#Wake you sleepers

[shepherds-of-haven]

apologies if this has already been asked but I couldn’t find it. I was wondering how easy it is to share a bed with all the ROs. like, who’s constantly changing positions, who cuddles, who’s the starfish, and who sleeps like the dead lol.

Blade: I think he's pretty easy to share a bed with depending on what kind of sleeper you are, he tends to be quite still and quiet: however, he is an extremely light sleeper, so he will wake up if you get out of bed for any reason, and he's also extremely strong, so if you happen to fall asleep with his arm bracketing you and he doesn't feel inclined to let you out of bed, you're pretty much stuck there! 😅

Trouble: he doesn't tend to toss much in his sleep, but he SPRAWLS like he's sky-diving/free-falling and he also radiates a very intense heat when he sleeps! So he definitely occupies a large part of the bed and makes it toasty, which could be fine for you or it could be annoying! The nice thing is that he sleeps very heavily (pretty much like the dead, like you could drop something on him and he might not wake up), but he also sleep-mumbles/snores a little bit too!

Tallys: she tends to be a considerate bedmate; she is also a light sleeper and will wake up if you move around too much, but the nice thing is that she doesn't technically need a ton of sleep to begin with, so it's not a huge problem for her! She tends to be extremely cuddly in the beginning of the night until you fall asleep, and then she flips over and occupies her half of the bed quietly and restfully!

Shery: she's very nice to sleep with, very cuddly (she loves being the little spoon) and hardly moves or makes a sound! However, she does tend to read in bed/keep a light on her side rather than going to sleep right away, so that's something to consider with her as well!

Riel: he's a bit of a finicky bedmate in that he gets very easily annoyed if you're 1) tossing around and thrashing in the sheets a lot, 2) touching him and making him overheated and stuffy, 3) snoring or talking in your sleep a lot... He's a light sleeper to begin with and loves his space, so you need an extra king-sized bed for him to find it tolerable and hates being jerked out of sleep by you hogging the sheets or something! But on his end of things, that also means he's an easy partner to sleep with so long as you're as still and quiet as he is! He also tends to stay up REALLY late working in his study, so by the time he gets to bed, chances are you're probably already asleep!

Chase: great bedmate when he deigns to let you sleep in his bed 😅 for hookups, he's always climbing out the window while they're asleep before the dawn rises, so actually getting to fall asleep with him for a full night is something only true lovers get to experience (unless circumstances dictate otherwise, like you're on a mission together and you have to share a single bed for whatever reason). But he's an easy person to sleep with (in both senses of the word...), affectionate but not too clingy, fond of spooning, easy to fall asleep, pretty quiet and not restless, etc.! The only thing is that he is an extremely light sleeper, so chances are that when you stir and wake up, he's already wide awake and staring at you like ( ⓛ ω ⓛ ) "hi"

Red: he's a night owl like Riel so he's not always falling asleep with you, but when he does, it's pretty great! He likes spooning or at least keeping a hand on you while he sleeps; sometimes he sleep-talks or gets up because he can't fall asleep, but if you don't mind that, there shouldn't be any issues! He is very tall though so it can be awkward to cram into a smaller bed with him... his limbs just hang off everywhere

Ayla: she's a bit like Trouble, she sleeps hard and like the dead, and it sort of just depends on where she's at; at home, once she's really comfortable, she sleeps very deeply and heavily and in a tangle of limbs where you look at her passed out like "wow... she's going to wake up so well-rested..." But in places where she's not fully comfortable like on the road, she tends to be a really restless sleeper and can even kick and punch in her sleep, so watch out for that!

Briony: she's a fairly easy sleeper; she curls up like a shrimp on her side, so she doesn't occupy a lot of space, and she LOVES to cuddle or be cuddled! She has a tiny snore or whistle when she breathes in her sleep sometimes, but the most notable thing about sharing a bed with her is that she gets a bit grumpy when woken up too early... the kind where she'll put a pillow over her head and whine if you're up and about, rattling things around the room as you get dressed!

Lavinet: she's definitely a picky sleeper and loves her space, and she owns so many pillows you'll constantly be feeling like you're occupying the same bed as 2 dozen cushions and constantly kicking them to the floor! She enjoys being spooned so long as you're not a twitchy or thrashy sleeper yourself, otherwise she'll have to relegate you to your own side of the bed... and she tends to be a space-hog, so you might find yourself on the very edge of the mattress at times unless you're okay with reasserting your domain a lot!

[deadlygronkle]

Ancestor's legacy part 10

The Desert Chapter 1

(All parts on tumblr have the 'ancestor's legacy' tag).

Twilight groggily opened his eyes the next morning. He definitely did not get enough sleep last night to be doing this. With him dozing off at the Hero Shade’s grave and getting caught by Time. Not to mention the struggle of even going to sleep once he got back into the room.

Twilight grimaced, he could barely see light coming in from the windows, of course he woke up during the twilight hour. He couldn’t go back to sleep either. If he did he definitely wouldn’t be able to wake up in time to leave.

Groaning Twilight sat up, and took a look around the room. He could see Four, Wild, and Hyrule next to him in a pile sleeping. Getting up he gently grabbed the blanket he was using and laid it out over the three.

Grabbing his bag Twilight set to work picking up anything that he missed before he went to bed. Once he got all of his things together he started slowly making his way out of the room. While also making sure that the others were comfortable.

He gently lifted Sky up and put him in a more comfortable position on the bed. Sky is a heavy sleeper so it shouldn’t wake him, and it honestly looked like Sky was about to fall off. Legend looked fine from where he was leaning on a wall, so Twilight left him alone,though he was most definitely awake at this point.

When he got to Wind in the main section of the room he did a mental tally of the Links. He could’ve sworn Warriors’ arm was a pillow for Wind when he came in last night. Time was on the couch snoring and there was nowhere left in the room for him to go. Not to mention Wind was completely covered up, which never lasts the night, so it had to be recent.

Twilight went back to Legend and lightly kicked him whispering, “Vet, where is Cap?”

Legend opened one eye grouchily, “How should I know?”

“You’re a light sleeper and was probably woken up by him leaving,” Twilight pointed out.

“All I know is he left the room. Now let me go back to sleep,” Legend closed his eye and turned his head away.

“Thanks I guess,” Twilight murmured before double checking he had all of his things.

Twilight as quickly and quietly as he could, left the room. Luckily, Time’s snoring should have been just loud enough to block it out. Twilight wasn’t as stealthy as he thought because Warriors was standing near him unamused.

“So you're leaving soon huh?” Warriors asked, leaning on the wall closest to him.

“Just now actually. I’ll…. I’ll y’all in a week or so,” Twilight responded, quickly turning around to walk off.

“Let us come with you,” The captain suddenly said.

Twilight turned around, “What?”

“Let us come with you. We were all put together for a reason, maybe this is one of them,” Warriors repeated.

“I highly doubt a Twilight Zone would be the reason why we were all placed together,” Twilight retorted, crossing his arms.

“But it could be the reason we were brought here and why we haven’t been teleported away yet,” Warriors annoyingly pointed out.

Twilight sighed, “I don’t anyone getting hurt on my account. It’s better if you guys stay here,”

“We’ve all dealt with injuries, it’s a part of being a hero, besides the same can be said about you too,” Warriors retorted.

“I don’t think it can, I know my Hyrule well enough to stay out of trouble,” Twilight refused.

“But you don’t know our enemies. Hell we fought some of yours in my Hyrule. What’s to say you won’t encounter mine in return?” Warriors questioned, giving Twilight a pointed look.

“I can avoid them then,” Twilight deflected, uncrossing his arms and letting them fall to his sides.

“And what of the others? If you get hurt by one of theirs or don’t make it back-” Warriors started.

“That won’t happen,” Twilight interrupted sharply, glaring at Warriors.

Warriors put his hands up, almost like he was trying to placate Twilight, “I’m not saying it will! Just think about how guilty we all would feel if we weren’t there to protect you,”

Twilight didn’t say anything and instead looked away. He didn’t think about that when he made the plan to leave while everyone else was asleep. After spending so much time with the others it wasn’t hard to imagine their betrayed and heartbroken faces. Hell Sky made a good point that while it may be faster it wasn’t safer for Twilight.

At Twilight’s silence Warriors added on, “Let us help you, this isn’t another solo adventure. We are a team now, no one is going to let you do this alone,”

Twilight grimaced and stared up at the ceiling. He couldn’t allow the other to feel the pain of transforming. It would leave them all far too defenseless, like newborn calves . Not to mention Twilight would have to go about teaching them how to move and interact with the world. The only bright side is that they will have someone to teach them, instead of them figuring it out on their own like he had to.

Twilight had a feeling he was going to regret this, “Fine. You can wake up the others and bring them are 3 conditions,”

Warriors grinned brightly, “And those are?”

“First one is that you need to get everyone up and out by the West gate in 15 minutes,” Twilight answered, holding up a finger.

“30 minutes, Sky is tough to wake up on the best of days,” Warriors bargained.

“25, I want to get down to Lake Hylia before nightfall,” Twilight bargained back.

“Deal, what's the second one?” Warriors inquired.

“The second will be that you guys are just going with me up to the Gerudo Desert. Not any further, and definitely not into the Twilight Zone,” Twilight held up a second finger.

“I work with that for now. Though it could change later,” Warriors replied, putting his hands on his hips, “What the third?”

Twilight had a feeling there would definitely be an argument later about it. No way the others would agree to it. Knowing them they will probably follow him despite his wishes.

“Third, I just want everyone to move as quickly as they can. The ways down to Lake Hylia are very limited once the sun sets,” Twilight answered, getting ready to leave.

“I’ll relay this to the others. See you in a bit!” Warriors called out smugly as he loudly opened the door and slammed it shut.

Twilight winced at the sudden noise and could hear Warriors yelling at all of them to wake up. Twilight wasn’t going to stay around for that fall out. A cranky Link is one who will cause an outright war.

Twilight quickly left the castle, easily navigating the labyrinth that is the castle. Surely the others wouldn’t get lost after they all found their way back last night. Once he was out of the castle he practically ran to the West gate, passing the doctor clinic. Seriously, that old man had to be close to kicking the bucket, though he was a stubborn old grouch, so it was tough to say.

Making right outside the gate Twilight pulled out his horse call, the charm that Iila gave during his quest. Playing Epona’s song was like second nature at this point. He was sure Epona could hear it, he just had to play it long enough for her to find him.

After playing several minutes of Epona’s song he could hear her neighing from opposite side of the field. Twilight stopped playing as he walked to meet the galloping Epona. When Epona stopped he gently stroked her muzzle.

“You ready to go to Lake Hylia?” Twilight asked Epona, who nickered and nuzzled closer in response.

“I know, I know, we’ll see if Cap can get everyone out in time. If not then I think we can spare some time for you to run,” The wolf hero smiled as he moved to put some of his equipment in her saddlebag.

Just as he was finishing he heard the sound of the Links coming closer, just in time too. It was just a little after sunrise, with good timing the entire group could get to Falbi’s and down to the Lake before nightfall.

“I swear I could hear the music- Wait there’s Epona!” Twilight could hear Smithy call out to the other Links.

“But where’s Twi? He said he would be out here,” Twilight could hear the confusion in The Captain's voice.

Twilight rose from his hunched over position and yelled out, “Well I’ll be! You actually got everyone up!”

“I always deliver Rancher. Though I think you’ll need to share Epona, some of them are lagging,” Warriors pointed behind him to the very groggy Wind and Sky.

“As long as they don’t fall asleep that can be arranged,” Twilight confirmed, motioning over the other Links as he opened his map up.

“So how are we getting to the Desert Pup? From the sounds of it it’s somewhere close by?” Time asked, looking over Twilight’s shoulder.

“Yeah, where are we going?” Wild came up to Twilight’s other side.

Twilight pointed where they were in the map,”So here we are, and we need to get over here to Falbi’s,”

“What’s at Falbi’s?” Warriors asked as he picked up a sleepy Wind and placed him on Epona.

“It’s the safest way down. It’s even being a minigame,” Twilight explained as he folded up the map.

Sky yawned as he joined Wind on Epona, grabbing the reins he asked, “So how far away is it?”

“Well by myself I can get there in an hour by horseback. With everyone? Probably going to be an all day thing,” Twilight adjusted his bag so he could put away the map, “With luck we can get down to The Spring for the night,”

“How does Lake Hylia connect with the Gerudo Desert?” Four asked curiously.

“There is a…. Ride, the fastest and easiest way to the Desert,” Twilight answered reluctantly, starting to walk towards the correct exit.

“What ride?” Legend asked from behind him.

“You’ll see when we get there,” Twilight answered cryptically. He didn’t want the other to find out just yet that he had to travel in a cannon to get places.

After a little bit of walking Wild came up to Twilight holding out some of Uli’s pumpkin cake, “Here. I know you probably haven’t eaten yet,”

Twilight took the cake gratefully, “Thanks Cub,” before he took a bite he asked, “has everyone else eaten something today?”

“Yeah, everyone has had a bit of fruit. You are the only one who is running on empty,” Wild answered, easily keeping pace with his mentor.

Twilight glanced up, despite the fast pace the chain was taking it was nearing noon. Fruit wasn’t going to keep everyone's energy up. Not to mention since cuccos are going to be involved it would be better for them to eat sooner rather than later.

“Do you have the stuff to make a quick lunch?” Twilight asked, still not taking a bit of the cake.

“Yeah? Are we going to stop soon?” Wild asked, pulling out his Sheikah tablet to browse his inventory.

“Yup, the sooner we eat the easier the ride down will be. Hopefully,” Twilight grimaced at the mental image of the others throwing up.

Wild gave Twilight a curious look, “Just what are you planning?”

Twilight looked at Wild and chuckled, “Probably something that will get me yelled at by Time,”

“Why am I going to yell at you Pup?” Time asked, increasing his own pace to walk beside the two.

“Something that I have done since my journey that you think is ‘unsafe’. What else do you yell at me for?” Twilight stated, raising an eyebrow at Time.

“So you know that this is unsafe enough I would comment on it. Why are we even going to go do it?” Time asked incredulously.

Twilight shrugged, “It’s the best option available. I mean it’s not like I can teleport down there anymore,”

“So you did use magic at one point?” Warriors butted in loudly.

“Nope, sorry Captain, but I never did,” Twilight refused.

“So how did you teleport then?” Hyrule asked curiously.

“Yeah, was it a magic item or something?” Legend questioned, “And do you still have it?”

Twilight grinned, “Nope to that as well. It was my traveling companion who had that power,”

“Will we get to meet them?” Wind asked from in front of Sky on Epona.

Twilight’s grin faded as he remembered his last interaction with Midna, “No… She isn’t anywhere y’all can meet her. Not anymore,”

Legend spoke in a respectful tone, “Shame, wish I could’ve met her,”

Twilight softly smiled to himself, “You two would’ve either gotten along annoyingly well, or be at each other’s throats,”

“Why is that? Are we opposites?” Legend inquired.

“No, you both have the same personality. Except she was a bit more ‘proper’ even when she tried not to be,” Twilight looked back over his shoulder to meet Legend’s eyes.

“So how long until we make it to Lake Hylia?” Sky asked, doing a decent job steering Epona.

“At this rate? Couple of hours including a lunch break,” Twilight informed him.

“Do you have Zora in this world?” Wild asked curiously.

“Haven’t you mentioned them before? Like when we first met,” Time brought up.

“I think so, but yes they protect the Lakebed Temple at the very bottom of the lake. Their actual domain is upstream, it supplies basically all of the water in Lake Hylia,” Twilight explained to the group, but mostly Wild.

“Do you get along with them, or are we going to have a fight on our hands?” Legend wondered.

“Unless something changed very drastically in the last couple of months, no. I saved their king, Ralis and kept him company in Kakariko Village. Tells me to make myself at home in the Domain every time I visit,” Twilight chuckled fondly.

They continued talking amicably between each other as they walked. It was nice to be back on the trail after being stuck inside healing for days. The bruise that formed where the stitches were taken out ached occasionally when he moved wrong, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. Losing an arm was definitely more painful than this.

Twilight stopped the group at the three road intersection. One where they came from, the other leading to Lake Hylia, and the third eventually leading to Upper Lanayru.

After stopping the group to eat quick sandwiches Twilight had the group continue on. This time Wind and Sky were off of Epona and Twilight was simply leading Epona with her reins. There were some bokoblins, but those were easily picked off by some arrows.

“Welp, here we are!” Twilight called out as he led Epona to the fence that blocked off the cliff.

Warriors whistled, “That is a large bridge!”

Wind ran up and jumped on the fence, “Ooooo! What’s that thing down there?”

Twilight looked to where The Sailor was pointing, “Oh that? It’s a cannon, it’s mainly to use to get back up here,”

Before Wind could continue asking questions Sky, after staring at the bridge for a while asked, “What’s the bridge called?”

Twilight unbothered answered, “The Great Bridge of Hylia, why?”

Slowly everyone turned to the oblivious wolf hero. Twilight was busy making sure he had everything from Epona’s satchel. Once he was sure he had everything Twilight was making sure that Epona would be comfortable here. There was plenty of grass for her to graze on so Epona would be fine.

“Pup?” Time asked, voice strained.

“Yeah? What is it?” Twilight turned around to see everyone’s concerned faces.

“You said this bridge is your Great Bridge of Hylia?” Time questioned slowly.

“Yes…?” Twilight answered slowly. Was this a trick question?

“Are there multiple Great Bridges?” Time asked, an exhausted, frustrated smile on his face.

“No? What are you-” Twilight remembered telling them about the time he jumped off the bridge, “oh,”

Warriors lost his composure completely as he howled with laughter, leaning on the railings for support. Wild, Hyrule, and Four were taking turns looking at each other, the bridge, and then looking back to Twilight. Wind and Sky’s faces were ashen like as they looked back to the very tall bridge. Legend looked mildly concerned but just as amused as Warriors.

Twilight scratched the back of his neck and awkwardly chuckled, “I swear the fall is less than it looks,”

Time pinched the bridge of his nose, “I highly doubt that Pup. That is definitely more than just a few stories,”

“You don’t have a glider. Just how the fuck are you alive!?” Wild blurted out.

Twilight shrugged as he fully stood up, “Luck I guess? Seems to be a common occurrence with my adventure,”

Sky leaned over the rail and looked down, “I don’t think you can scold Champion on jumping from high things anymore,”

Warriors chuckled, “Just Champion? More like any one of us when we do something risky,”

“How were you able to walk afterwards?” Hyrule asked, “That is a very long drop just to the water, and you did it when it was dried out!”

Twilight mentally crossed off ‘plan b’ of jumping off if the didn’t make it to Falbi’s in time, “No clue, I guess the goddesses took pity on me,”

Legend snorted, “Pity? More like they were actively stopping you from dying,”

Twilight sighed, “Come on, we need to get to Falbi’s,”

They walked over quickly to the weirdly built building practically hanging over the edge. The moment the others could hear the cuccos Twilight could feel the wary glances to his back.

The moment he walked in Twilight was hit with the smell of cucco feces. Wrinkling his nose Twilight continued to walk in with the others coughing as they walked in. Falbi was, like always, standing in front of the pass to jump down.

“Well, hi there Link! Welcome back to Falbi’s Flight-by-Fowl! Are you and your friends ready for a flight full of dreams and sweet, sweet bonuses? A Cucco-powered ride around Lake Hylia? You will LOVE it,” Falbi droned on, repeating nearly the same words like usual.

“Wait wait wait,” Warriors turned to Twilight, “We have to ride Cuccos down?”

“Yup, it’s not as bad as it sounds, the cuccos here are very mild tempered,” Twilight answered calmly.

“Is there no other way down?” Hyrule asked, stepping away from a curious cucco.

“Here I thought we weren’t jumping off the bridge,” Twilight dryly answered.

“Seriously? I thought you meant the other ways were too dangerous,” Legend spoke as he leaned away from a cucco Sky picked up.

“It’s either a slow glide down or a rapid plunge. But yes Falbi we are here for the ride down,” Twilight turned back to the ex circus actor.

“Great! Next up for fascination….. 9 HYLIANS. That will be 20 rupees per cucco!” Falbi answered, grinning.

“Come on Falbi,” Twilight gave a smile, “9 people, wouldn’t that count for a discount? This is also official business from Queen Zelda herself,”

Falbi thought for a second, “I’ll cut you a deal then, 15 rupees per cucco!”

“Wait, I have my paraglider. Do I still need to pay to jump off the balcony?” Wild questioned.

“Well yes, I have to make a living somehow! That cost is just 5 rupees though, lucky you!” Falbi answered, “Now that’ll be…. 125 rupees for everyone!”

“Hold on,” Legend grinned mischievously, “I have my Roc’s Cape here so that’s another 5 rupees,”

“I have my Sailcloth!” Sky spoke brightly, “That is also 5!”

“Huh, wouldn’t you know it? We both have Roc’s cape and I just so happened to have packed mine,” Four brought his out with a smug grin.

Falbi’s usual grin turned into a frown, “So four with their own gliding device and 5 without?”

Twilight glanced around, when no one brought up they had one Twilight answered, “Looks like it. What’s the new total?”

Falbi thought for a moment, “The new total is 95 rupees!”

Once everyone paid for their share in the total, the bargaining began.

“You gotta trade me Wild! These birds will definitely try and kill me the moment we are in the air!” Warriors begged.

“Nope, sorry Cap but they’ll do the exact same thing to me,” Wild grinned unashamedly.

“Sky? You get along with birds, mind lending me your Sailcloth,” Warriors asked, doing his best to guilt trip Sky.

Sky, to Twilight’s surprise, did not look even a little bit guilty as he answered, “No can do, my Zelda gave it to me,”

Warriors sulked, he didn’t even go to Legend or Four, he just reluctantly walked to Twilight, “Is there really no other way down?”

Twilight shook his head as he grabbed a particularly docile Cucoo, “Unless you want to try swimming in all that armor. Don’t worry though the Zora will probably get to you before you drown,”

“Probably?” The Captain sounded nervous.

“Yeah, they usually hang around the landing zone, and not, y’know, out here. Speaking of which,” Twilight turned to address the others, “I can’t believe this has never come up before, but are any of you poor swimmers or can’t swim?”

Hyrule raised his hand as Legend asked, “Why?”

“Well, when doing this for the first time it's somewhat difficult to land on the platform. Since I need to lead everyone to the landing zone, who here can glide around Hyrule to make sure he doesn’t fall?” Twilight asked the others.

Wild spoke up, “I can do it, my paraglider will make it easy to stay around him,”

The Ordonian nodded, dumping the docile cucco into Warriors’ arms, “Great, now who still needs a cucco?”

After getting everyone who needs a cucco a cucco, with Warriors somehow getting the cucco to cluck angrily at him. Twilight had no clue how he managed to do that, that cucco was the calmest Twilight ever worked with. Time, Wind, Hyrule, fared a lot better, though they were holding the cuccos away from their body.

Twilight grabbed the most aggressive of the cuccos and was quick to soothe and calm them. Twilight knew that these cuccos weren’t treated right. So every time he had to use this method he made sure the cuccos were released into the river.

Somehow the ones he dropped into the river ended up in Kakariko village where they were treated properly. It wasn’t the cucco’s fault that they were bought and brought here. Sometimes he would pay for a ticket to purely drop the cuccos off the edge. From what the ones in Kakariko village told him, anywhere was better than here.

“So everyone ready?” Twilight asked, securely trapping the bird under his arm as he walked to the balcony.

Once he obtained a nod from everyone he pointed with his free hand, “See that structure by the cannon? That’s what we are aiming for, try to go to the lowest two platforms, they are the easiest to land on,”

Legend had a thoughtful look, “What if we miss it all together?”

“That’s why I’m going first, so I could maybe grab one of you force you the right way, or jump in after you to help you out,” Twilight informed them before adding, “There is usually a Zora just at the base willing to help out as well if a lot of you miss the mark,”

“What if we land at the very top?” Wind asked curiously.

“You get a prize, I believe it was rupees or something when I did it,” Twilight went to the very edge and grabbed the plump bird with both hands turning around to face the others.

“What are you doing?” Time asked warily as he took a step forward.

Twilight gave his best wolfish, feral grin, “Just follow my lead,”

The Twilight allowed himself to fall backwards off the edge. Readjusting his grip on the bird midair Twilight twisted his body so the cucco was above his head and his feet were pointed at the lake. The cucco was quick to start flapping its wings, sending the two into an easy glide.

“PUP!” Time yelled out, clearly panicked racing to the edge only to see Twilight gliding away calmly.

Twilight laughed loudly, spinning slightly to yell out, “What are you waiting for? An invitation?”

The flight down was as easy as ever, he even ignored the rupee shaped rings to get down to the platforms. Letting go of the cucco a few feet off the ground, Twilight rolled to cushion the fall. He landed on the middle green platform, a good place to jump into action on either side of him.

Twilight spared a glance towards the cucco, which continued its flight path, plopping safely into the water. Then Twilight looked back to where he came from, waving at the Links to make sure they knew where he was. Counting the others, Twilight confirmed that everyone was still in the air coming towards him.

Sky, having one of the faster gliding methods, landed on the platform above Twilight with ease. Time was next, his cucco doing the best to shake him off so it was a rough landing. Luckily he aimed for Twilight’s platform so he was able to grab and pull his ancestor from stumbling over the edge.

“Thanks Pup. But never do that again, you nearly gave me a heart attack,” Time ordered, lightly smacking Twilight upside the head.

Twilight chuckled lightly as he went back to watching the others, “You and I both know I can’t promise such a thing,”

Time snorted, “Yeah, I know,”

Wind landed just fine up with Sky, yelling down about the purple rupee in the chest. Four and Warriors landed soon after with Four on the level under Twilight and Time. Warriors, despite the grumpy cucco, landed on the lowest level.

“Wars look!” Wind yelled down holding the rupee high in the air.

Warriors had one hand blocking the sun as he looked up, “Nice! That’s a purple one isn’t it?”

“Yup! Oh look Wild,Hyrule, and Legend are about here!” Wind called out pointing at the three.

Twilight lowered himself, ready to intercept Hyrule whatever way he decides to try and land. There was a Link on every platform, except for the spinning and orange one. He even went so far as to drop his bag down so he could move unrestricted.

Wild landed first, easily skidding to a halt on the platform Twilight and Time were on. Legend came next, with his Roc Cape he was able to stop right in the center of the second lowest platform.

“8 down, one to go,” Twilight whispered to himself.

Hyrule landed on the same platform Legend and Four were on easily enough. The issue started with letting go of the cucco. Hyrule just didn’t let go as he landed, while the cucco flapped it sent Hyrule to being unbalanced and falling forward.

He landed too close to the edge and was desperately trying to keep his balance from falling forward. All of this sent Twilight into action. Uncaring that he would get wet, Twilight ran and jumped down using his body to block Hyrule from falling off. Before he could properly fall into the water, Twilight shoved Hyrule back into Legend, who was also trying to stop Hyrule from going overboard.

The water was colder than usual as Twilight hit it with a large splash. Holding his breath, Twilight made sure to wave off the helpful Zora trying to help him up. The Zora, presumably realized who he was, nodded like they understood, but still hovered around just in case.

Twilight breached the surface of the water with a gasp. Looking up to the others he saw Hyrule leaning over the edge concerned with the rest just staring down at him.

“You alright down there Rancher?” Legend asked, pulling Hyrule away from the edge.

Twilight grinned, “It’ll take a lot more than that to take me out! Meet me over at the bridge,”

Twilight swam over to the little wooden raft bridge that connected Fyer’s cannon ride to the Isle of Riches. Hopefully the others got the prizes from the chests while he is sopping wet. He was faster than the others so he was the first on the small bridge, just getting up as the others joined him.

Twilight shook himself off like a dog, his clothes were still wet, but his wolf pelt and hair were more damp than wet.

“Ugh, Twilight!” Wild reprimanded, getting the full brunt of the shaking.

“A little water isn’t going to hurt you Wild,” Twilight replied, getting up and fully stretching out.

“Are you sure you're alright?” Hyrule asked worriedly, Twilight could feel the healing spell ready to use at a moment’s notice.

“Yup, never better. Luckily I planned for this, and we will bunk for the night around Lanayru Spring,” Twilight answered honestly as he pinched the sopping wet fabric.

“Lanayru Spring?Is that like Ordon Spring?” Sky asked, following behind as Twilight carefully went to the cannon.

“Pretty much, though this place gets a lot more traffic and worshippers than Ordon Spring,” Twilight answered, waving to Fyer as he passed.

Warriors grimaced, “We have to get you out of your armor, you smell like wet dog,”

Four’s grin was a little too wide for Twilight’s taste, “It’s probably just the wolf pelt!”

“Hey, what’s that?” Wild asked, skillfully pulling the conversation away and pointing to the Sky Cannon.

“That’s the Sky Cannon. I used it in my journey to travel up to the City in The Sky,” Twilight informed them as the group walked past it.

“Shad mentioned it, what’s it like up there?” Sky questioned curiously.

Twilight thought for a moment, “The air is very light up there, it was hard to catch my breath doing anything. I had to where my Iron boots everywhere so I wouldn’t just get flung off,”

“Sounds dangerous,” Sky noted.

“The view was worth it, if it wasn’t so out of the way from where we need to go I would be bringing y’all there instead,” Twilight finished as they came to the cave entrance.

Walking inside the spacious cavern, Twilight knelt on the outshoot stone. He remembered standing in that very spot, staring down Zant, getting the shadow crystal, and Midna getting injured severely. Hopefully this time will go better than the other times.

“Light Spirit Lanayru, it is Link of Ordon village. I was wondering if we could camp here for a while, under your protection from monsters that could be lurking,” Twilight spoke aloud to the waters.

At first nothing happened, but then a warm feeling settled over the Ordonian. It was light and airy, but filled with power. It was Lanayru’s presence and from what Twilight could feel the spirit was telling him ‘yes’. Even looking around the entire cave was brighter.

“Thank you, I promise we will clean up after ourselves,” Twilight said gratefully.

Just like that the presence faded and the cavern returned to a normal light. Turning around, the other Links were standing at the mouth of the cave, looking somewhat bored. They probably didn’t hear Twilight or realize Lanayru was nearby. Spirits after all don’t ever show their true selves unless in times of great peril.

As he walked back to the others who were quietly talking, the ones who glanced at him had to do a double take. In fact Hyrule lightly elbowed Wild who had his nose in his slate to look. Just the confused and curious looks he was getting from the others made Twilight warry.

“What?” Twilight asked slowing to a stop.

“Uhm- your markings- do they typically glow like that?” Sky asked, scratching his face.

“My markings are glowing?” Twilight repeated in disbelief.

Wild held up his Sheikah Slate and took a picture. Then he walked over and showed Twilight the picture, “See?”

Sure enough according to the picture, Twilight’s brandings were glowing a gold color. With the glowing all around his eyes it made his eyes almost an eerie gray. Something similar happened when he was surrounded by twilight magic, but it never happened before with light magic.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Twilight murmured, unconsciously touching the markings under his eyes.

Wild studied his mentors face, “Don’t worry it looks to be dying down already,”

Warriors looked amused as he asked, “So Glow Stick, I assume we can camp here for the night?”

Twilight glared at the Captain as he answered, “Yes, Lanayru gave us permission to rest here. We won’t need a watch tonight, no monster ever gets close to Lanayru’s Spring since my journey ended,”

“Wait ‘since’? So there is a possibility?” Four asked.

“Well I suppose, but that was when Lanayru was weakened and the monster was a particularly strong one, boss level strong,” Twilight told Four nonchalantly.

“Alright, well let’s set up camp, and get some shut eye,” Time interrupted, clapping his hands.

Setting up the camp was a fast and easy task to do. Twilight, once the fire was set up, changed into a more dry set of clothes and set his gear out to dry. Twilight was grateful that he dropped his bag before he saved Hyrule from the water, and that Time remembered to grab it.

The rest of the night was filled with idle chatter and good food. Twilight was not looking forward to the conversation tomorrow. He was not going to let them come with him into the Twilight Zone. Getting turned into a ‘divine beast’ or something worse is not what he ever wants the others to deal with.

[glittcrsss]

These would all look pretty normal on their own but together it’s a goddamn freakshow

[markresonates]

take it.

summary: Haechan is kind enough to share you with his friends the morning after you sleepover.

pairing: fwb!Haechan x best friend!Mark x new friend!Jaemin x new friend!Jeno x new friend!Renjun x fem!reader

genre: SMUT

trope: college, a lil self indulgent, 6way

word count: 1.8k

a/n: dedicated to the anons asking me about Mark smut!

warnings: rough unprotected sex, oral (male & fem), throat f&cking, voyeurism, lil degradation, lil manhandling, lil choking, hard dom!Mark, soft dom!Renjun, hard dom!Jeno, hard dom!Haechan, dom!Jaemin, sub!reader

You’ve always been a light sleeper, waking at the slightest of creaks in the night and the first cooing pigeon at sunrise. Although today, your morning call comes in the form of several hushed, invasive questions and prying eyes feasting on your vulnerable form in a bed that you quickly realize isn’t your own.

“Why are you guys talking so loud? Are you trying to wake her up?” an accusatory whisper scolds another.

“Us? You're the one who can’t whisper, Jaemin.”

You hone in on the cluster of unidentified voices in the doorway, strategically maintaining your sleeping beauty tactic. Tallying a total of 4 male voices from behind you breeds a deep seated anxiety in your bare chest. On any other day, you would've gladly welcomed the feeling of incredibly soft cotton on your skin, but at the moment the pitfalls of your unforeseen scenario include the material only partially covering your lower half. The sole advantage you have on them is that you’re facing away from their direction, allowing you to covertly open your eyes.

Taking a peek of your mysterious surroundings, you hear, “I didn’t wear her out that bad last night… you'd be surprised, I bet she could take all of us.”

Last night...

Your blurry memory comes into focus, remembering where you are and why you're naked in someone else's bed. You recognize his black and electric blue, leather gaming chair and a handful of empty red bull cans littered across his desk.

“Hm, I don’t know, Haechan. There’s four of us and only one of her. I don’t want to hurt… uhh-”

“y/n,” Haechan reminds his friend.

“Yeah, I don’t want to hurt y/n.” In your head, you picture the owner of this concerned, pretty voice with pure features standing beside the cocky person you fuck from time to time.

Haechan called you late last night, inviting you over and promising you the time of your life, which he delivered, of course. He always delivers. There was a certain arrangement between you two that was established at the beginning of your informal relationship: no strings attached and no holding back.

Did “no holding back” imply there was nothing holding him back from exposing you to his friends? You’re his to pass around and share with whomever he likes? The whole perverted proposal sounds despicable so why does the idea turn you on so much?

“I'm 99% positive she can handle it, trust me,” he boasts confidently. “She can take a lot more than you think.” Your pride swells for some strange reason hearing him brag about your capabilities in bed (or wherever you feel like it on any given day, whether that means fucking you in risky, public places or the comfort of your private apartments).

Silence falls upon the bedroom, leaving you to wonder if they’ve stepped out for further deliberation, which couldn't be further from the truth. Your breath hitches in your throat, choking on the tingly suspense of unpredictability as Haechan drags his hand up the back of your thigh. The pads of his fingers barely brush over your slit.

“Are you up for the challenge, baby?” Haechan purrs seductively, moving his hand to palm your ass lightly. “Stop pretending, y/n. We know you're awake.” You acknowledge his words, humming in response and arching your back to press into his hand. “Want me and my friends to take real good care of you, right?”

“All four of you?” you mumble tentatively.

You twist around to meet his mischievous smile. Something about the devilish glint in his eyes sets your fluttering stomach ablaze. You’ve never had so many hands on you, and to think of how you could be filled multiple times today in some many different ways already arouses you beyond reason. Bobbing your head eagerly earns you a satisfied head pat from him.

“Aw, that’s my good little girl,” Haechan coos. “Or should I say our girl for today?”

“I’m anything you want me to be,” you breathed out, heart running a marathon, thumping wildly in your chest.

His tongue flicks up your lips before retreating from the bed. “Get over here and spread your legs. Let’s get a good look at your cunt before we use it up,” Haechan orders.

You scramble to the edge. The routine sex session from last night wasn’t as rough as usual, begging the question if he had planned this whole arrangement all along. Either way, you oblige readily with haste. Patiently waiting for further instruction, you search the familiar faces of the strangers for their reactions to seeing you bare naked, legs spread and dripping folds on display. You vaguely identify his friends from university but you can't pinpoint any specific interactions with them.

“You wanna feel how wet my girl is?” He nods in Jaemin's direction first. "Go ahead."

He grows closer to you, palming his erection through his pants. Jaemin’s dazed eyes study your slick in awe before touching you cautiously. You keen under his touch, grinding into his fingers for more friction.

“God, she’s so needy,” Jaemin groans. “You’re lucky, Haechan.”

Jeno’s hand replaces Jaemin’s 30 second later. Instead of tracing through your wetness, Jeno’s fingers immediately slide in you, curling up without hesitation. “If I were you, I wouldn’t let anyone near a pretty thing like her. She'd be mine alone.” Getting on his knees, Jeno eagerly licks at your cum, tongue prodding your entrance before diving in.

Renjun’s fingers land on your clit, massaging tiny circles into the sensitive nub. “I guess we’re lucky Haechan’s in a good mood today and felt like sharing,” the angelic boy comments gratefully.

Jaemin wipes off his fingers on his pants and you hear him lock the door.

“Hey, wait, don’t lock it yet,” Haechan calls over his shoulder. You didn’t even notice he was watching your face twist up in pleasure from his gaming chair. “Someone else is supposed to be here any second now.”

“Who?” Jaemin asks, unlocking and stepping away from the door.

The inquirer’s weight brings the bed to wobble and dip in the direction he gets on the mattress. He crawls up the comforter, leaning his back against the headboard for the show to begin. Jeno follows his soulmate's action after he settles.

“You’ll see,” he answers, cupping your cheek. He walks over, nudging Renjun out of the way to stick his thumb in your mouth. Renjun takes a seat on the edge of the bed wanting to be closer to the action that is undoubtedly right around the corner.

“Actually, he happens to be me and y/n’s best fr-”

The door handle to the bedroom dips not a millisecond later. All attention focuses on the shocking newcomer.

“Dude, why did you call me here?” your best friend questions, not bothering to look up from his phone for a moment. After hitting send on a meaningless text message, his attention flicks to you and Haechan, panicked eyes widening as he catches his two best friends together, Haechan fully clothed with his fingers in your mouth. His mouth waters seeing your dripping cunt exposed to him for the first time. His furiously red ears match his flushed cheeks, while his jaw and his phone drop to the carpeted floor.

“Okay, now we can get to the real fun par-” Haechan announces.

“I call dibs on using her first!” Jeno suddenly inserts.

Haechan shoots him a sharp pointed look. He addresses you while simultaneously staring daggers at Jeno. “Hmm… You know what? I’ve got an idea.”

Your gaze hasn’t left Mark’s frozen face since he popped in and a blindingly bright light bulb lights up in his quick witted mind. From his perspective, this intrusion thrust the relationship between the lot of you into a world of exciting, future possibilities. Finally, the perfect opportunity to see his best friends go at it; what a treat that would be before he fucks you raw just the same. “What about you, Mark?”

“I-um, don’t know about this… like, y/n probably doesn’t even want me here and-”

“No!” you blurt out. Sitting up straighter to address him causes some of your wetness to seep from your empty hole and Mark’s eyes are glued to the white-tinted, transparent arousal. “I want you here.” You roll off the bed and cross the room to Mark, dripping down your thighs as you go. “How do you want me?” you ask, volume barely above a whisper.

Whatever remnants of the giggly, dorky christian boy is left in the hall as he completely enters the room and slams the door behind him. He wraps one of his hands around your throat, lowering you to the ground forcefully (not that you wouldn't have done it just as quickly yourself). “On your fucking knees, you slut.”

Moments later, Mark’s sitting on the bed, his pants rung around his ankles, and his cock roughly fucking your mouth. “That’s right, baby, take me down your throat.” He holds your head down on his cock, gripping the nape of your neck sternly for control of your motions. Jeno is the first to use you from behind, giving your walls a mere 10 seconds to accommodate his size before pounding into you with vigor. Mark lasts way longer than you expected him to, finally coming down your throat directly after Jeno came in your core. He stuffed his cum back inside you with his fingers before Jaemin’s cock took his place. Renjun was next up to use your mouth, being softer than your best friend but still controlling the way you bobbed your head. He came in your mouth quicker than Jaemin finished inside you and you opened your mouth to show him you swallowed him gladly.

Haechan finally steps up to the plate with dark lust swirling in his eyes. “My turn. Who can come again right now?”

Jeno and Mark raise their hands together, eager for another chance at using you up to the brink like Haechan had promised.

“H-how do you want me?” you wheeze, throat hoarse, body exhausted but ready to make him and his friends come for as long as you possibly could before they wear you out entirely.

Haechan snickers, amused by your willingness to please. “See guys? I told you she could take it.”

sooo this impulsively written mess was supposed to be like >700 words... what's wrong w me ?? personally, i place most of the blame on the handful of persistent markf anons for making me think about him when i was working on this...

➾my masterlist

© 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝.

[shawtygonemad]

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better.

A/N: This story is dedicated to my uncle and cousins who are hard of hearing. Even with my botched ASL you all still love me. 

Daryl Dixon x Connie

One-Shot

- Please note that anything signed will be in bold and anything written will be in italics.

Connie woke that morning bright and chipper. The sun wasn’t even up yet and she was already getting her day started. Her sister on the other hand was not much of a morning person. Connie was kind enough to let her sleep until the sun rose. She always enjoyed finding different little ways to wake her little sister up. Some days it’s tickling her nose with a leaf while other days she practically flops down on her. 

Today Kelly happened to be in a deep sleep in which nothing barely woke her. Connie breathed out a sigh of annoyance at that. All of her tricks didn’t work. Instead she took it upon herself to draw on her sister’s bare arm. She smirked as she slowly got to work. The older woman was no artist, but she still had fun. She wrote ‘World’s Best Sister’, but crossed out best and wrote ‘Okayest’ above it. Then she drew some other pictures and wrapped it up by putting Kelly and her crushes initials together in a heart. 

Once she became bored she decided to go downstairs for some breakfast. Today would be an uneventful day since neither of them had been assigned to do anything. Connie was never a fan of days off. She always needed to be doing something and loved to help out. They should always be doing something to earn their keep. The people of Alexandria were kind enough to let them have their own house. A house that just so happened to be next door to the tall and ruggedly handsome Daryl Dixon. The newly unofficial leader of Alexandria since Michonne left. He lived there with his niece, nephew, Lydia, and dog. Their family dynamic was so cute to watch. For a man who never really had a family until the end of the world he was trying his best and doing a damn good job of it. 

Even though Connie may not be able to hear she could still feel vibrations from noise. That’s how she knew her sister finally woke up and discovered her new tattoo sleeve. She could feel the stomping through the ceiling. When she could feel the rushed, heavy, footsteps coming down the stairs. She grinned and chuckled to herself as she bolted it for the front door. If she didn’t run now then her sister would for sure catch her which would end up in a wrestling match on the floor. 

The warm morning air and sunshine hit her face as she booked it down the front stairs. She looked around for a hiding spot when she noticed Daryl standing on his porch smoking a cigarette. He watched her with curious eyes. Knowing she had less than a minute before her sister caught up to her Connie bolted it for Daryl. He was caught by surprise when she hid behind him. They were back to back with their bodies aleigned from their ankles all the way to where her curly locks reached the middle of his shoulder blades. 

As if timed perfectly, Kelly busted out the front door and looked around for her sister. Thankfully Daryl decided to roll with the odd situation and acted casul. Kelly noticed him and decided to approach since he was close friends with Connie. Or rather, more than close friends she always teased her older sister. 

“Have you seen Connie,” Kelly asked. 

Daryl stood still as to not expose his friend for whatever reason she was hiding. 

He cleared his throat before speaking, “Not this mornin’. Why?”

“‘Cause she’s sneaky and devious and knows that I’m a deep sleeper,” the teen huffed before retreating from the porch. 

Once the coast was clear Daryl nudged his ankle against hers to signal it was safe. When she rounded to his front she had a huge devious smirk on her face. The hunter shook his head in amusement. This woman was always up to something. It’s what he admired about her the most. Even in the darkest of days she was still able to smile and see the bright side. 

“What you do,” he shakily signed. 

Connie smiled as she reached for the notepad and pen in her back pocket. Her heart always felt a warm squeeze every time he signed to her. She almost cried when she discovered he had an ASL study book. He was trying. Not only that, but he was trying for her. Not a lot of people did that or even wanted to waste that kind of time. They usually spoke louder, elongated their words, or just wrote down in her notepad. Most times Kelly had to translate. Unfortunately this wasn’t anything new. People weren’t considerate in the old world and they sure as hell weren’t in this new world. 

“You’re getting better,” she wrote before giving him some tips on how to properly say ‘what did you do’. Without those extra words he just sounded hilariously like a caveman. “I was bored, so I drew on her while she was asleep.”

“Why,” he signed that one with ease. 

“Why not,” Connie grinned. 

She knew Daryl understood her because he seemed to be chuckling while shaking his head.

 “Do you have any plans for today,” she wrote on the paper. 

She noticed him shake his head and his mouth move to a ‘na’ sound which usually meant no for him. It was his heavy southern accent she had to get used to. He even signed with a southern accent much to his bewilderment. 

This man was so incredible. He was kind, enjoyed learning and never got offended when corrected, and sometimes it was hard to read his lips. Not because of his accent, but because she started to wonder how they feel on her own. Even though his lips seemed slightly chapped compared to hers she just knew the kiss would feel amazing. 

“Might go hunting or something,” he wrote. 

“I’ll go with,” she excitedly replied. 

“‘S not a good idea,” he spoke as he turned his head to make sure he still had an eye on Dog. 

Connie frowned before gripping his chin and bringing it back to face her. She gestured with her fingers that he should look at her when he speaks so she can read his lips. He took a deep breath before speaking again. 

“I hunt better alone.”

“Being alone is dangerous,” she signed. 

Daryl’s eyebrows furrowed as he tried to understand what she said. The only thing he caught was dangerous. She must have been telling him the dangers of going out alone. He pointed his thumb in the direction of his pet across the street. 

“I got Dog.”

Connie stared at him blankly before writing in her pad again. She held it up for him to see, her face still neutral. 

“Because he’s so ferocious.” 

He could practically hear the sarcasm in her handwriting. He turned back around the check on his animal. Dog was currently sitting across the street on a patch of grass with his niece Judith. She was currently painting his nails with a sparkly blue polish that Connie found for her. Dog sat there patiently while allowing her to do so. He tail was wagging ever so slightly so you knew he was enjoying it. Daryl rolled his eyes before turning back to his neighbor.

“Fine. We leave in an hour,” he told her before stepping off the porch to retrieve his dog.  

Soon the pair were off trekking through the woods with a begrudging Dog. He must have really wanted to stay at his spa day with Judith. The thought made Connie chuckle. Daryl glanced over at her, but didn’t say a word. Her chuckle was sweet but he thought nothing could compare to her laugh. It was so bright and boisterous. It was able to bring light to even the darkest days. 

Daryl noticed Dog froze in his steps. This caused Daryl to stop and hold his arm out for Connie to follow suit as well. He placed a finger on his lips - a universal sign to be quiet. She rose an eyebrow at him. As if she didn’t know to be quiet already. Does this man really think she’s never been hunting before? What does he think kept her and Kelly alive this entire time. 

She swiftly took out her slingshot before bending down to grab a sharp and rigid rock. It was placed in the holder and fired off before Daryl could even lift his crossbow. With the speed, force, and rigidness from the rock it was easily able to go straight through the woodchuck’s head. Daryl looked at her impressed. She gave him a knowing smirk before signaling Dog to go retrieve it. When he returned she tossed Daryl the animal to put on the kill string. She placed her hands on her hips as she stared Daryl down. She then tried to speak. 

“Anything you can do, I can do better,” she sassed. 

Even though it was a little hard to understand, Daryl could hear her clear as day. He quickly snatched the notepad from Connie’s back pocket, much to her surprise. Once he was finished scratching down his sentence he lifted the pad up for her to see. 

“Is that a challenge?” It said. 

She grinned in excitement at the idea of this game. She was always competitive, and she had a feeling Daryl was too. The notebook was grabbed back and she began to write on it while snickering. Soon she lifted it up to show the redneck. There were two columns. One said Connie and the other said Daryl. Connie had 1 tally mark in her column while Daryl had a frowny face. Daryl laughed. 

“We’ll see who’s frowning afterwards.”

“Bet?” she signed. 

“What’s the wager,” Daryl asked, slightly afraid of her punishment. 

She wrote down on the pad again before lifting it up. 

“Winner’s choice?”

That made Daryl feel a little more at ease. It also meant that he'd have to work his ass off to beat her. He really wanted to win and had a great prize in mind. Connie may be good, but he’s been hunting for 35+ years. He nodded in agreement with her. They even shook hands to make it official. 

This game took place for hours. Both of them enjoying the hunt, a few laughs, but especially each other’s company. They were so entranced with hunting that they completely forgot to even keep score. Hunting with the two could have continued all day, but it was already late afternoon. Dog was the one to call it a day. He was laying down panting hard, too tired to go and retrieve the final catch. The humans decided to agree with him. Besides, they had plenty of meat to feed their entire community. All three of them walked back in comfortable silence. It wasn’t until they were inside the gates of Alexandria and before their houses that they remembered the game. 

Connie practically flung the notepad open just for her to frown. They stopped placing tally’s after 3 catches each. Technically they both won by the Talley's.

“A tie,” she signed. 

Her heartbeat sped up. During the entire hunt she was thinking of what his punishment should be. The only thing that kept circling back was for him to kiss her. She finally told herself that she would do it, and psyched herself up the entire time in the woods. Now it was a tie, and her stomach tightened in disappointment. She lost her chance. 

“What does that mean,” he asked, seeming slightly disappointed as well. 

“We both win?” she wrote.

“What did you want,” he sketched beside her reply. 

Her heart sped up again. Maybe she could still get her chance. It was either now or never. She decided to throw all insecurities to the wind and go for it. 

“This…” she slowly signed before placing her two hands on each side of his face. 

She brought him down to her level and kissed his lips. They were warm and slightly wet from him licking them moments ago. To both of their surprise he kissed her back with ease. Only Daryl was still awkward and unsure of where to put his hands. This made Connie smile into his lips and she grabbed his hands and placed them on her waist. This seemed to be the confirmation Daryl needed to fully get into it. He placed one hand on the back of her neck and deepened the kiss. Shortly after they were out of breath and had to pull away. They just stared into one another’s eyes trying to be sure that what just occurred really happened. A devious smile soon formed on Daryl’s face when he noticed how out of breath and flustered Connie was. 

“Anythin’ you can do, I can do better,” he said.

[petri808]

Bakudeku 31 days of winter ice skating prompt

No one is willing to work with rich but hot-headed pairs skater Katsuki Bakugou,  but he needs a partner if he wants a second shot at the Olympics. His coach is desperate and finds former hockey player Izuku Midoriya who was injured at the last Olympics and can no longer play who agrees to give it a shot. The journey pushes Katsuki to change his ways so he doesn’t lose the one partner who gives him a second chance.

It’s generally based on the movie The Cutting Edge. Angst & Fluffy AU. 10K Modern AU

“This is ridiculous!” Katsuki snaps at his coach while pointing to Izuku. “He can’t be the best option! He’s not even a figure skater! And what’s with the hair! It’s a fucking mess! Where are you from, the slums?! Baggy flannel, really?! You look like a hobo! What about that Iida guy I told you to get?! Or Kaminari?! Someone that’s at least in the fucking right sport?!”

Coach Eijiro Kirishima pinches his brow and sighs, “no one else is willing to work with you after your behavior at the last competition. So, it’s this or give up your chance at next year’s competition.”

As the two men argued, Izuku Midoriya just stood there confused in the doorway of a large expense home. All he knew, is the coach had contacted him and offered a generous paycheck to skate again with a partner. It wasn’t ideal and he had no experience with figure skating. But the check cleared, and he needed the money badly. After a devastating injury on the ice sidelined his hockey career, life was a struggle. It took six months just to heal and medical bills needed to be paid. He’d assumed Katsuki Bakugou knew what the coach was up to... but apparently not. “Um, Eijiro, if he really doesn’t want me here, I’ll leave.” Just seeing the explosive attitude Katsuki is exhibiting is making him nervous.

“No, no,” Eijiro moves back to Izuku, while glaring at Katsuki, “he does, he just doesn’t realize it yet.”

“Pfft!” Katsuki sneers back.

“O—kay.” This is going to be interesting...

Maybe interesting is the wrong word, hair-pulling is more like it. Katsuki’s parents are rich, hence the mansion he’s now rooming in and to top it all off the guy has a personal ice-skating rink! An ice-skating rink! No wonder Katsuki was such a brat! But— the man is good, like really good on the ice... Katsuki’s skill as a figure skater is breathtaking to watch as he glided across the smooth white surface. Elegant, strong, and very handsome. But then the man opens his mouth, shattering the fantasy, and Izuku remembers who he’s really dealing with.

“Argh! Get it right Deku! Toe pick! Toe pick! Toe pick! Fucking learn how to use it! Two fucking weeks and your still face planting!”

“I’m sorry, okay! We don’t use toe picks in hockey!”

“This is not gonna work Eijiro!” Katsuki snaps at the coach. “I’m done today! Come get me when he fucking learns how to skate!”

The two men watch Katsuki storm out of the building. Izuku flinches at the sound of the door slamming shut. “Sorry Eijiro. I had no idea figure skating is this difficult.”

“You’re doing fine Izuku. Just keep practicing. You’ll get it soon.”

Izuku was never a quitter and no matter how much his hot-headed partner put him down, it only fueled his drive to get better. Early every morning he would wake up and skate until his legs hurt, then he’d ice them down at night, and start the process again in the morning. In hockey, elegant wasn’t necessary and being a little sloppy on the ice didn’t matter because you were too busy keeping from being slammed up against bodies or walls. But if there was one thing, he truly hadn’t anticipated was the physical prowess required for figure skating. When you watch the sport on tv, no offense, but those skinny bodies in tight leotards doesn’t make one think of powerhouses... until you attempt to pull off the technical moves that they do and learn really quickly how hard the ice can be on a human frame. If Izuku thought his injuries from a hockey match were brutal, figure skating is quickly tallying up the bruises and cuts to take the lead.

It’s been six months into the training and Izuku was growing curious as to what had caused Katsuki to lose his former partner. Eijiro was hesitant to tell him but did lead him towards where to find the answer. So, late one evening, Izuku pulls up YouTube and punches in the description the coach had given him. The results were... surprising to say the least and frankly shocked him because the partner he’d grown to know just didn’t fit what he was seeing. He closes the app and tucks the information away for the time being. It wasn’t worth focusing on the past if he wanted to get through the present. He just needed to buckle down and practice so that when the nationals arrive in 5 months, he’ll be ready.

As the smaller of the two, it’s decided that Katsuki would be the base and Izuku would perform the lifts. Such an act requires a lot of skill in balance and trust which wasn’t exactly the partners forte at the moment.

“Kacchan, we need to practice you lifting me up.” Kacchan is his new nickname for Katsuki. He didn’t know if the man really liked it, but he’s never stopped him from using it.

“You’re not ready,” the man replies curtly.

“That’s why we need to practice!���

“And what, break your neck?! Izuku, you ain’t ready yet!”

“Katsuki, he is ready,” Eijiro counters. “And Izuku is right, you both need to practice the moves in order for it to be spot on. If you’re afraid—“

“I’m not fucking afraid! Fine! You wanna practice, well practice, but don’t you tell me I’m afraid of tossing his ass in the air!”

Three more months, that’s all the time they had left to get two routines down perfect. A short program and a long program. Just trying to remember all the moves is hard enough, but having to execute them in synchronized patterns, smooth transitions, with elegant refinement, someone please remind Izuku why he took the job again?! As a partner, Katsuki is such an asshole to work with. There were so many moments when Izuku questioned his sanity in staying. The money was helpful, but is it really worth the abuse? And yet... there were also the moments when Katsuki might say something nice or a random ‘good job’ to Izuku that made him think, maybe Eijiro was right after all. Maybe Katsuki just needed the right partner. One who’s able to handle his outbursts and see through the hardened facade he shows to the world. It might have been lonely growing up as only child... Izuku should know since he’s an only child. But he grew up surrounded by neighborhood kids. Perhaps Katsuki had been isolated in this mansion for most of his life, because that certainly would stunt his social abilities.

The month before the competition was a whirlwind of activities. Grueling practices, costume fittings... Katsuki was monitoring what Izuku ate and how much sleep he was getting, like a paranoid mother. It got so strange, that Katsuki moved Izuku out of the guest room and into his own in order to watch him more carefully. Granted that Katsuki had a California king sized bed with a lot of space, but it was still awkward for Izuku to share it with him! What if he snored or rolled— sometimes he moved in his sleep. Plus, Katsuki was an early sleeper while he was a night owl. They are such opposites in personality and behavior. The first night fried his nerves so badly Izuku barely slept, only to be cussed out the next morning because he couldn’t focus during practice.

“Kacchan, please, I rather sleep in the guest room!”

“I don’t care what you want, this tells me I need to keep a closer eye on you.”

Izuku groaned and pushed away off the ice to get lunch. He knew there was no arguing with Katsuki unless he was ready for a fight. Wasn’t getting a restful night of sleep the better idea if he was so worried?!

Their afternoon practice did nothing to help his frayed nerves. Katsuki was acting so strange lately. When he talked it’s more like screaming at him, but when they trained... Katsuki’s touch was gentle? Intimate. ‘Duh’that’s what pairs skating is! Izuku chides himself. Like a dance of two lovers on a floor of ice. ‘Sex on ice... Stop it!’ Izuku couldn’t stop the heat flooding to his cheeks. ‘Don’t think like that!’ Ugh, he groaned again, now the mental image is going to torture him and if things couldn’t be worse, Katsuki saw him blushing to himself looking like a weirdo. Thankfully, all it gained was a raised eyebrow. Izuku is gay, but Katsuki isn’t the type of guy he normally went for and he swore he saw a photo in the man’s bedroom of a woman.

Putting aside all the crazy thoughts, Izuku finishes the day without invoking anymore of Katsuki’s wrath. They had dinner quietly before he was forced to go to bed at 9pm. Izuku prepared for another sleepless night as he lay there stiff on his side facing away from the other male. There was almost 2 feet between them, so he tried to pretend he was all alone, just him in a strange bed. Like at a hotel on the very first night and you’re still adjusting to its nuances. It was a comfortable bed, probably expensive with soft, silky sheets, and even the pillows were some fancy memory foam type. Perhaps it was sheer exhaustion, for after a short amount of time, Izuku fell asleep while running the choreography through his mind.

‘Wow it’s really hot today...’ Izuku stirred unconsciously from the dream and pushed the blanket down to his torso. ‘Maybe Yagi will let me go home from work early today, cause it’s exhausting to hang drywall on days like this.’ Izuku tries to turn around but he couldn’t. Panic set in the dream, and the walls closed in around him. ‘What’s going on?!’ He was working and now he’s trapped! Izuku pushes the wall with his back only to feel pressure increase around his body. “What the?!” It instantly snaps his mind awake and suddenly the construction site turned into the dark room of Katsuki’s bedroom.

“Stop... f’ing... moving...” the gravelly voice mumbles right next to his ear!

Izuku’s eyes blow wide as he looks down and sees the arm around his torso, registers that the heat he’d experienced in his dream was Katsuki! ‘Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!’ Why was Katsuki spooned up to him?! With every breath from the sleeping man blowing along his neck and down his back, every fiber in his body shivered, sending too many electrical pulses misfiring and blood rushing to the wrong places! Katsuki hadn’t just rolled too close, this was an intimate embrace! This couldn’t be real! Izuku tries to pry the man’s arm away gently without waking him only to have his ass grabbed by Katsuki’s other hand.

“Go the fuck to sleep, Deku.”

Izuku squeals. He can’t take this anymore. They weren’t that kind of partners. “K-Kacchan! Wh-What, why?!

“Can’t you just take the hint and go with it. I don’t do the whole flirting nonsense.”

“Oh, my god.” Izuku breathes out, he’s serious! And though a part of him gravitated to the idea of having this handsome partner in a relationship, Izuku worried mixing business with pleasure would blow up at some point. “Kacchan. I’m flattered, more than you might know, but I think we should just be partners on the ice.”

There was silence for several minutes and Izuku started to wonder if Katsuki had fallen back asleep and didn’t hear what he’d said. But it was the calm before the storm. Without warning, Izuku was pushed so hard from behind, he flew off the bed and landed hard on the ground. “GET OUT!!” Katsuki raged. “Get the fuck out of my room! Get the fuck out of my house!”

Izuku couldn’t see the man on the bed through the darkness but could almost feel the anger on top of the sound. One pillow, two pillow landing close to where he lay on the floor, then a lamp crashes on top of his hip. Izuku screams, scrambling up despite the pain and stumbling for the door.

“I-I’m sorry Kacchan—.”

“Get the fuck out!! I don’t wanna see here you in the morning!”

Izuku wiped away blinding tears as he packed up his few belongings to leave the mansion in the dead of night. He’d paused at Katsuki’s bedroom door on his way out; was the man crying behind it? It was hard to image the hot head crying but those were clearly the sounds of sobbing coming through. Izuku hung his head, fuck! He really messed up this time. But what could he do? Katsuki told him to go, and this was his house. He writes a quick note and slips it under the coaches door before taking a cab to the train station. The competition was only 2 weeks away, what about that? Is Katsuki going to throw away his chance to compete? Then again, people do crazy things because of emotions.

When he arrives at the station, Izuku find out that the next train to his town won’t arrive for another 6 hours. Just great. None of the food stalls were open at 2am, so he drops onto one of the benches and uses his duffle bag as a pillow. He sets the alarm on his phone and tries to get some sleep... that doesn’t come easily. Could he have handled the situation better? Okay, it wasn’t fair to blame him for making Katsuki cry. It’s not like the man gave any indication he was interested in Izuku in a romantic sense. Who does that?! Just forces someone to sleep in their bed and surprises them by spooning up in the middle of the night?! “just take the hint...” “Argh!” Izuku curls to his side and covers his face to block out the light. ‘This is not my fault! Stupid Kacchan!’ Tomorrow will be a new day. He’ll go home and just start over. Who needs Katsuki...........

“Wake up Izuku.”

“Ugh... go away,” Izuku groans and slaps away the hand shaking him.

“Izuku, get up. I’m here to take you back to the mansion.”

Wait, what?! Izuku opens his eyes, this can’t be happening. “Eijiro?!” He sits up, shaking his head and waving his hands to wipe away the man’s statement. “Please no! I don’t wanna go back there.”

“Look, I don’t know what exactly happened, and Katsuki isn’t telling me anything, but if you leave now all that work is for nothing and you don’t strike me as a quitter.”

Izuku shakes his head. “I’m not, but I don’t see how Katsuki would be willing to be partners. It’ll be uncomfortable for both of us.”

“He has no choice. This year’s national’s determines who goes to the Olympics.”

“What?!”

Eijiro grins. “Oh, did I forget to mention that?”

“Um, yeah! I-I signed up to— you know I was already concerned about nationals but now you’re telling me this is for a bid to the Olympics?! No! No! N-O, no way. I-I’m barely hanging on as is keeping up with figure skating!”

“Izuku think about it this way. You’ve both had a shot at the Olympics that were dashed. This is your second chance.”

“What do you mean both? Katsuki’s competed in the Olympics?”

“Yeah, the same year as you. I was surprised you didn’t recognize him.”

“I didn’t pay attention to the other sports because I was too busy worrying about my team.”

“Well,” Eijiro asks again. “Don’t you wanna have a second shot at gold?”

“Pfft,” Izuku sighs, “let’s just see if I can survive nationals.”

“Wonderful! Come on,” Eijiro grabs Izuku’s bag, “breakfasts on me.”

When they arrive at the mansion and walk into the house, Katsuki is standing in the living room with his arms crossed just glaring death daggers. Izuku gulps hard as he stands behind Eijiro who’d told him to let him handle Katsuki when they arrived. He was ready for the cursing, but the man just stood there.

“A-Are you sure it’ll be okay?” Izuku quietly questioned the coach. “He’s not gonna kill me in my sleep?”

“Well, at least not until after nationals.” Eijiro stared at Katsuki as he spoke. “Because he knows he has no choice.”

“Tch,” Katsuki stomps away.

‘This is gonna be a lo—ng 3 weeks!’

Excruciating to be exact. If there’s something that became brutally clear through this year to Izuku, is that in pairs skating, the chemistry between the skaters plays a role in how well they are received. They could be as technically perfect as required, but they won’t win over the audience and possibly even the judges if you can’t ‘feel’ their routine.

Their practices became mundane and performances, robotic. Katsuki didn’t touch Izuku in the same ways he had before, and he was noticing it more than ever. He realized the night Katsuki had made a move wasn’t the first time after all. Katsuki had been flirting with Izuku in his own subtle way, but he’d never caught on to it. That made Izuku feel even worse, but he also couldn’t go back on what he’d said because he meant it. Risking a relationship meant risking their careers. If they could just get through nationals and make the top 2 spots, they’ll get into the Olympics next year. So, despite the emotionless aspect of their routine, it was as good as they were going to get it to, and they were ready to take the risk...

But it still hurt.

The backstage area of the skating arena was a mad house with all the competing singles and pairs skaters cordoned off in their own dressing areas. Katsuki’s parents spared no expense on a team to get them ready. Perfect outfits, hair, and makeup to make them pop for the cameras. They looked amazing in their complimentary outfits, a perfect couple by design in every way except reality.

Ever since the night of the fight, Katsuki only spoke to Izuku as necessary in gruff tones. He would even look in his direction and never made eye contact during the practices. Eijiro tried so hard to talk to him. ‘You need to sell the illusion Katsuki. No one’s gonna buy your routine if you won’t even look at the man!’ But the hot head was unflinching in his stubbornness. His face would be towards Izuku, but his eyes looked elsewhere, and smiles were non-existent.

They were next in line, so the runners called them to the waiting area. As the pair stood and watched the performance going on before them, Izuku noticed Katsuki’s expressions growing angrier and angrier. It was his old partner with a new partner doing an amazing routine. Izuku recognized the man from the YouTube video as Shouto Todoroki and his female partner was fairly new to this level of the sport, named Momo Yaoyorozu. Had they been a couple, Izuku started to wonder, is that why Katsuki was so angry? Shouto and Momo’s scores elevated them straight to the number one position.

As they walked off the ice, both skaters smiled and nodded to Izuku, who returned the gesture with a bright smile. He had nothing against them even though they were rivals.

“No hard feelings Katsuki,” Shouto stuck out a hand.

But Katsuki slapped it away, “fuck off ice boy.”

Izuku immediately steps between them. “Sorry, K-Kacchan is just stressed.”

“Don’t talk to them Deku!” Katsuki grabs his hand and pulls him towards the ice.

As Izuku does as he’s told, he sees Shouto shaking his head in pity and he couldn’t blame the guy. Shouto seemed genuine, but it was Katsuki being the asshole. Needless to say, going into a routine angry was not the best idea.

“Kacchan, please,” speaking softly, Izuku begged one last time as they took up their positions. “Because you look too angry.”

“Don’t worry about me and just make sure you don’t screw up!”

‘Argh!’ “Got it.”

If there was one good thing, he could say about Katsuki, is the man is a machine and once the music starts, he’s all business, executing each step with precision like nothing was bothering him. Izuku too, stayed on track, meeting and exceeding his own expectations. He had been so worried that when the pressure really hit, he’d freeze up, make mistakes, and cost them this opportunity. The routine ends right on point to the wild sounds of clapping in the audience. It takes them a few moments to catch their breath before breaking apart. He tries and is rebuffed by Katsuki to hold hands as they bowed. Nevertheless, Izuku catches himself and plays it off, not wanting to appear unhappy for the judges. He thought they’d done an amazing job! At no point can he remember either making a mistake. Everything was right on point, especially the moves that carried the highest point values. They had to get 1st place! But when they stepped into the waiting box as the scores are tallied and posted, it wasn’t to be. The technical points were flawless, but the judges ranked them lower in components score... clearly the judges saw well and clear this pair was not a matching pair at all.

Katsuki storms away to the backstage area livid.

“This is all your fault Izuku!”

“My fault!” Oh, that’s it, Izuku wasn’t gonna hold back anymore. “I warned you, Eijiro warned you! You’re fucking attitude is what killed us! Every—body sees what an asshole you are except you!” He flails his arms in contempt. “A spoiled brat that can’t handle being told no!”

“You fucking take that back!” Katsuki lunges at Izuku who counters and pushes him away.

“I’m done!” Izuku screams and starts to walk away but turns back. “Oh, and for the record. I saw your last skate and Shouto did nothing wrong. You screwed up, you! Your hand slipped in the lift. No wonder you can’t keep a partner!”

Katsuki is so shocked, his mouth slams shut.

Eijiro tries to keep Izuku from leaving, but he’s done. They were in 3rd place and the odds of the last pair screwing up was slim to none because they were also former Olympic level skaters. But just as Izuku steps away they hear it over the PA, “oh, no! She fell!”

Their coach turns excitedly to the two men, “we are in!”

“No, we are not,” Izuku states matter of fact and walks away. This time he really is done. Done with all the fights and uncomfortable, complicated emotions. Going back to the Olympics would have been... the tears well up, but he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, before continuing his stride out of the room. It would have been amazing, but he’s not turning around this time. He can hear Eijiro calling his name. He can hear the sound of something smashing against the wall... it won’t change his mind. If Katsuki can’t change his attitude, then why should he have to put up with it? It’s not fair to him. A part of him once gave the man the benefit of doubt, but perhaps Izuku should have taken a hint from all the partners of his past. Katsuki Bakugou will never change. His arrogance destroys all of his relationships, and that’s not the kind of man Izuku wants anything to do with.

He grabs his belonging from the hotel room, checks out and goes straight to the airport without looking back. The whole ride home, Izuku sat in first class with his cap kept down low to avoid human interaction. It was a four-hour flight back to the mansion and his plans were to grab all of his stuff and leave before Katsuki and Eijiro could get home too. A whole year wasted... Izuku cried softly to himself in the darkened cab of the plane. Now he’ll just go back home to Minnesota and pick up where he’d left off. Going back to working with his brother in construction wasn’t the worst thing. At least he wouldn’t have to put up with being yelled at all the time or being treated like shit. And hey, he could figure skate now! Maybe he’ll find a new partner like Shouto had done. Oh, that would piss Katsuki off so bad! Izuku snorts a small laugh. He never considered himself the vindictive type, but the thought made him laugh at least.

Back home, Katsuki stood in the empty doorway to the room Izuku was using, quiet, his head lowered, not listening to the words Eijiro was saying to him. They’d arrived at the silent mansion and deep down he knew Izuku wouldn’t be there, but that didn’t make the pain hurt any less. They’d hidden the fight from the media and Olympics committee, so as far as the world knew, they would be representing the United States in pairs skating.

“We’ll need to find a replacement Katsuki... we’ll just make up a story that Izuku got an injury or something to smooth it over.”

But Katsuki doesn’t respond to the coach and simply walks away, slamming his bedroom door closed. He falls back against it, slumping down to the floor with his knees up, arms wrapped around them and his head down. This wasn’t the first-time people have walked away from him, fought with him, but Izuku was different from all the rest and when that man walked away without looking back, Katsuki felt something he’d never experienced before. Problem was, he didn’t know what it was! And so, his only recourse was to resort to what he knew which is anger. He’d smashed the makeup case against the wall and broke a mirror with the costume stand.

How dare Izuku stand up to him like that?! As far as he was concerned, he built that man into a figure skater, gave him a new career path better than some stupid construction job! This was an opportunity of a lifetime! He’d even offered Izuku a chance to be his boyfriend, doesn’t he realize what an honor that is?! Katsuki knows exactly how good he is, and any man or woman would kill to have him as their boyfriend! Yet this guy turns him down?! Ridiculous! Just walks away from going to the Olympics?! His fist is clenched so tight, he can feel the pain of his nails digging into the palm. He was so angry! So furious! So... destroyed... Izuku turned his back on him. Fuck him! Fuck— why does he care so damn much! He’ll just get a new partner. He’ll make someone else’s dreams come true...

But he didn’t want anyone else...

No, fuck that! Katsuki jumps to his feet. Izuku was beneath him. How could he have every thought this man could fit into his circle? The guy was a former hockey player from some rural town, while he came from wealth for fucks sakes! Yeah, fuck him! Know what?! Fuck everybody!

Katsuki pulls out his phone and dials his mother. “I’m going on vacation for two weeks... no. Not with him, we— I’m going alone cause I need a break!” Click Next, he calls an airlines and books the first flight to anywhere, he didn’t care where, he just wanted to leave that night. The only option for first class was Hawaii. Oh, good, they had a vacation home there anyways. Katsuki packs a carry-on of just essentials, too irritated to pack a full suitcase. He can buy more clothes when he gets there. Before he leaves, he writes a note for Eijiro with explicit instructions not to contact him until he returned. He slips it under the man’s door then takes his car to the airport since his driver is off for the rest of the night. This whole year left him emotionally unstable, so maybe some beach time and relaxation was the cure.

It was early in the morning by the time Katsuki had arrived at their vacation home on the picturesque Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. He’d called ahead for a limo service to pick him up and drive him the 50-odd miles from the airport in Kailua Kona, and the groundskeeper to prep the house for his arrival. His plan was to do nothing but drink, relaxing alone, and to sort out whatever it was that plagued him. He’d slept for most of the ride over, but his mind would keep going back to Izuku. He tosses his bag onto his bed and walks straight to the kitchen for a shot of something, anything he didn’t care.

“ARGH!!!” Katsuki growls in the empty house. “Why the fuck can’t I stop thinking about him!!!” He takes a longer swig of the hard liquor before capping it off and heading the shower. It’s been about 36+ hours since his last one before the competition.

Day in and day out, Katsuki’s depression takes hold, alternating between fits of anger and crying until he passed out from the amount of liquor he’d consumed. The poor housekeeper that came each day, did her best to steer clear, cleaning up after those fits, to keeping the pantry stocked with bottles of liquor to avoid his wrath. For the life of him, Katsuki couldn’t understand why, of anything. Angry and feeling jilted by his partner. Confused as to why Izuku’s leaving hurt so damn much. He’d never experienced this level of despair before, just couldn’t fathom what was really causing it... okay, that was a lie. Katsuki knew damn well why he was so upset, but he just couldn’t bring himself to accept it. And so, he drank his emotions away, buried it under a tidal wave of alcohol and lived in a stupor of dreamless misery.

“Oh, thank goodness,” the housekeeper greeted Eijiro. “He’s passed out in his room.”

“Thank you, Ke’ala.” Eijiro thanks the woman and enters Katsuki’s bedroom. He rips the curtain open.

“Time to get up Katsuki! You need help.” The man on the bed is so drunk, he doesn’t even flinch. Eijiro pulls harder on his leg. “Get up Katsuki!”

The drunk mumbles something, then rolls onto his side. “You leave me no choice Katsuki.” Eijiro picks up the dead weight and carries him into the shower. He puts the man onto the shower floor fully clothed, then turns it on full blast, hitting him dead center in the face. That wakes Katsuki up real, quick!

“What the fuck?!” The man defends against the cold water, flailing his arms pitifully, and scrambling along the tiled floor until his back hits a wall. He wipes his face, “I told you not to contact me till I returned!”

“First off, your parents pay my bill and they’re the ones who sent me. Second, take a goddamn shower cause you stink to hell. Then meet me in the living room.” Eijiro tosses some clean clothes onto the counter and walks away without another word. He hears Katsuki swearing behind him, but he didn’t care.

Thirty minutes later an angry but sober, cleaner Katsuki walks into the living room and plops down onto a couch opposite of Eijiro who pushes a cup of hot coffee towards him. He takes the cup and starts to drink it, though his expression remained accusatory, with furrowed brows, just glaring at the coach. “What do you want Eijiro?”

“Do you even realize you’ve been gone a month?”

No... he hadn’t but, “what’s your point?” Katsuki retorts because he didn’t want to show he cared.

“Do you or don’t you want to go to the Olympics?”

“Of course, I do. But y’all were right all along. No one wants to be my partner, so guess that means I’m done.”

Eijiro sucks in a breath at the revelation. This was the first time he’d ever in their seven-year working relationship heard this man admit a failing. He was a little caught off guard, but in a good way. “Katsuki,” Eijiro sighs, “is this the first time you’ve ever been in love?”

Katsuki puts his cup down and leans forward. “What did you just say to me?!”

“You heard me. Just admit it, you’re in love with Izuku Midoriya.”

“Get out!” Katsuki jumps up and points at the door.

“I’m not leaving. The only way to get past this is to accept the fact you’re in love and because he left you, you’re angry and confused. You pushed him away— admit it to yourself for once in your life and just own up to it!

“I-I’m not in love with Izuku!” His hands fly up and grip to the sides of his head. All of this commotion and the emotions coupled with a hangover is creating a storm of a headache. “I’m not! I’m not! I’m not!” He shakes his head as tears start to flow. “Why is this happening to me?! I-I can’t be in love with him!” Katsuki’s hands drop, but flail in front of him. “And so, what if I am, he turned me down! I have nothing to go back to, no Olympics, no Izuku, just an empty mansion, so just let me drink myself into oblivion!” He drops back onto the couch, cradling his face in his hands as the dam of tears burst free. “Just leave me alone, please.”

Eijiro gets up and kneels in front of Katsuki, placing a hand on the man’s knee. “It’s not too late to fix things. Izuku is angry because of how you treated him, but he doesn’t hate you.”

“You don’t know that,” he grumps back.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure about it. In fact, I’m quite certain he likes you too, but the way you handled approaching him, scared him. Katsuki, relationships... they require honesty, sincerity. You can’t force someone to love you. You have to make them feel loved and appreciated.”

“I don’t... know how. I don’t know what he wants! A-And I’m not good at showing my emotions.”

“Why don’t you try talking to him? Be honest with him and tell him how you feel.”

Katsuki pauses for several minutes as if his coaches words are truly sinking in. Is it really possible? Could he do it? But he’d been such an asshole to Izuku, who in their right mind would give him a second chance. Because he certainly would not... and maybe that was part of his problem. He couldn’t handle the rejection, and so he did what he knew how to do which is lash out, and that’s exactly what he did to Izuku. Katsuki sighs forlornly, “I don’t deserve a second chance.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance Kacchan.”

Katsuki’s heart stops at the sound of Izuku’s soft voice, too afraid to even look up and confirm it wasn’t a figment of his imagination. If Izuku was really here, does that mean he’d heard and saw everything from the moment Eijiro had arrived too?!

Eijiro squeezes Katsuki’s knee. “When I told Izuku what we saw you doing here, he agreed to help bring you home.”

“S-Saw?” Katsuki closes his eyes and whispers.

“This place has security cameras. So, after three weeks had passed by and you still hadn’t come home, your parents pulled up the footage and showed it to me. If I knew things were this bad, I would have come sooner.”

Katsuki’s eyes only tighten when he feels the cushion next to him depress, and the scent of Izuku’s cologne hit him, to block a new wave of tears from escaping. He had no idea how much of the footage they’d seen, but it was highly likely they’d seen the days and weeks passing by with Katsuki drinking almost non-stop. He barely ate or took care of his personal hygiene, because he’d stopped caring, and all he wanted to do was numb his pain.

“Kacchan... I didn’t mean for you to hurt yourself like this. I was— still am upset about things, but like Eijiro said, I don’t hate you and if you’re willing to work with me, like a real partner, then... then I’ll come back. But we need to set some rules, like respect. You can’t keep yelling at me and expect me to stick around.”

Katsuki looks up. “But why would you give me a second chance?”

Izuku blushes and voice softens, “because Eijiro is right. I do have a small crush on you.” But when he sees Katsuki’s face brighten, he quickly adds to his statement. “I-I’m still torn about it, s-so please don’t take that as I wanna jump into a romantic relationship right now. I’m the kind of guy that likes some sentiment, to be wooed or swept off their feet. It’s gotta build up to a point where I’ll be comfortable with the idea, because mixing business with pleasure scares me. Just look at what happened when I turned you down. It ruined everything.”

“I guess I never thought of it that way,” Katsuki breathes out. “This is all new territory to me, and I really don’t know how to handle it.”

“See, this is great!” Eijiro cuts in. “You guys are talking like civilized people, it’s wonderful.”

“Are you done?” Katsuki grumps.

“That depends if you’re ready to start fresh and get back to training together?”

“Kacchan?” Izuku looks over beside him. “I’m willing.”

Katsuki sighs, his heart desperately wants to, but he knows it won’t be easy to control his feelings for Izuku. “I’ll give it a try.”

The trio spends one more week in Hawaii, to give Katsuki time to fully recover from all the alcohol consumption as well as simply enjoy a Hawaii vacation. It was the first time Izuku had ever been to Hawaii and wow, he couldn’t get enough of all the food choices! And the sunsets were just stunning, glistening off of the water! So many colors, it was like heaven greeting earth each clear day.

“I’ll bring you back here on vacation,” Katsuki tells Izuku one day as they’re roaming the Waikoloa shops. “I mean, if you want to.”

Surprised, but happy by the gesture. “That’d be really nice Kacchan.” Since they had to stay longer than expected, Katsuki insisted on buying Izuku some clothes and souvenirs to take back home. He tried to refuse, but the man wasn’t taking no for an answer. It was the least he could do, was the reply for putting up with him. Katsuki also refused to step into any shop he deemed of low quality, so the King’s Shops at Waikoloa is where they went. Tori Richard’s, Tommy Bahama, and Michael Korrs, all places Izuku would never have shopped at.

As they sat in the dining room of Roy’s Waikoloa bar & grill, Izuku stares out over the manmade lake next to the shopping center. He’d adjusted to fancier food because that’s all Katsuki’s cook would make but sitting there with the man in a restaurant was a totally new experience. It was really nice, and for possibly the first time since they’d met a year ago, Izuku relaxed.

He didn’t expect a miracle, or for Katsuki to suddenly change overnight for that would be unfair, but as long as the man tried, Izuku wouldn’t leave like he’d done before. Oh, but was it tough in the beginning! In Hawaii, Katsuki could control his outbursts, but the moment the pressures of training kicked in, so to, did his old personality. Unlike before, Izuku was quicker to say something, telling him to stop before he says something he’ll regret. It seemed to do the trick. The man would stop and move on. After a month, Katsuki started to catch himself, literally mid-sentence stop, and walk away. Izuku wished he’d be more open with him instead of running away, but it was definitely an improvement. By the third month back, he even apologized. Izuku remembered the first time Katsuki said sorry and after a moment of shock, he smiled and said it was okay.

But there was one thing he hoped would come back. He still remembers the heated tingles he’d feel when Katsuki would hold him in positions. It was lost after their fight, and the man almost seemed, afraid, to touch him in the wrong way. Afraid he would make Izuku uncomfortable and risk chasing him away again. He didn’t know how to convey such a desire without confusing Katsuki and opening up a door he wasn’t ready to walk through yet. So, Izuku kept his mouth closed and focused on encouraging the man to keep improving on his social skills.

With six months left until the Olympics, the pair had their short program already choreographed and perfected. That left the long program, and the most important skate of their careers left to solidify. It was a skaters last opportunity to showcase a brilliant program and garner the highest amount of points possible.

“We need a showstopper, something new, something so damn amazing the judges will have no choice but to give us the win!” Katsuki tells Eijiro. “Whatever you need, choreographers to help you, I’ll get it.”

“Well...” the man picks a folder up from his desk, tapping it in his hand before opening it and pulling out a few sheets. He walks over to the ice where the two men were standing, slowly placing each sheet down onto the ice as he spoke. “There is one thing that my old mentor passed down. It’s never been used— because the difficulty level makes it quite impossible.”

Izuku picks up the first sheet, “it’s basically a bounce, spin into a toss, spin?”

“That’s illegal,” Katsuki looks over the man’s shoulder at the paper. “We can’t do an illegal move!”

“Legal, illegal, it’s more of a gray area,” Eijiro clarifies, “just extremely difficult.”

The longer Izuku stares at it, the worse the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. “K-Kacchan would have to spin me like a centrifuge, throw me, then catch me...” he mumbled out as the blood drains from his face. “This defies the laws of gravity and if he slips...” he doesn’t finish the sentence, but the image in his head was of a face scraped off and bloody.

“It takes a lot of skill, a lot of practice, and above all trust between the partners.”

“I don’t know...” Izuku mumbles.

“I think we can do it. Hell yeah! This would win us gold! Come on Izu, don’t you wanna win?!”

“Of course, I do, but—.”

Katsuki grabs Izukus hands, holding them firmly with such excitement behind his eyes and a sultry charm to his voice. “I really think we can do this together.”

“O-Okay,” Izuku melts under Katsuki’s sway. “I believe in you.”

“No. I believe in us.”

Izuku’s eyes widen, his heartbeat speeds up, and all those tingles rush over him. Their eyes meet and hold as seconds silently pass. The cold air of the room disappears, replaced by the warmth centered from their conjoined hands. In that moment, Izuku was willing to believe, that yes, they could pull it off if they trusted each other.

Eijiro clears his throat, “I take that as a go ahead... so!” He claps his hands. “This will be incorporated as the finale of the program.”

“Way to kill the mood man.” Katsuki grumps causing Izuku to blush.

They order custom made training outfits designed to be aerodynamic but with padding in specific areas to absorb shock from falls. It was a brutal regime, especially on Izuku’s body and nothing in his past experience with hockey could compare. Rigging could only be used as they practiced the solitary spin itself, so when they practiced without it, he suffered fall after fall, tossed onto the ice when Katsuki lost his grip on Izuku’s legs. Frankly, it’s a miracle he never broke a bone, but bruises and cuts often slowed the training down. Katsuki himself added upper body workouts to strengthen and increase his ability to not only hold onto Izuku but control the spin. Remember, this is still part of a choreographed piece to music, so timing was everything. It fell on his shoulders not to screw up and miss a step. Three months into this intensive training, Izuku finally demanded a break after a particularly brutal fall that was a breath away from dislocating his right shoulder.

“I brought you dinner,” Katsuki walks into Izuku’s bedroom where he’s resting. It was wrapped by a doctor and he was told not to use that arm for the next five days just to make sure it didn’t get worse.

“Aww, thank you Kacchan.” Izuku smiles, “you didn’t have to.”

“It’s fine.” He tries to hide his blush. “I feel bad cause I messed up again.”

Izuku takes Katsuki’s hand causing the man’s blush to grow, and squeezes, smiling, and conveying more than words ever could.

With one month to go, the pair had everything in their long program down solid, except for the new move which they’ve decided to name in honor of Eijiro’s mentor, the Pamchenko. They’ve landed it twice successfully in the last two months, and the probability of sticking it under pressure at the Olympics was slim. So, with time running out they practiced a separate move instead to fill the void. It was still pretty spectacular, but not as jaw dropping.

Katsuki’s frustration had returned much to Izuku’s disappointment and he did his best not to anger the man. It sucked to be walking on pins and needles all over again, especially because being so close to the end, quitting would be crazy. Izuku just grit his teeth and ignored the man’s tirades, then cried himself to sleep some nights in his bedroom. They’d had six months of doing so well... he really thought Katsuki was changing for the better and growing into the kind of man Izuku would get into a romantic relationship with. But worst of all, is Katsuki hasn’t noticed his effect on his partner.

Izuku flops onto his bed after dinner and lets out a deep exhale, staring at the ceiling. ‘Maybe you really can’t change some people.’ Win or lose, once the Olympics was over it was time to say goodbye to Katsuki Bakugou.

There’s something to be said about the starting of the games and the walk the Olympians do. All dressed in the colors of their countries, head held high waving to the fans as their flags signal, their arrival. It’s a proud moment that such a small number of athletes in the world ever get to experience. Through blood, sweat, and tears, this was it, this is what they’d worked so hard for years to achieve. It was a second chance for he and Katsuki to shoot for their gold medal dreams. Which is really about pride not monetary gain. It’s to prove you’re the best in the world.

The morning of the short program was spent getting prepped like usual. Costumes, check. Hair and makeup, double check. Skates shined and sharpened. Music provided to the program director. There was nothing more for them to do but wait until it was their turn. Izuku focused on staying calm and not hurling up his breakfast, while Katsuki paced like a caged animal listening over the P.A. for the results as one by one each countries teams took the ice. They could go and watch the performances, but that might fry their nerves even more than it already was. Then again watching Katsuki pace wasn’t helping either, so Izuku steps out of the dressing area and into the hall for a break.

“Izuku Midoriya?” A voice spoke from his left.

“Yes?” He turns to look and smiles. “Oh, hello Mr. Todoroki. Heading up?”

“Soon. I just wanted to congratulate you on making it this far.”

“That’s really kind of you. Congratulations as well to you and Ms. Yaoyorozu.”

“Also, for surviving Katsuki. You must be quite the man to stick around.”

‘If only you knew.’ “Um, thanks,” Izuku chuckled nervously, praying that Katsuki couldn’t hear them from inside the room. “It’s been interesting to say the least.”

“So, you plan on staying his partner after this?”

Izuku pauses, debating whether to speak up or pretend nothing was wrong. But who was he kidding, Shouto had worked with Katsuki and was his partner at the last Olympics. This man would probably know if Izuku tried to lie about anything. He lowers his voice, head shaking in emphasis of his words. “No, well, I haven’t fully decided yet.”

“Well, if you don’t give me a call. I’ll help you find a new partner.”

“Oh. Wow. Thanks!”

Shouto tips his head. “Good luck to you Izuku Midoriya.”

He smiles. “Good luck to you too, Mr. Todoroki.”

The smile on Izuku’s face stays firmly planted as he watches the man walk away. Shouto Todoroki was easy on the eyes for sure, and he appreciated how nice he was unlike his own partner. Yaoyorozu was a lucky woman in more ways than one ever since they’d announced their engagement two months back. Ah, well. One day he’ll get lucky in the love department too. Still smiling to himself, Izuku goes back into the dressing room, but instead of a pacing Katsuki he finds a glaring one looking right at him.

“Kacchan, are you okay?”

Unlike in the past, the man says nothing and doesn’t respond. He can see Katsuki’s fists clenched at his sides as if he was barely controlling his anger. Had the man heard his conversation with Shouto?! Well, you know what? After all he’s been through, he didn’t care if he had. “Fine, ignore me. We’re up soon, so be ready.” Izuku walks back outside without missing a beat. He was through with Katsuki’s behaviors.

So, surprise, surprise, the short program was like a repeat of their qualifiers. Perfect technical scores, but the components... high skating skills, high transitions, compositions, and interpretations... mediocre on the performance element. Their whole vibe lacked an emotional tie to the music or each other and the judges reamed them for it. At this level of competition, when scores differed by fractions of points, the smallest misses could be your death sentence. It left them in 4th place, 2 levels below the other American team. To reach gold now required an extraordinary long program.

The limo ride was tense the entire way back to the rented villa, with Eijiro stuck in the middle of two men refusing to even look at each other. “This is why you scored low!” He snaps at them the second they walk into the front door. “You,” he points at Katsuki. “Your anger is killing this team! I had such high hopes for you both, but without the Pamchenko, it’s over!”

“Tch!” Katsuki crosses his arms, “I ain’t got no problem with that.”

Eijiro opens his mouth to counter, but it’s Izuku who snaps first. “You, selfish, spoiled brat! It’s easy for you to say cause you’re not the one taking the greatest risk and I’ve already left the Olympics once with a sidelining injury, so I’m not gonna risk it again!” Tears break free unencumbered as he walks straight up to Katsuki and slaps him as hard as he can across the face. “Just when I’d started to fall in love you reverted back to this,” motioning up and down at the shocked male, “the asshole who only cares about himself! How could someone like you ever love me?! How?!” Izuku screams at the top of his lungs... then silences his tears, “you can’t, not like this.” He runs away to his room, slamming the door, and leaving a flabbergasted Katsuki standing there like a fool.

“He’s right,” Eijiro walks up and stares him down. “All these years I’d hoped you would change— that he might be the key, but now I don’t know.” He walks away to his room too.

“Argh!!” Katsuki screams and leaves the house. Everything was falling down around him again! “Fuck!” But he knew it was all his own damn fault. He’d wanted so badly... and now to find out Izuku... “Fucking dumb fuck!” He screams at himself! How the hell does he fix this?!

The sun had not yet risen by the time Izuku and Eijiro were up and eating breakfast quietly in the kitchen area. Neither said anything, just looking down like robots programmed to follow mundane human behaviors. Katsuki’s bed was empty and it was clear he hadn’t slept in it, but no one knew where he was. The doorman told Eijiro the man had left after the fight and never returned, and he had turned off his phone. The coach was pretty certain Katsuki wouldn’t have left the area without retrieving his belongings, plus the airline ticket was still unused. So, where was he?

“We’ll go to the arena like normal,” Eijiro tells Izuku. “Hopefully Katsuki turns up.”

Izuku himself wasn’t in the best state of mind either and mindlessly nods at the coaches words. He knew the things he’d said to Katsuki were true and needed to be said, but that didn’t mean it made him feel any better. Part of him wanted to just forfeit and leave, but at the same time, he didn’t want to be labeled the reason a U.S. team had to forfeit. If Katsuki really was going to be the stupid one, Izuku wasn’t going to let the man take him down too. Katsuki came from wealth and didn’t need anything. All Izuku had was his reputation and honor, and that was worth protecting.

The longer the day went on with no sign of Katsuki, the more Izuku really wished he could just curl upon in some hole. He felt as if everyone in the field was silently judging him. ‘Where’s his partner? Did they have a fight? Poor guy. Aww how sad...’ there he was all dressed and ready for the long program with no partner. He warmed up on the ice just in case, but it was pretty miserable doing it all alone.

Less than two hours before they were set to skate, Katsuki’s mother walks in, dragging her son behind her. Eijiro gets up to meet his employer, but Izuku barely manages a smile when the woman comes up to him.

“I know we’ve never had a chance to meet Mr. Midoriya, my name is Mitsuki Bakugou, and I extend my warmest thanks for working with my problematic son.”

Not wanting to be rude to the woman, “it’s nice to meet you Mrs. Bakugou. Your son he... he has his good sides.”

The woman laughs, “no need to be humble, I know my son is a brat. And that’s my fault, I shouldn’t have spoiled him so much. But I just want you to know that you really have made a big impact on him.” She chuckled, “It’s been quite shocking for my husband and I to listen to Eijiro’s reports.”

“Oh...” Izuku’s eyes widen. He never knew the coach was spying! “I, um am not sure what to say,” he stammers.

“Okay, okay old hag,” Katsuki suddenly interjects and starts to push his mother out the door. “We gotta get ready, so we’ll see you after the program!”

“Don’t call me a hag you brat!” She yells at her son, then waves at Izuku. “It was nice meeting you!”

“It was uh, nice to meet you too,” Izuku responds and waves back.

Katsuki returns a few minutes later and approaches Izuku. “Could we talk in private somewhere?”

“You need to get ready first,” Izuku states matter of fact. “We skate in less than 2 hours and we need to be ready.”

Katsuki nods without arguing and goes to the stylists chair, telling them to make it quick. And it doesn’t take very long for them to dress and tame his hair. Once that’s done, Eijiro and the stylist quietly take their leave.

“So,” Izuku stands there with his arms crossed, “what did you wanna say to me?”

Katsuki sighs, long and deep, hanging his head and closing his eyes. “I know saying sorry won’t mean much at this point, but for what it’s worth, I’m truly sorry Izuku.” He opens his eyes full of tears. “Last night when I left, I was so angry at myself, at the world, then I saw you with Shouto again and that pissed me off, and I took it out on you again, and that’s not right. So, I kept walking, and walking, just thinking about everything. My life, about this sport, and most of all you. I-I don’t deserve you, at all, I know that.” He pauses for a moment and closes his eyes again. “And when I found myself standing on the edge of a pier ready to jump, I called my mom to come get me.” He chuckled forlornly, “me still crying to my mother at this age, it’s so fucking pathetic. She convinced me to come here today and finish what we’d started for better or worse, make it right by you because I’m the one who dragged you into this world and it’s not okay to make you face it alone. If you hate me, I—,”Katsuki squeezes his eyes shut again as he takes another deep breath. “I-I’ll accept that. If you never forgive me, I’ll accept it because I don’t expect your forgiveness. But I just wanna say thank you for everything and I’ll always love you Izuku.”

The whole time Katsuki spoke, the man never made eye contact with him, but Izuku could feel the waves of regret flowing from him in a way he hadn’t expected. It was different from the time in Hawaii, much more heartfelt. Not that Katsuki hadn’t been trying back then, but he wasn’t exactly sure how to describe it. This apology hit Izuku more deeply somehow and when the man said he’ll always love him— he just knewKatsuki meant it with every fiber of his soul... and he knew no one could ever replace Katsuki in his own heart.

“Oh, Kacchan I don’t hate you.” His voice was soft and full of tenderness. He closes the gap between them and takes the man’s hands, forcing him to look up. His eyes were filled with happy tears, and his ear-to-ear smile was brighter than any other time in his life. “I can’t say I’m not frustrated, but I don’t hate you. Okay? We’ll work on stuff together.”

At that moment, Eijiro pops his head back into the room. “It’s time to hit the ice guys.”

“Okay!” Izuku answers cheerfully before turning back and wiping away Katsuki’s tears and his own. “Come on,” he pulls Katsuki from the dressing chair, turning as he talks, “we’re gonna kick everyone’s ass with the Pamchenko!”

“What?!” Katsuki pulls Izuku to a stop. “No! You’re right it’s too risky! We’re not doing it!”

“Yes!” Izuku continues pulling and walking, dragging Katsuki with him, “we’re doing it!” He smiles genuinely, causing Katsuki’s cheeks to flush red.

“N-No, I don’t want to risk you getting hurt Izuku! It’s too dangerous!”

The closer they get to entrance of the rink, their voices lower but the back, and forth argument continues. Yes! No! Yes! No! Yes!! The announcer calls their names, so they skate onto the middle of the rink and assume their positions.

“If you think I’m doing all this to get a routine out of you, you’re wrong! Izuku, why are you doing this?!”

“Because,” he smirks back, “I’m in the mood to kick a little ass!”

Izuku’s statement and the energy exuding from the man, makes Katsuki’s eyes flash with an adrenaline rush of excitement. He’s never felt such a rush before a program, and he loves how it feels! Any doubt he’d had of his feelings for Izuku, melted away the second the music began.

Their bodies moved in perfect alignment, truly lost in the music and their long-practiced routine flowing as a dance along the ice like two lovers pushing and pulling against each other in reflection of the journey it took to get to that point. The audience ooh and awed, spellbound as the pairs hands, strong yet covetous, molded in loving embrace before heart stopping explosive leaps and spins send their toes curling, and lifting them off their seats. But no one was more enraptured then the two skaters. The world simply fell away, and the competition became a blur around them.

Izuku had no time to process the sheer excitement coursing through his veins or those elusive tingles he’d longed to feel again from Katsuki. But they fueled him, drove him towards their end goal, and made him feel more alive than he’d ever felt! It was magic, pure and simple.

They flowed effortlessly into the first stage of the Pamchenko, with no falter to the strong grip Katsuki had on Izuku. The man was confident which in turn made him relax and relinquish all control to Katsuki’s capable hands. Izuku stayed focused, his arms kept tightly to his sides, counting each spin as the g-force momentum built up to the perfect pitch... and finally the release. The audience goes silent as Izuku’s body spun through the air, one, two, triple axel... caught! In Katsuki’s arms as Izuku hits the ice again. The entire stadium erupts while the pair glides to a smooth stop in the middle of the rink, with Izuku dipped and cradled in Katsuki’s arm.

Neither cared about the judges or competition nor the screaming fans on their feet, cheering in a thunderous roar. It was just them gazing at each other as they caught their breaths with camera lights flashing all around them.

“But why?” Katsuki’s questions Izuku again, because he genuinely couldn’t understand why the man was willing to take such a high risk. “You didn’t have to do it.”

Izuku beams back, “I told you before,” eyes softening. “Because I love you.”

Katsuki’s heart skips and soars as he swoops in, kissing Izuku with all the pent-up passion the man brought out of him. It was magical, freeing, and nothing could compare to this moment, not even winning gold! He helps Izuku to his feet and takes his hand as they bow for the crowd then skate off the ice to await the scores. “I still don’t deserve you Izuku, but I’m gonna spend the rest of my life spoiling you rotten to earn it.”

Izuku giggles, “I just want the real Kacchan, that’s all I need to be happy.”

“Well, too bad,” Katsuki laughs back, “I’m still gonna spoil you.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.” Katsuki clasps Izuku’s face in his hands with a grin. “I’m gonna work hard to curb my anger,” placing another kiss on the man’s lips, “but this is one fight you’ll never win, so just accept it.”

A tear trickles down Izuku’s cheek, which Katsuki smooths away with his thumb. Izuku felt like a damn princess in some fairytale, his eyes twinkling in the light. “Oh, Kacchan...”

[justsomeartsthings]

Good Brother

Summary: Could haves, should haves, what happened and what will happen-- when they remember. Papyrus POV, Angst, Implied Self-Mutilation.

.

It could have gone like this:

You wake up in the middle of the night to a knock on your door. 

It’s Sans. He looks like hell. “can i come in,” he says. You let him in. He joins you in your racecar bed, clinging to you like it’s all he’s got left. You don’t find any nicks engraved in his arms. You don’t know better than to think he knows what’s real. Everything is alright, because it is.

He has a nightmare. You whisper things like, “Don’t worry,” and “I’m here,” and “Forget about it.” You rub his back until his breathing evens out, and he sleeps. In the morning, he seems relaxed. He thanks you, and you brush it off.

You are a good brother.

.

It should have gone like this:

You wake up in the middle of the night because it’s quiet. Sans isn’t a loud sleeper, but he does snore, and the walls are too thin for you to be hearing nothing and Sans to be okay. You get up and knock on his door.

He answers it groggily. His eyesockets say he can’t sleep, but he won’t tell you that himself. He lets you in. You join him on his bare mattress, where the half-light from the window bleeds onto his forearms. You ask him what’s on his arms. He deflects. You insist. 

He tells you he has to keep track. He has to count the days, because he doesn’t know which one will be the last. Like an etching, he scratches. Like an itch. You tell him there are better ways to count. He doesn’t listen. You tell him you’ll help him. He asks you if this is happening. You tell him it is. 

He tells you he loves you. He agrees to try. You curl up next to him and fall asleep.

Weeks later, he gets better. He still has his spacey moments and awkward mistakes in front of friends, but his grin feels easier, and he snores louder than ever before. His therapist tells him to focus on the now. His arms are healing. He knows where he is. He tells you one day that he doesn’t remember why everything had gotten so bad in the first place. You look down at him, and you know, even when he struggles, he’s still your brother.

And you’re his.

.

It happened like this:

You didn’t wake up in the middle of the night because there was nothing to wake you. Sunlight rouses you, and when you leave your room, Sans’ bedroom door is open. 

He isn’t in his room. He isn’t anywhere. You search the whole house. The backyard. The neighborhood. The town. You look for hours, but the whole time you know where he’s gone. You don’t tell your friends, because Sans wouldn’t want you to. You head up the mountain by yourself and return Underground. 

There’s no power. The CORE was shut down. Everything is grey and black. A bleak graveyard of memories. 

He’s not in your old house, or Grillby’s, or any of his stations. You find no trace of him anywhere. Until you find Alphys’ hidden lab. 

You find a table. A knife. Slivers of bone, and scattered monster dust.

You do find Sans, eventually. He’s on one of the catwalks in the CORE, with the railings that overlook hissing pools of magma. Except he’s standing on the wrong side of the railing. 

He’s motionless, like he was waiting for you. His only tethers to safety are his hands on the rail. Trembling and dusty and cracked in the middle, like he tried to jam a knife straight through his palm.

There are other cuts up and down his arms. Tally marks. They’re old.

You ask him what he’s doing. He says he doesn’t know. “just hangin’ out,” he says. You inch closer. He turns your soul blue. You tell him you want to talk. “then talk,” he says. 

You ask about his arms. He tells you he had to keep track. He had to count down the days until. He doesn’t say until what. 

You ask about his hands. He tells you he couldn’t help it. He’d been trying to scratch it for weeks. “couldn’t reach the itch. finally got it, didn’t i? heh.” 

He tells you it’s gonna be okay. He tells you it’s all happened before. It must have. It must’ve.

You ask him if he knows where he is. He tells you it’s gonna turn out okay. 

You ask him what time it is. It’s okay. 

What day it is. It’ll be okay. 

Who you are.

He doesn’t respond, just looks down into the churning magma that crackles like the clench of sharp teeth. Then he thanks you.

You ask him what for.

“for letting me remember him,” he says, and jumps.

.

It’s like this:

You’re sent back. Before the Surface, before the human, before everything. You remember very little. What’s left in your memory pesters you, like a half-translated engraving.

You don’t know who or what you’re supposed to forget. You don’t think Sans knows, either. You’re going to keep it that way. Because that’s what good brothers do.

This time, you’re going to be a good brother.

Or die trying.

(Mindlessly, you scratch an itch in your palm.)

.

AO3

[mehaksachdeva2020]

Sleep Secrets of Successful People.

We all love to sleep. The ultimate relaxation for the body and the only time when we can dream without being fully conscious.

Dreams in which we can go as high as could be expected under the circumstances and perhaps accomplish whatever we spend our entire daytime pondering.

 Be that as it may, on the off chance that we truly need to make those fantasies a piece of our existence, we need to cut up on a considerable lot of our extravagances, a satisfying sleep being one of them. Explaining the incongruity filled proclamation: You need to lose a few dreams, to accomplish the others. 

This may be excessively brutal, however it is the truth. The opposition on the planet is wild to such an extent that you need to work a hundred times harder and focus on it, in the event that you truly need to arrive at some place, much the same as a portion of these profoundly successful people. They took out time from any place conceivable to take a shot at their fantasies, and sleep was one of it.

 They all had their different penances when it came to eliminating sleep. Be that as it may, an example can be seen in the sleep hours of these great heads. We have drilled down a portion of the sleeping examples of exceptionally successful people.

 1. Long stretches of sleep

 We by and large accept 8 hours of sleep is the base of what an individual ought to expend regularly to have a solid life. Be that as it may, the measurements that we have here depict an alternate story. 86% of exceptionally successful people sleep somewhere close to the hour tally of six to eight, six being the most liked. We as a whole are taken care of with innumerable exhortation that 8 hours is a base, however these pioneers are doing fine and dandy with a measure of less than 8 hours. Around 40% from the over 86 being the six-hour-sleepers.

 2. Time to Bed

 Ahead of schedule to bed, right on time to rise makes a man sound, rich, and insightful". A noteworthy lion's share of successful people tend to lean toward the time window of 9:30 – 11:00 p.m. as their essential sleeping time. To indicate the number, as per Forbes.com, the rate is fairly around 64. A small level of successful people suggest a time allotment after 11 p.m., yet as we state throughout everyday life, there are consistently special cases. Our group of sleep researchers has brought up the 9:30–11 p.m. window to be the best timings for a sound sleep.

 3. Awakening time

 Life is excessively short. In the event that you need increasingly out of it, get up right on time. We as a whole have been pestered around a hundred times for getting up right on time. We have been told a wide range of stuff like it is useful for the body, It's the most tranquil piece of the day, and it quiets the brain, it is the most gainful hours of the entire day. All things considered, these all reasons are a hundred percent right, and the verification of the equivalent is reflected in the sleep calendars of a portion of the profoundly successful people. The greater part of the pioneers like to wake up anyplace between 4 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Awakening with daylight and taking in the natural air. There's nothing superior to that.

 Sleep long stretches of 10 significantly successful pioneers:

 Presently we should proceed onward to the area where we list the sleep timetables of the ten exceptionally successful pioneers who hustle throughout each and every day, lift the fronts of the virtuality they had always wanted and show them the essence of the real world. 

Jack Dorsey – Co-organizer of Twitter, is known to sleep at 10:30 and wake up around 5. So to some degree around six and a half long stretches of sleep.

 Jeff Bezos – Founder and Ceo of the web based business goliath Amazon, sleeps from 11 p.m. to 6 p.m., Clocking 7 hours of sleep a day.

 Indra Nooyi–Pepsi co's ex-administrator and one of the world's 100 most influential ladies, sleeps just four hours every day. She sleeps something like 12 and awakens at 4. 15 minutes plus or minus.

 Richard Branson – Founder of the Virgin gathering, cases to sleep 5 hours. The best window is 12 to 5 a.m.

 Thomas Edison – The American Inventor was known to have 5 sleeping hours of the day devoted from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.

 Neil Patel – The most pursued computerized showcasing around the world and the organizer of ubersuggests and insane egg, sleeps for around 8 hours. 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

 Elon Musk – Tesla, Paypal, and SpaceX sleep at 1 a.m. what's more, wake up at 7 a.m.

 Tim Armstrong – Chairman and CEO of AOL sleep 6 hours every day, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

 Tim Cook – CEO of Apple inc. sleeps from 9:30 to 4:30 

Barack Obama – Former President of the United States, sleeps 6 hours from (1 a.m. – 7 p.m.)

Here are some tips to help you follow your strict sleep schedule with maximum comfort:

1. No eating before 3 hours of sleep time: Our body takes a shot at processing the food that we ate, and that can surely hurt the slowing down procedure. Additionally, indulging around evening time can upset the entire timetable and mischief our general wellbeing.

 2. Wash up before hitting the sack: Taking a shower would assist you with nodding off rapidly. The general internal heat level brings down, making it simpler for you to rest off.

 3. Have an ideal sleeping condition: A dim, cold stay with the curtains shut off and calm atmosphere causes you sleep right on time with no issue. The more agreeable you are, the better and sooner you will sleep. This will assist you with following your sleep routine better.

 4. Contemplation: Clearing your head before sleeping can assist you with sleeping better as it will keep all the overthinking ceaselessly. 

Conclusion:

 Sleep and achievement have an extraordinary relationship. It resembles the expression that has been called numerous a period however immeasurably overlooked by people," Health is Wealth." Successful people comply with the requirements of their bodies and deal with everything, particularly sleep. Sleep Deprivation can have numerous unsafe impacts on the body, and you can't make long haul progress on the off chance that you put your body through agonizing measures of sleepless hours. Fix your propensities; wellbeing is a definitive riches; without it, all that you do is good for nothing.

[rebelsofshield]

Panels Far, Far Away: A Week in Star Wars Comics 9/25/19

A crowded week ends the Age of Resistance, brings the fight to Darth Vader, and dives further into the inner layout of a dark temple. Yup, even when I’m over half a week later, I’m still gonna review Star Wars comics.

Star Wars Adventures #26 written by Cavan Scott and Adam Christopher art by Derek Charm and Megan Levens

Star Wars Adventures doubles down with two new Sequel Trilogy stories this week. Superstar team of Cavan Scott and Derek Charm showcase a lost lesson between Luke Skywalker and Rey and Adam Christopher and Megan Levens guide Tallie Lintra through Wild Space.

I’ve put a lot of praise over the past few years on the creative duo of Scott and Charm. The two have regularly proven a near unparalleled ability to tell creative and visually fun short stories starring Star Wars’ ever expanding pantheon. Their story of Rey and Luke may not be their most striking, but the ability for these two creators to tell fun and true to character narratives stays consistent.

While placing it in The Last Jedi’s chronology is more than a little difficult, “Life Lessons” still provides a fun little character study of its central duo along with lots of requisite action and humor. Charm and Scott manage to nail Luke’s world weariness while still keeping his sense of humor and nagging responsibility for duty and heroics. It manages to be a fun glimpse into Rey and Luke at a key point in their lives while also offering a sea serpent and Chewbacca saving Porgs.

It appears that Tallie Lintra is set to join the likes of Biggs, Porkins, Dac, and dozens of others shortlived pilots who became franchise staples years post mortem. This story of Tallie rescuing a stranded smuggler is surprisingly economical with Christopher plugging a full story into just eight pages. We don’t necessarily get more of Tallie as a character, but it makes for a fun enough tale and opens the door for further adventures later down the line.

Score: B

Star Wars Age of Resistance: Kylo Ren #1 written by Tom Taylor and art by Leonard Kirk

Kylo Ren is one of the most dramatic and thematically rich characters in the Star Wars saga. Whether you want to see him go down as a self-destructive force of evil or redeemed to join the light, the lost son of Han Solo and Leia Organa has carved a path of tragedy and intrigue in his wake. It’s hard to blame Tom Taylor for making three of his eight Age of Resistance titles orbit around Kylo, but now it’s time to give the son of darkness the spotlight.

One of the most inspired aspects of Kylo’s character has always been the insecurity of his own legacy. Star Wars could never replicate a villain of Darth Vader’s gravitas and pathos, so the shadow of this family history became a defining part of his character. “Out of the Shadow” takes this dynamic and spins it into a large scale galactic battleground.

The First Order looks to capture a planet that tested The Empire during its original reign. In particular, the local warlords and their mysterious god proved difficult for Vader himself. Kylo looks to bring this planet to heel while also fulfilling and also exceeding his grandfather’s example.

The resulting narrative is simple but effective. By pairing Kylo with a Stormtrooper that served in the original Imperial army and seeking parallels between both generations of Dark Siders, there is an impressive layering to the story that makes it feel more mythic in scope. Kylo’s struggle with his own legacy won’t be resolved by the end of this comic, but Taylor plots an effective glimpse into his back and forth.

Leonard Kirk succeeds in particular here. Many have complained about some of Kirk’s creative choices when it comes to rendering Adam Driver’s face to the page. Luckily, like his earlier Captain Phasma issue, much of the issue calls for a mostly masked protagonist and lots of large scale and high intensity action sequences. It gives Kylo a larger than life victory that he’s been missing from much of the recent canon.

Finally, after a year in publication, the Age of… maxi series has come to a close. While most of these comics were fun and forgettable, we did get a few stunners along the way and finally got to see more of some of the franchises iconic but less highlighted characters. Hopefully, this opens the lane for more exciting things to come.

Score: B+

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order-Dark Temple #2 written by Matthew Rosenberg and Paolo Villanelli

We are just a little under two months until Jedi: Fallen Order releases on video game consoles. With a new trailer highlighting the games story and gameplay dropping earlier this week hype is starting to build for this long overdue addition to the lengthy Star Wars gaming canon. Luckily, we have Dark Temple to hold us over.

Matthew Rosenberg continues to split the script for this series into two segments. The first taking place in a present sometime after Revenge of the Sith following Second Sisters hunting down of a Jedi holdout and the other following Cere’s adventures on the planet of Ontotho. Now separated from her apparently deceased master and uncovering the hints of a massive conspiracy, Cere finds herself searching for allies and desperate for survival.

As with last issue, Dark Temple offers two disconnected but nonetheless entertaining segments. Paolo Villanelli’s pencils are stellar at capturing in motion action sequences and his depiction of the Second Sister continues to be brutal, swift, and deadly. Visually it’s enough to make these openings exciting even if how they connect to the main story is still mostly a mystery.

Cere on the other hand is still struggling to define herself as a character. Thompson has crafted an intriguing and detailed conspiracy to ravel her up in, but as fun as it is to read, I still can’t help but feel that we are failing to get to know this young woman and what makes her tick. Luckily, Thompson populates the mystery with an enjoyable smarmy villain and a cantankerous droid sidekick that feels classically Star Wars.

Hopefully the less impressive aspects of Dark Temple come together over the next few issues. As of the moment, the plot and art are more than enough to keep me reading, but I would love to get to know more about the woman at the center of this comic.

Score: B

Star Wars Target Vader #3 written by Robbie Thompson and art by Stefano Landini

Writer Robbie Thompson is playing the slowburn approach to our getting to know the galaxy’s newest (sorta) cyborg badass. Each issue of Target Vader so far has slowly teased out the history of Beilert Valance with each giving us slightly bigger glimpses into his past. While backstory is never a substitute for poor characterization or bland dialogue, getting in touch with Valance’s past does help and slowly Target Vader is improving alongside it.

As it stands, most of the regular issues behind this comic remain. Valance and his bounty hunters are for the most part an uninteresting cast of characters and it’s more than a little difficult to get invested in their high stakes hunt of Darth Vader. The big reveal that the rebellion are the Hidden Hand at the end of this comic’s first issue still robs the story of much of its mystery. (There is also the possibility that this was a fakeout, but there hasn’t been info presented in the script to really challenge this reading so far.) The art is serviceable but is often let down by some bland coloring decisions by Neeraj Menon.

There are some of life though. As mentioned earlier, this issue’s opening flashback to Valance’s time in the Imperial military is the strongest of these so far and hints towards an intriguing relationship between him and Darth Vader that will hopefully get fleshed out more down the line. There is also a welcome wrinkle in bounty hunter, Urrr’k. While simply having a sharp shooter badass female Tusken was a great addition to the comic, the idea that she might actually be some sort of imposter or sleeper agent adds a welcome air of uncertainty to the ensemble and spices up an otherwise bland cast of characters.

All in all, there is still some thrill in watching a well laid plan by some galactic scum bring Darth Vader down to their level. Thompson centers the issue around one large trap of a set piece and the result proves fun despite the shaky foundation that is built upon.

We are only halfway through this comic so maybe the story hints that are starting to show themselves will make this story worthwhile. Let’s hope so, because the potential is certainly there.

Score: C+

[shepherds-of-haven]

Lena, if someone tried to attack/kill the Shepherds in the dead of night, who is the most prepared and kills the intruder right away? Who’s for sure dead because they didn’t wake up? How screwed would you be in this scenario?

Oooh good question!

Blade: he has trained for this all his life. The killer is dead before they even cross the threshold of his door

Trouble: he wakes up at the very last possible second and manages to fight the killer off, but his delayed response results in a hard struggle and most likely injury to him. He doesn’t die, though!

Tallys: her eyes are open and shining like a cat’s in the gloom, thoroughly unnerving her attacker. No one gets the jump on a bitch who’s lived 200 years

Shery: she’s a light sleeper, so she would most likely wake up and have enough time to scream, but it’s doubtful that she’d be able to physically fight the intruder off if they decided to go through with the attack anyway!

Riel: he’s awake and reaching for his cane (which is really a thin sheathed blade) or the gun he keeps strapped beneath his bed quite quickly

Chase: he was awake before you even stepped foot in the house. he casually addresses the intruder while laying on his bed like “so, i’m used to nighttime visitors, but not like this.” they have a civil but deadly conversation before the assassin steps through the wire trap he sets up across his threshold and gets an axe blade from the ceiling swinging down towards their head. Chase calmly observes.

Red: he most likely dies. He’s a pretty heavy sleeper... If he even woke up he’d be, like, disorientated lol like “uh... who’s there and are you going to kill me?” and then they do it lol

Ayla: she’s a very heavy sleeper but has an uncanny instinct for danger and the ability to be instantly awake with no disorientation. They might get up to her bedside before she wakes up, but then they’ll get a flying kick to their stomach or a blast of wind that hurls them out the window

Briony: she’s a fairly heavy sleeper if she’s in bed, though out in the field she’s more alert and prone to waking up if someone approaches her. she’d open her eyes the moment the blade was about to plunge, or otherwise wake up when the intruder clamped a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming, but then she’d panic and unknowingly send out like a flamethrower of magic or a concussive shock or punch them through a wall. Basically she only survives due to panic and losing control of her powers and is very shaken afterwards!

Lavinet: 50/50, I don’t think she’s hardened enough to wake up when a trained assassin creeps into her room, but she has the survival instincts and training to defend herself if she did happen to stir!

Me: The odds are a mix, I am an extremely light sleeper but sleep with earplugs and an eyemask lol! I feel like I’d wake up if the door opened, and I have a sword underneath my bed (coincidence, we had a lot of weapons between the two of us and we needed room in the closets), and I’m always rehearsing scenarios like what I would do if a zombie/intruder/ghost or whatever started fucking around in my house, but I’m also very physically weak lol. I put my odds of survival at like 25% if I’m by myself lmao!

Thanks for your question!

[yun-shuten]

Narcolepsy

Summary: Henry’s narcoleptic and a deep sleeper as well. Cue the disbelief. 

A thousands apologies if I got symptoms/effects of narcolepsy wrong.

Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

Bendy had been searching for his elusive Creator when there was a resounding thump that echoed throughout the floor. 

Normally it wouldn’t have interested the Ink demon seeing how some of the toons here were clumsy enough to trip over their own legs. 

However not long ago he had been chasing after his Creator who he had spotted on the floor. 

The human managed to elude Bendy this time but that just meant he was still on this floor. He must be because Bendy had been near the stairs the entire time and he had not seen a hair or skin of the human. 

“Creatoooor…!” He gurgled out with a wide grin, making his way over to the source of the noise and taking the inky web with him. 

Bendy had expected to see his Creator up to something, probably following the orders of the false Angel and stare at Bendy with unbridled fear, like always. He expected himself to be cackling in delighted glee as he chased down the human again to give him the death he so rightfully deserved. 

Instead, Bendy tripped over the body on the floor and landed on the floor with a wet splat. 

“Wha’ the heck?!” Bendy growled, hastily getting on his legs and glared down at the body on the floor. 

His forced smile dropped when he realised who exactly was it on the floor: the Creator himself. Yet he wasn’t moving. Not a single twitch or a shift of movement. 

‘Is he dead?’ Bendy frowned with concern, this wasn’t part of the game. 

He was the one who was supposed to kill the Creator, hell he even chased him all over the floor and this was the thanks he got for that?

The ink demon leaned in closer to his Creator and inspected him closely. 

His Creator still wasn’t moving… But he was breathing. 

And if Bendy strained his nonexistent ears, he could very vaguely make out extremely quiet snores. 

Was… Was his Creator asleep?

In the middle of a corridor? 

On a floor that he was fully aware Bendy was lurking in, searching to end the Creator’s life in as many painful ways possible so he’d pay for betraying the toons and Bendy?

If it wasn’t for how flabbergasted Bendy was, he would’ve probably murdered his Creator immediately for making a fool out of Bendy. 

‘But then again, it didn’t seem intentional.’ Bendy mused, staring down at the man warily, ‘… It must be a trick. Nobody just falls asleep in the middle of the hall like this.’ 

He shook his head and prodded one inky finger at the Creator’s side. 

No movement. 

Bendy experimentally grabbed the man’s shoulders and shook him back and forth. 

The Creator’s eyes were still shut, blissfully dreaming away.

Bendy pried open the Creator’s eyelids and stare into the man’s eyes that looked so far away. 

The moment he released them, they slid back shut automatically. 

Bendy bellowed an earsplitting screech that shook the floor. 

The Creator barely even stirred. 

“Well now how’re we supposed to continue the game now?” The ink demon grumbled.

With an indignant huff, Bendy dropped his Creator back on the floor and scratched his deformed head. This was not going according to plan. 

The Creator was breaking the rules and Bendy couldn’t get him to stop because nobody told him that the Creator slept like a rock. 

The scene was almost comedic honestly. Here he was, the Ink Demon who was feared throughout the corrupted studio, impatiently waiting for his renegade prey to wake up. 

Judging how the Creator barely reacted to Bendy’s prodding, it would be safe to say that the human was not going to wake up anytime soon. 

Fantastic. 

---

Boris wasn’t sure what to think of Henry at first. 

When Boris found Henry, the human was bleeding and bruised all over, and his clothes were ruined by ink splatters. He was incredibly wary of the toon at first, but somehow he knew Boris’ name. 

Boris knew there were others like him - his clones to say it simply - but most of them had been hunted down by the Angel down below. There was the chance that Henry had come from above as well, but that was impossible. Nobody ever entered the studio from the outside world. 

The Ink Demon made sure of that. 

It wasn’t too difficult to guide the human to the safe house, even if the human passed out halfway and Boris had to carry his small body. 

The perks of being together with another sentient creature was that you got to learn things about them that didn’t quite match with the mindless entities. 

For instance, Henry was fond of games. While the human’s injuries were healing, he and Boris played several games of card and even kept a tally board of who won the most.

So far, Boris was winning. 

Secondly, Henry was apparently prone to fall asleep at any time whether he was sitting on a chair or standing on the floor. 

Time to time, Boris would walk to the main room of the safe house to find Henry lying on the ground or snoozing on the chair. 

The first few times, he tried to wake the man up but he was quick to understand that Henry was a deep sleeper. 

Eventually, Boris simply resigned to carrying the human back to his cot whenever he found Henry asleep.

Boris couldn’t ask him why he kept sleeping on the floor either since he lacked a voice of his own. 

Henry however seemed to always pick up Boris’ silent words, something which the wolf was grateful for. 

“I’m narcoleptic,” The human told him while he turned the stove on, “It’s a disorder that makes me really sleepy during the day. For some people, it can be gradual or sudden, and in my case, it’s pretty sudden. So sudden that I’ll be walking and then just splat, go asleep.” 

He chuckled softly, “It scared a lot of my colleagues when they first found out, but they got over it and started putting me on the couch whenever they could.”

They stayed in the safe house for another day to ensure that Henry’s wounds had finished healing up, before deciding to venture back out into the studio.

Boris kept his ears alert for any sign of the other denizens of the studio or the familiar thump of Henry’s body passing on the floor. 

So far, so good. 

Henry didn’t show any signs of falling asleep either, in fact he seemed a lot more awake and alert than ever. Although that could be attributed to most of their time shared was spent in the safe house so Henry had no reason to be alert. 

Then Henry left Boris in the elevator ( “I’m not going to fall asleep anytime soon buddy, I promise that.” ) and Boris could hear Alice’s voice over the intercom. Henry must’ve found her. 

To his relief, Henry returned to the elevator relatively unscathed from Alice’s introduction, with the exception of ink splattering his clothes - though really, that was to be expected in a place like this.  Apparently Alice promised them release if Henry gathered objects for her. 

“You stay in the elevator while I find the things she want.” Henry said to him while he punched in one of the buttons in the elevator, “We’ll be out of here before you know it.” 

Funny. Boris can vaguely remember someone telling him the exact same thing. He stayed in the elevator just as Henry instructed him to do while the human went to fulfil Alice’s tasks. Occasionally he’d see the searchers crawl past the elevator, ignoring his presence entirely just as always. 

Thump.

Boris felt his dread spike.

He recognised the sound. It was the distinct thud of a body hitting the floor, just like Henry falling asleep, except he wasn’t anywhere near Boris for the wolf to pick him up. He was far outside the elevator with the searchers and Alice, and likely where the Ink Demon was lurking too. 

Boris scrambled out of the elevator in a hurry. There was no telling what would happen to Henry while the human slept through his narcolepsy induced nap, and considering the deep sleeper Henry was, he probably wouldn’t wake up even if someone shook him back and forth. 

Boris would know, he tried that. 

There was an angry screech that definitely belonged to the Ink Demon, and Boris was fast to find the nearest corner to hide in because he is not going to mess with the Ink Demon ever again. He cowered there for a while, letting a few seconds pass after the scream before he hesitantly looked up. 

The Ink Demon wasn’t anywhere near him. Did it find Henry? 

Boris sure hoped not.

He shakily wandered deeper into the hallways, slowly but surely getting closer to where he heard the Ink Demon scream and-

Boris quickly darted back behind the corner of the wall he had been passing and cautiously peeked over the edge.

Henry was there, lying on the ground but so was the Ink Demon who was walking back and forth impatiently, the inky web following him in his every step. 

Oddly enough, the Ink Demon hadn’t mangled Henry’s body yet. Maybe he thought Henry was dead?

Then Boris might have a chance to retrieve Henry before the Ink Demon noticed that Henry was asleep and not actually dead. 

It was a blessing that Henry had passed out close to the corner that Boris was hiding behind, as the wolf dragged the human’s body with him as quietly as he could. 

The Ink Demon had heard the shuffling of fabric against the wooden floorboards, and realised Henry’s disappearance. 

Boris was already out of there by the time the Ink Demon looked into the spot that Boris had been hiding in not so long ago. 

As soon as Boris carried Henry into the elevator, he punched one of the elevator buttons and watched the elevator descend down below, just in time for the Ink Demon to arrive in front of the leaving elevator. 

Boris let out a silent sigh of relief once the Ink Demon was out of view and sat on the elevator’s floor. He glanced at Henry who was still positively asleep despite the close call with Bendy, and was even curling up on the floor.

Hopefully Alice wouldn’t mind waiting for a bit longer for whatever assignment she gave Henry to be completed.

[imagine-loki]

Winter's Hearts

TITLE: Winter’s Hearts CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Six/? AUTHOR: nekoamamori ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine being Loki’s old friend/Lover in Asgard, but you left for Earth a long time ago. For all he knows, you might be dead, but you’re still alive and you’ve been working with SHIELD and/or the Avengers. RATING: T (so far) NOTES/WARNINGS: Also on AO3: Click here

    “Kyrie darling, you might want to wake up before the oaf comes looking for us again,” Loki’s voice was warm as his cold hand was on your shoulder, shaking you gently awake. It didn’t take much, you were usually a light sleeper. You opened your eyes and saw that Loki was sitting against the headboard propped up with pillows, a book in his hands. For a moment it was just like old times.

    You sat up a little shyly, 900 years had passed, you weren’t kids taking a nap after lessons anymore. You had both changed over the centuries. The question was how much? The more important question was if there was still enough of a spark to rekindle your relationship or even your friendship after all of this time?

    You gave him a mischievous smirk. “I guess I have some skills that are useful to you in the bedroom after all,” you teased, testing the waters to see if your friendship was still welcome after all of this time.

    “So it appears,” he replied, but the smirk and glint in his eyes gave his amusement away. You both burst into laughter. Maybe, just maybe.

    “Thanks for letting me stay. You really didn’t have to,” you told him as you got out of the bed. You did need to leave before Thor came looking for you again. Explaining why you were in Loki’s room first thing in the morning was not something you really felt like doing. To anyone. But most especially not to Thor who would completely misunderstand.

    Loki stood too, setting his book aside. “It was no trouble. The least I could do was make sure you were safe while you slept, you did me a couple of large favors last night, for which I thank you as well. Mother’s magic was difficult and tricky, as I would expect from her. The assistance with it was much appreciated,” his voice was bordering on too formal, too shy, as if you were strangers. Which you essentially were again…

    It was so hard knowing him so well and not at all.

    “Of course. Though I really should sneak out of here before we have to try to explain to Thunderhead why I spent the night here. That is not a conversation I wish to have…” you teased. He flushed a little.

    “Nor I,” he replied. With a smirk he waved his hand and there was an explosion somewhere in the tower. “That should buy you some time,” he grinned at you.

    “Thanks, Lohk!” you replied and darted from the room with a wave. “See you at breakfast!” you added and closed the door behind you before he could protest that he wasn’t hungry or wasn’t going to hang out with Thor and his idiot friends.

    You ducked into your room, changed into clean clothes, and grabbed your phone before strolling downstairs to see what the plans were for breakfast.

    Since everyone else was dealing with the explosion, you made breakfast. You also made sure to mark it on the tally next to the stove that you had made the meal. You tried to take turns and the tally board was to make sure things didn’t get too unfair with everyone’s hectic schedules. There was a separate tally board next to one of the windows in the window which currently read ‘5 days since last defenestration’. Bruce had stubbed his toe, which pissed off the Hulk, which led to Tony being thrown through the window while trying to calm him down. No one ever said life in the Avenger’s tower was peaceful or normal.

    The team started filing in just as you set the ginormous stack of pancakes and overflowing plate of sausages on the table. Seriously, you could have fed an army with how much food you made. It should be barely enough to feed three Asgardians, two super soldiers, one Bruce who ate like the Hulk half the time, and the two humans who somehow ended up on the team. Loki was the last one to file into the room, looking put-upon at having to come downstairs and completely disinterested in everyone and everything. You saw it was a facade, an overexaggeration of his natural shyness.

    The platters of food were passed around the table after everyone had taken their normal seats, leaving Loki to take the empty chair next to yours. “Do either of you know how Stark’s lab mysteriously blew up this morning?” Thor asked calmly, suspecting Loki first, and you by association.

    “No,” you and Loki lied blandly. The trick to a good lie was to keep it simple. The entire table looked at you, but since you two were the human-shaped lie detectors and you weren’t telling on the other, they were just out of luck. They didn’t trust either of you, but they couldn’t prove either of you were behind the mysterious explosion either.

    “Kyrie, what is this mortal food?” Loki asked you as you handed him the plate of pancakes. His tone had a sneer of disdain of anything Midgardian to it.

    “They’re called pancakes, and you will say you like them if only because I made them,” you told him too pleasantly. He looked over at you, surprised by the threat, but inclined his head and gave you the very barest of smiles.

    “Verily. I am sure I will thoroughly enjoy them,” he replied, accepting your threat at face value. Smart man.

    “Are we sure she didn’t poison them?” Stark asked softly. You threw a dagger down toward his end of the table.

    “I’m a warrior Stark. If I’m going to kill you it won’t be by poison,” you told him calmly, vanishing the dagger before it actually hit him. He still fell out of his chair to avoid it. You calmly set to work eating your pancakes. You saw Loki’s look of pleasure and that was before you pointed out that they were better with syrup. He looked suspicious, but tried it and agreed with your assessment that pancakes were better with syrup.

    “Loki, Y/N, after breakfast you have training downstairs,” Cap started. You both glared over at him. “We need to know the extent of your skills so we can see how you’ll fit in the team. Y/N, we know some of your abilities. I want a proper benchmark,”

    So after breakfast you made your way down to the training room grumpily. You didn’t want to do this. Thor and Cap came with you. You had a feeling the others would be down shortly to see the display. Loki was trying to show he’d made amends or was at least not evil, or else he would just be hiding somewhere with a book. You didn’t blame him either. Hiding somewhere with a book sounded way preferable to letting them see your actual skills.

    You changed to yoga pants and a sports bra as you walked and tied back your hair. You didn’t bother with gloves, you were sparring Loki or Thor. They’d be fine working with you. “Have you been practicing, your highness?” you asked Loki, almost teasing but there was seriousness behind the question too.

    “Have you?” he countered defensively. He was in sweat pants and a t-shirt. You gave him a tentative smile. He didn’t return it, so formal and stiff, an air of anger and hurt around him.

    So you began the first move of the warmup drills that you had been practicing since you could stand. They could be practiced alone or with a partner. You waited after the first move to see if Loki would jump in with the counter move, like he had done so many times before. His body moved without conscious thought and the dangerous dance began. You started slow, but the speed increased quickly as you both proved your skills had only improved over the centuries. You actually saw Loki smile in front of the others as you sped your way through the warmup drills.

    The daggers came out seamlessly between two sets of drills. Cap started to say something, but Thor clapped him on the shoulder. “They’re fine,” Thor told him. You barely registered the words, focused on what you were doing with live blades. “These are just warmup drills. Neither of them are in any danger from this,”

    “These are warmups?” Cap asked incredulously as the speed increased yet again, your blades blurring they were moving so fast. You grinned in delight at having a proper partner for the drills. The daggers vanished, replaced by bladed sticks between one move and the next. Wood and metal clacked and clanged as you moved.

    “Asgardians are warriors, and Y/N is a Valkyrie, one of our most elite. I would not expect Loki to win in a true fight against her. She’ll hold back for warmup drills, even though they look like they’re fighting full out, neither of them are,” Thor explained. The pace slowed with the drills switched to swords. The sword wasn’t Loki’s weapon, or your best, so you slowed the pace for the sword drills.

    The drills ended and you vanished your blades. You gave Loki a small bow, which he returned. Thor tossed you both towels, which you used to wipe away the sweat. “Show him what you can really do, Kyrie,” Thor bid you loudly.

    “What about me?” Loki demanded grumpy that Thor was paying attention to you and not him.

    “I know what you can do, brother,” Thor boomed his laugh. “I am sure your bout with Kyrie will be spectacular.” You knew there was no way out of this, so you stepped back to the middle of the training room, vanishing your towel. Loki joined you, looking equally resigned. The bout was as spectacular as Thor imagined. You and Loki fought with extremely similar styles, since you’d learned to fight together. You matched his speed and power, but knew that you had the edge. For the sake of the demonstration, you held back. “Faster, Kyrie. Stop holding back!” Thor called, calling you out on your hesitation to fight full-out.

    “This is just a demonstration,” you growled back at him as you spun and dodged and jabbed. You were keeping magic out of this match, that wasn’t the point of the demonstration.

    “Like you mean it!” Cap ordered.

    Loki snarled and moved faster, forcing you to as well. He wouldn’t be able to keep up the pace, not against a Valkyrie. For all that he was an excellent fighter and had done nothing but gain skill over the centuries. He couldn’t win this. You had only improved over the centuries as well.

    So you pushed your body to limits you hadn’t had to use since the trials, but you remembered and your body remembered. Remembered the speed and power that lived at the edge of desperation. You remembered it and used that power to end the bout. Loki was on his back with you straddling his chest, a dagger to his throat.

    “Yield,” he said, anger and resignation in his tone. You vanished your blade and got off of him, offering him a hand when you stood. He ignored it and you and got to his feet on his own. You made your way over to Thor and the collection of water bottles.

    “Satisfied?” you asked Cap seconds before you downed the entire bottle of water in one gulp.

    “Yes, that’s enough for today. Good job,” Cap replied. Thor’s arm was over your shoulders in an old friendly gesture. You kissed his cheek automatically.

    “I’m need a shower. I’m gross now,” you told him, as you ducked out from under his arm before he got gross too. You looked through the big window of the training room and saw that the rest of the team was standing there staring open mouthed. “How long have they been there?” you asked Thor.

    “Since you started the first warmup drill,” he replied jovially. “Our friends are impressed with your skills, little Valkyrie,” he added with a smile.

    “So it appears,” you weren’t sure that look of shock quite equated being impressed. It more looked like terror. Except Nat. She was impressed.

    “You’ll have to teach me some of those moves!” she called as you walked past to head back up to your room and its shower. She was grinning with excitement at the prospect.

    “I will!” you replied with a grin as the elevator doors slid shut. A short trip upstairs and you were back in your room under a way too hot shower. It took that way too hot shower to make sure your muscles wouldn’t seize up after that bout.

    Clean and dressed again in boring jeans and a t-shirt. You skipped the gloves. The others knew not to touch you, so you didn’t have to wear the uncomfortable things. You headed back downstairs with your book.

    Thor and Loki were having some kind of fight in the kitchen. Typical. Stark jumped in, taking Thor side and saying something rude about Loki that you didn’t quite catch. Something along the lines of getting beaten up by a girl maybe? Or some snide comment about New York. Either way, you could tell from Stark’s expression the moment he said it that even he knew it was beyond a reasonable about of hurtful. You saw the hurt in Loki’s eyes, hidden behind anger and his court mask as he stormed from the room. You grabbed his arm when he started to storm past you. “Lohk, wait, Stark’s an ass, but doesn’t really mean it. Just ignore him,” you told him when he turned and glared at you.

    “Why won’t you just leave me alone!?” he snarled at you with such venom and anger in his voice that you dropped his arm like he had shocked you, though that was Thor’s power, not his. “I’m not a child any longer. I’m not a puppy that needs coddling and constant care. I am a prince of Asgard!” he snarled, the reign on his temper completely gone. You’d seen him lose his temper before of course, but not like this, and never at you, not in earnest.

    “I-” you started to protest that he was your best friend and of course you wanted to make sure he was ok, but the sigil on your arm burned and flashed a warning. He was so angry and didn’t want you. He didn’t want the reminder of the childhood he should have remembered, of the happiness that had been taken from him. Not right now, maybe not ever… So you did what you had to, what duty and honor demanded. “Yes, of course. My apologies, your highness,” you stammered the apology, automatically taking a step back and bowing your head. The sigil on your arm burned and flashed again in warning. “A-as you wish.” You didn’t bother gathering your book before you fled with as much dignity as you could muster.

    Maybe that spark wasn’t as there as you’d thought…

    You knew it had been wrong to hope.

[glittcrsss]

@nebula-gaster​ said:  "Hey dork!" Stepping out of the shadows, Ombra pulled Tally into a hug, giving him a little noogie. "Having a good Halloween?" 

Tally returns the hug, tail wagging. “Yeah! I’ve been watching Voxflix with my brother and sister like all week, but now I’m kinda waiting for night to hit so me and my friends can go to this one party one of them has a job at.”

He leans in, as if what he was about to add was a secret. “And after that I am definitely tping houses.”

[sinsins52]

Everything Wrong With Cartoonsins Ep1: Spongebob Squarepants S1 Ep1: Help Wanted

ORIGINAL VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LNHeMeFOdo&t=0s&index=2

1.Okay, just call the video Everything Wrong With Help Wanted, geez.

2.(Description) “-you may have seen an amazing channel by the name of Cinemasins…With incredible humor and accurate movie analysis-” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

3.The thumbnail is just the title card, how creative.

4.The text is just thrown up on the title card so I can’t even do the thing where I read the text out of order.

5.”Why would Spongebob ever leave his house without his pants on?” By accident, I assume. It fits for him to just forget in all his excitement.

6.”A human hand in an animated cartoon in the first 15 seconds” Yes And…

7.”That is not how pants work” I was gonna say he’s fine with a human hand…but he isn’t, so I don’t know what to do here.

8.”Why would you have a favorite character? And why would it be SpongeBob?” Why wouldn’t he? Narrators can have favorites too!.

9.”Why is this narrator french?” It’s a reference to Jaques Cousteau

10.”It takes SpongeBob a Loud as a rock concert alarm clock to wake him up” He’s a heavy sleeper, what of it?

11.”And this is the last we will see of Gary for the rest of the episode” Well, yeah. He’s not important for this story.

12.”I’m Ready!” “And so a meme was born in the first episode” Not really a meme nor is this a sin.

13.”How is a place with the word Krusty, which is misspelled by the way so that’s two sins for both Krusty and Krab, the finest eating establishment in Bikini Bottom?” Because the food is just that good to them despite the name.

14.Also, not a misspelling, it’s intentional for the sake of alliteration.

15.”Whose first words were Can I take your order?” “That is not possible for a baby” It’s not crazy likely but it is possible.

16”How old were you to be making things out of toothpicks in woodshop?”  Whatever age he was in Middle/High School I assume.

17”How did Squidward not know that Mr. Krabs was hiring? He likely did but just forgot since he’s Squidward.

18.”I’ve been training my whole life for the day I could join the Krusty Krew” “Worst mistake of your life SpongeBob” How?

19.”Physics? What’s a physics” Sinning Cartoon Physics in a cartoon.

20.”How does SpongeBob know Mr. Krabs name?” Mr. Krabs is at least somewhat well know, being the owner of the most popular place in town.

21.”Squidward is a dick to SpongeBob” You may as well sin Patrick for being an idiot while you’re at it.

22.”All these Anchovies particularly screaming Meap are able to hear Squidward and actually calm down” They weren’t really THAT loud though.

23.He gives two sins for that for some reason so…

24.”In the world of SpongeBob, a bunch of Anchovies equals tidal waves.” I think that makes sense under this cartoon-y logic.

25.”SpongeBob has time to dance between all of this” When you’re doing it this quickly, you can spare some extra seconds

26.”The ocean of Anchovies decided to calm down because plot convenience” He said over clips of them eating the patties they were hungry for.

27.”Patrick’s gonna have to pay for all that, right?” Nothing says he doesn’t, at least this time.

SINS VIDEO SIN TALLY: 27

SENTENCE: Being naked (Didn’t’ rip it off from him, sssh)

This had less sins than I expected, given he had well over 100. I honestly kinda liked this video, there were some fun things he pointed and not quite as many big mistakes as I expected going on. It’s a bit long but not bad. Even if he’s stealing my job.

Next week, we honor October with some spooky sin sins. Well, more wacky than spooky…

[occupationalhazards-series]

Zero Hour: Track One (A Side)

[image- a drawing of a vinyl record with “Zero Hour A Side” and “Ciela, The Heir Not Quite Apparent” as the text in the center.]

Content Warnings: blood, self injury (in a non self-harm context), referenced child abuse and kidnapping, referenced abusive food restriction

In a stone lined room, a small girl lies in a bed. Her slick navy horns turn indigo in the first hints of sunlight, and the light casts a similar bright violet hue to her aubergine hair. Even the small disturbance of natural sunlight is enough to wake her, eerie mercury eyes snapping open even as her body stays stone still. Her breath pattern changes, but only barely.

She tenses minutely, and waits.

One breath, two, each nearly as silent as the last. Even with her vigilance, she hears no approaching guards and fails to sense the approaching magic of her attendant.

This small assurance is all it takes for her to spring into action, shoving a light blanket and sheet to the foot of the bed. The plain night clothes she wears don’t change at all in the light of the rising sun, their muted cream color remaining dull and boring. Her skin, however, does, the soft bronze shining a bright, magical copper in these few minutes she has to herself.

She drops to her hands and knees just as quietly as she had woken up, and reaches out under the bed. In one smooth motion, she slices her left ring finger on the prepared razor blade and smears the bloody digit on the hidden compartment under the bed. She catches the journal when it falls from the compartment, and shimmies back onto the bed, crossing her legs and settling herself into her morning routine.

First she closes her eyes, recalling and reviewing. Judging by the angle of the sunshine coming through the window, her attendant shouldn’t arrive for at least an hour. It is day four of the week so far, which means... breakfast, then free archive time. After that comes etiquette review, and that precedes sword training.

Joy.

She lets out a sigh and resigns herself. This is the day’s routine, and knowing is far better than not.

Especially on weeks when Lord Prince is around. Her huff isn't even forceful enough to move the longest part of her bangs, but her eyes flash a bright platinum.

Onwards, then. She opens the precious journal far more delicately than necessary, unable to stop herself from feeling the all too important inscription on the inside cover as she reads it aloud.

"To Our Beloved And Adored Hatchling-

May your scales grow strong,

may your magic grow true,

may your stories be told.

We love you."

Her voice is airy, but not light. It has the soft tone of someone who has had cautiousness beaten into them, and the surety of one reading an absolute truth. At this moment, the very edge of night conceding to day, only the latter sentiment matters.

Her steady breath wavers, shaking as she remembers. She wishes she was older when she left (when she was taken)- there simply aren't enough days to recall no matter how far she reaches back into her memory.

Nine years just isn’t enough, especially for her kind. (Yet four years is far too many. Funny how that works.)

She has to steel herself- mentally, of course. The strict dietary regimen Lord Prince makes her keep leaves her far too underweight to brace herself with a full body of scales like her mother.

Every day is too much, and every memory is not enough. It's not a surprise- nothing that happens near daily can truly be labelled a surprise- but it cuts jut the same.

One breath, then another. Moving on, she flips to the back of the book, and then carefully flips forward by several pages. There isn't a single word on any of these pages- just hundreds of tallies, carefully, furiously scratched in. They total in the thousands, and each one represents one day away from home.

Ciela leans over the bed and nearly falls off in her rush to grab the last hidden item from underneath it- a slick and elegant metal dip pen.

She settles back into position, noting the time as she carefully presses one preternaturally sharp fang into her left palm, slowly pulling her palm away and letting the blood well in her hand.

There is no way in all the Courts she'd use something as easily manipulated and identifiable as ink.

The blood of any and every Drake is a powerful magical artifact in and of itself, but the actual substance of an individual Drake's blood is even more useful than that- any Drake could and frequently did hide their secrets with it. (Blood is home. family. secrets. love. self. ancestry. futurepastnow.)

Blood casting is an instinctual, near primitive form of magic, taught to the youngest of hatchlings. But it WORKS.

The simplicity rebounds into strength- there must be a Drake, of sound enough mind to channel magic, and something important enough to spill blood over. Will and blood.

They are all that saves her.

One breath, then another. Focus. She writes in her journal while she can.

Dearest Elders-

I have no good news. I’m not sure I have any news at all. My attendant continues to give me leniences and graces that are sure to get them in trouble. I don’t know why. They gave me a whole bunch of ambrosia berries yesterday. My magic feels bouncy and airy and like I could fly.

I want to unbind my win

Why can’t my magic feel like this all the ti

IM SORR

I am growing, but not enough. My wings are so small I’m worr

I am small even for a human my age. I know I won’t be as big as you, Mother, but you and Father are not small people. My fourteenth winter approaches, and yet the ten-summer children of the archivist are taller. As Dauphin never ceases to mention.

The ambrosia berries were good. I’ve never had something so sweet. They taste like ceremonial wine and frost lightning and honey (It’s no wonder Dauphin pays so much for their wine.)

I want to taste some properly grown by sky fae one day. I’ll share some with you too, I promise. I haven’t grown into a selfish person without you. Not yet

I’m trying so hard , please believe me

I suppose I did have something to tell you today. I’m sorry it wasn’t important. I have to have faith that you still care about unimportant things

me my day.

I love you

-Ciela

She doesn’t cry. There is no one to trust with her tears.

Nothing to do but hide her secrets once more. She cleans her dip pen with the pitiful flames she can muster from her lungs she slips it back in its makeshift hiding place along with the journal. One more drop of blood and a burst of wild magic makes the whole thing disappear to the senses. Her hand twitches, spasming into a fist.

She can’t get rid of her rabbit pulse heartbeat.

So she takes a deep breath, and as she slowly releases it her eyes widen. Her primary, secondary, and tertiary eyelids open, and her irises glow a brilliant platinum.

The world comes into preternaturally sharp focus. Every color, every detail, stands out in sharp relief. It’s not just enhanced vision- truesight reveals magic, hidden or unhidden, wild or controlled.

Ciela takes four careful turns. Nothing can be suspect. Nothing is.

She had to be sure. She nods, satisfied, and changes the flow of excess magic to heal the small abrasions on her hand. It only takes a few seconds- they were no more severe than a papercut.

Pacing and preparations done, she heads over to the window. A hop and a scrunch and she’s settled into the rim of the bay window. She tries to look at the sky, tries to feel the clouds and calls of her own from within her cage. They don’t come to her, and it’s no surprise. She has been looking and reaching for one thousand four hundred and thirty eight days, and the closest she’s come is feeling the faint echoes of a Wyvern Call.

Either the wards are that strong, or the closest of her kin was over a hundred clicks away.

Whatever. At least she can see the sky in this room placement.

She’s too tired to glare, but the look on her face as she stares at the sky she hasn’t felt in years is withering none the less. Ciela sits near perfectly still in the closest thing she gets to tranquility for twenty eight minutes before she heads back to her bed. The stone floor is cold, and she pretends not to feel it.

A soft “pat pat pat” marks her elegant trudge back to bed. Her attendant will be in soon.

She doesn’t sigh as she pulls up the covers. Tears don’t escape without permission. Her mattress isn’t stiff, her blankets aren’t too thin, her skin doesn’t feel frail.

She thinks she’s pretty good at lying these days.

She nods off before long.

When its time for the attendant to come by, Ciela is still dozing. She wakes up just as the attendant reaches out to touch her shoulder. This is no surprise to the attendant- they have been stationed over Ciela for nearly two years, and are well aware she is a light sleeper. “Your schedule has likely been moved around, but your meal is still first on the agenda.”

Ciela nods and walks over to the closet to grab her formal day attire, assigned by the Dauphin’s attellier. She grabs an undershirt and bloomers first, one each out of the twelve identical garments in the wardrobe. Next comes the loose floor length trousers. A dull navy, they match the dark grey hip length wrap blouse’s accent and ties.

“Why? My schedule was just revised.” They turn towards the opposite wall while the young girl dresses. Their voice is low and smoky and androgynous . It seems to echo and gain volume and clarity the closer they get to the shadowy corners of the room.

"Why else? Prince is in a mood today”, they murmur. “He’s always in a mood. My lessons don’t usually get changed because of it.” They sigh, and the shadows around their cloak seem to ruffle. "Mmmm. True. It will hit the public announcements later today-the Crafter's Guild has decreed that all Ranked Crafters are prohibited from engaging in business with the Prince family. Apparently, they’re concerned about the implications of Lord Prince’s recent land acquisitions."

This warrants a pause from the younger of the two- “Really?”

“Mmm. Well, nearly every consultant Lord Prince has warned him against it.”

“ I remember overhearing something about it. Didn’t Lord Prince bid rather aggressively for an old manor that was seceded to the Fair Folk territory nearly three centuries ago?”

“Yes, and he won, too. All of his other bids have been close to Ley Lines, or near enough to another Court’s sacred territory to be just this side of politically... impolite. No one knows what he’s up to, but it doesn’t matter in the short term. This embargo will be a major blow to the business deals his family and the Court of Graves have that are in negotiations.”

Ciela makes an intrigued noise as she pulls on the blouse to tie it. "Wait. I thought that guilds couldn’t declare grievance against specific families without violating Court Law?"

The attendant hums and counters "Service embargoes technically aren't, but they tend to be risky enough anyway. I'd be surprised they had the temerity, but this isn’t a standard case. Can you tell me why?"

Ciela opened her mouth to respond, but remembered to stop and think it out first. Her brow furrowed as she carefully detangled her hair from her horns. Tight, unrelaxed curls at the scalp of her horns always tangled with the wayward stretched waves. "Because... they didn't declare a formal grievance? No, as a guild they couldn't anyway. Not against a whole family... although some might argue that the rule doesn’t apply if there’s only one person left in the family line."

"True, although any of the leading members of the guild could, and that would have it’s own implications." They said this mildly, patient enough to let the kid reach her own conclusions.

She sits down to tie the blouse and mull over her answer.

“Oh! I got it I got it! Because the Crafter’s Guild only forbid their ranking members from collaborating with the Prince family directly, and not every guild member or a specific person.”

She’s finished getting ready, but flexes her hands so she can focus to get a more complete answer. “Prince has been very aggressive in his politics lately. Is it possible the Crafter’s Guild was looking for any way they could find to keep their most skilled members from a contract with Lord Prince? Formal service contracts are supposed to be voluntary; each individual trades-person could choose to interpret such an embargo as ‘the head of the Prince line and all of his close associates.’ That leave most of the Society of Magisters leaders and management without access to some of the most reputable trades-people around.”

The shadows deepen with her attendant’s pleasure at her analysis. Encouraged, she goes on. “ I’m not sure why ethical disputes over land purchases was the thing that made them take such drastic action? If they really wanted to avoid dealing with our guild couldn’t they have publicly taken issue with... most anything Prince has done in our name for the last few years?” Her consternation isn’t all over her face, but is in the increased speed of her hand flexing, her lightly furrowed brow, and the rigidity of her shoulders.

Her attendant sits down with her, warning that they have to leave soon before explaining. “The Crafter’s Guild is one of few guilds that is politically friendly with, but not a subset of, any particular court. They are also one of the most diverse guilds, with members of many Courts, backgrounds, and specialties. The land disputes were probably picked because they would be the most plausible reason on paper. It is well known in certain circles that the heads of the Crafter’s Guild have a grudge against key Grave Court leaders-any other stunt they pull with less legal merit could be construed as as a personal vendetta using a community platform.” Ciela nods, her twitching hands slowing down. “Since they have so many specialists, they can easily claim that associating with the our leader could threaten the livelihoods of the crafters within their own guild by consequence or association.”

Ciela gets up to prepare her school supplies for the day. Some in her bag, for using in the classroom after first meal, the rest laid out on the pitiful desk adjacent to the window. “That sounds like a lot of ‘maybe’. Is there another reason this happened?”

The shadows fluttering around the attendant’s floor length coat seem to languish with their amusement as they too head towards the door. “One of the leaders of the guild flat out hates Lord Dauphin, and the other is loyal enough to her and dislikes our Lord enough to back her up.”

Ciela almost smiles before she steps out the door. Lord Prince hates that nickname. She never has the courage to say it out loud.

It doesn’t last for even a second after she crosses the doorway’s cold vacuous energy. The child’s head dips, her back straightens. They both quiet, and prepare to play their roles.

Both of them know that this fleeting moment of peace is the closest she’ll get to happy for the day.

Both of them will take it. For now.

Thank you for reading this debut! Zero Hour is brought to you by:

Ash Pana (Writing, Design, Pencils)

Jessica Song (Design, Inks, Tones)

Sasha Reneau (Zine/Print Formatting)

[spongebobsins]

Everything Wrong With The Great Snail Race

1.Gary must be a heavy sleeper if the alarm didn’t wake him up before hand.

2.The world is a dick to SpongeBob

3.”Squidward’s last name is tentacles?” How did you not know that already?

4.A wild Patrick appears out of nowhere!

5.Having the leash go over your eyestalks has got to hurt.

6.”Sunday’s laundry day” Which you will forget about once Squidward pisses you off.

7.”I called you a lady to humiliate and demean you” That’s racist.

8.”Raw Eggs, cuz they’re cliche” SpongeBob would be amazing at SpongeBob Sins.

9.Wait, Squidward said it was this Sunday but SpongeBob just said it’s tomorrow, if it just the next day why say “This Sunday” which you’d only say if that was in a few days.

10.What is it about the coconut show that people love so much?

11.Since when did he have two windows on top of each other like that?

12.Patrick just popped up, meaning he just stood on Squiddy, so he should have felt that.

13.Training montage but the music isn’t even memorable.

14.Great gag but who just leaves the door open for anyone to just come in?

15.This goes on for quite some time.

16.Okay, why are they the only ones here? SpongeBob and Patrick just signed up yesterday so who was Squidward gonna compete against?

“It’s okay Rocky, you’ll go when you feel like it” This whole gag with Rocky is great and this part is even a tad sweet so..

16.”Gary are the listening to me?!” The background is just the sky when he says that, instead of the track.

17.Now there are many lanes instead of just 3.

18.So I guess Gary’s a car now?

19.They cheer…after a snail crashed? The hell?

20.So SpongeBob learns his lesson and was actually written fine here…but it was mean spirited so it’s a sin because f*ck you.

21.Gary is super hurt but the power of snail boners heals all wounds.

22.Nice ending but Snellie just appeared again so I don’t care.

23.Pretty sure Fred has no pants in this crowd shot.

Won’t remove a sin but the Sandy joke is pretty great

EPISODE SIN TALLY: 23

SENTENCE: Lose to a rock

Pretty solid sin tally this time. As you can see, I like this one but I’ve gone into why before. So moving on to some old crabs.