#also icy's skin came out darker than i intended but i actually really like it like this???

[clumsygaydisaster]

Bloom- the frame! Grip the frame!

Koe no Katachi AU.

Click for better quality.

[itsthesinbin]

I Want To Be Free (Yandere!Black Hat/FemReader SFW)

This is a commission for a user that wished to remain anonymous! I hope you enjoy it, friend.

Remember: My commissions are open! And my information can be viewed HERE!

Warning for: Kidnapping, possessive behavior, abuse, manipulative behavior, and implied brainwashing (near the end of the fic)

You had just wanted to go camping. That’s all you wanted. Just wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and just sit in the woods. Gaze at some deer. Eat some berries you thought were fine and then pass out in the middle of the woods because they were poisonous.

You know. Camping things.

What you didn’t account for was encountering robots patrolling the path.

When you heard the mechanical whirring, you ducked down behind a large bush. Did you walk into a logging zone? Is that illegal? You’re pretty sure that’s illegal.

Peeking over the bush, you found some… weird robots. The signature top hats, though, tipped off who the hell these robots belonged to.

You paled, trying to silently back away from the group of patrolling bots. Your mind raced, wondering what the hell they were doing out here.

Why would Black Hat need to send his bots out into the middle of the woods? Looking for a place to dump a body- or multiple bodies? Does he need those poisonous berries you thought about earlier to make a poison? Was he looking for a captive? A potential ransom target?

Well, you weren’t getting kidnapped today, boy!

You began to back up, hoping to remain undetected by the robots. Of course, luck wasn’t on your side as you slammed your foot into every single fallen stick, and dry leaf, in the forest.

You froze, looking back towards the bots. They were all looking at you, monocles glowing a bright red.

“Target found,” they all echoed, before beginning to advance on you. You let out a pathetic whimper, instead of the scream you wanted, before turning tail and sprinting away.

Tears fell down your cheeks as you heard them chase after you. Why the hell do they want you? You’re no one special. You work in an office making coffee, for crying out loud! You don’t have money, your friends and family don’t have any either. There’s no point!

Are you going to be an experiment? Test subject? God, you really hope not. You like everything intact and in place, as it is.

Lost in your thoughts, your leg got caught in a small, abandoned burrow. Your ankle twisted, making you let out a scream as you fell. Pulling your injured leg out, you were forced into a hypothetical corner as the robots approached.

One of them reached out, picking you up with long metal arms. Its’ torso opened, revealing a hollow inside, and you were shoved into its’ chest cavity. The cage-like door shut, leaving you trapped in its’ body.

Panic rising, you rattled the door in an attempt to dislodge it. You screamed, begging to be let out.

“Please- let me go! I don’t know what you want from me, but I don’t have anything you’d need!” Of course, Black Hat, himself, wasn't listening. There was no way to convince these robots to let you out.

You were being taken to Black Hat’s manor. You were going to die there.

Slowly, you stopped struggling in your cage. God��� you were being captured by Black Hat. You were actually going to die. Or, at the very least, you’ll never see your family again. You were… really going to be kidnapped.

The trip through the woods was long, leaving you to go through three of the five stages of grief in a short amount of time. In reality, you’ll be depressed for a long time, though.

After what seemed like hours, you finally arrived in the backyard of Hat Manor. It…. it really was a giant top hat, like people said it was. That was… kinda stupid. It must be really fortified to keep people from coming after him.

The robots dipped in through what seemed to be a garage, but it led down into some underground network. The only light came from the menacing red monocles of the robots, barely illuminating the concrete halls. You saw deep scratches in the cement, and you decided not to think about whatever the fuck could make those.

You had to shield your eyes when you finally arrived to your designation. It was a bright lab, and you were dumped onto the floor. You whined in pain as you landed on your injured leg, barely hearing the footsteps that came towards you.

You looked up, staring into the goggles of a man with a bag on his head. Black Hat’s personal scientist- Doctor Flug.

The doctor stared down at you, eyes widening before angrily glaring at the robots.

“What the hell did you all do?! She’s a mess! Boss is gonna dismantle ALL of us!” The robots, unaware of whatever trouble they could possibly be in, began to file out of the room. Flug groaned, before calling over two others robots. They were more feminine, but still modeled after the leader of the manor. That was… extremely creepy.

“You’ll be washed, and your wounds treated. You’ll also get new clothes.” You were lifted up by the new bots, making you struggle.

“What’s going on,” you croaked, new tears spilling. Flug paused, letting out a small huff.

“You’ll figure it out,” he mumbled, sending the bots off to clean you. You struggled, screaming and begging, once again, to be released. The cold, mechanical women dragging you down the hall paid you no mind as they burst into a bathroom.

You were stripped naked, your clothes immediately incinerated by one of the robots. You were then dumped into still-hot water, and the robots got to work on you.

One cleaned off your injured leg, applying some kind of salve to your ankle. The other one brushed through your hair, pulling out twigs and leaves. You were forcibly washed, skin scrubbed raw by rough robotic hands.

When your skin was red and your scalp felt like it was burning, you were pulled out of the bath. A soft towel rubbed at your sensitive skin, and your hair was being blow-dried.

You stared at the wall, mind now numbed from the stress and fear. All you could think of is how you were going to die here. You’d never go back to your stupid job and go home to watch tv. You’re just… done for.

You were put into new clothes- as well as new underwear. That was highly unsettling, as they knew you were exact size bra and panties. You were also dressed in new clothing, much darker than your normal attire. And also… weirdly revealing. Cleavage was on display, and the skirt was short enough to make you nervous. You were given comfortable shoes, thankfully, to support your injured ankle.

Silently, you were pulled out of the bathroom again. Your hair was styled on the way- pulled back and pinned in a bun. You were taken back to the lab, and the robots left as soon as the door shut behind you all.

You refused to look at Flug as he examined you. You felt so exposed. So humiliated. You wanted to go home.

“There- much better. Boss’ll be happy.” Your gaze snapped up to him.

“What the FUCK is going on,” you snapped, reaching forward to grab his collar. He wasn’t fazed at all, merely pulling your hands off of his coat.

“Look, I’m just here to make sure you weren’t dead upon arrival. 505’ll take you to his office,” he said dismissively, all but waving you off as a big blue… bear… came into the lab. It let out a happy noise in greeting, before grabbing your hand gently. The only thing that’s shown you any kinda care since you stepped in here is a giant mutated bear. How fun.

You were led out of the lab again, this time being taken past the bathroom and further into the building. You didn’t bother trying to ask the bear for help. You could tell he didn’t… speak english. He could clearly understand it, but you knew he couldn’t help you.

505 stopped outside of an office, patting you on the back with a sympathetic smile. You gave him a pleading look, tears brimming your eyes again. His smile faltered, before he hurried down the hall. You wrapped your arms around yourself, feeling cold and alone.

The door creaked open. You tensed up, frozen in place.

The monster, himself, sat at a large desk. Hands steepled, he grinned menacingly when you saw you. A mysterious force dragged you into the room, slamming the door shut behind you.

You were forced into a chair on the other side of his desk, a small yelp leaving you as you were pulled down into the leather. You kept your arms across yourself, looking at the villain in fear. His impossibly wide grin seemed to grow even more.

“Welcome home,” he finally said, making a cold, icy fear spread through your body. You swallowed, trying to find your voice.

“What-” you coughed through the voice crack- “what do… do you mean?” He leaned back, tapping his cane against the side of his chair.

“Did I stutter, my dear? I said “welcome home”.” His smile fell slightly, a little annoyed he had to repeat himself.

“Why… say that,” you asked, voice growing more quiet out of terror. His grin returned to full size, standing. He walked around to your side of the desk, turning your chair to face him. You pressed back into the chair in an attempt to get away from him.

“I’ve been watching you for a while. I could see your potential being wasted in that… boring office,” he drawled, standing to his full height again. He smiled down at you.

“Something about you was calling to me. I believe you’re an… old mate of mine, reincarnated. They always loved playing hard to get- what better way to do that than bind yourself to the will of the universe?” He moved again, heading towards the window. You watched him, curious and scared.

“I happened to find you while my bots were on patrol- saw you walking home from that little cafe you love so much. I could tell, right away, that you had something about you that made me want to keep watching you.” He stared out the window, before looking back over his shoulder to see you.

“Having you here… I know your power. And I intend to keep you, this time.” Despite your mind yelling at you not to show weakness, new tears escaped your eyes.

“There has to be some mistake-” He slammed his cane down, turning to you quickly. Your jaw clicked shut, hurting your teeth, as he glared at you. Any amusement he had in his gaze was gone, and his mouth was curled into a snarl.

“You think I make mistakes? Especially ones of this calibre,” he growled, stalking back over to you.

“I know magic, and the Old Power. And you have that. And now…” his grin returned once again, predatory and hungry. It made you sick.

“You’re mine.” He grabbed your chin, leaning down and forcing a kiss from you.

You tried to push him away, but he wasn’t budging. His tongue snaked into your mouth, making you gag. FInally, he moved away to let you breathe. You coughed, feeling bile sting the back of your throat. Thankfully, you didn’t throw up on his shoes. You don’t think he would’ve appreciated that.

He grabbed your hand in a faux-gentlemanly manner, before yanking you up. You stumbled, falling against him. He gave out a chuckle, pulling you out of the room.

“I’ll show you to your room. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the decor,” he all but purred, ignoring the way you struggled and tried to break free of his grip. You knew it was no use- this man was way too strong for any mortal- but you couldn’t help but try. It’s just human nature to try and survive. To be free.

God, you were never going to be free again.

You stopped in front of a large door, labeled with your name on it. Your full name. How much did he actually fucking know about you?

He opened the door, leading you inside. It… was your room. From your house. Right down the smallest trinket. He even had your pictures copied and framed in the exact same frames.

He let your hand go, and you turned to face him. Momentarily, you forgot who you were with.

“What the hell is your problem, you freak,” you screeched, and he reeled back slightly.

“You stalk me, kidnap me, and now you’ve done THIS? What’s wrong with you?!” It was silent for a solid twenty seconds- long enough for you to remember who you were speaking with. Your face morphed from anger to fear, taking shaky, limping steps backwards.

“Please- I-” A deep, demonic growl left him. His hand shot to your throat, ignoring your wheezing as he dragged you forward.

“Do NOT think you can get away with talking to me like that, human,” he snarled, his voice taking on a tone that made your head hurt. His body morphed, eyes straining as your mind struggled to process the way his form was taking shape.

“I may have shown you pity by doing this for you, but do not think I am some weak fool who will bend over backwards for his mate.” He shoved you back, making you fall to the ground. You coughed harshly, regaining the air that was stolen from you.

“Now. You will stay in here until you know your damn PLACE,” he screeched, leaving the room and slamming it shut behind himself.

You stayed on the floor, shaking like a leaf, for five minutes. You did nothing else but stare at the door, wondering if he was going to come back in here and beat you within an inch of your life.

Thankfully, he never did.

You finally stood, stumbling over to the door. Your ankle throbbed in protest, but your adrenaline kept you going. You grabbed the handle, panicking as you tried to force the door open.

“Please, please, please,” you hiccupped, a childish part of you hoping that saying please would get the door open. Of course, it didn’t relent. It stayed locked, mocking you with the slight give the door had when you pulled at the knob.

You, eventually, stopped and slid to your knees. You sobbed at the door, before covering your face in shame and anger. You couldn’t believe this. Trapped with a psychopathic asshole who thinks you’re his… mate.

God, you felt absolutely sick.

You ended up falling asleep on the floor, too tired and upset to move.

Three days passed before Black Hat finally let you out. You lost the fight so quickly, Black Hat was almost bored. But, he was determined to shape you into the mate he desired.

When the door opened, you blearily stared at the dark creature standing in your doorway. You didn’t bother getting out of bed- if he wanted you out, he’ll have to drag you out.

Which, he did.

Tendrils sprouted from the shadows, yanking you out of the bed and onto your feet. You were clad in the pajamas that appeared in your drawers the first night you were brought here. You were tired of wearing those revealing clothes. At least he gave you comfortable pajamas that weren’t showing off every piece of skin you had.

Black Hat assessed your appearance, frowning slightly.

“This won’t do,” he grunted. “Eat dinner, then one of the drones will come in here to dress you appropriately.” You frowned as he turned to leave.

“For what,” you growled. He paused, having to process the idea that you actually got angry with him. He sneered at you over his shoulder.

“We are having a party soon. You will be on your best behavior. If you are, I’ll let you roam the manor freely. Am I understood?” You were quiet. He turned to face you, growling deeply.

“Am. I. Understood?” Definitely, stupidly, you stayed quiet. He stormed towards you, gripping your arm hard enough to bruise.

“If I ask you a question, you answer me. Got it?” Your angry glare faltered, your fear shining through.

“... Fine,” you spat, yanking your arm back when he let go. He growled slightly, eyeing the spot where he was holding you.

“Now you’ll need a long sleeve instead of the cocktail I had in mind,” he huffed, leaving the room. The door slammed shut, making you flinch.

You ate some of the food 505 brought you, not even trying to beg him to let you out today. You knew it would lead nowhere.

An hour after dinner, the bots came in. Once again, you were forcibly undressed and put in clothes you really didn’t want to wear. Sure, the dress was pretty and the shoes were comfortable, but… they weren’t your choice. None of this was your choice.

When your makeup and hair was done, the bots left. Normally, that wouldn’t be a big deal, but this time… they left the door open. You stared at the open door, wondering if this was a test. You heard people already in main hall of the manor. The party was starting, and Black Hat was probably greeting the early guests.

He wasn’t here, yet, to get you.

Should you even try? No doubt he has cameras all over the place. If he has access to them at all times, he’ll see you.

You feel like you’d die either way, but at least if you do this… you’ll die having a chance at freedom.

You took your heels off- in the off-chance you need to fight, they COULD be weapons- and began padding through the halls. There had to be some kind exit you could get out through. You wished you could’ve crawled out through your window, but the window in your room was completely locked. There was no way to try and unlock it. Trust you, you’ve tried for a while.

You checked various rooms carefully, not wanting to find Black Hat sitting in the dark like a dumb cartoon villain. When you finally found one that had a window, you let out a breath of relief.

You tested the window. It was heavy, but it was unlocked. You heaved, using all of your strength to push the old window open. Footsteps coming from the hall almost made you drop the damn thing on your fingers.

You turned, seeing Flug entering the open door. Fuck, you knew you should’ve closed it.

The two of you stared each other down, neither one of you willing to move first. No one breathed, until Flug finally took a step towards you.

“Just… step away from the window,” he said slowly, hands coming up as if to try and placate you. You took a shuddering breath, a mascara-filled tear slipping down your cheek.

“Please,” you whispered. “Just let me leave.” Flug was quiet. You hoped he was considering letting you leave.

Then, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a remote. You didn’t know what it did, but with how many robots were in this place… you had an idea.

Before he could press the button, you sprung into action. With a cry of effort, you launched yourself out of the window. Thankfully, you were on the first floor, so you only landed with mild discomfort. Flug ran over to the window, just in time to see you scurrying towards the wooded area behind the neighborhood the manor was located. He sighed heavily.

“Boss isn’t gonna be happy about this,” Flug mumbled, knowing he’d get an earful, before pressing the button.

You heard an alarm come from the manor, and you forced yourself to run faster. You tried to regulate your breathing, knowing if you began hyperventilating you’d just pass out.

You can do this. You can escape. You can do this!

You got into the treeline right as the robots were released, just in time to avoid the lights trying to find you.

You didn’t stop, though. You knew they would look for you. You had to keep running.

You don’t know how long you ran, but you couldn’t feel your legs by the time you stopped. Your legs shook wildly, barely allowing you to walk. But, you couldn’t stop now. Not when you can hear Black Hat screaming at the lifeless machines to find you.

You knew your makeup was ruined, the sticky residue left making you severely uncomfortable. Your dress was torn from briars and low branches, leaving parts of your skin exposed to the elements. You felt blood seep into the torn fabric from scratches and cuts, and only hoped you could find a way to clean them before they got infected.

Finally, you found a small cave opening nearly covered by a downed tree and fallen leaves. You looked back, seeing no one was nearby to see you go in. There were faint lights, showing the bots were on your tail, but… maybe you could hide from them for a while.

You managed to squeeze past the fallen tree, batting away cobwebs and crawling into the cave. It wasn’t big, but it was enough. Hurriedly, you recovered the fallen leaves.

Opening covered, you crawled into the farthest corner and curled up into the smallest ball possible. You were pressing your knees so tightly to your chest that you could barely breathe, but you didn’t dare move.

The next minute or so was spent trying to control your breathing. The closer the whirring bots and yelling got, the more you wanted to begin bawling. You knew that any noise meant you were dead.

You could hear them right outside the cave, and silently clasped a hand over your mouth. You forced yourself to breathe slowly, staring up at the cave opening with wide, terrified eyes.

You were a cornered, injured rabbit, forced to face the starving wolf. And you had no idea whether you’d be able to run again, once he found you.

It felt like hours of them searching around, no doubt finding traces of your blood nearby and knowing the trail ended around here. Your entire body shook, and your occupied hand gripped the heels that you didn’t dare let go of. You knew they wouldn’t do anything, but having any kind of defense was better than your bare fists.

If he grabbed you, you were going to try and take out an eye in retaliation.

Finally, the bots began to move on. You heard some kind of… sickening squelching, mixed with demonic snarling, that followed after the mechanical whirring. You didn’t even think about wanting to see what form that monster had taken, while searching for you.

You didn’t trust yourself not to start crying, so you stayed perfectly still. You remained in that position until you were cramping, and even then you didn’t leave the corner you sat in. No way you were going to get pounced on the moment you left the cave.

You didn’t know when you dozed off, but when you finally woke again, you saw sunlight streaming in. You shifted, feeling the blanket shifting over you-.

Wait…

The memories of last night crashed back to you, and your eyes popped open. Instantly awake, you found yourself back in your room. You panted heavily, feeling panic rising.

Was… was all of that a dream? You looked over yourself, finding yourself in your favorite set of pajamas. You checked yourself for injuries, finding nothing. Not even your previously-sore ankle was hurting anymore.

Did… you seriously dream all of that? There was no way…

Footsteps approached your door, and you looked up. Maybe it… was your roommate?

When the door opened, your heart jumped into your throat, and tears instantly fell from your eyes.

Black Hat stood in the doorway, a sickening grin on his face.

“You had me so worried,” he drawled, clearly enjoying the fear he could sense in you. He strolled closer, the door shutting behind him. He set his cane against your bed, leaning down and grabbing your chin.

“You ruined the engagement party I had ready for you, you know? All those guests, forced to leave early because you got cold feet,” he said, grin slipping into a sneer and voice dropping to a growl. His hand moved, grabbing your neck.

It burned. It actually burned. Even when he pulled his hand away, the burn continued- only getting worse. You wheezed, screaming as you felt your skin scar over.

“There. That brand should keep you from leaving again. And… think of it as an engagement ring, my dear,” he purred, giving you a forceful kiss before leaving once again. The door slammed shut, locking into place.

With shaking legs, you hurried over, banging on the door.

“LET ME OUT,” you screeched, voice cracking and desperate. You sobbed and wailed, clawing at the door until your nails were split and your fingers were bleeding.

You dropped to the ground when you couldn’t feel your fingers anymore, staring at the wall and trying to breathe. You didn’t react when a nurse bot wheeled in to patch up your bleeding hands. You just stared, barely paying attention as an intercom turned on.

“Now… time to turn you into the bride I’ve been looking for,” Black Hat’s voice crackled through the speaker. White noise began playing, and you heard some kind of… strange, demonic voice in the background. Every time you tried to listen to it, it got harder and harder to understand.

You began to cry again, body shaking and chest tight.

You were going to die here. And a new you was going to live on, in your place.

You wished her the best of luck.

[gyeommark]

Fire and Ice || Mark Tuan (M)

Genre: Fluff, Smut.(a lil bit)(okay probably more than just a little bit)

Mark x Reader

Words: 2.3k

A/N: In between a lot of shit in my life and some awful writer’s blocks, I finally got this done! It took me forever but I love me some Mark smut. I hope you like it! Also! Slowly but surely getting the requests done!

Requests are O P E N

The sound of teeth chattering was the only thing hearable in your home. Maybe you were exaggerating or maybe it was because Seoul’s weather was out to get you, turn you into an ice sculpture and shatter you until you no longer existed.

Even with the heater turned on, thermal clothes, two sweaters, fuzzy socks, one of Mark’s warmest hoodies and a thousand blankets you still felt like your toes would fall out any minute.

Your lip started quivering in remembrance of your oh-so-lovely-and-tropical home country. You never knew how much you loved its deliciously warm weather until you were in South Korea, wondering how it was possible to have temperatures of minus 10°C at best.

Two years had almost passed since you moved to the other side of the world and yet you still managed to turn into a human popsicle whenever winter came around.

You hated it most whenever you had to be alone, which was almost all of the time because it was unforgivable for GOT7 to miss an Awards’ show. It was understandable, of course, and you appreciated it because you always loved seeing them perform even if you weren’t actually there but still... You hated not having Mark by your side to maintain your body temperature at a reasonable level and spoil you with his love to make you forget about your bad mood.

You groaned when you remembered Mark’s promise to have lunch with you today. His effort to spend time with you, even when his schedule was so hectic, made your heart flutter and your stomach flip continuously but the mere thought of leaving the blanket fortress you had built on top of your bed to face the deathly cold weather was unpleasant, to say the least.

The things I do for him. You thought as you begrudgingly hopped off the bed to get ready and go on your merry way.

You were sure you looked as ridiculous as you felt, barely able to walk due to the amount of layers of clothing you had on, like a penguin going to war but much less adorable.

Mark had taught you in detail the how-to’s to avoid people whenever you went into the company building, which came in handy now that you looked exceptionally ridiculous. It wasn’t like you were in a secret relationship but you liked to keep things as quiet and private as possible.

You strived to make it to the practice room in time and even with the occasional jog and the sprinting to avoid some suspicious looking group of girls, you didn’t even shed a drop of sweat.

Groaning, you peeked through the door, not wanting to interrupt anything in case they were still not allowed to go on a break. You locked eyes with Mark through his reflection in the mirror, earning a flirty wink from him before he burst out laughing. You took that as your cue to wait for him on the small couch that was around the corner.

After around ten minutes of you waiting and watching random videos on your cellphone, you felt someone flopping down on the free spot next to you. Startled, you looked over to see a sweaty, blushed Mark.

Your insides clenched in both desire and jealousy.

It was not fair for him to be that hot. Pun intended.

He put one hand on your thigh and your body immediately felt the heat he was irradiating, which was very much appreciated. You smiled, content, as he rubbed gentle circles with his thumb.

–Has anyone told you you look adorable today?– Mark chuckled as he stood up and offered you a hand. You took off your beanie and your scarf for him to actually see you rolling your eyes at his remark.

–Funny–. You scoffed only an instant before being dragged to another part of the building; one you had never been to and you wondered if it was okay for you to actually go in there. You didn’t say anything, though.

With your hand still engulfed in his, Mark opened the door to a lounge room of sorts. There were a couple couches, a coffee table, a thousand cushions, a stack of blankets in the farthest corner and a big T.V. hanging on the wall. You were too busy analyzing the furniture and general decoration of said room to notice Mark letting go of your hand to turn up the heat and light up about a thousand little candles.

The gentle lavender scent met your nose and you immediately looked for Mark, who was gently placing your food on the small table. You smiled at the sight of him and for the first time in the last couple weeks or so, you felt warm inside.

You reached out to try and help Mark set up the table but he shooed you away, gently forcing you to sit on the couch as he gave you a chaste kiss on your lips; the touch was gentle yet, still, an electric current shot up your body, something that happened when your love for him grew a little more.

He sat down next to you after he had finished setting up the food and handed you some chopsticks; your fingers brushed against his and his eyes widened beyond belief. You wondered if there was something wrong.

–You really are freezing–. He said, half jokingly with a hint of concern in his eyes.

You sighed, thinking it would be something more serious than his idiotic observation.

–You think I would be wearing this obscene amount of clothes if I wasn’t?– You cackled, ignoring his burning gaze on you as you grabbed some chicken to start munching.

It had been a couple minutes of you eating, music played softly on the background and as you ingested calories, you started to feel your body temperature rising slowly. Mark was still staring at you, his food untouched which was very rare of him.

His hand slowly crept to the side of your face, pushing your hair away. You blinked rapidly, turning around to see him. He pressed his palm on your nape; the contrast of his pleasantly hot hand against your ice-cold skin made you shiver. Mark started massaging your neck gently, making a happy hum escape from your mouth.

–The food’s going to get cold, Mark–. You mumbled, eyes still shut, enjoying the feeling of closeness.

–I care about you being cold. The food can wait–. He scooted closer to you and still with a hand tangled in your roots, he started pampering the exposed skin with butterfly kisses.

With a shaky hand you disposed the chopsticks, now forgetting about the food, much like him.

You crooked your head to the side, giving him more space to work and your hand slowly found its place on his leg, gently stoking him as he unzipped your top coat with his free hand.

Now that there was more skin exposed, he took it as a chance to move down and nibble on the thin skin of your collarbones, making you moan unconsciously, which only made him more eager to be close to you.

Slowly, he started pushing you onto the couch as he took your coat off your shoulders. You suddenly forgot about your hatred towards the weather. Your hands tangled in his hair as his own started traveling under your various sweatshirts, softly caressing your sensitive soft skin. He sucked on the spot that melted you, right beneath your earlobe; you were sure he’d leave a bruise but you couldn’t care less.

His hands found the clasp of your bra, undoing it with expertise and immediately his right hand cupped one of your breasts as the other roamed further south, fidgeting with the button of your jeans.

As he finally got it undone, you felt him pinch your oversensitive bud, making you moan as he teasingly twisted it between his index finger and thumb. You threw your head back and bucked your hips upward, earning a low groan from Mark as you brushed against the now noticeable tent in his pants.

Mark’s ability to undress you in the blink of an eye surprised you even more than before, throwing all the layers to the ground, exposing your torso, making him bite his lower lip. Your icy hands found their place on the waistband of his loose pants and slowly but surely made their way up, just a couple inches; enough for your finger tips to brush against his boiling skin, making him hiss as you tossed his own shirt away.

His eyes were darker than you had ever seen them, filled with lust but you could still see a hint of worry hiding somewhere in there. You gulped, suddenly remembering where you were and how the odds of someone walking in on the scene where incredibly high.

Your eyes widened in surprise, shaking the worry off of your mind, when you felt Mark pulling own your pants only enough to grant him access to where you desired him most. And oh, you wanted him.

His fingers brushed like feathers against your entrance. His eyes were fixed on your face, memorizing every reaction, analyzing your features to assure your pleasure.

You gasped when he palmed you softly before starting you rub your clit. Your back arched again and you pulled him on top of you with one hand behind his neck.

You were ice and he was your fire. You were melting underneath him, with your chests pressed together; you could feel his rapid but steady heartbeat and he was surely feeling your erratic excuse of a pulse, too.

He rubbed your womanhood in constant circular patterns, making your eyes roll to the back of your head as you tangled your fingers in his hair and pulled slightly when he made you feel even better.

Mark sighed lewdly, hiding his face in the crook of your neck as he attacked your neck with small bites and wet kisses making you even more unstable than you already were.

Your free hand traveled hesitatingly down his torso, leaving a trail of goosebumps wherever it touched. It reached his waistband again and with a swift move, your hand slipped inside his underwear, making him gasp against your earlobe.

–It’s not fair to do all the job alone–. You said, justifying your actions. He giggled and without a warning, he slipped two fingers inside of you, making you moan as you felt him stretching you delightfully.

Your cold touch on his shaft was something that he wasn’t particularly used to but somehow, he loved it. You rubbed him softly a couple times from the base all up to the head, running a fingertip carefully over the slit, making him shake in expectation on top of you.

His fingers pumped faster inside of you in response, making you both sigh and moan in synchrony. You smirked.

You grabbed him and started pumping him slowly at first, your other hand tugging at the ends of his hair, sending him into the start of ecstasy. Mark took that as a clumsy chance to slip another finger into you and suck hardly onto your collarbone.

Your pumps were faster and sloppier, too, even if you tried to concentrate enough on rotating your wrist to give him more pleasure. It was difficult to be coordinated when he was so adamant on hitting the blissful spot with his long fingers every two seconds.

Juices started to flow from you when the knot in the lower region of your abdomen made itself present.

You sighed again into Mark’s ear when he hit the g-spot with more force than before. The sounds you were making were enough to drive him off the edge but there was still one thing left in his mind.

–You still cold, babe?– He managed to say as he propped himself up on his left elbow.

You nodded quickly even if it wasn’t entirely true. You knew your skin was cold and your touch was the one of an ice cube but you couldn’t feel it anymore. All you could feel were incessant fire flames emanating from your center and reaching even the tiniest of nooks inside of you.

He retreated his digits, making you pout at the loss. You dethatched from him too, even when you loved the feeling of his pulsing under your palm. Your walls were clenching; you wanted him again.

Mark laid on top of you again, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear as he looked into your eyes before giving you a passionate kiss with his hand still attached lovingly to the side of your face.

It was in that moment, when you were distracted by the feeling of his soft lips against yours and your tongues dancing together, when you felt him filling you up again. You didn’t even notice him pulling down his pants. His thrust was hard and fast but precise. You moaned against the kiss.

The pressure on your abdomen reappeared stronger than it was before. Your walls clenched unceasingly around him, driving him crazy. He tried really hard to start off slow and build up the pace but your touch was making him see stars and he knew it wouldn’t last long.

His jaw hung low as his thrust gained speed and strength. He hit that spot with every one of them and you didn’t know if you would be able to handle it. Your left hand found its spot on his back, trying not to scratch him a lot with every thrust but it was almost impossible.

Your back was arched beyond belief and when Mark hid his face on your neck again, biting into it, you could feel the release already.

He pumped into you one last time, holding you close and biting into you to stop him from being loud. Both your breathings were quick and uneven, making you giggle as you struggled to control yourselves.

After around then minutes of just laying there, tangled in each other, Mark raised his head to speak up.

–The food’s surely gone cold now–. He smiled widely, looking at you in the eye. Your heart fluttered as you smiled back at him.

M A S T E R L I S T

[petalurn]

( scenario : five times hayeon was accidentally affectionate to jae and one time she just accidentally blatantly acknowledged that she knew what she was doing )

( “accidentally affectionate” 5+1 with jaeyeon! @lesivres )

recently, jae’s been having a hard time. hard in the sense that, she’s going to ban hayeon from the tavern. seriously, find a demon-warding charm to get her out and gone during business hours. during all hours.

she’s bad for business.

+1winter sucks. in the sense that, warm-blooded as they are, everyone is up early to get their coffee, their morning fix so they can do their work and turn in early. that also means jae has to be up early to serve early, but stay open because once she’s open she can’t close ( well she can but business ).

it’s the ass crack of day. she hasn’t bothered for proper attire just yet, but she’s layered enough that no one will really care what she’s in. even if it’s tights over tights, boots and a long fluffy poncho. she doesn’t care she’s going to stay warm and comfortable until it’s actual diner hours.

this isn’t even a diner what the fuck.

anyway, she’s pouring her next cup, pouring and pouring and yawning. yawning that she almost spills it over. she does though, let her elbow bore into the counter, chin nuzzled against her palm. she’s tired, and she’s not cute tired and she hates it. the customers laugh at it, a gentle laugh that she can’t even give  a dirty finger to. she stills gives it.

“don’t say anything if you want this next pot free of wood shavings.” so they don’t laugh and she smiles. maybe it’s because she’s won a small victory or because of the scent that fills her nose as the door opens. hayeon’s been up early, won’t say anything about it but grumbles about jae’s scent being too overwhelming sometimes. whatever. she’s awake and jae’s holding up the pot with a grin.

“coff—-” words get stuck in her throat, stuck because well, hayeon walks in and walks straight to her side, head falling in jae’s shoulder. a small silence settles over the tavern, mainly because a sleep deprived hayeon is not a hayeon anyone wants to deal with. but jae smiles, softly, ignoring the small fire under her skin at lips pressed against her shoulder. “you’re a big baby.”

“coffee.”“i am not putting a drop of anything in it.”“you’re a menace.”

oddly enough, jae could say the same. instead she detaches herself, watches hayeon slip into a stool, ignoring everyone’s stare and focus on the coffee pot. ah, so it’d been the coffee. jae smiles and pours the fresh one instead.

must be the morning.

+2winter is here. wood wood and more wood and jae is tired. if she wasn’t tired earlier, she’s tired now. tired of all the chopping, the carrying, the shedding. tired of getting pine shoved up her nose.

the kids think it’s fun so she indulges them, watches them run around with logs. watches close until her head lolls against a tree. the town likes to come together to grab firewood, they’re small so they know everyone needs to stock up for when it’s too cold to do it.

jae, never one to ask for help, curses her tavern for needing so much damn firewood. sure they have electricity but she still likes the fire. it helps the kids at night and it helps her as well. reminds her of old days. so she gathers.

gathers and groans with every log thrown into her arms. she’s bundled up well enough but that doesn’t lessen the load. and the kids, they love to mess with her, she’s the only one who allows it. her fault. but they pack on and jae tries to make it to the tavern as quick as possible before they can pile it on even more.

“noona slow down we have more.”“stay back demons, my arms will fall off.” she can handle it though, might be a little sore but she can handle it. that’s what she says as she passes hayeon for the fourth time, dumping the wood by the fireplace and dusting her hands off. the tavern is low so she can run in and out. in addition to her own set she’s been helping some friends gather. “noona hurry up! changjo’s about to level a tree!” she’s ready to run out with them when she sees hayeon beckoning her over.

“what’s up what’s up, decided to help the cavalry?” she doesn’t flinch much when hayeon’s hands reach her coat, doesn’t move when the arms slide down. there’s a squeeze on her shoulder and jae’s hissing. the squeeze becomes gentler and hayeon sighs, eyes not leaving the spot.“nope, no more lifting she-hulk.” jae tries to pout at that, tries to squirm even but hayeon squeezes again and all she does is yelp. yelp and wrinkle her nose in annoyance. because really, they’re in the middle of the tavern.“you’re a party pooper.”“you’re gonna get tendinitis.” “doesn’t make my statement false.” hayeon levels her, before patting the stool in front of her.“okay fine.” jae hops up, slightly confused but letting hayeon do what she must, if that includes hands on her skin, a little cold, unsurprisingly gentle. low as the tavern is on customers, she notices the hush. maybe she’s too comforted, by the feeling of a dull ache leaving her shoulders, and a pleasant scent warming her body. hayeon’s hands are quick but they get the job done. “alright go, big baby.” she’s back to her folder, sketches and paperwork. jae’s out the door with her arm around changjo, excited to see his tree.

+3catches, catches especially winter catches? winter catches were great. they had a guy who came around late in the week, with huge catches to share with everyone. sometimes frozen and sometimes fresh. listen, forced humanity aside, some things are too good to pass up.

giant turkey legs are one of them. and jae had to fight, fight to get her fair share of them until she realized those were to sell before they were to devour. she’s been working hard today, so hard that she doesn’t pay attention to much, like the rumble of her own stomach. smoked meat fills her nostrils, makes her mouth water each time she runs back and forth, to grill, stock, serve. some of them like to stock up their bellies before winter really hits, some of them prefer to just fill their fridge. jae often fills her fridge. she’s open during the time anyway.

everyone’s been joyous, welcoming the food and the smells of roasted anything, smoked anything. barbecue smells, chicken, turkey, pork. jae could cry. but, she’s got a job to do, a place to run. she lets their guy do his rounds through town, smiles as she sees the younger boys running with turkey legs and she sneaks one for the smaller of them. gives a thumbs up to the little girl who snags it from him.

catches are always a good day. yeah they can buy them in town, further into the city but, it’s the tradition of it. the joke of it.

so she moves quick, tuning into impatience and needs quickly. maybe she should be more in tune to herself. maybe. but she’s giddy, the smell keeping her going, nagging at her stomach as well. she doesn’t pay attention to her own stomach rumble as her feet scramble across the floor.

she does, pay attention when hayeon comes in, a turkey leg in her hand. jae cants her head towards the open stool, a platter in her hand. she’s on her way back, calls coming from every direction for her, when hayeon’s hand grabs her. there’s a slight squeak, more so for the turkey leg that’s placed in front of her lips. hayeon holds her hands out for the platter - well takes it and gives her the turkey leg. jae eats and eats and finishes it faster than intended. gives hayeon a kiss on the cheek that definitely is intended and runs off with the platter before she can say anything.

and anyone who watched the exchange, doesn’t say anything.

+4jae complains about the winter a lot, but she likes it. likes the snow and the footprints it leaves. likes the bristles against skin and fur alike. likes the icy burn of it all. and she says it all the time, how she loves it, is out there all the time. when she gets free time from the tavern, standing outside and letting snowflakes fall on her nose. it never lands right, never lands how she wants it to but it lands.

just as snowballs land across her jacket. as she runs back and forth with the kids in the town. lets them get scores before she’s after them, knocking them in the face with her own snowballs. laughing and ignoring the frost on her nose. she’ll handle it later, right now it’s war.

and it’s good. good for as long as her body heat can keep it. and she keeps it pretty long. running through the small patches of snow they get, rolling around with the smaller ones on her, hanging off her sides. with snow hitting her cheeks and her jacket. because yes she remembered to bring it and not run out here in her tavern clothes. hayeon would kill her.

speaking of hayeon, jae hasn’t seen her. the thought gets cut off by a snowball to the head and she’s running for the culprit. running and playing until her fingers get stiff and she has to rush in the tavern with the rest of them.

she’s chattering, teeth clattering and body jittery. it’s not bad but it’s not pleasant, it’ll probably go away soon, she knows that. but for the moment it settles. and she’s by hayeon’s side in an instant, flake of snow dripping off her coat. she’s up against hayeon’s side, rubbing annoyingly close with her ice-stained jacket.

“you missed out on the fun.” it’s with a snort that jae blows a snowflake from her nose.“yeah hayeon noona we beat jae in a snowball fight!”“a liar and a cheater I raised you right.”

hayeon’s quiet, but doesn’t move from jae’s incessant movement. when jae does feel her move, she turns to face her, cheeks probably turning rosy from the warmth burning past ice. her hood is being lowered and hands are touching her ears. it’s sudden and catches jae off-guard, traps words in her throat. hayeon’s fingers move quick, rubbing the icy feeling away, running jae’s ears back and forth between her thumb and index. it’s melting everything around jae in a matter of seconds. it moves down to her cheeks, jawline before the natural color comes back. darker, rosier, but back. all traces of snow gone. hands then gone and heart stuttering against her chest.

it’s only a call by the fireplace that snaps her out of it.

+5winter days are long days. naturally so. she wakes up early, works long even when she’s not in the tavern and stays open a little late from passing travelers. sometimes she even turns into a place to sleep, sometimes. jae doesn’t mind. the fatigue never really hits her. she loves her bed she does but sometimes she doesn’t miss it like she should. doesn’t think about it when she’s thinking about all winter has to offer.

new people, possible rogues, strangers, smells smells and smells that cloud the tavern. usually it’s easy to handle but she’s sleepy and she knows. knows it gets overwhelming when one of her smiles has too much teeth, when the moon’s been up and the wrong company stays up.

it’s not serious, never that serious because winter’s a mellow one. so jae remains mellow. when she moves back to the counter, falls against it after setting down the empty kegs. arm splayed out and chin resting on it. winter days will always be long and winter will always be long. long but welcomed, no matter what it brings.

ice can prickle in her skin but she can overcome it. she can. she breathes in once, twice, gets her composure. she thinks it’s her own doing, but feels hands in her hair.

“hmmm, what is with you and my ear?” the hand doesn’t stop though, and jae doesn’t move much. lets the smell settle over her again. old oak, vodka and spice. hayeon and all she is. she welcomes it and sinks into her position.“you’re not complaining.” jae can manages a shrug.“i’m not complaining.” she feels light, the words come out drawled. maybe it’s the sleep, maybe it’s the haze. all of it together. she feels irritation slip away, icy prickles settling into warm spots, dancing around her head, across her forehead, over her lips.“gonna close up soon?” maybe it’s not a question, and maybe jae had no plans of closing soon but for the life of her all she says is,“yeah.” and she finds nothing wrong with it. nothing wrong with locking eyes with someone across the tavern and watching their face turn red as they look away.

nothing wrong.

+0it’s morning again. jae doesn’t know what to expect really. just knows she can’t take anymore days like this, like yesterday, like the past couple days. she’s in a strange limbo of fighting it or welcoming it and not really knowing what the hell she’s welcoming. she takes it all yeah, hell yeah but she’s not sure what it could be. but it’s another thing when she gets these weird knowing smiles from everyone around town because - what can they know when she doesn’t even know? nothing. that’s what.

but she’s up early, groggy as she pads out the back and enters the tavern. she’s opening a little later today. mainly because everyone is full and asleep. which is what she should be but she’s awake, awake and pouring hot cocoa into her mug.

“I love winter.” she even speaks a little groggy, low and into the mug. she tries to stay satisfied with the warmth of the cocoa as it slides through. tries to focus on the feeling of the mug against her hands, that warmth. tries to remember and repeat it throughout. “i love the snow.” the snow light kisses. “and the snowball fights, i love the weird taste of it.” the easy feeling of her. “i love the catches and i love food and the smell of it all in the tavern.” of old oak, vodka and spice. jae’s still speaking, moving from behind the counter to lean against it.

“mhmm, c’mere.” and jae does, walking to hayeon’s side and settling in the embrace she gets, in the lips by her neck. in warmth washing over, overwhelming. sighs and not-so-secret smiles.“someone’s touchy.”“mhmm.” all she gets is a small nip, has jae jumping but keeping herself firm in hayeon’s hold. a hold she rarely gets to relax in. not like this anyway.“i’ve been getting looks all week like i’m the one who can’t keep my hands to myself when it’s you.”“mhmm.”“you, you it’s all you.”“mmmm.” it’s mumbled against, vibrating against skin and jae almost jumps, squirms away from the feeling and the fire it ignites. she doesn’t get far because hayeon holds her hips, but stops the movement to speak clearer. “winter air’s clear. you smell good.” and now, jae’s grateful for the position, back against hayeon’s chest, red on her face hidden. grateful that the tavern isn’t open yet. because hayeon’s hands are still moving up - when did they even get under and she’s squirming and quite offended at how sneaky it’d happened. it’s the fucking old oak and vodka. it’s always that.

but she’s not bothered. “so you admit it?” jae’s proud of herself for getting this far, still speaking with lips ghosting over her shoulder. still a little firm when they rest of her feels like jelly. feels sunken in.“admit to what?”“driving me up the damn wall.”“god i’m sorry displays of affection are such a turn on for you jae.”“shut up, oh my god.” jae turns around at that, rejuvenated in how scandalized she feels. ready to stand her ground at any given moment. but hayeon’s staring, eyes looking hooded, thoroughly calm. her fingers still hook in jae’s shirt. eyes on jae’s lips and a hand running through her own hair before she locks eyes with jae. finally.“alright i admit it.”“good.“good, so you’re opening late today.”“i hate you oh my god.” but she’s got a hold on hayeon’s hand, another mug in her hand and her feet padding towards the back room.

yeah, she’s going to ban hayeon from the tavern. it’s bad for business.

[blastingxff]

Fate that Binds 15

This part: Everything goes from bad to worse. Also known as the writer is crap with canon and sort of apologizes. (FYI: This fic actually isn’t crack like please proceed with caution. And yes I am aware this tells you nothing about the part in question.)

first part // previous part // next part Series: Pokemon Characters: Jessie, James, Meowth, Pikachu, Ash, Brock, May, Max, Jessebelle Ships: hints of rocketshipping if you read it that way, mostly just friendshipping though Summary: It had been a throwaway wish, something made out of the frustration of the moment- it wasn’t actually supposed to happen. But the magic of a well haunted by a pokemon’s spirit ended up altering reality. Now, Jessie, James, and Meowth aren’t in Team Rocket. They don’t even know each other. And it’s created far darker a world for the TRio than Ash could have ever imagined, and now he and his friends want nothing more than to change things back to how they were. Genre: Friendship, hurt/comfort, so much angst, all the angst, drama, butchered canon, Words: 1,526 / part 15 out of 16 Trigger Warnings (this part): injuries, violence, death Notes: This popped into my head and didn’t get out until I wrote it down. It’s 16 chapters, and entirely written already in about three days. So that will explain a helluvalot. Like the bus-sized plotholes. I just wanted to be mean to my favorite characters, geeze, is that so bad? XP Also can be read on Ao3.

Chapter 15

“Pikachu! Thunderbolt!”

Ash had one thing in mind: Free Jessie. The binds around her body were too tight, she was struggling to breathe- and the powder around her was only proving to make her struggle harder. Stun spore? No… it’s the wrong color….

He knew what the attack had been.

He wished he didn’t.

Pikachu’s thunderbolt was aimed at the grass pokémon squeezing the remaining life from Jessie. The vines went slack as the pokémon’s attention was diverted to dealing with the electricity now surging through its body. James lunged for her through the window, catching the young woman before she could collapse out of reach before pulling her to relative safety, his arms catching on the broken glass- cutting lightly through his suit and into his skin.

An icy feeling surged through Ash when he saw her condition.

“Oh no… Jessie…” Brock’s voice told Ash he had caught up. May and Max probably had as well then. Ash’s throat was dry as he tried to find a suitable response. The woman was on her knees, pale, blood coming from her wounds and from her nose. Her face was flushed with fever. Breathing slow and labored, the poison was working quickly.

She worked to stand on her own anyway. Her eyes went to the twerps, “Thanks for the save,” and she smiled. A weak, trembling smile. Without drawing attention to her state she called to James, “Come on, we gotta get out of here.”

And she was off. Pushing much harder than what would be good for her body. Meowth followed suit. Behind them, James watched for a moment- anxious, worried, but Jessebelle’s voice lit a fire beneath his feet.

“Wait until I get you in my arms again, Sweetheart!”

“Guys! You too!” Ash heard coming from James. The young trainer glanced back at Jessebelle who was, wedding dress and all, working on getting herself out of the building.  James was slowing down, worry etched onto his forehead, “Hurry up!”

Team Rocket, or, well, the former Team Rocket were already a distance across the graveyard. Jessebelle was already preparing to catch up. And then Ash knew what he needed to do. He looked to his friends, “You guys go after them, Pikachu and I will buy some time.”

He realized soon he was not alone, Combusken materializing beside Pikachu as Jessebelle and her Vileplume steadied themselves, ready to give chase. May’s anger filled glare caught his eyes and sent a shiver down his spine. When was the last time he had seen her that furious? Had she ever been that furious around him before? “How dare she.” The words were subtle, May was shaking with clenched fists. “Combusken, use fire spin!”

* * *

Jessie wasn’t entirely sure what she was hoping for as her feet carried her in the one direction on her mind. The well. There had to be some trick to it. She was weakening as the proverbial clock ticked. She had to try again. But as she struggled through the thick bushes, she found herself tripping over her own feet, hitting the ground hard right in front of the small, haunted piece of scenery.

“Jessica!” she heard her name in the voice of one of the few permitted to use it, but barely registered the word as she struggled to get up. A push brought potential that was quickly diminished as her cheek scratched against the small pebbles on the ground. Dammit when did I become so weak? She couldn’t even fight as she felt herself pulled into a man’s arms. Gentle fingers brushed away the stray strands of hair that had gotten into her eyes.

She noticed red on his white suit.

“James, you’re bleeding,” she whispered. It felt like there was a gateway in her throat that was being closed slowly. She was vaguely aware of Meowth’s presence, but the haze surrounding her vision kept her from confirmation.

“Jess, don’t worry about that, just- just hang on. I’m sure the twerps have an antidote, or something,” he swallowed hard, struggling with the tears that were forming. This… this horrible end to their lives together. It was hurting, so much. Why? Why did it feel like a part of his soul was being torn away from him? How long had he known her? A few days? “Come on Jessie, we gotta stay together, you know that, you told me!”

“Sorry,” her lips moved, only a quiet voice came out. She shifted into him as much as her body would allow, seeking the comfort of a kind human’s warmth that she had been denied for the entirety of her life, “We might not have had long together but…” the imagined gate in her throat was closing. She could barely gather enough breath to speak, but this took precedence over a few more seconds of life, “but I’m so glad I met you. If even for a little. It was almost like I had best friends… and… a soulmate maybe? For a few days, at least.”

“Come on, don’t talk like that, we’re destined to be together- remember? This is fate, we’re supposed to- you said that! What about Meowth huh? How can you leave him? He’s not gonna find any other humans to trust!”

Meowth’s paws were in front of his mouth. The fur around his eyes was damp. She could tell he wanted to say something. But he was trembling, speaking human must be difficult enough without emotions stalling the words. Did the cat pokemon really care about her that much?

The silence was a reminder that that time was quickly slipping.

Jessie grinned, her eyes were getting heavy. She couldn’t move her head to shift her gaze back to James, but she hoped her words were taken to heart by both. Her voice was trembling from the stress of her fight for just a little longer, “I’ll miss you.”

Her eyes closed. The last thing she could recall hearing was a shattered yell muffled by death, “Jessica!”

* * *

This isn’t what I wanted

When he came across the scene, it was by far the worst case scenario.

James was doubled over, clinging tightly to a young woman’s limp body. In bubbled cries he was repeating her name over, and over, and over again. Meowth struggling to provide some comfort despite his own grief.

A glance to his companions made him suspect they were all thinking one thing. This wish.

It killed her.

That was all he could think about. The thought manifested itself into a lead ball that he felt dragged down to the pit of his stomach. Maybe it was misplaced, that forming, compacting guilt that locked onto his heart. But his eyes kept returning to Jessie’s still hand.

I killed her.

James finally realized Ash and his friends had arrived. The former enemy’s words were laced with a tone nothing like the trainer had ever heard before. Shattered. Torn. Broken. A distraught voice that only added weight pleaded, “You said there’s an alternate universe for us! Take us there! Please! I want to go back!”

His focus went to the well, “You!” he was increasing in volume and increasing in desperation. High, strained demands left his trembling lips, “You took my favorite bottle cap! Don’t… don’t take that and her! Give them back! Both of them!”

Ash swallowed back tears but they surged forth anyway as James’ desperate eyes locked mercilessly in vain onto the dormant well. Anger, fury, and anguish engulfing the man in a way Ash wished he never had to witness.

“I want to go back! Please! I don’t want to live this life... I can’t live this life... DON’T MAKE ME LIVE WITHOUT HER!”

Despite his struggle to hold onto his rage, it began to vanish with his echos. In its place came broken sobs, arms clinging tight to the young woman Ash had known for longer than she had known him. He was aware of May’s trembling body beside him as she held onto her little brother. Brock was silent, unreadable. Was he in as much pain as Ash? Pikachu seemed to notice the tears rolling down his trainer’s cheeks, guilt, anger, frustration… Pikachu leaned into Ash, nuzzling his cheek. But Ash could only stare at the three who had caused him so much grief on his journey. The three that had been there for everything so far. The three that had proved themselves and then disproved themselves, provided a helping hand or an annoying delay.

And now they were broken. Torn apart. The intelligent, chatty, cheeky meowth was curled up with both a broken tail and gaze. The man who always held a rose and a confident stance was stuck in a shaking cycle, muttering on repeat as he held the woman whose strength had been unmatched in determination and will, “Please, take us back. Please... Don’t take her away from me. I can’t live this way.”

In the sorrows of the little outcropping, on the edge of the graveyard behind the cathedral in which two wealthy families were intended to be wed, nobody noticed the mouth of the well as it began to glow gold.