#also he totes wants to glow purple

[bittencandy]

𝖇𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉 𝖎𝖓 𝖘𝖎𝖑𝖐

◈ 𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔰𝔣𝔴 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫'𝔰

. toxic relationship themes: controlling behavior, possessiveness, mammon being mammon.

◈ If there was one thing in your relationship with Mammon that you hadn't quite gotten used to yet, it would be how cold he is. Sure, he isn't horridly so. But he's chilly enough that it can surprise you when he touches you when you aren't expecting it. Mostly when he isn't wearing his gloves, the smooth leather working as a buffer between the subtle frost of his palms and your skin. The first time you had felt his bare flesh against your own you had to will yourself not to jerk and move out from underneath his grip from instinct alone. He gets a kick out of it. Seeing how you squirm from the gentle chill. He'll often sneak up behind you, pulling a pair of his gloves off to slip his bare hands underneath your shirt randomly throughout the day and night, reveling in the way that you gasp aloud at their contact. He enjoys it even more when you turn around to scold him. He'll blink at you cluelessly while you glare up at him with insults on your tongue. He loves to play dumb, even when the smile on his face is just a bit too sharp, too big to be truly apologetic or perplexed. 

◈ Due to his chilly body temperature; his body's inability to produce its own heat, he will absolutely use you to steal yours. Any amount of warmth that your body generates, from a lot to a little, it doesn't matter, he will latch onto you like a leech to soak it into his skin. You've practically become a portable heater for the King of Greed at this point, with him toting you around like you're a sack full of feathers, regardless of your height or weight, he will scoop you up with a pair of his arms and secure you to his body. Or he'll have you perched up on his shoulder like some kind of parrot. If you happen to be latched onto him at any point of the day, held within the cradle of his arms or draped along him, he will have you hand feed him food. Whatever he's craving, really. Anything from a bag of potato chips to cupcakes. The healthiest thing he's ever had you feed him was grapes, but you were pretty sure he just did that because you were out in public, and he wanted to "look regal." 

◈ But his desire to hold you also stems from a place of possession as well. It's a silent yet bold way to communicate that you're his without having to say a single word. And his possessive tendencies definitely know no bounds. He absolutely loves it when you wear his colors or anything that could be linked to his image or brand. Anything from diamond and money motifs, shades of green or gold, or if you're bold with it and outright wear his merch and clothing that sports his name or sigil. It strokes his ego like nothing else. Especially if you wear it at your own accord and he doesn't have to convince you to, he'll be so smug about it; practically gloating with that wide smile stretched out across his face and his ego having inflated about ten times bigger than it already is. Like it needs to get any bigger.  

◈ He makes chokers out of his web - collars really and keeps them snuggly secured around your neck at all times. It takes a while for the silk threads to wear down and weaken (typically a few weeks), and as soon as one does it's swiftly being replaced by another, more sturdier string of webbing. But you can't deny that you have a soft spot for the little DIY necklaces. You feel a little sentimental, balmy warmth flutter in your chest every time you catch sight of them in the mirror. And it's an added plus that they're gorgeous in their delicate, silvery glint; reflecting traces of light in a soft green and purple glow with a sort of iridescent shimmer. 

If he's feeling particularly clingy, he may also weave bracelets for both your wrists and ankles for you to wear. He gets upset whenever you wear something may cover them up. Anything that's has long sleeves or a shirt with a high neckline that may keep the choker concealed. The first time you had worn a top that covered up your throat and forgot to slip the webbed necklace out from underneath the fabric he had taken a personal offence to it. Plucking at the fabric of your shirt with his face twisted up in a scowl, the burning chartreuse of his eyes narrowing at the top like its existence was a crime. "What the fuck is this?" He had sneered, eyebrow raising with a curious sort of disdain while he snagged the front of your shirt with the point of his claw; the only thing that kept it from ripping into the material of your top was the glove covering the lethal edge. "You trying to hide our relationship? Does it embarrass you?" An absolute drama queen, really. 

◈ A billionaire he is but a sugar daddy he is not (at least not in the typical sense). Mammon clings to every bit of money he finds, hundred-dollar bills, fives and ones and pennies. He does not care. He's taking it and he won't spend it. Not even on himself. That's the thing with greed, is no matter how much you have, it's never enough. He acts like if he were to spend even a single cent that it would tip him into a financial ruin that he'd never recover from. He cherishes every single ounce of cash that he gets to a concerning degree, but you knew that long before you even started dating him. Regardless, it still was a little disturbing when you walked in on him talking to the bags full of money he had collected after one of his concerts. He was clutching the filled burlap sacks to his chest, breathing in the scent of the bills like they were laced with some sort of drug while he mumbled praises and drooled over them. Even worse was when he caught sight of you watching him and his eyes had turned into slits, zeroing in on you with an animal sort of instinct like you were some kind of threat. "Get the hell out of here!" He snarled, reaching for the bags of cash and the scattered bills that had managed to spill from his fervent hold. "Trying to steal my fucking money! Trying to touch it with your dirty, greedy hands! I dare ya to even fuckin' try it!" You had been quick to back out of the room, slamming the door shut behind you with a confused look pinching your face. You're like, ninety-nine percent sure that he may have gotten off to his stockpile of cash before. 

He also counts it obsessively and he remember every single amount that he had. Down the cent. If so much as a penny goes missing, he absolutely loses his mind. 

◈ You had learned a long time ago not to ask him for money. Case and point when you had asked him for a five-dollar bill, all because you had forgotten your wallet before you left the house and wanted a fountain drink. An otherwise harmless request, but then he had accused you of being a 'gold-digger' while you were standing in front of the soda machine. That little comment had resulted in an argument in the middle of the gas station while the cashier and customers watched in fascination. 

But even with his stingy ways, that's not to say that he doesn't spoil you. But it's done in his own way. If he gifts you something, you know for a fact that he didn't pay for it. Everything that he gets, he obtains by abusing his status as a Sin or by name dropping. Reservations at the most exclusive restaurants and clubs, 'buying' clothes from the most praised shops and designers, trips to the best resorts, they're all achieved simply from his name alone. He doesn't pay a single dime. And if some tries to reject him because he refuses to pay the booking fee for a reservation, or if they claim that he 'stole' from a store - let's be honest, he totally did- they're going to find themselves on the top of the Sin's shitlist. No one gets away with refusing the King of Greed and escapes with their social image or life still intact. He's not above ruining other demons to get what he wants. His shame is nonexistent, so if someone tells him 'no' then their body may be found lying amongst the toxic garbage and ruble in one of the many landfills of the Greed Ring. 

But he does greatly care about how he's perceived by the masses, and considering that you're in a relationship with him, your image must also be presentable at all times. He can't run the risk of you damaging his image. So you learned a long time ago to abuse the usage of his name in order to get what you want. Eventually you didn't even have to mention Mammon. Everyone and the Seven Rings of Hell were quick to catch onto your relationship with the Sin, and by proxy, they learned who you are. If you want something, all you have to do is tell them your name, and what you want is as good yours. It doesn't matter if it's a pair of shoes, a car, or a house. There's only a handful of people that would say no to the Embodiment of Greed, and by extension, you. So yes, you absolutely exploit the privileges of being Mammon's lover, so what? 

◈ He expects you to be at all of his shows. It doesn't matter if the events are back-to-back and they all have the same set and routine, you're supposed to be there. Front row. Every. Single. Night. No excuses. And you get extra points if you're wearing his merch. Not going to lie, he's tried to get you to pay for an admission fee, even though he had asked you - invited you, to be at his show. You're the only demon in the history of Hell who will ever get into these events for free. Because you have always been adamant on telling him no. Even when he practically threw a tantrum the first time, skulking around the house, groaning and sighing and mumbling to himself like you were the most unagreeable person on the planet. And the term "mumbling" is used loosely. It could hardly be addressed that way when he was talking to himself in a way that made it more than apparent that he wanted you to hear. Calling you "ungrateful" and "money hungry" and "cheap." The complete bastard.

After he (quickly) figured out that there was no way in Hell that you were going to spend your hard-earned money on his shows, and once you had officially become exclusive (which didn't take long considering his possessive nature) he had moved you from the front row seats and onto one of the overhanging platforms, constructed from his webbing and stationed at every concert. Always safely seated above the raging, downright feral fans as they all clamor against the edge of the stage to get closer to Mammon while he gloats and preens underneath all of the attention. But even with the majority of his focus on performing and giving the crowd some half-assed speech - a large sum of it never failing to be some means to promote whatever new product he's trying to sell - he always wants you to be in his line of sight at all times. He'll lose his composure if you aren't, struggling to keep himself together on stage while his eyes scan the shifting sea of bodies for you, balling a hand up into a fist while he forces himself to save face as not to alarm his fans to his frazzled, irritated internal state. 

◈ This is where more of his webbing comes into play (this is a headcanon that's been mentioned by a few other writers, and I'm inclined to agree that he'd do it). You know those parents who put their kids on a leash? Yeah, he does that with you. But instead of a leash, he has a thread attached to some part of your person to keep track of you at his Clown Pageants or other shows. It's something usually saved for when the choker around your neck and the bracelets around your wrists aren't enough. This is for scenarios when he needs to find you. When there's a potential of you becoming lost. He also likes the power of being able to pull you back over to him if he feels like you're taking too long on returning back to his side or if he feels that you've wondered too far from him. It annoys you to no end, especially considering that last time you had allowed him to attach his web to you and he had grown impatient with you quickly. You had been in the midst of ordering a funnel cake from the built-in concession stand, and apparently, you had taken just a minute too long because before you could even get your hands on the food, you were being tugged by the waist and dragged through the hallway and the crowd until you were returned back to your place on his web. It was humiliating and stupid, but you had been able to form a simple way to communicate with each other through tugging at the thread. Like one pull indicated that you were leaving for something to eat, two was a bathroom break, and three was a silent way of saying "hold on, give me a minute." He'd learned to be a little bit more patient with the addition. But the best that you'd gotten him to reciprocate is with an insistent, set of tugs on your thread that easily let you know that he's impatient and teetering on the edge of his self-restraint while he waits for you to come back.  He's getting better though. Sort of. 

◈ It's already been stated, Mammon is awfully possessive over you. Most likely something to do with being the incarnation of Greed, but Mammon doesn't share. The very idea of it will have his mood declining; electricity sparking around his body, cracking and snapping across the atmosphere in flashes of burning neon. He'll get scathing and mocking with anyone who he feels is a threat to your relationship, regardless of gender. If he gets the impression that there's even the possibility of them moving your attention from him and onto them, then they're already on the fast track to his blacklist. At best he may just insult and belittle them. That's the absolute best-case scenario. Mammon's made plenty of bodies disappear in his lifetime and he has absolutely no problems with adding another one to that list. 

◈ He's very touchy. He's always in contact with you in some way, at all times, which circles back to the webbing and how he's keen on holding you against his body. It translates to when he's speaking to you as well. Such as nudging your chin with his fingertips to direct you attention onto him; cupping your face with a pair of his hands; pulling you towards him by your waist and arms; lifting you up to move or sit you onto chairs or places that are more convenient for him. It kind of goes hand in hand with how he uses his height to intimidate other demons. Nine times out of ten, he's one of the tallest, if not the tallest person in the room, and so his size is one of his go to means to frighten others, and crowding past their personal boundaries is just another way to force his presence over them. He doesn't do it to scare you, but it's become such an instinctual thing for him that he doesn't even second guess it. It's fully in his nature to do it. It runs along that vein of his greed; the entitlement he feels to other demon's personal space. 

◈ He knows how his presence affects you. How that magnetic thrum that always seems to be pulsing around him like a soft electrical current, prickling at your skin always sends a shiver down your spine. He's aware of how much you like his scent, too. Those warm notes like leather, full with that particular type of musk that wafts from dollar bills, buttery and soft like linen. But he knows that it's his voice in particular that's your favorite. That you especially love the accented lilt that cradles each and every word that comes out of his mouth. It's a particular weakness in your armor that he exploits shamelessly. He knows that all he has to do is dip his voice down into that low coo, all soft with a subtle rumble and you're as good as his. It was a vulnerability that you had tried to hide in the beginning of your relationship, but Mammon being Mammon had noticed your fondness for his voice pretty early on. Mostly because you were absolutely horrid at hiding your affection for his accent. You'd have to physically force yourself from practically melting underneath the sound of that pleasant yet scratchy cadence, pulling your focus onto literally anything else to try and keep from turning into a pile of mush. . . or bursting into laughter. The way that he breaks into a loud string of swears and casual insults never fails to amuse you. Particularly the way that he stresses the word "fuck" so aggressively. Especially the "u" vowel until it almost sounds close to an "a" pronunciation; you have an awful soft spot for it. 

◈ He uses his voice and his eyes to get out of everything. He can be extremely expressive, and if he's done something to anger or irritate you, he will try and use his big eyes to weasel his way back into your good graces. Believe it or not, he's very good at pulling the wounded puppy dog look when he wants to, but you're proud to say that you have gotten better at resisting the adorably pathetic faces he's able to make. Much to his chagrin. He absolutely hates it when you give him the silent treatment, and you try to use it is a kind of last resort. You'd much rather try to have a mature conversation with Mammon and sort out whatever is causing a rift or disagreement between the both of you. But sometimes when it comes to dating someone as egotistical as him, juvenile methods are the only tactic that prove to get through to him. He practically goes through the five stages of grief whenever you ignore him. 

The first being denial: He'll scoff when he realizes that you aren't speaking to him. Almost more amused than he is annoyed. "Are you really going quiet on me? Psshh, whatever. You'll be back to talkin' my fucking ear off in few minutes anyway. You know you can't ignore me for long." 

Anger: Once it finally sinks in that you aren't going to speak to him, he become visibly agitated. His face will twist up into a combination of a pout and a sneer, and he'll start grumbling to himself, huffing swears and complaints under his breath as you go about your day like he doesn't even exist, before his rambling dips into full blown rants. It gets even worse if you chose to leave the house - especially without telling him. That might just be the ultimate insult. He'll pretend that it doesn't bother him at all. That he hardly notices your absence or the fact that you were able to just leave without so much as a backward glance in his direction. It's fine. He doesn't need you. You're the one who needs him. So, when you don't even so much as send him a text or give him a phone call while you're out and ignoring him it has his mood plummeting down into something burning and suffocating.  

When you come home from being out, either after hanging out with friends or just having a quiet solo night out on the town, he's on you in an instant, crowding into your space with those bright green sparks pulsing around him in a seething magnetic flare. "I don't even have to have you here. You've been gettin' real fuckin' cocky lately, acting like I couldn't find ten other bitches just like you. I could have you replaced in the blink of an eye, and it wouldn't bother me the fucking slightest." 

It's something that should send you running for the hills, or at the very least, get under your skin. But his little tantrums never do. It's just his way of trying to get a rise out of you. To make you just as angry as he is so that you'll break and shout at him; cuss him out to get back at him. But you wouldn't give him the satisfaction of doing that. You always just level him with a collected stare instead, with a challenge glinting in your eyes. A wordless, "I dare you to." 

He never does. 

Bargaining: This is when the exasperation settles in, though with his inflated sense of pride it usually takes him a bit to get here. But once he finally does, his first instinct is to try and bribe his way back into your good graces. Mammon is very unused to concept of actually having to work for something. His sense of entitlement is as vast as the Seven Rings combined, and the idea of having to make an effort for anything is such a foreign concept. He's so used to getting his way because of his status alone, so whenever you fail to give into his sway it always leaves him a little bit baffled. He tries to tempt you with gifts and dates, and whenever you refuse the proposals, it leaves him utterly lost and infuriated. 

"C'mon. How's about we go to that restaurant ya like so much? " 

"You know, that movie you wanted to see is playing tonight. I could kick everyone out the entire theater if you want. How's that sound? Just you an' me with no one to bother us." 

"You seriously can't still be ignoring me. This shit's gettin old. Let's just put it behind us, yeah?" 

Depression: There will become a change in his physical demeanor once the defeat settles in. Not enough to tip off anyone who doesn't know him well enough. To the untrained eye he's still his usual self. Still just as cheerful and brazen as ever, with his sarcasm and ego just as unaffected as it always is. But even then, you're always able to notice the tension in his shoulders. How the corners of his sharp grin seem just a bit too tight, like he's forcing it on. Whenever he's out of the eye of the public, the fractures in his jovial facade really crumble. Even when he's trying to keep his composure around you, stubbornly trying to pretend that your silence really hasn't affected him. He gets genuinely mopey like this, and the wounded puppy dog expression pulled at his features is actually real this time. But he'll still deny that the heavy frown on his face isn't because of you; he just doesn't feel like smiling, that's all. The irritated way that he's been snapping at everyone as of late; he just woke in a bad mood for an entirely different reason. He's not upset over you, don't flatter yourself. 

Acceptance: Mammon doesn't come to a point of acceptance, per say. He'll never admit "defeat" or apologize for whatever it is that he's done wrong. You're pretty sure that Mammon would combust into a roaring billow of flames and ash before the words "I'm sorry" ever make it past his lips. And when he does apologize, it's done so subtly and in a physical manner, usually with him scooping you up and clutching you to his chest until all of those fuzzy, warm feelings build up within you and drown you from the inside out until you find yourself instinctively reciprocating. Or he'll try another route, such as making you laugh. He is a performer if nothing else, and he knows your sense of humor very well. He'll try to be subtle about it first, mumbling jokes to himself in a way that comes across as organic, like he's ranting to himself about his day while you happen to be in the same room or within the nearby vicinity; close enough to overhear him. He'll try anything, regardless of what type of humor you have. Dark humor, lighthearted jokes, puns, physical comedy, whatever you're suspectable to, he'll get you to crack eventually. 

It's either that, or eventually you'll be the one to give in first. Only able to ignore Mammon for so long before you sucked into your affections and endearment and then you're the one seeking him out. 

◈ He throws parties. All the time. And every single one of them honors him in some type of fashion. He had two separate celebrations for his birthday, twice in a single year. The dates were entirely made up, neither of them lining up with day that he was actually created, but no one so much as batted an eye. There are exclusive parties thrown after his Clown Pageants and concerts. The price of admission is astronomically high, which kills you inside because he doesn't even pay for these events, he has benefactors do it for him. They pay a pretty penny for these parties too, with Mammon hiring contortionists, and fire breathers, and they're always lavishly decorated. But you can't complain too much about it because your birthdays are always insane. Each year is a different theme, and the furnishings and ornaments alone would take ten lifetimes for you to be able to afford.

◈He has several different costumes that he wears for a variety of occasions. One of his most exuberant outfits has to be the one constructed from gold silk. The material is tapestried and what must be thousands of coins threaded into the fabric that chime and jingle with even the slightest movements. How he manages to move around underneath the weight of all that gold is a mystery. But your favorite costume of his has to be the one fashioned from all of the currency in the human world; various and authentic bills that are layered up on top of each other in a variety of colors. From green to purple and orange. It's as gaudy as it is beautiful, but you mostly like it because it makes him look like a rainbow piñata. He's even had similar outfits made for you, so that you'll match. They aren't as loud or opulent as his are, but that works just fine for you. 

◈ His shame knows no limits. He actually had a fundraiser before, for people to donate to him so that he could become richer than he already is. He had even lamented about it in a video online, sharing with the masses that it had been an aspiration of his ever since he was young. That if each one of them donated a single dollar, that he could reach his dream. Honestly, you could hardly even blame him for it because demons had actually donated. 

◈ If there's a snack that you're saving for later, you might as well as expect it to be gone. Nothing is sacred for Mammon, so if he finds your leftovers or a little treat that you've been saving for yourself in the fridge or in the kitchen cabinets, there's 99% chance it's going to be gone by the time you come back for it. You had learned this the hard way when you had walked into the kitchen one night, eager to finish up on some of your favorite candy after a long, exhausting day. When you crossed the threshold, the sight that greeted you had you freezing still. There was Mammon, standing in at the kitchen counter with a familiar bag clutched in one of his hands, cheeks swollen around a big mouthful. His vision was already locked onto you, but he didn't appear to be worried or guilty that he had been caught in the act. His green eyes swept over you, fully relaxed and unbothered before he tilted his head back to pour the remaining scraps from the bag into his mouth, swallowing it down in a single gulp. 

"What?" He asked dumbly. 

The only response he had gotten was you ripping off one of your shoes and hurtling it at him full force. 

You now know to hide all of your meals and snacks from him. But on the flip side, he gets irritated and upset if you happen to do the same thing to him and eat his junk food. Cue an angry tirade about how you're selfish and don't care about hurting his feelings. He'll glare at you with betrayal and outrage if you eat off of his plate or steal a fry from his meal whenever you go out to eat. If looks could kill, you would have doubled over and died from the searing heat glinting in his eyes a long time ago. Does it stop you from doing it? No.

◈He's a bed hog too. When he sleeps, he spreads all six of his limps out like a starfish, covering up nearly every square inch of space with his body. In the very beginning of your relationship, when everything was still new and a little uncertain, you would curl up at the edge of the bed. And the "very beginning" means the first two days. Your patience was quick to go out of the window. You would try to shove him away from you to make room for yourself, but once Mammon fully passes out, he's virtually dead weight. And he won't budge no matter how much you try and get him to shuffle over. Now you just sleep on top of him instead. Not that you can complain about it much. With the feel of him underneath you, sturdy but soft, surrounded by the scent of him and the subtle chill of his body, it usually has you passed out in a matter of seconds. This has a tendency to backfire because whenever you wake up in the morning, he has each arm securely wrapped around your body with his hands gripped onto your clothes like you're some kind of teddy bear. It's impossible to escape from his grip when he's like this and waking him up is a feat all in its own.  Fizz once suggested waking up the Sin by airhorn, claiming that it worked for him. You had seriously thought about it, but knowing your luck Mammon would probably strangle you in his sleep if you did that. 

Oh, yeah, he snores and drools in his sleep too. He also talks every once in a while, as well. "Talk" is generous. He kind of rants in his sleep. You're privy to a lot of gossip and drama because of this little habit of his. 

◈ He uses you as a kind of stress ball. Especially whenever he's carrying you around. You'll find him squeezing various parts of you throughout the day, such as your cheeks, your ass, your chest, regardless of their size, he'll be palming them at some point. It's mostly absentminded, like it's some kind of involuntary urge that he has, and the more stressed he is, the more he'll do it. But he does it on purpose as well. You can always tell when it is based on that mischievous glint he gets in his eyes. You can't hold it against him all that much though, you do the same thing to him plenty. He always pretends to be annoyed whenever you return the gesture by pinching at the swell of his face or groping his chest, but he leans into the attention. Melting underneath the warmth of your palms like a big house cat. 

◈ He isn't the best at picking up gifts and presents. Mostly because whenever he's out with the intent to pick something up for you, such as for your birthday or a holiday or anniversary, he immediately gets sidetracked with things that he'd like to buy for himself. He usually comes home with both pairs of his arms weighed down by bags and boxes and there's a good chance that less than half of them is even meant for you. He's absolute trash when it comes to finding things that you'd actually like. He'll spend a good five minutes squinting down at a set of shoes wondering if you'll like them (even if you have a similar pair for reference) before he eventually calls it quits and just throws them in the cart anyway. If you don't like it, then you can just get them replaced or swap them out. But he does try in his own way. 

◈ A lot of talk circulates around Hell in regard to the Sin's. Anything and everything are discussed. From their personal lives to the clothes they wear, who they associate with and what they had for dinner. It's all under scrutiny from the eye of the masses. So when it was discovered that the King of Green of all demons was in a relationship, it was under evaluation for weeks. No one would have ever guessed that Mammon would ever be the type to find a lover. You had been called a variety of different terms, from a social climber, a gold digger, a prostitute. They were all wondering how royalty managed to fall for someone like you. For a while it didn't bother you. You expected it honestly, but after hearing the same harsh criticisms and gossip day after day, it starts to weigh heavy. You had vented to Mammon, confessed how you worried that you weren't enough, that all of their talk and judgement was starting to crack around the edges. 

He cupped your face in both of his palms, directing your attention on him with a hold that was surprisingly gentle. It grounded you, centered you enough to pull you through the restless emotions and worry spiraling around your mind. The softness in his gaze was just as shocking, rare enough to leave you speechless. "Don't pay those bastards any mind, " he assured you, sweeping his thumbs across the jut of your cheekbones as he drew you closer to him with the tug of his other arms. "I only take the best. They're a useless band of losers anyway, so they can go fuck themselves. You're better than them." 

It wasn't the most eloquent reassurance you've gotten in your life, but coming from Mammon, it made your body burn with a calming, tender warmth. He was right. You didn't need them or their opinions. They didn't matter. And they never would. Not when you have him. 

[hannibals-favourite-meal]

How about 15 from your 3000k with either Arthur Curry or Billy Hargrove? 🙃

Small Town Summer Days

Billy Hargrove x plus size reader

Summer brings hot weather, which means days lounging by the pool, tiny swimsuits and sundresses

Warnings: Billy is hornee lol, vague mentions of bullying and fatphobia, mutual pining, sexual tension, implied smut

WC: 995

Minors DNI

3000 Follower Celebration

Billy knows that he should look away from her, that it was dangerous to stare at her. Because if he stared for too long, she’d notice. And if she noticed then she would smile. And if she smiled, Billy doubted he would ever be able to dig himself out of this hole he found himself in.

But to look away meant that he wouldn’t be able to see her anymore. He wouldn’t be able to watch as she leaned back into the pool chair, her overly curvy body on display behind a criminally tiny bikini as she read that dumb book Nancy had given her. And if he couldn’t witness that site anymore, then what was even the point of being a lifeguard at this shitty small town pool. 

She was the sweet girl in his grade, the quiet one who had instantly caught his attention when he strutted into math on his first day. She was bigger than the other girls who threw themselves at him, sure, but he did always enjoy women with a bit more meat on their bones, he knew they could handle him real well. And she was shy, so very shy. She got flustered when he said her name. By the time December had rolled around, Billy was already playing around with the idea of how his last name would sound after her first.

That’s how he justified not sleeping with her, she was just too damn innocent and he was too damn deep already. No matter how badly he wanted to corrupt her, he didn’t want to break his own heart when she would inevitably figure out what a bastard he was. But she was making it very difficult for him.

She showed up every day about an hour into his shift, a small tote bag on her shoulder, a floppy hat on her head, and the shortest, sluttiest sundresses he had ever seen covering her large body. The hem always landed in just a way that he could see the seam of where her plump ass met her thighs whenever she bent over. It was a far cry from her normal school wear (which he also found very attractive) and Billy couldn’t help but be thankful for the blistering heat.

Her routine was always the same: claim her chair (usually the one directly across from the life-guard tower), lay out her towel, slip whatever dress she was wearing over her head and carefully store it in her bag, lather up her perfect skin with sunscreen, and then settle down to read for a few hours. Occasionally, she would slip into the chlorinated water with a graceful dive and emerge on the shallow end like a Bond girl stepping from the surf in one of those spy movies. He loved those days, they were his absolute favourite.

His other favourite days happened to be whenever she would wear her purple swimsuit. Somehow it made her skin glow in the Indiana sun. Plus it helped that it was her tiniest swimsuit and it showed off everything.

His blue eyes were so firmly fixed on the way the lilac bikini top stretched over the soft fat of her tits that he didn’t notice the fact that her book was now forgotten beside her and her heart-shaped sunglasses rested at the tip of her nose. But he did see how her nipples pebbled under the thin fabric and goosebumps exploded all over her skin like a cold wind had washed over her. 

“Fuck me.” He groaned under his breath, his already small swim shorts getting even smaller. 

Billy’s firm gaze was not unfamiliar to her, in fact, he had been glaring her way since the first time he waltzed into Hawkins High. He, like everyone else, seemed to find her infinitely fascinating in the worst way. But unlike the others who had tormented her throughout her school years, she found herself looking forward to his scrutinising looks. 

He was handsome, far more attractive than the boys she had grown up with, but he also had a confidence that drew her in like a moth to a flame. Like every other teenage girl in Hawkins, she fell quickly and she fell hard but unlike her peers, she knew that Billy wouldn’t even consider her as a hook-up.

So his tanned muscular body and perfectly messy blond hair remained firmly in her fantasies, fuelled by her daily visits to his work-place. She dreamed about him strutting over to her chair, his deep voice, tinged with a slight surfer dude accent, crooning to her. He would invite her to the private lifeguard locker room to “cool down” or offer her a ride home in his Camaro which he would pull over to the side of a dirt road and then pull her into his strong lap. When the images flashing behind her eyelids got too steamy, she would force herself to take a quick dip. Ignoring the intense glare from the King of Hawkins as she would emerge from the cold water.

And now, she felt like her whole body was on fire. Billy was watching her again, absentmindedly biting on the end of his sunglasses as he did so. Wetness pooled at the apex of her thick thighs and she squirmed, her nipples tightening with arousal. 

Even from across the pool, she saw the way his eyes darkened with lust. His plump lips curled into a smirk as he finally met her gaze. He kept eye-contact while he stepped off of the raised chair and began to saunter over. Her chest heaved with desire which grew stronger with each step he took. By the time he reached her chair, she felt like the air had been ripped from her lungs.

He gave her a slow once over, letting his blue eyes trail over every single piece of exposed skin. And then grinned wickedly.

“So princess, how bout I give you a ride home.” 

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Supernatural one-shot: 1580 words

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fanfiction

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I based the shopkeeper off of Rumplestiltskin from Once Upon A Time

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Dean told Castiel he found a pawnshop in town that had a talisman they needed to ward of the particular witch they were after. It would only take a moment, so Sam had stayed behind to catch up on sleep. It was walking distance from the motel, so they went down the cracked sidewalk in the dry heat of the desert sun in late spring. Dean didn’t notice the way Castiel subtly looked over him. Castiel knew it was pathetic, but he didn’t really care anymore. He had fallen for Dean years ago, so he took what he could get. He used to be so embarrassed and angry at himself for feeling this way about Dean. Dean didn’t care about him that way and never would. At first, Castiel thought he was crushing on Dean since he was the first person to really care about him. Maybe it was a temporary thing. It would go away with time. But then the feelings stuck. Castiel hated it. The longing for something he could never have wore on him. Castiel liked their friendship. Any time spent with Dean was something he enjoyed, but sometimes it was too much. Dean would smile a certain way, or they would suddenly be too close, and Castiel would be struck speechless. He thought he’d been able to cover it up pretty well, though. Dean never seemed to notice. But that was also its own problem. Dean never noticed Castiel as something other than a friend. Castiel made peace with that a long time ago, but every once in a while, his feelings for Dean would flare up. Usually when they were alone. Especially when they were alone. Like now. It was just the two of them walking down the street on a hot afternoon. Castiel wondered how easy it would be to hold Dean’s hand. But he knew how Dean would react. The last thing Castiel wanted was to ruin any relationship they already had. “This should be it,” Dean said. He frowned at the run-down shop. No outside lights were lit, and paint was peeling off every inch of its exterior. Dean tentatively opened the door. A bell fixed to the top of the doorframe jingled when they entered. Castiel immediately felt the shift in energy once he walked inside. Whatever the shopkeeper had in here was powerful. He instinctively stepped closer to Dean. If anything happened, he’d be ready to fly him out to safety. Dean noticed Castiel step closer. “What?” Dean stared at him quizzically. “I don’t like this place.” “Well, hello,” a voice laced with a light Scottish accent chimed from the front of the room. Castiel and Dean looked up to see a man at the front counter that definitely hadn’t been there before. He had long hair like Sam’s and a sly smirk adorning his face. Dean cleared his throat and stepped forward. Castiel made sure to keep close. He didn’t like that man. Dean continued, “Hi. I’m, uh, looking for something.” “And what would that be?” the man prompted. Dean pulled out a picture from his inside jacket pocket and handed it to the man. “Oh, yes. I do happen to have one of these. Let me grab it for you.” The man stepped out from behind the counter toting a cane. “Will that be all for you?” “Yeah,” Dean answered. Castiel could see how tense Dean still was and followed him like he was Dean’s shadow. The man reached a cabinet and grabbed the talisman. He held the cabinet door as if to close it but stopped. He chuckled. “I don’t believe it.” The shopkeeper pulled out a small round vial filled with a glowing dark, purple liquid. “What is that?” Dean slowly reached for the gun tucked in his belt. The man saw what Dean was doing but smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to harm you.” He pivoted on his cane and held up the vial for both of them to see. “This is a love potion.” “Ok?” Dean said, an edge creeping in his voice. “I didn’t ask for a love potion.” “I know.” The man continued to smile in amusement and took a small step closer to them. “But this isn’t any regular love potion. You see, it tells the user what kind of love they have.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” Dean asked impatiently. “The liquid turns green for unrequited love, blue for a broken heart, red for true love,

and purple for unconfessed love.” Castiel’s heart skipped a beat. That meant the potion would be able to sense how he felt about Dean. But wouldn’t it be green then? Maybe it didn’t work on angels. “And why are you telling us this?” Dean took a step back and nearly ran into Castiel. His voice was firm, but Castiel could tell Dean was uncomfortable. “Because, you idiots, it means you’re in love with each other,” he answered. “Unconfessed love?” He wiggled the potion. That couldn’t be right. Castiel had been in love with Dean for years. He’d know if Dean felt the same way. He waited for Dean to explode into a burst of angry insults. But...nothing. He was silent. Then Castiel realized he’d been silent, too. Had Dean been waiting for him to deny it? The shopkeeper chuckled and handed Dean the talisman. It fumbled in Dean’s hand, and Castiel thought he was going to drop it. The man grinned in amusement at Dean’s expense. “I’ll let you keep that for free. Sort of like a down payment.” “Down payment?” Castiel asked suspiciously. He didn’t like this man at all. He was up to something, and Castiel felt as if he was being played like a piece in a game only this man seemed to know the rules to. “For your budding romance of course!” the man answered enthusiastically. “Never underestimate the power of true love.” “C’mon, Cas,” Dean piped up softly.

He shoved the talisman in his pocket and brushed past the man. The bell above the door jingled as they left. Dean was practically running, and Castiel had to awkwardly jog to him to catch up. “Dean, what’s wrong?” Castiel asked.

Dean’s shoulders were hunched over, and his hands were crammed deep inside his pockets. Did Dean think what the shopkeeper said was true? But there was no way for it to be true since Dean didn’t have any romantic feelings for Castiel. ...Was Dean upset at the thought of Castiel being in love with him? “What do you mean, ‘what’s wrong?’” Dean suddenly stopped. His cheeks were red, and he wasn’t looking Castiel in the eyes. “He was lying, Dean,” Castiel answered. Dean quickly looked up. “He was?” The question was soft, and...disappointed? “Yes, Dean,” Castiel reaffirmed. “So, you’re not in love with me?” Dean searched Castiel’s eyes intensely. His expression wasn’t angry...it was almost desperate, like a man looking for something he had lost. Something important. Castiel’s cheeks grew warm. “No,” he replied, “you don’t have any romantic feelings for me.” “I never said that.” Was it possible for Dean to be��? “No,” Castiel said, his mind racing faster than his words could form. “But you...” Dean hadn’t denied anything the man had claimed in the store. If anything, Dean seemed caught off-guard. “You don’t...” Was it possible Dean had been hiding his feelings just like Castiel had? “You never...” But Dean had never said anything before. Whenever Dean wanted something, he went after it. Castiel just assumed that if Dean ever had feelings for him, he would’ve acted upon his feelings right away. But then again, Dean was never good at being emotionally vulnerable. “...no,” Castiel stated. There was no way. It had been years, wouldn’t one of them had said something after all this time? Because, you idiots, it means you’re in love with each other. Castiel looked up to see Dean studying him. “Was he right?” Dean whispered. It was if he was afraid to make what he was saying real. Castiel’s heart pounded. “I think so.” Then he quickly added, “I don’t think he was wrong. He wasn’t wrong about me.”

He shouldn’t have said that. He had practically confessed his feelings for Dean. He had ruined anything they’d had before now. But Castiel knew he couldn’t lie right now either. Dean suddenly grabbed Castiel by his coat and kissed him. Castiel had never kissed a human before, and he was scared he was doing it wrong. He didn’t want to mess this up. Dean pulled away just long enough to whisper, “Cas, relax, I like this.” Castiel realized he had the front of Dean’s shirt balled up in his hands, and his arms were tensed so hard they hurt. This time he let Dean lead. Dean pulled them closer, and he felt Dean tilt his head, so Dean could kiss him better. Castiel slid his hands down to Dean’s waist, and Dean ran his hands through Castiel’s hair. Dean pulled away again. “Sorry,” Castiel apologized quietly. Dean smiled breathlessly. “It’s not you, Cas. You’re amazing. I just needed to catch my breath.” “Oh.” Castiel blushed. “...I’m amazing?” “Damn right you are.” Dean grabbed one of Castiel’s hands. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.” Castiel grinned. “Me too.” Dean smiled back. This was the happiest Castiel had seen him in a long time. Maybe ever.

[peterxwade24]

Safety Found in Red Sleeves

Chapter 6

So, who’s ready for chapter 6? We get to see all of temp heroes. (Brielle, Alicia and Bellamy belong to @soap-lady and her lovely fic “Fashion Upgrade” go give her some love).

Anyways, onto the fic.

You’ll notice minor edits, such as Kim’s hero name. He went through a very minor edit after I discovered the Vietnamese zodiac.

Renarde Véloce looked at Alicia, her Miraculous, a yellow circle with the Leo star sign, hung against her chest, before nodding. “Say Mullo get squeaky to activate the Miraculous. When you’re ready to detransform, without your timer being up, say piailler.”

Alicia nodded and smiled, bouncing on the pads of her feet and shaking out her hands. “Mullo, get squeaky.” Alicia was consumed in a sardine gray light and when it disappeared  she was no longer Alicia.

Standing in her place was a hero in her own right. Her hair was piled atop her head in a beehive, her hair was an ombre of violet to pale purple to gray. She wore a white long sleeve jumpsuit that was tight around the arm but loose fitting after it reached her waist. Over her jumpsuit she wore a green shawl with a thick white ribbon along the top edge that ended just before her waist. Her hands and feet were covered in a thin skin coloured material to give extra protection. She had a thin green headband a few inches away from her bangs and an even thinner ribbon wrapped around her waist three or four times. She had a pale yellow-green veil around the bottom of her face with a purple masquerade mask which had light purple details.

Renarde Véloce smiled and twirled her finger in a circle. “Turn around.”

She spun in a slow circle before finally facing Renarde Véloce. “What do you think?”

“Very good. What’s your name?”

“...Sournoise.” She responded before tapping her cheek and nodding. “Yeah. Sournoise.”

“Cool.” Renarde Véloce smiled and grabbed Sournoise’s hand. “Let’s go.”

---

Trâu looked over Bellamy, his Miraculous, a thick leather arm band, seemed to give off a puff of steam, before a tiny smile grew on his face. “You say Longg bring the storm to transform, clear skies to detransform before your timer runs out. Have at it.”

Bellamy smiled. “Longg, bring the storm.” He was consumed in a crimson light and when it disappeared, he was no longer Bellamy.

He had a large straw hat atop his head with a thin white veil around the brim. He had a red tank under a dark brown robe tied with rope around his chest and upper arms. The rope was tied with a smooth white stone in the shape of a club or a mushroom. He had three red claw-like marks on each shoulder and fanciful designs in the same red up his neck and across his face. He had black on his eyelids and his lips while his eyes were slitted like a dragon’s. His eyes glowed golden through his veil, an unimaginable heat radiated from his pupils.

Trâu nodded, stretching his arms over his head. “Punaise will want you to have a hero name. Have you thought about it?”

“Colchis, it’s a dragon from mythology. I figured, being a dragon and all, that I’d do a little bit of research.” He smiled and bounced on the balls of his feet, despite the fact that he wore geta.

“Cool.” Together, Trâu and Colchis went off to train.

---

Althaeban lazily watched Brielle fret over her Miraculous, a yellow and brown striped scrunchie around her wrist. “You transform by saying Pollen buzz on and detransform before your timer runs out by saying buzz off. The team and I wouldn’t have chosen you if we didn’t think you would be able to handle it.”

Brielle nodded. “Pollen buzz on.” She was consumed in a warm yellow light and when it disappeared she was no longer Brielle.

She wore a long-sleeved loose-fitting yellow jumpsuit with a red-orange sash wrapped around her waist. She had an orange shawl wrapped around her shoulders which covered her entire back. She had gauntlets on her forearms similar to Poulain Rouge’s but yellow with orange bands around her wrists. Her feet were clad in brown flats with light brown socks. She had a chunky red necklace around her neck with a bee on the pendant which hung against her chest. Her hair was pulled back into a ballerina bun with brown streaks throughout it. Her face was obscured by a brown mask which stretched from her cheekbones to her forehead with black hexagonal patterned eye lenses and three black dots between her eye lenses. Two of the brown streaks in her hair stood up as though they were antennae.

Althaeban flicked her eyes over her suit and nodded. “Cool. What’s your name? BugBoy’s gunna wanna know.”

“Bumble Bee.” She smiled and did a quick twirl. “Let’s go.”

---

Thana shouldered her bag, a soft brown faux leather computer bag, filled with her emergency supplies. She grabbed her suitcase, a black twenty-one inch hard shell modeled after Batman’s suit, and left her room. “Bye Sabine. Bye Tom.”

Thana left the bakery and smiled at Chloé’s limo, which would be taking her and her friends to the airport. She loaded her suitcase into the trunk, beside Chloé’s white twenty inch hard shell suitcase. She closed the trunk and slid into the back seat beside Chloé. “Who’re we getting next?”

“Our boys had a slumber party last night so we’ll get them first before we go to get the Pinkette and Adrikins.” Chloé smiled at her friend and tapped on the divider between the driver and the back. “To the Lê Chiến residence please.”

The girls sat in companionable silence in the backseat, their phones plugged in to finish charging.

Kim and Nino were waiting on the sidewalk outside of the building. Kim had a navy twenty inch hard shell suitcase while Nino had a green twenty inch hard shell suitcase. After Kim loaded the suitcases the two boys joined the girls, plugging in their phones as well.

“It is too early to have make up on Chlo.” Kim grumbled as he laid his head in the blonde’s lap.

“Why are you so awake Chlo?” Nino asked as he grew comfortable in Thana’s lap. “It’s like three in the morning.”

“You think all of this happens naturally?” Chloé scoffed goodnaturedly. “Agreste Manor please.”

The four friends rode in silence, the two boys slowly falling back to sleep.

Adrien opened the door as Alix loaded their suitcases into the trunk, his was identical to Nino’s but red while hers was bronze.

“Hey guys.” Adrien greeted.

“Everyone wrote the address for Chloé’s dad’s hotel as the return address on their luggage tag, right?” Alix asked as she slid into the car and laid her head in Adrien’s lap.

Chloé nodded. “If your luggage tag falls off we have back ups,” she gestured to the bag of neon orange circle tags with a picture of part of the earth on them, “but try to keep track of them.”

Chloé’s carry-on bag was a yellow tote bag, Kim’s was a red backpack, Nino’s was a blue backpack, Adrien’s was a green backpack, and Alix’s was just her gray and pink sports bag.

---

Thana smiled at the informational representative as she placed her suitcase on the scale. “M. Bourgeois has kindly offered to cover the checked luggage fee for not only his daughter but also for myself and our three friends while M. Agreste is paying for his son’s.”

The woman behind the desk nodded. “Of course.” She smiled and motioned Thana on. “Find your gate, and the rest of your party, and wait for the boarding call. Have a nice flight.”

“Thank you. Have a nice day.” Thana went in search of the gate, grimacing as she found the rest of her class in the waiting area. She rolled her eyes and sat down in a chair a short jaunt away from the class, but close enough to overhear their conversation.

“-of course when I asked Bruce he just,” Lila snapped her fingers and smiled, “snapped and made it happen. He would do anything for me.”

“You see, that’s funny. Since I’m the one who wrote the essay and submitted the essay.” Adrien approached the group and smiled at Thana. “Hey Thana.”

“Adrien.” Thana waved. She went back to her Instagram feed, watching soap making videos and getting ideas for what to give her uncles and aunts for Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Ōmisoka.

Chloé, Kim, Nino and Alix joined the duo soon after. The six friends calmly waited for the boarding announcement for their flight, continuing to shoot down all of Lila’s lies about how she’s the one who got them the trip.

---

Thana took a deep breath of the polluted Gotham air, the slight hint of familiarity soothing her. A small smile took over her face, and she adjusted her red hoodie, pulling the hood over her hair, as she stood just outside of the airport with her suitcase next to her waiting for her friends to collect their luggage. She looked to the rooftops, hoping to see her brother but knowing if he was running with the Bat then they were probably back in their cave, before a tap on her shoulder made her turn to look at Kim.

Kim gave her a smile, a sad smile but a smile. “Looking for him?” Kim draped an arm across her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze. “According to the email that Wayne sent Adrien, one of his sons will be guiding our tours while another one of his sons will be acting as a bodyguard.”

Thana nodded. “He’s got four sons, one’s our age and the other is younger. Best case scenario, Dick will be the guide and Jay-Jay the bodyguard. Worst case scenario, Tim will be the guide and Dick will be the bodyguard.” She shrugged and looked for their friends. “We should get on the bus before Lila and her court get the good seats in the back.”

---

Thana looked up at the building, her eyes filling with tears. “Kim. Kim, I can’t go in there. Before this was a hotel, before Wayne bought the building, I got shot at in there. I’ll give you my luggage, put it in Chlo’s room and I’ll just, I’ll just sneak in change before the morning headcount but I cannot sleep in there overnight.” Her voice was low, barely above a whisper, and it cracked with emotion, pulling a deep frown from not only Kim but also Chloé.

“Of course Fragolina. We’ll cover for you.” Chloé grabbed Thana’s hand, giving it an affection squeeze, before helping their friends form a wall to allow Thana to slip away from the group and fade into the crowd rushing past them.

-*-*-*

Jason paced his apartment, trying to decide if he actually wanted to do this favour for Bruce before remembering the possibility that his sister could be amongst their ranks. He sighed and shook his head, he’d just do what Bruce asked him to do.

He turned away from his windows, unlocked with the curtains open to give his siblings easy access to his apartment if they need to crash while they’re out, to walk into his kitchen. He set to work making a lunch for Damian, reminding himself to toss in a couple extra snacks because Damian was going to be out with Ed and John for the day tomorrow. He wrote a little note for Damian in Arabic and tucked it inside the lunch bag before putting the bag in the fridge. Jason had some business to attend to, some Red Hood business, that he couldn’t bring Damian on so he’d asked Ed and John to take him because all of his siblings were going to be busy tomorrow.

---

Jason in his full Red Hood gear, stood in the alley across the street from the dumb building Bruce bought. He’d renamed it, of course, to the Wayne Enterprises’ Kaya Hotel but that didn’t take away the memories he had. Bruce had only cared because he knew Jason had gotten shot at in there, he hadn’t cared that it was the nth time that jackass had shot at kids nor did he care about all of the other kids who’d gotten shot in there, namely Thana.

Jason tightened his grip on the can of spray paint and waited until more people had cleared out of the way. He double checked that no one was going to see him as he sprinted across the street to the side of the building. He grit his teeth and he surveyed the side of the building, he needed to make it big enough to memorialize all of the people but small enough that Batman wouldn’t know he was the one who did it.

He pulled the top off of the can of spray paint, a metallic silver, and began throwing up the rough shape of several bullets, one bullet for every kid who was ever shot at in the building, while keeping an ear out for the sound of one of his look outs letting him know someone was approaching.

He smiled as his vision was coming to life, the silver bullets getting a black outline before he numbered them in a matte fire red. One of his look outs, a twelve year old girl named Taylor, alerted him to the incoming presence of the authorities. Taylor’s siblings, Jesse and Morgan, who were located closer to his position because they weren’t quite as loud, let him know when they were closer.

Jason collected his supplies, remembering to grab the spray paint caps, before he ran off. He’d come by later to cover the bullets in a waterproof sealant to protect it from the weather. He smiled as he scaled the side of a building, going back to the rendezvous point to wait for the trio of siblings.

He tucked the cans of spray paint into his bag, waiting a short five minutes before the three siblings appeared. He smiled and tossed them a wad of cash, the exact amount unknown. “Payment for standing around and keeping an eye out for pigs.”

Taylor smiled at him and nodded. “Thanks.”

---

Jason sat in the coffee shop again, a cup of black coffee in front of him as he waited for Harvey. There was a second cup of black coffee waiting for Harvey, accompanied by a blueberry scone. Jason tapped his fingers against the table, his nerves getting the best of him.

Harvey walked into the coffee shop, his eyes landing on Jason’s black and white hair before he made his way over. Harvey sat down in the chair opposite Jason with a small smile. “Mr. Todd, what can I do for you?”

“I was wondering if you knew any really good private investigators. It just, there are some sketchy circumstances surrounding my sister’s relocation and I wanna look into them.” Jason batted the handle to his cup between his hands before looking up at the other man. “If you don’t know anyone personally, do you know anyone who would?”

“I might know a guy, and Cobblepott might know a guy.” Harvey sipped at his coffee. “Selina probably knows a few.”

Jason nodded. “Okay. Thanks. Do you have his card?” Jason looked at Harvey, his green tinted blue eyes boring into Harvey’s blue orbs.

Harvey passed over a business card and smiled. “Give him a call after you talk to Selina and Cobblepott.”

“Thanks Harvey.”

Jason took a minute to finish his coffee and shoot a text to Ed, who was more likely to have his phone on him than John.

Jason frowned at his phone and sighed. He shook out his shoulders and walked up to the counter. He smiled at the barista and waited for her to finish doing her task. “Hi. Can I get a venti caramel brulée crème frap to go for Selina?”

“I’ll get right on that.” The barista smiled as she started Selina’s frap.

Jason smiled and slipped a twenty into the tip jar before swiping his card to pay for the coffees he had ordered. He graciously accepted the frap from the barista and smiled at her. “Thank you so much. Have a nice day.”

---

Jason slowly jogged to Selina’s apartment. He had a few hours to chat with the woman, who for all intents and purposes was his mother, before he had to go talk to Oswald. He caught the door as a resident left the building with a smile directed at the resident, who just scoffed at him.

Jason climbed the stairs and when he stopped outside of Selina’s door.

“-come on Lina! Come out with Red and me! We’ll have fun.” Harley’s voice sounded from within the apartment.

“Selina! Come on. We never have fun like we used to.” Pam’s voice sounded from close to Harley’s.

“Girls.” Selina’s voice washed over Jason, she had always been his favourite of the women his sister claimed as aunts, letting her have the other two. “Do you two want to be in Arkham when Thana comes home?”

Jason knocked on the door, which caused all three women inside to freeze. Jason gave a tentative call of “Mom?”

Selina seemed to stumble over herself to rush to the door. She flung it open, not hard enough for it to bounce off of the wall but rather forcefully. “Oh kitten.” Selina wrapped Jason in her arms, before pulling back to look at his face. “What’re you doing here?”

“Mom, I called you. I um, I brought you coffee.” Jason held out the cup to Selina and watched as Harley and Pam peaked around the corner.

“Oh kitten, thank you.” Selina accepted the cup and took an appreciative sip. “What’s up catnip?”

“Harvey said you might know some guys, some PIs. There was some sketchy circumstances surrounding Thana’s departure from the city and I wanna look into it.” Jason looked at the floor. “B’s making me act as the class’s bodyguard while they’re in town and I, I just need to know if he had anything to do with her being removed from the city. After I leave here I’m gunna go talk to Oswald, see if he can give a couple names. I figure, the more guys searching, the better the information will be.”

Selina looked at the boy who was practically her son and felt dignified rage well up in her being. Rage at her on-again off-again boyfriend and his stupid morals. “I swear, if he had anything to do with getting Hatter’s girl outta Gotham, I will break up with him for real.” She took a breath before glancing over her shoulder at the other Sirens. “You two need to make sure you’re not in Arkham. Stop Jerome from whatever plots he’s got so he isn’t in Arkham when she gets here.”

Pamela nodded while Harley glowered at the floor. “We got that.” Pamela pulled Harley out of the open window.

“Mom, you’re friends are so extra.” Jason smiled.

---

Jason waved at Selina, who was waving at him from the window in her apartment, as he walked to the Iceberg Lounge. He had a lot of things he still had to do.

Jason walked into the lounge, waving to the bouncer posted at the door as he passed, and started looking for Oswald, Pere or Gale. He passed by several people he recognized, giving only a nod in recognition.

Jason spotted either Pere or Gale, he never could tell them apart, and started making his way over towards her. “Hey. Can you direct me to Cobblepot?”

She nodded, the grey moon on her forehead the only clue of who she was, before incling her head to indicate that Jason should follow her. She walked back to Oswald’s office and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Oswald’s voice burst from the room.

Jason followed either Pere or Gale into the office, where she bowed and ducked out of the office.

“Hey Oswald.” Jason greeted while he sat down in the chair across the desk from Oswald. “Harvey said you may have-” Jason was cut off by his phone ringing, prompting him to hold up a single finger as he pulled out his phone. He sighed and answered the call. “John? I’m kinda-”

“Do not. Jason, we have a situation. The Bat is out and about.” John cut him off. “Ed and Itty Bitty are in a restaurant.”

“I’ll shoot Mom a text. She’ll take care of him.” Jason sighed. “Keep me updated.” Jason hung up the phone and shot a text to Selina. She shot him back a text letting him know the Sirens were covering it. He looked back to Oswald and smiled. “As I was saying. Harvey said you may have a couple PIs in your pocket.”

“Of course. In regards to Hatter’s girl.” Oswald nodded and pulled open a desk drawer. He rifled through the documents within for a moment before pulling out several business cards. “Any of these guys, they owe me a favour.”

---

Jason sat on the couch in his apartment. All of the business cards were laid out on his coffee table, Tim, Steph, and Cass sat on the opposite side of the coffee table while Damian was asleep on Jason’s lap. “Everyone pick two or three?”

Tim shrugged while Cass nodded. All four of them grabbed a few cards before the other three shoved them at Jason.

“Okay. Everyone grab a drink and a last snack. Then it’s time to go to bed.” Jason grinned, he piled the chosen cards close to the corner of the table and pulled Damian to his chest. He stood up and carried him to bed, pressing a kiss to his forehead. Jason went around the apartment to clean up a little before stopping in the two other rooms to press kisses to his siblings foreheads. He knew that everyone would be fine as long as they stuck together.

Taglist

@southamericangothamite @maribat-is-lifeblood @mystery-5-5 @our-preciousss @mochegato @chocolatecatstheron @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen @2confused-2doanything @wannajointhecrabcult @dreamykitty25 @tomanyfandomsonmymind @moonlightstar64 @justafanwarrior @mialuvscats @pheony1882 @pepelachanel @moongoddesskiana @abrx2002 @ladybug-182 @greatcatblaze @thatonecroc @vixen-uchiha @superbwhispersconnoisseur @lilkymilky @susiej1118

[gravelyhumerus]

Criminal Minds College AU - Chapter 7

Title: “I may just take your breath away”

Relationship: Jemily

Summary:

Hallowe’en chaos.

Slow-burn Jemily college AU where they live across the hall and despite all odds, the universe pushes them together. AKA they’re silly gay babies who pine after each other for months.

Read it on AO3

Tumblr:  One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, (bonus scene), Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Epilogue

After trivia night, Emily Prentiss found her world had shifted slightly. 

For the first time in her life, she had a friend group: a consistent presence of not only just Derek and the occasional Hotch, but also Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia and most importantly, Jennifer Jareau. 

Emily noticed it most in the dining hall. Most mornings this semester, she would grab coffee and maybe an apple on her way to class. Now, she was invited to breakfast in the caf. And everyone was also invited, so the six of them began eating not only breakfasts together when their schedules lined up, but soon that melded to include dinners and the odd lunch between classes. While Penelope initiated at the beginning, soon this became a routine. 

While they were all busy, and driven people, all with full course loads, extracurriculars and miscellaneous commitments, they managed to get the whole team together multiple times that week. 

A few times, extra faces joined them. Penelope’s friend from class, Kevin… something, joined for a lunch on Wednesday. He sat shyly as Derek stared him down the entire time. On Thursday, somehow Hotch convinced their Criminology TA, David Rossi, who was part time Masters Student and part time weed dealer, to have lunch with the bribe of them using their guest pass so he could get a free meal. He reluctantly acquiesced, but seemed to enjoy himself. On Friday, the day before Halloween, Emily brought Tara Lewis, the MC from the Trivia night that was two years ahead of her in criminology, they ran into each other in the quad, recognizing each other. This open door policy made these dinners fun, with new faces alongside their team.

This was all new for Emily. Not having friends, that is, because Emily could always muddle along with some friends, and when she was younger she shaped herself easily into whatever the popular kids wanted her to be. No, it was new because it was so easy. The team, as they now called themselves as a shorthand, had fallen together so effortlessly. 

Today was Halloween and they had plans at Dave’s student house, the shabby place that she had ran into JJ, Penelope and Spencer all that time ago. Had it only been a month? She felt like she had known them all for lifetimes by now. 

It happened that way with Derek last year, the whole living together thing sped up that connection. Intimacy comes fast when you brush your teeth next to someone. 

Emily was sitting at her desk, finishing up her makeup. She was aiming for a vampire, which wasn’t hard given her previous fashion aesthetic. 

Yes, Emily did have a goth phase. She will admit it. Not to her new friends just yet, and Derek had been sworn to secrecy. She was now a much more toned down goth, more alt than goth, wearing mostly black but significantly less chains and make up. 

Tonight, she wore her fishnets, a short black dress and a cape that was already tied around her shoulders. She had put a slightly too pale foundation on her face, down her neck, and was currently working on her eye liner. She carefully created elegant swoops over her lashes, coming to sharp points. 

Next, she added a deep red lipstick. Blood red. It was all very spooky. 

Finally, she struggled to test out the fake teeth insert that she had ordered online, slipping it over her top teeth. It fit surprisingly well. 

“Happy Halloween,” she said to herself, testing out whether or not she had a lisp. She did. She didn’t care. It was perfect. 

Emily did a couple of spins in the mirror on the back of the door. Turning off the overhead light, she looked at herself in the glowing light of her string lights. 

She was satisfied. She looked like a hot vampire. 

She grabbed her tote bag, which was filled with six miscellaneous beers and coolers that she had leftover from the last few weeks, knowing that she hated the cheap hoppy beer that Rossi would have at his party. 

Emily was picky about her alcohol.

She glanced out the window, considering taking an extra layer. It was dreary outside, with the sky an eerie green and powerful gusts of wind rattling the window. Emily grabbed her leather jacket. 

Hoisting her bag onto her shoulder and draping her coat over her arm, Emily peeked out of her door, looking out into the hall. In both directions were students in costume; she spotted a Frankenstein, a couple of cats and even someone dressed up in an inflatable t-Rex suit. 

She made sure her door was locked and then walked down the hall to Derek’s room, who was at the very end of the hall, as he had lucked out and got a massive room with lots of windows, across from the showers. 

She opened the door, finding just about all of their friends already there, sneakily drinking out of mugs, cups and water bottles. 

Reid was a zombie, wearing tattered, bloody clothes and a full face of makeup that Emily assumed that Penelope did for him. Sitting next to his computer, queueing music for their pre, was Derek, dressed in a baseball jersey and hat, apparently as a baseball player. This was expected, he wasn’t big on Halloween. Hotch was… a devil? He wore all black and simply had devil horns on his head. Low commitment but the spirit was there. 

Emily hoisted herself onto Derek’s bed and greeted her friends. 

Spencer was sneaking up behind Derek, peeking his head over his shoulder. Derek, at that moment, seemed to be texting, squinting down at his phone. 

“I’m going to eat you!” Spencer yelled into Derek’s ear, causing the larger man to jump to his feet, swatting at the boy in his fright. 

Emily laughed at her friend’s distress. He really didn’t like Halloween that much. 

“Are you ready for a spooktacular evening?” Spence asked, making his voice wobbly as he put on a dramatic effect. He shone an orange, pumpkin patterned flashlight under his chin.

“Of course,” Emily lisped, “In fact, I vant to drink your blood!”

She lunged forward, and Spencer hid from her behind Derek. It was silly but she could tell how much he liked Halloween, he had talked about it all week, and she couldn’t help but adopt a lispy vampire voice to go with her costume. Though the boy was only two year younger than them, his thin frame and wide eyed expression made him seem much younger. 

“Your teeth are excellent,” Spencer pointed out, “Very realistic.”

“I don’t get the hype about Halloween,” Derek said, “Disguises? Pass. Horror movies? No thank you.”

“Booooooo,” Emily protested, “Don’t be a buzzkill, Morgan. Let us have a little fun.”

The door opened again, and Penelope, followed by JJ, joined them. 

“Is my statuesque god of sculpted chocolate thunder being lame again?”

“He barely dressed up,” Emily complained.

“Neither did Hotch!” Derek said, gesturing to Hotch’s devil horns. 

“Hey, at least I bought these at the party store,” Hotch said, “I’m sure both of those are items from your own closet.”

Derek did not confirm or deny this. Emily knew he wore the same get up last year.

“So when should we be there?” JJ asked.

She was dressed as a witch, with an oversized pointy hat perched on top of her head, her blonde hair falling around her shoulders in perfect curls. She wore a purple dress and tall boots to go with her witch look. She and Penelope joined Spencer on the floor, sitting with their backs to Derek’s closet and cracking open a beer for JJ and a fruity cooler for Penelope. 

With large wings, glittery make up and an adorable skirt, Penelope was clearly dressed up as a fairy, which was entirely apropos to who she was as a person. In fact, it was not entirely dissimilar from her normal outfits. 

“Rossi said to come by eight,” Hotch said, “So in party talk he means nine-thirty earliest.”

“It’s, what?” Derek checked the time on his laptop, “Eight fifteen now, so we can pre here for an hour or so then start walking over.”

“Yeah,” Hotch said, “His house is just off campus.”

“The weather is crazy out,” Penelope said, looking out the window. The trees were swaying and the leaves were blowing everywhere.

“We could take a cab?” Emily offered, “I’d rather avoid getting leaves in my hair tonight.”

There were some nods, then they got back to preing, playing a few rounds of King’s Cup to ensure that all of them were sufficiently drunk before they left.

Morgan put on his new playlist, not “For The Boys (and emily)” this time, but one titled “Team Vibez” that Emily had seen him make during their lecture on Thursday. It had a lot of his normal songs, some top hits, but a few fun pop songs that Emily knew he added for Penelope, and even some classic rock for Hotch. 

At this point, Emily was feeling buzzed. She had two cans discarded in the bin, both hosting lipstick prints from her dark red vampire lips. 

JJ was currently chatting with Hotch about some student government scandal that was happening at the time. While politics gave Emily the heebie jeebies, she had reluctantly joined the Criminology Academic Society. It would give her a leg up on grad school applications, for one, and so far, even as a low-level member, she found she was actually making a difference for her classmates. This meant that Emily, despite her deepest urges to not touch political scandals with a ten foot pole, knew exactly what they were talking about.

As the two discussed the student politicians—there were some minor accusations of nepotism, embezzlement and coverups by the undergraduate executive—Emily looked at JJ. Her brows were furrowed in concentration and she was gesturing wildly with her hands as she talked about how badly they were handling their crisis communications. 

Suddenly, interrupting this discussion, their phones blasted out a siren, followed by a chorus of the same robot voice announcing an emergency alert.

“National Weather Service: TORNADO WARNING in this area until 10:15PM EST,” the robot announced, “Take shelter now in a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.”

They looked at Derek’s three, large windows, and watched as large gusts of wind sent leaves barrelling down the street.

“If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris,” it continued. “Check media.”

Then, their phones went silent and Derek’s music continued unheeded. 

“A tornado?!” Penelope said, “Here?”

The window rattled. Derek stood up and hesitantly moved away from it. 

Penelope grabbed Derek’s computer, her hands moving in a flurry.

“Ok so,” she began, “from what I can gather from the good old Internet, we’re in a region of extreme winds and the meteorologists are thinking that funnel clouds and tornados are possible this evening.”

“So much for Halloween,” Spencer whined. 

“Party is definitely off,” Hotch said. “We should probably take shelter. Is there a basement here?”

“There’s the laundry room?” Emily said. 

Adrenaline started pulsing through her veins. She’d been through some severe weather before in her life but never a tornado, nor did she expect one. They were in the north east, nowhere near tornado Alley. 

They all stood, making a move for the basement, when the lights flickered once, twice, then shut off entirely. Rain begin to fall down, hard onto the windows, and the boom of thunder filled their ears. 

“Shit,” Emily said. “Anyone have a candle?”

 ---

Ten minutes later, the six of them were seated in a circle, on the strange carpeted floor of the laundry room, with the severe weather making the wind howl outside. Between JJ’s two candles, which were very against the rules, and Derek’s laptop screen, they had enough ambient light to see, but it was all very spooky. 

The room smelled damp and earthy, with a strange combination of laundry soaps and dryer sheets. They had to move a spare sock to form a circle around the candle. It looked very much like a séance, so that did fit the Halloween spirit. 

“Well,” Hotch said, “At least this is festive.”

Derek was still queuing his music, filling the silence with his DJ skills. 

“Aren’t you worried about your battery life?” JJ asked, “What if the power doesn’t come on in the morning.”

“Then I have a great excuse not to finish my essay,” Derek said with a shrug.

“Fair point.”

“Anyways,” Derek continued, “No sense giving up on our party. We have drinks, we have music and thanks to JJ we have illegal candles.”

“They’re not illegal!” She protested, “Simply very against res rules! I like lighting a candle while I study.”

“It’s lucky that there was no one left in res because of Halloween,” Emily said. “Or we would've had a bunch of party crashers.”

“This is better,” Penelope, “Team bonding!”

“What should we play?” Hotch said, “we don’t really have much to work with.”

“This is all very high school,” Penelope said, “A couple of kids, in a basement, sitting in a circle on the floor…”

“With a tornado tearing through our city…” Emily quipped. 

“Statistically speaking for this region we are more likely to experience dangerous winds rather than an actual tornado. Worst case is that fallen tree branches hit power lines, or fall onto houses or cars.”

“So you’re saying that we’re in the worst case scenario right now?” Hotch said. 

“Yup.”

Hotch frowned. 

“How about we play truth or dare?” Penelope changed the subject.

“I’m down,” Emily said, surprising herself. “If everyone else is.”

“I’ve never played!” Spencer said.

“Never?” JJ asked. “Not at any sleepovers.”

“I didn’t get invited to many sleepovers.”

“Neither did I,” Emily admitted, “Some parties I went to played it too.”

JJ looked at her, there was a brief look of sympathy, and then understanding on her face. Emily made note of that. 

“I guess we’re playing,” Hotch murmured. 

“Derek,” Penelope purred, “Mon cher, truth or dare?”

“Truth,” he said defiantly, bracing himself with a swig of whatever was in his water bottle.

“Who is the prettiest fairy in the basement?”

“You, of course,” he replied with a wink. 

“Gross!” Emily exclaimed, “Truth or dare is not for flirting. Hotch: truth or dare?”

“Dare,” he said with a quirk of his eyebrow. 

“Show us the… most embarrassing photo of you on your phone.” 

He frowned. 

“I don’t take many photos.”

“Try,” Emily urged with a laugh. 

He fumbled in his pockets, grabbing his phone and scrolling through his photo album for a few minutes. 

“It’s from high school,” Hotch said with a sigh. “I was in a play.”

He held up a photo of him in a pirates outfit, he looked smaller, younger than he did now. His hair was shaggy and his face rounder. He was pointing the sword at the camera. 

“Who’s the girl?” JJ asked. 

“My girlfriend Hayley,” Hotch said, “we’re long distance now. I joined the play to get close to her and it seems to have worked.”

“That’s not embarrassing,” Penelope said, “that’s adorable. Try again.”

“Oh I have one!” Emily said, pulling up her Snapchat memories. She had a photo of him conked out in a lecture last year. His mouth was open and his head conked back, fast asleep in a dimly lit lecture hall. Emily had taken a series of these photos before waking him up. 

“Now that’s what i'm talking about,” Derek said. 

“How can you fall asleep during lecture?” Spencer asked in horror. 

Hotch shrugged. 

“I was tired, we had a game the night before,” Hotch said. “Morgan: Truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“I don’t know any dares,” Hotch looked around for help. 

“He could play the tinder game?” Emily said. 

“What tinder game?” 

“Oh that’s a good one,” JJ said, “Derek opens tinder and we randomly tell him which way to swipe and see who he matches with.”

Derek groaned. Opening the app and placing it down onto the carpet. 

“Right!” JJ said to start. 

A match.  

“Left?” Hotch said, it came out more like a question. 

“Right,” Emily said. Another match. 

Left, right, left, right. New message from a recent match, left, right, right, right, right. Derek looked on in horror. 

“Ok I think he’s had enough,” Emily said with a laugh. 

“Derek it’s your turn,” Penelope said. 

Derek sighs in relief. 

“Uhhh, Pretty Boy,” he turned to Reid. Thinking for a moment. “Have you ever smoked before?”

“Smoked what? Cannabis, tobacco? Something else. Be specific.”

Emily’s jaw dropped. 

“I dunno man,” Derek said, “I was talking about weed but go off.” 

“I have.”

“How?” JJ said, “You’re like sixteen! I haven’t even smoked weed.”

“Me neither,” Penelope said, sounding outright disappointed. 

“I believe it,” Hotch said. “He has a Juul.”

“Seventeen now,” Spencer said. “Kids in my first degree found it funny when I performed actions that they deemed mature for my young age. 

“What?” Penelope said. “But you were sixteen last week.”

“It was my birthday on Wednesday,” he said. 

“And we missed it?” JJ asked.

Emily decided not to inform them that her birthday had been a few weeks back as well. 

“It’s no big deal,” Spencer said, “I don’t really do birthdays.”

“Well I do birthdays!” Penelope said, “and you’re getting one.”

Emily could see the gears turning in Penelope’s head.

“Wait you haven’t smoked weed?” Emily said. She didn’t mean to sound so surprised, but hell, it was college. 

“I’ve never been offered,” Penelope said with a shrug.

“You have a Juul, Spence?” JJ said. 

He shrugged. 

“Anyways,” Derek said with a laugh. “Reid it’s your turn to ask.”

And the game continued roughly the same for a few more rounds, with some truths, some dares, a lot of drinking and a fair amount of laughter. 

Emily learned that JJ likes some angry rock music when she’s upset, that Penelope has committed several federal crimes, that Reid used to coach basketball in high school, that Derek has been posing nude for art classes on campus for extra cash, and that Hotch has never successfully completed a word search in his life. 

The dares were limited, because frankly they were basically hiding out in a basement during what might actually be a tornado. Emily was dared to do an impression of Hotch, which wasn’t good and involved a lot of eyebrows and frowning. After, JJ was forced to leave her snapchat at Garcia’s mercy for the entire night. Other dares involved dancing, attempting gymnastics, and seeing whether or not Reid fit into the dryer. He did. 

The game finally had played out when it was Hotch’s turn again to ask. 

“JJ, what’s your greatest fear?” Hotch asked.

“Mr. Serious over here,” Derek said with a whistle. 

“Probably the woods,” JJ replied. 

“Why?” Spencer asked, tilting his head. 

JJ grabbed a candle, holding it under her chin much like Reid did earlier. 

“I used to be a camp counselor, when I was a teenager. In the woods up in Vermont.”

She leaned forward. Emily didn’t know she worked at a camp. It made sense. She pictured her in a camp t-shirt making a bracelet. It suited her. 

“I had the night shift. I tucked the girls in, turned off the lights. The typical drill. Everything seemed fine; all the kids were asleep. You know, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.”

Another dramatic pause, both Spencer and Derek had leaned in, invested in the story. 

“Until I noticed there was some blood, on the hallway floor. So, I followed the blood trail out to the camp director’s cabin, walked up to his bed and he was just lying there, underneath his covers. Dead!”

Penelope gasped. The room was silent.

“Someone stabbed him. I ran out of there so fast, out the door, down the hall. I just remember it… being really dark. Once I got to the door, there was another counselor there. I guess she heard me scream.”

JJ set the candle down, looking at the flame flicker. This couldn’t be real, Emily thought, this had to be a joke. 

“They caught the caretaker on his way to town, I guess he still had the knife on him.” 

“Anyway, I guess that’s probably when I decided I didn’t like the woods.”

“You’re serious?!” Derek demanded. 

“No!” JJ said with a laugh. “You bought that! I’m kidding!”

“So are you afraid of the woods?” Emily asked.

“Yeah,” JJ said, “They’re spooky I don’t know.”

They all laughed at that. 

Emily glanced at her phone; they had been down here for almost two hours. According to Penelope’s intermittent checks on the status of the extreme weather, most of the city was experiencing black outs, but there was no sign of an actual tornado. They were still supposed to take shelter for the next hour or so, just in case. 

In this time, Emily was close to five drinks in, with only one left in the basement. A growing pile of empties had built up around them, and Hotch had pulled out a small bottle of whiskey in addition to his beer, passing it around the circle. Having recently turned 17, the group had officially decided to give Spencer a beer, which he nursed slowly, wincing at the bitter taste. 

“Emily,” JJ turned to her and looked mischievous. “Truth or dare?”

She felt her heart flutter.

“Truth.”

“Hmmm…” JJ said, “Where was the weirdest place you’ve ever had sex?”

Emily found herself blushing at the memory.

“Oh god,” Emily buried her face in her hands. “IHOP parking lot.”

“What?”  

Emily nodded, downing the last of her beer. 

“No further questions,” she proclaimed as she opened her next drink.

“I think that should conclude Truth or Dare,” Penelope said, “It’s time for another sleepover classic, since some of you are sleepover virgins.”

She grabbed Derek’s water bottle, plopping it down onto the carpet and spun it. 

“Spin the bottle!”

Emily went pale. What was Penelope doing? She stared into her drunk, not daring to look at anyone else. 

“That doesn’t seem very sanitary,” Spencer said.

“Boo,” Penelope, “You’re no fun. It’s a classic! And we’re all friends, it’ll be fun. Hotch you spin first.”

He looked horrified, but took the bottle. There was no getting in the way of Penelope Garcia’s will.

“The rules are simply: kiss or you have to finish your drink?,” Penelope said, “Got it?

Hotch nodded, he spun the bottle. It went around the circle, once, twice, three times, then landed clearly on himself.

“How do I kiss myself?” he said, deadpan. 

“Drink!” Emily told him. He downed his last beer.

Derek spun next, rubbing his hands together nervously as it went around and around. It landed on Penelope.

“Come here, chocolate thunder!” 

Derek took his baseball cap off, turning it backwards. Penelope pulled his shirt towards her, tugging on him as their lips met. They both closed their eyes, she could hear JJ giggle at the sight.

“Was that the only reason we’re playing this?” Spencer asked, “So that you could kiss Morgan?”

“Maybe?” Penelope, “What’s it to you, boy-genius!” 

He put his hands up in surrender, it was his turn. 

He spun the bottle awkwardly, so that it rocked back and forth in addition to spinning. It went around once before landing on JJ.

Emily wasn’t sure what to think about that. On one hand, he was just a kid and the kiss wouldn't be anything, but on the other hand, Emily was jealous that she didn’t get a kiss. 

“Come here, Spence!” JJ said, making a grabbing motion at the boy and laughing. 

He leaned in with his eyes closed, Emily wouldn’t be surprised if he told them he hadn’t done even this before. JJ put a hand on his face, turned it gently, and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Derek clapped him on the back and made a comment about it being ‘pretty boy’s first kiss,’ and Reid simply sat and blushed as he busied himself with drinking some of his beer. 

Emily’s turn. She tried not to cross her fingers and pray for JJ, but it happened anyways. It landed on Derek. Emily sighed dramatically.

“Ewwww,” Emily mock protested.

“Come on, princess,” Derek jeered, “You know you want some of this!”

He lifted his t-shirt up and rubbed his hands down his abs.

“Put that away sir!” she covered her eyes. 

“Oh come here,” she said, leaning in. They kissed on the lips with a loud ‘mwah!’ noise. 

“That was cute,” Hotch commented.

Emily fake gagged, while Morgan tried to wipe her red lipstick off him. 

Last was JJ in the circle. She spun it casually. Emily tried to read her facial expression, wondering if JJ, too, wanted it to land on Emily.

See, Emily was starting to believe that JJ liked her back. She was single, and for all Emily knew, she was straight, but the more Emily got to know her, she got queer vibes. She played soccer! Her nails were short and- 

Emily couldn’t think of any other things that moment, as she was currently freaking out about the spin the bottle situation that was presently unfolding. 

The moment in the bathroom, Emily thought, that was something! The way she looked at Emily… she was sure that she felt JJ’s eyes on her linger. 

The bottle landed on Emily. They had to kiss. It was part of the game.

Holy shit. 

Penelope squealed and Emily could feel the entire room's eyes on her, except JJ whose eyes were on the ground. 

Emily could hear her heartbeat. She desperately wanted to kiss JJ but did she want to under these circumstances? For a dare? 

JJ looked at her. Blue eyes staring into brown. She could hear her blood rushing in her ears. She found herself leaning forward, only slightly. JJ did the same. Her lips parted, her eyes hungry.

Emily shifted forward, she sat with her legs tucked under her, bracing herself with her arms. JJ was cross legged, her arms free to grab at her face. JJ’s hands tugged her forward.

Their lips met. 

It was uncertain, chaste, soft. Then, JJ’s hands pulled her closer. They were pressed together, heads tilting so that their noses didn’t bump.

Jennifer Jareau was kissing her. They were kissing!

Emily’s brain short circuited. JJ filled her senses; the blonde’s vanilla perfume and soft lips and the taste of alcohol on her tongue. 

Oh god, her tongue. 

Emily did not want it to end. Their mouths opened and their tongues slid against each other, feeling so perfect and sending Emily’s blood racing away from her face and noticeably south. 

JJ was incredibly hot and Emily desperately wanted to do more than kiss her. Or kiss her like this forever. Her ams were caressing her cheek and tangled in Emily’s hair, pulling her closer.

The lights flickered on; they had power, again. JJ pulled away from her, sharply. 

Emily sat back, sitting up straight. The room was luckily too distracted by the lights to notice how out of breath Emily was. Or that they probably shouldn’t have passionately made out on a dare. 

JJ wouldn’t meet her eye, but Emily could see her own lipstick on the other girl’s lips. Emily blinked at the bright light, started by the sudden return of the electricity after she had become accustomed to the dim light of the candle.

“What impressive timing,” Spencer murmured.

Taking the lights as a good sign, Penelope checked on the emergency alert. It was over and they were safe to go back upstairs. She found out that a few downed trees were the cause of the outage and there was never an actual tornado. No one was hurt but there was a bit of property damage throughout the city. 

Without the atmosphere of the candle light, and the likelihood of a RA doing a check of the building, they decided that that was the end of their party. They gathered up their empties, and blew out the candles.

As they finished up cleaning, all making sure not to leave any trace of their illicit affairs, Emily tried to quell her racing heart and blushing face, completely unable to look anyone in the eye. 

The door opened, their RA was there. Erin Strauss. She was a hardass.

“What are you all doing down here?” she demanded. 

They all stood, stock still, jaws dropped, smelling of alcohol and clutching clinking tote bags. 

“Erin,” Emily said, trying to sound as sober as possible despite the five plus drinks in her system, “We were simply following the directions on the emergency alert.”

“Yes! It said to seek shelter from the storm and the basement seemed the best for that,” Penelope said. 

“Uhuh,” Erin said, “What’s in the bag?”

The bag clinked. 

“Oh just some garbage,” Emily said, lying through her teeth. “We had some snacks.”

“Sure,” Erin said, not believing them. 

Emily tried not to sway, but did not feel steady on her feet. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or her recent kiss with JJ.

For a second, Emily was sure that their RA would bust their asses, but the girl simply sighed and told them to go to bed, muttering about how dealing with non-existent tornadoes wasn't part of her job.  

The six of them scurried upstairs, all freaked out about their near-miss with a write-up.

Reid disappeared up to his room, then JJ and Penelope walked down the hall to their’s. Emily slipped into Derek’s avoiding Erin Strauss’ watchful eye, helping Derek steady a very drunk Hotch.

Hotch, who had probably had a little too much of that whiskey, stumbled into Derek’s room and decided to sleep on the floor. Emily placed a water bottle next to him, and placed him in recovery position, glad for the distraction from the blush that refused to leave her face or the lingering taste of JJ on her lips. 

She walked slowly down the hall back to her own room, the events of that evening playing back in her mind. She threw herself onto her bed, dazed by her situation. 

Emily fell asleep with vampire make up still on her face that night. 

[onewaigu]

From Space

Genre : Alien!au

Theme : Slight fluff(?)

Pairing : Kanghyun(Onewe) X Reader

Description : Y/N accidently got pushed into the Earth's atmosphere and sent crashing into an unsuspecting Earth boy who was busy stargazing.

“I don't know, what if someone catches us?”

As much as you enjoyed getting on your parent's nerves by going on your dangerous adventures without telling them beforehand, you knew very well that if you were to go on this one particular adventure with your dear twin cousins, you would not only have to deal with your parent's wrath but you would have to deal with the High Council's too. 

After all, Earth had been out of bounds since eons ago. Anyone who dared to step foot on the planet, would be sent into exile without any hesitation.

There were many known theories as to why this rule existed in the first place, but nobody knew what the real reason was behind the need for it.

Tiny shivers ran down your spine at the thought of being exiled. From the stories you'd heard when you were little, exile didn't sound like a pleasant experience at all and because of that, you actually found it quite incredulous that your two younger cousins would even consider risking their lives just for the sake of-

“But Y/N, wouldn't it be cool to have Earth as our view while we play dodgeball? Like could you imagine just how beautiful that view would be..”

Those kids were going to be the bane of your life. However, they did have a point. Earth was truly a beautiful planet to anyone who had ever set their eyes on it and being close to it would definitely be an opportunity that would only happen once in a lifetime.

No. You really shouldn't.

Shaking your head as you placed both of your hands on your hip, you firmly told your cousins, 

“As a responsible adult, I don't think we should”

You expected to see sad frowns on your cousins' faces but instead you were met with mischievous grins. Oh no..

Dongmyeong, the older of the two twins, kicked his feet off the ground and began to circle around you in a playful manner while Dongju, the younger twin, decided to float horizontally in front of you, propping his head with his hands while looking at you with the most innocent-looking expression.

“That's too bad..”, pouted Dongju.

“We'll just have to go near that forbidden planet without any responsible adult supervision then”, sulked Dongmyeong as his shoulders slowly drooped.

A look of exasperation was plastered all over your face. You wanted to reason with them again and maybe lecture them on the consequences of going near the Earth but before you could say anything, the most dramatic gasp interrupted you. 

Dongmyeong who was busy circling you had suddenly stopped, his eyes widened in fake fear.

When did this kid become an actor, huh?

You mentally rolled your eyes, but gestured your hand at him begrudgingly, encouraging him to finish whatever nonsense he planned to say to convince you to change your mind about going near Earth.

“But what if something terrible happens to us, Dongju? There won't be any responsible adults there to save us from such tragedy!”, exclaimed Dongmyeong with utmost exaggeration, both of his hands were on his head.

“You wouldn't want that to happen, right Y/N?”

Dongju's question made you speechless because he was right. You wouldn't dare to let anything bad happen to your twin cousins. Not only were they like your own brothers, but Dongmyeong and Dongju were the crown princes of your home planet. It's true they were troublemakers but they still held some power in their name and status.

An irritated sigh escaped your lips. Your uncle and aunt would be seriously pissed if they knew you let the twins go off on their own.

“Fine, but we better be playing two metres away from the Earth's ozone layer”, you grumbled.

While both of your cousins were busy hollering in excitement, you were already making a move towards Earth.

“Hurry your butts up before anyone sees us”, you groaned in frustration.

-

Dodgeball wasn't a term native to your people. It was actually said to be derived from Earth. It was a game where players tried to throw balls and hit opponents, while avoiding being hit themselves.

The only difference was that people from your home planet would charge up ordinary rubber balls with some of their own energy and that meant that whoever got hit by a flaming ball of energy would be instantly thrown back by the huge impact and left with a stinging mark. Fun.

“Alright, here we are”, you said to your cousins who were following you from behind.

All three of you stood or rather floated in place as you marvelled at the planet in front of you.

Words could not possibly describe its heavenly beauty. Earth was truly an incredible wonder to the eyes. How could this be a forbidden planet?

“Y/N, look out!”, you turned around in confusion but unfortunately you weren't quick enough to realise that the ball Dongju had thrown was coming straight towards you at high speed.

It was too late.

As soon as the ball of energy touched a part of your abdomen, you were instantly thrown back by the huge impact, it was impossible for you to even divert your direction to anywhere else other than the planet behind you.

The faces of your twin cousins changed in absolute horror as they helplessly looked on at your figure slowly growing smaller and smaller, entering the Earth's atmosphere. They honestly couldn't do anything else to save you without endangering their own lives and because of that, they remained where they were.

-

“Why didn't you signal Y/N first that we were gonna start the game?”, Dongmyeong was the first to break away from the initial shock, his eyes widened in panic.

“What do you mean "signal", we always played dodgeball this way!”, shouted Dongju in frustration as he kept shaking his head in denial of what had just happened to you.

“..true”, mumbled Dongmyeong, letting his head drop.

The two princes fell into uneasy silence.

“We're doomed, aren't we?”

“Oh definitely..”

-

You were falling. You don't fall, you float but you were falling at that moment. When will the falling stop?

Maybe it was gravity that was pulling you down. You'd learnt about it in a lecture that Earth was the only planet that had this force that could pull you down towards the centre.

Despite being in a terrifying situation, you forced yourself to close your eyes, to let all the fear and panic inside you fade away. Hugging the energy ball tightly to your abdomen, you could feel a wave of peace washed over you. 

“I really hope the landing's soft”

-

Life could be tiring sometimes without a doubt. That's why people have hobbies, to distract themselves, to find an escape from their routine.

Hyungu's no different.

His fascination with astronomy started way back when he was younger when he used to have intricate dreams about asteroids, stars, and just about everything related to the universe above.

When he got older, he never once missed an opportunity to go stargazing. Lucky for him, he'd stumbled across this lonely hill one night while taking a longer route back home during his first year of university. 

The view from it was like no other. Hyungu would simply lie down on the plain grass and admire the map of stars twinkling above him. If he stayed a little longer, he might even catch a shooting star or two. 

There was a whole universe out there, and he could only watch it from his tiny little planet. Even so, he was still happy because stargazing truly felt like an infinite bliss for him.

-

On the 24th of November, he decided to visit the hill to meet his twinkling companions. He was also hoping he'd come across a few shooting stars to make some wishes. It was, after all, his birthday.

The path he took had cherry blossom trees lined up all the way to the hill, but their branches were bare without a single pink flowery beauty on them as winter was slowly approaching. Wisps of the cold wind blew on his face, sending tiny shivers throughout Hyungu's body. He hugged his white parka tighter around him to keep himself warm.

He had expected the night to be freezing which was why he came prepared with a huge thermos filled with delicious homemade hot chocolate tucked away safely in his tote bag. The night's stargazing experience would be just wonderful, he was sure of it.

Taking slow careful steps up the hill, he could already see his stars welcoming him. Regulus was shining brighter than ever which made Hyungu smile dearly in adoration of his favourite star.

After finding his usual spot, Hyungu immediately plopped on the grass with a soft thud. When he looked up into the sky, he could see dozens of beautiful stars scattered all over, looking as though they were like freckles on a person's face.

He started to search for constellations that he could remember off the top of his head and with each success, he bumped his fist in the air in victory. 

“I probably looked funny when I did that”, he chuckled to himself, his ears turning a faint shade of red. Thankfully, no one was there to witness it.

This went on for about a few minutes before something that was moving very fast caught Hyungu's attention from the corner of his eye. Turning his head sharply towards the source, excitement rose from inside of him.

A shooting star!

Normally, he would close his eyes and clasp his palms together as soon as he saw a shooting star to make a wish, but this time, he hesitated.

 He noticed something odd about it.

Firstly, it was slightly bigger than an average shooting star. Secondly, it was glowing purple. The second part was what shocked Hyungu the most, he had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. When did shooting stars become purple? Did he miss some kind of unforeseen phenomenon which caused them to change colours? Whatever it was, Hyungu was confused to say the least.

To make things even weirder, the shooting star had stopped moving halfway across the sky and was now directly in front of Hyungu's line of vision. It also seemed to be getting bigger and bigger as time passed by. Unfortunately, that's when he finally realised that the so-called shooting star was actually heading towards his direction, and it was moving fast.

Hyungu's eyes widened but he was frozen in place, too scared to move an inch from where he was. All he could do was shield his face with his padded arms, hoping that it would be enough to brace the impact.

He stood like that for a few minutes but when he heard nothing from the other side, he slowly removed his arms from his face. He really didn't expect to meet a pair of luminous gray eyes staring back into his own black ones, much less a whole person hovering above him.

Hyungu shared the same shocked look as the mysterious person. He didn't quite understand how this person could possibly be off the ground without having anything attached.

-

“What the-”, you whispered in confusion.

The fall took a while before it came to a stop. When it did, it didn't feel like you'd landed on something. Instead, you felt like you were still suspended in mid-air. Curious to know why, you slowly opened your eyes for the first time since you entered the Earth's atmosphere. Immediately, you were taken aback by the sight in front of you— or rather, below you because there was literally someone else, a boy, sitting on the ground below you. Before you could take a good look at him, you felt an invisible force push you in the back and send you crashing into the Earth boy.

His jaw hit your nose, and your forehead hit his.

The both of you were groaning in pain, lying a few feet away from each other after you had instinctively pushed yourself off of him upon impact. 

“Well, that was certainly a soft landing”, you said sarcastically as you got up from the cold ground while still rubbing your nose bridge to relieve the pain. You even had to blink a few times to adjust your blurry vision to your new surroundings.

The flames of the ball that you were hugging all throughout your fall down to Earth had already been extinguished and it was now resting against the Earth boy's foot. 

The Earth boy..

For a second there, you had forgotten all about him. You were a bit concerned though. Poor him probably didn't expect someone to crash into him from outer space.

With shy steps, you gingerly approached him. Just like you, he was also rubbing his nose bridge as he sat up from the ground and stretched out his legs. His eyes were closed too.

Once you were beside him, you crouched down to his level and lightly tapped his left shoulder twice. 

-

Hyungu was trying so hard to ignore the pain on his nose but it felt like he had just been hit hard by some type of metal. He was busy rubbing it when suddenly, he felt two light taps on his shoulder. 

Opening his eyes, he turned his head to his left and saw that the same mysterious person was smiling at him. Hyungu couldn't help but gape at this odd stranger's appearance. With hair of regal purple and eyes illuminating silver radiance, the person truly looked otherworldly. 

So aliens don't really look like E.T.?

-

Behind your smile, you were feeling kind of awkward because the boy had stopped moving once he laid eyes on you.

Is this Earth boy broken or something?

Not sure what made you do it, but you decided to reach your finger out and poked his forehead with it. You were glad that it took him out of the trance that he was in. Now, you could finally try asking him some of the questions that had been bothering you since you arrived on Earth.

“Hi, do you know where I could borrow a bio-ship? I really need to go back home as soon as possible”, you asked the Earth boy politely, pointing a finger upwards towards the sky.

Unfortunately, you were met with silence. 

“You do have bio-ships here on Earth, right? You know, the ones that are organic and make you look really cool when you take them for a spin”, you elaborated, assuming that maybe bio-ships went by another name on Earth and this Earth boy might be confused by that.

However, when he continued to give you confused expressions with no replies whatsoever, realisation finally hit you. 

“Oh no no no, please no, it can't be”, you shook your head furiously, desperately trying to reassure yourself but failing in the process.

Grabbing the boy's padded shoulders and shaking them back and forth gently, you hoped that your assumptions were wrong when you asked him, “Do you understand what I'm saying?”

From confusion to concern, the Earth Boy replied back, but unfortunately, not a single word was understood by you. Whatever he said was too foreign to your ears, you couldn't even guess the meaning of anything he was trying to say to you.

You stood up from where you were crouching and moved a few steps away from the Earth boy. With your back facing him, you placed a hand on your chest and tried to calm yourself down with slow breaths. Panicking wouldn't help your situation, so the best you could do right now was to proceed with a clear mind. Maybe then, could you think of something that could help overcome this language barrier.

 -

This definitely was the weirdest encounter Hyungu had ever experienced in his whole life. Who would've thought that a shooting star that turned out to be an actual person would be talking to him in some kind of alien language right now. 

Of course, he didn't know how to respond so he just kept quiet but the moment the mysterious space person started panicking and stood up from beside him, that's when Hyungu decided to pack his stuff as fast as he could and attempted to run away as quietly as possible. He had had enough of weird things happening to him in one night.

Tiptoeing down the hill, Hyungu kept looking back to make sure that the person was still there. Once he knew he was much further away from the hill, he slowed down his pace and leisurely strolled along the path that would take him back home to the dorms.

-

Did the Earth boy honestly think you didn't notice his retreating figure? His footsteps weren't as quiet as he probably thought they were.

While you were still unsure of what to do, you still followed him from behind because he might be the only one who could help you. Besides, there weren't any other Earth people around anyway.

You raked your brain to search for some solution. You could've sworn there was something you could do to learn a foreign language in an instant. There was a lesson around it when you took Earth Studies as an elective last year. You just had to remember what it was.

A low rumbling sound interrupted your thoughts. Clutching your stomach, you sighed in annoyance. It's been a few hours since you last ate or drank something. Moments later, another sound came from in front of you, this time it was a low gasp. You slowly raised your head to see that the Earth boy had finally realised that you were following him all this while. His eyes were wide open and his cheeks were tinted with a faint shade of red.

In a blink of an eye, he started to run. You were dumbfounded by his action but at that moment, something clicked in your mind and you began to chase after him.

“Wait, hold up! I need to do something”, you called out to him despite knowing that he couldn't understand anything you're saying.

He was fast but you were faster. When you heard the rustling of his clothing growing quieter, you took this chance to pick up your speed. Once he was already an arm's length away from you, you reached your right hand out and grabbed the sleeve of his padded clothing, causing him to halt.

You turned him around to face you. Not giving him any time to comprehend what was happening, you immediately landed a small peck on his rosy cheek. When you pulled away, the Earth boy blinked his eyes a few times before falling limp on the ground. 

Hmm Earth people faint when we do that? 

Even after you did that, you weren't completely sure if you had already absorbed the language of the Earth People. The only way to check was to wait for this Earth boy to wake up.

Folding your arms in annoyance, you began eyeing the bag that he was carrying. As if on cue, your stomach rumbled one more time. Touching your abdomen, you wondered if he had anything on him right now.

Isn't that stealing? 

You shook your head reassuringly.

It's "borrowing"

Satisfied with your own logical reasoning, you took a step closer to the purple bag that was still slung on the Earth boy's left shoulder. You lifted his arm up and removed the bag, leaving his arm to fall back to the ground with a thud. You peered at his face for a second and saw that he was still unconscious.

“How long before he finally wakes up?”, you stifled a laugh.

Holding the bag in your hands, you began to rummage through it, searching for anything that could stop your stomach from making any more embarrassing sounds. 

Eventually, you found something. It seemed like a mere metallic cylinder at first but when you shook it near your ear, you could hear some type of liquid swirling inside. Eager to know what it was, you unscrewed the lid and brought the brim closer to your nose. When you inhaled, a strong rich sweet-smelling scent greeted you.

Bringing the cylinder to your lips, you downed the chocolate-coloured liquid in one shot. You let out a happy sigh as you could feel the silky smooth texture of it against your throat. It was absolutely delicious, you had never tasted anything like it on your home planet. It was gone in an instant!

Setting the cylinder aside, you lazily turned your head towards the Earth boy's direction to see him staring back at you.

“Oh great, you're awake!”, you smiled at him.

“Did you finish all of that?”, he pouted, “I didn't even get to taste it and it's gone”.

“Aww I'm sorry about that”, you apologised while looking guiltily at the empty metallic cylinder.

“Oh no, it's okay- Wait a minute!”, he exclaimed halfway through his sentence, pointing a shaky finger at you. “I understand you!”

Your whole face suddenly lit up when you heard those words, “You do? You understand what I'm saying?”, you asked him excitedly.

The Earth boy nodded his head enthusiastically. He too, was smiling in excitement, though he wasn't exactly sure why.

“It worked, I can't believe it worked!”, you whispered to yourself in glee. Now, you're one step closer to finding a way back home.

The sound of someone clearing their throat echoed into your ears. You figured it came from the Earth boy so you just hummed back in response.

“I don't mean to offend, but are you..an alien?”

Upon hearing that, you turned your head sharply at him which caused him to look away shyly.

Tilting your head a bit, you shrugged, “Well if being an alien means I'm from up there then yes, I'm an alien”, you told him nonchalantly.

“Oh w-wow, that's uhm nice”, he stuttered back awkwardly while scratching the back of his ear.

Even though you're extremely curious to know what life was like on Earth, you had to abandon any thoughts of exploring it. 

“Anyway, do you know where I could borrow a bio-ship or any type of spacecraft? I really need to get home”, you asked him in a serious manner. 

The Earth boy repeatedly tapped a finger on his lips in concentration, trying to think of an answer. However, when he looked like he had one, he gave you an uncertain smile. You were a bit worried to listen to what he had in mind.

“There is a place which has those..”, he trailed off.

Why did it seem like there would be a 'but'?

“..but normal people can't just go there and borrow a spacecraft, it's government property”, he furrowed his eyebrow at you in empathy, “I'm sorry”

You felt your heart shatter into a million pieces. Assuming that this so-called government was like your home planet's High Council, there was no way you would ever be able to leave Earth any time soon. Heaving a sigh, you waved your hand dismissively at the Earth boy.

“No worries, I guess I'm stuck here for a while”, you mumbled defeatedly while raising your head up to look at the night sky. You hoped that your twin cousins were at least busy finding a way for you to get back home.

From the corner of your eye, you could see the Earth boy visibly contemplating on something.

“Uhm..do you have a place to stay?”

A low gasp escaped from your lips. You hadn't thought about that at all. “No, I've never been to Earth before, so I don't know anyone here”, you frowned deeply as you hugged your elbows. All of a sudden, you felt alone and you wanted to cry.

But then, you could hear a soft kind voice asking you in the most gentlest way, “Do you maybe want to stay at mine? It's actually a dorm with a few other people but I'm sure they won't mind it”

“I don't want to trouble you..”, you already felt bad for being such a burden to this young Earth boy.

“Trouble? Helping someone else who's in need isn't a trouble at all”, he beamed at you reassuringly.

You hesitated for a while before accepting his offer. Something about this Earth boy made you feel like he was someone you could trust. 

Soon after, the two of you began heading towards the Earth boy's dorm, walking side-by-side each other. Your eyes were wandering everywhere the whole time, soaking in the beauty of Earth.

“I'm Hyungu by the way”

You stifled a laugh but quickly tried to hide it by covering your mouth with your hand.

Hyungu looked at you in confusion, not understanding why you thought his name was funny.

“Sorry, it's just that I've been calling you Earth boy in my head the whole time since I landed here”, you explained to him apologetically. You could feel the heat rushing to your cheeks so you looked away, hoping that he didn't notice it.

“I'm Y/N”, you told him.

“Aren't you cold, Y/N?”, he shivered as a cold breeze blew on their faces. Hyungu kept tugging at his parka to try and stay warm but he noticed that his new alien friend was completely unfazed by the freezing weather. In fact, he was bewildered when he first saw you because you weren't wearing any thick warm clothes.

“Nope”, you simply replied back.

He nodded and the both of you went back to walking silently beside each other.

At that moment, Hyungu finally accepted that he probably wasn't dreaming anymore.

[a/n]

hi hi! yes, this was lowkey inspired by starfire and robin's first meeting where starfire kissed robin to understand and speak English ^ ^

hope you had fun reading this!

also don't forget to stream parting ;)

[unclefungusthegoat]

Where The Light Fractured, I Found Home

Thought I’d share my little contribution to the Far Cry 5/New Dawn fanzine too! Wanted to write about my fave girl Carmina, and instead of rolling with my usual angsty stuff, was suddenly inspired to write a cosy fic about her knitting with Nana! A huge thank you to @celiansartblog​ for your seriously gorgeous artwork, and for being an amazing partner, it’s been a true pleasure working with you! And also, thank you to everyone for getting on board with this little project, I am so freaking proud of everyone <3

My fic can be read under the cut, or here on AO3

The fanzine can be downloaded for free HERE

Title: Where The Light Fractured, I Found Home

Warnings: None

Summary: Carmina wasn't sure that she needed a new hobby. What she was sure of, is that it takes a special kind of friendship for a rainbow to fall from the sky. Carmina and Nana family fluff.

“Girlie, you need t’get yourself a hobby that don’t involve somethin’ dead at the end of it!”

That was rich coming from a gun-toting septuagenarian who could sneeze mid-shot and still snipe a guy’s ear clean off.

“I have hobbies, Nana!” Carmina had laughed back at her.

“Not like this, you don’t!”

Now, sitting with their legs dangling out of the Perch, Carmina and Nana relaxed in the bright, sun-warmed afternoon glow. A mountain of rainbow yarn sat upon their laps, tinged violet by the somehow still flashing Spread Eagle sign.

Fire truck red and saffron yellow, was knotted and twirled between hydrangea blue, woven and twisted amongst rainforest green and a purple not quite the colour of yams, not quite the colour of eggplant. Heaped like psychedelic Himalayas, snikt and persnikt between two sets of needles. The fibres were near weightless, clouds beneath their fingertips, almost unlike anything Carmina had felt before. In fact, it was a stark reminder of how razor sharp the world around her was. Rusted and wind-beaten. Unstitched.

Between them, slowly winding its way to the ground, was the fruits of their labour.

A scarf.

So kaleidoscopic, it appeared the sunlight had fractured without any rain.

Despite her skepticism, (and her, admittedly, half-hearted attempts to confine herself to the garage instead) Carmina had found an unexpected gratification in the art of knitting. An intrinsic sense of joy in holding something that, usually, she’d impale right through an eye socket, only this time to find it be cushioned, caressed by soft wool. She’d diligently practised all the stitches in the book. Garter and stockinette, fisherman’s rib and the basket stitch.

Her sulking had waned even further when the two of them, some 60 years apart in age but soon thick as thieves, had snorted at, mocked and downright abused the unfortunately named ‘Seed’ stitch. And the week where they’d set to working on the waffle stitch, had been laden with misshapen homemade waffles. Buttery and rich. Laced with lashings of oozing maple syrup from a bottle Carmina had found in the rubble of a diner once named ‘Aubrey’s’.

“You know, Nana,” Carmina purled a final violet stitch, and passed it to her companion to begin another row, “I’m really grateful you talked me into this.”

“Don’t you be worryin’ about it, girlie. Keepin’ this kooky ol’ gunslinger company.”

Truth is, Nana, I was lonely too. More than I’d ever admit, even to Mom and Dad. How can the world feel so echoey and vast, when everywhere I look, there’s people I love?

I suppose she saw right through me.

Having no memories must be the loneliest feeling in the world.

“Even gunslingers need friends. Butch Cassidy had the Sundance Kid, right?”

“Right y’are!”

Snikt and persnikt again, as the two worked in comfortable silence. Sometimes they gossiped, letting their laughter fill the valley and join with the birdsong and distant gunfire. But most days, it was just the pleasure of each other’s company. Two friends, passing a lazy afternoon in rare stillness and peace.

“Another stack of pancakes says we’re gonna finish this today.”

“Hoo-hoo, wager not taken, buster! I see whatcha doin’, and I never take a wager I can’t win!”

They giggled, in full certainty that there’d be sweet treats anyway.

“What do you think we should make next?”

Nana gazed at her sternly through jam-jar lenses. Carmina had never known any of her grandparents, but she imagined that this is how they would have stared her down had she misbehaved.

“You gotta noggin’ full o’ yarn if you think I’m gonna answer that, missie! You gotta brain, start usin’ it!”

A flurry of thoughts, snowfall in summer. Mittens, striped like candy, a gift from Santa for the little ones. A blanket for Blade Drubman’s crib - he’s been having trouble sleeping, the gears of the world grinding, deafening, around him. Pouches for screws and bolts, pockets for wrenches and screwdrivers. Or something for Dad to put in the plane… a Maneki-neko to sit on the dashboard for good fortune?

“How about knitting my co-pilot a good luck charm?”

Murmured agreements, and they once again settled back into their silence. It wasn’t long before their work neared its end, as the yarn ran low. Threads of life, weaving into the fabric of the world. Not gone… just renewed.

“Makes a change to the o’l heart, doesnit? Buildin’ something, ‘stead of tearin’ the whole world down. One day, missie, y’gonna be incharga buildin’ this valley up again,” Nana’s steady hands, sculpted by bloodshed, by love and by time, bound-off the final stitch. And carefully, she gathered up the scarf from where it dangled down between them. “I reckon you oughta be lookin’ real swish when y’do it!”

She held it out in offering.

Teenage eyes so earnest, and bright with a humble soul widened in disbelief.

“For me?”

“You earned it, kiddo!”

As though she were cradling a newborn babe, Carmina took hold of her gift, letting it rest gently in her arms. And she whispered a silent thank you. In the hush of the valley, she could almost hear it carry on the breeze, cast out to all the lucky stars across the cosmos, honouring the sky and it’s kindness, for it had given her so many gifts. The cloudless vista under which she sat, each day anew with promise and life. The rainbow had shed a skin for her, one that she held close to her now.

And the sunshine itself, that shone eternally in her Nana.

“You young’uns gotta build,” The old woman’s voice was far gentler than usual. An uncharacteristic weariness sat nestled between words and breath. Yet… there was hope. “An’ you gotta do a better job than we ever did.”

The child of the new world nodded. She wrapped the scarf around her neck, letting her hair tangle and tuck into its folds. Cosy. Cocooned in the warmth of dedication and patience. Distinctly smelling of home. Each lump and bump beneath her fingers was a tangible shrine to every precious moment they had spent stitching it together.

Feeling it embrace her, Carmina Rye’s eyes teared in the corners, glistening with pride.

And she smiled:

“Seems like we made a good start.”

[stragglewort]

Ghoul Parade -- “5.) Car Trouble”

Picture by StreetWill.co, “1970s car grill, headlights.” - 2016

__________________________________________________

      He wasn’t sure if he was more afraid of that hissing, inhumane something that had just invaded his thoughts or of his own friend. He’d seen magic tricks before, hell, he’d done magic tricks before. But what James did was nothing like his Mr. Magical pocket guides had ever described. He had half a mind to feel for fishing wire.

        “I think you should sit down.”James chimed.

        “I’m… apt to agree.” His voice shook and he staggered back to the chair, slumping into it. The sulfur smell had disappeared, but it was still horribly fresh in his mind. “You have my attention.”

        A wash of relief spread over James’ face. He also sat down, slicking back his hair as he let out a heavy, drawn-out breath. “You don’t understand how glad I am to hear that. I’ve never actually trapped anything like this before, and I wasn’t excited to try it on you.” He stopped and stared for a moment. “An actual vampire – look at you! You have all the signs!” His lips pursed. “...Most of the signs. You were attacked, you died –”

        “I didn’t die.”

        “Exactly! You should’ve, but you didn’t. Oh gods, Jo – don’t give me that face – I don’t want to be forced to prove this to you.”

        Something about James’ stoic urgency rattled him. Though rattled didn’t mean passive. “We’re not just glossing over whatever the hell that was.” He threw his hand to the slammed door.

        “That was magic.”

        His voice was monotone. “It’s something that’s been here long enough that most of us have forgotten about it. So long that those who do figure it out tend to get unreasonably shunned.”

        “…Okay?”

        “It’s in and around everything – wait, wait –“ He scrambled around the table, grabbing a torn bit of scratch paper and an old permanent marker. He took a split-second to think, biting the marker cap before a realization dawned on him. “Most magic is inside us living things; it’s the energy that makes us work or escapes when these hunks of meat die off –“

        “…’Hunks of meat?” Joshua Interrupted.

        He ignored it. “There are some more lucky than me who can wear that magic on their sleeves – like you!“ He said it so quickly Joshua didn’t quite catch it. “Now, I’ve learned most humanoid creatures with all these tend to come from a pact… or a sire. Those who weren’t created, though, were taught - like me.” He spoke quickly, excitedly, while he scratched the last segments of a strange line-littered circle on the paper. “Even though everything has magic, not everything has the means to access it. We went on to better, easier things. Electricity, lightbulbs and… staplers. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You just need the right push, the right set of markings and the perfect focus to –“ He held the sheet up, a finished circle of odd, archaic markings drawn on its surface. Though there wasn’t much time to process the shapes before James gripped it in his hands, a glowing purple flame sparked from the bottom and curled up the fibers, eating the paper away in its wake. The flame morphed into itself, rising into a warbling purple orb that lit up the table like some strange candle. “… To draw it out.”

        “That’s fantastic. How did you figure this out? How do you do it?” Joshua whispered, drawing his hands to the orb. It was cold.

        “Practice? Books? Listening to the wise, raving rants of lunatics on the street? I’m confined to the runes on paper, or the runes in my room.” He motioned to the ritual circle out in the corner. “I can do mostly anything I want with that thing here – otherwise the ink’s my best friend.” He gave a coy, disingenuous grin. “Other than you, of course.”

        He was still stunned by the glittering orb. “…What’s this have to do with Lottie and I, then?” He asked, distracted.

        “Everything!” James’ voice got loud, and he slammed a hand down on the table (which startled Joshua to no end). The small light flickered and died, fuzzing out of existence the second James raised his voice. “You’re magic, she’s magic, we’re all magic and you’re just now figuring it out.”

        Joshua’s eyes darted around the room. Looking to the ritual circle, the blank spot of air where the orb had been, then to James, who looked strangely calm. “This is insane.”

        “Yeah, I coped with that years ago.”

        He sighed. He didn’t like being so quickly swayed but undoubtedly, he had been. “I’m all ears.”

        “Good. Now, about the vampirism. We need to find another one. Someone who might explain all of this better than I can.“ Honestly, James knew only the bare truth about it all. He knew enough to realize their existence and spot one from a crowd, but other than that he’d never gotten the chance for a proper conversation. There was this pang of something in the back of his mind that regretted using Joshua as his doorway into the world of the unliving – but the opportunity had been served to him on a Styrofoam platter. He wasn’t going to pass it up.

        “Another one…?” The words came out nervous, though he agreed having some insight on the matter would be convenient (even if he only bearing the slim chance James was wrong).  “What about Lottie?”

        “What about her? You said she ran off.”

        “I mean, sure she did – but if I’m a vampire –“ It would never feel right to say that word genuinely. “That means she’d be one too, yeah? She might even know where we can find an… I don’t know, an older one?” He felt like he was speaking gibberish. He knew what he was trying to say but barely had the words to describe it. “Can’t you find her with your… uh –“ He motioned to the burnt remnants of the paper James had drawn on. “Your runes?”

        “I can’t just tell the universe to track one of every species in a certain –“ He stopped, realization striking him. “You’re both dead.”

        “Excuse me?”  

        “Jo, you genius. You’re both dead! That not a species, that a state of mind!” He exclaimed excitedly, his hand grabbing for a coat he never took off as he rushed out the door. “Come on – I know what we need to do.”

        Joshua watched as James bolted out the room. “Uh – you left your –“ James had disappeared through the labyrinth of storage totes. He sighed, grabbing the papers and marker off the table and wandered out after him. He wasn’t in any state to go running. By the time he made it out the cellar doors, James had already gotten to the other side of the short parking lot and started the car.

        He slipped awkwardly into the passenger’s seat – “Alright, wh –” He was taken off guard as James snatched the marker from his hands and uncapped it, drawing suddenly in a scramble of black, inky markings. “What are you doing to my steering wheel?”

        James lifted his head to meet his friend’s, his hand freezing about halfway through a short semi-circle on the center pad. “Something… useful?”

        “Please don’t draw on my car!”

        “Too late!” He finished the circle with a final flick then swiped at Jo’s hand, grabbing his wrist before pausing, “I need to borrow this, do you mind?”

        “I uh –“ Whatever he was going to say got interrupted as James threw his hand onto the wheel, blaring the horn for a few seconds. If it hadn’t been for everything else that had happened, he would’ve thought he was going blind or mad as James started to murmur under his breath, the marker stains on the pleather wheel shimmering in response. It lit up in a blueish-grey hue that reminded him of something like a newly-broken glowstick. After a few more seconds the blinkers started flickering, the headlights winked, and even the reading lights went wacky as the whole car threw itself into an electrical nightmare. “What are you doing to my car?” He instinctively tried to pull his hand away from the jittering mess, but James held it in place.

        “I’m going to need you to stay put, yeah?” He sounded somewhat finicky, like he was desperately trying to focus. It seemed he only needed to ask out of politeness as barely a second later Jo found he was stuck to the wheel. It was like he’d been glued. “If I use your signature… your ah – “ His voice hitched as his grip got a bit tighter on Jo’s hand. In-tandem the car started shaking and a low electrical buzz hummed through the air, filling their ears. It felt like chaos contained to the inside of an old station wagon. “Your – it’s like a magic fingerprint.”

        “An… aura?” Joshua was really trying to come to terms with all the new information.

        “Yeah, if you want to be cliché about it.” He laughed, a bit shakily. “We might be able to find more of you. Usually I’d do this to a map or something.”

        “Wh– why didn’t you?” He asked, frazzled, his free hand now gripping the grab-handle in a desperate attempt not to get shaken into the floor.

        “You’ve got better car insurance than I have money for a new phone.” If anyone were looking from the outside-in, they’d find the vehicle practically hopping. Jittering and buzzing in its parking space, it lifted off the ground like a helium balloon getting pulled by some kid tugging at its string. It didn’t help when the alarm started to go.

        “What are you doing, stop it!”

        “It’s going to work. Just give it a little more – Ha!”

        Jo was about to continue snapping at his friend, but the car – in a split, unhesitating second went still. They fell back into their seats, his hand still stuck to the wheel and James’ still planted firmly on-top, keeping him there where the magic couldn’t. The only sound left from the commotion being the blinker, queuing them for a left turn. James laughed, shakily, but triumphantly. “I can’t believe I wasn’t lying.” He said in a near whisper.  

        “What?”

        “I’m not saying that could’ve completely destroyed your car, I’m just saying that it was either going to work, or you’d need a new dash.” He slicked back his long hair, fingers getting caught between some stray curls, and let out a sigh.

        When James’ grip loosened, Jo tried to pull his palm off the horn. It still wouldn’t budge. “I… I still can’t move.” He stuttered, tugging at his arm. He couldn’t help but notice how the blinker would crackle every time he tried to pull away. It didn’t feel as much like glue then as it did tendrils; something invisible and threadlike holding his hand to the center pad in a death grip.

        “Obviously. I haven’t dismissed you yet.” James said as if it were something completely nonchalant. “Now if you can keep still, we might be able to find your secretary. See? She’s somewhere… left.”

        “…Right.” Joshua leaned back as far as his reach would let him.

        “No, left.” James laughed, and then promptly quieted when he realized he was the only one laughing.  

        They pulled out of the parking lot (which was a much more hectic task than that would imply). With Jo’s hand firmly planted to the wheel, James had to practically drive over him to get the car turning. He got pulled in every direction as they swerved from turn to sidestreet – a U-turn here and an ­‘Oh, that wasn’t the right way’ there. With every road they took the blinker would shift, change, and point them in whatever direction it decided they needed to go.

        Everyone else on the road must’ve loved them.

        There was a distinct effort made to follow every other traffic law in a desperate attempt not to get pulled over. Magic tends to be something of a guessing game when melded haphazardly with human mechanics – cars weren’t made for tracking rituals. But they figured out quickly enough the rules it had set up for itself. Left and right were obvious; when it sped up on its own, revving and whirring like some racer, they figured that meant go forward; when it stalled to halt in the middle of the road, they figured that meant turn around. Stop lights were the most fun, though. James found himself pedal-to-the-metal on the brakes trying to keep the car in place while Jo was leaned halfway over the arm rest, practically in the driver’s seat. He’d made eye contact with more than a few other drivers who couldn’t help but peek at the blinking, swerving commotion. They were on the road for at least an hour just trying to decipher the directions taking them only god knew where. Jo was just thankful it wasn’t some blood-ritual-sacrificing-something-or-another. At least, he was sure he wasn’t bleeding.

        After some time they clattered, blinked, and veered their way into the lot of a tall apartment complex nestled tightly between a stretch of buildings. Grey and dreary, only highlighted in spurts by bright window decorations. There were some colorful flags and curtains here, some potted plants there, all of it giving life to the brutal concrete. Though, there wasn’t any time to appreciate the resident’s decorative taste as Jo found himself convinced the car was about to explode. It bounced and clicked, the blinkers going off at random while the headlights flashed.

        “I think we might’ve found the place!” James laughed, gripping the steering wheel like an anchor.

        Jo wasn’t in much of a talking mood. He was almost sure his shoulder was going to dislocate with how the car tossed. His free hand scrambling, he shot for the key and turned it in a frantic attempt to shut the whole thing down. With the ignition off, the buzzing hummed to a low murmur, the bouncing settled, and it all came to a somewhat reasonable state. Though the charmed shimmering of magic was still faintly speckled over the metal and across the pleather, leaving faint, fluttering traces. The tendril-like grip on Jo’s hand finally loosened, though he didn’t seem to notice. He instead just sat there catching up with his heart rate – or, no – he could hear a heart pounding in his ears, but it didn’t feel like his. Instead, his eyes tracked the noise to James, to his chest, he could almost hear a rush of something under his skin behind his cut laughter. He sat there for a moment, entranced, his mouth opened slightly and realized the air suddenly tasted savory – heavy.

        “You… you can move your hand now.” James wove his arm out of their tangle and sat back into the seat. Jo shook his head, as if he were clearing some abstract etch-a-sketch of thought and pulled away, slowly.

        “Yeah, sure – I –“ He sat himself primly into the chair and stared forward, it felt like his mind was swimming. “Where are we?”

        “Hollow Oaks Apartment Complex, apparently.” James read off some sign set up a few feet away from them. “Does your secretary live here?”

        “I… I don’t know, I’ve never asked.”

        “Wow! You’re terrible at the secret office romance thing, you know that? Where on earth have you been sending her flowers to?”

        “Nowhere!” He started, shifting in his seat. It was a little annoying, but the banter did something to clear his head. “I don’t send her flowers.”

        “Right… you’re more of a chocolate guy, I should’ve guessed.” He cracked his knuckles and moved for the door. “Well come on, we can’t find the supernatural sitting down.”

__________________________________________________

[twilightprince101]

A Tale of Scouts - The Dimensional Drifters

I decided to write a fic for my Dimensional Drifters AU! This can serve as a way to let newcomers know what exactly this AU is all about, but also was just really fun and self indulgent for me to write! It was fun as hell imagining how the different characters interact and banter with each other!

This fic was based off a previous post I made for this AU detailing what the different “roles” of everyone would be, this story centering around the scouts/supply runners. If you have no idea what The Dimensional Drifters, check out the “Dimensional Drifters” tag on my blog or click here to check out the carrd detailing my self ship AU’s!

With that out of the way, I hope y’all enjoy!

Far beyond the Earth that so many have come to know, there is a sea of alternate worlds. Some are akin to our own, sharing similarities in their people and places. Others are a far cry from the mundane, revealing what the world would come to if humanity had never existed. There are worlds that connect to other universes, having their culture carry on through literature, while others are doomed to isolation, forever remaining out of touch with the rest of its ocean. Few worlds contain unfathomable creations that no mortal mind can comprehend. Other worlds can just be a chair in a room.

In one of these worlds, sentient life had never been created. No culture, no humans, no form of sapience whatsoever. In their absence, competition for nutrients was nonexistent, allowing organic life to thrive like never before. Trees that began as young saplings now loomed high above the clouds that once hung over them. Plants intermingled with each other freely and developed hybrids that would be the paradise of gardeners and botanists everywhere. But in this endless forest lies a special type of fruit that grants whoever takes a bite hundreds of centuries worth of flavor (if they’ll forgive the migraines that comes from them).

These fruits -and the favors that come with them- are why four sunset toting scouts are braving the dense thickets of trees once more.

“Come on M.T., better hurry up or else I’ll beat you theeerreeee~”

A purple dragon teased behind him as he soars through the woods, weaving in and around the trees and letting wind graze past his scales. To give his opponent a fighting chance to catch up, the drake bucked up his horns and released a gust from his golden wings, looping around a branch overhead. Although in the past he had trouble with flying on his own, after getting so much training in these different adventures it came as natural as breathing. Checking if his fellow racer had managed to catch up the dragon peered over the sunset fabric tied around his tail, spotting the white blob of fur that was only a short hop behind.

“Oh yeah?! We’ll see about that Spyro!!”

Two iron wires shot out from handheld blasters, embedding themselves in a branch overhead. With a click from the triggers the rope began to zip back into its holster, pulling its wielder upwards along with them. As the Moomin soared over the branch he gave both hooks a yank to pull them from the wood, making sure his trajectory was right as he repositioned himself to fire the next shot. With another blast and pull, Moomintroll was next to and keeping pace with his racing rival, his multicolor neckerchief flapping in the wind. 

“Don’t get so cocky just because you have that gear on.” Spyro dipped down to avoid an incoming branch. “Back home I could outrace anything! Dinosaurs, UFO’s, even some of my own elders couldn’t keep up!” 

“Oh yeah?” The Moomin shot another hook above and yanked hard, his tail grazing the hardwood before momentum carried him back down. “Well I may not be able to fly like you, but there’s one thing I have you don’t!”

“Really? And just what might that be then?” 

With a toothy grin the grappler shot another target overhead, retracting the wire once more to zip over top. Only this time as he ascended, he clenched his toes and activated the triggers in his boots. In the blink of an eye an aqua aura expands from his boots and outlines his body like a glaze. With this new glow, instead of hopping over the next branch, Moomintroll hurdles over it and continues to soar upwards, the laws of physics no longer applying to him.

“VICTORY OVER GRAVITY!!!”

The dragon couldn’t help but laugh along with his fellow scout as he flew higher and higher. It was certainly true, he had him beat in that regard. The gear he requested from Lindar and Hat Kid work amazingly together, especially in Moomintroll’s hands. Spyro could remember overhearing him asking the inventors for the gear, wanting to find ways to keep up with everything else. It’s hard to believe now that the kid he used to constantly protect was able to keep pace with him now. All that practice he’s done has really paid off.

“Keep your eyes on the prize Moomintroll!”

From the branches to the two’s right, a small black and white blur bounced from branch to branch. With each step he took his large eyes peered ahead to calculate the next three, blue eyes scanning every possible route forward. As the blur approached a large gap between two branches, he reached into one of his several pouches and pulled out a smoke bomb, slamming it against the tree as he soared, the small explosion propelling him just the right distance to make it to the other side. Even though his two partners could soar through the air, his prior training as a Phantom Thief allowed him to match their speed just from natural ability alone. Although normally it would be hard to spot him, the twilight bandana around his neck helped make the job easier.

“It may seem fun but this forest is dense. Think of this like driving a car, if you don’t keep your eyes on the road you’ll slam into a tree!” The cat said, only sparing split second glances away from the hurdles ahead.

“Morgana, M.T.’s never driven a car. Forest world, remember?” The dragon couldn’t help himself from spitting out a bit of snark.

“W-well, then,” despite his continued proficiency bounding forward, the cat fumbled for a recovery, “riding a bike then! Or sledding!”

“C’mon, lighten up a bit! This is the first time he can let loose like this while on a mission, plus you’ve practically been working him to the bone with those lessons. Let him have some fun!” 

“We both know this isn’t a place where you can let loose Spyro.” one of the weaker branches snapped as the paws left its surface, sinking into the blanket of clouds without any audible sound. “One wrong step and he’ll become a pancake down on the forest floor!”

“It’s okay teach, I think I got the hang of this!” The phantom thief’s view of the purple drake was obscured by snow white fluff as Moomintroll bounded alongside him with the glow still surrounding his form and only taking occasional glances down to his mentor. “I’m doing everything you said. Arms to the sides, knees tucked in and all that stuff!”

“You forgot ‘Always on the lookout.’” Both teacher and student kicked off the side of a towering birch, both giving stylish and acceptable somersaults in the air before landing on the next branch. “This is like a test run before we have you come with us to more dangerous worlds, if we were somewhere like the deep sea woods doing this you’d fly right into the mouth of a giant antler-fish! You need to have situational awareness whenever supply running in places like these.”

“But we’re not, right? We know that there isn’t anything here, just plants! This gives me the perfect opportunity to get used to these in the field! Here, let me show you something I’ve been working on, you’ll love this! It’s really good to get more speed, but also a bit stylish, just like how you do it!” 

With those last few words both grappling hooks were upholstered and the blue glow around Moomintroll’s form faded. Before Morgana could even get a word out he kicked away from their shared path and winked to him, then turned his attention to the path ahead. For a few seconds the Moomin just fell, descending closer to the coating of fluff as his eyes scanned ahead. Despite knowing just how dangerous the scout was doing, Morgana and Spyro couldn’t help but just watch, paw lingering over a pouch and body positioned to take a dive at a moment’s notice.

Then in a blink of an eye Moomintroll spotted it, the perfect opening. A single branch that had not a single branch below it. It was time for some fun.

The snow-furred explorer shot another two blasts from his grappling hooks, disabling the boots and letting gravity swing him under the branches like a pendulum. Wind howled in his ears and his scarf flew like a flag in a hurricane. As he reached the swing’s trough and began to rise again, he pulled the triggers on both the hooks and boots, enveloping himself in blue light once more as he rose, the speed from his fall being nothing compared to now. With a leg kick and hard pull both hooks were released and the momentum from the swing sent him rocketing ahead of the entire pack, all three sets of eyes directed on him. One impressed, one nervous, one amused. 

“WAAAAAHOOOOOO!!!” 

But in his exhilaration, he failed to notice the oak tree branch that he was hurtling towards.

“Moomintroll, watch out!!” Morgana dug into his pouch and pulled out a grappling hook of his own, preparing to fire it at the living projectile before it struck its target. But with how far ahead he was and the speed he was travelling, it would be a one in a million shot-

“Don’t worry your little paws off, I got this!”

A flash of green and black energy shot past the phantom thief, barely missing one of his whiskers and throwing off his rhythm leading him to tumble a bit on the branch as he landed. The shot of raw chi flew faster than a bullet and sliced through the tree’s body like a buzz saw, cleaving it perfectly in two. Gravity did its work quickly and the oak toppled to the side, falling beneath the clouds and down to the depths of the forest below.

But even though the tree was gone, the suddenness and shock caused Moomintroll to lose his rhythm.

“WoahwoahwoAHWOAH!!” M.T. waved his arms and kicked his legs in an attempt to reposition himself. In his panic the triggers for the boots were released and the aura vanished. Reality grabbed the Moomin’s tail and yanked down hard. He still had a hold of the grappling hooks but with how much he was flailing his head spun along with the rest of him. Even if he reactivated the boots he would keep the momentum and crash course through the clouds and down to the ground to become a Moomin panini. 

Working fast, Spyro folded his wings inward and dove down beneath his fuzzy friend. With his superior flying skills and weight  he managed to dive faster than Moomin flailed, catching him on his back with a huff. He was normally used to lighter people riding his back like the kids, in all of the excitement he forgot that this is his friend’s natural weight. M.T. didn’t take up much space on his back at least, with the drake being about the size of a horse. 

“You okay back there bud?” Spyro kept his eyes forward to ensure they didn’t make the same mistake twice. It took a moment for the freefaller to realize he wasn’t doing so. When the dragon didn’t get a response, he made sure his flight path was clear and took a peek behind him.

Moomintroll was unharmed, no problem there. Instead of terror or injury, the mystified teen was staring down into the clouds that grazed his feet. His eyes were filled with galaxies as the nature of the situation dawned on him. He was riding above the clouds on a dragon. An actual real life dragon! This was something he had never even dreamed of doing back home before! Holstering his blasters, he reached down and let his hand comb through the fluff. Water droplets collected on his hands as the white fingers combed through the mist. The two could smell the water in the air. Without saying a word Moomintroll looked at his friend with a grin so innocent and full of childlike wonder it would rival Mustache Girl’s first flight.

The dragon just snorted in return, returning his gaze to their upcoming destination.

“Heads up now and buckle up, we’re going in for a landing!” White fuzzy hands gently wrapped around Spyro’s shoulders as he tilted to the side and let his wings carry the two down to their landing pad: a wide oak treetop decorated in mounds. Although it didn’t seem like much, this little base was their home away from home. 

After a slow but steady descent, the two touched down on the bark of their base. Unfortunately before Moomintroll could even get off of his friend he was sniped with a reprimand.

“What did I tell you about being careful?!” With one more smoke bomb propelled launch, Morgana touched down onto their home base right in front of the dragon and Moomin. His eyebrows seemingly spiked downwards from the force of the landing.

 “I know this may be fun and all, but you need to keep a grip in these situations! If Spyro hadn’t caught you, you would have been plummeting all the way down to the bottom of these trees, and we all know how big of a fall that is!!” Morgana’s tail is puffed and pointing straight up as he scolds his student. 

“S-sorry sir!” Moomintroll instinctively bowed down to his mentor, meeting him at eye level. “T-this has just been the most exciting thing I’ve done! I’ve never been able to keep up with you all, but with these,” he gestures to the boots and grappling guns, “I’m able to stay beside you all and not slow you down!!”

“But still, you could have been seriously hurt! Lindar and Hat Kid made those so you could keep up, not to play around! If you’re going to study under me for phantom thief training, you need to understand that-”

“Aw, c’mon teach, lighten up on the kid will ya?”

A teasing voice from the shadows interrupts Morgana, echoing between the oaks. From one of the higher treetops a slim, feline figure overlooks the three while leaning against the trunk without a care in the world. His hazelnut fur would’ve made him hard to spot if it weren’t for his black and red garb and glowing green eyes. The metal clanked against his body as he shifted, his sunset cloth (wrapped around his shoulder like a bangle) sticking out like a sore thumb.

“You heard him good, right? This is the first time he can run with the big shots instead of hanging back doing paperwork. He’s been looking forward to this forever and was doing well too, what’s wrong with a little slip up?

“Ugh, of course he butts into it.” The small thief groans, not even bothering to look in his direction and wishing he could go back to ten seconds ago when he forgot he existed. Both Moomintroll and Spyro spot him but sport polar opposite  reactions. Moomintroll waves up at the figure without a hint of wavering.

“Shu Chi, come on down! We’re gonna take a break before getting more of those fruit things!” The clink of yaoguai armor could be heard.

“Naaaah, I think I’m good up here. Might be good to keep lookout, ya know?”

“There’s nothing in this forest, we’ve already established that a while ago!” Spyro’s tail flicks down and knocks on the ground, creating audible thumps that mix with his yells.

“Well you never know unless you know what you know, ya know? There’s no way we know everything about this world, there might be, oh I dunno, giant woodpeckers to go along with these giant trees! Or maybe even giant beavers that’ll chow us up along with the wood!” 

“I think you mean termites-”

“My point still stands!” The yaoguai leans his back against the branch, holding two fingers up to his temple as if he’s making a great deduction. “Might be good for someone to keep an eye out, plus it’s plenty comfy up here! By far one of the best trees I’ve rested in.”

The thief and dragon groan, already fed up with his shenanigans. They’ve been through this routine plenty of times before, they know better than to try and pester him further. Moomintroll, though, does not. Pulling off a backpack he’s kept on him, he takes out a small tupperware filled with a few cubes of yellow, flakey, doughy delight.

“I brought some of Mama’s cornbread if you want some!!”

The spirit’s ears perk up upon hearing the word cornbread, peeking down at the small container. His green eyes stare down at the yellow cubes as he stands perfectly still. When a fanged grin shines from the darkness Shu Chi springs into action, leaping off the edge of the treetop and digging his claws into the bark, slowing his descent while spiraling around the trunk. When he reaches the same level as the rest of his fellow scouts, his entire body glows jade green and he springs from the tree like a baseball pitching machine shooting out a green christmas light. Making sure to do a few flips as he falls, the leopard cat slams down into the tree in a battle-ready crouch. 

“We get it, you like to show off.” Spyro rolls his eyes as the glowing light dispels from the yaoguai’s body.

Moomintroll opens up the tupperware for the cornbread and holds it up to the leopard cat who happily reaches in to pull out a slice and take a bite. Shu Chi’s eyebrows slope upward after chewing for a moment, unable to help himself from letting out a “Mmm!” from the taste.

“Yor mofor,” Shu Chi swallows a bite and points down at the Moomin, “makes the best cornbread.”

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Within a handful of minutes the four scouts had settled into their camp away from camp. It wasn’t much overall, only a few chairs surrounding a mound protruding from the tree that acted like a table. Moomintroll went around and passed out the snacks he had packed for everyone, making sure to include a slice of cornbread. He decided to save his own for later though, as a Moomin he didn’t need to eat as often as everyone else.

Shu Chi looked over the edge to do lookout as he said. Whatever it was he was looking out for he didn’t know. While hearing a bit of rustling he took a peek behind him to see what everyone else was up to. Morgana and Moomintroll were making their way over to the mound while pulling rolled up parchments from their bag. Spyro on the other hand gladly munched on a bit of steak while stretching his wings, arching his back like a cat about to pounce. Strategy wasn’t exactly his forte, even back in his own world, so he took the moment to relax.

When the dragon noticed the actual cat eyeing him down, he stood upright and returned his gaze with the same amount of wariness. Neither were exactly sure what they were waiting for, scanning for any move they could make until they couldn’t take anymore. Flicking his head up Spyro tossed the last bit of steak into his mouth and chomped down, not once breaking eye contact. Shu Chi turned back around and took a bite of his sandwich, returning his gaze downwards. The arm that bore his multicolor bandle felt a little tingly so he loosened the fabric a tad.

“Alright, so let’s map out our route.” Morgana spoke between bites of fatty tuna, standing up onto one of the chairs. Moomin nodded, pulling out a rolled up map from his backpack and spreading it out over the mound. The parchment held several crude drawings of trees surrounding a small multicolor circle-their entry point. The drawings seemed intricate at first, meticulous in detail, but the farther away they got from the portal the more messy they became. The outer layer is just a green circle scribbled with big green crayon and the words “IT’S ALL JUST TREES!!!”

“The last few times we’ve been here we’ve had to look for specific trees to get the miracle fruits.” The mapper pulled out a red crayon from his bag (it was the only thing Hat Kid gave him with the map) and pointed to a large pine tree that most likely was drawn in five seconds. “This one right here has been our main supply, but considering we’re getting enough for everyone, it won’t be enough.”

“But we know that there are other trees that have this fruit. The first time we came here and explored the ground level, there were some rotten fruits at the base of trees right by the portal.” Morgana circled around the portal with his paw. “But even though those fruits were there, we haven’t been able to get anything from that tree every time we looked.”

“It could just be because the tree has grown too old. Compared to the rest of them, the bark seemed pretty faded.”

“That doesn’t help us though. What we need is to find trees that are young enough to have ripe fruit.” Morgana pulled away from the map to munch thoughtfully on his snack, hoping that it could stimulate his brain. “Mmm… dogh yogh remumbuh wha thuh othah treesh wahr?”

“Hm? Oh yeah, hang on a second.” The cow/hippo hybrid put crayon to paper, taking a moment to think before marking off different trees with a tick mark. When finished the two stepped back, hoping to find some sort of pattern. There were only about eight tick marks on the entire map of the known forest, all dispersed seemingly randomly. Some trees didn’t have fruit anymore, some they have picked once or twice, but all of them combined wouldn’t give them enough for everyone, not even including the timeframe it would take to reach them all.

“Well we can rule out the trees all spreading out from one source.” Mona sighed in frustration and scratched a bit behind his ear. Moomintroll stared speculatively at the map trying to recall any other instances they had found a miracle fruit. Most they found on the ground was on the verge of decomposing if they weren’t already splattered from the fall. Meanwhile the ones they found on the trees were hidden within the leaves, barely visible to the naked eye. If they wanted to make dinner by tonight, they would need to know which trees to hit and only go for those ones.

“How’s it going over here fellas?”

Both Moomintroll and Morgana jump back a bit from the sudden voice right over their shoulders. Morgana once again groaned at the sight of Yan Shu Chi, leaning on one foot with his elbows stretching above his head. Spyro peeked out from behind him, lowered in a preparatory stance just in case he tried anything funny.

“We’re trying to figure out where we should look for miracle fruits next, Leopard.” Mona spits out the name as if it was a cherry pit. The cat seems unphased, stretching a bit more with his eyes closed. “Aren’t you supposed to be keeping watch like you said you would?”

“Meh, I think you guys might’ve been right, there probably isn’t anything here we need to worry about. Besides…” he winks open an eye down to the Phantom Thief. “From the sound of it you need a bit of help over here, kitten~”

“I am NOT a CAT!!!” Morgana hisses and nearly jumps a foot in the air at Shu Chi, barely even trying to hold back a chuckle at the reaction. “We have been over this SEVERAL TIMES!!! I may look like a cat, but I’m far from a hairball spitting animal like you!”

“Aw come on now boss, you really playing this game again?” Shu Chi itches the bottom of his nose with a finger, still looking down at the scout with only one eye. “Look, I’m just sayin’ there’s no harm in just admitting it.”

“I’ll NEVER admit it!!” Mona hisses once more, catching himself on the end. “B-because there’s nothing TO admit!!!”

“Really doing this now, huh? Here, I’ll spell it out for ya.” The yaoguai approaches the cat once more, lowering his arms and reaching down to the phantom thief.

“We both have pointy ears…” Shu Chi tugs a bit at Morgana’s ears, making him let out a little Mrah!!! While trying to bat his hand away.

“We both have claws…” He pinches Mona’s tiny hands, using a paw to tap on said claws that were peeking through his white fur.

“We both have fluffy tails…” Mona jumps a bit when he feels Shu Chi’s tail patting and lifting up his own.

“And of course, we both irresistibly cute~” Shu Chi holds his chin aloft with his fingers underneath, sticking out his tongue a bit and winking to further prove his point. 

“Oh actually, wait a minute… That only really applies to me…” False realization takes over his expression as he taps his chin, then snapping his fingers with a playful glance back down. “Maybe you’re not a cat after all! My bad!”

“HEY!!!” Morgana just jumps even higher in the air with his tail erect like a pole, hissing at the audacity of his fellow scout. The leopard cat doesn’t even try to hide his chortling laughter, successfully pissing off the little cat once more. Moomintroll and Spyro both give each other a glance, one of unease and one of annoyance. They were getting nowhere fast.

“Well are you going to help or not then, mister cat?” Spyro knocked the back of his tail onto the yaoguai’s back, knocking him out of his chortling spree. Waving off his mischief and Mona’s attitude as if it were nothing, Shu Chi mutters “fine, fine mr buzzkill…” and peers over the map. As Morgana’s fur smoothes back down the grin across Shu Chi’s face fades away along with it, his expression turning inquisitive and brows furrowing rigorously. Both paws spread out the drawing as he hunches over to get a closer look.

“Oh, did you figure something out Shu Chi?” Moomintroll unclenches the crayon from his teeth, wiping away a few bits of red wax from his mouth. The yaoguai points a claw at one of the tick marks closest to their current location where the drawings still have a hint of effort.

“This tree right here. Isn’t it that one right over there?” His brown and white tail points off into the distance. After going through the same routine Moomintroll nods. The three could see the wheels turning in the leopard cat’s head, claw tapping on the wood as he stared at the bark. It was only when the tapping could be mistaken for a tap dance troupe that it ceased and his head jerked up. He spun back to the map and snatched it up and paced along the perimeter of the base with his face buried in the parchment of crayon and marker.

“Well? Don’t keep us in suspense, tell us!” Morgana and Moomintroll followed close behind but their ally didn’t give a response, only muttering to himself and pointing in different directions. After walking a third of the treetop’s rim, Shu Chi stops again and looks off into the distance with a squint, blinking a few times to be sure.

“Hey purple pal, c’mere for a sec.” Shu Chi motions the dragon over with a wave of his fingers.

“My name is Spyro.”

“Yeah yeah whatever you say Silo. Can you do me a favor and check out that tree over there?” He lowered down to the dragon’s eye level and pointed off into the distance.

“Umm…. the big tree or the big tree?” 

“The big tree. As in,” Shu Chi pressed the dragon’s cheek to his, pointing with a claw directly to where he looked so there would be no mistake. “The tree waaaaaaayyyy back there with a broken branch a little lower towards the clouds.” 

Although it took a moment the dragon found the broken branch in question. It must have been over fifty meters away, even Spyro was surprised he was able to spot it.

“Uh huh…” The dragon nudged the cat with his horns to shove him away. “And why exactly should I do that?” 

Shu Chi, brimming with confidence, looks down to the dragon with eyebrows raised and a knowing glint in his eyes.

“Humor me.”

Both exchange cold stares with the other. The dragon is well aware of the mischief that the yaoguai brings, he’s seen plenty of it from how much he lies back at camp. A stolen hat from Moominpappa, a few swapped plates in the dining hall; nothing explicitly harmful, but enough to get himself on enough nerves he could make a harp out of them all. For all he knows this could be another elaborate prank, planting something in the tree to get a reaction out of him. But despite all the tail knocks and suspecting glares, Shu Chi’s expression never once changes, unwavering even in the face of a dragon.

After an overexaggerated eye roll and sigh, Spyro spread his wings, hunched down, then let the wind cary his wings as he flew into the distance to follow his ally’s request.

The phantom thief and Moomin rush to where he lifted off to watch as he flies up and away into one of the tree’s leaves. Although initially hesitant about Spyro following the advice of somebody who mocked him moments before, the anticipation began to well up within Morgana right alongside his student. Meanwhile the yaoguai waltzes up behind them, double checking the map to make sure he’s got it right. It was taking a few seconds longer than he expected. Maybe he pointed to the wrong tree? But after his ears catch a far off gasp a wide, toothy grin breaks out across his face.

“JACKPOT!!!”

An explosion of leaves bursts from the distant blur of green vanishing to show a blur of purple and gold. The dragon is brimming with enthusiasm and vitality compared to when he took Shu Chi’s request, his flight path becoming much more wild and varied than his previous straightforward line. He rolled, flipped and spun more than his first ever flight session. Moomintroll and Morgana followed him around the tree as he took a victory lap, all the while Shu Chi rolled up the crayon map and held it on his shoulder like a baseball star. 

The reason for such a sudden boost in enthusiasm was clear: in each claw, wrapped in his tail and even perched in his maw was a plump, bright orange, football sized fruit. 

After letting go of the edible ambrosia and piling them up, the dragon slammed down so hard that cracks shot out from his landing pad. All three of the starstruck scouts circled around the small treasure trove of spice fruit, marvelling at the horde their friend had brought in.

“There’s a whole bunch of them in there!!! I just grabbed as many as I could, but there must still be around ten of them!” Spyro circled the small pile like a dragon examining its treasure horde, marvelling at its beauty.

“Th-this is amazing!! We’ve only been able to find one or two every time we’ve searched, with this much alone we could get enough for TWO feasts!!!” The small not-a-cat couldn’t control how much his tail was wagging, already salivating at the thought of being able to eat so much.

“Well, minus one.” The leopard cat bent over and picked up one of the five orange footballs, examining four little holes on opposite sides. Spyro wiped away a bit of orange juice from his cheek.

Shu Chi tosses the fruit over his shoulder, not bothering to eat anything that already had teeth sinked into it.

“Thankfully, we should be able to get plenty more where that came from. If we just pick the rest from the tree over there, we’ll be set for the night! Maybe even have a few extra servings cooked up for us as well. I don’t know about you all, but I’d gladly eat an entire pan of that cornbread!” The cat stroked the fur on his chin, dreaming of the mountains of golden, flakey delights he’d get as a reward back home. Moomintroll made a mental note to tell Mama when he got back home as he approached.

“Shu Chi this is amazing!! How did you know so many were in that tree?!” The Moomin bounced on the balls of his feet in front of the yaoguai, eager to know his secrets. 

“Hm? Oh, well I didn’t know that this many would be in there, but... “ His head jerked a bit upwards when he spoke-most likely being knocked out of his flakey fantasies-but the spirit gladly smirked and unfurled the map, pointing to the center where actual effort can be seen.

“You see how all these trees here actually have detail? Now, do you see this one here with a few more branches at the bottom than the rest?” A claw points to the single center tree with a tick mark. “Even though the rest after this circle decreases in quality, those kids still went through the effort of drawing every little detail for this group. And as luck would have it,” he points to where Spyro found his treasure trove of miracle fruit, right around where it begins to dip into the layer of clouds, “that one over there has a fair bit of extra stumps on the side, wouldn’t you say?”

The dragon, Moomin and thief all followed Shu Chi’s claw to the jackpot tree once more. It took time for their eyes to adjust, but sure enough there were traces of branches near the base of the clouds. It was too much of a coincidence to be a prank he set up.

“So this whole time… we had it all wrong! There wasn’t any sort of pattern or discoloration, it was just just how many branches there were!!” A small paw paps onto Mona’s head, the realization hitting it harder than an electrified punch from Likulau.

“Yup! That’s right, I managed to figure out something that you didn’t knooowww~” A larger paw paps onto Mona’s head, rubbing the fur hard like an oversized noogie and ruffling it all up, only earning Shu Chi more hisses and growls. “I guess that means the student has become the master, yes? Gotta say, for someone so small I’m worried about you becoming a bit senile.”

“It was only a minor slip up!” Morgana batted away the giant paw, smoothing down the top of his head. “With what little resources we have, it’s only natural we couldn’t figure it out right away.”

“Aw come on now, there’s no shame in admitting you couldn’t do it. I mean if you really are getting too old for this job I can happily take over for you, no questions asked. Wouldn’t it be great to retire on a nice, warm beach somewhere after all your one years of work with us?”

“Oh be quiet you, you’ve been here less time than I have and a year is barely even that long!” 

Moomintroll looked back and forth between the two as their tones increased with intensity, thoping he didn’t have to step in. Shu Chi had caused more than his fair share of mischief in the past, but the Scouts had this chaos injected into their lives via daily doses, a full 50 CC’s of mischief and teasing every day. After nearly a year in the group, the Moomin has gained the title of peacemaker by necessity. 

Spyro could see the anxiety welling up in his friend. Already antsy, he stepped forward, raising his tail up like a teacher and their ruler.

“For the last time! I’m not OLD, I’m not SENILE, and I’m NOT A CAT!!”

“You sure you don’t wanna take me up on that offer? I have plenty of things I could teach the kid you know. Maybe…” A flash of a toothy smile. “Felinology?”

“Why you lITTLE-”

“Would you two stop bickering already?”

As a paw reached into one of Mona’s tool pouches and swirling energy manifested around Shu Chi’s arm, the golden tip of Spyro’s tail slapped the yaoguai’s hand away like a nunchuck attached to a whip. With a yelp of pain the yaoguai backed off while flicking his hand back and forth to soothe the pain. 

“S-spyro-”

“Don’t worry M.T., I’ll handle it.” Although it was meant to be reassuring, Spyro’s glance and nod back didn’t help suppress the feeling in his friend’s stomach.

“Aw c’mon Gyro, I was only ki-”

“Shut your trap already!”

Shu Chi shut his trap already.

“We just found the motherload of spice fruits and know where to look for even more! Both of you remember the first time we ate this stuff, how we almost spent an hour eating these in just tiny bites, can you imagine eating an entire all-you-can-eat buffet with these as the main dish?! If we get all of them from that tree we could be back in an hour! So quit the teasing and arguing and let’s just get going already!” 

Spyro stomped right up to the two and got right up in their faces. As he spoke his eyes took periodic glances back at the pile of football fruits. After getting a direct taste from one of those miracle spices himself, it was only natural that they were the main thing on his mind. He must have been holding himself back from gorging the rest of the miracle fruit he had eaten earlier. Although they taste like the heavens, eating an entire fruit so fast would be like chugging a swimming pool’s worth of vodka. 

Both Morgana and Spyro locked eyes with their object of annoyance. Shu Chi’s gaze flicked back and forth, not just to their eyes but everywhere else. Mona’s paws lowering to his toolbelt, Spyro’s brows narrowing, Moomintroll’s hand inching forward; he scanned the situation in front of him like a machine looking for errors. The way the cat’s stance shifted ever so slightly didn’t escape the Moomin’s eyes either, knees just barely bent and feet slid around an inch farther apart. It was subtle, precise, muscle memory. 

After the leopard was done sizing up the situation, he took a breath and relaxed his stance, showing both of them his back. His tone was lower, more monotone. 

“Alright, fine, I got the memo.” Shu Chi walked back to the mound, waving a hand over his shoulder. “You all get back to doing what you were doing, don’t let me keep you.”

“Ah, okay.” Mona scoffed. “Not even gonna help us then.”

“Would you even want me to?” 

No words were spoken between the four of them. Although his back was turned to them, the tension still wasn’t lifted. This wasn’t the worst it’s ever gotten between the three of them. At the very least it’s the fastest Shu Chi has ever backed down, Moomintroll was thankful for that at least.

Morgana smoothed down his ruffled fur and hopped off the stump, glancing to the dragon with crossed arms as he tipped his head to the cracks in the tree. He got the message. Moomintroll took a breath as they walked away, unable to tell himself if it was one of relief or exhaustion. Shu Chi looked down into the sea of clouds, paw tapping as both prepared for liftoff. As Spyro spread his wings and Mona kneeled down, the leopard’s ears managed to pick up a faint mumble.

“I told you before, you can’t let him get to you like that.”

Then the two were off once more, flying and bounding from branch to branch as they went off for another trip to the miracle fruit tree.

Moomintroll and Shu Chi were left alone on the tree top, both simply trying to process the events that had just occurred. One didn’t know what to say, the other didn’t want to say anything. The pacifier glanced back at his friends, then to Shu Chi. Even though his face couldn’t be seen, the paws shoved into his armor and mumbling told the story for him.

The yaoguai turned around and walked to the mound where they sat before, spreading out the rolled up map and grabbing a few of the fruits as paperweights. The usual flair and showmanship from before was gone as he carefully examined the parchment, taking note of the different tick marks and the detail of the inner circle. Little white feet stepped closer to him.

“Um, Shu Ch-”

“I’m gonna look around the forest a bit more,” he interrupted, “try and find a few more trees that could have these fruits. Now that we know what these look like, it wouldn’t hurt to know where some more are in the future. Never know when we might have to come back here again.” 

Moomintroll just stood in place for a few moments, just watching as he took the red crayon and circled the tree he deduced the pattern from. He unwrapped a few bandages from his arm and held them in his palm to write down any additional differences between the two he didn’t see before. Although the white-fluff mediator felt like Shu Chi was at fault for the teasing, he still felt partially to blame for the argument getting out of hand. Spyro tried to be nice and handle it for him and he appreciated the effort, but he also wished the dragon handled it a bit less harshly.

“I can already tell what you’re thinking,” Moomintroll shut his mouth before a word could even be said, “and let me stop you right there. I know fully well it's my fault we almost started fighting, so you don’t have to give me a speech from the heart about learning when I’m in the wrong or whatever.”

“Th-that wasn’t-”

“Look, I’m sorry, alright? I keep forgetting that not everyone here likes my antics. Back home gramps, Kulau and L-they all eventually… got used to me. I can’t help it at times.” The tone of the leopard cat’s voice didn’t change, but he was now leaning in a little closer to his hand to jot down details. Crayon on bandages doesn’t work too well though, especially on a soft surface. “You can tell the guys I said sorry if you want. Doubt they’d believe me, but it’s up to you.”

Moomintroll felt like he was playing tug of war with himself. He wanted to go up to him and say something, but kept holding himself back since he didn’t know if it would be appropriate to do so. Usually whenever Shu Chi got upset, he’d go off and do something for the Drifters as an apology, not wanting to talk about it afterwards. But even still, he could feel that the yaoguai would leave at any moment. 

Right as Shu Chi finished with his notes, the Moomin managed to force the words from his throat.

“I-I’m… sorry.”

The cat’s head raised up a bit, fingers hovering over the parchment with the crayon in between them.

“I… I understand how you feel. About not feeling like you fit in here.”

“Kid… you don’t need to-”

“Just listen a bit, please?” Fuzzy feet stepped silently closer on the treetop. “I know you don’t like talking about this stuff, so I’ll just say this and then you can go. Promise.”

A sigh and a clattering of a crayon. Yan Shu Chi returned to stand straight up, head aimed down at the notes he’s written. His ears are pointed backwards.

“Shoot.”

“U-um… back when me, Mamma and Pappa first joined everyone. The world we came from was a lot different from everyone else’s. Nothing much happened, especially compared to everyone else’s. It was so peaceful there, we didn’t have to worry-”

“I’m sorry, but could you get to the point please?” The yaoguai cut him off fast, feeling he was going to be roped into a long winded speech about his home. His manner of speaking had a sense of urgency, of wanting to leave the conversation fast. But there wasn’t malice within it. Moomintroll took another deep breath.

“Everyone treated me like a kid. Moreso than the actual kids there. They’ve been through so much more than us even though I’m much older. I didn’t catch on to some jokes people told, they didn’t understand me when I tried to find good parts to bad situations, I didn’t even know what sarcasm was at first. We never had stuff like that back home. It was just how things were.”

Shu Chi could remember that part well. Lin Hu, Likulau and himself joined a little after the Moomins had. Their nearly always optimistic logic baffled some of them, like the time Likulau and Bubba got into an argument that ended up with a few broken plates. It was after Moominmamma had spent a while making everyone a meal, using some of their own plates to serve people. With so many people from so many worlds, there would clearly be a bit of discord at first.

Although others began to scold both sides after the fight, Mamma just shrugged it off and sweeped up the shards, smiling and talking about how she could use the fragments for decorations. She didn’t blame the two for arguing, saying they both had some pent up feelings and needed to talk it out. Everyone else was dumbstruck, Shu Chi especially.

“But after being part of this group for so long, people are now treating me normally, like I’m part of the team. They got used to the way we act, accepting us as we are. It took some time, sure, but we’re still here. A-and… although I do think you should maybe… not, tease, as much…” Saying those last few words were a struggle on their own, but he swallowed the lump in his throat and forced the last bit out.

“I’m sure people will do the same with you. You deserve to be in this group just as much as everyone else.”

Only the sound of wind rustling the leaves filled the two’s ears for a moment. Moomintroll wasn’t sure if he overstepped his boundaries, he noticed he’s done that quite a bit since joining unfortunately. But no matter what the scout’s reaction was, Moomintroll had managed to tell him his thoughts. As he promised, he wouldn’t try to keep him or talk more than necessary. All he hoped was that Shu Chi understood he meant it.

A shift in Shu Chi’s posture knocked the peacemaker out of his head. The movement was slow and gradual, like a robot swivelling from its spot on the floor. With his unbandaged hand grazing the mound, Moomintroll could see a hint of the yaoguai’s face. He seemed conflicted about what to say, brows furrowed but his mouth not contorting into any sort of frown. It was as if he were still wary of him, wary of everything he said and was struggling just as much as him to force out any words.

With a gulp in his throat and adjusting the sunset bangle a tad, Yan Shu Chi sucked up his feelings and turned to face his fellow drifter, seemingly having made a decision. His eyes held a certain softness to them and the faintest hint of a smile could be seen on his face.

“Yeah…” He nodded a bit. “Yeah. Thanks bud.”

Moomintroll just nodded. That was all he needed to hear.

Shu Chi lifted his bandage notes back up, reminding himself of where exactly he needed to go. A quick glance back to the tree where Spyro found the fruits had Moomintroll spot a bit of movement in the leaves. They would be back soon, and Shu Chi would most likely leave before then. Seeing as he said what he wanted to say-

“Oh!”

Moomintroll’s head popped up, realizing something at the last second. As Shu Chi walked to the rim of the treetop, M.T. rushed over to his backpack that he left by the mound. Right as the leopard cat kneeled down and chi swarmed around his legs, Moomintroll found what he was looking for.

“Shu Chi, wait up a second!”

The cat’s ears perked up, the swirling energy dissipating before it could even be used. 

“C’mon kid, I thought you said I could go after that. Going back on your promises isn’t a cool thing to do you know.” The usual mischievousness had returned to his voice as he turned around, hand on his hip as his head bent forwards. 

But to his surprise, what he found was a small, flakey, golden cube held up right to his face. The last slice of cornbread.

“Here. As a way of saying thank you. None of us had figured out the pattern with the trees, if you hadn’t helped we probably wouldn’t have been able to figure it out. You deserve it.”

Out of all the things able to make a century old yaoguai speechless, nobody would have expected a simple snack to do the trick.

With a delicate pinch Shu Chi picked up the slice, a few crumbs remaining in the white palm of who offered it. He was half expecting him to ask for it back for a bite since he hadn’t eaten anything yet, but no confirmation for that was given, just a simple smile.

“Keh…” The yaoguai couldn’t hold back a snicker, taking his free paw and ruffling up the top bit of Moomin’s head. He was a bit protestant, but couldn’t resist laughing along with him while gently trying to pat his paw away. 

“You’re alright Moomintroll. You’re alright.”

Both sharing a smile together, the two drifters nodded to each other and waved, getting back to what they had came to this world to do. Moomintroll slipped into his boots and put on his grappling hook holsters as Shu Chi scarfed down the corn cube, relishing in its taste. Later that night, he would eat to his heart’s content, perhaps even share a bit with his other scouts. Time would tell by then.

Both approached the rim of the treetop, kneeling down close to each other as their respective auras surrounded their bodies. Right as they were about to leap away, an idea hit Shu Chi.

“Hey Moomintroll, how ‘bout we play a game? You and me.” The mapper’s head perked up, his hands only just reaching down to the holsters. “Whoever comes back to camp with more fruit wins the right to pie the other in the face at dinnertime, flavor of the winner’s choosing. Whadda ya say?”

A wide grin split across the Moomin’s face, his mind racing with possibilities of what to do if he won. With a snicker, Moomintroll holds up both blasters and makes eye contact with his new rival.

“You’re on.”

[insfiringyou]

BTS - Your first time having sex with V

Contains: Fluff. Smut. Vaginal sex. Sex outdoors.

AN: Although this is marked as reader, this is imagined with Taehyung’s OTP, Cassandra. Find our more about our headcanon universe and original characters here.

To read each member & their girlfriend’s headcanon universe fics in order, follow the links here: RM   /   Jin /   Suga /   J-Hope   /   Jimin   /   V   /   Jungkook

Our full masterlist can be found here :) & this scenario can also be found on Ao3 here

(Photo credit goes to: https://bangtan-sonyeon-scans.tumblr.com/)

Rated content below the cut

You saw him from a distance, leaning against a broad-trunked tree, facing the ancient palace and watching as small groups of tourists walked by. You felt your heart thud in your chest, despite yourself, and took a deep breath as you approached him, tugging down the hem of your plain white camisole and adjusting the strap of the fabric tote bag on your shoulder.

“Hi.” You called from behind him. He turned around at the sound of your voice, away from the crowd. He looked a little dazed for a moment, before he smiled softly.

“Hi. I’m glad you came.” Without warning, he leaned down and kissed you gently on the lips. He had pulled away before you had time to register what had happened, but you felt your heart thud once more and you had to force yourself to close your mouth. He laughed gently at your reaction as you looked away from him to the floor. It wasn’t like you had never kissed him before. In fact, you had done a little more than kiss in the past. It was just that, until he had texted you yesterday evening asking if you wished to go for a walk in the woods by Changdeokgung Palace, you had not spoken for three weeks. If you were honest with yourself, the fault also lied in yourself. You had decided not to text or message him until he did so first and so the stalemate began. You didn’t even know whether or not he was your boyfriend. You had been seeing each other for the past three months, yet he had never said as much, and you had never asked.

“I like your skirt.” He nodded towards your long, floaty skirt. It was decorated in jewel toned embroidery; greens and purples and oranges. You smiled and thanked him.

“Shall we walk this way?” Taehyung indicated down a narrow, winding path which led towards a cluster of trees. You nodded and had to stop yourself from letting out a mutter of surprise as he reached down and took your hand in his. You walked towards the park in silence, passing several other couples and families before you met the thick line of trees.

Eventually, he spoke. “I liked your play.”

You frowned, confused. “Which one?”

“Hamlet. At the Jeongdong.” He shrugged. “You made a great Ophelia.”

Your forehead wrinkled even further. “You saw my play? When?”

“Last Thursday.”

You let out a small laugh, without much humour. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going? We could have done something afterwards.”

He looked at you. “I thought you were probably busy.”

You shook your head as you turned a corner and passed a small, stone carving by the side of the path. “I could have at least seen you...said hello.” You sighed before deciding to let it drop. “I’m playing Honey in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf next...at the National. We start practising in two weeks.”

“Oh.” You turn another bend in the path and find yourself passing a small fish pond. “I’ve never seen the play. I enjoyed the film. Elizabeth Taylor was great.”

You glance at the small body of water and watch the shimmery gold and piebald yellow carp as they swim just below the surface. “I suppose you’ll be away again by the time it is on.”

“Away?” He turned to glance at you.

“On tour. You’re going to America.”

He paused. “Oh yeah. I forgot.” He sounded a little sad. The pond ended and you passed a group of wooden benches, scattered between the trees. There was an elderly couple seated at one, holding hands as they watched the fish in the pond from a distance. Without really thinking, you squeezed Taehyung’s hand tighter. He looked down at you as you smiled.

“Look.” You made a small gesture to the pair on the bench but kept your voice a whisper. “Cute old couple.”

His expression was incredibly gentle beneath the canopy of green trees. “They look so content.” He held your hand tighter.

“I hope I'm as happy as they look when I’m their age.” You said quietly, passing by them. They dissapeared from view as you turned another corner. The path branched off into three lanes. You chose the left strand. You became aware that the number of people you passed was growing less and less every minuite as you walked deeper into the parkland.

Taehyung moved your hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to your knuckles. “I’m sure you will be.” You continued walking for another five minutes in silence, evetually letting go of his hand and walking side by side, before you finally broke the quiet.

“I wasn’t sure you wanted to see me again.” You admitted as you turned down another path. “I thought maybe you didn’t like me that much.” You shrugged.

There was a pause before he spoke. “Of course I like you.” He sounded confused.

You glanced at him. He looked beautiful in the shade. “I just thought...since we haven’t spoken for a while.” You gathered your thoughts. “I wasn’t sure what I meant to you. Whether we were dating, or...?”

He looked puzzled, his gaze dropping to his shoes as you both subconsciously slowed your speed. “I’d have said we were dating.”

“Oh.”

“We’ve been intimate.”

You felt your cheeks redden. “Yes.” You agreed, remembering how you had taken him in your mouth and how his fingers had pressed against your opening, sinking into you until you gasped into his open mouth. You didn’t question his reasoning. You thought plenty of people would be happy to be intimate with someone without dating them. You took a quick glance at Taehyung and noted how, unlike yourself, he didn’t seem embarassed. His warm, caramel coloured skin seemed to glow in the sunlight as the trees parted into a clearing. There was another small pond surrounded by a low brick wall. There was no one else in sight. You hadn’t seen another person now for over half an hour.

He reached over to you and took your hand in his once more, leading you around the edge of the pond and back into the canopy of trees at the far side of the clearing. Another minute passed before you spoke. “Do you know where we are?”

He shook his head softly. “No.”

“Oh.” You briefly looked around you. “Do you think you can get us back?”

He thought for a moment. “Yes. I’m sure I can.” He turned to look at you. “Are you worried?”

Your eyes met his. “No.” He looked incredibly beautiful. You sighed, leaning in to meet his lips. His mouth touched yours gently as you turned your head and pressed yourself closer. In unison, you parted your lips to allow your tongues to meet. His right hand came around the back of your head and brushed through your hair, holding you against him. His other hand left your own and moved to brush your cheekbone as his tongue brushed against yours. You quickly felt your breath increasing as he kissed you like this; it felt incredibly sexy and, had you not been completely confident that you were alone, you would have felt exposed and indecent. As it happened, having him confirm his feelings for you after months of uncertainty had been enough to make you ache for him. You had forgotten, in the three weeks apart, how good he had made you feel the last time you were alone together. You thought that every time his eyes moved across your features, he made you feel like Helen of Troy. You had never felt more desirable with someone before.

You moaned into his mouth as his palm left your face and brushed the white strap of your camisole down your shoulder, causing the strap of your tote bag to drop to the crook of your elbow. He paused to caress your upper arm gently before repeating the motion with your other strap. You both moved off the loosely marked path without thinking, him leading you backwards until your back pressed against the trunk of a tree. You moved your hands to tug the thin, white material of his shirt from the waistband of his linen trousers. They were tucked in loosely and the shirt came free easily. You ran your hands along his bare stomach, over his bellybutton and delighted in the small sounds he made as your hands came in contact with his skin. Slowly, you moved your palm lower, not really thinking about what you were doing until your hand skimmed along his clothed erection. Like the shirt, the linen pants were very thin and, you fancied, you could feel every vein and groove through his underwear. He groaned loudly into your open mouth before pulling his lips away from yours to look at you. He gazed down through thick eyelashes and you felt your own breath hitch in reply. His desire for you was obvious but he moved his eyes from yours to briefly look around the open space, cautiously. You were no longer in view of the small path but the trees here were still widely spread out.

Slowly, he reached down for your hand and led you over a small incline in the forest floor. The hill soon levelled out before dropping again. You followed him back down until the ground was level again. You thought that even if somebody did walk past on the main path, they would not be able to see or hear you from their vantage. His hands and mouth were back on you as you allowed yourself to be lowered onto the floor, dropping your canvas bag to the side. The ground was mossy and a little spongy, supporting and cushioning your body surprisingly well. You moved your hands beneath you to push aside a few twigs as he joined you.

You thought he might protest as you hitched up the hem of your long, loosely fitting skirt and tugged down your plain, pink panties. After all, this was not the most comfortable place to be fucking, even if it wasn’t your first time together. He simply kissed you passionately in return, however, as you ran your hands along his waistband once more. The air was warm and everything felt still and silent; you would have been able to hear a pin drop in that moment. Despite everything, you thought it felt right that you should do it here and now. You didn’t think you would be able to wait to find your way back to the tourist site anyhow, and you certainly didn’t think you would be able to recapture this moment of utter stillness and silence later in his third story apartment in the middle of Gangnam.

He ran his hand along your right leg, starting at your calf and ending at your upper thigh as he leaned over you. You reached over to the colourful fabric of your bag and unlatched the magnetic button. You felt inside with one hand, the other slowly pulling the white cord of Taehyung’s trousers until the small bow came undone. You found your wallet amongst a few cosmetics and an empty plastic bottle of Coca Cola and pulled it out, quickly snapping open the button which held it closed and reaching inside of the flaps for a condom. Taehyung raised his eyebrow, briefly, a small smile playing on his lips as you pulled out the small square foil and tore the edge. Reaching forward as he balanced himself above you, you pulled down his white linen trousers and plain, cotton underwear to free his erection. As remembered, he was both longer and thicker than you had initially anticipated and you found yourself admiring him through your eyelashes, your mouth lulling open as you pinched the tip of the latex and rolled it onto him slowly. He moaned as your hand grasped him, guiding him to the space between your thighs.

He sank into you slowly. It felt a little uncomfortable due to his size and the lack of preparation, but he anticipated this as he paused.

“Is it too much?” He whispered.

You shook your head and pecked his lips, once. He moved one hand to your face and stroked your cheek a little roughly with his thumb before burying himself fully. You gasped together, pressing your faces close.

“It’s good.” You reassured him as he gazed down at you. “You feel good...” He hesitated for a moment before moving his hips against you, pulling almost all of the way out before pushing back inside. You felt him stretch you; could feel the tip of his cock pressing and brushing against your sensitive walls as he fucked you slowly, all the while watching your expression with slightly parted lips. You moved your head upwards to meet his lips. His hands trailed to your hips as he pushed his pelvis against the backs of your thighs; thrusting into you as far as he could go. You moaned breathily as he increased his speed. You suddenly heard the flapping of wings somewhere above your head, in the canopy of trees as a bird took flight. You thought Taehyung might have suddenly become aware of his surroundings as he pushed against you, now practically slamming into you in an attempt to reach his high. You held onto his shoulders tightly as he moved his mouth towards your chest and began to kiss along your breasts, above the fringe of your camisole; in wet, open mouthed kisses.

You felt him shudder against you as his hips snapped against you frantically. His lips met yours once again and he moaned loudly into your open mouth as you held him. His eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks like the delicate wings of a moth as he came. You felt him twitch inside you and he held you still for a moment, savouring the sensation, before slowly pulling out of you. He reached down, between your slightly damp thighs, to grasp the condom as he withdrew. You exhaled in a long, deep breath as he moved away from you, turning away from you to remove the condom. You took a moment to gather yourself, suddenly feeling a little ridiculous as you looked at your surroundings and a little ashamed at your lack of self control. You sighed and reached for your discarded underwear, slipping them back on and rolling your skirt back down over your bare knees.

Taehyung had knotted the condom and held it in one hand. He reached for your hand with the other and, with a sweet smile, pulled you to your feet. You brushed your cami and skirt down, smoothing out the fabric as you looked at him, your cheeks and chest flushed. He flashed his teeth in a grin as he reached with his spare hand and pulled a few twigs and leaves from your brunette hair.

“Thanks.” You said, reaching down to pick up your wallet and tote bag. “Here...” You reached into your bag and produced the empty bottle of Cola. “I don’t want you littering.” You kept a straight face, still feeling a little bashful as Taehyung took it from you and discarded the used condom in the bottle. You hid it back in your bag, promising yourself that you would get rid of it as soon as you passed a litter bin. He took your hand gently in his as he lead you back up the gentle slope and towards the deserted forest path.

“Does this mean I can call you my boyfriend?” You asked after a few minutes. You had once more passed the small fish pond and thought you would be able to make it back to the tourist path before it got too late and started to get dark.

He turned to look at you and grinned. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he flashed his teeth. You felt your chest ache once more at how sweet he looked, in the warm light of the afternoon. “I hope so.” He squeezed your hand tightly. “I hope I get to see your play...”

You paused. “Hmm?” Questioning.

“Virginia Woolf. I hope I get to see it before I go to America.”

You smiled and nodded. “I hope so too.” You stood on your tiptoes and kissed his cheek, inhaling his gentle, vetiver scent as you walked along the quiet path, hand in hand.

***

Thank you so much for reading. Please leave a like/comment.

To read each member & their girlfriend’s headcanon universe fics in order, follow the links here: RM   /   Jin /   Suga /   J-Hope   /   Jimin   /   V   /   Jungkook

Our full masterlist can be found here!

[titaniaintheflesh]

Wendy 1

Jerome x OC

Warnings: mentions of suicide, joking about dark subjects, basically nililism, abortion

“Seriously? How many times have you seen this movie now?” Wendy rolled her eyes at her younger sister, who always felt the need to stick her nose where it didn’t belong.

“Can you please fuck off Joanne?” Wendy looked at Joanne expectantly until she retreated, hands up in surrender. Wendy rolled her eyes and looked back up to the old boxy TV she had bought for twenty at a garage sale. It came with a box of VHS tapes and Peter Pan was almost constantly playing on it. Wendy would hate to admit it but Joanne was right, she probably had seen this movie too many times. She sighed and clicked off the TV, rummaging around the mess on her floor for her wallet. “Mom! I’m going out!” Wendy shouted as she slipped on her father’s old U.S. Navy jacket, the one thing he had left her before he went to get killed by a rouge pilot. Her mom wanted her daughter’s to follow in her and her husbands footsteps, become civil servants. She herself was a detective at the GCPD, just like her brother-in-law Jim. Wendy’s father was a military man. But it wasn’t going to happen. Joanne had a hidden pregnancy and five potential fathers, and Micaela, the youngest, smoked too much to remember the time of day. As for her, Wendy, the eldest. She was a classic burnout and they all knew it. Her black hair was chopped up weird from getting gum stuck in it so many times, she already had five tattoos at nineteen, and she would rather run naked through the Narrows than try hard in school.

“Where’re you going?” her mother’s head popped out from the kitchen. Her vibrant curls sticking to her forehead from standing before a lit stove for so long. Her black eyes looked at her daughter suspiciously. “Wendy Gabriela, tell me where you’re going. It’s dangerous at night.” Wendy’s hand froze halfway to her keys and turned to halfheartedly assure her mother that she would be careful. “Come back home soon. Jim and Lee are coming for dinner, eles não te vejam muito, meu amor.” Wendy nodded in agreement.

“I just need some air mamãe, I’ll be back soon.” she spun the keys to her old Volkswagen around her finger and sent a tight lipped smile to her mother. The van used to be yellow, back when it was her dad’s. But when Wendy joined her band it slowly but surely got completely covered in graffiti. Logos and curse words scrawled all over what would otherwise be a relatively nice car. On the drivers door there was a crude drawing of a naked woman being engulfed by a snake with two heads, each head eating half of her body. Wendy flicked trough the channels before backing out of her driveway, predictably settling on the rock station. She drove for barely ten minutes before she pulled up to a gas station.

“I’ll take a pack of Camels please.” she told the cashier, pointing at the lock box behind her. The cashier didn’t say anything, only handed her the box.

“Smoking kills you know.” she frowned at the boy leaning against the counter. she hadn’t noticed him until he had spoken. She looked up the cashier, eyes searching for some sympathetic “he’s a fucking asshole” sort of look in her eyes. Her eyes were closed.

“Life kills.” she told him, taking a cigarette out and walking out of the gas station with an unlit cigarette hanging from her chapped lips.

“That was awfully angsty, are you okay? Planning on committing suicide tonight?” she took a moment to get a better look at the boy under the parking lot lights. He looked like he hadn’t slept in weeks, but maybe the purple under his right eye was a bruise. His red hair was tucked neatly around his ears, save a couple stubborn strands that fell into his eyes. They caught on his blonde eyelashes with each blink. He might have been cute if he didn’t pry so much. He was paler, much paler than her. His skin looked like milk, but covered in freckles. His eyes were perhaps the best part of him, she couldn’t tell if they were blue or green, but the abrasive light make them glow. No one on the Portuguese side of her family had light eyes, and that all of the people she really saw. She was always fascinated by colorful eyes, always disappointed to look in the mirror and find dirt colored irises staring back at her. He was also tall, taller than her but that was no surprise as in platforms she barely stood at 5′7.

For a moment all that could be heard were his fading giggles and moths bumping into the florescent light bulbs. She finally lit her cigarette, taking a drag before pulling it away from her lips.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but no. I am not planning on committing suicide tonight. That’s next Thursday and I don’t like to mess with my schedule.” his laughter picked up again.

“Oh, I don’t like an uptight woman, live a little! What’s so important that you have to wait?” she shrugged.

“I’m waiting to see.” he arched one slender eyebrow as she took another puff of her cigarette.

“Okay, I’ll bite, what are you waiting to see?”

“You don’t wanna know, it just some sappy bullshit my dad told me.” she said ashing her cigarette and taking her keys from her tote. “Why do you care anyway?”

“I dunno toots, I feel sorta invested in you now, what’s the harm in telling me? Hm? You’ll probably never see me again.” for the first time in their entire conversation Wendy cracked a smile.

“You never know stranger, the fates work in mysterious ways.” she sighed and collapsed against the side of her van. “I’m turning twenty on Thursday.” she told him without really looking at him, her eyes had drifted off to the distance, watching police cars light up Gotham’s streets.

“And you think that’s as long as people should live...?” he prodded. She giggled and finally met his eyes.

“No. Before my dad was called to duty he told me and my sisters to all come up with one question to ask him before he left, like a last bit of wisdom in case he died.” she sighed and tucked a black curl behind her ear, tugging it out when it got stuck in her snug piercing. “I asked him what the best time for falling in love is, he said twenty.” she shrugged. “I’m waiting.” the stranger hummed and leaned against the van next to her as he pondered over her answer.

“I didn’t expect you to have an actual answer.” he admitted. “So did daddy die on active duty?” she nodded through a cloud of smoke.

“Yep, his body went ka-poosh.” she mimed an explosion with her hands, inciting a giggle from the stranger. “The only thing we got from the military was a shitty pension and this.” she opened her jacket to reveal her father’s purple heart hanging where it always did, against her chest.

“Wow! Ya got a hero dad!”

“Yeah I guess, I’d rather have a dad who’s a gang member and alive than a dad who’s a military hero and dead though.” she watched him for his response, watching the way the light illuminated his cheeks and nose, bouncing around him like he was some kind of angel. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he sprouted wings and flew away from that shitty gas station right then. But he didn’t, he only leaned his head against her van and rolled his head to look at her.

“What’s your name?” she quirked an eyebrow and smirked at him, wondering why he chose to ask her that now. “Well I can’t keep calling you toots.” he said, his head lolling down. He looked up at her from under his eyelashes, giving a tiny eye-roll.

“Why not? I like ‘toots’.” she laughed at his impatience. He pouted at her and waited for her answer. “Wendy, Wendy Gordon.” she held her hand out to him and he took it gladly, the pressure of his hand pressed her rings into both of their palms but neither seemed to mind. “What’s your name? I can’t keep calling you stranger.” he frowned, using her hand to subtly pull himself closer to her.

“Well... that’s obvious isn’t it?” she looked him up and down and frowned to say “no, it fucking isn’t”. “Well,” he rolled his eyes as if her were explaining something to a five year old. “if you’re Wendy Darling then obviously I’m Peter Pan.” Wendy was unimpressed, she withdrew her hand from his. and tried to rub the bite of the cold from her nose that was surely red by now.

“It’s Gordon, and I can’t call you Peter Pan, he’s not real.” she told him sharply.

“Wendy Darling isn’t real either, and yet...” he used his whole body to gesture at her like a magician’s assistant revealing an empty box. She opened her mouth to correct him again but rolled her eyes, giving in.

“Okay fine, Peter, tell me about yourself.” he shrugged and buried his hands in his pockets.

“Not much to tell, toots, y’know. It’s normal stuff. I’m from this tiny island, God, it’s gorgeous! Even more than you!” Wendy wasn’t sure if the rush in her cheeks was a blush or redness from the cold but she was sure he could see it. “It’s called Neverland, and-” she rolled her eyes, jamming her key into her car door and yanking it open “Wait- wait! Wendy! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’ll be serious.” he could barely speak through his laughter and she was already turning the car on. She looked down at him and laughed at how ridiculous he looked. He had his chin tucked firmly against his chest, eyebrows and lips head taunt so he looked comically serious, which is a contradiction. But it seemed as though he, Peter, was a contradiction in himself.

“Okay, fine. Then tell me, actually tell me about yourself stranger.” he frowned up at her.

“Peter.” he corrected.

“Fine. Peter. Go.” the soft sounds of a fading Janis Joplin song rang through her car as, without her permission, Peter climbed into the passenger seat of her car.

“I have bruises from where my mom hits me.” he said, tugging the bottom of his eye to draw her attention to the purple bruise that she had mistaken for a dark circle. “I’ve never lived anywhere more than a month, and my dad’s gone. Dead, alive? Who knows, who cares.” Wendy wasn’t sure how to respond to that, is there any way to answer to someone spilling themselves open like that? So bluntly and carelessly? She wasn’t sure if she should make a joke or hug him, or maybe call social services.

“Oh.” is what she settled with. He giggled manically, tossing his head back at her short little response.

“Don’t feel bad or anything toots, I’m a big boy.”

“Do you want a hug?” she barely registered who she was saying that to until she said it. It sort of slipped out, like a reflex. She was so used to hugs in her family, her friend group, her entire life, that Wendy had forgotten she was sitting with a complete stranger in an empty gas station parking lot just outside the Narrows. She gulped nervously as all these thoughts stuck her at once, waiting anxiously for his answer.

“Yeah okay.” he said, holding out his arms expectantly. She wrapped her arms under his awkwardly, thinking constantly of ten different escape plans in case he turned out to be a murderer. “You can relax, I promise I won’t kill you.” he said, his voice muffled by her hair. Though she still felt his mouth move against her ear.

“That’s what someone who want’s to kill me would say.” she retorted, though she didn’t leave his embrace, if anything she drew him closer.

“Stop hugging me then.” he whispered mockingly. This time his voice made goosebumps rise all along her neck and arms.

“I don’t wanna do that either.” she admitted. He smelled nice, like grass and cedar wood. It was thrilling, being held by him. The danger, the uncertainty made her want to pull him closer. It made her bury her nose in his shirt, taking deep breaths and trying to remember what he smelled like so she could have it forever.

“Well you can’t hug me forever.” she loosened her grip on him reluctantly, but before she could leave his embrace completely he hand his hands around her forearms. She looked at him curiously and unafraid, only wanting to see what he would do. One of his hands left her arms and drifted up to her chin, taking it gently in his fingers as he drew her ever closer. Time drug on in those seconds before their lips met. She kept her eyes open long enough to see his smile disappear, then they fluttered closed. He hummed when their lips finally touched. It was the gentlest kiss she had ever had, completely opposite to the kisses she usually received. Late at night in someone’s trashed living room, trading spit with boys who had too much to drink. Those kisses were all teeth and groping, this one was gentle. His hand stayed on her face, one cupping her jaw and the other brushing against her cheek gently. Her hands clasped his shoulders with the desperation of a dying woman, chipped fingernails digging into the flesh beneath his blue flannel like her life depended on holding onto him.

“Not bad for a boy that can’t grow up.” she breathed when he parted from her. He giggled and bobbed his head, his hands falling to his sides.

“I’m glad you think so Wendy, keep that up and maybe I’ll leave Neverland for you.”

It was well past midnight when Wendy got home. She was shuffling around at the door, trying to get her boots off and probably making way too much noise.

“Mom’s pissed.” came a mocking voice from the kitchen. The lighted flickered on to reveal Joanne stood in the kitchen, arms and brows crossed disapprovingly.

“Really? Just wait until you tell her you’re pregnant.” Joanne’s pleased smile fell, her arms collapsing to her sides.

“Don’t joke about that Wendy, I mean it.” Wendy rolled her eyes.

“Oh my God, don’t be such a bitch Joe, you have to tell her eventually. You’re just not gonna tell mom you’re raising a kid? Questions are gonna be raised when you start showing.” Wendy said mockingly, pointing to her stomach. Wendy didn’t expect Joanne to be angry when she looked back up at her younger sister. This is what they did, they bantered and made fun of each other until the dogs came home, but at the end of the day they were sisters, and they both knew the words didn’t mean anything.

“I swear to God Wendy, if you say a fucking word to her I will gut you.” Wendy stepped back slightly, eyebrows flying up in surprise. Her hands wrapped around the strap of her tote. Joanne sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Ugh, look- I’m sorry.” she said. Wendy didn’t think she had ever seen her sister look so broken. Her back had collapsed, like she could barely hold her own weight. It was only when she heard Joanne sob that Wendy took action. She dropped her bag on the floor and rushed to embrace Joanne. Joanne collapsed into her sister’s embrace, tanned arms clutching at the shorter girl as she finally released long withheld sobs.

“Fuck, what happened?! Did Steven hurt you? I swear, if he laid a hand on you I’ll-”

“No, no. Nothing like that Windex. This, this is my own fault.” Joanne hiccuped, rubbing her yes raw as she tried to push her tears back into her skull. Wendy waited patiently for her sister to explain. “I don’t...” she took a breath. “I don’t have a baby anymore. I went to planned parenthood, I was only five weeks, and I was so scared Wendy, you don’t understand how terrifying it is to have something like this happen to you, to be nowhere near ready for it- and mom! God, I can’t disappoint mom again. Not after what happened to Micaela. And dad being gone-!” she was sobbing again, clawing at her arms as she hiccuped desperately, the mascara her makeup wipe hadn’t taken off running down her face in big fat drops. “I couldn’t- I wouldn’t, be the source of any stress for her.” Joanne shook her head and looked to her sister, searching for any sign of understanding, or God forbid, disgust.

“Joe, hey, Joe, look at me.” Wendy was frozen inside, but that didn’t matter. None of the twisting emotion in her mattered because her baby sister was sad and she needed comfort, so she pushed aside any of the ideas she had of being an aunt. Of a little version of Joanne running around, a little girl with black ringlets pulled back in a braid running around and calling her Tia. Joanne mattered. She was crying and desperately searching for someone to share in her burden. “I love you no matter what, you know that right? I don’t give a shit if...” she laughed. “you become a chainsaw murderer, I’ll visit you in your cell and bring you people magazine and new shades of nail polish. Joe I don’t know what you’re going through, or what you went through, but I trust you enough to know you made the best decision you could.” Joanne nodded shakily, standing to her full height and giving her a sister a quick hug before pulling away to wipe her face clean.

“What are you two doing still awake?” the girls both looked up to see their mother and sister looking at them angrily from the hallway.  “You,” their mother pointed to Wendy accusingly. “I told you to be home. What was so important that you couldn’t be home to see your uncle, hm? He misses you.” Wendy looked down at her white socks in shame, shuffling her feet as she tried to think of a good response.

“Desculpa mamãe, I got caught in traffic on my way back, you know how it gets on the highway.” her mother frowned suspiciously, but just like always the rough and tough woman had a soft spot for her girls. Her wrinkled skin softened, the angry lines smoothing out.

“Don’t take the highway next time.” she reprimanded. Wendy nodded in agreement. “Well, if you had been here you would already know, but since you weren’t I’ll tell you. Your uncle is taking us to the circus next week, Haly’s Circus is in town.”

Chapter 2

MASTERLIST

[fanfic-inator795]

RotTMNT Oneshot: So, Two Mutants Are Waiting For a Bus-

(Also on AO3 if you feel like leaving a kudos/comment)

Plot:  They may have had completely different lives, but they still met the same fate. As someone who had managed to just recently find his way to the brighter side of living life as a mutant, Bullhop decides to give a bit of advice to the worm man sitting next to him, whether he wants it or not.

((Another fic I've been wanting to write for a while. Gotta love those character parallels ^v^ Enjoy!))

The night he mutated, Stanley hadn’t managed to grab much from his apartment in his panic. He’d already knocked over several trash cans and mailboxes on the way there, alarming people enough to start screaming for police. The sirens in the distance didn’t exactly lower his anxiety levels either. So, he just grabbed some clothes and undergarments from his dresser, not caring if they would still fit him, some leftovers and cans of food, and his spare change jar. He knew none of it wouldn’t last him very long, but at least it was something.

This time, however, packing his belongings had been much less stressful. ...Mostly because he didn’t have as much. Donatello had given him a homemade smartphone at the beginning of Bullhop Appreciation Day, and using that along with some money the turtles had scrounge up for him, he bought a bus ticket that would take him on a seventy-two hour drive straight to Etobicoke. Afterwards, he grabbed a few things from his tent before digging up a couple more coats and blankets (as well as a new hat and some shoes) from various dumpsters. He had smiled when he was able to find ones that just barely managed to fit his new physique, calling it a lucky break, or perhaps fate itself providing a sign that he was on the right path.

With everything he cared to take with him folded up and placed in a tote bag (save for one thing, which he kept hidden under his coat), Stanley - or Bullhop, as he was enjoying being called now - made his way to the bus station, managing to get there without knocking too much over. Though, he did accidentally dent one car but he left a note so, it was probably fine.

Sighing, Bullhop sat down on the bench, making sure to adjust his hat so it hid his horns. He still had about half an hour to wait, and since he wanted to save his phone battery for the trip, he resigned himself to just sitting and waiting. There were things he wanted to think about anyway, like how he was going pitch his ‘mutant ballet’ idea. What would his first show be? Maybe some sort of mutant version of Swan Lake? That could be a crowd pleaser! Or maybe-

The sudden coo of a bird followed by a loud yelp was enough to bring Bullhop out of his brief brainstorming session. “Oh for the love of-! How many of you am I going to have to barbeque before you feather-brains learn to take! A! HINT!” He turned just in time to blinded by a bright light.

Bullhop cringed, quickly covering his eyes. The pigeon screeched, flapping away as the smell of smoke filled the night air. “And STAY AWAY! You pest!” a man shouted after it. Daring to risk a peek, Bullhop slowly moved his hands away from his face.

Standing just outside of the station’s light, Bullhop could see a small figure - REALLY small! - with what looked like a big head and an even bigger fist that was still glowing slightly. “Whoa… That’s some bird zapper you’ve got there.”

The figure scoffed. “It does more than just zap birds, moron.”

“Oh… So, I guess the bird zapping is a bonus then? Heh…” Even in the dark, Bullhop could tell the small man was scowling back at his awkward smile. “Sorry… You okay?”

“I’ll be fine ,” the man insisted as he started walking - no, crawling towards the bus stop bench, dragging his giant fist behind him, “Once I get back to my apartment and get some shuteye…” Yet another awful day had come and gone for him… First his latest plan for destroying his teenage enemies was deemed a failure by his teammates, all of them refusing to even give it a chance. Then his so-called allies simply talked over him during their brainstorming session (because apparently their plans were sooooo much better!), leaving him rejected and aggravated once again. For the cherry on the horrible day sundae, he had begun craving his favorite Chinatown restaurant late in the afternoon, deciding he deserved a bit of a treat. Unfortunately, the place didn’t deliver, nor was it near any bus stops. He was ignored by taxis, and by the time he traveled through the various obstacles of New York, the restaurant was closed.

‘And now,’ he thought to himself, ‘I have to make small-talk with this bozo. Great. Juuuust great…’ As he got closer, Bullhop couldn’t help but gape a bit at the sight of him. Even after seeing plenty of mutants at Big Mama’s gala, he was still a bit shocked by something so drastic.

The man in front of him was a worm. A literal worm! With a purple jacket and poofy, well coiffed blonde hair that seemed sort of familiar, but Bullhop couldn’t quite place it. The worm narrowed his green eyes. “And what are you looking at, kid?”

“N-Nothing!” Bullhop replied, quickly looking away, “Just, uh… So, you uh… You got mutated too, eh?”

“Gee, what was your first clue?” the worm retorted as he crouched down slightly. With one mighty jump, he was able to hop onto bench. He also squished himself in the process, thanks to the giant fist, which Bullhop could now see was in actuality a metal gauntlet.  But the worm recovered before Bullhop could even offer to help get it off him.

“Right… Well, uh- Just, hang in there, buddy.”

“...” The worm turned to give him an incredulous stare. Bullhop winced. Okay, yep, definitely poor choice of words. “‘Hang in there’? HANG IN THERE?! Are you serious?! We’re both mutated freaks and all you can say is ‘hang in there’?!”

“I’m sorry!” Bullhop said quickly, holding his hands up in defense. The worm didn’t raise his gauntlet, but he sure looked like he wanted to use it. “I-I just meant, I know what it’s like to have rough days, a-and what it’s like to suddenly get turned into a mutant! But it gets better, I promise!”

The worm scoffed, looking away. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, kid… And even if you did, I highly doubt our problems are the same. You got mutated into a huge, strong, muscular bull! And what did I get? I got turned into, into-!” He stopped, gritting his teeth. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. None of it will matter! Not once I get my revenge for what they did to me!”

“Look, I- Wait, ‘they’? And, revenge?” Did he really mean-?

“And when I, Warren Stone, DO finally get my revenge, I’ll be praised as a hero by all the other freaks in this city!” Warren shouted, grinning wickedly, “And then it’ll be those teenage mutant ninja turtles that’ll have their names forgotten!”

“Wait wait WAIT!” Bullhop shouted, waving his hands, “You’ve got it all wrong! The Turtles aren’t the bad guys here, they-” He blinked. “...Wait, you’re Warren Stone? I was wondering what happened to you, but I just thought you retired or-”

“SEE?!” Warren screamed suddenly, making the bull flinch once more (and this time, nearly taking the whole back of the bench down with him). “This is what I mean?! I’ve been FORGOTTEN! Disgraced! Turned into a WORM that no one can even recognize! AND IT’S ALL THOSE STINKIN’ TURTLES’ FAULT!!!”

The worm’s voiced echoed through the nearly empty bus station. A worker behind the ticket counter glanced up from her magazine and a homeless gentleman a few benches back stirred a bit, but other than that, it would seem his only audience was the shocked bull sitting beside him.

“...You’re wrong,” Bullhop began, “And, I know that’s not what you want to hear right now but, I’m also not gonna just sit here and let you insult my friends.”

Warren raised an eyebrow. “Friends?! But they’re the ones who-!”

“It wasn’t their fault!” Bullhop insisted, “The things that mutated us are the mosquitos! And one night, a whole bunch of them showed up to my hotel! Er, well, not really my hotel but… But it felt like mine in a way, you know.” Smiling softly, Bullhop reached into his coat and took out his Bellhop of the Month plaque. It was one of two things, the other being his tattered uniform, that he had decided to keep from his old life. Just because he was starting fresh didn’t mean he had to leave everything behind.

Warren stretched up a bit to get a good look at the plaque. “...That’s a really bad picture,” he stated.

“I wasn’t ready for the flash. Anyway, the Turtles showed up and tried to catch all the mosquitoes before they could bite anyone, and- well…”

“Aaaand they screwed up,” Warren finished for him, his expression now flat, “Because they’re idiots.”

Bullhop scowled. “Hey, they may not be the brightest guys, or even the most observant, but they’re not idiots. And they really did try to do their job, it just wasn’t enough. But, because of their mistake, my life was changed forever. I went from being the best bellhop in town to being a big, clumsy bull that couldn’t even take two steps without tripping all over himself or wrecking something.”

But despite this unfortunate fact, he still smiled as he thought about the past couple weeks. “But then, weeks later, the Turtles found me again, and they… They wanted to help me. To make up for their mistake, and to help me get back up on my feet. And they were so nice, without wanting anything in return! They let me stay with them, gave me food, introduced me this really cool dance game which, somehow, gave me both great dance skills AND confidence! And I was someone who had NEVER danced before! But now, well, I don’t want to brag but-” Seeing the glare Warren was giving him, Bullhop decided to just get to his point.

“Yeah, they sorta messed up my life but, but they also cared enough to help me find a new one! And now I’m going back home to Canada! I’m going to dance and find my own stage and, heh, and just not care if I end up stumbling all over it! Because I’m happy now, even as a bull, and I’m sure if you just-” Warren growled, suddenly turning away again. “...A-And I’m sure if you just asked them, they’d help you find a new life too? And, um, help you become happy with… being a mutant?” Bullhop winced again. Not exactly the most inspiring way to end a speech, and he didn’t need to see the worm’s face to know it.

“Wow,” Warren said quietly after a moment, scoffing, “You really don’t know anything, do you, kid? I don’t want another life, I want my life! My OLD life! You were some nobody working in a hotel, I was a somebody! The face of a city! The guy who brought people the news! The handsomest newscaster on local tv! You’ve never won an award like that! You’ve never been on tv or been famous enough to be recognized on the street! You DEFINITELY don’t know what it’s like to suddenly only be a few inches tall! You-! You-!” His tiny body was practically shaking with rage. “You’re not even from this country so what do you know?!”

“WHOA! Okay,” Bullhop said, glaring fully at the worm now, “Are you REALLY going to go there?”

“Ugh, fine, that last bit was rude, even for a New Yorker,” Warren grumbled. He rubbed his eyes, forcing his anger down somewhat. “But the rest of my points still stand. We might have both lost everything in our lives, but I had a lot harder to fall. So you don’t get to tell me that it’s all going to be okay, not when you and I have clearly had different experiences when it comes to this whole mutant thing.” His glare deepened. “And as for your friends… Hmph, those turtles can try to make up for their ‘mistakes’ all they want, but they’re still a menace. And I’m still going to be the one to take them out once and for all.”

“...Have you ever considered podcasts?”

Warren blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Podcasts,” Bullhop repeated, “I mean, I know it’s hard for you to get a job on tv now but, with a podcast, no one would know you were a worm, if that’s what you wanted. And if you didn’t mind people knowing, you could make that part of your gimmick. Help you stand out, you know?”

Warren just gave him another flat stare. “I used to be on tv. Podcasts are beneath me.”

“I dunno,” Bullhop shrugged, “A lot of podcasters get pretty famous.” A cold silence fell between them. One of the old lights above flickered as an oozesquito bumped into it. Bullhop watched it, not too worried. You couldn’t get mutated twice, right? The thing looked like it was at the end of its life anyway, just bumping into a bright, harsh light over and over.

Warren watched it too. Thinking about it, he did recall the feeling of something pinching that fateful day… But those turtles had still been around too. They had to be related to the oozesquitos somehow, they just had to! Maybe the purple one created them or, or maybe they released them onto the city as a prank and only started trying to wrangle them up when they got bored with the results. Whatever the reason, it had to be something. It just had to be!

Still, he wondered as he watched the bug above, out of all the millions of people in the city, why did it have to bite him? Why did it have to change him?

“I get why you hate them,” Bullhop started again, “I hated them too… But they really are good guys trying their best. And I mean, they are younger than both of us so… I feel like we could cut them a bit of slack. Teenagers don’t really deserve to get destroyed for dumb teen mistakes, even ones as big as this.” He paused for a moment as a thought crossed his mind. “So what did they say?”

“What?” Warren asked, looking back up at him.

“When you told them that they were responsible to what happened to you. What did they say?”

Warren huffed. “Those punks don’t listen when I threaten them and explain my plans. I’m lucky if I can even get them to remember my name!”

Bullhop blinked slowly. “...So they don’t know.”

“...If they don’t listen to threats and screaming,” Warren countered, glaring once again - though by this point, he hardly had any energy left to make it effective, “What makes you think they’ll listen if I tell them that they’re the reason I’m like this and that they should ‘be good guys’ and help me find my new purpose or whatever?”

The bull shrugged. “You never know if you don’t try, and maybe if they saw you less as an enemy-”

“ Greatest enemy.”

“-Greatest enemy and more as just a fellow mutant that need help, they wouldn’t ignore you.”

“I highly doubt that,” he sneered. It was just as Warren thought, this guy had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. And even if he was right, Warren was certainly not about to go crawling to his enemies and beg for their help.

His life was sad enough as is.

Speaking of which- His empty stomach growled as he placed a hand on it. Warren took a moment to think. He was pretty sure he still had some leftovers in his fridge, though he couldn’t remember how old they were. Maybe if he could sneak into his landlord’s office and grab some of his bread-

“Here.” “Huh?” Suddenly, a package of turkey jerky was placed in front of him. “I know it’s not the greatest but uh, I figured I probably shouldn’t eat beef jerky anymore,” he heard Bullhop explain. He had been saving it for the bus ride, hoping to make it stretch till their first rest stop but- “You can have some if you want. And uh, I’ve got some cheese-flavored potato chips too.”

Warren was silent for a moment. “You can keep the jerky,” he finally replied, “But I’ll take some of the chips.” Bullhop handed him the entire bag.

It wasn’t long before the bus Bullhop had been waiting for came rolling towards them. “By the way,” he said, a pleasant smile back on his face, “The name’s Stanley, but my friends call me Bullhop. If you’re ever heading up north for whatever reason and need a place to stay, call me up, eh?”

“...Seriously? Bullhop?” Warren shook his head. “And you used to be a bellhop. Just… Wow.”

“Hey, it works.” And if it really was going to be his new name for the rest of his life… Well, Stanley was just fine with that.

The air became a bit smokey once again as the old bus pulled up. Warren watched as Bullhop boarded, tripping on the steps and nearly taking the whole door off. It almost made him chuckle.

“Good luck, kid,” he mumbled, “You’re going to need it…”

Once it was clear no one else was going to board, the bus drove away, leaving Warren all alone once more. His eyes glanced back up at the light, but found no oozesquito. Instead it was lying flat on its back, dead on the ground with the bright green ooze within it now dark.

Warren narrowed his eyes as his tiny hands crumbled up the chip bag. It didn’t matter if he had lost everything… He would make sure to repay those annoying turtles in full. Ruin their lives before destroying them slowly and painfully. Maybe it wouldn’t turn him back into a handsome human newscaster and give him back his fans, but it would still be satisfying. It would still be a victory of sorts, and that would be enough.

The Bullhops of the city could let themselves become content with their new freakish lives, but Warren Stone was going to fight! He clenched his mystically-enhanced fist tightly, smirking at the burning power he felt within it. He focused on its power and warmth, which allowed him to also ignore the chilly evening wind that was starting to come in..

Yes… Bullhop may have found his own path with dance games and trips back home, but this. THIS was Warren’s path, he was sure of it. It was his new purpose in life, and he was going to reach his victory and destroy his reptilian foes, one way or another…

THE END

[thatboomerkid]

Her, with the Gun

Her, with the Gun

An excerpt – from the work-in-progress – of a story starring The Old Wishtwister; brought to you absolutely free, as always, by the fine folks of my Patreon.

Old Wishtwister Shaibriri had been feeling simply awful.

Busted down. Burned up. Dried out.

Wounded. Humiliated. Sick to his very heart.

Hollowed and shelled and left quiet, cold and miserable, the ageless demon sat in the middle of the floor in the basement of a rotting, long-abandoned hunting lodge high in the nameless wooded mountains of furthest Zi Ha.

Light-headed and shuddering, he sat for days upon days and weeks upon weeks, alone. His breaths were ragged, slow and shallow. He was in great pain.

Crouched and aching, the Wishtwister hugged himself in a motionless melancholy. Unsleeping but exhausted, he let wordless hate roil within him deep in the echoing dark. The old fiend occasionally sighed very softly with pity for himself; he otherwise all-but-silently nursed his pain as months crept by and the snow settled in drifts around him. He wept, curled in a heap.

Outside, thin wind howled.

Sometimes the ageless demon touched his tender wounds, wincing and sucking sharp breath over his wolfish fangs, and he thought about death. He flinched, more than once, simply at the reliving of nasty memories and old failures. Icy, oily sweat dripped from his fevered brow.

He shivered, often with hate and sometimes with sorrow.

In the grey fog between two moonless nights, something scuttled across the floor above his basement hiding-spot; a writhing coil of ugly hate spasmed into the world without a blink of the demon’s bloodshot eye, and all was still once again. After a few days, he could smell sweet rot; three weeks later, the stench of the unlucky animal finally dissipated. Thunder could be heard pealing from far-away mountain peaks, and the sound of rain on forest canopy; a season passed.

One bleak morning, the Wishtwister stood with a smile on his face.

“I’m hungry,” said the ancient fiend, simply.

The dank room creaked, and seemed to shrink away from him in sudden fear, and the demon laughed.

“Yes. Yes, let’s have dinner. And dancing, and wine and song; screams and blood! Fire and wailing and jumping and laughter, indeed. Why, let’s make it a date.”

Something small and round, no bigger than the ball of a child’s thumb, clattered to the damp floor as the Wishtwister stood. It was single bullet -- a once-perfect sphere crafted of thrice-blessed cold iron, now pitted and stained with a crimson crust of demon’s blood. It was cold, and misshapen from where it had pressed against the ageless fiend’s heart. It rolled across the floor, making a soft ticking sound, then fell still and spent.

The Wishtwister stretched his long limbs, and cracked his elegant fingers and snapped his sharp teeth; he tried on a warm smile, and found to his surprise that it fit his face perfectly. The great, wicked curling horns which swept back from his thorn-wreathed brow scratched at the high ceiling.

“Yes. You know, I feel better already.”

Then, with a gleeful twist of the mind, Shadibriri was gone.

A cold breeze blew through the empty mansion.

---

The sun was setting as the demon walked through the early summer evening of Quantium a moment later. The warm wind blowing off the bay was alive, deep with heat and salt and the glow of sunset, as Shadibriri delighted at the feeling of his cloistered stink blowing away into the unnatural desert encroaching from the west. The city gleamed and glittered; he wore his best and brightest glamer: all deep purples, livid greens and shimmering gold over skin like creamy chocolate, and tipped his hat at all who caught his eye.

In no time at all, he found the modest apartment of his wizardly friend.

He did not have to knock, or clap, or ring a bell at the wooden doorway -- that was one of the nice things about being friends with a wizard. A silent alarm began to sound, the demon knew; in no time at all, the mage arrived in a huff.

“I’m entertaining.”

Shadibriri shrugged. “Really? I never thought so. Not particularly, anyway; I mean, you’re funny looking enough, I suppose, but your sense of humor is --

“By which I mean that I have guests,” the wizard spat. “Colleagues, over for dinner. What do you want, demon?”

The fiend chuckled. “Spell power, and everything you know about rifles.”

“And what,” the wizard asked after a moment, “does that mean?”

“Well, I’m off to kill a girl with a gun, up in the north; I have reason to believe that she’s an ordained holy warrior of Iomedae or someone similar, and I would like to have her blasted into bits from several hundred yards away. Or whatever the best distance is, in your professional opinion.”

The mage stroked his thin goatee, suddenly curious. “The best range on the most commonly-produced rifles available in Avistan? Less than half that of a well-thrown fireball, in all honesty -- firearms are weak peasant-magic novelties, really.”

“Agreed, without prevarication,” the demon said with a grin.

“Hmm. But why my spell-power, instead of your own?”

“The target,” Shadibriri allowed, “proved both uncannily and frustratingly resistant to the better part of my offensive mystical repertoire, much to my chagrin. And then she shot me. Several times.”

“Ah,” the mage said, gazing into the early-evening street. “You presume her to be warded against demon-magic. So a true holy warrior, then, and not some fat local potentate with an exotic, gilded blunderbuss and a parish named after him?”

“A hero,” the ageless fiend sighed. “Champion of a just and righteous cause of some type or another, of course; knight-in-shining-armor sort of stuff -- quite literally, in her case. I still remember my last one of those; gods, how he struggled at the end!”

“How unpleasant,” said the wizard, simply.

“Yes. Good for a bit of a laugh, as always ... but I find I’m ready to put this little adventure to bed. Coming with me?”

The mage frowned. “I’m not sold. What, precisely -- other than shoot you, of course -- has this lady hero done to earn your particular enmity?”

“Is that not,” the demon asked with stunned shock, “quite enough? She shot me, as I said. Several times! With blessed & demon-warded bullets!”

“Hmm. Unlikely -- those weapons are infamously slow to load.”

Shadibriri darkened his gaze. “Well, I was there; I, for one, found that she had no problem firing upon me with both great speed and deeply unpleasant accuracy. At her touch, bullets flew from her bandolier into her rifle with an alacrity matched only by the speed with which they thereby exited in my general direction.”

The mage shrugged. “Some have a ken for swift firing, I suppose, just as some have a talent for the harp, barn-dances or the loom. So she shot you several times; what of it?”

“I didn’t like it. Once was enough to get me angry; the last one nearly undid me.”

Rolling his eyes, the wizard looked back into his house before continuing. “And why did she do that?”

The demon smiled. “Well, in her defense, I was killing an awful lot of people at the time. Striding around a village whilst it was on fire, pretending to be one of the Spawn of Rovagug, if I’m being honest. Tore down most of a church, actually, and threw the whole altar right in a river. Always wanted to see if I could do that. Kicked a vicar right in half. Then she yelled at me, and then when I turned around I got shot. And then again, and several times more.”

“You really are a terrible human being, do you know that?”

“Oh, I’m neither. I’m the very model of roguish charm, for one -- and if I was ever a human, I’ve long forgotten about it. Now, what can you do for me?”

The mage frowned, a look Shadibriri was well familiar with, then shook his head in an emphatic negative. “Nothing. I’ve no desire to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, in general, nor any interest in facing off against a gun-toting northerner paladin in full plate, in particular -- especially not one that has already bested you. Now, as I may have mentioned, I also have dinner guests, so--”

“She got lucky.”

The wizard rolled his eyes again. He was getting good at it. “Be that as it may, she and I have no quarrel, and I dare say that you’re mad to face off with her a second time. Furthermore, any woman capable of shrugging of your not-inconsiderable barrage of unholy death-magics would hardly be expected to succumb with due haste to anything that I might unleash upon her.”

The Wishtwister smiled sweetly. “Like you said, perhaps she’s only warded against demons -- and not against the spells of you mere mortals. Perhaps you can disintegrate her while her back is turned.”

“A gamble I would not hastily wish to take, and certainly not wager at the cost of my life. Now, if you will excuse me, I’ll rejoin my dining companions.”

Shadibriri folded his hands. “You do know that I would reward you greatly, yes? For help in this endeavor?”

“You’re offering me a wish?”

“Yes. Sans twist.”

The mage blinked. “Good gods -- this girl has really gotten to you, hasn’t she?”

“Do I hear interest in your voice?”

“Yes. Meet me after dinner. Where we met the first time.”

---

They met in a dark alley by the waterfront, the wizard and the demon.

“You smell like death.”

Hunched in the pitiless black, the Wishtwister smiled. “I think I killed a fox or possum or something by hating it so hard that it exploded. Might have been a deer. It was making a bit of racket while I was feeling ... thoughtful. Months ago, and I haven’t washed yet.”

The wizard sighed. “Let’s get on with this, then. What do you know about the woman you’re up against?”

“She’s very pretty, and ... “

“Oh, is this a sex thing?”

The old demon suddenly sat up straight. “Why, you know -- it might be! Since you mention it, that very well could be the case. I quite like human women, I’ve found; I would gleefully impregnate half of the human females you might care to name. Perhaps I’m simply smitten!”

“I would be very careful with that, if I were you.”

“Hmm. I’m now imagining us romantically intertwined. Things would no-doubt get broken -- a small shed, perhaps, and a family and maybe a church. I like the idea.”

---

The demon giggled. “You know, I once knew an assassin who had never been in a fight?”

“Really?”

“Well, that was his claim. I think it much more likely that he had simply never won a fight; he certainly never took a swing in anger ... nor even in self-defense, that I know of. He could tell you quite a bit about knives, but I don’t think he ever used one except in surgery -- which, I suppose, includes autopsies.”

“Fascinating.”

“I agree! It was a real delight to watch him work -- he claimed that he didn’t like to look his clients in the face when they died. He was much more of a puzzle-solver than a brute. I liked him - a real passion for the craft. Very good at pushing people off of cliffs and into traffic.”

---

This was a dangerous gamble, but it was going to be worth it -- if it paid off.

He stood in front of the black monastery for three days, letting the cold wind of the Menador Mountains blow past him. He hummed to himself, and rocked back and forth on his ankles, and twiddled his thumbs.

On the third night, a wizened abbot carrying a single black candle came to the door; he gazed at the demon with a look of calm disgust.

“Hello,” said the demon with a smile.

“You are unwelcome here,” said the priest.

Shadibriri smiled. “I’m offering you -- and your temple -- a wish. That’s all. You know what I am, and you also know that I mean you no harm. Well, no more than I mean anyone else.”

The old abbot frowned. “What do you want?”

“I want to kill a woman, far to the north. She is a priestess of Iomedae, and warded against me; she carries a gun. I request the use of one of your assassins. One who can deflect bullets fired at him.”

“Will he be required to kill this woman for you, demon?”

“I’m hoping to use him as a distraction, actually.”

---

“What do you think it is that he saw?”

The thin, pale sword-saint looked at him blankly. “Hmm?”

“Zon-Kuthon. The Dark Prince. What do you think it was that he saw, which drove him up the wall and over the edge, out in the blackness between planes?”

“I do not know.”

“Well, of course you don’t know. But it’s an interesting thought, isn’t it? What did he see that made him unravel? What mysterious and inexplicable force made him what he is today?”

“It is,” said the holy-warrior after a long, calm moment, “utter heresy to ask such questions.”

“Yes. That’s one of the reasons I delight in asking it.”

---

“A wise man once said ‘A moderately bad man knows he is not very good: a thoroughly bad man thinks he is all right.”

“I like that!

“He continued: ‘This is common sense, really ... Good people know about both good and evil: bad people do not know about either.”

---

“Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize you? I’m a tracker -- and you leave very specific tracks.”

“So, you’re the sheriff, now. Good for you.”

---

“After this, I’m riding to the Worldwound. And I’m taking guns with me.”

“Ah, yes? Frightfully dreary place; I certainly won’t be joining you.”

She arched one eyebrow. “I’m a little surprised that you aren’t more concerned.”

“Concerned? About what?”

“I’ll be doing my best to slay demons, obviously.”

“Oh, that! Yeah, no, I don’t care what happens to them. Their plans have absolutely nothing to do with me, and I don’t like any of them. More power to you, I say.”

---

She couldn’t see him. That was good.

“You know,” he whispered in her head, “I do really quite respect you.”

She laughed out loud at that. “Is that so?”

“Oh, yes! No kidding, no lies, no taunts -- I think we’re beyond all that by this point.”

“You respect me,” she said with a frown. “Why is that, may I ask?”

“Because you, like me, are sane. And I’ve noticed that sanity is at a real premium these days.”

“Sane?”

The demon smiled. “Oh yes. You can actually see the big picture, which is rare enough. And of the few who can see it, most people snap. When someone gets a good glimpse of the total shape of things ... well, when that happens, a lot of folks shut down completely. But not you -- you’re looking out for number one.”

“I wouldn’t call what I do ‘looking out for number one,’ precisely.”

“Oh, but you are! Let’s think like sane people for a moment: eternity is much longer than non-eternity, I’m sure you would agree?

She nodded, her sharp eyes scanning for him in the wooded dark. “Yes.”

“And since it’s going to be so damn long, it’s best to have the best possible afterlife, yes?”

“I suppose.”

“People’s afterlives are a lot longer than their lives, after all; a whole lifetime is nothing but a mustard burp in comparison to eternity. And nobody treats it with any kind of sanity.”

“What’s your point?”

“Well, most people don’t really believe in the Abyss. They don’t actually believe that it’s an actual place that they might actually go to. Not really. Not like ‘up the road to the bakery’ level of real. If they actually thought it was real, people would spend every moment of every day doing anything they could to not go there. Not even for a minute, let alone for all eternity.”

“That’s a scary way of putting it.”

“I’ve been to the Abyss. It’s quite a bit scarier than I’m making it sound. But the really sick part is that every mortal creature, in this world and in all the others, is going to wind up dead at some point in the future. In the relatively near future, by my standards; sooner than that, if I get an opportunity. There’s a chance, I suppose, that you’ll never go up the road to the baker’s ever again ... but at some point, you are going to be in the afterlife. It’s truly and finally inevitable. No exceptions.”

“People know that.”

“Do they? Do they really? Then they behave as if they don’t, which is madness. There should be no one in the whole world under the impression that murder is a good idea, or that it can be gotten away with -- and yet murder happens nonetheless. There’s literally no such thing as a perfect crime; the soul suffers for the sins of the flesh, and souls burn longer than stars. It’s fascinating to watch, and I love it. People are fundamentally insane.”

“And you’re not?”

“No, not at all! I’m already in my afterlife. Nothing wrong with trying to have the best one, I should think. But I respect you, because you’re working a lot harder to make a go of it.”

She sighed. “You respect me because you think I’m doing this -- all of this -- trying to get into heaven. And, of course, that’s what you would be doing, if you were still mortal and capable of being redeemed?”

“I’m not saying you’re cynical, my dear. I’m not just being rude to you for the sake of rudeness. As I say, we’re well past that point. You are to be admired: neither conniving nor ambitious, but willing to put in the work. I’m saying that you’re going about existence -- living life and planning for the afterlife -- sanely. There are only three kinds of people you can’t corrupt; did you know that? Opposite kinds of people, really.”

“How so?”

“Well, as a very smart little boy once said, ‘The way spies turn people is, they get them to commit a little sin, and then they use the little sin to blackmail them into a bigger sin, and then they use THAT sin to make them do even bigger things and then the blackmailer owns their soul.’ -- there are only three ways out of that little trap.”

She sighed. “And they are?”

“You don’t want to guess?”

“No. This is your villainous monologue moment; go crazy.”

“Fine,” the demon pouted. “The three kinds of people you can’t corrupt are simple: the first are the stalwart. Those rare folks will never commit a single little sin. You can’t trick them into accepting the gift of something stolen from an enemy or an unrequited love; you can’t get them to break some small promise or utter some small treason. That would be you.”

She gave a wry chuckle. “I’m hardly incorruptible.”

“Ah, then maybe you’re the second type: the penitent. They’ll fess up as soon as they make their first mistake -- or at least before they make their final misstep -- and simply refuse to be dragged any lower. They’ll demand to be allowed to atone and martyr, publicly weep and gnash their tear and rend their garments in sheer shame at their own wrongdoings ... and woe be on to anyone who stands in the way of a true penitent getting revenge on themself.”

“And the third?”

The demon smiled. “The brutal psychotics. They don’t respond to threats of blackmail, because they’ll willingly let their name be tarnished. They wear the stains and scars of betraying civilized rule like war paint. When someone goes to push them into the Abyss, they dive.”

She frowned. “Do they?”

“Yes. Everyone else responds to treachery; the line of folks who are simply waiting to be blackmailed is unbelievable.”

---

She smiled. “A very smart man once wrote, ‘Many have stood their ground and faced the darkness when it comes for them. Fewer come for the darkness and force it to face them.’”

The demon smiled back. “Yes. As he also said, ‘It is a hard life, sometimes lonely, often short.’”

---

 “And where,” the demon asked, “are you of to after this? Assuming you survive this, I mean.”

“Home. To my wife.”

“And your god ... approves of this coupling?”

She smiled, still scanning for him. “I cannot say as I know my god’s specific feelings on the matter, I’m afraid. It’s possible he’s slightly miffed about it, as is my father. But I’m certain we can work that out -- it’s what loving families do.”

---

“This is why you disappoint me, little devil -- you’re a technician. A cog; a conscripted soldier, a punch-clock performer of mechanical duties. You have no love of what you do. I, on the other hand, am a born artist.”

—

NOTE:

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[yoshi4sushi]

(purupurupuru) (purupurupuru) (click!) (coo!) (coo!)

 HOWDY-HO, NAKAMAS! Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a good weekend. Before we start off, there’s terrifying news about the 5.2 quake magnitude in Osaka so due to that, all places are closed until further notice so if you’re heading there for visit, please keep yourself updated of travel safety news. W/o further notice, let’s get down to business. We have loads and loads of news to share with you so know the drill. First off, last week’s chapter calmed down a bit. Princess Mansherry was kind enough to heal Shirahoshi’s injuries so all is good. King Neptune thanked Myosgard for saving her life so he’s willing to make peace with this meet. Myosgard assured him that he will support him in any way he can and even allowed Leo and his crew that they’re given permission to beat up anyway celestial dragon with his permission. Well said chum! The paramedics arrived and took Saint Charlos to get his injury treated. His scum dad showed to see him hurt. He got a new slave, and sadly, it was Kuma. He get stabbed and beat up by the scumbag w/o begging for help. There’s an unexpected guest that snuck in Mariejois. It was Bonney in disguised as a royal member. What could she planning to do? Meanwhile in a secret underground tunnel, Sabo and the rest of the revolutionary commanders are lying in wait. Sabo is impatient and wants to rescue Kuma from the scumbag, but Karasu and Betty told him that it’s better to wait until the right time comes. It was revealed that Kuma was once a king of his own country before he gave into the control of the world gov’t. What a shocker! A king? At the end, the five elders were talking about the kingdoms and that Vivi’s family are the only ones that w/drew from being celestial dragons so fears that they could be a threat. They arrived at the empty throne only to see someone is sitting on it. The mysterious figure that had Luffy’s bounty poster. The elders kneel before this figure and called him or her, Im-san. Who is this high royal figure? Is this highest authority person above the elders? Guess we’ll know more next week. No chapter this week so be patient and wait. Next, this past weekend’s episode was SCARY! One after another keeps going after Ceasar and Bege, but Germa are doing their best to keep them away from so they can escape over the wall. Suddenly, Luffy and Sanji appeared and saved Reiju from Big Mom’s attack. As they try to escape, Big Mom provokes Luffy for being a coward of running from the fight so he couldn’t handle her taunting and attacked her in full power with gear 4th, but ran out of steam. At the end, the boys are down and in a tight situation. Next time, Luffy, Sanji, and Germa are down for the county until the castle starts tumbling down from an unknown explosion. What caused it? Guess we’ll see this week. Don’t miss it! Now on with the goods! Look who dropped by for a quick visit! Yup, it’s our fellow tower mascot, Tongari-san! What’s the buzz, my friend? Tongari-san says that lots of awesome stuff is gonna happen next month for the summer pirates festival! First off, they’ll have 3 fun games. Each play is 800 yen. If you succeed to win the games, you’ll be given an official Straw Hat water smartphone pouch that keeps your phone safe. For snack, they’ll be selling a bucket of cotton candy with many flavors such as blue raspberry, yellow lemon, pink peach, green apple, purple grape, white candy, and red strawberry. Loads of yummy flavors. It costs 600 yen. The tower will also be inviting the Straw Hats, Sabo, Law & Bepo, Ann, the clown duo, Buggy and Puggy for a photo greet. At night, they’ll pair Luffy with Sabo or Law as well. You have to be given a ticket if you want get your photo. It’s first come first serve so you have to be at the tower early if you wanna get your ticket before they run out. For July, they’ll have the Straw Hats, Sabo, and Law. Their schedule has been posted on the website. In August, they’ll have Ann, Buggy, and Puggy. Their schedule will be posted later on. Next, shopping goods! They’ll be selling official summer goods such as buttons, acrylic charms/figurines, a candy bag, a ticket holder, and a folder. So much awesome goods! The 3rd floor have also re-stocked more of the character goody bags that comes with a long towel, glow in the dark bracelet, and button set. You have to be inside the tower to purchase them. They have it at the Tongari Island Store. You can’t miss it. Next, prizes! Loads of prizes! The new Ichiban Kuji will be released on OP day which is on July 22nd. Prize A through E are figurines of Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Law, and Ace. Prize are mugs, prize G are picture boards of any characters, the special board prize are Luffy & the boys. Prize H are mini plates. They’ll have it available at Straw Hat Stores, Tokyo Tower, and hobby stores. Next, Gashapon machines will be stocking these figurines of Pudding, Nami, and Hancock in their bikinis. It will be released early August. Next, arcades will stock this new Flag & Diamond Ship of Reiju in her alluring black leather outfit. YOWZA! Get those coins ready to win this diva! Moving on, NEW, MUGI MUGI PLUSHIES! This time, they’ll have Sanji and Pudding in their wedding outfits, and the Germa siblings! They’ll be released in early Aug. I believe. Next, Straw Hat stores will be selling these authentic summer kimonos outfits and wooden sandals that are worn by Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Sanji, & Chopper in the colorspread for boys and girls. Each are sold separately. Next, guess whose b-day is approaching next month? I’ll give you a hint: she’s expensive, gorgeous, and feisty. You got it, it’s none other than cute cat burglar, Nami-swan! Her b-day is on July 3rd. To celebrate her b-day, Straw Hat Stores will be selling her birthday button and bromide frame pic. If you purchase over 1000 yen, you’ll get a free bromide card of her enjoying pampering from the cats. Next, awesome JUMP goods have been released such as this t-shirt of chibi Straw Hats in the front and back, and this colorful shirt of the Straw Hats & other characters in kid versions. Stores are also selling this small pin of Luffy that Bartolomeo was trying to sell to some local from the chapter stories. It’s so small as the size of a one yen coin. Very cute! Next, Straw Hat stores will be selling these fun summer straps of Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Nami playing with their water guns. They’re also selling this fan of the gang in their army outfits. Last week, the stores released this stylish hard notebook of Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Law. Good for writing notes. Next, stores are also selling this neat tote purse of Lucci as an addition of his birthday merch. Tokyo Tower will also have it as well. Moving on, Hong Kong will be having an OP Summer Park as well. Details will be revealed later but it will start next month until last day of Aug. Next, Shimamura Music Store will be selling Brook’s pricey shark guitar. Everything is exactly the same from the anime. You must live w/in the country to have it shipped. You can also purchase it and have it mailed to a friend or relative that lives in Japan. ROCK ON! Next, FC Tokyo Team will be having an OP event from the upcoming special episode of Skypiea. The team will face off against the Yokohama F Marines. They’ll release a special video message from Luffy at the soccer game. They’ll also have a quiz game for kids and student to enjoy. The game will be held at Ajinomoto stadium at Chofu, Tokyo area. You can check out their official page. It’s also in English and has info on access. Also, Chopper will joining the event & will have a meet and greet event. GAME ON! Ticket reservations will start this Friday. Look into their Japanese page for the info. Next, this Wednesday, Tondoco brand will be having an OP collaboration so they’ll release merch they’ll be selling at the store. You can follow their Twitter page. Next, last week, new LINE stickers have released of the Straw Hats and in-motion with cute phrases. It’s available in English as well so you can purchase it. Last, but not least, here’s the new cover of vol.11 of Whole Cake Island arc that has Brook rocking his soul!!! You can order the DVD on the Japanese site of Amazon. PHEW! I think that’s about everything. Tune in next week for more news and goods. Special thanks to Tongari-san. Come again, nakama. Kikko! Momon! Outstanding job! Let’s call it in.

 Guitar: http://store.shimamura.co.jp/shop/g/gmt0048322/

[cinnamonskull]

Noticed that you haven't been posting a lot of fanfic recently (not complaining or judging because LIFE), but just lettin' you know that I love your fics and can't wait for more!

This made me very happy, anon! You’re right, life has been eating away at my soul as of late, and I haven’t been able to really write much (including missing out jaytimweek WAH). 

I debated even sharing this, but since you inquired, here’s the opening of a fic I was working on for jaytimweek:

last chance to lose your keyssum: Tim loses his memory. Jason runs out of excuses.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Tim commented quietly from his corner of the room. He watched Jason drop his leather duffle on the ugly, floral bedspread, abused springs protesting loudly under its weight. It sounded dirty, the kind of sleazy noise a person would expect to hear at a pay-by-the-hour motel.

And then Jason unzipped the bag with steady hands to pull out a shiny black handgun.

Tim’s mouth went dry.

Green-blue eyes flicked his way for only a moment before Jason scoffed, his fingers deft and skillful as they twisted in a silencer at the tip of his gun. “Yes, I did.”

The events of the past two days were still an anxious blur in Tim’s mind. He remembered few concrete details on how he ended up in Las Vegas with Jason, a gun-toting, snarky asshole with the kind of face that made Tim want to bite the back of his hand.

At least, he said his name was Jason. Tim couldn’t remember if that were true or not.

He did know some things. He knew his name was Timothy Drake-Wayne. He knew he worked at Wayne Enterprises for bleak stretches of time, attending stuffy, drawn out meetings, the Millennial mouthpiece for one playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne.

But he also knew Bruce’s secret, and he worked alongside him and others to fight crime in Gotham City as Red Robin. He could picture Dick’s sleek, acrobatic fighting style, knew the exact shade of Steph’s blonde hair, could feel the silence that followed Cass around like armour, hear the impatient tone of Damian’s voice.

But this Jason? Tim had no memory of him at all.

“You think I’m a flight risk?”

Jason ignored him, checking for ammo before snapping the clip back into place and cocking the gun with an ominous slide of metal springs. He turned away from his duffel to stalk the length of their room, which was only big enough to fit two full beds and a bulky TV from the ‘90s. When he got to the window, Jason eased back thin, ugly curtains with his gun.

“We’re more than an hour from the next town, and there’s nothing but desert and darkness between the mile markers,” Tim tried again. He already knew there was no point in arguing, but old habits made him try.

Jason laughed again, low and derisive, and flicked the curtains back into place. “Got it all figured out, huh?” He tucked the gun into the holster beneath his jacket, twisting slightly so Tim could see the strong curve of his back. “We got a regular Wonder Boy on our hands.”

The reference irked Tim, made his skin crawl thinking about the things Jason knew about him – and all the things he didn’t know about Jason. The first thing he’d done when he’d come to, soaking wet on the tiled bathroom floor in some swanky hotel room, was call Bruce.

“I’ll tell you more when you’re home,” Bruce had said, his voice placating. There was a long pause before he’d added, “You can trust him.”

“But–,” Tim had tried to argue.

“Leave it,” Bruce said, his voice more clipped than before. “You don’t need to know anything else right now.” He promised to check in on them in the morning, and then promptly hung up.

Clearly, Bruce had chose his words carefully. The reason why felt important.

“I’m just saying the probability of me trying to escape is low. I don’t think…,” he trailed off as Jason double backed toward his side of the room.

He paused at the foot of Tim’s bed and smirked. “You have a history of not thinking things through.”

There was a memory scratching at the back of Tim’s mind, the shadowy presence of Jason occupying a similar space, in another time. How many hotel rooms, how many nights spent together working some case?

The way Jason moved unnerved Tim, made him feel raw and wrong. Tim had no doubt Jason knew exactly what he was doing; he clearly had the training and experience to handle automatic weapons with precision; he knew how to lean over the front desk with hooded eyes and a low voice and to ask for a room with a view of the highway; he knew how to count the number of missing keys hanging behind the hungry-eyed clerk, how to count the steps from the manager’s office to the their room, how to keep his back to the wall and his eyes on the door at all times.

Tim’s unease went beyond Jason’s obvious confidence. There was the familiarity in which he moved around Tim that felt significant. The way Jason’s body seemed to unconsciously bend toward Tim, their bodies two blades of grass in a high wind.

How well did they really know each other?

It was noticeable when Jason hesitated, the way his jaw ticked as he studied Tim sprawled out on the bed beneath him. His eyes flicked up and over, catching on the curve of Tim’s shoulder before settling somewhere just to the left of his ear. He didn’t say anything as he moved closer, his thigh heavy against the edge of the mattress.

Tim forced himself to lie perfectly still, tilting his neck up so he could meet Jason with defiant, untrusting eyes.  

In response, Jason rolled his eyes and reached behind Tim’s head quickly, flickering off the only source of light in the room. And Tim was glad for the swift darkness, the way it swept through the room like a current, hiding sudden burn on his cheeks.

“There you go again. Not thinking.”

Jason sounded far away again and Tim squinted. When his eyes adjusted, he saw that Jason had retreated back to the window without making a sound. A purple, neon glow outlined his profile as he peeled back the curtain again.

“Well, if it bothers you so much, I could keep not thinking in another room.”

Jason clicked his tongue. “Nice try, Bird Boy.”

“Just trying to figure out why you’re so intent on babysitting, is all.”

“Ohh,” Jason snorted to himself, annoyed. “Yeah, that’s me. Babysitter-for-hire with a bolo in my bag and personal penchant for leather jackets. Mommy bloggers really go for that shit.”

“Then what?” Tim grit out with a huff of frustration.

“I don’t know.” Jason’s eyes remained focused outside the window as he spoke. “Maybe it’s because we just pissed all over the cartel’s ivory carpet in Vegas not even 24 hours ago, and this motel is full of lowlife criminals just looking for someone to sell out for some quick cash or a cheap fuck.”

There was a pause, and Tim heard a car roll through the parking lot, tires crunching gravel. The red and purple neon lights cut against the sharp angles of Jason’s face.

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking I don’t know you, Tim.”

Jason kept his eyes trained on the road and smiled.

[zephyrinx]

GLOOMVERSE RP (FANFIC??)

(Hey look a picture that’s totally not just to get people’s attention haha wow)

OKAY SO- A BUNCH of people have asked Neon (@neon--nightmare) and I to make this roleplay public for reading! So we finally decided to do it!

THIS IS THE ROLEPLAY FOR THE FIRST TIME WALLIS GLOOM AND FRESH MET FACE TO FACE IN THE GV DISCORD RP. And not.... Face to mouth? Uh. First time they met and interacted in separate bodies. Yep.

CONTEXT:

- Wallis and Fresh have been at this for months, so there's a LOT OF TENSION AND FEAR. Wallis has been possessed twice before, and in that time, got a look into Fresh's own headspace- He's a stubborn asshole, so he pressed at things, and Fresh let slip that he had lost someone very close to him.

-Fresh wants Wallis GONE because he won't give up and keeps challenging his fragile worldview.   Wallis is stuck between wanting to be free of the parasite's near constant harassment, and wanting to HELP because he can tell how much Fresh is truly suffering. He feels as though a compromise would be getting him to leave, BY helping.

-Wallis and Purple are actually back together in this rp! It took like 4 months of near constant rp, but we got there! At the point in time that this RP took place, Wallis was staying at Purple's house recovering from the second possession. He’s... Pretty badly injured.

-Cake had also stolen his hat about a week or so prior, so he was totally defenseless! Geez, please help him...

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

-None of this is CANON!! This is just a RP between fans!! Fresh and Wallis belong to CQ, we just love them. A lot. Though we try to be as IC as possible, nothing that happened here is actually official canon!!

- This rp treats the events of the ‘loveball/time party’ (a rping event from a year or so ago that can be found in parts on @bestfresh90smess) as canon to Fresh's character! This is for the sake of development, and to help give context to some of the emotional problems he's currently having that have carried on from there! ‘Pacifrisk’ was Fresh's only true friend that he met at the Loveball and slowly grew to care about, but right when he was coming to terms with that (and wanting to protect them even when it had no benefit to him, something he couldn't comprehend) they were killed despite his protests.

-There's a lot more drama and context surrounding this, so some things may not make sense!! We've tried to make it as concise as possible, though!

-THIS RP HAPPENED IN THE GLOOMVERSE ROLEPLAY DISCORD!! It's applicant based only, but if you'd like to send in a form you can do so at @gloomversediscord !! OCs are welcome, too!!

So, yep! Please enjoy, and be nice!! :D

[ROLEPLAY UNDER READ-MORE]

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh crept into the dimly-lit room, closing the door softly behind him. He could barely believe he had gotten in so easily - Purple hadn't been around and the front door didn't even seem to have been locked properly. It seemed almost too easy after all his planning, but hey, he wasn't complaining! Wallis had been practically asking for it anyway, with his 'tough guy' act and with all the problems he'd been causing escalating recently. And now here he was, with Wallis asleep and injured right in front of him!

The parasite leaned over his defenseless body, his grin widening until it looked almost painful. The YOLO letters on his glasses glowed faintly in the dark, as he gave the propellor beanie a flick and nudged Wallis roughly. "Rise 'n shine, Brahllis!! Wouldn't wanna all up sleep in an miss ya best brah, wouldja~?"

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis groans quietly, screwing up his face in response to the rude wake up call and pulling the blanket a little tighter around his shoulders. What the fuck, why was Purple trying to wake him up NOW?? He wasn't even hungry, and his pain was just a dull ache, surely the pain meds hadn't worn off yet.... Though, it was a bit weird- His groggy sleep-drunk mind slowly chugged along and processed the situation... Purple usually woke him up gently, and that voice... He replays it in his mind, until the garbled words finally made sense.

Wallis' eyes snap open, entire body immediately going rigid as his breathing stuttered to a complete halt for a second. His mind spun, chest aching just a little more- Oh no, no no no... He didn't look up. He didn't WANT to look up, and acknowledge the truth. This couldn't be happening.

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

The parasite smiled down at his terrified enemy over his shades, the cracked soul in his eye barely visible. "Glad ta see me again, homeslice~?" Fresh said in a dissonantly chipper tone, roughly grabbing Wallis's shoulders to prop him up and slip an arm tightly around his shoulders. "Cake slice wasn't lyin, brah, ya really letchaself go since da last time we all up had a friendly-like chat face ta face~!! Or would dat be thought-ta-thought or some junk?? Me ta ya?? Ah well, it ain't important anywho!!" The parasite gave Wallis' shoulder a quick squeeze, flicking a curl of hair on his forehead.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis' breath hitches as he's pulled up, unable to stop himself from hunching over and shuddering as that arm is slipped around him in an almost FRIENDLY manner- He knew better though, and the contact just felt like gasoline to the fire that was starting to flare up in his chest again. He instinctively leans away slightly, completely aware of how vulnerable he was like this. No hat, no wand, in a weakened state and already basically under control thanks to Fresh's grip on him. Was this the first time he'd ever seen the parasite in another form other than his own...? Either way, it was far too soon.

"I... I-" He chokes on his own words when Fresh squeezes his shoulder, flinching away from the hand that came towards his face. He doesn't even notice his own hand come up to lightly touch at his throat, curling into a loose fist there protectively. If he was possessed again... He seriously doubted his ability to escape in this condition. By this point, he was quite visibly shaking, eyes wide and staring down at his own lap, refusing to look at his tormentor still.

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh chuckled at Wallis' obvious discomfort, a harsh sound that contrasted sharply with his fake-cheerful manner. His hand moved over to the bandages on Wallis' head and began undoing them none too gently, keeping a firm grip on the magician's shoulders all the while. "Aw, Brahllis, what's da dealio wit' dese~? Seems wicked inconvenient if ya cant see, yeah~?" There wasn't much of a point to this, and Fresh knew that - he just wanted to revel in Wallis' fear and pain a bit longer.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis grits his teeth together, completely frozen at the invasive action- He'd grown so used to the bandage being there, and around the eye was still sore... The eye itself was still almost completely a dark grey colour, and his vision itself was blotchy and dark. The bandage at least gave him an excuse to why he couldn't see. Fresh obviously had no concept of personal space- If he did, then he was doing a damn good job of making Wallis feel vulnerable, defenseless and alone- Wait, how did he get in?? Where was..?

Wallis suddenly tries to jerk away, finally looking up at Fresh with a mixture of horror and anger- The former seemed to overwhelm the latter, though. "Wh-Where's- What the funk did you do with Purple?!! Where's Purple!??"

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh tightened his grip even more, digging his fingers into Wallis's arm before giving him a casual flick on the cheek. "Lingo, homeslice!!! Ya really gotta keep a better handle on yaself, yanno~? All up spreadin ya uncool vibes all over dis convo, dawg, dat ain't cool~" The parasite grin slipped a bit before recovering himself and tilting his head at the question. "Ya really gotta learn ta take a chill pill, broski!! Ah hahaha, ya sound maaaad <3"

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis gasps, trying to shrink himself down as much as he could to get away from any and all contact Fresh was giving him. Right, of course he'd be able to censor... A chill goes down his spine, and he automatically closes his eyes as the bandage falls completely from his head at the movement- Looks like there was also a pretty nasty looking gash under there just above his eye. It had been healing nicely, but still looked pretty painful to the touch.

"Where. Is. He," He repeats, clenching his fists and trying to inch away from Fresh a bit. "Did you hurt him!?? I swear to GOD I'll KILL YOU if..."

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh raised an eyebrow at that, jostling Wallis a bit as he readjusted his grip. He ruffled Wallis' hair with his free hand, digging his fingers into his arm even harder at the same time. "Ahaha, ya really let yaself go, didntcha~? Guess I get what was up wit' dat bandage junk now, yo!!" Fresh let his gaze wander casually around the room, lingering on the door for an extra moment just in case. "Aha, watchin ya work yaself up like dat is totes HI-LA-RI-OUS!! Ya gonna KILL me, Brahllis~? Ya want me dead, huh~? Well, dawg, dats da prob I all up stopped by ta deal wit'!!"

The parasite suddenly whipped his head back around to face Wallis, his grinning face very close to the other's. "Ya been up an causin LOADS o totes unfresh probs lately, haven't ya~?"

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis can't help his quiet noise of discomfort, sounding oddly like a low whine, shuddering as Fresh ruffled his hair. Only a few people were allowed to do that- The parasite absolutely not being one of them. He was finding it difficult to breathe, chest tight and thoughts disjointed and panicky- This entire meeting couldn't be at all good, he was at a loss for words, actions even moreso.

Though, Fresh seemed insistent that murder wasn't his strategy- Not his usual one, anyway- And surely he would have heard if Purple was in danger... Wallis both hoped and dreaded that Purple may still be in the house.

He flinches back as much as he could when Fresh turns to grin at him, eyes widening and skin becoming paler as the realisation dawned on him. Fresh wasn't here to possess him, or to harass him- He was keeping true to his word.

Fresh was here to KILL him.

Acting on pure impulse, Wallis lets out a cry, suddenly reaching out to shove at Fresh's chest in an attempt to push the other away from him, ignoring the pain that shot through his injured hand, breathing hard and fast.

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Caught off-guard by the sudden escape attempt, Fresh loosened his grip on Wallis's shoulders and was pushed backwards a bit, his shades falling askew to reveal the host's eyes. The look of terror in the functional right eye was obvious - almost like they were trying to plead with Wallis for help. The parasite gave a quiet hiss, dropping his facade for a moment to glare at Wallis with a look of pure hatred. His grin returned almost as fast, however - contrasting even more sharply with the pain in the host's eyes.

Fresh swung his legs over the side of the bed, carefully folding up his shades and slipping them into his fanny pack. "Aha, is dis da part where ya all up try ta kill me or whatev ya said ya were gonna do, broham~? Trust me, brotato chip, I'd LOVE ya see ya try~ <3" You could practically hear the heart at the end of the sentence.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis stares straight back at that one eye, finding himself unable to look away. That poor host... He wanted to help, he so badly wanted to help- He was meant to be the INVINCIBLE  Wallis Gloom, the most powerful man in the country...

And here he was, reduced to a terrified mess in a small house in Prisma. He was meant to be able to HELP, to fix everything- but he couldn't. There was no way he could help the host, especially not right now. He actually wished Fresh had kept the shades on... Then at least he could pretend the other wasn't using an innocent person for his own gain.

His gaze quickly drifts toward the door. There was no way he was going to just lay there and let Fresh hurt- Or kill- him. Slowly, he began trying to slip his legs out of the blankets, readying himself to make a run for it. "I-I'm not.... Not going to kill you..."

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh widened his eyes slightly, staying perfectly still and watching him struggle. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife - especially because the parasite was eyeing him in the way a predator watches its weakened prey. "Whaddaya think ya gonna try ta do, Wally~? Ya ain't lookin so hot, ya dig? But I toldja, homie, it'd gimme a good laugh ta all up watch ya try!!"

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis keeps his gaze trained on the parasite, hunched over slightly in a defensive position, clearly in no mood to just give in. He was reminded of the way a cat toys with a mouse before catching it- Cruel, all part of their little game... He spares a fleeting glance toward the doorway, before suddenly attempting to scramble off the bed and toward the doorway, clumsy thanks to his unfit state and more recent injuries. It was worth a try- If he was going to go down, then he was going to go down fighting.

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Quick as a flash, Fresh lunged out to grab Wallis's arm, giving it a painful twist. "Ya ain't gettin away dat easy, Brahllis!!" he taunted, staring the other dead in the face with an expression of obvious enjoyment. Fresh watched for a moment more before releasing his arm and giving him a rough shove to the floor, staring down at the injured magician. "Ya still think ya all dat an a bag o chips, Wally?? Been waitin fo' dis fo' a LONG time, yo, ya ain't gonna mess it up dis time!!"

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis cries out in pain at the sharp movement, being forced backward in order to not put too much pressure on his arm, taking in a few shaky gulps of air before being pushed to the ground. He lays there for a moment, head spinning from the sudden movements and pain, before once again trying to push himself up- Stubborn man. Maybe running wouldn't work...

He turns to glare at Fresh over his shoulder, feeling his heart sink as he looks up into that one terrified eye again. "You f-funking RADHOLE- What the heck are you gonna do, then!??"

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh crouched down so he was roughly at Wallis's level, his hair flopping over his shoulder. "Dats da tricky part, brah!! All up way easier befo' cuz i could just make somethin sharp-like ta get it ova wit' easy as pie - but i don't think i can make some junk like dat here!! Ya got any suggestions, brotien shake?? Ain't - ain't got much experience tryin ta off peeps befo', heh." It was slight, but the parasite's voice caught on the last word and he seemed to lose some of his feigned enthusiasm.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis pauses, horror flickering more vibrantly on his face for a moment at those words. Was Fresh really asking Wallis to.... Choose his own death?!!

That was fucking sick.... He inches away again, hunching his shoulders up to protect his neck some more. Though, the question may be one of genuine uncertainty... It sounded like he'd nearly killed someone before, and at the very least, was still hesitant. Maybe he was just being wishful, but... Wait, that was it.

"Would they really want you to do this?" he mutters, eyes darkening, untrimmed fringe falling in front of them slightly. "Would they be proud of you for funking MURDERING someone??"

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh froze, his expression flickering from genuine shock to fear, anger, and finally a blank mask that betrayed nothing. "What. Did you just say." He twitched for a second, his host fighting back, then appeared to regain his composure. "Care ta run dat by me again, broski?"

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis juts his head up higher, emboldened by the uncertain reaction. Best case scenario, Fresh decides to leave him alone- Second best, it distracts the parasite long enough for Wallis to make an escape... Worst case, he didn't want to think about. He huffs, pushing himself up more. "How would they feel, if they knew you were torturing someone who tried to HELP you?!"

NEON--NIGHTMARE: Fresh shuddered, an unnatural, jerky movement. An odd, muted whirlwind of memories and feelings he had tried to suppress was whirling around inside his head as he stared down at Wallis, his expression completely blank and emotionless. "Ya don't know whatcha talkin bout, so ya better shut ya yap if ya know what's good fo' ya." He couldn't do this, not here not NOW this was all wrong wrong WRONG-

ZEPHYRINX:

Yes, yes yes- He could do it, he could make Fresh lose control and then he could fucking escape!! With renewed confidence he manages to get his knees beneath him again, panting a little harder. "They'd be funking DISAPPOINTED in you, Fresh!! They're probably watching right now, ashamed, because you're hurting an INNOCENT MAN-"

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh got to his feet in one fluid moment and kicked him, HARD. He didn't let up either, punctuating the kicks with a repeated sentence hissed through gritted teeth - "Shut up. Dis is ova an done an ya ain't allowed ya ain't got no RIGHT shut UP-"

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis absolutely wasn't expecting that, unable to react in time as the kick sends him rolling with a pained yelp, any progress he'd made in standing up lost. He manages to try and curl up into a ball to protect  his head- Fuck, there was no going back now. "I-IT'S NOT- YOU KNOW IT'S NOT- THEY'RE NEVER GONNA STOP JUDGING YOU-- FUNK- YOU CAN JUST STOP--"

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh's voice rose to a yelling pitch as he continued his assault in a futile attempt to get Wallis to STOP. "Shut up SHUT UP STOP TALKIN-" The usually emotionless parasite sounded almost desperate, in a way.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis suddenly tries to grab at Fresh's foot in a desperate attempt to stop him, or at least ease the harsh attack. He was already bruised and sore around his sides thanks to Cake's assault a few days prior- This was just adding ten times more pain. "PURPLE-" He chokes out, voice weak and half cut off thanks to another kick... At least Fresh seemed to be losing composure.

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Caught off-guard once again, Fresh stumbled, grabbing into the bed in time to regain his balance. He was panting heavily, watching Wallis with a look in his eye of nothing less than absolute hatred. Oh, he was mad - not just mad, FURIOUS. How was it that even in a weakened, near-helpless state with the parasite holding almost every possible advantage over him, Wallis still managed to turn the odds back in his favor?? The magician should have just given in by now. Just thrown in the towel and accepted his death, or even tried to beg for his life - but instead he had managed to get Fresh to lose his composure again, and the parasite didn't even really understand why.

Continuing to persevere even when it seemed like all was lost... it almost reminded Fresh of - NO. He wasn't going to let himself go back down that path after it was all done and over with - or SHOULD have been, anyway. Why, why, WHY couldn't he escape this?? Why couldn't he understand... any of this?? Everything had been turned around, and Fresh just wanted it all to be done with already.

He continued to stare daggers at Wallis, but his posture had sagged and he seemed to have lost some of his will to fight.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis groans, struggling to push himself back, dazed and in pain from the beating his sides had just taken. He stares up at the other, eyes half lidded and vision blurry, one arm wrapped around his stomach, the other propping him up as much as it could. He maintains eye contact, watching, waiting... He could call out for help again, or he could try to slowly stand and walk to the door.... He could continue pressing, or remain silent until Fresh made the first move. So many options, and he had no idea which was the right one, or if there wven WAS a right one. Gnawing at the inside of his lip, he tried his best to catch his breath again, each intake of air just causing more pain-- Fuck, what else was the parasite capable of doing?!!

"...Just. Just leave me alone..." Wallis mutters in an attempt at false calmness, a hint of fear still evident in his voice. Maybe he could resolve things peacefully...

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh had begun staring at Wallis as if he was seeing someone else in his place, but he tore his gaze away once Wallis finished his plea.   The unexpected burst of anger and terror that had been so strong earlier had vanished, leaving him... empty. Good. He knew how to deal with this, although a strong sense of exhaustion was had him in its hold as well. This had been going on for FAR too long, especially when he thought he had put it all behind him for a FRESH start - and in front of him was the source of all his problems, beaten and weak, pleading with him to just leave.

It would be EASY to... remove him from the picture right now, even if he didn't have much experience - so why was it that he couldn't bring himself to move?? This was his CHANCE to bring everything back to normal, putting an end to all the awful memories and feelings that had been following him everywhere once and for all - but the parasite didn't move. Fresh didn't reply but he slumped over a bit more, still watching Wallis with his host's pain evident in his 'normal' eye. Why did everything have to be so difficult?? He couldn't even begin to understand why.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis leans back against the bookshelf slightly, another wave of dizziness hitting him, blinking back the blurriness. He didn't trust this- Didn't trust it at ALL- he couldn't let his guard down and risk Fresh suddenly attacking him again. He was so close now, so close to finally maybe getting Fresh off his trail... Even just the thought made him want to try. It would be better to end it once and for all, than run away... Not that he really could run now. He slowly breathes out, frame shaking as he stared back at his tormentor. "I... I don't... Want this... Please..."

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh was silent for a moment longer before erupting into joyless laughter, his shoulders shaking from the force of his outburst. He leaned over to rest his head in his arms, muffled giggles still emanating from his covered mouth. After a minute or so of this, the parasite raised his head and turned to look at the other, still chuckling. "Ah hahahaha, an' ya think I do??? Rule numba one, yo, whatcha want DON'T MEAN NOTHIN if it all up gets in da way o' otha peeps wit' more power den ya. Ya think I ain't all up sick o' dis neither?? I just want things ta go back ta da way dey SHOULD be, broski!! All up back ta things dat make sense, back ta da way things all up WERE befo' everythin' went wrong!! Thought I put all dis behind me, fo' da sake o' mah own life - an' den YA showed up, always findin ways ta get in da way an' make everythin worse! How'dya do it, yo?? An' now - everythin's fallin' apart an' everythin's wrong, an' - Ah hahahaha-" The parasite just smiled at his enemy, his empty laughter cutting off -

"I don't wanna die. I ain't READY yet. An' ya like mah third strike, homie - if I don't all up prove mah worth an' just letcha go - den its game ova, an' i just up an' get replaced. Course I'm gonna fail in da end - eitha a peep I all up angered kills me off, or I all up funk somethin else up an' kick da bucket - but I ain't ready ta die yet. Not like dis. So I can't - I can't give up, ya get me?? I gotta - I don't - I just want dis ta STOP."

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis flinches back at the sudden laughter, brows knitting together in confusion. He reaches back to grab a hold of one of the lower bookcase shelves, using it to slowly try and hoist himself up, dreading the way the pain from his ribs shot through him and took his breath away. He shakily wipes some of the hair from in front of his eyes, sweating a bit from exertion and lingering effects of the arsenic. He listens in silence, Fresh's words occasionally sounding distant before returning to clarity. He understood, though. He knew what the parasite was getting at.

It was... Unfair. Even now Wallis could feel a twinge of guilt and sympathy, knowing that the other knew nothing else BUT a lack of emotion. He was hurting, whether he knew it or not- Mourning over someone he wasn't meant to mourn. Life wasn't fucking fair, sometimes... And Wallis had always been there to help. Seaweed, Assistant, Purple... He freezes when the laughter stops, the unnatural smile sending chills down his spine.

Fresh was far more dangerous than any of his family.

"It... It doesn't work like that Fresh, it doesn't HAVE to be like that," He croaks out, swallowing to try and ease his parched throat. "What you want may not mean anything to someone more powerful- But it matters to others! And nobody is better than anyone else, we're all- We're all equal. I don't mean to make your life hard, I really fucking don't, I'm just... Trying to survive. Yeah, maybe I overreacted when we first met, I'll admit that. It's hard to drop an act when you've lived it for years. And I'm- I'm sorry, okay??! And anyway, you aren't happy how you are- You NEED to make a change!!" He pauses to take a few deep breaths, managing to stand hunched over, leaning heavily against the bookcase with shaking legs. "That's no way to live, and- Fuck, just let me help you, I can try to help if you'll just give me a chance!!"

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh gave a derisive snort at the first part, but froze immediately once Wallis stood up. "...Back off, yo. Ya wanna get all up tough an' cocky now, brah?? Ya - Ya want me ta change ta be like YA cuz I ain't happy??? I've NEVER been happy, yo, dat don't mean nothin!! Ya still up an' foolin' yaself dat I NEED help - da only thing dat would HELP is ya bein GONE FO' GOOD. An' den everythin' can - can go back ta da way it SHOULD be, befo' everythin went WRONG an' befo' da kid..." His voice trailed off and his smile slipped again for a moment, before he forced the grin back on his face and strode over to Wallis.

The parasite looked him dead in the eyes, the soul in his left eye noticeably more cracked than when he had first walked in. "What kinda change d'ya suggest, Brahllis~? All up changin' from bein' alive ta bein' DEAD??"

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis presses himself back against the bookcase, legs nearly slipping from under him in his haste, unable to look away from the damaged soul in the poor host's eye. His own facial features softened for a moment, as he processed what Fresh had just implied-

"...They were a kid?" He murmurs, shock and horror lacing his tone. He'd never considered... Never REALISED that the person Fresh had lost may have been young. May have been very young... Kids weren't meant to die. "Fresh.... The world isn't that bad, I'm sorry you had to go through such awful things, but- You're only young. You haven't seen much, and you've still got time to... To change yourself, I know you can change, you just need to try looking your fear head on...." His gaze shifts between the cracked soul of eye and the horrified pupil of the other, wondering just how much pain the host was in right now. Fresh looked like he was struggling... He wished he could speak out and apologise to the host, but it wasn't the right time. Not now. He couldn't save them yet...

Without thinking, he automatically shifts forward slightly, reaching out to put his hand on Fresh's arm for 'comfort' like he would with anyone else. "I can help..."

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh actually growled, forcefully grabbing the hand Wallis had put on his arm and shoving it aside. "Just GIVE IT UP ALREADY, AIGHT??" he hissed, anger like he hadn't felt for a LONG time gripping him. "Stop talkin' like dem!! Stop it stop it ya ain't FUNNY dis ain't funny no more CUT IT OUT-" The parasite's whole body shuddered, overwhelmed by the unexpected burst of fury churning inside him.

"Ya keep doin dis but ya AIN'T dem an' why wouldja I toldja I was on ta ya ya ain't breakin' me here I ain't lettin' ya make me lose control WHAT ARE YA TRYIN TA DO TA ME-" Fresh let the words spill out in a big jumbled mess before his voice gave out and he just stood there, breathing heavily. He looked... broken, desperate, looking down at the other. "...Kill 'em wit' kindness, right, Wally??"

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis flinches back and holds his arm to his chest, shrinking back against the bookcase slightly. How the fuck hadn't Purple heard everything that was happening?!! He glances toward the door again, blinking to try and clear some of the darkness in his damaged eye, before quickly returning his gaze to Fresh. He winces at the parasite's tone, closing his eyes and hunching his shoulders up when those words rose in volume, awaiting some kind of attack- Wallis hesitantly opened them again, meeting Fresh's gaze.

"...I'm not... Trying to be them. I'm not, I promise- I don't know why you think kindness is exclusive to them- Why you think that nobody apart from one person in the entire world would want to help you... But it's not true. There are people that can understand, and help-- I'm just... Just trying to help," His voice wavers. "...Just because you hurt me doesn't mean I can't show you mercy."

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh's eyes widened and he took a jerky step back, looking as if he had seen a ghost. "Ya - ya say ya wanna -" He stumbled backwards and sat down hard on the bed, not taking his eyes off the injured magician once. "...Why??"

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis doesn't move,  though, the door looked pretty tempting... But he was finally getting through, and Fresh's stare seemed to keep him locked in place. He sees at a loss for words for a few moments, shaking his head slightly and hugging himself with one arm, the other used to steady himself against the bookcase. "l...I don't know," He mutters, quiet. "I guess it was just how I was raised... To give people a chance. To see everyone equally. To.... Help. I grew up with people who were treated like shit their whole lives just because they were different- Nobody deserves that."

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh didn't react immediately to that, before he started chucking hoarsely. "Ah hahaha... ha... Dis... hurts. Why does it hurt??" He put his head in his hands, rubbed his eyes, and looked back up at Wallis. "I... don't get it. Dunno if I even CAN, ahaha - Ya sound so much like 'em, and I - CAN'T think bout 'em no more else everythin all up starts crumblin' again - I ain't allowed. I ain't allowed I ain't ready ta die ain't dyin here can't THINK-" The parasite's voice broke, and he stared at Wallis in silence with hollow eyes and an empty grin.

ZEPHYRINX:

"...I can't die either," He mutters back, leaning more heavily against the furniture behind him. He was feeling so lightheaded, body screaming at him to lay down and rest. "I have.... I have family.... I have a brother... My mom... My best friends, and my boyfriend.... You... You can't just take me away from them," He stares back, trying to ignore how unnerving that look was. "...You can't."

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

The parasite shakily got to his feet and walked back over to the other in mechanical, unnatural movements, his heelies audibly dragging across the floor. "...What does dat matter, yo? Peeps all up get ova it, ahaha, don't dey?? Is dat s'pposed ta... heh. Ya can all up get replaced an' nobody'll miss ya or tell da difference, yanno?" Fresh ground to a halt a few paces away from Wallis, still looking at him with an empty gaze.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis' breath hitches as Fresh takes his sweet time approaching him, once again sparing a glance at the door, his chance at freedom. The damn parasite was so unpredictable... At least now he was actually acting like he was MEANT to. Empty, mechanical, without the bombastic flair that he usually acted out. This... This was what was underneath all of that, right? This was what wanted him dead... The lingo combined with that dull look was jarring, and probably more than a habit if anything... It just didn't match up.

Wallis swallows hard, blinking back at Fresh. "...Is that how you feel?" He asks, slow and deliberate. "Like nobody would care if you disappeared?"

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

"Yo, I can't FEEL nothin-" Fresh said in a mechanical, flat monotone, before pausing after realizing that wasn't exactly true anymore. "All I've all up eva felt is all up fear an' anger, heh. Da rest o' dat junk - I just play out by watchin ya peeps, ya get me? An' from what I seen - dunno why ya peeps're so proud o' havin' 'em. Think ya'd all be jumpin at da chance ta be rid o' 'em, an' some o' ya do, but da othas-" He shuddered again, still staring the other dead in the face with an empty expression. He still hadn't answered the question at hand, instead letting the silence stretch across the space between them for a minute more.

"Look, brah, ya ain't gonna be rid o' me dat easy. Even if ya break me like ya want, da peeps on da higher-up'll just make anotha, better me, one dat's - dat's better at da job an' listens ta orders. Could be comin' any day now, fo' all I know - I seen 'em, heh. Know dey runnin' round already, even if dey haven't all up stopped by fo' a reminder in a while - so yo, I don't think I'll all up end up disappearin' ta be replaced - I KNOW it, ya get me? All I can do is try ta stay alive long as possible, but odds are I don't got much time-" The parasite went quiet once more, looking as if he was struggling to speak.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis falls silent, studying, thinking. Fresh never said no.

He resists the urge to cough, another wave of dizziness hitting him harder than before causing him to hunch over just slightly, hissing under his breath. He didn't understand exactly what Fresh meant- Honestly, nothing about the parasite seemed to ever make sense- But his words definitely weren't comforting.

"L-Look, I'm not gonna pretend that I know what you're talking about- I don't, I have no idea, and I don't know... How to help... But I can fucking try, okay?! How do you know if you don't at least try!? You can't keep running from your emotions, it'll only hurt more in the long run--" He reaches out again to try and touch the other's arm. "You need to just... Let yourself FEEL and stop jumping to conclusions, Fresh-!!"

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh took a stumbling step away from Wallis, looking like a cornered animal. "No no no stop YA TRYIN TA GET ME KILLED SHUT UP-" the parasite hissed in a voice thick with panic, so different from his empty monotone just a moment ago. Yet again, Wallis had ruined EVERYTHING for him, and now he felt like the walls were closing in on him. He might have tried to attack again if he could bring himself to go any nearer, but at that moment all he knew was that he couldn't bear to keep hearing THIS, couldn't keep listening to the words so similar to what THEY had said back when they were still alive, couldn't handle the thought that it might be the TRUTH - he couldn't die couldn't take any more strikes couldn't mess up again they wouldn't be happy with this and it would be EASY to just off his enemy now but he couldn't do it why couldn't he move everything was falling apart - Fresh shook his head hard to try and clear away the awful racing thoughts, his eyes flicking back to the door.

The parasite opened his mouth again, but nothing came out - so he just stood there, tremors racking his stolen body. It would be a miracle if he lasted a week after this.

ZEPHYRINX:

"Fresh, for fuck's sake," Wallis takes a tiny shuffling step towards him, swaying slightly. "I'm not trying to get you killed, I WOULDN'T try to get anyone killed, I'm not- I'm not a fucking psychopath like CAKE made me out to be!! She's not okay, Fresh!! She needs HELP," Wallis sucks in a deep breath to steady himself. "She doesn't even fucking KNOW ME--"

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh took another step back, reaching towards his fanny pack with an unsteady hand. "Ya can't fool me, yo, dats how ya ALL are!! Dat's how dis all is - dog-eat-dog's da sayin, ain't it?? Ya gotta all up manipulate peeps an' use 'em fo' ya own benefit ta SURVIVE - tell 'em what dey wanna hear or all up exploitin' weaknesses an' bailin afta ya done wit' em!! Dat's how e - almost everybody is, ah haha, an' ya ain't no exception. Da exceptions all up DIE cuz dey too trustin' - can't take da heat an' dey BURN. Dat's how ALL dese places are, aight?? An' dats whatcha doin- all up usin mah... mistakes against me." Fresh's voice caught on the word mistake, and he shuddered before forcing an artificial grin back on his face.

"Friendship - ah hahaha, don't make me laugh!! Peeps like ya an' Cake Slice all up keep sayin how ya can putcha trust in peeps an' dey do da same fo' ya - dats da real JOKE, ahaha!! Cake Slice was SO EASY ta get ta, ya know dat?? Just tell 'em what dey wanna hear, an' dey come runnin'-" The parasite started chuckling hoarsely again, even though everything about his manner just seemed... unnatural and forced, as if he was desperately trying to keep up his facade of having control.

ZEPHYRINX:

"It's not, but I don't know how to convince you otherwise," Wallis mutters. "And it's hard to trust, I fucking know it is, because I struggle with it too- You're not... ALONE in this, but you can't keep running away from it all, because it WILL catch up eventually!! We BOTH know that!! And I understand the fear of being replaced- Do you have any fucking idea how easy it would be for another star to replace me!?! To come along with weirder magic, or a nicer face, and just throw me under the fucking bus?!! I need to be PERFECT or my career will DIE- Or someone BETTER THAN ME will TAKE MY PLACE!!"

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

The parasite definitely wasn't expecting that and didn't quite know how to respond, watching the other warily. "It - course dis'll catch up ta me in da long run, heh - made too many peeps totes mad ta escape 'em foreva!! But dat don't got nothin ta do wit dis now, ya dig?? Dat don't... An' dere ain't no peeps ta gotta hide from here dat can off me 'sides Redical, an' she ain't all up lookin all da time no more, yeah?? I dunno whatcha point is, ahaha~" He looked like he was making a noticeable attempt to pull himself together, putting up a broken approximation of his usual act.

ZEPHYRINX:

"Fresh, please," Wallis whispers, sinking down a bit more with a hitch in his breathing. "....Leave me alone. Leave my family alone, leave my friends alone... Y-You. You'd fucking... KNOW what it's like to lose someone you love. You wouldn't want someone else to go through that... Would you!?? The pain, the agony, the.... You understand, right?? Just.... Just leave," He almost pleads, still trying to keep a strong tone to his voice... It was now or never. He sucks in a deeper breath, suddenly trying to push forward and past Fresh, aiming for neither the door nor the bed.

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh just... allowed Wallis to push past, all the will to fight leaving him as he sank back down to the floor and rubbed his eyes with his palms. He knew what they would want was to fight back and get the job done, show none of this affected him, show it was all in the past like he said. Everything would go back to the way it SHOULD be if he could just follow orders and do what he was SUPPOSED to, what he KNEW they would want him to do... but the parasite couldn't muster the energy to move, caught up in all the memories of past events he wished he could forget. This... wasn't supposed to happen. Not again.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis... Wasn't expecting the ease with which he could push past, pausing mid-stride and standing almost back to back with the parasite... Before glancing back, that familiar swell of pity filling his chest, causing him to fall to his knees too, grateful for the rest. He watches Fresh through one eye, head throbbing from the exposed cut and an oncoming migraine,not really sure what to do or say... He just reaches out from behind, to put his hand on Fresh's shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting manner.

Seaweed always said he was too kind for his own good.

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh didn't react at all to the supportive motion at first, or even seem to notice - but he relaxed slightly after a moment, an almost subconscious response to the touch. The parasite seemed... drained, as if he couldn't move if he tried. Logically, Fresh knew he needed to pull himself together and fast. The less weaknesses he showed in front of his enemy, the better - and he could barely deal with the faint resistance his host was still putting up. It seemed almost cruel - whenever he thought he was past all this... garbage, it would always come back and hit him when he least expected it. Fresh made an indistinct sound in his throat, curling in on himself a bit more. He needed to get ahold of himself before it was too late.

ZEPHYRINX:

Finding little to no resistance, he squeezes slightly, shuffling a bit closer and slumping forward just a touch as another wave of dizziness smacked into him from behind... he really did not feel well. "...Sorry."

He wanted this to be over. Yes, he was doing this half selfishly- But seeing the other in pain really was making Wallis want to help... It was just in his nature and upbringing to give chances to the less fortunate, and Fresh seemed pretty damn unfortunate. His entire existence was just... sad. But he wanted it over with fast- He was so tired...

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Upon hearing the other's weak voice, Fresh snapped back to reality and the situation he was in, jolting and looking around wildly. He was... Wallis was right next to him, treating him like a friend??? This wasn't RIGHT, what was the magician playing at?? Was he really just sitting there and letting Wallis take advantage of him like that?? What... What was he doing?? This didn't make sense this was WRONG - they weren't going to be happy with him if he didn't find a way to fix this RIGHT NOW. The parasite spun around and lashed out at Wallis in the span of a second, hitting him hard on the head.

ZEPHYRINX:

Wallis only realised a split second too late what the parasite was doing, only able to wince and try to jerk back in the tiny time frame he was given. He was unsuccessful, letting out a small noise of shocked pain as the attack connected, sending him reeling- He slumps backwards, head also knocking into the ground with a painful thud, vision swimming for a second as he struggled to stay conscious. There wasn't much he could to to fight it, though, especially when he was already so injured... It didn't take long at all for him to black out.

NEON--NIGHTMARE:

Fresh slowly got to his feet and looked down at his unconscious opponent, lost in thought. They... They would want him to kill Wallis now, wouldn't they?? Prove once and for all that he was above this and wouldn't get dragged back down, while simultaneously making sure the stubborn magician would never cause any problems again. That was what they would want, but... watching Wallis lay on the ground, most likely out cold - the parasite found he couldn't bring himself to do the deed. He really wasn't a killer, despite how he tended to act to the contrary - it made for good intimidation, after all. Besides, Wallis was probably done with anyways, right?? He would give up after this, realizing he would only get himself hurt, and Fresh could find another plan without dealing with his interference! ...Right?? That was the logical thing to do, after all.

Saving your own skin instead of doing... whatever Wallis had been doing. Of course, Wallis wasn't a threat to him anymore. No need to off him if it wasn't absolutely necessary. Even with all the complications, this was a SUCCESS! He showed he won over his STUPID memories in order to get the job done, and he could just say he had been trying to get close to Wallis so he could strike!!

Never mind that if they truly had been watching - which they probably were - they would have seen all the opportunities he had let by beforehand before finally putting an end to it. Fresh took another step away from the mostly unmoving body, turning his gaze to the ceiling. "Yo, uh..." the parasite croaked out before stopping to clear his threat and try again.

"Yo, ya were all up watchin dis, yeah?? Uh, heh - Did I all up prove mahself now, brahs?? Didn't let none o dat emotional garbage junk hold me back in da end, yanno? All up got dis in da BAG like always!! Just wanted ta... mess wit' Wally a bit, ya know?? Let 'im think he got ta me an' all dat befo' takin' 'im out - dats all, dawgs, ain't no biggie!! See, yo?? I ain't - I ain't strayin, yo!! All up stayin on da straight an' narrow as always, no need ta all up send anotha - anotha reminder or nothin, I all up got dis mahself!! Ya... Ya hearin dis, brahs?? I totes GOT dis an' I ain't lettin nothin hold me down no more!! Da Fresh is BACK AGAIN, yo, an' I ain't..." His voice trailed off again, and he rested his head in his palms for a moment before sparing another nervous glance at the ceiling.

"...Ya listenin', right? Ya know ya don't gotta... Ya probs ain't happy, I get dat. Dats - all up aight, yo!! Cuz I can all up PROVE I got dis when I take ova dis place, ya dig?? Wally ain't gonna cause no more probs - I promise ya dat, ah haha!!" Fresh managed to choke out a faint laugh before remembering where he was once more. The parasite began pulling his shades back out to slip them back on, only sparing a quick glance at his defeated foe before spinning around and striding out of the house (making an effort to be more quiet than he usually was, no point in making it this far and getting caught now).

The parasite gently closed the still-unlocked door behind him before spinning around and walking off into the night, his blanket fanning out behind him.