage to quickly dive out of the way before it could hit you, and it - instead - smashed into one of the windows behind you.

“Cassie!” Harley shouted, before grabbing her and gingerly shoving her away from you; she was worried, and didn’t want either one of you to get hurt. “What the hell is wrong with you?” She demanded, before looking over her shoulder at you to make sure that you were okay; you appeared to be unharmed, now sitting up with a guilty, as well as hurt look on your face, though you found you couldn’t blame Cane for her previous action, believing yourself to be a monster. “Go to your room!” She instructed, and Cane would roll her eyes, before dragging herself out of the room, and Harley would then rush over to you, but before she could crouch down beside you, and hold you close to her, you would move away, a pained expression on your face whilst you did; you were terrified that you might end up hurting her again, and couldn’t let that happen; she meant more to you than life itself, and you would never be able to forgive yourself if you hurt her even more than you previously had. She would appear disheartened by your moving away from her, but understood why you possibly might have; she knew you too well, now, and wished you’d stop viewing yourself as the monster you believed yourself to be, and always had, ever since you’d found out about your true nature, a few years ago now. “Y/n-”

“What the hell happened in here?” Renee questioned, upon rushing into the room; she’d heard the commotion. “Seriously? I thought you had the dog under control, Harley-”

“I’m not a dog,” you uttered, “and it was just an accident.”

“A - A minor misunderstanding,” Harley added for you, “Cassie thought that Y/n had hurt me, but - she didn’t, and she then threw her baseball bat at her, but Y/n managed to dodge it, and it went through the window, instead.”

“Jesus Christ,” Renee remarked under her breath, “well - I don’t care how, but we need to get this mess cleared before Waller and Bloodsport drag you both back home, otherwise you might not be allowed back, if they see the place like this after you’ve both been here; you’d be in deep shit, I imagine, if they found out.”

“Well they won’t find out,” Harley chimed, as if nothing had happened, “this place’ll be as clean as a whistle by the time they get here, won’t it, Alpha?”

You nodded, forcing a smile up at both her and Renee, before you looked away again, worried that you might break down in front of them both any second now. “Something did happen between you both, didn’t it?” Renee guessed, and both you and Harley would falter, before glancing over at her again. “Y’know what - I’m not even gonna bite,” she decided, “it’s your business.” You all would then force yourselves to clean up the room to the best of your ability, just in time for Waller and Bloodsport’s arrival to take you back to the main camp the others were currently residing within.

🜚

Whilst you and Harley were both walking back toward her and your makeshift room, upon your arrival back into the main camp, you would unfortunately come across Falcon, who would smirk when he noticed you both approaching, before he got up, and slowly walked toward you. “I swear to god - one annoying word out of you, and I’m knocking you on your ass,” Harley warned, whilst subconsciously intertwining the fingers of her right hand with the now trembling fingers of your left, “so you better take some time to think about what you’re gonna do next, wise guy.”

“You think I’m wise? Thank you-”

You would find yourself growling quietly over at him, but before you could do anything, Harley would hold you back, her arms around your waist whilst she did, and you would try not to struggle, afraid of hurting her again, and losing control of yourself whilst you were within her hold; the wolf within you was scratching at the surface, evidently desperate to escape and tear Falcon to shreds. “Did I, or did I not just say that I’d knock you out if you didn’t leave us alone?” She hissed, before encouraging you to continue walking alongside her, which you did, when you felt able, subconsciously sticking to her side; you liked to always be in physical contact with her whenever you could be, as you hated being away from her, and wanted to be close to her at all times so you could protect her, and revel in her presence; you felt safe, and whole whenever you were with her, as if all the bad things that had happened to you in the past hadn’t actually happened, or weren’t bothering you anymore than they had been, before you’d both first met, and you imprinted on her, resulting in your past becoming less painful for you as you had been only focussed on making her happy and devoting your life to her ever since that day.

Harley then, once you’d both gotten into your and her bedroom, eased you closer to her, so she could carefully turn you around, and connect her lips to your’s delicately, prompting you to instantly melt into the kiss subconsciously. The kiss soon began to deepen, but you would falter as soon as you were reminded of what had happened earlier, and of how you’d evidently hurt her, seeing as the marks you’d left had evidently begun to bleed, after you’d administered them to her whilst she had been sleeping peacefully beside you. “Quinzels,” you murmured, your voice close to a shaky whisper, whilst you connected your forehead to her’s affectionately, “we can’t; I hurt you-”

“You didn’t hurt me,” she contradicted gently, before lifting her right hand up to your cheek, and you would melt into her touch whilst she did, “a-and - and I know why you gave me the marks, Y/n; I get it, a-and I’m so sorry; I’ve been trying to be rid of his scent for a while now, a-and I didn’t realise it was still on me, but it’ll be gone soon, I promise; I love you, Alpha, only you, a-and that will never change; he meant nothing to me - nobody could ever mean as much to me as you do.”

“I love you, too,” you returned, before allowing yourself to brush your lips against her’s again lovingly, “just - p-promise me-.. promise me that we’ll never have to be apart again - it was painful, b-being away from you; it always is.. even if.. even if we’re simply just not in the same room together; I can’t live without you.”

“We’ll never have to be apart again, I promise,” she cooed, “I can’t live without you, either - every night, ever since I lost you again, I couldn’t go to sleep without having at least one nightmare or two about that day you’d gone over the cliff, a-and-.. I spent - even more of those nights crying, rather than sleeping, especially after-.. after I couldn’t hear you howling anymore, b-but.. that was my fault, if I’d just responded the day before, after I’d killed him, I would have known that you were alive, and hadn’t forgotten about me-”

“No, Harley,” you whined, between the small kisses you both were exchanging, “it wasn’t your fault; I was just-.. being stupid, like I always am - I should have known t-that - that you were distracted, after you killed him; I shouldn’t have just given up and walked away like I did.. o-or - I could have at least just - continued howling for you; I shouldn’t have made you feel like I’d forgotten about you, because I never could; I love you too much, a-and I always will, no matter what.”

“It wasn’t either of our faults,” she claimed, “all that matters is that you’re here now, and always will be, right?”

You would smirk, before nodding, and picking her up off of the ground, prompting her to giggle whilst she clung to your shoulders. “Always,” you reasserted, before kissing her passionately, and delicately, whilst you carried her over to your and her bed.

🜸🜚🜸

Whenever Waller was in good spirits - a very rare occasion - she allowed you and Harley to sometimes take Cane to the school she was attending, alongside a couple members of the Birds of Prey, of course; she’d never let you both go alone, for fear that you’d try and run away, or go on a trouble spree - a double trouble spree, you liked to call it, whenever you and Harley set about messing around and creating havoc in your college lessons together. “Remember - if anyone gets on your nerves, pick up the closest chair, and hit them over the head with it,” Harley reminded her, and Renee would add quietly for Cane to not do what Harley had just advised her to do, “have a good day!”

Cane would then throw her arms around Harley, before awkwardly looking over at you; she still wasn’t sure if she should trust you, or not, after what had happened a short while ago with the marks you’d given Harley. “Thanks,” Cane replied, before dragging herself away, though she didn’t really want to, as she’d been finding herself getting bullied often recently.

“She hates me,” you murmured, and Harley would glance over at you, a pained expression on her face, before she lovingly intertwined the fingers of her right hand with the fingers of your left to try and provide comfort to you.

“She doesn’t hate you,” she contradicted, “she just needs - time, I guess, after-..”

“After I hurt you,” you uttered through gritted teeth; you still hated yourself for what had previously happened, and Harley would quickly shake her head, before turning to face you, a hurt look on her face; she hated seeing you like this; like you could break down with any passing second; tears had begun to invade your vision, blurring it, but you were trying, and failing, to fight them back.

“You didn’t hurt me,” she claimed, “I couldn’t even feel them, not enough for me to deem them as being painful. Besides..” She then grinned over at you, before wrapping her arms around your waist, so she could ease you closer to her. “I like it when you mark me, Alpha,” she remarked, and you would be surprised, evidently not expecting her to have liked what you had done, “I want people to know that I’m your’s - but - I also want people to know that you are mine, so-.. I was wondering if - maybe - you’d let me mark you, too.”

You would smirk back at her subconsciously, whilst your eyes began to glint. “Of course I will,” you replied, “I’d love for you to mark me; you know I would.”

“Good,” she chimed, “then I will.” She then glanced back judgementally at Renee and Canary, who were currently watching you both, until she looked back at them, and they quickly looked away, prompting her to return her attention to you, before she leaned forward so she could add - in your left ear - a whisper. “Later,” she promised, before surprising you by gently nibbling at the shell of your ear, prompting you to giggle, as well as seem to purr a little, though you weren’t anything like a cat. She then found herself giggling alongside you; she clearly had found your reaction adorable.

“Leave me alone!” You heard a familiar voice cry, and would immediately turn your head in the direction of it to find that someone had shoved Cane down to the ground, angering you instantly as you began to growl quietly, your irises flickering dangerously between a bold orange and their normal colour, whilst your fangs subconsciously unfolded, and your body began to heat up like a furnace; the wolf within you was scratching at the surface to escape, and maul the children who were bullying her.

“Y/n, no!” Canary whisper-shouted, before throwing her arms around you to try and hold you back, whilst Harley looked on at the group in shock; she couldn’t believe they were daring to bully her like they were, with the probably now confirmed rumours going around that you and Harley had adopted her.

You would strain your ears to try and hear more of their very much one-sided confirmation, whilst struggling a little in Canary’s hold; you were desperate to help Cane, as you were sure that you’d never forgive yourself if you let her get hurt, too, and wanted to prove to her that she could trust you, always, like Harley could always trust you, too. “Why were we even asking her to do our homework for us, anyway?” The second girl inquired, whilst sneering down at Cane. “She knows nothing,” she continued, before lowering herself down a little, whilst her hands were resting upon her knees, “isn’t that right? You’re adopted, so you probably aren’t even being helped with your own homework, anyway - not that two freaky convicts could teach anyone anything-”

You couldn’t take it anymore as you broke free of Canary’s hold, gingerly shoving her away, before you rushed over to the group, Harley and the others hot on your heels; they were afraid of what you might do; what might happen to you if you did hurt anyone, specifically, in terms of Harley; she was terrified of losing you again, and knew that Waller wouldn’t even hesitate to put a bullet in your skull if you ever did decide to hurt anyone again, or to go against her very specific instructions to not cause a scene, or draw too much attention to yourselves whilst you were over at the Birds of Prey base, or escorting Cane to school like you had previously been doing, until this moment. “Hey-!” You hissed over at them, and they would each be startled by your sudden interruption. “Leave her alone!” You demanded, but Harley would manage to hold you back, before you could get any closer to the bullies, no matter how much she wanted you to teach them a lesson for messing with Cane; she couldn’t let you get taken away from her again. “Go inside, Cassie,” you commanded gently, and Cane would reluctantly rush off, though she wanted to stay with the group, feeling safer with them, and a little safer with you now, too, “I swear if I ever see you lay a finger on her again-”

“Y/n,” Harley cooed, and you would relax instantly, upon hearing her voice again, a warm shiver running down your spine whilst you did, and everything that had changed returned to the way it had been, before, “it’s okay, now - Cassie’s fine, and these little brats will never hurt her again, I’m sure they won’t - look at me.” You would glance over at her, and couldn’t help, but smile whilst you did; her presence always made you feel warm, fuzzy, and light, somehow, and you found yourself wondering how you’d survived the years you’d spent in a dark place away from her.

Harley then smiled lovingly back at you, until you were both distracted by Renee speaking up after the bell had rung out from within the building Cane had run into a brief moment ago. “Haven’t you both got somewhere to be, now?” She questioned the two girls, who would hesitantly rush off to their classes, and once they were out of sight, Renee turned to face you both. “We gotta get back, before Waller and Bloodsport get there, and wonder why we’re taking so long,” she stated, and you both would begrudgingly agree, before following Renee and Canary back to the base, just in time; the cars to escort you both back were arriving, just as you were all walking up the drive alongside them.

Before you could get into the black car in the middle, Canary caught your left arm, prompting you to look over your left shoulder at her. “I expect, when you come back tomorrow with Harley, that things will be better between you and Cassie,” she expressed, “or, at least, I’m hoping they will; it was nice of you, to stand up for her like you did, and I’m sure she appreciates the gesture.”

“I hope so,” you replied, “but - I wouldn’t be surprised, all the same, if she still hates me; I should never have left those marks-”

“She doesn’t hate you,” Canary interjected, “she just - needs more time to get to know you, like she has with Harley. Trust me, tomorrow is gonna be the start of something new; I can feel it.”

You would scoff, before looking away from her. “Thanks,” you uttered, “but I only ever trust my instincts when they’re linked to Harley; I can’t - feel any of you, yet, n-not even Cassie, but-.. I guess - I’ll just have to wait and see. See you tomorrow.” You then got into the car beside Harley, before closing the door, and smiling lovingly over at her; she appeared to be hopeful, too, that you and Cane would get along more, but would simply smile warmly back at you, before she shuffled closer to you and rested her head on your right shoulder; she didn’t want to upset you by pressuring you about the situation even further. “Get some sleep,” you cooed, and Harley would nod, whilst her eyes locked with your’s in the best way possible, prompting her’s to glint, and your heart to skip a beat, overwhelming you like it usually did, but you would try and hide it from her, embarrassed, “we’ve still got a long day ahead of us.” She would then groan, and nod gravely, upon remembering that you both, and the others would probably have another training session to return to. “It’ll be over soon, don’t worry,” you continued gently, “as soon as we deal with that asshole politician, and it’s army, and then we’ll be able to find someplace to stay with Cassie, and Bruce; somewhere we won’t have to worry about anyone separating us again, and guess what we’ll do after that-?”

She would appear intrigued, before lifting an eyebrow up at you, whilst she tried to think. “W-What will we do?” She inquired, and you would falter; you thought she’d answer immediately, and wondered if she’d forgotten about what you’d promised her a few times now, already. You then found yourself thinking about how you’d overheard her and the man talking, before you’d run away, and about how she’d been considering the fact that she liked how Harley Luna sounded, prompting you to falter, a pained expression on your face whilst you did. She would then appear worried about you, upon noticing that you seemed upset about something. “Y/n?” She cooed, and you would wince, before managing a soft smile down at her, whilst you tried to think of something else to say; you were doubting that she’d want to marry you, now, after everything, and so were worried about how she would react if you brought it up to her. “Are you okay, Alpha? You went all sad on me all of a sudden,” she mused, and you would nod quickly, before affectionately connecting your forehead to her’s, and she would smile back at you, prompting your heart to begin to race alongside her’s, “what are we gonna do, after we find a good place to stay?”

“We’ll-..” You murmured, before wincing again, but this time you managed to hide it from her; you didn’t want to upset her. “I’ll change you,” you stated, and she would be surprised; she didn’t think you’d ever change your mind, or appear so eager to, after you’d been so against the idea, before, “I’ve been - putting it off for too long, now, I know, and I’m sorry-”

Harley then silenced you by delicately connecting her lips to your’s, and you would subconsciously melt into the kiss, your eyelids fluttering shut whilst you did. Once it was over, you found yourself wearing a dazed expression on your face, prompting her to smirk up at you, amused by your reaction, as well as revelling in how it was only her who could make you feel this way. “I love you so much,” she expressed, and would then lift her right up to your left cheek, prompting you to lean into her touch, whilst you found yourself getting lost in her stunning icy blue eyes again, “w-what - what will we do, after that? After you change me?” She was evidently angling for you to bring up a specific part of your and her plan, but you would doubt - again - that there was any possibility of her wanting to marry you, so you thought maybe she was just curious about what else you’d all do together.

“I’m not sure yet,” you answered, whilst staring down at your hands, and she would appear disappointed by your answer, wondering if it meant you didn’t want to get married to her anymore, “I guess we’ll just - h-have to wait and see.” She would then nod gravely, before resting her head on your right shoulder again, and letting her eyes close, whilst you found yourself fighting back tears beside her silently for the remainder of the journey.

🜸🜚🜸

Like you’d been thinking that they would, things did seem to improve between you and Cane, the next day, just not as much as you’d been hoping they would. Whilst you and Harley were cuddled up together in bed, you would be startled to wake up to something quite soft bumping you on the left side of your head. You would protectively hold Harley close to you, whilst you looked in the direction that it had come from, only to find that Cane was stood by the door, and that she was holding what looked like a nerf gun in her hands, prompting you to ease up, and grin over at her, whilst your eyes began to glint. “Did you seriously just shoot me in the head with a nerf bullet?” You questioned, and Cane would shrug, before tilting her head partially.

“I might have,” she answered timidly, before lowering the makeshift gun a little, “I just wanted to wake you up to say thank you, I guess, for standing up for me yesterday.” Harley then found herself beginning to stir beside you, but once she could hear that you both were talking, she would try and act as if she were still asleep in your arms, whilst listening and smiling softly. “A-Anyway, I gotta go to school, so-”

“School-?” Harley spoke up, surprising you both; you’d thought that she had gone back to sleep, but evidently hadn’t as she was suddenly so awake, and energetic, sitting up beside you, whilst appearing startled, as if she’d forgotten something.

“It’s Monday,” Cane reminded you both, and you would wince, whilst Harley couldn’t help, but curse beside you quietly, and you both would instantly get out of bed, “did you guys seriously forget, already? Jeez, that’s what my ex-family used to do, too-”

“Hey,” Harley whined, “we’re nothing like them, we were just - well.. we didn’t get much sleep last night-”

“Gross,” Cane remarked, and you would wince, before looking away; you’d both not done what she had been assuming you had; you had just been struggling because you’d had a nightmare, and found you couldn’t stop thinking about how she had been with that man, after you’d both been separated again. “Anyway, I’ll meet you both down there, whenever you decide to get ready,” she added, before rushing out of the room, and you would glance over at Harley, a pained expression on your face, before dragging yourself into the bathroom to get ready, whilst she wondered what your look had meant; she hated seeing you upset, and wanted to do all she could to try and make you happy again, so she vowed that she would, starting from the moment you had left the bathroom after you’d finished getting ready alongside her.

🜚

Harley would be surprised to find, that night, you crying quietly outside, whilst the others were sleeping; you’d snuck away after you’d heard her snoring quietly beside you, as you didn’t want to disturb her, and knew that she’d not be woken up if you did, like she had been the previous night. “Y/n,” she cooed, and you would falter upon hearing her voice, “what’s wrong? W-Why are you crying?”

“I’m not crying,” you claimed, and she would scoff, before sitting on the step beside you, whilst you tried to wipe all of your tears away, embarrassed; you hated being caught crying, especially by Harley, as you were worried about her perceiving you to be weak, when you were meant to be strong for her; you didn’t want her to think that you couldn’t protect her, being her mate, and were terrified that you might end up losing her, “Alphas don’t cry, e-especially not in front of their mates..”

She would realise, and shake her head in reply; she didn’t want you to think that you couldn’t cry in front of her, like you were evidently trying not to, right now. “Look,” she began gently, before intertwining the fingers of her right hand with the trembling fingers of your left, “just because you think that you’re not allowed to cry, t-that doesn’t mean you have to be alone, when you do - and it doesn’t matter if it’s me you cry in front of, because it will never change how I see you; I will always love you, Y/n, and I’m always gonna be here for you, t-through both the bad times, and the good, always.”

You would falter again, thinking about how you’d always believed that you both would get married, and it pained you to think about how this might never be the case anymore, after she had considered so closely marrying someone else. “For better, for worse,” you murmured, and Harley’s eyes would begin to glint, whilst a smile began to tug at the corners of her lips subconsciously; she was hoping that you were still considering marrying her, like you’d promised you would many times, before. “You would both have.. have said that to each other,” you mused, prompting her to grow confused, and resulting in a puzzled expression finding it’s way onto her face, “and then-.. you would have become Harley Luna.”

She would realise, and begin to feel guilty all over again; you were evidently still hung up over what had happened, before you’d both been reunited. “N-No, I wouldn’t have-”

“Why wouldn’t you? I thought you liked him, a-and the name,” you contradicted, and she would feel overwhelmed all of a sudden, not sure of what she could say to make things better, so she found herself stammering a lot more whilst she tried to think of how she could rectify the situation, “just tell me you forgot about me..”

“If I did, I would be lying, and I don’t wanna lie to you, Alpha,” she replied, a hurt look on her face whilst she did, “I love you, a-and - it wasn’t just the fact that he was planning on killing more kids that made me pick up that gun, it was also because-.. despite everything that had happened between us, before - I felt that you were still alive - in that moment - and so I-.. I thought it would be better if I killed him for that reason, too, because I wanted to find you, Y/n; you’ve never actually betrayed or abandoned me for no good reason, before, a-and even if you had - I was still hung up on you, and our promise - so-..” She then stood up after you had a brief moment ago, prompting you to hesitantly turn around, whilst your eyes began to glisten, and it would pain her to see that they were; she hated seeing you upset. “There’s only one person I wanna marry, Y/n,” she continued, her voice close to a whisper, “a-and-.. it’s you, always you, and I would have brought the ring out here with me, but I didn’t think t-that-.. that I would be proposing like I am, now - just tell me it’s romantic, at least.”

“It’s more than romantic enough, for me,” you reassured her, whilst wrapping your arms around her waist, and she would smile lovingly over at you, before wrapping her arms around you, too, “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too,” she returned, “n-now - would you make me the happiest woman in the world, b-by becoming my wife? I swear I’ll bring the ring out later-”

You would then lean forward to connect your lips to her’s delicately, and she would melt into the kiss subconsciously alongside you. “Of course I will-!” You chimed, before kissing her lovingly again, and she would hold you even closer to her, but you would welcome her action, managing to control yourself a lot better even when your fangs had unfolded. You then picked her up off of the ground, prompting her to giggle, whilst she clung to your shoulders, and connected her forehead to your’s affectionately. “We should continue celebrating inside,” you stated, appearing flustered whilst you did, prompting her to smirk up at you; she evidently knew what you were hinting at, “it - it’s-.. getting cold, a-and - I want my princess to be warm.” She would instantly be flustered by you referring to her as your ‘princess’, and soon found herself blushing, whilst she tried to hide it from you, prompting you to giggle breathlessly alongside her. “What do you say?” You inquired, only wanting to do whatever she wanted to do.

“I’d love to,” she answered, and you would express relief, whilst your eyes seemed to light up a little alongside her’s. You then briefly connected your lips to her’s one more time, before you carried her back inside, and up to your and her room.

🜸🜚🜸

“Seriously-?” Cane remarked, upon finding you both playing a card game on the Kitchen table in the morning; sometimes you both just found it fun to do, especially when you were equally as competitive as one another. “You’re both so old and boring,” she added, “can’t we go and do something else?”

“How does playing cards make us old and boring?” Harley questioned, and Cane would think about it for a moment.

“Because it just does,” she answered, “c’mon, I’m bored.”

“I’ll just take her out,” Huntress spoke up, “since you guys are clearly too busy to even bother.”

You would grimace over at her, and Harley would wince when she noticed, before beginning to pack up the cards. “Why are you such a raging bitch all the time?” You hissed back at her, and she would scowl back at you, before getting up, and forcing herself from the room.

“Y/n,” Harley cooed, and you would instantly relax like you usually did whenever you heard her voice, but would begin to feel guilty - instead - when you noticed the look on Cane’s face.

“How could you say that? You know what she had to go through before,” she retorted, and you would falter, a pained expression on your face, after Cane had rushed off to go and find Huntress and make sure that she was okay.

You would look over at Harley, who appeared to be feeling guilty, too, for not telling you about what had happened to Huntress when she was only a little girl. “What did she have to go through, before?” You inquired, and she would hesitate, before deciding to tell you, though she’d not been sure if she should, last year, whilst you had both been fighting the Omegas alongside the Birds of Prey.

“I guess it just - makes her mad; the fact that you remind her a little of herself; you both had it rough, before, and I guess I did a bit, too,” she mused, after she’d told you everything about the Bertenelli Massacre, “and she doesn’t like to think about how you didn’t end up killing your father after all that stuff he did to you, aside from the fact that she does kinda have some anger issues, sometimes, but not all the time.”

“I can’t believe I never noticed that before,” you mused, feeling awful for how you’d reacted to her remark, earlier, “do you think she hates me, now?”

“I wouldn’t say she hates you,” Harley answered gently, whilst trying to smile reassuringly over at you, and holding both of your hands in her’s to provide as much comfort to you as she possibly could; she didn’t want you to be upset again, “she’s just - getting used to you.”

“I thought she already had, last year,” you admitted, “I saved her life, remember? And Renee’s.”

“I know,” she replied, “but - maybe - maybe it’s just still too early, for her; I think she just needs more time, and then things will be better than they ever were, I promise - I could also try and talk to her for you, if you want me to?”

“No, it’s fine,” you reassured, before shuffling closer to her timidly so you could wrap your arms around her, and she would instantly return the hug, cradling you close to her, “b-but - thank you, Quinzels; I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, either,” she returned, “oh, and don’t worry about Cassie - she’ll come around, just tell her that you didn’t know about Huntress’ family, and - didn’t mean to say what you said the way she thought you did.” You would nod gravely, evidently nervous about messing up, but you would try to hide that fact from her, for fear of worrying, or upsetting her. “Wanna go and find them with me-?” She inquired, and you would think about it for a moment, but before you could answer her, you heard howling nearby, and faltered, guessing that there were Omegas in the area.

Luckily, Harley hadn’t heard them; you knew you’d have to go out there and hold them off to the best of your ability with the pack you’d arrived with, except they seemed skeptical of you after they’d found out that you were working alongside humans, and had even imprinted on one. “I-.. I have to go and do something first,” you stated, and she would appear surprised; she hadn’t been expecting that response from you, and would immediately begin to wonder what you were planning to do, “the others - they’ll be hungry, and aren’t particularly used to human company; I should help them hunt for a little while.”

“O-Oh, okay,” she replied, and you would frown when you noticed that she appeared disheartened to hear that you’d have to go out for a little while, “I didn’t even know that they had followed us here.”

“They always do,” you explained, “I guess I - am their Alpha, after all, though they think I’m - strange, now.” Harley couldn’t help, but giggle, and shake her head a little whilst she did, prompting you to smile lovingly over at her subconsciously; you evidently thought that her reaction was adorable. “I’ll be back soon, I promise,” you claimed, though you knew that there was a chance that anything could go wrong, but would try not to think about it; you were terrified of being torn away from her again, and returning to her with several scratches and bruises, prompting her to appear shocked, as well as hurt, and worried to find that you had been wounded, so you knew you’d have to be as careful as you possibly could, and would have to wear somewhat baggy clothing if you did end up getting hurt, to hide whatever wounds you might return with, “I love you, Sparkle.”

“I love you too, Nugget,” she returned, before hesitantly releasing you, and allowing you to get up, so you could drag yourself toward the front door of the new Birds of Prey base, “a-and be careful out there - promise me you will.”

“I’ll be careful, I promise - there’s no way I’m not returning to you in one piece,” you cooed, and she would smile to the best of her ability back at you, though she was worried, and found herself even beginning to doubt that you would; something she found herself hating herself for, until you had managed to return to her just about in one piece, “s-see you soon - possibly half-an-hour-ish?”

“It better be half-an-hour,” she agreed, and you would grin feebly, before nodding, and rushing out to the waterfall, where your pack were currently resting together.

|

After things had gone wrong, like you had been hoping they wouldn’t, you found yourself wondering if you might actually die; the Omegas had actually managed to ambush you and the pack, and had evidently been planning this attack, all along; they hadn’t just been passing through, like you thought they had been. Like you usually did during your lowest moments, whilst you were trying to drag yourself away from the pack without them noticing, you found yourself thinking about how they would all, including Harley, Cane, and the Birds of Prey, be better off without you slowing them down - especially Harley, and it didn’t help you to think about how she had been considering actually marrying the man she had briefly been with whilst you were gone, and supposedly dead. Nor did it help to remember everything that had happened, before that: the fight you and Harley had had, before you’d gone over the cliff in an attempt to save her life; the day she’d found out that you’d actually been the one to kill her ex, Max, shocking her, and resulting in her believing you to be the monster you also thought yourself to be, and the day you’d disappeared for a couple of weeks whilst Max had been abusing her, after finding out about what you were, but you could have still helped her, though you were worried about what might happen if she found out about you being a werewolf, before, and you hated yourself for letting him hurt her the way he had been, before she’d managed to break up with him. You would be startled by the sudden ringing of your phone, still laying beneath the willow tree beside your clothes; you’d left them there, before changing, and tracking the area with your pack, which you could hear were now beginning to panic, after you’d muted the bonds between you and each of them, except for Harley, but she still remained to be unaware of what had happened a moment ago; she would soon find out, beginning to panic you even more than you had been, before; you didn’t want her to go out looking for you, and to get herself hurt, too, or to upset her by having her find you in the state that you were currently in, but at the same time, you knew she’d be equally suspicious if you didn’t answer the phone, as you could see that it was her calling you, so you would hesitantly give in, and change back painfully, before accepting the call feebly, and holding your phone up to your right ear with your now shaky and blood-stained right hand. “Y/n-? A-Are you - Are you coming back soon-?” Harley inquired, and you would frown, feeling guilty all over again, before you subconsciously shook your head, whilst your tears began to slowly run down your cheeks. “I miss you so much,” she expressed, and you would feel even worse, wishing, now, that you’d not decided to try and fight the Omegas off, “a-and it’s been longer than half an hour now; you promised me you wouldn’t be any longer.”

“I’m sorry, Quinzels, but,” you murmured, whilst wincing, and leaning heavily against the trunk of the tree behind you, “I’m gonna be a little-.. a little longer.. S-Something came up, a-and-”

“What?” She interrupted, before subconsciously rising from the sofa she had been perched upon. “What happened? Y/n, are you okay? Where are you?” She questioned, and you would hesitate, before deciding you shouldn’t tell her, not wanting her to come looking for you, and you most certainly didn’t want her to find you in the state that you were currently in.

“I’m okay,” you lied, unconvincingly; your voice had managed to crack, and a whimper followed; the pain was gradually becoming more and more excruciating with every passing minute, “just - don’t worry about me - everyone’s fine, a-and - and I’ll see you soon.” You then quickly hung up, and threw your phone away from you, before you whined softly, and let the back of your head rest on the trunk of the tree; you were waiting for death to finally envelope you, so Harley wouldn’t have to be held back, or burdened by you anymore.

🜚

“Y/n!” A familiar voice cried, and your eyelids would slowly open, though they were heavy, and left your eyes appearing half-lidded, as well as dark. “Oh thank god,” the figure whispered shakily, after you’d opened your eyes, and you would squint to try and clear your vision, and once it had cleared just enough, you found your heart beginning to race; Harley was leaning over you, her cheeks tear-stained, and eyes glistening, “s-say something, please.”

You would manage a weak smile up at her, whilst beginning to splutter up and choke on your own blood again, until she carefully lifted you up a little, and cradled you close to her. “I-..” You managed, your voice barely audible, and a strained sob would manage to escape her lips; she was terrified that she might still lose you, if Renee and Huntress didn’t return soon with the medical equipment needed to patch up your scratches and gaping wound on your right side. “I must be in Heaven,” you mustered, and she would tilt her head partially, before shaking it, and lifting her left hand up to your right cheek, so she could use her thumb to delicately brush away the small tears which were managing to escape your eyes.

“Not - Not yet, Alpha,” she replied, her voice trembling whilst she did, and she would then lower her head a little so she could connect her forehead to your’s affectionately, “you aren’t leaving me like this - when you do get to go to Heaven, it’ll be with me, okay? You’re not leaving me again; I won’t let you. We belong together, and we’re meant to do everything together; go everywhere together, and that’s what we’re going to do.” She then looked as if she’d remembered something, and would smile lovingly down at you to the best of her ability, before taking out your ring, and offering it to you. “Now that you’re - in your human form again, I was thinking that you might wanna wear it,” she stated, and you would smile back at her faintly, before nodding, and offering her your left hand so she could slip the ring back onto your finger gently. “Why didn’t you tell me about the Omegas? We could have gone with you-”

“You would have gotten hurt-”

“We would have been fine,” she contradicted, “and you wouldn’t be on the verge of-..” She would falter, and her eyes widened a little, before she looked around, desperate for Renee and Huntress to reappear with the kit.

“Quinzels,” you murmured, and she would glance back down at you, a pained expression on her face, prompting your heart to sink, “d-don’t-.. Even if I.. Even if I do die-”

“Shut up,” she interjected, “you’re not dying; I won’t let you die, n-not without me. If you die, I die-”

“Nobody’s dying today,” another familiar voice sounded out, and you both looked over to find Huntress and Renee rushing toward you, “we’ve got the kit.”

Harley expressed relief, and you would smile lovingly up at her. “You were right,” you mused, “we will die together, a-and go to heaven together, as long as - when the time comes, you still want to.”

“Of course I will,” she responded, “there will never be a time when I don’t want to go to heaven by your side - or wherever we do end up together; I love you so much, a-and that’ll never change, I promise.”

“I love you, too,” you returned, whilst Renee began to treat your wounds, and Harley provided as much comfort to you as she possibly could whilst Renee was doing everything she had to do to try and keep you alive, “and I always will, n-no matter what..” Once Renee had finished treating you, Harley then carefully carried you back to the base, a blanket wrapped around you whilst she did, as you had been naked when the group had found you in the state that you had been in, and you soon found yourself falling asleep in her arms, whilst feeling safe and as if nothing could ever hurt you again, as long as you were in her arms like you were, now.

🜚

“What were you thinking? You have the dumbest Alpha instincts I’ve ever heard of,” Cane ranted at you; she’d, too, been surprisingly shocked and worried after hearing about what had happened to you, “people should be calling you goofy rather than Alpha-”

“Oi,” Harley interjected playfully, whilst she was holding you close to her, her arms around your waist protectively; she was worried that something might try and hurt you again after what had happened to you earlier, “only I’m allowed to tease her about that. Anyway-”

“Would you quit eating my fucking food?” Huntress interrupted, whilst she stormed into your and Harley’s bedroom, and she would wince; she’d evidently unintentionally taken whatever it was that had previously belonged to her.

“W-Wait - was that your burrito in the fridge?” She inquired, and Huntress would scowl over at her; it evidently had been her’s. “Why didn’t you say so? I - I just-.. I don’t know, Y/n was hungry, so-”

“Just - don’t do it again,” she uttered, “I’m gonna have to start writing my names on things now, I guess.”

“Good idea,” Harley chimed, “I should start doing that, too; that was smart-”

“Big whoop,” you murmured, whilst hiding your face from them, “that’s - that’s an easy thing to come up with; I could come up with something like that so much faster.”

Harley would then smirk down at you, whilst Huntress rolled her eyes, before leaving the room. “Aww, is somebody jealous?” She inquired, and you would scoff, before shaking your head, evidently in denial. “Don’t worry,” she cooed, before delicately connecting her lips to your’s, and you would instantly melt into the kiss, whilst butterflies began to flutter around in the lower depths of your stomach, overwhelming you in the best way possible, “you’ll always be my number one, little wolfy, no matter what.”

“G-Good,” you replied, your face instantly a lot brighter than it had been, before, “because you’ll always be my number one, too - always, I promise.”

You then winced, finding yourself feeling tired again, and Harley would smile sadly down at you, after you’d yawned, and your eyes were half-lidded again. “You should get some more sleep, Alpha,” she advised, “you’ve had a long day, and need to rest to get better for me.” You would nod gravely, and Cane would hesitantly stand up, though she’d rather stay to make sure that you were okay, after what had happened not too long ago, now. “You should get to bed now, too, Cassie; you’ve got school tomorrow,” she reminded, and Cane would wince; she’d completely forgotten, “goodnight.”

“Night,” Cane returned, before dragging herself from the room, and leaving you both alone again.

“You - You don’t need to stay here all night, if you’re mad at me for lying, earlier,” you reassured her, but she would shake her head quickly, before resting her head on top of your’s affectionately, and stroking your hair with her left hand.

“I’m not mad at you,” she claimed, “I’m just glad you’re okay, Nugget, but - just - promise me you won’t ever lie again, because - I could have lost you, today, and-.. I-.. I don’t ever want something like that to happen, ever again.”

“I won’t, I promise,” you responded, “and you won’t ever come even close to losing me again, like-.. like you did, today.”

“Good,” she replied, “now - get some sleep, Alpha, and hopefully you’ll feel a little better, tomorrow.” You would then nod, before briefly connecting your lips to her’s again affectionately, and once it was sadly over, you buried your face into the crook of her neck, after letting your eyelids flutter shut.

🜸🜚🜸

“No fair,” Cane whined, after the Christmas party you’d all set up gradually came to a close, “I should be able to stay, too, and to have access to all those drinks you guys have been having - not just the soft stuff-”

Harley would snort alongside you, amused by Cane’s reaction. “I knew it!” She chimed, and Cane would grunt, before looking away from you both. “You’re just jealous that we can drink, and you can’t,” she pieced together, and the Birds of Prey, including even Huntress, would burst out laughing with you both, “don’t worry, Cassie, you’ll get there eventually, and just think - tomorrow morning, you’ll have all your presents to open - exciting, right?”

“Sure,” she uttered, before begrudgingly dragging herself up the stairs, “night!”

“I guess we should be heading off to bed, too,” Renee mused, “got a few thugs to catch tomorrow, after you’ve both returned to the other side with Waller and Bloodsport.”

Harley would appear disheartened by the reminder, but would try to hide it from them; she liked being away from the mission you both were currently on, and it only made you want to try and fight even harder than you already were to end it; to kill the Omega Prime Minister, and his army of both Omegas beneath him and hunters. “I suppose it would probably be sensible,” she remarked, though she’d rather stay up, “gotta-.. be prepared - for training, tomorrow - and pushing the next bout of hunters and stinky Omegas back. What do you say, Alpha?”

“You’re right,” you corroborated, before standing up after her, and smiling over at the others, “we’ll see you all in the morning to do the presents - c’mon, Quinzels.”

“Night, guys,” she concluded, before following you up the stairs to your and her bedroom, but it wouldn’t be long before you’d both be woken up again by more howling close by, except it wasn’t the Omegas this time, it was your pack calling for your assistance; they’d devised a plan to try and infiltrate the hidden base the Omega Prime Minister had been currently residing in recently to try and trick the group, and ensure his own ‘safety’ whilst building his army up even more.

🜚

You would tense up immediately after hearing your pack howling for you, and Harley would wake up shortly after you had, upon hearing them. “Y/n-? What’s going on?” She inquired sleepily, before sitting up, after you’d gotten out of bed to look out the window, finding each of them stood below, and some weaving between the trees behind those stood at the edge of Apocalypse Forest. “Is it the Omegas again?” She pried, and you would hesitate, before glancing back at her; they’d phased to you their plan through their pack bond which was connecting them to you, and you were afraid of how she might react if you told her about it, whilst at the same time feeling bad for considering lying to her again, after you’d promised her before that you wouldn’t.

“No,” you claimed, before turning to face her fully, and she would shyly walk up to you, before wrapping her arms around your waist, and you would smile softly over at her, whilst you returned the embrace, and she buried her face into the crook of your neck; she was worried about what their sudden outburst might mean for you both, and was terrified that she might lose you, if whatever they were planning on doing resulted in them being ambushed again, and you almost being killed, “they’re just - bombing me with all the: ‘I really wish you were here right now with us’ kind of things, as it’s basically-” You would quickly look up at the clock, to make sure that it was past Midnight, now, “well, Christmas day, now - we’re just past midnight.”

“Oh,” she replied, whilst expressing relief, and smiling lovingly over at you, “w-well, if you want, we could - go down there and spend some time with them?”

You would hesitate, before shaking your head. “Tomorrow,” you answered, whilst lifting your right hand up to her left cheek, and she would subconsciously lean into your touch, before leading you slowly back toward your and her bed.

🜚

The next morning, you’d made sure to get up earlier than the others and Harley to talk to your pack, and to try and negotiate a time for you all to try and infiltrate the Omega Prime Minister’s base, but you would also request for them, before concluding the secret meeting, to not say a word about the plan, at least until Christmas and Boxing day had passed, so you could all have a couple of somewhat more peaceful days, before the approaching - supposed - final battle, and once the secret meeting had been concluded, you snuck back up to your and Harley’s bedroom to rejoin her in bed, until she and the others began to stir.

“What? It’s not my fault that I look better in your clothes than you do,” Harley remarked playfully, after you’d found yourself staring longingly over at her; you’d offered her the jacket that Canary had bought for you so she could try it on, and you would smirk, amused by her response to your subconscious action.

“Damn right you do,” you corroborated, before leaning forward to kiss her lovingly, and she would melt into the kiss, whilst smiling warmly against your lips, but you would both try not to deepen it, no matter how much you wanted to, as the others were in the room, and neither of you wanted to make things awkward. “I love you so much,” you expressed, your voice close to a whisper whilst you did, and she would grin over at you, her eyes glinting whilst she did, before she connected her forehead to your’s, wishing you could both stay there for longer, with Cane, Bruce, and the Birds of Prey, “M-Merry Christmas, Quinzels.”

“Merry Christmas, Alpha,” she returned, before you both returned your attention to Cane, who was in the process of opening her gifts from the both of you.

🜚

After Christmas, and Boxing day, you still found you couldn’t tell them about the plan; you were terrified of how they might react to it, and even more so whenever you found yourself thinking about what could happen to Harley, if it was carried out; it was extremely risky, and could potentially lead to many more deaths than you’d been expecting, or hoping it would. However, your hiding it began to frustrate your pack, and Cane soon overheard you fighting with them about it, but she wouldn’t say anything to Harley or the others, after you’d - a few days before - found out that she’d been going out, in secret, with one of the boys from her school. “I won’t tell, if you don’t,” she stated, after you’d realised that she’d had to have been listening, upon you finding her waiting for you inside the base, and you would nod gravely, before you both awkwardly returned to the living room, where Harley, Bruce, and the Birds of Prey currently were, watching tv together.

🜚

“Got anything to say to us, before we go to bed?” Harley inquired, and Cane would wince, before shaking her head. “Oh c’mon,” she whined, “it’s only a simple, yet meaningful three words, Cassie.”

You couldn’t help, but giggle softly, amused by her attempts to try and get Cane to say the three words you both loved to hear. “Fine,” she gave in, “I - love you both - ugh, that’s disgusting, now get out; I’m tired.”

“Good,” she chimed, “we love you, too - we’ll get out of your hair, now. Goodnight!”

“Night,” Cane returned, and Harley would then get up off of the edge of her bed, before leaving the room, and waiting for you by the door of your and her’s.

“Night, kiddo,” you replied, before hesitantly pushing yourself off of the doorframe, and toward Harley. She would smile lovingly over at you, glad to see that you and Cane were getting along much better, now, before opening the door for you, and you would smile your thanks back at her, before slipping into the room, and she would follow immediately after, closing the door whilst she went.

🜚

The next morning, you had been called by your pack again - well, you thought you had been, but it had been two members in particular who had summoned you, and it worried you to find that it had been them - Caesar and Michael - the two members you found yourself having the least amount of trust in, after they’d almost gotten you killed by abandoning you after the ambush which had come before you being reunited with Harley again. It didn’t take you long, to deem your decision to answer their call a bad one; you soon found them beating you; they evidently - and had made it exceptionally clear - that they didn’t like the fact that you’d been holding back their plan, and hadn’t even told anyone about it yet, aside from the fact that they disapproved of the fact that you’d imprinted on a human, and hadn’t changed her yet - they also just didn’t like you, and hated the fact that they had to follow you. Once they were done, you found yourself limping back toward the base, and would falter as soon as you noticed Harley stood by the back door, hugging herself whilst she did; it was currently quite cold out - 9 or so degrees, you recalled, after you’d checked a little earlier upon waking up to them howling for you.

Her heart would sink, upon noticing all the cuts and bruises you’d returned with, and the small blood trail you were leaving behind you, evidently from your right leg. “Y/n,” she mustered feebly, before rushing over to you, and throwing her arms around you. “Are you okay? W-What happened? Who the fuck hurt you?” She questioned, after holding you at arm’s length, and you found you couldn’t even respond, feeling much too weak to, and you found you even couldn’t hold yourself up for much longer, and began to lean heavily against her, prompting her to protectively wrap her arms around your waist, whilst she looked around, after hearing chuckling nearby; Michael and Caesar had evidently been following you. “Show yourselves, I dare you!” She demanded, and they would step out, like the fools they were. She then brandished her spear, and lugged it in their direction, prompting them to swiftly retreat with their tails between their legs; they’d changed back to make a faster getaway. “Don’t you ever come near her again, because I will kill you next time!” She threatened after them, before returning her attention to you, her eyes again full of the concern she was currently holding for you.

“You’re-.. gonna be in deep shit, w-when-.. when their mama finds out you threatened them like that,” you managed in a shaky whisper, and Harley would shrug; she didn’t care, evidently, as she was only focussed on protecting and treating you, in this moment.

“I don’t care what she tries to do to me,” she replied, whilst slowly leading you back toward the base, “you are all that matters to me, Alpha; without you, I have nothing-”

“That’s not true,” you contradicted, a hurt look on your face whilst you glanced over at her, “you’ll always be everything, e-even without me, and you should care about what she might try and do, because when werewolves want revenge, it gets-.. very - bloody.”

“I hope you’re right about that, because I like a messy battle,” she remarked, “but don’t worry, I’ll try not to - well, kill her, if you’ll permit me to try and defend myself if she does decide to try and take action against me?”

“Only if I’m not there to try and defend you, myself,” you hesitantly corroborated quietly, and she would beam over at you, finding how you always being so protective and willing to defend her flattering, and the thought seem to even fluster her a little, “o-or if I get knocked out, or something, b-but - that won’t happen, I promise; I won’t let it.”

“You don’t always have to be so quick to try and risk your life for me, you know that, right?” She inquired, and you would falter, a look of disbelief on your face, whilst you were looking over at her again.

“Are you kidding me?” You responded, and she would simply shake her head, whilst intertwining the fingers of her free left hand with the trembling fingers of your pale right one. “I do have to,” you claimed, “not just because I want to, but because I can’t let you die; I can’t live without you, Quinzels, you-.. you mean-.. everything to me; more than life itself, a-and-.. if I lost you, I’d lose everything, including everything within me keeping me the way I am; I exist only for you, a-and that’s all I want, hence why I gave you my stone wolf, remember?”

She couldn’t help, but smile lovingly over at you, whilst tears threatened to escape her stunning icy blue eyes. “I love you so much,” she expressed, and you would try to return the significant three words to her, but before you could, you found yourself on the verge of collapsing again, and would whimper quietly whilst you did, but she would manage to catch you and hold you up again before you could hit the ground. “It’s okay, Nugget,” she cooed, “I’ve got you; I’ll never let you fall, ever, I promise, and I swear I will do everything I can to try and stop you from losing me, as long as you promise me that I’ll never lose you.”

You would smile softly up at her, wondering why - especially when she was still human, and had more free will - she still cared about you the way that she did, and still wanted to be by your side: to be your mate, after everything you’d both been through together. “You’ll never lose me, I promise,” you returned, “I love you, m-more than anything, and I will always fight just to be able to stay by your side, even when you decide you don’t want to be my mate anymore.”

“Y/n,” she whined, a hurt look on her face, and you would wince, “you - you know that that will never happen; I love you, and I could never love anyone else as much as I do you, you know that, right?”

“I know,” you replied, trying not to appear doubtful, though you were; you would always worry that she might find someone better than you, and leave you to rot and become an omega, or even to just die, but at the same time, you hated yourself for thinking that she would do that to you, when you knew, or rather hoped, that she wouldn’t consider hurting you like that, “you-.. still want me to change you, right? Once - Once this is all over?”

“Of course I do,” she answered, “I wanna be a big scary wolf, like you; you’re awesome!”

“Then you will be,” you chimed, glad to hear that she hadn’t had a change of heart, “but if you ever do decide you don’t-”

“I’ll always want to be like you,” she reassured, “now c’mon - I gotta get you patched up, before the big scary mom comes looking for me.” You would wince, before nodding in agreement, and nervously looking over your shoulder to check that she wasn’t already stalking you both, which she didn’t appear to be; she still had yet to hear about how Harley had threatened them, but little did you both know that she would be in agreement with you both that Harley had done nothing wrong; she’d only been defending you - her mate - and that was natural. You would both also be glad to hear that she’d punished Michael and Caesar for attacking you like they had, and that they wouldn’t be bothering you as much as they had been, anymore.

🜚

“I was wondering - why would they even attack you like that?” Harley inquired, after Renee had patched you up again, like she’d had to, before, not too long ago, now.

You would falter, and try to quickly think of an answer, afraid of how she might react if you told her about the plan you’d been recently hiding from them. “T-They just, er-.. well, I suppose they’ve never really liked me very much, a-and - probably wouldn’t mind being alpha, themselves,” you stammered out, and she would appear disappointed; she’d actually found out, after briefly leaving the room, and coming across your diary, that you had been hiding the plan your pack had come up with for a little while now - she couldn’t believe you were lying to her again, after you’d promised her that you wouldn’t.

“Really?” She questioned, and you would nod quickly, suddenly appearing frightened of something; you were worried that she already knew, and would begin to curse yourself when you found out that she did. “Because - that’s not what your diary said, in it’s most recent entry,” she contradicted, and you would fall quiet, a pained expression on your face whilst you did; you couldn’t believe you’d left it out like you had, and had now evidently upset her again, like you’d vowed that you wouldn’t anymore.

“Harley,” you whined, but she would cut you off by dropping your diary down onto your and her bed beside you.

“When are you gonna start keeping your promises?” She pried, her voice briefly trembling whilst she did, before she stormed out of the room, and you couldn’t help, but break down a brief moment after she’d left you alone in the room; you were sick of hurting her by trying to do things that you thought would protect her, and wished she’d just give up on you, and find someone better than you. You even found yourself subconsciously slipping the ring off of your finger, and setting it down on the bedside table, before you forced yourself out of your and her bed, and limped toward the window, intending to give her some more space, though you weren’t currently in the same room anymore; you didn’t want her to feel as if she had to do anything else for you, after you’d upset her again, so you hurriedly removed your clothing, before leaping out of the window, and tearing into your wolf form mid-air whilst you did, so you could stagger toward Apocalypse Forest, and the waterfall you’d grown up, and found yourself changing with.

🜸🜚🜸

The next day, Harley wouldn’t know that you’d gone, until the morning came, and you were all, excluding you, of course, sat around the kitchen table eating breakfast together. Things seemed to be okay, until Harley had noticed that Cane had been trying to hide the left side of her neck, prompting her to grow suspicious of her, and to, when she was least expecting it, lean over suddenly and move her hair out of the way, revealing a few dark marks which shocked Harley, and Renee alongside her, after Renee had managed to get a not-so-good look at them, too. “Cassandra Cane, are those hickeys on your neck?” Harley questioned, and Cane would then wince, before rushing up to her room, but before Harley could follow her, Renee would stop her, worried about her possibly going about things the wrong way, in response to Cane’s evident actions behind each of their backs.

You would then burst through the back door, upon sensing that Harley had been distressed by something, worrying you; you’d thought that she was in trouble, evidently, and was terrified of the possibility of her getting either hurt, or killed. ‘What happened?’ You phased, and had forgotten that they’d thought that you were still upstairs in bed, after you’d had to be treated.

You then rushed up to Harley’s right side to examine her, and try to find any wounds she might have somehow been given, whilst you had been away from her. She would then shove you away gently, after she’d regained composure, and you would falter, whilst beginning to feel guilty all over again for lying to her, and upsetting her the day before. She would feel bad for pushing you away upon noticing the hurt look on your face, before standing up, whilst her eyes began to glisten. “You’re sneaking out now?” She hissed shakily, but before you could answer, she would rush forward, and crouch down in front of you so she could throw her arms around you; she was just glad that you were okay, and hadn’t returned in a worse state than you had been in, before. “I’m so sorry,” she whined, before pressing her face into the crook of your neck, whilst she began to cry, making you feel even worse; you hated seeing her upset, and wished you’d not lied to her, and the others about the plan, “I shouldn’t have stormed out like that, I know; I should have given you a chance to explain-”

‘No, Quinzels,’ you interjected gently, whilst tears began to cloud your vision, too, ‘you were right for reacting the way you did; I shouldn’t have lied like that, I was just scared of telling you and the others about their plan; it’s - it’s incredibly risky, a-and.. and - I could lose you; I can’t let that happen-’

“Every plan we come up with to end this is gonna be risky, Alpha,” she reminded you, “there’s nothing we can do to try and make it any safer, and.. there’s equally nothing we can do to try and prevent anything happening to any of us; to prevent any-.. casualties.. we’ve just gotta try and - avoid them, and think positively; we can end this, Nugget, I know we can, and I can’t promise that we’ll get out of it completely unharmed, or alive, but - I believe - if we try hard enough; if we fight hard enough, and stick together - we can.” She would then delicately brush away a stray tear from your left cheek with her right thumb, as her right hand was now resting upon it, prompting you to subconsciously lean into her touch, whilst you locked eyes with her in the best way possible. “Can’t we?” She inquired, hoping you believed that you all could, too.

You would then smile softly over at her, whilst your eyes began to glint, prompting her heart to skip a beat, and a smile to tug at the corners of her lips again, before you nodded. ‘Damn right we can,’ you answered, and she would beam victoriously over at you, until Cane re-entered the room, appearing worried again.

“Y/n’s not-..” She would fall quiet, upon noticing you with Harley. “Upstairs anymore,” she concluded quietly, before warily stepping back, and you would wonder why the atmosphere in the room had suddenly grown to be so intense, prompting you to look between Harley and Cane for a moment, a puzzled expression on your face whilst you did.

‘What’s-’

“Someone’s been giving Cassie hickeys,” Harley answered, and you would suddenly falter again, before grimacing, and subconsciously rising, whilst your irises began to flicker dangerously between their bold orange colour and a bright red.

‘I’ll kill them,’ you growled quietly, and Harley would wrap her arms around your neck to try and provide comfort to you, and calm you down; she was worried about you possibly getting into trouble with Waller if she found out that you had tried to maul a child.

“Nobody’s dying today, Nugget,” she cooed, before returning her attention to Cane, who was shifting uncomfortably in place, “just - tell us - what’s their name? Are they in your year?”

She would suddenly appear fearful, worried about what Harley might be planning to do to her boyfriend, Noah. “W-Why?” She questioned, and Harley would wince, before thinking for a moment, and shrugging a little whilst she did.

“Oh, nothing,” she answered, but Cane wouldn’t believe that, at all, “I just wanna talk to them, nothing particularly serious.”

“You can’t-”

“I think I can, and I will-”

“Harley,” Renee warned, but Canary would find herself amused by the situation, as well as concerned about what Noah might end up doing to Cane.

“I think we should, Renee,” Canary corroborated, “just to make sure he’s suitable enough for her, and to set some boundaries.”

Renee would think about it for a moment, before begrudgingly giving in, and nodding. “Fine,” she replied, before turning to face Cane, “where do they live?”

🜚

“Oh c’mon,” Cane whined, “please let me go with you-”

“No,” Harley interjected, and she would groan, evidently frustrated, as well as worried about what might happen to Noah.

“Why not-?” She retorted, and you would smile reassuringly over at Harley, noticing she seemed a little annoyed, still, after what has happened, with her finding the hickeys on Cane’s neck.

“Because I’m pretty sure I told you to stay in the car,” Harley answered, and Cane would grunt, before turning away from her, and you would shuffle toward the car door after she’d gotten out next to you, “make sure she doesn’t try to escape, Alpha, I’ll be back soon.”

She would then lean down to briefly connect her lips to your’s lovingly, and you would instantly melt into the kiss, before smiling warmly back at her after the kiss had sadly ended, whilst your heart began to race. “Good luck trying to get through to them,” you offered, and Harley would wince, before smiling her thanks back at you, and rushing off to catch up to the others who were waiting at the gate of Noah’s parent’s house.

You would then turn to face the centre of the car, and could feel that Cane was glaring over at you. “You promised they wouldn’t find out,” she reminded you, and you would falter, “where were you?”

“Out,” you answered simply, “I had to-”

“No, you didn’t,” she contradicted, “you probably just rushed out for some other selfish reason; you’re pathetic.”

You would sigh, before nodding your head gravely; you knew she was right; you’d felt as if you had to be away from them for a little while, to try and protect them, and to take your anger and sadness out on the tres and boulders you came across. “Yeah,” you murmured, “you’re probably right about that, kiddo; I could have stayed, and this wouldn’t have happened-”

“Do you know what I’m gonna have to do, now?” Cane inquired, and you would nod again.

“Tell them about the plan I’ve been trying to hide from them,” you answered, “but - it’s too late.. they already know about it, now.”

Cane would fall quiet for a moment, shocked, as well as irritated to hear that she now had nothing to mentally burden you with, for letting them find out about her and Noah. “How?” She hissed, and you would bow your head a little, whilst you thought about how there was a chance you could lose Harley, if the plan was carried out, soon finding yourself fighting back tears again; you were terrified, and found you couldn’t prompt yourself to be positive about the plan, at all, after a few nights of considering every single possibility. “For god’s sake,” she continued, and you would try to swallow the lump in your throat, before nodding again timidly.

“I could still be hurt, y’know, even if you don’t have anything else to tell them about me,” you replied, “even though it wasn’t you who told them - If I lost Harley, I don’t-..” A strained sob would manage to escape your lips, but you would try and cover it up with a shaky and unconvincing cough. “I don’t know what I’d do,” you expressed, your voice barely audible, “I’d lose.. I’d lose everything, a-and.. I could become an Omega; like one of those monsters. I could - hurt - so many people.. She’s the only one keeping me tethered to this world; I exist, and was made only for her, and if she dies, I would rather die, too, alongside her.”

“So you’d kill yourself, and leave me to fend for myself?” She guessed, and you would glance over at her, whilst the tears streamed down your cheeks.

“You’d be fine,” you claimed, and she would scoff, before looking away from you, “you have the Birds of Prey-”

“But you aren’t them; you and Harley are supposed to be my parents,” she interrupted, and you found you couldn’t respond; you weren’t sure how to, “screw you.” She would then swiftly take off one of her sneakers, before hitting you across the face with it, shocking you, and allowing her to quickly lean over you and snatch the car keys from you so she could unlock it, and sprint away from it.

“Cassie!” You called, and would stagger out of your side of the car, but you found she had disappeared from your vision by the time you’d managed to get out, and recover yourself. “Shit,” you spat, whilst Canary and Huntress attempted to run after her, and Harley and Renee had decided to return to you, “I’m so sorry, Quinzels..”

Harley would falter when she noticed the red mark on your right cheek, and you would bow your head again after she’d released your chin. “She hit you-?” She mused, but you wouldn’t respond, finding you couldn’t; you were trying not to cry again, feeling guilty for letting her run away like that. “Y/n,” she cooed, “look at me.. Does it hurt? D-Do you want me to get you anything?”

“I don’t need anything,” you tried to reassure her, before anxiously looking toward Apocalypse Forest, “but Cassie might; she’s heading into Omega territory.”

“We’re gonna get her out,” she promised, “and they won’t even touch her, I’m sure they won’t.” She would then turn to face Renee, who was evidently worried, and anxious to go after Cane, before the Omegas could get to her. “C’mon, I wanna have stern words with her, before the Omegas can,” she encouraged, and Renee would nod, before rushing toward Apocalypse Forest alongside you both, “I’ll make sure she won’t hit you again like that, and I’ll get that mark to fade and the pain to go away before the sun’s gone down, I promise.”

“Don’t bother,” you responded, “it was my fault, Quinzels..”

She would appear puzzled, glancing over at you, whilst she began to slow down a little after you had. “What do you mean?” She inquired, and you would wince, before looking away from her. “Y/n-”

You would both be cut off by a roar nearby, and you would falter, noticing the Omega running toward you both. “Look out-!” You cried, but she would be - despite her attempt to jab at the omega with her spear - knocked down, and would fall unconscious as soon as the back of her head had hit the ground.

~~~~~

Hope you enjoyed it! ❤️

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Timeline for the Lastochkas (@sofasoap @gamergirlbonestaskforce141riot @siilvan and mine OCs)

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Whumptober Day 06: do or die, you'll never make me, because the world will never take my heart

Forced to Watch

2445 Words; Ouroboros AU

TW for violence, exploitation, injury, trauma

AO3 ver

The locker room seemed impossibly large when Mirtala first saw it; a bench in the center more than half her height and ten lockers each as tall as her in two rows on the wall.

Mirtala had only ever heard about the locker room in passing; never from Dion, who hated talking about the arena to her, but from the Wolves and sometimes from Aster and the other kids. Of those groups, only the Wolves had ever seen the locker room, but Aster and the rest just loved to boast about how well they’d do when they were finally old enough for the arena, loved to boast about how they knew so much about it already.

But it wasn’t Aster and the rest who were standing in the locker room, a Wolf’s hand on their shoulder. It was Mirtala, her braids twisted into two tight little buns.

“Your outfit’s in the middle locker on the bottom,” the Wolf said, gently nudging Mirtala forwards. “You won’t be going in right away, but better to try it on now.”

The locker in question was unlocked. Mirtala wasn’t entirely convinced that whatever was inside would fit her—it had only been a few days since Creed drafted a contract for her, only a few days since she’d leapt into the arena with an ill-fitting wolf mask. Surely, with everything that happened in Ouroboros, there hadn’t been time to create a new outfit—every competitor in the arena was an adult or close enough, after all, and none of them were very close to Mirtala in size or stature.

To her surprise, the outfit she pulled out fit her well enough. The pants and boots and black shirt was much like Dion’s, but sized down to fit her. The shirt had the number 054 embroidered on the back in shimmery white thread—did Dion’s outfit have the same, under his vest? Mirtala figured it must have.

Where Dion’s vest was red with gold accents, Mirtala’s was white with red accents. It reminded her of candy canes, almost, or playing cards—there was a red heart on the back. Red-dyed faux feathers lined the collar, soft around Mirtala’s neck. She turned back to the locker for the final piece.

A red and white chickadee mask greeted her, the carefully shaped beak seeming to gleam under the locker room lighting. The paint was bright, unfaded by time, free of chips. It looked brand new. It looked like it’d fit her perfectly.

Mirtala pushed the mask on, reaching back to tie it.

It felt like a damnation.

+=+=+=+=+

The brawl was well underway by the time Mirtala was guided to the arena. She took a moment to peer through the gate, watching. The Opossum was already lying face down in the dirt—was he down for good, or would he get back up later? The Rhino was charging after the Rabbit, ducking around and under the obstacles in her attempts to reach hare. The audience was loud, the resounding din of the cheers and jeers louder than the groan of the gate as it rose.

“Good luck.” The Wolf shoved her forwards, out of the shadow of the gate into the searing light of the arena.

The announcer’s voice blared over the loudspeakers. “What’s this? A new challenger appears!” The audience roared. “Introducing the Chickadee! You may know her from a few nights ago, but this is her official debut! Let’s give her a warrrrrrm welcome!”

Mirtala steeled herself. She tried to imagine the arena before her as one giant jungle gym. A giant game of tag—that’s what she was about to participate in. Just a game of tag.

The announcer continued, “The first challenger to catch the Chickadee wins! Can she evade her powerful opponents? Let’s find out!” The audience was too loud, the lights too bright.

The Rhino snorted. Mirtala wasted no time in somersaulting to the nearest set of painted metal bars and flinging herself up atop them, darting about a monkey bar-like structure that curved up and over and around. The Rhino couldn’t reach her up here, so Mirtala took a moment to breathe.

Thunk. Thunk.

…Nevermind. The bar shook again as the Rhino kicked at one of the supports, and Mirtala cartwheeled over to a maze-like arrangement of metal panels. The Rhino circled around the entire thing—Mirtala had hoped to lure her into the maze entirely. Phooey.

The Rabbit chose that moment to try attacking the Rhino, landing a kick right into her leg. But the Rhino was built like a tank and it showed—she simply whirled around to face the Rabbit, who was quick to dart off.

Keep things interesting.

It was Mirtala’s whole job, in this arena—if she failed to do that, then she might as well have lost. She walked along the top of the maze walls, leaping over to another set of metal bars.

The cage bars cast shadows across the arena. Mirtala’s mask pressed against her face. She put her hands on her hips and looked at the Rhino with all of the judgment she could muster. “Are you even trying? My Nona could move faster than you!”

That did the trick. “You—” The Rhino slammed her shoulder into the pole, making the whole thing wobble. Mirtala didn’t fall, though, holding on tight. She focused not on the woman attempting to tear the structure out of the ground, but on the Opossum on the structure behind her, slowly creeping forwards.

“My baby brother’s stronger than you! He’d have knocked this whole thing over by now!” Throwing all these insults didn’t sting as much as Mirtala expected—maybe it helped that they were (kind of) true?

(Or maybe the poison of Ouroboros was getting to her. Mirtala dreaded the possibility, but she couldn’t deny it.)

The Rhino bellowed a wordless cry of rage, stepping back to throw even more force into her next shove—

The Opossum leaped down onto her from behind, arms wrapped around her neck. Mirtala watched as the Rhino stumbled this way and that trying to dislodge him. She grasped at his arms, and even slammed him against the metal panel behind her, but he held fast. Within moments, she went down, the Opossum leaping to the side to avoid being pinned.

The Opossum had hardly a moment to bask in his victory before the Rabbit’s boot was driven into his side, slamming him into the metal panel he’d just leapt off of. The Opossum was quick to get back up, darting between two metal poles to avoid the next kick. Mirtala could see his hands shaking. The Rabbit charged him again, and he yelped.

Mirtala’s whole job was to “keep the fight interesting,” as Creed had put it. So she grabbed the bar she was standing on and swung down, her legs catching the Rabbit right in hare’s shoulder. She wished she could aim for hare’s face.

The Rabbit stumbled backwards. Mirtala swung back up, flipping once in the air before grabbing the bar and landing in a handstand. “Nyeh!” She taunted. There was no time to doubt, no time to stop and think—she had to keep moving no matter what. Mirtala couldn’t stop, couldn’t let herself be caught—

She slid down a pole and dashed across the ground. The Rabbit lunged, and Mirtala ducked under hare’s tackle. She rolled to the side to avoid the next tackle, leaping into the air and slamming directly into the small of hare’s back. Hare wheezed.

Mirtala moved to climb back up, out of reach— 

Her whole world tilted as she was lifted into the air by her ankle in one smooth motion. The Opossum held her up in front of himself. The audience cheered.

Mirtala crossed her arms. The fight was over.

+=+=+=+=+

Dion was going to be sick.

Anxiety was taking a hand mixer to his organs, dread trickling down his spine. He’d never been in Creed’s private box before. He never wanted to be in here again.

Creed’s King Cobra mask glittered in the light, covering the upper half of his face. His dark brown eyes still looked like deep pits ready to swallow Dion whole even with the fake scales. “She’s doing quite well for herself.” He commented, voice light.

Dion receded further into the plush seating. He didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want to be here, sitting five feet away from this monster of a man, watching his baby sister hop about the arena like it was some kind of playground instead of the awful fighting pit it truly was—

But he wasn’t allowed to leave, either. Creed had insisted, and when Creed insisted on anything it was an incontrovertible order. When Creed insisted, someone else ended up suffering.

“You should be proud,” Creed purred, as Mirtala taunted a woman more than five times her size. “Your sister has more will to survive than half of the roster.” He took another delicate sip of wine, setting the glass down before turning to regard Dion directly. “You are proud, aren’t you?”

Pride was the last thing Dion was feeling. Complete and utter terror, sure, but—

How was he supposed to be proud of Mirtala dancing around the one place he never wanted her to go? How was he supposed to feel anything but a sense of abject failure at his ability to take care of her, to protect her from as much of Ouroboros’ ills as he could? She shouldn’t even be here, shouldn’t have ended up in Ouroboros with him—and yet his own idiocy had brought her down with him, and despite his every effort he could do nothing to protect her from his own fucking mistakes—

Dion’s hands clenched into fists. He wanted to tear his eyes away from the arena below them, wanted to tear his eyes away from his sister being chased around like something to be caught, like a goal to be grabbed—

But he couldn’t.

Hatred rose up Dion’s throat like bile. He turned his ire towards the monster beside him. Venom gathered on his tongue.

(He’d nearly yelled his throat out when he’d first found out about Mirtala’s shiny new contract. Partly at Mirtala, partly at the Wolf watching him on his next dayshift.

He hadn’t had the courage to do anything more than glare at Creed when he saw him. Had almost yelled, only for his words to lodge themselves in his throat and make it sting and tighten with unshed tears.)

“I hate you.” Dion snarled. “You’re awful. Mirtala doesn’t deserve this, nobody deserves this, and I hate you, you figlio di put—”

“Are you done?” Creed’s voice cut through Dion like a knife. All of his fight left him, his whole being coming to a halt under Creed’s gaze.

Creed grinned, the fangs of his mask gleaming. “So you can be smart sometimes.” He commented.

Dion hated him. Dion hated him so much. But he held his tongue, wary of the Wolf guarding the door, wary of the serpent sipping wine barely five feet away from him.

The audience roared. The sound grated against Dion’s ears. His throat tightened and his eyes stung, his view of Mirtala ducking under the Rabbit blurring—

He hated this. He hated Creed, he hated this place, he hated his inability to do anything to get himself or Mirtala out of this hellhole—

But he hated himself most of all.

+=+=+=+=+

Mirtala cleaned herself up in the locker room, trading her arena outfit for nightclothes. Her hands shook, her heart racing in her chest.

She wasn’t sure what scared her worse—the fight, or the thrill that she had felt during it. Mirtala had felt unstoppable up until the point that she was finally grabbed, on top of the world as she leapt and tumbled around. She didn’t need to win fights, just to evade everyone long enough to make things interesting. But she had wanted to win so badly, wanted to push herself further like it really was just one giant game—

And that scared her more than anything. Would she let that competitiveness control her? Would she let that need to win take her over until the Mirtala in the chickadee mask was unrecognizable to her? She didn’t know. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

The exhaustion in her bones, the lingering adrenaline from throwing herself around the arena like it was one giant obstacle course—

It was satisfying. It was just like home, just like tiring herself out practicing her performance and pushing herself to go higher, farther, faster—

Uncertainty and fear swirled in her stomach. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream and kick and shout until the emotions swelling in her heart didn’t seem so impossibly big. She wanted to cry.

But no tears ever came.

+=+=+=+=+

Their room was bigger when Mirtala got back. Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders, water dripping off onto her back.

Dion was waiting on his bedroll when she returned. His face scrunched through five different expressions in the span of a second at the sight of her, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

(He looked like he’d just cried. Mirtala still wanted to cry, herself.)

Wordlessly, Dion turned away, his expression stone.

Whatever. Mirtala grabbed Francis III and sat down on her own bedroll. Dion could stay mad for all she cared; she wasn’t going to stop. She had finally found something to do that could help, and she wasn’t going to let Dion talk her out of it.

(She wasn’t allowed to, besides.)

She clutched the plushie tighter. When Dion came back from the arena, he curled around her until their breathing matched. So why, when Mirtala came back from the arena, did Dion refuse to look at her? Was he really that mad at her?

(Probably. He’d yelled at her when he found out about the contract, his face twisted into a monstrous snarl of hurt and anger.)

Her eyes stung. Mirtala sniffed, begging herself not to cry. She was strong! She was brave! She had to be, to survive here in Ouroboros. And she was.

She heard Dion move behind her. Felt his hand ghost over her shoulder before withdrawing. “Tala—” He started, only to fall silent.

She didn’t turn around.

(Later that night, when Dion’s breathing had long evened out, she tucked herself against his side, pulling his arm around her and imagining that he’d put it there, that he’d pushed through his stupid doubt and held her himself instead of holding back like a coward—

Mirtala clutched Francis III closer. She hated this place. She hated it so much.

But she was still powerless to do anything about that.)

[kao-tika]

I’m finally doing fic recs!! I’m splitting it into five categories on a future masterpost , but this post only has the first one. Although some of the fics will have my own appreciations in addition to the author's description, it will not be applied in all of them (I have read so many that there are several that I don't remember in detail lol) feel free to message me for the links or have a chat 💌

🌷All time favorites/classics🌷

☆ Soft Hands, Fast Feet, Can't Lose by dolce_piccante

American Uni AU. Harry Styles is a frat boy football star from the wealthy Styles Family athletic dynasty. A celebrity among football fans, he knows how to play, he knows how to party, and he knows how to fuck (all of which is well known among his legion of admirers).

Louis Tomlinson is a student and an athlete, but his similarities to Harry end there. Intelligent, focused, independent, and completely uninterested in Harry’s charms, Louis is an anomaly in a world ruled by football.

A bet about the pair, who might be more similar than they originally thought, brings them together. Shakespeare, ballet, Disney, football, library chats, running, accidental spooning, Daredevil and Domino’s Pizza all blend into one big friendship Frappucino, but who will win in the end?

notes: this is a fic that I constantly come back to, although the plot can be a little cliche (guilty pleasure) it doesn’t fall onto one dimensional characters and as it develops you can feel the depth of the story, the laughs and the sexual tension are UNMATCHED

☆ Unbelievers by isthatyoularry

It’s Louis’ senior year, and he’s dead set on doing it right. However, along with his pair of cleats, a healthy dose of sarcasm and his ridiculous best friend, he’s also got a complicated family, a terrifyingly uncertain future, and a mortal enemy making his life just that much worse. Mortal enemies “with benefits” was not exactly the plan.

Or: The one where Louis and Harry definitely aren’t friends, and football is everything.

notes: BRACE YOURSELF FOR THE FIRST LINES OF THIS FIC other than that, i really enjoyed this story. A classic enemies to lovers and super funny. The story is told by Louis pov, but the author also later released the fic from Harry’s pov (bloodsport) and I’m still waiting for the epilogue :(

☆ Relief Next To Me by dolce_piccante

AU. What happens when a baker and a graphic designer meet via a very specific Craigslist post? Fate, friendship, food, and maybe more.

notes: a very wholesome (and spicy) fic. If you want to read something with no angst and just enjoy your time I definitely recommend

☆ Flightless Bird by audreyhheart

AU where Louis Tomlinson is a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet. When his rival from ballet school, moody dance prodigy Harry Styles joins the company, old wounds are reopened and old passions reignited. During the company's production of Swan Lake the secret that doomed their love is finally revealed, but will it be too late?

notes: I did enjoy this fic but read with caution because it has MAYOR TW (grooming, rape, assault) if you want to read some angst I recommend

☆ Tired Tired Sea by MediaWhore

As a B&B owner on the most remote of all the British Isles, Louis Tomlinson is used to spending the coldest half of the year in complete isolation, with his dog and the sea as sole companions. Until, one day, a mysterious stranger on a quest to rebuild himself rents a room for the winter.

notes: a famous non famous AU that I really love, all of the story just irradiates cozy and soft <3

☆ Young & Beauitful by Velvetoscar

Louis, to his horror, attends an elitist university in which the name Zayn Malik means something, Niall Horan doesn't stop talking, there are pianos everywhere, and Harry Styles, only son of a drug-addled, clinically insane ex-rocker, has a perfect smile and empty eyes.

notes: if you want dark academia old money vibes y&b is for you, definitely NOT a light read but definitely worth it

☆ One More Time Again by orphan_account

Harry looks down to where Louis is cradling his hand between his own. Louis' hands are slender, the bones delicate, the nails bitten short. The 2-8 on the backs of his fingers is gone, but the faded scar from a skateboarding mishap in Year 7 is still there.

Harry's hand is awkward, knobby-boned and naked, no rings, no tattoos. It's too big for his wrist and his wrist too big for his arm. Yet it still somehow fits in Louis' in the painfully perfect way it always did.

He blinks back the sting in his eyes.

On the morning of his second sold-out performance at Madison Square Garden, Harry wakes up to find that he's sixteen years old, on The X Factor, and that he has a chance to make things right.

notes: a canon compliant time travel fic. SOO well written I’ve read this fic a dozen times and don’t get sick of it. you got your fluff, your soft, your friends to lovers, your angst and with a plot twist so good in the middle of the fic, cannot recommend it enough PLEASE READ IT SO WE CAN SUFFER TOGETHER

☆ For as long as I can remember ( it's been December) by green_feelings

After recovering from a severe accident that causes Harry to lose his memory of three years, he moves to London to start his life over as a star chef. Little does he know that when he falls in love with Louis at first sight, it’s not the first time they meet.

Featuring an unintentional game of hot and cold, Harry chasing memories that won’t come back, Louis burying himself in work to try and forget what he can’t forget, Liam being torn between two of his best friends, Zayn as a moral compass and Niall saving the day with good music and brutal honesty.

notes: an angst with a happy ending, really wholesome overall, prepare to shed some tears.

☆ Escapade by dolce_piccante

In the grand scheme of things, finding a date for a wedding should be no problem for Louis Tomlinson. He's rich. He's handsome. He's reasonably well behaved. But when the wedding is for his lifelong best friend (and former boyfriend), and is happening in under a month, finding a date for the ceremony and accompanying festivities becomes more of an adventure than he ever could have planned for.

notes: BIG ROMCOM VIBES love the work of this author and once again she doesn’t disappoint. As funny as it is spicy, a lot of tension between the main characters

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